[Multicenter retrospect analysis of early clinical features and analysis of risk factors on prognosis of elderly patients with severe burns]

Objective: To investigate the early clinical characteristics of elderly patients with severe burns and the risk factors on prognosis. Methods: This study was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 124 elderly patients with severe burns who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the 12 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2020 were collected, including 4 patients from the Fourth People's Hospital of Dalian, 5 patients from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 22 patients from Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, 5 patients from Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, 27 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, 9 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 10 patients from Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 9 patients from Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, 12 patients from the 924th Hospital of PLA, 6 patients from Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital, 4 patients from Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, and 11 patients from Zhengzhou First People's Hospital. The patients' overall clinical characteristics, such as gender, age, body mass index, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, inhalation injury, causative factors, whether combined with underlying medical diseases, and admission time after injury were recorded. According to the survival outcome within 28 days after injury, the patients were divided into survival group (89 cases) and death group (35 cases). The following data of patients were compared between the two groups, including the basic data and injuries (the same as the overall clinical characteristics ahead); the coagulation indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), international normalized ratio (INR), and fibrinogen; the blood routine indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as white blood cell count, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit; the organ function indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, urea, serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, electrolyte indexes (potassium, sodium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in blood), uric acid, myoglobin, and brain natriuretic peptide; the infection and blood gas indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, pH value, oxygenation index, base excess, and lactate; treatment such as whether conducted with mechanical ventilation, whether conducted with continuous renal replacement therapy, whether conducted with anticoagulation therapy, whether applied with vasoactive drugs, and fluid resuscitation. The analysis was conducted to screen the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns. Results: Among 124 patients, there were 82 males and 42 females, aged 60-97 years, with body mass index of 23.44 (21.09, 25.95) kg/m2, total burn area of 54.00% (42.00%, 75.00%) total body surface area (TBSA), and full-thickness burn area of 25.00% (10.00%, 40.00%) TBSA. The patients were mainly combined with moderate to severe inhalation injury and caused by flame burns. There were 43 cases with underlying medical diseases. The majority of patients were admitted to the hospital within 8 hours after injury. There were statistically significant differences between patients in the 2 groups in terms of age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and inhalation injury, and PT, APTT, D-dimer, FDP, INR, white blood cell count, platelet count, urea, serum creatinine, blood glucose, blood sodium, uric acid, myoglobin, and urine volume within the first 24 hours of injury (with Z values of 2.37, 5.49, 5.26, 5.97, 2.18, 1.95, 2.68, 2.68, 2.51, 2.82, 2.14, 3.40, 5.31, 3.41, 2.35, 3.81, 2.16, and -3.82, respectively, P<0.05); there were statistically significant differences between two groups of patients in whether conducted with mechanical ventilation and whether applied with vasoactive drugs (with χ2 values of 9.44 and 28.50, respectively, P<0.05). Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, serum creatinine within the first 24 hours of injury, and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury were the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns (with odds ratios of 1.17, 1.10, 1.10, 1.09, and 1.27, 95% confidence intervals of 1.03-1.40, 1.04-1.21, 1.05-1.19, 1.05-1.17, and 1.07-1.69, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions: The elderly patients with severe burns had the injuries mainly from flame burns, often accompanied by moderate to severe inhalation injury and enhanced inflammatory response, elevated blood glucose levels, activated fibrinolysis, and impaired organ function in the early stage, which are associated with their prognosis. Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and serum creatinine and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury are the independent risk factors for death within 28 days after injury in this population.

Unequivocal Identification of Spin-Triplet and Spin-Singlet Superconductors with Upper Critical Field and Flux Quantization

Spin-triplet superconductors play central roles in Majorana physics and quantum computing but are difficult to identify. We show the methods of kink-point upper critical field and flux quantization in superconducting rings can unequivocally identify spin-singlet, spin-triplet in centrosymmetric superconductors, and singlet-triplet admixture in noncentrosymmetric superconductors, as realized in γ-BiPd, β-Bi_{2}Pd, and α-BiPd, respectively. Our findings are essential for identifying triplet superconductors and exploring their quantum properties.

Percutaneous nephrostomy catheter-related infections in patients with gynaecological cancers: a multidisciplinary algorithmic approach

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous nephrostomy catheters (PCNs) are commonly utilized in patients with gynaecological cancers due to intrinsic or extrinsic urinary obstruction. Unfortunately, these foreign medical devices may be associated with several infectious complications, including: pyelonephritis, renal abscess, and bacteraemia, which may lead to further delay of life-saving cancer therapy.

AIM

To evaluate the performance of our multidisciplinary algorithm for diagnosis and treatment of PCN-related infections (PCNIs) and identify risk factors for recurrent urinary device-related infections.

METHODS

Patients with gynaecological cancers having PCNIs were prospectively evaluated at our institution from July 2019 to September 2021. All patients were managed by our standardized algorithm and followed-up until reinfection or routine PCN exchange.

FINDINGS

Of 100 consecutive patients with PCNIs, 74 had adequate follow-up, and were analysed in three groups according to clinical outcome: reinfection with the same organism (26%), reinfection with a different organism (23%), and no reinfection (51%). Their median age was 54 years, and the most common cancers were cervical (65%), and ovarian (19%) with 53% being metastatic. The most frequently recovered micro-organisms were Pseudomonas (32%), Enterococcus (27%), and Escherichia (24%) species. The main risk factors for recurrent PCNI with the same organism were pelvic radiation therapy (P=0.032), pelvic fistulas (P=0.014), and a PCNI with the same pathogen within the previous year (P = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

Our algorithm has allowed for accurate diagnosis, staging, and treatment of and identification of several key risk factors for recurrent PCNIs. These results may lead to further preventive measures for these infections.

[Research advances on the role of complement system activation in post-burn immunity]

Immune activation is one of the major factors of secondary injury post burn, and is the main organismal response in the anti-infection process. As an important part of the innate immune response, the complement system is able to induce the activation of immune cells after burns, promote inflammation and mediate the breakdown of the immune barrier, and even engage in complex cross-linking with the coagulation cascade. This article reviews the role of complement system activation in post-burn immunity and its possibility of clinical translation from the perspectives of innate immunity, acquired immunity, and cross-linking of the complement system with the coagulation cascade.

MGF360-12L of ASFV-SY18 is an immune-evasion protein that inhibits host type I IFN, NF-κB, and JAK/STAT pathways

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes feverous and hemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs and European wild boars with high mortality, yet no commercial vaccine is currently available. Several ASFV strains with natural deletion or gene-targeted knockout of multiple MGF360 and MGF505 genes are attenuated in vitro and in vivo, and can offer full protection against homologous challenge. However, the mechanisms underlying the protection are not fully understood. This study aims to investigate the effects of MGF360-12L of ASFV-SY18 on the cGAS-STING signaling pathway and explore the potential mechanisms. We identified that ASFV-SY18 MGF360-12L could inhibit cGAS-STING, TBK1, or IRF3-5D-stimulated IFN-β expression and ISRE activation. Specifically, MGF360-12L inhibits both the activation of PRD(III-I) in a dose-dependent manner, and suppresses the exogenous expression of TBK1 and IRF3-5D. MGF360-12L could block NF-κB activation induced by overexpression of cGAS-STING, TBK1, IKKβ. Downstream of the IFN-β signaling, MGF360-12L blocks the ISRE promoter activation by reducing total protein level of IRF9. Moreover, MGF360-12L protein can inhibit IFN-β-mediated antiviral effects. In conclusion, our findings suggest that MGF360-12L is a multifunctional immune-evasion protein that inhibits both the expression and effect of IFN-β, which could partially explain the attenuation of relevant gene-deleted ASFV strains, and shed light on the development of efficient ASFV live attenuated vaccines in the future.

Clinical Evaluation of Scout Accelerated Motion Estimation and Reduction Technique for 3D MR Imaging in the Inpatient and Emergency Department Settings

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A scout accelerated motion estimation and reduction (SAMER) framework has been developed for efficient retrospective motion correction. The goal of this study was to perform an initial evaluation of SAMER in a series of clinical brain MR imaging examinations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ninety-seven patients who underwent MR imaging in the inpatient and emergency department settings were included in the study. SAMER motion correction was retrospectively applied to an accelerated T1-weighted MPRAGE sequence that was included in brain MR imaging examinations performed with and without contrast. Two blinded neuroradiologists graded images with and without SAMER motion correction on a 5-tier motion severity scale (none = 1, minimal = 2, mild = 3, moderate = 4, severe = 5).

RESULTS

The median SAMER reconstruction time was 1 minute 47 seconds. SAMER motion correction significantly improved overall motion grades across all examinations (P < .005). Motion artifacts were reduced in 28% of cases, unchanged in 64% of cases, and increased in 8% of cases. SAMER improved motion grades in 100% of moderate motion cases and 75% of severe motion cases. Sixty-nine percent of nondiagnostic motion cases (grades 4 and 5) were considered diagnostic after SAMER motion correction. For cases with minimal or no motion, SAMER had negligible impact on the overall motion grade. For cases with mild, moderate, and severe motion, SAMER improved the motion grade by an average of 0.3 (SD, 0.5), 1.1 (SD, 0.3), and 1.1 (SD, 0.8) grades, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

SAMER improved the diagnostic image quality of clinical brain MR imaging examinations with motion artifacts. The improvement was most pronounced for cases with moderate or severe motion.

Does supplementation of oocytes with additional mtDNA influence developmental outcome?

Introducing extra mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into oocytes at fertilization can rescue poor quality oocytes. However, supplementation alters DNA methylation and gene expression profiles of preimplantation embryos. To determine if these alterations impacted offspring, we introduced mtDNA from failed-to-mature sister (autologous) or third party (heterologous) oocytes into mature oocytes and transferred zygotes into surrogates. Founders exhibited significantly greater daily weight gain (heterologous) and growth rates (heterologous and autologous) to controls. In weaners, cholesterol, bilirubin (heterologous and autologous), anion gap, and lymphocyte count (autologous) were elevated. In mature pigs, potassium (heterologous) and bicarbonate (autologous) were altered. mtDNA and imprinted gene analyses did not reveal aberrant profiles. Neither group exhibited gross anatomical, morphological, or histopathological differences that would lead to clinically significant lesions. Female founders were fertile and their offspring exhibited modified weight and height gain, biochemical, and hematological profiles. mtDNA supplementation induced minor differences that did not affect health and well-being.

[Plasmids carried by carbapenems-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in burn patients and its correlation with strain transmission]

Objective: To explore the carrier status of carbapenems-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) plasmids in burn patients and analyze the correlation of these plasmids with the transmission of CRKP. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. A total of 26 CRKP strains, which were isolated from the clinic-related samples of 22 burn patients (with 20 males and 2 females, aged (42±16) years) admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University (the Third Military Medical University) from January to December 2017, were collected and individually numbered. The plasmids of the strains were extracted by alkali lysis. After determination of the plasmid concentration by a nucleic acid concentration detector, the agarose gel electrophoresis was used to visualize the bands, and rough plasmids typing was performed. The plasmid of the smallest numbered CRKP in each plasmid type was transformed into competent Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain Top10 (hereinafter referred to as TOP10 strain). The growth of each transformed strains and a Top10 strain cultivated in ampicillin containing Luria-Bertani (LB) agar medium overnight was observed, and the proportion of successful transformation was calculated. The plasmids from the smallest numbered plasmid carrying CRKP strain of successfully transformed Top10 strains (hereinafter referred to as the smallest successfully transformed strain) and correspondingly numbered CRKP were extracted, and then, the agarose gel electrophoresis was used to visualize the bands. Aforementioned successfully transformed strains and a TOP10 strain were used for the antimicrobial susceptibility testing with 17 antibiotics commonly used in clinic. The plasmid from the smallest successfully transformed strain was sequenced using the next-generation sequencing technology. Bioinformatics analyses such as protein-coding gene prediction and protein sequence alignment were performed successively. The sequence was subsequently named pKP03-NDM1 according to the carrying of drug resistance gene. According to the whole genome sequence of the plasmid carried by the smallest successfully transformed strain, the polymerase chain reaction, agarose gel electrophoresis, and gene sequencing were used to detect the New Delhi metallo-beta lactamase-1 (blaNDM-1) of plasmids in the remaining 25 strains of CRKP. The ST typing in multilocus sequence typing of 26 strains of CRKP was analyzed based on the literature. Results: Plasmids were successfully extracted from 26 CRKP, with mass concentrations ranging from 19.3 to 189.8 ng/μL. Each of the 26 CRKP carrying plasmids showed at least one band longer than 2 500 bp in the agarose gel electrophoresis, which were roughly divided into 6 patterns of A, B, C, D, E, and F. After overnight cultivation, no growth of strains was observed in LB agar medium containing ampicillin inoculated with the TOP10 strain or TOP10 strains transformed by the plasmid of CRKP patterning A, B, D, or E. In contrast, TOP10 strains transformed by the pattern C plasmid from NO.3 CRKP and the pattern F plasmid from NO.15 CRKP resulted in numerous colony growths, and those transformed strains were named as TOP10-pKP03 and TOP10-pKP15, respectively. The proportion of successful transformation was 1/3. The plasmid carried by TOP10-pKP03 showed a single band in the agarose gel electrophoresis, which was the same size as the largest band of the plasmid from NO.3 CRKP. The TOP10 strain was sensitive to the 17 antibiotics commonly used in clinic. TOP10-pKP03 and TOP10-pKP15 were resistant to penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems but remained sensitive to monocyclic β-lactam, aminoglycosides, quinolones and tigecycline. The full length of the plasmid carried by TOP10-pKP03 was 41 190 bp. In addition to blaNDM-1, this plasmid carried bleMBL, T4SS, bleomycin resistance gene, conjugation transfer elements, and relaxase, etc. The plasmid showed 99% nucleotide identity similarity and the same length to the plasmid pJN24NDM1 extracted from an E. coli isolate JN24. Totally 16 (61.5%) CRKP were confirmed to carrying blaNDM-1 gene, among the ST typing of the 16 strains, 11 strains were ST11, while ST215, ST260, ST395, ST2230, and new ST had 1 strain each. Among the ST typing of 10 blaNDM-1-negative CRKP, 8 strains were ST11, while ST395 and ST2230 had 1 strain each. Conclusions: A blaNDM-1 gene carrying plasmid pKP03-NDM1 was extracted and sequenced from CRKP isolated from burn patients, with a high plasmid carrying rate. Meanwhile, this plasmid may mediate inter-CRKP and CRKP-E. coli horizontal transfer of blaNDM-1, leading to transmission of antimicrobial resistance.

[Correlation of periodontitis and oculopathy]

With the development of researches on the relationship between periodontal health and general health, more and more evidences showed that periodontitis was closely related to oculopathy, while the mechanisms were not very clear at present. This article will focus on the influences of periodontitis on the occurrence and development of various oculopathy such as diabetic retinopathy and senile macular degeneration, and discuss the possible mechanisms of the influence by periodontitis. This will provide a theoretical basis for the new ideas on prevention and treatment of oculopathy.

[Clinical analysis of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia in 9 cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features, treatment and prognosis of chronic eosinophilic pneumonia. Methods: Nine patients with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia diagnosed in Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital from January 2014 to December 2020 were enrolled and followed up. The data of clinically proven chronic eosinophilic pneumonia were reviewed. Results: The 9 cases included one male and eight females, aged from 16 to 71 years (median 47 years). Among them, 5 cases were complicated with asthma, 1 case was complicated with allergic rhinitis, and 1 case had an allergic history of pollen. All the patients had cough, expectoration, chest tightness and wheezing, and a few had fatigue (3/9), fever (1/9) and chest pain (1/9). Single or multiple patchy high-density shadows (9/9), mediastinal lymphadenopathy (7/9), air bronchogram (2/9), and reticular shadow (1/9) were observed in chest CT. Peripheral eosinophils (EOS) and serum total IgE increased to varying degrees in the 9 patients. Meanwhile, the bronchoscopy of 5 cases showed elevated percentage of eosinophils in alveolar lavage fluid, and the lung biopsy of remaining 4 cases showed EOS infiltration in lung alveolar and interstitium. After receiving glucocorticoid therapy for 0.5 to 1 month, the clinical symptoms of all 9 patients had been improved and lung lesions on CT scans had been obviously absorbed. Four cases relapsed during follow-up. Conclusions: For patients especially women who have a history of allergy, elevated blood eosinophils and serum total IgE with pulmonary high-density shadow or consolidation, chronic eosinophilic pneumonia should be considered, and bronchoscopy or percutaneous lung biopsy is indicated for a definite diagnosis. Glucocorticoid therapy is effective, but the rate of recurrence is high.

Serum procalcitonin to differentiate acute antepartum pyelonephritis from asymptomatic bacteriuria and acute cystitis during pregnancy: A multicenter prospective observational study

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether serum procalcitonin (PCT) is useful for differentiating acute pyelonephritis (APN) from asymptomatic bacteriuria and acute cystitis during pregnancy.

METHODS

A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted to compare serum white blood cell (WBC) counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and PCT level among pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute cystitis, and APN and healthy pregnant women (controls). Utility of WBC count, ESR, CRP, and PCT biomarkers for the prediction of APN during pregnancy were measured.

RESULTS

Area under the curve (AUC) values of PCT, CRP, ESR, and WBC count for predicting asymptomatic bacteriuria were 0.576, 0.628, 0.542, and 0.532, respectively; those for predicting acute cystitis were 0.766, 0.735, 0.681, and 0.597, respectively; and those for predicting acute pyelonephritis 0.859, 0.763, 0.711, and 0.732, respectively. Compared with the other inflammatory markers used to predict APN, PCT exhibited the highest AUC (0.859 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.711-0.935]). A cutoff value of >0.25 ng/ml had a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 79%.

CONCLUSION

Serum PCT can be a valuable addition to existing methods of differentiating asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute cystitis, and APN during pregnancy and can facilitate the early identification of APN during pregnancy.

Evaluation of Ultrafast Wave-Controlled Aliasing in Parallel Imaging 3D-FLAIR in the Visualization and Volumetric Estimation of Cerebral White Matter Lesions

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Our aim was to evaluate an ultrafast 3D-FLAIR sequence using Wave-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging encoding (Wave-FLAIR) compared with standard 3D-FLAIR in the visualization and volumetric estimation of cerebral white matter lesions in a clinical setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-two consecutive patients underwent 3T brain MR imaging, including standard 3D-FLAIR (acceleration factor = 2, scan time = 7 minutes 50 seconds) and resolution-matched ultrafast Wave-FLAIR sequences (acceleration factor  = 6, scan time = 2 minutes 45 seconds for the 20-channel coil; acceleration factor = 9, scan time  = 1 minute 50 seconds for the 32-channel coil) as part of clinical evaluation for demyelinating disease. Automated segmentation of cerebral white matter lesions was performed using the Lesion Segmentation Tool in SPM. Student t tests, intraclass correlation coefficients, relative lesion volume difference, and Dice similarity coefficients were used to compare volumetric measurements among sequences. Two blinded neuroradiologists evaluated the visualization of white matter lesions, artifacts, and overall diagnostic quality using a predefined 5-point scale.

RESULTS

Standard and Wave-FLAIR sequences showed excellent agreement of lesion volumes with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.99 and mean Dice similarity coefficient of 0.97 (SD, 0.05) (range, 0.84-0.99). Wave-FLAIR was noninferior to standard FLAIR for visualization of lesions and motion. The diagnostic quality for Wave-FLAIR was slightly greater than for standard FLAIR for infratentorial lesions (P < .001), and there were fewer pulsation artifacts on Wave-FLAIR compared with standard FLAIR (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrafast Wave-FLAIR provides superior visualization of infratentorial lesions while preserving overall diagnostic quality and yields white matter lesion volumes comparable with those estimated using standard FLAIR. The availability of ultrafast Wave-FLAIR may facilitate the greater use of 3D-FLAIR sequences in the evaluation of patients with suspected demyelinating disease.

Supplementation with human menopausal gonadotropin in the gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist cycles of women with high AMH: Pregnancy outcomes and serial hormone levels

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the value of using both HMG and recombinant FSH (r-FSH) in the GnRH antagonist protocol for women with high AMH.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective, single-center cohort study was conducted from January 2013 to December 2018. Of 277 GnRH antagonist IVF/ICSI cycles in women with anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) ≥5 μg/L, 170 cycles receiving the combination of r-FSH and HMG (77 with HMG added at the beginning of the GnRH antagonist cycle and 93 with HMG added after GnRH antagonist administration) and 107 cycles receiving r-FSH alone were analyzed. The dynamic hormone profiles and embryonic and clinical outcomes of the patients were evaluated.

RESULTS

We observed significantly lower serum LH levels in the r-FSH + HMG groups during ovarian stimulation. The serum estradiol and progesterone levels were lower in the r-FSH + HMG groups on the trigger day. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences with respect to the number of oocytes retrieved, maturation, fertilization, blastocyst formation rate or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). The implantation and live birth rates were increased in the r-FSH + HMG groups compared with the r-FSH alone group, with no statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

HMG for LH supplementation in the GnRH antagonist protocol for patients with high AMH is not significantly superior to r-FSH alone in terms of ovarian response and pregnancy outcome. Nevertheless, HMG supplementation might be appropriate for women with an initially inadequate response to r-FSH or intracycle LH deficiency.

Severity of Chest Imaging is Correlated with Risk of Acute Neuroimaging Findings among Patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Severe respiratory distress in patients with COVID-19 has been associated with higher rate of neurologic manifestations. Our aim was to investigate whether the severity of chest imaging findings among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) correlates with the risk of acute neuroimaging findings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included all patients with COVID-19 who received care at our hospital between March 3, 2020, and May 6, 2020, and underwent chest imaging within 10 days of neuroimaging. Chest radiographs were assessed using a previously validated automated neural network algorithm for COVID-19 (Pulmonary X-ray Severity score). Chest CTs were graded using a Chest CT Severity scoring system based on involvement of each lobe. Associations between chest imaging severity scores and acute neuroimaging findings were assessed using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Twenty-four of 93 patients (26%) included in the study had positive acute neuroimaging findings, including intracranial hemorrhage (n = 7), infarction (n = 7), leukoencephalopathy (n = 6), or a combination of findings (n = 4). The average length of hospitalization, prevalence of intensive care unit admission, and proportion of patients requiring intubation were significantly greater in patients with acute neuroimaging findings than in patients without them (P < .05 for all). Compared with patients without acute neuroimaging findings, patients with acute neuroimaging findings had significantly higher mean Pulmonary X-ray Severity scores (5.0 [SD, 2.9] versus 9.2 [SD, 3.4], P < .001) and mean Chest CT Severity scores (9.0 [SD, 5.1] versus 12.1 [SD, 5.0], P = .041). The pulmonary x-ray severity score was a significant predictor of acute neuroimaging findings in patients with COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with COVID-19 and acute neuroimaging findings had more severe findings on chest imaging on both radiographs and CT compared with patients with COVID-19 without acute neuroimaging findings. The severity of findings on chest radiography was a strong predictor of acute neuroimaging findings in patients with COVID-19.

Remediation of arsenic-contaminated paddy soil by intercropping aquatic vegetables and rice

Soil contamination by arsenic (As) is an important environmental issue globally. Intercropping of hyperaccumulators with main crop is typically applied for remediation of As-contaminated soil. Most hyperaccumulators are wild plants with small biomass and slow growth rates. Thus, remediation is slow. Here, we propose an effective intercropping system for remediation of As-contaminated paddy soil. Four treatments-intercropping with water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forsk) (T1), water celery (Oenanthe javanica (Blume) DC.) (T2), or Guangdong white arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia L. var) (T3), with rice (Oryza sativa L.) monoculture (control, CK)-were used. Compared with the CK, grain yield per plant of rice under T1 and T2 increased by 58.13% and 10.48%, respectively, but decreased by 46.90% in T3. As concentration, bioaccumulation factor, and translocation factor in brown rice were significantly lower in the intercropping treatments than in CK. As removal by water spinach was 7.04 and 1.47 times that by water celery and arrowhead, respectively. The pH of paddy soil was significantly higher in all treatments than in CK, and iron plaque on rice roots under T1 and T2 decreased significantly but increased significantly under T3 compared with that of CK. Rice intercropped with water spinach had the best remediation effect. Novelty Statement: We believe that the following highlights of this manuscript will make it interesting to general readers of this journal.First, in recent years, many articles about intercropping system for the remediation of soil heavy metal pollution focus on dry land, and few studies have focused on paddy soil. The present study was on arsenic-contaminated paddy soil remediation.Second, water spinach, water celery, and arrowhead have great potential for phytoremediation. Studies have shown that these three aquatic vegetables play a role in the removal of certain pollutants, such as heavy metals. Moreover, when intercropped with rice, they can effectively increase rice yield and reduce rice diseases and insect pests. However, studies on remediation of arsenic-contaminated soil by intercropping aquatic vegetables and rice have not been reported. We propose here a rice-aquatic vegetables (water spinach, water celery and arrowhead) intercropping pattern for remediation of arsenic in soil.Third, according to the arsenic concentration and removal rate, we used a bioaccumulation factor, translocation factor, and arsenic removal per unit area of plants for the quantitative evaluation of the remediation effects of the intercropping systems. We found that the intercropping of rice and water spinach could be used to remediate arsenic-contaminated soil. Moreover, the extraction contents of arsenic using intercropping with water spinach was higher than that achieved in a previous study that applied intercropping with the arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata over the same growth time. This study provides a reference for realizing both remediation and increased production in arsenic-contaminated soil and for promoting sustainable development of agriculture.

Factors affecting pregnant women's decisions regarding prenatal pertussis vaccination: A decision-making study in the nationwide Prenatal Pertussis Immunization Program in Taiwan

OBJECTIVE

To examine the factors affecting pregnant women's decisions to accept or decline the prenatal pertussis (Tdap) vaccination in Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey, recruiting pregnant women who had received prenatal care from eight maternity hospitals between January and December 2018. We examined the participants' demographic characteristics, perceptions of pertussis disease risk and vaccination effectiveness, beliefs regarding vaccine information, physician recommendation, and other potential factors affecting decision-making regarding prenatal vaccination.

RESULTS

The complete survey response rate among eligible women was 78%. Among the participants, 74% accepted and 26% declined prenatal Tdap vaccination. Most women accepted Tdap during pregnancy because of perceived severity of pertussis in their infants, perceived effectiveness of the prenatal Tdap in preventing neonatal pertussis, and perceived safety of the prenatal Tdap vaccine for the fetus, as well as a provider's recommendation, which was the factor strongly associated with actual Tdap reception. Most of the participants who accepted Tdap vaccination during pregnancy and who believed that the Tdap vaccine could protect their infants from pertussis reported the receiving sufficient information to make an informed decision and trust in the information. By contrast, a large proportion of the participants who declined Tdap and who did not want to experience possible fetal side effects of Tdap reported not getting sufficient information to make an informed decision and a lack of trust in the information.

CONCLUSION

Developing a comprehensive strategy involving government policy, the health care system, public media, health professionals, and pregnant women to launch a successful campaign may improve the nationwide acceptance of the prenatal pertussis vaccination.

Evaluation of Ultrafast Wave-CAIPI MPRAGE for Visual Grading and Automated Measurement of Brain Tissue Volume

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Volumetric brain MR imaging typically has long acquisition times. We sought to evaluate an ultrafast MPRAGE sequence based on Wave-CAIPI (Wave-MPRAGE) compared with standard MPRAGE for evaluation of regional brain tissue volumes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed scan-rescan experiments in 10 healthy volunteers to evaluate the intraindividual variability of the brain volumes measured using the standard and Wave-MPRAGE sequences. We then evaluated 43 consecutive patients undergoing brain MR imaging. Patients underwent 3T brain MR imaging, including a standard MPRAGE sequence (acceleration factor [R] = 2, acquisition time [TA] = 5.2 minutes) and an ultrafast Wave-MPRAGE sequence (R = 9, TA = 1.15 minutes for the 32-channel coil; R = 6, TA = 1.75 minutes for the 20-channel coil). Automated segmentation of regional brain volume was performed. Two radiologists evaluated regional brain atrophy using semiquantitative visual rating scales.

RESULTS

The mean absolute symmetrized percent change in the healthy volunteers participating in the scan-rescan experiments was not statistically different in any brain region for both the standard and Wave-MPRAGE sequences. In the patients undergoing evaluation for neurodegenerative disease, the Dice coefficient of similarity between volumetric measurements obtained from standard and Wave-MPRAGE ranged from 0.86 to 0.95. Similarly, for all regions, the absolute symmetrized percent change for brain volume and cortical thickness showed <6% difference between the 2 sequences. In the semiquantitative visual comparison, the differences between the 2 radiologists' scores were not clinically or statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Brain volumes estimated using ultrafast Wave-MPRAGE show low intraindividual variability and are comparable with those estimated using standard MPRAGE in patients undergoing clinical evaluation for suspected neurodegenerative disease.

[Effect and underling mechanism of 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 on serum albumen in trauma orthopedic patients during operation]

Objective: To investigate the effect of 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4(HES) on protein in severe trauma orthopedic patients after acute hemodilution. Methods: Fourty-eight severe trauma patients who met the inclusion criteria were selected from June 2018 to December 2018 in Yantaishan Hospital, and were randomly divided into two groups (n=24): group A and group B. Group A was ringer's sodium lactate control group, and group B was HES treatment group. After the tracheal intubation, the patients of group A were infused with 10% blood volume of sodium lactate ringer at 0.5 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1), and the patients in group B were infused with 10% blood volume of HES at 0.5 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1). Total protein (TP), human serum albumin (HSA), numbers of circulating endothelium cells (CEC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-6 were measured immediately after acute hemodilution (T(0)), 24 hours (T(1)) and 48 hours (T(2)) after acute hemodilution. After infusion into human body, HES bond to HSA, and fluorescence spectroscopy was used to analyze the binding relationship between HES and HSA in order to further study the effects of HES on HSA. Results: The HSA, TP, CEC, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, CRP at T(0) of group A were (38±5) g/L, (66±5) g/L, (5.5±0.4)/0.9 μl, (24±5) μg/L, (8.9±0.8) μg/L, (44±6) μg/L, (13.6±1.4) mg/L; While at T(1) were (33±5) g/L, (60±6) g/L, (10.2±0.7)/0.9 μl, (87±9) μg/L, (38.8±2.3) μg/L, (57±7) μg/L, (23.4±2.4) mg/L. The HSA, TP, CEC, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, CRP at T(0) of group B were(38±4)g/L, (66±5) g/L, (5.4±0.6)/0.9 μl, (24±6) μg/L, (9.1±0.9) μg/L, (45±6) μg/L, (13.4±1.8) mg/L; While at T(1) were (35±5)g/L, (62±5)g/L, (7.4±0.6)/0.9 μl, (70±8) μg/L, (29.5±3.1) μg/L, (72±6) μg/L, (19.7±2.2) mg/L. HSA and TP decreased at T(1) in group A as compared with T(0) (P<0.05), contrarily CEC increased significantly at T(1), TNF-ɑ, IL-6, IL-10 and CRP augmented at T(1) and T(2) in two groups (P<0.05). In comparison with the patients of group A, CEC decreased significantly at T(1) (P<0.05). TNF-ɑ, IL-6, CRP reduced significantly at T(1) and T(2) (P<0.05), but IL-10 increased at T(1) and T(2) in group B (P<0.05). The secondary structure of HSA changed after HES was added in the HES solution. The fluorescence intensity of HSA decreased with the increase of HES concentration,which suggested that HES induced HSA fluorescence quenching. HES could bind to Trp-214 residue in HSA at a molecular ration of 1∶1. Conclusions: 6% HES reduces the occurrence of low protein level in severe trauma patients after operation. HES could bind to Trp-214 amino acid residue in HSA and form the complex at a molecular ratio of 1∶1. The formation of HES-HSA complex increases the volume of HES, avoids the vascular leakage, protects the vascular endothelial cells, and induces anti-inflammatory immunity in the patients with capillary syndrome.

Overexpression of PSAT1 Gene is a Favorable Prognostic Marker in Lower-Grade Gliomas and Predicts a Favorable Outcome in Patients with IDH1 Mutations and Chromosome 1p19q Codeletion

Patients with lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) have highly diverse clinical outcomes. Although histological features and molecular markers have been used to predict prognosis, the identification of new biomarkers for the accurate prediction of patient outcomes is still needed. The serine synthesis pathway (SSP) is important in cancer metabolism. There are three key regulators, including phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), phosphoserine phosphatase (PSPH), and phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1), in SSP. However, their clinical importance in LGGs is still unknown. In this study, we used the bioinformatics tool in the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) website to examine the prognostic significance of PHGDH, PSPH, and PSAT1 genes in LGGs. PSAT1 gene expression was then identified as a potential biomarker candidate for LGGs. Datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) were further used to explore the prognostic role of PSAT1 gene. Our results demonstrated that PSAT1 overexpression is a favorable prognostic marker of LGGs and significantly correlated with patient age ≤40, and a lower WHO histological grade, as well as mutations in IDH1, TP53 and ATRX, but not with chromosome 1p19q codeletions. More importantly, LGG patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutations, chromosome 1p19q codeletions, and PSAT1 overexpression may have the best overall survival (five-year survival rate: 100%). Finally, we observed a coordinated biological reaction between IDH1 mutations and PSAT1 overexpression, and suggested overexpression of PSAT1 might enhance the function of mutant IDH1 to promote a favorable outcome in LGG patients. In conclusion, our study confirmed the importance of identifying the overexpression of PSAT1 as a favorable prognostic marker of LGGs, which may compensate for the limitation of IDH1 mutations and chromosome 1p19q codeletion in the prognostication of LGGs.

Energy Cascade Rate Measured in a Collisionless Space Plasma with MMS Data and Compressible Hall Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence Theory

The first complete estimation of the compressible energy cascade rate |ϵ_{C}| at magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and subion scales is obtained in Earth's magnetosheath using Magnetospheric MultiScale spacecraft data and an exact law derived recently for compressible Hall MHD turbulence. A multispacecraft technique is used to compute the velocity and magnetic gradients, and then all the correlation functions involved in the exact relation. It is shown that when the density fluctuations are relatively small, |ϵ_{C}| identifies well with its incompressible analog |ϵ_{I}| at MHD scales but becomes much larger than |ϵ_{I}| at subion scales. For larger density fluctuations, |ϵ_{C}| is larger than |ϵ_{I}| at every scale with a value significantly higher than for smaller density fluctuations. Our study reveals also that for both small and large density fluctuations, the nonflux terms remain always negligible with respect to the flux terms and that the major contribution to |ϵ_{C}| at subion scales comes from the compressible Hall flux.

Absence of Evidence of Electrical Switching of the Antiferromagnetic Néel Vector

Much theoretical and experimental attention has been focused on the electrical switching of the antiferromagnetic (AFM) Néel vector via spin-orbit torque. Measurements employing multiterminal patterned structures of Pt/AFM show recurring signals of the supposedly planar Hall effect and magnetoresistance, implying AFM switching. We show in this Letter that similar signals have been observed in structures with and without the AFM layer, and of an even larger magnitude using different metals and substrates. These may not be the conclusive evidence of spin-orbit torque switching of AFM, but the thermal artifacts of patterned metal structure on substrate. Large current densities in the metallic devices, beyond the Ohmic regime, can generate unintended anisotropic thermal gradients and voltages. AFM switching requires unequivocal detection of the AFM Néel vector before and after SOT switching.

Validation of Highly Accelerated Wave-CAIPI SWI Compared with Conventional SWI and T2*-Weighted Gradient Recalled-Echo for Routine Clinical Brain MRI at 3T

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

SWI is valuable for characterization of intracranial hemorrhage and mineralization but has long acquisition times. We compared a highly accelerated wave-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging (CAIPI) SWI sequence with 2 commonly used alternatives, standard SWI and T2*-weighted gradient recalled-echo (T2*W GRE), for routine clinical brain imaging at 3T.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 246 consecutive adult patients were prospectively evaluated using a conventional SWI or T2*W GRE sequence and an optimized wave-CAIPI SWI sequence, which was 3-5 times faster than the standard sequence. Two blinded radiologists scored each sequence for the presence of hemorrhage, the number of microhemorrhages, and severity of motion artifacts. Wave-CAIPI SWI was then evaluated in head-to-head comparison with the conventional sequences for visualization of pathology, artifacts, and overall diagnostic quality. Forced-choice comparisons were used for all scores. Wave-CAIPI SWI was tested for superiority relative to T2*W GRE and for noninferiority relative to standard SWI using a 15% noninferiority margin.

RESULTS

Compared with T2*W GRE, wave-CAIPI SWI detected hemorrhages in more cases (P < .001) and detected more microhemorrhages (P < .001). Wave-CAIPI SWI was superior to T2*W GRE for visualization of pathology, artifacts, and overall diagnostic quality (all P < .001). Compared with standard SWI, wave-CAIPI SWI showed no difference in the presence or number of hemorrhages identified. Wave-CAIPI SWI was noninferior to standard SWI for the visualization of pathology (P < .001), artifacts (P < .01), and overall diagnostic quality (P < .01). Motion was less severe with wave-CAIPI SWI than with standard SWI (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Wave-CAIPI SWI provided superior visualization of pathology and overall diagnostic quality compared with T2*W GRE and was noninferior to standard SWI with reduced scan times and reduced motion artifacts.

Imaging G-Ratio in Multiple Sclerosis Using High-Gradient Diffusion MRI and Macromolecular Tissue Volume

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Remyelination represents an area of great therapeutic interest in multiple sclerosis but currently lacks a robust imaging marker. The purpose of this study was to use high-gradient diffusion MRI and macromolecular tissue volume imaging to obtain estimates of axonal volume fraction, myelin volume fraction, and the imaging g-ratio in patients with MS and healthy controls and to explore their relationship to neurologic disability in MS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty individuals with MS (23 relapsing-remitting MS, 7 progressive MS) and 19 age-matched healthy controls were scanned on a 3T MRI scanner equipped with 300 mT/m maximum gradient strength using a comprehensive multishell diffusion MRI protocol. Macromolecular tissue volume imaging was performed to quantify the myelin volume fraction. Diffusion data were fitted to a 3-compartment model of white matter using a spheric mean approach to yield estimates of axonal volume fraction. The imaging g-ratio was calculated from the ratio of myelin volume fraction and axonal volume fraction. Imaging metrics were compared between groups using 2-sided t tests with a Bonferroni correction.

RESULTS

The mean g-ratio was significantly elevated in lesions compared with normal-appearing WM (0.74 vs 0.67, P < .001). Axonal volume fraction (0.17 vs 0.23, P < .001) and myelin volume fraction (0.17 vs 0.25, P < .001) were significantly lower in lesions than normal-appearing WM. Myelin volume fraction was lower in normal-appearing WM compared with that in healthy controls (0.25 vs 0.27, P = .009). Disability, as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale, was significantly associated with myelin volume fraction (β = -40.5, P = .001) and axonal volume fraction (β = -41.0, P = .016) in normal-appearing WM.

CONCLUSIONS

The imaging g-ratio may serve as a biomarker for the relative degree of axonal and myelin loss in MS.

Localised grey matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis is network-based: a coordinate-based meta-analysis

AIM

To test the network degeneration hypothesis in multiple sclerosis (MS) with a two-stage coordinate-based meta-analysis by: (1) characterising regional selectivity of grey matter (GM) atrophy and (2) testing for functional connectivity involving these regions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Meta-analytic sources included 33 journal articles (1,666 MS patients and 1,269 healthy controls) with coordinate-based results from voxel-based morphometry analysis demonstrating GM atrophy. Mass univariate and multivariate coordinate-based meta-analyses were performed to identify a convergent pattern of GM atrophy and determine inter-regional co-activation (as a surrogate of functional connectivity), with anatomical likelihood estimation and functional meta-analytic connectivity modelling, respectively.

RESULTS

Localised GM atrophy was demonstrated in the thalamus, putamen, caudate, sensorimotor cortex, insula, superior temporal gyrus, and cingulate gyrus. This convergent pattern of atrophy displayed significant inter-regional functional co-activations.

CONCLUSION

In MS, GM atrophy was regionally selective, and these regions were functionally connected. The meta-analytic model-based results of this study are intended to guide future development of quantitative neuroimaging markers for diagnosis, evaluating disease progression, and monitoring treatment response.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) treatment improves pregnancy rate and implantation rate in patients with implantation failure

OBJECTIVE

Although major advances have greatly improved the outcomes of assisted reproductive technology in the last two cascades, there remains significant difficulty in achieving pregnancy for many patients even after repeated attempts of IVF. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) can improve the reproductive outcomes of select IVF patients. To determine the utility of TEAS in improving IVF outcomes in patients with a history of implantation failure, we conducted a retrospective study of clinical outcomes of women, who had a prior history of unsuccessful pregnancy outcome after IVF-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), following TEAS treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 25 patients, who had failed to conceive after multiple IVF cycles in which good embryos were transferred, received noninvasive low frequency TEAS treatment prior to and during an IVF-ET cycle. The clinical outcomes, including biochemical pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate, were compared to those of prior cycles which received only standard IVF treatment.

RESULTS

Analysis of reproductive outcomes showed that implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate increased significantly in IVF cycles that included the TEAS treatment when compared to prior cycles that received only the standard IVF treatment in this cohort of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This surprising finding indicated that TEAS treatment is a promising technique to improve reproductive outcomes in difficult cases of IVF-ET. Because TEAS treatment is noninvasive and has high reproducibility, and can be applied with limited training, further refinement of this procedure would not only substantiate the beneficial effects of TEAS, but also allow the technique to be more effective and reproducible.

Compressible Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in the Earth's Magnetosheath: Estimation of the Energy Cascade Rate Using in situ Spacecraft Data

The first estimation of the energy cascade rate |ε_{C}| of magnetosheath turbulence is obtained using the Cluster and THEMIS spacecraft data and an exact law of compressible isothermal magnetohydrodynamics turbulence. The mean value of |ε_{C}| is found to be close to 10^{-13}  J m^{-3} s^{-1}, at least 2 orders of magnitude larger than its value in the solar wind (∼10^{-16}  J m^{-3} s^{-1} in the fast wind). Two types of turbulence are evidenced and shown to be dominated either by incompressible Alfvénic or compressible magnetosoniclike fluctuations. Density fluctuations are shown to amplify the cascade rate and its spatial anisotropy in comparison with incompressible Alfvénic turbulence. Furthermore, for compressible magnetosonic fluctuations, large cascade rates are found to lie mostly near the linear kinetic instability of the mirror mode. New empirical power-laws relating |ε_{C}| to the turbulent Mach number and to the internal energy are evidenced. These new findings have potential applications in distant astrophysical plasmas that are not accessible to in situ measurements.

[Analysis of the related factors of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and allergic rhinitis in children]

Objective:To investigate the association between symptom of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and allergic rhinitis (AR) in children with AR at different sexes and different ages. Method:A total of 439 AR children aged 6 to 12 years were enrolled in this study. Basic information (age, gender, medical history, family history and comorbidities) of children with AR was collected. Results of prick tests on children skin were recorded. (TNSS) and Chinese version of the SNAP-Ⅳ scale, children under the guidance of independent completion of children's quality of life of children with nasal conjunctivitis scale (PRQLQ). According to the results of SNAP-Ⅳ, children were divided into AR with ADHD group ［attention deficit and hyperactivity symptom score (IHS) >1.25］ and AR without ADHD group (IHS≤1.25). The differences between the two groups of children were analyzed using group t-test and χ² test, and the relationship between each parameter and IHS >1.25 was analyzed by binary logistic regression. Result:Using SPSS 22.0 software, among all the included AR children, IHS >1.25 children accounted for 26.4%, IHS >1.25 group AR symptom scores were significantly higher than HIS ≤1.25 groups. Univariate analysis showed that children with age, gender, duration of AR symptoms, skin index and PRQLQ subscales had a correlation with IHS >1.25. After controlling for age and gender, duration of AR symptoms and skin index correlated with IHS >1.25 The estimated OR values are 1.807 (95%CI: 1.350-2.419) and 1.912 (95%CI: 1.320-2.772), respectively. The estimated OR values of PRQLQ subscale and IHS >1.25 were 1.657 (nasal symptom score), 1.324 (eye symptom score), 2.48 (non-eye-nasal symptom score), 1.418 (Behavior problem score) and 2.045 (activity and sleep score). The correlation between IHS>1.25 and the skin index and PRQLQ subscales was mainly found in males with stratification of age and gender, and the association between duration of AR symptoms and HIS >1.25 was statistically significant among all groups reflected. Conclusion:The association between attention deficits and hyperactivity symptoms in AR children was correlated with the severity of AR symptoms, duration, and skin index, and this association was more pronounced in males. In children with AR and ADHD, early management of AR symptoms may improve their ADHD symptoms.

Diagnostic Performance of a 10-Minute Gadolinium-Enhanced Brain MRI Protocol Compared with the Standard Clinical Protocol for Detection of Intracranial Enhancing Lesions

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The development of new MR imaging scanners with stronger gradients and improvement in coil technology, allied with emerging fast imaging techniques, has allowed a substantial reduction in MR imaging scan times. Our goal was to develop a 10-minute gadolinium-enhanced brain MR imaging protocol with accelerated sequences and to evaluate its diagnostic performance compared with the standard clinical protocol.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty-three patients referred for brain MR imaging with contrast were scanned with a 3T scanner. Each MR image consisted of 5 basic fast precontrast sequences plus standard and accelerated versions of the same postcontrast T1WI sequences. Two neuroradiologists assessed the image quality and the final diagnosis for each set of postcontrast sequences and compared their performances.

RESULTS

The acquisition time of the combined accelerated pre- and postcontrast sequences was 10 minutes and 15 seconds; and of the fast postcontrast sequences, 3 minutes and 36 seconds, 46% of the standard sequences. The 10-minute postcontrast axial T1WI had fewer image artifacts (P < .001) and better overall diagnostic quality (P < .001). Although the 10-minute MPRAGE sequence showed a tendency to have more artifacts than the standard sequence (P = .08), the overall diagnostic quality was similar (P = .66). Moreover, there was no statistically significant difference in the diagnostic performance between the protocols. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values for the 10-minute protocol were 100.0%, 88.9%, and 98.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

The 10-minute brain MR imaging protocol with contrast is comparable in diagnostic performance with the standard protocol in an inpatient motion-prone population, with the additional benefits of reducing acquisition times and image artifacts.

Effects of fluoride on proliferation and mineralization in periodontal ligament cells in vitro

Fluoride, which is often added to toothpaste or mouthwash in order to protect teeth from decay, may be a novel therapeutic approach for acceleration of periodontal regeneration. Therefore, we investigated the effects of fluoride on proliferation and mineralization in human periodontal ligament cells in vitro. The periodontal ligament cells were stimulated with various concentrations of NaF added into osteogenic inductive medium. Immunohistochemistry of cell identification, cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, Alizarin red S staining and quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed. Moderate concentrations of NaF (50-500 μmol/L) had pro-proliferation effects, while 500 μmol/L had the best effects. ALP activity and calcium content were significantly enhanced by 10 μmol/L NaF with osteogenic inductive medium. Quantitative RT-PCR data varied in genes as a result of different NaF concentrations and treatment periods. We conclude that moderate concentrations of NaF can stimulate proliferation and mineralization in periodontal ligament cells. These in vitro findings may provide a novel therapeutic approach for acceleration of periodontal regeneration by addition of suitable concentrations of NaF into the medication for periodontitis treatment, i.e., into periodontal packs and tissue patches.

Factors associated with Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage and molecular characteristics among the general population at a Medical College Campus in Guangzhou, South China

BACKGROUND

The nasal cavity is the main colonization site of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in human body. Nasal carriage may be a strong risk factor for some serious infection. There was still limited information about the nasal carriage for S. aureus in south China.

METHODS

Sought to determine the prevalence and molecular characteristics of S. aureus nasal carriage, 295 volunteers residing on a medicine campus were investigated and sampled the nasal cavity swab. Selected S. aureus isolates were carried through molecular analysis, including pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multilocus sequence analysis, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) and virulence gene detection.

RESULTS

A total of 73 S. aureus isolates were recovered from separate subjects (24.7%, 73/295), with one methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolate (0.3%, 1/295). Among the 73 isolates, 71 isolates were successfully grouped into 13 pulsotypes by PFGE analysis, with profiles A and L the most prevalent; 12 sequence types (STs) were found among the 23 isolates which had similar drug resistant spectrum. ST59, ST188 and ST1 were the most prevalent, accounting for 17.4, 13.0 and 13.0% of all isolates, respectively. The MRSA isolate presented ST8-SCCmec III. 56.5% of isolates carried both the staphylococcal enterotoxin A (sea) and enterotoxin B (seb) genes. 83.6% of the S. aureus isolates were resistant to penicillin, all isolates were susceptible to quinupristin/dalfopristin, levofloxacin, teicoplanin and vancomycin. The most common risk factors for S. aureus carriage were being male, age ≤30 years, and nasal cavity cleaning habits.

CONCLUSIONS

Colonization by S. aureus was greater among male and young age (20-30 years) students and those with irregularity nasal cleaning. The S. aureus isolates selected were revealed into various sequence types and pulsotypes, indicating molecular heterogeneity among S. aureus isolates from the populations in the medical college in Guangzhou.

Local tumour progression after percutaneous ablation of colorectal liver metastases according to RAS mutation status

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous ablation is a common treatment for colorectal liver metastasis (CLM). However, the effect of rat sarcoma viral oncogene homologue (RAS) mutation on outcome after ablation of CLMs is unclear.

METHODS

Patients who underwent image-guided percutaneous ablation of CLMs from 2004 to 2015 and had known RAS mutation status were analysed. Patients were evaluated for local tumour progression as observed on imaging of CLMs treated with ablation. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with local tumour progression-free survival.

RESULTS

The study included 92 patients who underwent ablation of 137 CLMs. Thirty-six patients (39 per cent) had mutant RAS. Rates of local tumour progression were 14 per cent (8 of 56) for patients with wild-type RAS and 39 per cent (14 of 36) for patients with mutant RAS (P = 0·007). The actuarial 3-year local tumour progression-free survival rate after percutaneous ablation was worse in patients with mutant RAS than in those with wild-type RAS (35 versus 71 per cent respectively; P = 0·001). In multivariable analysis, negative predictors of local tumour progression-free survival were a minimum ablation margin of less than 5 mm (hazard ratio (HR) 2·48, 95 per cent c.i. 1·31 to 4·72; P = 0·006) and mutant RAS (HR 3·01, 1·60 to 5·77; P = 0·001).

CONCLUSION

Mutant RAS is associated with an earlier and higher rate of local tumour progression in patients undergoing ablation of CLMs.

Prognostic Value of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Measured in the First-Trimester on the Severity of Preeclampsia

Recent studies have suggested that preeclampsia and cardiovascular disease may share common mechanisms. The purpose of this prospective nested case-controlled study was to characterize a variety of cardiovascular disease risk factors measured during the first trimester of pregnancy in predicting subsequent outcomes and the severity of preeclampsia.We ascertained the severity of preeclampsia at the onset of the disease, and the presence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). We compared first trimester maternal serum cardiovascular disease risk factors in preeclampsia subjects versus normal pregnancies, early-onset versus late-onset preeclampsia, and preeclampsia with IUGR versus without IUGR. To identify the prognostic value of independent predictors on the severity of preeclampsia, we calculated the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) using logistic regression analysis.There were 134 cases of preeclampsia and 150 uncomplicated pregnancies, and preeclampsia cases were classified as early-onset (53 cases) or late-onset (81 cases), or as with IUGR (44 cases) or without IUGR (90 cases). Among the cardiovascular disease risk factors, maternal serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and homocysteine were predictors of both early-onset preeclampsia and preeclampsia with IUGR. For the detection of early onset preeclampsia or preeclampsia with IUGR, the AUC for the combination model (0.943 and 0.952, respectively) was significantly higher than with serum hsCRP or serum homocysteine only.Patients with preeclampsia can be subdivided into different severities according to time of onset and fetal weight. Cardiovascular risk factors distinguish a subgroup of these patients.

Analysis of the drug-resistant characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from the respiratory tract and CTX-M ESBL genes

The main aim of this study was to understand the relationship between the drug-resistant characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae and CTX-M-type extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), and to detect the distributions of CTX-M-type ESBLs in clinically isolated strains. CTX-M ESBL genes isolated from the clinical samples were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and identified by sequence analysis; the antibiotic susceptibility of the samples was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disc-diffusion method. One hundred and five strains among the 246 isolated strains of K. pneumoniae tested positive for ESBL production (42.68%); 92 of these produced CTX-M ESBLs. Of the 92 CTX-M ESBL strains, 81 produced CTX-M-1 ESBLs and 11 produced CTX-M-25 ESBLs. Fifty-seven of the CTX-M-1 ESBL- and six of the CTX-M-25 ESBL-producing bacteria had CTX-M ESBL genes that coexisted in the plasmid and chromosome. The Kirby-Bauer antibiotic susceptibility method revealed that CTX-M ESBL-positive strains showed a higher rate of resistance to cefazolin, cefoxitin, cefuroxime, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, aztreonam, levofloxacin, and cotrimoxazole, compared to the CTX-M ESBL-negative strains (P < 0.05). The CTX-M ESBL genes were commonly observed in the K. pneumoniae isolated from respiratory tract samples; these were significantly associated with the drug-resistant characteristics of K. pneumoniae to β-lactam antibiotics.

Low-level sequence variation in Toxoplasma gondii calcium-dependent protein kinases among different genotypes

The causative agent of toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, can infect virtually all nucleated cell types of warm-blooded animals. In this study, we examined the sequence variation in calcium-dependent protein kinase 2 (CDPK2) genes among 13 T. gondii strains from different hosts and geographical locations. The results showed that the lengths of the complete CDPK2 DNA and cDNA sequences were 3671-3673 and 2136 bp, respectively, and the sequence variation was 0-0.9% among different T. gondii strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on the CDPK2 gene sequences revealed that T. gondii strains of the same genotypes were clustered in different clades. Further analysis of all the other T. gondii CDPK genes in genotype I (GT1), II (ME49), or III (VEG) strains indicated the T. gondii CDPK gene family is quite conserved, with sequence variation ranging from 0 to 1.40%. We concluded that CDPK2 as well as all the other CDPK genes in T. gondii cannot be used as proper markers for studying the variants of different T. gondii genotypes from different hosts and geographical locations, but their sequence conservation may be a useful feature promoting them as anti-T. gondii vaccine candidates in further studies.

Identification and bioinformatic analysis of a putative calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK6) from Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii is recognized as an opportunistic human pathogen with a worldwide distribution. Development of effective vaccines is considered the only ideal way to control T. gondii infection. However, only one live vaccine is commercially available for use in sheep and goats. Therefore, the identification of more effective antigenic proteins is very important. In this study, we identified a novel putative calcium-dependent protein kinase of T. gondii, TgCDPK6, and further analyzed its potential antigenicity using a bioinformatic approach. The physical and chemical characteristics, transmembrane domain, epitopes, advanced structure, and functional sites of TgCDPK6 were predicted by multiple bioinformatic approaches. Twenty-six post-translational modification sites were identified in the protein. The secondary structure showed that 58.35% amino acids of TgCDPK6 are exposed to the solvent interface, and the high hydrophilic domains were distributed in amino acid positions 21-59, 68-81, 156-205, 245-271, 280-294, 297-324, 334-356, 367-393, 474-498, and 543-553. The advanced structure of TgCDPK6 was developed by a homology modeling method and was validated by PROCHECK, which showed that most amino acid residues were in the most favored regions. Using these analyses, 10 potential epitopes were predicted. The results indicated that TgCDPK6 could be a vaccine candidate antigen against T. gondii.

Effects of 5-aza-2'deoxycytidine on RECK gene expression and tumor invasion in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma

Reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs (RECK), a novel tumor suppressor gene that negatively regulates matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), is expressed in various normal human tissues but downregulated in several types of human tumors. The molecular mechanism for this downregulation and its biological significance in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) are unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effects of a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor, 5-aza-2′deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC), on the methylation status of the RECK gene and tumor invasion in SACC cell lines. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP), Western blot analysis, and quantitative real-time PCR were used to investigate the methylation status of the RECK gene and expression of RECK mRNA and protein in SACC cell lines. The invasive ability of SACC cells was examined by the Transwell migration assay. Promoter methylation was only found in the ACC-M cell line. Treatment of ACC-M cells with 5-aza-dC partially reversed the hypermethylation status of the RECK gene and significantly enhanced the expression of mRNA and protein, and 5-aza-dC significantly suppressed ACC-M cell invasive ability. Our findings showed that 5-aza-dC inhibited cancer cell invasion through the reversal of RECK gene hypermethylation, which might be a promising chemotherapy approach in SACC treatment.

Abstract 5356: The role of VNN3 gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumorigenesis

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in southeastern China and South East Asia. However, the detailed pathogenesis mechanisms of NPC remain to be elucidated. Despite novel therapies and advances in early detection, it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and has a poor prognosis. Recent evidences showed that SRY (sex-determining region Y)-box 5 (SOX-5) plays an important role in Nasopharyngeal tumor development, but little is known about the role of its associated protein such as VNN3 gene (a pantetheinase) in controlling tumor development. SOX-5 overexpression enhances tumor formation in NPC, and has a poor prognosis. In this study, we compared the differential gene expression in NPC cell lines and normal nasal mucosal epithelial cells by cDNA microarray analysis, and observed that the RNA and protein expression levels of SOX-5 and VNN3 were dramatically increased in NPC cell lines than normal nasal mucosal epithelial cells by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. In order to investigate that whether VNN3 gene could alter NPC progression, we observed at first the gene expression in different NPC cell lines using qRT-PCR analysis and found that the expression of VNN3 in NPC cell line, especially in NPC-TW01 cell line was highly upregulated. Besides, we also found that the expression level of VNN3 protein was also increased in multiple NPC cell lines and NPC biopsy specimens by immunohistochemical staining and Western bloting. In this study, we also isolated the cancer stem cell (CSC) from NPC-TW01 cell line by conditioned culture medium, highly expression level of VNN3 gene was found in the NPC-TW01 stem cells (CSC). To further analysis of the functional role of VNN3 in this NPC and CSC lines, the expression of VNN3 was decreased to about 70-80% of the control in NPC and CSC after knockdown of VNN3 by VNN3 shRNA-lentiviral infection. This in turn resulted in a significant reduction of cell proliferation, migration and invasion abilities. We also found that a decreased expression level of VNN3 (Pantetheinase), which is an amidohydrolase that hydrolyzes pantetheine into pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) as well as cysteamine, and caused an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cell death through apoptosis; the weight of NPC xenograft tumors had diminished about 51% after 6 weeks, compared with shLuc control in SCID mice bearing NPC xenografts derived from these lentiviral infected NPC and CSC cell lines. Impairment of tumor cell proliferation, accompanied with apoptosis was found in the xenografts histopathologically. These novel findings of the functional role of VNN3 may have a potential implication in molecular targeted therapy for NPC.

Citation Format: Shang-Yu Huang, Yi-Ying Chen, Dah-yeou Huang, Cheng-Der Wu, Chin-Tarng Lin. The role of VNN3 gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumorigenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5356. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5356

Physical origins of the new magnetoresistance in Pt/YIG

A new type of magnetoresistance (MR) observed in Pt/YIG when nominally nonmagnetic Pt comes in contact with a ferrimagnetic insulator yttrium iron garnet (YIG) has drawn intense experimental and theoretical interest. In this Letter, we experimentally demonstrate two physical origins of the new MR: a spin current across the Pt/YIG interface and the magnetic proximity effect. The new MR can also be reproduced when Pt is in contact with a nonmagnetic insulator doped with a few percent of Fe impurities. By tuning the YIG surface and inserting an Au layer between the Pt and YIG, we are able to separate the two contributions.

Expression of beclin 1 in primary salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma and its relation to Bcl-2 and p53 and prognosis

Beclin 1 plays a critical role in autophagy and functions as a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor. The expression and prognostic significance of beclin 1 in head and neck adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) are largely unexplored. Therefore, we investigated the expression of beclin 1, Bcl-2, and p53 in head and neck ACC tissue. Tissue samples from 35 cases (15 females, 20 males) of head and neck ACC were utilized for immunohistochemistry. Beclin 1 expression was observed in 32 cases (91.4%) and considered to be high in 15 cases (42.9%) and low in 20 cases (57.1%). Beclin 1 expression was significantly correlated with a histological growth pattern (P=0.046) and histological grade (P=0.037). Beclin 1 expression was inversely correlated with Bcl-2 expression (P=0.013) and significantly associated with overall survival (P=0.006). Bcl-2 and p53 expression were observed in 21 cases (60.0%) and 16 cases (45.7%). Bcl-2 expression was significantly correlated with perineural invasion (P=0.041) and not associated with overall survival (P=0.053). p53 expression was directly correlated with beclin 1 expression (P=0.044). Our results indicated that beclin 1 may be a novel, promising prognostic factor for clinical outcome in head and neck ACC patients and may play a part in the development of head and neck ACC by interacting with Bcl-2 and p53.

Chlamydia psittaci exposure in pet birds

Chlamydia psittaci is a zoonotic pathogen with a wide range of avian hosts and may be transmitted to humans and cause severe disease. To assess the risk of psittacosis posed by pet birds, the seroprevalence of Chlamydia psittaci antibodies in 360 Eurasian siskins (Carduelis spinus), 289 oriental skylarks (Alauda arvensis) and 36 black-tailed grosbeaks (Coccothraustes migratorius) in Gansu province, north-western China was detected by an indirect haemagglutination assay. Twenty-seven out of 289 (9.34 %) Alauda arvensis, 45 out of 360 (12.50 %) Carduelis spinus and 2 out of 36 (5.56 %) Coccothraustes migratorius were positive for Chlamydia psittaci infection at a cut-off dilution of 1 : 16. The prevalence of Chlamydia psittaci was higher in Carduelis spinus (12.5 %) than in Alauda arvensis (9.34 %) and Coccothraustes migratorius (5.56 %); however, the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Statistical analysis indicated that Chlamydia psittaci seroprevalence in adult pet birds (12.4 %, 67/540) was significantly higher than that in juvenile pet birds (4.83 %, 7/145) (P<0.01). There was no statistical difference in Chlamydia psittaci seroprevalence between male (12.4 %) and female (8.27 %) birds. To our knowledge, this is the first report indicating the seroprevalence of Chlamydia psittaci exposure in pet birds in China. Our results indicate that close contact with pet birds poses the risk of zoonotic transmission of Chlamydia psittaci.

Portal vein embolization improves rate of resection of extensive colorectal liver metastases without worsening survival

BACKGROUND

Most patients requiring an extended right hepatectomy (ERH) have an inadequate standardized future liver remnant (sFLR) and need preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE). However, the clinical and oncological impact of PVE in such patients remains unclear.

METHODS

All consecutive patients presenting at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center with colorectal liver metastases (CLM) requiring ERH at presentation from 1995 to 2012 were studied. Surgical and oncological outcomes were compared between patients with adequate and inadequate sFLRs at presentation.

RESULTS

Of the 265 patients requiring ERH, 126 (47·5 per cent) had an adequate sFLR at presentation, of whom 123 underwent a curative resection. Of the 139 patients (52·5 per cent) who had an inadequate sFLR and underwent PVE, 87 (62·6 per cent) had a curative resection. Thus, the curative resection rate was increased from 46·4 per cent (123 of 265) at baseline to 79·2 per cent (210 of 265) following PVE. Among patients who underwent ERH, major complication and 90-day mortality rates were similar in the no-PVE and PVE groups (22·0 and 4·1 per cent versus 31 and 7 per cent respectively); overall and disease-free survival rates were also similar in these two groups. Of patients with an inadequate sFLR at presentation, those who underwent ERH had a significantly better median overall survival (50·2 months) than patients who had non-curative surgery (21·3 months) or did not undergo surgery (24·7 months) (P = 0·002).

CONCLUSION

PVE enabled curative resection in two-thirds of patients with CLM who had an inadequate sFLR and were unable to tolerate ERH at presentation. Patients who underwent curative resection after PVE had overall and disease-free survival rates equivalent to those of patients who did not need PVE.

Coating NiTi archwires with diamond-like carbon films: reducing fluoride-induced corrosion and improving frictional properties

This study aims to coat diamond-like carbon (DLC) films onto nickel-titanium (NiTi) orthodontic archwires. The film protects against fluoride-induced corrosion and will improve orthodontic friction. 'Mirror-confinement-type electron cyclotron resonance plasma sputtering' was utilized to deposit DLC films onto NiTi archwires. The influence of a fluoride-containing environment on the surface topography and the friction force between the brackets and archwires were investigated. The results confirmed the superior nature of the DLC coating, with less surface roughness variation for DLC-coated archwires after immersion in a high fluoride ion environment. Friction tests also showed that applying a DLC coating significantly decreased the fretting wear and the coefficient of friction, both in ambient air and artificial saliva. Thus, DLC coatings are recommended to reduce fluoride-induced corrosion and improve orthodontic friction.

Genetic polymorphisms, growth performance, hematological parameters, serum enzymes, and reproductive characteristics in phenotypically normal Landrace boars produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer

Understanding the performances of cloned pigs and their offspring is critical to evaluate the practical applications of somatic cell nuclear transfer. In this study, genetic polymorphism, growth performance, hematological parameters, and reproduction characteristics of cloned Landrace boars were compared with those of controls. In addition, the growth performance of clone offspring was also evaluated. A total of 479 reconstructed embryos were transferred to five recipient pigs and resulted in the delivery of 14 piglets (overall cloning of 2.9%) from two litters. Analyses of microsatellite markers and polymorphisms of the specific genes confirmed that the 14 clones were genetically identical to the nuclear donor and maintained the desirable genotypes. Growth performance of five healthy, phenotypically normal cloned boars from one litter and eight of their male offspring did not differ from age, breed, and management-matched controls. Although some significant differences were observed between cloned and control boars in hematological and serum enzymes, most of these parameters were within the normal range. Cloned boars had less (P < 0.05) normal sperm in the ejaculated boars than in control boars (71.4% vs. 77.9%, respectively), but sperm production (ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, and total sperm) did not differ between these groups. In addition, use of frozen-thawed semen from cloned boars for insemination produced results that seemed comparable to a control. In conclusion, the present study reported that somatic cell nuclear transfer is effective in reproducing preferred genetic traits and has potential applications to conserve elite bloodlines in a routine pig breeding program.

Tanshinone IIA inhibits human prostate cancer cells growth by induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress in vitro and in vivo

BACKGROUND

Tanshinone IIA (Tan-IIA) is one of the major lipophilic components isolated from the root of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix. We explored the mechanisms of cell death induced by Tan-IIA treatment in prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

Cells were treated with Tan-IIA and growth inhibition was assessed. Cell cycle profiles after Tan-IIA treatment were determined by flow cytometry. Expression levels of cell cycle regulatory proteins and apoptosis-related proteins were determined after Tan-IIA treatment. Expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-regulated genes were determined to investigate their role in Tan-IIA-induced cell death. GADD153 expression was knocked down by small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection. Rate of cell death and proliferation was obtained by 3-(4,5-dimethyl thizol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. Antitumor activity of Tan-IIA was performed in LNCaP xenograft model.

RESULTS

Our results showed that Tan-IIA caused prostate cancer cell death in a dose-dependent manner, and cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase was noted, in LNCaP cells. The G0/G1 phase arrest correlated with increase levels of CDK inhibitors (p16, p21 and p27) and decrease of the checkpoint proteins. Tan-IIA also induced ER stress in prostate cancer cells: activation and nuclear translocation of GADD153/CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-homologous protein (CHOP) were identified, and increased expression of the downstream molecules GRP78/BiP, inositol-requiring protein-1α and GADD153/CHOP were evidenced. Blockage of GADD153/CHOP expression by siRNA reduced Tan-IIA-induced cell death in LNCaP cells. Tan-IIA also suppressed LNCaP xenograft tumor growth, causing 86.4% reduction in tumor volume after 13 days of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that Tan-IIA causes G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in LNCaP cells and its cytotoxicity is mediated at least partly by ER stress induction. These data provide evidence supporting Tan-IIA as a potential anticancer agent by inducing ER stress in prostate cancer.

Inverse spin Hall effect in a ferromagnetic metal

The inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) has been observed only in nonmagnetic metals, such as Pt and Au, with a strong spin-orbit coupling. We report the observation of ISHE in a ferromagnetic permalloy (Py) on ferromagnetic insulator yttrium iron garnet (YIG). Through controlling the spin current injection by altering the Py-YIG interface, we have isolated the spin current contribution and demonstrated the ISHE in a ferromagnetic metal, the reciprocal phenomenon of the anomalous Hall effect. A large spin Hall angle in Py, determined from Py thin films of different thicknesses, indicates many other ferromagnetic metals may be exploited as superior pure spin current detectors and for applications in spin current.