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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. Lesions diagnosed as malignant at histopathologic analysis were considered true-positive findings. Benign or indeterminate lesions required further confirmation with either repeat biopsy or clinical follow-up at 6 months or later. The primary endpoint was the diagnostic accuracy rate, and comparison between groups was made using the χ

This study aimed to compare the renal impairments in post-myocardial infarction (MI) rats with normal renal biochemical parameters at baseline with versus without cardiac dysfunction and explore the potential mechanisms involved in these differences. Sprague–Dawley rats with permanent ligation of coronary artery were used as MI models. Renal function, histological and molecular changes were compared between the reduced ejection fraction (EF) (EF

Cabernet Gernischt (CG) is a famous Chinese wine grape cultivar, the red wine of which is known for its green trait, especially when produced from grapes cultivated in regions with monsoon climate. To modify CG wine aroma, three enzyme preparations (H. uvarum extracellular enzyme, AR2000, and pectinase) were introduced in different winemaking stages with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Free and bound aroma compounds in young wines were detected using headspace solid-phase micro-extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and aroma characteristics were quantified by trained panelists. Results showed that simultaneous inoculation of enzymes and yeasts improved wine aroma. Partial least-squares regression revealed that the green trait was due mainly to varietal compounds, especially C6 compounds, and could be partly weakened by fermentative compounds. Moreover, H. uvarum enzyme treatments enriched the acid fruit note of CG wine by enhancing the synergistic effect of varietal volatiles and certain fermentative compounds, such as esters and phenylethyls.

In this double-blind, randomized controlled study, we assessed the therapeutic effects of high-frequency left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on negative symptoms of schizophrenia. For the study, 117 patients with prominent negative symptoms were randomized to a 20-day course of either active rTMS applied to the left DLPFC (n = 78) or sham rTMS (n = 39). The primary outcome measures were the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). Secondary outcomes included the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI) and the Udvalg for Kliniske Under sogelser (UKU) Side Effect Rating Scale. We found that treatment with high-frequency rTMS for 6 weeks significantly improved negative symptoms in the active group as compared to the sham group. However, active rTMS was not correlated with significant improvement in the CGI severity of illness scale (CGI-S). The improvement of negative symptoms persisted to the 24-week follow-up assessment. These results indicate that there is a lasting beneficial effect of rTMS on negative symptoms in absence of decrease in CGI scores. We conclude that rTMS may serve as a relatively noninvasive treatment that alleviates negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

Numerous studies have reported P50 gating deficits in schizophrenia, though with mixed results. Moreover, few studies have explored the association between P50 gating deficits and psychopathology in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. In the present study, we investigated the P50 auditory sensory gating patterns and their correlations with clinical symptoms in a large sample of Han Chinese patients with schizophrenia.We assessed P50 sensory gating with a 64-channel electroencephalography system in 133 patients with schizophrenia and 148 healthy controls. The schizophrenia symptomatology was assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).Patients with schizophrenia had a significantly higher P50 gating ratio (p0.001), longer S1 latency (p0.05), lower S1 amplitude (p0.01), and lower P50 difference (p0.001) than did controls. No significant correlations were found between the P50 gating measures and the PANSS total score or subscale scores in patients with schizophrenia.These findings suggest that the P50 sensory gating deficits identified in Chinese patients with schizophrenia may not be involved in the psychopathology of the illness.

DJ-1 is frequently overexpressed in a large variety of solid tumors, but the DJ-1 expression in laryngeal squamous cell cancer and its clinical/prognostic significance is unclear. We aimed to evaluate DJ-1 protein expression in glottic squamous cell carcinoma (GSCC) and to correlate this with clinicopathological data including patient survival. The expression of DJ-1 in GSCCs (60) and adjacent normal tissue (44) was assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. In addition, the role of DJ-1 was investigated in tumorigenesis by transfecting DJ1-specific siRNA into laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) Hep-2 cells. Our data showed that positive expression of DJ-1 was found in 85% of GSCCs. In univariate survival analysis of the GSCC cohorts, a highly significant association between DJ-1 expression with shortened patient overall survival (5-year survival rate 92.9%vs 66.6%; P = 0.001; log rank test) was demonstrated. In multivariate analyses, DJ-1, tumor grading, and pT status were significant prognostic parameters for shortened patient overall survival. Furthermore, siRNA targeting DJ-1 can effectively inhibit DJ-1 expression, resulting in enhanced apoptosis and less proliferation of Hep-2 cells. We concluded that DJ-1 overexpression might be a novel independent molecular marker for poor prognosis (shortened overall survival) of patients with GSCC. (Cancer Sci 2010; 101: 1320–1325)

In this study, we focused on the antihypertensive effect of newly fermented salt-free soy sauce (SFS) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). A 13-wk oral administration of SFS was performed daily in 8- to 21-wk-old SHRs with a dose of 200 mg/kg of body weight/d. The systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures were measured for each week during the experimental period. As a result, a significant (P0.01) BP lowering effect was observed from the 5th d to the end of the experiment in the SFS group compared with the control group (DeltaSBP(21-wk): 27 mmHg, DeltaDBP(21-wk): 20 mmHg). In contrast to such substantial effect by SFS intake, angiotensin I-converting enzyme activities in blood and local organs as well as pharmaceutical parameters such as serum Na(+) or K(+) level did not show any significant difference between in both SFS and control groups. Vasoconstriction experiment using thoracic aorta rings from 21-wk SHRs provided an interesting result that the rings from the SFS group evoked a2-fold higher increase in the angiotensin II-stimulated constrictive response compared with the rings from the control group (P = 0.012), which suggested that the SFS-intake would be effective in possessing a higher vessel tone.In this study, we investigated the antihypertensive effect of newly fermented SFS in SHRs. As a result of 13-wk SFS-administration, we found a significant antihypertensive effect of the SFS. This finding strongly demonstrates that the developed SFS would be greatly beneficial for health and useful for health-related industries.

We reviewed the clinical results of the past 7 years in order to investigate the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in nonunions of long bone fracture. Sixty-nine patients with 69 nonunions (22 femora, 28 tibiae, 13 humeri, 5 radii, and 1 ulna) were treated with extracorporeal shock waves. The technical parameters were 6,000 to 10,000 impulses at 28 kV (0.62 mJ/mm(2) energy flux density) for the femur and tibia, 4,000 impulses at 24 kV for the humerus (0.56 mJ/mm(2) energy flux density), and 3,000 impulses at 24 kV (0.56 mJ/mm(2) energy flux density) for the radius and ulna. Sixty-six patients were followed up. The total successful rate of bony union was 75.4%. ESWT was successful in hypertrophic nonunions and seemed to have no evident effect in atrophic nonunions. We believe that extracorporeal shock wave therapy may be a good choice for nonunions of long bone fracture especially in hypertrophic nonunions.

Background: Parental studies are often necessary subsequent to the identification of a chromosome abnormality. The recommended studies are based on assumptions about how chromosome rearrangements occur. One such assumption is that deletion size is stable through generations. Results: We have identified a family where a small subtelomeric deletion in a phenotypically and cytogenetically normal mother expanded nearly 10-fold into a clinically consequential and cytogenetically visible deletion in her affected daughter. Conclusion: Traditional parental follow-up studies would have not identified this expansion, but would have rather classified the deletion in the daughter as either de novo or benign. Only by sizing the deletion by array comparative genomic hybridisation in both the mother and the daughter was the expansion recognised. Previous assumptions about chromosome behaviour suggest that this phenomenon may have been easily missed in other cases of chromosomal deletions. Therefore, this case illustrates the need for more comprehensive analyses of parental chromosome structure when characterising an abnormality in a child.

Some di-peptides have been proven to exert an antihypertensive effect in mild-hypertensive subjects. The aim of this study was to clarify whether combined administration of an ACE inhibitor, captopril, with an antihypertensive di-peptide Val-Tyr (VY) would alter their potent antihypertensive effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Single oral administration of captopril (2.5 mg/kg), VY (25 mg/kg), or captopril (2.5 mg/kg)+VY (25 mg/kg) to 18-week-old male SHRs was performed. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured up to 9 h, and plasma captopril concentrations were determined. A transport study of captopril and/or VY across living rat jejunum from SHRs was also performed to evaluate the kinetics of absorption. Combined administration of captopril with VY failed to lower the BP during the 9-h experiment. A transport study of captopril or VY revealed that VY inhibited captopril transport, and vice versa, in a competitive manner and exhibited an approximately 1/3-fold lower Ki value for captopril compared with that for VY; indicating that both compounds compete for the same membrane transport pathway. A 50% decrease in plasma captopril levels by combined administration with VY supported that the attenuation of the BP lowering effect was due to inhibition of captopril uptake by VY. Consequently, our findings suggest that subjects treated with ACE inhibitors for hypertension should avoid combined-intake with antihypertensive foods that are rich in small peptides due to the competitive inhibition of drug uptake by these peptides.

CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) mediate immune tolerance in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). However, Tregs are functionally heterogeneous. Recently, we reported that three distinct Treg subsets (resting Tregs, activated Tregs and cytokine-secreting CD45RA-Foxp3lowCD4+ T cells) vary in the peripheral circulation of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC); however, the potential implication of these Treg subsets in LSCC immunity is unclear. Here, we report that activated Tregs and cytokine‑secreting CD45RA-Foxp3lowCD4+ T cells were increased in LSCC patients compared with healthy donors (HD) (p

This study investigated eye movement differences during facial emotion recognition between 101 patients with chronic schizophrenia and 101 controls. Independent of facial emotion, patients with schizophrenia processed facial information inefficiently; they showed significantly more direct fixations that lasted longer to interest areas (IAs), such as the eyes, nose, mouth, and nasion. The total fixation number, mean fixation duration, and total fixation duration were significantly increased in schizophrenia. Additionally, the number of fixations per second to IAs (IA fixation number/s) was significantly lower in schizophrenia. However, no differences were found between the two groups in the proportion of number of fixations to IAs or total fixation number (IA fixation number %). Interestingly, the negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia negatively correlated with IA fixation number %. Both groups showed significantly greater attention to positive faces. Compared to controls, patients with schizophrenia exhibited significantly more fixations directed to IAs, a higher total fixation number, and lower IA fixation number/s for negative faces. These results indicate that facial processing efficiency is significantly decreased in schizophrenia, but no difference was observed in processing strategy. Patients with schizophrenia may have special deficits in processing negative faces, and negative symptoms may affect visual scanning parameters.

To compare the real-time diagnostic accuracy of conventional white-light imaging (WLI) endoscopy with that of narrow-band imaging (NBI) endoscopy in patients at high risk for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Prospective study.A university tertiary care center.From July 28 through October 27, 2009, a total of 211 consecutive patients at high risk for NPC were enrolled. A high-performance endoscopic system equipped with WLI and NBI modes was used for a detailed examination of the nasopharynx during the same endoscopy.Diagnostic efficacies of WLI and NBI were compared with pathologic findings. Lesions were classified according to the detailed morphologic epithelial microvessel observations during NBI.A total of 285 lesions were detected, including 66 cancerous lesions. The sensitivity and negative predictive values of NBI in NPC screening were significantly higher than those of WLI (93.9% vs 71.2%, P = .001; and 98.1% vs 91.7%, P = .003; respectively); specificity and positive predictive value were not significantly different. During NBI, the presence of superficial, distorted, irregularly shaped microvessels indicated malignant lesions; 53 of 55 lesions (96.4%) with type IV intrapapillary capillary loops were confirmed on histologic testing as malignant. The false-negative and false-positive rates for NBI were 4.5% and 3.6%, respectively.Narrow-band imaging endoscopy is a promising tool to differentiate nonmalignant from malignant nasopharyngeal lesions on the basis of the morphologic findings of mucosal capillary vessels in vivo. In addition, NBI may increase the diagnostic value of endoscopy in populations at high risk for NPC.

Objectives: Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration is a life-threatening accident in infants, and is still a formidable clinical emergency to both otorhinolaryngologists and anesthesiologists. In this study, we attempted to assess the safety and ease of tracheobronchial foreign body removal in infants via suspension laryngoscopy and Hopkins telescopy under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Methods: The retrospective clinical study from 2006 to 2010 included 50 infants with foreign body aspiration, of whom 35 underwent suspension laryngoscopy and Hopkins telescopy and the other 15 underwent rigid bronchoscopy. All of the procedures were under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Results: All of the patients underwent temporary extubation. The foreign body was successfully removed in 46 cases and was not found in the other 4 cases. The mean operation time in the rigid bronchoscopy group was 13.20 ± 9.01 minutes, and that in the Hopkins telescopy group was 5.79 ± 3.54 minutes. The oxygen saturation level was below 90% in 17 cases, of which 7 were in the rigid bronchoscopy group and 10 were in the Hopkins telescopy group. The vital signs, including the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in expiratory gas and the heart rate, were stable in all cases. Conclusions: Foreign body removal in infants via suspension laryngoscopy and Hopkins telescopy under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation should be promoted, since it is relatively safe and easy for both anesthesiologists and otorhinolaryngologists to perform and has a remarkable success rate.

To detect the expression of DJ-1 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and to study the relationship between DJ-1 expression and clinical indexes of LSCC.The expressions of DJ-1 protein in 71 LSCC samples and 9 cases control samples from laryngeal mucosa tissues of non-LSCC patients were detected using streptavidin peroxidase immunohistochemistry staining and the relationships between DJ-1 protein expression and clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed.(1) The positive expression rate of DJ-1 protein in LSCC was 85.9%(61/71), which was significantly higher than the rate (55.5%, 5/9) in control laryngeal mucosa tissues (P0.05). (2) DJ-1 expression was related to tumor recurrence (P0.05), but not to sex, age, primary cancer position, T stage, clinical stage, lymph node metastasis and tumor differentiation. Tumor recurrence rate (53.3%) in the patients with higher expression of DJ-1 protein was higher than the rate (26.8%) in the patients with lower expression of DJ-1 protein (χ(2) = 5.164, P0.05). (3) With Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis, the cumulative 5-year survival rates were correlated with DJ-1 expression levels in laryngeal cancer tissues or cervical lymph node metastasis (all P0.05), but not to sex, age, primary cancer position, T stage, clinical stage and tumor differentiation.The expression of DJ-1 protein in LSCC is higher than that in control laryngeal mucous tissues. Overexpression of DJ-1 is associated with poor overall survival in LSCC patients.

It is known that ozone stress can induce airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. We constructed a successive ozone-stressed rat model and showed that AHR caused by ozone stress presented as increased lung resistance (R(L)) to inhaled histamine but not baseline R(L). Meanwhile, structural disruption and decreased expression of integrin beta4 on airway epithelia were observed. Further regression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between increases in R(L) to histamine (at 0.32 mg/ml) and mRNA expression of integrin beta4. Moreover, when integrin beta4 on human bronchial epithelial cells was knocked down, we found that reactive oxygen species was increased and apoptosis rates were higher. Overall, this study suggests that downregulation of integrin beta4 is important for the development ozone stress-induced AHR, presumably because it causes increased oxidative damage and epithelial apoptosis.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in males in the United States, yet the etiology of this disease is still poorly understood. In previous work from our laboratory, one or more deleted regions were found in prostate tumors distal to the breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA1) on chromosome 17. This suggested that genes at 17q21 may play a pivotal role in prostate cancer progression, and there may be new tumor suppressor genes at this locus. We now present a physical map built with P1, P1 artificial chromosome, and bacterial artificial chromosome clones encompassing a DNA sequence anchored by multiple STS markers. The analysis of prostate tumors indicated an 85-kb novel commonly deleted interval flanked by D17S1184-D17S183-D17S1203-D17S1860, which is at least 470 kb distal to the BRCA1 gene. Fifty-four of 126 prostrate cancer cases (43%) showed a deletion by a direct FISH technique using P1 probes in this region. Searching with clone end sequences in the sequence database BLAST, the deleted clone covered genomic DNA sequence that contained upstream binding factor (UBF), EPB3 genes, SHCL1, ASB-4-like sequence, and acidic protein-like sequence. PCR for the ESTs confirmed that these genes or ESTs are within the deletion region. Our results will be helpful for finding candidate tumor suppressor genes in prostate cancer.

There is a clear genetic component to prostate cancer susceptibility. Regions reported to be linked to prostate cancer include 1q24-25 (HPC-1), 1q42.2-43, and Xq27-28. There is limited genetic information on familial prostate tumors. We used the Utah Population Database to identify familial prostate cancer cases and selected 35 cases from high-risk families. Tissue blocks containing discernable tumor were available from 19 cases; 13 of these yielded adequate specimens for analysis. Six cases came from families with linkage to HPC-1, 3 were known to have linkage to Xq27-28, and 4 had no linkage to a known locus; 7 cases were analyzed from patients who showed no known linkage (sporadic tumors) as controls. These paraffin-embedded tumors were laser microdissected, degenerate oligonucleotide (DOP)-amplified, and labeled for fluorescence detection by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Loss of 7q, 10q, and 16q and gain of 8q were common abnormalities present in both familial and sporadic tumors. Distinctive abnormalities included loss of 3p12-3p22 in 3 of 6 HPC-7-linked cases and in 2 of 3 X-linked cases and gain of 6q11-6q21 in 2 each of HPC-1 and X-linked tumors. In conclusion, laser microdissection, DOP-PCR, and CGH is a feasible method for analysis of paraffin-embedded prostate tumors. This study provides preliminary data suggesting that familial prostate cancer harbors some unique genetic changes when compared with sporadic prostate tumors.

Aneusomy of chromosome 7 and loss at 7q (especially 7q31.1) have been reported in prostate cancer. To further investigate abnormalities of 7q and the relationship with whole chromosome 7 changes, we have conducted a dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis on isolated nuclei from 28 primary prostate cancers. A pericentromeric probe for chromosome 7, five newly isolated sequence-specific bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) probes from 7q31.1, and one BAC for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene at 7p12 were used in dual color hybridizations. Pericentromeric probes for chromosomes X and 4 were also used as controls. Sixteen (57.1%) of the 28 tumors showed clonal aberrations. Nine of them were trisomy 7 and four were hypertetrasomy for chromosome 7. Deletions at 7q31.1 were found in two of the high grade tumors. With the exception of these two cases, all other cases showed concordant results using all probes. These findings confirm previous studies that aneusomy of 7 is associated with prostate cancer progression, and there may be a tumor suppressor gene (TSG) at 7q31.1 which is associated with tumor progression. In addition, our study indicates: (1) the deletion pattern of individual nuclei infers that deletions at 7q31.1 precede reduplications of chromosome 7; and (2) the amplification of EGFR was not detected at the DNA level, suggesting that activation of this oncogene may play a minor role in prostate cancer.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant glial brain tumor in humans. The fact that deleted copies of chromosome 10 are observed frequently in primary GBM tumors supports the hypothesis that one or more tumor suppressor genes located on chromosome 10 occupy crucial growth control checkpoints for glial cells. Deletion mapping in primary GBM tumors using the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) test has implicated the 10q24-10qter region as one possible site for a gene. We report here on the molecular cytogenetic analysis of chromosome 10 abnormalities in a human GBM cell line, JBSA. LOH testing showed that JBSA cells were hemizygous for chromosome 10. Molecular cytogenetic analysis showed that the undeleted homologue was involved in a reciprocal translocation, t(7;10)(p21;q22). The translocation breakpoint on chromosome 10 lay within band q22 between D10S19 and D10S4. The fact that JBSA cells lack one homologue of chromosome 10 and carry a translocation breakpoint on the remaining one, proximal to the smallest region of overlap reported in primary tumor deletions, suggests that 10q22 may be another possible site for a tumor suppressor gene involved in GBM.

A human delayed rectifier K{sup +} channel gene has been localized to the long arm of human chromosome 20q13.2 by fluorescence in situ hybridization of genomic P1 clones from this locus. A polymorphic (GA) microsatellite repeat was identified in one of the P1 clones. The new SSR marker (D20S436) was genotyped in four CEPH pedigrees. Two-point linkage analysis indicated linkage of this marker to a PCR marker, D20S109, with a maximum lod score of 9.32 at {theta} = 0.001. The assignment of this K{sup +} channel gene to 20q13.2 eliminates it as a candidate for the gene associated with benign familial neonatal convulsions (BFNC), which has been localized to 20q13.3. Genetically, the K{sup +} channel gene maps more than 30 cM proximal to the BFNC locus. 16 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.

Twenty prostate tumor specimens, obtained from radical prostatectomies, and two lymph node metastases were examined by classical and molecular cytogenetic methods. A sample from each tumor was analyzed histologically and used for touch preparations. Adjacent samples were used for preparation of single-cell suspensions before cell culture (DirFISH) and for establishing cell cultures, which were subsequently harvested for classical G-banding analysis. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed on touch preparations, DirFISH, and cells obtained from tissue culture. Biotinylated pericentromeric probes for chromosomes 7 and 17, in addition to a digoxigenin-labeled X-chromosome probe, were used in a dual-color FISH assay. The results indicated that, in uncultured tumor cells, chromosome 17 was lost in 55% of specimens, chromosome 7 was gained in 16% of specimens, and 9% of specimens showed large tetraploid populations. After cell culture, 23% of specimens showed loss of chromosome 17, no specimens showed gain of chromosome 7, and no tetraploid populations were present. This study suggests that loss of chromosome 17 may play an important role in the development of prostate cancer, and that genetic changes observed after selection in vitro may not represent those in the original tumor.

AIM: To investigate the feasibility of compression anastomosis clip (CAC) for gastrointestinal anastomosis proximal to the ileocecal junction. METHODS: Sixty-six patients undergoing gastrointe-stinal anastomosis proximal to the ileocecal junction were randomized into two groups according to the anastomotic method, CAC or stapler. RESULTS: The postoperative recovery of patients in CAC and stapled anastomosis groups was similar. No postoperative complication related to the anastomotic method was found in either group. Both upper gastrointestinal contrast radiography at the early postoperative course and endoscopic examination after a 6-mo follow-up showed a better healing at the compression anastomosis. CONCLUSION: CAC can be used not only in colonic surgery but also in gastrointestinal anastomosis. Our result strongly suggests that CAC anastomosis is safe in various complication circumstances. However, it should be further confirmed with a larger patient sample.