Effects of Seed Endophytic Bacteria on Life History and Reproductive Traits in a Cosmopolitan Weed, .

Diverse bacteria inhabit plant seeds, and at least some of them can enhance plant performance at the early developmental stage. However, it is still inconclusive whether seed bacteria can influence post-germination traits and their contribution to plant fitness. To explore the evolutionary and ecological consequences of seed endophytic bacteria, we isolated four bacterial strains from the seeds of an annual weedy plant species, , and conducted a common garden experiment using seeds inoculated by isolated bacteria.

Genotype-Specific Plastic Responses to Seed Bacteria under Drought Stress in .

Recent studies have demonstrated that seed-borne bacteria can enhance the performance of invasive plants in novel introduced habitats with environmental stresses. The effect of this plant-bacteria interaction may vary with plant species or even genotype; however, the genotype-dependent effects of seed bacteria have rarely been assessed. In this study, we examined the effects of bacterial strains isolated from seeds on the genotypes of an invasive xerophytic plant, .

Variation of the seed endophytic bacteria among plant populations and their plant growth-promoting activities in a wild mustard plant species, .

Recent studies have revealed that some bacteria can inhabit plant seeds, and they are likely founders of the bacterial community in the rhizosphere of or inside plants at the early developmental stage. Given that the seedling establishment is a critical fitness component of weedy plant species, the effects of seed endophytic bacteria (SEB) on the seedling performance are of particular interest in weed ecology. Here, we characterized the SEB in natural populations of -, a model species of weed ecology.

Predicting the Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Primary Living Donor Liver Transplantation Using Metabolic Parameters Obtained from F-FDG PET/CT.

This study evaluated the prognostic value of metabolic parameters based on the standardized uptake value (SUV) normalized by total body weight (bwSUV) and by lean body mass (SUL) measured on F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) for predicting tumor recurrence after primary living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) without transplantation locoregional therapy. This retrospective study enrolled 49 patients with HCC. The maximum tumor bwSUV (T-bwSUVmax) and SUL (T-SULmax) were measured on PET.

Invasive Lactuca serriola seeds contain endophytic bacteria that contribute to drought tolerance.

The mutualistic relationship between alien plant species and microorganisms is proposed to facilitate or hinder invasive success, depending on whether plants can form novel associations with microorganisms in the introduced habitats. However, this hypothesis has not considered seed endophytes that would move together with plant propagules. Little information is available on the seed endophytic bacteria of invasive species and their effects on plant performance.

Development of a deep neural network for generating synthetic dual-energy chest x-ray images with single x-ray exposure.

Dual-energy chest radiography (DECR) is a medical imaging technology that can improve diagnostic accuracy. This technique can decompose single-energy chest radiography (SECR) images into separate bone- and soft tissue-only images. This can, however, double the radiation exposure to the patient.

Colonic Parasitic Infection Mimicking Peritoneal Seeding on 18F-FDG PET/CT.

A 77-year-old man with anorexia and weight loss for 6 months received a diagnosis of gastric cancer by endoscopy and referred for F-FDG PET/CT for initial staging. F-FDG PET/CT showed multiple foci of increased FDG uptake with diffuse wall thickening and multiple diverticula. The differential diagnoses were peritoneal seeding and multiple diverticulitis.

Differential association between obesity and coronary artery disease according to the presence of diabetes in a Korean population.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cardiovascular complication in diabetic patients. Despite the significant association between obesity and diabetes, the majority of the diabetic subjects are not obese in an Asian population. This study evaluated the association between obesity and coronary artery disease (CAD) according to the diabetes status in a Korean population.

Evaluation of the predictive value of coronary artery calcium score for obstructive coronary artery disease in asymptomatic Korean patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Compared with coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA), the coronary artery calcium score (CACS) may be limited in predicting adverse cardiovascular events in asymptomatic diabetic patients.

Methods: We evaluated the predictive value of CACS for obstructive coronary plaques (OCPs) assessed by CCTA in 328 consecutive asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate greater than 60 ml/min/1.73 m².

Differential association between metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease evaluated with cardiac computed tomography according to the presence of diabetes in a symptomatic Korean population.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased risks of diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD). Despite the controversial inclusion of established diabetes in MetS, the association between MetS and CAD according to diabetes status has not been elucidated in the Asian population.

Methods: We evaluated the association between MetS and CAD using the parameters including any plaque, obstructive plaque, and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) >100 according to diabetes status in 2,869 symptomatic Korean subjects who underwent cardiac computed tomographic angiography.

Rationale and design of the ViCTORY (Validation of an Intracycle CT Motion CORrection Algorithm for Diagnostic AccuracY) trial.

Background: Coronary CT angiography (CTA) has emerged as an effective noninvasive method for direct visualization of the coronary arteries, with high diagnostic performance compared with invasive coronary angiography (ICA). However, coronary CTA is prone to artifacts, including coronary motion, which may reduce its diagnostic performance. Intracycle motion compensation algorithms (MCAs) from a combination of software and hardware techniques now allow for correction of coronary motion, but the diagnostic performance of MCAs compared with traditional coronary CTA reconstruction methods remains unexplored.

Usefulness of SPECT/CT for equivocal findings on (131)I whole-body scan in a patient with differentiated papillary thyroid cancer.

A 42-year-old female patient who underwent right central compartment node dissection owing to recurrence of differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma received 150 mCi of I as an adjuvant therapy. Uptake was observed at the thyroid bed and right lower neck, suggesting thyroid remnant tissues and/or lymph node metastasis on a whole-body scan obtained 5 days after I administration. SPECT/CT was performed and the uptake at the right lower neck was finally diagnosed as a lung metastasis.

Assessment of tissue characteristics of noncalcified coronary plaques by 64-slice computed tomography in comparison with integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound.

Background: The ability of 64-slice computed tomography (CT) angiography to differentiate plaque types remains unclear. We evaluated whether the density of noncalcified coronary plaques by 64-slice CT angiography correlates with plaque components assessed by integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound (IB-IVUS).

Methods: Eighty-six patients [stable angina/acute coronary syndrome (ACS) 67/19, mean age 62+/-11 years] who showed significant coronary artery stenosis (> or =50% diameter stenosis) by 64-slice CT angiography underwent coronary angiography and were evaluated using IB-IVUS.