Deep Learning Nomogram for the Identification of Deep Stromal Invasion in Patients With Early-Stage Cervical Adenocarcinoma and Adenosquamous Carcinoma: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Deep stromal invasion (DSI) is one of the predominant risk factors that determined the types of radical hysterectomy (RH). Thus, the accurate assessment of DSI in cervical adenocarcinoma (AC)/adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) can facilitate optimal therapy decision. PURPOSE: To develop a nomogram to identify DSI in cervical AC/ASC. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: Six hundred and fifty patients (mean age of 48.2 years) were collected from center 1 (primary cohort, 536), centers 2 and 3 (external validation cohorts 1 and 2, 62 and 52). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 5-T, T2-weighted imaging (T2WI, SE/FSE), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI, EPI), and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging (CE-T1WI, VIBE/LAVA). ASSESSMENT: The DSI was defined as the outer 1/3 stromal invasion on pathology. The region of interest (ROI) contained the tumor and 3 mm peritumoral area. The ROIs of T2WI, DWI, and CE-T1WI were separately imported into Resnet18 to calculate the DL scores (TDS, DDS, and CDS). The clinical characteristics were retrieved from medical records or MRI data assessment. The clinical model and nomogram were constructed by integrating clinical independent risk factors only and further combining DL scores based on primary cohort and were validated in two external validation cohorts. STATISTICAL TESTS: Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, or Chi-squared test were used to compare differences in continuous or categorical variables between DSI-positive and DSI-negative groups. DeLong test was used to compare AU-ROC values of DL scores, clinical model, and nomogram. RESULTS: The nomogram integrating menopause, disruption of cervical stromal ring (DCSRMR), DDS, and TDS achieved AU-ROCs of 0.933, 0.807, and 0.817 in evaluating DSI in primary and external validation cohorts. The nomogram had superior diagnostic ability to clinical model and DL scores in primary cohort (all P < 0.0125 [0.05/4]) and CDS (P = 0.009) in external validation cohort 2. DATA CONCLUSION: The nomogram achieved good performance for evaluating DSI in cervical AC/ASC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Intratumoral and peritumoral MRI radiomics nomogram for predicting parametrial invasion in patients with early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a comprehensive nomogram based on MRI intra- and peritumoral radiomics signatures and independent risk factors for predicting parametrial invasion (PMI) in patients with early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma (AC) and adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC). METHODS: A total of 460 patients with IB to IIB cervical AC and ASC who underwent preoperative MRI examination and radical trachelectomy/hysterectomy were retrospectively enrolled and divided into primary, internal validation, and external validation cohorts. The original (Ori) and wavelet (Wav)-transform features were extracted from the volumetric region of interest of the tumour (ROI-T) and 3mm- and 5mm-peritumoral rings (ROI-3 and ROI-5), respectively. Then the Ori and Ori-Wav feature-based radiomics signatures from the tumour (RST) and 3 mm- and 5 mm-peritumoral regions (RS3 and RS5) were independently built and their diagnostic performances were compared to select the optimal ones. Finally, the nomogram was developed by integrating optimal intra- and peritumoral signatures and clinical independent risk factors based on multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: FIGO stage, disruption of the cervical stromal ring on MRI (DCSRMR), parametrial invasion on MRI (PMIMR), and serum CA-125 were identified as independent risk factors. The nomogram constructed by integrating independent risk factors, Ori-Wav feature-based RST, and RS5 yielded AUCs of 0.874 (0.810-0.922), 0.885 (0.834-0.924), and 0.966 (0.887-0.995) for predicting PMI in the primary, internal and external validation cohorts, respectively. Furthermore, the nomogram was superior to radiomics signatures and clinical model for predicting PMI in three cohorts. CONCLUSION: The nomogram can preoperatively, accurately, and noninvasively predict PMI in patients with early-stage cervical AC and ASC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The nomogram can preoperatively, accurately, and noninvasively predict PMI and facilitate precise treatment decisions regarding chemoradiotherapy or radical hysterectomy in patients with early-stage cervical AC and ASC. KEY POINTS: The accurate preoperative prediction of PMI in early-stage cervical AC and ASC can facilitate precise treatment decisions regarding chemoradiotherapy or radical hysterectomy. The nomogram integrating independent risk factors, Ori-Wav feature-based RST, and RS5 can preoperatively, accurately, and noninvasively predict PMI in early-stage cervical AC and ASC. The nomogram was superior to radiomics signatures and clinical model for predicting PMI in early-stage cervical AC and ASC.

Early systemic anticoagulation reduces hospital readmission in acute necrotizing pancreatitis patients: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Early systemic anticoagulation (SAC) is a common practice in acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP), and its impact on in-hospital clinical outcomes had been assessed. However, whether it affects long-term outcomes is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SAC on 90-day readmission and other long-term outcomes in ANP patients. METHODS: During January 2013 and December 2018, ANP patients admitted within 7 days from the onset of abdominal pain were screened. The primary outcome was 90-day readmission after discharge. Cox proportional-hazards regression model and mediation analysis were used to define the relationship between early SAC and 90-day readmission. RESULTS: A total of 241 ANP patients were enrolled, of whom 143 received early SAC during their hospitalization and 98 did not. Patients who received early SAC experienced a lower incidence of splanchnic venous thrombosis (SVT) [risk ratio (RR) = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.26-0.60, P < 0.01] and lower 90-day readmission with an RR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.41-0.91, P = 0.02) than those who did not. For the quality of life, patients who received early SAC had a significantly higher score in the subscale of vitality (P = 0.03) while the other subscales were all comparable between the two groups. Multivariable Cox regression model showed that early SAC was an independent protective factor for 90-day readmission after adjusting for potential confounders with a hazard ratio of 0.57 (95% CI: 0.34-0.96, P = 0.04). Mediation analysis showed that SVT mediated 37.0% of the early SAC-90-day readmission causality. CONCLUSIONS: The application of early SAC may reduce the risk of 90-day readmission in the survivors of ANP patients, and reduced SVT incidence might be the primary contributor.

SO2F2-Mediated Fluorination of P(O)-H and P(O)-OH Compounds under Mild Conditions.

With the increasing relevance of organophosphorus fluorine compounds in the pharmaceutical industry, their synthesis has attracted great attention. Herein, we report an efficient fluorination strategy for P(O)-H and P(O)-OH compounds using sulfuryl fluoride as the fluorination reagent. Avoiding the use of expensive or complex prepreparation reagents for fluoridation, this strategy could conveniently construct a variety of fluorophosphonates and phosphonofluoridates under mild conditions and without additional oxidants.

Radiologists with MRI-based radiomics aids to predict the pelvic lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To construct a MRI radiomics model and help radiologists to improve the assessments of pelvic lymph node metastasis (PLNM) in endometrial cancer (EC) preoperatively. METHODS: During January 2014 and May 2019, 622 EC patients (age 56.6 ± 8.8 years; range 27-85 years) from five different centers (A to E) were divided into training set, validation set 1 (351 cases from center A), and validation set 2 (271 cases from centers B-E). The radiomics features were extracted basing on T2WI, DWI, ADC, and CE-T1WI images, and most related radiomics features were selected using the random forest classifier to build a radiomics model. The ROC curve was used to evaluate the performance of training set and validation sets, radiologists based on MRI findings alone, and with the aid of the radiomics model. The clinical decisive curve (CDC), net reclassification index (NRI), and total integrated discrimination index (IDI) were used to assess the clinical benefit of using the radiomics model. RESULTS: The AUC values were 0.935 for the training set, 0.909 and 0.885 for validation sets 1 and 2, 0.623 and 0.643 for the radiologists 1 and 2 alone, and 0.814 and 0.842 for the radiomics-aided radiologists 1 and 2, respectively. The AUC, CDC, NRI, and IDI showed higher diagnostic performance and clinical net benefits for the radiomics-aided radiologists than for the radiologists alone. CONCLUSIONS: The MRI-based radiomics model could be used to assess the status of pelvic lymph node and help radiologists improve their performance in predicting PLNM in EC. KEY POINTS: • A total of 358 radiomics features were extracted. The 37 most important features were selected using the random forest classifier. • The reclassification measures of discrimination confirmed that the radiomics-aided radiologists performed better than the radiologists alone, with an NRI of 1.26 and an IDI of 0.21 for radiologist 1 and an NRI of 1.37 and an IDI of 0.24 for radiologist 2.

Preoperative Assessment for High-Risk Endometrial Cancer by Developing an MRI- and Clinical-Based Radiomics Nomogram: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: High- and low-risk endometrial cancer (EC) differ in whether lymphadenectomy is performed. Assessment of high-risk EC is essential for planning surgery appropriately. PURPOSE: To develop a radiomics nomogram for high-risk EC prediction preoperatively. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: In all, 717 histopathologically confirmed EC patients (mean age, 56 years ± 9) divided into a primary group (394 patients from Center A), validation groups 1 and 2 (146 patients from Center B and 177 patients from Centers C-E). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 1.5/3T scanners; T2 -weighted imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, apparent diffusion coefficient, and contrast enhancement sequences. ASSESSMENT: A radiomics nomogram was generated by combining the selected radiomics features and clinical parameters (metabolic syndrome, cancer antigen 125, age, tumor grade following curettage, and tumor size). The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic was used to evaluate the predictive performance of the radiomics nomogram for high-risk EC. The surgical procedure suggested by the nomogram was compared with the actual procedure performed for the patients. Net benefit of the radiomics nomogram was evaluated by a clinical decision curve (CDC), net reclassification index (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). STATISTICAL TESTS: Binary least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression, linear regression, and multivariate binary logistic regression were used to select radiomics features and clinical parameters. RESULTS: The AUC for prediction of high-risk EC for the radiomics nomogram in the primary group, validation groups 1 and 2 were 0.896 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.866-0.926), 0.877 (95% CI: 0.825-0.930), and 0.919 (95% CI: 0.879-0.960), respectively. The nomogram achieved good net benefit by CDC analysis for high-risk EC. NRIs were 1.17, 1.28, and 1.51, and IDIs were 0.41, 0.60, and 0.61 in the primary group, validation groups 1 and 2, respectively. DATA CONCLUSION: The radiomics nomogram exhibited good performance in the individual prediction of high-risk EC, and might be used for surgical management of EC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2020;52:1872-1882.

Identification of a novel LPL nonsense variant and further insights into the complex etiology and expression of hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is a leading cause of acute pancreatitis. HTG can be caused by either primary (genetic) or secondary etiological factors, and there is increasing appreciation of the interplay between the two kinds of factors in causing severe HTG. OBJECTIVES: The main aim of this study was to identify the genetic basis of hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) in a Chinese family with three affected members (the proband, his mother and older sister). METHODS: The entire coding and flanking sequences of LPL, APOC2, APOA5, GPIHBP1 and LMF1 genes were analyzed by Sanger sequencing. The newly identified LPL nonsense variant was subjected to functional analysis by means of transfection into HEK-293 T cells followed by Western blot and activity assays. Previously reported pathogenic LPL nonsense variants were collated and compared with respect to genotype and phenotype relationship. RESULTS: We identified a novel nonsense variant, p.Gln118* (c.351C > T), in the LPL gene, which co-segregated with HTG-AP in the Chinese family. We provided in vitro evidence that this variant resulted in a complete functional loss of the affected LPL allele. We highlighted a role of alcohol abuse in modifying the clinical expression of the disease in the proband. Additionally, our survey of 12 previously reported pathogenic LPL nonsense variants (in 20 carriers) revealed that neither serum triglyceride levels nor occurrence of HTG-AP was distinguishable among the three carrier groups, namely, simple homozygotes, compound heterozygotes and simple heterozygotes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, taken together, generated new insights into the complex etiology and expression of HTG-AP.

Whole solid tumor volume histogram parameters for predicting the recurrence in patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma: a feasibility study on quantitative DCE-MRI.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative prediction of the recurrence of epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) can guide the clinical treatment and improve the prognosis. However, there are still no reliable predictive biomarkers. PURPOSE: To evaluate whether whole solid tumor volume histogram parameters measured from quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) can predict the recurrence in patients with EOC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We followed up 56 patients with surgical and histopathologically diagnosed EOC who underwent quantitative DCE-MRI scans. The differences of the histogram parameters between patients with and without recurrence were compared. Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson's Chi-squared test, or Fisher's exact test, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: All histogram parameters of Ktrans, kep, and ve were not significantly different between EOC patients with and without recurrence (P>0.05). For 30 patients with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), the histogram parameters of Ktrans (mean and 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th percentiles) and kep (mean and 50th percentile) in 12 patients with recurrence were significantly lower than those in 18 patients without recurrence (all P<0.05). ROC curves showed that the 5th percentile of Ktrans had the largest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.792 for predicting the recurrence in patients with HGSOC. When the threshold value was ≤0.0263/min, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 100%, 66.7%, and 80%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Instead of predicting the recurrence of EOC, whole solid tumor volume quantitative DCE-MRI histogram parameters could predict the recurrence of HGSOC and may be potential biomarkers for the prediction of HGSOC recurrence.

Role of proton MR spectroscopy in the differentiation of borderline from malignant epithelial ovarian tumors: A preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Due to the overlapping imaging appearances between borderline and malignant epithelial ovarian tumors (EOTs), borderline EOTs often represent a diagnostic challenge on conventional MRI. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 H-MRS) might have potential to differentiate borderline from malignant tumors. PURPOSE: To investigate the ability of 1 H-MRS to differentiate borderline from malignant EOTs. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: In all, 278 patients with adnexal masses. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 1.5 T Siemens Avanto MRI system and 1 H-MRS using a point-resolved spectroscopy sequence (PRESS). ASSESSMENT: Resonance peak integrals of the most common metabolites were analyzed and compared between the two groups. STATISTICAL TESTS: The ratios of metabolites between borderline and malignant EOTs were compared with the Mann-Whitney U-test. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine their differential diagnosis performances. RESULTS: In the solid components of borderline and malignant EOTs, the mean Cho/Cr, NAA/Cr, and NAA/Cho ratios were 4.4 ± 1.1 and 9.9 ± 2.8; 10.4 ± 3.0 and 2.2 ± 1.0; and 2.4 ± 0.7 and 0.3 ± 0.1, respectively (all P < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were 91%, 100%, and 0.98 for the Cho/Cr ratio; 100%, 98%, and 0.99 for the NAA/Cr ratio; and 100%, 100%, and 1.00 for the NAA/Cho ratio, respectively. In the cystic components, the mean Cho/Cr, NAA/Cr, and NAA/Cho ratios were 3.2 ± 0.8 and 5.1 ± 1.2; 9.1 ± 3.4 and 2.3 ± 1.4; and 2.9 ± 1.2 and 0.5 ± 0.4, respectively (all P < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 84%, 82%, and 0.89 for the Cho/Cr ratio; 94%, 97%, and 0.99 for the NAA/Cr ratio; and 94%, 97%, and 0.99 for the NAA/Cho ratio, respectively. DATA CONCLUSION: The NAA/Cho ratio is a reliable biomarker for differentiating borderline from malignant EOTs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:1684-1693.

Baseline Sensitivity and Control Efficacy of Pyraclostrobin Against Botryosphaeria dothidea Isolates in China.

Botryosphaeria dothidea is an important fungal pathogen that causes apple ring rot, which can significantly reduce apple yield. Fungicide applications are the main control measure of apple ring rot worldwide. Pyraclostrobin is a quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicide that has yet to be registered for control of B. dothidea in China. Baseline sensitivity of B. dothidea to pyraclostrobin (EC50 of mycelial growth inhibition) was assessed for 97 isolates collected in Shandong Province. The EC50 values ranged from 0.7010 to 7.1378 µg/ml with the mean value of 3.0870 µg/ml and displayed a unimodal frequency distribution. After cultured on fungicide-free PDA medium or on apples for multiple generations, the B. dothidea-resistant isolates (RST) remained resistant to pyraclostrobin, but exhibited similar virulence as the susceptible isolates (ST). Cross-resistance investigation revealed that pyraclostrobin was not cross-resistant to tebuconazole, flusilazole, carbendazim, and iprodione. Field evolution showed that pyraclostrobin at 200 and 250 g a.i./ha provided greater than 80% control efficacy against apple ring rot disease when applied as a therapeutic or preventive fungicide. The efficacy was similar to fungicides that have been registered for apple.

Diffusion kurtosis imaging for differentiating borderline from malignant epithelial ovarian tumors: A correlation with Ki-67 expression.

PURPOSE: To investigate the use of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in differentiating borderline from malignant epithelial ovarian tumors (MEOTs) and to correlate DKI parameters with Ki-67 expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two consecutive patients with epithelial ovarian tumors (17 borderline epithelial ovarian tumors, BEOTs; 35 MEOTs) were prospectively evaluated using DKI with b values of 0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500 s/mm2 and standard diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with b values of 0 and 1000 s/mm2 using a 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit. The kurtosis (K) and diffusion coefficient (D) from DKI and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from standard DWI were measured, compared, and correlated with Ki-67 expression between the two groups. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and Spearman's correlation. RESULTS: The K value was significantly lower in BEOTs than in MEOTs (0.55 ± 0.09 vs. 0.9 ± 0.2), while the D and ADC values were significantly higher in BEOTs than in MEOTs (2.27 ± 0.35 vs. 1.39 ± 0.37 and 1.72 ± 0.36 vs. 1.1 ± 0.25, respectively) (P < 0.001). For differentiating between BEOTs and MEOTs, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 88.2%, 94.3%, and 92.3% for K value; 88.2%, 91.4%, and 90.4% for D value; and 88.2%, 88.6%, and 88.5% for ADC value, respectively. However, there were no differences in the diagnostic performances among the three parameters above (K vs. ADC, P = 0.203; D vs. ADC, P = 0.148; K vs. D, P = 0.904). The K value was positively correlated with Ki-67 expression (r = 0.699), while the D and ADC values were negatively correlated with Ki-67 expression (r = -0.680, -0.665, respectively). CONCLUSION: Preliminary findings demonstrate that DKI is an alternative tool for differentiating BEOTs from MEOTs, and is correlated with Ki-67 expression. However, no added value is found for DKI compared with standard DWI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1499-1506.

Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma of the Uterus: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings Including Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Value and Its Correlation With Ki-67 Expression.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) features of endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) including a preliminary investigation of the correlation between the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and Ki-67 expression. METHODS: The clinical and MRI data of 15 patients with ESS confirmed by surgery and pathology were analyzed retrospectively. The conventional MR morphological features, signal intensity on DWI, ADC value (n = 14), and clinicopathological marker Ki-67 (n = 13) were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 15 patients with ESS, 13 tumors were low-grade ESS (LGESS), and the remaining 2 were high-grade ESS (HGESS); 9 tumors were located in the myometrium, 5 were located in the endometrium and/or cervical canal, and 1 was located in extrauterine. Thirteen (87%) of 15 tumors showed a homo- or heterogeneous isointensity on T1-weighted imaging and a heterogeneous hyperintensity on T2-weighted imaging. The hypointense bands were observed in 11 tumors (73%) on T2-weighted imaging. The degenerations (cystic/necrosis/hemorrhage) were observed in 7 LGESS tumors and 2 HGESS tumors. The DWI hyperintensity was observed in 13 tumors (93%) and isointensity in remaining 1. The mean ADC value of the solid components in 14 ESSs was (1.05 ± 0.20) × 10mm/s. The contrast-enhanced MRI showed an obvious enhancement in 14 tumors (93%) (heterogeneous in 7 LGESSs and 2 HGESSs; homogeneous in 5 LGESSs). The ADC value was inversely correlated with the Ki-67 expression (r = -0.613, P = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ESS showed some characteristics on conventional MRI and DWI, and there was an inverse correlation between the ADC value and Ki-67 expression.

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging for Differentiating Uterine Leiomyosarcoma From Degenerated Leiomyoma.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to investigate magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the differentiation of uterine leiomyosarcoma (ULMS) from degenerated leiomyoma (DLM). METHODS: Sixteen patients with ULMSs and 26 patients with DLMs confirmed by surgery and pathology underwent conventional magnetic resonance imaging and DWI. The mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the 2 groups' tumors were measured and compared using an independent-sample t test (b = 0.1000 s/mm [ADC1]; b = 0.800 s/mm [ADC2], respectively). A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of DWI in the differentiation of ULMS from DLM. Intraobserver and interobserver agreements were evaluated using an intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: The mean ADC value in ULMSs (0.81 ± 0.14 × 10mm/s [ADC1], 0.90 ± 0.11 × 10mm/s [ADC2]) was significantly lower than that in DLMs (1.22 ± 0.22 × 10mm/s [ADC1], 1.50 ± 0.22 × 10mm/s [ADC2]) (P < 0.001, <0.001, respectively). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values for characterizing ULMS were 100%, 90%, 93%, and 83% and 100% [ADC1] and 100%, 93%, 96%, and 90% and 100% [ADC2]; respectively. Intraobserver and interobserver reproducibilities were excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.967-0.988; small variability and 95% limits of agreement). CONCLUSIONS: Diffusion-weighted imaging is helpful in differentiating ULMS from DLM.

Integrated Supported Employment for People With Schizophrenia in Mainland China: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: In this randomized controlled trial, we investigated the effectiveness of integrated supported employment (ISE) compared with individual placement and support (IPS) and traditional vocational rehabilitation (TVR) for people with schizophrenia in mainland China. METHOD: One hundred and sixty-two participants with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to ISE (n = 54), IPS (n = 54), or TVR (n = 54). Blinded assessments of employment status, job tenure, and psychological outcomes were conducted at admission; completion of the 3-mo program; and follow-up at 7, 11, and 15 mo. RESULTS: Significantly higher employment rate and longer job tenure were found in the ISE group (63.0%, 29.56 wk) compared with the IPS group (50.0%, 25.47 wk) and TVR group (33.3%, 9.91 wk). The ISE group also attained the most positive psychological outcomes. CONCLUSION: Work-related social skills training embedded in ISE with generalization strategies can enhance vocational and nonvocational outcomes for people with schizophrenia in mainland China.

MRI for differentiating primary fallopian tube carcinoma from epithelial ovarian cancer.

PURPOSE: To compare potential discriminatory magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) and primary epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRI features (the laterality, shape, size, signal intensity, enhancement of solid portion, amount of ascites, peritoneal planting, lymph nodes, or distant metastasis) of 27 tumors in 23 patients with PFTC confirmed by surgery and pathology were compared with 42 tumors in 37 patients with EOC. RESULTS: The mean maximum diameter was 6.1 ± 0.7 cm in PFTC versus 10.2 ± 0.6 cm in EOC. MRI features of PFTC were sausage-like shape (19/27, 70%), or irregular (8/27, 30%) shape; solid (20/27, 74%) or cystic-solid (7/27, 26%) mass; homogeneous (21/27, 78%) or heterogeneous (6/27, 22%) signal on T2 -weighted images; mild (8/27, 30%), moderate (13/27, 48%), or prominent (6/27, 22%) enhancement; associated hydrosalpinx (13/27, 48%) or intrauterine fluid accumulation (7/23, 30%). Significant differences between PFTC and EOC were found in the size, shape, configuration, signal homogeneity, and enhancement pattern, associated hydrosalpinx, and intrauterine fluid accumulation (P < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.015, 0.001, < 0.001, < 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: PFTC often appears as a small-sized solid mass, with a sausage-like shape, homogeneous signal, mild or moderate enhancement, hydrosalpinx, or intrauterine fluid accumulation. Our preliminary study shows that MRI can identify the characteristic features of PFTC and differentiate PFTC from EOC.

MR Spectroscopy for Differentiating Benign From Malignant Solid Adnexal Tumors.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to investigate the proton MR spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) features of solid adnexal tumors and to evaluate the efficacy of (1)H-MRS for differentiating benign from malignant solid adnexal tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-nine patients with surgically and histologically proven solid adnexal tumors (27 benign and 42 malignant) underwent conventional MRI and (1)H-MRS. Single-voxel spectroscopy was performed using the point-resolved spectroscopy localization technique with a voxel size of 2 × 2 × 2 cm(3). Resonance peak integrals of choline, N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), creatine, lactate, and lipid were analyzed, and the choline-tocreatine, NAA-to-creatine, lactate-to-creatine, and lipid-to-creatine ratios were recorded and compared between benign and malignant tumors. RESULTS: A choline peak was detected in all 69 cases (100%), NAA peak in 67 cases (97%, 25 benign and 42 malignant), lipid peak in 47 cases (17 benign and 30 malignant), and lactate peak in eight cases (four benign and four malignant). The mean (± SD) choline-tocreatine ratio was 5.13 ± 0.6 in benign tumors versus 8.90 ± 0.5 in malignant solid adnexal tumors, a statistically significant difference (p = 0.000). There were no statistically significant differences between benign and malignant tumors in the NAA-to-creatine and lipid-to-creatine ratios (p = 0.263 and 0.120, respectively). When the choline-to-creatine threshold was 7.46 for differentiating between benign and malignant tumors, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 94.1%, 97.1%, and 91.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary study shows that the (1)H-MRS patterns of benign and malignant solid adnexal tumors differ. The choline-to-creatine ratio can help clinicians differentiate benign from malignant tumors.

Primary fallopian tube carcinoma: correlation between magnetic resonance and diffuse weighted imaging characteristics and histopathologic findings.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the magnetic resonance (MR) and diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging characteristics of primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC). METHODS: The clinical, MR, and DW imaging characteristics and pathologic findings of 23 patients with 27 tumors were studied retrospectively. The MR and DW imaging appearance of tumors including laterality, size and shape, architecture, signal intensity, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, enhancement pattern, hydrosalpinx, and intrauterine fluid collection were evaluated and correlated with pathologic findings. RESULTS: Histopathologically, all 27 tumors were serous carcinoma with a unilateral tumor in 19 patients and bilateral tumors in 4 patients. Thirteen patients (57%) with PFTC were misdiagnosed preoperatively, 10 of which as epithelial ovarian carcinoma. The mean (SD) largest diameter was 61 (7) mm. The tumor shape was fusiform, sausagelike, or serpentine in 19 patients (70%) and nodular or irregular in 8 patients (30%). Twenty (74%) of the 27 tumors were solid, and 7 (26%) were cystic-solid. The solid components showed hypointensity to isointensity on T1-weighted imaging, and isointensity to slight hyperintensity on T2-weighted imaging. There were obvious hyperintensity on DW imaging; obvious hypointensity on ADC maps with a mean (SD) ADC value of 0.79 (0.22) × 10 mm; and mild (8/27, 30%), moderate (13/27, 48%), and marked (6/27, 22%) enhancement on contrast-enhanced imaging. Ipsilateral hydrosalpinx, intrauterine fluid collection, and ascites were found in 14 tumors (52%) and 7 (30%) and 5 (22%) patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The PFTC has some characteristic MR imaging features. The DW imaging, ADC maps, and ADC values are helpful for the detection and differentiation of PFTC from other pelvic masses.

[Influence Factors on Serum Thyroid Hormone Level in Healthy People].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influences of age, gender and season on serum thyroid stimulating hormone level and thyroid hormone level in healthy people. METHODS: There were 2 564 healthy volunteers enrolled in this study, whom were divided into different groups according to gender, age and the season. The levels of serum TSH, T3, T4, FT3, FT4 were measured and the data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The level of serum TSH in both young and middle-age groups of female was higher than that in the same age groups of male. The serum levels of T3, FT3, FT4 in both young and middle-age groups of female were lower than those in the same age groups of male (P < 0.05). In female, the serum level of TSH was increasing with age. However, the serum levels of FT3, FT4 had the opposite tendency. The level of serum FT3 in young group was higher than that in elderly group of, but T4 were lower. Lower levels of TSH, T3, FT4 were found in summer instead of winter (P < 0.05) and there was no significant difference of FT3 between that two seasons. The levels of serum TSH, T3, T4 and FT4 were correlated with seasons (r = 0.079, 0.092,-0.137, 0.140). CONCLUSION: The levels of serum TSH and thyroid hormones are influenced by age, gender and seasons, which needs to be considered for the diagnosis of thyroid diseases and evaluation of thyroid function.

MRI in differentiating ovarian borderline from benign mucinous cystadenoma: pathological correlation.

PURPOSE: To investigate MRI in differentiating borderline mucinous cystadenoma (MC) from benign MC of the ovary. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied MR images of 26 benign MCs and 24 borderline MCs of the ovary. The following MRI features of tumors were evaluated and compared between two groups: laterality, shape, size, loculation, signal intensity of the fluid, thickness of the septation and the wall, and vegetations. The results of the MRI were then compared with the pathological findings. RESULTS: Honeycomb loculi, high signal intensity on T1WI, and low signal intensity on T2WI of the intracystic content, thickened septation or wall (≥5 mm), and vegetations (≥5 mm) were significantly more common in borderline MC than in benign MC with the sensitivity and specificity of identifying borderline MC of 50.0% and 80.8%, 41.7% and 96.2%, 45.8% and 96.2%, and 62.5% and 96.2%, respectively. The presence of any one of the following features-honeycomb loculi with a low signal intensity on T2WI, thickened septation or wall (≥5 mm), and vegetations (≥5 mm)-yielded the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of identifying borderline MC of 91.7%, 92.3%, and 92.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: MRI has the ability to accurately demonstrate the morphological characteristics of ovarian MC and reliably differentiate borderline MC from benign MC.