The Perfusion Features of Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Radiofrequency Ablation Using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound and Pathological Stemness Evaluation: Compared to Initial Tumors

Objective: To investigate the perfusion features of local recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and pathological correlation, as well as to compare with those of initial HCC. Methods: From 2010 to 2018, 42 patients with recurrent HCC after RFA were enrolled in this study. The initial HCC patients included 32 males and 10 females with an average age of 58.2 ± 8.1 years. The CEUS images for initial HCC lesions and local recurrence after RFA were compared. The perfusion features were analyzed, including enhancement time, process, boundary, morphology, washout time, washout degree, feeding vessels, and internal necrosis. H&E staining and CD133/EpCAM staining were performed with biopsy samples for the stemness study. Results: According to CEUS, 59.5% of initial HCC lesions had centripetal enhancement, and 61.9% of recurrent HCC lesions had homogeneous enhancement in the arterial phase (p < 0.001). A total of 73.8% of initial HCC lesions had well-defined margins at the peak, and 81.0% of recurrent HCC lesions had poorly defined margins (p < 0.001). A total of 78.6% of initial HCC lesions had regular morphology at the peak, and 83.3% of recurrent HCC lesions were irregular (p < 0.001). Feeding vessels were more frequently found in initial HCC lesion (71.4%) than in recurrent HCCs (38.1%, p = 0.002). In the late phase, 60% of initial HCCs had marked washout while 83.3% of recurrent HCC lesion had marked washout (p = 0.019). A total of 31.3% of the initial HCC lesions had internal necrosis areas while only 7.1% of recurrent HCC lesions had internal necrosis areas (p = 0.035). In tumors 3-5 cm in size, the washout time of recurrent HCCs was shorter than that of initial HCCs (50.3 ± 13.5 s vs. 75.6 ± 45.8 s, p = 0.013). Pathological staining showed that the tumor stem cell markers (CD133 and EpCAM) were both highly expressed in recurrent samples compared with initial tumor samples (CD133+: 19 vs. 5%, p = 0.002; EpCAM+:15 vs. 6%, p = 0.005). Conclusions: Recurrent HCC after RFA had more homogeneous enhancement with a poorly defined border, marked washout, and fewer less feeding vessels and inner necrosis areas compared to initial HCC. The stemness study also found upregulated stemness in recurrent HCC. These specific features might be related to the aggressive biological behavior of recurrent HCC.

The epidemiology of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in China: A large-scale multi-center observational study

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a serious global public health problem in the present. TB also affects other sites (extrapulmonary tuberculosis, EPTB), and accounts for a significant proportion of tuberculosis cases worldwide. In order to comprehensively understand epidemiology of EBTB in China, and improve early diagnosis and treatment, we conducted a large-scale multi-center observational study to assess the demographic data and the prevalence of common EPTB inpatients, and further evaluate the prevalence of EPTB concurrent with Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and the associations between multiple EPTB types and gender-age group in China. All consecutive age≥15yr inpatients with a confirmed diagnosis of EPTB during the period from January 2011 to December 2017 were included in the study. The descriptive statistical analysis included median and quartile measurements for continuous variables, and frequencies and proportions with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for categorical variables. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to compare the association of multiple EPTB types between age group and gender. The results showed that the proportion of 15–24 years and 25–34 years in EPTB inpatients were the most and the ratio of male: female was 1.51. Approximately 70% of EPTB inpatients were concurrent with PTB or other types of EPTB. The most common of EPTB was tuberculous pleurisy (50.15%), followed by bronchial tuberculosis (14.96%), tuberculous lymphadenitis of the neck (7.24%), tuberculous meningitis (7.23%), etc. It was found that many EPTB inpatients concurrent with PTB. The highest prevalence of EPTB concurrent with PTB was pharyngeal/laryngeal tuberculosis (91.31%), followed by bronchial tuberculosis (89.52%), tuberculosis of hilar lymph nodes (79.52%), tuberculosis of mediastinal lymph nodes (79.13%), intestinal tuberculosis (72.04%), tuberculous pleurisy (65.31%) and tuberculous meningitis (62.64%), etc. The results from EPTB concurrent with PTB suggested that females EPTB inpatients were less likely to be at higher risk of concurrent PTB (aOR = 0.819, 95%CI:0.803–0.835) after adjusted by age. As age increasing, the trend risk of concurrent PTB decreased (aOR = 0.994, 95%CI: 0.989–0.999) after adjusted by gender. Our study demonstrated that the common EPTB were tuberculous pleurisy, bronchial tuberculosis, tuberculous lymphadenitis of the neck, tuberculous meningitis, etc. A majority of patients with pharyngeal/laryngeal tuberculosis, bronchial tuberculosis, tuberculosis of hilar/mediastinal lymph nodes, intestinal tuberculosis, tuberculous pleurisy, tuberculous meningitis, etc. were concurrent with PTB. Female EPTB inpatients were less likely to be at higher risk of concurrent PTB, and as age increasing, the trend risk of concurrent PTB decreased. The clinicians should be alert to the presence of concurrent tuberculosis in EPTB, and all suspected cases of EPTB should be assessed for concomitant PTB to determine whether the case is infectious and to help for early diagnosis and treatment.

SARS-CoV-2 turned positive in a discharged patient with COVID-19 arouses concern regarding the present standards for discharge

An outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to a serious epidemic in China and other countries, resulting in worldwide concern. With active efforts of prevention and control, more and more patients are being discharged. However, how to manage these patients normatively is still challenging. This paper reports an asymptomatic discharged patient with COVID-19 who retested positive for SARS-CoV-2, which arouses concern regarding the present discharge standards of COVID-19.

Evaluation of the reproductive system development and egg-laying performance of hens infected with TW I-type infectious bronchitis virus

The prevalence of TW I-type infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) has been increasing rapidly, and it has become the second most common genotype of IBV in China threatening the poultry industry. In this study, 1-day-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens infected with TW I-type IBV were continuously observed for 200 days. TW I-type IBV affected the respiratory, urinary, and female reproductive systems, resulting in a mortality rate of 10% as well as a decrease in egg quantity and an increase in inferior eggs. During the monitoring period, serious lesions occurred in the female reproductive system, such as yolk peritonitis, a shortened oviduct, and cysts of different sizes with effusion in the degenerated right oviduct. The infective viruses persisted in vivo for a long time, and due to the stress of laying, virus shedding was detected again after the onset of egg production. Our findings suggest that TW I-type IBV is deadly to chickens and could cause permanent damage to the oviduct, resulting in the poor laying performance of female survivors and decreasing the breeding value and welfare of the infected flock.

Circulating RNAs, circ_4911 and circ_4302, are novel regulators of endothelial cell function under a hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironment

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common hypervascular tumor disease. Endothelial cells, as a crucial component of the tumor microenvironment, have been reported to participate in angiogenesis and influence the development of tumors, including HCC. Recent studies have demonstrated that circulating RNAs (circRNAs) participate in the functional regulation of endothelial cells. However, the expression and function of circRNAs in endothelial cells under the HCC microenvironment is still unclear. In the present study, we analyzed the expression profiles and investigated the role of circRNAs in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) co‑cultured with human primary hepatoma cells. Based on an RNA‑sequencing assay, we screened 19 significantly downregulated circRNAs in HUVECs under an HCC microenvironment. Subsequently, we validated the expression of the candidate circRNAs using RT‑qPCR, and selected two of the most downregulated circRNAs among them, circ_4911 and circ_4302. Next, through circRNA overexpression experiments, we demonstrated that overexpression of circ_4911 and circ_4302 both inhibited the proliferation and migration of HUVECs, and arrested cells at the GO/G1 stage, while promoting adhesion. Overall, in the present study, we identified the roles of circ_4911 and circ_4302 in regulating functions of HUVECs under an HCC microenvironment.

Investigating Disparities by Sex and LGBTQ Identity: A Content Analysis of Sexual Health Information on College Student Health Center Websites

Student Health Centers (SHCs) are important resources on U.S. college campuses. In light of recent calls for creating more opportunities for health care services to young men and sexual/gender minorities, this content analytic study evaluated how sexual health information and resources are communicated on SHC websites. Utilizing a stratified random sample of 400 U.S. colleges/universities, we assessed how often sexual health is explicitly labeled for particular groups, the types of sexual health topics on SHC websites, the depth of sexual health information, and the sexual health resources offered on SHC websites. Our findings revealed that women's health webpages far outnumbered men's health webpages, sexual health topics were more common on women's health webpages, and sexual health topics were covered at greater depth on women's health webpages compared to men's health webpages. Similar disparities were found for sexual/gender minorities. General sexual health webpages on SHC websites addressed significantly more sexual health topics in greater depth and offered more sexual health resources than LGBTQ health webpages. The practical implications for college student health and potential health disparities are discussed.

Intimate Partner Violence Among Female OEF/OIF/OND Veterans Who Were Evaluated for Traumatic Brain Injury in the Veterans Health Administration: A Preliminary Investigation

Many female veterans have deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND), and some experience traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although TBI is increasingly recognized as an important health issue for female OEF/OIF/OND veterans, there is little attention to stressful experiences that may exacerbate health problems or hinder recovery among veterans who may have experienced TBI. Lifetime intimate partner violence (IPV) is common among general samples of female veterans. Given the negative implications of IPV on women's health, it is important to understand whether there is a relationship between lifetime IPV and health functioning among female veterans who have experienced possible TBI. This study provides an exploration of lifetime IPV and its associations with physical and mental health, as well as community reintegration, among female OEF/OIF/OND veterans who have been evaluated for TBI. The sample comprised 127 female veterans who participated in a larger study that examined reintegration among OEF/OIF/OND veterans who received a TBI evaluation in the Veterans Heath Administration (VHA) and completed an assessment of lifetime IPV. Primary and secondary data sources included survey responses (e.g., health symptoms and reintegration) and VHA administrative data (e.g., health diagnoses). Results indicated that nearly two thirds (63.0%) of women who completed a TBI evaluation reported lifetime IPV, though clinician-confirmed TBI was not associated with IPV. Women who experienced IPV, compared with those who did not, reported higher levels of neurobehavioral symptoms and were significantly more likely to have diagnoses of back pain (48.6% vs. 30.0%, respectively) and substance abuse (12.2% vs. 0%, respectively). Notwithstanding, women with and without lifetime IPV reported similar levels of reintegration. Findings provide evidence that lifetime IPV may be common among female OEF/OIF/OND veterans who are evaluated for TBI, and that IPV is associated with several treatable health problems among this population.

A super-spreader of COVID-19 in Ningbo city in China

An outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly. It is imperative to control the epidemic by understanding the epidemiological feature, preventative quarantine, and effective hygiene measures. In the present study, we report a case of super-spreader who transmitted the disease to over twenty-eight persons in Ningbo, Zhejiang. Identifying and isolated super-spreaders, understanding the reasons behind the efficient transmission ability are important for the control and management of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

[Effects of root abscisic acid on Na+ transport and photosystem 2 in Helianthus tuberosus under salt stress]

The effects of root abscisic acid (ABA) signal on Na⁺ transport and photosystem 2 (PS2) in Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) under salt stress (150 mmol·L^-1 NaCl) were examined by applying ABA synthesis inhibitor sodium tungstate to roots. Sodium tungstate inhibited ABA synthesis in roots, reduced root Na⁺ efflux, and increased the efficiency of Na⁺ transport from roots to leaves under salt stress. Salt stress increased leaf Na⁺ content and did not affect leaf membrane lipid peroxidation, PS2 reaction center protein and PS2 maximum photochemical efficiency (F_v/F_m ). The inhibition on root ABA synthesis significantly increased leaf Na⁺ accumulation, aggravated leaf membrane lipid peroxidation, impaired PS2 reaction center protein, decreased F_v/F_m, and induced PS2 photoinhibition. In conclusion, root ABA signal was beneficial to reducing leaf Na⁺ accumulation and preventing PS2 oxidative damage by inducing root Na⁺ efflux and inhibiting Na⁺ transport to the aerial part in H. tuberosus under salt stress.

The impacts of gene polymorphisms on methotrexate in Chinese psoriatic patients

BACKGROUND

Methotrexate (MTX) is the first-line treatment for psoriasis in China. The metabolic processes of MTX include various proteins and genes. Previous studies have shown that gene polymorphisms had significant impacts on the efficacy of MTX. However, the influence of gene polymorphisms has not been reported in the Chinese psoriatic patients.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to verify the impacts of candidate genes polymorphisms on the effectiveness of MTX in a Chinese psoriatic population.

METHODS

In this study, we enrolled 259 psoriasis patients from two clinical centres. Each of them received MTX treatment at 7.5-15 mg/week for at least 8 weeks. Patients were stratified as responders and non-responders according to whether the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score declined more than 75% (PASI75). According to previous reports, 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected and genotyped for each patient using the Sequenom platform. Fisher's exact test, the chi-square test, Mann-Whitney tests and ANOVA analyses were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Among 259 patients, there were 182 males and 77 females, 63 patients with psoriatic arthritis and 196 patients without arthritis phenotype, and the age of all patients ranged from 19 to 70 years (49.7 ± 13.6). The baseline PASI value of patients was 13.8 ± 8.5, and 33.2% of patients achieved a PASI75 response after MTX treatment. Patients carrying the ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 gene (ABCB1) rs1045642 TT genotype were associated with more severe psoriasis skin lesion (P = 0.032). Furthermore, the ABCB1 rs1045642 TT genotype was found to be more frequent in non-responders (P = 0.017), especially in moderate-to-severe patients (P = 0.002) and patients without psoriatic arthritis (P = 0.026) after MTX treatment.

CONCLUSION

We have demonstrated for the first time that polymorphism of the ABCB1 rs1045642 TT genotype is predictive of a worse clinical response of skin lesions to MTX therapy in a Chinese psoriatic population.

A method for high-throughput screening hydrolase of lignin β-aryl ether linkage from directed evolution by glutathione (GSH) assay

Background

Lignin’s valorization plays a critical role in refining the bioresource. Considering that the β-aryl ether linkage (β-O-4 bond) accounts for 50–70% of lignin chemical linkage between aromatic rings, the hydrolase of lignin β-aryl ether linkage, especially the β-etherase, provided a promising way for the lignin depolymerization and valorization. As a result, it is essential to develop the effective high-throughput methods for screening the mutant library of β-etherase from directed evolution.

Results

Based on the enzymatic mechanism of β-O-4 bond’s cleavage by β-etherase, the LigF was selected as the model to study high-throughput method by GSH assay for screening the mutant library of β-etherase from directed evolution. After the primary study with purified LigF and cell lysate, the GSH assay was used to screen mutant library of β-etherase. The study on screening the mutant library with about 600 colonies indicated that the selected transformants all have one or two mutated sites in the gene sequence of LigF, and the activities from GSH assay of most selected transformants were the same as their activities from HPLC assay.

Conclusions

The results from the high-throughput screening of mutant library demonstrated that GSH assay could be applied to screen β-etherase mutant from directed evolution.

Research on intelligent prediction and zonation of basin-scale flood risk based on LSTM method

Global climate change and human activities aggravate the frequency of flood disasters. Flood risk includes natural flood risk and risk of economic and social disasters, which is displayed intuitively by flood risk zonation maps. In this paper, we take the disaster-causing factors, the disaster environment, the disaster-bearing body, and the disaster prevention and mitigation capability into consideration comprehensively. Eleven influencing indexes including annual maximum 3-day rainfall and rainfall in flood season are selected, and the virtual sown area of crops is innovated. Taking the Huaihe River Basin (HRB) as the research area, the flood risk prediction of the basin is explored by using the long short-term memory (LSTM). The results show that LSTM can be successfully applied to flood risk prediction. The short-term prediction results of the model are good, and the area where the risk is seriously underestimated (the high and very high risk are identified as the very low risk) accounts for only 0.98% of the total basin on average. The prediction results can be used as a reference for watershed management organizations, so as to guide future flood disaster prevention.

HIFU for the treatment of difficult colorectal liver metastases with unsuitable indications for resection and radiofrequency ablation: a phase I clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) but were contraindicated for resection and radiofrequency ablation.

METHODS

Patients between 20 and 80 years of age with 1-3 liver metastases from colorectal cancer were selected. Included patients have had their primary lesions removed with no evidence of extrahepatic metastasis prior to the study. Ultrasound-guided HIFU was employed and target regions' ablation was achieved with repeated sonications from the deep to shallow regions of the tumors section by section.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients were enrolled. The most common adverse events (AEs) were pain (n = 8), followed by fatigue (n = 7), increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (n = 7), increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (n = 5), and skin edema (n = 4). No grade ≥ 3 AEs occurred and while most patients (76.9%) achieved a complete response, three patients achieved a partial response. The objective response rate was 100% after the first HIFU treatment. Nine patients relapsed but the tumors were mostly isolated to the liver (8/9). The median follow-up period was 25 months. The 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 16.7%, and the median PFS was 9 months. Notably, the 2-year overall survival (OS) was 77.8%, and the median OS was 25 months.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that the HIFU treatment is safe, is able to achieve a good tumor response rate and long-term prognosis even when the foci were in high-risk locations, and should be considered for patients who were considered unsuitable for other local treatments.

A multifunctional metal-biopolymer coordinated double network hydrogel combined with multi-stimulus responsiveness, self-healing, shape memory and antibacterial properties

Outfitted with abundant hydrogen bonding and coordination active groups, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) possesses a class of naturally occurring ligands for coordination with metal ions, establishing its excellent potential for various fields. Herein, by incorporating the naturally derived CMC into a thermally reconfigurable agarose (Agar) gel medium, a novel type of metal-biopolymer coordinated double network hydrogel (DN gel) was successfully fabricated via the strong coordination interactions. The interpenetrated CMC was confirmed to retain its excellent chelating abilities within the bulk gel matrix, which resulted in a series of metal-coordinated DN gels through spontaneous self-associative complexation with metal ions such as Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺, Fe³⁺, and Cr³⁺. Moreover, these two types of physical cross-links are functionally independent and reversible, which enables the programming of the hydrogel with multi-functionality, including pH-regulated shape memory behavior, multi-staged self-healing properties and durable antibacterial activities. Thus, we believe that the successful preparation of such a coordination-driven DN gel will lead to the development of biopolymer-based multifunctional hydrogels, as well as provide new insight into nanocomponent assembly and soft electronic biosensing systems for biomedical applications.

Salt adaptability in a halophytic soybean (Glycine soja) involves photosystems coordination

BACKGROUND

Glycine soja is a halophytic soybean native to saline soil in Yellow River Delta, China. Photosystem I (PSI) performance and the interaction between photosystem II (PSII) and PSI remain unclear in Glycine soja under salt stress. This study aimed to explore salt adaptability in Glycine soja in terms of photosystems coordination.

RESULTS

Potted Glycine soja was exposed to 300 mM NaCl for 9 days with a cultivated soybean, Glycine max, as control. Under salt stress, the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and PSI (△MR/MR0) were significantly decreased with the loss of PSI and PSII reaction center proteins in Glycine max, and greater PSI vulnerability was suggested by earlier decrease in △MR/MR0 than Fv/Fm and depressed PSI oxidation in modulated 820 nm reflection transients. Inversely, PSI stability was defined in Glycine soja, as △MR/MR0 and PSI reaction center protein abundance were not affected by salt stress. Consistently, chloroplast ultrastructure and leaf lipid peroxidation were not affected in Glycine soja under salt stress. Inhibition on electron flow at PSII acceptor side helped protect PSI by restricting electron flow to PSI and seemed as a positive response in Glycine soja due to its rapid recovery after salt stress. Reciprocally, PSI stability aided in preventing PSII photoinhibition, as the simulated feedback inhibition by PSI inactivation induced great decrease in Fv/Fm under salt stress. In contrast, PSI inactivation elevated PSII excitation pressure through inhibition on PSII acceptor side and accelerated PSII photoinhibition in Glycine max, according to the positive and negative correlation of △MR/MR0 with efficiency that an electron moves beyond primary quinone and PSII excitation pressure respectively.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, photosystems coordination depending on PSI stability and rapid response of PSII acceptor side contributed to defending salt-induced oxidative stress on photosynthetic apparatus in Glycine soja. Photosystems interaction should be considered as one of the salt adaptable mechanisms in this halophytic soybean.

Altered insulin-like growth factor-2 signaling is associated with psychopathology and cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Schizophrenia is linked with abnormal brain neurodevelopment, on which IGF-2 (insulin-like growth factor-2) has a great impact. The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of serum IGF-2 and its binding proteins IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-7 in schizophrenia patients and the associations of these proteins with schizophrenia psychopathology and cognitive deficits.

METHODS

Thirty-two schizophrenia patients and 30 healthy controls were recruited. The PANSS and a neurocognitive test battery were used to assess schizophrenic symptomatology and cognition, respectively. Serum IGF-2, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-7 levels were determined using ELISA.

RESULTS

The schizophrenia patients had a much lower content of serum IGF-2, IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-7 than controls. For the patients, IGF-2 levels were negatively correlated with the PANSS negative scores and positively associated with working memory, attention, and executive function. The correlations between IGF-2 and the PANSS negative scores, working memory or executive function were still significant after controlling for age, sex, education level, BMI, illness history and age of onset. No significant associations of IGFBP-3 or IGFBP-7 with the PANSS scores and cognitive function were observed in the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that serum IGF-2 was significantly correlated with negative and cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, suggesting that altered IGF-2 signaling may be implicated in the psychopathology and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.

Differentiation of atypical hepatic hemangioma from liver metastases: Diagnostic performance of a novel type of color contrast enhanced ultrasound

BACKGROUND

In clinical practice, the diagnosis is sometimes difficult with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) when the case has an atypical perfusion pattern. Color parametric imaging (CPI) is an analysis software for CEUS with better detection of temporal differences in CEUS imaging using arbitrary colors. It measures the differences in arrival time of the contrast agent in lesions so that the perfusion features of atypical hemangioma and colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastasis can be distinguished.

AIM

To evaluate the role of a novel type of CPI of CEUS in the differential diagnosis of atypical hemangioma from liver metastases in patients with a history of CRC.

METHODS

From January 2016 to July 2018, 42 patients including 20 cases of atypical hemangioma and 22 cases of liver metastases from CRC were enrolled. These patients had a mean age of 60.5 ± 9.3 years (range: 39-75 years). All patients received ultrasound, CEUS and CPI examinations. Resident and staff radiologists independently and retrospectively reviewed CEUS and CPI images. Two sets of criteria were assigned: (1) Routine CEUS alone; and (2) CEUS and CPI. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of resident and staff radiologists were analyzed.

RESULTS

The following CPI features were significantly different between liver hemangioma and liver metastases analyzed by staff and resident radiologists: Peripheral nodular enhancement (65%-70.0% vs 4.5%-13.6%, P < 0.001, P = 0.001), mosaic/chaotic enhancement (5%-10% vs 68.2%-63.6%, P < 0.001, P < 0.001) and feeding artery (20% vs 59.1%-54.5%, P = 0.010, P = 0.021). CPI imaging offered significant improvements in detection rates compared with routine CEUS in both resident and staff groups. By resident radiologists, the specificity and accuracy of CEUS+CPI were significantly increased compared with that of CEUS (77.3% vs 45.5%, P = 0.030; 78.6% vs 50.0%, P = 0.006). In addition, the area under the curve (AUC) of CEUS+CPI was significantly higher than that of CEUS (0.803 vs 0.757, P = 0.036). By staff radiologists, accuracy was improved in CEUS+CPI (81.0% vs 54.8%, P = 0.010), whereas no significant differences in specificity and sensitivity were found (P = 0.144, P = 0.112). The AUC of CEUS+CPI was significantly higher than that of CEUS (0.890 vs 0.825, P = 0.013) by staff radiologists.

CONCLUSION

Compared with routine CEUS, CPI could provide specific information on the hemodynamic features of liver lesions and help to differentiate atypical hemangioma from liver metastases in patients with CRC, even for senior radiologists.

The association between serum insulin-like growth factor 1 and cognitive impairments in patients with schizophrenia

Accumulating evidence has shown that insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are implicated in schizophrenia. Altered serum levels of IGF-1 have been found in schizophrenia patients and are associated with psychopathological symptoms. However, whether there is a relationship between IGF-1 and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia remains unknown. Thirty schizophrenia patients and 26 healthy controls were recruited for this study. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was adopted to assess schizophrenic symptoms, and a battery of neuropsychological tests was employed to evaluate cognitive function. Serum IGF-1 content was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that patients with schizophrenia performed more poorly than healthy controls in most cognitive tasks, excluding visual memory. The serum IGF-1 concentrations in schizophrenia patients were much lower than those in controls. Correlation analyses revealed that the levels of serum IGF-1 were positively correlated with executive function and attention scores in patients. Furthermore, IGF-1 was an independent contributor to deficits in executive function and attention among schizophrenia patients. Collectively, serum IGF-1 levels were significantly correlated with cognitive performance in schizophrenia patients, indicating that decreased IGF-1 levels might contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia-associated cognitive impairments. The regulation of IGF-1 signaling might be a potential treatment strategy for cognitive impairments in schizophrenia.

Electrospun polyacrylonitrile/polyvinyl pyrrolidone composite nanofibrous membranes with high-efficiency PM2.5 filter

In this research, we successfully fabricated a novel closed pore polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) composite nanofibrous membrane (PCNM) on the substrate of a commercial polypropylene window mesh. First, smooth and uniform PAN/PVP composite nanofibers (PCNs) were manufactured by blending PAN and PVP with a mass ratio of 5:5 during electrospinning. Subsequently, the prepared PCNs were hot pressed in a vacuum drying oven at a given temperature of 90°C. The morphology and filter efficiency of PCN and PCNM were investigated. It was found that hot-pressing treatment significantly affected the pore structure and orientation of PCNM, which contributed to its closed pore structure and good alignment. The filter efficiency results indicated that the hot-pressed PCNMs have excellent removal efficiency of up to 96.8% of fine particulate matter. This research demonstrates that PCNMs have potential as filters for indoor dust removal and will provide a new idea for the development of air filters.

Ice-templating of chitosan/agarose porous composite hydrogel with adjustable water-sensitive shape memory property and multi-staged degradation performance

Water-induced shape memory polymers (SMPs) may have important applications in the fields of tissue engineering and biomedicine. However, most of the ideal candidates often suffer from non-biodegradation, weak mechanical strength and random macro-porous structure, which do limit the creativity and dynamism of water-sensitive SPMs. To address above issue, in this study, by incorporating the pH-responsive chitosan (CHIT) into a thermoplastic elastomer agarose (Agar) matrix and ice-templating, a novel dual-responsive interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel with highly porous structure was facilely prepared, which has a ultra-high porosity (>95 %) and water-induced shape recovery ratio (>90 %, response time <1 min). Results showed that such shape memory property is erasable and pH-dependent which achieves a great shape memory property at high pH and then can be erased in acidic condition. In vitro dissolution test indicates the great possibility of programming the multi-staged degradation of such composites in response to sequential pH or thermal stimuli. Based on the porous internal structure, we also demonstrate some potential applications of the hydrogels for assembly of nanomaterials, such as Au nanorods for remote sensing system and model protein of insulin for drug controlled release. Moreover, the process proved to be versatile, allowing the use of most natural polymer including gelatin, alginate, and so on. Thus, coupling of such straightforward fabrication approach, multifunctionality and biodegradable prerequisite feature indicates great potential for use in the minimally invasive surgery.

Thermosensitive liposomal doxorubicin plus radiofrequency ablation increased tumor destruction and improved survival in patients with medium and large hepatocellular carcinoma: A randomized, double-blinded, dummy-controlled clinical trial in a single center

Background

Lyso-thermosensitive liposomal doxorubicin (LTLD, ThermoDox) consists of doxorubicin encapsulated contained within a heat-sensitive liposome.

Aims and Objectives

We sought to evaluate whether the use of combined radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and LTLD would result in larger coagulation volume and longer overall survival (OS) compared with the use of RFA alone in patients with 3-7 cm unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials and Methods

Between 2010 and 2012, 22 HCC patients were randomly assigned to one of two treatments in our center: (1) ultrasound-guided percutaneous RFA plus intravenous (IV) infusion of LTLD (combination, n = 11) or (2) RFA plus IV dummy (RFA, n = 11). Four patients withdrew from the study, and the remaining 18 patients entered the final analysis. There were 14 male and 4 female patients with an average age of 61.1 ± 9.3 years (range: 40-73 years). The average tumor size was 4.2 ± 1.0 cm (range: 3.1-6.1 cm). One-month enhanced computed tomography was used to evaluate the ablation efficacy and coagulation volume after RFA. Regular follow-up after RFA was performed to assess toxicity, local response rates, and OS rates.

Results

A major complication (empyema) occurred in one case in the combination group. Combination treatment region did not induce any additional toxicity beyond doxorubicin. The primary ablation success rate was 93.3% (14/15 tumors) in the combination group and 77.8% (7/9 tumors) in the RFA group (P = 0.308). The difference in coagulation volume between pre- and post-RFA in the combination group was significantly larger than that of the RFA group (105.7 ± 73.8 cm ³ vs. 37.3 ± 8.5 cm ³, P = 0.013). The follow-up period ranged from 11 to 80 months (average: 49.1 ± 24.8 months). The local progression rate was 6.7% (1/15 tumors) in the combination group and 22.2% (2/9 tumors) in the RFA group. The mean OS for the combination group was 68.5 ± 7.2 months, which was significantly greater compared with the RFA group (46.0 ± 10.6 months, P = 0.045).

Conclusions

RFA with heat target delivery chemotherapy facilitated better tumor coagulation necrosis without additional toxicity. This combined treatment may improve the clinical efficacy of RFA or free doxorubicin and prolong survival in patients with medium to large HCC.

68Ga-PSMA PET/CT Combined with PET/Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy Can Diagnose Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer in Men with Previous Negative Biopsy Results

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility and diagnostic efficacy of ⁶⁸Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT combined with PET/ultrasound-guided biopsy in the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). Methods: In total, 31 patients with a previously negative prostate biopsy but persistent elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were imaged with a ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT ligand before undergoing repeat prostate biopsy. On the basis of the proposed Prostate Cancer Molecular Imaging Standardized Evaluation criteria, ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT results were interpreted as negative (molecular-imaging-for-PSMA expression score [miPSMA-ES] of 0-1) or positive (miPSMA-ES of 2-3). All patients underwent standard template systematic biopsy with up to 4 additional PET/ultrasound-guided biopsy cores. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT were determined. In addition, the correlation between the miPSMA-ES and the detection rate of PCa was also analyzed. Univariate logistic regression models were established using ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT semiquantitative analysis parameters to predict the outcome of repeat prostate biopsy. Results: The median age of patients was 65 y (range, 53-81 y), and the median PSA level was 18.0 ng/mL (range, 5.48-49.77 ng/mL). PCa was detected in 15 of 31 patients (48.4%), and 12 of 31 patients (38.7%) had clinically significant PCa (csPCa). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT in the diagnosis of csPCa were 100.0%, 68.4%, 66.7%, 100.0%, and 80.6%, respectively. The detection rate of PCa increased with the increase in miPSMA-ES. The detection rates of csPCa in the miPSMA-ES 0-1, 2, and 3 groups were 0%, 54.5%, and 85.7%, respectively. Semiquantitative analysis of ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT images showed that predictive models based on the SUV_max of prostate lesion, tumor-to-normal-prostate background SUV_max, and tumor-to-normal-liver background SUV_max could effectively predict csPCa; area under the curves were 0.930, 0.877, and 0.956, respectively. Conclusion: This study preliminarily confirmed that ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging, combined with PET/ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy, can effectively detect csPCa. Prebiopsy ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT had predictive value for csPCa in the studied patient population.

[Musashi-1 positively regulates growth and proliferation of hepatoma cells in vitro]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the regulatory role of Musashi-1 (MSI1) in the proliferation and growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.

METHODS

We examined the expression of MSI1 in HCC and paired adjacent tissues from 24 patients using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. A MSI1-expressing vector was constructed and stably transfected into HepG2 cells, and short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) that targeted MSI1 mRNA were ligated into the vector and stably transfected in Huh7 cells. The effects of MSI1 overexpression and silencing on the proliferation, viability and cell cycle of HepG2 cells were investigated using flow cytometry or MTT assay. The expressions of PCNA, cyclin D1, APC and β-catenin in the HCC cells were detected with Western blotting.

RESULTS

MSI1 expression was significantly up-regulated in HCC tissues as compared with that in the adjacent tissues. Overexpression of MSI1 in HepG2 cells resulted in significantly enhanced cell growth (P < 0.01) and significantly reduced G0/G1 phase cells from (58.42±3.18)% to (40.67±1.22)% and increased S phase cells from (28.51± 1.93)% to (40.06±1.92)% (P < 0.01), causing also increases in the expressions of PCNA and Cyclin D1. Knockdown of MSI1 in Huh7 cells obviously inhibited the cell growth and caused cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase (P < 0.01) with reduced protein expressions of PCNA and cyclin D1. Overexpression of MSI1 in HepG2 cells also down-regulated the expression of APC and up-regulated the expression of β-catenin protein, while MSI1 knockdown caused reverse changes in Huh7 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

MSI1 promotes the progression of HCC through positive modulation of cell growth and cell cycle via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Visual Motion Processing in Macaque V2

In the primate visual system, direction-selective (DS) neurons are critical for visual motion perception. While DS neurons in the dorsal visual pathway have been well characterized, the response properties of DS neurons in other major visual areas are largely unexplored. Recent optical imaging studies in monkey visual cortex area 2 (V2) revealed clusters of DS neurons. This imaging method facilitates targeted recordings from these neurons. Using optical imaging and single-cell recording, we characterized detailed response properties of DS neurons in macaque V2. Compared with DS neurons in the dorsal areas (e.g., middle temporal area [MT]), V2 DS neurons have a smaller receptive field and a stronger antagonistic surround. They do not code speed or plaid motion but are sensitive to motion contrast. Our results suggest that V2 DS neurons play an important role in figure-ground segregation. The clusters of V2 DS neurons are likely specialized functional systems for detecting motion contrast.

Synthesis, characterization, and antitumor properties of Au(i)–thiourea complexes

The complex Au(i)(3c)2OTf induced the ROS elevation and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in a synergistic manner.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound features of mediastinal lymphomas and thymic epithelial tumors

OBJECTIVES

To summarize the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features of mediastinal lymphomas and thymic epithelial tumors (including thymomas and thymic carcinomas) and to explore the value of CEUS in the differential diagnosis of lymphomas and thymic epithelial tumors.

METHODS

Sixty-nine patients with 69 mediastinal lesions who underwent CEUS and had disease confirmed by histopathology were enrolled in the study. There were 33 cases of lymphoma, 19 cases of thymic carcinoma, and 17 cases of thymoma. CEUS features, including the enhancement pattern, enhancement distribution, enhancement time, inner necrosis status, wash out pattern, and vascular morphology, were evaluated in each group.

RESULTS

Thymomas often presented with homogeneous (88.2%, 15/17) and late (88.2%, 15/17) enhancement and a low rate of inner necrosis (17.6%, 3/17). Late (73.7%, 14/19), heterogeneous (68.4%, 13/19), and centripetal (63.2%, 12/19) enhancement were more often observed in thymic carcinoma, as was a high rate of inner necrosis (78.9%, 15/19). Lymphomas showed a homogeneous enhancement rate of 57.6% (19/33) and a late enhancement rate of 54.5% (18/33). The rate of inner necrosis for lymphomas was 45.5% (15/33). The diagnostic accuracy of this finding for distinguishing thymic epithelial tumors from lymphomas was 63.8%, the sensitivity was 80.6%, and the specificity was 45.5%. Enlarged blood vessels were a feature specific to lymphomas, while small vessels arranged in a comb shape was a feature specific to thymic epithelial tumors.

CONCLUSION

This study describes the CEUS features of common mediastinal tumors and may stimulate further studies in this field.

Knockdown of PYCR1 inhibits proliferation, drug resistance and EMT in colorectal cancer cells by regulating STAT3-Mediated p38 MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathway

PYCR1 exerts an important role in various cancers, but its effect on colorectal cancer (CRC) and the potential mechanism remain to be clarified. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of PYCR1 on CRC and further explore the special molecular mechanism. The expression of PYCR1 in CRC tissues and cells was analysed by RT-PCR assay. Cell proliferation was explored using an MTT assay. A CoIP assay was performed to determine the binding activity of PYCR1 and STAT3. Western blot was used to measure the protein expression of P-gp, MRP1, E-cadherin and vimentin. The results revealed that PYCR1 is highly expressed in CRC tissues and cells. PYCR1-siRNA inhibited the proliferation, drug resistance and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of CRC cells. The CoIP assay result demonstrated that PYCR1 interacts directly with STAT3, and STAT3 overexpression partly reverses the effect of PYCR1 on proliferation, drug resistance and EMT of CRC cells. What is more, si-PYCR1 inhibited STAT3-mediated p38 MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways. Collectively, it suggests that knockdown of PYCR1 inhibits proliferation, drug resistance and EMT potentially by regulating STAT3-mediated p38 MAPK and NF-κB signalling pathways in CRC cells.

A novel cadmium-containing wastewater treatment method: Bio-immobilization by microalgae cell and their mechanism

Heavy metal cadmium (Cd) has drawn tremendous comcern due to its rigorous environmental and health hazards. Herein, we have presented an efficient and economical strategy for the removal and recycling of hazardous Cd ions using microalgae cells as the bioreactors. Remarkably, the green bio-platform for the bioproduction of CdSe nanoparticles (NPs) was developed depending on their orderly regulated and sustainable cellular environment. The biofabricated CdSe NPs manifested favorable photoluminescence properties, and presented well monodispersed spherical morphology and certain crystallinity structure with mean size of smaller than 7 nm. Especially, the fluorescence "turn off" sensing system based on the CdSe NPs was established to detect Hg²⁺. The nanosensor enables the quantitative analyses of Hg²⁺ with a linear range of 0-2.0 μM and a detection limit of 0.021 μM. Furthermore, it was preliminarily speculated that the reducing biomolecules in the algae cells could be involved in the formation of CdSe NPs. This work not only provides new insights into the removal and recycling of hazardous Cd ions, but also brings a promising route for biosynthesis of CdSe NPs.

Retracted Article: Knockdown of TMPRSS11D inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells

TMPRSS11D is a member of the type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) family that is implicated in the development and progression of several cancers. However, the biological roles of TMPRSS11D in cervical cancer have not been investigated. In the present study, we detected the expression levels of TMPRSS11D in human cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. The results showed that TMPRSS11D expression was significantly upregulated in cervical cancer tissues as compared to the adjacent normal tissues. Besides, TMPRSS11D was highly expressed in human cervical cancer cell lines. Then we knocked down TMPRSS11D in cervical cancer cell lines to evaluate the effects of TMPRSS11D knockdown on cervical cancer cells. The results showed that knockdown of TMPRSS11D significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion in cervical cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the data revealed that TMPRSS11D knockdown prevented epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), as proved by the increased E-cadherin expression, as well as decreased N-cadherin and fibronectin expressions. Additionally, knockdown of TMPRSS11D inhibited the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway in cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) treatment reversed the inhibitory effects of TMPRSS11D knockdown on cell proliferation and migration. Collectively, knockdown of TMPRSS11D exerted anti-tumor activity, at least in part, via inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway. These findings indicated that TMPRSS11D might serve as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of cervical cancer.

TMPRSS11D is a member of the type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) family that is implicated in the development and progression of several cancers.

Shear Wave Elastography in Rectal Cancer Staging, Compared with Endorectal Ultrasonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The goal of the study described here was to investigate the value of shear wave elastography (SWE) in pre-operative staging of rectal cancer. Fifty-five patients with rectal cancer underwent pre-operative conventional endorectal ultrasonography (ERUS), SWE and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. Pathologic results were used as the gold standard for cancer staging. The concordance rate with pathologic stage by ERUS and MRI and the stiffness values measured by SWE for tumors in different stages were compared. The concordance rates for cancer staging were 72.7% and 70.9% for conventional ERUS and enhanced MRI, respectively; the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). SWE indicated that the mean and maximum stiffness values of the tumors increased with advance in stage. The differences in stiffness values between T1 and T2, T1 and T3-4, as well as T2 and T3-4, were all statistically significant (p < 0.001). When the maximum stiffness values of 65.0 and 90.7 kPa are used for the diagnosis of T1, T2 and local advanced rectal cancer, the concordance rate of cancer staging was 85.5%, which was slightly higher than those of ERUS and MRI, although the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). SWE is useful in judging the depth of invasion of rectal tumors. The value of tumor stiffness can provide a quantifiable indicator for pre-operative diagnosis of cancer staging and can be used as a supplement to conventional ERUS. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.

Redox Is a Global Biodevice Information Processing Modality

Biology is well-known for its ability to communicate through (i) molecularly-specific signaling modalities and (ii) a globally-acting electrical modality associated with ion flow across biological membranes. Emerging research suggests that biology uses a third type of communication modality associated with a flow of electrons through reduction/oxidation (redox) reactions. This redox signaling modality appears to act globally and has features of both molecular and electrical modalities: since free electrons do not exist in aqueous solution, the electrons must flow through molecular intermediates that can be switched between two states - with electrons (reduced) or without electrons (oxidized). Importantly, this global redox modality is easily accessible through its electrical features using convenient electrochemical instrumentation. In this review, we explain this redox modality, describe our electrochemical measurements, and provide four examples demonstrating that redox enables communication between biology and electronics. The first two examples illustrate how redox probing can acquire biologically relevant information. The last two examples illustrate how redox inputs can transduce biologically-relevant transitions for patterning and the induction of a synbio transceiver for two-hop molecular communication. In summary, we believe redox provides a unique ability to bridge bio-device communication because simple electrochemical methods enable global access to biologically meaningful information. Further, we envision that redox may facilitate the application of information theory to the biological sciences.

Soil high Cd exacerbates the adverse impact of elevated O3 on Populus alba 'Berolinensis' L

Pollution with both heavy metal and ground-level ozone (O₃) has been steadily increasing, especially in the cities with heavy industry. Little information is known about their combined impacts on urban tree. This study was aimed at characterizing the interactive effects of soil cadmium (Cd) addition and O₃ fumigation on visible injury and growth, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, antioxidant enzyme activities, abscisic acid (ABA) content and bioaccumulation of Cd in one-year-old Populus alba 'Berolinensis' saplings by using open top chambers in Shenyang city with developed heavy industry, Northeast China. In this study, poplar saplings were grown in the pots containing soil with different concentrations of Cd (0, 100 and 500 mg kg^-1) under ambient air (40 µg L^-1) and elevated O₃ (120 µg L^-1). The results showed that EO and its combination with high Cd (500 mg kg^-1) induced significant foliar injury symptoms, decreased root weight (by 41.6%) and total biomass (by 17.4%), inhibited net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance, and increased malondialdehyde and ABA contents after 4 weeks of O₃ exposure. Elevated O₃ exacerbated the accumulation of Cd in leaves and stems of poplar plants grown in the pots with high Cd-polluted soil. Our results also indicated that high Cd pollution in soil increased the susceptibility of plants to O₃ and exacerbated the adverse impact of elevated O₃ on physiological metabolisms of poplar species, which implied that it was very necessary to take into consideration for O₃-tolerance of tree species during phytoremediation of Cd-polluted soil in heavy industrial areas.

The relationship between mesenchymal stem cells, monocyte-macrophages, endothelial progenitor cells, and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

e14507

Background: This experiment is designed to investigate the clinical correlation between mesenchymal stem cells, macrophages, endothelial progenitor cells and hepatocellular carcinoma, furthermore to assess their diagnostic value. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted to collect patients who admitted to the Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. The peripheral blood samples of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who diagnosed by pathology from September 2014 to August 2016 were collected. The mesenchymal stem cells, macrophages and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were analyzed by flow cytometers. Results: There was no correlation between hepatocellular carcinoma and peripheral blood mesenchymal stem cells (p > 0.05), and there was correlation between hepatocellular carcinoma and macrophages and endothelial progenitor cells (p < 0.01). The positive correlated coefficient is 0.938 in macrophages, and the negative correlated coefficient is -0.835 in the endothelial progenitor cells. Conclusions: The differentiated pathways of mesenchymal stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma play key roles in the progression and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Diagnostic Value of Arrival Time Parametric Imaging Using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography in Superficial Enlarged Lymph Nodes

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of arrival-time parametric imaging for differential diagnosis of superficial enlarged lymph nodes.

METHODS

Patients with lymphadenopathy who received contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and biopsy were included in this study. Following CEUS, a prototype software of the arrival-time parametric imaging system was used to analyze the video footage. Arrival-time patterns during the arterial phase were evaluated. The quantitative parameters including arrival time of periphery, arrival time of center, and the travel time (△T) were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 145 lymph nodes were analyzed. Arrival-time parametric imaging showed that 80.3% of metastatic lymph nodes and 68.4% of lymphoid tuberculosis presented a centripetal perfusion pattern, 76.5% of lymphoma showed complete homogeneous enhancement, and 81.2% of reactive lymph nodes had centrifugal patterns. The arrival time of periphery (sec) of metastatic lymph nodes was substantially earlier than that of lymphoma (11.0 ± 3.1 versus 12.6 ± 3.6; P < .05). The arrival time of center (sec) of metastatic lymph nodes was obviously later than that of lymphoma and reactive lymph nodes (13.4 ± 3.3 versus 10.5 ± 2.9 and 10.6 ± 1.5; P < .05). The travel time (△T) (sec) in metastatic lymph nodes was substantially longer than in reactive lymph nodes and lymphoma (4.2 ± 2.1 versus 2.3 ± 1.6 and 2.9 ± 2.5; P < .05). At a △T cutoff value of 2.75 seconds (using the receiver operating characteristic curve), the sensitivity and specificity in differentiating metastatic lymph nodes from benign lymph nodes (lymphoid tuberculosis and reactive lymph nodes) were 78.9% and 64.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhanced patterns and parameters of arrival-time parametric imaging during CEUS could provide more information for the differential diagnosis of enlarged superficial lymph nodes.

Evaluation of the novel nanoparticle material - CdSe quantum dots on Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Scenedesmus obliquus: Concentration-time-dependent responses

Quantum dots (QDs), as a kind of novel nanomaterial, have the extensive applications in various fields, inevitably leading to increasing risks for the ecological environment. The mobilization of cadmium including metal smelting and subsequent machining for multifarious applications has caused the release of cadmium element into the environment. In this study, we evaluated the potential toxicity of a novel nanoparticle material CdSe QDs, using two green algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Scenedesmus obliquus. The impact of CdSe QDs and cadmium ions on algae and the sensitivity of the two algae on target compounds were also considered and compared. Our results showed the algal growth rates and chlorophyll content decreased with increasing exposure concentrations and durations. Moreover, the glutathione levels were decreased while the activities of superoxide dismutase increased, exhibiting their pivotal functions in defeating toxic stress. The increment of malondialdehyde levels revealed that the stresses of CdSe QDs and cadmium ions were contributed to the occurrence of oxidative damage. Our study also indicated that the impact of CdSe QDs was stronger than that of cadmium nitrate and the algal response was also species-specific. In addition, the TEM photographs of the algal ultrastructure showed the presence of surface attachment and uptake of QDs.

Electrobiofabrication: electrically based fabrication with biologically derived materials

While conventional material fabrication methods focus on form and strength to achieve function, the fabrication of material systems for emerging life science applications will need to satisfy a more subtle set of requirements. A common goal for biofabrication is to recapitulate complex biological contexts (e.g. tissue) for applications that range from animal-on-a-chip to regenerative medicine. In these cases, the material systems will need to: (i) present appropriate surface functionalities over a hierarchy of length scales (e.g. molecular features that enable cell adhesion and topographical features that guide differentiation); (ii) provide a suite of mechanobiological cues that promote the emergence of native-like tissue form and function; and (iii) organize structure to control cellular ingress and molecular transport, to enable the development of an interconnected cellular community that is engaged in cell signaling. And these requirements are not likely to be static but will vary over time and space, which will require capabilities of the material systems to dynamically respond, adapt, heal and reconfigure. Here, we review recent advances in the use of electrically based fabrication methods to build material systems from biological macromolecules (e.g. chitosan, alginate, collagen and silk). Electrical signals are especially convenient for fabrication because they can be controllably imposed to promote the electrophoresis, alignment, self-assembly and functionalization of macromolecules to generate hierarchically organized material systems. Importantly, this electrically based fabrication with biologically derived materials (i.e. electrobiofabrication) is complementary to existing methods (photolithographic and printing), and enables access to the biotechnology toolbox (e.g. enzymatic-assembly and protein engineering, and gene expression) to offer exquisite control of structure and function. We envision that electrobiofabrication will emerge as an important platform technology for organizing soft matter into dynamic material systems that mimic biology's complexity of structure and versatility of function.

A Convenient Calibration Method for LRF-Camera Combination Systems Based on a Checkerboard

In this paper, a simple and easy high-precision calibration method is proposed for the LRF-camera combined measurement system which is widely used at present. This method can be applied not only to mainstream 2D and 3D LRF-cameras, but also to calibrate newly developed 1D LRF-camera combined systems. It only needs a calibration board to record at least three sets of data. First, the camera parameters and distortion coefficients are decoupled by the distortion center. Then, the spatial coordinates of laser spots are solved using line and plane constraints, and the estimation of LRF-camera extrinsic parameters is realized. In addition, we establish a cost function for optimizing the system. Finally, the calibration accuracy and characteristics of the method are analyzed through simulation experiments, and the validity of the method is verified through the calibration of a real system.

Transcriptome analysis reveals the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on Sesbania cannabina expose to high salinity

Arbuscular mycorrhiza can improve the salt-tolerance of host plant. A systematic study of mycorrhizal plant responses to salt stress may provide insights into the acquired salt tolerance. Here, the transcriptional profiles of mycorrhizal Sesbania cannabina shoot and root under saline stress were obtained by RNA-Seq. Using weighted gene coexpression network analysis and pairwise comparisons, we identified coexpressed modules, networks and hub genes in mycorrhizal S. cannabina in response to salt stress. In total, 10,371 DEGs were parsed into five coexpression gene modules. One module was positively correlated with both salt treatment and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation, and associated with photosynthesis and ROS scavenging in both enzymatic and nonenzymatic pathways. The hub genes in the module were mostly transcription factors including WRKY, MYB, ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR, and TCP members involved in the circadian clock and might represent central regulatory components of acquired salinity tolerance in AM S. cannabina. The expression patterns of 12 genes involved in photosynthesis, oxidation-reduction processes, and several transcription factors revealed by qRT-PCR confirmed the RNA-Seq data. This large-scale assessment of Sesbania genomic resources will help in exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying plant–AM fungi interaction in salt stress responses.