Intravenous immunoglobulin for interstitial lung diseases of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5-positive dermatomyositis.

OBJECTIVE: Rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD) in DM patients positive for anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (anti-MDA5) autoantibody (MDA5-DM) often have a poor prognosis, frequently fatal. As there is a scarcity of data regarding the effect of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on RP-ILD in MDA5-DM patients (MDA5-RPILD), we conducted this study to determine the efficacy of a IVIG add-on initial treatment. METHODS: Patients with newly-onset MDA5-RPILD from September 2018 to June 2020 were retrospectively reviewed for 6 months in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. They were divided into two groups: IVIG and non-IVIG groups. The major measurement of treatment outcome was the difference in the mortality in 3-month and 6-month between two group patients. Other relevant indicators were also recorded, including the incidence of infection, the dosages of GCs, the remission rate and the variables in laboratory data. RESULTS: The IVIG group (n = 31) showed significantly lower 6-month mortality rate than the non-IVIG group (n = 17) (22.6% vs 52.9%; P =0.033). The IVIG group patients had a higher remission rate at 3 months (71.0% vs 41.2%; P =0.044). Gradual reduction was observed in the first 3 months with regard to the titre of anti-MDA5 autoantibody, the serum level of ferritin and the ground glass opacification GGO scores. CONCLUSION: IVIG adjunct therapy is a very effective first-line treatment for patients with MDA5-RPILD. IVIG may increase the survival and remission rate by lowering ferritin concentration, anti-MDA5 titre and GGO score.

Diagnostic Performance of PI-RADS v2, Proposed Adjusted PI-RADS v2 and Biparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Prostate Cancer Detection: A Preliminary Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of PI-RADS v2, proposed adjustments to PI-RADS v2 (PA PI-RADS v2) and biparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for prostate cancer detection. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 224 patients with suspected prostate cancer was included from January 2016 to November 2018. All the patients underwent a multi-parametric MR scan before biopsy. Two radiologists independently evaluated the MR examinations using PI-RADS v2, PA PI-RADS v2, and a biparametric MRI protocol, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the three different protocols were drawn. RESULTS: In total, 90 out of 224 cases (40.18%) were pathologically diagnosed as prostate cancer. The area under the ROC curves (AUC) for diagnosing prostate cancers by biparametric MRI, PI-RADS v2, and PA PI-RADS v2 were 0.938, 0.935, and 0.934, respectively. For cancers in the peripheral zone (PZ), the diagnostic sensitivity was 97.1% for PI-RADS v2/PA PI-RADS v2 and 96.2% for biparametric MRI. Moreover, the specificity was 84.0% for biparametric MRI and 58.0% for PI-RADS v2/PA PI-RADS v2. For cancers in the transition zone (TZ), the diagnostic sensitivity was 93.4% for PA PI-RADS v2 and 88.2% for biparametric MRI/PI-RADS v2. Furthermore, the specificity was 95.4% for biparametric MRI/PI-RADS v2 and 78.0% for PA PI-RADS v2. CONCLUSIONS: The overall diagnostic performance of the three protocols showed minimal differences. For lesions assessed as being category 3 using the biparametric MRI protocol, PI-RADS v2, or PA PI-RADS v2, it was thought prostate cancer detection could be improved. Attention should be paid to false positive results when PI-RADS v2 or PA PI-RADS v2 are used.

Dual energy computed tomography for detection of metastatic lymph nodes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Regional lymph node metastasis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not uncommon, and is often under- or misdiagnosed. Regional lymph node metastasis is associated with a negative prognosis in patients with HCC, and surgical resection of lymph node metastasis is considered feasible and efficacious in improving the survival and prognosis. It is critical to characterize lymph node preoperatively. There is currently no consensus regarding the optimal method for the assessment of regional lymph nodes in patients with HCC. AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic value of single source dual energy computed tomography (CT) in regional lymph node assessment for HCC patients. METHODS: Forty-three patients with pathologically confirmed HCC who underwent partial hepatectomy with lymphadenectomy were retrospectively enrolled. All patients underwent dual-energy CT preoperatively. Regional lymph nodes (n = 156) were divided into either a metastatic (group P, n = 52) or a non-metastasis group (group N, n = 104), and further, according to pathology, divided into an active hepatitis (group P1, n = 34; group N1, n = 73) and a non-active hepatitis group (group P2, n = 18; group N2, n = 31). The maximal short axis diameter (MSAD), iodine concentration (IC), normalized IC (NIC), and the slope of the spectral curve (λ HU) of each group in the arterial phase (AP), portal phase (PP), and delayed phase (DP) were analyzed. RESULTS: Analysis of the MSAD, IC, NIC, and λ HU showed statistical differences between groups P and N (P < 0.05) during all three phases. To distinguish benign from metastatic lymph nodes, the diagnostic efficacy of IC, NIC, and λ HU in the PP was the best among the three phases (AP, PP, and DP), with a sensitivity up to 81.9%, 83.9%, and 81.8%, and a specificity up to 82.4%, 84.1% and 84.1%, respectively. The diagnostic value of combined analyses of MSAD with IC, NIC, or λ HU in the PP was superior to the dual energy CT parameters alone, with a sensitivity up to 84.5%, 86.9%, and 86.2%, and a specificity up to 83.0%, 93.6% and 89.8%, respectively. Between groups P1 and P2 and groups N1 and N2, only IC, NIC, and λ HU between groups N1 and N2 in the PP had a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Dual-energy CT contributes beneficially to regional lymph node assessment in HCC patients. Combination of MSAD with IC, NIC, or λ HU values in the PP is superior to using any single parameter alone. Active hepatitis does not deteriorate the capabilities for characterization of metastatic lymph nodes.

Chiral salen-metal derivatives of polyoxometalates with asymmetric catalytic and photocatalytic activities.

Immobilization of the chiral salen-metal complex [Mn(III)(salen)(H(2)O)(2)ClO(4)] on the Keggin-type polyoxometalate (POM) skeletons leads to the isolation of POM derivatives functionalized with chiral salen-metal complexes, which represent the first examples of introducing chiral salen-metal complexes into the POM systems.

Synthesis, structure, and photoluminescent properties of metal-organic coordination polymers assembled with bithiophenedicarboxylic acid.

Four novel metal-organic coordination polymers with the formulas Mn(3)(btdc)(3)(DMF)(4) (1), Co(btdc)(DMF)(3) (2), Zn(btdc)(DMF)(3) (3), and Zn(btdc)(4,4'-bpy)(0.5) (4), where H(2)btdc = 2,2'-bithiophene-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid, DMF = N,N'-dimethylformamide, and 4,4'-bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine, have been successfully synthesized. Crystal 1 with Mn(2+) as the cation features a three-dimensional (3D) infinite framework built from trimanganese clusters, and crystals 2 and 3 with Co(2+) and Zn(2+), respectively, as the cation both have one-dimensional zigzag polymeric coordination chains. Crystal 4 synthesized using a mixture of 4,4'-bpy and H(2)btdc exhibits a triply interpenetrating 3D framework built from a dizinc paddlewheel second building unit with a distorted primitive cubic single net. The results of UV/vis spectra indicate that metal binding does not disturb the detailed electronic structure of the ligand. We also demonstrate that Zn(2+) can greatly enhance the luminescence emission of the H(2)btdc ligand, and the emission intensity of crystal 4 is almost 20 times higher than that of the free H(2)btdc ligand. Steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurement reveal that the more rigid environment of the btdc ligand can stabilize the highly excited long-lived states in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which thus greatly changes the emission properties of MOFs.

[Toxicity attenuation and efficacy potentiation effects of Fu Zheng Yang Yin Decoction with HIFU on the experimental model of VX2 cancer in rabbits' liver].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the toxicity attenuation and efficacy potentiation effects of Fu Zheng Yang Yin Decoction with HIFU on the experimental model of VX2 liver cancer in rabbits. METHODS: The rabbits were all transplanted with VX2 cancer on livers. The 30 rabbits were divided into three groups: HIFU group (HIFU therapy), Combination group (HIFU + Fu Zheng Yang Yin decoction), Control group (without any treatment). Each group involved 10 rabbits. After treatment, the volume of the tumor was observed by sonography. Metastases, pathological changes, Immunoglobulin, ALT were also observed. RESULTS: After treatment, ALT and temperature of Combination group and HIFU group were lower than Control group (P < 0.05). The tumor volume of Combination group and HIFU group showed significant difference with control group (P < 0.05). Immunoglobulin of HIFU group and Combination group increased, that of Control group decreased. One month after treatment, all animals were dissected. Combination group had no lung transferred, HIFU group had 2 lung transferred, all of control group had lung transferred. CONCLUSION: The combination therapy of Fu Zheng Yang Yin decoction with HIFU can effectively inhibited VX2 cancer growth in rabbit's liver. Fu Zheng Yang Yin decoction can reduce side-effect, improve immune function, and has special effects of toxicity attenuation and efficacy potentiation.