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Objectives To evaluate a compressed sensing artificial intelligence framework (CSAI) to accelerate MRI acquisition of the ankle. Methods Thirty patients were scanned at 3T. Axial T2-w, coronal T1-w, and coronal/sagittal intermediate-w scans with fat saturation were acquired using compressed sensing only (12:44 min, CS), CSAI with an acceleration factor of 4.6–5.3 (6:45 min, CSAI2x), and CSAI with an acceleration factor of 6.9–7.7 (4:46 min, CSAI3x). Moreover, a high-resolution axial T2-w scan was obtained using CSAI with a similar scan duration compared to CS. Depiction and presence of abnormalities were graded. Signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise were calculated. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Cohen’s kappa were used to compare CSAI with CS sequences. Results The correlation was perfect between CS and CSAI2x ( κ = 1.0) and excellent for CS and CSAI3x ( κ = 0.86–1.0). No significant differences were found for the depiction of structures between CS and CSAI2x and the same abnormalities were detected in both protocols. For CSAI3x the depiction was graded lower ( p ≤ 0.001), though most abnormalities were also detected. For CSAI2x contrast-to-noise fluid/muscle was higher compared to CS ( p ≤ 0.05), while no differences were found for other tissues. Signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise were higher for CSAI3x compared to CS ( p ≤ 0.05). The high - resolution axial T2-w sequence specifically improved the depiction of tendons and the tibial nerve ( p ≤ 0.005). Conclusions Acquisition times can be reduced by 47% using CSAI compared to CS without decreasing diagnostic image quality. Reducing acquisition times by 63% is feasible but should be reserved for specific patients. The depiction of specific structures is improved using a high-resolution axial T2-w CSAI scan. Key Points • Prospective study showed that CSAI enables reduction in acquisition times by 47% without decreasing diagnostic image quality. • Reducing acquisition times by 63% still produces images with an acceptable diagnostic accuracy but should be reserved for specific patients. • CSAI may be implemented to scan at a higher resolution compared to standard CS images without increasing acquisition times.

Purpose This study aimed to develop and validate FinTox, a concise tool for screening and managing financial toxicity in oncology settings. Methods Development involved qualitative interviews with healthcare providers and patients, and feedback from a 7‐member expert panel resulting in a 5‐item measure that evaluates financial strain, psychological responses, and care modifications. Psychometric evaluations examined factor structure, internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and concurrent and convergent validity. Associations between FinTox scores and sociodemographic/medical factors were also analyzed using univariate and multivariable regression models. Results Twelve healthcare providers and 20 patients were interviewed, and 268 patients (69.8% female, 47.4% non‐Hispanic White) completed surveys including FinTox, the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST), health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) measures, and sociodemographic questions. FinTox demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.90) and test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.95). Significant correlations with the COST (r = −0.62, p < 0.001) and HRQOL measures corroborated content and convergent validity. Diagnostic accuracy was evidenced by a sensitivity of 72.3%, specificity of 85.2%, positive predictive value of 83.2%, and negative predictive value of 70.3%. Higher FinTox scores were also associated with receiving care at a safety‐net hospital, Black race, household income <600% of the federal poverty level, and Stage 4 cancer. Conclusion FinTox's robust psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy position it as a reliable tool for detecting financial toxicity. Future research should evaluate its responsiveness to changes over time and integration into clinical workflows. This study developed and validated FinTox, a pragmatic 5‐item tool for efficiently screening and triaging cancer patients experiencing financial toxicity in oncology clinical care settings. The article presents the development and validation of FinTox, a novel tool designed for the efficient screening of financial toxicity in cancer patients within oncology clinical settings. Through qualitative interviews, expert panel consultations, and rigorous psychometric testing, the study demonstrates FinTox’s reliability and validity.

Cachexia, a multifactorial wasting syndrome, is highly prevalent among advanced-stage cancer patients. Unlike weight loss in healthy humans, the progressive loss of body weight in cancer cachexia primarily implicates lean body mass, caused by an aberrant metabolism and systemic inflammation. This may lead to disease aggravation, poorer quality of life, and increased mortality. Timely detection is, therefore, crucial, as is the careful monitoring of cancer progression, in an effort to improve management, facilitate individual treatment and minimize disease complications. A detailed analysis of body composition and tissue changes using imaging modalities—that is, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, (18F) fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18FDG) PET and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry—shows great premise for charting the course of cachexia. Quantitative and qualitative changes to adipose tissue, organs, and muscle compartments, particularly of the trunk and extremities, could present important biomarkers for phenotyping cachexia and determining its onset in patients. In this review, we present and compare the imaging techniques that have been used in the setting of cancer cachexia. Their individual limitations, drawbacks in the face of clinical routine care, and relevance in oncology are also discussed.

Nitrogen (N) limitation is common in most terrestrial ecosystems, often leading to strong competition between microorganisms and plants. The mechanisms of niche differentiation to reduce this competition remain unclear. Short-term 15 N experiments with NH 4 + , NO 3 − and glycine were conducted in July, August and September in a temperate grassland to evaluate the chemical, spatial and temporal niche differentiation by competition between plants and microorganisms for N. Microorganisms preferred NH 4 + and NO 3 − , while plants preferred NO 3 − . Both plants and microorganisms acquired more N in August and September than in July. The soil depth had no significant effects on microbial uptake, but significantly affected plant N uptake. Plants acquired 67% of their N from the 0–5 cm soil layer and 33% from the 5–15 cm layer. The amount of N taken up by microorganisms was at least seven times than plants. Although microorganisms efficiently compete for N with plants, the competition is alleviated through chemical partitioning mainly in deeper soil layer. In the upper soil layer, neither chemical nor temporal niche separation is realized leading to strong competition between plants and microorganisms that modifies N dynamics in grasslands.

Background/Objectives Weight loss outcomes vary individually. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based evaluation of adipose tissue (AT) might help to identify AT characteristics that predict AT loss. This study aimed to assess the impact of an 8-week low-calorie diet (LCD) on different AT depots and to identify predictors of short-term AT loss using MRI in adults with obesity. Methods Eighty-one adults with obesity (mean BMI 34.08 ± 2.75 kg/m², mean age 46.3 ± 10.97 years, 49 females) prospectively underwent baseline MRI (liver dome to femoral head) and anthropometric measurements (BMI, waist-to-hip-ratio, body fat), followed by a post-LCD-examination. Visceral and subcutaneous AT (VAT and SAT) volumes and AT fat fraction were extracted from the MRI data. Apparent lipid volumes based on MRI were calculated as approximation for the lipid contained in the AT. SAT and VAT volumes were subdivided into equidistant thirds along the craniocaudal axis and normalized by length of the segmentation. T -tests compared baseline and follow-up measurements and sex differences. Effect sizes on subdivided AT volumes were compared. Spearman Rank correlation explored associations between baseline parameters and AT loss. Multiple regression analysis identified baseline predictors for AT loss. Results Following the LCD, participants exhibited significant weight loss (11.61 ± 3.07 kg, p  < 0.01) and reductions in all MRI-based AT parameters ( p  < 0.01). Absolute SAT loss exceeded VAT loss, while relative apparent lipid loss was higher in VAT (both p  < 0.01). The lower abdominopelvic third showed the most significant SAT and VAT reduction. The predictor of most AT and apparent lipid losses was the normalized baseline SAT volume in the lower abdominopelvic third, with smaller volumes favoring greater AT loss ( p  < 0.01 for SAT and VAT loss and SAT apparent lipid volume loss). Conclusions The LCD primarily reduces lower abdominopelvic SAT and VAT. Furthermore, lower abdominopelvic SAT volume was detected as a potential predictor for short-term AT loss in persons with obesity.

Orchids are generally recognized to have specialist pollination systems and low fruit set is often thought to be characteristic of the family. In this study, we investigated the reproductive ecology of Cleisostoma linearilobatum , an epiphytic tropical orchid, in a holy hill forest fragment and a traditional tea garden in SW China using comparable methods. C. linearilobatum is self-compatible and dependent on insects for pollination. Fruit production in natural conditions was both pollinator- and resource-limited. However, the natural fruit set remained stable over multiple years at both sites. Pollination observations showed that C. linearilobatum has a generalized pollination system and seven insect species were observed as legitimate pollinators. Although the visit frequencies of different pollinators were different in the two sites, the pollinator assemblages ensured reproductive success of C. linearilobatum in both study sites over multiple years. The results partly explain why C. linearilobatum is so successful in the area and also suggest that holy hill forest fragments and traditional tea gardens in Xishuangbanna are important in preserving orchids, especially those with generalist pollination.

This paper proposes a numerical bootstrap method that is consistent in many cases where the standard bootstrap is known to fail and where the m-out-of-n bootstrap and subsampling have been themost commonly used inference approaches. We provide asymptotic analysis under both fixed and drifting parameter sequences, and we compare the approximation error of the numerical bootstrap with that of the m-out-of-n bootstrap and subsampling. Finally, we discuss applications of the numerical bootstrap, such as constrained and unconstrained M-estimators converging at both regular and nonstandard rates, Laplace-type estimators, and test statistics for partially identified models.

This protocol describes a simple but robust microfluidic assay combining three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) cell culture. The microfluidic platform comprises hydrogel-incorporating chambers between surface-accessible microchannels. By using this platform, well-defined biochemical and biophysical stimuli can be applied to multiple cell types interacting over distances of <1 mm, thereby replicating many aspects of the in vivo microenvironment. Capabilities exist for time-dependent manipulation of flow and concentration gradients as well as high-resolution real-time imaging for observing spatial-temporal single-cell behavior, cell-cell communication, cell-matrix interactions and cell population dynamics. These heterotypic cell type assays can be used to study cell survival, proliferation, migration, morphogenesis and differentiation under controlled conditions. Applications include the study of previously unexplored cellular interactions, and they have already provided new insights into how biochemical and biophysical factors regulate interactions between populations of different cell types. It takes 3 d to fabricate the system and experiments can run for up to several weeks.

Since 2020, there has been unprecedented global spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) in wild bird populations with spillover into a variety of mammalian species and sporadically humans 1 . In March 2024, clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N1) virus was first detected in dairy cattle in the USA, with subsequent detection in numerous states 2 , leading to more than a dozen confirmed human cases 3 , 4 . In this study, we used the ferret, a well-characterized animal model that permits concurrent investigation of viral pathogenicity and transmissibility 5 , in the evaluation of A/Texas/37/2024 (TX/37) A(H5N1) virus isolated from a dairy farm worker in Texas 6 . Here we show that the virus has a remarkable ability for robust systemic infection in ferrets, leading to high levels of virus shedding and spread to naive contacts. Ferrets inoculated with TX/37 rapidly exhibited a severe and fatal infection, characterized by viraemia and extrapulmonary spread. The virus efficiently transmitted in a direct contact setting and was capable of indirect transmission through fomites. Airborne transmission was corroborated by the detection of infectious virus shed into the air by infected animals, albeit at lower levels compared to those of the highly transmissible human seasonal and swine-origin H1 subtype strains. Our results show that despite maintaining an avian - like receptor-binding specificity, TX/37 exhibits heightened virulence, transmissibility and airborne shedding relative to other clade 2.3.4.4b virus isolated before the 2024 cattle outbreaks 7 , underscoring the need for continued public health vigilance. Analysis of a human isolate of the A/Texas/37/2024 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in the ferret model demonstrates its pathogenicity and transmission in both direct and indirect contact settings, including airborne transmission.

Autologous haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) benefits patients with systemic sclerosis but has been associated with significant treatment-related mortality and failure to improve diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO). We aimed to assess efficacy of HSCT and use of rigorous cardiac screening in this group. We assessed patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis or limited systemic sclerosis and interstitial lung disease who were treated with HSCT as part of a study or on a compassionate basis at Northwestern University (Chicago, IL, USA) or the University of São Paulo (Ribeirão Preto, Brazil). Unselected peripheral blood stem cells were harvested with cyclophosphamide (2 g/m2) and filgrastim. The transplant regimen was a non-myeloablative regimen of cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg) and rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (rATG; 4·5–6·5 mg/kg). We followed patients up to 5 years for overall survival, relapse-free survival, modified Rodnan skin score, and pulmonary function tests. Five (6%) of 90 patients died from treatment-related causes. Despite standard guidelines that recommend echocardiogram for screening before transplantation, four treatment-related deaths occurred because of cardiovascular complications (one constrictive pericarditis, two right heart failures without underlying infection, and one heart failure during mobilisation), and one death was secondary to sepsis without documented underlying heart disease. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed survival was 78% at 5 years (after eight relapse-related deaths) and relapse-free survival was 70% at 5 years. Compared with baseline, we noted improvements after HSCT in modified Rodnan skin scores at 1 year (58 patients; p<0·0001), 2 years (42 patients; p<0·0001), and 3 years (27 patients; p<0·0001) and forced vital capacity at 1 year (58 patients; p=0·009), 2 years (40 patients; p=0·02), and 3 years (28 patients; p=0·004), but total lung capacity and DLCO were not improved significantly after HSCT. Overall mean DLCO was significantly improved in patients with normal baseline echocardiograms (p=0·005) or electrocardiographs (p=0·05). Autologous HSCT with a non-myeloablative regimen of cyclophosphamide and rATG with a non-selected autograft results in sustained improvement in skin thickness and forced vital capacity. DLCO is affected by baseline cardiac function. Guidelines for cardiac screening of patients with systemic sclerosis to assess treatment-related risk from pulmonary artery hypertension, primary cardiac involvement, or pericardial disease should be reconsidered and updated. None.