18F-FDG PET/CT of Intracholecystic Papillary Neoplasm in Cystic Neck and Duct.

ABSTRACT: We report 18F-FDG PET/CT appearances of intracholecystic papillary neoplasm (ICPN) in the gallbladder neck and duct of a 74-year-old woman with a history of hepatitis B cirrhosis. The lesion presented with a large and sessile soft mass in the neck and duct of gallbladder with obvious glucose metabolism on PET/CT images, which was confirmed pathologically as ICPN (gastric foveolar type) with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. ICPN localized in the gallbladder neck and duct is extremely rare, and is easily misdiagnosed as gallbladder carcinoma. Our report aids in the application of PET/CT in the differential diagnosis of ICPN and guiding early surgery.

[Depression status of the family member and its influencing factors in the patient with mental disorder caused by cerebral trauma: 245 cases analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the family member's depression status and its influencing factors in the patient with mental disorder caused by cerebral trauma. METHODS: The self-designed information questionnaire and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to investigate 245 family members' depression conditions. On the basis of SDS score index, all cases were divided into depression group and non-depression group. The data were analyzed by the univariate analysis and multiple factors regression analysis. RESULTS: In the 245 family members, 117 family members had different degrees of depressive symptoms including 68 with mild depression, 42 with moderate depression, and 7 with severe depression. In the multiple factors regression analysis, genetic relationship, personality characteristics and payment method were the main influencing factors of the depression status. CONCLUSION: Much attention should be paid to the family member's depression condition of the patient with mental disorder caused by cerebral trauma through specific psychological intervention.

Treatment of Hoffa fracture of femoral condyle with anchor combined with auxiliary fixation.

BACKGROUND: A Hoffa fracture is an unstable intra-articular break that is generally treated with surgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical outcomes of using a suture anchor combined with auxiliary fixation for the treatment of a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture. METHODS: The study retrospectively reviewed 8 patients (5 males and 3 females) with a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture who had been treated by combining a suture anchor with auxiliary fixation between January 2016 and April 2020. The mean age of patients was 37.5 years (ranging from 23 to 45). According to Letenneur's classification, there were 4 cases of type I, 2 cases of type II, and 2 cases of type III fractures. The clinical outcomes were assessed using Letenneur's functional assessment. RESULTS: The follow-up duration ranged between 14-24 months. All patients achieved primary healing of the incision and fracture union, as well as normal flexion and extension of the knee joint, with 7 cases showing excellent outcomes and 1 case showing a good outcome. No postoperative complications, such as fracture displacement, anchor loosening, or fracture malunion, occurred in this series. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that a suture anchor, combined with external fixation, was an effective treatment for a lateral femoral condyle Hoffa fracture. Accordingly, this procedure is worthy of wider clinical application.

Ecological drivers of avian diversity in a subtropical landscape: Effects of habitat diversity, primary productivity and anthropogenic disturbance.

Understanding the roles of ecological drivers in shaping biodiversity is fundamental for conservation practice. In this study, we explored the effects of elevation, conservation status, primary productivity, habitat diversity and anthropogenic disturbance (represented by human population density and birding history) on taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional avian diversity in a subtropical landscape in southeastern China. We conducted bird surveys using 1-km transects across a total of 30 sites, of which 10 sites were located within a natural reserve. Metrics of functional diversity were calculated based on six functional traits (body mass, clutch size, dispersal ratio, sociality, diet and foraging stratum). We built simultaneous autoregression models to assess the association between the ecological factors and diversity of the local avian communities. Local avian diversity generally increased with increasing habitat diversity, human population density and primary productivity. We also detected phylogenetic and functional clustering in these communities, suggesting that the avian assemblages were structured mainly by environmental filtering, rather than interspecific competition. Compared with sites outside the natural reserve, sites within the natural reserve had relatively lower avian diversity but a higher level of phylogenetic heterogeneity.

The relationship between mouse lung adenocarcinoma at different stages and the expression level of exosomes in serum.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between N-methylN'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced lung adenocarcinoma mouse of different stages and the level of exosomes in serum. Methods: Fifty KM mice (4 weeks old, weighing 18-22 g, female) were selected for experiment. MNNG was applied to induce lung adenocarcinoma in mice for model establishment. HE staining method was used to observe pathological changes of lung tissues. Exosomes in serum were extracted, and observed under a Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Western blot was employed to examine the protein levels of exosome markers TSG101 and CD63. Results: HE staining results suggested MNNG-induced lung adenocarcinoma model mice were successfully constructed. The morphology of exosomes in serum of mouse model was observed under an Electron Microscopy, showing clear membrane structures presenting as saucer or concave hemisphere. In addition, the protein level of exosome marker CD63 in advanced mouse model was significantly up-regulated relative to that in the control group. Meanwhile, the expression of exosome marker protein TSG101 was found to be markedly increased in mouse models by comparison with that in control cases. Conclusion: In lung adenocarcinoma model mice, the occurrence and development of lung adenocarcinoma are greatly correlated with the expression level of exosomes in serum, which provides theoretical basis for the diagnosis of pathological staging of lung adenocarcinoma by exosomes.

Clinical Characteristics and Antibiotic Resistance of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia in Hospitalized Chinese Children.

AIM: To analyze the clinical characteristics and antibiotic resistance of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MP) in Chinese patients, providing valuable information for the management of patients with MP. METHODS: A total of 120 children who were hospitalized in The First Hospital of Huzhou between January and December 2016 for respiratory tract infection due to M. pneumoniae were enrolled in this study. Infection with M. pneumoniae was confirmed by ELISA for M. pneumoniae antibody, PCR, and throat culture. Antibiotic resistance was measured from the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of antibiotics. The 23S rRNA gene of M. pneumoniae was also examined for mutations using DNA sequencing. Patients with MP were classified into antibiotic resistance (n = 98) and no resistance (n = 20) groups. For the 98 patients showing antibiotic resistance, they were further stratified into subgroups based on the antibiotics initially prescribed: azithromycin or erythromycin (n = 78) and cephalosporin or penicillin (n = 20). Clinical characteristics were compared between the patient groups. RESULTS: Antibiotic resistance group presented significantly longer febrile days compared to the no resistance group (P = 0.007). The number of febrile days after macrolide treatment was also longer in antibiotic resistance group than in no resistance group (P = 0.042). MP patients initially treated with azithromycin or erythromycin showed a longer average duration of respiratory symptoms (P = 0.046) and had a fever for more days after macrolide treatment (P = 0.009) compared to those received cephalosporin or penicillin. The average white blood cell count of patients treated with azithromycin or erythromycin was nearly half of those treated with cephalosporin or penicillin (P < 0.001). Nearly 90% of the resistant M. pneumoniae strains showed A to G substitution at position 2063 of the 23S rRNA gene. CONCLUSION: The clinical characteristics and antibiotic resistance of MP were analyzed in 120 Chinese patients. DNA sequencing revealed a highly prevalent A2063G mutation in the 23S rRNA gene.

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and prognosis of lung cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggested a possible influence of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level on the prognosis of lung cancer patients, but conflicting findings were reported. A systematic review and meta-analysis was thus conducted to comprehensively assess the influence of circulating 25(OH)D level on the prognosis of lung cancer patients. METHODS: Prospective or retrospective cohort studies assessing the influence of circulating 25(OH)D level on the prognosis of lung cancer patients were considered eligible. Hazard Ratios (HR) were pooled using meta-analysis. RESULTS: Eight studies with 2166 lung cancer patients were included. Meta-analysis of unadjusted HRs from four studies showed low circulating 25(OH)D level was significantly correlated with poor overall survival in lung cancer (HR=1.30, 95%CI 1.08-1.55, P=0.004). Meta-analysis of adjusted HRs from eight studies suggested that low circulating 25(OH)D level was not significantly correlated with poor overall survival (HR=1.25; P=0.13). However, sensitivity analysis suggested an obvious change in the pooled HRs when excluding single study by turns. When the study by Liu et al. was omitted, low circulating 25(OH)D level was significantly correlated with poor overall survival (HR=1.34; P=0.04). CONCLUSION: The present systematic review and meta-analysis suggested a correlation between low circulating 25(OH)D level and poor overall survival in lung cancer. More studies are needed to further validate the finding above.

Molecular Phylogeny of Gueldenstaedtia and Tibetia (Fabaceae) and Their Biogeographic Differentiation within Eastern Asia.

Tibetia and Gueldenstaedtia are two morphologically similar and small genera in Fabaceae, with distributions largely corresponding to the Sino-Himalayan and Sino-Japanese subkingdoms in eastern Asia, respectively. These two genera have confusing relationships based on morphology; therefore, we aimed to provide a clear understanding of their phylogenetic and biogeographic evolution within eastern Asia. In our investigations we included 88 samples representing five Gueldenstaedtia species, five Tibetia species, and outgroup species were sequenced using five markers (nuclear: ITS; chloroplast: matK, trnL-F, psbA-trnH and rbcL). Our phylogenetic results support (1) the monophyly of Tibetia and of Gueldenstaedtia, respectively; and (2) that Tibetia and Gueldenstaedtia are sister genera. Additionally, our data identified that Tibetia species had much higher sequence variation than Gueldenstaedtia species. Our results suggest that the two genera were separated from each other about 17.23 million years ago, which is congruent with the Himalayan orogeny and the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in the mid Miocene. The divergence of Tibetia and Gueldenstaedtia is strongly supported by the separation of the Sino-Himalayan and Sino-Japanese region within eastern Asia. In addition, the habitat heterogeneity may accelerate the molecular divergence of Tibetia in the Sino-Himalayan region.

[Experimental study on the expression and function of aquaporin-1 and aquaporin-5 in rats with acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the expression and function of aquaporin-1 (AQP-1) is altered by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in primary rat lung microvessel endothelial cells (LMECs) after exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and to study the expressions of AQP-1 and AQP-5 in lung tissue of rats with acute lung injury (ALI) induced by LPS. The aim is to further clarify the pathogenesis of ALI/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: (1) In vitro: The third passage LMECs were randomly divided into LPS group, TNF-alpha group, IL-1beta group and DMEM control group, and the experimental groups were exposed to LPS, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta respectively. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to quantify AQP-1 mRNA changes and an immunocytochemistry method was used for determining AQP-1 protein changes in cultured rat LMECs. Isotope tracer technique was applied for the assay of the intra-cellular tritium water ((3)H2O) signal intensity in rat LMECs. (2) In vivo: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: LPS 2 h group, LPS 4 h group, LPS 6 h group, LPS 8 h group and a control group, eight rats per group; The LPS treated groups served as the ALI models. RT-PCR was used to observe the changes of AQP-1 and AQP-5 mRNA and the immunohistochemistry method was used for determining AQP-1 and AQP-5 protein changes in ALI rats. RESULTS: (1) In vitro: The expression of AQP-1 mRNA and protein in LMECs were decreased significantly in the LPS group (0.428 +/- 0.026, 0.366 +/- 0.009), the TNF-alpha group (0.446 +/- 0.029, 0.374 +/- 0.014) and IL-1beta group (0.454 +/- 0.023, 0.377 +/- 0.007) as compared to the DMEM control group (0.793 +/- 0.035, 0.660 +/- 0.013, respectively; all P < 0.01). The quantities of tritium water's permeability in the LPS group, the TNF-alpha group and the IL-1beta group [(726 +/- 58), (738 +/- 45), (774 +/- 44) counts per minute] were significantly less than that in the DMEM control group [(1 148 +/- 70) counts per minute, P < 0.01]. (2) In vivo: The expression levels of AQP-1 and AQP-5 mRNA in ALI rats (LPS 2 h group 0.409 +/- 0.018, 0.421 +/- 0.020; LPS 4 h group 0.421 +/- 0.023, 0.412 +/- 0.023; LPS 6 h group 0.435 +/- 0.020, 0.388 +/- 0.031; LPS 8 h group 0.438 +/- 0.016, 0.386 +/- 0.019, respectively) were significantly lower than that in the control group (0.794 +/- 0.015, 0.787 +/- 0.022; all P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: AQP-1 and AQP-5 may play a role in abnormal fluid transportation and probably involve in the formation of pulmonary edema in ALI/ARDS.