Biomimetic injectable HUVEC‐adipocytes/collagen/alginate microsphere co‐cultures for adipose tissue engineering

Engineering adipose tissue that has the ability to engraft and establish a vascular supply is a laudable goal that has broad clinical relevance, particularly for tissue reconstruction. In this article, we developed novel microtissues from surface‐coated adipocyte/collagen/alginate microspheres and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) co‐cultures that resembled the components and structure of natural adipose tissue. Firstly, collagen/alginate hydrogel microspheres embedded with viable adipocytes were obtained to mimic fat lobules. Secondly, collagen fibrils were allowed to self‐assemble on the surface of the microspheres to mimic collagen fibrils surrounding the fat lobules in the natural adipose tissue and facilitate HUVEC attachment and co‐cultures formation. Thirdly, the channels formed by the gap among the microspheres served as the room for in vitro prevascularization and in vivo blood vessel development. The endothelial cell layer outside the microspheres was a starting point of rapid vascular ingrowth. Adipose tissue formation was analyzed for 12 weeks at 4‐week intervals by subcutaneous injection into the head of node mice. The vasculature in the regenerated tissue showed functional anastomosis with host blood vessels. Long‐term stability of volume and weight of the injection was observed, indicating that the vasculature formed within the constructs benefited the formation, maturity, and maintenance of adipose tissue. This study provides a microsurgical method for adipose regeneration and construction of biomimetic model for drug screening studies. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 1430–1443. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Intérêt de la scintigraphie pulmonaire de perfusion dans les dilatations des bronches de l’enfant

IntroductionBronchiectasis is a chronic disease of the lungs by repeated respiratory infection. An early and adequate diagnosis and management reduce the morbidity and mortality of this disease. The aim of this study is to emphasize the importance of the combination of Computer Tomography (CT) and lung perfusion scan (SPP) in the diagnosis and therapeutic approach.Materials and methodsForty-three children were referred in the nuclear medicine department with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiectasis; they underwent a CT and a SPP.Results and conclusionBy analyzing the results of the SPP and CT separately, we conclude that there is no significant difference between the two investigations. The combination of the two explorations provides a gain in most surgical therapeutic orientation.     

肺癌中piR-932的表达及其生物学行为机制研究

目的研究肺癌干细胞中piR-932的表达,以期为肺癌的治疗提供参考。方法应用piRNA芯片检测肺癌于细胞中piRNAs的表达,应用基因芯片检测肺癌干细胞中基因表达的差异,并检测表达下调的基因之一——Latexin的甲基化程度。结果经诱导至EMT的肺癌干细胞中,piR-932的表达明显增高,而Latexin的表达显著下降,并且Latexin启动子区域CpG岛发生了明显的甲基化。结论piR-932可能通过促进Latexin的甲基化而正渊节肺癌干细胞的EMT过程,它可作为肺癌治疗的一个潜在靶点。     

肺淋巴瘤的CT表现

目的：肺部淋巴瘤可为原发,亦可为其他部位淋巴瘤的肺部浸润,临床上很少见。准确的影像学诊断对于采取及时的治疗措施具有重要意义,然而该病影像学表现复杂多变,容易与多种其他肺部病变混淆,以往文献对于肺部淋巴瘤的CT影像特征性表现报道不多,本文旨在探讨肺部淋巴瘤的特征性CT表现,以提高该痛影像诊断的准确率。方法：回顾性分析17例病理证实的肺淋巴瘤患者CT资料,分析特征性影像表现。结果：17例中多发者13例,单发者4例。叶段性或斑片状实变影13例,多发结节影13例,肿块状实变影8例,具有两种以上病灶的12例。特征性的征象有：病灶密度均匀（88．2％,15／17）、病灶边缘模糊（82．3％,14／17）、支气管气相（64．7％,11／17）、支气管血管柬增厚（58．8％,10／17）和CT血管造影征（41．2％,7／17）,对诊断有较大意义。结论：肺部淋巴瘤CT表现以多发、多形态病变居多,具有一定特征性影像表现,密度均匀、边缘模糊的实变、团块或结节影,具有支气管气相、支气管血管束增厚、增强扫描可见CT血管造影征等表现可高度提示本病的可能,结合病史、临床表现以及实验室检查,可提高本病的诊断准确率,对于及时开展有效的治疗措施、改善患者预后具有重要的临床意义。     

肺癌早期诊断的研究进展

大多数肺癌患者在确诊时已属中晚期,5年生存率极低,早期诊断是改善其预后和提高生存率的关键。目前常用的肺癌早期诊断方法包括影像学、内镜和分子生物学技术等。除传统的X线胸片、磁共振（Magnetic Resonance Imaging,MRI）、正电子发射断层显像（Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography,PET-CT）等方法外,近年来逐步应用的高分辨CT（High-ResolutionComputed Tomography,HRCT）、低剂量CT（Low Dose Computed Tomography,LDCT）、自荧光纤维支气管镜（AutomaticFluorescence Bronchoscopy,AFB）、超声支气管内镜（Endo-Bronchial Ultra-Sound,EBUS）、荧光共聚焦显微镜支气管镜（FiberedConfocal Fluorescence Microscopy,FCFM）、细胞内镜（Endocytoscopy,EC）、电磁导航支气管镜（Electromagnetic NavigationBronchoscopy,ENB）、经支气管针吸活检术（Transbronchial Needle Aspiration,TBNA）、呼出气体分析和肿瘤标记物联合检测等,对于肺癌的早期诊断起到了重要作用,明显改善预后。本文就肺癌早期诊断的研究进展进行综述。     

Clinical significance of serum transforming growth factor-β1 in lung cancer

Background: Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) plays a critical role in human cancer development. Present study aimed to explore the clinical significance of serum TGF-β1 levels in patients with lung cancer and analyze the relationship between TGF-β1 and existing tumor markers for lung cancer. Methods: Serum was collected from 118 patients with lung cancer and 40 healthy volunteers. Serum TGF-β1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the association with various clinical characteristics was analyzed. The diagnostic value of TGF-β1 was assessed alone and in combination with existing tumor markers for lung cancer. Results: Serum TGF-β1 levels were significantly higher in patients with lung cancer compared to healthy volunteers [0.6 × 10⁵ (0.4 × 10⁵, 0.9 × 10⁵) pg/ml vs 0.5 × 10⁵ (0.3 × 10⁵, 0.7 × 10⁵) pg/ml, P = 0.040]. Although there was a positive correlation between serum TGF-β1 levels and advanced stages, the significant difference was not found between early stages and advanced stages (P = 0.116). The ability of serum TGF-β1 to discriminate lung cancer at a cutoff value of 79,168 pg/ml exhibited sensitivity of 30.6% and specificity of 97.5%. Serum TGF-β1 levels were correlated to cytokeratin fragment 21-1 (CYFRA21-1; R = 0.308, P = 0.020) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE; R = 0.558, P = 0.003). The diagnostic accuracy rates for the existing lung-tumor markers, as SCC, CYFRA21-1, and NSE, were increased from 20.0%, 34.6%, and 45.9% to 48.9%, 51.7%, and 54.5%, respectively by the inclusion of serum TGF-β1 levels. Conclusion: Quantification of serum TGF-β1 levels by ELISA may provide a novel complementary tool for the clinical diagnosis of lung cancer.     

Antihypertensive medications and survival in patients with cancer: A population-based retrospective cohort study

Background: The association between antihypertensive medications and survival in cancer patients remains unclear. Objectives: To explore the association between classes of antihypertensive drugs and survival in cancer patients. Methods: Provincial Cancer Registry data was linked with a Provincial Drug Program Information Network (DPIN) for patients with lung (n = 4241), colorectal (n = 3967), breast (n = 4019) or prostate (n = 3355) cancer between the years of 2004 and 2008. Cox regression analyses were used to compare survival of patients using beta blockers (BBs), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/receptor blockers (ACEi/ARB), calcium channel blockers (CCBs) or thiazide diuretics (TDs) to survival of patients who did not use any of these antihypertensive drugs. Survival of patients using only one class of antihypertensive drugs were compared to each other, with BBs as the reference class. Results: Compared to the antihypertensive drug non-user cohort, BBs had no effect on survival for any of the cancers. ACEi/ARBs use was weakly associated with increased deaths for breast cancer (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.04–1.44) and lung cancer (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03–1.21) patients. Deaths were also increased with CCB use in patients with breast cancer (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.02–1.47) and with TD use in lung cancer patients (HR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.01–1.19). There was strong evidence (p-value <0.0001) of an increase in deaths with TD use for colorectal (HR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.15–1.42), and prostate (HR 1.41, 1.2–1.65) cancer patients. When including only antihypertensive drug users prescribed one drug class, lung cancer patients receiving CCBs had improved survival compared to BBs (HR 0.79, 95% CI: 0.64–0.98). Conclusions: Some classes of antihypertensive agents are associated with a decreased survival in certain cancers. The decrease could be due to more comorbidities in antihypertensive drug users. However, CCB use was associated with improved survival in lung cancer patients.     

Intravital microscopy of the lung: minimizing invasiveness

In vivo microscopy has recently become a gold standard in lung immunology studies involving small animals, largely benefiting from the democratization of multiphoton microscopy allowing for deep tissue imaging. This technology represents currently our only way of exploring the lungs and inferring what happens in human respiratory medicine. The interest of lung in vivo microscopy essentially relies upon its relevance as a study model, fulfilling physiological requirements in comparison with in vitro and ex vivo experiments. However, strategies developed in order to overcome movements of the thorax caused by breathing and heartbeats remain the chief drawback of the technique and a major source of invasiveness. In this context, minimizing invasiveness is an unavoidable prerequisite for any improvement of lung in vivo microscopy. This review puts into perspective the main techniques enabling lung in vivo microscopy, providing pros and cons regarding invasiveness.

     

磁共振体素内不相干运动扩散加权成像在肺癌所致肺不张影像诊断中的初步应用

目的:探讨磁共振体素内不相干运动扩散加权成像(intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion weighted MR Imaging,IVIM-DWI)在肺癌所致肺不张的影像诊断中的初步应用。方法:选取独立肺段肺不张病变患者43例,其中肺癌致肺不张31例(肺癌组),局部炎症致肺不张12例(炎症组)。所有患者在药物治疗或手术前均行3.0T磁共振IVIM-DWI检查,b值取0、50、100、200、400、600、800、1000 s/mm~2,分别测量灌注分数(perfusion fraction,f)、真实扩散系数(diffusion coefficient,D)以及关注相关扩散系数(diffusion coefficient from the perfused compartment,D*),对上述参数值进行相关统计学分析,并依据受试者工作特征曲线(Receiver Operating Characteristic,ROC)对各参数的评价效能进行分析。结果:肺癌组的D值、D*值以及f值分别为(0.64±0.16)×10~(-3)mm~2/s、(19.77±6.16)×10~(-3)mm~2/s以及(29.62±9.74)%,而炎症组的D值、D*值以及f值分别为(0.67±0.14)×10~(-3) mm~2/s、(21.14±8.32)×10~(-3)mm~2/s以及(47.62±11.46)%;经比较,肺癌组D值、D*值与炎症组无统计学差异(P0.05),而二者f值差异显著,有统计学意义(P0.01)。f值最佳阈值为38.42%,此时曲线下面积(Area Under Curve,AUC)为0.94,诊断肺癌的特异度为0.89,敏感度为0.93,阳性预测值为0.92,阴性预测值为0.89。结论:磁共振IVIM-DWI技术在肺癌所致肺不张的影像诊断中具有一定的应用价值。     

脉冲震荡肺功能在稳定期COPD治疗中的应用价值

目的:探讨脉冲震荡肺功能(Impulse oscillometry,IOS)在稳定期COPD患者中应用价值及其和常规肺功能检测指标的相关性。方法:62例重度稳定期COPD患者,同时选择健康对照组人群40例纳入研究。经噻托溴铵联合沙美特罗替卡松治疗,将重度COPD患者缓解至中度。检测治疗前后常规肺功能指标(FEV1/FVC、FEV1)和IOS指标(ZRS、Fres、R5、X5、R20),分析常规肺功能指标和IOS各指标的相关性。结果:COPD患者FEV1和FEV1/FVC和对照组相比明显降低,差异有统计学意义(P0.05),观察组治疗后FEV1和FEV1/FVC明显改善,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。观察组ZRS、Fres、R5、R20各项指标明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);治疗后ZRS、Fres、R5明显改善,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。FEV1、FEV1/FVC和ZRS、Fres、R5呈负相关性(P0.05),和X5呈正相关性(P0.05)。结论:脉冲震荡肺功能多项指标和传统肺功能指标有良好的相关性,是一种简便、低配合度、准确的的肺功能新的检测技术手段。