Conventional stents versus stents loaded with (125)iodine seeds for the treatment of unresectable oesophageal cancer: a multicentre, randomised phase 3 trial.

Background: The combination of stent insertion and single high-dose brachytherapy is a feasible and safe palliative treatment regimen in patients with unresectable oesophageal cancer. We aimed to further assess the efficacy of this treatment strategy compared to a conventional covered stent in patients with dysphagia caused by unresectable oesophageal cancer.

Methods: In this multicentre, single-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial, we enrolled patients with unresectable oesophageal cancer from 16 hospitals in China.

Silencing of Jagged1 inhibits cell growth and invasion in colorectal cancer.

Dysregulated Notch signaling has a critical role in the tumorigenesis. Jagged1, a Notch ligand, is overexpressed in various human cancers. Recent studies revealed the involvement of Jagged1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) development.

A multicenter, randomized, controlled, single-blind comparison phase III study to determine the efficacy and safety of gadobutrol 1.0 M versus gadopentetate dimeglumine following single injection in patients referred for contrast-enhanced MRI of the body regions or extremities.

Purpose: To demonstrate the noninferiority of gadobutrol-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared with gadopentetate dimeglumine-enhanced MRI in Asian patients referred for contrast-enhanced imaging of the body or extremities.

Materials And Methods: A multicenter, parallel-group comparison study of Asian adults referred for contrast-enhanced MRI were randomized (1:1) to either gadobutrol or gadopentetate dimeglumine. Lesions were assessed for three primary visualization variables: degree of contrast enhancement, border delineation, and internal morphology.

Aberrant brain functional connectivity related to insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes: a resting-state fMRI study.

Objective: Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance, which is involved in the development of Alzheimer disease. This study aims to investigate the relationship between abnormal resting-state brain functional connectivity and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: A total of 30 patients with type 2 diabetes and 31 healthy well-matched volunteers were prospectively examined.

Embelin reduces colitis-associated tumorigenesis through limiting IL-6/STAT3 signaling.

The interleukin-6 (IL-6)/STAT3 signaling regulates survival and proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. Embelin is a small molecule inhibitor of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. We previously showed that embelin inhibits the growth of colon cancer cells in vitro, and effectively suppresses 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride-induced colon carcinogenesis in mice.

Classification of cirrhotic patients with or without minimal hepatic encephalopathy and healthy subjects using resting-state attention-related network analysis.

Background: Attention deficit is an early and key characteristic of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) and has been used as indicator for MHE detection. The aim of this study is to classify the cirrhotic patients with or without MHE (NMHE) and healthy controls (HC) using the resting-state attention-related brain network analysis.

Methods And Findings: Resting-state fMRI was administrated to 20 MHE patients, 21 NMHE patients, and 17 HCs.

Mammography and breast localization for the interventionalist.

The goal of any physician practicing breast imaging and interventions is to identify breast cancers at their earliest so as to best affect patient outcomes. As screening mammography is the most widely used diagnostic tool in the detection of breast cancer, a thorough understanding of mammography and potential benign and malignant findings are a core requirement for breast imagers and interventionalists. Once identified, tumors must be surgically removed.

PET imaging of neuroinflammation in a rat traumatic brain injury model with radiolabeled TSPO ligand DPA-714.

Purpose: The inflammatory response in injured brain parenchyma after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is crucial in the pathological process. In order to follow microglia activation and neuroinflammation after TBI, we performed PET imaging in a rat model of TBI using (18)F-labeled DPA-714, a ligand of the 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO).

Methods: TBI was induced in male SD rats by a controlled cortical impact.

Aberrant interhemispheric functional coordination in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and minimal hepatic encephalopathy.

Aberrant brain functional connectivity has been considered as the important mechanism underlying minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE); however, little is known about the change in interhemispheric connection in MHE patients. Twenty patients with HBV-related cirrhosis and MHE and 15 healthy controls were included in this study and underwent the resting-state fMRI scanning and diffusion tensor imaging. The functional connectivity between symmetric interhemispheric voxels was computed by a technique called voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC), in which the time series for each voxel in one hemisphere was correlated with that of its homotopic voxel.

Fully automated detection of corticospinal tract damage in chronic stroke patients.

Structural integrity of the corticospinal tract (CST) after stroke is closely linked to the degree of motor impairment. However, current methods for measurement of fractional atrophy (FA) of CST based on region of interest (ROI) are time-consuming and open to bias. Here, we used tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) together with a CST template with healthy volunteers to quantify structural integrity of CST automatically.

Study on risk factors for severe hand, foot and mouth disease in China.

Background: Epidemics of HFMD are elevated every year globally, especially in mainland China. The disease now presents as an increasing threat to public health worldwide.

Methods: Five hundred and seventy-one EV71-infected HFMD patients in Beijing You'an Hospital were grouped by disease severity: Mild (no severe complication) (n=221), and Severe group (complicated with brainstem encephalitis (BE), and/or pulmonary edema (PE) (n=350)).

[Value of imaging follow-ups in rabbit spinal metastasis model created by transplantation of VX2 carcinoma under computed tomographic guidance].

Objective: To explore the changes of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) after transplantation of VX2 carcinoma into lumbar vertebrae of rabbits under CT guidance and examine its relationship with the onset of paralysis.

Methods: A total of 52 rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups. Under CT guidance, pieces of VX2 carcinoma were transplanted into the first or second lumbar vertebra in Groups A, B and C (n = 14 each) while sham operation was performed in Group D (n = 10).

Src regulates angiogenic factors and vascular permeability after focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.

Developing new strategies to treat cerebral ischemic-reperfusion injury will require a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie vascular permeability. In this study we examined the temporal expression of Src and angiogenic factors in rat brain after focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion and analyzed the relationships among those factors. We also investigated the effect of Src inhibitor PP1 (4-amino-5-(4-methylphenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine) in ischemic reperfusion.

Altered spontaneous brain activity in type 2 diabetes: a resting-state functional MRI study.

Previous research has shown that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Patients with impaired cognition often show decreased spontaneous brain activity on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). This study used rs-fMRI to investigate changes in spontaneous brain activity among patients with T2DM and to determine the relationship of these changes with cognitive impairment.

Interdental osteotomies induce regional acceleratory phenomenon and accelerate orthodontic tooth movement.

Purpose: Although it has been revealed clinically that double-jaw orthognathic surgery induces a systemic increase in the baseline bone turnover and subsequently accelerates postoperative orthodontic tooth alignment, it is not clear whether less extensive osteotomy, such as interdental osteotomy, would be intensive enough to accelerate postoperative orthodontic tooth alignment.

Materials And Methods: Twelve adult male beagle dogs were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The sham control group (n = 6) received orthodontic tooth alignment of the maxillary incisors, and the experimental group (n = 6) received orthodontic tooth alignment of the maxillary incisors and interdental osteotomies between the maxillary third incisor and canine on both sides concurrent with the beginning of orthodontic tooth alignment.

Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for focal liver lesions in Chinese patients: a multicenter, open-label, phase III study.

Background: Contrast agents help to improve visibility in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. However, owing to the large interstitial spaces of the liver, there is a reduction in the natural contrast gradient between lesions and healthy tissue. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the liver-specific MR imaging contrast agent gadoxetate disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA) in Chinese patients.

Clinical value of surfactant protein-A in serum and sputum for pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis.

The aim of this study was to explore the diagnostic and differential diagnosis value of surfactant protein-A (SP-A) in the serum and sputum for pulmonary tuberculosis. A total of 101 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, 85 healthy volunteers, and 30 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients were divided into pulmonary tuberculosis group, healthy control group, and COPD group, respectively. SP-A was determined in the serum and sputum in the three groups by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Neural stem cell transplantation improves spatial learning and memory via neuronal regeneration in amyloid-β precursor protein/presenilin 1/tau triple transgenic mice.

Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation has recently become a main research target for Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment. In the present study, we transplanted NSCs from C57BL/6 mice into the hippocampus in the 12-month-old triple transgenic model of AD (3 × Tg) and determined whether NSC transplantation can alleviate impairments in spatial learning and memory via neuronal regeneration in AD mice. Two months after transplantation, Morris water maze tests suggested that spatial learning and memory in the 3 × Tg mice receiving NSCs was significantly improved compared to 3 × Tg mice not receiving NSCs.

Superparamagnetic functional C@FeO nanoflowers: development and application in acetaminophen delivery.

FeO nanoflowers (NFs) were synthesized via an aqueous solution method and coated with carbon through an in situ carbonization process. The synthesized C@FeO composites were further modified with strong oxidizing agents, forming functional C@FeO (FCF) flower-like composites with porous superstructure. Finally, the stable composites were used in the drug delivery test under ambient conditions; the amount of acetaminophen adsorption on the composite can weigh up to 25.

Re-evaluating transarterial chemoembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: Consensus recommendations and review by an International Expert Panel.

Patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) usually receive transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or systemic therapies with intermediate and advanced-stage disease. However, intermediate-stage HCC patients often have unsatisfactory clinical outcomes with repeated TACE and there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the criteria for repeating or stopping TACE treatment. In July 2012, an Expert Panel Opinion on Interventions in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (EPOIHCC) was re-convened in Shanghai in an attempt to provide a consensus on the practice of TACE, particularly in regard to evaluating TACE 'failure'.

Magnetic resonance and near-infrared imaging using a novel dual-modality nano-probe for dendritic cell tracking in vivo.

Background Aims: The effect of cellular-based immunotherapy is highly correlated with the success of dendritic cells (DCs) homing to the draining lymph nodes (LNs) and interacting with antigen-specific CD4(+) T cells. In this study, a novel magneto-fluorescent nano-probe was used to track the in vivo migration of DCs to the draining LNs.

Methods: A dual-modality nano-probe composed of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) and near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) dye (NIR797) was developed, and its magnetic and optical contrasting properties were characterized.

Peripheral subnuclear positioning suppresses Tcrb recombination and segregates Tcrb alleles from RAG2.

Allelic exclusion requires that the two alleles at antigen-receptor loci attempt to recombine variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) gene segments [V(D)J recombination] asynchronously in nuclei of developing lymphocytes. It previously was shown that T-cell receptor β (Tcrb) alleles frequently and stochastically associate with the nuclear lamina and pericentromeric heterochromatin in CD4(-)CD8(-) thymocytes. Moreover, rearranged alleles were underrepresented at these locations.