Objectives
We aim to compare the diagnostic performance to assess thyroid nodules and reliability for recommending fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) between American College of Radiology thyroid ...image reporting and data system (ACR TI-RADS) and American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines.
Methods
In total, this retrospective study included 1001 consecutive thyroid nodules in 918 patients from May 2016 to December 2017. US features of the thyroid nodules, including composition, echogenicity, shape, margins, echogenic foci, and size, were reviewed and were classified according to ACR TI-RADS and ATA guidelines, respectively. The diagnostic performance to assess thyroid nodules and reliability for recommending fine needle aspiration biopsy were compared between ACR TI-RADS and ATA guidelines.
Results
Of the 1001 thyroid nodules, 609 (60.8%) were benign and 392 (39.2%) were malignant. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy were 96.7%, 77.3%, 73.3%, 97.3%, and 84.9%, respectively, for ACR TI-RADS and 99.2%, 16.1%, 43.2%, 97.0%, and 48.7%, respectively, for ATA guidelines. AUC of ACR TI-RADS was significantly greater than ATA guidelines (0.935 (0.918, 0.949) vs 0.884 (0.862, 0.903),
p
< 0.001). Biopsy yield of malignancy, biopsy rate of malignancy, and unnecessary FNAB rate were 59.5%, 91.3%, and 40.5%, respectively, for ACR TI-RDS and 38.5%, 97.4%, and 61.5%, respectively, for ATA guidelines.
Conclusions
ACR TI-RADS was more accurate than ATA guidelines for differentiating malignant thyroid nodules from benign nodules and more reliable than ATA guidelines for recommending thyroid nodules for FNAB.
Key Points
•
Malignant risk of thyroid nodules can be stratified by ultrasound.
• American College of Radiology guidelines were more accurate for differentiating malignant thyroid nodules from benign nodules.
• American College of Radiology guidelines were more reliable for recommending thyroid nodules for biopsy.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and its downstream targets, including Akt (also known as protein kinase B, PKB), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), the 70-kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6k), ...and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), may play important roles in long-term synaptic plasticity and memory in many brain regions, such as the hippocampus and the amygdala. The present study investigated the role of the PI3K/Akt-mTOR signaling pathway in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), also a crucial neural locus for the control of cognition and emotion. Western blot analysis of mPFC tissues showed an activation of phosphorylation of Akt at the Ser473 residues, mTOR, p70S6k, and 4E-BP1 in response to long-term potentiation (LTP)-inducing high-frequency stimulation (HFS). Infusion of PI3K inhibitors (wortmannin and LY294002) and an mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin) into the mPFC in vivo suppressed HFS-induced LTP as well as the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt-mTOR signaling pathway. In parallel, these inhibitors interfered with the long-term retention of trace fear memory examined 3 d and 6 d after the trace fear conditioning training, whereas short-term trace fear memory and object recognition memory were kept intact. These results provide evidence of involvement of activation of the PI3K/Akt-mTOR signaling pathway in the mPFC for LTP and long-term retention of trace fear memory. (Contains 8 figures.)
The problem of direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation for sparse array is addressed. The perspective that DOA estimation in virtual array response model can be cast as the problem of sparse recovery ...is introduced. Two methods are proposed, based on different optimization problems, which are solvable using second-order cone (SOC) programming. Without the knowledge of the number of sources, the proposed methods yield superior performances, which are verified by numerical simulations.
Nanoporous metal (MNPore) skeleton catalysts have attracted increasing attention in the field of green and sustainable heterogeneous catalysis owing to their unique three‐dimensional nanopore ...structural features. In general, MNPores are fabricated through chemical or electrochemical corrosive dealloying of monolithic alloys. The dealloying process produces various MNPores with an open nanoporous network structure by formation of concave and convex hyperboloid‐like ligaments. The large surface‐to‐volume ratio compared to bulk metals and high density of steps and kinks on ligaments of the unsupported MNPores make them promising heterogeneous catalyst candidates for highly active and selective molecular transformations. In this context, a variety of heterogeneous catalytic reactions using MNPores as nanocatalysts under gas‐ and liquid‐phase conditions were developed over the last decade. In addition, the bulk metallic shape and mechanistic rigidity of the MNPore catalysts make the processes of catalyst recovery and reuse more facile and greener. This Minireview mainly focuses on the catalytic performance of nanoporous Au, Pd, Cu, and AuPd with respect to the achievements on catalytic applications in various molecular transformations.
Precious holes to transform: Nanoporous metals prepared by dealloying methods have emerged as green and sustainable heterogeneous catalysts because of their high surface area, high catalytic activity and selectivity, facile recovery method, and high reusability. This Minireview describes, by highlighting recent advances, remarkable catalytic performances of nanoporous gold, palladium, copper, and AuPd alloy on a variety of organic molecular transformations in the liquid phase.
Gastric cancer (GC) is a common heterogeneous disease. The critical roles of microRNA‐340 (miR‐340) in the development and progression of GC were emphasized in accumulating studies. This study aims ...to examine the regulatory mechanism of miR‐340 in GC cellular processes. Initially, microarray technology was used to identify differentially expressed genes and regulatory miRs in GC. After that, the potential role of miR‐340 in GC was determined via ectopic expression, depletion, and reporter assay experiments. Expression of secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1), miR‐340, phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐related genes was measured. Moreover, to further explore the function of miR‐340 in vivo and in vitro, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and tumorigenic capacity were evaluated. SPP1 was a target gene of miR‐340 which could then mediate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by targeting SPP1 in GC. Furthermore, miR‐340 levels were reduced and SPP1 was enriched in GC tissues and cells, with the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway being activated. Inhibitory effects of upregulated miR‐340 on SPP1 and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were confirmed in vivo and in vitro. Overexpression of miR‐340 or the silencing of SPP1 inhibited GC cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and EMT process, but promoted apoptosis of GC cells. Typically, targeting of SPP1 by miR‐340 may contribute to the inhibition of proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of GC cells via suppression of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
Targeting of secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) by microRNA‐340 (miR‐340) may contribute to the inhibition of proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of gastric cancer (GC) cells via suppression of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway.
The prefrontal cortex guides behaviors, thoughts, and feelings using representational knowledge, i.e., working memory. These fundamental cognitive abilities subserve the so-called executive ...functions: the ability to inhibit inappropriate behaviors and thoughts, regulate our attention, monitor our actions, and plan and organize for the future. Neuropsychological and imaging studies indicate that these prefrontal cortex functions are weaker in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and contribute substantially to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomology. Research in animals indicates that the prefrontal cortex is very sensitive to its neurochemical environment and that small changes in catecholamine modulation of prefrontal cortex cells can have profound effects on the ability of the prefrontal cortex to guide behavior. Optimal levels of norepinephrine acting at postsynaptic α-2A-adrenoceptors and dopamine acting at D1 receptors are essential to prefrontal cortex function. Blockade of norepinephrine α-2-adrenoceptors in prefrontal cortex markedly impairs prefrontal cortex function and mimics most of the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, including impulsivity and locomotor hyperactivity. Conversely, stimulation of α-2-adrenoceptors in prefrontal cortex strengthens prefrontal cortex regulation of behavior and reduces distractibility. Most effective treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder facilitate catecholamine transmission and likely have their therapeutic actions by optimizing catecholamine actions in prefrontal cortex.
Plant invasions represent a major global change in the carbon cycle. Soil respiration (Rs) comprises autotrophic respiration (Ra) and heterotrophic respiration (Rh). Understanding the impacts of ...plant invasions on different components of soil respiration is critical for predicting how invasive alien plants (IAPs) affect the exchange of C between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems. However, the responses of Rs, Rh and Ra to IAPs are poorly understood on a global scale. We conducted a meta-analysis based on 54 published papers and 256 observations to explore the effects of IAPs on Rs, Rh and Ra. Overall, the results showed that at the global scale, IAPs significantly increased the Rh by an average of 87.91% but had no significant effects on Rs or Ra. Regarding the life forms, we found that invasive forbs significantly increased Rh regardless of ecosystem type, and the subgroup analysis of ecosystem types showed that invasive forbs significantly increased Rh only in grasslands. However, the effects of IAPs on soil Rs and Rh did not differ among ecosystem types. Soil respiration is substantially influenced by soil biotic and abiotic properties. We found IAPs significantly increased microbial biomass carbon (MBC) by 9.28% (mainly from invasive forbs) and soil β-glucosidase activity by 80.35% (mainly from invasive shrubs), but the IAPs had no significant effect on invertase activity. The effect size of Rh was significantly positively correlated with the changes in soil pH, MBC and β-glucosidase. In addition, the response of Rh differed depending on the ecosystem management approach. IAPs significantly increased the Rh in abandoned ecosystems but had no significant effects on the Rh in managed ecosystems or natural ecosystems. These results emphasize the importance and complexity of the relationship between IAPs and soil respiration and highlight the need for better management to reduce soil respiration due to plant invasion.
•Invasive alien plants significantly increased Rh but not Rs or Ra on a global scale.•The responses of Rs and Rh to plant invasion did not differ among the ecosystem types.•There were significant positive correlations between the effect sizes of Rh and soil ΔpH, ΔMBC and Δβ-glucosidase.•Plant invasion promoted Rh in ecosystems that were abandoned after management.
A Cu+-CP based on the tetranuclear unit {(HSQPA)2Cu4(bipy)4·2H2O} n ·2nH2O has been constructed through Cu2+ salt, 2-(sulfonylquinlium-8-yloxy)phthalic acid (H3SQPA), and 4,4′-bipyridine (bipy). This ...Cu+-CP combined with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl as the cocatalyst is an effective catalyst for aerobic oxidation of alcohols and the synthesis of benzoxazoles and can be recycled at least four times without losing its catalytic activity.
Neurotransmission requires precise control of neurotransmitter release from axon terminals. This process is regulated by glial cells; however, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We ...found that glutamate release in the brain was impaired in mice lacking low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (Lrp4), a protein that is critical for neuromuscular junction formation. Electrophysiological studies revealed compromised release probability in astrocyte-specific Lrp4 knockout mice. Lrp4 mutant astrocytes suppressed glutamatergic transmission by enhancing the release of ATP, whose level was elevated in the hippocampus of Lrp4 mutant mice. Consequently, the mutant mice were impaired in locomotor activity and spatial memory and were resistant to seizure induction. These impairments could be ameliorated by blocking the adenosine A1 receptor. The results reveal a critical role for Lrp4, in response to agrin, in modulating astrocytic ATP release and synaptic transmission. Our findings provide insight into the interaction between neurons and astrocytes for synaptic homeostasis and/or plasticity.
PDF
