Differentiating autoimmune pancreatitis from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with CT radiomics features

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine whether computed tomography (CT)-based machine learning of radiomics features could help distinguish autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).Materials and MethodsEighty-nine patients with AIP (65 men, 24 women; mean age, 59.7 ± 13.9 [SD] years; range: 21–83 years) and 93 patients with PDAC (68 men, 25 women; mean age, 60.1 ± 12.3 [SD] years; range: 36–86 years) were retrospectively included. All patients had dedicated dual-phase pancreatic protocol CT between 2004 and 2018. Thin-slice images (0.75/0.5 mm thickness/increment) were compared with thick-slices images (3 or 5 mm thickness/increment). Pancreatic regions involved by PDAC or AIP (areas of enlargement, altered enhancement, effacement of pancreatic duct) as well as uninvolved parenchyma were segmented as three-dimensional volumes. Four hundred and thirty-one radiomics features were extracted and a random forest was used to distinguish AIP from PDAC. CT data of 60 AIP and 60 PDAC patients were used for training and those of 29 AIP and 33 PDAC independent patients were used for testing.ResultsThe pancreas was diffusely involved in 37 (37/89; 41.6%) patients with AIP and not diffusely in 52 (52/89; 58.4%) patients. Using machine learning, 95.2% (59/62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 89.8–100%), 83.9% (52:67; 95% CI: 74.7–93.0%) and 77.4% (48/62; 95% CI: 67.0–87.8%) of the 62 test patients were correctly classified as either having PDAC or AIP with thin-slice venous phase, thin-slice arterial phase, and thick-slice venous phase CT, respectively. Three of the 29 patients with AIP (3/29; 10.3%) were incorrectly classified as having PDAC but all 33 patients with PDAC (33/33; 100%) were correctly classified with thin-slice venous phase with 89.7% sensitivity (26/29; 95% CI: 78.6–100%) and 100% specificity (33/33; 95% CI: 93–100%) for the diagnosis of AIP, 95.2% accuracy (59/62; 95% CI: 89.8–100%) and area under the curve of 0.975 (95% CI: 0.936–1.0).ConclusionsRadiomic features help differentiate AIP from PDAC with an overall accuracy of 95.2%.     

Combining CAPRA-S With Tumor IDC/C Features Improves the Prognostication of Biochemical Recurrence in Prostate Cancer Patients

Background: Intraductal carcinoma and cribriform (IDC/C) tumor features are well-established prognosticators of biochemical recurrence (BCR), metastasis, and prostate cancer (PCa)-specific mortality. However, approximately 70% of PCa patients undergoing a radical prostatectomy are IDC/C negative, yet up-to 20% of these patients progress and experience BCR. Thus, tumor histopathologic characteristics such as IDC/C alone are limited in their ability to predict disease progression. Conversely, several nomograms such as Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment-Surgery (CAPRA-S) have been developed to aid in the prognostication of BCR, but not yet widely applied in clinical settings. Materials and methods: In this study, we assessed the combined prognostic utility of IDC/C, and CAPRA-S for BCR in 3 PCa patient cohorts. Results: CAPRA-S+IDC/C improved the predictive accuracy of BCR in all 3 cohorts (P < .001). Specifically, among IDC/C negative cases, CAPRA-S improved the prognostication of BCR in low-risk (Cohort 1; P < .001, Cohort 2; P < .001, Cohort 3; P = .003), intermediate (Cohort 1; P < .001, Cohort 2; P = .006, Cohort 3; P = .03) and high-risk (Cohort 1-3; P < .001) patients. Conversely, IDC/C improved the prognostication of BCR among CAPRA-S low-risk (Cohorts 1; P < .001 and Cohort 3; P = .003) patients. Conclusion: Our results suggest the investigation of histopathological IDC/C features in CAPRA-S low-risk patients and conversely, nomogram CAPRA-S among IDC/C negative patients improves the identification of patients likely to experience BCR, which would otherwise be missed through current assessment regimens. These patients can be offered more intensive monitoring and adjuvant therapies upfront to circumvent the development of recurrent cancer or overtreatment at the time of surgery.     

Improving Prenatal Diagnosis of Coarctation of the Aorta

Background

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association between fetal echocardiographic measurements and the need for intervention (primary coarctation repair, staged coarctation repair, or catheter intervention) in prenatally diagnosed coarctation of the aorta.

Aminotransferases During Treatment Predict Long-Term Survival in Patients With Autoimmune Hepatitis Type 1: A Landmark Analysis

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中国汉坦病毒H82O5株G2糖蛋白基因的克隆及在真核细胞中的瞬时表达

从感染病毒乳鼠脑组织提取总RNA，采用RT－PCR和分子克隆技术将扩增到的G2糖蛋白基因插入含CMV启动子的pcDNA3.1/His质粒载体中，通过脂质体介导转染COS－7细胞，用SDS－PAGE、Western-blot及IFIA方法分别测定表达产物的相对分子量及特异性。结果证明获得正向插入的G2－pcDNA3.1/His重组表达质粒，表达产物的相对分子量为56ku，与理论预期大小一致，并且可与汉坦病毒H8205株的腹水抗体起特异反应。表明构建的G2－pcDNA3.1/His重组质粒所表达的蛋白为中国汉坦病毒株特有，能在哺乳动物细胞中表达并具有抗原性，重组质粒可应用于汉坦病毒的DNA疫苗研究。     

等电聚焦电泳分析红细胞Gd(-)壮族富宁型〔Gd(-)Zhuang-Funing〕

本文采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶等电聚焦电泳(IEF),借助园盘电泳仪的简易装置,对正常 B 型G6PD 及变异型 G6PD 进行分析,获得了满意效果。     

Clinical experience with the use of rhG‐CSF in secondary autoimmune neutropenia

This paper outlines the impact of granulocyte‐colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF) used as a single modality therapy in 17 patients with secondary autoimmune neutropenia (S‐AIN) who had been treated a multiple number of times previously. Fifteen of these patients had demonstrable antineutrophil antibodies and two had cellular S‐AIN with haemopoietic inhibitory T‐cells present in the marrow. Prior to treatment, all had had problems with infection. All patients responded within 7 days of commencement of treatment. Provided G‐CSF neutrophil counts were maintained above 1 × 10⁹/l, no further infections occurred. This was achievable by using G‐CSF administered as infrequently as once every 8 days. Eight of the 17 patients remained on G‐CSF, although five switched to the glycosylated form because of side‐effects. None have developed osteoporosis despite 47.29 patient years of total experience with G‐CSF. In conclusion both glycosylated and nonglycosylated G‐CSF can be used effectively in treating AIN on a long‐term basis.     

Recombinant glycoprotein based vaccine for Chandipura virus infection

Chandipura virus (CHPV) has emerged as an important pediatric encephalitis-causing pathogen with very high mortality in India. No specific vaccine or treatment is available till date. We attempted to prepare a candidate vaccine employing recombinant CHPV Glycoprotein (rGp). The Glycoprotein gene (G-gene) of CHPV was expressed using Baculovirus expression system. The rGp was purified by HPLC and used for mice immunization, 3 doses, and 4 weeks apart. One microgram rGp was found to be optimum. Sero-conversion was observed as early as 2nd week by detecting anti-CHPV IgG antibodies. Antibody titres were immunogen-concentration dependent. Intracerebral challenge of the immunized mice with 100 LD₅₀ of the homologous strain demonstrated 90% protection. In in vitro neutralization, antibodies from the immunized mice were able to neutralize heterologous viruses. There was 60% T cell proliferation observed against rGp in immunized mice. The study shows that rGp induces both arms of immune response and represents an ideal vaccine candidate for further evaluations.     

抱茎獐牙菜中的苷类成分

目的 研究藏药抱茎獐牙菜Swertia franchetiana中的苷类成分。方法 用各种柱色谱方法进行分离纯化，根据理化性质和波谱解析鉴定其化学结构。结果 从抱茎獐牙菜的水溶性部分得到11个化合物，分别鉴定为芒果苷(mangiferin，Ⅰ)、异荭草苷(isoorlentin，Ⅱ)、当药黄素(swertisin，Ⅲ)、当药醇苷(swertianolin，Ⅳ)、1-羟基-3，5-二甲氧基汕酮-1-O-[β-D-吡喃木糖(1→6)-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖(Ⅴ)、1-羟基一3，7，8-三甲氧基汕酮-1-O-[β-D-吡喃葡萄糖(Ⅵ)、1-羟基-2，3，5-三甲氧基汕酮-1-O-[β-D-吡喃木糖(1→6)-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖(Ⅶ)、5-醛基1-异色满酮(Ⅶ)、獐牙菜苦苷(swartiamarin，Ⅸ)、龙胆苦苷(gentipicroside，Ⅹ)和獐牙菜苷(sweroside，Ⅺ)。结论 化合物Ⅵ～Ⅺ均为首次从该植物中得到，其中Ⅶ为首次从獐牙菜属植物中得到。     

Oncolytic herpes viral therapy is effective in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines

The rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in western countries, along with the poor prognosis offered by present-day treatment modalities, makes novel therapies for this disease necessary. Oncolytic herpes simplex viruses (HSV) are replication-competent viruses that are highly effective in the treatment of a wide variety of experimental models of human malignancies. This study seeks to investigate the effectiveness of oncolytic herpes viruses in the treatment of primary HCC cell lines. Sixteen commercially available human HCC cell lines were studied. G207 is an attenuated, replication-competent, oncolytic HSV engineered to selectively replicate within cancer cells. Cell lines were tested for viral sensitivity to G207 and their ability to support viral replication using standard cytotoxicity and viral replication assays. Eleven of 16 cell lines were moderately to highly sensitive to G207 viral oncolysis. HCC cell lines additionally demonstrated the ability to support viral replication in vitro with as high as 800-fold amplification of the administered viral dose observed. G207 is cytotoxic to, and efficiently replicates within, HCC cell lines in vitro. From these data, we suggest that oncolytic HSV therapy may have a role in the treatment of HCC, and in vivo studies are warranted. Presented in part at the 2005 American Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Congress, Hollywood, Florida, April 14–17, 2005. Supported by grants R01CA75461 and R01CA72632 from the National Institutes of Health, and by grant MBC-99366 from the American Cancer Society (Yuman Fong).