Imprinted gene detection effectively improves the diagnostic accuracy for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most frequent histological type of thyroid carcinoma. Although an increasing number of diagnostic methods have recently been developed, the diagnosis of a few nodules is still unsatisfactory. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive prediction model to optimize the diagnosis of PTC. METHODS: A total of 152 thyroid nodules that were evaluated by postoperative pathological examination were included in the development and validation cohorts recruited from two centres between August 2019 and February 2022. Patient data, including general information, cytopathology, imprinted gene detection, and ultrasound features, were obtained to establish a prediction model for PTC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with a bidirectional elimination approach was performed to identify the predictors and develop the model. RESULTS: A comprehensive prediction model with predictors, such as component, microcalcification, imprinted gene detection, and cytopathology, was developed. The area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the developed model were 0.98, 97.0%, 89.5%, and 94.4%, respectively. The prediction model also showed satisfactory performance in both internal and external validations. Moreover, the novel method (imprinted gene detection) was demonstrated to play a role in improving the diagnosis of PTC. CONCLUSION: The present study developed and validated a comprehensive prediction model for PTC, and a visualized nomogram based on the prediction model was provided for clinical application. The prediction model with imprinted gene detection effectively improves the diagnosis of PTCs that are undetermined by the current means.

Ultrasound radiomics-based nomogram to predict lymphovascular invasion in invasive breast cancer: a multicenter, retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate an ultrasound (US) radiomics-based nomogram for the preoperative prediction of the lymphovascular invasion (LVI) status in patients with invasive breast cancer (IBC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this multicentre, retrospective study, 456 consecutive women were enrolled from three institutions. Institutions 1 and 2 were used to train (n = 320) and test (n = 136), and 130 patients from institution 3 were used for external validation. Radiomics features that reflected tumour information were derived from grey-scale US images. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and the maximum relevance minimum redundancy (mRMR) algorithm were used for feature selection and radiomics signature (RS) building. US radiomics-based nomogram was constructed by using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Predictive performance was assessed with the receiving operating characteristic curve, discrimination, and calibration. RESULTS: The nomogram based on clinico-ultrasonic features (menopausal status, US-reported lymph node status, posterior echo features) and RS yielded an optimal AUC of 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84-0.91), 0.89 (95% CI, 0.84-0.94) and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.92-0.99) in the training, internal and external validation cohort. The nomogram outperformed the clinico-ultrasonic and RS model (p < 0.05). The nomogram performed favourable discrimination (C-index, 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84-0.91) and was confirmed in the validation (0.88 for internal, 0.95 for external) cohorts. The calibration and decision curve demonstrated the nomogram showed good calibration and was clinically useful. CONCLUSIONS: The radiomics nomogram incorporated in the RS and US and the clinical findings exhibited favourable preoperative individualised prediction of LVI. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The US radiomics-based nomogram incorporating menopausal status, posterior echo features, US reported-ALN status, and radiomics signature has the potential to predict lymphovascular invasion in patients with invasive breast cancer. KEY POINTS: • The clinico-ultrsonic model of menopausal status, posterior echo features, and US-reported ALN status achieved a better predictive efficacy for LVI than either of them alone. • The radiomics nomogram showed optimal prediction in predicting LVI from patients with IBC (ROC, 0.88 and 0.89 in the training and validation sets). • A nomogram demonstrated favourable performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.95) and well calibration (C-index, 0.95) in an independent validation cohort (n = 130).

Marginal cord insertion in the first trimester is associated with furcate cord insertion.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the potential connections between marginal cord insertion during the first trimester and furcate cord insertion later in pregnancy. METHODS: This is a prospective study of screening data on the cord insertion site in 3178 singleton pregnancies. The cord insertion site was examined in two stages. The first stage was screening for the cord insertion site between 10-13 weeks of gestation, the purpose is to determine the category of umbilical cord insertion. The second stage, performed at 22-28 weeks of gestation, was to follow up on the relationship between the cord insertion site and the placenta and to identify any changes in the category of umbilical cord insertion. This was performed to diagnose or exclude furcate cord insertion by identifying whether the umbilical cord trunk separated or branched before it reached the placenta. Factors influencing progression to furcate cord insertion and perinatal complications were assessed. RESULTS: Fourteen cases (0.44%) with progression to furcate cord insertion, all of which showed marginal cord insertion on ultrasound in the first trimester (p < 0.001). without progression to furcate cord insertion, there were no changes in the category of umbilical cord insertion in 3050 cases (96.40%) compared to the early pregnancy. 114 cases (3.60%) with changes in the category of umbilical cord insertion that was not consistent with furcate cord insertion. A total of 14 cases progressed to furcate cord insertion, all showed the cord insertion site were in close proximity, and 11 (78.57%) cases showed a low insertion site (p < 0.001). Regarding the choice of mode of delivery, elective caesarean delivery was done in 8/14 (57.14%). The incidences of spontaneous vaginal delivery were 5/14 (35.71%) (p < 0.001). One (7.14%) case of progression to furcate cord insertion due to haematoma at the root of the umbilical cord ended with an emergency caesarean section. In terms of perinatal complications, marginal cord insertion that progressed to furcate cord insertion had higher incidences of SGA infants, abnormal placental morphology, retention of the placenta, and cord-related adverse pregnancy outcomes than not progressed to furcate cord insertion (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Marginal cord insertion in the first trimester has the potential to progress to furcate cord insertion. We suggest that ultrasound-diagnosed marginal cord insertion in the first trimester should be watched carefully in the second trimester, which is clinically useful to accurately determine the category of cord insertion and to improve the rate of prenatal diagnosis of furcate cord insertion.

Comparison of the effectiveness of lauromacrogol injection for ablation and microwave ablation in the treatment of predominantly cystic thyroid nodules: a multicentre study.

PURPOSE: To compare the therapeutic efficacy and safety of microwave ablation (MWA) and lauromacrogol injection for ablation (LIA) for benign predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 85 patients with predominantly cystic thyroid nodules (PCTNs) who underwent microwave ablation (MWA) or lauromacrogol injection for ablation (LIA) between June 2019 and August 2022 at three hospitals were included in our research. Forty-six patients were treated with microwave ablation, and thirty-nine patients were treated with lauromacrogol injection for ablation. The baseline characteristics, nodal volume, volume reduction rate (VRR), and incidence of postoperative complications were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, there were significant differences in the thyroid nodule volume and the volume reduction rate (VRR) at different follow-up times between the groups (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the nodal volume or the volume reduction rate (VRR) between the MWA group and the LIA group at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months (p > 0.05). Of note, no serious intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred in the corresponding group. CONCLUSION: MWA and LIA are very effective and safe strategies for the treatment of predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. However, LIA is more advantageous in that it is less expensive and has a shorter length of hospital stay than MWA.

Integrating BRAFV600E mutation, ultrasonic and clinicopathologic characteristics for predicting the risk of cervical central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The advantages of prophylactic central lymph node dissection (CLND) for clinically node-negative patients remained a great deal of controversies. Our research was aimed to analyze the relationship between cervical central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and BRAFV600E mutation, ultrasonic and clinicopathologic characterizes in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). METHODS AND MATERIALS: In current study, a total of 112 consecutive PTC patients who experienced thyroidectomy plus cervical central neck dissection were included in our research. All PTC were pre-operatively analyzed by ultrasonic features, including tumor size, multifocality or not, tumor location, internal components, echogenicity, microcalcification, margins, orientation, taller than wide shape, and internal vascularity. The presence of clinicopathologic factors, including age, sex, T stage, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and BRAFV600E mutation was then investigated. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to check into the relationship between predictive factors and cervical CLNM in PTC patients, and then a predictive model was also established. RESULTS: Pathologically, 58.0% (65/112) of the PTC patients harbored cervical CLNM. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to identify age < 55 years, tumor size > 10 mm, microcalcification, non-concomitant Hashimoto's thyroiditis and BRAFV600E mutation were predictive factors for cervical CLNM in PTC. The risk score for cervical CLNM in PTC patients was calculated: risk score = 1.284 × (if age < 55 years) + 1.241 × (if tumor size > 10 mm) + 1.143 × (if microcalcification) - 2.097 × (if concomitant Hashimoto's thyroiditis) + 1.628 × (if BRAFV600E mutation). CONCLUSION: Age < 55 years old, PTC > 10 mm, microcalcification, non-concomitant Hashimoto's thyroiditis and BRAFV600E mutation are predictive factors for cervical CLNM. BRAFV600E mutation by pre-operative US-FNA technology synergized with clinicopathologic and ultrasonic features is expected to guide the appropriate surgical management for PTC patients.

Methyl-CpG-binding domain 3 inhibits stemness of pancreatic cancer cells via Hippo signaling.

Methyl-CpG-binding domain 3 (MBD3), as an induced stem cells reprogramming barrier, has an abnormal expression in various prevalent malignancies. However, in pancreatic cancer cell stemness, the roles of MBD3 remain unclear. In our study, the effects of MBD3 were investigated on the proliferation, stemness and the underlying mechanism in pancreatic cancer cells. Firstly, MBD3 knockdown was proved to promote proliferation and sphere formation of pancreatic cancer cells and tumorigenesis, while MBD3 upregulation inhibited the above results. Also, MBD3 downregulation notably increased stemness markers level of OCT4, NANOG and SOX2, and MBD3 upregulation resulted in the opposite effects. Mechanically, it was found that MBD3 involved in activation of Hippo pathway. There was a negative correlation between MBD3 and YAP expression in TCGA database. MBD3 knockdown improved YAP expression, and promoted YAP nuclear translocation increased TEAD luciferase activity, while MBD3 overexpression reversed the above results. Further evidence revealed that YAP could bind to MBD3, and decreased MBD3 expression. Collectively, MBD3 bound to YAP to significantly inhibit proliferation and weaken stemness maintenance in pancreatic cancer cells, as well as reduce tumorigenesis via Hippo signaling. Thus, MBD3 may serve as a potential molecular biomarker for exploring new therapeutic strategies to treat pancreatic cancer.

Linc-RoR promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion via the Hippo/YAP pathway in pancreatic cancer cells.

Large intergenic noncoding RNA regulator of reprogramming (Linc-RoR) was first identified as a regulator to increase the emergence of induced pluripotent stem cells through reprogramming differentiated cells and is abnormal expression in a variety of malignant tumors. However, the function of Linc-RoR in pancreatic cancer progression needs further clarification. The data from this study demonstrated that Linc-RoR knockdown suppressed cell proliferative capacity and colony formation, while Linc-RoR overexpression promoted these behaviors. In particular, Linc-RoR overexpression promoted the level of mesenchymal markers, inhibited the expression of epithelial markers, as well as enhanced pancreatic cancer cells migration and invasion, whereas Linc-RoR knockdown inhibited the expression of mesenchymal markers, promoted the expression of epithelial markers, as well as weakened pancreatic cancer cells migration and invasion. Further study revealed that Linc-RoR knockdown brought about a significant fall in YAP phosphorylation and a rise in total YAP, while Linc-RoR overexpression produced the opposite results. Specifically, Linc-RoR promoted YAP in the cytoplasm into the nucleus. Taken together, we conjectured that Linc-RoR promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells by activating the Hippo/YAP pathway. YAP might be an underlying target of Linc-RoR and mediate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pancreatic cancer (PC); thus, Linc-RoR might be a very meaningful biomarker for PC.

Circulating lncRNA SNHG11 as a novel biomarker for early diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates that tumour cells release substantial amounts of RNA into the bloodstream, in which RNA strongly resists RNases and is present at sufficient levels for quantitative analyses. Our study aimed to discover blood-based markers for the early detection of CRC and to ascertain their efficiency in discriminating healthy controls, patients with polyps and adenomas and cancer patients. We first analysed and screened ZFAS1, SNHG11, LINC00909 and LINC00654 in a bioinformatics database and then collected clinical plasma samples for preliminary small-scale analysis and further large-scale verification. We then explored the mechanism of dominant lncRNA SNHG11 expression in CRC by in vitro and in vivo assays. The combination of ZFAS1, SNHG11, LINC00909 and LINC00654 showed high diagnostic performance for CRC (AUC: 0.937), especially early-stage disease (AUC: 0.935). Plasma levels of the four candidate lncRNAs were significantly reduced in postoperative samples compared to preoperative samples. A panel including these four lncRNAs performed well in distinguishing patient groups with different stages of colon disease, and SNHG11 exhibited the greatest diagnostic ability to identify precancerous lesions and early-stage tumour formation. Mechanistically, high SNHG11 expression promotes proliferation and metastasis by targeting the Hippo pathway. Taken together, the data indicate that SNHG11 may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of CRC and a potential biomarker for the early detection of CRC.

Enhanced oral bioavailability of self-assembling curcumin-vitamin E prodrug-nanoparticles by co-nanoprecipitation with vitamin E TPGS.

Curcumin (CUR), a nontoxic natural compound with potent antitumor activity, was limited in clinical application due to its insolubility and exceedingly low bioavailability. In this study, a novel prodrug-nanoparticle (CSSV/TPGS-NPs) self-assembled by co-nanoprecipitation of CUR-s-s-vitamin E conjugate and d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (vitamin E TPGS) was prepared in attempt to solve aforementioned obstacles. CSSV/TPGS-NPs showed smaller sizes and better stability compared with that of CUR-s-s-vitamin E conjugate prodrug-nanoparticles (CSSV-NPs). Significantly, the absorption constant and effective permeability of CSSV/TPGS-NPs in different intestinal tracts increased 1.31-2.78 times and 1.81-6.95 times than that of CUR suspension, respectively. Pharmacokinetic study in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats demonstrated that orally administered CSSV/TPGS-NPs displayed a prolonged plasma circulation with 8.06-fold increase in relative bioavailability compared to that of the CUR suspension. Altogether, conjugation of hydrophobic native CUR with vitamin E to form CSSV/TPGS-NPs is a promising technology for sustained and controlled drug delivery of CUR with improved oral bioavailability in vivo.

Downregulation of IQGAP1 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition via the HIF1α/VEGF-A signaling pathway in gastric cancer.

As an oncogene, IQ-domain GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1) regulates the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of several cancers, such as breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. However, the role of the scaffold protein IQGAP1 on EMT in gastric cancer remains unclear. Therefore, the present work was performed to address the question. Our results showed that IQGAP1 expression is upregulated in human gastric cancer specimens and cell lines. Furthermore, IQGAP1 knockdown inhibited the migratory ability of gastric cancer cells and reduced the expression of mesenchymal phenotype markers, including Slug, ß-catenin, Snail, Vimentin, and N-cadherin, as well as vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) secretion in gastric cancer cells. Conversely, IQGAP1 downregulation increased the epithelial phenotype marker E-cadherin. Furthermore, IQGAP1 silencing not only downregulated hypoxia-inducible transcription factor 1α (HIF1α) but also limited its translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus. Collectively, our results indicated that EMT was regulated by IQGAP1, which was associated with VEGF-A, since other data demonstrated that HIF1α was involved in VEGF-A expression. Therefore, we speculated that IQGAP1 regulated EMT of gastric cancer partially via the HIF1α/VEGF-A signaling pathway. IQGAP1 may serve as an effective therapeutic biomarker for gastric cancer.

Sonographic characteristics and clinical characteristics combined with nomogram for predicting the aggressiveness of papillary thyroid carcinoma coexisted with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

OBJECTIVE: The association between Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC) and coexistent Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (HT) was controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presence of HT exerts any influence on the aggressiveness of PTC, and to establish a nomogram for predicting the possibility of aggressiveness in PTC. METHODS: 373 consecutive PTC patients with/without coexistent HT from January 2017 to December 2020 were retrospective reviewed. Patients' clinicopathologic and sonographic characteristics were collected for univariate and multivariate analyses. A nomogram was established based on the risk factors for aggressiveness in PTC. RESULTS: Male (p = 0.001), tumor size >1.0 cm (p = 0.046) and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.018) were negatively associated with PTC coexisted with HT, while it was significantly positively associated with the frequence of multifocality (p = 0.010). Univariate and multivariate analyses suggested that age ≥55 years (p = 0.000), male (p = 0.027), HT (p = 0.017), tumor size >1.0 cm (p = 0.015), multifocality (p = 0.041), distance to capsular ≤0 cm (p = 0.050) and blood flow (Grade I: p = 0.044) were independent risk factors for predicting the aggressiveness in PTC. A nomogram according to these predictors was further developed and validated. The receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC = 0.734 and 0.809 for training and validation cohorts, respectively) and decision curve analyses indicated that the nomogram model was clinically useful. The calibration curve revealed that the nomogram exhibited an excellent consistency. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the coexistent HT might play a protective role in preventing the proliferation of PTC. Dispensable aggressive treatment may be reduced in PTC by pre-operative identification of sonographic and clinical characteristics and incorporating with the predicted nomogram model.

Nanomedicine-induced cell pyroptosis to enhance antitumor immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy is a therapeutic modality designed to elicit or augment an immune response against malignancies. Despite the immune system's ability to detect and eradicate neoplastic cells, certain neoplastic cells can elude immune surveillance and elimination through diverse mechanisms. Therefore, antitumor immunotherapy has emerged as a propitious strategy. Pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death (PCD) regulated by Gasdermin (GSDM), is associated with cytomembrane rupture due to continuous cell expansion, which results in the release of cellular contents that can trigger robust inflammatory and immune responses. The field of nanomedicine has made promising progress, enabling the application of nanotechnology to enhance the effectiveness and specificity of cancer therapy by potentiating, enabling, or augmenting pyroptosis. In this review, we comprehensively examine the paradigms underlying antitumor immunity, particularly paradigms related to nanotherapeutics combined with pyroptosis; these treatments include chemotherapy (CT), hyperthermia therapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT), ion-interference therapy (IIT), biomimetic therapy, and combination therapy. Furthermore, we thoroughly discuss the coordinated mechanisms that regulate these paradigms. This review is expected to enhance the understanding of the interplay between pyroptosis and antitumor immunotherapy, broaden the utilization of diverse nanomaterials in pyroptosis-based antitumor immunotherapy, and facilitate advancements in clinical tumor therapy.

Nomogram for preoperative prediction of high-volume lymph node metastasis in the classical variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Introduction: The objective of our study was to construct a preoperative prediction nomogram for the classical variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (CVPTC) patients with a solitary lesion based on demographic and ultrasonographic parameters that can quantify the individual probability of high-volume (>5) lymph node metastasis (HVLNM). Materials and methods: In this study, a total of 626 patients with CVPTC from December 2017 to November 2022 were reviewed. Their demographic and ultrasonographic features at baseline were collected and analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Significant factors after the multivariate analysis were incorporated into a nomogram for predicting HVLNM. A validation set from the last 6 months of the study period was conducted to evaluate the model performance. Results: Male sex, tumor size >10 mm, extrathyroidal extension (ETE), and capsular contact >50% were independent risk factors for HVLNM, whereas middle and old age were significant protective factors. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.842 in the training and 0.875 in the validation set. Conclusions: The preoperative nomogram can help tailor the management strategy to the individual patient. Additionally, more vigilant and aggressive measures may benefit patients at risk of HVLNM.

Initial ablation radio predicting volume reduction from microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules.

OBJECTIVE: Our research sought to investigate the relationship between initial ablation ratio (IAR) and internal composition of benign thyroid nodules treated by microwave ablation (MWA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent MWA at the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from January 2018 to December 2022 were enrolled in our research. All the patients were followed up for at least one year. We analyzed the relationship between IAR at 1 month of solid nodules (solid >90%), predominantly solid nodules (90% >solid > 75%), mixed solid alongside cystic nodules (75% >solid > 50%) as well as volume reduction rate (VRR) at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up. OBJECTIVE: The mean IAR of the solid nodules (solid >90%) was 94.32±7.87%,#x0025;, that of the predominantly solid nodules (90% >solid > 75%) and mixed solid alongside cystic nodules (75% >solid > 50%) were 86.51±6.66% and 75.19±4.97%,#x0025;, respectively. Almost all the thyroid nodules were significantly decreased in size after MWA. After 12 months of MWA treatment, the average volume of the aforementioned thyroid nodules decreased from 8.69±8.79 to 1.84±3.11 ml, 10.94±9.07 to 2.58±3.34 ml, 9.92±6.27 to 0.25±0.42 ml, respectively. The mean symptom and cosmetic scores of the nodules showed significant (p < 0.000) improvement. The rates of the complications or side effects of MWA against the above-mentioned nodule types were 8.3% (3/36), 3.2% (1/31) and 0% (0/36), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The application of the IAR to quantify the success rate of thyroid nodule microwaves in the short term demonstrated that IAR was related to the internal components of the nodule. Although the IAR was not high when the thyroid component was mixed solid and cystic nodules (75% >solid > 50%), the final therapeutic effect was still satisfactory.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation of gallbladder polyps: A case report.

RATIONALE: Gallbladder polyps are a general term for localized lesions in which the gallbladder wall protrudes into the gallbladder cavity, and benign lesions are common. Although current guidelines recommend cholecystectomy for gallbladder polyps ≥ 10 mm in size, the probability of finding cancer in postoperative pathological specimens is low. We should avoid unnecessary cholecystectomy and treat polyps with gallbladder preservation. Microwave ablation is safe and effective for the treatment of solid lesions, and can inactivates polyps while preserving gallbladder. Hence, we report a case of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation of gallbladder polyps. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 72-year-old female patient had previously diagnosed a gallbladder polyp, but it was not taken seriously. Recently, the patient had occasional right upper abdominal discomfort and a desire to preserve gallbladder. DIAGNOSES: Ultrasound showed a medium hyperechoic papillary protrusion in the gallbladder without echo behind, and the changed position did not move. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) showed no malignant signs. The diagnosis was a gallbladder polyp. INTERVENTIONS: The bile is drained and the drainage tube is fixed under real-time ultrasound guidance, then the gallbladder cavity is flushed and filled. Saline was injected between the serous and mucosal layers of the gallbladder to form an "edema band" to protect the gallbladder wall. Then, ultrasound-guided biopsy of gallbladder polyps was performed and sent for histological examination. Finally, the microwave needle was inserted into the target area under real-time ultrasonic guidance, and ablation was performed for 3 minutes (20 W). Postoperative CEUS: No significant enhancement was observed in the lesion. OUTCOMES: Within 6 months of follow-up, the patient's gallbladder systolic function was normal, and there was no discomfort and no recurrence. The lesion reduction rate reached 100% at 1 week after surgery. LESSONS: Ultrasound guided percutaneous microwave ablation of gallbladder polyps not only preserves the gallbladder but also inactivates the polyps without affecting the systolic function of the gallbladder, which provides a new idea for the treatment of gallbladder polyps.

Nanomedicine-Enabled/Augmented Cell Pyroptosis for Efficient Tumor Nanotherapy.

The terrible morbidity and mortality of malignant tumors urgently require innovative therapeutics, especially for apoptosis-resistant tumors. Pyroptosis, a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death (PCD), is featured with pore formation in plasma membrane, cell swelling with giant bubbles, and leakage of cytoplasmic pro-inflammatory cytokines, which can remodel the tumor immune microenvironment by stimulating a "cold" tumor microenvironment to be an immunogenic "hot" tumor microenvironment, and consequently augment the therapeutic efficiency of malignant tumors. Benefiting from current advances in nanotechnology, nanomedicine is extensively applied to potentiate, enable, and augment pyroptosis for enhancing cancer-therapeutic efficacy and specificity. This review provides a concentrated summary and discussion of the most recent progress achieved in this emerging field, highlighting the nanomedicine-enabled/augmented specific pyroptosis strategy for favoring the construction of next-generation nanomedicines to efficiently induce PCD. It is highly expected that the further clinical translation of nanomedicine can be accelerated by inducing pyroptotic cell death based on bioactive nanomedicines.

Genome analysis of Psilogramma increta granulovirus and its intrapopulation diversity.

The complete genome of Psilogramma increta granulovirus (PsinGV), isolated from P. increta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), was ultra-deep sequenced with a Novaseq PE150 platform and de novo assembled and annotated. The PsinGV genome is a circular double-stranded DNA, 103,721 bp in length, with a G+C content of 33.0%, the third lowest G+C content in present sequenced baculoviruses. It encodes 123 putative open reading frames, including 38 baculovirus core genes, 42 lepidopteran baculovirus conserved genes, 38 betabaculovirus conserved genes, and 5 genes unique to PsinGV. Meanwhile, 3 homologous repeated regions with the core sequence TTGCAA and 3 direct repeated sequences were identified within the PsinGV genome. Kimura two-parameters distance analysis confirmed that Psilogramma increta granulovirus is a representative of a prospective new species of the genus Betabaculovirus. Phylogenetic analysis based on the baculovirus core genes showed that PsinGV is closely related to Choristoneura fumiferana granulovirus, Clostera anastomosis granulovirus-B, and Erinnyis ello granulovirus. These four species therefore share a common ancestor residing in the Betabaculovirus genus. The genome of the PsinGV isolate contained two p10 copies: p10 and p10-2. Phylogenetic reconstruction of P10 suggests a transfer event of the p10-2 gene from an alphabaculovirus to the aforementioned common ancestor. Analysis of genomic diversity showed that 203 intrahost variants, including 182 single nucleotide variants and 21 short insertions/deletions, are present within the PsinGV isolate. Meanwhile, allele frequency indicated that the isolate contains three major genotypes, implying the archived isolate consists of several P. increta carcasses killed by PsinGV with different genotypes.

Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation as a palliative treatment for mycosis fungoides eyelid involvement: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a form of lymphoma derived from heterogeneous T cells, and eyelid involvement is extremely rare. The common methods to treat eyelid involvement are radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but their efficacies are limited. Herein, we report a case of advanced-stage MF eyelid involvement, propose ultrasound (US)-guided microwave ablation (MWA) therapy and present a literature review. CASE SUMMARY: A male patient was admitted to our hospital in June 2018 and diagnosed with MF via radiological and histopathological examinations. The patient's condition was not well controlled by various conventional chemotherapies. US-guided MWA was performed to relieve the patient's symptoms and improve his quality of life, showing satisfactory efficacy. CONCLUSION: Eyelid involvement is one of the most troublesome clinical problems for advanced-stage MF patients. This is the first report on the use of US-guided MWA as a palliative therapy for MF eyelid involvement; the treatment successfully relieved the patient's clinical symptoms and reduced his anxiety behaviours. Our study sheds new light on methods for improving the clinical management of eyelid involvement in MF.

Prognostic and Immunological Role of Gasdermin E in Pan-Cancer Analysis.

Despite accumulating cell- or animal-based experiments providing the relationship between Gasdermin E (GSDME) and human diseases, especially in malignant cancers, no pan-cancer analysis about the function of GSMDE in cancer management can be available up to date. Our research, for the first time, explored the potential carcinogenic role of GSDME across 33 tumors from the public platform of TCGA (The cancer genome atlas) database. GSDME is highly expressed in most malignant cancers, and obvious relationship exists between GSDME level and survival prognosis of cancer patients. The expression of GSDME was statically associated with the cancer-associated fibroblast infiltration in diverse cancer types, such as BLCA, CHOL, GBM, KIRC, LIHC, MESO, STAD, and UCEC. Furthermore, pyroptosis, sensory perception of sound, and defense response to bacterium were involved in the functional mechanisms of GSDME expression from GO analysis. Last but not the least, in vitro experiments were also performed to identify GSDME-induced pyroptosis. Our first pan-cancer analysis of GSDME not only broadens the understanding of the carcinogenic roles of GSDME but also provides a promising therapeutic strategy for benefiting an increasing number of cancerous patients based on GSDME-induced pyroptosis.

Ablating Aspiration Needle Tract Prior to Microwave Ablation Can Improve Therapeutic Outcomes for Predominantly Cystic Thyroid Nodules.

Purpose: To investigate whether ablating the aspiration needle tract could improve the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) for predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 41 predominantly cystic thyroid nodules that underwent MWA between June 2017 and August 2019. The nodules were stratified by different procedures into two groups: the aspiration needle tract was ablated before cyst fluid aspiration and MWA when treating 26 nodules in Group A, while the other 15 nodules in Group B underwent MWA directly after cyst fluid aspiration. Baseline characteristics, intervention time, hospital stays, nodules with intraoperative intracystic hemorrhage, and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Volume, volume reduction rate (VRR), compressive score (CS), and aesthetic score (AS) were evaluated during follow-up. Results: Both groups achieved decreases in volume, CS, and AS, as well as an increase in VRR. The volumes and VRRs in Group A at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months were significantly smaller and greater than those in Group B (p < 0.001). The incidence of intraoperative intracystic hemorrhage in Group A was significantly lower than that in Group B (p=0.035). Compared to Group B, hospital stays were much shorter in Group A (p=0.040). There were no significant differences in intervention time, cystic fluid volume or postoperative complications. Conclusion: Aspiration needle tract ablation dramatically reduces the incidence of intraoperative intracystic hemorrhage and markedly improves the efficacy of MWA for predominantly cystic thyroid nodules.