Reliability of Central Vein Sign Imaging With 3T FLAIR* in a Multicenter Study.

Background And Purpose: The central vein sign (CVS) is a diagnostic imaging biomarker for multiple sclerosis (MS). FLAIR* is a combined MRI contrast that provides high conspicuity for CVS at 3 Tesla (3T), enabling its sensitive and accurate detection in clinical settings. This study evaluated whether CVS conspicuity of 3T FLAIR* is reliable across imaging sites and MRI vendors and whether gadolinium (Gd) contrast increases CVS conspicuity.

The helmeted hornbill casque is reinforced by a bundle of exceptionally thick, rod-like trabeculae.

Among hornbill birds, the critically endangered helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) is notable for its casque (a bulbous beak protrusion) being filled with trabeculae and fronted by a very thick keratin layer. Casque function is debated but appears central to aerial jousting, where birds (typically males) collide casques at high speeds in a mid-flight display that is audible for more than 100 m. We characterized the structural relationship between the skull and casque anatomy using X-ray microtomography and quantitative trabecular network analysis to examine how the casque sustains extreme impact.

Incorporation of the central vein sign into the McDonald criteria.

Background: Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently relies on MRI dissemination in time (DIT) and space (DIS), as codified in 2017 McDonald criteria (McD 2017). The central vein sign (CVS) is a proposed MS diagnostic biomarker, but its optimal incorporation into McD 2017 has not been extensively studied.

Objective: Evaluate the diagnostic performance of several methods incorporating CVS into McD 2017 radiological DIS criteria.

"We Do Not Have a Written Protocol or Flowchart for Intervention": Social Workers' Perceptions and Experiences of Interventions with Older Parents Subjected to Abuse by Adult Offspring with Psychiatric Disorders.

One in six older adults worldwide is subjected to abuse (WHO, 2022), with heightened risk among parents of offspring with mental disorders. This qualitative study explores social workers' experiences in addressing elder abuse by these offspring. Two themes emerged: (1) "The snowball rolls: Unfolding mutual dependency and symbiosis," describing abusive offspring's characteristics and dynamics with aging parents, (2) "For every case, you need to match a tailor-made suit," detailing psychosocial and legal interventions.

The effect of social anxiety on social attention in naturalistic situations.

Background And Objectives: This multimodal two-phase study investigated the impact of trait social anxiety on exploration, social attention, and autonomic responses in a naturalistic setting. We expected higher avoidance of potentially crowded spaces, reduced visual attention on other people, and heightened physiological arousal in social situations for participants with higher social anxiety levels.

Design And Methods: Eighty-seven participants, pre-screened for high variance in trait social anxiety, first completed a half-hour walk on a freely chosen route and subsequently had a staged social interaction with a confederate consisting of a non-interactive waiting phase and a short conversation.

Investigating Mood and Cognition in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Prospective Study Protocol.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated neurological disorder that affects one million people in the United States. Up to 50% of people with MS experience depression, yet the mechanisms of depression in MS remain under-investigated. Studies of medically healthy participants with depression have described associations between white matter variability and depressive symptoms, but frequently exclude participants with medical comorbidities and thus cannot be extrapolated to people with intracranial diseases.

Lateral QRS amplitude is independently associated with outcome after cardiac resynchronization therapy: Advancing patient selection?

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a cornerstone in the treatment of selected heart failure patients. However, a relevant proportion of patients do not show beneficial response. Identification of simple, additive, and outcome-relevant selection criteria may improve selection of patients.

Association of Anxiety with Uncinate Fasciculus Lesion Burden in Multiple Sclerosis.

Importance: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated neurological disorder that affects 2.4 million people world-wide, and up to 60% experience anxiety.

Objective: We investigated how anxiety in MS is associated with white matter lesion burden in the uncinate fasciculus (UF).

Multicenter validation of automated detection of paramagnetic rim lesions on brain MRI in multiple sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) are an MRI biomarker of chronic inflammation in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). PRLs may aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of MS. However, manual identification of PRLs is time-consuming and prone to poor interrater reliability.

Impact of insurance status on MRI phenotypes in MS.

Background: Health insurance in the United States varies in coverage of essential diagnostic tests, therapies, and specialists. Health disparities between privately and publicly insured patients with MS have not been comprehensively assessed. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of public versus private insurance on longitudinal brain outcomes in MS.

Pooled analysis of multiple sclerosis findings on multisite 7 Tesla MRI: Protocol and initial observations.

Although 7 T MRI research has contributed much to our understanding of multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology, most prior data has come from small, single-center studies with varying methods. In order to truly know if such findings have widespread applicability, multicenter methods and studies are needed. To address this, members of the North American Imaging in MS (NAIMS) Cooperative worked together to create a multicenter collaborative study of 7 T MRI in MS.

Somatic mutation phasing and haplotype extension using linked-reads in multiple myeloma.

Somatic mutation phasing informs our understanding of cancer-related events, like driver mutations. We generated linked-read whole genome sequencing data for 23 samples across disease stages from 14 multiple myeloma (MM) patients and systematically assigned somatic mutations to haplotypes using linked-reads. Here, we report the reconstructed cancer haplotypes and phase blocks from several MM samples and show how phase block length can be extended by integrating samples from the same individual.

Isolation and characterization of Leptospira licerasiae in Austrian swine - a first-time case report in Europe.

Background: Leptospiraceae comprise a diverse family of spirochetal bacteria, of which many are involved in infectious diseases of animals and humans. Local leptospiral diversity in domestic animals is often poorly understood. Here we describe the incidental detection of Leptospira (L.

Characterization of PM Carbonaceous Components in a Typical Industrial City in China under Continuous Mitigation Measures.

The goals of the "dual carbon" program in China are to implement a series of air pollution policies to reduce the emission of carbon-bearing particulate matter (PM). Following improvements in the reduction in carbon emissions in Handan City, China, fine particulate matter (PM) was collected in the winters from 2016 to 2020 to characterize the concentrations and sources of carbonaceous components in PM. Trend analysis revealed that both organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) concentrations significantly decreased.

Investigating FSGS-like injury in zebrafish larvae by nifurpirinol: efficacy and molecular insight.

Identifying effective drugs for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) treatment holds significant importance. Our high-content drug screening on zebrafish larvae relies on nitroreductase/metronidazole (NTR/MTZ)-induced podocyte ablation to generate FSGS-like injury. A crucial factor for successful drug screenings is minimizing variability in injury induction.

NOD/Scid IL2Rγ Mice Reconstituted with PBMCs from Patients with Atopic Dermatitis or Psoriasis Vulgaris Reflect the Respective Phenotype.

NSG (NOD/Scid IL2Rγ) mice reconstituted with PBMCs donated by patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease highly reflect the respective pathological phenotype. To determine whether these findings could be applicable to atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis vulgaris (PV), PBMCs isolated from patients with AD and PV were first subjected to immunological profiling. Subsequently, NSG mice were reconstituted with these PBMCs.

Venturing outside: Local journeying, belonging and new parenthood.

The transition to parenthood is a transformative journey marked by numerous adjustments, presenting both physical and mental health challenges. Recognising the crucial role of a sense of belonging for parental health in this transition, this study delves into the experiences of new parents, exploring the act of "journeying" within their local geographies. Through analysis of an online survey among new parents in suburban Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, this study highlights the multifaceted role of journeying, not only as physical movement but as a slow-creeping transformative process that affects connections with local environments, people, and places, highlighting the importance of local geographies in new parents' journey towards belonging.