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Characterize the appearance of digital nerve injuries in different ultrasound planes and correlate the presence and size of neuromas with time from injury. Surgically confirmed nerve injuries were retrospectively evaluated. Appearances of the nerve injury in the available imaging planes were reviewed by two readers. Associations between presence and size of neuroma with time from injury were analyzed. Injuries of 29 digital nerves (3 incomplete lacerations, 17 complete lacerations, 6 with 7 stump neuromas, 3 neuromas-in-continuity) noted on ultrasound were surgically confirmed. Among the 20 lacerations, long-axis images were obtained in 15, of which 10 depicted the injury and 4 did not. Among the 10 depicting the injury in long axis, 2 showed a discrete gap, and 7 showed the nerve obscured by laceration tissue without a gap. In short axis, the nerve injury was visible in all 20, and nerve laceration was seen as a discrete gap in 2, and obscuration by laceration tissue in 14. Neuromas were hypoechoic and well-defined. There was a positive association between time and presence of neuroma (OR = 1.3, p = 0.002). Correlations between time and cross-sectional area (rs = 0.45) and volume (rs = 0.57) of neuromas were moderately positive. Ultrasound long axis may be less useful, and those short axis may be more reliable for assessing digital nerve injuries than previously reported. Neuromas are hypoechoic and well-defined, and their size can vary based on time from injury.

Purpose To determine the safety and efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous treatment of volar radiocarpal ganglion cysts. Methods The institutional review board approved the retrospective study of patients referred for US-guided percutaneous treatment of a volar radiocarpal ganglion cyst over a 5-year period. Treatment consisted of a combination of aspiration, lavage using anesthetic, wall fenestration, and steroid injection. Intraprocedural imaging and procedure notes were reviewed. Followup information was retrieved from postprocedure electronic medical records. Results Eighty-eight patients comprised our study group. Complete decompression of the ganglion cyst was achieved in 92% of cases immediately after treatment. There were no instances of hematoma or infection. Of 38 patients with available followup information, 66% had a ganglion cyst recurrence at a median time of 9 months, regardless of their initial size or the injection of steroids. Cysts with internal septa had a statistically significantly higher rate of recurrence (P = 0.033). Conclusions US-guided percutaneous treatment of volar radiocarpal ganglion cysts is safe and ensures immediate decompression in most cases. However, cysts may recur, even after steroid injection or lavage.

Characterize the appearance of digital nerve injuries in different ultrasound planes and correlate the presence and size of neuromas with time from injury.Surgically confirmed nerve injuries were retrospectively evaluated. Appearances of the nerve injury in the available imaging planes were reviewed by two readers. Associations between presence and size of neuroma with time from injury were analyzed.Injuries of 29 digital nerves (3 incomplete lacerations, 17 complete lacerations, 6 with 7 stump neuromas, 3 neuromas-in-continuity) noted on ultrasound were surgically confirmed. Among the 20 lacerations, long-axis images were obtained in 15, of which 10 depicted the injury and 4 did not. Among the 10 depicting the injury in long axis, 2 showed a discrete gap, and 7 showed the nerve obscured by laceration tissue without a gap. In short axis, the nerve injury was visible in all 20, and nerve laceration was seen as a discrete gap in 2, and obscuration by laceration tissue in 14. Neuromas were hypoechoic and well-defined. There was a positive association between time and presence of neuroma (OR = 1.3, p = 0.002). Correlations between time and cross-sectional area (rUltrasound long axis may be less useful, and those short axis may be more reliable for assessing digital nerve injuries than previously reported. Neuromas are hypoechoic and well-defined, and their size can vary based on time from injury.

Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) - an attenuated strain of M. bovis - is closely related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and may be used as a vaccine against tuberculosis as well as a treatment for urinary bladder cancer. Complications of M. bovis BCG administration, while rare, can occur. While a few cases of vertebral osteomyelitis secondary to BCG therapy exist in the literature, and while there are case reports of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis from BCG vaccination (Chen et al., 2017; Huang et al., 2019; Lin et al., 2015 [1-3]), there are no reported cases of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis involving the foot from BCG therapy for urinary bladder cancer. We present an unusual presentation of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis of the tarsometatarsal joints after M. bovis BCG therapy for urinary bladder cancer. We will describe MRI and ultrasound findings in our case of M. bovis BCG osteomyelitis and septic arthritis.

Objective Long thoracic neuropathy results in serratus anterior muscle denervation and presents with scapular winging. Previously published studies have been unable to identify the long thoracic nerve on MRI; instead, secondary imaging features of serratus anterior muscle denervation are used to infer nerve injury. Our study's purpose was to evaluate the ability of high-resolution MRI to depict the long thoracic nerve. Materials and methods In this HIPAA-compliant, IRB-approved retrospective study, two musculoskeletal radiologists reviewed the brachial plexus MRI exans of 24 subjects performed for clinical suspicion of long thoracic neuropathy. The radiologists evaluated whether the long thoracic nerve could be identified and for the presence of serratus anterior denervation; when the nerve was seen, assessment for nerve enlargement, signal hyperintensity, and morphologic change was performed. Inter-observer reliability was estimated with Cohen's kappa (κ). Clinical presentation and electromyogram (EMG) were then reviewed. Results The long thoracic nerve was identified in 18 cases (75%), with high inter-observer reliability for nerve visualization. Kappa values of 1.0, 0.9, 1.0, and 0.9 were obtained for identification of the LTN on coronal sequences of the brachial plexus, identification of the LTN on proximal and mid segments of the nerve on oblique sagittal sequences, and identification of the distal segment of the LTN on axial sequences through the chest, respectively. The nerve was identified in 91% of patients with positive EMG findings for a long thoracic neuropathy. In patients with EMG features of long thoracic neuropathy, 70% had corresponding abnormal MRI features. When denervation edema was present, the nerve was identified 86% of the time. Conclusion High-resolution MRI can be used to visualize segments of the long thoracic nerve.

BACKGROUND: Sacral insufficiency fracture (SIF) can cause lumbosacral radiculoplexopathy (LSRP) and is probably under-recognized. Symptoms may include nonspecific lumbar spine or buttock pain that is exacerbated by physical activity and alleviated with rest. The frequency of LSRP secondary to SIF has not been reported. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We aimed to determine the frequency of LSRP associated with SIF using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine. METHODS: We searched a radiology database at our institution using the keywords “sacral insufficiency fracture” and “lumbar spine MRI” for patient records from January 2014 through December 2017. We assessed for the presence of LSRP, reflected by elevated T2-weighted or short tau inversion recovery (STIR) signal intensity and enlargement of the nerve on noncontrast lumbar spine MRI. An incompletely healed vertically oriented SIF was confirmed if there was a persistent bone marrow edema pattern adjacent to the fracture site; we did not include purely transverse SIFs. The final cohort comprised 57 patients (48 female; age range, 14 to 89 years). RESULTS: Abnormalities of the extraforaminal L5 nerve root or the combined L4 and L5 nerve roots (the lumbosacral trunk) were identified in 19 (33%) of 57 patients, with a total of 23 sites (bilateral involvement in four cases). Of the 23 abnormal nerves, 19 (82.6%) had corresponding, clinically documented radicular symptoms and 16 (69.6%) had no other explanation on MRI for their radicular symptoms other than SIF. CONCLUSIONS: LSRP caused by SIF is an entity all radiologists should be cognizant of, especially in cases of otherwise unexplained radicular symptoms. The diagnosis of SIF can be helpful in cases involving concomitant multilevel lumbar spondylosis and neural foraminal stenosis. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s11420-020-09750-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background For a procedure-driven specialty such as anaesthesiology, hands-on training has always been the primary method of teaching airway skills. Although this method will always be a necessary component, the current generation of learners tend to gravitate toward media as educational sources. We propose that the addition of watching a series of podcast videos on airway management will further enhance the medical student's procedural skills. Methods A total of 34 medical students scheduled for an anaesthesia rotation were randomised into two groups. Both groups received the conventional one-to-one hands-on training on airway skills in the operating room; however, the study group received an additional series of podcast videos on airway equipment, mask ventilation and intubation. At the end of the rotation, all of the students were given an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) on a mannequin. Results The study group who received the podcasts significantly out-performed the control group on the OSCE (p = 0.003). The mean score for the podcast video group was 94.4%, versus 76.5% in the control group. Commonly missed steps by the control group included checking the endotracheal tube balloon before intubation, taping the eyes and auscultation of the epigastrium and lungs. Discussion Our results showed that supplementing conventional hands-on training with contemporary channels such as podcast videos improved learners' procedural skills. The media format was relatable for these modern learners and provided the added benefit of self-paced learning. Overall, the podcast videos made a positive contribution to students learning airway techniques.

BACKGROUND Oblique sagittal MRI sequences, orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the brachial plexus, can reliably depict morphologic and signal abnormalities. However, nerve visualization may be obscured by ghosting artifact from periodic respiratory motion. Respiratory triggering (RT) with a thoracoabdominal bellows can reduce ghosting artifact, but it is not routinely used for brachial plexus MRI. Furthermore, the efficacy of prospective RT for brachial plexus imaging has not yet been reported. PURPOSE To compare brachial plexus MRI sequences acquired with and without respiratory triggering. STUDY TYPE Prospective. SUBJECTS Five volunteers and 20 patients were included. Each subject was imaged with and without RT during the same session. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE Proton density or T2 -weighted Dixon fat suppressed sequences were obtained at 3.0T using receive-only 16-channel flexible array coils. ASSESSMENT Three musculoskeletal radiologists blindly evaluated each sequence using subjective scoring criteria for ghosting artifact, nerve conspicuity, and diagnostic confidence. Nerve conspicuity scores at three distinct plexus levels were summed to calculate an overall image quality score. STATISTICAL TESTS Marginal proportional odds logistic regression models were used to compare all scores between RT and non-RT. Gwet's agreement coefficient was used to assess interobserver and intraobserver reliability. RESULTS Mean scan time per sequence increased from 4:25 minutes (95% confidence interval [CI], 4:02-4:49 min) with non-RT to 6:09 minutes (95% CI, 5:42-6:35 min) with RT. RT reduced ghosting artifact (odds ratio [OR] = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.09-0.46, P

Introduction This study seeks to characterize lesion distribution in Parsonage-Turner Syndrome (PTS) using high-resolution MRI. Methods MRIs of 27 patients with clinically confirmed PTS were reviewed. Two radiologists independently evaluated the brachial plexus proper, side and terminal plexus branches, and more distal, upper extremity nerves. Results All patients had at least 1 clinically involved nerve. MRI revealed that the plexus appeared normal in 24 of 27 patients; in 3 other patients, signal hyperintensity was seen immediately proximal to the take-off of abnormal side or terminal branch nerves. Focal intrinsic constrictions were detected in 32 of 38 nerves. MRI interobserver agreement was high (Cohen's κ = 0.839). Discussion MRI findings, corroborated by electrodiagnostic testing, localized abnormalities to plexus branches and peripheral nerves, suggesting that PTS is characterized by 1 or more mononeuropathies rather than changes involving a portion of or the complete plexus proper. These results may improve diagnosis, prognostication, and management. Muscle Nerve 58: 359-366, 2018.

BACKGROUND Handovers in patient care are increasingly common occurrences in medicine and are highly susceptible to communication failures. Intraoperative anaesthesiology handovers are especially challenging because of concurrent management of the patient. Our goal was to develop and use an electronic handover checklist as an educational tool to teach anaesthesiology trainees a standardised method of handing over a case intraoperatively. We hypothesised that the use of the checklist would systematically enhance the transfer of accurate and complete information. METHODS Thirty-four anaesthesia trainees were observed giving an intraoperative handover without the checklist, and then again with the checklist at a later time. An observational handover assessment tool was used by investigators to mark each item as either spontaneously relayed by the giver, elicited by the receiver, not discussed or not applicable to the case. After the use of the checklist, each handover giver filled out a survey related to his or her perceptions of the checklist. RESULTS The proportion of items spontaneously relayed increased from 54% without the checklist to 98% when using the checklist (p

The purposes of this review were to provide an overview of the current practice of evaluating the postoperative rotator cuff on imaging and to review the salient imaging findings of the normal and abnormal postoperative rotator cuff, as well as of postoperative complications. The repaired rotator cuff frequently appears abnormal on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US). Recent studies have shown that while the tendons typically normalize, they can demonstrate clinically insignificant abnormal imaging appearances for longer than 6 months. Features of capsular thickening or subacromial-subdeltoid bursal thickening and fluid distension were found to decrease substantially in the first 6-month postoperative period. MRI and US were found to be highly comparable in the postoperative assessment of the rotator cuff, although they had a lower sensitivity for partial thickness tears. Imaging evaluation of newer techniques such as patch augmentation and superior capsular reconstruction needs to be further investigated. MRI and US are useful in the postoperative assessment of the rotator cuff, not only for evaluation of the integrity of the rotator cuff, but also for detecting hardware complications and other etiologies of shoulder pain.

This case report describes a 29-year-old male who presented with immediate onset of Horner's syndrome and ipsilateral brachial plexopathy after sleeping with his arm dangling outside a car window for 8 h. Outside workup and imaging revealed rhabdomyolysis of the left neck musculature. Subsequent electrodiagnostic testing and high-resolution brachial plexus magnetic resonance imaging at the authors' institution attributed the Horner's syndrome and concurrent brachial plexopathy to rhabdomyolysis of the longus colli and scalene musculature, which had compressed-and consequently scar tethered-the cervical sympathetic trunk and brachial plexus. This case of co-existent Horner's syndrome and brachial plexopathy demonstrates the role of high-resolution brachial plexus MRI in diagnosing plexopathy and the importance of being familiar with plexus and paravertebral muscle anatomy.

Background: Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) is a common disorder of the hip resulting in groin pain and ultimately osteoarthritis. Radiologic assessment of FAI morphologies, which may present with overlapping radiologic features of hip dysplasia, often requires the use of computed tomography (CT) for evaluation of osseous abnormality, owing to the difficulty of direct visualization of cortical and subchondral bone with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The use of a zero echo time (ZTE) MRI pulse sequence may obviate the need for CT by rendering bone directly from MRI. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to explore the application of ZTE MRI to the assessment of osseous FAI and dysplasia morphologies of the hip. It was hypothesized that angular measurements from ZTE images would show significant agreement with measurements obtained from CT images. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Thirty-eight hips from 23 patients were imaged with ZTE MRI and CT. Clinically relevant angular measurements of hip morphology were made in both modalities and compared to assess agreement. Measurements included coronal and sagittal center-edge angles, femoral neck-shaft angle, acetabular version (at 1-, 2-, and 3-o’clock positions), Tönnis angle, alpha angle, and modified-beta angle. Interrater agreement was assessed for a subset of 10 hips by 2 raters. Intermodal agreement was assessed on the complete cohort and a single rater. Results: Interrater agreement was demonstrated in both CT and ZTE, with intraclass correlation coefficient values ranging from 0.636 to 0.990 for ZTE and 0.747 to 0.983 for CT, indicating “good” to “excellent” agreement. Intermodal agreement was also shown to be significant, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.618 to 0.904. Conclusion: Significant agreement of angular measurements for hip morphology exists between ZTE MRI and CT imaging. ZTE MRI may be an effective method to quantitatively evaluate osseous hip morphology.

Background Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) of the shoulder is an increasingly common procedure in the treatment of patients with massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears lacking significant osteoarthritis. Post-operatively, the appearance of failed grafts has only been described in isolated case reports and review articles. Methods From January 2016 through December 2017, surgical records at a single tertiary-care facility were queried to identify all patients undergoing SCR. Patient records were reviewed for patient demographic information, reason for post-operative MRI, and post-operative surgeon assessment. 74 patients underwent SCR, of whom 12 received a follow-up MRI post-operatively. One patient was excluded due to missing records; the remaining 11 patients comprise the study cohort. Post-operative MRIs were obtained at mean six months after surgery. Results On review of post-operative MRIs, three distinct locations of failure were identified. Four patients (40%) had midsubstance failure of the allograft with all glenoid and humeral head fixation remaining intact. One patient (10%) had complete detachment of the allograft from both glenoid and humeral head fixation. Five patients (50%) had detachment of the allograft from the glenoid. Conclusion In this series of ten failed SCRs, the most common mode of failure was loss of fixation on the glenoid, followed closely by midsubstance rupture. We found no instances of isolated fixation failure on the humeral head. This series illustrates the need for careful imaging in patients whose post-operative course suggests clinical failure. These findings suggest that strengthening glenoid fixation may provide better clinical outcomes as this procedure becomes more common. Level of evidence: III - Retrospective study.

Objective Advancement of the endotracheal tube through a fibreoptic scope can sometimes prove to be challenging in obese patients. The Parker Flex-Tip endotracheal tube was developed with a curved and tapered distal tip to facilitate easier placement in the trachea. This study examined the use of the Parker Flex-Tip tube as compared to standard endotracheal tubes in patients with a body mass index of 30 or greater. Methods Sixty patients undergoing surgery requiring general anaesthesia were randomised into two groups. Using the fibreoptic scope, one group was intubated with the Parker Flex-Tip tube and the other group with a standard polyvinyl Portex tube. The time for intubation and the number of attempts required to place the endotracheal tube were measured and recorded. Results Using the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test, the median time needed for intubation with the two types of endotracheal tubes did not show a significant difference. The chi-square analyses were conducted for the number of attempts needed to place the endotracheal tubes, which also did not demonstrate any significant difference. Conclusions Parker Flex-Tip endotracheal tube was not superior to the standard endotracheal tubes for fibreoptic intubation in obese patients.

This study seeks to characterize lesion distribution in Parsonage-Turner Syndrome (PTS) using high-resolution MRI.MRIs of 27 patients with clinically confirmed PTS were reviewed. Two radiologists independently evaluated the brachial plexus proper, side and terminal plexus branches, and more distal, upper extremity nerves.All patients had at least 1 clinically involved nerve. MRI revealed that the plexus appeared normal in 24 of 27 patients; in 3 other patients, signal hyperintensity was seen immediately proximal to the take-off of abnormal side or terminal branch nerves. Focal intrinsic constrictions were detected in 32 of 38 nerves. MRI interobserver agreement was high (Cohen's κ = 0.839).MRI findings, corroborated by electrodiagnostic testing, localized abnormalities to plexus branches and peripheral nerves, suggesting that PTS is characterized by 1 or more mononeuropathies rather than changes involving a portion of or the complete plexus proper. These results may improve diagnosis, prognostication, and management. Muscle Nerve 58: 359-366, 2018.

Context: Evaluation of groin pain in athletes may be challenging as pain is typically poorly localized and the pubic symphyseal region comprises closely approximated tendons and muscles. As such, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US) may help determine the etiology of groin pain. Evidence Acquisition: A PubMed search was performed using the following search terms: ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, sports hernia, athletic pubalgia, and groin pain. Date restrictions were not placed on the literature search. Study Design: Clinical review. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Results: MRI is sensitive in diagnosing pathology in groin pain. Not only can MRI be used to image rectus abdominis/adductor longus aponeurosis and pubic bone pathology, but it can also evaluate other pathology within the hip and pelvis. MRI is especially helpful when groin pain is poorly localized. Real-time capability makes ultrasound useful in evaluating the pubic symphyseal region, as it can be used for evaluation and treatment. Conclusion: MRI and US are valuable in diagnosing pathology in athletes with groin pain, with the added utility of treatment using US-guided intervention. Strength-of Recommendation Taxonomy: C

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of mononeuropathy in muscles with dual innervation depicts geographic denervation corresponding to the affected nerve. Knowledge of the normal distribution of a muscle's neural supply is clinically relevant as partial muscle denervation represents a potential imaging pitfall that can be confused with other pathology, such as muscle strain. This article reviews the normal innervation pattern of extremity muscles with dual supply, providing illustrative examples of mononeuropathy affecting such muscles.

Regulation of calcium flux has been suggested to play a role in acute and chronic effects of opioids. Previous studies have shown calcium channel blockers can inhibit opioid agonist-induced downregulation of mu-opioid receptors and may reduce the magnitude of tolerance. In the present study, we determined if calcium channel blockade would affect increases in opioid receptor density and functional supersensitivity produced by chronic opioid antagonist treatment in the mouse. Mice were implanted subcutaneously with a 15-mg naltrexone (NTX) or placebo pellet. Mice also were implanted with an osmotic minipump that infused nimodipine (100 microg/kg/day) or a second placebo pellet. This protocol yielded four groups: nimodipine-NTX; nimodipine-placebo; placebo-NTX; placebo-placebo. On the seventh day, pumps and pellets were removed. Twenty-four hours later, a morphine dose-response study was conducted (tail flick); or mice were sacrificed and saturation binding studies ([3H]DAMGO) were performed in whole brain. NTX treatment significantly increased the analgesic potency of morphine by approximately 60%. Nimodipine increased the potency of morphine by approximately 50%. For mice treated with both nimodipine and NTX, there was an additive effect on morphine potency ( approximately 120% increase). In binding studies, NTX increased the density of mu-opioid receptors similarly ( approximately 60-70%) in the presence and absence of nimodipine treatment, with no change in affinity. No effect of chronic nimodipine alone on mu-opioid receptor binding was observed. These data indicate that NTX-induced upregulation and supersensitivity are independent of calcium channel blockade by nimodipine. These results contrast with those from tolerance and downregulation studies, and confirm suggestions that different substrates mediate chronic opioid agonist and antagonist-induced effects in vivo. Finally, in a separate study, morphine potency was unaffected by acute nimodiopine (100 microg/kg; SC), suggesting that prolonged exposure to this calcium channel blocker is required to increase morphine potency.

In common with other interplanetary spacecraft, the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft spends long periods of time out of ground contact. Even during ground contacts, the speed-of light limits realtime telemetry and commanding. Under these conditions, detection and correction of faults (safing) is a key area of spacecraft design. The goal of the safing design is to detect health-threatening faults, and to keep the spacecraft safe until the next ground contact. Fault diagnosis and correction (beyond that needed to keep the spacecraft safe) is a Mission Operations function. The critical aspects of spacecraft safety are power and communications. Because the spacecraft can operate on battery power only for a short period, keeping the fixed solar panels pointed towards the sun and the spacecraft load below the solar panel output is the first priority of the safing design. The second priority of the safing design is to place Earth within the pattern of an antenna that can be used to communicate throughout the mission. In keeping with the distributed spacecraft design, safing functions are likewise distributed between the Command and Data Handling subsystem and the Guidance and Control subsystem. Simple, reliable coordination of safing conditions and actions are required. Drivers of the safing design are the need to delay finalizing the safing algorithms as late as possible in the system development, to introduce flexible safing algorithms, and to create a testable system.

Hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase (MAP4K) family and an upstream activator of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling cascade. HPK1 interacts, through its proline-rich domains, with growth factor receptor-bound 2 (Grb2), CT10-regulated kinase (Crk), and Crk-like (CrkL) adaptor proteins. We identified a novel HPK1-interacting protein of 55 kDa (HIP-55), similar to the mouse SH3P7 protein, containing an N-terminal actin-binding domain and a C-terminal Src homology 3 domain. We found that HPK1 bound to HIP-55 both in vitro and in vivo. When co-transfected, HIP-55 increased HPK1's kinase activity as well as JNK1's kinase activity. A dominant-negative HPK1 mutant blocked activation of JNK1 by HIP-55 showing that HIP-55 activates the JNK1 signaling pathway via HPK1. Our results identify a novel protein, HIP-55, that binds to HPK1 and regulates the JNK1 signaling cascade.

The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway is involved in transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signaling in a variety of cell systems. We report here that hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1), a novel Ste20-like protein serine/threonine kinase, serves as an upstream mediator for the TGF-beta-activated JNK1 cascade in 293T cells. TGF-beta treatment resulted in a time-dependent activation of HPK1, which was accompanied by similar kinetics of JNK1 activation. The activation of JNK1 by TGF-beta was abrogated by a kinase-defective HPK1 mutant but not by a kinase-defective mutant of kinase homologous to Ste20/Sps1. This result indicates that HPK1 is specifically required for TGF-beta-induced activation of JNK1. We also found that TGF-beta-induced JNK1 activation was blocked by a kinase-defective mutant of TGF-beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1). In addition, interaction between HPK1 and TAK1 was observed in transient transfection assays, and this interaction was enhanced by TGF-beta treatment. Both stress-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (SEK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7 (MKK7) are immediate upstream activators of JNK1. Although SEK and MKK7 acted downstream of TAK1, only a kinase-defective SEK mutant blocked TGF-beta-induced activation of JNK1, indicating that the TGF-beta signal is relayed solely through SEK, but not MKK7, in vivo. Furthermore, TGF-beta-induced activating protein 1 activation was blocked by a HPK1 mutant, as well as by TAK1 and SEK mutants. Taken together, these studies establish a potential cascade of TGF-beta-activated interacting kinases beginning with HPK1, a Ste20 homolog, and ending in JNK1 activation: HPK1 --TAK1 --SEK --JNK1.

We review some of the features of the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI) and describe the environmental parameters that will be produced on an operational basis from this instrument's data. The associated algorithms are summarized. SSUSI consists of a scanning imaging spectrograph (SIS) whose field-of-view is scanned from horizon to horizon and a nadir-looking photometer system (NPS). The SIS produces simultaneous monochromatic images at five 'colors' in the spectral range 115nm to 180nm. The NPS consists of three photometers with filters designed to monitor the airglow at 427.8nm and 630nm and the terrestrial albedo near 630nm. SSUSI will fly on the DMSP Block 5D3 satellites S-16 through S-19. In a companion paper we provide more details on the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI).© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

We describe the Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI). This instrument consists of a scanning imaging spectrograph (SIS) whose field-of-view is scanned from horizon to horizon and a nadir-looking photometer system (NPS). The SIS produces simultaneous multispectral images over the spectral range 1 150 to 1800A. The NPS consists of three photometers with filters designed to monitor the airglow at 4278A and 6300A and the terrestrial albedo near 6300A. SSUSI will fly on the DMSP Block 5D3 satellites S-16 thru S-19. The instruments will be calibrated at the Applied Physics Laboratory's Optical Calibration Facility.

The physiologic importance of trace element supplementation to total parenteral nutrition solutions is discussed. The trace elements discussed are copper, zinc, manganese and iodide.