A simple, reproducible method for monitoring the treatment of tumours using dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) may act as a biomarker for successful cancer therapy. Simple, reproducible techniques may widen this application. This paper demonstrates a single slice imaging technique. The image acquisition is performed in less than 500 ms making it relatively insensitive to respiratory motion. Data from phantom studies and a reproducibility study in solid human tumours are presented. The reproducibility study showed a coefficient of variation (CoV) of 19.1% for Ktrans and 15.8% for the initial area under the contrast enhancement curve (IAUC). This was improved to 16 and 13.9% if tumours of diameter less than 3 cm were excluded. The individual repeatability (the range within which individual measurements are expected to fall) was 30.6% for Ktrans and 26.5% for IAUC for tumours greater than 3 cm diameter. This approach to DCE–MRI image acquisition can be performed with standard clinical scanners, and data analysis is straightforward. For treatment trials with 10 patients in a cohort, the CoV implies that the method would be sensitive to a treatment effect of greater than 18%. The individual repeatability is well inside the 40% change shown to be important in clinical studies using this DCE–MRI technique

A high-quality carrot genome assembly provides new insights into carotenoid accumulation and asterid genome evolution

We report a high-quality chromosome-scale assembly and analysis of the carrot (Daucus carota) genome, the first sequenced genome to include a comparative evolutionary analysis among members of the euasterid II clade. We characterized two new polyploidization events, both occurring after the divergence of carrot from members of the Asterales order, clarifying the evolutionary scenario before and after radiation of the two main asterid clades. Large- and small-scale lineage-specific duplications have contributed to the expansion of gene families, including those with roles in flowering time, defense response, flavor, and pigment accumulation. We identified a candidate gene, DCAR_032551, that conditions carotenoid accumulation (Y) in carrot taproot and is coexpressed with several isoprenoid biosynthetic genes. The primary mechanism regulating carotenoid accumulation in carrot taproot is not at the biosynthetic level. We hypothesize that DCAR_032551 regulates upstream photosystem development and functional processes, including photomorphogenesis and root de-etiolation.EEA La ConsultaFil: Iorizzo, Massimo. University of Wisconsin. Department of Horticulture; Estados Unidos. North Carolina State University. Plants for Human Health Institute, Department of Horticultural Science; Estados UnidosFil: Ellison, Shelby L. University of Wisconsin. Department of Horticulture; Estados UnidosFil: Senalik, Douglas A. University of Wisconsin. Department of Horticulture; Estados Unidos. United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service. Vegetable Crops Research Unit; Estados UnidosFil: Peng, Zeng. Beijing Genomics Institute–Shenzhen; ChinaFil: Satapoomin, Pimchanok. University of Wisconsin. Department of Horticulture; Estados UnidosFil: Jiaying, Huang. Beijing Genomics Institute–Shenzhen; ChinaFil: Bowman, Megan. Michigan State University. Department of Plant Biology; Estados UnidosFil: Iovene, Marina. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. Istituto di Bioscienze e Biorisorse; ItaliaFil: Sanseverino, Walter. Sequentia Biotech; EspañaFil: Cavagnaro, Pablo Federico. . Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Consulta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Yildiz, Mehtap. Yuzuncu Yil University. Faculty of Agriculture. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology; TurquíaFil: Macko-Podgórni, Alicja. University of Agriculture in Krakow. Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology; PoloniaFil: Moranska, Emilia. University of Agriculture in Krakow. Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology; PoloniaFil: Grzebelus, Ewa. University of Agriculture in Krakow. Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology; PoloniaFil: Grzebelus, Dariusz. University of Agriculture in Krakow. Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology; PoloniaFil: Ashrafi, Hamid. University of California. Seed Biotechnology Center; Estados Unidos. North Carolina State University. Plants for Human Health Institute, Department of Horticultural Science; Estados UnidosFil: Zhijun, Zheng. Beijing Genomics Institute–Shenzhen; ChinaFil: Shifeng, Cheng. Beijing Genomics Institute–Shenzhen; ChinaFil: Spooner, David M. University of Wisconsin. Department of Horticulture; Estados Unidos. United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service. Vegetable Crops Research Unit; Estados UnidosFil: Deynze, Allen Van. University of California. Seed Biotechnology Center; Estados UnidosFil: Simon, Philipp W. University of Wisconsin. Department of Horticulture; Estados Unidos. United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service. Vegetable Crops Research Unit; Estados Unido