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Recent progress in imaging and image processing techniques has provided for improvements in odontological research in a variety of aspects. Thus, the presented method has been developed precisely in order to assess metrically 3D reconstructions of teeth. Rapidly and accurately obtained data of a wide range and appropriate density are sufficient enough for morphometric studies rather than tooth size assessments which are inherent to conventional techniques. The main contributions providing for holistic and objective morphometric analysis of teeth are the following: (1) interpretation of basic dental morphological features; (2) automated of orientational coordinate system setup based on tooth surface analysis; (3) new tooth morphometric parameters which could not be obtained through application of conventional odontometric techniques; (4) methodological novelty for automated odontomorphometric analysis pipeline. Application of tomographic imaging, which has been used for obtaining 3D models, expands the proposed method potential further through providing detailed and comprehensive reconstructions of teeth. The current study was conducted on unique material from the archaeological site of Sunghir related to the Upper Palaeolithic period. Metric assessments of external and internal morphological layers of teeth were performed in common orientation and sectioning. The proposed technique allowed more profound analysis of Sunghirian teeth which date back to the times of modern human morphology formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE), magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), aspartate transaminase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4), and King's score have been proposed for diagnosing fibrosis. Literature databases were searched until October 1st, 2020. The summary area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), the summary diagnostic odds ratios, and the summary sensitivities and specificities were used to assess the performance of these noninvasive methods for staging fibrosis. Our final data contained 72 studies. The prevalence of significant fibrosis, advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis was 58.3%, 36.2%, and 20.5%, respectively, in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). For 2D-SWE and MRE, the summary AUROCs were 0.89 and 0.97, 0.95 and 0.97, and 0.94 and 0.97 for significant fibrosis, advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis, respectively. The summary AUROCs using APRI and FIB-4 for detecting significant fibrosis, advanced fibrosis, and cirrhosis were 0.76 and 0.75, 0.74 and 0.77, and 0.77 and 0.82, respectively. The summary AUROCs of King's score for detecting significant fibrosis and cirrhosis were 0.77 and 0.83, respectively. MRE and 2D-SWE may show the best diagnostic accuracy for predicting fibrosis in CHB. Among the three serum markers, King's score may be more useful for diagnosing fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Migraine with aura (MwA) in the emergency setting is common and sometimes difficult to distinguish from mimicking conditions. Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), a magnet resonance (MR) technique is sensitive to deoxygenated hemoglobin in cerebral veins and depicts these according to their level of oxygenation. Our study aimed at evaluating the frequency of regions of prominent focal veins (PFV) on SWI in the acute phase. Methods: Between 2011 and 2018 we evaluated symptoms and MR imaging of adult patients with acute MwA attacks (< 5 days after onset of symptoms). Abnormal imaging was visually scored in 12 ROIs on both hemispheres distributed on 3 slices. The score ranged from 0 to 3. Results: In all, 638 patients (436 female) mean age 37.39 years (18–89 ± 14.13) were included. Susceptibility weighted imaging was abnormal in 18.8% of patients. The inferior and posterior medial temporal lobe and the occipital lobe were most often affected. Susceptibility weighted imaging was more likely abnormal when MR was performed within 24 hours with an average around 5 hours after symptom onset. The side of aura symptoms and hemispheric imaging alteration in patients with abnormal SWI was highly significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In the acute episode of MwA, SWI imaging can show a combination of increased deoxygenation. The results may indicate linking PFV to MwA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies in animal science assessing nutrient and energy efficiency or determining nutrient requirements benefit from gathering exact measurements of body composition or body nutrient contents. Those are acquired by standardized dissection or by grinding the body followed by wet chemical analysis, respectively. The two methods do not result in the same type of information, but both are destructive. Harnessing human medical imaging techniques for animal science can enable repeated measurements of individuals over time and reduce the number of individuals required for research. Among imaging techniques, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is particularly promising. However, the measurements obtained with DXA do not perfectly match dissections or chemical analyses, requiring the adjustment of the DXA via calibration equations. Several calibration regressions have been published, but comparative studies of those regression equations and whether they are applicable to different data sets are pending. Thus, it is currently not clear whether existing regression equations can be directly used to convert DXA measurements into chemical values or whether each individual DXA device will require its own calibration. Our study builds prediction equations that relate body composition to the content of single nutrients in growing entire male pigs (BW range 20–100 kg) as determined by both DXA and chemical analyses, with R2 ranging between 0.89 for ash and 0.99 for water and CP. Moreover, we show that the chemical composition of the empty body can be satisfactorily determined by DXA scans of carcasses, with the prediction error ranging between 4.3% for CP and 12.6% for ash. Finally, we compare existing prediction equations for pigs of a similar range of BWs with the equations derived from our DXA measurements and evaluate their fit with our chemical analysis data. We found that existing equations for absolute contents that were built using the same DXA beam technology predicted our data more precisely than equations based on different technologies and percentages of fat and lean mass. This indicates that the creation of generic regression equations that yield reliable estimates of body composition in pigs of different growth stages, sexes and genetic breeds could be achievable in the near future. DXA may be a promising tool for high-throughput phenotyping for genetic studies, because it efficiently measures body composition in a large number and wide array of animals.

Imaging technology enhances radar environment awareness. Imaging radar can provide richer target information for traffic management systems than conventional traffic detection radar. However, there is still a lack of research on millimeter-wave radar imaging technology for urban traffic surveillance. To solve the above problem, we propose an improved three-dimensional FFT imaging algorithm architecture for radar roadside imaging in urban traffic scenarios, enabling the concurrence of dynamic and static targets imaging. Firstly, by analyzing the target characteristics and background noise in urban traffic scenes, the Monte-Carlo-based constant false alarm detection algorithm (MC-CFAR) and the improved MC-CFAR algorithm are proposed, respectively, for moving vehicles and static environmental targets detection. Then, for the velocity ambiguity solution problem with multiple targets and large velocity ambiguity cycles, an improved Hypothetical Phase Compensation algorithm (HPC-SNR) is proposed and complimented. Further, the Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm is used to remove outliers to obtain a clean radar point cloud image. Finally, traffic targets within the 50 m range are presented as two-dimensional (2D) point cloud imaging. In addition, we also try to estimate the vehicle type by target point cloud size, and its accuracy reaches more than 80% in the vehicle sparse condition. The proposed method is verified by actual traffic scenario data collected by a millimeter-wave radar system installed on the roadside. The work can support further intelligent transportation management and extend radar imaging applications.

Proton density (PD) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are imaging techniques that enable the acquisition of data from living subjects that can be used in the fine-tuning of subject-specific models’ architectural parameters. The aim of this study was to determine the in vivo 3D architectural parameters (volume, pennation angle, fiber length and physiological cross-sectional area) of the gastrocnemius medialis, gastrocnemius lateralis, soleus and tibialis anterior muscles using proton density and diffusion tensor imaging data before and after an exhaustive one-legged jump exercise. These methods were used in the in vivo 3D data acquisition of six young and physically active female subjects’ lower legs, followed by a fiber-tracking algorithm and analysis tools. No significant differences were found in the muscles’ architecture after the exercise, with the following exceptions: the anatomical cross-section area of the gastrocnemius medialis increased (p-value 0.001, effect size 0.18) after exercise; the fiber lengths of the gastrocnemius medialis, lateralis and soleus muscles were higher after exercise (p-value 0.002, 0.001 and 0.001, respectively, and effect size 2.03, 1.29 and 0.85, respectively); and the soleus mean pennation angle decreased after exercise (p-value 0.0015, effect size 2.31). These changes (or lack thereof) could be attributed to the extended acquisition time of the MRI scans to minimize noise: by increasing the acquisition time, the effect of the exercise may have been partially lost due to muscle recovery.

Imaging has been playing an important role in the pathogenetic and clinical characterisation of many rheumatic diseases, especially in the most recent years with the advent of many new, highly technological and promising techniques. Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD) benefited also from these new techniques, most of which can readily identify calcium crystals. Nowadays, imaging is used mainly to identify crystals in joints but given the complexity of CPPD, imaging should be used with an "holistic" approach in order to gain insights in the pathogenesis, spectrum of clinical manifestations and natural history of the disease. Furthermore, overlap or association of CPPD with other prevalent diseases of the elderly makes the differential diagnosis challenging. In this review, we provide a critical review of the current knowledge on the use of imaging both for the identification of crystals and for its application in clinical practice as an aid for determining the impact of the disease on patients. Key Points • CPPD is a complex disease with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations and understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms and clinical phenotypes is essential for correct characterisation • Imaging has made important advances regarding identification of CPPD in recent years, and new, more sophisticated techniques are under investigation • Imaging has the potential to improve our knowledge on pathogenesis and clinical phenotypes of CPPD • Imaging techniques have to be tested thoroughly for reliability, discrimination and sensitivity to change before they can be implemented in clinical trials [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex molecular cell dynamics in acute kidney injury and its heterogeneous etiologies in patient populations in clinical settings have revealed the potential advantages and disadvantages of emerging novel damage biomarkers. Imaging techniques have been developed over the past decade to further our understanding about diseased organs, including the kidneys. Understanding the compositional, structural, and functional changes in damaged kidneys via several imaging modalities would enable a more comprehensive analysis of acute kidney injury, including its risks, diagnosis, and prognosis. This review summarizes recent imaging studies for acute kidney injury and discusses their potential utility in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain disorders seriously affect life quality. Therefore, non-invasive neuroimaging has received attention to monitoring and early diagnosing neural disorders to prevent their progress to a severe level. This short review briefly describes the current MRI and PET/CT techniques developed for non-invasive neuroimaging and the future direction of optical imaging techniques to achieve higher resolution and specificity using the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region of wavelength with organic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cells and tissues form the bewildering diversity of crustacean larval organ systems which are necessary for these organisms to autonomously survive in the plankton. For the developmental biologist, decapod crustaceans provide the fascinating opportunity to analyse how the adult organism unfolds from organ Anlagen compressed into a miniature larva in the sub-millimetre range. This publication is the second part of our survey of methods to study organogenesis in decapod crustacean larvae. In a companion paper, we have already described the techniques for culturing larvae in the laboratory and dissecting and chemically fixing their tissues for histological analyses. Here, we review various classical and more modern imaging techniques suitable for analyses of eidonomy, anatomy, and morphogenetic changes within decapod larval development, and protocols including many tips and tricks for successful research are provided. The methods cover reflected-light-based methods, autofluorescence-based imaging, scanning electron microscopy, usage of specific fluorescence markers, classical histology (paraffin, semithin and ultrathin sectioning combined with light and electron microscopy), X-ray microscopy (µCT), immunohistochemistry and usage of in vivo markers. For each method, we report our personal experience and give estimations of the method's research possibilities, the effort needed, costs and provide an outlook for future directions of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Haemophilia Early Arthropathy Detection with Ultrasound (HEAD‐US) system and scoring scale has proven to be an accurate and time‐efficient imaging method for identifying joint damage in patients with haemophilia. Aim: Observational, multicentre, cross‐sectional study conducted in 8 centres in Spain that assessed the joint status of adult patients with severe haemophilia A (SHA) using HEAD‐US. Methods: Joint status of the elbow, knee and ankle was evaluated in adults with SHA receiving on‐demand (OD) treatment, or primary (PP), secondary (SP), tertiary (TP) or intermittent (IP) prophylaxis. Results: Of the 95 patients enrolled, 87 received prophylaxis (6.3% PP, 38.9% SP, 43.2% TP and 3.2% IP). Mean age was 35.2 years, and 59% of patients had not undergone image testing in the last year. The HEAD‐US score was 0 in all joints in 6.3% of patients. The ankle was the most affected joint, regardless of treatment regimen. Patients receiving OD treatment, TP or IP had the overall worst scores, mainly in the ankles and elbows; a similar but milder profile was observed in patients on SP; and patients on PP had the best score in all joints. Conclusion: Joint function may be effectively preserved in patients with SHA on PP, but OD treatment or later initiation of prophylaxis does not seem to prevent progression of arthropathy. Disease worsening was observed in patients OD, TP or IP, most often affecting ankles and elbows. Closer ultrasound imaging monitoring may improve management of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Recently, a new painting attributed to Artemisia Gentileschi was found in Ferrara, representing Judith exposing the head of Holofernes. Some analyses have been required to verify the history of this canvas, because another known painting is very similar to this one with the exception of the heads of Judith and Holofernes. This last has been attributed to the father of Artemisia, Orazio Gentileschi. Many diagnostics were performed, starting from imaging techniques: from raking light, to UV fluorescence and X-ray radiography. All of them highlighted peculiarities concerning above all the head of the main female protagonist. The results suggest that the face of Judith was subjected to various reworks in the same artistic period because of the original materials still present. This is the reason for the peculiar fragility and, due to this, the restoration of the 20th Century focused on Judith’s face. However, in this contribution, we want to highlight the results obtained with XRF spot analysis. Indeed, the artistic palette and the restoration materials have been characterized. For example, reds are in cinnabar, while Judith’s lips have been restored with cadmium red. The more interesting results regard the use of umber earths. In the painting, this iron-based pigment, rich in manganese, was revealed several times, and the correlation between Fe and Mn was easily verified. More than one correlation has been found due to the use of this pigment to darken the hues.

Glaucoma is a chronic, progressive optic neuropathy characterized by the loss of peripheral vision first and then central vision. Clinically, normal tension glaucoma is considered a special subtype of glaucoma, in which the patient’s intraocular pressure is within the normal range, but the patient experiences typical glaucomatous changes. However, increasing evidence has challenged the traditional pathophysiological view of normal tension glaucoma, which is based only on intraocular pressure, and breakthroughs in central nervous system imaging may now greatly increase our knowledge about the mechanisms underlying normal tension glaucoma. In this article, we review the latest progress in understanding the pathogenesis of normal tension glaucoma and in developing imaging techniques to detect it, to strengthen the appreciation for the connection between normal tension glaucoma and the brain.

Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease among women, causing death and suffering worldwide. It is known that, for the improvement of the survival rate and the psychological impact it has on patients, early detection is crucial. For this to happen, the imaging techniques should be used at their full potential. We selected and examined 44 articles that had as subject the use of a specific imaging method in breast cancer management (mammography, ultrasound, MRI, ultrasound-guided biopsy, PET-CT). After analyzing their data, we summarized and concluded which are the best ways to use each one of the mentioned techniques for a good outcome. We created a simplified algorithm with easy steps that can be followed by radiologists when facing this type of neoplasia.

The assessment of three-dimensional (3D) brain cytoarchitecture at a cellular resolution remains a great challenge in the field of neuroscience and constant development of imaging techniques has become crucial, particularly when it comes to offering direct and clear obtention of data from macro to nano scales. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electron or optical microscopy, although valuable, still face some issues such as the lack of contrast and extensive sample preparation protocols. In this context, x-ray microtomography (μCT) has become a promising non-destructive tool for imaging a broad range of samples, from dense materials to soft biological specimens. It is a new supplemental method to be explored for deciphering the cytoarchitecture and connectivity of the brain. This review aims to bring together published works using x-ray μCT in neurobiology in order to discuss the achievements made so far and the future of this technique for neuroscience.

The assessment of three-dimensional (3D) brain cytoarchitecture at a cellular resolution remains a great challenge in the field of neuroscience and constant development of imaging techniques has become crucial, particularly when it comes to offering direct and clear obtention of data from macro to nano scales. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electron or optical microscopy, although valuable, still face some issues such as the lack of contrast and extensive sample preparation protocols. In this context, x-ray microtomography (μCT) has become a promising non-destructive tool for imaging a broad range of samples, from dense materials to soft biological specimens. It is a new supplemental method to be explored for deciphering the cytoarchitecture and connectivity of the brain. This review aims to bring together published works using x-ray μCT in neurobiology in order to discuss the achievements made so far and the future of this technique for neuroscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fishing industry is an important economic sector in Namibia and South Africa, with the shallow-water hake Merluccius capensis being an important target species. Recent genetic studies of M. capensis found two stocks in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem, one in the north (17–29° S) and one in the south (29–36° S), and a proposed mixed stock in the Orange River area (around 29° S). The present study investigated the use of otolith shape analysis for purposes of stock-structure analysis of M. capensis. Merluccius capensis otolith samples were collected during demersal-trawl surveys along the Benguela, for the years 1992, 2004 and 2005. Different years were selected to investigate temporal stability in otolith shape in the northern Benguela. A total of 1 628 otolith images were analysed using the shapeR library in R. Otolith shape was analysed using wavelet transformation, and ANOVA-like permutation tests indicated no significant differences between the northern (17°31′–25°29′ S) and central (25°30′–29°05′ S) Benguela for all years but showed significant differences between the northern and southern (29°05′–35°50′ S) Benguela. This study therefore demonstrated that otolith shape could be used for stock discrimination of M. capensis. It confirmed one stock of M. capensis in the northern and central Benguela and another in the southern Benguela, which supports the current, separate management approach for this species. It also showed some differences in otolith shape from the 1990s to the 2000s, which could be explained by increased movement of the southern Benguela stock to the northern Benguela and increased hybridisation in the later years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroimaging techniques, particularly magnetic resonance imaging, yield increasingly sophisticated markers of brain structure and function. Combined with ongoing developments in machine learning, these methods refine our abilities to detect subtle epileptogenic lesions and develop reliable prognostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Española de Cardiología (18855857) is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, we utilize the free motion of beads incorporated in bacterial suspension to investigate the behavior of the medium surrounding the beads during biofilm formation. The use of imaging techniques such as digital image correlation enables tracking of the movement of beads, which serve as markers in the processed images. This method is applied to detect and characterize biofilm formation. The main originality of this study lies in characterizing the evolution of the typology of bead movements during biofilm formation. The aim is to identify bead behaviors that represent the start of biofilm formation. By observing inert bead movements introduced into the bacterial environment, changes in trajectory typologies are detected and appear to be related to sessile bacterial activity, bacterial hindrance, and adhesion or formation of extracellular material. We use our approach to discriminate between the presence or absence of antibiotics mixed with bacteria and to assess their effectiveness. The results highlight the potential of our approach as nondestructive tracking of biofilm dynamics over time based on optical microscope images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although obesity is typically defined by body mass index criteria, this does not differentiate true body fatness, as this includes both body fat and muscle. Therefore, other fat depots may better define cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk imposed by obesity. Data from translational, epidemiological, and clinical studies over the past 3 decades have clearly demonstrated that accumulation of adiposity in the abdominal viscera and within tissue depots lacking physiological adipose tissue storage capacity (termed "ectopic fat") is strongly associated with the development of a clinical syndrome characterized by atherogenic dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia/glucose intolerance/type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and abnormal cardiac remodeling and heart failure. This state-of-the-art paper discusses the impact of various body fat depots on cardiometabolic parameters and CVD risk. Specifically, it reviews novel and emerging imaging techniques to evaluate adiposity and the risk of cardiometabolic diseases and CVD. • Anthropometric and laboratory markers of obesity have limited utility for personalized treatment. Direct imaging measures of obesity may improve diagnosis, guide decision-making for appropriate interventions, and monitor responses to treatment. • Multimodality imaging is used to assess visceral and ectopic fat depots (such as within the heart, liver, skeletal muscle, pancreas, and kidney) to improve evaluation of metabolic disease and CVD risk. • Future studies will combine body fat assessment with physical activity/cardiorespiratory fitness to further improve efforts to prevent and treat obesity and its progression to CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, cancer immunotherapy experienced remarkable developments and it is nowadays considered a promising therapeutic frontier against many types of cancer, especially hematological malignancies. However, in most types of solid tumors, immunotherapy efficacy is modest, partly because of the limited accessibility of lymphocytes to the tumor core. This immune exclusion is mediated by a variety of physical, functional and dynamic barriers, which play a role in shaping the immune infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment. At present there is no unified and integrated understanding about the role played by different postulated models of immune exclusion in human solid tumors. Systematically mapping immune landscapes or “topographies” in cancers of different histology is of pivotal importance to characterize spatial and temporal distribution of lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment, providing insights into mechanisms of immune exclusion. Spatially mapping immune cells also provides quantitative information, which could be informative in clinical settings, for example for the discovery of new biomarkers that could guide the design of patient-specific immunotherapies. In this review, we aim to summarize current standard and next generation approaches to define Cancer Immune Topographies based on published studies and propose future perspectives.

The increasing importance of trauma analysis by means of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is insufficiently reflected in forensic curricula, nor are best practice manuals available. We attempt to detect sharp force bone lesions on PMCT of closed forensic cases with the aims of assessing errors and pointing out patterns in anatomical location and manner of death (MOD). We investigated 41 closed sharp force fatality cases, with available PMCT and forensic reports. Two observers with different radiological training assessed the lesions on PMCT scans (2D and 3D) for comparison with the reports. Between 3% (suicides) and 15.3% (homicides) of sharp force injuries caused visible bone lesions. While our observations were repeatable, each forensic investigation left a similar number of bone lesions undetected. Injury patterns differed between MOD, with thoracic bone lesions being most frequent overall. Soft tissue injury location varied between the MOD. Associations between MOD and age as well as number of injuries were significant. The detection of bone lesions on PMCT for untrained forensic specialists is challenging, curricula and pertinent manuals are desirable. With the low frequency of bone lesions compared to soft tissue injuries, we should be aware when analyzing decomposed bodies.

In December 2019, a new type of virus, coronavirus disease 2019 broke out globally and caused great harm. The virus mutates rapidly, and more research reports are urgently needed to increase our understanding of the disease. We found the reversed halo sign (RHS) occurred in the imaging manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 delta variant of concern pneumonia. In the absence of pathology, the mechanism is unknown. Therefore, we reported two cases of RHS and tried to speculate the pathological mechanism through multiple computed tomography follow‐up comparisons to judge the prognosis of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, cancer immunotherapy experienced remarkable developments and it is nowadays considered a promising therapeutic frontier against many types of cancer, especially hematological malignancies. However, in most types of solid tumors, immunotherapy efficacy is modest, partly because of the limited accessibility of lymphocytes to the tumor core. This immune exclusion is mediated by a variety of physical, functional and dynamic barriers, which play a role in shaping the immune infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment. At present there is no unified and integrated understanding about the role played by different postulated models of immune exclusion in human solid tumors. Systematically mapping immune landscapes or "topographies" in cancers of different histology is of pivotal importance to characterize spatial and temporal distribution of lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment, providing insights into mechanisms of immune exclusion. Spatially mapping immune cells also provides quantitative information, which could be informative in clinical settings, for example for the discovery of new biomarkers that could guide the design of patient-specific immunotherapies. In this review, we aim to summarize current standard and next generation approaches to define Cancer Immune Topographies based on published studies and propose future perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐ion batteries are the most commercially successful electrochemical devices, extensively used in intelligent electronics, electric vehicles, grid energy storages, etc. However, there still needs to be further improvement of their performance such as in energy density, cyclability, rate capability, and safety. To do so, it is necessary to understand the detailed structural evolution progress inside the battery. Many advanced imaging techniques have been developed to directly monitor the status and get some key information inside the battery. For advanced imaging techniques, superhigh resolution, fully informative function, nondestruction of the sample, and in situ observation are required. This review introduces and discusses some recent important progress on a variety of advanced imaging techniques for battery research. These imaging techniques have enabled the visualization of sub‐micrometer level chemical valence distribution, evolution of solid‐electrolyte interface, Li dendrite growth, and trace amount of gassing, etc., which greatly promote the development of rechargeable batteries. Of particular note, a new ultrasonic imaging technique has been recently developed to monitor gas generation, the electrolyte wetting process, and the state of charge in the battery. Finally, a perspective is given on some future developments in the imaging techniques for Li‐ion batteries and other rechargeable batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past two decades, immunometabolism has emerged as a crucial field, unraveling the intricate molecular connections between cellular metabolism and immune function across various cell types, tissues, and diseases. This review explores the insights gained from studies using the emerging technology, Raman micro-spectroscopy, to investigate immunometabolism. Raman micro-spectroscopy provides an exciting opportunity to directly study metabolism at the single cell level where it can be combined with other Raman-based technologies and platforms such as single cell RNA sequencing. The review showcases applications of Raman micro-spectroscopy to study the immune system including cell identification, activation, and autoimmune disease diagnosis, offering a rapid, label-free, and minimally invasive analytical approach. The review spotlights three promising Raman technologies, Raman-activated cell sorting, Raman stable isotope probing, and Raman imaging. The synergy of Raman technologies with machine learning is poised to enhance the understanding of complex Raman phenotypes, enabling biomarker discovery and comprehensive investigations in immunometabolism. The review encourages further exploration of these evolving technologies in the rapidly advancing field of immunometabolism., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Serine proteases are one of the largest mechanistic classes of proteases. They regulate a plethora of biochemical pathways inside and outside the cell. Aberrant serine protease activity leads to a wide variety of human diseases. Reagents to visualize these activities can be used to gain insight into the biological roles of serine proteases. Moreover, they may find future use for the detection of serine proteases as biomarkers. In this review, we discuss small molecule tools to image serine protease activity. Specifically, we outline different covalent activity-based probes and their selectivity against various serine protease targets. We also describe their application in several imaging methods., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.)

Cerebrovascular diseases, including ischemic strokes, hemorrhagic strokes, and vascular malformations, are major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The advancements in neuroimaging techniques have revolutionized the field of cerebrovascular disease diagnosis and assessment. This comprehensive review aims to provide a detailed analysis of the novel imaging methods used in the diagnosis and assessment of cerebrovascular diseases. We discuss the applications of various imaging modalities, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and angiography, highlighting their strengths and limitations. Furthermore, we delve into the emerging imaging techniques, including perfusion imaging, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and molecular imaging, exploring their potential contributions to the field. Understanding these novel imaging methods is necessary for accurate diagnosis, effective treatment planning, and monitoring the progression of cerebrovascular diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Yao, Zhu, Yu, Ren and Hu.)

Host-pathogen interactions play a critical role in infectious diseases, and understanding the underlying mechanisms is vital for developing effective therapeutic strategies. The visualization and characterization of bacterial proteins within host cells is key to unraveling the dynamics of these interactions. Various protein labeling strategies have emerged as powerful tools for studying host-pathogen interactions, enabling the tracking, localization, and functional analysis of bacterial proteins in real-time. However, the labeling and localization of Salmonella secreted type III secretion system (T3SS) effectors in host cells poses technical challenges. Conventional methods disrupt effector stoichiometry and often result in non-specific staining. Bulky fluorescent protein fusions interfere with effector secretion, while other tagging systems such as 4Cys-FLaSH/Split-GFP suffer from low labeling specificity and a poor signal-to-noise ratio. Recent advances in state-of-the-art techniques have augmented the existing toolkit for monitoring the translocation and dynamics of bacterial effectors. This comprehensive review delves into the bacterial protein labeling strategies and their application in imaging host-pathogen interactions. Lastly, we explore the obstacles faced and potential pathways forward in the realm of protein labeling strategies for visualizing interactions between hosts and pathogens., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Singh and Kenney.)

For long time, osteoporosis (OP) was exclusively associated with an overall bone mass reduction, leading to lower bone strength and to a higher fracture risk. For this reason, the measurement of bone mineral density through dual X-ray absorptiometry was considered the gold standard method for its diagnosis. However, recent findings suggest that OP causes a more complex set of bone alterations, involving both its microstructure and composition. This review aims to provide an overview of the most evident osteoporosis-induced alterations of bone quality and a résumé of the most common imaging techniques used for their assessment, at both the clinical and the laboratory scale. A particular focus is dedicated to the micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) due to its superior image resolution, allowing the execution of more accurate morphometric analyses, better highlighting the architectural alterations of the osteoporotic bone. In addition, micro-CT has the potential to perform densitometric measurements and finite element method analyses at the microscale, representing potential tools for OP diagnosis and for fracture risk prediction. Unfortunately, technological improvements are still necessary to reduce the radiation dose and the scanning duration, parameters that currently limit the application of micro-CT in clinics for OP diagnosis, despite its revolutionary potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives: To document unusual locations of hydatid disease by Radiological Imaging performed in a Tertiary care center. Study Design: Descriptive Case series. Setting: Department of Radiology and Imaging, HBS General Hospital, Islamabad. Period: Jan 2016 to Dec 2018. Material & Methods: 64 cases of hydatid disease were included in our study seen between 2016 and 2018. 11 cases were retrospectively analyzed because of their unusual locations. MDCT was performed in all of our cases. Ultrasound, MRI, Color Doppler, IVU, and plain films also were performed in selected cases. Histopathological diagnosis of hydatid disease was confirmed in all cases operated surgically. Results: Rare locations of hydatid disease in this series included kidney, abdominal wall, chest wall, ovary, lumbosacral spine, iliopsoas muscles, mesentery, lung hilum, diaphragm, spleen and bronchus (in form of Broncho-pleural fistula). The Table-I, is most unusual presentations were passage of cysts in urine in a case of renal hydatid cyst, passage of cysts with haemoptysis in a case of bronchopleural fistula caused by ruptured hydatid cyst, infertility in an ovarian hydatid cyst, abdominal and chest wall swellings due to hydatid cysts. Even though there was no mortality in these patients, there was disabling morbidity. Conclusion: Hydatid disease can present with unusual symptoms and signs depending on the organ of involvement. Hydatid disease can affect any organ in the body and a high suspicion of this disease is justified in any unusual cystic lesion of any organ, Moreover, detailed imaging techniques should precede and follow the surgical intervention. Multi-imaging modalities are also more helpful in rare diffuse hydatidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal models are essential tools for addressing fundamental scientific questions about skeletal diseases and for the development of new therapeutic approaches. Traditionally, mice have been the most common model organism in biomedical research, but their use is hampered by several limitations including complex generation, demanding investigation of early developmental stages, regulatory restrictions on breeding, and high maintenance cost. The zebrafish has been used as an efficient alternative vertebrate model for the study of human skeletal diseases, thanks to its easy genetic manipulation, high fecundity, external fertilization, transparency of rapidly developing embryos, and low maintenance cost. Furthermore, zebrafish share similar skeletal cells and ossification types with mammals. In the last decades, the use of both forward and new reverse genetics techniques has resulted in the generation of many mutant lines carrying skeletal phenotypes associated with human diseases. In addition, transgenic lines expressing fluorescent proteins under bone cell- or pathway- specific promoters enable in vivo imaging of differentiation and signaling at the cellular level. Despite the small size of the zebrafish, many traditional techniques for skeletal phenotyping, such as x-ray and microCT imaging and histological approaches, can be applied using the appropriate equipment and custom protocols. The ability of adult zebrafish to remodel skeletal tissues can be exploited as a unique tool to investigate bone formation and repair. Finally, the permeability of embryos to chemicals dissolved in water, together with the availability of large numbers of small-sized animals makes zebrafish a perfect model for high-throughput bone anabolic drug screening. This review aims to discuss the techniques that make zebrafish a powerful model to investigate the molecular and physiological basis of skeletal disorders.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has become an accurate and versatile imaging modality to visualize the cardiovascular system in normal or abnormal conditions. In preclinical research, small rodent animal models of human cardiovascular diseases are frequently used to investigate the basic underlying mechanism of normal and abnormal cardiac function and for monitoring the disease progression under therapy. Technical improvements have enabled the transfer of CMR to small animal research, and as such made this non-invasive technique available to provide insights into cardiac morphology, function, perfusion, and pathophysiology in small animal cardiac disease models. This article reviews the basic technical approaches to in vivo small animal magnetic resonance imaging and its variants for the most promising applications.