Evaluation the activity of alveolar echinococcosis: A comparison between 18F-FDG PET and spectral CT

AbstractPurposeTo assess the iodine concentration of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) using spectral computed tomography (CT) with comparison of [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (18F-FDG PET), and to estimate the value of spectral CT for evaluation of HAE activity.Materials and methods18 patients with histologically confirmed or clinically proved HAE underwent spectral CT and 18F-FDG PET examinations. After three-phase scanning, the quantitative iodine-based material decomposition images and optimal monochromatic image of spectral CT were reconstructed and iodine concentration (IC) was measured in different organizational structures.Results18F-FDG PET identified increased metabolic activity in the corresponding lesions in 13 patients (13/18, 72.2%). The iodine concentration in marginal zone of lesion were significantly higher than in solid component of lesion and normal liver parenchyma during PVP and VP. The iodine value of edge tissue of the lesion and normal liver and iodine value of normal liver tissues showed statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). There was correlation between IC and SUVmax in marginal zone of HAE lesion, it was highest during PVP (r = 0.873, p < 0.001). There was low correlation between CT values and SUVmax.ConclusionThere was good correlation between spectral CT and 18F-FDG PET. Spectral CT could be recommended as a more practical tool in the clinical routine

Pores Structure Change Induced by Heat Treatment in Cold-Sprayed Ti6Al4V Coating

In this study, the evolution of pores structure in cold-sprayed Ti6Al4V coating (TC4) was analyzed before and after 600-1100 °C heat treatment. It was found that almost no change happened to pores under the heat treatment temperature below 600 °C. When the heat treatment temperature was increased to 700 °C, the coating recrystallized, and pores turned to spheroid and healed because of the “bridging” effect. Some of the pores coarsened after 800 °C and 900 °C heat treatment. This kind of phenomenon grew severer when the heat treatment temperature increased to 1000 °C and 1100 °C. On the whole, with the increment of temperature, for the coating prepared at relatively low temperature, apparent porosity measured by image analysis method tended to go down first and then up, but it decreased all the time for the coating prepared at relatively high temperature. The reason for this phenomenon was contributed to the bonding state of particles in the coating. Only when there were fewer weakly bonded interfaces, the detachment between the particle interfaces which may be caused by release of residual stress did not occur, and there was no pores expansion and internal connectivity, so the porosity continuously decreased

A VQ-motif-containing protein fine-tunes rice immunity and growth by a hierarchical regulatory mechanism.

peer reviewedRice blast and bacterial blight, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae and the bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), respectively, are devastating diseases affecting rice. Here, we report that a rice valine-glutamine (VQ) motif-containing protein, OsVQ25, balances broad-spectrum disease resistance and plant growth by interacting with a U-Box E3 ligase, OsPUB73, and a transcription factor, OsWRKY53. We show that OsPUB73 positively regulates rice resistance against M. oryzae and Xoo by interacting with and promoting OsVQ25 degradation via the 26S proteasome pathway. Knockout mutants of OsVQ25 exhibit enhanced resistance to both pathogens without a growth penalty. Furthermore, OsVQ25 interacts with and suppresses the transcriptional activity of OsWRKY53, a positive regulator of plant immunity. OsWRKY53 downstream defense-related genes and brassinosteroid signaling genes are upregulated in osvq25 mutants. Our findings reveal a ubiquitin E3 ligase-VQ protein-transcription factor module that fine-tunes plant immunity and growth at the transcriptional and posttranslational levels

Automatic assessment of glioma burden: A deep learning algorithm for fully automated volumetric and bi-dimensional measurement

Background Longitudinal measurement of glioma burden with MRI is the basis for treatment response assessment. In this study, we developed a deep learning algorithm that automatically segments abnormal fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) hyperintensity and contrast-enhancing tumor, quantitating tumor volumes as well as the product of maximum bidimensional diameters according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria (AutoRANO). Methods Two cohorts of patients were used for this study. One consisted of 843 preoperative MRIs from 843 patients with low- or high-grade gliomas from 4 institutions and the second consisted of 713 longitudinal postoperative MRI visits from 54 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastomas (each with 2 pretreatment “baseline” MRIs) from 1 institution. Results The automatically generated FLAIR hyperintensity volume, contrast-enhancing tumor volume, and AutoRANO were highly repeatable for the double-baseline visits, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.986, 0.991, and 0.977, respectively, on the cohort of postoperative GBM patients. Furthermore, there was high agreement between manually and automatically measured tumor volumes, with ICC values of 0.915, 0.924, and 0.965 for preoperative FLAIR hyperintensity, postoperative FLAIR hyperintensity, and postoperative contrast-enhancing tumor volumes, respectively. Lastly, the ICCs for comparing manually and automatically derived longitudinal changes in tumor burden were 0.917, 0.966, and 0.850 for FLAIR hyperintensity volume, contrast-enhancing tumor volume, and RANO measures, respectively. Conclusions Our automated algorithm demonstrates potential utility for evaluating tumor burden in complex posttreatment settings, although further validation in multicenter clinical trials will be needed prior to widespread implementation

Development characteristics and main controlling factors of bedding-parallel lamellated fractures in shale in 7th member of Triassic Yanchang Formation, southwestern Ordos Basin

Bedding-parallel lamellated fractures are widely developed in shale in the 7th member of Triassic Yanchang Formation (hereinafter referred to as Chang 7) in the southwestern Ordos Basin, which holds significant importance for sweet spot selection, fracturing operations, and development planning. In this paper, based on the surface outcrop and core observations in the Qingcheng to Huachi region of the southwestern basin, combined with analysis and testing of organic matter content, mineral composition and fabric characteristics, the developmental characteristics of bedding-parallel lamellated fractures in different lithologies in the Chang 7 shale were identified, and the main controlling factors of fracture development were analyzed. Results show that the morphology and distribution of the bedding-parallel lamellated fractures are mainly controlled by the laminates, exhibiting characteristics such as continuous flatness, wavy bending and branching due to the different characteristics of the laminae. Sandstone bedding-parallel lamellated fractures are mostly distributed along the biotite laminae, with good continuity and large aperture, and are generally unfilled. Shale bedding-parallel lamellated fractures are most developed in black shale, mostly distributed along the bedding laminates composed of organic matter layers, with a few partially or completely filled by calcite and organic matter. The aperture is smaller than that of sandstone, but the density is higher. Bedding-parallel lamellated fractures are also controlled by organic matter content, lithology, mineral composition, and laminate structure. The sandstone bedding-parallel lamellated fractures are mainly controlled by the content of biotite and the laminates formed by it. When sandstone sorting is good and biotite content is high with a layered distribution, the degree of fracture development is high. As the density of the laminates increases, the degree of development of bedding-parallel lamellated fractures also increases. Shale bedding-parallel lamellated fractures mainly develop in organic matter laminates and tuffaceous laminates, and are controlled by organic matter content and mineral components. Fracture density increases first and then decreases with the density of the layers. Fracture density in thin laminates is higher than that in thick laminates

Antidiabetic cataract effects of GbE, rutin and quercetin are mediated by the inhibition of oxidative stress and polyol pathway

One of the earliest critical secondary complications of diabetes is the opacification of the eye lens - a condition strictly associated with diabetic cataract. The study presented here was designed to investigate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE), rutin and quercetin on streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic cataract (DC) rats. Ten weeks after administration of GbE, rutin and quercetin, the opacity of diabetic rats' lenses was graded under a slit lamp. Then, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs), and the activities of aldose reductase (AR) were estimated. The DC-induced rats produced less GSH, higher levels of MDA and AGEs as well as elevated AR activity when compared to the normal group. Administration of GbE, rutin and quercetin remarkably inhibited the AR activity, stimulated the production of glutathione, and decreased the levels of MDA and AGEs in the lenses of DC-induced rats, which eventually delayed the progression of lens opacification in diabetic rats to various degrees. Our results revealed that quercetin had the highest significant (P<0.05) potential to delay the progression of STZ-induced diabetic cataract when compared with rutin and GbE. The mechanism dictating this interesting prowess of quercetin might be attributed to its AR inhibitory strength, anti-lipid peroxidation potential and anti-AGEs activity

Antidiabetic cataract effects of GbE, rutin and quercetin are mediated by the inhibition of oxidative stress and polyol pathway

One of the earliest critical secondary complications of diabetes is the opacification of the eye lens - a condition strictly associated with diabetic cataract. The study presented here was designed to investigate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE), rutin and quercetin on streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic cataract (DC) rats. Ten weeks after administration of GbE, rutin and quercetin, the opacity of diabetic rats' lenses was graded under a slit lamp. Then, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs), and the activities of aldose reductase (AR) were estimated. The DC-induced rats produced less GSH, higher levels of MDA and AGEs as well as elevated AR activity when compared to the normal group. Administration of GbE, rutin and quercetin remarkably inhibited the AR activity, stimulated the production of glutathione, and decreased the levels of MDA and AGEs in the lenses of DC-induced rats, which eventually delayed the progression of lens opacification in diabetic rats to various degrees. Our results revealed that quercetin had the highest significant (P<0.05) potential to delay the progression of STZ-induced diabetic cataract when compared with rutin and GbE. The mechanism dictating this interesting prowess of quercetin might be attributed to its AR inhibitory strength, anti-lipid peroxidation potential and anti-AGEs activity

Curdione induces ferroptosis mediated by m6A methylation via METTL14 and YTHDF2 in colorectal cancer

Abstract Background Curdione is a sesquiterpene isolated from Curcumae Rhizoma that possesses high biological activity and extensive pharmacological effects. As a traditional Chinese medicine, Curcumae Rhizoma can inhibit the development of many types of cancer, especially colorectal cancer. However, the anti-colorectal mechanism of its monomer curdione remains unclear. Methods Colorectal cancer (CRC) cells were treated with curdione at doses of 12.5 μM, 25 μM, and 50 μM, and then the cells’ activity was measured with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT). Nude mice were administered different doses of curdione subcutaneously and oxaliplatin by tail vein injection, and then hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining was adopted to examine tumor histology. Moreover, flow cytometry was applied to detect reactive oxygen species in cells and tissues. Kits were employed to detect the levels of iron ions, malondialdehyde, lipid hydroperoxide, and glutathione. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting were adopted to detect ferroptosis and m6A modification-related factors. A methylation spot hybridization assay was performed to measure changes in overall methylation. SLC7A11 and HOXA13 were measured by MeRIP-qPCR. The shRNA-METTL14 plasmid was constructed to verify the inhibitory effect of curdione on CRC. Results A dose-dependent decrease in activity was observed in curdione-treated cells. Curdione increased the accumulation of reactive oxygen species in CRC cells and tumor tissues, greatly enhanced the levels of malondialdehyde, lipid hydroperoxide and Fe2+, and lowered the activity of glutathione. According to the qPCR and Western blot results, curdione promoted the expression of METTL14 and YTHDF2 in CRC cells and tissues, respectively, and decreased the expression of SLC7A11, SLC3A2, HOXA13, and glutathione peroxidase 4. Additionally, in animal experiments, the curdione-treated group showed severe necrosis of tumor cells, as displayed by HE staining. Furthermore, compared with the control group, levels of m6A modifying factors (namely, SLC7A11 and HOXA13) were increased in the tissues after drug intervention. METTL14 knockdown was followed by an increase in CRC cell activity and glutathione levels. However, the levels of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and iron ions decreased. The expression levels of SLC7A11, SLC3A2, HOXA13, and GPX4 were all increased after METTL14 knockdown. Conclusion The results suggest that curdione induces ferroptosis in CRC by virtue of m6A methylation