3D whole body preclinical micro-CT database of subcutaneous tumors in mice with annotations from 3 annotators.

A pivotal animal model for development of anticancer molecules is mice with subcutaneous tumors, grown by injection of xenografted tumor cells, where micro-Computed Tomography (µCT) of the mice is used to analyze the efficacy of the anticancer molecule. Manual delineation of the tumor region is necessary for the analysis, which is time-consuming and inconsistent, highlighting the need for automatic segmentation (AS) tools. This study introduces a preclinical µCT database, comprising 452 whole-body scans from 223 individual mice with subcutaneous tumors, spanning ten diverse µCT datasets conducted between 2014 and 2020 on a preclinical PET/CT scanner, making it the hitherto largest dataset of its kind.

Early Detection of Cardiotoxicity Using [Cu]Cu-NODAGA-E[(cRGDyK)]2 PET Imaging in a Rat Model of Doxorubicin-Induced Heart Failure.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a common and highly effective chemotherapeutic. However, its use is limited by cardiotoxic effects and the lack of methods to detect these at early time points. In the present study, we evaluated if [Cu]Cu-NODAGA-E[(cRGDyK)]2 positron emission tomography-computed tomography ([Cu]Cu-RGD PET/CT) could detect cardiotoxicity in a rat model of DOX-induced heart failure.

Plastomes of Nothofagus reflect a shared biogeographic history in Patagonia.

Plastomes are used in phylogenetic reconstructions because of their relatively conserved nature. Nonetheless, some limitations arise, particularly at lower taxonomic levels due to reduced interspecific polymorphisms and frequent hybridization events that result in unsolved phylogenies including polytomies and reticulate evolutionary patterns. Next-generation sequencing technologies allow access to genomic data and strongly supported phylogenies, yet biased topologies may be obtained due to insufficient taxon sampling.

Mitochondrial translocation of TFEB regulates complex I and inflammation.

TFEB is a master regulator of autophagy, lysosome biogenesis, mitochondrial metabolism, and immunity that works primarily through transcription controlled by cytosol-to-nuclear translocation. Emerging data indicate additional regulatory interactions at the surface of organelles such as lysosomes. Here we show that TFEB has a non-transcriptional role in mitochondria, regulating the electron transport chain complex I to down-modulate inflammation.

Increased Subclinical Coronary Artery Pathology in Type 2 Diabetes With Albuminuria.

Diabetes affects the kidneys, and the presence of albuminuria reflects widespread vascular damage and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Still, the pathophysiological association between albuminuria and CVD remains incompletely understood. Recent advances in noninvasive imaging enable functional assessment of coronary artery pathology and present an opportunity to explore the association between albuminuria and CVD.

Refeeding-associated AMPK complex activity is a hallmark of health and longevity.

Late-life-initiated dietary interventions show limited efficacy in extending longevity or mitigating frailty, yet the underlying causes remain unclear. Here we studied the age-related fasting response of the short-lived killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. Transcriptomic analysis uncovered the existence of a fasting-like transcriptional program in the adipose tissue of old fish that overrides the feeding response, setting the tissue in persistent metabolic quiescence.

Ceramides are decreased after liraglutide treatment in people with type 2 diabetes: a post hoc analysis of two randomized clinical trials.

Background: Specific ceramides have been identified as risk markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) years before onset of disease. Treatment with the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) liraglutide has been shown to induce beneficial changes in the lipid profile and reduce the risk of CVD. Reducing lipotoxic lipids with an antidiabetic drug therapy could be a path towards precision medicine approaches for the treatment of complications to diabetes.

Common juniper, an overlooked conifer with high invasion potential in protected areas of Patagonia.

The benefits of early detection of biological invasions are widely recognized, especially for protected areas (PAs). However, research on incipient invasive plant species is scarce compared to species with a recognized history of invasion. Here, we characterized the invasion status of the non-native conifer Juniperus communis in PAs and interface areas of Andean Patagonia, Argentina.

[Ga]Ga-NODAGA-E[(cRGDyK)] angiogenesis PET following myocardial infarction in an experimental rat model predicts cardiac functional parameters and development of heart failure.

Background: Angiogenesis has increasingly been a target for imaging and treatment over the last decade. The integrin αβ is highly expressed in cells during angiogenesis and are therefore a promising target for imaging. In this study, we aimed to investigate the PET tracer [Ga]Ga-RGD as a marker of angiogenesis following MI and its ability to predict cardiac functional parameters.

In Vitro Fertilization of the African Turquoise Killifish .

The ability to perform in vitro fertilization, together with sperm cryopreservation, greatly facilitates the long-term laboratory maintenance of wild-type and transgenic model organisms and helps prevent genetic drift. It is also useful in cases where reproduction may be compromised. In this protocol, we present a method for in vitro fertilization of the African Turquoise killifish that is compatible with the use of fresh or cryopreserved sperm.

Liraglutide Lowers Palmitoleate Levels in Type 2 Diabetes. A Analysis of the LIRAFLAME Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background: Liraglutide is a glucose-lowering medication used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. It is a GLP-1 receptor agonist with downstream metabolic changes beyond the incretin system, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular complications. The understanding of these changes is critical for improving treatment outcomes.

Sperm Cryopreservation of the African Turquoise Killifish .

Sperm cryopreservation is an essential method for the genetic preservation and long-term storage of wild-type and transgenic animal stocks. In addition, it allows for the synchronization of gamete availability and the transport and sharing of lines between different laboratories. Here, we describe a protocol developed in our laboratory for the extraction and cryopreservation of killifish () sperm.

Micro-CT Analysis of Fat in the Killifish .

Aging is associated with an increase in body fat mass and a concomitant decrease in lean mass and bone density in mammals. Body adiposity can also be redistributed with age, resulting in abdominal fat accumulation and subcutaneous fat reduction. In addition, specific variation in fat distribution is considered to be a risk factor for a number of age-related metabolic disorders.

Nonlethal Blood Sampling from the Killifish .

Blood withdrawal is a common procedure performed on laboratory animals to monitor key processes and indicators of fish health and physiology, such as hematopoiesis, hemostasis, and lipid and glucose metabolism. Moreover, the ability to extract blood with minimal invasiveness and without sacrificing animals enables repeated sampling, allowing both longitudinal studies of individual animals, as well as reducing the number of experimental animals needed in a study. The African turquoise killifish is an emerging animal model that is progressively being adopted worldwide for aging studies because of its naturally short life span.

[Ga]Ga-NODAGA-E[(cRGDyK)] and [Cu]Cu-DOTATATE PET Predict Improvement in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

An increasing number of patients are living with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and/or heart failure. Treatment options and prognostic tools are lacking for many of these patients. Our aim was to investigate the prognostic value of imaging angiogenesis and macrophage activation via positron emission tomography (PET) in terms of functional improvement after cell therapy.

In vivo molecular imaging of cardiac angiogenesis in persons with and without type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional Ga-RGD-PET study.

Aims: To assess cardiac angiogenesis in type 2 diabetes by positron emission tomography (PET) tracer [ Ga]Ga-NODAGA-E[(cRGDyK)] ( Ga-RGD) imaging.

Methods: Cross-sectional study including 20 persons with type 2 diabetes and 10 non-diabetic controls (CONs). Primary prespecified outcome was difference in cardiac angiogenesis (cardiac Ga-RGD mean target-to-background ratio [TBR ]) between type 2 diabetes and CONs.

[Cu]Cu-DOTATATE PET metrics in the investigation of atherosclerotic inflammation in humans.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess and compare the arterial uptake of the inflammatory macrophage targeting PET tracer [Cu]Cu-DOTATATE in patients with no or known cardiovascular disease (CVD) to investigate potential differences in uptake.

Methods: Seventy-nine patients who had undergone [Cu]Cu-DOTATATE PET/CT imaging for neuroendocrine neoplasm disease were retrospectively allocated to three groups: controls with no known CVD risk factors (n = 22), patients with CVD risk factors (n = 24), or patients with known ischemic CVD (n = 33). Both maximum, mean of max and most-diseased segment (mds) standardized uptake value (SUV) and target-to-background ratio (TBR) uptake metrics were measured and reported for the carotid arteries and the aorta.

Feasibility of positron range correction in 82-Rubidium cardiac PET/CT.

Background: Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using positron emission tomography (PET) tracers is an essential tool in investigating diseases and treatment responses in cardiology. Rubidium (Rb)-PET imaging is advantageous for MPI due to its short half-life, but cannot be used for small animal research due to the long positron range. We aimed to correct for this, enabling MPI with Rb-PET in rats.

Intramolecular (4+3) Cycloadditions of Oxidopyridinium Ions: Towards Daphnicyclidin A.

N-alkylation of 5-hydroxynicotinic acid esters with electrophiles containing diene functionality produces salts that undergo intramolecular (4+3) cycloaddition reactions upon heating in the presence of base. Initial studies used a three-carbon tether to join the pyridinium ion and diene, revealing some aspects of the inherent selectivity of the reaction with such substrates. Much more challenging was the synthesis of related species possessing only a two-carbon tether.