Magnetska rezonancija - novi pristup u istraživanju ugroženih morskih školjkaša

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is increasingly used in biology and the appearance of such imaging and structural findings devoted to endangered marine bivalves shows the recent keen interest in these research techniques. New imaging techniques are ideal for understanding the normal form of soft structures (e.g. gonad, stomach, digestive gland, muscle, gills), and identifying anatomical positions and landmarks of structures in vivo. Because of its biological importance, endangered bivalve mollusks are the subject of much research in physiology. In terms of protection of species, it seemed necessary to perform a preliminary technological evaluation of the MRI possibilities. Aim of this research was to make a preliminary exploration of the possibilities and limits of MRI for assessing anatomical structures and gonad development of the date mussel, Lithophaga lithophaga L., an endangered bivalve from Adriatic sea. This paper presents a new imaging technique used in comparative morphology, with examples of recent applications, and will present original research demonstrating a use of this technique to investigate morphological structures in endangered species. This report therefore presents the preliminary results on MR imaging of the date mussel. From the obtained images, variations in the volumes of the flesh, digestive gland, gonad and adductor muscle, and the surface of the gills could be measured during growth. Gonad measurement by MRI presents a non-destructive method and therefore makes it possible to assess live individual development as well as to compare live individuals.Magnetska rezonancija (MR) sve se više koristi u istraživanjima na području biologije. Upotreba i implementiranje ove metode u svrhu nedestruktivnog proučavanja anatomije i fiziologije ugroženih vrsta morskih školjkaša daje veliki značaj ovakvim istraživačkim tehnikama. Nove moderne tehnologije omogućavaju bolje razumijevanje građe i oblika mekih struktura (npr. gonade, želudac, probavna žlijezda, mišići, škrge), te prepoznavanje anatomskih odlika i međusobni odnos organa kod živih školjkaša. Zbog svoje biološke važnosti, ugrožene vrste školjkaša predmet su mnogih istraživanja. U okviru zaštite vrsta, potrebno je izvršiti preliminarnu procjenu tehnoloških mogućnosti MR. Cilj ovog istraživanja je napraviti prikaz mogućnosti i ograničenja primjene MR u procjeni anatomskih struktura i razvoju gonada kod prstaca, Lithophaga lithophaga L., zaštićenog školjkaša iz Jadranskog mora. Ovaj rad predstavlja primjenu moderne tehnologije u svrhu istraživanja komparativne anatomije te je, uz dosadašnja saznanja, predstavljen originalan način kako bi se istražile morfološke osobitosti ugroženih vrsta. Ovo izvješće obuhvaća preliminarne MR snimke prstaca. Na dobivenim fotografijama moguće je razlučiti i izračunati indekse mase mišića, funkciju probavne žlijezde, gonada i aduktornih mišića te škrga u različitom razdoblju razvoja školjkaša. Primjenom ove nedestruktivne metode u svrhu mjerenja rasta gonada i spolnog sazrijevanja prstaca moguće je procijeniti individualni razvoj, kao i usporediti pojedine žive jedinke

Uterine Fibroid Embolisation for Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids: A Survey of Clinical Practice in Europe

Item does not contain fulltextPURPOSE: To assess current uterine fibroid embolisation (UFE) practice in European countries and determine the clinical environment for UFE in different hospitals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In May 2009, an invitation for an online survey was sent by e-mail to all members of the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiologic Society of Europe, representing a total number of 1,250 different candidate European treatment centres. The survey covered 21 questions concerning local UFE practice. RESULTS: A total of 282 respondents completed the questionnaire. Fifteen questionnaires were excluded because they were doubles from centres that had already returned a questionnaire. The response rate was 267 of 1,250 centres (21.4%). Ninety-four respondents (33%) did not perform UFE and were excluded, and six centres were excluded because demographic data were missing. The remaining 167 respondents from different UFE centres were included in the study. Twenty-six percent of the respondents were from the United Kingdom (n = 43); 16% were from Germany (n = 27); 11% were from France (n = 18); and the remaining 47% (n = 79) were from other European countries. Most centres (48%, n = 80) had 5 to 10 years experience with UFE and performed 10 to 50 procedures annually (53% [n = 88]) of respondents). Additional demographic data, as well as specific data on referral of patients, UFE techniques used, and periprocedural and postprocedural, care will be provided. CONCLUSION: Although UFE as an alternative treatment for hysterectomy or myomectomy is widespread in Europe, its impact on the management of the patient with symptomatic fibroids seems, according to the overall numbers of UFE procedures, somewhat disappointing. Multiple factors might be responsible for this observation

Zika Virus Disrupts Phospho-TBK1 Localization and Mitosis in Human Neuroepithelial Stem Cells and Radial Glia

Graphical Abstract Highlights d Derivation of human neocortical and spinal cord neuroepithelial stem (NES) cells d Zika virus (ZIKV) infects NES cells and radial glia, impairing mitosis and survival d ZIKV induces mitochondrial sequestration of centrosomal phospho-TBK1 d Nucleoside analogs inhibit ZIKV replication, protecting NES cells from cell death In Brief Onorati et al. establish neuroepithelial stem (NES) cells as a model for studying human neurodevelopment and ZIKV-induced microcephaly. Together with analyses in human brain slices and microcephalic human fetal tissue, they find that ZIKV predominantly infects NES and radial glial cells, reveal a pivotal role for pTBK1, and find that nucleoside analogs inhibit ZIKV replication, protecting NES cells from cell death

Current Wildland Fire Patterns and Challenges in Europe : A Synthesis of National Perspectives

Changes in climate, land use, and land management impact the occurrence and severity of wildland fires in many parts of the world. This is particularly evident in Europe, where ongoing changes in land use have strongly modified fire patterns over the last decades. Although satellite data by the European Forest Fire Information System provide large-scale wildland fire statistics across European countries, there is still a crucial need to collect and summarize in-depth local analysis and understanding of the wildland fire condition and associated challenges across Europe. This article aims to provide a general overview of the current wildland fire patterns and challenges as perceived by national representatives, supplemented by national fire statistics (2009-2018) across Europe. For each of the 31 countries included, we present a perspective authored by scientists or practitioners from each respective country, representing a wide range of disciplines and cultural backgrounds. The authors were selected from members of the COST Action "Fire and the Earth System: Science & Society" funded by the European Commission with the aim to share knowledge and improve communication about wildland fire. Where relevant, a brief overview of key studies, particular wildland fire challenges a country is facing, and an overview of notable recent fire events are also presented. Key perceived challenges included (1) the lack of consistent and detailed records for wildland fire events, within and across countries, (2) an increase in wildland fires that pose a risk to properties and human life due to high population densities and sprawl into forested regions, and (3) the view that, irrespective of changes in management, climate change is likely to increase the frequency and impact of wildland fires in the coming decades. Addressing challenge (1) will not only be valuable in advancing national and pan-European wildland fire management strategies, but also in evaluating perceptions (2) and (3) against more robust quantitative evidence.Peer reviewe

Post-mortem assessment in vascular dementia: advances and aspirations.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrovascular lesions are a frequent finding in the elderly population. However, the impact of these lesions on cognitive performance, the prevalence of vascular dementia, and the pathophysiology behind characteristic in vivo imaging findings are subject to controversy. Moreover, there are no standardised criteria for the neuropathological assessment of cerebrovascular disease or its related lesions in human post-mortem brains, and conventional histological techniques may indeed be insufficient to fully reflect the consequences of cerebrovascular disease. DISCUSSION: Here, we review and discuss both the neuropathological and in vivo imaging characteristics of cerebrovascular disease, prevalence rates of vascular dementia, and clinico-pathological correlations. We also discuss the frequent comorbidity of cerebrovascular pathology and Alzheimer's disease pathology, as well as the difficult and controversial issue of clinically differentiating between Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and mixed Alzheimer's disease/vascular dementia. Finally, we consider additional novel approaches to complement and enhance current post-mortem assessment of cerebral human tissue. CONCLUSION: Elucidation of the pathophysiology of cerebrovascular disease, clarification of characteristic findings of in vivo imaging and knowledge about the impact of combined pathologies are needed to improve the diagnostic accuracy of clinical diagnoses

Pathology Case Study: Parietal Lobe Lesion

This neuropathology case study, provided by the University of Pittsburgh Department of Pathology, is an excellent resource for students and instructors in the health science fields. This case involves a 15-year-old girl admitted to the hospital because of a seizure attack. Images from a CT scan and MRI, and microscopic results provide conclusive information that contributes to the patientâs diagnosis. The official final diagnosis is accompanied by a discussion of the contributing doctorâs findings and a list of references. This is an excellent resource for students in the health sciences to familiarize themselves with using patient history and laboratory results to diagnose patientâs conditions. It is also a helpful site for educators to use to introduce or test student knowledge of neuropathology

Expression of LOC285758, a potential long non-coding biomarker, is methylation-dependent and correlates with glioma malignancy grade

Identifying the early genetic drivers can help diagnose glioma tumours in their early stages, before becoming malignant. However, there is emerging evidence that disturbance of epigenetic mechanisms also contributes to cell’s malignant transformation and cancer progression. Long non-coding RNAs are one of key epigenetic modulators of signalling pathways, since gene expression regulation is one of their canonical mechanisms. The aim of our study was to search new gliomagenesis-specific candidate lncRNAs involved in epigenetic regulation