Pancreatic tumors imaging: an update

Currently, ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) represent the mainstay in the evaluation of pancreatic solid and cystic tumors affecting pancreas in 80-85% and 10-15% of the cases respectively. Integration of US, CT or MR imaging is essential for an accurate assessment of pancreatic parenchyma, ducts and adjacent soft tissues in order to detect and to stage the tumor, to differentiate solid from cystic lesions and to establish an appropriate treatment. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of pancreatic tumors and the role of imaging in their diagnosis and management. In order to a prompt and accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of pancreatic lesions, it is crucial for radiologists to know the key findings of the most frequent tumors of the pancreas and the current role of imaging modalities. A multimodality approach is often helpful. If multidetector-row CT (MDCT) is the preferred initial imaging modality in patients with clinical suspicion for pancreatic cancer, multiparametric MRI provides essential information for the detection and characterization of a wide variety of pancreatic lesions and can be used as a problem-solving tool at diagnosis and during follow-up

Kernel weight in maize: genetic control of its physiological and compositional determinants in a dent × flint-caribbean RIL population

The genetic control of maize kernel weight (KW) determination could be studied through its physiological and/ or compositional determinants. Our objective was to dissect the genetic control of maize KW by analyzing its physiological (KGR: kernel growth rate; KFD: kernel filling duration) and compositional (protein, oil, starch) determinants in a dent×flint Caribbean RIL population, which combines a broad genetic background with grains of high added value for industry. An additional objective was to determine the stability of the genetic control under contrasting growing conditions, for which soil nitrogen offer was modified across experiments. Heritability (H2 ) values were high for KW (H2 = 0.74) and intermediate for the other traits (from 0.62 to 0.42). Kernel weight had a strong correlation with KFD (r = 0.69), KGR (r = 0.60) and protein concentration (r = 0.56). Ten joint QTL with inconsistent effects across years and seven epistatic interactions were detected. Despite changes in effect size, most QTL were significant under both environments. Nine QTL were associated with variations in potential KW (KWP), mean KW, KGR and oil concentration, eight with variations in protein and starch concentration and seven with KFD. Epistatic interactions were related to regions with significant main effects. The most important finding was the existence of a common QTL for KWP, KGR and KFD on chromosome 5, for which there was no previous report. Results increased our knowledge on the genetic control of KW through its phenotypic and genetic correlation with KFD, confirming the need to explore different physiological strategies in different genetic backgrounds.Fil: Mandolino, Cecilia Ines. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; ArgentinaFil: D'andrea, Karina Elizabeth. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Producción Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; ArgentinaFil: Piedra, Carlina Victoria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Producción Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez Prado, Santiago. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; Francia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Olmos, Sofia Eugenia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; ArgentinaFil: Cirilo, Alfredo Gabriel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Otegui, Maria Elena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Producción Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; Argentin

Producción de biomasa y consumo de agua en líneas edocriadas de maíz y sus híbridos derivados

El agua y la disponibilidad de nutrientes son las limitantes principales para la producción agrícola. Una característica fundamental de los sistemas agrícolas futuros será contar con nuevos cultivares con mejor conversión de los recursos en rendimiento (5). Desde un enfoque ecofisiológico, definimos la producción de biomasa como el producto entre la cantidad de recursos disponibles (oferta ambiental), la capacidad de las plantas para tomarlos (eficiencia de captura) y su capacidad para utilizarlos en producir biomasa (eficiencia de uso) (3; 4). El objetivo del presente trabajo es evaluar la productividad de biomasa aérea, la evapotranspiración del cultivo (ETC), el rendimiento en grano y la eficiencia de uso del agua (EUA) para producir biomasa y rendimiento en un experimento dialélico, con el fin de establecer las diferencias entre líneas endocriadas (L) e híbridos (H) derivados y estimar la heredabilidad de los mismos.EEA PergaminoFil: Galizia, Luciana A. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Departamento de Ecofisiología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina.Fil: D'Andrea, Karina Elizabeth. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina.Fil: Cirilo; Alfredo Gabriel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Departamento de Ecofisiología; Argentina.Fil: Otegui, María Elena. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Departamento de Ecofisiología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina.Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina

Modelo de evaluación multicriterio para la identificación de áreas adecuadas para reúso de aguas residuales tratadas en agricultura

A model of land suitability analysis for irrigation with treated domestic wastewater is presented. The model integrates tools of Multi-Criteria Evaluation with Geographical Information Systems. Several criteria were selected to adapt the model to the condi-tions and characteristics of the case study. The adaptation process included field visits, a bibliographical review, and personal interviews with local actors and experts. Six constraints and 10 factors were selected and 3158 hectares suitable for the activity were identified. The areas were classified into three categories of aptitude, representing high fitness sites close to the current wastewater treatment plant. The developed tool allowed us to integrate different criteria to assess site suitability for wastewater reuse, with the advantage that the tool can be adapted to other regions and/or objectives.Se presenta un modelo de análisis de viabilidad de áreas para riego con aguas residuales domésticas tratadas. El modelo integra herramientas de evaluación multi-criterios con sistemas de información geográfica. Se seleccionaron varios criterios para adaptar el modelo a las condiciones y características del estudio de caso. El proceso de adaptación incluyó visitas de campo, revisión bibliográfica y entrevistas personales con actores y expertos locales. Se seleccionaron seis limitantes y 10 factores y se identificaron 3158 hectáreas aptas para la actividad. Las áreas se clasificaron en tres categorías de aptitud, que representan sitios de alta viabilidad cerca de la planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales en funcionamiento. La herramienta desarrollada nos permitió integrar diferentes criterios para evaluar la viabilidad del sitio para la reutilización de aguas residuales, con la ventaja de que la herramienta se puede adaptar a otras regiones y objetivos.Fil: Gatto D'andrea, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; ArgentinaFil: Iribarnegaray, Martín Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; ArgentinaFil: Tejerina, Walter Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Salas Barboza, Ariela Griselda Judith. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; ArgentinaFil: Correa, Juan José Orlando. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez Alvarez, Maria Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; ArgentinaFil: Seghezzo, Lucas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; Argentin

Biparametric versus multiparametric mri with non-endorectal coil at 3t in the detection and localization of prostate cancer

Aim: To assess the sensitivity of biparametric magnetic resonance imaging (bpMRI) with non-endorectal coil in the detection and localization of index (dominant) and nonindex lesions in patients suspected of having prostate cancer. Patients and Methods: We carried-out a retrospective analysis of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) of 41 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. Results of MRI for detection and localization of index and non-index lesions were correlated with those of histology. Results: No statistically significant difference in size was seen between tumor lesion at histology and index lesion at MRI. In 41 patients, a total of 131 tumors were identified at histology, while bpMRI (T2-weighted and diffusionweighted MRI) approach detected 181 lesions. bpMRI gave 27.6% false-positives and 3.3% false-negatives. Sensitivity in lesion detection by bpMRI increased with lesion size assuming high values for lesions 10 mm. For bpMRI and mpMRI, the sensitivity for detecting index lesions was the same and equal: 100% in the peripheral zone 97.6% and 94.7% in the entire prostate and transitional zone, respectively. Conclusion: bpMRI can be used alternatively to mpMRI to detect and localize index prostate cancer

Is contrast enhancement needed for diagnostic prostate MRI?

Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2) provides clinical guidelines for multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) [T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI)] of prostate. However, DCE-MRI seems to show a limited contribution in prostate cancer (PCa) detection and management. In our experience, DCE-MRI, did not show significant change in diagnostic performance in addition to DWI and T2WI [biparametric MRI (bpMRI)] which represent the predominant sequences to detect suspected lesions in peripheral and transitional zone (TZ). In this article we reviewed the role of DCE-MRI also indicating the potential contribute of bpMRI approach (T2WI and DWI) and lesion volume evaluation in the diagnosis and management of suspected PCa

STRUCTURAL PATTERNS, GROWTH PROCESSES, CARBON STOCKS IN AN ITALIAN NETWORK OF OLD-GROWTH BEECH FORESTS

In the framework of the Project of National Interest (PRIN) “Climate change and forests - Dendroecological and ecophysiological responses, productivity and carbon balance on the Italian network of old-growth beech forests”, 9 old beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests were sampled in the eastern Alps and in the central Apennines to assess: i) the degree of ‘old-growthness’ on a structural and dendroecological basis; ii) the carbon (C) stocks in the different ecosystem compartments; iii) some ecophysiological traits using stable isotopes. Live and dead tree structure, soil features and C stocks were examined in some among the oldest and less disturbed beech forests in Italy. Furthermore, leaves, litter and wood cores were sampled for concurrent dendroecological, nutrient and stable isotope analysis, to study age structure, disturbance history and medium- and long-term response to climate and ecophysiological traits. In all sampled stands, values of basal area, volume and large trees density reached or exceeded control values reported for European and North American old-growth forests, while total amount of deadwood was generally low, except in two sites. Diameter distribution showed a remarkable differentiation from bimodal to ‘rotated-sigmoid’ curve. In accordance with structural analyses, disturbance chronologies revealed the importance of frequent low-to-moderate events in generating a fine-scale structure, confirming previous results on beech forests. Different degrees of ‘old-growthness’ were identified for Alpine and Apennine beech stands through the ‘structural-based approach’, which proved to be a valid tool for old-growth forests detection. Preliminary results on carbon stocks on a subset of sites indicate that these old-growth forests are relevant carbon reservoirs, with 192-268 MgC ha-1 of total biomass (67-73% aboveground; 27-33% belowground, 4 stands) and 7-21 MgC ha-1 of deadwood. In these stands, also forest floor (excluding deadwood) and soils are stores of relevant amount of carbon (5-9 MgC ha-1 litter layer, 4 stands; 168-420 MgC ha-1 mineral soil, 3 stands). Finally, carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) analysis, a proxy of wateruse efficiency, was applied on tree-ring cores from a subset of sites. The perspectives of this technique for a retrospective ecophysiological interpretation of climate-change impact on old-growth forests were described. Preliminary results obtained within this PRIN project indicate that the reported ecological indicators can be used to produce a description of forest structures and processes driving stand dynamics (‘structural-based approach’). Furthermore, the use of multiple sampling and research techniques and the integration of research groups with complementary expertise can foster deeper understanding of the ecology and dynamics of old-growth forests.L'articolo è disponibile sul sito dell'editore http://www.aisf.it

Multimodality Imaging in Cardiomyopathies with Hypertrophic Phenotypes

Multimodality imaging is a comprehensive strategy to investigate left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), providing morphologic, functional, and often clinical information to clinicians. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is defined by an increased LV wall thickness not only explainable by abnormal loading conditions. In the context of HCM, multimodality imaging, by different imaging techniques, such as echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, cardiac computer tomography, and cardiac nuclear imaging, provides essential information for diagnosis, sudden cardiac death stratification, and management. Furthermore, it is essential to uncover the specific cause of HCM, such as Fabry disease and cardiac amyloidosis, which can benefit of specific treatments. This review aims to elucidate the current role of multimodality imaging in adult patients with HCM

Heterogeneity and Clonal Evolution of Acquired PARP Inhibitor Resistance in TP53- and BRCA1-Deficient Cells

Homologous recombination (HR)-deficient cancers are sensitive to poly- ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi), which have shown clinical efficacy in the treatment of high-grade serous cancers (HGSC). However, the majority of patients will relapse, and acquired PARPi resistance is emerging as a pressing clinical problem. Here we generated seven single-cell clones with acquired PARPi resistance derived from a PARPi-sensitive TP53(-/-) and BRCA1(-/-) epithelial cell line generated using CRISPR/Cas9. These clones showed diverse resistance mechanisms, and some clones presented with multiple mechanisms of resistance at the same time. Genomic analysis of the clones revealed unique transcriptional and mutational profiles and increased genomic instability in comparison with a PARPi-sensitive cell line. Clonal evolutionary analyses suggested that acquired PARPi resistance arose via clonal selection from an intrinsically unstable and heterogenous cell population in the sensitive cell line, which contained preexisting drug-tolerant cells. Similarly, clonal and spatial heterogeneity in tumor biopsies from a clinical patient with BRCA1-mutant HGSC with acquired PARPi resistance was observed. In an imaging-based drug screening, the clones showed heterogenous responses to targeted therapeutic agents, indicating that not all PARPi-resistant clones can be targeted with just one therapy. Furthermore, PARPi-resistant clones showed mechanism-dependent vulnerabilities to the selected agents, demonstrating that a deeper understanding on the mechanisms of resistance could lead to improved targeting and biomarkers for HGSC with acquired PARPi resistance. Significance: This study shows that BRCA1-deficient cells can give rise to multiple genomically and functionally heterogenous PARPi-resistant clones, which are associated with various vulnerabilities that can be targeted in a mechanism-specific manner.Peer reviewe

Intrinsic generation time of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant: an observational study of household transmission

Background Starting from the final months of 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant expanded globally, swiftly replacing Delta, the variant that was dominant at the time. Many uncertainties remain about the epidemiology of Omicron; here, we aim to estimate its generation time.Methods We used a Bayesian approach to analyze 23,122 SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals clustered in 8903 households as determined from contact tracing operations in Reggio Emilia, Italy, throughout January 2022. We estimated the distribution of the intrinsic generation time (the time between the infection dates of an infector and its secondary cases in a fully susceptible population), realized household generation time, realized serial interval (time between symptom onset of an infector and its secondary cases), and contribution of pre-symptomatic transmission.Findings We estimated a mean intrinsic generation time of 6.84 days (95% credible intervals, CrI, 5.72-8.60), and a mean realized household generation time of 3.59 days (95%CrI: 3.55-3.60). The household serial interval was 2.38 days (95%CrI 2.30-2.47) with about 51% (95%CrI 45-56%) of infections caused by symptomatic individuals being generated before symptom onset.Interpretation These results indicate that the intrinsic generation time of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant might not have shortened as compared to previous estimates on ancestral lineages, Alpha and Delta, in the same geographic setting. Like for previous lineages, pre-symptomatic transmission appears to play a key role for Omicron transmission. Estimates in this study may be useful to design quarantine, isolation and contact tracing protocols and to support surveillance (e.g., for the accurate computation of reproduction numbers).Copyright (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/