On-Site Computed Tomography-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve to Guide Management of Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease: The TARGET Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) using on-site machine learning enables identification of both the presence of coronary artery disease and vessel-specific ischemia. However, it is unclear whether on-site CT-FFR improves clinical or economic outcomes when compared with the standard of care in patients with stable coronary artery disease. METHODS: In total, 1216 patients with stable coronary artery disease and an intermediate stenosis of 30% to 90% on coronary computed tomographic angiography were randomized to an on-site CT-FFR care pathway using machine learning or to standard care in 6 Chinese medical centers. The primary end point was the proportion of patients undergoing invasive coronary angiography without obstructive coronary artery disease or with obstructive disease who did not undergo intervention within 90 days. Secondary end points included major adverse cardiovascular events, quality of life, symptoms of angina, and medical expenditure at 1 year. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups, with 72.4% (881/1216) having either typical or atypical anginal symptoms. A total of 421 of 608 patients (69.2%) in the CT-FFR care group and 483 of 608 patients (79.4%) in the standard care group underwent invasive coronary angiography. Compared with standard care, the proportion of patients undergoing invasive coronary angiography without obstructive coronary artery disease or with obstructive disease not undergoing intervention was significantly reduced in the CT-FFR care group (28.3% [119/421] versus 46.2% [223/483]; P<0.001). Overall, more patients underwent revascularization in the CT-FFR care group than in the standard care group (49.7% [302/608] versus 42.8% [260/608]; P=0.02), but major adverse cardiovascular events at 1 year did not differ (hazard ratio, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.59-1.30]). Quality of life and symptoms improved similarly during follow-up in both groups, and there was a trend towards lower costs in the CT-FFR care group (difference, -¥4233 [95% CI, -¥8165 to ¥973]; P=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: On-site CT-FFR using machine learning reduced the proportion of patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing invasive coronary angiography without obstructive disease or requiring intervention within 90 days, but increased revascularization overall without improving symptoms or quality of life, or reducing major adverse cardiovascular events. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT03901326.

A double-tuned 1 H/31 P coil for rabbit heart metabolism detection at 3 T.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) employing proton nuclear resonance has emerged as a pivotal modality in clinical diagnostics and fundamental research. Nonetheless, the scope of MRI/MRS extends beyond protons, encompassing nonproton nuclei that offer enhanced metabolic insights. A notable example is phosphorus-31 (31 P) MRS, which provides valuable information on energy metabolites within the skeletal muscle and cardiac tissues of individuals affected by diabetes. This study introduces a novel double-tuned coil tailored for 1 H and 31 P frequencies, specifically designed for investigating cardiac metabolism in rabbits. The proposed coil design incorporates a butterfly-like coil for 31 P transmission, a four-channel array for 31 P reception, and an eight-channel array for 1 H reception, all strategically arranged on a body-conformal elliptic cylinder. To assess the performance of the double-tuned coil, a comprehensive evaluation encompassing simulations and experimental investigations was conducted. The simulation results demonstrated that the proposed 31 P transmit design achieved acceptable homogeneity and exhibited comparable transmit efficiency on par with a band-pass birdcage coil. In vivo experiments further substantiated the coil's efficacy, revealing that the rabbit with experimentally induced diabetes exhibited a lower phosphocreatine/adenosine triphosphate ratio compared with its normal counterpart. These findings emphasize the potential of the proposed coil design as a promising tool for investigating the therapeutic effects of novel diabetes drugs within the context of animal experimentation. Its capability to provide detailed metabolic information establishes it as an indispensable asset within this realm of research.

From Compressed-Sensing to Deep Learning MR: Comparative Biventricular Cardiac Function Analysis in a Patient Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Conventional segmented, retrospectively gated cine (Conv-cine) is challenged in patients with breath-hold difficulties. Compressed sensing (CS) has shown values in cine imaging but generally requires long reconstruction time. Recent artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated potential in fast cine imaging. PURPOSE: To compare CS-cine and AI-cine with Conv-cine in quantitative biventricular functions, image quality, and reconstruction time. STUDY TYPE: Prospective human studies. SUBJECTS: 70 patients (age, 39 ± 15 years, 54.3% male). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3T; balanced steady state free precession gradient echo sequences. ASSESSMENT: Biventricular functional parameters of CS-, AI-, and Conv-cine were measured by two radiologists independently and compared. The scan and reconstruction time were recorded. Subjective scores of image quality were compared by three radiologists. STATISTICAL TESTS: Paired t-test and two related-samples Wilcoxon sign test were used to compare biventricular functional parameters between CS-, AI-, and Conv-cine. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Bland-Altman analysis, and Kendall's W method were applied to evaluate agreement of biventricular functional parameters and image quality of these three sequences. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant, and standardized mean difference (SMD) < 0. 100 was considered no significant difference. RESULTS: Compared to Conv-cine, no statistically significant differences were identified in CS- and AI-cine function results (all P > 0.05), except for very small differences in left ventricle end-diastole volumes of 2.5 mL (SMD = 0.082) and 4.1 mL (SMD = 0.096), respectively. Bland-Altman scatter plots revealed that biventricular function results were mostly distributed within the 95% confidence interval. All parameters had acceptable to excellent interobserver agreements (ICC: 0.748-0.989). Compared with Conv-cine (84 ± 13 sec), both CS (14 ± 2 sec) and AI (15 ± 2 sec) techniques reduced scan time. Compared with CS-cine (304 ± 17 sec), AI-cine (24 ± 4 sec) reduced reconstruction time. CS-cine demonstrated significantly lower quality scores than Conv-cine, while AI-cine demonstrated similar scores (P = 0.634). CONCLUSION: CS- and AI-cine can achieve whole-heart cardiac cine imaging in a single breath-hold. Both CS- and AI-cine have the potential to supplement the gold standard Conv-cine in studying biventricular functions and benefit patients having difficulties with breath-holds. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 1.

A glycosylation signature for predicting the progression and immunotherapeutic response of prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Glycosylation has been proposed as a new cancer hallmark. However, focusing on specific glycans or glycoproteins may lose much data relevant to glycosylation alterations. The present study aimed to first comprehensively investigate the expression and mutation profiles of glycosylation-related genes (GRgenes) in prostate cancer (PCa) and then develop a glycosylation signature and explore its role in predicting the progression and immunotherapeutic response of PCa. METHODS: Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas database, we comprehensively screened potential prognostic GRgenes and analyzed their expression and mutation profiles in PCa. Through consensus clustering analysis, the study cohort was classified to investigate the effect of glycosylation patterns on the prognosis of PCa. Next, we developed a glycosylation signature (i.e., the glycosylation score [Gly_score]) using the differentially expressed genes between glycosylation pattern groups and evaluated its role in predicting the progression and immunotherapeutic response of PCa. RESULTS: We identified two distinct glycosylation patterns in PCa and found that GRgene expression patterns rather than mutations are associated with the prognosis of PCa. The high Gly_score group had significantly shorter progression-free survival, lower PD-L1 levels, less infiltration of immune cells and lower immunophenoscores than the low Gly_score group. When the patients were grouped according to both the Gly_score and PD-L1 level, patients with a combination of low Gly_score and low PD-L1 expression had the best survival outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, for the first time, we developed a glycosylation signature and demonstrated that the proposed glycosylation signature is a promising tool for predicting the prognosis and immunotherapeutic response of PCa.

Isolation of three MiDi19-4 genes from mango, the ectopic expression of which confers early flowering and enhances stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Three Di19-4 genes were identified in mango. Overexpression of MiDi19-4B in A. thaliana promoted earlier flowering and enhanced drought, salt, and ABA resistance. Drought-induced protein 19 (Di19) is a drought-induced protein that is mainly involved in multiple stress responses. Here, three Di19-4 genes (MiDi19-4A/B/C) in mango (Mangifera indica L.) were identified, and the coding sequences (CDS) had lengths of 684, 666, and 672 bp and encoded proteins with 228, 222, and 224 amino acids, respectively. The promoters of the MiDi19-4 genes contained phytohormone-, light-, and abiotic stress-responsive elements. The MiDi19-4 genes were expressed in every tissue and highly expressed in leaves. Moreover, MiDi19-4 genes were highly correlated with the vegetative growth period and induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) or salt stress. MiDi19-4B displayed the highest expression during the vegetative growth period and then showed decreased expression, and MiDi19-4B was highly expressed at both the late stage of the vegetative growth period and the initial stage of the flowering induction period. The 35S::GFP-MiDi19-4B fusion protein was located in the cell nucleus. The transgenic plants ectopically expressing MiDi19-4B exhibited earlier flowering and increased expression patterns of FRUITFULL (AtFUL), APETALA1 (AtAP1), and FLOWERING LOCUS T (AtFT). The drought and salt tolerance of MiDi19-4B transgenic plants was significantly increased, and these plants showed decreased sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA) and considerably increased expression levels of drought- and salt-related genes and ABA signalling pathway genes. Additionally, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) experiments revealed that the MiDi19-4B protein interacted with CAULIFLOWER (MiCAL1), MiCAL2, MiAP1-1, and MiAP1-2. Taken together, these results highlighted the important regulatory roles of MiDi19-4B in tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses and in flowering.

Contrasts Between Diffusion-Weighted Imaging and Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MR in Diagnosing Malignancies of Breast Nonmass Enhancement Lesions Based on Morphologic Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Nonmass enhancement (NME) breast lesions are considered to be the leading cause of unnecessary biopsies. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) or dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) sequences are typically used to differentiate between benign and malignant NMEs. It is important to know which one is more effective and reliable. PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic performance of DCE curves and DWI in discriminating benign and malignant NME lesions on the basis of morphologic characteristics assessment on contrast-enhanced (CE)-MRI images. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. SUBJECTS: A total of 180 patients with 184 lesions in the training cohort and 75 patients with 77 lesions in the validation cohort with pathological results. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 3.0 T/multi-b-value DWI (b values = 0, 50, 1000, and 2000 sec/mm2 ) and time-resolved angiography with stochastic trajectories and volume-interpolated breath-hold examination (TWIST-VIBE) sequence. ASSESSMENT: In the training cohort, a diagnostic model for morphology based on the distribution and internal enhancement characteristics was first constructed. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) model (ADC + morphology) and the time-intensity curves (TIC) model (TIC + morphology) were then established using binary logistic regression with pathological results as the reference standard. Both models were compared for sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) in the training and the validation cohort. STATISTICAL TESTS: Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and two-sample t-tests/Mann-Whitney U-test/Chi-square test were performed. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: For the TIC/ADC model in the training cohort, sensitivities were 0.924/0.814, specificities were 0.615/0.615, and AUCs were 0.811 (95%, 0.727, 0.894)/0.769 (95%, 0.681, 0.856). The AUC of the TIC-ADC combined model was significantly higher than ADC model alone, while comparable with the TIC model (P = 0.494). In the validation cohort, the AUCs of TIC/ADC model were 0.799/0.635. DATA CONCLUSION: Based on the morphologic analyses, the performance of the TIC model was found to be superior than the ADC model for differentiating between benign and malignant NME lesions. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 4. TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Development and validation of a deep learning signature for predicting lymph node metastasis in lung adenocarcinoma: comparison with radiomics signature and clinical-semantic model.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a deep learning (DL) signature for predicting lymph node (LN) metastasis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: A total of 612 patients with pathologically-confirmed lung adenocarcinoma were retrospectively enrolled and were randomly divided into training cohort (n = 489) and internal validation cohort (n = 123). Besides, 108 patients were enrolled and constituted an independent test cohort (n = 108). Patients' clinical characteristics and CT semantic features were collected. The radiomics features were derived from contrast-enhanced CT images. The clinical-semantic model and radiomics signature were built to predict LN metastasis. Furthermore, Swin Transformer was adopted to develop a DL signature predictive of LN metastasis. Model performance was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. The comparisons of AUC were conducted by the DeLong test. RESULTS: The proposed DL signature yielded an AUC of 0.948-0.961 across all three cohorts, significantly superior to both clinical-semantic model and radiomics signature (all p < 0.05). The calibration curves show that DL signature predicted probabilities fit well the actual observed probabilities of LN metastasis. DL signature gained a higher net benefit than both clinical-semantic model and radiomics signature. The incorporation of radiomics signature or clinical-semantic risk predictors failed to reveal an incremental value over the DL signature. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed DL signature based on Swin Transformer achieved a promising performance in predicting LN metastasis and could confer important information in noninvasive mediastinal LN staging and individualized therapeutic options. KEY POINTS: • Accurate prediction for lymph node metastasis is crucial to formulate individualized therapeutic options for patients with lung adenocarcinoma. • The deep learning signature yielded an AUC of 0.948-0.961 across all three cohorts in predicting lymph node metastasis, superior to both radiomics signature and clinical-semantic model. • The incorporation of radiomics signature or clinical-semantic risk predictors into deep learning signature failed to reveal an incremental value over deep learning signature.

Early reverse remodeling of left heart morphology and function evaluated by cardiac magnetic resonance in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy after transapical beating-heart septal myectomy.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the early morphology and function of the left heart in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) after transapical beating-heart septal myectomy (TA-BSM) using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April 2022 and January 2023, HOCM patients who underwent CMR before and 3 months after TA-BSM were prospectively and consecutively enrolled in the study. Preoperative and postoperative cardiac morphological and functional parameters, including those for the left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV), were compared. The left ventricular remodeling index (LVRI) was defined as the ratio between left ventricular mass (LVM) and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV). Healthy participants with a similar age and sex distribution were enrolled for comparison. Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationships between the parameters and LVRI. Last, univariate and multivariate linear regression identified variables associated with the LVM index (LVMI) and LVRI. RESULTS: Forty-one patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 46 ± 2 years; 27 males) and 41 healthy control participants were evaluated. Eighteen (44%) HOCM patients were classified as having a sigmoid septum, and 23 patients had a reverse septal curvature. LA volume, diameter and function were significantly improved postoperatively, but still worse than healthy controls (all p < 0.001). Compared to before the operation, left ventricular wall thickness, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), LVMI, and LVRI decreased after TA-BSM (all p < 0.001). The left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI) and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) decreased in patients with a sigmoid septum. However, LVEDVI and LVEDD increased in those with a reverse septal curvature (both p < 0.001). In addition, both preoperative and postoperative LVRI was positively correlated with LVMI (r = 0.734 and 0.853, both p < 0.001) and maximum wall thickness (r = 0.679 and 0.676, both p < 0.001), respectively. In the multivariable analysis, the weight of the resected myocardium (adjusted ß = 0.476, p = 0.005) and △mitral regurgitation degree (adjusted ß = - 0.245, p = 0.040) were associated with △LVRI. Last, the △LVOTG (adjusted ß = 0.436, p = 0.018) and baseline LVMI (adjusted ß = 0.323, p = 0.040) were independently associated with greater left ventricular mass regression after TA-BSM. CONCLUSION: CMR confirmed early reverse remodeling of left heart morphology and function in HOCM patients following TA-BSM.

Diastolic dysfunction assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging tissue tracking on normal-thickness wall segments in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVES: Myocardial strain is reported to be a sensitive indicator of myocardial mechanical changes in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The changes in the mechanics of the myocardium of normal wall thickness (< 12 mm) have yet to be well studied. This study aimed to evaluate the function of myocardial segments of normal thickness in patients with HCM. METHODS: Sixty-three patients with HCM and 30 controls were retrospectively enrolled in this retrospective study. Cine imaging, native and post-contrast T1 maps, T2 maps, and late gadolinium enhancement were performed. In addition, regional myocardial strain was assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance-tissue tracking. Strain parameters were compared between the controls and HCM patients with segments of the myocardium of normal thickness. Subgroup analysis was conducted in obstructive and non-obstructive HCM. Lastly, p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In normal-thickness myocardial segments of HCM (n = 716), diastolic peak strain rates (PSRs) were significantly lower than in the control group (n = 480) (radial, - 2.43 [- 3.36, - 1.78] vs. - 2.67 [- 3.58, - 1.96], p = 0.002; circumferential, 1.28 [1.01,1.60] vs. 1.39 [1.14, 1.78], p < 0.001; and longitudinal, 1.16 [0.75,1.51] vs. 1.28 [0.90, 1.71], p < 0.001). The normal-thickness segments showed no significant difference in systolic PSRs between HCM and the controls. In the subgroup analysis, significantly decreased diastolic PSRs were noted in both obstructive and non-obstructive HCM, compared with the controls (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Diastolic changes in myocardial mechanics were observed in normal-thickness segments of HCM, occurring before morphological remodeling and systolic dysfunction developed. This finding contributed to a better understanding of the mechanical pathophysiology of HCM with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. It may potentially aid in predicting disease progression and risk stratification.

Abnormal dynamic ventilation function of COVID-19 survivors detected by pulmonary free-breathing proton MRI.

OBJECTIVES: To visualize and quantitatively assess regional lung function of survivors of COVID-19 who were hospitalized using pulmonary free-breathing 1H MRI. METHODS: A total of 12 healthy volunteers and 27 COVID-19 survivors (62.4 ± 8.1 days between infection and image acquisition) were recruited in this prospective study and performed chest 1H MRI acquisitions with free tidal breathing. Then, conventional Fourier decomposition ventilation (FD-V) and global fractional ventilation (FVGlobal) were analyzed. Besides, a modified PREFUL (mPREFUL) method was developed to adapt to COVID-19 survivors and generate dynamic ventilation maps and parameters. All the ventilation maps and parameters were analyzed using Student's t-test. Pearson's correlation and a Bland-Altman plot between FVGlobal and mPREFUL were analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between COVID-19 and healthy groups regarding a static FD-V map (0.47 ± 0.12 vs 0.42 ± 0.08; p = .233). However, mPREFUL demonstrated lots of regional high ventilation areas (high ventilation percentage (HVP): 23.7% ± 10.6%) existed in survivors. This regional heterogeneity (i.e., HVP) in survivors was significantly higher than in healthy volunteers (p = .003). The survivors breathed deeper (flow-volume loop: 5375 ± 3978 vs 1688 ± 789; p = .005), and breathed more air in respiratory cycle (total amount: 62.6 ± 19.3 vs 37.3 ± 9.9; p < .001). Besides, mPREFUL showed both good Pearson's correlation (r = 0.74; p < .001) and Bland-Altman consistency (mean bias = -0.01) with FVGlobal. CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic ventilation imaging using pulmonary free-breathing 1H MRI found regional abnormity of dynamic ventilation function in COVID-19 survivors. KEY POINTS: • Pulmonary free-breathing1H MRI was used to visualize and quantitatively assess regional lung ventilation function of COVID-19 survivors. • Dynamic ventilation maps generated from 1H MRI were more sensitive to distinguish the COVID-19 and healthy groups (total air amount: 62.6 ± 19.3 vs 37.3 ± 9.9; p < .001), compared with static ventilation maps (FD-V value: 0.47 ± 0.12 vs 0.42 ± 0.08; p = .233). • COVID-19 survivors had larger regional heterogeneity (high ventilation percentage: 23.7% ± 10.6% vs 13.1% ± 7.9%; p = .003), and breathed deeper (flow-volume loop: 5375 ± 3978 vs 1688 ± 789; p = .005) than healthy volunteers.

Quantitative assessment of right ventricular size and function with multiple parameters from artificial intelligence-based three-dimensional echocardiography: A comparative study with cardiac magnetic resonance.

AIMS: This study aimed to explore the validation and the diagnostic value of multiple right ventricle (RV) volumes and functional parameters derived from a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) algorithm compared to cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 51 patients with a broad spectrum of clinical diagnoses were finally included in this study. AI-based RV 3DE was performed in a single-beat HeartModel mode within 24 hours after CMR. In the entire population, RV volumes and right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) measured by AI-based 3DE showed statistically significant correlations with the corresponding CMR analysis (p < 0.05 for all). However, the Bland-Altman plots indicated that these parameters were slightly underestimated by AI-based 3DE. Based on CMR derived RVEF < 45% as RV dysfunction, end-systolic volume (ESV), end-systolic volume index (ESVi), stroke volume (SV), and RVEF showed great diagnostic performance in identifying RV dysfunction, as well as some non-volumetric parameters, including tricuspid annular systolic excursion (TAPSE), fractional area change (FAC), and free-wall longitudinal strains (LS) (p < 0.05 for all). The cutoff value was 43% for RVEF with a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 67%. CONCLUSION: AI-based 3DE could provide rapid and accurate quantitation of the RV volumes and function with multiple parameters. Both volumetric and non-volumetric measurements derived from AI-based 3DE contributed to the identification of the RV dysfunction.

Role of FUS-CHOP in Myxoid Liposarcoma via miR-486/CDK4 Axis.

This study aimed to explore the roles and relationship between FUsed in Sarcoma (FUS)-C/EBP HOmologous Protein (CHOP), microRNA (miR)-486 and cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) in myxoid liposarcoma, and determined whether FUS-CHOP can regulate proliferation and apoptosis of myxoid liposarcoma cells by regulating miR-486/CDK4 axis. The levels of miR-486, CDK4 and FUS-CHOP in myxoid liposarcoma samples/adjacent normal muscle tissues and myxoid liposarcoma/human adipose-derived stem cell line were evaluated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were performed using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide and flow cytometry, respectively. Furthermore, the apoptosis-related proteins were determined using Western blot assay. We found that miR-486 was down-regulated, FUS-CHOP and CDK4 were up-regulated in myxoid liposarcoma tissues and myxoid liposarcoma cell lines. Moreover, FUS-CHOP-siRNA distinctly suppressed FUS-CHOP level and increased miR-486 levels in 1955/91 cells. Our results demonstrated that knockdown of FUS-CHOP by siRNA inhibited 1955/91 growth, promoted cell apoptosis and enhanced cleaved Caspase3 protein expression. However, all these data were reversed by miR-486 inhibitor. Similarly, compared to mimic control, miR-486 mimic markedly reduced 1955/91 cells growth, induced cell apoptosis and fortified cleaved Caspase3 level, while these results were abolished by CDK4-plasmid. Collectively, our observations clearly suggested that FUS-CHOP regulated myxoid liposarcoma cell proliferation and apoptosis by the regulation of miR-486/CDK4 axis, indicating the potential use of FUS-CHOP-siRNA as a promising therapy for myxoid liposarcoma.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the 14-3-3 Gene Family in Mango (Mangifera indica L.).

Members of the Mi14-3-3 gene family interact with target proteins that are widely involved in plant hormone signal transduction and physiology-related metabolism and play important roles in plant growth, development and stress responses. In this study, 14-3-3s family members are identified by the bioinformatic analysis of the mango (Mangifera indica L.) genome. The gene structures, chromosomal distributions, genetic evolution, and expression patterns of these genes and the physical and chemical properties and conserved motifs of their proteins are analysed systematically. The results identified 16 members of the 14-3-3 genes family in the mango genome. The members were not evenly distributed across the chromosomes, and the gene structure analysis showed that the gene sequence length and intron number varied greatly among the different members. Protein sequence analysis showed that the Mi14-3-3 proteins had similar physical and chemical properties and secondary and tertiary structures, and protein subcellular localization showed that the Mi14-3-3 family proteins were localized to the nucleus. The sequence analysis of the Mi14-3-3s showed that all Mi14-3-3 proteins contain a typical conserved PFAM00244 domain, and promoter sequence analysis showed that the Mi14-3-3 promoters contain multiple hormone-, stress-, and light-responsive cis-regulatory elements. Expression analysis showed that the 14-3-3 genes were expressed in all tissues of mango, but that their expression patterns were different. Drought, salt and low temperature stresses affected the expression levels of 14-3-3 genes, and different 14-3-3 genes had different responses to these stresses. This study provides a reference for further studies on the function and regulation of Mi14-3-3 family members.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the RNase T2 Family and Identification of Interacting Proteins of Four ClS-RNase Genes in 'XiangShui' Lemon.

S-RNase plays vital roles in the process of self-incompatibility (SI) in Rutaceae plants. Data have shown that the rejection phenomenon during self-pollination is due to the degradation of pollen tube RNA by S-RNase. The cytoskeleton microfilaments of pollen tubes are destroyed, and other components cannot extend downwards from the stigma and, ultimately, cannot reach the ovary to complete fertilisation. In this study, four S-RNase gene sequences were identified from the 'XiangShui' lemon genome and ubiquitome. Sequence analysis revealed that the conserved RNase T2 domains within S-RNases in 'XiangShui' lemon are the same as those within other species. Expression pattern analysis revealed that S3-RNase and S4-RNase are specifically expressed in the pistils, and spatiotemporal expression analysis showed that the S3-RNase expression levels in the stigmas, styles and ovaries were significantly higher after self-pollination than after cross-pollination. Subcellular localisation analysis showed that the S1-RNase, S2-RNase, S3-RNase and S4-RNase were found to be expressed in the nucleus according to laser confocal microscopy. In addition, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assays showed that S3-RNase interacted with F-box, Bifunctional fucokinase/fucose pyrophosphorylase (FKGP), aspartic proteinase A1, RRP46, pectinesterase/pectinesterase inhibitor 51 (PME51), phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (PDAT1), gibberellin receptor GID1B, GDT1-like protein 4, putative invertase inhibitor, tRNA ligase, PAP15, PAE8, TIM14-2, PGIP1 and p24beta2. Moreover, S3-RNase interacted with TOPP4. Therefore, S3-RNase may play an important role in the SI of 'XiangShui' lemon.

Early prediction of lung lesion progression in COVID-19 patients with extended CT ventilation imaging.

PURPOSE: In the prediction of COVID-19 disease progression, a clear illustration and early determination of an area that will be affected by pneumonia remain great challenges. In this study, we aimed to predict and visualize the progression of lung lesions in COVID-19 patients in the early stage of illness by using chest CT. METHODS: COVID-19 patients who underwent three chest CT scans in the progressive phase were retrospectively enrolled. An extended CT ventilation imaging (CTVI) method was proposed in this work that was adapted to use two chest CT scans acquired on different days, and then lung ventilation maps were generated. The prediction maps were obtained according to the fractional ventilation values, which were related to pulmonary regional function and tissue property changes. The third CT scan was used to validate whether the prediction maps could be used to distinguish healthy regions and potential lesions. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients (mean age ± SD, 43 ± 10 years, 19 females, and 2-12 days between the second and third CT scans) were included in this study. The predicted lesion locations and sizes were almost the same as the true ones visualized in third CT scan. Quantitatively, the predicted lesion volumes and true lesion volumes showed both a good Pearson correlation (R2 = 0.80; P < 0.001) and good consistency in the Bland-Altman plot (mean bias = 0.04 cm3). Regarding the enlargements of the existing lesions, prediction results also exhibited a good Pearson correlation (R2 = 0.76; P < 0.001) with true lesion enlargements. CONCLUSION: The present findings demonstrated that the extended CTVI method could accurately predict and visualize the progression of lung lesions in COVID-19 patients in the early stage of illness, which is helpful for physicians to predetermine the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia and make effective treatment plans in advance.

CMR T1 mapping and strain analysis in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy: evaluation in patients with negative late gadolinium enhancement and preserved ejection fraction.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) T1 mapping and strain parameters can detect early histological and functional myocardial changes in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) with negative late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and preserved ejection fraction. METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients with IIM (41.5 ± 15.4 years, 24 females) who did not have LGE or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (40.6 ± 14.2 years, 20 females) were recruited. Patients with IIM were further classified into two subgroups according to high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) values: elevated hs-cTnI subgroup (n = 10) and normal hs-cTnI subgroup (n = 20). Myocardial native T1 values, extracellular volume (ECV) fractions, and strain parameters were analyzed in patients with IIM and healthy controls. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, patients with IIM had significantly prolonged native T1 values and increased ECV in each LV segment (p < 0.05). In further subgroup analysis, LV mid-slice native T1 values had the most power to discriminate between patients with elevated hs-cTnI and healthy controls (area under the curve = 0.92). There was no significant difference of global LV strain or strain rates between IIM patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Diffuse interstitial fibrosis can be detected by CMR T1 mapping in patients with IIM who do not have LGE or reduced LVEF or elevated hs-cTnI, and it may be a promising method for screening subclinical cardiac involvement in IIM. KEY POINTS: • Myocardial abnormality in IIM is often subclinical and leads to poor prognosis. • Conventional CMR parameters have limitations in early detection of cardiac function and tissue changes. • CMR T1 mapping techniques and myocardial strain analysis have the potential to provide detailed information on cardiac histology and function.

Functional diagnosis of placenta accreta by intravoxel incoherent motion model diffusion-weighted imaging.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the diagnostic value of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) DWI for placenta accreta by comparing diffusion and perfusion characteristics of placentas with accreta lesions (APs) with those of normal placentas (NPs). METHODS: Twenty-five pregnant women with AP and 24 with NP underwent 3-T magnetic resonance examinations with IVIM-DWI. The perfusion percentage (f), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), and diffusion coefficient (D) values were calculated from different ROIs: the entire-plane of the AP (AP-ROI) and NP (NP-ROI) and the implanted (IR-ROI) and non-implanted region (NIR-ROI) of the AP. The AP-ROIs and NP-ROIs were compared using covariance analysis; the IR-ROIs and NIR-ROIs were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. ROC curves were produced to evaluate the parameters for predicting placenta accreta. RESULTS: The f and D* values for the AP-ROIs ([45.0 ± 7.63]%, [11.64 ± 2.15]mm2/s) were significantly higher than those for the NP-ROIs ([31.85 ± 5.96]%, [9.04 ± 3.13]mm2/s) (both p < 0.05); the IR-ROIs (54.8%, 14.03 mm2/s) were also significantly higher than the NIR-ROIs (37.4%, 11.4 mm2/s) (both p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the D values of the AP-ROIs and NP-ROIs (p > 0.05) or of the IR-ROIs and NIR-ROIs (p > 0.05). The areas under the curve for f and D* of the ROC curves were 0.93 and 0.79, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the IVIM parameters f and D* can be used to quantitatively evaluate the higher perfusion of AP when compared with NP. Furthermore, IVIM may be a useful functional diagnostic technique to predict placenta accreta. KEY POINTS: • Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) may be a useful diagnostic technique to quantitatively estimate the perfusion of the placenta. • The perfusion percentage (f) and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) values differed significantly between placentas with accreta lesions and normal placentas. • ROC curves showed that perfusion percentage (f) and pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) values could accurately predict placenta accreta.

Accelerating acquisition of readout-segmented echo planar imaging with a simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) technique for diagnosing breast lesions.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of SMS rs-EPI for evaluating breast lesions. METHODS: This prospective study was approved by IRB. Ninety-six patients had 102 histopathologically verified lesions (80 malignant and 22 benign) that were evaluated. Conventional rs-EPI and SMS rs-EPI data were acquired on a 3T scanner. Mean kurtosis (MK), mean diffusion (MD), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were quantitatively calculated for each lesion on both sequences. Images were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed with respect to image sharpness, geometric distortion, lesion conspicuity, anatomic structure, overall image quality, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Student's t test, Pearson correlation, receiver operating characteristic curve, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and paired-sample t tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Compared to conventional rs-EPI, the acquisition time of SMS rs-EPI was markedly reduced (2:17 min vs 4:27 min). Pearson's correlations showed excellent linear relationships for each parameter between conventional rs-EPI and SMS rs-EPI (MK, r = 0.908; MD, r = 0.938; and ADC, r = 0.975; p < 0.01 for all). Furthermore, SMS rs-EPI had similar diagnostic performance compared with conventional rs-EPI. SMS rs-EPI had comparable visual image quality as conventional rs-EPI, with excellent inter-reader reliability (ICC = 0.851-0.940). No differences existed between conventional rs-EPI and SMS rs-EPI for either SNR or CNR (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Applying the SMS technique can significantly reduce the acquisition time and produce similar diagnostic accuracy while generating comparable image quality as the conventional rs-EPI. KEY POINTS: • SMS rs-EPI reduces scan time from 4:27 min to 2:17 min compared with conventional rs-EPI. • SMS rs-EPI has a comparable diagnostic performance to conventional rs-EPI in the differentiation between malignant and benign breast lesions. • SMS rs-EPI demonstrates comparable image quality to conventional rs-EPI with shorter scan time.

Computing infection distributions and longitudinal evolution patterns in lung CT images.

BACKGROUND: Spatial and temporal lung infection distributions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their changes could reveal important patterns to better understand the disease and its time course. This paper presents a pipeline to analyze statistically these patterns by automatically segmenting the infection regions and registering them onto a common template. METHODS: A VB-Net is designed to automatically segment infection regions in CT images. After training and validating the model, we segmented all the CT images in the study. The segmentation results are then warped onto a pre-defined template CT image using deformable registration based on lung fields. Then, the spatial distributions of infection regions and those during the course of the disease are calculated at the voxel level. Visualization and quantitative comparison can be performed between different groups. We compared the distribution maps between COVID-19 and community acquired pneumonia (CAP), between severe and critical COVID-19, and across the time course of the disease. RESULTS: For the performance of infection segmentation, comparing the segmentation results with manually annotated ground-truth, the average Dice is 91.6% ± 10.0%, which is close to the inter-rater difference between two radiologists (the Dice is 96.1% ± 3.5%). The distribution map of infection regions shows that high probability regions are in the peripheral subpleural (up to 35.1% in probability). COVID-19 GGO lesions are more widely spread than consolidations, and the latter are located more peripherally. Onset images of severe COVID-19 (inpatients) show similar lesion distributions but with smaller areas of significant difference in the right lower lobe compared to critical COVID-19 (intensive care unit patients). About the disease course, critical COVID-19 patients showed four subsequent patterns (progression, absorption, enlargement, and further absorption) in our collected dataset, with remarkable concurrent HU patterns for GGO and consolidations. CONCLUSIONS: By segmenting the infection regions with a VB-Net and registering all the CT images and the segmentation results onto a template, spatial distribution patterns of infections can be computed automatically. The algorithm provides an effective tool to visualize and quantify the spatial patterns of lung infection diseases and their changes during the disease course. Our results demonstrate different patterns between COVID-19 and CAP, between severe and critical COVID-19, as well as four subsequent disease course patterns of the severe COVID-19 patients studied, with remarkable concurrent HU patterns for GGO and consolidations.

Fermentation: An Unreliable Seed Treatment for Bacterial Fruit Blotch of Watermelon.

Acidovorax citrulli is a seedborne pathogen that causes bacterial fruit blotch (BFB), a global threat to watermelon production. Treating watermelon seeds to eliminate A. citrulli is a critical component of BFB management, and several strategies have been evaluated to mitigate the impact of the disease. In China, watermelon seed producers routinely incubate seeds in watermelon juice (fermentation) to reduce the risk of seed infection by A. citrulli and seedling transmission of BFB. However, there has been limited effort to evaluate the efficacy of fermentation in mitigating A. citrulli seed infection. The current study showed that fermented watermelon fruit juice could inhibit A. citrulli population growth and demonstrated that the low pH conditions, not the temperature dynamic, generated during fermentation might play a major role in A. citrulli growth inhibition and could induce the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state in A. citrulli. We developed an effective method that was based on propidium monoazide PCR to detect viable A. citrulli cells under low pH conditions or in fermented watermelon fruit juice. We also provided evidence that VBNC A. citrulli cells induced by fermented watermelon fruit juice could not be resuscitated and did not retain their virulence on watermelon seedlings. However, VBNC A. citrulli cells could be resuscitated in Luria-Bertani medium. Based on these observations, we conclude that fermentation in watermelon fruit juice may not be an effective seed treatment for BFB because it may increase the seed infection by A. citrulli.