Metals/bisulfite system involved generation of 24-sulfonic-25-ene ginsenoside Rg1, a potential quality control marker for sulfur-fumigated ginseng.

Ginseng is a most popular health-promoting food with ginsenosides as its main bioactive ingredients. Illegal sulfur-fumigation causes ginsenosides convert to toxic sulfur-containing derivatives, and reduced the efficacy/safety of ginseng. 24-sulfo-25-ene ginsenoside Rg1 (25-ene SRg1), one of the sulfur-containing derivatives, is a potential quality control marker of fumigated ginseng, but with low accessibility owing to its unknown generation mechanism. In this study, metals/bisulfite system involved generation mechanism was investigated and verified. The generation of 25-ene SRg1 in sulfur-fumigated ginseng is that SO2, formed during sulfur-fumigation, reacted with water and ionized into HSO3-. On the one hand, under the metals/bisulfite system, HSO3- generates HSO5- and free radicals which converted ginsenoside Rg1 to 24,25-epoxide Rg1; on the other hand, as a nucleophilic group, HSO3- reacted with 24,25-epoxide Rg1 and further dehydrated to 25-ene SRg1. This study provided a technical support for the promotion of 25-ene SRg1 as the characteristic quality control marker of sulfur-fumigated ginseng.

PTEN deficiency potentiates HBV-associated liver cancer development through augmented GP73/GOLM1.

BACKGROUND: Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major risk factor for hepatic cancer, the majority of HBV carriers do not develop this lethal disease. Additional molecular alterations are thus implicated in the process of liver tumorigenesis. Since phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is decreased in approximately half of liver cancers, we investigated the significance of PTEN deficiency in HBV-related hepatocarcinogenesis. METHODS: HBV-positive human liver cancer tissues were checked for PTEN expression. Transgenic HBV, Alb-Cre and Ptenfl/fl mice were inter-crossed to generate WT, HBV, Pten-/- and HBV; Pten-/- mice. Immunoblotting, histological analysis and qRT-PCR were used to study these livers. Gp73-/- mice were then mated with HBV; Pten-/- mice to illustrate the role of hepatic tumor biomarker golgi membrane protein 73 (GP73)/ golgi membrane protein 1 (GOLM1) in hepatic oncogenesis. RESULTS: Pten deletion and HBV transgene synergistically aggravated liver injury, inflammation, fibrosis and development of mixed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). GP73 was augmented in HBV; Pten-/- livers. Knockout of GP73 blunted the synergistic effect of deficient Pten and transgenic HBV on liver injury, inflammation, fibrosis and cancer development. CONCLUSIONS: This mixed HCC-ICC mouse model mimics liver cancer patients harboring HBV infection and PTEN/AKT signaling pathway alteration. Targeting GP73 is a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer patients with HBV infection and PTEN alteration.

Synergistic effect of cannabidiol with dasatinib on lung cancer by SRC/PI3K/AKT signal pathway.

Dasatinib-related resistance frequently occurs and may lead to the failure of chemotherapy; thus, dose interruptions are necessary. Cannabidiol (CBD) has potential for integration with orthodox cancer care. In this study, we explored the combination effect of CBD and dasatinib on A549 cells. CBD in combination with dasatinib could induce significant synergistic apoptosis in vitro (ZIP > 10) and in vivo. The combination of CBD and low-dose dasatinib exhibited antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects through up-regulation of caspase-3 and Bax, and down-regulation of Bcl-2 in A549 cells. The xenograft mouse model suggested that the combination was more efficient and safer. In short, CBD and low-dose dasatinib exhibited a synergistic effect on anticancer by targeting the SRC/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, suggesting a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of lung cancer.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of different anesthesia strategies for transperineal MRI/US fusion prostate biopsy.

ABSTRACT: This study aims to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of three different anesthesia strategies, namely chatting while under local anesthesia (Chat-LA), total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), and general anesthesia with laryngeal mask airway (GA-LMA), employed in transperineal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/ultrasound (US) fusion prostate biopsy (TP-MUF-PB). A retrospective study was conducted involving 1202 patients who underwent TP-MUF-PB from June 2016 to April 2023 at The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University (Suzhou, China). Clinical data and outcomes, including total costs, complications, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), were compared. Probability sensitivity and subgroup analyses were also performed. Chat-LA was found to be the most cost-effective option, outperforming both TIVA and GA-LMA. However, subgroup analyses revealed that in younger patients (under 65 years old) and those with smaller prostate volumes (<40 ml), TIVA emerged as a more cost-effective strategy. While Chat-LA may generally be the most cost-effective and safer anesthesia method for TP-MUF-PB, personalization of anesthesia strategies is crucial, considering specific patient demographics such as age and prostate volume.

Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis identifies the RNA-binding protein LRPPRC as a novel prognostic and immune biomarker.

AIMS: RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play pivotal roles in carcinogenesis and immunotherapy. Leucine-rich pentapeptide repeat-containing protein (LRPPRC) is crucial for RNA polyadenylation, transport, and stability. Although recent studies have suggested LRPPRC's potential role in tumor progression, its significance in tumor prognosis, diagnosis, and immunology remains unclear. MAIN METHODS: We comprehensively analyzed LRPPRC expression in tumors using various databases, including Human Transcriptome Cell Atlas (HTCA), University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC), Human Protein Atlas (HPA), Sangerbox, TISIDB, GeneMANIA, GSCALite, and CellMiner. We examined the correlation between LRPPRC expression level and prognosis, immune infiltration, immunotherapy, methylation, biological function, and drug sensitivity. Single-cell analysis was performed using Tumor Immune Single Cell Hub (TISCH) and CancerSEA software. Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were categorized based on LRPPRC levels for functional and immune infiltration analyses. The role of LRPPRC in cancer was validated using in vitro experiments. KEY FINDINGS: Our findings revealed that LRPPRC was highly expressed in almost all cancer types, indicating its significant prognostic and diagnostic potential. Notably, LRPPRC was associated with diverse immune features, such as immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint genes, tumor mutational burden, and microsatellite instability, suggesting its value in guiding immunotherapy strategies. Within AML, the high-expression group had lower levels of immune cells, including CD8+ T cells. In vitro experiments confirmed the inhibitory effects of LRPPRC knockdown on AML cell proliferation. SIGNIFICANCE: This study highlights LRPPRC as a reliable pan-cancer prognostic and immune biomarker, particularly in AML. It lays the groundwork for future research on LRPPRC-targeted cancer therapies.

Synergistic induction of tertiary lymphoid structures by chemoimmunotherapy in bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: A substantial number of patients with bladder cancer fail to benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We aim to investigate whether the addition of other therapeutic modalities into immunotherapy may augment the immune reactivity, thereby improving the overall response rate. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive assessment of the immunological changes following immunotherapy and chemotherapy, employing both single-cell RNA sequencing and bulk RNA sequencing analyses. RESULTS: The bladder cancer patient treated with ICIs exhibited a higher abundance of B cells and T follicular helper cells compared to the treatment-naïve patient. Analysis of public datasets and the in-house RJBLC-I2N003 cohort revealed the induction of tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) neogenesis and maturation by immunotherapy. The IMvigor 210 study suggested that TLS could serve as a predictor of immunotherapy response and patient prognosis. In addition, genome-wide transcriptome data unveiled a shift towards the immune-enriched subtype over the desert subtype in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Notably, the proportions of CD20 + B cells, T follicular helper cells, and TLSs were significantly increased. In patients treated with a combination of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and ICIs, TLS positivity and maturity were improved compared to the baseline. Furthermore, neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy resulted in a higher rate of pathological complete response compared to monotherapies. CONCLUSIONS: This work pinpointed the individual effect of immunotherapy and chemotherapy in fostering TLS development, and underscored the superior effectiveness of combined modalities in enhancing TLS maturation and response rates.

Incidence, clinical features, and survival outcomes of primary malignant lacrimal gland tumors: A population-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies on the epidemiological information and prognosis of primary malignant lacrimal gland tumors (MLGTs) are rare for its low occurrence. The goal of our research was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and survival outcomes of patients with MLGTs. METHODS: Incidence and demographic information of patients with MLGTs were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. To identify independent prognostic factors for disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS), univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: The overall incidence of primary MLGTs from 1975 to 2020 was 0.413/1,000,000 (according to the 2000 American standard population), with a steadily increasing incidence over years. A total of 964 patients with primary MLGTs were diagnosed, with an average age of 59.3 years. Of these, 53.2% were aged ≥60 years, 57.4% were female, and 77.1% were whites. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that year of diagnosis, age, sex, histological type, SEER stage, surgery, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors of DSS or OS. CONCLUSIONS: Although primary MLGT is rare, its incidence has steadily increased in the past 46 years, and surgery was related to a better prognosis.

Mutational signature and prognosis in adenocarcinoma of the bladder.

Adenocarcinoma of the bladder is a rare urinary bladder carcinoma with limited therapy options due to lack of molecular characterization. Here, we aimed to reveal the mutational and transcriptomic landscapes of adenocarcinoma of the bladder and assess any relationship with prognosis. Between February 2015 and June 2021, a total of 23 patients with adenocarcinoma of the bladder were enrolled. These included 16 patients with primary bladder adenocarcinomas and seven patients with urachal adenocarcinoma. Whole exome sequencing (16 patients), whole genome sequencing (16 patients), bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) (19 patients), and single-cell RNA-seq (5 patients) were conducted for the specimens. Correlation analysis, survival analysis, and t-tests were also performed. Prevalent T>A substitutions were observed among somatic mutations, and major trinucleotide contexts included 5'-CTC-3' and 5'-CTG-3'. This pattern was mainly contributed by COSMIC signature 22 related to chemical carcinogen exposure (probably aristolochic acid), which has not been reported in bladder adenocarcinoma. Moreover, genes with copy number changes were also enriched in the KEGG term 'chemical carcinogenesis'. Transcriptomic analysis suggested high immune cell infiltration and luminal-like features in the majority of samples. Interestingly, a small fraction of samples with an APOBEC-derived mutational signature exhibited a higher risk of disease progression compared with samples with only a chemical carcinogen-related signature, confirming the molecular and prognostic heterogeneity of bladder adenocarcinoma. This study presents mutational and transcriptomic landscapes of bladder adenocarcinoma, and indicates that a chemical carcinogen-related mutational signature may be related to a better prognosis compared with an APOBEC signature in adenocarcinoma of the bladder. © 2024 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Rationality of the ethanol precipitation process in modern preparation production of Zishui-Qinggan decoction evaluated by integrating UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-based chemical profiling/serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology.

INTRODUCTION: Zishui-Qinggan decoction (ZQD) is a classical traditional Chinese medicine formula (TCMF) for alleviating menopausal symptoms (MPS) induced by endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients. In the production of TCMF modern preparations, ethanol precipitation (EP) is a commonly but not fully verified refining process. OBJECTIVES: Chemical profiling/serum pharmacochemistry and network pharmacology approaches were integrated for exploring the rationality of the EP process in the production of ZQD modern preparations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) was applied to identify the chemical profiles and absorbed components of ZQD. Network pharmacology was used to identify targets and pathways related to MPS-relieving efficacy. RESULTS: The chemicals of ZQDs without/with EP process (referred to as ZQD-W and ZQD-W-P, respectively) were qualitatively similar with 89 and 87 components identified, respectively, but their relative contents were different; 51 components were detectable in the serum of rats orally administered with ZQD-W, whereas only 19 were detected in that administered with ZQD-W-P. Key targets, such as AKT1, and pathways, such as the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway, affected by ZQD-W and ZQD-W-P were similar, while the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway among others and the MAPK signalling pathway among others were specific pathways affected by ZQD-W and ZQD-W-P, respectively. The specifically absorbed components of ZQD-W could combine its specific key targets. CONCLUSION: The EP process quantitatively altered the chemical profiles of ZQD, subsequently affected the absorbed components of ZQD, and then affected the key targets and pathways of ZQD for relieving MPS. The EP process might result in variation of the MPS-relieving efficacy of ZQD, which deserves further in vivo verification.

Cell softness reveals tumorigenic potential via ITGB8/AKT/glycolysis signaling in a mice model of orthotopic bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer, characterized by a high potential of tumor recurrence, has high lifelong monitoring and treatment costs. To date, tumor cells with intrinsic softness have been identified to function as cancer stem cells in several cancer types. Nonetheless, the existence of soft tumor cells in bladder tumors remains elusive. Thus, our study aimed to develop a micro-barrier microfluidic chip to efficiently isolate deformable tumor cells from distinct types of bladder cancer cells. METHODS: The stiffness of bladder cancer cells was determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The modified microfluidic chip was utilized to separate soft cells, and the 3D Matrigel culture system was to maintain the softness of tumor cells. Expression patterns of integrin ß8 (ITGB8), protein kinase B (AKT), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were determined by Western blotting. Double immunostaining was conducted to examine the interaction between F-actin and tripartite motif containing 59 (TRIM59). The stem-cell-like characteristics of soft cells were explored by colony formation assay and in vivo studies upon xenografted tumor models. RESULTS: Using our newly designed microfluidic approach, we identified a small fraction of soft tumor cells in bladder cancer cells. More importantly, the existence of soft tumor cells was confirmed in clinical human bladder cancer specimens, in which the number of soft tumor cells was associated with tumor relapse. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the biomechanical stimuli arising from 3D Matrigel activated the F-actin/ITGB8/TRIM59/AKT/mTOR/glycolysis pathways to enhance the softness and tumorigenic capacity of tumor cells. Simultaneously, we detected a remarkable up-regulation in ITGB8, TRIM59, and phospho-AKT in clinical bladder recurrent tumors compared with their non-recurrent counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: The ITGB8/TRIM59/AKT/mTOR/glycolysis axis plays a crucial role in modulating tumor softness and stemness. Meanwhile, the soft tumor cells become more sensitive to chemotherapy after stiffening, that offers new insights for hampering tumor progression and recurrence.

[Vitamin A and vitamin D nutritional status among children and adolescents aged 6-17 years in Jiangsu Province during 2016-2017].

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate vitamin A and vitamin D conditions and related factors among children and adolescents aged 6-17 years in Jiangsu Province of China. METHODS: All the data were derived from China Nutrition and Health Surveillance of Children and Lactating Mothers in 2016-2017. By applying multiple stage stratified cluster random sampling method, 3244 children aged 6-17 years were selected from 12 survey sites in Jiangsu Province. Face to face interview, physical measurements and 6 mL blood sample were used to collect the general information, anthropometric information and blood nutritional indexes of the participants. Multivariate Logistic analysis was used for vitamin A and vitamin D conditions to test related factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and marginal deficiency was 0.8% and 15.8%, respectively.23.2% of the participants had vitamin D deficiency, 54.2% had vitamin D insufficiency and 4.8% had vitamin A insufficiency combined with vitamin D deficiency. Age group, weight levels, screen time and mother's education levels are the relevant factors of vitamin A insufficiency in children and adolescents. The related factors of vitamin D deficiency among children and adolescents are gender, age group, residence, physical activity level, screen time and mother's education levels. Gender, residence, weight levels, screen time and mother's education levels are the related factors of vitamin A insufficiency combined with vitamin D deficiency. CONCLUSION: Vitamin A insufficiency and vitamin D deficiency are at high epidemic levels among children and adolescents in Jiangsu Province in 2016-2017.

Thermo-Optic Response and Optical Bistablility of Integrated High-Index Doped Silica Ring Resonators.

The engineering of thermo-optic effects has found broad applications in integrated photonic devices, facilitating efficient light manipulation to achieve various functionalities. Here, we perform both an experimental characterization and a theoretical analysis of these effects in integrated microring resonators made from high-index doped silica, which have had many applications in integrated photonics and nonlinear optics. By fitting the experimental results with theory, we obtain fundamental parameters that characterize their thermo-optic performance, including the thermo-optic coefficient, the efficiency of the optically induced thermo-optic process, and the thermal conductivity. The characteristics of these parameters are compared to those of other materials commonly used for integrated photonic platforms, such as silicon, silicon nitride, and silica. These results offer a comprehensive insight into the thermo-optic properties of doped silica-based devices. Understanding these properties is essential for efficiently controlling and engineering them in many practical applications.

A novel clinically significant prostate cancer prediction system with multiparametric MRI and PSA: P.Z.A. score.

PURPOSE: This study aims to establish and validate a new diagnosis model called P.Z.A. score for clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). METHODS: The demographic and clinical characteristics of 956 patients were recorded. Age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free/total PSA (f/tPSA), PSA density (PSAD), peripheral zone volume ratio (PZ-ratio), and adjusted PSAD of PZ (aPSADPZ) were calculated and subjected to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The nomogram was established, and discrimination abilities of the new nomogram were verified with a calibration curve and area under the ROC curve (AUC). The clinical benefits of P.Z.A. score were evaluated by decision curve analysis and clinical impact curves. External validation of the model using the validation set was also performed. RESULTS: The AUCs of aPSADPZ, age, PSA, f/tPSA, PSAD and PZ-ratio were 0.824, 0.672, 0.684, 0.715, 0.792 and 0.717, respectively. The optimal threshold of P.Z.A. score was 0.41. The nomogram displayed excellent net benefit and better overall calibration for predicting the occurrence of csPCa. In addition, the number of patients with csPCa predicted by P.Z.A. score was in good agreement with the actual number of patients with csPCa in the high-risk threshold. The validation set provided better validation of the model. CONCLUSION: P.Z.A. score (including PIRADS(P), aPSADPZ(Z) and age(A)) can increase the detection rate of csPCa, which may decrease the risk of misdiagnosis and reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies. P.Z.A. score contains data that is easy to obtain and is worthy of clinical replication.

Correlation Between Corneal Whorl-Like Nerve and Retinal Neurodegenerative Changes and Their Association With Microvessel Perfusion in Diabetes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the evolution of changes in the corneal nerves, retinal nerves, and cells and blood vessels at a single time point in early diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: Eighty participants (60 with diabetes and 20 nondiabetic controls) were examined. DR was graded according to the International Classification of Diabetic Retinopathy. Inferior whorl length (IWL), spiral orientation, central nerve fiber length (CNFL), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, ganglion cell complex (GCC) layer thickness, global loss volume (GLV), focal loss volume (FLV) indices, superficial (sVD), and deep vessel densities (dVD) were examined. Results: Compared with those of healthy controls, the IWL, CNFL, and FLV were decreased in the diabetic groups (P < 0.001). The IWL was significantly positively correlated with the RNFL and GCC thicknesses in the diabetic group (r = 0.248, P = 0.006 and r = 0.207, P = 0.023, respectively) and significantly negatively correlated with the FLV (r = -0.535, P < 0.001). The sVD was significantly positively correlated with the RNFL thickness (r = 0.314, P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with the GLV (r = -0.229, P = 0.012). Conclusions: Our findings suggest a correlation between corneal whorl-like nerve plexus and retinal nerve changes in the early stages of DR and that the IWL of the cornea may be able to indicate the extent of DR. Retinal nerve changes are associated with retinal microvessel perfusion, and nerve changes may precede vessel lesions.

Combined Age with Mean Decrease Rates of Total Bilirubin and MELD Score as a Novel and Simple Clinical Predictor on 90-Day Transplant-Free Mortality in Adult Patients with Acute Liver Failure Undergoing Plasma Exchange: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Background: Acute liver failure (ALF), previously known as fulminant hepatic failure, has become a common, rapidly progressive, and life-threatening catastrophic hepatic disease in intensive care unit (ICU) due to the continuous increase in drug abuse, viral infection, metabolic insult, and auto-immune cause. At present, plasma exchange (PE) is the main effective alternative treatment for ALF in ICU clinical practice, and high-volume plasma exchange (HVP) has been listed as a grade I recommendation for ALF management in the American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) guidelines. However, no existing models can provide a satisfactory performance for clinical prediction on 90-day transplant-free mortality in adult patients with ALF undergoing PE. Our study aims to identify a novel and simple clinical predictor of 90-day transplant-free mortality in adult patients with ALF undergoing PE. Methods: This retrospective study contained adult patients with ALF undergoing PE from the Medical ICU (MICU) in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between January 2017 and December 2020. Baseline and clinical data were collected and calculated on admission to ICU before PE, including gender, age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), etiology, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, prothrombin activity, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Enrolled adult patients with ALF undergoing PE were divided into a survival group and a death group at discharge and 90 days on account of medical records and telephone follow-up. After each PE, decreased rates of total bilirubin and MELD score and increased rates of prothrombin activity were calculated according to the clinical parameters. In clinical practice, different patients underwent different times of PE, and thus, mean decrease rates of total bilirubin and MELD score and mean increase rate of prothrombin activity were obtained for further statistical analysis. Results: A total of 73 adult patients with ALF undergoing 204 PE were included in our retrospective study, and their transplant-free mortality at discharge and 90 days was 6.85% (5/73) and 31.51% (23/73), respectively. All deaths could be attributed to ALF-induced severe and life-threatening complications or even multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Most of the enrolled adult patients with ALF were men (76.71%, 56/73), with a median age of 48.77 years. Various hepatitis virus infections, unknown etiology, auto-immune liver disease, drug-induced liver injury, and acute pancreatitis (AP) accounted for 75.34%, 12.33%, 6.85%, 4.11%, and 1.37% of the etiologies in adult patients with ALF, respectively. Univariate analysis showed a significant difference in age, mean decrease rates of total bilirubin and MELD score mean increase rate of prothrombin activity, decrease rates of total bilirubin and MELD score, and increase rate of prothrombin activity after the first PE between the death group and survival group. Multivariate analysis showed that age and mean decrease rates of total bilirubin and MELD score were closely associated with 90-day transplant-free mortality in adult patients with ALF undergoing PE. The 90-day transplant-free mortality was 1.081, 0.908, and 0.893 times of the original value with each one-unit increase in age and mean decrease rates of total bilirubin and MELD score, respectively. The areas under the receiver operatingcharacteristic (ROC) curve of age, mean decrease rates of total bilirubin and MELD score, and the three combined were 0.689, 0.225, 0.123, and 0.912, respectively. The cut-off values of age, mean decrease rates of total bilirubin and MELD score, and the three combined were 61.50, 3.12, 1.21, and 0.33, respectively. The specificity and sensitivity of combined age with mean decrease rates of total bilirubin and MELD score for predicting 90-day transplant-free mortality in adult patients with ALF undergoing PE were 87% and 14%. Conclusion: Combined age with mean decrease rates of total bilirubin and MELD score as a novel and simple clinical predictor can accurately predict 90-day transplant-free mortality in adult patients with ALF undergoing PE, which is worthy of application and promotion in clinical practice, especially in the identification of potential transplant candidates.

Radiomics in the Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

Gastric cancer is a malignant cancerous lesion with high morbidity and mortality. Preoperative diagnosis of gastric cancer is challenging owing to the presentation of atypical symptoms and the diversity of occurrence of focal gastric lesions. Therefore, an endoscopic biopsy is used to diagnose gastric cancer in combination with imaging examination for a comprehensive evaluation of the local tumor range (T), lymph node status (N), and distant metastasis (M). The resolution of imaging examinations has significantly improved with the technological advancement in this sector. However, imaging examinations can barely provide valuable information. In clinical practice, an examination method that can provide information on the biological behavior of the tumor is critical to strategizing the treatment plan. Artificial intelligence (AI) allows for such an inspection procedure by reflecting the histological features of lesions using quantitative information extracted from images. Currently, AI is widely employed across various medical fields, especially in the processing of medical images. The basic application process of radiomics has been described in this study, and its role in clinical studies of gastric cancer has been discussed.

Down-Regulation of miRNA-1303 Promotes the Angiogenesis of HUVECs via Targeting THSD7A.

Angiogenesis promotes neurological recovery after acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and microRNAs play crucial roles in cerebral angiogenesis. This study found that Homo sapiens-microRNA-1303(miR-1303) was reduced in blood specimens of AIS patients and human umbilical vein endothelial cells after suffering from oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion. The experiment detected the effect of miR-1303 on angiogenesis by wound healing assay, tube formation assay, and transwell assay. Down-regulation of miRNA-1303 promotes angiogenesis in vitro experiments, while miR-1303 over-expression reverses this effect. Based on bioinformatics analyses and dual-luciferase reporter assay, the thrombospondin type 1 domain containing 7A (THSD7A) was investigated and further validated as the downstream gene of miR-1303. Furthermore, the knockdown of miR-1303 decreased the protein translation and mRNA transcript levels of THSD7A. Our results reveal a novel miR-1303/THSD7A pathway for angiogenesis and further imply that miR-1303 can be a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for AIS.