Right-sided invasive metastatic thymoma of the heart

Cardiac tumours may display diverse symptoms through potential involvement of any structure of the heart. We describe a case of a highly malignant thymoma with involvement of different cardiac structures with important haemodynamic compromise. With the high sensitivity of transthoracic echocardiography for detection of intracardiac masses, computed tomography and magnetic resonance add essential structural preoperative information on the tumour and surrounding tissue as vessels, pleura, lung and mediastinum.     

Pièges,précautions et artefacts en scintigraphie myocardique : illustrations sur caméras semi-conducteurs

Since many years, the myocardial perfusion scintigraphy plays a leading role in the management of coronary artery disease because of its excellent performance for the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia. This exam has also a value widely recognized for risk stratification, assessment of the effectiveness of treatments and research of myocardial viability. The realization of this review is composite with many steps and persons which can potentially provide artefacts. The advent of semiconductor cameras significantly reduce some artefacts, but was not accompanied by a complete removal of these latters, which for some of them may be exacerbated. The use of such cameras will therefore require a learning curve to understand these evolutions. In this article, we propose a clinical illustration of centering artefacts specific of semiconductor cameras, examples of motion artefacts (respiratory and patient motion) and apical artefacts. These abnormalities are commonly encountered during daily practice of myocardial scintigraphy.     

Cytoplasmic tail of D1 dopaminergic receptor differentially regulates desensitization and phosphorylation by G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 and 3

Herein, we investigate the differential D1 dopaminergic receptor (D1R) regulation by G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) 2 and 3 using two truncated receptors lacking the distal (Δ425) and distal-central (Δ379) cytoplasmic tail (CT) regions. We first show the association between D1R and GRKs in co-transfected cells and rat striatum. Our studies further indicate that deletion of distal CT region of D1R does not alter the association between receptor and GRK2. Meanwhile, removal of both distal and central CT regions culminates in a drastic increase in the basal association between Δ379 and GRK2 relative to D1R and Δ425. Interestingly, CT truncations have no effect on the basal and DA-induced association of receptors with GRK3. Furthermore, we demonstrate that desensitization of D1R is considerably more robust in cells expressing GRK3. Notably, the robust GRK3-induced D1R desensitization is not attenuated by CT deletions. However, GRK2-induced Δ425 desensitization is not detectable whereas we unexpectedly find that Δ379 desensitization is similar to GRK2-induced D1R desensitization. GRK2 and GRK3-dependent desensitization of wild type D1R is not linked to differences in the extent of DA-induced receptor phosphorylation. Moreover, our studies show that GRK2-induced D1R phosphorylation is only modulated by deletion of distal CT region while distal and central CT regions control GRK3-induced D1R phosphorylation. Intriguingly, dopamine-induced Δ379 phosphorylation by GRK3 was significantly lower than receptor phosphorylation in cells harboring Δ379 alone or Δ379 and GRK2. Overall, our study suggests an intricate interplay between CT regions of D1R in differentially regulating receptor responsiveness by GRK2 and GRK3.     

Expression and purification of cGMP grade NY-ESO-1 for clinical trials

NY-ESO-1 is a cancer testis antigen expressed in numerous cancers. Initial tests have shown its efficacy as a cancer vaccine, stimulating the body's own immune response against the invading tumor. To produce enough material for phase I clinical trials, a process using current good manufacturing practices to produce clinical grade material was developed and executed. His-tagged NY-ESO-1 was expressed in C41DE3 Escherichia coli under control of the T-7 promoter. NY-ESO-1 was produced in a 20 L fed-batch fermentation utilizing a pH-stat control scheme. The protein was then purified from inclusion bodies using a three-column process that achieved a yield of over 3.4 g and endotoxin below the detection limit of 0.005 EU/μg protein.     

分侧肾上腺静脉取血与肾上腺CT对原发性醛固酮增多症诊断的价值比较研究

摘要 目的：研究原发性醛固酮增多症（PA）患者行分侧肾上腺静脉取血（AVS）、肾上腺CT诊断的效果。方法：数据遴选本院2018年1月-2021年11月收治的70例原发性醛固酮增多症患者,所有患者均行肾上腺CT、AVS诊断,对最终诊断结果比较分析。结果：收缩压、舒张压、空腹血糖、总胆固醇在单双侧间无差异（P＞0.05）,双侧肾素活性、血清醛固酮肾素比值较单侧存在差异（P＜0.05）;肾上腺CT与AVS诊断的符合率情况：肾上腺CT显示为单侧异常、双侧异常及双侧正常患者,AVS符合率分别为65.00 %、31.25 %、50.00 %;单独肾上腺CT诊断：灵敏度为57.1 %,特异度为25.7 %,肾上腺静脉采血诊断：灵敏度为74.3 %,特异度为42.9 %;并联联合诊断灵敏度为100.0 %,特异度为26.3 %,串联诊断灵敏度为19.5 %,特异度为100.0 %。结论：PA是临床常见疾病,具有患病率高、预后差等特点,临床依靠临床表现、血液生化检查诊断PA疾病,但仅借助血液生化检验进行诊断治疗较困难,功能定位是治疗关键。实际工作中,可以临床通过CT检查及AVS检查功能定位诊断,但对于PA患者来说,仅借助肾上腺CT诊断结果制定治疗方案,可能导致手术侧选择错误,建议愿意接受肾上腺手术治疗者,推荐先行AVS,正确选择治疗方案,达到改善预后作用,效果较理想、值得临床借鉴推广。     

侵袭性前列腺癌的CT、MRI表现与生物因子表达及淋巴结转移的相关性研究

摘要 目的：探讨侵袭性前列腺癌的电子计算机断层扫描（CT）、磁共振成像（MRI）表现与生物因子表达及淋巴结转移的相关性研究。方法：收集2016年2月-2021年2月于我院确诊前列腺癌患者117例,所以患者均行前列腺根治切除+盆腔淋巴结清扫术,术前均完善CT、MRI影像学检查,根据术后病理结果、Gleason评分分为侵袭性前列腺癌组（63例）和非侵袭性前列腺癌组（54例）,分析患者CT、MRI表现特征。采用免疫组织化学染色分析前列腺特异抗原（PSA）、增殖细胞核抗原（PCNA）、血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）、细胞核增殖相关抗原 (Ki-67)及肿瘤抑制蛋白（P53）的阳性表达情况。分析侵袭性前列腺癌的CT、MRI表现与生物因子表达及淋巴结转移之间的关系。结果：侵袭性前列腺癌患者CT、MRI均可见不同程度的前列腺异常改变,主要表现为结节状、波浪状突起,边缘模糊、毛糙,前列腺癌突破包膜并累及邻近精囊腺、膀胱、直肠及周围脂肪组织,可见盆腔肿大淋巴结转移,测量表观扩散系数（ADC）值及动态增强MRI定量参数可大致区分病灶良恶性及恶性程度分级情况。侵袭性前列腺癌组PSA的表达低于非侵袭性前列腺癌组,而PCNA、VEGF、Ki-67、P53的表达及淋巴结转移高于非侵袭性前列腺癌组,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。侵袭性前列腺癌患者肿瘤边缘表现为模糊、清晰时PSA、PCNA阳性表达率及淋巴结转移率组间差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;肿瘤直径≤2 cm、＞2 cm时的淋巴结转移率组间差异具有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。侵袭性前列腺癌组ADC值低于非侵袭性前列腺癌组,而Kep和Ktrans高于非侵袭性前列腺癌组患者,差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。侵袭性前列腺癌患者ADC值与PSA阳性表达呈正相关性（P＜0.05）,与PCNA、Ki-67、P53阳性表达及淋巴结转移呈负相关（P＜0.05）。侵袭性前列腺癌患者Kep、Ktrans与PSA阳性表达呈负相关性（P＜0.05）,与PCNA、Ki-67、P53阳性表达及淋巴结转移呈正相关（P＜0.05）。结论：侵袭性前列腺癌CT、MRI形态学具有一定特征性,通过测量ADC值及动态增强MRI定量参数可大致区分病灶恶性程度情况,初步评估前列腺癌的生物学行为,为指导临床综合治疗及预后情况提供客观依据。     

Primary lymphoma of the prostate: A report of two cases

The primary lymphoma of prostate is rare, representing 0.2–0.8% of extranodal lymphomas and 0.1% of all prostate neoplasias.     

多模态MRI、CT多期增强扫描联合D-二聚体对重症急性胰腺炎的预后评价作用分析

摘要 目的：分析多模态MRI、CT增强扫描联合D-二聚体对重症急性胰腺炎（SAP）的预后评价作用。方法：收集2018年7月至2021年12月于我院诊治的85例SAP患者的影像学及临床资料。所有患者入院48小时内均接受多模态MRI及CT多期增强扫描检查,入院24小时内完善D-二聚体测定,分析多模态MRI、CT多期增强扫描、D-二聚体单独及联合应用对SAP患者预后的评价效能。结果：（1）经MRSI评分,低分组52例,高分组33例,低分组住院天数、病死率低于高分组（P<0.05）;（2）经MCTSI评分,低分组42例,高分组43例,低分组住院天数、病死率低于高分组（P<0.05）;（3）以2 mg/L为界,D-二聚体低水平组39例,高水平组46例,低水平组住院天数、病死率低于高水平组（P<0.05）;（4）MRSI评分、MCTSI评分、D-二聚体水平预测SAP预后的ROC曲线下面积（AUC）分别为：0.804、0.738、0.810,三种方式均能有效预测SAP的死亡,且D-二聚体水平> MRSI评分>MCTSI评分;（5）多模态MRI、CT多期增强扫描联合D-二聚体诊断SAP的灵敏度为94.77%,特异度为92.58%,均高于多模态MRI、CT多期增强扫描、D-二聚体三种方法单独诊断以及两两结合诊断（P<0.05）。结论：多模态MRI、CT多期增强扫描联合D-二聚体共同检查可提高SAP诊断的灵敏度及特异度,有助于提高对患者预后评估的准确率。     

Deep Transfer Learning Based Classification Model for COVID-19 Disease

The COVID-19 infection is increasing at a rapid rate, with the availability of limited number of testing kits. Therefore, the development of COVID-19 testing kits is still an open area of research. Recently, many studies have shown that chest Computed Tomography (CT) images can be used for COVID-19 testing, as chest CT images show a bilateral change in COVID-19 infected patients. However, the classification of COVID-19 patients from chest CT images is not an easy task as predicting the bilateral change is defined as an ill-posed problem. Therefore, in this paper, a deep transfer learning technique is used to classify COVID-19 infected patients. Additionally, a top-2 smooth loss function with cost-sensitive attributes is also utilized to handle noisy and imbalanced COVID-19 dataset kind of problems. Experimental results reveal that the proposed deep transfer learning-based COVID-19 classification model provides efficient results as compared to the other supervised learning models.