Clinical evaluation of 3D high-resolution isotropic knee MRI using Multi-Interleaved X-prepared TSE with inTUitive RElaxometry (MIXTURE) for simultaneous morphology and T2 mapping.

PURPOSE: Quantitative MRI techniques such as T2 mapping are useful in comprehensive evaluation of various pathologies of the knee joint yet require separate scans to conventional morphological measurements and long acquisition times. The recently introduced 3D MIXTURE (Multi-Interleaved X-prepared Turbo-Spin Echo with Intuitive Relaxometry) technique can obtain simultaneous morphologic and quantitative information of the knee joint. To compare MIXTURE with conventional methods and to identify differences in morphological and quantitative information. METHODS: Phantom studies were conducted, and in vivo human scans were performed (20 patients) presented with knee arthralgia. MIXTURE is based on 3D TSE without and with T2 preparation modules in an interleaved manner for both morphology with PDW and fat suppressed T2W imaging as well as quantitative T2 mapping within one single scan. Image quality and lesion depiction were visually assessed and compared between MIXTURE and conventional 2D TSE by two experienced radiologists. Contrast-to-noise ratio was used to assess the adjacent tissue contrast in a quantitative way for both obtained PDW and fat suppressed T2W images. Quantitative T2 values were measured in phantom and from in vivo knee cartilage. RESULTS: The overall diagnostic confidence and contrast-to-noise ratio were deemed comparable between MIXTURE and 2D TSE. While the chosen T2 preparation modules for MIXTURE rendered consistent T2 values comparing to the current standard, measured cartilage T2 values ranged from 26.1 to 50.7 ms, with significant difference between the lesion and normal areas (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MIXTURE can help to provide high-resolution information for both anatomical and pathological assessment.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Volume Isotropic Turbo Spin Echo Acquisition Versus T2-Weighted Turbo Spin Echo Imaging in the Diagnosis of Nerve Root and Perineuronal Pathologies in Spinal Disorders.

Background While two-dimensional (2D) turbo spin echo (TSE) sequences offer better through-plane resolution than three-dimensional (3D) isotropic TSE sequences images, with a narrower thickness of the slice, 3D isotropic TSE sequences are known to have a weaker in-plane resolution as well as blurring of the image. These elements may make it more difficult to distinguish between nearby structures that may affect nerve roots and small nerve roots during spinal imaging. This study aimed to analyze the accuracy of T2 TSE sequence and volumetric isotropic TSE acquisition in determining the indentation of nerve roots and perineural diseases such as nerve sheath tumors and Tarlov cysts. Methods Fifty patients who attended the Department of Radiodiagnosis for magnetic resonance (MR) spine participated in this prospective study. Routine MR lumbosacral (LS) spine sequences, such as survey, coronal T2 short-tau inversion recovery (STIR), sagittal T2 TSE, sagittal T1 TSE, and axial T2 TSE, were carried out after a localizer was acquired. More sequences from volume isotropic turbo spin echo acquisition (VISTA) were acquired. For both 2D and 3D sequences, the visibility ratings for perineural cysts, spinal canal stenosis, and nerve root indentation were evaluated. Visibility ratings ranged from zero to four. Results In the cases of perineural cyst, spinal canal stenosis, and nerve root impingement, the mean difference between the VISTA and T2 TSE visibility scores was 0.04, 0.54, and 0.56, respectively. The VISTA and T2 TS had standard deviation differences of 0.006, 0.026, and 0.06, respectively. The "t" values for nerve root impingement, spinal canal stenosis, and perineural cysts were, in order, 50, 180, and 70. Because the p-value was <0.01, a statistically significant variation has been observed. Conclusion In the diagnosis of neural and perineuronal disorders, the visibility scores for 3D T2 TSE (VISTA) were considerably better than those for 2D T2 TSE in identifying perineural cysts, spinal canal stenosis, and nerve root indentation.

Sleep disturbance in clinical and preclinical scrapie-infected sheep measured by polysomnography.

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by neuronal loss and abnormal deposition of pathological proteins in the nervous system. Among the most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances are one of the most common symptoms in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Currently, one of the main objectives in the study of TSEs is to try to establish an early diagnosis, as clinical signs do not appear until the damage to the central nervous system is very advanced, which prevents any therapeutic approach. In this paper, we provide the first description of sleep disturbance caused by classical scrapie in clinical and preclinical sheep using polysomnography compared to healthy controls. Fifteen sheep classified into three groups, clinical, preclinical and negative control, were analysed. The results show a decrease in total sleep time as the disease progresses, with significant changes between control, clinical and pre-clinical animals. The results also show an increase in sleep fragmentation in clinical animals compared to preclinical and control animals. In addition, sheep with clinical scrapie show a total loss of Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM) and alterations in Non Rapid Eyes Movement sleep (NREM) compared to control sheep, demonstrating more shallow sleep. Although further research is needed, these results suggest that prion diseases also produce sleep disturbances in animals and that polysomnography could be a diagnostic tool of interest in clinical and preclinical cases of prion diseases.

Vessel density mapping of small cerebral vessels on 3D high resolution black blood MRI.

Small cerebral blood vessels are largely inaccessible to existing clinical in vivo imaging technologies. This study aims to present a novel analysis pipeline for vessel density mapping of small cerebral blood vessels from high-resolution 3D black-blood MRI at 3T. Twenty-eight subjects (10 under 35 years old, 18 over 60 years old) were imaged with the T1-weighted turbo spin-echo with variable flip angles (T1w TSE-VFA) sequence optimized for black-blood small vessel imaging with iso-0.5 mm spatial resolution (interpolated from 0.51×0.51×0.64 mm3) at 3T. Hessian-based vessel segmentation methods (Jerman, Frangi and Sato filter) were evaluated by vessel landmarks and manual annotation of lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs). Using optimized vessel segmentation, large vessel pruning and non-linear registration, a semiautomatic pipeline was proposed for quantification of small vessel density across brain regions and further for localized detection of small vessel changes across populations. Voxel-level statistics was performed to compare vessel density between two age groups. Additionally, local vessel density of aged subjects was correlated with their corresponding gross cognitive and executive function (EF) scores using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and EF composite scores compiled with Item Response Theory (IRT). Jerman filter showed better performance for vessel segmentation than Frangi and Sato filter which was employed in our pipeline. Small cerebral blood vessels including small artery, arterioles, small veins, and venules on the order of a few hundred microns can be delineated using the proposed analysis pipeline on 3D black-blood MRI at 3T. The mean vessel density across brain regions was significantly higher in young subjects compared to aged subjects. In the aged subjects, localized vessel density was positively correlated with MoCA and IRT EF scores. The proposed pipeline is able to segment, quantify, and detect localized differences in vessel density of small cerebral blood vessels based on 3D high-resolution black-blood MRI. This framework may serve as a tool for localized detection of small vessel density changes in normal aging and cerebral small vessel disease.

The European Union summary report on surveillance for the presence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in 2022.

This report presents the results of surveillance on transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in cattle, sheep, goats, cervids and other species, and genotyping in sheep and goats, carried out in 2022 by 27 Member States (MS, EU27), the United Kingdom (in respect of Northern Ireland [XI]) and other eight non-EU reporting countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Türkiye. In total, 977,008 cattle were tested by EU27 and XI (-4.3%, compared with 2021), and 52,395 cattle by eight non-EU reporting countries, with one case of H-BSE in France. In total, 295,145 sheep and 109,074 goats were tested in the EU27 and XI (-5.2% and -7.9%, respectively, compared to 2021). In the other non-EU reporting countries, 25,535 sheep and 633 goats were tested. In sheep, 557 cases of scrapie were reported by 17 MS and XI: 480 classical scrapie (CS) by five MS (93 index cases [IC] with genotypes of susceptible groups in 97.6% of the cases), 77 atypical scrapie (AS) (76 IC) by 14 MS and XI. In the other non-EU reporting countries, Norway reported 16 cases of ovine AS. Ovine random genotyping was reported by eight MS and genotypes of susceptible groups accounted for 7.3%. In goats, 224 cases of scrapie were reported, all from EU MS: 216 CS (42 IC) by six MS, and 8 AS (8 IC) by four MS. In Cyprus, two cases of CS were reported in goats carrying the heterozygous DN146 allele. In total, 3202 cervids were tested for chronic wasting disease by 10 MS. One wild European moose tested positive in Finland. Norway tested 17,583 cervids with two European moose, one reindeer and one red deer positive. In total, 154 animals from four other species tested negative in Finland.

Large extracellular vesicles transfer more prions and infect cell culture better than small extracellular vesicles.

Prions are responsible for a number of lethal neurodegenerative and transmissible diseases in humans and animals. Extracellular vesicles, especially small exosomes, have been extensively studied in connection with various diseases. In contrast, larger microvesicles are often overlooked. In this work, we compared the ability of large extracellular vesicles (lEVs) and small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) to spread prions in cell culture. We utilized CAD5 cell culture model of prion infection and isolated lEVs by 20,000×g force and sEVs by 110,000×g force. The lEV fraction was enriched in ß-1 integrin with a vesicle size starting at 100 nm. The fraction of sEVs was partially depleted of ß-1 integrin with a mean size of 79 nm. Both fractions were enriched in prion protein, but the lEVs contained a higher prion-converting activity. In addition, lEV infection led to stronger prion signals in both cell cultures, as detected by cell and western blotting. These results were verified on N2a-PK1 cell culture. Our data suggest the importance of lEVs in the trafficking and spread of prions over extensively studied small EVs.

Temporal spectral evolution of pre-stimulus brain activity in visual and visuomotor tasks.

The aim of this study was to describe the spectral features of pre-stimulus event-related potential (ERP) components elicited in visual tasks such as the Bereitschaftspotential (BP), prefrontal negativity (pN) and visual negativity (vN). ERPs are considered time-locked and phase-locked (evoked) activity, but we have also analyzed the non-phase but time-locked (induced) activity in the same interval by applying the temporal spectral evolution (TSE) method. Participants (N = 26) were tested in a passive task, a simple response task (SRT) and a discriminative response task (DRT), where EEG activity was recorded with 64 scalp electrodes. We analyzed the time-frequency modulations (phase and non-phase) prior to the onset of the stimuli in the sub-delta, delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands. The results showed that all the pre-stimulus ERP components were mainly regulated by evoked activity in the sub-delta band. On the other hand, induced activity seems to be linked to evoked responses but with a different psychophysiological role. We concluded that other preparatory cognitive mechanisms associated with ERPs can also be detected by the TSE method. This finding may suggest underlying mechanisms in non-phase activity and requires the addition of non-phase activity analysis to the traditional analysis (phase and evoked activity).

Tobacco smoke incursion into private residences in Israel: a cross-sectional study examining public perceptions of private rights and support for governmental policies.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco smoke incursion (TSI) into private residences is a widespread problem in many countries. We sought to assess the prevalence of self-reported TSI and public attitudes about TSI in Israel, a country with a relatively high smoking prevalence and high population density. METHODS: We conducted a random digit dial survey among residents in Israel (N = 285) in 2017, which examined the frequency, source, correlates of, and attitudes towards TSI and potential regulatory options. The cooperation rate was 63.9%. RESULTS: Among respondents, 44.7% reported ever experiencing home TSI, with higher exposure among residents of multi-unit housing (MUH) (MUH versus private homes: aOR (Adjusted Odds Ratio): 3.60, CI (Confidence Interval): [1.96, 6.58], p < .001). Most respondents (69.8%), including nearly half of smokers, prioritized the right of individuals to breath smoke-free air in their apartments over the right of smokers to smoke in their apartments. Women and non-smokers were more likely to support the right to breathe smoke-free air (Women versus men: aOR: 2.77 CI: [1.48, 5.16], p = .001; Nonsmokers versus smokers: aOR: 3.21 CI [1.59, 6.48], p = .001). However, only about a quarter (24.8%) of respondents who ever experienced TSI raised the issue with the neighbor who smoked, the neighbor's landlord, or the building committee. The vast majority (85.2%) of all respondents, including three-quarters of smokers, supported smoke-free legislation for multi-unit housing (MUH), with those ever-exposed to TSI and non-smokers more likely to support legislation (ever-exposed versus never-exposed aOR = 2.99, CI [1.28, 6.97], p = 0.011; nonsmokers versus smokers aOR = 3.00, CI [1.28, 7.01], p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Among study participants, tobacco smoke incursion was a common, yet unwelcome experience. Most respondents believed that the right to breathe smoke-free air in one's apartment superseded that of neighbors to smoke anywhere in their home, and most supported legislation to prevent TSI. Though further study is needed to understand better TSI and effective methods for its prevention, our findings suggest that policy interventions, including legal action at the level of the Supreme Court and/or the Knesset, are needed. Regulation, policy initiatives and campaigns to denormalize smoking in proximity to other people and private residences globally could reduce the scope of this widespread problem, protect individuals from home TSI, and improve population health.

MR-zero meets RARE MRI: Joint optimization of refocusing flip angles and neural networks to minimize T2 -induced blurring in spin echo sequences.

PURPOSE: An end-to-end differentiable 2D Bloch simulation is used to reduce T2 induced blurring in single-shot turbo spin echo sequences, also called rapid imaging with refocused echoes (RARE) sequences, by using a joint optimization of refocusing flip angles and a convolutional neural network. METHODS: Simulation and optimization were performed in the MR-zero framework. Variable flip angle train and DenseNet parameters were optimized jointly using the instantaneous transverse magnetization, available in our simulation, at a certain echo time, which serves as ideal blurring-free target. Final optimized sequences were exported for in vivo measurements at a real system (3 T Siemens, PRISMA) using the Pulseq standard. RESULTS: The optimized RARE was able to successfully lower T2 -induced blurring for single-shot RARE sequences in proton density-weighted and T2 -weighted images. In addition to an increased sharpness, the neural network allowed correction of the contrast changes to match the theoretical transversal magnetization. The optimization found flip angle design strategies similar to existing literature, however, visual inspection of the images and evaluation of the respective point spread function demonstrated an improved performance. CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates that when variable flip angles and a convolutional neural network are optimized jointly in an end-to-end approach, sequences with more efficient minimization of T2 -induced blurring can be found. This allows faster single- or multi-shot RARE MRI with longer echo trains.

Utility of 3D T1-weighted turbo spin echo black blood sequence for the diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis.

PURPOSE: Accurate assessment of dural sinus, deep and cortical venous thrombosis on MR imaging is challenging. The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of 3D-T1 turbo spin echo (T1S), sequences in detecting venous thrombosis and comparing it with susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), magnetic resonance venography (MRV) and post contrast T1 magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (T1C). METHODS: A blinded retrospective observational analysis of 71 consecutive patients evaluated for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) and 30 control patients was performed. Multimodality reference standard adopted included T1C, SWI with MRV. Sub-analyses in superficial, deep and cortical venous segments were performed in addition to correlation of signal intensity of thrombus with the clinical stage. RESULTS: A total of 2222 segments in 101 complete MRI examinations were evaluated. Sensitivity/specificity/positive predictive value/negative predictive value/accuracy and precision of T1S for detection of cortical vein thrombosis was 0.994/1/1/0.967/0.995/1, 1/0.874/0.949/1/0.963/0.950 for detection of superficial venous sinus thrombosis and 1/1/1/1/1/1 for deep venous thrombosis. The AUC yield for T1S was 0.997 for cortical, 1 for deep and 0.988 for superficial venous segments. CONCLUSION: T1S paralleled the accuracy of conventional sequences in the overall detection of CVT but showed superior accuracy in the detection of cortical venous thrombosis. It makes a fitting addition to the CVT MRI protocol in scenarios demanding negation of gadolinium administration.

Comparison of Diagnostic Performance and Image Quality between Topup-Corrected and Standard Readout-Segmented Echo-Planar Diffusion-Weighted Imaging for Cholesteatoma Diagnostics.

This study compares the diagnostic performance and image quality of single-shot turbo spin-echo DWI (tseDWI), standard readout-segmented DWI (rsDWI), and a modified rsDWI version (topupDWI) for cholesteatoma diagnostics. Thirty-four patients with newly suspected unilateral cholesteatoma were examined on a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by calculating and comparing the sensitivity and specificity using histopathological results as the standard of reference. Image quality was independently reviewed by two readers using a 5-point Likert scale evaluating image distortions, susceptibility artifacts, image resolution, lesion conspicuity, and diagnostic confidence. Twenty-five cholesteatomas were histologically confirmed after surgery and originated in the study group. TseDWI showed the highest sensitivity with 96% (95% confidence interval (CI): 88-100%), followed by topupDWI with 92% (95% CI: 81-100%) for both readers. The sensitivity for rsDWI was 76% (95% CI: 59-93%) for reader 1 and 84% (95% CI: 70-98%) for reader 2, respectively. Both tseDWI and topupDWI revealed a specificity of 100% (95% CI: 66-100%) and rsDWI of 89% (95% CI: 52-100%). Both tseDWI and topupDWI showed fewer image distortions and susceptibility artifacts compared to rsDWI. Image resolution was consistently rated best for topupDWI, followed by rsDWI, which both outperformed tseDWI. TopupDWI and tseDWI showed comparable results for lesions' conspicuity and diagnostic confidence, both outperforming rsDWI. Modified readout-segmented DWI using the topup-correction method is preferable to standard rsDWI and may be regarded as an accurate alternative to single-shot turbo spin-echo DWI in cholesteatoma diagnostics.

The use of animal by-products in a circular bioeconomy: Time for a TSE road map 3?

In 2005 and 2010, the European Commission (EC) published two subsequent 'Road Maps' to provide options for relaxation of the bans on the application of animal proteins in feed. Since then, the food production system has changed considerably and demands for more sustainability and circularity are growing louder. Many relaxations envisioned in the second Road Map have by now been implemented, such as the use of processed animal proteins (PAPs) from poultry in pig feed and vice versa. However, some legislative changes, in particular concerning insects, had not been foreseen. In this article, we present a new vision on legislation for increased and improved use of animal by-products. Six current legislative principles are discussed for the bans on animal by-products as feed ingredients: feed bans; categorization of farmed animals; prohibition unless explicitly approved; approved processing techniques, the categorization of animal by-products, and monitoring methods. We provide a proposal for new guiding principles and future directions, and several concrete options for further relaxations. We argue that biological nature of farmed animals in terms of dietary preferences should be better recognised, that legal zero-tolerance limits should be expanded if safe, and that legislation should be revised and simplified.

Evaluation of Effective Crosslinking Density for Pseudo-Semi Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Based on Polyether Glycols Mixture by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis.

Pseudo-semi interpenetrating polymer networks (pseudo-semi IPNs) are a special example of topological isomerism in macromolecules, which have attracted significant attention in recent years with a high potential in a variety of engineering applications of polymeric materials. In this article, pseudo-semi IPNs were synthetized by sequential polymerization of thermoplastic polymers (TPEs) in the presence of thermosetting elastomer (TSEs) with contents of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 wt.% in a vacuum oven at 60 °C for about 72 h. In addition, this article describes a method for researching the elastic modulus, effective crosslinking density and physical crosslinking density of TSEs and pseudo-semi IPNs. The inherent interactions and entanglements of pseudo-semi IPNs were discussed by analyzing the changes in elastic modulus and effective crosslinking density at different temperatures. The results show that after the TPE was added to the TSE matrix as a plastic-reinforced material, the ductility increased from 89.6% to 491%, the effective crosslinking density was increased by 100% at high temperatures and the strength of the material matrix was significantly improved. Two physical events take place in our pseudo-semi IPNs as result of energy dissipation and polymeric chains mobility.

General Method of Quantifying the Extent of Methionine Oxidation in the Prion Protein.

The normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) and its infectious conformer, PrPSc, possess a disproportionately greater amount of methionines than would be expected for a typical mammalian protein. The thioether of methionine can be readily oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxide, which means that oxidation of methionine can be used to map the surface of the conformation of PrPC or PrPSc, as covalent changes are retained after denaturation. We identified a set of peptides (TNMK, MLGSAMSR, LLGSAMSR, PMIHFGNDWEDR, ENMNR, ENMYR, IMER, MMER, MIER, VVEQMCVTQYQK, and VVEQMCITQYQR) that contains every methionine in sheep, cervid, mouse, and bank vole PrP. Each is the product of a tryptic digestion and is suitable for a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) based analysis. The peptides chromatograph well. The oxidized and unoxidized peptides containing one methionine readily separate. The unoxidized, two singly oxidized, and doubly oxidized forms of the MLGSAMSR and MMER peptides are also readily distinguishable. This approach can be used to determine the surface exposure of each methionine by measuring its oxidation after reaction with added hydrogen peroxide.

A Mass Spectrometry-Based Method of Quantifying the Contribution of the Lysine Polymorphism at Position 171 in Sheep PrP.

In sheep, the transmissibility and progression of scrapie, a sheep prion (PrPSc) disease, is strongly dependent upon specific amino acid polymorphisms in the natively expressed prion protein (PrPC). Sheep expressing PrPC with lysine (K) polymorphism at position 171 (K171) are partially resistant to oronasal dosing of classical sheep scrapie. In addition, scrapie infected sheep expressing the K171 polymorphism show a longer incubation period compared to sheep homozygous (glutamine (Q)) at position 171. Quantitating the amount of the K171 polymorphism in a sheep scrapie sample can provide important information on the composition of PrPSc. A tryptic peptide, 159R.YPNQVYYRPVDK.Y172, derived from the digestion of 171K recombinant PrP, was identified as an analyte peptide suitable for a multiple reaction monitoring-based analysis. This method, using 15N-labeled analogs and another internal peptide from the proteinase K-resistant core, permits the simultaneous quantitation of the total amount of PrP and the proportion of K171 polymorphism in the sample. Background molecules with similar retention times and transitions were present in samples from scrapie-infected sheep. Proteinase K digestion followed by ultracentrifugation-based isolation or phosphotungstic acid-based isolation were employed to minimize the contribution of those background molecules, making this approach suitable for quantitating the amount of the K171 polymorphism in heterozygous scrapie infected sheep.

Impact of process stress on protein stability in highly-loaded solid protein/PEG formulations from small-scale melt extrusion.

As protein-based therapeutics often exhibit a limited stability in liquid formulations, there is a growing interest in the development of solid protein formulations due to improved protein stability in the solid state. We used small-scale (<3 g) ram and twin-screw extrusion for the solid stabilization of proteins (Lysozyme, BSA, and human insulin) in PEG-matrices. Protein stability after extrusion was systematically investigated using ss-DSC, ss-FTIR, CD spectroscopy, SEM-EDX, SEC, RP-HPLC, and in case of Lysozyme an activity assay. The applied analytical methods offered an accurate assessment of protein stability in extrudates, enabling the comparison of different melt extrusion formulations and process parameters (e.g., shear stress levels, screw configurations, residence times). Lysozyme was implemented as a model protein and was completely recovered in its active form after extrusion. Differences seen between Lysozyme- and BSA- or human insulin-loaded extrudates indicated that melt extrusion could have an impact on the conformational stability. In particular, BSA and human insulin were more susceptible to heat exposure and shear stress compared to Lysozyme, where shear stress was the dominant parameter. Consequently, ram extrusion led to less conformational changes compared to TSE. Ram extrusion showed good protein particle distribution resulting in the preferred method to prepare highly-loaded solid protein formulations.

Primary synovial sarcoma of the shoulder: Case report of the "triple sign" on proton density magnetic resonance imaging.

The first case of synovial sarcoma was published in 1893. The disease is a type of primary malignancy of the soft tissues. It is a rare and aggressive neoplasm of unknown tissue origin, characterized by strong metastatic potential and poor prognosis. The present case of a 64-year-old male patient with pain and swelling in his right shoulder and progressive loss of movement demonstrates an uncommon location for the neoplasm. Magnetic resonance proton-density fat-suppressed turbo spin-echo sequences show a heterogeneous mass in the right shoulder. The lack of homogeneity in the signal has been described in medical literature as the "triple sign" and is represented by low, intermediate, and high signal intensity areas through the neoplasm. Visible serpentine vessels spread through the tumor. There was a visible metastatic disease in the regional lymph nodes and metastatic foci in the adjacent bones. Pathological analysis of the tumor confirmed the diagnosis of biphasic synovial sarcoma. An oncological committee advised chemotherapy and radiotherapy. More prominent magnetic resonance imaging findings in synovial sarcoma that may facilitate the diagnostic process are the inhomogeneity and "triple sign" in proton density and T2 sequences, multilobulated tumors, septa, irregular borders, serpentine vascular channels, engagement of the adjacent bones and bone marrow, and involvement of the joint synovia.

Comparison between 2D TSE and 3D SPACE in the evaluation of craniocervical ligaments.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the MRI findings of the craniocervical junction ligaments and compare the 2D TSE sequence and 3D SPACE sequence on cervical spine MRI. METHODS: Eighty cervical spine MRIs were retrospectively analyzed, including 2D TSE and 3D SPACE sequences. The visibility and morphology of the transverse ligament (TL) and alar ligament (AL) were evaluated by two readers using a five-point grading scale for visibility (1 = not visible, 2 = barely visible, 3 = adequately visible, 4 = good visibility, 5 = excellent visibility) and a four-point grading scale for morphology (0 = homogeneous low SI with normal thickness, 1 = high SI with normal thickness, 2 = reduced thickness, 3 = full-thickness rupture or indistinguishable from surrounding structures). The grades of the two sequences were compared. Reader agreements were measured using the percentage of exact agreement. RESULT: The visibility grade of TL was significantly higher in 3D, indicating better visualization. The morphology grade of TL was significantly lower in the 3D, indicating more normal-appearing ligament. The exact agreements of visibility and morphology grade of TL tended to be higher in 3D. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in visibility grade of AL between the two sequences. The morphological grade of AL was significantly higher in 3D. The agreement of the morphological grade of AL tended to be lower in 3D. CONCLUSION: The utilization of 3D sequences significantly improves the visibility of TL and could potentially reduce false-positive diagnoses of ligament injury.

Review on trypanosomiasis and their prevalence in some country on the Red Sea / Avaliação da tripanossomíase e sua prevalência em alguns países do mar Vermelho

Abstract Trypanosomiasis is a protozoan infection affecting both human and animals in almost all parts of the world. It can affect a very large range of domestic and wild hosts including camelids, equines, cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs and other carnivores, deer, gazelles and elephants. This review paper was designed to address the effect of this economically important disease in countries on the Red Sea, especially in Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, and Saudi Arabia during the period 2010 to 2020. The prevalence of trypanosomiasis is different between these countries due to different types of diagnostic methods (Giemsa-stained blood smears, Hematocrit centrifugation, Serological test, and molecular analysis PCR) used and differential distribution of vector (Tse tse) flies. In current review, retrospective studies of published literature on distribution and prevalence of Trypanosoma evansi infection in the Red Sea Countries was conducted [Google Scholar and PubMed were used to retrieve the published literature from 2000-2020. A total of 77 published articles met the eligibility criteria and were reviewed. A total of 16 reports have been reported on the prevalence and distribution of Trypnosoma evansi infection in the Red Sea Countries have been from 2010-2020]. According to the published literature, we can say that trypanosomiasis in camels are more prevalent in Sudan than in other countries, followed by 17% and 51.78% in both clinical and non-clinical cases. Hence, the reliable diagnostic tests should be used for rapid treatment or control of the disease as if not treated appropriately in early-stage, can lead to death of the camels.

Resumo A tripanossomíase é uma infecção por protozoário que afeta humanos e animais em quase todas as partes do mundo. Pode afetar grande variedade de hospedeiros domésticos e selvagens, incluindo camelídeos, equinos, gado, búfalos, ovelhas, cabras, porcos, cães e outros carnívoros, veados, gazelas e elefantes. Este artigo de revisão foi elaborado para abordar o efeito dessa doença economicamente importante em países do mar Vermelho, especialmente Egito, Sudão, Somália e Arábia Saudita, durante o período de 2010 a 2020. A prevalência de tripanossomíase é diferente entre esses países devido a tipos distintos de métodos diagnósticos (esfregaços de sangue corados com Giemsa, centrifugação de hematócrito, teste sorológico e PCR de análise molecular) usados ​​e distribuição diferencial de moscas vetoras (tsé-tsé). Na revisão atual, foram realizados estudos retrospectivos da literatura publicada sobre distribuição e prevalência da infecção por Trypanosoma evansi nos países do mar Vermelho [Google Scholar e PubMed foram usados ​​para recuperar a literatura publicada de 2000 a 2020. Um total de 77 artigos publicados preencheu os critérios de elegibilidade e foi revisado. E há também 16 relatos sobre a prevalência e distribuição da infecção por Trypnosoma evansi nos países do mar Vermelho, de 2010 a 2020]. De acordo com a literatura publicada, podemos afirmar que a tripanossomíase em camelos é mais prevalente no Sudão do que em outros países, seguida por 17% e 51,78% em casos clínicos e não clínicos. Assim, os testes diagnósticos confiáveis ​​devem ser utilizados para o tratamento rápido ou controle da doença, pois, se eles não forem tratados de forma adequada na fase inicial, isso pode levar à morte dos camelos.

Review on trypanosomiasis and their prevalence in some country on the Red Sea / Avaliação da tripanossomíase e sua prevalência em alguns países do mar Vermelho

Trypanosomiasis is a protozoan infection affecting both human and animals in almost all parts of the world. It can affect a very large range of domestic and wild hosts including camelids, equines, cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs and other carnivores, deer, gazelles and elephants. This review paper was designed to address the effect of this economically important disease in countries on the Red Sea, especially in Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, and Saudi Arabia during the period 2010 to 2020. The prevalence of trypanosomiasis is different between these countries due to different types of diagnostic methods (Giemsa-stained blood smears, Hematocrit centrifugation, Serological test, and molecular analysis PCR) used and differential distribution of vector (Tse tse) flies. In current review, retrospective studies of published literature on distribution and prevalence of Trypanosoma evansi infection in the Red Sea Countries was conducted [Google Scholar and PubMed were used to retrieve the published literature from 2000-2020. A total of 77 published articles met the eligibility criteria and were reviewed. A total of 16 reports have been reported on the prevalence and distribution of Trypnosoma evansi infection in the Red Sea Countries have been from 2010-2020]. According to the published literature, we can say that trypanosomiasis in camels are more prevalent in Sudan than in other countries, followed by 17% and 51.78% in both clinical and non-clinical cases. Hence, the reliable diagnostic tests should be used for rapid treatment or control of the disease as if not treated appropriately in early-stage, can lead to death of the camels.

A tripanossomíase é uma infecção por protozoário que afeta humanos e animais em quase todas as partes do mundo. Pode afetar grande variedade de hospedeiros domésticos e selvagens, incluindo camelídeos, equinos, gado, búfalos, ovelhas, cabras, porcos, cães e outros carnívoros, veados, gazelas e elefantes. Este artigo de revisão foi elaborado para abordar o efeito dessa doença economicamente importante em países do mar Vermelho, especialmente Egito, Sudão, Somália e Arábia Saudita, durante o período de 2010 a 2020. A prevalência de tripanossomíase é diferente entre esses países devido a tipos distintos de métodos diagnósticos (esfregaços de sangue corados com Giemsa, centrifugação de hematócrito, teste sorológico e PCR de análise molecular) usados e distribuição diferencial de moscas vetoras (tsé-tsé). Na revisão atual, foram realizados estudos retrospectivos da literatura publicada sobre distribuição e prevalência da infecção por Trypanosoma evansi nos países do mar Vermelho [Google Scholar e PubMed foram usados para recuperar a literatura publicada de 2000 a 2020. Um total de 77 artigos publicados preencheu os critérios de elegibilidade e foi revisado. E há também 16 relatos sobre a prevalência e distribuição da infecção por Trypnosoma evansi nos países do mar Vermelho, de 2010 a 2020]. De acordo com a literatura publicada, podemos afirmar que a tripanossomíase em camelos é mais prevalente no Sudão do que em outros países, seguida por 17% e 51,78% em casos clínicos e não clínicos. Assim, os testes diagnósticos confiáveis devem ser utilizados para o tratamento rápido ou controle da doença, pois, se eles não forem tratados de forma adequada na fase inicial, isso pode levar à morte dos camelos.