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Purpose: Phosphorus MRS (31P MRS) enables noninvasive assessment of energy metabolism, yet its application is hindered by sensitivity limitations. To overcome this, often high magnetic fields are used, leading to challenges such as spatial B1+$$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ inhomogeneity and therefore the need for accurate flip‐angle determination in accelerated acquisitions with short TRs. In response to these challenges, we propose a novel short TR and look‐up table–based double‐angle method for fast 3D 31P B1+$$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ mapping (fDAM). Methods: Our method incorporates 3D weighted stack‐of‐spiral gradient‐echo acquisitions and a frequency‐selective pulse to enable efficient B1+$$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ mapping based on the phosphocreatine signal at 7 T. Protocols were optimized using simulations and validated through phantom experiments. The method was validated in the human brain using a 31P 1Ch‐trasmit/32Ch‐receive coil and skeletal muscle using a birdcage 1H/31P volume coil. Results: The results of fDAM were compared with the classical DAM. A good correlation (r = 0.95) was obtained between the two B1+$$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ maps. A 3D 31P B1+$$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ mapping in the human calf muscle was achieved in about 10:50 min using a birdcage volume coil, with a 20% extended coverage (number of voxels with SNR > 3) relative to that of the classical DAM (24 min). fDAM also enabled the first full‐brain coverage 31P 3D B1+$$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ mapping in approximately 10:15 min using a 1Ch‐transmit/32Ch‐receive coil. Conclusion: fDAM is an efficient method for 31P 3D B1+$$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ mapping, showing promise for future applications in rapid 31P MRSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural crop protection (CP) today is under pressure not the least because it strongly relies on pesticides that negatively affect the environment and human health. Policy attempts to induce a transition toward low-pesticide CP have had limited success so far. While the literature has examined these difficulties primarily in terms of farmer decision-making, recent research has begun to highlight the routine nature of farmers' practices as a key aspect of the inertia of prevailing CP practices. Here we propose a framework that bridges practice theory (PT) and social-psychological concepts. We illustrate the relevance of this framework by gauging the relative roles of individual and structural factors as well as mechanisms that (de)stabilize pesticide-use practices. Our analysis is based on data from a survey conducted among Swiss farmers (n = 652). Using structural equation modeling, we find that structural factors are more strongly associated with pesticide use than individual factors. Although farmers' personal norms to limit the use of pesticides are activated by values, self-efficacy, and social norms, they do not translate into behavior. Structural factors such as local production conditions and knowledge sourced from private agricultural advisory services appear to inhibit the mediating role of personal norms with respect to pesticide use. We conclude that reconfiguring such structural elements of CP practices may help to disrupt routines and eventually lead to a low-pesticide agriculture. Our findings also highlight the benefits of integrating PT and social-psychological concepts to advance our understanding of routines in CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metatarsal fractures are among the most common foot and ankle injuries, with an annual incidence of 6.7 per 100 000 persons. Approximately 30% of metatarsal fractures affect the base of the fifth metatarsal bone. Nevertheless, no evidence-based treatment recommendations are available to date. Methods: The three fracture localizations according to Lawrence and Botte (zone I, proximal to the intermetatarsal joint between the fourth and fifth metatarsal bones; zone II, in the area of the joint; zone III, at the distal end of the joint) are analyzed on the basis of a systematic literature search. Studies were included that compared the treatment of two types of fracture in the same manner, or that compared two different treatments for a single type of fracture. Results: Nine studies compared different treatments of zone I fractures. Two of these were randomized controlled trials (RCTs); in one RCT, patients given functional therapy returned to work much sooner than those treated with immobilization (11 vs. 28 days; p = 0.001), with otherwise similar outcomes. The non-randomized studies revealed a faster return to full function (33 vs. 46 days; p<0.05) with early functional therapy, and similar outcomes for immobilization and surgery. One RCT that compared functional therapy with immobilization for zone II fractures revealed no statistically significant difference. Five studies compared fractures in zones I and II that were treated in the same manner, revealing similar outcomes. One RCT compared surgery and immobilization for zone III fractures: surgery led to statistically significant improvement of the outcome in all of the measured parameters. Conclusion: Fractures in zones I and II should be treated with early functional therapy. There seems to be no reason to consider zone I and II fractures as two separate entities, as the outcomes in the two groups are similar. In contrast, fractures in zone III should primarily be treated surgically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creatine kinase (CK) is a key enzyme involved in brain bioenergetics, playing a key role in brain function and the pathogenesis of neurological and psychiatric diseases, but imaging its activity noninvasively in the human brain in vivo remains a significant challenge. This study aims to advance the magnetization transfer (MT)- 31 P magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) for 3D Creatine Kinase Imaging (CKI). The method was implemented and validated on a clinical 7 Tesla MRI scanner. It enables whole-brain mapping of CK reaction rates for the first time, showing robust reproducibility for 25-minute scan sessions. CKI acquisition also provided simultaneous mapping of adenosine triphosphate and phosphocreatine concentration ratios, phosphocreatine longitudinal relaxation time, and B 0 maps. Furthermore, a functional CKI (fCKI) study demonstrated the first CK activation map in response to visual stimulation, revealing a mean 15% increase in CK rates in the visual cortex. The novel imaging modalities, CKI and fCKI, have the potential to offer new insights into brain bioenergetics both at rest and during activity., Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict of interest Yun Jiang receives research grant support from Siemens Healthineers.

Recent expert consensus publications have highlighted the issue of poor reproducibility in magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies, mainly due to the lack of standardized reporting criteria, which affects their clinical applicability. To combat this, guidelines for minimum reporting standards (MRSinMRS) were introduced to aid journal editors and reviewers in ensuring the comprehensive documentation of essential MRS study parameters. Despite these efforts, the implementation of MRSinMRS standards has been slow, attributed to the diverse nomenclature used by different vendors, the variety of raw MRS data formats, and the absence of appropriate software tools for identifying and reporting necessary parameters. To overcome this obstacle, we have developed the REproducibility Made Easy (REMY) standalone toolbox. REMY software supports a range of MRS data formats from major vendors like GE (p. file), Siemens (twix, .rda, .dcm), Philips (.spar/.sdat), and Bruker (.method), facilitating easy data import and export through a user-friendly interface. REMY employs external libraries such as spec2nii and pymapVBVD to accurately read and process these diverse data formats, ensuring compatibility and ease of use for researchers in generating reproducible MRS research outputs. Users can select and import datasets, choose the appropriate vendor and data format, and then generate an MRSinMRS table, log file, and methodological documents in both Latex and PDF formats. REMY effectively populated key sections of the MRSinMRS table with data from all supported file types. Accurate generation of hardware parameters including field strength, manufacturer, and scanner software version were demonstrated. However, it could not input data for RF coil and additional hardware information due to their absence in the files. For the acquisition section, REMY accurately read and populated fields for the pulse sequence name, nominal voxel size, repetition time (TR), echo time (TE), number of acquisitions/excitations/shots, spectral width [Hz], and number of spectral points, significantly contributing to the completion of the Acquisition fields of the table. Furthermore, REMY generates a boilerplate methods text section for manuscripts.The use of REMY will facilitate more widespread adoption of the MRSinMRS checklist within the MRS community, making it easier to write and report acquisition parameters effectively.

Purpose: Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ( 31 P MRS) enables non-invasive assessment of energy metabolism, yet its application is hindered by sensitivity limitations. To overcome this, often high magnetic fields are used, leading to challenges such as spatial B 1 + inhomogeneity and therefore the need for accurate flip angle determination in accelerated acquisitions with short repetition times T R ) . In response to these challenges, we propose a novel short T R and look-up table-based Double-Angle Method for fast 3D 31 P B 1 + mapping (fDAM)., Methods: Our method incorporates 3D weighted stack of spiral gradient echo acquisitions and a frequency-selective pulse to enable efficient B 1 + mapping based on the phosphocreatine signal at 7T. Protocols were optimised using simulations and validated through phantom experiments. The method was validated in phantom experiments and skeletal muscle applications using a birdcage 1 H/ 31 P volume coil., Results: The results of fDAM were compared to the classical DAM (cDAM). A good correlation (r=0.94) was obtained between the two B 1 + maps. A 3D 31 P B 1 + mapping in the human calf muscle was achieved in about 10 min using a birdcage volume coil, with a 20% extended coverage relative to that of the cDAM (24 min). fDAM also enabled the first full brain coverage 31 P 3D B 1 + mapping in approx. 10 min using a 1 Tx/ 32 Rx coil., Conclusion: fDAM is an efficient method for 31 P 3D B 1 + mapping, showing promise for future applications in rapid 31 P MRSI., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement Yun Jiang receives research grant support from Siemens Healthineers.

Background: To date no precise data are available for extrusion forces related to the G-prime and G-double-prime of fillers in combination with different 27G and 30G needles. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze extrusion forces of various product-needle-combinations containing two different 27G and two different 30G needles in combination with fillers of a wide range of elastic moduli starting from 2.0 &ndash; 166.0 Pa., Material and Methods: Four different fillers with the following elastic moduli 1.87, 11.65, 61.80, 165.50 Pa were combined with four different needles: 27G &frac12;&rdquo;, internal diameter: 0.300 &mu;m; 27G &frac12;&rdquo;, internal diameter: 0.241 &mu;m; 30G &frac12;&rdquo;, internal diameter: 0.241 &mu;m and 30G &frac12;&ldquo;, internal diameter: 0.240 &mu;m. Product-needle-combination were subjected to uni-axial mechanical testing and the respective extrusion force was measured., Results: The results of this study revealed that the G-prime and the G-double-prime of a product are statistically significantly related to their extrusion force, with higher G-prime/G-double-prime products requiring higher extrusion forces. The results additionally revealed that whether the size of the needle was described as 27G or 30G by the respective manufacturer statistically significant differences between the measured extrusion forces were detected., Conclusion: Injectors need to be aware that not every 27G/30G needle has the same extrusion force even though the external diameter is similar (27G or 30G); this might additionally influence the ability to withdraw blood during a pre-injection aspiration manoeuvre. J Drugs Dermatol. 20(5): doi:10.36849/JDD.5237.