Correlation of dynamic contrast-enhanced bone perfusion with morphologic ultra-short echo time MR imaging in medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MR bone perfusion could serve as surrogate for morphologic ultra-short echo time (UTE) bone images and to correlate perfusion with morphologic hallmarks in histologically proven foci of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). METHODS: Retrospective study including 20 patients with established diagnosis of MRONJ. Qualitative consensus assessment of predefined jaw regions by two radiologists was used as reference standard using Likert scale (0-3) for standard imaging hallmarks in MRONJ (osteolysis, sclerosis, periosteal thickening). DCE-MRI measurements performed in corresponding regions of the mandible were then correlated with qualitative scores. Regions were grouped into "non-affected" and "pathologic" based on binarized Likert scores of different imaging hallmarks (0-1 vs 2-3). DCE-MRI measurements among hallmarks were compared using Mann-Whitney-U-testing. ROC (receiver-operating-characteristic) analysis was performed for each of the perfusion parameters to assess diagnostic performance for identification of MRONJ using morphologic ratings as reference standard. RESULTS: Median perfusion measurements of "pathologic" regions in wash-in, peak enhancement intensity and integrated area under the curve are significantly higher than those of "non-affected" regions, irrespective of reference imaging hallmark (p < 0.05). No significant perfusion differences were found between "pathologic" regions with and without osteolysis (p = 0.180). ROC analysis showed fair diagnostic performance of DCE-MRI parameters for identification of MRONJ (AUC 0.626-0.727). CONCLUSIONS: DCE bone perfusion parameters are significantly increased in MRONJ compared to non-affected regions, irrespective of osteolysis. Due to certain overlap DCE-MRI bone perfusion cannot serve as full surrogate for UTE bone imaging but may enhance reader confidence

Understanding oxygen anionic-electronic defects under high electric fields: Resistive switches devices

Nanoscale resistive switches (ReRAMs) were recently proposed as new class of non-volatile memories by switching non-linearly between low- and high-resistance values through application of voltage pulses in the ns-range. Through this paper we firstly introduce the topic of resistive switching oxides under high electric fields, their charge transport mechanism and often named memristive characteristics; and critically address open questions. In the second part we turn, to innovative new approaches in making of doped oxides and interface designs to novel device structures for oxide-based switches based on own results: Here, we will firstly discuss a mixed anionic electronic conductor model experiment, being a Gd-doped ceria series with tuned doping concentration to affect the defect association and mobility of the oxide switching bits in a systematic manner. We find a clear correlation between concentration and mobility of oxygen ionic carriers and resistive switching response, and discuss those down to the changes in the near order structures connected therein. Secondly, we exemplify the switching characteristics based on either compressively or tensely strained Gd0.1Ce0.9O2-x heterostructures modulated by Er2O3 or Sm2O3 layers, respectively, and discuss directly the device implication. Thereby, we present a new type of a model material device concept entitled a strained ReRAM . Here, new material engineering of oxides beyond doping is discussed to control resistive switching device properties like retention, Roff/Ron ratios and power consumption by interfacial strain engineering of mixed conducting oxide . Thirdly, we grow nanoscopically-flat LaFeO3 switching bits and demonstrate in a model experiment for amorphous and epitaxially grown films the implication of grain-boundary free but varying defect levels of the structures on resistive switching. Fourthly, we turn to the role of electric field and frequency dependencies of SrTiO3-based ReRAMs. Here, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry are used to investigate optimum operation concerning fast switching and stable retention with high resistance modulation. We show that two different switching mechanisms can be individually addressed depending on electric field strength and switching times. The Memristor-based Cottrell analysis is used to successfully determine diffusion constant characteristics of the materials and separating capacitive and memristive contributions. Finally, we conclude on the role of oxygen anionic-electronic carriers and transfer for oxide-based switches, and discuss the applicability for bits and circuits of potential memory and logic applications. References S. Schweiger, M. Kubicek, F. Messerschmitt, C. Murer, J.L.M. Rupp, ACS Nano, 8, 5, 5032, 2014. F. Messerschmitt, M. Kubicek, S. Schweiger, J.L.M. Rupp, Adv. Funct. Mater. 24, 47, 7448, 2014. F. Messerschmitt, M. Kubicek, J.L.M. Rupp, Adv. Funct. Mater. 25, 32, 5117, 2015. M. Kubicek, R. Schmitt, F. Messerschmitt, J.L.M. Rupp ACS Nano, 9, 11, 10737, 201

COVID-19 severity and thrombo-inflammatory response linked to ethnicity

Although there is strong evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with adverse outcomes in certain ethnic groups, the association of disease severity and risk factors such as comorbidities and biomarkers with racial disparities remains undefined. This retrospective study between March 2020 and February 2021 explores COVID-19 risk factors as predictors for patients&rsquo; disease progression through country comparison. Disease severity predictors in Germany and Japan were cardiovascular-associated comorbidities, dementia, and age. We adjusted age, sex, body mass index, and history of cardiovascular disease comorbidity in the country cohorts using a propensity score matching (PSM) technique to reduce the influence of differences in sample size and the surprisingly young, lean Japanese cohort. Analysis of the 170 PSM pairs confirmed that 65.29% of German and 85.29% of Japanese patients were in the uncomplicated phase. More German than Japanese patients were admitted in the complicated and critical phase. Ethnic differences were identified in patients without cardiovascular comorbidities. Japanese patients in the uncomplicated phase presented a suppressed inflammatory response and coagulopathy with hypocoagulation. In contrast, German patients exhibited a hyperactive inflammatory response and coagulopathy with hypercoagulation. These differences were less pronounced in patients in the complicated phase or with cardiovascular diseases. Coagulation/fibrinolysis-associated biomarkers rather than inflammatory-related biomarkers predicted disease severity in patients with cardiovascular comorbidities: platelet counts were associated with severe illness in German patients. In contrast, high D-dimer and fibrinogen levels predicted disease severity in Japanese patients. Our comparative study indicates that ethnicity influences COVID-19-associated biomarker expression linked to the inflammatory and coagulation (thrombo-inflammatory) response. Future studies will be necessary to determine whether these differences contributed to the less severe disease progression observed in Japanese COVID-19 patients compared with those in Germany

Expression of S-locus inhibitor gene (Sli) in various diploid potatoes

Current guidelines recommend immunosuppressive treatment (IT) in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and elevated aminotransferase levels more than five times the upper limit of normal and elevated serum IgG-levels above twice the upper limit of normal. Since there is no evidence to support this recommendation, we aimed to assess the criteria that guided clinicians in clinical practice to initiate IT in patients with previously diagnosed PSC.This is a retrospective analysis of 196 PSC patients from seven German hepatology centers, of whom 36 patients had received IT solely for their liver disease during the course of PSC. Analyses were carried out using methods for competing risks.A simplified autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) score >5 (HR of 36, p5 and a mHAI score >3, suggesting concomitant features of AIH, influenced the decision to introduce IT during the course of PSC. In German clinical practice, the cutoffs used to guide IT may be lower than recommended by current guidelines

25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong

25th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting: CNS-2016

Abstracts of the 25th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting: CNS-2016 Seogwipo City, Jeju-do, South Korea. 2–7 July 201