To investigate the value of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics nomograms for predicting the hormone receptor (HR) status of HER2-positive breast cancer.
Patients with ...HER2-positive invasive breast cancer were divided randomly into training (68 patients) and validation (30 patients) sets. All were classified as either HR-positive (HR+) or negative (HR-) at histopathology. Two radiologists outlined the three-dimensional (3D) volumetric regions of interest (VOI) on the MRI images. Features (n=1,096) were extracted from the T2-weighted imaging (WI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) images separately. Dimensionality was reduced using feature screening. Binary radiomics prediction models were established using a logistic regression classifier and were validated in the validation set. To construct a nomogram, independent predictors were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The predictive efficacy of the model was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).
Ten radiomics features were obtained after feature dimensionality reduction based on the merged T2WI, ADC, and DCE images. The diagnostic efficacy of the radiomics signature using the three sequences was better than that of any single sequence (training set AUC: 0.797; validation set AUC: 0.75). Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, the independent predictors for identifying HR status were combined radiomics signature and peritumoural oedema. Nomograms constructed by combining the radiomics signature and peritumoural oedema showed good discrimination in both the training and validation sets (AUC: 0.815 and 0. 805, respectively).
A multiparametric MRI-based nomogram incorporating the radiomics signature and peritumoural oedema can assess the HR status of HER2-positive breast cancer. The resulting model can improve diagnostic accuracy, improving patient outcomes.
Aim
Voluntary exercise has been shown to protect against the development of ulcerative colitis, but the mechanism is not fully understood. We hypothesized that prior voluntary exercise would ...attenuate colonic inflammation and ameliorate clinical symptoms in dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)‐induced ulcerative colitis by increasing glucocorticoid production and up‐regulating PPAR‐γ activity in the colon.
Methods
Male C57Bl/6J mice were assigned to sedentary, exercise, exercise with PPAR‐γ antagonist GW9662 or glucocorticoid synthesis inhibitor metyrapone. Following the completion of the 30 days’ exercise training programme, they were treated with or without 2% DSS in drinking water for 5 days, followed by 5 days of regular water.
Results
Compared with sedentary mice, exercise mice exhibited improved clinical symptoms (weight loss and diarrhoea) and less inflammation (expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and histological injury) in response to DSS, whereas these beneficial effects were abolished by both GW9662 and metyrapone treatment. Molecular studies revealed that exercise significantly increased the expression of PPAR‐γ, augmented the expression of steroidogenic enzymes (CYP11A1 and CYP11B1) and elevated corticosterone levels in the colon. GW9662 treatment reversed the expression of PPAR‐γ without altering the expression of steroidogenic enzymes and corticosterone secretion in the colon, while metyrapone treatment blocked glucocorticoid secretion and abrogated the increase in PPAR‐γ expression in the colon.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that prior voluntary exercise suppresses the expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in the colon in response to inflammatory challenge by up‐regulating glucocorticoid‐mediated PPAR‐γ activity, contributing to protection against the development of ulcerative colitis.
Two mononuclear nickel(II) complexes, Ni(L
1
)
2
(
1
) and Ni(L
2
)
2
(
2
), where L
1
and L
2
are the anions of 4-methylbenzoic acid (1-pyridin-2-ylmethylidene)hydrazide (HL
1
) and benzoic acid ...(1-pyridine-2-ylethylidene)hydrazide (HL
2
), respectively, were prepared and characterized by physico-chemical methods and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The tridentate Schiff base ligands coordinate to the Ni atoms through the pyridine nitrogen, imino nitrogen and enolate oxygen atoms. The Ni atom in each complex is six coordinated by two Schiff base ligands, to form octahedral coordination. To investigate the influence of the position of methyl group on the antibacterial activities, the complexes have been studied on the bacteria
Bacillus subtilis
,
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Escherichia coli
and
Pseudomonas fluorescens
.
Seizure is a common presenting manifestation and plays an important role in the clinical presentation and quality of life for patients with low-grade gliomas (LGGs). The authors set out to identify ...factors that influence preoperative seizure characteristics and postoperative seizure control. Cases involving adult patients who had undergone initial surgery for LGGs in a single institution between 2005 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with preoperative seizures and postoperative seizure control. Of the 508 patients in the series, 350 (68.9%) presented with seizures. Age less than 38 years and cortical involvement of tumor were more likely to be associated with seizures (P = .003 and .001, respectively, multivariate logistic analysis). For the cohort of 350 patients with seizures, Engel classification was used to evaluate 6- and 12-month outcome after surgery: completely seizure free (Engel class I), 65.3% and 62.5%; not seizure free (Engel classes II, III, IV), 34.7% and 37.5%. After multivariate logistic analysis, favorable seizure prognosis was more common in patients with secondary generalized seizure (P = .006) and with calcification on MRI (.031). With respect to treatment-related variables, patients achieved much better seizure control after gross total resection than after subtotal resection (P < .0001). Ki67 was an independent molecular marker predicting poor seizure control in the patients with a history of seizure if overexpressed but was not a predictor for those without preoperative seizures. These factors may provide insight into developing effective treatment strategies aimed at prolonging patients' survival.
Background: Although pain is commonly observed among medical staff, studies on pain among intensive care unit personnel are uncommon, especially intensive care unit (ICU) doctors and workers. ...Moreover, few studies have focused on the prevalence of pain and the associated factors. Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of pain among ICU personnel (including doctors, nurses and workers) and explore the risk factors for their pain. Methods: We conducted an online survey that included sociodemographic and work-related items and questions about pain, ergonomics, and psychological factors. We used the short version of the validated Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS-21) to assess the relationship between pain and mental disorders. All ICU personnel at West China Hospital of Sichuan University participated in this study. Results: A total of 356 ICU personnel were included in the final analysis. The prevalence of pain was 72.2% among ICU nurses, 64.4% among ICU doctors and 52.9% among ICU workers. The most frequent location of pain was the lower back among nurses (65.9%) and workers (47.1%) and the neck among doctors (49.1%). The factors contributing to pain among ICU personnel were bending or twisting the neck, high levels of psychological fatigue, low self-perceived health status, female sex and high body mass index (BMI). Moreover, participants with pain indicated significantly higher depression (p less than or equal to 0.001), anxiety (p less than or equal to 0.001), and stress levels (p = 0.002) than those without pain. Conclusion: This study indicates that ICU personnel exhibit a high prevalence of pain. Many factors, especially psychosocial and ergonomic factors, contribute to pain levels among ICU personnel and the poorer mental health levels observed in those experiencing pain. Therefore, disease prevention and health promotion measures are needed to protect the health of ICU personnel. Keywords: occupational health, intensive care unit, cross-sectional studies, mental health
Bordetella bronchiseptica is a potential zoonotic pathogen, which mainly causes respiratory diseases in humans and a variety of animal species. B. bronchiseptica is one of the important pathogens ...isolated from rabbits in Fujian Province. However, the knowledge of the epidemiology and characteristics of the B. bronchiseptica in rabbits in Fujian Province is largely unknown. In this study, 219 B. bronchiseptica isolates recovered from lung samples of dead rabbits with respiratory diseases in Fujian Province were characterised by multi-locus sequencing typing, screening virulence genes and testing antimicrobial susceptibility. The results showed that the 219 isolates were typed into 11 sequence types (STs) including five known STs (ST6, ST10, ST12, ST14 and ST33) and six new STs (ST88, ST89, ST90, ST91, ST92 and ST93) and the ST33 (30.14%, 66/219), ST14 (26.94%, 59/219) and ST12 (16.44%, 36/219) were the three most prevalent STs. Surprisingly, all the 219 isolates carried the five virulence genes (fhaB, prn, cyaA, dnt and bteA) in the polymerase chain reaction screening. Moreover, the isolates were resistant to cefixime, ceftizoxime, cefatriaxone and ampicillin at rates of 33.33%, 31.05%, 11.87% and 3.20%, respectively. This study showed the genetic diversity of B. bronchiseptica in rabbits in Fujian Province, and the colonisation of the human-associated ST12 strain in rabbits in Fujian Province. The results might be useful for monitoring the epidemic strains, developing preventive methods and preventing the transmission of epidemic strains from rabbits to humans.
The photothermal ablation of solid tumors using exogenous, near-infrared (NIR)-absorbing nanoparticles has been previously investigated using various preclinical models and is currently being ...evaluated in the clinic. Here, we evaluate the circulation kinetics, preliminary toxicity, and efficacy of photothermal ablation of solid tumors using gold nanorods systemically delivered and passively accumulated in a murine subcutaneous colon cancer model. Tumored animals were infused with nanorods followed by the percutaneous illumination of the tumor with an 808-nm laser. Control groups consisted of laser-only, nanorod-only, and untreated tumored animals. The survival of the treated and control groups were monitored for 60 days post-treatment. The survival of the photothermally treated group was statistically longer than the control groups, with approximately 44% tumor free through the evaluation period. Histopathology of the major organs of animals infused with nanorods did not indicate any significant toxicity at 60 days post-treatment. Particle biodistribution was evaluated by elemental analysis of the major organs of untumored mice at 1, 7, and 30 days after infusion with nanorods. Elemental analysis indicates nanorod clearance from the blood and retention by the reticuloendothelial system. This study indicates that gold nanorods are promising agents for photothermal ablation of solid tumors.
This article reviews the scientific understanding and progress of interfacing plasmonic particles with ferroelectrics in order to facilitate the absorption of low-energy photons and their conversion ...to chemical fuels. The fundamental principles of hot carrier generation and charge injection are described for semiconductors interfaced with metallic nanoparticles and immersed in aqueous solutions, forming a synergistic juncture between the growing fields of plasmonically-driven photochemistry and semiconductor photocatalysis. The underlying mechanistic advantages of a metal-ferroelectric vs. metal-nonferroelectric interface are presented with respect to achieving a more optimal and efficient control over the Schottky barrier height and charge separation. Notable recent examples of using ferroelectric-interfaced plasmonic particles have demonstrated their roles in yielding significantly enhanced photocurrents as well as in the photon-driven production of molecular hydrogen. Notably, plasmonically-driven photocatalysis has been shown to occur for photon wavelengths in the infrared range, which is at lower energies than typically possible for conventional semiconductor photocatalysts. Recent results thus demonstrate that integrated ferroelectric-plasmonic systems represent a potentially transformative concept for use in the field of solar energy conversion.
UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) image technology has the advantages of wide shooting range, large inventory space, strong timeliness and so on, when it is used in highway detection. In addition to the ...basic parameters such as image quality, resolution and overlap, the safety of flight routes should also be taken into account in aerial photography of highways in operation. Optimal route planning is the premise and guarantee for the application and promotion of UAV in the field of highways. By adopting appropriate shooting form, flight height and angle, the actual road condition information can be collected to ensure high accuracy of data information. This provides great convenience for the actual situation of highway green belt, the confirmation of the location of plant growth and other aspects. It plays an important role in promoting the maintenance efficiency and level of highway green belt. This paper quantitatively analyzes and studies the optimal aerial route planning for unmanned vehicles in highway field.
Ferredoxin-thioredoxin reductase (FTR) is an iron-sulfur protein that supplies electrons from photochemically reduced ferredoxin (Fd) to thioredoxin (Trx) in the ferredoxin/thioredoxin system in ...chloroplasts. The FTR is a heterodimer with a variable subunit (FTRv) and a catalytic subunit (FTRc). The function of FTRv is not well known. In petunia (Petunia hybrida), FTRv is a single-copy gene, which is named PhFTRv. In this study, the spatio-temporal expression of PhFTRv in petunia was analyzed, and PhFTRv transcription was found to be high in leaves and stems. A tobacco rattle virus gene silencing was used in this study. Virus induced gene silencing-mediated PhFTRv silencing resulted in large yellow-green leaves, delayed flowering, and reduced cold tolerance in petunia plants.
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