All posts by Silvia

Hyperpolarized 13C Magnetic Resonance in Acute Liver Failure Rats

2014-10-24Methods & Applications, Our Publications, Our Research13C-NMR, animal-model, biospec, DNP, hyperpolarization, in-vivo-DNP, metabolomics, MRI, MRSSilvia

“Real-time assessment of ¹³C metabolism reveals an early lactate increase in the brain of rats with acute liver failure” by Laia Chavarria, Jordi Romero-Giménez, Eva Monteagudo, Silvia Lope-Piedrafita, Juan Cordoba. NMR in Biomedicine (2014) 28:17-23. DOI: 10.1002/nbm.3226

Intracranial hypertension is a severe complication of acute liver failure (ALF) secondary to brain edema. The pathogenesis of cerebral edema in ALF is not clear, but seems to be related to energy metabolism in which lactate may have an important role. The aim of this study was to follow the synthesis of brain lactate using a novel in vivo metabolic technology in a rat model of ALF. Continue reading Hyperpolarized 13C Magnetic Resonance in Acute Liver Failure Rats →

Ex vivo method to evaluate MRI contrast agents

2014-10-13Methods & Applications, News from the SeRMN, Our Publicationsanimal-model, biospec, contrast-agents, MRISilvia

“A new ex vivo method to evaluate the performance of candidate MRI contrast agents: a proof-of-concept study” by Candiota A.P., Acosta M., Simões R.V., Delgado-Goñi T., Lope-Piedrafita S., Irure A., Marradi M., Bomatí-Miguel O., Miguel-Sancho N., Abasolo I., Schwartz S. Jr., Santamaría J., Penadés S., Arús C. J Nanobiotechnology 2014 12:12. DOI: 10.1186/1477-3155-12-12.

A new method has been developed for selecting MRI contrast agents with better expected in vivo performance. This method requires only a very small amount of contrast agent (e.g. 5 nmols/animal, 800 times less than the quantity necessary for in vivo administration) and allows to carry out a more rationally informed candidate selection, avoiding unnecessary in vivo and toxicology tests for the ex vivo poorly performing substances, consequently reducing animal needs, material consumption and overall costs. Continue reading Ex vivo method to evaluate MRI contrast agents →

Presentations at the Joint Annual Meeting ISMRM-ESMRMB 2014

2014-05-08News from the SeRMN, NMR Events & Courses, Our Research13C-NMR, animal-model, cancer, hyperpolarization, in-vivo-DNP, liver, MRSSilvia

Next week several SeRMN members will present our research work at the Joint Annual meeting ISMRM-ESMRMB 2014 that will take place in Milan (Italy) from 10^th to 16^th May. Find below a summary of our contributions.

Continue reading Presentations at the Joint Annual Meeting ISMRM-ESMRMB 2014 →

Stroke Therapy in Mice

2013-12-17Methods & Applications, Our Publicationsanimal-model, ischemia, MRI, stroke, therapySilvia

“Factors Secreted by Endothelial Progenitor Cells Enhance Neurorepair Responses after Cerebral Ischemia in Mice” by Rosell, A., Morancho, A., Navarro-Sobrino, M., Martínez-Saez, E., Hernández-Guillamon, M., Lope-Piedrafita, S., Barceló, V., Borrás, F., Penalba, A., García-Bonilla, L., Montaner, J. PLoS ONE 8 (2013), e73244. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073244

Cell therapy with endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) has emerged as a promising strategy to regenerate the brain after stroke. Continue reading Stroke Therapy in Mice →

8th Workshop on Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging (MRI/MRS) Applied to Laboratory Animals

2013-04-02News from the SeRMN, NMR Events & Coursesanimal-model, MRI, MRS, workshopSilvia

Dates: 10^th to 13^th June 2013

Organized by the SeRMN of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).

This workshop combines a comprehensive series of lectures on the technology of Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging (MRS/MRI) with hands-on laboratory sessions to provide practical demonstrations of key concepts and procedures for preclinical studies.

Whether you are considering MRI as a research tool in your lab or just would like to learn more about MRI, this workshop addresses practical aspects of experimental MRI with laboratory animals and provide valuable hands-on experience on a 7 Tesla Bruker BioSpec spectrometer.

Number of participants will be limited to 4.

For the registration, please fill the Registration Form and email it to (registration deadline ends May 27^st)

See Workshop Brochure for more information or contact Dra. Silvia Lope.

Brain magnetic resonance in liver failure

2013-02-01Methods & Applications, Our Publications, Our Researchanimal-model, liver, metabolomics, MRI, MRSSilvia

“Brain magnetic resonance in experimental acute-on-chronic liver failure” by L. Chavarria, M. Oria, J. Romero-Giménez, J. Alonso, S. Lope-Piedrafita, and J. Cordoba.
Liver International 33 (2013) 294-300. DOI: 10.1111/liv.12032

Liver failure causes brain edema that can lead to intracranial hypertension and death. It is currently uncertain whether this water accumulation is predominantly intracellular or extracellular, something important to determine in order to apply the most adequate therapeutic measures. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms involved in the neurological manifestations occurring in an experimental acute-on-chronic liver failure rat model that combines sustained liver injury with a factor inducing an inflammatory response.

Continue reading Brain magnetic resonance in liver failure →

Cardiac MRI of the Sirt1-deficient mouse heart

2012-11-05Methods & Applications, Our Publicationsanimal-model, cardio, MRISilvia

“Dilated cardiomyopathy and mitochondrial dysfunction in Sirt1-deficient mice: A role for Sirt1-Mef2 in adult heart”
by A. Planavila, E. Dominguez, M. Navarro, M. Vinciguerra, R. Iglesias, M. Giralt, S. Lope-Piedrafita, J. Ruberte, F. Villarroya. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology 53 (2012) 521-531. DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2012.07.019

The protein deacetylase Sirtuin-1 (Sirt1) is involved in the cardiac hypertrophic responses and cardiac embryo morphogenesis. However, the physiological function of Sirt1 deficiency in the postnatal development of the heart remains to be characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate the relevance of Sirt1 in the development and function of the myocardium by using complementary techniques, such as gene expression, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, histological and electron microscopy examinations, and in vivo cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Continue reading Cardiac MRI of the Sirt1-deficient mouse heart →

DMSO as a magnetic resonance contrast agent for brain tumors

2012-09-07Our Publications, Our Researchanimal-model, biomedicine, cancer, contrast-agents, mapping, molecular imaging, MRI, MRS, MRSI, tumorSilvia

“Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a potential contrast agent for brain tumors”, by Delgado-Goñi T, Martín-Sitjar J, Simões RV, Acosta M, Lope-Piedrafita S, Arús C.; NMR in Biomedicine. 2012.DOI: 10.1002/nbm.2832.

Identifying the type of brain tumor helps doctors determine the most appropriate course of treatment. Brain tumor diagnosis usually involves a neurological examination, brain scans, and/or an analysis of the brain tissue. Nowadays, the biopsy, although it is a very invasive procedure, is the most accurate method of obtaining a diagnosis. Continue reading DMSO as a magnetic resonance contrast agent for brain tumors →

Novel MRI contrast agents: peptide-SPION conjugates

2012-05-21Our Publicationscontrast-agents, molecular imaging, MRI, nanomedicine, nanometric size, nanoparticles, nanotechnology, peptidesSilvia

“Efficient γ-amino-proline-derived cell penetrating peptide-superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle conjugates via aniline-catalyzed oxime chemistry as bimodal imaging nanoagents”, by Cavalli S, Carbajo D, Acosta M, Lope-Piedrafita S, Candiota AP, Arús C, Royo M, Albericio F; Chem. Commun 48 (2012) p. 5322. DOI: 10.1039/C2CC17937G

Recent advances in nanotechnology have offered new opportunities for detection, prevention, and treatment of different diseases. In this respect engineered superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) represent an advanced tool in nanomedicine because they can be loaded in a multiple and orthogonal way with drugs and probes in order to simultaneously act as molecular imaging agents and drug carriers. Continue reading Novel MRI contrast agents: peptide-SPION conjugates →

Neurodegeneration in NPC Mice by T₂ and DTI MRI

2011-11-22Our Publications, Our Researchanimal-model, biomarkers, DTI, mapping, MRI, neurodegenerationSilvia

“In Vivo Assessment of Neurodegeneration in Niemann-Pick Type C Mice by Quantitative T2 Mapping and Diffusion Tensor Imaging”, by John W. Totenhagen, Silvia Lope-Piedrafita, Ivan A. Borbon, Eriko S. Yoshimaru, Robert P. Erickson, and Theodore P. Trouard; Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 35 (2012), 528-536. doi: 10.1002/jmri.22837

NIEMANN-PICK TYPE C (NPC) disease is a rare genetic neurodegenerative disease with no cure and few effective options for treatment. Diagnosis is most often made during childhood with symptoms progressively worsening and leading to death prior to adulthood. Continue reading Neurodegeneration in NPC Mice by T₂ and DTI MRI →

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