Evaluation of multiplexed sensitivity encoding diffusion-weighted imaging in detecting uterine lesions: Image quality optimization.

PURPOSE: To compare the image quality of multiplexed sensitivity-encoding diffusion-weighted imaging (MUSE-DWI) and single-shot echo-planar imaging (SS-EPI-DWI) techniques in uterine MRI. METHODS: Eighty-eight eligible patients underwent MUSE-DWI and SS-EPI-DWI examinations simultaneously using a 3.0 T MRI system. Two radiologists independently performed quantitative and qualitative analysis of the two groups of images using a double-blind method. The weighted Kappa test was used to evaluate the interobserver agreement. Wilcoxon's rank sum test was used for qualitative parameters, and paired t-test was used for quantitative parameters. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to obtained correlation between pathological results and mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value. RESULTS: The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the images by the two radiologists were in good or excellent agreement, with weighted kappa value ranging from 0.636 to 0.981. The scores of total subjective image quality (15.4 ± 0.99) and signal-to-noise ratio (158.99 ± 60.71) of MUSE-DWI were significantly higher than those of SS-EPI-DWI (12.93 ± 1.62 P < 0.001; 130.23 ± 48.29 P < 0.05). It effectively reduced image distortion and artifact, and had better lesion conspicuity. There was no significant difference in contrast-to-noise ratio score and average ADC values between the two DWI sequences. The average ADC values of the two DWI sequences were highest in the normal uterus group and lowest in the endometrial cancer group, with statistically significant differences among groups (P < 0.01). In addition, the average ADC values of the two DWI sequences were negatively correlated with the type of lesions, decreasing with the malignancy of the lesions (r = -0.805 P < 0.01, r = -0.815 P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Compared to SS-EPI-DWI, MUSE-DWI can significantly reduce distortion, artifacts, and fuzziness in MRI of uterine lesions, which is more conducive to lesion detection.

CT radiomics for predicting the prognosis of patients with stage II rectal cancer during the three-year period after surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Objective: Pre-treatment enhanced CT image data were used to train and build models to predict the efficacy of non-small cell lung cancer after conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy using two classification algorithms, Logistic Regression (LR) and Gaussian Naive Baye (GNB). Methods: In this study, we used pre-treatment enhanced CT image data for region of interest (ROI) sketching and feature extraction. We utilized the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) mutual confidence method for feature screening. We pre-screened logistic regression (LR) and Gaussian naive Bayes (GNB) classification algorithms and trained and modeled the screened features. We plotted 5-fold and 10-fold cross-validated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to calculate the area under the curve (AUC). We performed DeLong's test for validation and plotted calibration curves and decision curves to assess model performance. Results: A total of 102 patients were included in this study, and after a comparative analysis of the two models, LR had only slightly lower specificity than GNB, and higher sensitivity, accuracy, AUC value, precision, and F1 value than GNB (training set accuracy: 0.787, AUC value: 0.851; test set accuracy: 0.772, AUC value: 0.849), and the LR model has better performance in both the decision curve and the calibration curve. Conclusion: CT can be used for efficacy prediction after radiotherapy and chemotherapy in NSCLC patients. LR is more suitable for predicting whether NSCLC prognosis is in remission without considering the computing speed.

Thermal Insulation Properties and Simulation Analysis of Foam Concrete Regulated by Mechanical and Chemical Foaming.

To address, mitigate, or prevent thermal environmental issues arising from the heat dissipation of high-temperature surrounding rocks in deep hot tunnels, a research proposal is put forward based on previous studies and the team's initial experiments. The proposal involves using mechanical and chemical foaming to enhance the thermal insulation properties of foamed concrete, and this will be tested through engineering verification. Different proportions of cementitious materials, latex powder, polypropylene fiber, and self-made composite foam materials were designed using an orthogonal approach for testing the macroperformance and microstructure of foamed concrete. The pore structure of foamed concrete was quantitatively analyzed by Image-Pro Plus 6.0 software, and a fitting expression was established between thermal conductivity and the number of pores (1-2 mm). Characteristics of heat transfer inside the foam concrete were simulated and analyzed using COMSOL software, and the transmission path of heat streamline was found to be ″concave-convex form″, illustrating the blocking effect of foam concrete on heat. A thermal insulation engineering model was created using Fluent software to investigate the effects of thermal insulation layer thickness, water gushing heat release, seasonal factors, and other working conditions on the airflow temperature in the roadway before and after the application of foam concrete. The simulation results demonstrate that foam concrete can effectively reduce the airflow temperature in the roadway and weaken the surrounding rock heat dissipation. Additionally, it is found that the decreasing rate of heat dissipation of surrounding rock increases with the increase of insulation layer thickness, proving the engineering applicability of foam concrete for roadway insulation. The research results provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for heat damage control of deep mining roadway.

Integration of taxa abundance and occurrence frequency to identify key gut bacteria correlated to clinics in Crohn's disease.

Bacteria abundance alternation in the feces or mucosa of Crohn's disease (CD) patients has long been applied to identify potential biomarkers for this disease, while the taxa occurrence frequency and their correlations with clinical traits were understudied. A total of 97 samples from the feces and gut mucosa were collected from CD patients and healthy controls (HCs), 16S rRNA-based analyses were performed to determine the changes in taxa abundance and occurrence frequency along CD and to correlate them with clinical traits. The results showed that bacteria communities were divergent between feces and mucosa, while the taxa abundance and occurrence frequency in both partitions showed similar exponential correlations. The decrease of specific fecal bacteria was much more effective in classifying the CD and HCs than that of the mucosal bacteria. Among them, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group and Ruminococcus were predicted as biomarkers by using random forest algorithm, which were persistently presented (> 71.40% in frequency) in the feces of the HCs with high abundance, whereas transiently presented in the feces (< 5.5% in frequency) and mucosa (< 18.18% in frequency) of CD patients with low abundance. Co-occurrence network analysis then identified them as hub taxa that drive the alternations of other bacteria and were positively correlated to the circuiting monocytes. The loss of specific bacteria in the healthy gut may cause great disturbance of gut microbiota, causing gut bacteria dysbiosis and correlated to immune disorders along CD, which might not only be developed as effective noninvasive biomarkers but also as therapy targets.

Metformin improves sheep sperm cryopreservation via vitalizing the AMPK pathway.

Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key regulator of sperm function and physiological metabolism. Metformin, an inexpensive and effective antioxidant, is known to play an important role in the activation of AMPK. Therefore metformin has potential to improve sperm cryopreservation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of metformin during semen cryopreservation of sheep and to find the most effective concentration in freezing extender. Semen were cryopreserved with extender containing different concentrations of metformin (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 mmol/L). Sperm motility, acrosome integrity and plasma membrane integrity were measured after semen freezing and thawing. All results showed that sperm quality was significantly increased in the 1.0 mmol/L metformin-treated group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In addition, the study showed that metformin effectively reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and increased the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of freeze-thawed sperm (P < 0.05). The optimal concentration of metformin was 1.0 mmol/L. Moreover, the results showed that AMPK was localized in the acrosome region, junction and midsection of sperm, and p-AMPK was distributed in the post-acrosomal region, junction and midsection. Western blot analysis indicated that 1.0 mmol/L metformin stimulated the phosphorylation of AMPK in sperm. Further results showed that 1.0 mmol/L metformin significantly increased the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), ATP content, glucose uptake and lactate efflux of post-thawed sperm through the AMPK pathway, improved sperm quality, and increased the cleavage rate of in vitro fertilization (P < 0.05).

Esophageal microflora in esophageal diseases.

With the development of endoscopic technology, an increasing number of patients with esophageal disease are being diagnosed, although the underlying pathogenesis of many esophageal diseases remains unclear. In recent years, a large number of studies have demonstrated that the occurrence and development of various intestinal diseases were related to intestinal flora. As a result, researchers have shifted their focus towards investigating esophageal flora to better understand the pathogenesis, early diagnosis, and treatment of esophageal diseases. This paper reviewed the normal esophageal flora and the changes of esophageal flora under different esophageal disease states. It was observed that there are distinct differences in the composition of esophageal microflora among Gastroesophageal Reflux, Barrett's esophagus, eosinophilic esophagitis and normal esophagus. The normal esophageal flora was dominated by gram-positive bacteria, particularly Streptococcus, while the esophageal flora under esophagitis was dominated by gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, the diversity of esophageal flora is significantly decreased in patients with esophageal cancer. Several potential microbial biomarkers for esophageal cancer have been identified, among which Fusobacterium nucleatum showed a close association with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma's pathological stage and clinical stage.

Prostate-specific antigen reduction after capecitabine plus oxaliplatin chemotherapy: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PC) is currently the most common malignant tumor of the genitourinary system in men. Radical prostatectomy (RP) is recommended for the treatment of patients with localized PC. Adjuvant hormonal therapy (AHT) can be administered postoperatively in patients with high-risk or locally advanced PC. Chemotherapy is a vital remedy for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), and may also benefit patients with PC who have not progressed to CRPC. CASE SUMMARY: A 68-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of urinary irritation and dysuria with increased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. After detailed examination, he was diagnosed with PC and treated with laparoscopic RP on August 3, 2020. AHT using androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was performed postoperatively because of the positive surgical margin, extracapsular extension, and neural invasion but lasted only 6 mo. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with rectal cancer about half a year after self-cessation of AHT, and was then treated with laparoscopic radical rectal resection and adjuvant chemotherapy using the capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CapeOx) regimen. During the entire treatment process, the patient's PSA level first declined significantly after treatment of PC with laparoscopic RP and ADT, then rebounded because of self-cessation of ADT, and finally decreased again after CapeOx chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: CapeOx chemotherapy can reduce PSA levels in patients with high-risk locally advanced PC, indicating that CapeOx may be an alternative chemotherapy regimen for PC.

Development and validation of nomograms to predict early death for elderly lung cancer patients.

Background: Due to the aging of society, the average age of LC (lung cancer) patients has increased in recent years. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors and develop nomograms to predict the probability of early death (dead in three months) for elderly (≥ 75 years old) LC patients. Methods: Data of elderly LC patients were obtained from the SEER database by using the SEER stat software. All patients were randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort in a ratio of 7:3. The risk factors of all-cause early and cancer-specific early death were identified by univariate logistic regression and backward stepwise multivariable logistic regression in the training cohort. Then, risk factors were used to construct nomograms. The performance of nomograms was validated by receiver operating curves (ROC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA) in the training cohort and validation cohort. Results: A total of 15,057 elderly LC patients in the SEER database were included in this research and randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 10,541) and a validation cohort (n = 4516). The multivariable logistic regression models found that there were 12 independent risk factors for the all-cause early death and 11 independent risk factors for the cancer-specific early death of the elderly LC patients, which were then integrated into the nomograms. The ROC indicated that the nomograms exhibited high discriminative ability in predicting all-cause early (AUC in training cohort = 0.817, AUC in validation cohort = 0.821) and cancer-specific early death (AUC in training cohort = 0.824, AUC in validation cohort = 0.827). The calibration plots of the nomograms were close to the diagonal line revealing that there was good concordance between the predicted and practical early death probability in the training and validation cohort. Moreover, the results of DCA analysis indicated that the nomograms had good clinical utility in predicting early death probability. Conclusion: The nomograms were constructed and validated to predict the early death probability of elderly LC patients based on the SEER database. The nomograms were expected to have high predictive ability and good clinical utility, which may help oncologists develop better treatment strategies.

A short peptide encoded by long non-coding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 6 promotes cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by activating transforming growth factor-beta/SMAD signaling pathway in human endometrial cells.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial dysfunction is closely correlated with the development of multiple severe gynecological disorders including intrauterine adhesion. Accumulating evidence supports that some long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have peptide-coding potential. In this text, the peptide-coding ability of lncRNA SNHG6 was examined. Also, the effects of an SNHG6-encoded peptide on the viability and migration of human endometrial stromal cells (hESCs) and human endometrial epithelial cells (hEECs) and related molecular mechanisms were explored. METHODS: The peptide-encoding potential of SNHG6 was predicted by FuncPEP and getorf databases and validated by western blot assay. Cell viability was tested by cell counting kit-8 assay. Cell migratory ability was examined by wound healing and transwell migration assays. Protein levels of genes were measured by western blot assay. RESULTS: Prediction analysis suggested that SNHG6 had the potential peptide-coding ability and multiple open-reading frames (ORFs). Western blot validated that SNHG6 ORF#1 and ORF#2 could translate into short peptides. SNHG6 ORF#2 overexpression facilitated cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in hESCs and hEECs, while these effects were abrogated by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß)/SMAD signaling inhibitor GW788388. Moreover, GW788388 inhibited the increase of p-SMAD2 and p-SMAD3 levels induced by SNHG6 ORF#2 in hESCs. SNHG6 ORF#2-encoded peptide did not influence endometrial stromal and epithelial cell viability. CONCLUSIONS: LncRNA SNHG6 ORF#1 and ORF#2 could translate into small peptides and SNHG6 ORF#2 overexpression promoted cell migration and EMT by activating the TGF-ß/SMAD pathway in hESCs and hEECs, suggesting the potential roles of SNHG6-encoded peptides in the development of endometrial stromal and epithelial cells and related gynecological diseases.

Peptide-based Nanomaterials: Self-assembly and Applications.

The self-assembly behavior of polypeptides is common in nature. Compared with monopeptides, polypeptide-based self-assembled nanomaterials with ordered structures have good thermal stability, mechanical stability, semi-conductivity, piezoelectric and optical properties. In recent years, the self-assembly of polypeptides has become a hot topic in the material science and biomedical field. By reasonably adjusting the molecular structure of the polypeptide and changing the external environment of the polypeptide, the polypeptide can be self-assembled or triggered by non-covalent bonding forces such as hydrogen bond, hydrophobicity, and π - π accumulation to form specific polypeptide assemblies such as nanoparticles, hydrogels, nanofibers, and micelles. Due to good biocompatibility and controllable degradability, polypeptide-based self-assembled nanomaterials have been widely used in the fields of nanotechnology, imaging technology, biosensor, and biomedical science. As a new drug delivery system, the polypeptide-drug conjugate has the advantages of low toxicity, high efficiency, enhanced drug stability, and avoiding side effects. This paper reviews the research progress of polypeptide-drug self-assembly nanostructure in recent years. Several structural models of polypeptide self-assembly technology and the mechanism of polypeptide self-assembly are introduced. Then the assembly form of polypeptide-drug self-assembly and the application of selfassembly compound therapy is described.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid differentiation of the kidney associated with ureteral stone obstruction: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with sarcomatoid differentiation of the kidney was rarely reported. This disease is usually related to renal stones, and due to a lack of symptoms and radiological features, patients usually attend the hospital with late stage disease. CASE SUMMARY: A 54-years-old female presented with left flank pain and an abdominal mass for 6 mo. Imaging studies revealed that the left kidney was enlarged and massive hydronephrosis was present. A stone was seen in the ureteropelvic junction. The patient subsequently underwent left radical nephrectomy, and histopathological examination of the mass revealed a poorly differentiated renal SCC with sarcomatoid differentiation. After primary surgery, the patient received four cycles of tirelizumab. Four months later, the patient developed adrenal, lymph, and uterine appendage metastases. CONCLUSION: SCC of the kidney has a poor prognosis, and should be considered in patients with a renal mass, long-standing urinary calculi and massive hydronephrosis.

A long-term high-fat diet influences brain damage and is linked to the activation of HIF-1α/AMPK/mTOR/p70S6K signalling.

High-fat diets (HFDs) are related to the incidence of obesity and diabetes, but the effect of high-fat diet-induced brain damage remains to be clarified. In our study, we found that 24 weeks of a HFD effectively induced obesity and a change in fur color in mice. In addition, the mice also exhibited deficits in learning and memory. We further found that autophagic flux was impaired in mice after HFD feeding. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) expression was significantly increased in HFD-fed mice, and HFD feeding inhibited adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and induced mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation and p70S6K expression. Treatment of HFD-induced BV2 cell model with palmitic acid (PA) was used to further verify a similar result. We concluded that improving tissue hypoxia or enhancing autophagy through the AMPK/mTOR/p70S6K pathway may be a relevant strategy for improving obesity- and ageing-related disorders.

Chemokines in progression, chemoresistance, diagnosis, and prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Plenty of factors affect the oncogenesis and progression of colorectal cancer in the tumor microenvironment, including various immune cells, stromal cells, cytokines, and other factors. Chemokine is a member of the cytokine superfamily. It is an indispensable component in the tumor microenvironment. Chemokines play an antitumor or pro-tumor role by recruitment or polarization of recruiting immune cells. Meanwhile, chemokines, as signal molecules, participate in the formation of a cross talk among signaling pathways and non-coding RNAs, which may be involved in promoting tumor progression. In addition, they also function in immune escape. Chemokines are related to drug resistance of tumor cells and may even provide reference for the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer.

SPI1-related protein inhibits cervical cancer cell progression and prevents macrophage cell migration.

AIM: The functions and molecular mechanisms of SPI1-related protein (SPIB) were examined in cervical cancer (CC) cells. METHODS: Genes related to miscarriage and prognosis in CC were identified by Kaplan-Meier and differential expression analysis, respectively. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were examined by cell counting kit-8, flow cytometry, transwell migration, and transwell invasion assays, respectively. The potential functions and molecular mechanisms of SPIB in CC were speculated by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analysis. The mRNA and protein levels of genes were examined by RT-qPCR and western blot assays, respectively. The effect of SPIB on macrophage cells was tested by macrophage recruitment assay and bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: A total of 753 dysregulated genes were identified in 88 TCGA CC samples with a history of one or more miscarriages versus 208 CC samples with no miscarriage history. Also, 91 genes related to CC prognosis were identified. SPIB, a gene related to both miscarriage and CC prognosis, inhibited Hela cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and facilitated Hela cell apoptosis. GSEA analysis disclosed that SPIB might play vital roles in immunity, chemokine signaling pathway, and macrophage chemotaxis/activation in CC. Moreover, SPIB inhibited C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8 (CXCL8), C-C motif chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17), and C-C motif chemokine ligand 25 (CCL25) expression in Hela cells, and SPIB overexpression in Hela cells hampered THP-1 cell migration. Higher SPIB expression was associated with less M2 macrophage infiltration in CC. CONCLUSIONS: SPIB inhibited CC-cell progression and hindered macrophage cell migration in CC.

Immunoglobulin G4-related kidney disease involving the renal pelvis and perirenal fat: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin (Ig) G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an autoimmune disease associated with chronic and progressive inflammation and fibrosis. It is difficult to differentiate IgG4-RD involving the kidney from infectious diseases and malignancy on imaging. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 51-year-old Chinese man whose abdominal computed tomography scan showed diffuse bilateral enlargement of the kidneys and perirenal fat, thickening of the renal pelvic walls, and hydronephrosis of the right kidney. Relevant laboratory test results showed a serum creatinine level of 464 µmol/L. The patient was diagnosed with acute renal failure and was started on intermittent hemodialysis. Further tests revealed high serum IgG4 levels (20.8 g/L) and an enlarged right submaxillary lymph node. Biopsy and histopathological examination of the enlarged node led to the diagnosis of IgG4-RD. After corticosteroid therapy, his serum creatinine level quickly decreased to near normal levels. CONCLUSION: IgG4-RD affecting the renal pelvis or perirenal fat is rare, with atypical imaging features. Multidisciplinary consultation is critical for accurate diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Suspected cases should undergo biopsy to avoid misdiagnosis.

The novel circ_0084904/miR-802/MAL2 axis promotes the development of cervical cancer.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified as critical regulators in human cancers, including cervical cancer (CC). However, the precise action of circ_0084904 in cervical carcinogenesis remains to be elucidated. The levels of circ_0084904, microRNA (miR)-802, and Mal, T cell differentiation protein 2 (MAL2) were checked by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) or western blot. Ribonuclease R (RNase R) and subcellular localization assays were used to detect the stability and localization of circ_0084904, respectively. Cell colony formation ability was assessed by colony formation assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion abilities were gauged by transwell assay. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were applied to determine the direct relationship between miR-802 and circ_0084904 or MAL2. The xenograft experiments were performed to evaluate the role of circ_0084904 in tumor growth in vivo. Circ_0084904 was markedly up-regulated in CC tissues and cell lines. Silencing endogenous circ_0084904 impeded cell colony formation, cell cycle progression, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and promoted apoptosis in vitro, as well as diminished tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, circ_0084904 targeted miR-802, and the effects of circ_0084904 silencing were mediated by miR-802. MAL2 was directly targeted and inhibited by miR-802, and MAL2 was a functional target of miR-802. Moreover, circ_0084904 modulated MAL2 expression via miR-802. Our study identified circ_0084904 as a novel oncogenic driver in CC depending on the modulation of the miR-802/MAL2 axis, establishing the notion that silencing of circ_0084904 might represent a promising targeted therapy for CC.

Temperature-adjustable F-carbon nanofiber/carbon fiber nanocomposite fibrous masks with excellent comfortability and anti-pathogen functionality.

Wearing surgical masks remains the most effective protective measure against COVID-19 before mass vaccination, but insufficient comfortability and low antibacterial/antiviral activities accelerate the replacement frequency of surgical masks, resulting in large amounts of medical waste. To solve this problem, we report new nanofiber membrane masks with outstanding comfortability and anti-pathogen functionality prepared using fluorinated carbon nanofibers/carbon fiber (F-CNFs/CF). This was used to replace commercial polypropylene (PP) nonwovens as the core layer of face masks. The through-plane and in-plane thermal conductivity of commercial PP nonwovens were only 0.12 and 0.20 W/m K, but the F-CNFs/CF nanofiber membranes reached 0.62 and 5.23 W/m K, which represent enhancements of 380% and 2523%, respectively. The surface temperature of the PP surgical masks was 23.9 ℃ when the wearing time was 15 min, while the F-CNFs/CF nanocomposite fibrous masks reached 27.3 ℃, displaying stronger heat dissipation. Moreover, the F-CNFs/CF nanofiber membranes displayed excellent electrical conductivity and produced a high-temperature layer that killed viruses and bacteria in the masks. The surface temperature of the F-CNFs/CF nanocomposite fibrous masks reached 69.2 ℃ after being connected to a portable power source for 60 s. Their antibacterial rates were 97.9% and 98.6% against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, after being connected to a portable power source for 30 min.

Value of Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography in Santorinicele and Wirsungocele.

BACKGROUND: Former studies showed that magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is useful in diagnosing the presence of santorinicele; however, few studies have evaluated MRCP in diagnosing wirsungocele and the association between pancreatitis and santorinicele or wirsungocele. The purpose of the study was to explore the performance of MRCP in diagnosing santorinicele and wirsungocele and investigate the potential association among pancreatitis, pancreas divisum, and santorinicele or wirsungocele. METHODS: Sixty-five patients (mean age, 55.68 years; range, 11-82 years) with santorinicele or wirsungocele were included and sorted into two groups: the santorinicele group (n = 48) and the wirsungocele group (n = 17). All patients underwent MRCP. The images were evaluated for the appearance and size of santorinicele or wirsungocele. The diagnostic sensitivity of MRCP was assessed. Additionally, whether two groups are correlated with pancreas divisum or pancreatitis were investigated. RESULTS: The sensitivity of MRCP in detecting santorinicele and wirsungocele showed no difference (68.8% and 76.5%, respectively). The proportion of patients who developed pancreatitis in santorinicele and wirsungocele groups were 60.4% and 11.8%, respectively (p < 0.05). Pancreas divisum accounted for 77.1% and 11.8% of the patients in the santorinicele and wirsungocele groups, respectively (p < 0.05). Patients with santorinicele and pancreas divisum tended to be older when they acquired pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: MRCP could be an alternative imaging method to detect cystic dilation of the pancreatic duct. Pancreatitis is more common in patients with santorinicele than in those with wirsungocele. Moreover, santorinicele is more closely associated with pancreatitis than with pancreas divisum.

The underlying molecular mechanisms and prognostic factors of RNA binding protein in colorectal cancer: a study based on multiple online databases.

BACKGROUND: RNA binding protein (RBP) is an active factor involved in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, the potential mechanism of RBP in CRC needs to be clarified by dry-lab analyses or wet-lab experiments. METHODS: The differential RBP gene obtained from the GEPIA 2 (Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2) were performed functional enrichment analysis. Then, the alternative splicing (AS) events related to survival were acquired by univariate regression analysis, and the correlation between RBP and AS was analyzed by R software. The online databases were conducted to analyze the mutation and methylation of RBPs in CRC. Moreover, 5 key RBP signatures were obtained through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis and established as RBP prognosis model. Subsequently, the above model was verified through another randomized group of TCGA CRC cohorts. Finally, multiple online databases and qRT-PCR analysis were carried to further confirm the expression of the above 5 RBP signatures in CRC. RESULTS: Through a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, it was revealed that RBPs had genetic and epigenetic changes in CRC. We obtained 300 differentially expressed RBPs in CRC samples. The functional analysis suggested that they mainly participated in spliceosome. Then, a regulatory network for RBP was established to participate in AS and DDX39B was detected to act as a potentially essential factor in the regulation of AS in CRC. Our analysis discovered that 11 differentially expressed RBPs with a mutation frequency higher than 5%. Furthermore, we found that 10 differentially expressed RBPs had methylation sites related to the prognosis of CRC, and a prognostic model was constructed by the 5 RBP signatures. In another randomized group of TCGA CRC cohorts, the prognostic performance of the 5 RBP signatures was verified. CONCLUSION: The potential mechanisms that regulate the aberrant expression of RBPs in the development of CRC was explored, a network that regulated AS was established, and the RBP-related prognosis model was constructed and verified, which could improve the individualized prognosis prediction of CRC.

GLP-1R activation ameliorated novel-object recognition memory dysfunction via regulating hippocampal AMPK/NF-κB pathway in neuropathic pain mice.

Growing evidences indicate that neuropathic pain is frequently accompanied with cognitive impairments, which aggravate the decrease in the quality of life of chronic pain patients. Furthermore, it has been shown that the activation of Glucagon-like-peptide-1receptor (GLP-1R) improved memory deficit in multiple diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), stroke. However, whether GLP-1R activation could improve memory impairment induced by neuropathic pain and the mechanisms underlying the effect of the activation of GLP-1R on memory protection have not yet been established. The spared nerve injury (SNI) model was established as a kind of neuropathic pain. And novel-object recognition memory (hippocampus-dependent memory) was tested by the novel object recognition test (NORT). The expression levels of GLP-1, GLP-1R, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), p-AMPKThr172, nuclear factor κ B p65 (NF-κB p65), interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß), IL-1ß p17 (mature IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and the synaptic proteins were tested in the murine hippocampus with memory deficits caused by neuropathic pain. Then, exenatide acetate (Ex-4, a GLP-1R agonist), exendin (9-39) (Ex(9-39), a GLP-1R antagonist) and Compound C dihydrochloride (CC, an AMPK inhibitor) were used to test the effects of the activation of GLP-1R in the mice with neuropathic pain. First, we uncovered that neuropathic pain could inhibit GLP-1/GLP-R axis, disturb inflammatory signaling pathway, increase the expression of IL-1ß, IL-1ß p17 and TNF-α, downregulate the synaptic proteins (postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and Arc). Subsequently, we reported that Ex-4 treatment could improve recognition memory impairment, increase the ratio of p-AMPKThr172/AMPK, inhibit the phosphorylation NF-κB p65 and decrease the expression of IL-1ß, IL-1ß p17 and TNF-α, upregulate the levels of PSD95 and Arc. Moreover, we found that Ex(9-39) and CC treatment could abrogate the memory protection of activation of GLP-1R in mice with neuropathic pain. The results indicated that the activation of GLP-1R could improve recognition memory impairment via regulating AMPK/NF-κB pathway, improving neuroinflammation, reversing the decreased level of synaptic proteins in neuropathic pain mice.