Relationship between 18F-FDG PET/CT Semi-Quantitative Parameters and International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society Classification in Lung Adenocarcinomas

Objective@#To investigate the relationship between 18F-FDG PET/CT semi-quantitative parameters and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (IASLC/ATS/ERS) histopathologic classification, including histological subtypes, proliferation activity, and somatic mutations. @*Materials and Methods@#This retrospective study included 419 patients (150 males, 269 females; median age, 59.0 years;age range, 23.0–84.0 years) who had undergone surgical removal of stage IA–IIIA lung adenocarcinoma and had preoperative PET/CT data of lung tumors. The maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax), background-subtracted volume (BSV), and background-subtracted lesion activity (BSL) derived from PET/CT were measured. The IASLC/ATS/ERS subtypes, Ki67 score, and epidermal growth factor/anaplastic lymphoma kinase (EGFR/ALK) mutation status were evaluated. The PET/CT semiquantitative parameters were compared between the tumor subtypes using the Mann–Whitney U test or the Kruskal–Wallis test. The optimum cutoff values of the PET/CT semi-quantitative parameters for distinguishing the IASLC/ATS/ERS subtypes were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The correlation between the PET/CT semi-quantitative parameters and pathological parameters was analyzed using Spearman’s correlation. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. @*Results@#SUVmax, BSV, and BSL values were significantly higher in invasive adenocarcinoma (IA) than in minimally IA (MIA), and the values were higher in MIA than in adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) (all p < 0.05). Remarkably, an SUVmax of 0.90 and a BSL of 3.62 were shown to be the optimal cutoff values for differentiating MIA from AIS, manifesting as pure ground-glass nodules with 100% sensitivity and specificity. Metabolic-volumetric parameters (BSV and BSL) were better potential independent factors than metabolic parameters (SUVmax) in differentiating growth patterns. SUVmax and BSL, rather than BSV, were strongly or moderately correlated with Ki67 in most subtypes, except for the micropapillary and solid predominant groups. PET/CT parameters were not correlated with EGFR/ALK mutation status. @*Conclusion@#As noninvasive surrogates, preoperative PET/CT semi-quantitative parameters could imply IASLC/ATS/ERS subtypes and Ki67 index and thus may contribute to improved management of precise surgery and postoperative adjuvant therapy.

The value of histogram quantitative analysis based on diffusion kurtosis imaging in detecting prostate cancer and assessing tumor aggressiveness / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To explore the application value of histogram quantitative analysis based on diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in detecting prostate cancer (PCa) and assessing tumor aggressiveness. Methods One hundred and twenty patients were retrospectively enrolled in Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from November 2014 to November 2016,with diagnosis confirmed by prostate biopsy,definitive Gleason score(GS) results and prostate MRI examinations. There were 90 tumor foci in 67 prostate cancer patients, including 23 cases with GS≤6 (37 tumor foci), 7 GS 3+4=7(7 tumor foci), 3 GS 4+3=7(3 tumor foci).Thirty four cases who were with GS≥8(43 tumor foci)were divided into low-grade PCa(37 GS≤6)and high-grade PCa(53 GS≥7).Fifty three patients were diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH).All patients underwent conventional prostate MRI examination and multi b value DKI examination. The apparent diffusion coefficient(Dapp)corrected by non-Gaussian model,apparent kurtosis coefficient(Kapp)and ADC value were obtained for histogram analysis.Student's t test was executed to compare the differences of ADCs,Dappand Kappvalues between prostate cancer(PCa)and BPH,low-grade PCa and high-grade PCa.ROC curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of ADCs,Dappand Kappvalues in differentiating PCa from BPH and differentiating high-grade PCa from low-grade PCa. Pearson correlation was used to assess the correlations between the histogram quantitative parameters of ADCs,Dappand Kappvalues and Gleason score. Results Except skew of Kapp, the other histogram quantitative parameters of Kappbetween PCa and BPH were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Except the skew of Kapp, the other histogram quantitative parameters of Kappbetween low-grade PCa and high-grade PCa were statistically significant(all P<0.05).The median,mean and standard deviation of ADC,Dappand Kapphave good diagnostic value in detecting PCa from BPH and differing high-grade PCa from low-grade PCa.The area under ROC curve was ranging from 0.558 to 0.985.There were moderate to high correlations between median,mean of ADC(r=-0.701 and-0.676, respectively),median,mean of Dapp(r=-0.712 and-0.701,respectively),median,standard deviation,and kurtosis of Kapp(r=0.458,0.516 and-0.528,respectively)and Gleason score(all P<0.05).Conclusion The DKI parameters combined with histogram quantitative analysis is helpful in detecting prostate cancer and assessing tumor aggressiveness.

Preparation of a 96-microwell plate DNA diagnostic chip for detection of foodborne bacteria and its application in an incident of food poisoning / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop a 96-microwell plate DNA diagnostic chip for simultaneous detection of 9 major foodborne bacteria.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Type-specific PCR primers labeled with biotin and oligonucleotide probes were designed according to the conservative genes of 9 major foodborne bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7 (Stx1 and Stx2), Shigella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. A one-tube multiplex PCR system for simultaneous amplification of these bacteria was established, and the DNA probes were spotted and immobilized in the wells of the plate in 5x5 array format. Stable hybridization system between PCR products and oligonucleotide probes in the microwell was established after condition optimization. Alkaline phosphatase-conjugated streptavidin and NBT/BCIP were used to detect the hybridized PCR products.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty standard bacteria strains were used to validate the 96 microwell plate DNA diagnostic chip and highly specific and stable experiment results were obtained. Using this chip assay, the causal pathogen Staphylococcus aureus was identified within 12 h after the sampling from an incident of food poisoning, and the result was consistent with that obtained using conventional bacterial culture and biochemical identification.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The novel 96 microwell plate DNA diagnostic chip allows rapid, accurate, automated and high-throughput bacterial detection and is especially valuable for quick response to such public health emergencies as food poisoning.</p>

One-step multiplex RT-PCR for rapid screening of type A, B and novel A (H1N1) influenza viruses / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To developed a multiplex RT-PCR assay for simultaneous screening of type A, B and novel A (H1N1) influenza viruses.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two pairs of universal primers in were designed for amplifying the M gene and NS gene of type A and B influenza viruses, respectively. A pair of specific primers of HA gene was designed to detect novel A (H1N1) influenza virus. A one-step method was used to establish the multiplex RT-PCR system. A blinded experiment was carried out to validate the accuracy of this assay in comparison with the results of real-time fluorescence RT-PCR. The clinical practicability and efficacy of this assay was also evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The RT-PCR products were analyzed using agarose gel electrophoresis, which yielded distinct bands of the target fragments without non-specific reactions, suggesting the high efficiency and specificity of the multiplex RT-PCR. Blinded study of 50 samples demonstrated a concordance rate of 100%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This multiplex RT-PCR assay allows one-step simultaneous detection of type A, B and novel A (H1N1) influenza viruses rapidly and accurately, and provides a valuable low-cost screening technique for influenza epidemic monitoring and early diagnosis.</p>

Relative bioavailability and bioequivalence of azithromycin tablets in healthy volunteers / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the bioavailability and bioequivalence of azithromycin tablets in healthy volunteers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A single dose (500 mg) of azithromycin tablet (from 3 pharmaceutical companies) was given to 18 healthy volunteers according to a randomized cross-over design. The plasma concentrations of azithromycin were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).</p><p><b>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</b>The T(max) of azithromycin products of the 3 pharmaceutical companies were 2.3-/+1.1, 3.0-/+1.1 and 2.9-/+0.8 h, C(max) were 319.2-/+176.7, 303.10-/+144.60 and 313.70-/+165.00 ng/ml, AUC(0-144) were 5073.60-/+2933.00, 4296.80-/+1896.20 and 4797.80-/+3234.00 ng.h/ml, AUC(0-max) were 5461.60-/+3236.00, 4804.40-/+2162.90 and 5163.20-/+3497.50 ng.h/ml, respectively. Statistical analysis of the above main pharmacokinetic parameters of azithromycin tablets suggests the bioequivalence of the three formulations.</p>