Objective:To evaluate the value of pretreatment 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT-based heterogeneity for early prediction of targeted therapy outcome in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive metastatic breast cancer. Methods:From May 2012 to April 2018, 29 patients (all females, median age: 52 (32-69) years) who had HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer and underwent pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT in Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center were retrospectively enrolled. All patients received trastuzumab as first-line treatment and were followed up for 6-87 (median time: 35) months. The relations between clinicopathologic parameters or PET/CT-based parameters and progression-free survival (PFS)/overall survival (OS) were analyzed with Cox univariate analysis. The parameters with P≤0.01 were further analyzed with Cox multivariate analysis. Optimal cut-off values were determined by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The survival analyses were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Results:The median OS of the 29 patients was 30 (6-83) months, and the median PFS was 10 (2-29) months. The PET/CT-based heterogeneity index(HI), including the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max) ratio (SUV max-R; hazard ratio ( HR)=8.6, 95% CI: 2.7-27.8, P<0.001), the mean standardized uptake value (SUV mean)-2.5 (the cut-off value of standardized uptake value (SUV)=2.5) ratio (SUV mean-2.5-R; HR=2.6, 95% CI: 1.2-5.9, P=0.020), the metabolic tumor volume(MTV)-2.5 ratio(MTV-2.5-R; HR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.1-5.2, P=0.030), and the total lesion glycolysis(TLG)-2.5 ratio(TLG-2.5-R; HR=3.2, 95% CI: 1.4-7.4, P=0.008) of the lesion with the highest SUV max to that with the lowest SUV max, were significantly associated with PFS. None of the parameters was significantly associated with OS (all P>0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the SUV max-R was the only independent predictor for PFS ( HR=6.8, 95% CI: 1.8-26.1, P<0.01). Area under the ROC curve for SUV max-R was 0.747. With a cut-off value of 1.8, SUV max-R could effectively distinguish the benefit from non-benefit population treated with trastuzumab (15.0 vs 7.0 months; χ2=18.68, P<0.01). Conclusion:Pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT-based HI has potential value for early prediction of first-line trastuzumab treatment outcome in patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer.

Objective To investigate and design a coincidence detection system for an all-digital small animal PET scanner and evaluate its preliminary performance properties.Methods This coincidence module adopted a coincidence identification mode based on singles data in list-mode.Using digital signal processing technology,energy calibration,crystal identification,timing alignment and coincidence events extraction were performed on singles data in list-mode.The obtained data could be used for image reconstruction.Results The 13 × 13 crystal array was well recognized by the position histogram of one lutetium yttrium orthosilicate (LYSO) crystal block.In the coincidence timing histogram of the micro-Derenzo phantom,1.36 ns full width at half maximum was obtained.The rods with a diameter of 1.2 mm were clearly displayed in the reconstructed image of the micro-Derenzo phantom.Conclusion The coincidence module can provide satisfactory performance to meet the design needs of an all-digital small animal PET scanner.

Objective To explore the impacts of different nutrition support methods on short-term outcome in critically ill adult patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 1503 critically ill adult patients who needed nutrition support in an mixed intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary care university hospital from January 1994 to December 2009. The complication of nutrition support, length of stay (LOS) in ICU, morbidity of infection and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), and mortality among different nutrition support methods were compared. Results The Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) scores of the enrolled patients were no less than 3. LOS in early enteral nutrition (EN) patients were significantly shorter than those in not-early EN patients (P ＜ 0. 001) and parenteral nutrition (PN) patients (both P ＜ 0. 001). Infection rate (P ＜ 0. 001),morbidity of MODS (P ＜ 0. 001) and mortality (P ＜ 0. 001) were significantly lower than those in not-early EN and PN patients. LOS of patients receiving PN rich in glutamine (Gln) was significantly shorter than that in conventional formula (P = 0. 0000). Morbidity of infection (P= 0. 0252) and MODS (P = 0. 0030), mortality (P =0. 0305) were significantly lower than that of conventional patients. LOS of patients receiving intensive insulin therapy (IIT) was significantly shorter than that of controlled group (P = 0. 0000). Morbidity of infection (P =0. 0001) and MODS (P = 0. 0237) and mortality (P =0. 0427) were significandy lower than those of controlled group. Conclusions Nutritional risk is prevalent among critically ill adult patients. Early EN, PN of rich in Gln,and receiving IIT can shorten LOS, decrease morbidity of infection and MODS, and improve prognosis among these patients.

Objective To explore the effects of alanyl-glutamine (Ala-Gln) dipeptide supplemented parenteral nutrition (PN) on the short-term outcomes in critically ill adult patients.Methods In this retrospective study,we reviewed the clinical data of critically ill adult patients who were treated by standard PN from January 2006 to December 2011.The length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU-LOS),incidences of infections and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS),and mortality were compared between the group of Ala-Gln dipeptide supplemented PN (intervention group) and the group of PN without Ala-Gln dipeptide (control group).Results Finially,617 cases were enrolled in the study,including 312 cases in the control group and 305 cases in the intervention group.The ICU-LOS was significantly shorter in the intervention group than that in the control group [(17.2 ± 6.5) d vs.(16.1 ± 5.3) d,P =0.011).Compared with the control group,the incidences of infection (42.9％ vs.33.1％,P =0.011) and MODS (46.5％ vs.38.0％,P =0.030) and the mortality (34.9％vs.25.9％,P =0.014) in the intervention group patients were significantly lower.Conclusion Ala-Gln dipeptide supplemented PN can improve the short-term outcomes of critically ill adult patients.

Objective:This study assesses the results of the clover technique for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation(TR) due to severe prolapse or tethering.Methods:From March 2016 to November 2018, 28 patients with severe TR due to prolapsing or tethered or adhesion leaflets underwent clover technique. Annuloplasty was associated in 27 patients(97%). The aetiology of TR was rheumatic in 19 cases(68%), subacute bacterial endocarditis in 4(14%), degenerative in 3(11%) and ischemia of right ventricular(the peacing leads compress the septum leaflet in 1 case) in 2(7%). The main mechanism of TR was prolapse/flail of one leaflet in 7 patients(23%), of two leaflets in 13 patients(46%) and of all three leaflets in 6 patients(21%). The remaining 2 patients(7%) presented with severe leaflets’tethering.Results:None deaths occurred during hospitalisation and one patient dischargedvoluntary 12 days after surgery. Follow-up of the 27 hospital survivors was 100% complete[mean length(1.2±0.8)years, range 0.25-1.70 years]. At the last echocardiogram, no or mild TR was detected in 25 patients(88.7%), moderate(2+ /4+ ) in two(9.6%) and severe(4+ /4+ ) in one patient(3.6%). Mean tricuspid valve area and gradient were(4.3±0.6 )cm 2 and(2.8±1.4)mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). There was no obvious valve stenosis in all cases. In all patients, echocardiography was performed and no signs of tricuspid stenosis were detected. At the multivariable analysis, the degree of TR at hospital discharge was identified as the only predictor of TR 2+ at follow-up. Conclusion:Clover procedure is simple and safe in the surgical management of various causes of TR besides severe tethering and calcification, it is an effective supplementary measure for annuloplasty.

Objective:To evaluate the value of radiomics based on contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) of internal and peripheral regions combined with clinical factors in predicting benign and malignant breast lesions of breast imaging reporting and data system category 4 (BI-RADS 4).Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical and imaging data of patients with breast lesions who were treated in Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital (Center 1) Affiliated to Qingdao University from July 2017 to July 2020 and in Fudan University Cancer Hospital (Center 2) from June 2019 to July 2020. Center 1 included 835 patients, all female, aged 17-80 (49±12) years, divided into training set (667 cases) and test set (168 cases) according to the "train-test-split" function in Python software at a ratio of 8∶2; and 49 patients were included from Center 2 as external validation set, all female, aged 34-70 (51±8) years. The radiomics features were extracted from the intralesional region (ITR), the perilesional regions of 5, 10 mm (PTR 5 mm, PTR10 mm) and the intra-and perilesional regions of 5, 10 mm (IPTR 5 mm, IPTR 10 mm) and were selected by variance filtering, SelectKBest algorithm, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Then five radiomics signatures were constructed including ITR signature, PTR 5 mm signature, PTR 10 mm signature, IPTR 5 mm signature, IPTR 10 mm signature. In the training set, univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to construct nomograms by selecting radiomics signatures and clinical factors with significant difference between benign and malignant BI-RADS type 4 breast lesions. The efficacy of nomogram in predicting benign and malignant BI-RADS 4 breast lesions was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC). Decision curve and calibration curve were used to evaluate the net benefit and calibration capability of the nomogram.Results:The nomogram included ITR signature, PTR 5 mm signature, PTR 10 mm signature, IPTR 5 mm signature, age, and BI-RADS category 4 subclassification for differentiating malignant and benign BI-RADS category 4 breast lesions and obtained AUCs of 0.94, 0.92, and 0.95 in the training set, test set, and external validation set, respectively. The calibration curve showed good agreement between the predicted probabilities and actual results and the decision curve indicated a good net benefit of the nomogram for predicting malignant BI-RADS 4 lesions in the training set, test set, and external validation set.Conclusion:The nomogram constructed from the radiomics features of the internal and surrounding regions of CESM breast lesions combined with clinical factors is attributed to differentiate benign from malignant BI-RADS category 4 breast lesions.

Here, we presented a method to bacterially express the major structural protein L1 of Human Papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18) as soluble form. We found that the purified L1 could self-assemble to virus-like particles (VLPs). Further, we investigated the immunogenicity and the induced level of neutralizing antibody using these VLPs. First, the genome of HPV18 was cloned from a patient in Xiamen. It was used as template for PCR amplification of HPV18 L1 gene. The resultant DNA fragment was inserted into expression vector pTrxFus and expressed in Escherichia coli GI724. Second, L1 protein was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography and hydrophobic interaction chromatography; and the purified L1 was subjected to self-assembly to form VLPs with the removal of premixed reductant DTT. Finally, the size and morphology of these VLPs was investigated by Dynamic Light Scattering and Transmission Electronic Microscopy as 29.34 nm in hydrated radius and globular particles similar with native HPV18. The half effective dosage (ED50) and maximum level of neutralizing antibody elicitation were measured by vaccinations on mice, rabbit and goat using pseudovirus neutralization cell model. The results showed that the ED50 of HPV18 VLPs is 0.006 microg in mice, and the maximum titer of neutralizing antibody elicited in rabbit and goat is up to 10(7). As a conclusion, we can provide HPV18 VLPs with highly immunogenicity from prokaryote expression system, which may pave a new way for research and development of prophylactic vaccine for HPV18.
Animals ; Capsid Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Goats ; Human papillomavirus 18 ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Mice ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Rabbits ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Virion ; genetics ; immunology

Rheumatic mitral stenosis is one of the most common cardiac valvulopathies in our country, which is relatively rare in European and American countries. Medical therapy is reserved mainly for the treatment of complications, which can not fundamentally change the valve structure. Only surgical treatments can correct these valve lesions, including closed mitral commissurotomy, percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty, mitral valve repair under direct vision and mitral valve replacement. Numerous studies demonstrate that valve repair provides better long-term results, though it occupies a low proportion clinically. This article reviewed domestic and foreign literature concerning surgical treatments for patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis to provide some reference for the peers.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic performance of repeat biopsy 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT to distinguish between benign and malignant prostate disease. Methods:The clinical data and medical imaging of thirty-nine patients underwent repeat prostate biopsy were analyzed respectively in this study. The median age of patients was 65 years (range 46-81 years), the median PSA level was 11.0ng/ml (range 5.4-49.8 ng/ml), f/tPSA was 0.15(0.01-16.50)ng/ml, prostate volume was 43.80(7.79-108.63)ml, and PSA density was 0.24(0.09-2.31)ng/ml 2. All patients underwent pre-biopsy 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT and the standard transrectal ultrasound-guided systematic prostate biopsy. Based on the biopsy results, 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT images of all patients were visually and semi-quantitatively analyzed. By visual analysis, 68Ga-PSMA uptake in prostate was defined as focal, multimodal and inhomogeneous, and then the detection rate of prostate cancer in each subgroup was analyzed. The value of the ROC curve in the diagnosis of prostate cancer was analyzed based on the SUV max of prostate cancer(SUV max), tumor-to-normal-prostate background(SUV T/BGp)as semi-quantitative parameters of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT. Results:Prostate cancer was detected in 18 patients (46.2%) and 12 patients (30.8%) had clinically significant disease. There were 11, 5 and 2 patients with prostate cancer respectively in men with a focal (12 patients), multifocal(7 patients) and inhomogeneous (20 patients) 68Ga-PSMA uptake. The ROC analysis revealed a SUV max 5.3 and SUV T/BGp1.8 as an optimal cut-off level to distinguish between non-prostate cancer and prostate cancer in 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT, the sensitivity and specificity were 100.0% and 85.7% for SUV max (AUC=0.979), 83.3% and 90.5% for SUV T/BGp (AUC=0.915). Conclusions:Pre-biopsy 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT could help to distinguish between benign and malignant prostate disease before repeat prostate biopsy and detect the foci of prostate cancer.

Objective: To understand the current situation and associated factors of myopia among primary school students, and to provide scientific basis for prevention and control of myopia among primary school students. Methods: In Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Liaoning, Shandong, Shanxi and other provinces, 1 prefecture was selected, and a number of primary schools were selected from each region. All the students in the class were selected as the object of this survey. A total of 8 365 middle school students were examined for their eyesight, and the data of general population economic indicators and natural environment indicators were obtained through the statistical yearbook of various provinces and cities. The influencing factors of primary school students myopia were analyzed by chi-square test and multivariate Logistic regression. Results: Univariate analysis showed that different provinces and different sex, different nationalities, different grade, parents average salary, sunshine duration, air temperature, altitude, longitude, latitude, different economic zone(χ2=116.22, 18.08, 26.33, 1 059.04, 14.86, 10.28, 16.95, 10.01, 23.15, 29.43, 88.14, P<0.05). Multivariate analysis results showed that gender, grade, sunshine duration, longitude were risk factor for poor vision(OR=1.31, 1.71, 1.45, 1.54, P<0.05); Economic zone and parents salary were protective factors for poor eyesight of students (OR=0.65, 0.86, P<0.05). Conclusion Myopia of primary school students is affected by a variety of factors, economic and social factors and natural environmental factors have an impact on the screening.