Efficiency of the detection and diagnosis of calcification in breast lesions by digital breast tomosynthesis and full-field digital mammography / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To compare and analyze the calcification characteristics and diagnostic efficiency of different breast lesion types using digtal breast tomosynthesis (DBT) and full-field digital mammography (FFDM).Methods:Totally 1 263 patients who underwent both DBT and FFDM at the same time from January 2015 to December 2018 in Dahua Hospital, Xuhui district, Shanghai were analyzed retrospectively. Benign and malignant calcification should be confirmed by pathology or a follow-up of 24 months or more using mammography, and the results of DBT and FFDM were taken as a gold standard. The detection rate and diagnostic efficiency of different types of benign and malignant breast calcification with the two methods were compared and analyzed. The detection rate of morphology and distribution of malignant calcification were compared among groups.Results:There were 240 cases with non-dense breast including 56 cases with benign calcification and 13 cases with malignant calcification. Meanwhile, there were 1 023 cases with dense breast, including 356 cases with benign calcification and 63 cases with malignant calcification. In the cases of non-dense breast, the detection rates of benign calcification by DBT and FFDM were 22.9% (55/240) and 21.7% (52/240), whereas the rates of malignant calcification were 5.0% (12/240) and 4.6% (11/240), all without statistically significances（χ2=0.108, 0.046, P>0.05). No significant differences were observed in the morphology and distribution of malignant calcification detection rates ( P>0.05). In the cases of dense breast, the benign calcification detection rates by DBT and FFDM were 34.2% (350/1 023) and 31.9% (326/1 023), whereas the detection rates of malignant calcification were 6.0% (61/1 023) and 4.9% (50/1 023), all without statistically significances (χ2=1.273 and 1.153, P>0.05). DBT detected more cases of amorphous and cluster distribution of malignant calcification than FFDM, with statistically significant differences (χ2=12.921 and 11.667, P<0.05). The area under ROC curve of DBT and FFDM in diagnosis of non-dense breast were 0.993 and 0.992, and 0.987 and 0.964 in dense breast, respectively, with no significant differences ( Z= 0.136 and 1.391, P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with FFDM, DBT shows no statistical difference in the diagnostic efficiency of breast calcification. However, it has certain advantages in detecting malignant, amorphous, and clustered calcification in dense breast. DBT has a potential to improve the accuracy of BI-RADS classification of breast calcification.

Effect of luxS overexpression on biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans / 中华口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of quorum sensing luxS gene on biofilm formation through construction of a luxS overexpression strain by Streptococcus mutans (Sm).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In order to construct pIB-luxS plasmid, the luxS gene fragment amplified by PCR was inserted into the shuttle plasmid pIB169 by corresponding double digests. The pIB-luxS plasmid was linearized electro-transformed into Sm cell and the overexpression strain was selected on chloramphenicol plate and testified by electrophoresis and western blot. The growth rate of both Sm wild type strain and its luxS overexpression strain were observed. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay method was used to compare the biofilm formation quantification by both strains at different time points and containing different sucrose. The structures of the biofilms were observed by using confocal laser scanning microscopy, and biofilm-related gene expressions were investigated by real-time PCR. All experiments were performed in triplicate.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The luxS overexpression strain was successfully constructed and confirmed by electrophoresis and Western blotting. The planktonic growth mode of the wild-type and luxS overexpression strain showed no difference, but biofilm formed by Sm overexpression strain was 0.400 ± 0.009 and 0.609 ± 0.041 at 14 and 24 h, higher than the wild type strain biofilm at the same time point (0.352 ± 0.028 and 0.533 ± 0.014, respectively, P < 0.05). After adding 0.125% sucrose, biofilm formed by Sm overexpression strain raised to 1.041 ± 0.038, higher than that by the wild type strain (0.831 ± 0.020, P < 0.05). The biofilm formed by both strains were also increased with the sucrose concentration increase, but there was no difference between them. The overexpression strain aggregated into distinct clusters on structure, genes expression including gtfB, ftf, gbpB, relA, brpA, smu630, comDE, vicR were increased (6.10 ± 0.12, 3.34 ± 0.07, 8.75 ± 0.13, 2.96 ± 0.04, 5.20 ± 0.19, 2.20 ± 0.06, 2.32 ± 0.07 and 10.67 ± 0.57 fold) compared to the wild-type strain (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Quorum sensing luxS gene can promote the biofilm formation of Sm.</p>

Methyl-metabolism contributes to the LuxS regulation of Streptococcus mutans / 中华口腔医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the predominant contribution of methyl-metabolism pathway to the regulation of LuxS of Strecptococcus mutans.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The differences in biofilm formation and aciduricity of Strecptococcus mutans among the methyl-metabolism-complementation strain (KO-S), the parental wide-type strain (WT) and the luxS null strain (KO) were observed by real-time PCR for monitoring the transcriptional level of genes related to biofilm formation (smu.238, gtfD) and aciduricity (smu.44, smu.46) of the studied strains, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) for quantifying the biofilm of the exhibited strains and confocal laser scanning microscopy for estimating the structure of the biofilm.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The transcriptional level of smu.44, smu.46, smu.238, gtfD in WT were 1.289 ± 0.051, 1.694 ± 0.140, 1.565 ± 0.107, 1.667 ± 0.196 respectively; in KO were 1.001 ± 0.045, 1.007 ± 0.151, 1.000 ± 0.021, 1.012 ± 0.196 respectively, downregulated compared with WT (P < 0.05); in KO-S were 4.662 ± 0.091, 5.019 ± 0.258, 3.462±0.029, 3.071 ± 0.136 respectively, upregulated compared both with KO and with WT (P < 0.05). The quantity of biofilms formed by the studied strains were WT (1.592 ± 0.213), KO (0.939 ± 0.029), KO- S (2.177 ± 0.226), KO- P (1.020 ± 0.093), respectively, representing a less quantity by KO and KO-P than WT (P < 0.05) and a more quantity by KO-S than other three stains (P < 0.05). According to the observation of biofilms texture by confocal laser scanning microscopy, the WT biofilm was condensed and even. In contrast, fissures and gaps were found scattered in biofilms of KO, KO-P while lessened in that of KO-S, in which high-density bacterial aggregates were observed. The acid assay indicated a smaller biofilm decrease by WT and KO-S than that by KO and KO- P(P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The methyl- metabolism pathway contributes to LuxS regulation on biofilm formation and auiduricity of Strecptococcus mutans.</p>

Clinical value of 3. 0 T MRI diagnosis and staging in early endometrial carcinoma / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate T2WI sequence and liver acquisition with volume acceleration (LAVA) technique in the diagnosis of early endometrial carcinoma on 3.0 T MR scanner. Methods Twenty-seven patients with endometrial carcinoma confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed. MRI sequences included axial T1WI and sagittal T2WI with fat saturation, axial and sagittal LAVA scanning including four phases: early arterial phase, late arteral phase, parenchymal phase and delayed phase. The tumor location, signal features, and myometrial infiltration by tumor were recorded and preoperative staging was compared with pathologic results. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of T2WI and LAVA in diagnosing endometrial carcinoma was assessed. The accuracy of the evaluation of the deep myometrium infiltration was compared between the two sequences using Fisher's exact test. Results According to Federation International of Gynecologie and Obstetrigue (FIGO) standard, 27 patients with endometrial carcinoma were classified as: stage Ⅰ in 22 cases, stage Ⅱ in 5 cases. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values in assessing deep myometrium infiltration were 70.0% (7/10), 94. 1% (16/17), 87. 5% (7/8), 84. 2% (16/19) respectively for T2WI sequence. Its accuracy in assessing myometrium invasion was 85.2% (23/27). The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 80. 0% (8/10), 94. 1% ( 16/17 ), 88. 9% (8/9), 88. 9% ( 16/18 ) respectively for LAVA sequence, and the accuracy was 88.9% (24/27). There was no statistical difference of accuracy between two techniques( P = 1.00). Conclusion 3.0 T MR T2WI sequence has important role in diagnosing early endometrial carcinoma, and LAVA technique is highly valued in preoperative diagnosis and staging in early endometrial carcinoma for myometrium infiltration.

Clinical and image study of pancreatic hemocirculatory change in patients with acute pacreatitis / 中华消化杂志

Objective To study the change of pancreatic hemocirculation in patients with acute pancreatitis by magnetic resonance perfusion (MRP) and to explore its relationship with pancreatic severity. Methods With a prospective investigation method, APACHEⅡscores, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) scores, Binder scores and C-reactive protein (CRP) values were recorded within 72 h in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP,n=15) and mild acute pancreatitis (MAP,n=17), while other 19 volunteers were as controls. MRP were performed on 32 patients and 19 controls. Patients in SAP group were evaluated by above criteria after two-weeks treatment and MRP were performed in 12 of them. All cases with bolus injection of Gd-DTPA (0.2 mol/kg) were scanned by transversal same slice and fast spoil phase gradient echo. Three groups datum of MIR and MSR were gained by ROI time-signal graphy of pancreatic head, body and trail which were calculated by Perfxproject software. Results ① The rates of MIR and MSR in SAP group were lower than MAP group (P0.05).Conclusion MRP is an objective imaging technique, which can reflect the hemocirculatory variety in acute pancrea-titis.It may have a considerable value in evaluating the severity of acute pancratitis.