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Recognizing syndromes which mimic ALS is crucial both to avoid giving this diagnosis erroneously and since there may be appropriate treatments. We report a 63-year-old woman diagnosed with possible ALS five years ago based on upper and lower motor neuron signs with typical electrophysiology and normal cranial MRI. At reassessment, spinal MRI revealed a cervicothoracic cyst with cord compression that was successfully treated neurosurgically. Histopathology confirmed an arachnoid origin as suspected from MRI. Spinal cysts may mimic ALS and need to be thoroughly excluded by appropriate imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling of phosphorus (P) from waste streams in agriculture is essential to reduce the negative environmental effects of surplus P and the unsustainable mining of geological P resources. Sewage sludge (SS) is an important P source; however, several issues are associated with the handling and application of SS in agriculture. Thus, post-treatments such as pyrolysis of SS into biochar (BC) could address some of these issues. Here we elucidate how patches of SS in soil interact with the living roots of wheat and affect important P-related rhizosphere processes compared to their BC counterparts. Wheat plants were grown in rhizoboxes with sandy loam soil, and 1 cm Ø patches with either SS or BC placed 10 cm below the seed. A negative control (CK) was included. Planar optode pH sensors were used to visualize spatiotemporal pH changes during 40 days of plant growth, diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) were applied to map labile P, and zymography was used to visualize the spatial distribution of acid (ACP) and alkaline (ALP) phosphatase activity. In addition, bulk soil measurements of available P, pH, and ACP activity were conducted. Finally, the relative abundance of bacterial P-cycling genes (phoD, phoX, phnK) was determined in the patch area rhizosphere. Labile P was only observed in the area of the SS patches, and SS further triggered root proliferation and increased the activity of ACP and ALP in interaction with the roots. In contrast, BC seemed to be inert, had no visible effect on root growth, and even reduced ACP and ALP activity in the patch area. Furthermore, there was a lower relative abundance of phoD and phnK genes in the BC rhizosphere compared to the CK. Hence, optimization of BC properties is needed to increase the short-term efficiency of BC from SS as a P fertilizer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Klaus Koren and Theresa Merl report that financial support was provided by Grundfos Foundation. Klaus Koren and Theresa Merl report that financial support was provided by Independent Research Fund Denmark (IRFD) (Grant number DFF-8048-00057B). Marie Louise Bornø, Mette H. Nicolaisen, Frederik Bak, Athanasios Zervas, Lars S. Jensen, and Dorette S. Müller-Stöver reports that financial support was provided by Novo Nordic Foundation (Grant number: NNF19SA0059360)., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Soil spatial responses to fire are unclear. Using optical chemical sensing with planar 'optodes', pH and dissolved O 2 concentration were tracked spatially with a resolution of 360 μm per pixel for 72 h after burning soil in the laboratory with a butane torch (∼1300 °C) and then sprinkling water to simulate a postfire moisture event. Imaging data from planar optodes correlated with microbial activity (quantified via RNA transcripts). Post-fire and post-wetting, soil pH increased throughout the entire ∼13 cm × 17 cm × 20 cm rectangular cuboid of sandy loam soil. Dissolved O 2 concentrations were not impacted until the application of water postfire. pH and dissolved O 2 both negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with relative transcript expression for galactose metabolism, the degradation of aromatic compounds, sulfur metabolism, and narH. Additionally, dissolved O 2 negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with the relative activity of carbon fixation pathways in Bacteria and Archaea, amoA/amoB, narG, nirK, and nosZ. nifH was not detected in any samples. Only amoB and amoC correlated with depth in soil (p < 0.05). Results demonstrate that postfire soils are spatially complex on a mm scale and that using optode-based chemical imaging as a chemical navigator for RNA transcript sampling is effective., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The application of fertilizers and manure on fields is the largest source of ammonia (NH 3 ) in the atmosphere.·NH 3 emission from agriculture has negative environmental consequences and is largely controlled by the chemical microenvironment and the respective biological activity of the soil. While gas phase and bulk measurements can describe the emission on a large scale, those measurements fail to unravel the local processes and spatial heterogeneity at the soil air interface. We report a two dimensional (2D) imaging approach capable of visualizing three of the most important chemical parameters associated with NH 3 emission from soil. Besides the released NH 3 itself also O 2 and pH microenvironments are imaged using reversible optodes in real-time with a spatial resolution of <100 µm. This combined optode approach utilizes a specifically developed NH 3 optode with a limit of detection of 2.11 ppm and a large working range (0-1800 ppm) ideally suited for studying NH 3 volatilization from soil. This NH 3 optode will contribute to a better understanding of the driving factors for NH 3 emission on a microscale and has the potential to become a valuable tool in studying NH 3 dynamics., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

There is evidence from in vitro and animal experiments that oral creatine (Cr) supplementation might prevent or slow down neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD). However, this neuroprotective effect could not be replicated in clinical trials, possibly owing to treatment periods being too short to impact on clinical endpoints. We used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) as a surrogate marker to evaluate the effect of Cr supplementation on brain metabolite levels in HD.Twenty patients (age 46+/-7.3 years, mean duration of symptoms 4.0+/-2.1 years, number of CAG repeats 44.5+/-2.7) were included. The primary endpoint was metabolic alteration as measured by (1)H-MRS in the parieto-occipital cortex before (t1) and after 8-10 weeks (t2) of Cr administration. Secondary measures comprised the motor section of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale and the Mini Mental State Examination. (1)H-MRS showed a 15.6% decrease of unresolved glutamate (Glu)+glutamine (Gln; Glu+Gln=Glx; p<0.001) and a 7.8% decrease of Glu (p<0.027) after Cr treatment. N-acetylaspartate trended to fall (p=0.073) whereas total Cr, choline-containing compounds, glucose, and lactate remained unchanged. There was no effect on clinical rating scales. This cortical Glx and Glu decrease may be explained by Cr enhancing the energy-dependent conversion of Glu to Gln via the Glu-Gln cycle, a pathway known to be impaired in HD. Since Glu-mediated excitotoxicity is presumably pivotal in HD pathogenesis, these results indicate a therapeutic potential of Cr in HD. Thus, longterm clinical trials are warranted.

The aim of this study was to compare low-field MRI (0.2 T) and conventional radiography for the detection of acute fractures of the distal part of the extremities. X-ray and MRI examinations of 78 (41 fractures, 37 without fracture) patients with the clinical suspicion of an acute fracture in the distal part of the extremities were compared. Four experienced radiologists, two for each of the two modalities, independently analyzed the images. Interobserver variability and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for both methods were established. The MRI and conventional radiography revealed an accuracy of 81.4 and of 79.5%, respectively, in the detection of acute fractures. The diagnostic accuracy of MRI to detect fractures in the hand and forefoot proved to be significantly inferior to conventional X-ray examinations. On the other hand, MRI achieved a better accuracy for the examination of bones near a large joint. The interobserver variability for both methods was rated as moderate. In ROC analysis both methods were rated as good. There was no statistical difference of the accuracy between low-field MRI and conventional radiography in the detection of acute fractures of the distal part of the extremities. Consequently, a routine use of low-field MRI as an alternative to conventional radiography to diagnose acute fractures of the extremities seems not to be justified.

Videocinematography is a valuable tool in the diagnostic workup and planning of functional surgery in cleft patients. The high resolution and depiction of the finest mucosal structures in motion allow objective and dynamic assessment of the individual velopharyngeal function. A total of 170 cleft patients were examined by videocinematography, and the results were compared to nasoendoscopy and to the clinical examination. The marked superiority of this radiological technique with regard to clearness of depiction and ease of use is shown. It can therefore be recommended without reservation for the pre- and postoperative assessment of cleft patients.

In the staging of uterine carcinoma, CT is used for the assessment of uterus size and configuration, tumor infiltration into the pelvic soft tissues, involvement of the ureters with urine retention, and lymph node enlargement. Evaluation of parametrial infiltration, which is of utmost importance for therapeutic strategy, is less reliable. CT tends to over-stage parametrial infiltration and is thus inferior not only to MRI, but also to clinical examination if parametrial infiltration is excluded. Partial volume effects may obscure or mimic tumor invasion into the bladder or rectal wall and thus reduce CT accuracy. The value of CT for the staging of uterine carcinoma lies in the assessment of advanced stages of cervical carcinoma and lymph node involvement.