Natural Spread Research Articles

First records of the raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) in Luxembourg: evidence for natural spread and a novel introduction

The raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), a gastrointestinal nematode parasite of the raccoon (Procyon lotor), is the causative agent of a zoonotic disease that can cause severe neurological sequelae and even fatal cases. The parasite is now established in Europe and, while not present in all raccoon populations, it is currently expanding its range. Understanding the geographic distribution of the roundworm is a necessity for public health. Here, we report the first detections of the raccoon roundworm from Luxembourg. We used genetic techniques to test whether the roundworm originated from a distinct introduction event or entered the country by natural dispersal. We detected two roundworms in a raccoon that was road-killed in Echternach, northeastern Luxembourg. Furthermore, in a wildlife rescue centre, roundworms were detected in the latrine of an enclosure containing seven raccoons. Using different genetic techniques, we showed the Echternach roundworms to originate from the nearest German population, while the rescue centre roundworms were genetically distinct. By genotyping the host from a roundworm DNA extract, we identified a raccoon originating from southwest Luxembourg as the host of at least one roundworm. Roundworms are thus colonising Luxembourg both by natural dispersal and from an introduced population. The (potential) hosts all originated from the local population, suggesting that imported/introduced roundworms have already spread to the local raccoon population. Authorities should act as though the parasite is already widespread in the country, raising awareness among the public and individuals with occupational contact with raccoons.

PEMANFAATAN BIOCHAR SEKAM DAN KOMPOS JERAMI PADI TERHADAP PERKECAMBAHAN BENIH CENDANA (Santalum album Linn.)

Sandalwood (Santalum album Linn.) is a forest wood-producing plant in East Nusa Tenggara (ENT) province that has high economic value and is an endemic species. Efforts to restored sandalwood plants in ENT have been carried out, such as development efforts by planting sandalwood from nurseries, as well as maintaining saplings that comes from natural spreading, but these efforts has not been successful enough. Giving rice husk biochar and rice straw compost in planting media can increased the availability of phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), potassium (K), sulfur (S), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg).The method used in this study is Complete Randomized Design (RAL) with a comparison of the composition of the planting media used (M0) Soil 100% Control 10 Kg, (M1) Soil 50% + 50% Biochar Rice Husk, (M2) Soil 50% + 50% Rice Straw Compost, (M3) Soil 25% + 50% Rice Husk Biochar + 25% Rice Straw Compost, (M4) Soil 25% + 25% Rice Husk Biochar + 50% Rice Straw Compost, (M5) Soil 50% + 25% Rice Husk Biochar + 25% Rice Straw Compost.The results of this study showed that the germination percentage value was 38.67% in M4 treatment. M4 treatment with a ratio of soil planting media 25% + 25% Rice Husk Biochar + 50% Rice Straw Compost, provides the highest average increase and has a very significant effects on germination, germination rate index, and germination value.

Expanding wave packets and the quantum to classical transition

The standard description of the transition from quantum to classical mechanics presented in most text books is the proof that the quantum expectation values of position and momentum obey equations of Newtonian form. This is the Ehrenfest theorem. It is combined with the requirement that wave packets remain localised to describe a single particle moving according to classical mechanics. Hence, the natural spreading of wave packets is viewed as a quantum effect. In contradiction to this view, here it is argued that the spreading, where different momentum components separate, is the signature of the quantum to classical transition. The asymptotic spatial wave function becomes proportional to the initial momentum space wave function, which mirrors exactly the well-known far-field diffraction pattern in optics. Trajectories, defined as the locus of the normals to the expanding wave front, are used to illustrate the transition from quantum to classical motion. Again this is the analogue of the wave to beam transition in optics. It is suggested that this analysis of the quantum to classical transition should be incorporated routinely into introductory quantum mechanics courses.

Host vegetation connectivity is decisive for the natural spread of pine wilt disease.

Pine wilt disease has caused significant economic, ecological, and social losses in China, but there is a notable lack of research on the dynamic process of its propagation and diffusion over long timescales. This study revealed the spatial and temporal spread of the natural invasion of pine wilt disease through an analysis of long time series at macroscopic scales. We analysed and verified by simulations the driving mechanisms of host and wind fields in the natural spread of pine wilt disease. The research findings indicate that from 1982 to 2019, the number of counties affected by pine wilt disease in the Yangtze River Delta region of China exhibited a pattern of 'steady increase-fluctuation-outbreak'. The host forest played a decisive role in the natural spread of the disease, while the wind field played a supporting role. The study revealed specific contributions from various factors, where host forest landscape connectivity, host forest area share, mean wind speed, and wind frequency accounted for 31.8%, 28.7%, 22.6%, and 8.8%, respectively. The interaction of increased host forest area and increased wind speed can significantly increase the risk of pine wilt disease transmission. To validate these findings, vectorial metacellular automata simulations of pine nematode transmission in the Yangtze River Delta were conducted, yielding results with an accuracy of 0.803. By quantifying the contribution of host forest connectivity to the natural spread of pine wilt disease, this research offers a scientific foundation and innovative insights for preventing and controlling its dissemination. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Impact of optimizers functions on detection of Melanoma using transfer learning architectures

AbstractEarly diagnosis-treatment of melanoma is very important because of its dangerous nature and rapid spread. When diagnosed correctly and early, the recovery rate of patients increases significantly. Physical methods are not sufficient for diagnosis and classification. The aim of this study is to use a hybrid method that combines different deep learning methods in the classification of melanoma and to investigate the effect of optimizer methods used in deep learning methods on classification performance. In the study, Melanoma detection was carried out from the skin lesions image through a simulation created with the deep learning architectures DenseNet, InceptionV3, ResNet50, InceptionResNetV2 and MobileNet and seven optimizers: SGD, Adam, RmsProp, AdaDelta, AdaGrad, Adamax and Nadam. The results of the study show that SGD has better and more stable performance in terms of convergence rate, training speed and performance than other optimizers. In addition, the momentum parameter added to the structure of the SGD optimizer reduces the oscillation and training time compared to other functions. It was observed that the best melanoma detection among the combined methods was achieved using the DenseNet model and SGD optimizer with a test accuracy of 0.949, test sensitivity 0.9403, and test F score 0.9492.

Impact of pilot diesel injection timing on performance and emission characteristics of marine natural gas/diesel dual-fuel engine

In diesel-ignited natural gas marine dual-fuel engines, the pilot diesel injection timing (PDIT) determines the premixing time and ignition moment of the combustible mixture in the cylinder. The PDIT plays a crucial role in the subsequent development of natural gas flame combustion. In this paper, four PDITs (− 8 °CA, − 6 °CA, − 4 °CA, and − 2 °CA) were studied. The results show that the advancement of PDIT increased the engine's power, thermal efficiency, and natural gas flame spread velocity, and increased NO emissions and CH4 emissions of the marine engine. The PDIT affected the ignition delay period and the rapid combustion period to a greater extent than the slow combustion period and the post combustion period. With each 2 °CA advancement of PDIT, the engine's power increased by 69.87 kW, thermal efficiency increased by 0.42%, radial flame spread velocity increased by 2 m/s, axial flame spread velocity increased by 1.7 m/s, NO emissions increased by 6.1%, and CH4 emissions increased by 3.75%.

85 years counteracting an invasion: chestnut ecosystems and landscapes survival against ink disease

A retrospective examination of early pest and disease outbreaks, such as ink disease, offers new insights into their impact on ecosystems and landscapes. Ink disease, caused by Phytophthora spp., is one of the most destructive diseases affecting Castanea sativa Mill. It first appeared in Europe in the early 18th century, with the initial recorded case in Italy (Piedmont) dating back to 1845. However, its spread instilled significant concerns in several chestnut-growing regions primarily devoted to fruit production. In 1938, a comprehensive assessment of Phytophthora xcambivora outbreaks was conducted in the Bolognese Apennines (Italy), providing a detailed overview of chestnut cultivation status. Thirty-six disease foci were documented, and laboratory tests confirmed the presence of ink disease. To understand the disease’s impact on chestnut ecosystem and landscape over the past 85 years, the 1938 sites were revisited to assess chestnut persistence and phytosanitary status, with Phytophthora species detected using isolation and molecular techniques. Monitoring data revealed that C. sativa still thrives in all but one site, with its wood seemingly able to coexist in dynamic equilibrium with the disease. While P. xcambivora was still detected in several foci, the extent of damage appeared limited. The potential for natural control, likely influenced by the complexity of soil biota, along with the natural spread of hypovirulence in chestnut blight and biological control of the Asian chestnut gall wasp, could explain the continued presence of chestnut in the investigated area and potentially throughout the Italian chestnut range, despite nearly two centuries of ink disease prevalence. Nevertheless, ongoing monitoring is essential to dynamically comprehend the factors at play and their efficacy, particularly in the context of climate change and the possible spread of other Phytophthora species. The survival of chestnut ecosystems amidst ink disease underscores the preservation of the economic, ecological, and landscape values associated with these woodlands.

GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF RELICT ENDEMIC LIQUIDAMBAR ORIENTALIS (ALTINGIACEAE) POPULATIONS

Liquidambar orientalis, a relict endemic species, is distributed in the south-west of Turkey. The natural spread areas of the species have been decreasing since the early 1900s. This poses a great threat to the future and genetic diversity of the species. In this study, the genetic diversity of a total of 190 individuals in ten populations was examined with ten polymorphic ISSR primers. Data analysis was performed using POPGENE ver. 1.32 and GenAlEx 6.503 softwares. According to the results of the analysis, a total of 271 loci were identified. For the ten populations, the rate of polymorphic loci ranged from 21.03% to 34.69%. The mean number of observed alleles (Na) and mean number of effective alleles (Ne) were found as 1.98 ± 0.13 and 1.47 ± 24 0.37, respectively. Nei's genetic diversity values (h) ranged from 0.07 ± 0.15 to 0.12 ± 0.18. According to the results of Molecular Analysis of Variance (AMOVA) and POPGENE ver. 1.32 analysis, it was determined that the main contribution to the genetic variance originated from among the populations. In addition, the gene flow level (NM) was found to be low with a value of 0.27 per generation.

Gökpınar Baraj Gölü (Batı Anadolu, Türkiye)’ndeki Egzotik Güneş Levreği Popülasyonunun (Lepomis gibbosus) Biyo-Ekolojik Özellikleri Üzerine Bir Araştırma

This study was conducted to determine some bioecological characteristics of Lepomis gibbosus (L. 1758), commonly known as pumpkinseed sunfish, which spreads in Gökpınar Dam Lake (GDL) in Denizli Province. The fish samples were captured with an experimental seine net and multimesh gillnet from May 2019 to April 2020. During the samplings, certain physicochemical parameters of GDL were measured, habitat utilization, relations to environmental variables, feeding habits and interspecific interactions with other fishes of L. gibbosus individuals were observed. It is observed that GDL provides a suitable habitat for L. gibbosus in terms of water quality and other ecological requirements. A total of 1005 L. gibbosus individuals, consisting of 302 females, 605 males, and 98 juveniles, were sampled throughout the study, and biometric studies were conducted. In the population males were found to be dominant. The averages were determined as follows; total length as 5.82±2.09 cm (2.46-11.34), weight as 4.94±4.67g (0.20- 34.65), and condition factor as 1.71±0.24. The ages were determined between 0+ to II+and Age-length relationship (VBGE) was estimated as L_(t=) 19,85(1-e^(-0,2744(t+0,272) ) ) Spawning occurs between April and June in individuals at the age of I+. It has been observed that the species exhibits good growth rates in this habitat, displays opportunistic omnivorous feeding behavior, preys on another invasive alien species, Gambusia holbrooki, present in the lake, and competes with the same species for habitat sharing. It has been determined that L. gibbosus has formed a self-sustaining population in GDL, but it utilizes a limited lake area as its habitat. In conclusion, GDL is considered as a hydrologically unstable and highly variable habitat. L. gibbosus population of GDL exhibits significant similarities in terms of bioecological characteristics with populations that spread outside its natural spreading area. As L.gibbosus is an exotic fish and might be have invasive traits, it is necessary to monitor of the population regularly, and control measures should be taken to prevent its spread to other inland water bodies.

Drops on Polymer Brushes: Advances in Thin-Film Modeling of Adaptive Substrates.

We briefly review recent advances in the hydrodynamic modeling of the dynamics of droplets on adaptive substrates, in particular, solids that are covered by polymer brushes. Thereby, the focus is on long-wave and full-curvature variants of mesoscopic hydrodynamic models in gradient dynamics form. After introducing the approach for films/drops of nonvolatile simple liquids on a rigid smooth solid substrate, it is first expanded to an arbitrary number of coupled degrees of freedom before considering the specific case of drops of volatile liquids on brush-covered solids. After presenting the model, its usage is illustrated by briefly considering the natural and forced spreading of drops of nonvolatile liquids on a horizontal brush-covered substrate, stick-slip motion of advancing contact lines as well as drops sliding down a brush-covered incline. Finally, volatile liquids are also considered.

АВТОМАТИЗИРОВАННАЯ ОЦЕНКА ЗОН ВОЗДЕЙСТВИЯ ОПАСНЫХ ФАКТОРОВ ПОЖАРА ПРИ РАЗЛИВЕ СЖИЖЕННОГО ПРИРОДНОГО ГАЗА В УСЛОВИЯХ ЧРЕЗВЫЧАЙНОЙ СИТУАЦИИ

The main stages of the development of an emergency situation during the bottling of liquefied natural gas are presented. A tree of events has been formed in the event of the occurrence and development of a fire hazardous situation associated with the destruction of a tank or process pipeline with liquefied natural gas. Possible regimes of liquefied natural gas spreading on a smooth underlying surface and the formation of a variable power vapor source are identified. Models of liquefied natural gas evaporation are studied in relation to the composition and possible thickness of the filling layer. It is shown that under the assumption that the two phases are in thermodynamic equilibrium. The vapor phase density of liquefied natural gas can be obtained by solving the Peng-Robinson equation using the Klosek-McKinley method for a given pressure and temperature, which is based on an empirical correlation for the molar volume of the liquefied natural gas mixture. A model of a fast phase transition is formed based on the solution of the Van den Berg equation and an algorithm that automates the procedure for assessing the zones of influence of dangerous fire factors during an liquefied natural gas spill.

First Report of the Association of the Psyllid Vector Bactericera trigonica (Hemiptera: Triozidae) with 'Candidatus Liberibacter Solanacearum' in Italy.

Psyllids, members of the family Triozidae, represent a potential threat to the cultivation of solanaceous and apiaceous crops worldwide, mainly as vectors of the phloem-restricted bacterium 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' (Lso). The Lso haplotypes C, D and E are known to affect apiaceous crops, such as carrot and celery, in several European countries. In Italy, data on the incidence and natural spread of both Lso and psyllids have not been reported so far. In this study, the presence of the vectors was investigated in a main Italian district for carrot production, the "Altopiano del Fucino" area (Central Italy). Both occasional and regular surveys were carried out on a total of five carrot fields and one potato field in 2021 and 2022. Bactericera trigonica (Hodkinson), which is known to efficiently transmit Lso to carrots, was found to be well-established in the area. High levels of population density were recorded in the summer period (more than 100 adult specimens per trap caught every two weeks) and then sharply decreased after the carrot harvest, confirming the strict association of this psyllid species with crop availability. In 2022, 27.5% of the total tested psyllid samples resulted in being positive for Lso haplotypes D and E, the latter being prevalent. This survey revealed, for the first time in Italy, the presence of B. trigonica adults associated with Lso in carrot crops. Although this study was limited to a few fields located in one area, it provided important evidence of the risks for Lso outbreaks and prompted further research to assess the spread and incidence of the disease in apiaceous cultivations in Italy.

Phytosanitary Risk Analysis for Anoplophora chinensis (Forster, 1771) on fruit crops, broadleaved ornamental and forest tree species for Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a traditional agricultural country, where various types of fruit crops, such as apple (Malus), pear (Pyrus), peach, apricot and plum (Prunus), are hosts to Anoplophora chinensis (citrus longhorned beetle). In addition, Anoplophora chinensis is a serious pest of ornamental and forest tree species, such as poplar (Populus), willow (Salix), maple (Acer), alder (Alnus), birch (Betula), chestnut (Castanea), beech (Fagus), oak (Quercus), rose (Rosa), etc. Anoplophora chinensis (citrus longhorned beetle) is a widespread pest in Southeast Asia with climate types ranging from tropical to temperate. It has been introduced to the United States, but it has been successfully eradicated. In Europe, outbreaks of Anoplophora chinensis have been reported from Italy, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The pest has been successfully eradicated in Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. At this moment, there is no evidence that Anoplophora chinensis is present in the area for which the phytosanitary risk analysis is being carried out. The main routes for the entry of Anoplophora chinensis into the EU and Bulgaria are through the commercial exchange and movement of planting material (plant material including bonsai plants) and wood products (including logs, timber, wooden packaging material from solid wood without bark and pallets) from host plants originating in countries with established infestation. The probability of Anoplophora chinenis entering Bulgaria naturally is relatively low, despite the fact that outbreaks of the pest have been found in the Black Sea region of Turkey, since the maximum distance of natural spread of the pest in one year is about 194 m. The presence of host plants, as well as the climatic conditions in Bulgaria, are not a limiting factor, which is why the pest has great potential to enter new areas and/or to adapt to new climatic and/or ecological conditions. In case of entry, establishment and spread of Anoplophora chinensis in Bulgaria, it can have a negative impact, both on fruit production and timber harvesting, as well as on ecology, biodiversity in broadleaved forests and urban landscapes, and last but not least, on the development of the resort industry and tourism. The effect on exports of agricultural produce and timber would also be negative. A possible entry, establishment and spread of Anoplophora chinensis in our country would also affect the financial situation of farmers.

THE GIANT WATER BUG LETHOCERUS (HEMIPTERA HETEROPTERA BELOSTOMATIDAE) IS SPREADING IN ITALY: THE FIRST RECORD FOR CAMPANIA

Lethocerus patruelis (Stål, 1854) is the only member of the Belostomatidae family in Europe. During the last decades, records of this giant water bug have become frequent in south-eastern Italy, but with no evidence about its origin (man-mediated unintentional introduction or a natural westward spread). The status of this species in Italy is still uncertain, but the man-mediated unintentional introduction seems the most probable, even through multiple introductions. The first record of Lethocerus cf. patruelis for the Campania region (the first one on the Tyrrhenian side of Italy) is here reported, suggesting the already registered tendency of this species to expand, at least in Europe. Several topics need to be evaluated, in the light of its status in Italy and its management. Key Words: aquatic insect; distribution; Heteroptera; Nepomorpha; new record.

Analysis of the spread distance of pine wilt disease based on a high volume of spatiotemporal data recording of infected trees

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is the most destructive forest disease in Far East Asia and is a major concern in South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Japan. This disease naturally spreads to nearby areas via insect vectors, whereas anthropogenic spread occurs randomly and transfers the disease far away. However, few studies have analyzed the spread patterns and distances of PWD to establish effective monitoring strategies. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to determine the boundary distance distinguishing natural and anthropogenic spread using a regression analysis of monitoring records for a six-year period from South Korea. In addition, we developed a MaxEnt model using both climatic and anthropogenic factors to predict the potential distribution of PWD. The results showed that the average distance of the natural spread from 2017 to 2021 was approximately 13.8 km, while the model identified that seasonal climatic conditions exacerbated PWD spread. Consequently, a control strategy to prevent the spread of PWD should be effectively designed based on climate and boundary distance.

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) spread, impact and management

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) have been an increasing subject of concern with their growing speed of spread and increasing impacts on the invaded areas. The sustainability of IAS control, that is, how to make managing IAS most economical, human, and environmentally efficient is currently an issue under discussion. This review catalogs the general aspects of invasive species, from their natural spread to human-induced causes such as how it is spread through cross-sea and cross-border trades, affected by artificial constructions such as dams and reservoirs, agriculture, climate change, and deliberate introduction. The review also analyzed how IAS causes harm to the ecosystem and human community, what harm it causes, and how humans manage these invaders. Thus, providing a foundation for future research regarding the sustainability of the management of invasive alien species.

Modified Quasi-Physical Grassland Fire Spread Model: Sensitivity Analysis

Developing models for predicting the rate of fire spread (ROS) in nature and analyzing the sensitivity of these models to environmental parameters are of great importance for fire study and management activities. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis of a general and modified quasi-physical model is provided in the current study to predict parameters that affect grassland fire propagation patterns. The model considers radiative heat transfer from the flame and fuel body and convective heat transfer to predict the fire’s rate of spread and the grassland fire patterns. The model’s sensitivity to ten main parameters that affect fire propagation, including temperature, humidity, wind speed, specifications of vegetable fuel, etc., is studied, and the results are discussed and analyzed. The model’s capability is validated with experimental studies and a comprehensive physical model WFDS. The model’s capability, as quasi-physical, faster than the real-time model, shows high consistency in fire propagation parameters compared with experimental real data from the Australian grassland fire Cases C064 and F19. The comprehensive sensitivity analysis provided in this study resulted in a modified equation for the corrected rate of fire spread which shows quite an improvement in ROS prediction from 5% to 65% compared with the experimental results. The study could be a base model for future studies, especially for those researchers who aim to design experiments and numerical studies for grassland fire spread behavior.

SHIELD: a platform for high-throughput screening of barrier-type DNA elements in human cells

Chromatin boundary elements contribute to the partitioning of mammalian genomes into topological domains to regulate gene expression. Certain boundary elements are adopted as DNA insulators for safe and stable transgene expression in mammalian cells. These elements, however, are ill-defined and less characterized in the non-coding genome, partially due to the lack of a platform to readily evaluate boundary-associated activities of putative DNA sequences. Here we report SHIELD (Site-specific Heterochromatin Insertion of Elements at Lamina-associated Domains), a platform tailored for the high-throughput screening of barrier-type DNA elements in human cells. SHIELD takes advantage of the high specificity of serine integrase at heterochromatin, and exploits the natural heterochromatin spreading inside lamina-associated domains (LADs) for the discovery of potent barrier elements. We adopt SHIELD to evaluate the barrier activity of 1000 DNA elements in a high-throughput manner and identify 8 candidates with barrier activities comparable to the core region of cHS4 element in human HCT116 cells. We anticipate SHIELD could facilitate the discovery of novel barrier DNA elements from the non-coding genome in human cells.

Close-canopy lighting, an effective energy-saving strategy for overhead sole-source LED lighting in indoor farming.

Significant advancement has been achieved improving electrical efficiency and photon efficacy of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the sole source of crop lighting for indoor farming. However, a significant portion of highly efficient photon emissions from improved LEDs is wasted by natural beam spread beyond cropping areas. Additional attention is needed to enhance crop-canopy photon capture efficiency (CCPCE), the fraction of photons emitted from LEDs actually incident upon foliar canopies. We postulate that by taking advantage of unique physical properties of LEDs, such as low radiant heat at photon-emitting surfaces and dimmable photon emissions, reduced vertical separation distance between light-emitting surfaces and light-receiving surfaces will enhance CCPCE by capturing more obliquely emitted photons that otherwise are lost. This "close-canopy-lighting" (CCL) strategy was tested in two ways: For an energy-efficiency strategy, LEDs were dimmed to the same photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 160 µmol m-2 s-1 at 45-, 35-, 25-, and 15-cm separation distances between lamps and cropping surfaces. For a yield-enhancement strategy, dimming was not applied, so higher PPFDs occurred at each separation distance closer than 45cm for the same input energy. In the first strategy, the same biomass of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Rouxai) was produced at each separation distance, while significantly lower energy was expended for lighting at each closer separation. Significantly higher biomass was produced at reduced separation distances with the same energy expenditure by LEDs using the yield-enhancement strategy. For both strategies, energy-utilization efficiency (g/kWh) doubled at the closest separation distance of 15cm compared to the standard 45-cm separation distance. Even higher energy-utilization efficiency was achieved at a 25-cm separation distance when growth compartments were enclosed with a reflective curtain in the yield-enhancement strategy. Our findings suggest that CCL is a highly effective energy-saving strategy for overhead LED lighting, suggesting the need for innovative next-generation re-design of height-adjustable LED mounts and controlled air movement between tiers of indoor farms utilizing CCL.

Primary Cardiac Angiosarcoma: A Review.

Primary cardiac angiosarcoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy originating from the endothelial lining of cardiac blood vessels. This review covers various aspects of the disease, including its pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. The primary characteristic of cardiac angiosarcoma is the rapid growth of abnormal blood vessels that invade the heart muscle, leading to the destruction of healthy tissue. Due to its infiltrative nature and early spread, diagnosing and treating cardiac angiosarcoma present significant challenges. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) plays a crucial role in diagnosing cardiac tumors such as angiosarcoma due to its high sensitivity. Additional imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) help assess tumor anatomy and identify metastases. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry are essential for confirming the diagnosis, as they reveal distinct histological features and specific endothelial markers associated with primary cardiac angiosarcoma. Targeted therapies directed at the angiogenic mechanisms and molecular abnormalities hold promise for improving treatment outcomes. Early detection of primary cardiac angiosarcoma remains challenging due to its rarity, and the prognosis is generally poor due to advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. The review emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and collaboration among different specialties to optimize the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care of patients with primary cardiac angiosarcoma. The ultimate goal is to enhance diagnostic methods and therapeutic approaches by advancing knowledge and promoting further research into this aggressive malignancy.