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Background: During the sexual maturation, gluteal femoral adipose tissue is subjected to numerous modifications, not observable in other regions, in particular in women and less in men. Other authors described this region, but they used imaging techniques having lower resolution, than MRI proposed in this study. High resolution imaging techniques might provide important and more detailed information about the anatomy of gluteal femoral region. Methods: This study has been performed using 7 T‐magnetic resonance imaging and ultrastructural analysis in order to provide accurate description of the subcutaneous adipose tissue and dermis of gluteal femoral region. In this study specimens harvested from cadavers and form living patients have been analyzed. Results: The results showed the presence of three layers: superficial, middle, and deep, characterized by different organization of fat lobules. High resolution imaging showed the adipose papilla that originates from dermis and protrude in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Adipose papilla is characterized by a peculiar morphology with a basement, a neck and a head and these elements represent the functional subunits of adipose papilla. Moreover, ultrastructural study evidenced the relationship between adipocytes and sweat glands, regulated by lipid vesicles. Conclusions: This study provides important information about subcutaneous and dermal fat anatomy of gluteal femoral region, improving the past knowledge, and move toward a better understanding of the cellulite physiopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune degenerative disease targeting white matter in the central nervous system. The most common animal model that mimics MS is experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and it plays a crucial role in pharmacological research, from the identification of a therapeutic target to the in vivo validation of efficacy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is largely used to detect MS lesions, and resting‐state functional MRI (rsfMRI) to investigate alterations in the brain functional connectivity (FC). MRI was mainly used in EAE studies to detect lesions in the spinal cord and brain. The current longitudinal MRI study aims to validate rsfMRI as a biomarker of the disease progression in the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35–55 induced EAE animal model of MS. MR images were acquired 14, 25, and 50 days postimmunization. Seed‐based analysis was used to investigate the whole‐brain FC with some predefined areas, such as the thalamic regions, cerebellum, motor and somatosensory cortex. When compared with the control group, the EAE group exhibited a slightly altered FC and a decreasing trend in the total number of activated voxels along the disease progression. The most interesting result regards the whole‐brain FC with the cerebellum. A hyperconnectivity behavior was found at an early phase and a significant reduced connectivity at a late phase. Moreover, we found a negative correlation between the total number of activated voxels during the late phase and the cumulative disease index. The results obtained provide a clinically relevant experimental platform that may be pivotal for the elucidation of the key mechanisms of accumulation of irreversible disability, as well as the development of innovative therapies for MS. Moreover, the negative correlation between the disease severity and the size of the activated area suggests a possible research pathway to follow for the resolution of the clinico‐radiological paradox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The first part of the experiment identifies and validates MRI biomarkers distinctive of the disease progression in the transgenic superoxide dismutase gene (SOD1(G93A)) animal model. The second part assesses the efficacy of a mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy through the MRI biomarkers previously defined. Methods The first part identifies MRI differences between SOD1(G93A) and healthy mice. The second part of the experiment follows the disease evolution of stem cell-treated and non-stem-cell treated SOD1(G93A) mice. The analysis focused on voxel-based morphometry and T2 mapping on the brain tissues, and T2-weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) on the hind limbs. Results Comparing diseased mice to healthy control revealed gray matter alterations in the brainstem area, accompanied by increased T2 relaxation time. Differences in muscle volume, muscle signal intensity, fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity were measured in the hind limbs. In the comparison between stem cell-treated mice and nontreated ones, differences in muscle volume, muscle signal intensity, and DTI-derived maps were found. Conclusion MRI-derived biomarkers can be used to identify differences between stem cell-treated and nontreated SOD1(G93A) mice. Magn Reson Med 79:459-469, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To investigate in vivo possible pH level alterations following an acute renal failure disease using a MRI-CEST pH responsive contrast agent. The impact of functional evolution in different renal compartments over time was also investigated. Methods a mouse model of acute kidney injury was obtained by glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis. pH maps were obtained using Iopamidol (0.75 g iodine/kg b.w. corresponding to 2.0 mmol/kg) in a control group ( n = 3) and in the acute kidney injury group ( n = 6) at 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after the damage induction at 7T. Histology assessment of renal damage and blood urea nitrogen levels were compared with pH maps. Results during the acute kidney injury, there was a robust increase of pH values, which peaked after 3 days, compared with the predamage situation. In addition, it was possible to detect changes in contrast detection between the different functional regions of the damaged kidneys. Moreover, a slow restoration of normal pH values was observed three weeks after the glycerol injection. Conclusions pH appears to be a good parameter to assess the early detection of kidney injury as well as it acts as a reporter of the recovery toward the physiologic functionality. Magn Reson Med 70:859-864, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]