Metal-based smart nanosystems in cancer immunotherapy.

Metals are an emerging topic in cancer immunotherapy that have shown great potential in modulating cancer immunity cycle and promoting antitumor immunity by activating the intrinsic immunostimulatory mechanisms which have been identified in recent years. The main challenge of metal-assisted immunotherapy lies in the fact that the free metals as ion forms are easily cleared during circulation, and even cause systemic metal toxicity due to the off-target effects. With the rapid development of nanomedicine, metal-based smart nanosystems (MSNs) with unique controllable structure become one of the most promising delivery carriers to solve the issue, owing to their various endogenous/external stimuli-responsiveness to release free metal ions for metalloimmunotherapy.

AI-Based Automated Quantification of Arterial Stenosis in Head and Neck CT Angiography: A Comparison with Manual Measurements from Digital Subtraction Angiography and CT Angiography.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm for automated quantification of arterial stenosis in head and neck CT angiography (CTA).

Methods: Patients who received head and neck CTA and DSA between January 2019 and December 2021 in two centers were included. The quantitative performance of CerebralDoc per-lesion was evaluated through intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman analysis, comparing automated stenosis measurements and manual measurements across 0-100%, < 50%, ≥ 50% and ≥ 70% thresholds.

Macrophage membrane-functionalized manganese dioxide nanomedicine for synergistic treatment of atherosclerosis by mitigating inflammatory storms and promoting cholesterol efflux.

Atherosclerosis (AS) poses a significant threat to human life and health. However, conventional antiatherogenic medications exhibit insufficient targeting precision and restricted therapeutic effectiveness. Moreover, during the progression of AS, macrophages undergo polarization toward the proinflammatory M1 phenotype and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to accelerate the occurrence of inflammatory storms, and ingest excess lipids to form foam cells by inhibiting cholesterol efflux.

Evaluation of the presence and severity of spontaneous splenorenal or gastrorenal shunts via four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging: a preliminary study.

Background: Four-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (4D flow MRI) is a relatively new type of MRI acquisition technique that provides a unique and comprehensive set of information within a single acquisition, including hemodynamic and anatomical information. This study was designed to noninvasively evaluate the correlation between the presence and severity of spontaneous splenorenal shunt (SRS) or gastrorenal shunt (GRS) and 4D flow MRI-derived parameters.

Methods: This retrospective case-control study enrolled 70 patients who were diagnosed with hepatocirrhosis portal hypertension and admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University.

Added value of artificial intelligence solutions for arterial stenosis detection on head and neck CT angiography: A randomized crossover multi-reader multi-case study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the added value of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the detection of arterial stenosis (AS) on head and neck CT angiography (CTA).

Materials And Methods: Patients who underwent head and neck CTA examinations at two hospitals were retrospectively included. CTA examinations were randomized into group 1 (without AI-washout-with AI) and group 2 (with AI-washout-without AI), and six readers (two radiology residents, two non-neuroradiologists, and two neuroradiologists) independently interpreted each CTA examination without and with AI solutions.

Body physical parameters instead of water equivalent diameter to calculate size-specific dose estimate in adult chest CT.

This study aimed to investigate body physical parameters as substitutes for water equivalent diameter (Dw) while calculating size-specific dose estimates (SSDEs) during adult chest computed tomography (CT). A retrospective analysis was conducted on 776 patients. Patients were divided into training set (542 patients) and validation set (234 patients) according to a ratio of 7:3.

Potentiating dual-directional immunometabolic regulation with nanomedicine to enhance anti-tumor immunotherapy following incomplete photothermal ablation.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising cancer treatment method due to its ability to induce tumor-specific T cell responses and enhance therapeutic outcomes. However, incomplete PTT can leave residual tumors that often lead to new metastases and decreased patient survival in clinical scenarios. This is primarily due to the release of ATP, a damage-associated molecular pattern that quickly transforms into the immunosuppressive metabolite adenosine by CD39, prevalent in the tumor microenvironment, thus promoting tumor immune evasion.

HE-Mind: A model for automatically predicting hematoma expansion after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Purpose: To develop and validate an end-to-end model for automatically predicting hematoma expansion (HE) after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) using a novel deep learning framework.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study collected cranial noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) images of 490 patients with sICH at admission for model training (n = 236), internal testing (n = 60), and external testing (n = 194). A HE-Mind model was designed to predict HE, which consists of a densely connected U-net for segmentation process, a multi-instance learning strategy for resolving label ambiguity and a Siamese network for classification process.

High-resolution vessel wall imaging for quantitatively and qualitatively evaluating in-stent stenosis of intracranial aneurysms.

Background: It is critical to accurately and noninvasively evaluate the stented parent artery of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) with endovascular treatment.

Objective: To investigate high-resolution vessel wall imaging (HR-VWI) for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of in-stent stenosis (ISS) in IAs treated with stent placement (SP).

Methods: Fifty-five patients (58 aneurysms) underwent HR-VWI, contrast-enhanced (CE)-HR-VWI, CE-MR angiography (MRA), time-of-flight (TOF)-MRA, and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) six months after SP, and the reliability of quantitative stent lumen measurements was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis.

A Comparative Study of AI-Based Automated and Manual Postprocessing of Head and Neck CT Angiography: An Independent External Validation with Multi-Vendor and Multi-Center Data.

Purpose: To externally validate the performance of automated postprocessing (AP) on head and neck CT Angiography (CTA) and compare it with manual postprocessing (MP).

Methods: This retrospective study included head and neck CTA-exams of patients from three tertiary hospitals acquired on CT scanners from five manufacturers. AP was performed by CerebralDoc.

The relationship between perihematomal edema and hematoma expansion in acute spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: an exploratory radiomics analysis study.

Background: The relationship between early perihematomal edema (PHE) and hematoma expansion (HE) is unclear. We investigated this relationship in patients with acute spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), using radiomics.

Methods: In this multicenter retrospective study, we analyzed 490 patients with spontaneous ICH who underwent non-contrast computed tomography within 6 h of symptom onset, with follow-up imaging at 24 h.

Swirl sign score system: a novel and practical tool for predicting hematoma expansion risk after spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage.

Objective: To methodically analyse the swirl sign and construct a scoring system to predict the risk of hematoma expansion (HE) after spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (sICH).

Methods: We analysed 231 of 683 sICH patients with swirl signs on baseline noncontrast CT (NCCT) images. The characteristics of the swirl sign were analysed, including the number, maximum diameter, shape, boundary, minimum CT value of the swirl sign, and the minimum distance from the swirl sign to the edge of the hematoma.

Total sleep deprivation alters spontaneous brain activity in medical staff during routine clinical work: a resting-state functional MR imaging study.

Objectives: To assess the effect of total sleep deprivation (TSD) on spontaneous brain activity in medical staff during routine clinical practice.

Methods: A total of 36 medical staff members underwent resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans and neuropsychological tests twice, corresponding to rested wakefulness (RW) after normal sleep and 24 h of acute TSD. The rs-fMRI features, including the mean fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (mfALFF), z-score transformed regional homogeneity (zReHo), and functional connectivity (zFC), were compared between RW and TSD.

NIR-responsive copper nanoliposome composites for cascaded ferrotherapy via ferroptosis actived ICD and IFN-γ released.

Metallic biomaterials activate tumor ferroptosis by increasing oxidative stress, but their efficacy is severely limited in tumor microenvironment. Although interferon gamma (IFN-γ) can promote tumor ferroptosis sensitivity by inhibiting the antioxidant system and promoting lipid accumulation, this effect limited by the lack of IFN-γ accumulation in tumors. Herein, we report a near-infrared (NIR)-responsive HCuS nanocomposite (HCuS-PE@TSL-tlyp-1) that can stimulate immunogenic cell death (ICD)-mediated IFN-γ secretion through exogenous oxidative stress, thereby achieving cascaded ferrotherapy by mutually reinforcing ferroptosis and systemic immunity.

Smart responsive Fe/Mn nanovaccine triggers liver cancer immunotherapy via pyroptosis and pyroptosis-boosted cGAS-STING activation.

Background: The prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains suboptimal, characterized by high recurrence and metastasis rates. Although metalloimmunotherapy has shown potential in combating tumor proliferation, recurrence and metastasis, current apoptosis-based metalloimmunotherapy fails to elicit sufficient immune response for HCC.

Results: A smart responsive bimetallic nanovaccine was constructed to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) through pyroptosis and enhance the efficacy of the cGAS-STING pathway.

Prediction of microvascular invasion and pathological differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma based on a deep learning model.

Purpose: To develop a deep learning (DL) model based on preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) images to predict microvascular invasion (MVI) and pathological differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: This retrospective study included 640 consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection and were pathologically diagnosed with HCC at two medical institutions from April 2017 to May 2022. CECT images and relevant clinical parameters were collected.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Liver and Spleen Stiffness in Magnetic Resonance Elastography for the Detection of Gastroesophageal Varices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the performance of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in detecting gastroesophageal varices (GEV) in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD).

Methods: A literature search in English and Chinese databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure was conducted. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) of the summary receiver-operating characteristic (SROC) curve with a 95% CI were calculated.

The MR Imaging of Primary Intrahepatic Lymphoepithelioma-like Cholangiocarcinoma: A Diagnostic Challenge.

Purpose: To characterize the magnetic resonance imaging features of primary intrahepatic lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma (LELCC).

Materials And Methods: Thirty-four patients with 38 histologically confirmed LELCCs were enrolled retrospectively from January 2014 to August 2022. We evaluated the clinical features, histologic findings, and imaging manifestations on dynamic enhanced MRI.

Performance of deep learning-based autodetection of arterial stenosis on head and neck CT angiography: an independent external validation study.

Purpose: To externally validate the performance of automated stenosis detection on head and neck CT angiography (CTA) and investigate the impact factors using an independent bi-center dataset with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as the ground truth.

Material And Methods: Patients who underwent head and neck CTA and DSA between January 2019 and December 2021 were retrospectively included. The degree of stenosis was automatically evaluated using CerebralDoc based on CTA.

Deep learning-assisted LI-RADS grading and distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from non-HCC based on multiphase CT: a two-center study.

Objectives: To develop a deep learning (DL) method that can determine the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) grading of high-risk liver lesions and distinguish hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from non-HCC based on multiphase CT.

Methods: This retrospective study included 1049 patients with 1082 lesions from two independent hospitals that were pathologically confirmed as HCC or non-HCC. All patients underwent a four-phase CT imaging protocol.

Magnetic Response Combined with Bioactive Ion Therapy: A RONS-Scavenging Theranostic Nanoplatform for Thrombolysis and Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Currently, the limited efficacy of antithrombotic treatments is attributed to the inadequacy of pure drugs and the low ability of drugs to target the thrombus site. More importantly, timely thrombolysis is essential to reduce the sequelae of cardiovascular disease, but ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) remains a major challenge that must be solved after blood flow recovery. Herein, a multifunctional therapeutic nanoparticle (NP) based on FeO and strontium ions encapsulated in mesoporous polydopamine was successfully constructed and then loaded with TNK-tPA (FeM@Sr-TNK NPs).

Evaluation of Preoperative Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through Multidimensional Parameter Combination Modeling Based on Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI.

Background And Aims: The study established and compared the efficacy of the clinicoradiological model, radiomics model and clinicoradiological-radiomics hybrid model in predicting the microvascular invasion (MVI) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylene triaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced MRI.

Methods: This was a study that enrolled 602 HCC patients from two institutions. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) method was used to screen for the most important clinicoradiological and radiomics features that predict MVI pre-operatively.

A Synergistic and Efficient Thrombolytic Nanoplatform: A Mechanical Method of Blasting Combined with Thrombolytic Drugs.

Background And Objective: Thrombosis is a common disease that poses a great threat to life and health. Most thrombolytic effects of traditional treatments or nanomedicine are not efficient or safe enough. Therefore, we designed a nanoparticle (NP) with a combination of a phase transition material and thrombolytic drugs for efficient and safe thrombolysis.

A theranostic metallodrug modulates immunovascular crosstalk to combat immunosuppressive liver cancer.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant, fatal disease with a complex tumor microenvironment (TME) characterized by severe immunosuppression and malformed vascular structures, thus most advanced HCC patients do not respond well to current mainstream pharmacotherapy and T-cell-related immunotherapy. Therefore, an efficient immunovascular crosstalk modulation strategy may help combat HCC by reversing immunosuppression and vessel normalization, especially by reprogramming tumor associated macrophages (TAMs). In this study, tyrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib (Len) was loaded into mesoporous FeO (mFe) nanoparticles (NPs), and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was attached to the NP surface to produce a metallodrug (BSA-mFe@Len NPs).