Knockdown of Nestin inhibits proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells

Nestin, a member of type VI intermediate filament protein family, is widely expressed in mammalian nervous tissue and stem/precursor cells of non-neuronal normal tissues. Nestin has also been investigated to determine possible tumor-promoting functions. However, whether Nestin is involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells remains unclear. In this report, Nestin expression was upregulated in stromal cells of human CRC tissues. Endogenous Nestin expression in CRC cell lines SW480 and HCT116 was knocked down by a lentivirus. MTT and colony formation assays revealed that Nestin deletion significantly inhibits the proliferation of CRC cell lines; flow cytometer analysis showed that Nestin deletion causes cell cycle arrest at S phase. Transwell chamber and wound healing scratch assays also revealed that Nestin deletion suppresses cell migration. Our findings indicated that Nestin plays an essential role in CRC progression; thus, Nestin can be applied as a therapeutic target of CRC.     

Deep learning applied to two-dimensional color Doppler flow imaging ultrasound images significantly improves diagnostic performance in the classification of breast masses: a multicenter study

BackgroundThe current deep learning diagnosis of breast masses is mainly reflected by the diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions. In China, breast masses are divided into four categories according to the treatment method: inflammatory masses, adenosis, benign tumors, and malignant tumors. These categorizations are important for guiding clinical treatment. In this study, we aimed to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN) for classification of these four breast mass types using ultrasound (US) images.MethodsTaking breast biopsy or pathological examinations as the reference standard, CNNs were used to establish models for the four-way classification of 3623 breast cancer patients from 13 centers. The patients were randomly divided into training and test groups (n = 1810 vs. n = 1813). Separate models were created for two-dimensional (2D) images only, 2D and color Doppler flow imaging (2D-CDFI), and 2D-CDFI and pulsed wave Doppler (2D-CDFI-PW) images. The performance of these three models was compared using sensitivity, specificity, area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV), positive (LR+) and negative likelihood ratios (LR−), and the performance of the 2D model was further compared between masses of different sizes with above statistical indicators, between images from different hospitals with AUC, and with the performance of 37 radiologists.ResultsThe accuracies of the 2D, 2D-CDFI, and 2D-CDFI-PW models on the test set were 87.9%, 89.2%, and 88.7%, respectively. The AUCs for classification of benign tumors, malignant tumors, inflammatory masses, and adenosis were 0.90, 0.91, 0.90, and 0.89, respectively (95% confidence intervals [CIs], 0.87–0.91, 0.89–0.92, 0.87–0.91, and 0.86–0.90). The 2D-CDFI model showed better accuracy (89.2%) on the test set than the 2D (87.9%) and 2D-CDFI-PW (88.7%) models. The 2D model showed accuracy of 81.7% on breast masses ≤1 cm and 82.3% on breast masses >1 cm; there was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001). The accuracy of the CNN classifications for the test set (89.2%) was significantly higher than that of all the radiologists (30%).ConclusionsThe CNN may have high accuracy for classification of US images of breast masses and perform significantly better than human radiologists.Trial registrationChictr.org, ChiCTR1900021375; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=33139.     

Local injection of botulinum toxin A: An alternative therapy for axillary osmidrosis

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of local injection of botulinum toxin A for treating axillary osmidrosis. One hundred and fifty patients with axillary osmidrosis were randomly divided to receive botulinum toxin A injection treatment (50 U of botulinum toxin A was injected intracutaneously into 6–20 different sites within each axilla, n = 74) or surgical excision of the apocrine glands (n = 76). The patients were followed up for 1–3 months to analyze the therapeutic effect and complications of the two methods. The curative effect in patients with mild and moderate axillary osmidrosis was not significantly different between the botulinum toxin A injection group and operation group. However, for patients with severe axillary osmidrosis, surgery treatment seemed to be superior to botulinum toxin A treatment (P = 0.005). There was also no significant difference in the modified Dermatology Life Quality Index between the two treatments. Two cases showed complications related to hemorrhage and incision infection in the operation group. In conclusion, local injection of botulinum toxin A is a safe, fast and effective treatment for mild and moderate axillary osmidrosis, but the long‐term effect remains to be further investigated.     

Diffusion MRI detects early brain microstructure abnormalities in 2‐month‐old 3×Tg‐AD mice

The 3×Tg‐AD mouse is one of the most studied animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and develops both amyloid beta deposits and neurofibrillary tangles in a temporal and spatial pattern that is similar to human AD pathology. Additionally, abnormal myelination patterns with changes in oligodendrocyte and myelin marker expression are reported to be an early pathological feature in this model. Only few diffusion MRI (dMRI) studies have investigated white matter abnormalities in 3×Tg‐AD mice, with inconsistent results. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the sensitivity of dMRI to capture brain microstructural alterations in 2‐month‐old 3×Tg‐AD mice. In the fimbria, the fractional anisotropy (FA), kurtosis fractional anisotropy (KFA), and radial kurtosis (K_┴) were found to be significantly lower in 3×Tg‐AD mice than in controls, while the mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (D_┴) were found to be elevated. In the fornix, K_┴ was lower for 3×Tg‐AD mice; in the dorsal hippocampus MD and D_┴ were elevated, as were FA, MD, and D_┴ in the ventral hippocampus. These results indicate, for the first time, dMRI changes associated with myelin abnormalities in young 3×Tg‐AD mice, before they develop AD pathology. Morphological quantification of myelin basic protein immunoreactivity in the fimbria was significantly lower in the 3×Tg‐AD mice compared with the age‐matched controls. Our results demonstrate that dMRI is able to detect widespread, significant early brain morphological abnormalities in 2‐month‐old 3×Tg‐AD mice.     

腹腔镜经腹腹膜前与局麻下开放式腹膜前疝修补术治疗股疝的对比研究

目的研究腹腔镜经腹腹膜前疝修补术（TAPP）与局麻下开放式腹膜前间隙疝修补术两种手术方式治疗股疝对比研究。 方法收集2015年1月至2016年6月，北京朝阳医院疝和腹壁外科收治40例股疝患者，对其的临床数据进行回顾性分析，根据手术方式不同分为腔镜组与开放组，腔镜组22例（55%），均采用TAPP手术治疗；开放组18例（45%），均采用开放腹膜前疝修补术治疗。比较不同手术方式的2组患者的住院时间、手术时间、术中出血量、术后疼痛、离床时间、术后住院时间，以及术后局部血肿、感染等并发症发生率。 结果腔镜组与开放组手术所用时间、术中出血量、住院时间、术后疼痛、术后住院时间比较，差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)；术后离床时间比较，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05），考虑与麻醉方式有关。2组均未出现血肿及感染等并发症，局部疼痛较轻，未发生慢性顽固性疼痛。术后随访6～18个月，2组均未出现复发病例。 结论技术成熟的术者对于股疝的手术，TAPP与局麻开放式腹膜前疝修补术无明显差异，两种不同的手术方法各有其优缺点，应根据术前评估及术者手术技术水平选择合适的手术方式。     

晚期非小细胞肺癌外周血循环肿瘤DNA EGFR突变与TKI疗效的相关性

目的:探讨晚期非小细胞肺癌（non-small cell lung cancer，NSCLC）外周血循环肿瘤DNA（circulating tumor DNA，ctDNA）表皮生长因子受体（epidermal growth factor receptor，EGFR）突变与EGFR酪氨酸激酶抑制剂（tyrosine kinase inhibitor，TKI）治疗疗效的相关性。方法:利用突变扩增阻滞系统（amplification refractory mutation system，ARMS）法检测50例NSCLC患者外周血ctDNA EGFR突变，其中27例进行组织与ctDNA配对检测。给予TKI治疗一月后进行疗效评价。对ctDNA EGFR突变与患者的临床因素、疗效相关性进行分析，并比较ctDNA与肿瘤组织EGFR突变的一致性。结果:患者性别、年龄、PS评分、病理类型、吸烟史与ctDNA EGFR突变无明显相关性（P>0.05）。ctDNA EGFR突变组客观缓解率（76.5%）、疾病控制率（100%）均高于野生型组（30.3%，60.6%）（P<0.05）。生存分析结果显示:ctDNA EGFR突变组无进展生存期（12个月）较野生型组长（4个月）（P<0.05）。27例配对检测结果显示:ctDNA与肿瘤组织EGFR突变一致率为66.7%（18/27，Kappa=0.400，P<0.05）。无进展生存期:ctDNA（23个月）/肿瘤组织（12个月）EGFR突变组均长于野生型组（2个月/1个月）（P<0.05）。结论:晚期NSCLC外周血ctDNA EGFR突变患者TKI治疗有效率高，ctDNA与肿瘤组织EGFR突变一致性好，作为肿瘤组织的替代检测标本是可行的。     

Precise engineering of cetuximab encapsulated gadollium nanoassemblies: in vitro ultrasound diagnosis and in vivo thyroid cancer therapy

We report the formulation of nanoassemblies (NAs) comprising C225 conjugates Gd-PFH-NAs (C-Gd-PFH-NAs) for low-intensity focused ultrasound diagnosis ablation of thyroid cancer. C-Gd-PFH-NAs showed excellent stability in water, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and 20% rat serum. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images also revealed the effective construction of C-Gd-PFH-NAs as common spherical assemblies. The incubation of C625 thyroid carcinoma with C-Gd-PFH-NAs triggers apoptosis, as confirmed by flow cytometry analysis. The C-Gd-PFH-NAs exhibited antitumor efficacy in human thyroid carcinoma xenografts, where histopathological results further confirmed these outcomes. Furthermore, we were able to use low-intensity focused ultrasound diagnosis imaging (LIFUS) to examine the efficiency of C-Gd-PFH-NAs in thyroid carcinoma in vivo. These findings clearly show that the use of LIFUS agents with high performance imaging in different therapeutic settings will have extensive potential for future biomedical applications.     

不同冷冻时间对异体神经移植后生理特性的影响

目的观察超深低温(-196℃)条件下不同冷冻时间对异体神经移植后生理特性的影响。方法将80只雌性Wis tar大鼠随机分为取材组(20只),对照组(A组:新鲜自体神经移植组;B组:新鲜异体神经移植组,每组10只)和实验组(按取材神经冷冻保存3、6、9、12周后移植分为C、D、E、F组,每组10只)。术后做大体、光镜、电镜观察,神经电生理测试。结果移植9周后,大体、光镜、电镜结果显示:B组生理特性影响最大,A组最小,C、D、E、F组次之;电生理结果显示:A与B、A与E、A与F之间差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论异体神经移植后的生理特性和冷冻时间存在依从关系。     

Individualized diet care for patients scheduled for transurethral resection of the prostate and with diabetes

目的 提高经尿道前列腺电切术(TURP)并存糖尿病患者的血糖控制效果,降低手术风险,缩短住院时间.方法 根据入院日单双将106例TURP并存糖尿病患者分为观察组(单日入院者,62例)和对照组(双日入院者,44例).对照组按常规进行饮食护理；观察组患者在常规护理的基础上,依据患者身高、理想体质量、BMI(体重指数)、手术创伤应激及术后伤口修复额外所需营养制定饮食处方,并实施个体化饮食护理.结果 观察组术后第2天、第5天、第8天空腹血糖和餐后2h血糖及术后血尿时间、住院时间显著低于和短于对照组(均P＜0.01).结论 个体化饮食护理能提高患者的血糖控制效果,缩短术后血尿时间及住院时间,体现了以患者为中心的护理理念.     

Characterisation of Crevice and Pit Solution Chemistries Using Capillary Electrophoresis with Contactless Conductivity Detector

The ability to predict structural degradation in-service is often limited by a lack of understanding of the evolving chemical species occurring within a range of different microenvironments associated with corrosion sites. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is capable of analysing nanolitre solution volumes with widely disparate concentrations of ionic species, thereby producing accurate and reliable results for the analysis of the chemical compositions found within microenvironment corrosion solutions, such as those found at crevice and pit corrosion sites. In this study, CE with contactless conductivity detection (CCD) has been used to characterize pitting and crevice corrosion solution chemistries for the first time. By using the capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection (CE-CCD) system, direct and simultaneous detection of seven metal cations (Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Fe³⁺, Fe²⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn²⁺, and Al³⁺) and chloride anions was achieved with a buffer solution of 10 mM 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid and 0.5 mM cetyltrimethylammonium hydroxide at pH 4 using a pre-column complexation method. The detection limits obtained for the metal cations and chloride anions were 100 and 10 ppb, respectively. The CE-CCD methodology has been demonstrated to be a versatile technique capable of speciation and quantifying the ionic species generated within artificial pit (a pencil electrode) and crevice corrosion geometries for carbon steels and nickel-aluminium bronze, thus allowing the evolution of the solution chemistry to be assessed with time and the identification of the key corrosion analyte targets for structural health monitoring.