A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Study of Contrast-enhanced US versus US-guided Biopsy of Focal Liver Lesions.

Background Retrospective or single-center prospective studies with relatively small samples have shown that contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) can improve the diagnostic accuracy of percutaneous biopsy, but larger prospective studies are lacking. Purpose To assess the diagnostic performance of CEUS-guided biopsy (CEUS-GB) of focal liver lesions (FLLs) compared with US-guided biopsy (US-GB) in a prospective multicenter study. Materials and Methods In this randomized controlled study conducted in nine hospitals in China between March 2016 and August 2019, adult participants with FLLs detected with US, CT, or MRI and planned for percutaneous biopsy were randomly assigned to undergo either US-GB or CEUS-GB.

Diversity and distribution of Sophora davidii rhizobia in habitats with different irradiances and soil traits in Loess Plateau area of China.

To investigate the diversity and distribution of rhizobia associated with Sophora davidii in habitats with different light and soil conditions at the Loess Plateau, we isolated rhizobia from root nodules of this plant grown at 14 sites at forest edge or understory in Shaanxi Province. Based on PCR-RFLP and phylogenies of 16S rRNA gene, housekeeping genes (atpD, dnaK, recA), and symbiosis genes (nodC and nifH), a total of 271 isolates were identified as 16 Mesorhizobium genospecies, belonging to four nodC lineages, and three nifH lineages. The dominance of M.

Manganese-mediated reductive functionalization of activated aliphatic acids and primary amines.

Alkyl carboxylic acids as well as primary amines are ubiquitous in all facets of biological science, pharmaceutical science, chemical science and materials science. By chemical conversion to redox-active esters (RAE) and Katritzky's N-alkylpyridinium salts, respectively, alkyl carboxylic acids and primary amines serve as ideal starting materials to forge new connections. In this work, a Mn-mediated reductive decarboxylative/deaminative functionalization of activated aliphatic acids and primary amines is disclosed.

ANGPTL4 overexpression inhibits tumor cell adhesion and migration and predicts favorable prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients have relatively poor clinical outcomes. A marker predicting the prognosis of patients with TNBC could help guide treatment. Extensive evidence demonstrates that angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is involved in the regulation of cancer growth, metastasis and angiogenesis.

Down Regulation of c-FLIP Enhance PD-1 Blockade Efficacy in B16 Melanoma.

Immune checkpoint blockade of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) had an impressive long-lasting effect in a portion of advanced-stage melanoma patients, however, this therapy failed to induce responses in several patients; how to increase the objective response rate is very important. Cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) could inhibit apoptosis directly at the death-inducing signaling complex of death receptors and is also considered to be the main cause of immune escape. The overexpression of c-FLIP occurs frequently in melanoma and its expression is associated with the prognosis.

A CRISPR-Cas12a-derived biosensing platform for the highly sensitive detection of diverse small molecules.

Besides genome editing, CRISPR-Cas12a has recently been used for DNA detection applications with attomolar sensitivity but, to our knowledge, it has not been used for the detection of small molecules. Bacterial allosteric transcription factors (aTFs) have evolved to sense and respond sensitively to a variety of small molecules to benefit bacterial survival. By combining the single-stranded DNA cleavage ability of CRISPR-Cas12a and the competitive binding activities of aTFs for small molecules and double-stranded DNA, here we develop a simple, supersensitive, fast and high-throughput platform for the detection of small molecules, designated CaT-SMelor (CRISPR-Cas12a- and aTF-mediated small molecule detector).

Farnesol-induced hyperbranched morphology with short hyphae and bulbous tips of Coriolus versicolor.

As the first fungal quorum sensing molecule, farnesol-induced morphological transition is usually studied in dimorphic fungi, but in basidiomycetes the morphological changes regulated by farnesol are rarely investigated. In this study, we found that farnesol made the basidiomycete Coriolus versicolor develop into a hyperbranched morphology with short hyphae and bulbous tips. Farnesol treatment resulted in a significant increase of intracellular oxidative stress level, which influenced the expression of several morphogenesis-related genes, and thereby led to the morphological changes.

Role of radiation therapy in primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the Rituximab era: a SEER database analysis.

Primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PB-DLBCL) is an uncommon extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), which was traditionally treated with anthracycline-containing regimens followed by consolidative radiation therapy (RT) to add therapeutic benefits. The introduction of anti-CD20 antibody rituximab for the treatment of B-cell NHLs has significantly improved the clinical outcome of these malignant diseases. It is unclear, however, whether consolidative RT could still add therapeutic benefits for PB-DLBCL patients treated with rituximab.

Interaction Behaviors of Fibrinopeptide-A and Graphene with Different Functional Groups: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Approach.

Graphene as a 2-dimentional material has been widely used in the field of biomedical applications. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations are carried out on the fibrinopeptide-A and graphene surfaces with N and O modifications. A new set of parameters for the CHARMM force field are developed to describe the behaviors of the surfaces.

Quorum sensing molecule-farnesol increased the production and biological activities of extracellular polysaccharide from Trametes versicolor.

A novel strategy of exposing 2-day-old mycelia cultures to 0.8mM farnesol was developed to stimulate extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production in Trametes versicolor submerged cultures. Farnesol, a quorum sensing molecule in fungi, could significantly increase EPS production by promoting polysaccharide biosynthesis and regulating mycelial morphology.

A prognostic model for resectable acral melanoma patients on the basis of preoperative inflammatory markers.

Acral melanoma is a rare disease, but is common in Asia. Knowledge of its prognostic indicators is limited. Growing evidence indicates that inflammation plays a critical role in the development and progression of acral melanoma.

Racial patterns of patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: SEER analysis.

The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence and clinical outcomes of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBL).Here we did a retrospective analysis using the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database to analyze the incidences and survival of patients with PMBL diagnosed during 2001-2012 among major ethnic groups.During 2001-2012, a total of 426 PMBL patients were identified, including 336 whites, 46 blacks, and 44 others.

Scale-up laccase production from Trametes versicolor stimulated by vanillic acid.

An efficient strategy for laccase production in Trametes versicolor cultures was developed using vanillic acid as the inducer. The optimized vanillic acid treatment strategy consisted of exposing 2-day-old mycelia cultures to 80 mg/L vanillic acid. After 4 days, laccase activity of 588.

Puquitinib mesylate (XC-302) induces autophagy via inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in nasopharyngeal cancer cells.

There are numerous studies that demonstrate the anti-neoplastic activity of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors and the mechanisms of inducing autophagy in cancer cells. The new anticancer drug puquitinib mesylate (XC-302) is a molecular-targeted drug, which suppresses the activity of PI3K directly. However, it remains unclear whether XC‑302 can develop an antitumor effect by inducing autophagy in nasopharyngeal cancer cells.

Computer simulation of biomolecule-biomaterial interactions at surfaces and interfaces.

Biomaterial surfaces and interfaces are intrinsically complicated systems because they involve biomolecules, implanted biomaterials, and complex biological environments. It is difficult to understand the interaction mechanism between biomaterials and biomolecules through conventional experimental methods. Computer simulation is an effective way to study the interaction mechanism at the atomic and molecular levels.

Once-weekly subcutaneous administration of bortezomib in patients with multiple myeloma.

In patients with multiple myeloma (MM), once-weekly intravenous injection or twice-weekly subcutaneous injection (SC) of bortezomib has been proven to offer non-inferior efficacy to standard twice-weekly intravenous administration, with an improved safety profile. However, whether once-weekly SC bortezomib can further reduce the incidence rate of peripheral neuropathy (PN) and not compromise the efficacy remains to be investigated. 25 patients of MM treated with once-weekly SC bortezomib were reviewed in this study.

A prognostic model to predict survival in stage III colon cancer patients based on histological grade, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level and the neutrophil lymphocyte ratio.

Background: Stage III colon cancer patients demonstrate diverse clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to develop a prognostic model in order to better predict their survival.

Materials And Methods: From 2004 to 2010, 548 patients were retrospectively analyzed, among whom 328 were defined as the study group and the remaining 220 served as a validation group.

Mussel-inspired adhesive and transferable free-standing films by self-assembling dexamethasone encapsulated BSA nanoparticles and vancomycin immobilized oxidized alginate.

This study developed an adhesive and transferable free-standing (FS) film with dual function of osteoinductivity and antibacterial activity, which was obtained by sequentially assembling vancomycin immobilized oxidized sodium alginate and dexamethasone encapsulated chitosan coated BSA nanoparticles on a poly-dopamine layer. The FS films enabled the dual release of vancomycin and dexamethasone. The FS films had excellent osteoinductivity and antibacterial activity by cell culture and antibacterial assay.

MiR-133b regulates bladder cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis by targeting Bcl-w and Akt1.

Background: MiR-133b is a muscle-specific microRNA; it has a role in the formation of cardiocytes and the expression of myocardium ion channels by regulating target genes. Many human malignant tumors demonstrate a low expression of miR-133b, as noted in colorectal, lung, esophagus and bladder cancers, but the role of miR-133b in bladder cancer is unknown.

Methods: The expression of miR-133b in clinical bladder cancer specimens and adjacent normal tissues was confirmed by stem-loop RT-PCR.

A prognostic model based on pretreatment platelet lymphocyte ratio for stage IE/IIE upper aerodigestive tract extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, nasal type.

Patients with stage IE/IIE natural killer T (NK/T) cell lymphomas have discrepant survival outcome. This study aims to establish a prognostic model based on the pretreatment platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) specifically for localized extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma to guide the therapy. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 252 patients with early-stage upper aerodigestive tract NK/T cell lymphoma.

Ectopic expression of B and T lymphocyte attenuator in gastric cancer: a potential independent prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer.

It has been confirmed that B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA; also known as CD272) is a novel co--inhibitory molecule that exhibits a critical role in restraining cell-mediated antitumor immunity. The present study aimed to investigate the expression and prognostic significance of BTLA in gastric adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed to investigate BTLA expression in gastric cancer tissues and normal mucosal tissues.