Radiomics model based on intravoxel incoherent motion and diffusion kurtosis imaging for predicting histopathological grade and Ki-67 expression level of soft tissue sarcomas.

BACKGROUND: Accurate identification of the histopathological grade and the Ki-67 expression level is important in clinical cases of soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). PURPOSE: To explore the feasibility of a radiomics model based on intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) MRI parameter maps in predicting the histopathological grade and Ki-67 expression level of STSs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total, 42 patients diagnosed with STSs between May 2018 and January 2020 were selected. The MADC software in Functool of GE ADW 4.7 workstation was used to obtain standard apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), D, D*, f, mean diffusivity, and mean kurtosis (MK). The histopathological grade and Ki-67 expression level of STSs were identified. The radiomics features of IVIM and DKI parameter maps were used as the dataset. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and F1-score were calculated. RESULTS: D-SVM achieved the best diagnostic performance for histopathological grade. The AUC in the validation cohort was 0.88 (sensitivity: 0.75 [low level] and 0.83 [high level]; specificity: 0.83 [low level] and 0.75 [high level]; F1-score: 0.75 [low level] and 0.83 [high level]). MK-SVM achieved the best diagnostic performance for Ki-67 expression level. The AUC in the validation cohort was 0.83 (sensitivity: 0.83 [low level] and 0.50 [high level; specificity: 0.50 [low level] and 0.83 [high level]; F1-score: 0.77 [low level] and 0.57 [high level]). CONCLUSION: The proposed radiomics classifier could predict the pathological grade of STSs and the Ki-67 expression level in STSs.

Association between malnutrition risk and hemorrhagic transformation in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Background and aims: Malnutrition is a prevalent problem occurring in different diseases. Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a severe complication of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Few studies have evaluated the association between malnutrition risk and hemorrhagic transformation in patients with acute stroke. We aim to investigate the influence of malnutrition risk on the risk of hemorrhagic transformation in patients with AIS. Methods: A total of 182 consecutive adults with HT and 182 age- and sex-matched patients with stroke were enrolled in this study. The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score was calculated to evaluate the malnutrition risk. HT was detected by follow-up imaging assessment and was radiologically classified as hemorrhagic infarction type 1 or 2 or parenchymal hematoma type 1 or 2. Logistic regression models were conducted when participants were divided into different malnutrition risk groups according to the objective nutritional score to assess the risk for HT. Results: The prevalence of moderate to severe malnutrition risk in patients with AIS was 12.5%, according to the CONUT score. Univariate analysis showed that the CONUT score is significantly higher in patients with HT than those without HT. After adjusting for potential covariables, the patients with mild risk and moderate to severe malnutrition risk were associated with a higher risk of HT compared to the patients in the normal nutritional status group [odds ratio, 3.180 (95% CI, 1.139-8.874), P = 0.027; odds ratio, 3.960 (95% CI, 1.015-15.453), P = 0.048, respectively]. Conclusion: Malnutrition risk, measured by CONUT score, was significantly associated with an increased risk of hemorrhagic transformation in patients with AIS.

Sperm-specific protein ACTL7A as a biomarker for fertilization outcomes of assisted reproductive technology.

Obtaining high-quality embryos is one of the key factors to improve the clinical pregnancy rate of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). So far, the clinical evaluation of embryo quality depends on embryo morphology. However, the clinical pregnancy rate is still low. Therefore, new indicators are needed to further improve the evaluation of embryo quality. Several studies have shown that the decrease of sperm-specific protein actin-like 7A (ACTL7A) leaded to low fertilization rate, poor embryo development, and even infertility. The aim of this study was to study whether the different expression levels of ACTL7A on sperm can be used as a biomarker for predicting embryo quality. In this study, excluding the factors of severe female infertility, a total of 281 sperm samples were collected to compare the ACTL7A expression levels of sperms with high and low effective embryo rates and analyze the correlation between protein levels and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratory outcomes. Our results indicated that the ACTL7A levels were significantly reduced in sperm samples presenting poor embryo quality. Furthermore, the protein levels showed a significant correlation with fertilization outcomes of ART. ACTL7A has the potential to be a biomarker for predicting success rate of fertilization and effective embryo and the possibility of embryo arrest. In conclusion, sperm-specific protein ACTL7A has a strong correlation with IVF laboratory outcomes and plays important roles in fertilization and embryo development.

GPX7 promotes the growth of human papillary thyroid carcinoma via enhancement of cell proliferation and inhibition of cell apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal expression of glutathione peroxidase 7 (GPX7) has been linked to the occurrence and development of a variety of tumors. However, the role of GPX7 in the progression of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has not been elucidated. This study investigated the role of GPX7 in the progression of PTC. METHODS: The methods employed included immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), MTT assay, Celigo cell counting, flow cytometric analysis, caspase activity assay, cell clone formation assay, and GPX7 knockdown. RESULTS: The data showed that GPX7 protein was localized in the cytoplasm of thyroid cells. The level of GPX7 expression was higher in PTC tissues than in the nodular goiter. The positive rate for GPX7 was also higher in the PTC group than in the nodular goiter group (100.0% vs. 35.7%). The maximum tumor diameter in the group highly expressing GXP7 was significantly greater than that in the group with low expression of GXP7 (1.56±0.56 vs. 0.56±0.13 cm, P<0.001). The GPX7 mRNA level was higher in K1 cells. Knockdown of GPX7 decreased the number of cells, cell clone formation ability, and cell proliferation rate and increased the activity of caspase 3/7 and cell apoptosis in PTC K1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that high expression of GPX7 increases the proliferation and reduces the apoptosis of PTC cells, and thus, promotes the growth and progression of human PTC.

[Relationship between clinical stages of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Epstein-Barr virus antibodies Rta/IgG, EBNA1/IgA, VCA/IgA and EA/IgA].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between the clinical stages of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies Rta/IgG, EBNA1/IgA, VCA/IgA and EA/IgA. METHODS: Serum samples obtained from 211 untreated patients with NPC categorized by the project of 92' stage were examined for the presence of the EBV antibodies Rta/IgG and EBNA1/IgA by enzyme-linked immnunosorbent assay (ELISA) and for VCA/IgA and EA/IgA by immunoenzymatic assay. The positive rates and antibody levels in the NPC patients in different TNM stages and clinical stages were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: No significant difference in Rta/IgG rA value was found in the NPC patients in different TNM or clinical stages (P>0.05). The EBNA1/IgA rA value was significantly lower in stage T1, N0, and clinical stage I than in the other corresponding T stages, N stages and other clinical stage (P<0.05). The antibody titers of VCA/IgA and EA/IgA differed significantly between the N stages and the clinical stages (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of EBV Rta/IgG is not associated with NPC stage. The expression of EBNA1/IgA is relatively low in early NPC. The antibody level of VCA/IgA and EA/IgA are significantly correlated to the degree of neck lymph node metastasis, and might be helpful to classify the clinical stages of NPC.

Influence of omeprazole on pharmacokinetics of domperidone given as free base and maleate salt in healthy Chinese patients.

AIM: To investigate the influence of omeprazole on the pharmacokinetics of domperidone given as free base and maleate salt. METHODS: An open, randomized, 2-period crossover study with a washout period of 7 d was conducted in 10 healthy Chinese, male patients. In each study period, the patients were administered a single oral dose of 10 mg domperidone as free base or maleate salt on d 1, 20 mg omeprazole twice daily on d 2 and 3, and once on d 4. A single dose of 10 mg domperidone as free base or maleate salt was taken at 4 h after administration of omeprazole on d 4. Plasma samples were collected on d 1 and 4 after the administration of domperidone, and the plasma concentrations of domperidone were determined by a sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. RESULTS: For free-base domperidone, pretreatment with omeprazole resulted in a 16% decrease in maximum concentration (C(max)), compared with administration alone (P<0.05). However, for maleate salt, with the exception of an increase in t(1/2), no pharmacokinetic parameters were significantly changed. When the free base and maleate salt were administered alone, no differences were found in any parameters between the 2 formulations. In contrast, when they were administered in the presence of omeprazole, the C(max) of domperidone given as free base was lower (25.9%) than that given as maleate salt (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Pretreatment of omeprazole does not affect the absorption of domperidone maleate, but leads to a moderately decreased rate of absorption of the free base.