3D MRI in Musculoskeletal Oncology.

Advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology now enable the feasible three-dimensional (3D) acquisition of images. With respect to the imaging of musculoskeletal (MSK) tumors, literature is beginning to accumulate on the use of 3D MRI acquisition for tumor detection and characterization. The benefits of 3D MRI, including general advantages, such as decreased acquisition time, isotropic resolution, and increased image quality, are not only inherently useful for tumor imaging, but they also contribute to the feasibility of more specialized tumor-imaging techniques, such as whole-body MRI, and are reviewed here.

Integrative Studies of Sexual Selection in Manakins, a Clade of Charismatic Tropical Birds.

The neotropical manakins (family Pipridae) provide a great opportunity for integrative studies of sexual selection as nearly all of the 51 species are lek-breeding, an extreme form of polygyny, and highly sexually dimorphic both in appearance and behavior. Male courtship displays are often elaborate and include auditory cues, both vocal and mechanical, as well as visual elements. In addition, the displays are often extremely rapid, highly acrobatic, and, in some species, multiple males perform coordinated displays that form the basis of long-term coalitions.

Testing the developmental hypothesis of the HPA axis in a tropical passerine: Dampened corticosterone response and faster negative feedback in nestling lance-tailed manakins (Chiroxiphia lanceolata).

When vertebrates are exposed to stressors, the subsequent acute increase in glucocorticoids by the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (HPA) axis triggers a suite of adaptive responses, including mobilization of stored energy and repression of non-essential processes. However, chronic exposure to high concentrations of glucocorticoids can lead to metabolic dysregulation, impaired immune function, and cognitive decline. In developing young, this hormonal stress response shows considerable variation.

Development of the corticosterone stress response differs among passerine species.

Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones which increase dramatically in response to a physical or perceived stressor. However, developing young of altricial species typically have a damped glucocorticoid stress response. The developmental hypothesis posits that the physiological stress response should develop concurrently with an individual's ability to respond to a challenge.

Direct and indirect effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation on development and survival of young of a tropical passerine.

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a global phenomenon that influences climate variation and, in turn, the ecological processes affecting the abundance and distribution of populations across taxa. For example, the ENSO can profoundly influence the development and survival of pelagic species, but the extent to which the ENSO affects offspring of terrestrial species is less well known. We used piecewise structural equation modeling to investigate the direct and indirect relationship between the ENSO and offspring development and survival in a terrestrial tropical passerine, the lance-tailed manakin (Chiroxiphia lanceolata).

Brodifacoum-contaminated synthetic marijuana: clinical and radiologic manifestations of a public health outbreak causing life-threatening coagulopathy.

Synthetic marijuana is a dangerous substance due to its potency, ever-changing composition, and unpredictable side effects. Recently, brodifacoum-contaminated synthetic marijuana has led to multiple deaths and morbidity throughout the USA from severe coagulopathy associated with use of this strain of the drug (brodifacoum is a rodenticide and potent Vitamin K antagonist/anticoagulant). We describe the clinical and radiologic findings in two patients who were diagnosed with, and treated for, ingestion of this new strain of synthetic marijuana.

State-of-the-Art Diagnosis and Treatment of Melanoma: Optimal Multidetector Computed Tomographic Practice to Identify Metastatic Disease and Review of Innovative Therapeutic Agents.

The incidence of melanoma has risen dramatically over the past several decades. Oncologists rely on the ability of radiologists to identify subtle radiographic changes representing metastatic and recurrent melanoma in uncommon locations on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) as the front-line imaging surveillance tool. To accomplish this goal, MDCT acquisition and display must be optimized and radiologist interpretation and search patterns must be tailored to identify the unique and often subtle metastatic lesions of melanoma.

Pulmonary Perfusion Changes Following Extracardiac Lateral Fontan and Bilateral Bidirectional Glenn Shunt in Hypoplastic Right Ventricle With Duplicated Superior Vena Cava.

The incidence of congenital heart disease requiring specialized care is 2.5 to 3 per 1000 live births with a prevalence of congenital heart disease of 81.4 per 10,000 live births.

Stress-responsiveness influences baseline glucocorticoid levels: Revisiting the under 3min sampling rule.

Plasma glucocorticoid (CORT) levels collected within 3min of capture are commonly believed to reflect pre-stressor, baseline CORT levels. Differences in these "baseline" values are often interpreted as reflecting differences in health, or the amount of social and environmental stress recently experienced by an individual. When interpreting "baseline" values it is generally assumed that any effect of capture-and-handling during the initial sampling period is small enough and consistent enough among individuals to not obscure pre-capture differences in CORT levels.

Two seconds is all it takes: European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) increase levels of circulating glucocorticoids after witnessing a brief raptor attack.

Researchers typically study "acute" activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by measuring levels of circulating glucocorticoids in animals that have been exposed to a predator or a cue from a predator (e.g., odor), or have experienced a standardized capture-and-restraint protocol, all of which are many minutes in duration.

Quantification of multiple-sclerosis-related brain atrophy in two heterogeneous MRI datasets using mixed-effects modeling.

Brain atrophy, measured by MRI, has been proposed as a useful surrogate marker for disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, it is conventionally assumed that the accurate quantification of brain atrophy is made difficult, if not impossible, by changes in the parameters of the MRI acquisition, which are almost inevitable over the course of a longitudinal study since MRI technology changes rapidly. This state of affairs can negatively affect clinical trial design and limit the use of historical data.

The effect of daclizumab on brain atrophy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Daclizumab is a monoclonal antibody that reduces inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS). Through a retrospective analysis, our objective was to determine whether daclizumab treatment reduces the rate of brain structure atrophy in comparison to a mixture of other disease-modifying therapies (mainly different interferon β preparations). We analyzed MRI examinations (1332 scans from 70 MS cases) obtained between 2000 and 2011 in a single center and processed with an automated brain segmentation method.