Ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal interventional procedures around the shoulder.

Ultrasound is a fast, accessible, reliable, and radiation-free imaging modality routinely used to assess the soft tissues around the shoulder. It enables to identify a wide range of pathological conditions. Furthermore, most ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal interventional procedures around the shoulder produce better results in terms of accuracy and clinical efficacy than those performed in a blinded fashion.

Low bone mineral density in HIV-positive young Italians and migrants.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals may have osteoporosis. We aimed to evaluate the bone mineral density (BMD) in naïve antiretroviral (ARV) treated HIV positive patients comparing native Italian group (ItG) to a Migrants group (MiG) upon arrival in Italy.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 83 HIV patients less than 50 years old.

Segmented lordotic angles to assess lumbosacral transitional vertebra on EOS.

Purpose: To test the vertical posterior vertebral angles (VPVA) of the most caudal lumbar segments measured on EOS to identify and classify the lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV).

Methods: We reviewed the EOS examinations of 906 patients to measure the VPVA at the most caudal lumbar segment (cVPVA) and at the immediately proximal segment (pVPVA), with dVPVA being the result of their difference. Mann-Whitney, Chi-square, and ROC curve statistics were used.

Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Irrigation of Rotator Cuff Calcific Tendinopathy (US-PICT): Patient Experience.

Purpose: To assess patients' experience of ultrasound-guided percutaneous irrigation of rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy (US-PICT).

Methods: Ninety-one patients (58 females; mean age: 50.5 ± 8.

MRI radiomics-based machine-learning classification of bone chondrosarcoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of machine learning for discrimination between low-grade and high-grade cartilaginous bone tumors based on radiomic parameters extracted from unenhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 58 patients with histologically-proven low-grade/atypical cartilaginous tumor of the appendicular skeleton (n = 26) or higher-grade chondrosarcoma (n = 32, including 16 appendicular and 16 axial lesions). They were randomly divided into training (n = 42) and test (n = 16) groups for model tuning and testing, respectively.

Multiple sclerosis: High prevalence of the 'central vein' sign in white matter lesions on susceptibility-weighted images.

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and distribution of the 'central vein' sign in white matter lesions on susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance images in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Materials and methods T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance images of 19 MS patients and 19 patients affected by CSVD were analysed for the presence and localisation of focal hyperintense white matter lesions. Lesions were subdivided into periventricular or non-periventricular (juxtacortical, subcortical, deep white matter and cerebellar) distributed.

Assessment of cerebral microbleeds by susceptibility-weighted imaging at 3T in patients with end-stage organ failure.

Purpose: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are small rounded lesions representing cerebral hemosiderin deposits surrounded by macrophages that results from previous microhemorrhages. The aim of this study was to review the distribution of cerebral microbleeds in patients with end-stage organ failure and their association with specific end-stage organ failure risk factors.

Materials And Methods: Between August 2015 and June 2017, we evaluated 15 patients, 9 males, and 6 females, (mean age 65.

The cheating liver: imaging of focal steatosis and fatty sparing.

Focal steatosis and fatty sparing are a frequent finding in liver imaging, and can mimic solid lesions. Liver regional variations in the degree of fat accumulation can be related to vascular anomalies, metabolic disorders, use of certain drugs or coexistence of hepatic masses. CT and MRI are the modalities of choice for the noninvasive diagnosis of hepatic steatosis.

Using the transit of Venus to probe the upper planetary atmosphere.

During a planetary transit, atoms with high atomic number absorb short-wavelength radiation in the upper atmosphere, and the planet should appear larger during a primary transit observed in high-energy bands than in the optical band. Here we measure the radius of Venus with subpixel accuracy during the transit in 2012 observed in the optical, ultraviolet and soft X-rays with Hinode and Solar Dynamics Observatory missions. We find that, while Venus's optical radius is about 80 km larger than the solid body radius (the top of clouds and haze), the radius increases further by >70 km in the extreme ultraviolet and soft X-rays.

Parietal subdural empyema as complication of acute odontogenic sinusitis: a case report.

Introduction: To date intracranial complication caused by tooth extractions are extremely rare. In particular parietal subdural empyema of odontogenic origin has not been described. A literature review is presented here to emphasize the extreme rarity of this clinical entity.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling affects development and function of dopamine neurons - inhibition results in a schizophrenia-like syndrome in transgenic mice.

Developing and mature midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons express fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor-1 (FGFR1). To determine the role of FGFR1 signaling in the development of DA neurons, we generated transgenic mice expressing a dominant negative mutant [FGFR1(TK-)] from the catecholaminergic, neuron-specific tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene promoter. In homozygous th(tk-)/th(tk-) mice, significant reductions in the size of TH-immunoreactive neurons were found in the substantia nigra compacta (SNc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) at postnatal days 0 and 360.

Assessment of viral and non-viral gene transfer into adult rat brains using HSV-1, calcium phosphate and PEI-based methods.

CNS gene transfer could provide new approaches to the modelling of neurodegenerative diseases and devising potential therapies. One such disorder is Parkinson's disease (PD), in which dysfunction of several different metabolic processes has been implicated. Here we review the literature on gene transfer systems based on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and non-viral polyethyleneimine (PEI) and calcium phosphate nanoparticle methods.

Transfection of tyrosine kinase deleted FGF receptor-1 into rat brain substantia nigra reduces the number of tyrosine hydroxylase expressing neurons and decreases concentration levels of striatal dopamine.

The effects of HSV-1 amplicon and polyethyleneimine (PEI)-mediated transfection of dominant negative FGF receptor-1 mutant FGFR1(TK-) into the rat brain substantia nigra (SN) were examined in vivo to model the reduced FGF signaling documented to occur in Parkinson's disease. The number of SN neurons that expressed tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was significantly reduced following HSV-1 FGFR1(TK-) intranigral delivery and similar changes were observed after PEI-mediated FGFR1(TK-) transfections. Further, we also observed a significantly lower striatal dopamine content following the PEI transfection of FGFR1(TK-).