Ultrasound Evaluation of Upper Limb Sublesional Muscle Morphology in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

Introduction/aims: Upper limb paralysis is arguably the most limiting consequence of cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI). There is limited knowledge regarding the early structural changes of muscles implicated in grasp/pinch function and upper extremity nerve transfer surgeries. We evaluated: (1) muscle size and echo intensity (EI) in subacute cSCI (2-6 months) and (2) the influence of lower motor neuron (LMN) damage on these ultrasound parameters.

Transcriptomic Signatures of Cold Acclimated Adipocytes Reveal CXCL12 as a Brown Autocrine and Paracrine Chemokine.

Besides its thermogenic capacity, brown adipose tissue (BAT) performs important secretory functions that regulate metabolism. However, the BAT microenvironment and factors involved in BAT homeostasis and adaptation to cold remain poorly characterized. We therefore aimed to study brown adipocyte-derived secreted factors that may be involved in adipocyte function and/or may orchestrate intercellular communications.

SAFE-GOALS: a protocol for goals of care discussions in the intensive care unit.

Introduction: In critical care, there is often a lack of understanding regarding patient preferences toward end-of-life care. Goals of care discussions are poorly defined and inhibited by clinician apprehension, prognostic uncertainty, and discomfort from both sides. In the delivery of bad news, protocol-based discussions have proven beneficial, yet no such protocol exists for goals of care discussions in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Detection and genomic characterisation of foot-and-mouth disease virus serotypes circulating in Cameroon using environmental sampling.

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is a highly contagious, economically important disease of livestock and wildlife species. Active monitoring and understanding the epidemiology of FMDV underpin the foundations of control programmes. In many endemic areas, however, veterinary resources are limited, resulting in a requirement for simple sampling techniques to increase and supplement surveillance efforts.

Guided Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography for 3D Imaging of the Murine Colon.

Multispectral optoacoustic tomography is a promising medical imaging modality that combines light and sound to provide molecular imaging information at depths of several centimeters, based on the optical absorption of endogenous chromophores, such as hemoglobin. Assessment of inflammatory bowel disease has emerged as a promising clinical application of optoacoustic tomography. In this context, preclinical studies in animal models are essential to identify novel disease-specific imaging biomarkers and understand findings from emerging clinical pilot studies, however to-date, these studies have been limited by the precise identification of the bowel wall.