Pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: CT findings and pathological basis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALToma) is the most frequent subset of primary pulmonary lymphoma. This study aimed to identify radiologic characteristics of pulmonary MALToma based on computed tomography (CT) observations and pathologic features, and further investigate its prognosis. METHODS: Sixty-six patients (55.4 ± 10.9 years; 51.5% male) diagnosed as pulmonary MALToma by pathology were retrospectively enrolled. According to distributions and features of lesions shown on CT, patients were divided into three patterns, including single nodular/mass, multiple nodular/mass, and pneumonia-like consolidative. RESULTS: Variety of the location and extent of the lymphomatous infiltration accounted for different characteristics demonstrated at CT. The pneumonia-like consolidative pattern was the most frequent pattern observed in 42 patients (63.6%), followed by single nodular/mass (21.2%) and multiple nodular/mass (15.2%). CT features included air bronchogram (72.7%), well-marginated halo sign (53.0%), coarse spiculate with different lengths (72.7%), angiogram sign (77.1% of 35 patients), peribronchovascular thickening (48.5%), irregular cavitation (16.7%) and pulmonary cyst (7.6%). The estimated 5-year cumulative overall survival rate of pulmonary MALToma was 100.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary MALToma demonstrates several characteristics at CT. Identification of the significant pulmonary abnormalities of this indolent disease entity might be helpful for early diagnosis and optimal treatment.

Association between an insertion/deletion polymorphism within 3'UTR of SGSM3 and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary hepatic malignancy, and multiple host genetic factors are believed to contribute to HCC development. The small G protein signaling modulator 3 (SGSM3) has been shown to be associated with small G protein coupled receptor signal transduction pathway, suggesting a potential role in HCC susceptibility. We carried out a case-control study in a Chinese population (502 cases and 513 controls) to determine whether the 4-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism (rs56228771) in 3' untranslated region of SGSM3 could affect HCC susceptibility. Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the del/del genotype, the ins/del genotype of rs56228771 was associated with a significantly decreased risk of HCC [adjusted odd ratio = 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.42-0.73, P = 1.93 × 10(-5)]. The combined ins/del + ins/ins genotypes contributed to a 45% decreased HCC risk (95% CI = 0.42-0.73, P = 1.03 × 10(-5)). This protective trend was more prominent in the HBsAg-negative subgroup. Furthermore, in vivo experiments showed that mRNA levels of SGSM3 from HCC tumor tissues and adjacent non-HCC tissues were correlated with rs56228771 genotypes. Tissue samples with ins/ins genotype have the highest level of SGSM3, which are 2.85-3.00-fold and 1.46-1.57-fold higher than that with ins/del and del/del genotype, respectively. Similar results were also observed with four common hepatoma cell lines in vitro. In addition, compared with HCC tissues, significantly higher SGSM3 expression was observed in adjacent non-HCC tissues (fold change = 2.48), implying its tumor suppressor roles in HCC. Bioinformatics prediction showed that the insertion allele disrupted a binding site for microRNA (miRNA)-151-5p, which would upregulate SGSM3. Taken together, we provided initial evidence that rs56228771 may contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis, possibly by affecting SGSM3 expression through a miRNA-mediated regulation. The replication of our studies in other populations and functional analysis will further strengthen the underlining mechanism.

The Effect of Alcohol Compound on the Solidification of Magnesium Oxysulfate Cement-Boron Mud Blends.

At present, the utilization of boron resources in China is increasing, and the problem of boron tailing pollution is becoming increasingly serious. To fundamentally solve the problem of boron tailing, many scholars at home and abroad have mainly studied the curing effect in terms of compressive strength, and little research has been carried out into the solidification effect and hydration products. This study explored the effects of adding different alcohol-based modifiers on the hydration products of magnesium oxysulfate cement-boron mud mixture, the microstructure, physical properties and curing effects of the samples. The results show that magnesium oxysulfate cement is beneficial to the solidification of boron in boron mud due to its low-alkali. Adding an alcohol-based modifier can increase the compressive strength of magnesium oxysulfate cement-boron mud blends. After adding acrylic acid and D-Mannitol, the 28-day compressive strength of the sample increased by 44.7 MPa. The blending of alcohol-based modifiers has a very good effect on the curing of boron in the whole system.

Effect of Carbonation on the Water Resistance of Steel Slag-Magnesium Oxysulfate (MOS) Cement Blends.

Magnesium oxysulfate (MOS) cement has the advantages of lightweightedness, high strength, and low thermal conductivity, but the utilization of MOS cement is limited due to low water resistance. This paper studied the influence of steel slag and CO2 treatment on the compressive strength and water resistance of MOS cement. The hydration products and microstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that the strength of MOS cement reached 89.7 MPa with steel slag and CO2 treatment; the water-resistance coefficients of the control and samples containing 10%, 20%, and 30% reached 0.91, 0.81, 1.01, and 1.08 MPa, respectively. The improvement in the strength and water resistance coefficients was because of carbonation that accelerated the hydration of C2S in the steel slag and formed a Ca-Mg-C amorphous substance. The carbonation products contributed to better water stability and denser matrix denser while inhibiting the hydration of MgO, which led to improving the water resistance of the sample.

Effect of Ion Corrosion on 517 Phase Stability.

The main hydration product and source of strength of magnesium oxysulfate cement is 5Mg(OH)2·MgSO4·7H2O (known as the 517 phase). Hardened pastes containing 92.38% of the 517 phase were synthesized in this study, and the influence of different types of chloride solutions on the stability and compressive strength of the 517 phase was investigated. X-ray diffraction and the Rietveld method were used to investigate the 517 phase transition in chloride solutions. Ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry were used to analyze the ion concentrations of the chloride solutions. Scanning electron microscopy and mercury injection porosimetry were used to investigate the effect of ion erosion on the microstructure and pore size distribution. The results showed that the crystal structure of 517 phase remained stable upon immersion in chloride solutions (except for the CaCl2 solution) up to 28 days, and there was no discernible attenuation in the compressive strength of the hardened pastes. Immersion of the 517 phase in CaCl2 solution for 28 days caused Ca2+ ions to combine with SO42- groups to generate CaSO4·2H2O, thereby decomposing the 517 phase. An increase in the concentration of magnesium and sulfate ions in the immersion solutions confirmed the decomposition of the 517 phase. Gel-like Mg(OH)2 was observed in the microstructure of the decomposed 517 phase, and the decomposition of the 517 phase increased the porosity of the hardened pastes.

Bilateral coronary ostial stenosis secondary to syphilitic aortitis.

Cardiovascular syphilis is associated with the tertiary stage of syphilis infection; it involves the ascending aorta and can cause aortic aneurysm, aortic regurgitation, and coronary ostial stenosis. We report here a case in which bilateral coronary ostial stenosis and aortic regurgitation due to syphilitic aortitis was diagnosed; coronary artery bypass graft was then performed.

Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis of PML-RAR alpha mRNA in acute promyelocytic leukemia: assessment of prognostic significance in adult patients from intergroup protocol 0129.

The potential prognostic value of quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR [qrtPCR]) measurements of PML-RAR alpha mRNA in acute promyelocytic leukemia was retrospectively assessed before treatment and at 3 posttreatment intervals in 123 patients on intergroup protocol 0129. The primary measure was the PML-RAR alpha(GAPDH) normalized quotient (NQ), that is, PML-RAR alpha mRNA copies divided by glyceraldehyde-3'-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNA copies. Only samples with more than 2.5 x 10(5) copies of the housekeeping gene GAPDH mRNA (detection sensitivity exceeding 10(4)) were considered NQ evaluable. With RNA from low-density selected cells, paired peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow samples (n = 140) had comparable NQs (P <.001). Before treatment, high NQ was associated with short-form PML-RAR alpha (P <.001), but not with white blood cell count or clinical outcome. Following treatment, NQ was lower in all-trans retinoic acid-induced complete remission (CR) than chemotherapy-induced CR (P =.018) and at first test after consolidation chemotherapy (P =.037). After consolidation chemotherapy, patients with NQ exceeding 10(-5) had 4.1-fold increased relapse risk (P =.008); however, 73% of patients who experienced relapse had NQ lower than 10(-5). In the follow-up period (FUP), any NQ exceeding 10(-5) and 10(-6) had 17.5-fold and 7.6-fold increased relapse risk, respectively (P <.001), while no gradation of relapse risk (approximately 18%) could be identified at NQ lower than 10(-6), including NQ(-). These results indicate that qrtPCR monitoring of PML-RAR alpha NQ can identify patients at high risk of relapse and suggest that clinically practical PB NQ monitoring at more frequent FUP intervals may improve predictive accuracy for relapse or continuing CR in patients with persistent, fluctuating minimal residual disease levels.