HMGCS2 serves as a potential biomarker for inhibition of renal clear cell carcinoma growth.

3-Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2) is the rate-limiting enzyme for ketone body synthesis, and most current studies focus on mitochondrial maturation and metabolic reprogramming. The role of HMGCS2 was evaluated in a pan-cancer multi-database using R language, and HMGCS2 was lowly expressed or not differentially expressed in all tumor tissues compared with normal tissues. Correlation analysis of clinical case characteristics, genomic heterogeneity, tumor stemness, and overall survival revealed that HMGCS2 is closely related to clear cell renal cell carcinoma (KIRC). Single-cell sequencing data from normal human kidneys revealed that HMGCS2 is specifically expressed in proximal tubular cells of normal adults. In addition, HMGCS2 is associated with tumor immune infiltration and microenvironment, and KIRC patients with low expression of HMGCS2 have worse prognosis. Finally, the results of cell counting kit 8 assays, colony formation assays, flow cytometry, and Western blot analysis suggested that upregulation of HMGCS2 increased the expression of key tumor suppressor proteins, inhibited the proliferation of clear cell renal cell carcinoma cells and promoted cell apoptosis. In conclusion, HMGCS2 is abnormally expressed in pan-cancer, may play an important role in anti-tumor immunity, and is expected to be a potential tumor prognostic marker, especially in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

The Cellular Structure and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene/Nano-CaCO3/Ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer Composites Prepared by an In-Mold-Decoration/Microcellular-Injection-Molding Process.

Polypropylene (PP)-composite foams were prepared by a combination process of microcellular injection molding (MIM) and in-mold decoration (IMD). The effect of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) on the crystallization properties, rheological properties, microstructure, and mechanical properties of PP-composite foams was studied. The effect of the additives on the strength and toughness of PP-composite foam as determined by the multiscale simulation method is discussed. The results showed that an appropriate amount of EPDM was beneficial to the cell growth and toughening of the PP blends. When the content of EPDM was 15 wt%, the PP-composite foams obtained the minimum cellular size, the maximum cellular density, and the best impact toughness. At the same time, the mesoscopic simulation shows that the stress concentration is the smallest, which indicates that 15 wt% EPDM has the best toughening effect in these composite materials.

The lncRNA MIR99AHG directs alternative splicing of SMARCA1 by PTBP1 to enable invadopodia formation in colorectal cancer cells.

Alternative splicing regulates gene expression and functional diversity and is often dysregulated in human cancers. Here, we discovered that the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) MIR99AHG regulated alternative splicing to alter the activity of a chromatin remodeler and promote metastatic behaviors in colorectal cancer (CRC). MIR99AHG was abundant in invasive CRC cells and metastatic tumors from patients and promoted motility and invasion in cultured CRC cells. MIR99AHG bound to and stabilized the RNA splicing factor PTBP1, and this complex increased cassette exon inclusion in the mRNA encoding the chromatin remodeling gene SMARCA1. Specifically, MIR99AHG altered the nature of PTBP1 binding to the splice sites on intron 12 of SMARCA1 pre-mRNA, thereby triggering a splicing switch from skipping to including exon 13 to produce the long isoform, SMARCA1-L. SMARCA1, but not SMARCA1-L, suppressed invadopodia formation, cell migration, and invasion. Analysis of CRC samples revealed that the abundance of MIR99AHG transcript positively correlated with that of SMARCA1-L mRNA and PTBP1 protein and with poor prognosis in patients with CRC. Furthermore, TGF-ß1 secretion from cancer-associated fibroblasts increased MIR99AHG expression in CRC cells. Our findings identify an lncRNA that is induced by cues from the tumor microenvironment and that interacts with PTBP1 to regulate alternative splicing, potentially providing a therapeutic target and predictive biomarker for metastatic CRC.

The Cellular Structure and Toughness of Hydrogenated Styrene-Butadiene Block Copolymer Reinforced Polypropylene Foams.

Polypropylene nanocomposites containing varying amounts of Styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS) were prepared through the supercritical nitrogen microcellular injection-molding process. Maleic anhydride (MAH)-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) copolymers were used as compatibilizers. The influence of SEBS content on the cell structure and toughness of the SEBS/PP composites was investigated. Upon the addition of SEBS, the differential scanning calorimeter tests revealed that the grain size of the composites decreased, and their toughness increased. The results of the rheological behavior tests showed that the melt viscosity of the composite increased, playing a role in enhancing the cell structure. With the addition of 20 wt% SEBS, the cell diameter decreased from 157 to 66.7 µm, leading to an improvement in the mechanical properties. Compared to pure PP material, the impact toughness of the composites rose by 410% with 20 wt% of SEBS. Microstructure images of the impact section displayed evident plastic deformation, effectively absorbing energy and improving the material's toughness. Furthermore, the composites exhibited a significant increase in toughness in the tensile test, with the foamed material's elongation at break being 960% higher than that of pure PP foamed material when the SEBS content was 20%.

HPGDS is a novel prognostic marker associated with lipid metabolism and aggressiveness in lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common respiratory globallywith a poor prognosis. Lipid metabolism is extremely important for the occurrence and development of cancer. However, the role of genes involved in lipid metabolism in LUAD development is unclear. We aimed to identify the abnormal lipid metabolism pathway of LUAD, construct a novel prognostic model of LUAD, and discover novel biomarkers involved in lipid metabolism in LUAD. Methods: Based on differentially expressed genes involved in lipid metabolism in LUAD samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), abnormal lipid metabolism pathways in LUAD were analyzed. The lasso penalized regression analysis was performed on the TCGA cohort (training set) to construct a risk score formula. The predictive ability of the risk score was validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset (validation set) using Kaplan-Meier analysis and ROC curves. Finally, based on CRISPR gene editing technology, hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase (HPGDS) was knocked out in A549 cell lines, the changes in lipid metabolism-related markers were detected by western blotting, and the changes in cell migration were detected by transwell assay. Results: Based on the differential genes between lung cancer tissue and normal tissue, we found that the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway is an abnormal lipid metabolism pathway in both lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma. Based on the sample information of TCGA and abnormally expressed lipid metabolism-related genes, a 9-gene prognostic risk score was successfully constructed and validated in the GEO dataset. Finally, we found that knockdown of HPGDS in A549 cell lines promoted lipid synthesis and is more invasive than in control cells. Rescue assays showed that ACSL1 knockdown reversed the pro-migration effects of HPGDS knockdown. The knockdown of HPGDS promoted migration response by upregulating the expression of the lipid metabolism key enzymes ACSL1 and ACC. Conclusion: The genes involved in lipid metabolism are associated with the occurrence and development of LUAD. HPGDS can be a therapeutic target of a potential lipid metabolism pathway in LUAD, and the therapeutic target of lipid metabolism genes in LUAD should be studied further.

A Study on Hot Stamping Formability of Continuous Glass Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites.

In this study, hot stamping tests on continuous glass fiber (GF)-reinforced thermoplastic (PP) composites were conducted under different process parameters using a self-designed hemispherical hot stamping die with a heating system. The effects of parameters such as preheating temperature, stamping depth, and stamping speed on the formability of the fabricated parts were analyzed using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The test results show that the suitable stamping depth should be less than 15 mm, the stamping speed should be less than 150 mm/min, and the preheating temperature should be about 200 °C. From the edge of the formed parts to their pole area, a thin-thick-thin characteristic in thickness was observed. Under the same preheating temperature, the influence of stamping depth on the thickness variation of the formed parts was more significant than the stamping speed. The primary defects of the formed parts were cracking, wrinkling, delamination, and fiber exposure. Resin poverty often occurred in the defect area of the formed parts and increased with stamping depth and stamping speed.

Clinical study on the treatment of moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis by posterior nasal nerve combined with anterior ethmoid neurotomy.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical effect of posterior nasal nerve combined with anterior ethmoid neurotomy in the treatment of moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis. Methods: Thirty patients with moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis admitted to Linhai Second People's Hospital from August 2019 to June 2020 were selected as subjects for prospective study and design. All patients underwent posterior nasal neurotomy and anterior ethmoid neurotomy simultaneously. Subsequently, the efficacy of all patients at 0.5 and one year postoperatively was compared. Their symptom score preoperatively and one year postoperatively as well as their preoperative and postoperative quality of life score were compared, and related adverse reactions were collected. Results: The curative effect ratio was 60% after 0.5 years and 90.0% after one year, showing a significant increase (χ2 =12.000, P=0.007<0.05). The symptom score at one year postoperatively (1.15±0.32) was lower than that preoperatively (2.12±0.58), with a statistically significant difference (t=11.351, P=0.000<0.05); In terms of quality of life, nasal symptoms, ocular symptoms, practical difficulties, sleep disorders, emotional disorders and other symptoms were lower than those preoperatively, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Adverse reactions occurred in 4 patients (13.33%), but were eliminated after treatment. Conclusion: Posterior nasal nerve combined with anterior ethmoid neurotomy is a safe and reliable surgical method for the treatment of moderate to severe persistent allergic rhinitis, boasting a variety of benefits such as symptomatic relief, improved quality of life, and reduced adverse reactions, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Selenoprotein S regulates tumorigenesis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma through AKT/ GSK3ß/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most lethal genitourinary tumors with rapid progression and metastasis. Selenoprotein S (SELS), which is broadly expressed in human tissues, has been reported to be involved in ER homeostasis and inflammation. However, the biological roles of SELS in ccRCC remain unclear. In this study, we found that SELS expression was significantly higher in ccRCC and correlated with multiple clinicopathological features. Overexpression of SELS could promote cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis in 786-O cells, whereas silence of SELS elicited opposite effect. Further mechanistic studies revealed that SELS enhanced cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis through activating AKT/GSK3ß/NF-κB signaling pathway. Besides, SELS could stabilize c-Myc by preventing ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated degradation. Interestingly, we found that SELS could also inhibit migration of ccRCC cell likely through repressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Collectively, our findings suggested that SELS promoted tumor progression, and inhibited apoptosis and migration through AKT/GSK3ß/NF-κB signaling pathway and EMT in ccRCC.

FABP4 knockdown suppresses inflammation, apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation in IL-1ß-induced chondrocytes by activating PPARγ to regulate the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disease that can lead to severe joint pain and loss of function, seriously threatening the health and normal life of patients. At present, the pathogenesis of OA remains to be clarified. Recent studies have shown that fatty acid­binding protein 4 (FABP4) is increased in the plasma and synovial fluid of patients with OA. However, the effect of FABP4 on OA is unclear. The present study established IL­1ß­induced ATDC5 cells with FABP4 knockdown. Next, cell viability was detected with Cell Counting Kit­8 assay. The content of inflammatory factors, prostaglandin E2 and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) was detected via ELISA. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in cells were detected by using ROS and SOD kits, respectively. TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis level. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of proteins. The results revealed that FABP4 was upregulated in IL­1ß­induced ATDC5 cells. Knockdown of FABP4 increased cell viability, reduced inflammatory damage, oxidative stress and apoptosis in IL­1ß­induced ATDC5 cells. Following FABP4 knockdown, the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP3, MMP9 and MMP13) of IL­1ß­induced ATDC5 cells was reduced, and the expression of GAG was promoted. FABP4 knockdown also inhibited the expression of NF­κB p65 and enhanced peroxisome proliferator­activated receptor (PPAR)γ expression. However, the presence of PPARγ inhibitor blocked the aforementioned effects of FABP4 on IL­1ß­induced ATDC5 cells. In conclusion, FABP4 knockdown suppressed the inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and extracellular matrix degradation of IL­1ß­induced chondrocytes by activating PPARγ to inhibit the NF­κB signaling pathway.

APOBEC1 complementation factor facilitates cell migration by promoting nucleus translocation of SMAD3 in renal cell carcinoma cells.

Metastasis is inevitable in about 30% of patients with primary renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy treatment. APOBEC1 complementation factor (A1CF), an RNA binding protein, participates in tumor progressions such as growth, apoptosis, differentiation, and invasion. Here, we explored biological functions of A1CF and provided a new insight into renal cell carcinoma metastasis. Wound healing assay was conducted to detect migration in A1CF overexpression and knockdown stable cell lines. Quantitative PCR and western blot assays were utilized to test transcriptional and translation levels of A1CF and SMAD3 in A1CF overexpression and knockdown renal carcinoma cells. Nuclear and cytoplasmic protein separation assays were conducted to evaluate the subcellular distribution of A1CF and SMAD3. Immunoprecipitation assay was conducted to detect the interaction between A1CF and SMAD3. Our study demonstrated A1CF overexpression facilitated cell migration in renal carcinoma cells. A1CF deficiency downregulated expression of SMAD3, Snail1, and N-cadherin. In addition, A1CF promoted nucleus translocation of SMAD3 and interacted with SMAD3. SMAD3 knockdown attenuated cell migration induced by A1CF overexpression. Our study suggested A1CF facilitated cell migration by promoting nucleus translocation of SMAD3 in renal cell carcinoma cells.

Effects of inorganic particles on the crystallization, mechanical properties and cellular structure of foamed PP composites in the IMD/MIM process.

Foamed polypropylene (PP) composites containing inorganic particles were prepared using a combined in-mold decoration and microcellular injection molding (IMD/MIM) method, and supercritical fluid-nitrogen was used as the physical blowing agent. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and montmorillonite (MMT) with particle size that varied from nanometer to micron were selected as reinforcement particles. The effect of inorganic particle type and size on the crystallization, mechanical properties, and cellular structure of the parts were investigated. The results showed that the polymer chains were not well inserted into the MMT layer, and there was almost no increase in the interlayer spacing. As the particle size decreased, the relative amount of ß-crystal and mechanical properties increased. The addition of CaCO3 was more effective than MMT at increasing the volume fraction of the ß-crystal form when the particle size was reduced to the nanometer level. In the vertical and parallel section, the average cell diameter of the composites decreased and the cell density increased as the particle size decreased. As the particle size of the inorganic filler decreased, the deformation degree of cells gradually increased.

Investigation on Foamed PP/Nano-CaCO3 Composites in a Combined in-Mold Decoration and Microcellular Injection Molding Process.

A combined in-mold decoration and microcellular injection molding (IMD/MIM) method has been used in this paper. The foamed PP/nano-CaCO3 composites were prepared to investigate their mechanical properties, cellular structure, and surface quality. The content of nano-CaCO3 varied from 0 to 10 wt %. The results showed that nano-CaCO3 acted as a reinforcing phase and nucleating agent, which help to improve the mechanical properties of foamed composites. The cellular structure and mechanical properties were optimum when the nano-CaCO3 content was 6 wt %. In the vertical section, the cell size and density of transition layer on the film side was bigger than that on the non-film side. In the parallel section, the cell ratio of length to diameter of transition layer on the film side was smaller than that on the non-film side, and the cell tile angle was larger than that on the non-film side. With nano-CaCO3 content increasing, the surface quality showed a trend of decreasing first and then increasing.

Voids healing and carbide refinement of cold rolled M50 bearing steel by electropulsing treatment.

The voids caused by the cold rolling (CR) quite deteriorates the final performance of M50 bearing steel. In this work, the effect of electropulsing treatment (EPT) on the voids has been investigated, finding that the nano-size voids around carbides have been extensively healed. Moreover, it is interesting to find that the Cr-rich carbides are partially dissolved and consequently refined by EPT, which could be attributed to the decreased thermodynamic dissolution barriers and accelerated kinetic diffusion of carbon atoms towards dislocation. These results inspire people to develop a novel strategy (CR + EPT) to fully take advantage of CR and tailor the carbides size in bearing steels.

Effects of different analgesia regimens on early post-operative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients undergoing radical resection of cervical carcinoma.

This study was designed to compare the effects of epidural and intravenous analgesia on early post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in elderly patients undergoing radical resection of cervical cancer. For this purpose, 74 patients aged 60-78 years [body mass index (BMI), 18-25 kg/m2; American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification score of I-III) undergoing radical resection of cervical cancer were divided into the epidural group (group E) and parenteral group (group P) groups (37 patients in each group). All patients underwent their surgical procedures under epidural anesthesia and intravenously-delivered general anesthesia. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) was supplied for 72 h after the surgery. Epidural analgesia was provided for the patients in group E and intravenous analgesia was provide for those in group P. General patient information was recorded and peripheral blood neutrophil counts, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and interleukin (IL)-6 concentrations were measured immediately prior to the surgery (T0), and at 24, 48 and 72 h after the procedure (T1, T2 and T3, respectively). Visual analog scale (VAS) scores were also recorded at T1, T2 and T3, and the mini-mental state evaluation (MMSE) scores at T0, T1, T2, and T3 were calculated. Patients were diagnosed as having POCD according to their MMSE score differences between the peri-operative and post-operative values. The results revealed that the levels of CRP and IL-6 significantly increased in both groups after the surgery (T1-3). However, the CRP and IL-6 levels in group E were significantly lower than those in group P at all time points examined (P<0.05). The VAS scores in group E at T1, T2 and T3 were significantly lower than those in group P (P<0.05). Finally, the incidence of POCD in group E was significantly lower than that in group P (P<0.05). On the whole, the post-operative epidural analgesia reduced the systemic inflammatory response, the perceived pain, and the incidence of POCD in patients undergoing radical resection of cervical cancer, when compared with the effects of intravenous analgesia.

A Combined In-Mold Decoration and Microcellular Injection Molding Method for Preparing Foamed Products with Improved Surface Appearance.

A combined in-mold decoration and microcellular injection molding (IMD/MIM) method by integrating in-mold decoration injection molding (IMD) with microcellular injection molding (MIM) was proposed in this paper. To verify the effectiveness of the IMD/MIM method, comparisons of in-mold decoration injection molding (IMD), conventional injection molding (CIM), IMD/MIM and microcellular injection molding (MIM) simulations and experiments were performed. The results show that compared with MIM, the film flattens the bubbles that have not been cooled and turned to the surface, thus improving the surface quality of the parts. The existence of the film results in an asymmetrical temperature distribution along the thickness of the sample, and the higher temperature on the film side leads the cell to move toward it, thus obtaining a cell-offset part. However, the mechanical properties of the IMD/MIM splines are degraded due to the presence of cells, while specific mechanical properties similar to their solid counterparts are maintained. Besides, the existence of the film reduces the heat transfer coefficient of the film side so that the sides of the part are cooled asymmetrically, causing warpage.

Effects of Nano-CaCO3 Content on the Crystallization, Mechanical Properties, and Cell Structure of PP Nanocomposites in Microcellular Injection Molding.

Using supercritical nitrogen as the physical foaming agent, microcellular polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites were prepared in microcellular injection molding. The main purpose of this work is to study effects of content of nano-CaCO3 on the crystallization, mechanical properties, and cell structure of PP nanocomposites in microcellular injection molding. The results show that adding nano-CaCO3 to PP could improve its mechanical properties and cell structure. The thermal stability and crystallinity enhances with increase of nano-CaCO3. As a bubble nucleating agent, adding nano-CaCO3 to PP improves the cell structure in both the parallel sections and vertical sections. The mechanical properties increase first and then decrease with increase of nano-CaCO3. The mechanical properties are affected by the cell structure, as well. The mechanical properties and cell structure are optimum when the content of nano-CaCO3 is 6 wt %.

Association analysis of selenoprotein S polymorphisms in Chinese Han with susceptibility to gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: selenoprotein S (SelS) gene polymorphism is closely related to a variety of malignant tumours. Here, we evaluate the association between SelS polymorphism and genetic susceptibility to gastric cancer. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted to investigate the role of two SelS single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the susceptibility to gastric cancer. The genotypes and genotype frequencies of the SelS were determined in 260 gastric cancer patients and 278 age-matched healthy controls. Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length of polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was taken to genotype rs28665122 (G-105A) and rs34713741 (G-254A) within the SelS gene. The differences in the genotypic distribution between gastric cancer patients and healthy controls were analyzed with the Chi-square test for trends. Logistic-regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for age and sex. RESULTS: For rs34713741 in SelS, the allele frequencies analysis indicated that the allele frequency of the T was higher in patients than in controls (P=0.001). There were significant differences of genotype frequencies and allele of rs34713741 polymorphism between gastric cancer group and control group (P<0.05). The relative risk of suffering from gastric cancer in T allele was 1.62 times of CC genotype in Hunan Han population (OR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.15~2.29). But there were no differences of genotype frequencies and allele of SelS rs28665122 polymorphism between gastric cancer group and control group. CONCLUSIONS: Allele T of SelS rs34713741 polymorphism is significantly associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer in Chinese population.

Down-regulation of Rab17 promotes tumourigenic properties of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via Erk pathway.

The small GTPase, Ras-related protein 17 (Rab17), a member of the Rab family, plays a critical role in the regulation of membrane traffic in polarized eukaryotic cells. However, the role of Rab17 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not clear. Clinical speciments reveal that Rab17 was present in 15 of 20 (75.0%) paraneoplastic tissues and 7 of 20 (35.0%) HCC samples (P=0.0248). To elucidate the tumourigenic role of Rab17 in HCC, we generated two Rab17 low-expressing HCC cell lines (Hep3B and Huh-7). The results showed that Rab17 down-regulation significantly promoted the tumourigenic properties of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo, as demonstrated by enhanced cell proliferation, colony formation, invasion and migration, decreased G1 arrest, and increased tumour xenograft growth and angiogenesis. However, the enhanced tumourigenic properties of HCC cells by Rab17 down-regulation was significantly inhibited by PD980592, the inhibitor of the Erk pathway, indicating that the Erk pathway plays a critical role in Rab17 down-regulation-induced enhanced tumourigenic properties of HCC cells. Our data provide a new insight into the essential role of Rab17 in HCC carcinogenesis and suggest that Rab17 expression might be tumor suppressor gene and might provide a new interventional therapeutic target for this common malignancy.

Synovial sarcoma: Magnetic resonance and computed tomography imaging features and differential diagnostic considerations.

The present study retrospectively examined 24 cases of pathologically confirmed synovial sarcoma and analyzed the clinical presentation and imaging findings in order to explore the imaging features of synovial sarcoma. The majority of the lesions were large (>5 cm; 88%), rounded or lobulated, relatively well-defined tumor masses in the extremities near the joints or deeply located. On computed tomography (CT) scans, the lesions demonstrated intensity signals similar to those of muscle. Six cases exhibited punctate calcification in the periphery of the tumor. On T1-weighted images, the largest lesions of >5 cm, were usually heterogeneous, with a signal intensity similar to or slightly higher than that of muscle. On T2-weighted images, heterogeneous high-intensity or slightly high-intensity signals were observed, with 12 cases exhibiting a high signal consistent with hemorrhage and 12 presenting signals that indicated internal septations. Contrast-enhanced scanning revealed heterogeneous enhancement in the majority of the lesions and no enhancement in areas of cystic necrosis or internal septations. Synovial sarcoma has specific imaging features, and comprehensive analysis of CT and magnetic resonance imaging can improve the accuracy of the pre-operative diagnosis.

Diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in malignant obstructive jaundice.

Malignant obstructive jaundice is caused by tumors arising from the head of the pancreas and biliary tree, or seen due to secondary metastases in the porta hepatis lymph nodes. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is a non-invasive diagnostic technique that can be used for imaging the entire biliary tree and pancreatic duct system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of MRCP in the diagnosis of malignant obstructive jaundice. The methods used involved comparative review of the images obtained by using magnetic resonance imaging and MRCP as well as comparison between MRCP- and pathology-based diagnoses. The accuracy of MRCP-based diagnosis of malignant obstructive jaundice was analyzed. Our data show that the positive rate of anatomical diagnosis and the detection rate of bile ducts on the proximal side of obstruction are 100%. The diagnostic accuracy of malignant obstruction was 82.9%. MRCP was found to have high diagnostic specificity for determining the location and extent of obstruction. We, therefore, concluded that MRCP had significance for clinical diagnosis of malignant obstructive jaundice. The positive rate of localization diagnosis was 100%. Distinguishing the quality of obstruction was also important. The diagnostic accuracy of MRCP for malignant obstructive jaundice was remarkably higher.