Glucagon Resistance in Individuals With Obesity and Hepatic Steatosis Can Be Measured Using the GLUSENTIC Test and Index.

Increased plasma levels of glucagon (hyperglucagonemia) promote diabetes development but are also observed in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This may reflect hepatic glucagon resistance toward amino acid catabolism. A clinical test for measuring glucagon resistance has not been validated.

Glucagon augments the secretion of FGF21 and GDF15 in MASLD by indirect mechanisms.

Introduction: Glucagon receptor agonism is currently explored for the treatment of obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). The metabolic effects of glucagon receptor agonism may in part be mediated by increases in circulating levels of Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) and Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15). The effect of glucagon agonism on FGF21 and GDF15 levels remains uncertain, especially in the context of elevated insulin levels commonly observed in metabolic diseases.

Autonomous Chest Radiograph Reporting Using AI: Estimation of Clinical Impact.

Background Automated interpretation of normal chest radiographs could alleviate the workload of radiologists. However, the performance of such an artificial intelligence (AI) tool compared with clinical radiology reports has not been established. Purpose To perform an external evaluation of a commercially available AI tool for the number of chest radiographs autonomously reported, the sensitivity for AI detection of abnormal chest radiographs, and the performance of AI compared with that of the clinical radiology reports.

Development of a glucagon sensitivity test in humans: Pilot data and the GLUSENTIC study protocol.

A physiological feedback system exists between hepatocytes and the alpha cells, termed the liver-alpha cell axis and refers to the relationship between amino acid-stimulated glucagon secretion and glucagon-stimulated amino acid catabolism. Several reports indicate that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) disrupts the liver-alpha cell axis, because of impaired glucagon receptor signaling (glucagon resistance). However, no experimental test exists to assess glucagon resistance in humans.

Habitual side-specific loading leads to structural, mechanical, and compositional changes in the patellar tendon of young and senior lifelong male athletes.

Effects of lifelong physical activity on tendon function have been investigated in cross-sectional studies, but these are at risk of "survivorship" bias. Here, we investigate whether lifelong side-specific loading is associated with greater cross-sectional area (CSA), mechanical properties, cell density (DNA content), and collagen cross-link composition of the male human patellar tendon (PT), in vivo. Nine seniors and six young male lifelong elite badminton players and fencers were included.

Chronic Sequelae After Muscle Strain Injuries: Influence of Heavy Resistance Training on Functional and Structural Characteristics in a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Muscle strain injury leads to a high risk of recurrent injury in sports and can cause long-term symptoms such as weakness and pain. Scar tissue formation after strain injuries has been described, yet what ultrastructural changes might occur in the chronic phase of this injury have not. It is also unknown if persistent symptoms and morphological abnormalities of the tissue can be mitigated by strength training.

No Additive Clinical or Physiological Effects of Short-term Anti-inflammatory Treatment to Physical Rehabilitation in the Early Phase of Human Achilles Tendinopathy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used in the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy, but whether they have any additive clinical effect on physical rehabilitation in the early phase of tendinopathy remains unknown.

Purpose/hypothesis: To investigate whether an initial short-term NSAID treatment added to a physical rehabilitation program in the early phase of Achilles tendinopathy would have an additive effect. We hypothesized that the combination of NSAID and rehabilitation would be superior to rehabilitation alone.

Magnetic Resonance T * Is Increased in Patients With Early-Stage Achilles and Patellar Tendinopathy.

Background: T * mapping has proven useful in tendon research and may have the ability to detect subtle changes at an early stage of tendinopathy.

Purpose: To investigate the difference in T * between patients with early tendinopathy and healthy controls, and to investigate the relationship between T * and clinical outcomes, tendon size, and mechanical properties.

Study Type: Prospective cross-sectional.

UTE T2* mapping of tendinopathic patellar tendons: an MRI reproducibility study.

Background: There is currently a lack of imaging modalities that can be used as a sensitive measure in tendinopathy. Recent findings suggest the applicability of ultra-short echo time (UTE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2* mapping in tendons, but the reproducibility remains unknown.

Purpose: To evaluate test-retest reproducibility of UTE MRI T2* mapping of tendinopathic patellar tendons and to evaluate the intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of the measurement.

Early development of tendinopathy in humans: Sequence of pathological changes in structure and tissue turnover signaling.

Overloading of tendon tissue with resulting chronic pain (tendinopathy) is a common disorder in occupational-, leisure- and sports-activity, but its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. To investigate the very early phase of tendinopathy, Achilles and patellar tendons were investigated in 200 physically active patients and 50 healthy control persons. Patients were divided into three groups: symptoms for 0-1 months (T1), 1-2 months (T2) or 2-3 months (T3).

Weight-bearing MRI of the Lumbar Spine: Technical Aspects.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has an established role in the assessment of degenerative musculoskeletal conditions. However, conventional supine MRI findings often correlate poorly with clinical findings. Some patients experience accentuated back pain in the weight-bearing position.

Exercise-induced pain changes associate with changes in muscle perfusion in knee osteoarthritis: exploratory outcome analyses of a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Exercise therapy is recommended for knee osteoarthritis (OA), but the underlying mechanisms of pain relief are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of exercise on muscle perfusion assessed by dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) and its association with changes in pain in patients with knee OA.

Methods: Exploratory outcome analyses of a randomised controlled study with per-protocol analyses ( ClinicalTrials.

Brain resting-state connectivity in the development of secondary hyperalgesia in healthy men.

Central sensitization is a condition in which there is an abnormal responsiveness to nociceptive stimuli. As such, the process may contribute to the development and maintenance of pain. Factors influencing the propensity for development of central sensitization have been a subject of intense debate and remain elusive.

Exercise-Induced Changes in Visceral Adipose Tissue Mass Are Regulated by IL-6 Signaling: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Visceral adipose tissue is harmful to metabolic health. Exercise training reduces visceral adipose tissue mass, but the underlying mechanisms are not known. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) stimulates lipolysis and is released from skeletal muscle during exercise.

MR Imaging of Joint Infection and Inflammation with Emphasis on Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MR Imaging.

Contrast-enhanced MR imaging (CE-MR imaging) is recommended for diagnosis and monitoring of infectious and most inflammatory joint diseases. CE-MR imaging clearly differentiates soft and bony tissue from fluid collections and infectious debris. To improve imaging information, a dynamic CE-MR imaging sequence (DCE-MR imaging) sequence can be applied using fast T1-weighted sequential image acquisition during contrast injection.

The association between areas of secondary hyperalgesia and volumes of the caudate nuclei and other pain relevant brain structures-A 3-tesla MRI study of healthy men.

Introduction: Central sensitization plays a pivotal role in maintenance of pain and is believed to be intricately involved in several chronic pain conditions. One clinical manifestation of central sensitization is secondary hyperalgesia. The degree of secondary hyperalgesia presumably reflects individual levels of central sensitization.

Significance of arterial spin labeling perfusion and susceptibility weighted imaging changes in patients with transient ischemic attack: a prospective cohort study.

Background: In a prospective cohort of patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA), we investigated usefulness and feasibility of arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) alone and in combination with standard diffusion weighted (DWI) imaging in subacute diagnostic work-up. We investigated rates of ASL and SWI changes and their potential correlation to lasting infarction 8 weeks after ictus.

Methods: Patients with TIA underwent 3T-MRI including DWI, ASL and SWI within 72 h of symptom onset.

Delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of menisci and cartilage (dGEMRIM/dGEMRIC) in obese patients with knee osteoarthritis: Cross-sectional study of 85 obese patients with intra-articular administered gadolinium contrast.

Background: Early cartilage changes in knee osteoarthritis (OA) can be assessed by both intravenous (i.v.) and intra-articular (i.

Role of tissue perfusion, muscle strength recovery, and pain in rehabilitation after acute muscle strain injury: A randomized controlled trial comparing early and delayed rehabilitation.

Muscle strain injuries disrupt the muscle-tendon unit, early rehabilitation is associated with a faster return to sports (RTS), but the time course of tissue healing remains sparsely described. The purpose was to examine tissue regeneration and the effectiveness of early versus delayed rehabilitation onset on functional and structural recovery after strain injuries. A total of 50 recreational athletes with a severe acute strain injury in their thigh or calf muscles were randomized to early or delayed rehabilitation onset.

Small cortical grey matter lesions show no persistent infarction in transient ischaemic attack? A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: To find determining factors for persistent infarction signs in patients with transient ischaemic attack (TIA), herein initial diffusion lesion size, visibility on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and location.

Design: Prospective cohort study of patients with clinical TIA receiving 3T-MRI within 72 hours of symptom onset and at 8-week follow-up.

Setting: Clinical workflow in a single tertiary stroke centre between February 2012 and June 2014.

Comparison of 3- and 20-Gradient Direction Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in a Clinical Subacute Cohort of Patients with Transient Ischemic Attack: Application of Standard Vendor Protocols for Lesion Detection and Final Infarct Size Projection.

Objective: Diffusion tensor imaging may aid brain ischemia assessment but is more time consuming than conventional diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). We compared 3-gradient direction DWI (3DWI) and 20-gradient direction DWI (20DWI) standard vendor protocols in a hospital-based prospective cohort of patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) for lesion detection, lesion brightness, predictability of persisting infarction, and final infarct size.

Methods: We performed 3T-magnetic resonance imaging including diffusion and T2-fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) within 72 h and 8 weeks after ictus.

Point of no return for improvement of cartilage quality indicated by dGEMRIC before and after weight loss in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a cohort study.

Background It has been demonstrated that weight loss improves symptoms in obese subjects with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). A parallel change in cartilage morphology remains to be demonstrated. Purpose To demonstrate a parallel change in cartilage morphology.

Are Movement Artifacts in Magnetic Resonance Imaging a Real Problem?-A Narrative Review.

Movement artifacts compromise image quality and may interfere with interpretation, especially in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications with low signal-to-noise ratio such as functional MRI or diffusion tensor imaging, and when imaging small lesions. High image resolution has high sensitivity to motion artifacts and often prolongs scan time that again aggravates movement artifacts. During the scan fast imaging techniques and sequences, optimal receiver coils, careful patient positioning, and instruction may minimize movement artifacts.

A computer-based method for precise detection and calculation of affected skin areas.

Background: The aim of this study was to describe and validate a method to obtain reproducible and comparable results concerning extension of a specific skin area, unaffected by individual differences in body surface area.

Methods: A phantom simulating the human torso was equipped with three irregular areas representing the increasing extension of an affected skin area over time. A large sheet of flexible calques paper was placed at the phantom, and five clinicians copied the three irregular shapes two times, resulting in 60 copies.