The Highlights Lecture, presented at the closing session of each SNMMI Annual Meeting, was originated and presented for more than 30 years by Henry N. Wagner, Jr., MD. Beginning in 2010, the duties of summarizing selected significant presentations at the meeting were divided annually among 4 distinguished nuclear and molecular medicine subject matter experts. The 2026 Highlights Lectures were delivered on June 2 at the SNMMI Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California. Presented here is the lecture by René R. Sevag Packard, MD, PhD, Associate Professor-in-Residence, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, California, who spoke on cardiovascular topics presented at the meeting. Note that in the following presentation summary, numerals in brackets represent abstract numbers as published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (2026;67[suppl 1]).

Growing evidence suggests that leaching of plasticizers such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP) from microplastics inhibits methanogenesis in anaerobic digesters treating waste activated sludge. However, how DBP influences upstream anaerobic fermentation (AF) remains unclear. This study evaluated the effects of DBP on overall sludge AF and separately on solubilization, hydrolysis, and acidogenesis processes. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) production showed a V-shaped response to environmentally relevant DBP concentrations. A reduction of 45.3% was observed at 0.5 mg/L DBP, whereas reductions exceeded 95% at 1-2 mg/L. The inhibition then weakened with increasing DBP, with a 60.5% reduction at 200 mg/L, an upper-bound level selected to bracket the maximum concentration reported in sludge. Stage-specific effects intensified with DBP concentration and peaked at 200 mg/L, where solubilization increased by 34.6%, whereas hydrolysis and acidogenesis decreased by 30.8% and 11.2%, respectively. The combined influence of these processes explained the nonmonotonic VFA response. Notably, enzyme assays and molecular simulations indicated that DBP inhibited ACK in a competitive-like manner and reduced its activity. Metagenomic analysis further indicated that DBP reduced genetic potential for downstream pathways converting pyruvate and acetyl-CoA to fermentation products. Collectively, these results reveal a DBP-induced fluctuating AF response and provide mechanistic insights into optimizing anaerobic treatment of plasticizer-laden sludge.

This study aims to explore use trajectories of rehabilitation services among ageing Canadians (45-85 years) with osteoarthritis.

Propiconazole is a widely used triazole fungicide and a pervasive contaminant in aquatic systems. However, its neurotoxic potential and underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the neurobehavioral effects of propiconazole on adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) at two environmentally realistic concentrations (20 and 180 μg/L) selected to bracket realistic environmental exposure scenarios. A comprehensive analysis combining behavioral tests, transcriptomics, metabolomics, qRT-PCR and Western blotting validation was conducted. Our results demonstrated that propiconazole exposure induced significant, dose-dependent neurobehavioral deficits, including suppressed locomotor activity, diminished exploratory drive, heightened anxiety-like behavior, and impaired spatial learning and memory. Integrated multi-omics analysis revealed a cohesive mechanistic cascade initiating with disruption of the cytoskeleton (actin filament binding) and progressing to severe ribosomal dysfunction, ultimately leading to a crisis in protein synthesis and nucleotide metabolism. The ribosomal function emerged as a central regulatory hub, with the expression of ribosomal genes serving as a key indicator of the transition from adaptive stress response to pathological failure. Concurrently, metabolomic perturbations highlighted deficits in inhibitory neurotransmission (glycine/serine metabolism) and cellular energy homeostasis (purine metabolism). Protein-level validation confirmed the selective dysregulation of ribosomal subunits, revealing an imbalance between the large and small subunits. Our findings delineate a novel mechanistic framework for propiconazole-induced neurotoxicity and propose a tiered biomarker strategy (involving stat1b, rpl23, gstt1a, and glycine) for environmental monitoring and risk assessment.

This article analyses national legal frameworks that regulate young people's access to abortion, focusing on how different approaches to decision-making authority can either facilitate or obstruct access to care. It explores how countries that have recently liberalised their abortion laws, namely Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico, have acknowledged the need to lower the ages of consent below 18 and integrate the principles of the "evolving capacities of the child" or "progressive autonomy" into their legislation. Each country's approach, whether lowering the age of consent in specific circumstances (Mexico), establishing differentiated age brackets with varying degrees of autonomy (Argentina), or removing age-based restrictions altogether (Colombia), offers a different mechanism for increasing young people's autonomy in decision-making involving abortion. The article also considers how a country that has experienced a recent regression in abortion rights, namely the United States, has also rolled back young people's ability to autonomously consent to abortion care and increased parental involvement in such decisions. Through a comparative analysis of these four countries' legal frameworks, the article concludes that sweeping changes to abortion law and policy - whether progressive or regressive in nature - can fundamentally alter young people's ability to consent to and access such care. It also issues a series of recommendations for the regulation of young people's abortion decision-making, including grounding relevant laws and policies in international human rights principles and linking them to laws and policies geared towards protecting young people's rights in general.

In cases with complex glenoid bone defects, bony increased-offset reverse shoulder arthroplasty can restore glenoid bone stock and improve stability using autografts harvested from the humeral head. However, conventional grafting methods may be insufficient when glenoid defects or deformities are complex. We present a novel bracket-shaped bone grafting technique applied in a patient with advanced rheumatoid arthritis and significant glenoid erosion. The graft was sculpted from the resected humeral head to match the glenoid defect in a Lego block-like fashion, resulting in stable fixation and favorable clinical outcomes.

This study used the finite element method to evaluate a new orthodontic bracket design aiming to reduce friction during tooth movement, thereby minimizing tissue damage. The analysis focused on sliding resistance, retention capacity, and activation using stainless steel brackets (slot: 0.022"x0.027") and various archwire types: square (0.022"x0.022"), rectangular (0.021"x0.025"), and round (0.020"). Simulations were performed under dry (µ=0.5) and lubricated (µ=0.3) conditions, totaling 40 models. Loads were applied to the arches, and von Mises stresses and forces were computed. The passive self-ligating sliding contact bracket showed up to 15% lower resistance to mesiodistal sliding under constant movement and up to 80% under variable movement with a 1N load; under 10N, the reduction reached 80% in both conditions. The active variant demonstrated full engagement of all wire edges and lower resistance to sliding. The distribution of stress varied with arch type and load direction, with round wires showing higher peak stresses. These results indicate promising mechanical advantages of the new bracket design in reducing sliding resistance while enhancing wire control. However, since this is a numerical simulation, clinical studies are required to confirm these findings and determine their practical relevance in orthodontic treatment.