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Aegagropila linnaei is a filamentous green algal species that often forms beautiful spherical shapes called "lake balls" or "Marimo". A. linnaei were once globally distributed around the world, but the population has been declining for several decades. Lake Akan, in Japan, is now the only lake in the world with a colony of giant Marimo (over 20 cm in diameter). Here we show the net growth rate of Marino resulting from photosynthesis and decomposition based on laboratory experiments, MRI analysis, and quantitative element analysis, which show the decomposition rate, the maximum annual Marimo diametric growth rate, and the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, respectively. We found an explicit dependence of the decomposition rate of Marimo on the cumulative water temperature, with a threshold of 7 °C. MRI analysis showed a high correlation among a Marimo's diameter, surface thickness, and annual diametric growth rate. Moreover, the C/N ratio was high in the exterior side of the surface thickness, indicating that this layer is the main growth area for photosynthesis. These results suggest that the central cavity and the surface thickness represent the change in the growth environment such as water temperature and light intensity. Between the 1980s and the present, Between the 1980s and the present, the cumulative water temperature has increased from about 1250 to about 1600 °C-days. Therefore, the maximum surface thickness has decreased by approximately 1 cm, as estimated by water temperature records and annual diametric growth rates10. As a measure to preserve preferable conditions for colonies of giant Marimo in the face of global warming, the flow of low-temperature river water into Marimo colonies should be protected.

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OBJECTIVE: Adult brainstem gliomas (BSGs) are rare tumors of the CNS that are poorly understood. Upregulation of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) in the tumor indicates the mutation of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), which can be detected by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Although histological examination is required for the definitive diagnosis of BSG, 2HG-optimized MRS (2HG-MRS) may be useful, considering the difficult nature of brainstem lesion biopsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of 2HG-MRS for diagnosing IDH-mutant adult BSG. METHODS: Patients with a radiographically confirmed brainstem tumor underwent 3T MRS. A single voxel was set in the lesion with reference to the T2 or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery image and analyzed according to the 2HG-tailored MRS protocol (point-resolved spectroscopic sequence; echo time 35 msec). All patients underwent intraoperative navigation-guided or CT-guided stereotactic biopsy for histopathological diagnosis. The status of IDH and H3K27M mutations was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and direct DNA sequencing. In addition, the authors examined the relationship between patients' 2HG concentrations and survival time. RESULTS: Ten patients (7 men, 3 women; median age 33.5 years) underwent 2HG-MRS and biopsy. Four patients had an H3K27M mutation and 4 had an IDH1 mutation (1 R132H canonical IDH mutation, 2 R132S and 1 R132G noncanonical IDH mutations). Two had neither H3K27M nor IDH mutations. The H3K27M and IDH mutations were mutually exclusive. Most tumors were located in the pons. There was no significant radiological difference between mutant H3K27M and IDH on a conventional MRI sequence. A 2HG concentration ≥ 1.8 mM on MRS demonstrated 100% (95% CI 28%-100%) sensitivity and 100% (95% CI 42%-100%) specificity for IDH-mutant BSG (p = 0.0048). The median overall survival was 10 months in IDH-wild-type BSG patients (n = 6) and could not be estimated in IDH-mutant BSG patients (n = 4) due to the small number of deaths (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: 2HG-MRS demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of IDH-mutant BSG. In addition, 2HG-MRS may be useful for predicting the prognosis of adult BSG patients.

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BACKGROUND: Lesion gaps assessed by late-gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI) are associated with the atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation. Animal studies have demonstrated that the catheter-contact force (CF), stability, and orientation are strongly associated with lesion formation. However, the impact of those procedural factors on the lesion characteristics associated with AF recurrence has not been well discussed. METHODS: A total of 30 patients with paroxysmal AF who underwent catheter ablation were retrospectively enrolled. Radiofrequency (RF) applications were performed with 35 W for 30 s in a point-by-point fashion under esophageal temperature monitoring. The inter-lesion distance was 4 mm. The lesions were visualized by LGE-MRI 3 months postprocedure and assessed by the LGE volume (ml), gap number (GN), and average gap length (AGL [mm]). The gaps were defined as nonenhancement sites of >4 mm. The procedural factors including the catheter-CF, stability, and orientation were calculated on the NavX system. RESULTS: Six (20%) of 30 patients had AF recurrences 12 months postablation. A univariate analysis demonstrated that the AGL was associated with AF recurrence (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.20, confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.42, p = .02). All AF recurrence were found in patients with an AGL of >7 mm. The catheter-CF and stability were associated with an AGL of >7 mm, but not the orientation (CF-HR: 0.62, CI: 0.39-0.97, p = .038; stability-HR: 0.8, CI: 0.66-0.98, p = .027). CONCLUSIONS: RF ablation with a low CF and poor catheter stability has a potential risk of creating large lesion gaps associated with AF recurrence.

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OBJECTIVE: Epilepsy in glioblastoma patients significantly reduces their quality of life; however, little is known about the association between predicting epilepsy and metabolites in tumors. In this study, we used 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging and 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to quantify metabolite concentrations in patients with varying epilepsy histories. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with glioblastoma underwent pretreatment 3.0-T MRI/1H-MRS scanning. Single-voxel (1.5 cm3) MRS, in an enhanced lesion, was acquired using a double-echo point-resolved spectroscopic sequence with chemical-shift selective water suppression. MRS data were quantified with linear combination model (LC-Model) software. We compared the MRS data between groups with and without epilepsy during the postoperative course (EP). RESULTS: The ratios of glutamate (Glu) and glutamate + glutamine (Glx) to total creatine (Glu/tCr and Glx/tCr) in the tumor were associated with epilepsy history. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that a Glu/tCr value of 1.81 was 70% sensitive and 90% specific for the prediction of EP (area under curve: 0.82). In the analysis excluding patients with preoperative epilepsy, a Glu/tCr value of 1.81 was 75% sensitive and 88% specific for the prediction (area under curve: 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Intratumoral metabolite concentrations measured using pretreatment 3.0-T MRI/1H-MRS changed characteristically in the group with EP. Our study suggests that the Glu/tCr ratio in tumors has adequate reliability in predicting EP. Pretreatment MRS is a minimally invasive and simple procedure that can provide useful information on glioblastoma patients.

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Aegagropila linnaei is a freshwater green alga, which at one time was distributed widely in the northern hemisphere. The aggregate often forms beautiful spherical shapes known as "lake balls" or "Marimo". The population of Marimo has been rapidly decreasing worldwide, and today the large Marimo, with a diameter of more than 12 cm, exit only in Lake Akan in Japan. However, how Marimo grow and maintain their unique spherical shape in natural habitats remains unsolved. Here we show that Marimo are "polished" into spheres by the rotation induced by wind waves. Such a process enhances the water exchange between the interior and exterior of the Marimo, thereby recycling nutrients for growth. Our results provide an intriguing model of a physical environment interacting with biological processes in a self-sustaining ecosystem. We also demonstrate that Marimo have a spherical annual ring structure, and their growth rate is associated with ice cover. The balance between the ecology of Marimo and the water environment in Lake Akan is highly vulnerable and at risk of irreversible degradation. We must endeavor to rescue Marimo from the fate of a "canary in the coal mine" of global climate change.

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OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of image reconstruction method on hepatic CT perfusion (CTP) values using two CT protocols with different radiation doses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients underwent hepatic CTP and were randomly divided into two groups. Tube currents of 210 or 250 mA were used for the standard dose group and 120 or 140 mA for the low dose group. The higher currents were selected for large patients. Demographic features of the groups were compared. CT images were reconstructed by using filtered back projection (FBP), image filter (quantum de-noising, QDS), and adaptive iterative dose reduction (AIDR). Hepatic arterial and portal perfusion (HAP and HPP, ml/min/100ml) and arterial perfusion fraction (APF, %) were calculated using the dual-input maximum slope method. ROIs were placed on each hepatic segment. Perfusion and Hounsfield unit (HU) values, and image noises (standard deviations of HU value, SD) were measured and compared between the groups and among the methods. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the demographic features of the groups, nor were there any significant differences in mean perfusion and HU values for either the groups or the image reconstruction methods. Mean SDs of each of the image reconstruction methods were significantly lower (p<0.0001) for the standard dose group than the low dose group, while mean SDs for AIDR were significantly lower than those for FBP for both groups (p=0.0006 and 0.013). Radiation dose reductions were approximately 45%. CONCLUSIONS: Image reconstruction method did not affect hepatic perfusion values calculated by dual-input maximum slope method with or without radiation dose reductions. AIDR significantly reduced images noises.

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