The contrast-free diffusion MRI multiple index for the early prediction of pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.

Early tumor response prediction can help avoid overtreatment with unnecessary chemotherapy sessions. It is important to determine whether multiple apparent diffusion coefficient indices (S index, ADC-diff) are effective in the early prediction of pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer (BC). Patients with stage II and III BCs who underwent T1WI, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI using a 3 T system were included. They were divided into two groups: major histological responders (MHRs, Miller-Payne G4/5) and nonmajor histological responders (nMHRs, Miller-Payne G1-3). Three b values were used for DWI to derive the S index; ADC-diff values were obtained using b = 0 and 1000 s/mm2. The different interquartile ranges of percentile S-index and ADC-diff values after treatment were calculated and compared. The assessment was performed at baseline and after two and four NAC cycles. A total of 59 patients were evaluated. There are some correlations of interquartile ranges of S-index parameters and ADC-diff values with histopathological prognostic factors (such as estrogen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression, all p < 0.05), but no significant differences were found in some other interquartile ranges of S-index parameters or ADC-diff values between progesterone receptor positive and negative or for Ki-67 tumors (all P > 0.05). No differences were found in the dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI characteristics between the two groups. HER-2 expression and kurtosis of the S-index distribution were screened out as independent risk factors for predicting MHR group (p < 0.05, area under the curve (AUC) = 0.811) before NAC. After early NAC (two cycles), only the 10th percentile S index was statistically significant between the two groups (p < 0.05, AUC = 0.714). No significant differences were found in ADC-diff value at any time point of NAC between the two groups (P > 0.1). These findings demonstrate that the S-index value may be used as an early predictor of pathological response to NAC in BC; the value of ADC-diff as an imaging biomarker of NAC needs to be further confirmed by ongoing multicenter prospective trials.

Construction of a comprehensive predictive model for axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: The accurate assessment of axillary lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early-stage breast cancer (BC) is of great importance. This study aimed to construct an integrated model based on clinicopathology, ultrasound, PET/CT, and PET radiomics for predicting axillary LNM in early stage of BC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 124 BC patients who underwent 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18 F-FDG) PET/CT and whose diagnosis were confirmed by surgical pathology were retrospectively analyzed and included in this study. Ultrasound, PET and clinicopathological features of all patients were analyzed, and PET radiomics features were extracted to establish an ultrasound model (clinicopathology and ultrasound; model 1), a PET model (clinicopathology, ultrasound, and PET; model 2), and a comprehensive model (clinicopathology, ultrasound, PET, and radiomics; model 3), and the diagnostic efficacy of each model was evaluated and compared. RESULTS: The T stage, US_BIRADS, US_LNM, and PET_LNM in the positive axillary LNM group was significantly higher than that of in the negative LNM group (P = 0.013, P = 0.049, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). Radiomics score for predicting LNM (RS_LNM) for the negative LNM and positive LNM were statistically significant difference (-1.090 ± 0.448 vs. -0.693 ± 0.344, t = -4.720, P < 0.001), and the AUC was 0.767 (95% CI: 0.674-0.861). The ROC curves showed that model 3 outperformed model 1 for the sensitivity (model 3 vs. model 1, 82.86% vs. 48.57%), and outperformed model 2 for the specificity (model 3 vs. model 2, 82.02% vs. 68.54%) in the prediction of LNM. The AUC of mode 1, model 2 and model 3 was 0.687, 0.826 and 0.874, and the Delong test showed the AUC of model 3 was significantly higher than that of model 1 and model 2 (P < 0.05). Decision curve analysis showed that model 3 resulted in a higher degree of net benefit for all the patients than model 1 and model 2. CONCLUSION: The use of a comprehensive model based on clinicopathology, ultrasound, PET/CT, and PET radiomics can effectively improve the diagnostic efficacy of axillary LNM in BC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered at ClinicalTrials Gov (number NCT05826197) on 7th, May 2023.

Diagnostic value of 3D volume measurement of central pulmonary artery based on CTPA images in the pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of volume measurement of central pulmonary arteries using computer tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for predicting pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: A total of 59 patients in our hospital from November 2013 to April 2021 who underwent both right cardiac catheterization (RHC) and CTPA examination were included. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP), mean PAP (mPAP), and diastolic PAP (DPAP) were acquired from RHC testing. Patients were divided into the non-PH group (18 cases) and the PH group (41 cases). The diameters of the main pulmonary artery (DMPA), right pulmonary artery (DRPA), and left pulmonary artery (DLPA) were measured manually. A 3D model software was used for the segmentation of central pulmonary arteries. The cross-sectional areas (AMPA, ARPA, ALPA) and the volumes (VMPA, VRPA, VLPA) were calculated. Measurements of the pulmonary arteries derived from CTPA images were compared between the two groups, and correlated with the parameters of RHC testing. ROC curves and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the benefit of the three-dimensional CTPA parameters for predicting PH. A multiple linear regression model with a forward-step approach was adopted to integrate all statistically significant CTPA parameters for PH prediction. RESULTS: All parameters (DMPA, DRPA, DLPA, AMPA, ARPA, ALPA, VMPA, VRPA, and VLPA) of CTPA images exhibited significantly elevated in the PH group in contrast to the non-PH group (P < 0.05), and showed positive correlations with the parameters of RHC testing (mPAP, DPAP, SPAP) (r ranged 0.586~0.752 for MPA, 0.527~0.640 for RPA, and 0.302~0.495 for LPA, all with P < 0.05). For the MPA and RPA, 3D parameters showed higher correlation coefficients compared to their one-dimensional and two-dimensional counterparts. The ROC analysis indicated that the VMPA showed higher area under the curves (AUC) than the DMPA and AMPA without significance, and the VRPA showed higher AUC than the DRPA and ARPA significantly (DRPA vs. VRPA, Z = 2.029, P = 0.042; ARPA vs. VRPA, Z = 2.119, P = 0.034). The DCA demonstrated that the three-dimensional parameters could provide great net benefit for MPA and RPA. The predictive equations for mPAP, DPAP, and SPAP were formulated as [8.178 + 0.0006 * VMPA], [1.418 + 0.0005 * VMPA], and [-11.137 + 0.0006*VRPA + 1.259 * DMPA], respectively. CONCLUSION: The 3D volume measurement of the MPA and RPA based on CTPA images maybe more informative than the traditional diameter and cross-sectional area in predicting PH.

Performance of CT radiomics in predicting the overall survival of patients with stage III clear cell renal carcinoma after radical nephrectomy.

PURPOSE: To investigate the performance of CT radiomics in predicting the overall survival (OS) of patients with stage III clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) after radical nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 132 patients with stage III ccRCC undergoing radical nephrectomy were collected, and the patients were divided into training set (n = 79) and validation set (n = 53). The ccRCC was segmented and 396 radiomics features were extracted. After dimensionality reduction, radiomics score (RS) was obtained. COX regression was used to construct Model 1 (clinical variables + CT findings) and Model 2 (clinical variables + CT findings + RS) in the training set to predict the OS of patients, and then, the performance of the two models in the two data sets was compared. RESULTS: In the training set, Akaike information criterion, C-index, and corrected C-index were 295.51, 0.744, and 0.728 for Model 1, and 271.78, 0.805, and 0.799 for Model 2, respectively. In the validation set, the corresponding values were 185.68, 0.701, and 0.699 for Model 1, and 175.99, 0.768, and 0.768 for Model 2. The calibration curves showed that both models had good calibration degrees in the validation set. Compared with Model 1, the continuous net reclassification index and integrated discrimination improvement index of Model 2 in the two data sets were positively improved. CONCLUSION: The two prediction models showed high performance in the evaluation of OS of stage III ccRCC patients after radical nephrectomy, among which Model 2 based on ISUP grade and RS was more concise and efficient.

Effects of miR-362 in Regulating the Proliferation, Invasion and Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer by Inhibiting the Expression of Tumor-Promoting Factor PRDM2.

Purpose - The high expression of positive regulatory domain zinc finger protein2 (PRDM2) is an important factor in inducing the formation and progression of gastric cancer. The current study was performed to explore the effect of micro-RNA-362 (miR-362) targeting PRDM2 on the proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Methods - The expression of miR-362 in gastric adenocarcinoma and normal gastric mucosa was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR), and the expression of PRDM2 in gastric adenocarcinoma was detected by im-munohistochemical method. Gastric cancer cell line MGC-803 and human normal gastric mucosal epithelial cell line (GES-1) were selected for study. Blank control group, empty vector transfection group, miR-362 transfection group, and miR-362 and PRDM2 co-transfection group were established. CCK-8 assay was utilized to detect cell activity, flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle and apoptosis, and invasion capability of cells was observed through transwell experiment. The expression of Cyclin D1 and Caspases-3 was detected by western blot method. Results - The expression of miR-362 in gastric adenocarcinoma was significantly lower than that in normal gastric mucosa. The expression of miR-362 in gastric adenocarcinoma was significantly different in the maximum diameter, depth of invasion, and different TNM stages. The expression of miR-362 was linked to prognosis. In addition, there was a negative correlation between miR-362 and PRDM2. The expression of miR-362 in gastric cancer cell line MGC-803 was significantly lower than that in GES-1. Compared with the blank control group and empty vector transfection group, the proliferation level of gastric cancer cells in miR-362 transfection group was remarkably decreased, the cells in S phase and G2/M phase were significantly decreased, the capability for invasion was evidently decreased, while the apoptosis was significantly increased. The expression of Caspases-3 increased significantly and the expression of Cyclin D1 decreased significantly. MiR-362 and PRDM2 co-transfection groups could reverse the abovementioned expression levels. Conclusion - MiR-362 can regulate the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of gastric cancer by inhibiting the expression of tumor-promoting factor PRDM2. The expression of miR-362 in gastric adenocarcinoma is significantly decreased, which can regulate the formation and development of gastric adenocarcinoma by promoting the expression of PRDM2. Moreover, low expression of miR-362 in gastric adenocarcinoma is an important risk factor for tumor progression and poor prognosis.

KLK11 acts as a tumor-inhibitor in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma through the inactivation of Akt/Wnt/ß-catenin signaling.

Kallikrein-associated peptidase 11 (KLK11) has emerged as a key tumor-associated protein that is implicated in a wide spectrum of tumor types. However, the detailed involvement of KLK11 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) has not been well studied. The aims of our work were to evaluate whether KLK11 plays a role in LSCC. We found that both the mRNA and protein expression of KLK11 were significantly lower in LSCC tissues than in normal tissues. Low expression of KLK11 was also observed in LSCC cell lines, and the up-regulation of KLK11 caused a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation, colony formation and invasion of LSCC cells. On the contrary, the knockdown of KLK11 markedly accelerated the proliferative and invasive abilities of LSCC cells. Molecular mechanism research revealed that KLK11 overexpression decreased the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß) and down-regulated the expression of active ß-catenin, leading to the inactivation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling in LSCC cells. Furthermore, GSK-3ß inhibition markedly abrogated the KLK11-mediated suppressive effect on Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. Notably, the reactivation of Wnt/ß-catenin partially reversed KLK11-mediated tumor-inhibition effect in LSCC. In addition, the xenograft tumor assay demonstrated that the up-regulation of KLK11 retarded tumor formation and the growth of LSCC cells in vivo. Taken together, the findings of our work demonstrate that KLK11 exerts a tumor-inhibition role in LSCC by down-regulating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling. Our work highlights a pivotal role of KLK11 in LSCC progression and suggests it as an attractive anticancer target for LSCC treatment.

Spin Crossover in a Series of Non-Hofmann-Type Fe(II) Coordination Polymers Based on [Hg(SeCN)3]- or [Hg(SeCN)4]2- Building Blocks.

Self-assembly of [Hg(SeCN)4]2- tetrahedral building blocks, iron(II) ions, and a series of bis-monodentate pyridyl-type bridging ligands has afforded the new heterobimetallic HgII-FeII coordination polymers {Fe[Hg(SeCN)3]2(4,4'-bipy)2}n (1), {Fe[Hg(SeCN)4](tvp)}n (2), {Fe[Hg(SeCN)3]2(4,4'-azpy)2}n (3), {Fe[Hg(SeCN)4](4,4'-azpy)(MeOH)}n (4), {Fe[Hg(SeCN)4](3,3'-bipy)}n (5) and {Fe[Hg(SeCN)4](3,3'-azpy)}n (6) (4,4-bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine, tvp = trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene, 4,4'-azpy = 4,4'-azobispyridine, 3,3-bipy = 3,3'-bipyridine, 3,3'-azpy = 3,3'-azobispyridine). Single-crystal X-ray analyses show that compounds 1 and 3 display a two-dimensional robust sheet structure made up of infinite linear [(FeL)n]2n+ (L = 4,4'-bipy or 4,4'-azpy) chains linked by in situ formed {[Hg(L)(SeCN)3]2}2- anionic dimeric bridges. Complexes 2 and 4-6 define three-dimensional networks with different topological structures, indicating, in combination with complexes 1 and 3, that the polarity, length, rigidity, and conformation of the bridging organic ligand play important roles in the structural nature of the products reported here. The magnetic properties of complexes 1 and 2 show the occurrence of temperature- and light-induced spin crossover (SCO) properties, while complexes 4-6 are in the high-spin state at all temperatures. The current results provide a new route for the design and synthesis of new SCO functional materials with non-Hofmann-type traditional structures.

Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution of Anwuligan in Rats after Intravenous and Intragastric Administration by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Anwuligan, a natural 2,3-dibenzylbutane lignan from the nutmeg mace of Myristica fragans, has been proved to possess a broad range of pharmacological effects. A rapid, simple, and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method has been established and successfully applied to the study of pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of anwuligan after intravenous or intragastric administration. Sample preparation was carried out through a liquid-liquid extraction method with ethyl acetate as the extraction reagent. Arctigenin was used as the internal standard (IS). A gradient program was employed with a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile. The mass spectrometer was operated in a positive ionization mode with multiple reaction monitoring. The transitions for quantification were m/z 329.0→205.0 for anwuligan and m/z 373.0→137.0 for IS, respectively. Calibration curves were linear over the ranges of 0.5-2000 ng/mL for both plasma samples and tissue samples (r > 0.996). The absolute bioavailability is 16.2%, which represented the existing of the obvious first-pass effect. An enterohepatic circulation was found after the intragastric administration. Anwuligan could be distributed rapidly and widely in different tissues and maintained a high concentration in the liver. The developed and validated LC-MS/MS method and the pharmacokinetic study of anwuligan would provide reference for the future investigation of the preclinical safety of anwuligan as a candidate drug.

Correlation analysis of 18F-FDG PET/CT for the staging and treatment effect assessment of breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Since cancer treatment and outcome differ among the patients diagnosed with breast cancer at different stages, this study aims to elucidate the factors associated with PET/CT staging, treatment effect, and maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in breast cancer patients. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients who underwent two PET/CT examinations with the complete pathological and immunohistochemical data were retrospectively reviewed. Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were performed to investigate the relationships of patient PET/CT staging (first round PET/CT), treatment effect (comparison between the results of two rounds of PET/CT), and tumor SUVmax, with respect to patient age, tumor location, tumor long diameter, short diameter, time of first round PET/CT examination, histological type and grade, axillary lymph node metastasis rate, interval between the two PET/CT examinations, treatment method, and the expression of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), P53, and Ki67. RESULTS: PET/CT staging (first round PET/CT) relates to HER2 and Ki67 expression with the correlation coefficients of 0.432 and 0.552, and P-values of 0.022 and 0.002, respectively. The treatment effect (comparison between the results of two rounds of PET/CT) associates with tumor site and P53 expression in which the correlation coefficients are - 0.412 and 0.845, and P-values are 0.029 and 0.000, respectively. The measured SUVmax correlates well with the tumor long diameter, short diameter, and treatment effect in which the correlation coefficients are 0.943, 0.886, and 0.878, and P-values are 0.005, 0.019, and 0.02, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Study results indicate that PET/CT staging and treatment effect associate well with SUVmax and immunohistochemical results of tumor, while SUVmax of tumor associates well with tumor size.

Morphological analysis of blood vessels near lung tumors using 3-D quantitative CT.

BACKGROUND: Improved visualization of lung cancer-associated vessels is vital. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of 3-D quantitative CT in lung cancer-associated pulmonary vessel assessment. METHODS: Vascular CT changes were assessed visually and using FACT-Digital lung TM software (n = 162 patients, 178 controls). The total number of pulmonary vessels (TNV) and mean lumen area of pulmonary vessels (MAV) vertical to cross-sections of fifth/sixth-generation bronchioles were measured. RESULTS: Visual investigation revealed fewer ipsilateral pulmonary vascular abnormalities in lung cancer (151/162) than did quantitative CT (162/162), and required more time (3.2±1.5 vs. 2.5±1.3 min) (P < 0.05). CT measurements revealed that the TNV vertical to the fifth-generation bronchial cross-section of the ipsilateral, contralateral, and control groups was 14.58±4.75, 9.58±3.74, and 10.22±4.07 and the MAV in these groups was 99.70±26.20, 58.76±29.29, and 57.76±18.32, respectively. The TNV vertical to the sixth-generation bronchial cross-section of the ipsilateral, contralateral, and control groups was 16.64±5.14, 11.59±4.06, and 11.75±4.16 and the MAV was 110.22±31.47, 67.62±30.41, and 60.24±16.18, respectively. The TNV and MAV in ipsilateral lung cancer tissues exceeded those in the contralateral side and control group tissues (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Automated 3-D quantitative CT could successfully characterize pulmonary vessels and their lung cancer-associated changes.

Application of automated bronchial 3D-CT measurement in pulmonary contusion complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

BACKGROUNDQuantitative measurement of bronchial morphological changes in pulmonary contusion with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has important clinical implications.OBJECTIVETo investigate the morphological changes in bronchus before and after treatment in patients with pulmonary contusion combined with ARDS using an automated bronchial three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) measurement method.METHODSThe study involves a dataset of CT images of 62 patients diagnosed with pulmonary contusion combined with ARDS. The volume of pulmonary contusion lesions was calculated as a percentage of the total lung volume using the automated 3D-CT method. The bronchial luminal cross-sectional area, wall cross-sectional area, the maximum and average wall thickness, the maximum and average luminal densities, intraluminal and extraluminal diameters, and circumferences of generations 2-4 bronchi before and after treatment were measured. Furthermore, the corresponding differences were analyzed statistically.RESULTSThe luminal cross-sectional area, wall cross-sectional area, intraluminal and extraluminal diameters, and circumferences of generations 2-4 bronchi were all significantly lower before treatment than after treatment (P < 0.05). However, the maximum and average wall thicknesses were both significantly higher before treatment than after treatment (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found in the maximum and average luminal densities before and after treatment (P > 0.05). The percentage of the pulmonary contusion lesion volume to the total lung volume correlated positively with the thoracic trauma severity score (r = 0.74, P < 0.01).CONCLUSIONSQuantitative bronchial CT image analysis enables to detect and assess bronchial morphological changes in patients diagnosed with pulmonary contusion combined with ARDS.

Predictive value of 18 F-FDG PET/CT scanning in combination with clinical parameters in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of 18 F-2'-deoxy 2'-fluorodeoxyglucose (18 F-FDG) PET/CT with clinical parameters in predicting patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). METHODS: A total of 120 MM patients undergoing 18 F-FDG PET/CT scanning were analyzed in a retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: Based on multivariate analysis, ß2M, LDH, number of focal lesions (FLs), and SUVmax were significantly correlated with OS. These 4 variables were used to construct a new staging system (NSS) based on the number of risk factors. NSS provided a better discrimination of risk between stages III and II than International staging system (ISS) (P < .001 vs P = .086). For OS, there was no significant difference among risk groups in Durie-Salmon (DS) stage (P > .05). Based on Spearman correlation analysis, the presence of lesions in appendicular skeleton, number of FLs, and SUVmax appeared to indicate advanced stage of MM. ROC curves which showed the combination of ß2M with calcium got a specificity of 96.3% for lesions in appendicular skeleton, and LDH alone had 100% specificity in predicting the number of FLs, although the sensitivity was only 50%. CONCLUSIONS: 18 F-FDG PET/CT in combination with clinical parameters provided an accurate and simple method for risk stratification of patients with newly diagnosed MM.

A retrospective study of SPECT/CT scans using SUV measurement of the normal pelvis with Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate.

OBJECTIVE: To perform quantitative measurement based on the standardized uptake value (SUV) of Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate (MDP) in the normal pelvis using a single-photon emission tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) scanner. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study was performed on 31 patients with cancer undergoing bone SPECT/CT scans with 99mTc-MDP. SUVmax and SUVmean of the normal pelvis were calculated based on the body weight. SUVmax and SUVmean of the bilateral anterior superior iliac spine, posterior superior iliac spine, facies auricularis ossis ilii, ischial tuberosity, and sacrum were also calculated. Furthermore, the correlation of SUVmax and SUVmean of all parts of pelvis with weight, height, and CT was assessed. RESULTS: The data for 31 patients (20 women and 11 men; mean age 58.97±9.12 years; age range 37-87 years) were collected. SUVmax and SUVmean changed from 1.65±0.40 to 3.8±1.0 and from 1.15±0.25 to 2.07±0.58, respectively. The coefficient of variation of SUVmax and SUVmean ranged from 0.22 to 0.31. SUVmax and SUVmean had no statistically significant difference between men and women. SUVmax and SUVmean also showed no significant correlation with weight and height. However, part of SUVmax and SUVmean showed a significant correlation with CT. In addition, SUVmax and SUVmean of the bilateral ischial tuberosity showed a significant correlation with CT values. CONCLUSIONS: Determination of the SUV value of the normal pelvis with 99m Tc-MDP SPECT/CT is feasible and highly reproducible. SUVs of the normal pelvis showed a relatively large variability. As a quantitative imaging biomarker, SUVs might require standardization with adequate reference data for the participant to minimize variability.

Effect of vitamin D on biochemical parameters in polycystic ovary syndrome women: a meta-analysis.

AIM: To investigate the therapeutical effect of vitamin D supplementation on the metabolism and endocrine parameters of PCOS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical studies investigating the therapeutic effect of vitamin D supplementation on PCOS patients were selected by searching PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane library and Web of Science until April 2016. The included articles were selected according to the inclusion criteria. Serum HOMA-IR, QUICKI, LDL, DHEAS, free testosterone (FT), total testosterone (TT), PTH, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D, and triglyceride of PCOS patients were enrolled for evaluating the therapeutic effects of vitamin D. RESULTS: 16 studies were included in this study. There was no significant difference between the placebo group and vitamin D group in the concentration of serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D in patients with PCOS (P = 0.06). After treated with vitamin D, the serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D in PCOS patients was increased (P < 0.00001), while the serum PTH (P = 0.003) and triglyceride (P = 0.006) were decreased. In addition, the serum HOMA-IR, QUICKI, LDL, DHEAS, FT, and TT in PCOS patients did not change. Subgroup analysis showed that the serum triglyceride of PCOS patients was decreased by low dose of vitamin D supplementation (<50,000 IU) (P = 0.03), but no significantly changed by high-dose vitamin D supplementation (≥50,000 IU) (P = 0.17). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D supplementation significantly attenuates serum PTH and triglyceride in PCOS patients except for serum HOMA-IR, QUICKI, LDL, DHEAS, FT, and TT. Furthermore, less than 50,000 IU vitamin D supplementation is sufficient for decreasing serum triglyceride.

The influence of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and coumarin on flavonoid production by fungus Phellinus sp.: modeling of production kinetic profiles.

For the purpose of improving the fungal production of flavonoids, the influence of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and coumarin on flavonoid production by fungus Phellinus sp. P0988 was investigated by developing the corresponding kinetics of flavonoid production in a 7-L bioreactor. Phellinus sp. was confirmed to form flavonoids in pellets and broth when cultivated in basic medium, and the optimum concentration of NAA and coumarin in medium for flavonoid production were determined to be 0.03 and 0.02 g/L, respectively. The developed unstructured mathematical models were in good agreement with the experimental results with respect to flavonoid production kinetic profiles with NAA and coumarin supplementation at optimum levels and revealed significant accuracy in terms of statistical consistency and robustness. Analysis of these kinetic processes indicated that NAA and coumarin supplementations imposed a stronger positive influence on flavonoid production and substrate consumption compared to their effects on cell growth. The separate addition of NAA and coumarin resulted in enhancements in final product accumulation and productivity, achieving final flavonoid concentrations of 3.60 and 2.75 g/L, respectively, and glucose consumption showed a significant decrease compared to the non-supplemented control as well. Also, the separate presence of NAA and coumarin respectively decreased maintenance coefficients (M s) from 2.48 in the control to 1.39 and 0.22, representing decreases of 43.9 and 91.1 %, respectively. The current study is the first known application of mathematical kinetic models to explore the influence of medium components adding on flavonoid production by fungi.

The Combination of Diffusion- and T2-Weighted Imaging in Predicting Deep Myometrial Invasion of Endometrial Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the diagnostic difference among the combination of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting deep myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer. METHODS: A structured search was conducted to identify published studies between January 2005 and April 2014, which assessed depth of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer by using DCE-MRI or DWI or DWI-T2WI. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies were included. Significant difference was found between DWI-T2WI and DWI in pooled specificity, and also in comparison between DCE-MRI and DWI-T2WI (P < 0.05). In summary, receiver operating characteristic analysis, area under the curve for DWI-T2WI, DWI, and DCE-MRI were 0.94, 0.90, and 0.93, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Diffusion-weighted imaging-T2WI can improve diagnostic performance in comparison with DWI alone. Meanwhile, DWI-T2WI performs better than DCE-MRI in predicting myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer. It may be an alternative for DCE-MRI in presurgical staging of endometrial cancer.

Non-specific uptake of 18F-FAPI-04 in the pancreas and its related factors: a post-hoc analysis of an ongoing prospective clinical trial.

This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of the non-specific uptake (NSU) of 18F-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (18F-FAPI) of the pancreas and investigate the related factors. Totally, 78 patients who underwent both 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and 18F-FAPI PET/CT examinations were divided into normal (n = 53) and NSU (n = 25) groups. The differences in general information, medical history, laboratory indexes and uptake were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the optimal cut-off values. The correlations between 18F-FAPI-SUVmax and blood cell analysis, liver function indexes, tumor markers, and inflammatory indices were analyzed. The logistic regression model was used to estimate the independent factors. Both 18F-FAPI (4.48 ± 0.98 vs. 2.01 ± 0.53, t = 11.718, P < 0.05) and 18F-FDG (2.23 ± 0.42 vs. 2.02 ± 0.44, t = 2.036, P = 0.045) showed significantly higher in NSU group. Patients in the NSU group tended to be complicated with a history of drinking (P = 0.034), chronic liver diseases (P = 0.006), and surgery of gastrectomy (P = 0.004). ROC analysis showed cutoff values of 3.25 and 2.05 for 18F-FAPI and 18F-FDG in identifying the NSU. Patients in the NSU group showed less platelet count, higher platelet volume, higher total bilirubin, direct or indirect bilirubin (P < 0.05). Platelet count, platelet crit, large platelet ratio, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), α-L-fucosidase, and total, direct or indirect bilirubin were correlated with 18F-FAPI-SUVmax (P < 0.05). AST [1.099 (1.014, 1.192), P = 0.021] and total bilirubin [1.137 (1.035, 1.249), P = 0.007] were two independent factors in the step forward logistic regression, and platelet/% [1.079 (1.004, 1.160), P = 0.039] and total bilirubin [1.459 (1.016, 2.095), P = 0.041] were two independent factors in the step backward logistic regression for the prediction of pancreatic uptake of 18F-FAPI. 18F-FAPI-PET/CT was better than 18F-FDG in predicting the pancreatic NSU, and NSU is related to a history of drinking, chronic liver diseases, gastrectomy, heteromorphic platelet, and impaired liver function.

Recent progress on phytoremediation of urban air pollution.

The rapid growth of population and economy has led to an increase in urban air pollutants, greenhouse gases, energy shortages, environmental degradation, and species extinction, all of which affect ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. Atmospheric pollution sources are divided into direct and indirect pollutants. Through analysis of the sources of pollutants, the self-functioning of different plants can be utilized to purify the air quality more effectively. Here, we explore the absorption of greenhouse gases and particulate matter in cities as well as the reduction of urban temperatures by plants based on international scientific literature on plant air pollution mitigation, according to the adsorption, dust retention, and transpiration functions of plants. At the same time, it can also reduce the occurrence of extreme weather. It is necessary to select suitable tree species for planting according to different plant functions and environmental needs. In the context of tight urban land use, the combination of vertical greening and urban architecture, through the rational use of plants, has comprehensively addressed urban air pollution. In the future, in urban construction, attention should be paid to the use of heavy plants and the protection and development of green spaces. Our review provides necessary references for future urban planning and research.

La-Ce-MOF nanocomposite coated quartz crystal microbalance gas sensor for the detection of amine gases and formaldehyde.

Trimethylamine (TMA), Dimethylamine (DMA), Ammonia (NH3) and formaldehyde (HCHO) are typical volatile gases and able to cause great damage to the environment and the human body, and they may appear along in some particular cases such as marine meat spoilage. However, gas sensors can detect all the 4 hazardous gases simultaneously have rarely been reported. In this study, a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) gas sensor modified with La-Ce-MOF was employed for the detection of 4 target gases (TMA, DMA, NH3 and HCHO). The sensor exhibited excellent stability (63 days), selectivity (3.51 Hz/(µmoL/L) for TMA, 4.19 Hz/(µmoL/L) for DMA, 3.14·Hz/(µmoL/L) for NH3 and 3.08·Hz/(µmoL/L) for HCHO), robustness and sensitivity towards target gases detection. Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package calculations showed that this superior sensing performance was attributed to the preferential adsorption of target gas molecules onto the nanomicrospheres via hydrogen bond. The adsorption energy was - 0.4329 eV for TMA, - 0.5204 eV for DMA, - 0.6823 eV for NH3 and - 0.7576 eV for HCHO, all of which are physically adsorbed. In the detection of hazardous gases, sensor surface active sites were often susceptible to environmental factors and interfering substances, leading to a decrease in the sensitivity of the gas sensor, which in turn affects the signal accuracy in practical applications. This issue has been effectively addressed and the sensor has been implemented for the assessment of the salmon meat freshness, which may contribute to further advancements in the development of QCM gas sensors for monitoring food quality, human beings health and environment safety.