Dendrimer/Copper(II) Complex-Mediated siRNA Delivery Disrupts Lactate Metabolism to Reprogram the Local Immune Microenvironment against Tumor Growth and Metastasis.

Solid tumors reprogram metabolic pathways to meet their biosynthesis demands, resulting in elevated levels of metabolites in the tumor microenvironment (TME), including lactate. Excessive accumulation and active transportation of lactate within the TME drives tumor progression, metastasis, and immunosuppression. Interruption of TME lactate metabolism is expected to restore antitumor responses and sensitize tumor immunotherapy.

NK-92 cells labeled with FeO-PEG-CD56/Avastin@Ce6 nanoprobes for the targeted treatment and noninvasive therapeutic evaluation of breast cancer.

Adoptive cellular immunotherapy as a promising and alternative cancer therapy platform is critical for future clinical applications. Natural killer (NK) cells have attracted attention as an important type of innate immune regulatory cells that can rapidly kill multiple adjacent cancer cells. However, these cells are significantly less effective in treating solid tumors than in treating hematological tumors.

MR-guided percutaneous microwave coagulation of small breast tumors.

Background: To evaluate the technical success and patient safety of magnetic resonance-guided percutaneous microwave coagulation (MR-guided PMC) for breast malignancies.

Methods: From May 2018 to December 2019, 26 patients with breast tumors measuring 2 cm or less were recruited to participate in a prospective, single-institution clinical study. The primary endpoint of this study was the evaluation of treatment efficacy for each patient.

Prognostic value of amino acid metabolism-related gene expression in invasive breast carcinoma.

Background: An increasing number of studies indicated that metabolic reprogramming of amino acid metabolism may either promote or inhibit tumor progression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of a gene risk signature associated with amino acid metabolism to predict the prognosis and immune characteristics of invasive breast carcinoma.

Methods: LASSO Cox regression analysis was performed to construct and validate the prognostic risk signature based on the expression of 9 amino acid metabolism-related genes.

Application of advanced diffusion models from diffusion weighted imaging in a large cohort study of breast lesions.

Background: To evaluate multiple parameters in multiple b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in characterizing breast lesions and predicting prognostic factors and molecular subtypes.

Methods: In total, 504 patients who underwent 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) sequences, T2-weighted sequences and multiple b-value (7 values, from 0 to 3000 s/mm) DWI were recruited. The average values of 13 parameters in 6 models were calculated and recorded.

A Review of Breast Density Implications and Breast Cancer Screening.

Breast density is an independent risk factor for breast cancer and significantly decreases the sensitivity of mammography. Assessing a woman's risk of developing breast cancer is becoming increasingly important for establishing individual screening recommendations and preventive strategies. This article reviews the factors influencing mammographic density (MD), the available methods of MD assessment, and its effect on breast cancer.

Histogram analysis of diffusion kurtosis imaging based on whole-volume images of breast lesions.

Background: Breast diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) is a novel MRI technique to assess breast cancer but the effectivity still remains to be improved.

Purpose: To investigate the performance of whole-volume histogram parameters derived from a DKI model for differentiating benign and malignant breast lesions.

Study Type: Retrospective.

White matter impairment in type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without microvascular disease.

Background And Objective: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a serious public health problem, and the phenomenon of T2DM occurring in younger people has directed more attention to functional changes in the brain. In this study, the microstructural integrity of white matter (WM) was evaluated in three groups of middle-aged subjects: healthy controls (HCs) and T2DM patients with and without peripheral microvascular complications (T2DM-C and T2DM-NC patients, respectively).

Methods: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and related clinical examinations were performed in 66 subjects, including 20 T2DM-C patients, 20 T2DM-NC patients, 26 age- and sex-matched HCs.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Human Ferritin Heavy Chain Reporter Gene Carried by Dendrimer-Entrapped Gold Nanoparticles.

This paper aimed to find an effective method to destroy cancer cells by targeting breast cancer cells with natural killer (NK) cells transfected with the human ferritin heavy chain (hFTH1) gene by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified dendrimerentrapped gold nanoparticles (Au DENPs). In this study, fifth-generation polyamidoamine (G5 PAMAM) dendrimers modified with PEG were used as templates to entrap gold nanoparticles to transfect hFTH1 into NK cells. Our results revealed that the prepared Au DENPs/FTH1 provided high-quality imaging performance (hypointensity on T2-weighted MR imaging) and efficient transfection efficiency (reaching 80.

Compensatory Hippocampal Connectivity in Young Adults With Early-Stage Type 2 Diabetes.

Context: Middle-aged to elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) exhibit reduced functional connectivity and brain atrophy underlying cognitive decrements; however, little is known about brain abnormalities in young patients.

Objective: To detect brain anatomical and functional changes in young patients with T2DM during the early disease stage.

Design: Case-control study.

Use of diffusion kurtosis imaging and quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI for the differentiation of breast tumors.

Background: Breast MRI is a sensitive imaging technique to assess breast cancer but its effectiveness still remains to be improved.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI in differentiating malignant from benign breast lesions independently or jointly and to explore whether correlations exist among these parameters.

Study Type: Retrospective.

Brain atrophy in middle-aged subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, with and without microvascular complications.

Background: The rapid rise in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among young adults makes it important to understand structural changes in the brain at a presenile stage. This study examined global and regional brain atrophy in middle-aged adults with T2DM, with a focus on those without clinical evidence of microvascular complications.

Methods: The study recruited 66 dementia-free middle-aged subjects (40 with T2DM, 26 healthy volunteers [HVs]).

Combined resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging study in patients with idiopathic restless legs syndrome.

Objective: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological disorder characterized by an urge to move the legs along with paraesthesia deep within them. In this study, we aimed to use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) to investigate the changes in regional spontaneous brain activity change for RLS patients against age- and gender-matched normal control (NC) subjects.

Methods: A total of 35 RLS patients and 27 age- and gender-matched NC subjects were recruited for group comparison research that used DTI and ReHo techniques.

Differentiation between adrenal adenomas and nonadenomas using dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

This study was performed to evaluate the findings including the time density curve (TD curve), the relative percentage of enhancement washout (Washr) and the absolute percentage of enhancement washout (Washa) at dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT) in 70 patients with 79 adrenal masses (including 44 adenomas and 35 nonadenomas) confirmed histopathologically and/or clinically. The results demonstrated that the TD curves of adrenal masses were classified into 5 types, and the type distribution of the TD curves was significantly different between adenomas and nonadenomas. Types A and C were characteristic of adenomas, whereas types B, D and E were features of nonadenomas.

Preclinical study of diagnostic performances of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography versus MRI for breast diseases in China.

Purpose: To evaluate diagnostic performances of CESM for breast diseases with comparison to breast MRI in China.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-eight patients with 77 breast lesions underwent MR and CESM. Two radiologists interpreted either MRI or CESM images, separately and independently.

Tumoral angiogenesis in both adrenal adenomas and nonadenomas: a promising computed tomography biomarker for diagnosis.

To explore the correlation between the typical findings of dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT) and tumoral angiogenesis (microvessel density [MVD] and vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF]) in adenomas and nonadenomas such that the enhancement mechanism of DCE-CT in adrenal masses can be explained more precisely. Forty-two patients with 46 adrenal masses confirmed by surgery and pathology were included in the study; these masses included 23 adenomas, 18 nonadenomas, and 5 hyperplastic nodules. The findings of DCE-CT and angiogenesis in adrenal masses were studied.

Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe-Lys peptide-modified PEGylated dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles for targeted computed tomography imaging of breast carcinoma.

Aim: To investigate cyclo (Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe-Lys) peptide (RGD)-modified PEGylated dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (PEGylated Au DENPs-RGD) for targeted computed tomography (CT) imaging of breast carcinomas.

Materials & Methods: PEGylated Au DENPs-RGD were synthesized and characterized. Then, the PEGylated Au DENPs-RGD for targeted CT imaging were investigated using the MDA-MB-435 cell line, an integrin-rich breast carcinoma cells, and mice with MDA-MB-435 xenograft tumors.

Clinically applicable magnetic-labeling of natural killer cells for MRI of transcatheter delivery to liver tumors: preclinical validation for clinical translation.

Aim: To test the hypothesis that MRI can monitor intraportal vein (IPV) transcatheter delivery of clinically applicable heparin-protamine-ferumoxytol (HPF) nanocomplex-labeled natural killer (NK) cells to liver tumor.

Materials & Methods: Liver tumor rat models underwent catheterization for IPV infusion of HPF-labeled NK cells (NK-92MI cell line). MRI measurements within tumor and adjacent liver tissues were compared pre- and post-NK cell infusion.

Dendrimer-Assisted Formation of Fe3O4/Au Nanocomposite Particles for Targeted Dual Mode CT/MR Imaging of Tumors.

A unique dendrimer-assisted approach is reported to create Fe3O4/Au nanocomposite particles (NCPs) for targeted dual mode computed tomography/magnetic resonance (CT/MR) imaging of tumors. In this approach, preformed Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) are assembled with multilayers of poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA)/poly(L-lysine)/PGA/folic acid (FA)-modified dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles via a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. The interlayers are crosslinked via 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide chemistry, the assembled Au core NPs are then used as seed particles for subsequent seed-mediated growth of Au shells via iterative Au salt reduction process, and subsequent acetylation of the remaining amines of dendrimers leads to the formation of Fe3O4/Au(n.

Imaging quality evaluation of low tube voltage coronary CT angiography using low concentration contrast medium.

Purpose: To compare the image quality of prospectively ECG-gated low voltage coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) with an administration of low concentration contrast medium.

Method And Materials: A total of 101 patients, each with a heart rate below 65 beats per minute (BPM), underwent a prospectively ECG-gated axial scan in CT coronary angiography on a 64-slice CT scanner. All patients were allocated in three groups (group A: n=31, 80 kVp, 300 mgI/ml; group B: n=34, 100 kVp, 300 mgI/ml; group C: n=36, 120 kVp, 370 mgI/ml).

Antigen-loaded dendritic cell migration: MR imaging in a pancreatic carcinoma model.

Purpose: To test the following hypotheses in a murine model of pancreatic cancer: (a) Vaccination with antigen-loaded iron-labeled dendritic cells reduces T2-weighted signal intensity at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging within peripheral draining lymph nodes ( LN lymph node s) and (b) such signal intensity reductions are associated with tumor size changes after dendritic cell vaccination.

Materials And Methods: The institutional animal care and use committee approved this study. Panc02 cells were implanted into the flanks of 27 C57BL/6 mice bilaterally.

In vivo targeted peripheral nerve imaging with a nerve-specific nanoscale magnetic resonance probe.

Neuroimaging plays a pivotal role in clinical practice. Currently, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography, and positron emission tomography (PET) are applied in the clinical setting as neuroimaging modalities. There is no optimal imaging modality for clinical peripheral nerve imaging even though fluorescence/bioluminescence imaging has been used for preclinical studies on the nervous system.

Magnetic resonance imaging of glioma with novel APTS-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

We report in vitro and in vivo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of C6 glioma cells with a novel acetylated 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTS)-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs). In the present study, APTS-coated Fe3O4 NPs were formed via a one-step hydrothermal approach and then chemically modified with acetic anhydride to generate surface charge-neutralized NPs. Prussian blue staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) data showed that acetylated APTS-coated Fe3O4 NPs can be taken up by cells.

Respiratory self-gating for free-breathing magnetization transfer MRI of the abdomen.

Purpose: Magnetization transfer (MT) MRI can be effective for the diagnosis of a broad range of fibrotic diseases, including liver fibrosis. However, respiratory motion, a major source of artifacts in thoracic and abdominal MR imaging, can obscure important anatomic structures, making diagnosis difficult. In this study, we explored the potential to combine free-breathing (FB) respiratory self-gating (RSG) methods with MT saturation for FB MT ratio (MTR) measurements of abdominal organs.