Investigating the diagnostic efficiency of a computer-aided diagnosis system for thyroid nodules in the context of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the efficacy of a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system in distinguishing between benign and malignant thyroid nodules in the context of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and to evaluate the role of the CAD system in reducing unnecessary biopsies of benign lesions.

Methods: We included a total of 137 nodules from 137 consecutive patients (mean age, 43.5 ± 11.

Hijacking the self-replicating machine of bacteriophage for PCR-based cascade signal amplification in detecting SARS-CoV-2 viral marker protein in serum.

In this work, the nucleic acid detection of SARS-Cov-2 is extended to protein markers of the virus, utilizing bacteriophage. Specifically, the phage display technique enables the main protease of SARS-Cov-2 to control the self-replication of m13 phage, so that the presence of the viral protease can be amplified by phage replication as the first round of signal amplification. Then, the genome of replicated phage can be detected using polymer chain reaction (PCR), as the second round of signal amplification.

Composition of the Gut Microbiota Associated with the Response to Immunotherapy in Advanced Cancer Patients: A Chinese Real-World Pilot Study.

Background: The composition of the gut microbiota is associated with the response to immunotherapy for different cancers. However, the majority of previous studies have focused on a single cancer and a single immune checkpoint inhibitor. Here, we investigated the relationship between the gut microbiota and the clinical response to anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) immunotherapy in patients with advanced cancers.

Comprehensive Molecular Profiling of Colorectal Cancer With Situs Inversus Totalis by Next-Generation Sequencing.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignances worldwide. However, CRC with situs inversus totalis (SCRC) is extremely rare, and molecular characterization of this disease has never been investigated.

Methods: Tumor tissue samples from 8 patients with SCRC and 33 CRC patients without situs inversus totalis (NSCRC) were subjected to multigene next-generation sequencing.

Exploring the Interobserver Agreement in Computer-Aided Radiologic Tumor Measurement and Evaluation of Tumor Response.

The accurate, objective, and reproducible evaluation of tumor response to therapy is indispensable in clinical trials. This study aimed at investigating the reliability and reproducibility of a computer-aided contouring (CAC) tool in tumor measurements and its impact on evaluation of tumor response in terms of RECIST 1.1 criteria.

PINK1 Alleviates Cognitive Impairments Attenuating Pathological Tau Aggregation in a Mouse Model of Tauopathy.

As a primary cause of dementia and death in older people, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a common problem and challenge worldwide. Abnormal accumulation of tau proteins in the brain is a hallmark pathology of AD and is closely related to the clinical progression and severity of cognitive deficits. Here, we found that overexpression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) effectively promoted the degradation of tau, thereby rescuing neuron loss, synaptic damage, and cognitive impairments in a mouse model of tauopathy with AAV-full-length human Tau (hTau) injected into the hippocampal CA1 area (hTau mice).

A Novel Nutrition-Based Nomogram to Predict Prognosis After Curative Resection of Gastric Cancer.

We sought to investigate the prognostic significance of body composition and weight change during the first 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy after R0 resection and develop novel nomograms to accurately predict relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). This retrospective study included 190 patients who underwent curative radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer and received adjuvant chemotherapy. The changes in weight and body composition including skeletal muscle index (SMI), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were analyzed for 6 months.

Functional Disability After Ischemic Stroke: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Shanghai, China.

This study aimed to understand the demographics, functional disabilities, cognitive impairment, and depressive mood among stroke patients and to explore the correlation between functional disability and the other health conditions so as to provide some data for community rehabilitation among stroke patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the functional status of ischemic stroke patients with stroke history between 1 month and 2 years by applying the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Data were collected during October 2016 and January 2017 from 11 communities in two districts of Shanghai, China.

Circular RNAs Interaction with MiRNAs: Emerging Roles in Breast Cancer.

Despite significant advances in cancer therapy strategies, breast cancer is one of the most common and lethal malignancies worldwide. Characterization of a new class of RNAs using next-generation sequencing opened new doors toward uncovering etiopathogenesis mechanisms of breast cancer as well as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of RNA with covalently closed and highly stable structures generated primarily from the back-splicing of precursor mRNAs.

Acer Truncatum Seed Oil Alleviates Learning and Memory Impairments of Aging Mice.

Aging, characterized by a time-dependent functional decline of physiological integrity, is the major independent risk factor for many neurodegeneration diseases. Therefore, it's necessary to look for natural food supplements to extend the healthy lifespan of aging people. We here treated normal aging mice with acer truncatum seed oil, and found that the seed oil significantly improved the learning and memory ability.

germline mutation in a Chinese family with colon cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Recent advances in genomic medicine have identified novel gene mutations that contribute to an increased risk of CRC. Here, we describe a diagnosis of colon cancer in a 63-year-old woman and also in her brother.

Sodium cantharidinate suppresses human osteosarcoma MG‑63 cell proliferation and induces cell cycle arrest by inhibition of PI3K/AKT activation.

The function and mechanism of sodium cantharidininate (SC) underlying its suppression of human osteosarcoma (OS) MG‑63 cells were investigated for the first time in the present study. MG‑63 cell proliferation was determined by WST‑1 assay post SC treatment at 0, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. The results showed that SC effectively inhibited MG‑63 cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in a dose‑dependent manner.

Effects of Tai Chi on balance and gait in stroke survivors: A systematic meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: To investigate the effects of tai chi on balance and gait in stroke survivors.

Methods: A systematic meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on the effects of tai chi on balance and gait in stroke survivors.

Results: Five randomized controlled trials, with a total of 346 patients, were included in the meta-analysis.

Primary culture of cat intestinal epithelial cells in vitro and the cDNA library construction.

Felids are the only definitive hosts of Toxoplasma gondii. To lay a foundation for screening the T. gondii-felids interaction factors, we have developed a reproducible primary culture method for cat intestinal epithelial cells (IECs).

Histone deacetylase 2 regulates doxorubicin (Dox) sensitivity of colorectal cancer cells by targeting ABCB1 transcription.

Purpose: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) have been shown to regulate cell cycle, differentiation, and apoptosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, while their roles in drug sensitivity remain unclear. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the effects of HDAC2 on drug resistance of CRC cells.

Methods: We measured the expression of class I HDACs (HDAC1, 2, 3, 8) in CRC and human normal colonic epithelial cells.

Overexpression of SCN5A in mouse heart mimics human syndrome of enhanced atrioventricular nodal conduction.

Background: In enhanced atrioventricular (A-V) nodal conduction (EAVNC) syndrome, patients have short A-V conduction times. Multiple mechanisms have been proposed to explain EAVNC; however, the electrophysiological or molecular substrate responsible for it remains unclear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that overexpression of SCN5A in the mouse heart may provide an animal model mimicking EAVNC.

Synergistic effect of celecoxib in tumor necrosis factor‑related apoptosis‑inducing ligand treatment in osteosarcoma cells.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis‑inducing ligand (TRAIL) is under clinical development as a cancer therapeutic as it has been shown to induce apoptosis in numerous types of cancer cells without significant toxicity towards normal cells. However, the majority of osteosarcoma (OS) tumors are resistant to TRAIL. Thus, the development of cancer therapeutics that overcome TRAIL resistance is required.

Use of metformin alone is not associated with survival outcomes of colorectal cancer cell but AMPK activator AICAR sensitizes anticancer effect of 5-fluorouracil through AMPK activation.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is still the third most common cancer and the second most common causes of cancer-related death around the world. Metformin, a biguanide, which is widely used for treating diabetes mellitus, has recently been shown to have a suppressive effect on CRC risk and mortality, but not all laboratory studies suggest that metformin has antineoplastic activity. Here, we investigated the effect of metformin and AMPK activator AICAR on CRC cells proliferation.

JNK confers 5-fluorouracil resistance in p53-deficient and mutant p53-expressing colon cancer cells by inducing survival autophagy.

Deficiency or mutation in the p53 tumor suppressor gene commonly occurs in human cancer and can contribute to disease progression and chemotherapy resistance. Currently, although the pro-survival or pro-death effect of autophagy remains a controversial issue, increasing data seem to support the idea that autophagy facilitates cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy treatment. Here we report that 5-FU treatment causes aberrant autophagosome accumulation in HCT116 p53(-/-) and HT-29 cancer cells.

Factors predicting surgical resection in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and cirrhosis.

Here, we investigate the potential factors that affect the outcome of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICC) and cirrhosis. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data and pathological features of 58 patients with ICC and cirrhosis who underwent liver resection between July 2000 and March 2008, and analyzed the prognostic risk factors by means of univariate and multivariate analyses. The overall morbidity and mortality were 40% and 3.

Glial-derived neurotrophic factor reduces inflammation and improves delayed colonic transit in rat models of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.

Background: Intestinal inflammation is well known to cause gut dysmotility through the effects on the enteric nervous system. Glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory effects and neuronal protective actions. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the GDNF could improve inflammation-induced gut dysmotility.

Curcumin ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis by blocking STAT3 signaling pathway.

Background And Aims: Although a series of studies have shown that curcumin can exert anti-inflammatory effects in colitis by inhibiting NF-κB activation, whether these anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin are also attributed to its ability to inhibiting STAT3 pathway has never been tested in experimental colitis to date. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether curcumin could exert its therapeutic effects in experimental colitis by inhibiting STAT3 pathway.

Materials And Methods: Curcumin was administered in experimental colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS).

Effect of adenovirus-mediated PTEN gene on ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer.

Purpose: This study investigated the expression pattern of PTEN and its effect on carcinogenesis of ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer, leading to insights into the underlying molecular mechanism.

Methods: We established a mouse model of ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer by treating the animals with azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sulphate sodium (DSS), and investigated the inflammation-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. Expression patterns of PTEN, p-Akt and Ki-67 were shown by immunohistochemistry; western blotting techniques were used to detect protein expression of PTEN, p-Akt and caspase 3; TUNEL assay was used to measure apoptosis in colon epithelial cells; and colorimetric analysis was able to determine MPO activity in colon tissues.

Estradiol promotes sudden cardiac death in transgenic long QT type 2 rabbits while progesterone is protective.

Background: Postpubertal women with inherited long QT syndrome type 2 (LQT2) are at increased risk for polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (pVT) and sudden cardiac death (SCD), particularly during the postpartum period.

Objective: To investigate whether sex hormones directly modulate the arrhythmogenic risk in LQTS.

Methods: Prepubertal ovariectomized transgenic LQT2 rabbits were treated with estradiol (EST), progesterone (PROG), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), or placebo (OVX).