Bilateral mucoid degeneration of the posterior cruciate ligaments

Mucoid (myxoid) degeneration of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is well documented and well known. Mucoid degeneration of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) has been reported, but is rare in comparison. The changes may be subtle and may be missed if one is not aware of the diagnosis. As in the ACL, degeneration may cause pain and discomfort. Recognition of the pathology and correct diagnosis is important for the patient and referring physician, as this may have an impact on the therapeutic strategy. We present a case of mucoid degeneration of both PCLs, which to the best of our knowledge has not been published before in the medical literature, as a probable cause of knee pain due to habitual kneeling

Publication rate of scientific abstracts presented at ESSR 2008 and 2009

During the ESSR 2011 Research Committee Meeting, the duration of intellectual property of a research proposal was discussed. A duration of 2 years from idea to publication was suggested. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how many ESSR 2008 and 2009 scientific abstracts were PubMed cited in print within 2 years of the congress. In September of 2011, two researchers independently performed a literature search using author names and title words of all ESSR 2008 and 2009 scientific abstracts published in Skeletal Radiology. In case of similarity or doubt, a senior reviewer made the final decision. Publication details were recorded and analyses were performed in Microsoft Excel (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA). Until September of 2011, 62 out of 137 ESSR 2008 and 2009 scientific abstracts (45 %) were PubMed cited in print [2008:34/73(47 %); 2009:28/64(44 %)]. 54 out of 137 abstracts (39 %) were PubMed cited in print within 2 years of the congress [2008:30/73(41 %); 2009:23/64(36 %)] including eight out of 137 abstracts (6 %), which were already published before the congress [2008:4/73(5 %); 2009:4/64(6 %)]. The top-ranking journal in absolute numbers of publications was Skeletal Radiology. The top publishing country was the United Kingdom. Study sample size and first author position between abstract and publication did not change in the majority. Thirty-nine percent of ESSR 2008 and 2009 scientific abstracts were published within 2 years of the congress including 6 % that were already PubMed cited in print before the congress

Fusion imaging in brain structure measurements on a fetus phantom, combining real‐time ultrasound with magnetic resonance imaging

Objectives: To assess synchronisation of MRI and US in measuring foetus phantom head structures; inter-method, intra- and inter-observer differences on biparietal diameter (BPD), head diameter, anterio-posterior head diameter (HAP) and lateral ventricle structures (VS). Methods: Fusion Imaging (FI) has been performed by combining MRI and US simultaneously. Axial scans of 1.5 Tesla MRI on a foetus phantom were acquired and uploaded on a US machine (EPIQ 7G, Philips). A PercuNav US tracker allowed the system to recognise and display the position of the transducer. A fetal phantom tracker was used as a phantom reference. Real-time US of the phantom head was performed by synchronising the uploaded MRI images using different landmarks. Synchronisation has been assessed by taking measurements after rotating the US probe by 90. Measurements were taken by three different observers twice. Differences in measurements between MRI and US, inter-, intra-observer differences in all measurements were assessed. Results: BPD, HAP and VS measurements before rotation were 0.13 ± 0.06 cm, 0.46 ± 0.09 cm and 0.4 ± 0.23 cm (width) and mean 0.6 ± 0.25 cm (length) larger at MRI than at US using any number of landmarks. After US probe rotation VS were 0.3 ± 0.24 cm in width and 0.3 ± 0.27 cm in length. Intra- and inter-observer differences in all measurements were small. Conclusions: FI showed good synchronisation in measurements. BPD, HAP and VS were larger at MRI than US, likely a result of the way images are generated. Intra-, inter-observer differences between measurements were small. This can be important when reporting geometric measures from FI

Vesicle Formation and Endocytosis: Function, Machinery, Mechanisms, and Modeling

Vesicle formation provides a means of cellular entry for extracellular substances and for recycling of membrane constituents. Mechanisms governing the two primary endocytic pathways (i.e., caveolae- and clathrin-mediated endocytosis, as well as newly emerging vesicular pathways) have become the focus of intense investigation to improve our understanding of nutrient, hormone, and drug delivery, as well as opportunistic invasion of pathogens. In this review of endocytosis, we broadly discuss the structural and signaling proteins that compose the molecular machinery governing endocytic vesicle formation (budding, invagination, and fission from the membrane), with some regard for the specificity observed in certain cell types and species. Important biochemical functions of endocytosis and diseases caused by their disruption also are discussed, along with the structures of key components of endocytic pathways and their known mechanistic contributions. The mechanisms by which principal components of the endocytic machinery are recruited to the plasma membrane, where they interact to induce vesicle formation, are discussed, together with computational approaches used to simulate simplified versions of endocytosis with the hope of clarifying aspects of vesicle formation that may be difficult to determine experimentally. Finally, we pose several unanswered questions intended to stimulate further research interest in the cell biology and modeling of endocytosis. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 11, 1301–1312