Arterial elasticity imaging: comparison of finite-element analysis models with high-resolution ultrasound speckle tracking

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The nonlinear mechanical properties of internal organs and tissues may be measured with unparalleled precision using ultrasound imaging with phase-sensitive speckle tracking. The many potential applications of this important noninvasive diagnostic approach include measurement of arterial stiffness, which is associated with numerous major disease processes. The accuracy of previous ultrasound measurements of arterial stiffness and vascular elasticity has been limited by the relatively low strain of nonlinear structures under normal physiologic pressure and the measurement assumption that the effect of the surrounding tissue modulus might be ignored in both physiologic and pressure equalized conditions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study performed high-resolution ultrasound imaging of the brachial artery in a healthy adult subject under normal physiologic pressure and the use of external pressure (pressure equalization) to increase strain. These ultrasound results were compared to measurements of arterial strain as determined by finite-element analysis models with and without a surrounding tissue, which was represented by homogenous material with fixed elastic modulus.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Use of the pressure equalization technique during imaging resulted in average strain values of 26% and 18% at the top and sides, respectively, compared to 5% and 2%, at the top and sides, respectively, under physiologic pressure. In the artery model that included surrounding tissue, strain was 19% and 16% under pressure equalization versus 9% and 13% at the top and sides, respectively, under physiologic pressure. The model without surrounding tissue had slightly higher levels of strain under physiologic pressure compared to the other model, but the resulting strain values under pressure equalization were > 60% and did not correspond to experimental values.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Since pressure equalization may increase the dynamic range of strain imaging, the effect of the surrounding tissue on strain should be incorporated into models of arterial strain, particularly when the pressure equalization technique is used.</p

Fermi Gamma-ray Imaging of a Radio Galaxy

The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has detected the gamma-ray glow emanating from the giant radio lobes of the radio galaxy Centaurus A. The resolved gamma-ray image shows the lobes clearly separated from the central active source. In contrast to all other active galaxies detected so far in high-energy gamma-rays, the lobe flux constitutes a considerable portion (>1/2) of the total source emission. The gamma-ray emission from the lobes is interpreted as inverse Compton scattered relic radiation from the cosmic microwave background (CMB), with additional contribution at higher energies from the infrared-to-optical extragalactic background light (EBL). These measurements provide gamma-ray constraints on the magnetic field and particle energy content in radio galaxy lobes, and a promising method to probe the cosmic relic photon fields.Comment: 27 pages, includes Supplementary Online Material; corresponding authors: C.C. Cheung, Y. Fukazawa, J. Knodlseder, L. Stawar

A change in the optical polarization associated with a gamma-ray flare in the blazar 3C 279

It is widely accepted that strong and variable radiation detected over all accessible energy bands in a number of active galaxies arises from a relativistic, Doppler-boosted jet pointing close to our line of sight. The size of the emitting zone and the location of this region relative to the central supermassive black hole are, however, poorly known, with estimates ranging from light-hours to a light-year or more. Here we report the coincidence of a gamma-ray flare with a dramatic change of optical polarization angle. This provides evidence for co-spatiality of optical and gamma-ray emission regions and indicates a highly ordered jet magnetic field. The results also require a non-axisymmetric structure of the emission zone, implying a curved trajectory for the emitting material within the jet, with the dissipation region located at a considerable distance from the black hole, at about 10^5 gravitational radii.Comment: Published in Nature issued on 18 February 2010. Corresponding authors: Masaaki Hayashida and Greg Madejsk

Differential Regulation of the Variations Induced by Environmental Richness in Adult Neurogenesis as a Function of Time: A Dual Birthdating Analysis

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) augments after environmental enrichment (EE) and it has been related to some of the anxiolytic, antidepressant and neuroprotective effects of EE. Indeed, it has been suggested that EE specifically modulates hippocampal neurogenic cell populations over the course of time. Here we have used dual-birthdating to study two subpopulations of newborn neuron in mice (Mus musculus): those born at the beginning and at the end of enrichment. In this way, we demonstrate that while short-term cell survival is upregulated after an initial 1 week period of enrichment in 2 month old female mice, after long-term enrichment (2 months) neither cell proliferation nor the survival of the younger newly born cell populations are distinguishable from that observed in non-enriched control mice. In addition, we show that the survival of older newborn neurons alone (i.e. those born at the beginning of the enrichment) is higher than in controls, due to the significantly lower levels of cell death. Indeed, these parameters are rapidly adjusted to the sudden cessation of the EE conditions. These findings suggest both an early selective, long-lasting effect of EE on the neurons born in the initial stages of enrichment, and a quick response when the environment again becomes impoverished. Therefore, EE induces differential effects on distinct subpopulations of newborn neurons depending on the age of the immature cells and on the duration of the EE itself. The interaction of these two parameters constitutes a new, specific regulation of these neurogenic populations that might account for the long-term enrichment's behavioral effects

Methylation Defect in Imprinted Genes Detected in Patients with an Albright's Hereditary Osteodystrophy Like Phenotype and Platelet Gs Hypofunction

Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) indicates a group of heterogeneous disorders whose common feature is represented by impaired signaling of hormones that activate Gsalpha, encoded by the imprinted GNAS gene. PHP-Ib patients have isolated Parathormone (PTH) resistance and GNAS epigenetic defects while PHP-Ia cases present with hormone resistance and characteristic features jointly termed as Albright's Hereditary Osteodystrophy (AHO) due to maternally inherited GNAS mutations or similar epigenetic defects as found for PHP-Ib. Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (PPHP) patients with an AHO phenotype and no hormone resistance and progressive osseous heteroplasia (POH) cases have inactivating paternally inherited GNAS mutations.We here describe 17 subjects with an AHO-like phenotype that could be compatible with having PPHP but none of them carried Gsalpha mutations. Functional platelet studies however showed an obvious Gs hypofunction in the 13 patients that were available for testing. Methylation for the three differentially methylated GNAS regions was quantified via the Sequenom EpiTYPER. Patients showed significant hypermethylation of the XL amplicon compared to controls (36 ± 3 vs. 29 ± 3%; p<0.001); a pattern that is reversed to XL hypomethylation found in PHPIb. Interestingly, XL hypermethylation was associated with reduced XLalphaS protein levels in the patients' platelets. Methylation for NESP and ExonA/B was significantly different for some but not all patients, though most patients have site-specific CpG methylation abnormalities in these amplicons. Since some AHO features are present in other imprinting disorders, the methylation of IGF2, H19, SNURF and GRB10 was quantified. Surprisingly, significant IGF2 hypermethylation (20 ± 10 vs. 14 ± 7%; p<0.05) and SNURF hypomethylation (23 ± 6 vs. 32 6%; p<0.001) was found in patients vs. controls, while H19 and GRB10 methylation was normal.In conclusion, this is the first report of methylation defects including GNAS in patients with an AHO-like phenotype without endocrinological abnormalities. Additional studies are still needed to correlate the methylation defect with the clinical phenotype

Localization and broadband follow-up of the gravitational-wave transient GW150914

A gravitational-wave transient was identified in data recorded by the Advanced LIGO detectors on 2015 September 14. The event candidate, initially designated G184098 and later given the name GW150914, is described in detail elsewhere. By prior arrangement, preliminary estimates of the time, significance, and sky location of the event were shared with 63 teams of observers covering radio, optical, near-infrared, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths with ground- and space-based facilities. In this Letter we describe the low-latency analysis of the gravitational wave data and present the sky localization of the first observed compact binary merger. We summarize the follow-up observations reported by 25 teams via private Gamma-ray Coordinates Network Circulars, giving an overview of the participating facilities, the gravitational wave sky localization coverage, the timeline and depth of the observations. As this event turned out to be a binary black hole merger, there is little expectation of a detectable electromagnetic signature. Nevertheless, this first broadband campaign to search for a counterpart of an Advanced LIGO source represents a milestone and highlights the broad capabilities of the transient astronomy community and the observing strategies that have been developed to pursue neutron star binary merger events. Detailed investigations of the electromagnetic data and results of the electromagnetic follow-up campaign will be disseminated in the papers of the individual teams

How well do clinical prediction rules perform in identifying serious infections in acutely ill children across an international network of ambulatory care datasets?

<p>Background: Diagnosing serious infections in children is challenging, because of the low incidence of such infections and their non-specific presentation early in the course of illness. Prediction rules are promoted as a means to improve recognition of serious infections. A recent systematic review identified seven clinical prediction rules, of which only one had been prospectively validated, calling into question their appropriateness for clinical practice. We aimed to examine the diagnostic accuracy of these rules in multiple ambulatory care populations in Europe.</p><p>Methods: Four clinical prediction rules and two national guidelines, based on signs and symptoms, were validated retrospectively in seven individual patient datasets from primary care and emergency departments, comprising 11,023 children from the UK, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The accuracy of each rule was tested, with pre-test and post-test probabilities displayed using dumbbell plots, with serious infection settings stratified as low prevalence (LP; 20%). In LP and IP settings, sensitivity should be >90% for effective ruling out infection.</p><p>Results: In LP settings, a five-stage decision tree and a pneumonia rule had sensitivities of >90% (at a negative likelihood ratio (NLR) of</p><p>Conclusions: None of the clinical prediction rules examined in this study provided perfect diagnostic accuracy. In LP or IP settings, prediction rules and evidence-based guidelines had high sensitivity, providing promising rule-out value for serious infections in these datasets, although all had a percentage of residual uncertainty. Additional clinical assessment or testing such as point-of-care laboratory tests may be needed to increase clinical certainty. None of the prediction rules identified seemed to be valuable for HP settings such as emergency departments.</p>