Combination of FDG PET/CT and Contrast-Enhanced MSCT in Detecting Lymph Node Metastasis of Esophageal Cancer

Tan, Ru,Yao, Shu-Zhan,Huang, Zhao-Qin,Li, Jun,Li, Xin,Tan, Hai-Hua,Liu, Qing-Wei Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.18

Background: Lymph node metastasis is believed to be a dependent negative prognostic factor of esophageal cancer. To explore detection methods with high sensitivity and accuracy for metastases to regional and distant lymph nodes in the clinic is of great significance. This study focused on clinical application of FDG PET/CT and contrast-enhanced multiple-slice helical computed tomography (MSCT) in lymph node staging of esophageal cancer. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifteen cases were examined with enhanced 64-slice-MSCT scan, and FDG PET/CT imaging was conducted for neck, chest and upper abdomen within one week. The primary lesion, location and numbers of metastatic lymph nodes were observed. Surgery was performed within one week after FDG PET/CT detection. All resected lesions were confirmed histopathologically as the gold standard. Comparative analysis of the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy based on FDG PET/CT and MSCT was conducted. Results: There were 946 lymph node groups resected during surgery from 115 patients, and 221 were confirmed to have metastasis pathologically. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of FDG PET/CT in detecting lymph node metastasis were 74.7%, 97.2% and 92.0%, while with MSCT they were 64.7%, 96.4%, and 89.0%, respectively. A significance difference was observed in sensitivity (p=0.030), but not the others (p>0.05). The accuracy of FDG PET/CT in detecting regional lymph node with or without metastasis were 91.9%, as compared to 89.4% for MSCT, while FDG PET/CT and MSCT values for detecting distant lymph node with or without metastasis were 94.4% and 94.7%. No significant difference was observed for either regional or distant lymph node metastasis. Additionally, for detecting para-esophageal lymph nodes metastasis, the sensitivity of FDG PET/CT was 72%, compared with 54.7% for MSCT (p=0.029). Conclusions: FDG PET/CT is more sensitive than MSCT in detecting lymph node metastasis, especially for para-esophageal lymph nodes in esophageal cancer cases, although no significant difference was observed between FDG PET/CT and MSCT in detecting both regional and distant lymph node metastasis. However, enhanced MSCT was found to be of great value in distinguishing false negative metastatic lymph nodes from FDG PET/CT. The combination of FDG PET/CT with MSCT should improve the accuracy in lymph node metastasis staging of esophageal cancer.

High-frame-rate Video Denoising for Ultra-low Illumination

( Xin Tan ),( Yu Liu ),( Zheng Zhang ),( Maojun Zhang ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2014 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.8 No.11

In this study, we present a denoising algorithm for high-frame-rate videos in an ultra-low illumination environment on the basis of Kalman filtering model and a new motion segmentation scheme. The Kalman filter removes temporal noise from signals by propagating error covariance statistics. Regarded as the process noise for imaging, motion is important in Kalman filtering. We propose a new motion estimation scheme that is suitable for serious noise. This scheme employs the small motion vector characteristic of high-frame-rate videos. Small changing patches are intentionally neglected because distinguishing details from large-scale noise is difficult and unimportant. Finally, a spatial bilateral filter is used to improve denoising capability in the motion area. Experiments are performed on videos with both synthetic and real noises. Results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in both peak signal-to-noise ratio objective evaluation and visual quality.

ORiginal Article : Silencing of CXCR4 Inhibits Tumor Cell Proliferation and Neural Invasion in Human Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

( Xin Yu Tan ),( Shi Chang ),( Wei Liu ),( Hui Huan Tang ) The Editorial Office of Gut and Liver 2014 Gut and Liver Vol.8 No.2

Background/Aims: To evaluate the expression of CXC motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in the tissues of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hilar-CCA) and to investigate the cell proliferation and frequency of neural invasion (NI) influenced by RNAi-mediated CXCR4 silencing. Methods: An immunohistochemical technique was used to detect the expression of CXCR4 in 41 clinical tissues, including hilar-CCA, cholangitis, and normal bile duct tissues. The effects of small interference RNA (siRNA)-mediated CXCR4 silencing were detected in the hilar-CCA cell line QBC939. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT. Expression of CXCR4 was monitored by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. The NI ability of hilar-CCA cells was evaluated using a perineural cell and hilar-CCA cell coculture migration assay. Results: The expression of CXCR4 was significantly induced in clinical hilar-CCA tissue. There was a positive correlation between the expression of CXCR4 and lymph node metastasis/NI in hilar-CCA patients (p<0.05). Silencing of CXCR4 in tumor cell lines by siRNA led to significantly decreased NI (p<0.05) and slightly decreased cell proliferation. Conclusions: CXCR4 is likely correlated with clinical recurrence of hilar-CCA. CXCR4 is involved in the invasion and proliferation of human hilar-CCA cell line QBC939, indicating that CXCR4 could be a promising therapeutic target for hilar-CCA. (Gut Liver 2014;8:196-204)

Radiation-induced Cochlea Hair Cell Death: Mechanisms and Protection

Tan, Pei-Xin,Du, Sha-Sha,Ren, Chen,Yao, Qi-Wei,Yuan, Ya-Wei Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.10

Cochlea hair cell death is regarded to be responsible for the radiation-induced sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), which is one of the principal complications of radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancers. In this mini-review, we focus on the current progresses trying to unravel mechanisms of radiation-induced hair cell death and find out possible protection. P53, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways have been proposed as pivotal in the processes leading to radiation hair cell death. Potential protectants, such as amifostine, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and epicatechin (EC), are claimed to be effective at reducing radiation-inducedhair cell death. The RT dosage, selection and application of concurrent chemotherapy should be pre-examined in order to minimize the damage to cochlea hair cells.

Global prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Darren Jun Hao Tan,Sabrina Xin Zi Quek,Jie Ning Yong,Adithya Suresh,Kaiser Xuan Ming Koh,Wen Hui Lim,Jingxuan Quek,Ansel Tang,Caitlyn Tan,Benjamin Nah,Eunice Tan,Taisei Keitoku,Mark D. Muthiah,Nichola 대한간학회 2022 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.28 No.4

Background/Aims: Depression and anxiety are associated with poorer outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the prevalence of depression and anxiety in HCC are unclear. We aimed to establish the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with HCC. Methods: MEDLINE and Embase were searched and original articles reporting prevalence of anxiety or depression in patients with HCC were included. A generalized linear mixed model with Clopper-Pearson intervals was used to obtain the pooled prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with HCC. Risk factors were analyzed via a fractional-logistic regression model. Results: Seventeen articles involving 64,247 patients with HCC were included. The pooled prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with HCC was 24.04% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.99–38.11%) and 22.20% (95% CI, 10.07–42.09%) respectively. Subgroup analysis determined that the prevalence of depression was lowest in studies where depression was diagnosed via clinician-administered scales (16.07%;95% CI, 4.42–44.20%) and highest in self-reported scales (30.03%; 95% CI, 17.19–47.01%). Depression in patients with HCC was lowest in the Americas (16.44%; 95% CI, 6.37–36.27%) and highest in South-East Asia (66.67%; 95% CI, 56.68–75.35%). Alcohol consumption, cirrhosis, and college education significantly increased risk of depression in patients with HCC. Conclusions: One in four patients with HCC have depression, while one in five have anxiety. Further studies are required to validate these findings, as seen from the wide CIs in certain subgroup analyses. Screening strategies for depression and anxiety should also be developed for patients with HCC.

Optimization of Antifungal Lipopeptide Production from Bacillus sp. BH072 by Response Surface Methodology

Xin Zhao,Zhi-jiang Zhou,Ye Han,Xi-qian Tan,Jin Wang 한국미생물학회 2014 The journal of microbiology Vol.52 No.4

Antifungal lipopeptide produced by Bacillus sp. BH072 wasextracted from fermentation liquor and determined as iturinA by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). For industrial-scale production, the yield of iturin A wasimproved by optimizing medium components and fermentationconditions. A one-factor test was conducted; fermentationconditions were then optimized by response surfacemethodology (RSM) to obtain the following: temperature,29.5°C; pH 6.45; inoculation quantity, 6.7%; loading volume,100 ml (in 500 ml flasks); and rotary speed, 150 rpm. Underthese conditions, the mass concentration of iturin A was increasedfrom 45.30 mg/ml to 47.87 mg/ml. The followingcomponents of the medium were determined: carbon sources(glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, rhamnose, and solublestarch); nitrogen sources (peptone, soybean meal, NH4Cl,urea, and ammonium citrate); and metal ions (Zn2+, Fe3+,Mg2+, Mn2+, Ca2+, and K+). The effects of these componentson iturin A production were observed in LB medium. Weselected sucrose, soybean meal, and Mg2+ for RSM to optimizethe conditions because of several advantages, includingmaximum iturin A production, high antifungal activity,and low cost. The optimum concentrations of these componentswere 0.98% sucrose, 0.94% soybean meal, and 0.93%Mg2+. After iturin A production was optimized by RSM, themass concentration reached 52.21 mg/ml. The antifungal specificactivity was enhanced from 350.11 AU/mg to 513.92AU/mg, which was 46.8% higher than the previous result. The present study provides an important experimental basisfor the industrial-scale production of iturin A and the agriculturalapplications of Bacillus sp. BH072.

Propofol suppresses non-small cell lung cancer progression by modulating circ_0001727/miR-516b-5p/LRRC1 axis

Tan Ming,Zhang Xin,Xing Maohui 한국응용생명화학회 2022 Applied Biological Chemistry (Appl Biol Chem) Vol.65 No.2

Propofol plays an anti-cancer role in diverse cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to study the function and underlying mechanism of propofol in NSCLC.Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assays were used to detect cell proliferation. The expression of circ_0001727, microRNA-516b-5p (miR-516b-5p) and leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 1 (LRRC1) mRNA was tested via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell migration and invasion were assessed by transwell assay. Angiogenesis and cell apoptosis were determined by tube formation assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Western blot (WB) assay was performed to measure all protein levels. In vivo experiments were conducted via establishing mice xenograft model. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were carried out to verify the relationship between miR-516b-5p and circ_0001727 or LRRC1.Circ_0001727 was overexpressed in NSCLC, and propofol treatment reduced circ_0001727 level in NSCLC cells. Propofol could repress proliferation, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis while accelerated apoptosis of NSCLC cells, while these effects were augmented by circ_0001727 knockdown. Moreover, circ_0001727 depletion in combined with propofol also inhibited tumorigenesis in vivo. MiR-516b-5p was targeted by circ_0001727, and miR-516b-5p downregulation counteracted the suppressive influence of circ_0001727 deficiency on the malignant behaviors of NSCLC cells. LRRC1 was targeted by miR-516b-5p, and miR-516b-5p exerted its anti-tumor function in NSCLC cells by targeting LRRC1. Additionally, circ_0001727 regulated LRRC1 expression via sponging miR-516b-5p.Propofol inhibited NSCLC progression by regulation of circ_0001727/miR-516b-5p/LRRC1 axis, which might offer an effective therapeutic target for NSCLC therapy.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition drives a pro-metastatic Golgi compaction process through scaffolding protein PAQR11

Tan, Xiaochao,Banerjee, Priyam,Guo, Hou-Fu,Ireland, Stephen,Pankova, Daniela,Ahn, Young-ho,Nikolaidis, Irodotos Michail,Liu, Xin,Zhao, Yanbin,Xue, Yongming American Society for Clinical Investigation 2017 The Journal of clinical investigation Vol.127 No.1

<P>Tumor cells gain metastatic capacity through a Golgi phosphoprotein 3-dependent (GOLPH3-dependent) Golgi membrane dispersal process that drives the budding and transport of secretory vesicles. Whether Golgi dispersal underlies the pro-metastatic vesicular trafficking that is associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains unclear. Here, we have shown that, rather than causing Golgi dispersal, EMT led to the formation of compact Golgi organelles with improved ribbon linking and cisternal stacking. Ectopic expression of the EMT-activating transcription factor ZEB1 stimulated Golgi compaction and relieved microRNA-mediated repression of the Golgi scaffolding protein PAQR11. Depletion of PAQR11 dispersed Golgi organelles and impaired anterograde vesicle transport to the plasma membrane as well as retrograde vesicle tethering to the Golgi. The N-terminal scaffolding domain of PAQR11 was associated with key regulators of Golgi compaction and vesicle transport in pull-down assays and was required to reconstitute Golgi compaction in PAQR11-deficient tumor cells. Finally, high PAQR11 levels were correlated with EMT and shorter survival in human cancers, and PAQR11 was found to be essential for tumor cell migration and metastasis in EMT-driven lung adenocarcinoma models. We conclude that EMT initiates a PAQR11-mediated Golgi compaction process that drives metastasis.</P>

BMB Reports : Nutlin-3 downregulates p53 phosphorylation on serine and induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

( Xin Li Shi ),( Jing Li Liu ),( Lai Feng Ren ),( Nan Mao ),( Fang Tan ),( Nana Ding ),( Jing Yang ),( Ming Yuan Li ) 생화학분자생물학회(구 한국생화학분자생물학회) 2014 BMB Reports Vol.47 No.4

Drug-resistance and imbalance of apoptotic regulation limit chemotherapy clinical application for the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. The reactivation of p53 is an attractive therapeutic strategy in cancer with disrupted-p53 function. Nutlin-3, a MDM2 antagonist, has antitumor activity in various cancers. The post-translational modifications of p53 are a hot topic, but there are some controversy ideas about the function of phospho-Ser392-p53 protein in cancer cell lines in response to Nutlin-3. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between Nutlin-3 and phospho-Ser392-p53 protein expression levels in SMMC-7721 (wild-type TP53) and HuH-7 cells (mutant TP53). We demonstrated that Nutlin-3 induced apoptosis through down-regulation phospho-Ser392-p53 in two HCC cells. The result suggests that inhibition of p53 phosphorylation on Ser392 presents an alternative for HCC chemotherapy. [BMB Reports 2014; 47(4): 221-226]

Simulation Study on Optimizing Neural Network in Short-Term Electric Load Prediction

Tan Zhongfu,Xin He,Ju Liwei 보안공학연구지원센터 2016 International Journal of Multimedia and Ubiquitous Vol.11 No.3

It researches the short-term electric load prediction and short-term electric load has the characteristics of time-varying, uncertainty, nonlinearity, etc., so the traditional linear prediction method cannot correctly describe the changing rule of the short-term electric load prediction, and neural network has the deficiencies including local minimum value of neural network, over-fitting and weak generalization ability, and the prediction accuracy is lower. In order to improve the accuracy of the short-term electric load prediction, this paper proposes a short-term electric load prediction model (IQPSO-BPNN) based on optimizing BP neural network. Firstly, it improves Quantum Particle Swarm Optimization to optimize the BP neural network parameters, and then adopts the optimized BP neural network to conduct modeling for the nonlinear change law of the short-term electric load prediction. Finally, it takes simulation test for the model performance. The simulation result shows that IPQPSO solves the problems of the BP neural network, and improve the prediction accuracy of the short-term electric load and reduce the prediction error.