Successful Treatment of Severe Case of Lipid Overload Syndrome with Pancreatitis and Pneumonia: A Case Report.

Background: Fat overload syndrome is a rare and severe adverse reaction triggered by the infusion of a single source of lipid emulsion, resulting in elevated blood triacylglycerol (TG) levels. The majority of literature reports focus on cases of fat overload syndrome in patients with mild symptoms. This case is significant because it demonstrates the diagnostic and therapeutic experience and provide valuable insights for the management for severe fat overload syndrome. Case Presentation: We present a case report of a female patient who developed fat overload syndrome following prolonged and excessive infusion of lipid emulsion after colon resection surgery. In the setting of compromised immune function and malnutrition, the patient's pulmonary infection and respiratory distress symptoms have further exacerbated. Hence, in addition to severe pancreatitis, the patient has also contracted severe pneumonia. Upon admission, tracheal intubation, plasma exchange and blood perfusion were performed. Subsequently, comprehensive treatment was provided, including anti-infection, antispasmodic, acid suppression, enzyme inhibition, as well as targeted supportive measures to stabilize electrolytes and nutritional status. After treatment, there was a progressive reduction in blood lipid levels. After assessing the relevant risks, it was deemed necessary to perform an emergency computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous drainage tube placement procedure targeting the necrotic area of the pancreas while the patient was still intubated. Finally, the patient was discharged from the hospital. Conclusion: The case highlights the association between fat overload syndrome and pancreatitis as well as the use of lipid emulsions and suggests the treatment strategies for severe fat overload syndrome.

A novel parallel overlapping mode for complete ablation of large benign thyroid nodules in a single-session radiofrequency ablation.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been widely applied in patients with benign thyroid nodules (BTNs), and complete ablation in a single-session treatment brings great benefits to patients. While how the ablation should be planned and performed to achieve complete ablation in a single-session treatment in large BTNs remains unknown. Purpose: To determine a more suitable ablation strategy for sufficient treatment in a single-session treatment. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 108 BTNs receiving RFA treatment. These patients were divided into two groups: group A using one insertion point with a fan-shaped overlapping mode and group B using multiple insertion points with a novel parallel overlapping mode. All the treatments used a hydrodissection approach and moving-shot technique. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) was used to guide the supplementary ablation. Follow-ups were performed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The rates of supplementary ablation, initial ablation ratio (IAR), the rates of complete ablation (CAR), treatment effects and complications between the two groups were compared. Results: The group B had larger treated nodules (10.2ml vs 6.4ml, P<0.001) than group A, while group B had a lower rate of supplementary ablation (21.6% vs 75.4%, P<0.001), especially in the BTNs with craniocaudal diameters ≥30mm (22.0% vs 100%, P<0.001). With the assistance of supplementary ablation, both groups achieved similar IAR (100% vs 100%, P=0.372) and CAR (94.7% vs 94.1%, P=1.000). Two groups showed similar VRRs at 12-month follow-up (77.9% vs 77.5%, P=0.894) and similar rates of complications (3.5% vs 2.0%, P=1.000). Conclusions: Needle placement using the multiple insertion points with a novel parallel overlapping mode would be easier to achieve complete ablation with less supplementary ablation, especially in large nodules.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound improves the potency of fine-needle aspiration in thyroid nodules with high inadequate risk.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to determine the clinical value of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of high inadequate risky thyroid nodules. METHODS: During April 2018 and April 2021, consecutive 3748 thyroid nodules underwent FNA were retrospectively analyzed. CEUS guided FNA (CEUS-FNA) was applied in 115 nodules with high inadequate risk in Lingnan Campus. Ten nodules underwent CEUS-FNA presented non-enhancing, and would be further analyzed independently. Other 105 partial or total enhancing nodules were included as CEUS-FNA group, and 210 nodules with high inadequate risk in Tianhe Campus were match as the US-FNA control group. FNA specimens were collected for liquid-based preparation. Cytological results were classified following the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. RESULTS: The overall FNA specimen inadequate rate in our center was 6.6%. All of the ten non-enhancing nodules under CEUS have an inadequate result in cytopathological analyzes. The subsequent postoperative pathology and follow-up ultrasonography showed the non-enhancing nodules were benign or stable without further malignant features. Total specimen inadequate rate of high inadequate risk thyroid nodules in CEUS-FNA group was significantly lower than US-FNA group (6.7% vs. 16.7%, P = 0.014). Further stratified analyzed shown that FNA under US guidance, the inadequate rates in cystic, predominantly cystic, predominantly solid and solid sub-groups were 28.1%, 17.1%, 10.0% and 9.2% (P = 0.019). In contrast, the inadequate rates in cystic, predominantly cystic, predominantly solid and solid sub-groups were 7.4%, 6.7%, 5.6% and 6.7% (P = 0.996) in CEUS-FNA group. CONCLUSIONS: CEUS can improve the specimen adequacy of FNA in high inadequate risk thyroid nodules by avoiding unnecessary FNAs of the non-enhancing nodules, and accurately locating the viable tissue and precise guidance in real-time. CEUS is a recommend modality for FNA guidance of high inadequate risk thyroid nodules.

Development of an Au-anchored Fe Single-atom nanozyme for biocatalysis and enhanced tumor photothermal therapy.

Near-infrared light-induced photothermal therapy (PTT) can achieve effective tumor ablation, but the associated hyperthermic temperatures result in off-target inflammatory damage to proximal tissues. Therefore, killing the tumor at a lower temperature is vital to improving the clinical effect of PTT. In this study, an Au-integrated Fe single-atom nanozyme (FeSAzyme) was developed through the immobilization of an ultrasmall Au nanozyme within a metal-organic framework via an in situ reduction approach. The nanozyme was found to exhibit favorable glucose oxidase- (GOD) like activity and photosensitizing properties to better achieve low-temperature PTT. The Au-carbon nanozyme was able to markedly inhibit tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo due to its GOD-like activity and enhanced photodynamic and photothermal properties. In addition, the integration of the Au nanozyme enhanced the FeSAzyme's peroxidase activity and catalyzed endogenous H2O2 species to generate reactive oxide species, thereby facilitating chemodynamic therapy. Furthermore, its integration markedly enhanced the PTT performance of the FeSAzyme, which achieved pronounced synergistic anti-tumor efficacy. The enzymatic activity and photothermal/photosensitive properties of the Au-FeSAzyme may help to overcome traditional therapeutic limitations, indicating its potential for catalytic cascade nanozymes in biomedical applications.

Acute transient swelling of the thyroid following fine-needle aspiration: A case series.

Acute transient swelling (ATS) of the thyroid is a rare complication following fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules. We present 31 cases with 35 nodules encountered at our institute and reported in the literature, to provide further information. The incidence rate in our institute was 0.46%. Of these nodules, 74.3% (26/35) were solid, 65.7% (23/35) exhibited hypervascularity, and 77.2% (27/35) were benign or follicular neoplasms. Although most cases (87.1%, 27/31) occurred within 2 h after FNA, four patients experienced delayed ATS after 7 h to 2 days. Therefore, awareness of this complication, especially its delayed occurrence, should be raised.

Thyroid dysfunction following radiofrequency ablation for benign thyroid nodules: more likely to occur within one-week and in high-risk population.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been recommended as the treatment for benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) by some guidelines. However, detailed follow-up instructions for thyroid function about the timing and affected populations after RFA are lacked due to insufficient researches. This 12-month prospective study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of thyroid dysfunction at different time points after RFA, especially within 1 week that previous studies didn't concern. METHODS: Seventy-five euthyroid patients who underwent RFA for symptomatic BTNs were enrolled (ChiCTR-INR-16007884). The incidence of thyroid dysfunction within 1 week, at 1, 6, and 12 months after RFA was evaluated. The risk factors for different types of thyroid dysfunction in the different terms were further analyzed. RESULTS: Within 1 week after RFA, the incidence of thyroid dysfunction was as high as 36.00% unexpectedly, and only overt thyrotoxicosis and subclinical thyrotoxicosis occurred, which were significantly associated with the low-normal baseline thyrotropin (TSH) level (p = 0.001) and high ablation volume ratio (p = 0.008). From 1 to 12 months (the long term), the incidence dropped significantly and remained low (8.00-12.00%); and thyroid dysfunction presented as overt thyrotoxicosis, subclinical thyrotoxicosis, and subclinical hypothyroidism. The long-term thyrotoxicosis group had more cases with diabetes and lower baseline TSH levels. The long-term subclinical hypothyroidism group had more cases with positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies, higher baseline TSH levels, and higher ablation volume ratios. CONCLUSIONS: After the RFA of BTNs, thyroid dysfunction was more likely to occur within 1 week and in populations with risk factors.

Design and synthesis of Grp94 selective inhibitors based on Phe199 induced fit mechanism and their anti-inflammatory effects.

Glucose-regulated protein 94 (Grp94), a member of the Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) family, is implicated in many human diseases, including cancer, neurodegeneration, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Here, we describe our effort to design and develop a new series of Grp94 inhibitors based on Phe199 induced fit mechanism. Using an alkynyl-containing inhibitor as a starting point, we developed compound 4, which showed potent inhibitory activity toward Grp94 in a fluorescence polarization-based assay. With improved physicochemical properties and suitable pharmacokinetic properties, compound 4 was advanced into in vivo bioactivity evaluation. In a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC), compound 4 showed anti-inflammatory property and reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6). Together, these findings provide evidence that this approach may be promising for further Grp94 drug development efforts.

Discovery of a covalent inhibitor of heat shock protein 90 with antitumor activity that blocks the co-chaperone binding via C-terminal modification.

Heat shock protein (Hsp90), a critical molecular chaperone that regulates the maturation of a large number of oncogenic client proteins, plays an essential role in the growth of neoplastic cells. Herein, DDO-6600 is identified to covalent modification of Cys598 on Hsp90 from in silico study and is verified by a series of biological assays. We demonstrated that DDO-6600 covalently bound to Cys598 on the Hsp90 C terminus and exhibited antiproliferative activities against multiple tumor cells without inhibiting ATPase activity. Further studies showed that DDO-6600 disrupted the interaction between Hsp90 and Cdc37, which induced the degradation of kinase client proteins in multiple tumor cell lines, promoted apoptosis, and inhibited cell motility. Our findings offer mechanic insights into the covalent modification of Hsp90 and provide an alternative strategy for the development of Hsp90 covalent regulators or chemical probes to explore the therapeutical potential of Hsp90.

Novel role of LINC01013/miR-6795-5p/FMNL3 axis in the regulation of hepatocellular carcinoma stem cell features.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are major contributors to tumor initiation, recurrence, and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Some long non-coding RNAs have been reported as modulators of stem-like properties in cancer cells. However, the role of LINC01013 in liver CSCs has not yet been clarified. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the expression pattern and functions of LINC01013 in HCC. HCC tissues and normal controls were collected, and the expression pattern of LINC01013 and miR-6795-5p was identified by quick real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell counting kit-8 assay, colony formation, and spheroid formation were performed to measure cell viability, proliferation, and self-renewal of HCC cell lines. The expression of stem markers was detected by western blot analysis. The effect of LINC01013 on viability, proliferation, and stem-like properties was detected through gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments. The direct interaction among LINC01013, miR-6795-5p, and FMNL3 was testified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Tumor-bearing mice were constructed to ascertain the functions of LINC01013 in vivo. HCC tissues showed increased LINC01013 and FMNL3 expression, while it showed a decreased miR-6795-5p expression as compared to the relative controls. Moreover, the high level of LINC01013 was closely related to the poor prognosis of HCC patients. LINC01013 directly binds to miR-6795-5p and subsequently relieves FMNL3. Silencing LINC01013, FMNL3, or overexpression of miR-6795-5p could suppress spheroid and colony formation, proliferation, as well as expression of stemness markers in HepG2 and SNU-182 cells. LINC01013 knockdown suppressed growth and stem-like traits of HCC cells in vivo by reducing FMNL3 expression. LINC01013/miR-6795-5p/FMNL3 axis may be a novel therapeutic target for HCC.

How does liver steatosis affect diagnostic performance of 2D-SWE.SSI: assessment from aspects of steatosis degree and pathological types.

OBJECTIVE: Two-dimensional shear wave elastography performed by SurperSonics (2D-SWE.SSI) performs well in evaluating liver fibrosis. Steatosis is one of confounding factors which might decrease accuracy, and its effect on 2D-SWE.SSI is still controversial. Our purpose is to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 2D-SWE.SSI affected by different steatosis stages and pathological types in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. METHODS: 2D-SWE.SSI was performed on 1306 CHB patients. All patients were divided into mild steatosis, moderate to severe steatosis, and non-steatosis groups. Subgroup analysis was performed according to pathological type. Liver biopsy was reference standard. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for differences in patient characteristics. The median values of different steatosis group were compared by non-parametric tests before and after propensity score matching. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was analyzed to assess the diagnostic performance in different steatosis groups. RESULTS: The median values were not significantly different in different steatosis degrees expected in F0-1 patients. The AUC of 2D-SWE.SSI was not affected by different stages of liver steatosis for cirrhosis (= F4) (0.896, 0.853, 0.929, p = 0.34). The high AUCs (0.847, 0.856) were achieved in the non-steatosis and mild steatosis groups, and all were significantly higher than those of the moderate to severe steatosis group for ≥ F2. Moreover, the panacinar type had the best AUC (0.980 for F4 and 0.930 for ≥ F2). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, moderate to severe steatosis affects 2D-SWE.SSI in CHB patients. These patients had high LSM values in patients with F0-1 and lower accuracy in ≥ F2. Patients with panacinar steatosis have the highest overall diagnostic performance. KEY POINTS: • 2D-SWE.SSI was widely used in evaluating liver fibrosis and it has many confounding factors. Steatosis is one of the confounding factors and its effect on 2D-SWE.SSI was controversial. • Our study based on 1306 CHB patients with liver biopsy found that 2D-SWE.SSI might be affected by moderate to severe liver steatosis in diagnostically significant fibrosis (≥ F2) of CHB patients. • Patients with steatosis of the panacinar type have the highest overall diagnostic performance.

Optimizing the Use of the Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase-to-Platelet Ratio and Transient Elastography to Identify Liver Cirrhosis in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Concurrent with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Little information is available about the assessment and optimal use of the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-platelet ratio (GPR) and transient elastography (TE) in predicting liver cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and concurrent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study is aimed at comparing their diagnostic performances and developing an optimal approach for predicting liver cirrhosis in CHB patients with NAFLD. METHODS: Consecutive CHB patients with NAFLD were enrolled. The GPR was calculated, and TE was performed using liver biopsy as a reference standard. The accuracy of predicting liver cirrhosis using GPR and TE was assessed and compared, and an optimal approach was developed. RESULTS: Both TE and GPR correlated significantly with the histological fibrosis stage. TE and GPR had excellent performance in predicting liver cirrhosis, and the comparison of areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that TE was superior to GPR (0.95 vs. 0.85, P = 0.039). Moreover, the dual cutoffs established by the likelihood ratio showed that GPR had a similar misclassification but higher indeterminate rate than TE (54.5% vs. 11.7%, P < 0.001). Additionally, a 2-step approach using GPR followed by TE had comparable performance to that of both GPR and TE tests for all patients (misclassification: 8.9% vs. 8.3%, P = 0.866; indeterminate rate: 15.2% vs. 17.2%, P = 0.750) but could reduce TE scans by approximately one-third. CONCLUSIONS: Both TE and GPR show excellent performance in predicting liver cirrhosis in CHB patients with NAFLD. The 2-step approach using GPR followed by TE may be optimal for the assessment of cirrhosis in CHB patients with NAFLD.

Studies on APP metabolism related to age-associated mitochondrial dysfunction in APP/PS1 transgenic mice.

The aging brain with mitochondrial dysfunction and a reduced adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) has been implicated in the onset and progression of ß-Amyloid (Aß)-induced neuronal toxicity in AD. To unravel the function of ATP and the underlying mechanisms on AD development, APP/PS1 double transgenic mice and wild-type (WT) C57 mice at 6 and 10 months of age were studied. We demonstrated a decreased ATP release in the hippocampus and platelet of APP/PS1 mice, comparing to C57 mice at a relatively early age. Levels of Aß were raised in both hippocampus and platelet of APP/PS1 mice, accompanied by a decrease of α-secretase activity and an increase of ß-secretase activity. Moreover, our results presented an age-dependent rise in mitochondrial vulnerability to oxidation in APP/PS1 mice. In addition, we found decreased pSer473-Akt levels, increased GSK3ß activity by inhibiting phosphorylation at Ser9 in aged APP/PS1 mice and these dysfunctions probably due to down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of cleaved caspase-3. Therefore, we demonstrate that PI3K/Akt/GSK3ß signaling pathway could be involved in Aß-associated mitochondrial dysfunction of APP/PS1 mice and APP abnormal metabolism in platelet might provide potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of AD.

Abnormal platelet amyloid-ß precursor protein metabolism in SAMP8 mice: Evidence for peripheral marker in Alzheimer's disease.

Senescence-accelerated mouse strains have proved to be an accelerated-aging model, which mimics numerous features with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Three, six, and nine-month senescence-accelerated resistant 1 and senescence-accelerated prone 8 (SAMP8) mice were used in the current study, to unravel potential mechanisms for dementia and explore new diagnostic approaches for AD. The amyloid-ß (Aß40) and Aß42 levels were elevated in hippocampi and platelets from SAMP8, along with a reduced α-secretase expression and an enhanced ß-secretase expression extent with age, compared to control mice. Furthermore, hippocampal Aß40 and Aß42 of SAMP8 were positively correlated with platelet of these mice with aging progression. In addition, ß-γ-secretase-modulated proteolytic proceeding of amyloid precursor protein in platelet might work through the PI3K/Akt/GSK3ß pathway. These results indicate that platelet could be a potential early marker in the periphery to study the age-correlative aggregation of the amyloid-ß peptide in patients with AD, while still requiring the considerable study.

Two new megastigmanes from Chinese traditional medicinal plant Sedum sarmentosum.

To discover new bioactive compounds from nature plants, a primary screening of traditional Chinese medicines had been taken. The screening results showed that a EtOAc extract of Sedum sarmentosum displayed a certain degree of cytotoxic activity and bioassay-directed isolation of EtOAc extract gave two new megastigmanes, (6S,9R)-2-hydroxy-4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-4-oxo-cyclohex-2-enyl)-butyric acid (1) and (6S,9R)-2-hydroxy-4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-4-oxo-cyclohex-2-enyl)-butyric acid methyl ester (2) together with seven known flavonoids. The chemical structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of detailed 1D, 2D NMR and MS data. When tested against HepG2 and Hep3B hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, compounds 1-9 showed weak anti-HCC activity. In addition, in vitro antioxidant activities of 1-9 were evaluated by ABTS radical cation-scavenging assay. 1 and 2 exhibited weak activity with per micromoles equivalent to 0.039 and 0.042 µM of Trolox, respectively. The flavonoid component, quercetin (9) showed the highest antioxidant activities with per micromoles equivalent 0.67 µM of Trolox.

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica: two cases and a review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO) is a rare disorder involving the lumen of the trachea-bronchial tree and characterized by multiple sub-mucosal osseous and cartilaginous nodules in the trachea and bronchus, sparing the posterior wall. We here report two cases of patients with tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica and review the relevant literature briefly. CASE PRESENTATION: Case 1 was a 64-year-old woman with a history of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) who presented with frequent non-productive cough for 2 years. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed signs consistent with COPD and evident irregular narrowing of the tracheal and both main bronchial lumen caused by calcific foci. Fibre optic bronchoscope (FOB) was performed and showed dozens of sub-mucosal nodules protruding into the lumen of lower half of the trachea and both main bronchi. Histopathological exam demonstrated sub-mucosal ossification and cartilage in the sample. Her follow-up has been uneventful for 3 years. Case 2 was a 37-year-old man presented with hoarseness, exertional dyspnea, and intermittent dry cough for about 3 years. Chest CT scans showed irregular nodules around the entire circumference of the trachea extending from sub-glottic region to lower trachea. FOB showed glottic stenosis and diffused sub-mucosal calcified nodules protruding from the antero-lateral portion of the trachea in the subglottic region. Over the following 12 months, his disease is stable. CONCLUSIONS: TO is a rare, benign disease with slow progression, clinicians should be aware of TO and should consider it in patients with chronic cough, recurrent respiratory infection and evolving exertional dyspnea.

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica: two cases and a review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO) is a rare disorder involving the lumen of the trachea-bronchial tree and characterized by multiple sub-mucosal osseous and cartilaginous nodules in the trachea and bronchus, sparing the posterior wall. We here report two cases of patients with tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica and review the relevant literature briefly. CASE PRESENTATION: Case 1 was a 64-year-old woman with a history of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) who presented with frequent non-productive cough for 2 years. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed signs consistent with COPD and evident irregular narrowing of the tracheal and both main bronchial lumen caused by calcific foci. Fibre optic bronchoscope (FOB) was performed and showed dozens of sub-mucosal nodules protruding into the lumen of lower half of the trachea and both main bronchi. Histopathological exam demonstrated sub-mucosal ossification and cartilage in the sample. Her follow-up has been uneventful for 3 years. Case 2 was a 37-year-old man presented with hoarseness, exertional dyspnea, and intermittent dry cough for about 3 years. Chest CT scans showed irregular nodules around the entire circumference of the trachea extending from sub-glottic region to lower trachea. FOB showed glottic stenosis and diffused sub-mucosal calcified nodules protruding from the antero-lateral portion of the trachea in the subglottic region. Over the following 12 months, his disease is stable. CONCLUSIONS: TO is a rare, benign disease with slow progression, clinicians should be aware of TO and should consider it in patients with chronic cough, recurrent respiratory infection and evolving exertional dyspnea.

¹8F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT findings of a solitary primary hepatic lymphoma: a case report.

Primary hepatic lymphoma is extremely rare, and only a few cases have been described on positron emission tomography (PET) or PET/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging in the English literature. We report a case of a 55-year-old woman who presented with low-grade fever and weight loss of three months. On CT scanning, a mass was identified which appeared to be a hypoattenuating lesion, on ultrasonographic imaging, the mass was hypoechoic, therefore, liver abscess or hepatic metastasis from a gastrointestinal primary was initially suspected. Tumor markers such as alpha-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were within normal limits. PET/CT demonstrated a large abnormal ring-like hypermetabolic focus in the right liver lobe. The lesion was resected and the histopathological findings were consistent with lymphoma. The patient was discharged two weeks after surgery and did not receive any further treatment. After 25 mo follow-up, she is in good health. (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT is useful in confirming the diagnosis of primary hepatic lymphoma by demonstrating no other foci with high uptake in other parts of the body.

A thaumatin-like protein gene involved in cotton fiber secondary cell wall development enhances resistance against Verticillium dahliae and other stresses in transgenic tobacco.

For the first time, a sea-island cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) thaumatin-like protein gene (GbTLP1) with a potential role in secondary cell wall development has been overexpressed in tobacco to elucidate its function. The presence of the transgene was verified by Southern blotting and higher expression levels of GbTLP1 in transgenic tobacco plants were revealed by reverse-transcription and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses. Transgenic plants with constitutively higher expression of the GbTLP1 showed enhanced resistance against different stress agents, particularly, its performance against Verticillium dahliae was exceptional. Transgenic tobacco plants also exhibited considerable resistance against Fusarium oxysporum and some abiotic stresses including salinity and drought. In this experiment, transgenic plants without GbTLP1 expression were also used as controls, which behaved similar to non-transgenic control plants. Overexpression of GbTLP1 had no significant deleterious effect on plant growth except that flowering was delayed for 3-5 weeks. The apparent pleiotropic effect of this novel gene has given us insight to the plant defense mechanism.

WITHDRAWN: Transplantation of bone mesenchymal stem cells containing the nerve growth factor gene in adult rat brain with Fimbria Fornix lesion.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are a promising source for cell-based treatment of brain injury, but the therapy of BMSCs is restricted by low cell survival. We examined whether nerve growth factor (NGF) improve BMSCs viability in the brain with Fimbria-Fornix lesion (FF). After transduction of NGF gene via recombinant retroviral vectors, the rat BMSCs were transformed into the NGF-GFP positive BMSCs, nearly 100% of cells expressed NGF. After transplanted into basal forebrain of rat with FF, the NGF-GFP positive BMSCs expressed the exogenous NGF gene in the host brain, and interesting, the survival number of BMSCs in the NGF group was significant more than that of the void plasmid group. Furthermore, the number of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactive neurons of NGF group was also significant higher than those of the void plasmid group (p<0.05) or the PBS group (p<0.01). Performance in the water maze test was improved in these rats in NGF group. These results indicate that NGF increased BMSCs survival in brain with FF, which results in better improvement of brain function than injected with BMSCs alone.