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Background/Objectives: The accurate quantification of peripheral nerve axonal regeneration after injury is critically important. Current strategies are limited to detecting early reinnervation. DTI is an MRI modality permitting the assessment of fractional anisotropy, which increases with axonal regeneration. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate DTI as a potential predictive factor of clinical outcome after median nerve section and microsurgical repair. Methods: We included 10 patients with a complete section of the median nerve, who underwent microsurgical repair up to 7 days after injury. The follow-up period was 1 year, including the current strategy with clinical visits, the Rosén-Lundborg score and electroneuromyography. Additionally, DTI MRI of the injured wrist was planned 1, 3 and 12 months post-operatively and once for the contralateral wrist. Results: The interobserver reliability of DTI measures was almost perfect (ICC 0.802). We report an early statistically significant increase in the fractional anisotropy value after median nerve repair, especially in the region located distal to the suture. Meanwhile, Rosén-Lundborg score gradually increased between the third and sixth month, and continued to increase between the sixth and twelfth month. Conclusions: DTI outcomes three months post-operation could offer greater predictability compared to current strategies. This would enable faster decision-making regarding the need for a potential re-operation in cases of inadequate early reinnervation.

Background: Quantification of the T2 signal by means of T2 mapping in acute pancreatitis (AP) has the potential to quantify the parenchymal edema. Quantitative T2 mapping may overcome the limitations of previously reported scoring systems for reliable assessment of AP., Purpose: To evaluate MR-derived pancreatic T2 mapping values in AP and correlate them with markers of disease severity., Study Type: Prospective single-center study., Population: 76 adults with AP (20-91 years, females/males: 39/37)., Field Strength/sequence: Fat suppressed multiecho spin-echo prototype sequence to quantify T2 signal at 3T MRI., Assessment: The severity of AP was assessed clinically, biologically, and by contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) performed 48-72 hours after symptom onset. MRI was then performed ≤24 hours after CT. Two readers blinded to any clinical information independently evaluated the T2 values by placing three regions of interest inside the pancreatic head, body, and tail on the T2 mapping MR sequence. Results were compared with corresponding CECT images as the standard and clinical severity parameters, using the length of hospital stay as our primary endpoint., Statistical Tests: Continuous variables were compared using the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Student's t-test., Results: T2 values significantly correlated with the length of hospital stay (r s (74) = 0.29), CT severity index (CTSI) (r s (73) = 0.61; CTSI 0-3: 72 ± 14 msec, CTSI 4-10: 88 ± 15), intensive care unit (ICU) admission (t(2.77) = -3.41) and presence of organ failure (t(6.72) = -3.42), whereas the CTSI and Ranson score were not significantly related with ICU admission (CTSI: P = 0.24; Ranson score: P = 0.24) and organ failure (CTSI: P = 0.11; Ranson score P = 0.11)., Conclusion: T2 mapping correlates with AP severity parameters and is useful for assessing the severity of AP with higher sensitivity than the usual clinical and radiological scoring systems., Level of Evidence: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

Across development, experience has a strong impact on the way we think and adapt. School experience affects academic and social-emotional outcomes, yet whether differences in pedagogical experience modulate underlying brain network development is still unknown. In this study, we compared the brain network dynamics of students with different pedagogical backgrounds. Specifically, we characterized the diversity and stability of brain activity at rest by combining both resting-state fMRI and diffusion-weighted structural imaging data of 87 4-18 years old students experiencing either the Montessori pedagogy (i.e., student-led, trial-and-error pedagogy) or the traditional pedagogy (i.e., teacher-led, test-based pedagogy). Our results revealed spatiotemporal brain dynamics differences between students as a function of schooling experience at the whole-brain level. Students from Montessori schools showed overall higher functional integration (higher system diversity) and neural stability (lower spatiotemporal diversity) compared to traditionally schooled students. Higher integration was explained mainly through the cerebellar (CBL) functional network. In contrast, higher temporal stability was observed in the ventral attention, dorsal attention, somatomotor, frontoparietal, and CBL functional networks. This study suggests a form of experience-dependent dynamic functional connectivity plasticity, in learning-related networks., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

While research has unveiled and quantified brain markers of abnormal neurodevelopment, clinicians still work with qualitative metrics for MRI brain investigation. The purpose of the current article is to bridge the knowledge gap between case-control cohort studies and individual patient care. Here, we provide a unique dataset of seventy-three 3-to-17 years-old healthy subjects acquired with a 6-minute MRI protocol encompassing T1 and T2 relaxation quantitative sequence that can be readily implemented in the clinical setting; MP2RAGE for T1 mapping and the prototype sequence GRAPPATINI for T2 mapping. White matter and grey matter volumes were automatically quantified. We further provide normative developmental curves based on these two imaging sequences; T1, T2 and volume normative ranges with respect to age were computed, for each ROI of a pediatric brain atlas. This open-source dataset provides normative values allowing to position individual patients acquired with the same protocol on the brain maturation curve and as such provides potentially useful quantitative biomarkers facilitating precise and personalized care., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Paramuricea clavata is an ecosystem architect of the Mediterranean temperate reefs that is currently threatened by episodic mass mortality events related to global warming. The microbiome may play an active role in the thermal stress susceptibility of corals, potentially holding the answer as to why corals show differential sensitivity to heat stress. To investigate this, the prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiome of P. clavata collected from around the Mediterranean was characterised before experimental heat stress to determine if its microbial composition influences the thermal response of the holobiont. We found that members of P. clavata's microeukaryotic community were significantly correlated with thermal stress sensitivity. Syndiniales from the Dino-Group I Clade 1 were significantly enriched in thermally resistant corals, while the apicomplexan corallicolids were significantly enriched in thermally susceptible corals. We hypothesise that P. clavata mortality following heat stress may be caused by a shift from apparent commensalism to parasitism in the corallicolid-coral host relationship driven by the added stress. Our results show the potential importance of corallicolids and the rest of the microeukaryotic community of corals to understanding thermal stress response in corals and provide a useful tool to guide conservation efforts and future research into coral-associated microeukaryotes., (© 2023 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Applied Microbiology International and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The original description of boxer's knuckle injury of the fifth ray mentions that the injury occurs between the extensor digitorum communis (EDC) and the extensor digiti minimi (EDM). Subsequent reports claim similar findings. Anatomical studies show that the EDC of the fifth ray is absent in most patients, while the EDM is generally composed of two slips. We present a modification of the current description of boxer's knuckle injury of the little finger based on the correlation between advanced preoperative 3D imaging and intraoperative findings., Methods: Five patients were investigated preoperatively using high-resolution ultrasound and 3D tendon reconstruction-based MR arthrography. Surgical exploration identified the lesion site relative to the EDM and EDC., Results: All patients had two slips of the EDM and no EDC to the fifth ray. The injury appeared as a longitudinal tear of the EDM between its two slips. The mean gap was 7.8 mm (range 4.5-10 mm) on the pathological side vs. 1.3 mm (range 1-2 mm) on the healthy contralateral side., Conclusions: We believe that previous descriptions of boxer's knuckle of the fifth ray are inaccurate. High-resolution ultrasound and 3D reconstructions based on MR arthrography are reliable diagnostic tools allowing to locate the injury with precision.

Although adults and children differ in self-vs.-other perception, a developmental perspective on this discriminative ability at the brain level is missing. This study examined neural activation for self-vs.-other in a sample of 39 participants spanning four different age groups, from 4-year-olds to adults. Self-related stimuli elicited higher neural activity within two brain regions related to self-referential thinking, empathy, and social cognition processes. Second, stimuli related to 'others' (i.e., unknown peer) elicited activation within nine additional brain regions. These regions are associated with multisensory processing, somatosensory skills, language, complex visual stimuli, self-awareness, empathy, theory of mind, and social recognition. Overall, activation maps were gradually increasing with age. However, patterns of activity were non-linear within the medial cingulate cortex for 'self' stimuli and within the left middle temporal gyrus for 'other' stimuli in 7-10-year-old participants. In both cases, there were no self-vs.-other differences. It suggests a critical period where the perception of self and others are similarly processed. Furthermore, 11-19-year-old participants showed no differences between others and self within the left inferior orbital gyrus, suggesting less distinction between self and others in social learning. Understanding the neural bases of self-vs.-other discrimination during development can offer valuable insights into how social contexts can influence learning processes during development, such as when to introduce peer-to-peer teaching or group learning.

People with late-stage Parkinson's disease (PD) often suffer from debilitating locomotor deficits that are resistant to currently available therapies. To alleviate these deficits, we developed a neuroprosthesis operating in closed loop that targets the dorsal root entry zones innervating lumbosacral segments to reproduce the natural spatiotemporal activation of the lumbosacral spinal cord during walking. We first developed this neuroprosthesis in a non-human primate model that replicates locomotor deficits due to PD. This neuroprosthesis not only alleviated locomotor deficits but also restored skilled walking in this model. We then implanted the neuroprosthesis in a 62-year-old male with a 30-year history of PD who presented with severe gait impairments and frequent falls that were medically refractory to currently available therapies. We found that the neuroprosthesis interacted synergistically with deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus and dopaminergic replacement therapies to alleviate asymmetry and promote longer steps, improve balance and reduce freezing of gait. This neuroprosthesis opens new perspectives to reduce the severity of locomotor deficits in people with PD., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely regarded as the primary modality for the morphological assessment of cartilage and all other joint tissues involved in osteoarthritis. 2D fast spin echo fat-suppressed intermediate-weighted (FSE FS IW) sequences with a TE between 30 and 40ms have stood the test of time and are considered the cornerstone of MRI protocols for clinical practice and trials. These sequences offer a good balance between sensitivity and specificity and provide appropriate contrast and signal within the cartilage as well as between cartilage, articular fluid, and subchondral bone. Additionally, FS IW sequences enable the evaluation of menisci, ligaments, synovitis/effusion, and bone marrow edema-like signal changes. This review article provides a rationale for the use of FSE FS IW sequences in the morphological assessment of cartilage and osteoarthritis, along with a brief overview of other clinically available sequences for this indication. Additionally, the article highlights ongoing research efforts aimed at improving FSE FS IW sequences through 3D acquisitions with enhanced resolution, shortened examination times, and exploring the potential benefits of different magnetic field strengths. While most of the literature on cartilage imaging focuses on the knee, the concepts presented here are applicable to all joints. KEY POINTS: 1. MRI is currently considered the modality of reference for a "whole-joint" morphological assessment of osteoarthritis. 2. Fat-suppressed intermediate-weighted sequences remain the keystone of MRI protocols for the assessment of cartilage morphology, as well as other structures involved in osteoarthritis. 3. Trends for further development in the field of cartilage and joint imaging include 3D FSE imaging, faster acquisition including AI-based acceleration, and synthetic imaging providing multi-contrast sequences., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Fostering creative minds has always been a premise to ensure adaptation to new challenges of human civilization. While some alternative educational settings (i.e., Montessori) were shown to nurture creative skills, it is unknown how they impact underlying brain mechanisms across the school years. This study assessed creative thinking and resting-state functional connectivity via fMRI in 75 children (4-18 y.o.) enrolled either in Montessori or traditional schools. We found that pedagogy significantly influenced creative performance and underlying brain networks. Replicating past work, Montessori-schooled children showed higher scores on creative thinking tests. Using static functional connectivity analysis, we found that Montessori-schooled children showed decreased within-network functional connectivity of the salience network. Moreover, using dynamic functional connectivity, we found that traditionally-schooled children spent more time in a brain state characterized by high intra-default mode network connectivity. These findings suggest that pedagogy may influence brain networks relevant to creative thinking-particularly the default and salience networks. Further research is needed, like a longitudinal study, to verify these results given the implications for educational practitioners. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWV_5o8wB5g . RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Most executive jobs are prospected to be obsolete within several decades, so creative skills are seen as essential for the near future. School experience has been shown to play a role in creativity development, however, the underlying brain mechanisms remained under-investigated yet. Seventy-five 4-18 years-old children, from Montessori or traditional schools, performed a creativity task at the behavioral level, and a 6-min resting-state MR scan. We uniquely report preliminary evidence for the impact of pedagogy on functional brain networks., (© 2023 The Authors. Developmental Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: To evaluate the added value of cine MR in addition to static MRI for T-Staging assessment of esophageal cancer (EC)., Materials and Methods: This prospective monocentric study included 54 patients (mean age 66.3 ± 9.4 years, 46 men) with histologically proven EC. They underwent MRI on a 3 T-scanner in addition to the standard workup. Acquisitions included static and cine sequences (steady-state-free-precession and real-time True-FISP during water ingestion). Three radiologists independently assessed T-staging and diagnosis confidence by reviewing (1) static sequences (S-MRI) and (2) adding cine sequences (SC-MRI). Inter-reader agreement was performed. MRI T-staging was correlated to reference standard T-staging (histopathology or consensus on endoscopic ultrasonography and imaging findings) and to clinical outcome by log-rank test., Results: Both S-MRI and SC-MRI T-staging showed a significant correlation with reference T-staging (rs = 0.667, P < 0.001). SC-MRI showed a slightly better performance in distinguishing T1-T3 from T4 with a sensitivity, specificity and AUC of 76.5% (95% CI: 50.1-93.2), 83.8% (68-93.8) and 0.801 (0.681-0.921) vs 70.6% (44-89.7), 83% (68-93.8) and 0.772 (0.645-0.899) for S-MRI. Compared to S-MRI, SC-MRI increased inter-reader agreement for T4a and T4b (κ = 0.403 and 0.498) and T-staging confidence., Conclusion: MRI is accurate for T-staging of EC. The addition of cine sequences allows better differentiation between T1-T3 and T4 tumors with increased diagnostic confidence and inter-reader agreement., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To develop an isotropic three-dimensional (3D) T2 mapping technique for the quantitative assessment of the composition of knee cartilage with high accuracy and precision., Methods: A T2-prepared water-selective isotropic 3D gradient-echo pulse sequence was used to generate four images at 3 T. These were used for three T2 map reconstructions: standard images with an analytical T2 fit (AnT2Fit); standard images with a dictionary-based T2 fit (DictT2Fit); and patch-based-denoised images with a dictionary-based T2 fit (DenDictT2Fit). The accuracy of the three techniques was first optimized in a phantom study against spin-echo imaging, after which knee cartilage T2 values and coefficients of variation (CoV) were assessed in ten subjects in order to establish accuracy and precision in vivo. Data given as mean ± standard deviation., Results: After optimization in the phantom, whole-knee cartilage T2 values of the healthy volunteers were 26.6 ± 1.6 ms (AnT2Fit), 42.8 ± 1.8 ms (DictT2Fit, p < 0.001 versus AnT2Fit), and 40.4 ± 1.7 ms (DenDictT2Fit, p = 0.009 versus DictT2Fit). The whole-knee T2 CoV reduced from 51.5% ± 5.6% to 30.5 ± 2.4 and finally to 13.1 ± 1.3%, respectively (p < 0.001 between all). The DictT2Fit improved the data reconstruction time: 48.7 ± 11.3 min (AnT2Fit) versus 7.3 ± 0.7 min (DictT2Fit, p < 0.001). Very small focal lesions were observed in maps generated with DenDictT2Fit., Conclusions: Improved accuracy and precision for isotropic 3D T2 mapping of knee cartilage were demonstrated by using patch-based image denoising and dictionary-based reconstruction., Key Points: • Dictionary T2 fitting improves the accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) knee T2 mapping. • Patch-based denoising results in high precision in 3D knee T2 mapping. • Isotropic 3D knee T2 mapping enables the visualization of small anatomical details., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The accurate delimitation of species boundaries in nonbilaterian marine taxa is notoriously difficult, with consequences for many studies in ecology and evolution. Anthozoans are a diverse group of key structural organisms worldwide, but the lack of reliable morphological characters and informative genetic markers hampers our ability to understand species diversification. We investigated population differentiation and species limits in Atlantic (Iberian Peninsula) and Mediterranean lineages of the octocoral genus Paramuricea previously identified as P. clavata . We used a diverse set of molecular markers (microsatellites, RNA-seq derived single-copy orthologues [SCO] and mt-mutS [mitochondrial barcode]) at 49 locations. Clear segregation of Atlantic and Mediterranean lineages was found with all markers. Species-tree estimations based on SCO strongly supported these two clades as distinct, recently diverged sister species with incomplete lineage sorting, P. cf. grayi and P. clavata , respectively. Furthermore, a second putative (or ongoing) speciation event was detected in the Atlantic between two P. cf. grayi color morphotypes (yellow and purple) using SCO and supported by microsatellites. While segregating P. cf. grayi lineages showed considerable geographic structure, dominating circalittoral communities in southern (yellow) and western (purple) Portugal, their occurrence in sympatry at some localities suggests a degree of reproductive isolation. Overall, our results show that previous molecular and morphological studies have underestimated species diversity in Paramuricea occurring in the Iberian Peninsula, which has important implications for conservation planning. Finally, our findings validate the usefulness of phylotranscriptomics for resolving evolutionary relationships in octocorals., (© 2023 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Understanding the factors and processes that shape intra-specific sensitivity to heat stress is fundamental to better predicting the vulnerability of benthic species to climate change. Here, we investigate the response of a habitat-forming Mediterranean octocoral, the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) to thermal stress at multiple biological and geographical scales. Samples from eleven P. clavata populations inhabiting four localities separated by hundreds to more than 1500 km of coast and with contrasting thermal histories were exposed to a critical temperature threshold (25 °C) in a common garden experiment in aquaria. Ten of the 11 populations lacked thermotolerance to the experimental conditions provided (25 days at 25 °C), with 100% or almost 100% colony mortality by the end of the experiment. Furthermore, we found no significant association between local average thermal regimes nor recent thermal history (i.e., local water temperatures in the 3 months prior to the experiment) and population thermotolerance. Overall, our results suggest that local adaptation and/or acclimation to warmer conditions have a limited role in the response of P. clavata to thermal stress. The study also confirms the sensitivity of this species to warm temperatures across its distributional range and questions its adaptive capacity under ocean warming conditions. However, important inter-individual variation in thermotolerance was found within populations, particularly those exposed to the most severe prior marine heatwaves. These observations suggest that P. clavata could harbor adaptive potential to future warming acting on standing genetic variation (i.e., divergent selection) and/or environmentally-induced phenotypic variation (i.e., intra- and/or intergenerational plasticity)., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The Gray's sea fan, Paramuricea grayi (Johnson, 1861), typically inhabits deep littoral and circalittoral habitats of the eastern temperate and tropical Atlantic Ocean. Along the Iberian Peninsula, where P. grayi is a dominant constituent of circalittoral coral gardens, two segregating lineages (yellow and purple morphotypes) were recently identified using single-copy nuclear orthologues. The mitochondrial genomes of 9  P. grayi individuals covering both color morphotypes were assembled from RNA-seq data, using samples collected at three sites in southern (Sagres and Tavira) and western (Cape Espichel) Portugal. The complete circular mitogenome is 18,668 bp in length, has an A + T-rich base composition (62.5%) and contains the 17 genes typically found in Octocorallia: 14 protein-coding genes ( atp6 , atp8 , cob , cox1-3 , mt-mutS , nad1-6, and nad4L ), the small and large subunit rRNAs ( rns and rnl ), and one transfer RNA ( trnM ). The mitogenomes were nearly identical for all specimens, though we identified a noteworthy polymorphism (two SNPs 9 bp apart) in the mt-mutS of one purple individual that is shared with the sister species P. clavata . The mitogenomes of the two species have a pairwise sequence identity of 99.0%, with nad6 and mt-mutS having the highest rates of non-synonymous substitutions., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Climate change is causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves (MHWs) and mass mortality events (MMEs) of marine organisms are one of their main ecological impacts. Here, we show that during the 2015-2019 period, the Mediterranean Sea has experienced exceptional thermal conditions resulting in the onset of five consecutive years of widespread MMEs across the basin. These MMEs affected thousands of kilometers of coastline from the surface to 45 m, across a range of marine habitats and taxa (50 taxa across 8 phyla). Significant relationships were found between the incidence of MMEs and the heat exposure associated with MHWs observed both at the surface and across depths. Our findings reveal that the Mediterranean Sea is experiencing an acceleration of the ecological impacts of MHWs which poses an unprecedented threat to its ecosystems' health and functioning. Overall, we show that increasing the resolution of empirical observation is critical to enhancing our ability to more effectively understand and manage the consequences of climate change., (© 2022 The Authors. Global Change Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Accurate characterization of in utero human brain maturation is critical as it involves complex and interconnected structural and functional processes that may influence health later in life. Magnetic resonance imaging is a powerful tool to investigate equivocal neurological patterns during fetal development. However, the number of acquisitions of satisfactory quality available in this cohort of sensitive subjects remains scarce, thus hindering the validation of advanced image processing techniques. Numerical phantoms can mitigate these limitations by providing a controlled environment with a known ground truth. In this work, we present FaBiAN, an open-source Fetal Brain magnetic resonance Acquisition Numerical phantom that simulates clinical T2-weighted fast spin echo sequences of the fetal brain. This unique tool is based on a general, flexible and realistic setup that includes stochastic fetal movements, thus providing images of the fetal brain throughout maturation comparable to clinical acquisitions. We demonstrate its value to evaluate the robustness and optimize the accuracy of an algorithm for super-resolution fetal brain magnetic resonance imaging from simulated motion-corrupted 2D low-resolution series compared to a synthetic high-resolution reference volume. We also show that the images generated can complement clinical datasets to support data-intensive deep learning methods for fetal brain tissue segmentation., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Rationale and Objectives: Computed tomography (CT) lung nodule assessment is routinely performed and appears very promising for lung cancer screening. However, the radiation exposure through time remains a concern. With the overall goal of an optimal management of indeterminate lung nodules, the objective of this prospective study was therefore to evaluate the potential of optimized ultra-short echo time (UTE) MRI for lung nodule detection and volumetric assessment., Materials and Methods: Eight (54.9 ± 13.2 years) patients with at least 1 non-calcified nodule ≥4 mm were included. UTE under high-frequency non-invasive ventilation (UTE-HF-NIV) and in free-breathing at tidal volume (UTE-FB) were investigated along with volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination at full inspiration (VIBE-BH). Three experienced readers assessed the detection rate of nodules ≥4 mm and ≥6 mm, and reported their location, 2D-measurements and solid/subsolid nature. Volumes were measured by two experienced readers. Subsequently, two readers assessed the detection and volume measurements of lung nodules ≥4mm in gold-standard CT images with soft and lung kernel reconstructions. Volumetry was performed with lesion management software (Carestream, Rochester, New York, USA)., Results: UTE-HF-NIV provided the highest detection rate for nodules ≥4 mm ( n = 66) and ≥6 mm ( n = 32) (35 and 50%, respectively). No dependencies were found between nodule detection and their location in the lung with UTE-HF-NIV ( p > 0.4), such a dependency was observed for two readers with VIBE-BH ( p = 0.002 and 0.03). Dependencies between the nodule's detection and their size were noticed among readers and techniques ( p < 0.02). When comparing nodule volume measurements, an excellent concordance was observed between CT and UTE-HF-NIV, with an overestimation of 13.2% by UTE-HF-NIV, <25%-threshold used for nodule's growth, conversely to VIBE-BH that overestimated the nodule volume by 28.8%., Conclusion: UTE-HF-NIV is not ready to replace low-dose CT for lung nodule detection, but could be used for follow-up studies, alternating with CT, based on its volumetric accuracy., 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 © 2022 Darçot, Jreige, Rotzinger, Gidoin Tuyet Van, Casutt, Delacoste, Simons, Long, Buela, Ledoux, Prior, Lovis and Beigelman-Aubry.)

Ulnar/cubital tunnel syndrome is the second most common compressive neuropathy of the upper limb. Permanent location of the ulnar nerve anterior to the medial epicondyle is extremely rare, with only five cases reported in the literature. Using ultrasound elastography and diffusion tensor imaging with fiber tractography, we diagnosed a case in which ulnar nerve entrapment was associated with anterior nerve location. Surgical release confirmed the diagnosis and the patient was symptom free 3 months after surgery., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Epidural electrical stimulation (EES) targeting the dorsal roots of lumbosacral segments restores walking in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, EES is delivered with multielectrode paddle leads that were originally designed to target the dorsal column of the spinal cord. Here, we hypothesized that an arrangement of electrodes targeting the ensemble of dorsal roots involved in leg and trunk movements would result in superior efficacy, restoring more diverse motor activities after the most severe SCI. To test this hypothesis, we established a computational framework that informed the optimal arrangement of electrodes on a new paddle lead and guided its neurosurgical positioning. We also developed software supporting the rapid configuration of activity-specific stimulation programs that reproduced the natural activation of motor neurons underlying each activity. We tested these neurotechnologies in three individuals with complete sensorimotor paralysis as part of an ongoing clinical trial ( www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT02936453). Within a single day, activity-specific stimulation programs enabled these three individuals to stand, walk, cycle, swim and control trunk movements. Neurorehabilitation mediated sufficient improvement to restore these activities in community settings, opening a realistic path to support everyday mobility with EES in people with SCI., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of abbreviated MRI (AMRI) using the maximal intensity projection (MIP) reconstruction of the first post-contrast acquisition subtracted (FAST) compared with MIP+FAST and full-protocol MRI (fpMRI) for the preoperative assessment of breast cancer (BC) in a biopsy-proven cancer population., Methods: In this monocentric retrospective study, two readers consensually assessed two AMRI protocols consisting of MIP reconstruction of the FAST (MIP) and MIP+FAST. 228 patients were included with a breast MRI performed between 2013 and 2014, 207 of them (90.8%) had biopsy-proven cancer with 256 lesions. Data of MIP and MIP+FAST were compared to full-protocol MRI (fpMRI) reading and to the reference standard including 6-month follow-up imaging and pathology as the reference., Results: MIP, MIP+FAST and fpMRI demonstrated a per-lesion sensitivity for BC detection of 87.5% (224/256, 95%CI: 82.9-91.3%) and 97.7% (250/256, 95-99.1%) and 98.4% (252/256, 96.1-99.6%), respectively with a statistical difference between MIP compared to MIP+FAST and fpMRI when considering confidence intervals. Per-lesion specificity was not different [MIP: 47.6% (10/21, 25.7-70.2%), MIP+FAST: 52.4% (11/21,29.8-74.3%, fpMRI: 66.7% (14/21, 43-85.4%)]., Conclusion: AMRI using only MIP is not accurate for the pre-operative assessment of BC due to lower sensitivity when compared to MIP+FAST and fpMRI. AMRI using the MIP+FAST acquisition in the preoperative setting seems promising as it could be used as the same protocol for both screening and staging in case of positive cases, without need for a recall fpMRI. This needs confirmation with cohort including higher rate of negative cases in order to evaluate the specificity., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Understanding the resilience of temperate reefs to climate change requires exploring the recovery capacity of their habitat-forming species from recurrent marine heatwaves (MHWs). Here, we show that, in a Mediterranean highly enforced marine protected area established more than 40 years ago, habitat-forming octocoral populations that were first affected by a severe MHW in 2003 have not recovered after 15 years. Contrarily, they have followed collapse trajectories that have brought them to the brink of local ecological extinction. Since 2003, impacted populations of the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) and the red coral Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758) have followed different trends in terms of size structure, but a similar progressive reduction in density and biomass. Concurrently, recurrent MHWs were observed in the area during the 2003-2018 study period, which may have hindered populations recovery. The studied octocorals play a unique habitat-forming role in the coralligenous assemblages (i.e. reefs endemic to the Mediterranean Sea home to approximately 10% of its species). Therefore, our results underpin the great risk that recurrent MHWs pose for the long-term integrity and functioning of these emblematic temperate reefs.

Purpose: To investigate three MR pulse sequences under high-frequency noninvasive ventilation (HF-NIV) at 3 T and determine which one is better-suited to visualize the lung parenchyma., Methods: A 3D ultra-short echo time stack-of spirals Volumetric Interpolated Breath-hold Examination (UTE Spiral VIBE), without and with prospective gating, and a 3D double-echo UTE sequence with spiral phyllotaxis trajectory (3D radial UTE) were performed at 3 T in ten healthy volunteers under HF-NIV. Three experienced radiologists evaluated visibility and sharpness of normal anatomical structures, artifacts assessment, and signal and contrast ratio computation. The median of the three readers'scores was used for comparison, p < .05 was considered statistically significant. Incidental findings were recorded and reported., Results: The 3D radial UTE resulted in less artifacts than the non-gated and gated UTE Spiral VIBE in inferior (score 3D radial UTE  = 3, slight artifact without blurring vs. score UTE Spiral VIBE non-gated and gated  = 2, moderate artifact with blurring of anatomical structure, p = .018 and p = .047, respectively) and superior lung regions (score 3D radial UTE  = 3, vs. score UTE Spiral VIBE non-gated  = 2.5, p = .48 and score UTE Spiral VIBE gated  = 1, severe artifact with no normal structure recognizable, p = .014), and higher signal and contrast ratios (p = .002, p = .093). UTE Spiral VIBE sequences provided higher peripheral vasculature visibility than the 3D radial UTE (94.4% vs 80.6%, respectively, p < .001). The HF-NIV was well tolerated by healthy volunteers who reported on average minor discomfort. In three volunteers, 12 of 18 nodules confirmed with low-dose CT were identified with MRI (average size 2.6 ± 1.2 mm)., Conclusion: The 3D radial UTE provided higher image quality than the UTE Spiral VIBE. Nevertheless, a better nodule assessment was noticed with the UTE Spiral VIBE that might be due to better peripheral vasculature visibility, and requires confirmation in a larger cohort., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of dynamic contrast-enhanced phases, hepatobiliary phase (HBP), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for the detection of liver metastases from neuroendocrine tumor (NET)., Methods: Sixty-seven patients with suspected NET liver metastases underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI. Three radiologists read four imaging sets separately and independently: DWI, T2W+dynamic, T2WI+HBP, and DWI+HBP. Reference standard included all imaging, histological findings, and clinical data. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated and compared for each imaging set. Interreader agreement was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Univariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate lesion characteristics (size, ADC, and enhancing pattern) associated to false positive and negative lesions., Results: Six hundred twenty-five lesions (545 metastases, 80 benign lesions) were identified. Detection rate was significantly higher combining DWI+HBP than the other imaging sets (sensitivity 86% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.845-0.878), specificity 94% (95% CI 0.901-0.961)). The sensitivity and specificity of the other sets were 82% and 65% for DWI, 88% and 69% for T2WI, and 90% and 82% for HBP+T2WI, respectively. The interreader agreement was statistically higher for both HBP sets (ICC = 0.96 (95% CI 0.94-0.97) for T2WI+HBP and ICC = 0.91 (95% CI 0.87-0.94) for DWI+HBP, respectively) compared with that for DWI (ICC = 0.76 (95% CI 0.66-0.83)) and T2+dynamic (ICC = 0.85 (95% CI 0.79-0.9)). High ADC values, large lesion size, and hypervascular pattern lowered the risk of false negative., Conclusion: Given the high diagnostic accuracy of combining DWI+HBP, gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI is to be considered in NET patients with suspected liver metastases. Fast MRI protocol using T2WI, DWI, and HBP is of interest in this population., Key Points: • The combined set of diffusion-weighted (DW) and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) images yields the highest sensitivity and specificity for neuroendocrine liver metastasis (NELM) detection. • Gadoxetic acid should be the contrast agent of choice for liver MRI in NET patients. • The combined set of HBP and DWI sequences could also be used as a tool of abbreviated MRI in follow-up or assessment of treatment such as somatostatin analogs.

The octocoral, Paramuricea clavata , is a habitat-forming anthozoan with a key ecological role in rocky benthic and biodiversity-rich communities in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic. Shallow populations of P. clavata in the North-Western Mediterranean are severely affected by warming-induced mass mortality events (MMEs). These MMEs have differentially impacted individuals and populations of P. clavata ( i.e. , varied levels of tissue necrosis and mortality rates) over thousands of kilometers of coastal areas. The eco-evolutionary processes, including genetic factors, contributing to these differential responses remain to be characterized. Here, we sequenced a P. clavata individual with short and long read technologies, producing 169.98 Gb of Illumina paired-end and 3.55 Gb of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) reads. We obtained a de novo genome assembly accounting for 607 Mb in 64,145 scaffolds. The contig and scaffold N50s are 19.15 Kb and 23.92 Kb, respectively. Despite of the low contiguity of the assembly, its gene completeness is relatively high, including 75.8% complete and 9.4% fragmented genes out of the 978 metazoan genes contained in the metazoa&#95;odb9 database. A total of 62,652 protein-coding genes have been annotated. This assembly is one of the few octocoral genomes currently available. This is undoubtedly a valuable resource for characterizing the genetic bases of the differential responses to thermal stress and for the identification of thermo-resistant individuals and populations. Overall, having the genome of P. clavata will facilitate studies of various aspects of its evolutionary ecology and elaboration of effective conservation plans such as active restoration to overcome the threats of global change., (Copyright © 2020 Ledoux et al.)

The monogeneric family Dendrobrachiidae has been a taxonomic curiosity since its original description in 1889. Using one nuclear (18S) and two mitochondrial (mtMutS and cox1) genes, the phylogenetic placement of Dendrobrachiidae within the Octocorallia was investigated based on recently-collected specimens and museum collections. In particular, the relationship between Dendrobrachia and its suspected close allies from the Chrysogorgiidae and Ifalukellidae was examined. Phylogenetic inferences based on nuclear 18S sequences were inconclusive. On the basis of mitochondrial cox1 and mtMutS, the hypothesis that Dendrobrachia is closely related to the Chrysogorgiidae or the Ifalukellidae could be rejected with confidence. Dendrobrachia appeared distantly related to all octocoral groups considered here. However, the phylogenetic placement of Dendrobrachia could not be further clearly resolved.

Background: Long acquisition times and motion sensitivity limit T 2 mapping in the abdomen. Accelerated mapping at 3 T may allow for quantitative assessment of diffuse pancreatic disease in patients during free-breathing., Purpose: To test the feasibility of respiratory-triggered quantitative T 2 analysis in the pancreas and correlate T 2 -values with age, body mass index, pancreatic location, main pancreatic duct dilatation, and underlying pathology., Study Type: Retrospective single-center pilot study., Population: Eighty-eight adults., Field Strength/sequence: Ten-fold accelerated multiecho-spin-echo 3 T MRI sequence to quantify T 2 at 3 T., Assessment: Two radiologists independently delineated three regions of interest inside the pancreatic head, body, and tail for each acquisition. Means and standard deviations for T 2 values in these regions were determined. T 2 -value variation with demographic data, intraparenchymal location, pancreatic duct dilation, and underlying pancreatic disease was assessed., Statistical Tests: Interreader reliability was determined by calculating the interclass coefficient (ICCs). T 2 values were compared for different pancreatic locations by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Interpatient associations between T 2 values and demographical, clinical, and radiological data were calculated (ANOVA)., Results: The accelerated T 2 mapping sequence was successfully performed in all participants (mean acquisition time, 2:48 ± 0:43 min). Low T 2 value variability was observed across all patients (intersubject) (head: 60.2 ± 8.3 msec, body: 63.9 ± 11.5 msec, tail: 66.8 ± 16.4 msec). Interreader agreement was good (ICC, 0.82, 95% confidence interval: 0.77-0.86). T 2 -values differed significantly depending on age (P < 0.001), location (P < 0.001), main pancreatic duct dilatation (P < 0.001), and diffuse pancreatic disease (P < 0.03)., Data Conclusion: The feasibility of accelerated T 2 mapping at 3 T in moving abdominal organs was demonstrated in the pancreas, since T 2 values were stable and reproducible. In the pancreatic parenchyma, T 2 -values were significantly dependent on demographic and clinical parameters., Level of Evidence: 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:410-416., (© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

Aim: Animal studies have suggested that acute hyperglycemia induces transient renal hypoxia and kidney damage, yet this has not been tested in humans. Therefore, we assessed in human subjects the effect of acute hyperglycemia on renal tissue oxygenation as measured with blood oxygenation level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-MRI)., Methods: In this single center prospective interventional study, healthy overweight subjects were recruited. BOLD-MRI was performed before and immediately after the intravenous administration of 0.15 g/kg of glucose in a 20% solution under standard hydration and fasting conditions. R2 * maps were analyzed using the twelve layer concentric objects (TLCO) technique, a semi-automatic procedure which divides the kidney parenchyma in 12 equal layers at increasing depth. R2 * is a measure of local desoxyhemoglobin concentrations, with high R2 * values corresponding to low oxygenation., Results: Nineteen overweight subjects were enrolled (age 37 ± 10 years, BMI 28.9 ± 3 kg/m 2 , HbA1c 5.4 ± 0.3%, 57.9% women): 5 were glucose intolerant, none had diabetes. The mean glycemia rose from 4.5 ± 0.3 mmol/l to 9.0 ± 0.9, 8.9 ± 0.7, 7.7 ± 0.6 and 6.8 ± 0.8 mmol/l at respectively 1, 10, 20 and 30 min after IV glucose. Circulating insulin levels quadrupled. The mean R2 * values decreased significantly in all kidney layers, irrespective of glucose intolerance. The lower BMI, the larger the decrease in R2 * (spearman's r = 0.41, p = 0.035)., Conclusion: These data show that acute hyperglycemia decreases the R2 * signal in humans, suggesting an acute increase in renal tissue oxygenation. The precise mechanism of this observation remains unknown, and whether this phenomenon also occurs in patients with diabetes needs additional studies., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To demonstrate that diffusion-weighted images should be acquired at the instant of maximum blood velocity in kidneys to extract the perfusion fraction (PF) by the bi-exponential intravoxel incoherent motion model., Methods: The PF values were measured in Monte-Carlo simulations corresponding to different blood velocities with a constant known PF. The distribution of the measured PF values (PF-distribution) was characterized quantitatively by 3 markers highlighting the deviation of the measurement from the true PF. Diffusion-weighted images of kidneys were acquired in 10 healthy volunteers at the instant of maximal respectively minimal blood velocity in the renal artery (V max versus V min acquisition). The PF-distributions measured from the V max and V min acquisitions were compared mutually and with simulated PF-distributions using the 3 markers. A radiologist evaluated the quality of the PF maps., Results: The PF-distributions measured in the simulations were spread around the true PF value, and spreading was reduced as blood velocity increased. A comparison between simulated and in vivo PF-distributions suggests that a similar phenomenon is plausible in vivo. The quality of the PF maps of the V max -acquisition was scored higher by the radiologist than those of the V min -acquisition in 95% of cases (19 of 20)., Conclusions: The PF maps are of better quality when the V max -acquisition is used. We show evidence supporting the hypothesis that the variation of PF along the cardiac cycle is due to oscillations between a poor estimation when the blood velocity is low, and a better estimation when blood velocity is higher., (© 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

Marine natural products (NPs) represent an impressive source of novel bioactive molecules with major biotechnological applications. Nevertheless, the usual chemical and applied perspective leading most of bioprospecting projects come along with various limitations blurring our understanding of the extensive marine chemical diversity. Here, we propose several guidelines: (i) to optimize bioprospecting and (ii) to refine our knowledge on marine chemical ecology focusing on octocorals, one of the most promising sources of marine NPs. We identified a significant phylogenetic bias in the octocoral bioprospecting, which calls for the development of a concerted discovery strategy. Given the gap existing between the number of isolated NPs and the knowledge regarding their functions, we provide an ecologically centered workflow prioritizing biological function ahead of chemical identification. Furthermore, we illustrate how -omic technologies should rapidly increase our knowledge on solving different aspects of the ecology and evolution of marine NPs.

Understanding the role of the environment in shaping the evolution of life histories remains a major challenge in ecology and evolution. We synthesize longevity patterns of marine sessile species and find strong positive relationships between depth and maximum lifespan across multiple sessile marine taxa, including corals, bivalves, sponges and macroalgae. Using long-term demographic data on marine sessile and terrestrial plant species, we show that extreme longevity leads to strongly dampened population dynamics. We also used detailed analyses of Mediterranean red coral, with a maximum lifespan of 532 years, to explore the life-history patterns of long-lived taxa and the vulnerability to external mortality sources that these characteristics can create. Depth-related environmental gradients-including light, food availability, temperature and disturbance intensity-drive highly predictable distributions of life histories that, in turn, have predictable ecological consequences for the dynamics of natural populations., (© 2018 The Author(s).)

Purpose: 1) To implement a higher-resolution isotropic 3D T 2 mapping technique that uses sequential T 2 -prepared segmented gradient-recalled echo (Iso3DGRE) images for knee cartilage evaluation, and 2) to validate it both in vitro and in vivo in healthy volunteers and patients with knee osteoarthritis., Materials and Methods: The Iso3DGRE sequence with an isotropic 0.6 mm spatial resolution was developed on a clinical 3T MR scanner. Numerical simulations were performed to optimize the pulse sequence parameters. A phantom study was performed to validate the T 2 estimation accuracy. The repeatability of the sequence was assessed in healthy volunteers (n = 7). T 2 values were compared with those from a clinical standard 2D multislice multiecho (MSME) T 2 mapping sequence in knees of healthy volunteers (n = 13) and in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA, n = 5)., Results: The numerical simulations resulted in 100 excitations per segment and an optimal radiofrequency (RF) excitation angle of 15°. The phantom study demonstrated a good correlation of the technique with the reference standard (slope 0.9 ± 0.05, intercept 0.2 ± 1.7 msec, R 2 ≥ 0.99). Repeated measurements of cartilage T 2 values in healthy volunteers showed a coefficient of variation of 5.6%. Both Iso3DGRE and MSME techniques found significantly higher cartilage T 2 values (P < 0.03) in OA patients. Iso3DGRE precision was equal to that of the MSME T 2 mapping in healthy volunteers, and significantly higher in OA (P = 0.01)., Conclusion: This study successfully demonstrated that high-resolution isotropic 3D T 2 mapping for knee cartilage characterization is feasible, accurate, repeatable, and precise. The technique allows for multiplanar reformatting and thus T 2 quantification in any plane of interest., Level of Evidence: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:362-371., (© 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

Genetic diversity is crucial for species' maintenance and persistence, yet is often overlooked in conservation studies. Species diversity is more often reported due to practical constraints, but it is unknown if these measures of diversity are correlated. In marine invertebrates, adults are often sessile or sedentary and populations exchange genes via dispersal of gametes and larvae. Species with a larval period are expected to have more connected populations than those without larval dispersal. We assessed the relationship between measures of species and genetic diversity, and between dispersal ability and connectivity. We compiled data on genetic patterns and life history traits in nine species across five phyla. Sampling sites spanned 600 km in the northwest Mediterranean Sea and focused on a 50-km area near Marseilles, France. Comparative population genetic approaches yielded three main results. (i) Species without larvae showed higher levels of genetic structure than species with free-living larvae, but the role of larval type (lecithotrophic or planktotrophic) was negligible. (ii) A narrow area around Marseilles, subject to offshore advection, limited genetic connectivity in most species. (iii) We identified sites with significant positive contributions to overall genetic diversity across all species, corresponding with areas near low human population densities. In contrast, high levels of human activity corresponded with a negative contribution to overall genetic diversity. Genetic diversity within species was positively and significantly linearly related to local species diversity. Our study suggests that local contribution to overall genetic diversity should be taken into account for future conservation strategies., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The differential response of marine populations to climate change remains poorly understood. Here, we combine common garden thermotolerance experiments in aquaria and population genetics to disentangle the factors driving the population response to thermal stress in a temperate habitat-forming species: the octocoral Paramuricea clavata. Using eight populations separated from tens of meters to hundreds of kilometers, which were differentially impacted by recent mortality events, we identify 25 °C as a critical thermal threshold. After one week of exposure at this temperature, seven of the eight populations were affected by tissue necrosis and after 30 days of exposure at this temperature, the mean % of affected colonies increased gradually from 3 to 97%. We then demonstrate the weak relation between the observed differential phenotypic responses and the local temperature regimes experienced by each population. A significant correlation was observed between these responses and the extent of genetic drift impacting each population. Local adaptation may thus be hindered by genetic drift, which seems to be the main driver of the differential response. Accordingly, conservation measures should promote connectivity and control density erosion in order to limit the impact of genetic drift on marine populations facing climate change.

Overexploitation leads to the ecological extinction of many oceanic species. The depletion of historical abundances of large animals, such as whales and sea turtles, is well known. However, the magnitude of the historical overfishing of exploited invertebrates is unclear. The lack of rigorous baseline data limits the implementation of efficient management and conservation plans in the marine realm. The precious Mediterranean red coral Corallium rubrum has been intensively exploited since antiquity for its use in jewellery. It shows dramatic signs of overexploitation, with no untouched populations known in shallow waters. Here, we report the discovery of an exceptional red coral population from a previously unexplored shallow underwater cave in Corsica (France) harbouring the largest biomass (by more than 100-fold) reported to date in the Mediterranean. Our findings challenge current assumptions on the pristine state of this emblematic species. Our results suggest that, before intense exploitation, red coral lived in relatively high-density populations with a large proportion of centuries-old colonies, even at very shallow depths. We call for the re-evaluation of the baseline for red coral and question the sustainability of the exploitation of a species that is still common but ecologically (functionally) extinct and in a trajectory of further decline.

The evaluation of local muscle recruitment during a specific movement can be done indirectly by measuring changes in local blood flow. Intravoxel incoherent motion perfusion imaging exploits some properties of the magnetic resonance to measure locally microvascular perfusion, and seems ideally suited for this task. We studied the selectivity of the increase in intravoxel incoherent motion blood flow related parameter fD* in the muscles of 24 shoulders after two physical exam maneuvers, Jobe and Lift-off test (test order reversed in half of the volunteers) each held 2min against resistance. After a lift-off, IVIM blood flow-related fD* was increased in the subscapularis (in 10 -3 mm 2 s -1 , 3.24±0.86 vs. rest 1.37±0.58, p<0.001) and the posterior bundle of deltoid (2.62±1.34 vs. rest 0.77±0.32, p<0.001). Those increases were selective when compared with other rotator cuff muscles and deltoid bundles respectively. After a Jobe test, increase in fD* was scattered within the rotator cuff muscles, but was selective for the lateral deltoid compared to the other deltoid bundles (anterior, p<0.001; posterior, p<0.05). Those results were similar when the testing order was reversed. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a selective increase in local microvascular perfusion after specific muscle testing of the shoulder muscles with IVIM. This technique has the potential to non-invasively characterize perfusion-related musculoskeletal physiological as well as pathological processes., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Data on species diversity and structure in coralligenous outcrops dominated by Corallium rubrum are lacking. A hierarchical sampling including 3 localities and 9 sites covering more than 400 km of rocky coasts in NW Mediterranean, was designed to characterize the spatial variability of structure, composition and diversity of perennial species inhabiting coralligenous outcrops. We estimated species/taxa composition and abundance. Eight morpho-functional groups were defined according to their life span and growth to characterize the structural complexity of the outcrops. The species composition and structural complexity differed consistently across all spatial scales considered. The lowest and the highest variability were found among localities (separated by >200 km) and within sites (separated by 1-5 km), respectively supporting differences in diversity indices. The morpho-functional groups displayed a consistent spatial arrangement in terms of the number, size and shape of patches across study sites. These results contribute to filling the gap on the understanding of assemblage composition and structure and to build baselines to assess the response of this of this highly threatened habitat to anthropogenic disturbances.

Currently MRI is extensively used for the evaluation of cardiovascular and thoracic disorders because of the well-established advantages that include use of non-ionizing radiation, good contrast and high spatial resolution. Despite the advantages of this technique, numerous categories of artefacts are frequently encountered. They may be related to the scanner hardware or software functionalities, environmental factors or the human body itself. In particular, some artefacts may be exacerbated with high-field-strength MR machines (e.g. 3 T). Cardiac imaging poses specific challenges with respect to breath-holding and cardiac motion. In addition, new cardiac MR-conditional devices may also be responsible for peculiar artefacts. The image quality may thus be impaired and give rise to a misdiagnosis. Knowledge of acquisition and reconstruction techniques is required to understand and recognize the nature of these artefacts. This article will focus on the origin and appearance of the most common artefacts encountered in cardiac and chest MRI along with possible correcting methods to avoid or reduce them.

Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI is a method to extract microvascular blood flow information out of diffusion-weighted images acquired at multiple b-values. We hypothesized that IVIM can identify the muscles selectively involved in a specific task, by measuring changes in activity-induced local muscular perfusion after exercise. We tested this hypothesis using a widely used clinical maneuver, the lift-off test, which is known to assess specifically the subscapularis muscle functional integrity. Twelve shoulders from six healthy male volunteers were imaged at 3 T, at rest, as well as after a lift-off test hold against resistance for 30 s, 1 and 2 min respectively, in three independent sessions. IVIM parameters, consisting of perfusion fraction (f), diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient D* and blood flow-related fD*, were estimated within outlined muscles of the rotator cuff and the deltoid bundles. The mean values at rest and after the lift-off tests were compared in each muscle using a one-way ANOVA. A statistically significant increase in fD* was measured in the subscapularis, after a lift-off test of any duration, as well as in D. A fD* increase was the most marked (30 s, +103%; 1 min, +130%; 2 min, +156%) and was gradual with the duration of the test (in 10(-3) mm(2) /s: rest, 1.41 ± 0.50; 30 s, 2.86 ± 1.17; 1 min, 3.23 ± 1.22; 2 min, 3.60 ± 1.21). A significant increase in fD* and D was also visible in the posterior bundle of the deltoid. No significant change was consistently visible in the other investigated muscles of the rotator cuff and the other bundles of the deltoid. In conclusion, IVIM fD* allows the demonstration of a task-related microvascular perfusion increase after a specific task and suggests a direct relationship between microvascular perfusion and the duration of the effort. It is a promising method to investigate non-invasively skeletal muscle physiology and clinical perfusion-related muscular disorders., (Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The integration of ecological and evolutionary data is highly valuable for conservation planning. However, it has been rarely used in the marine realm, where the adequate design of marine protected areas (MPAs) is urgently needed. Here, we examined the interacting processes underlying the patterns of genetic structure and demographic strucuture of a highly vulnerable Mediterranean habitat-forming species (i.e. Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826)), with particular emphasis on the processes of contemporary dispersal, genetic drift, and colonization of a new population. Isolation by distance and genetic discontinuities were found, and three genetic clusters were detected; each submitted to variations in the relative impact of drift and gene flow. No founder effect was found in the new population. The interplay of ecology and evolution revealed that drift is strongly impacting the smallest, most isolated populations, where partial mortality of individuals was highest. Moreover, the eco-evolutionary analyses entailed important conservation implications for P. clavata. Our study supports the inclusion of habitat-forming organisms in the design of MPAs and highlights the need to account for genetic drift in the development of MPAs. Moreover, it reinforces the importance of integrating genetic and demographic data in marine conservation.

Studying population-by-environment interactions (PEIs) at species range margins offers the opportunity to characterize the responses of populations facing an extreme regime of selection, as expected due to global change. Nevertheless, the importance of these marginal populations as putative reservoirs of adaptive genetic variation has scarcely been considered in conservation biology. This is particularly true in marine ecosystems for which the deep refugia hypothesis proposes that disturbed shallow and marginal populations of a given species can be replenished by mesophotic ones. This hypothesis therefore assumes that identical PEIs exist between populations, neglecting the potential for adaptation at species range margins. Here, we combine reciprocal transplant and common garden experiments with population genetics analyses to decipher the PEIs in the red coral, Corallium rubrum. Our analyses reveal partially contrasting PEIs between shallow and mesophotic populations separated by approximately one hundred meters, suggesting that red coral populations may potentially be locally adapted to their environment. Based on the effective population size and connectivity analyses, we posit that genetic drift may be more important than gene flow in the adaptation of the red coral. We further investigate how adaptive divergence could impact population viability in the context of warming and demonstrate differential phenotypic buffering capacities against thermal stress. Our study questions the relevance of the deep refugia hypothesis and highlights the conservation value of marginal populations as a putative reservoir of adaptive genetic polymorphism.