).q RSNA, 2015 Purpose:To demonstrate that a new set of parameters (D, b, and m) from a fractional order calculus (FROC) diffusion model can be used to improve the accuracy of MR imaging for differentiating among low-and high-grade pediatric brain tumors. Materials and Methods:The institutional review board of the performing hospital approved this study, and written informed consent was obtained from the legal guardians of pediatric patients. Multi-b-value diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 67 pediatric patients with brain tumors. Diffusion coefficient D, fractional order parameter b (which correlates with tissue heterogeneity), and a microstructural quantity m were calculated by fitting the multi-b-value diffusion-weighted images to an FROC model. D, b, and m values were measured in solid tumor regions, as well as in normal-appearing gray matter as a control. These values were compared between the lowand high-grade tumor groups by using the Mann-Whitney U test. The performance of FROC parameters for differentiating among patient groups was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results:None of the FROC parameters exhibited significant differences in normal-appearing gray matter (P  .24), but all showed a significant difference (P , . Conclusion:The FROC parameters can be used to differentiate between low-and high-grade pediatric brain tumor groups. The combination of FROC parameters or individual parameters may serve as in vivo, noninvasive, and quantitative imaging markers for classifying pediatric brain tumors.q RSNA, 2015

HOXA1, a member of the HOX gene family, has been implicated in tumor progression. However, the role of HOXA1 in prostate cancer is not well-established. In the present study, we found that HOXA1 was highly expressed in prostate cancer cells. We then repressed the expression of HOXA1 by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to investigate the function of HOXA1 in prostate cancer cells. Our in vitro data showed that knockdown of HOXA1 attenuated the growth, invasion and migration of prostate cancer DU-145 and PC-3 cells. Furthermore, knockdown of HOXA1 resulted in an increased E-cadherin level and decreased Snail and MMP-3 levels in the DU-145 cells. In addition, knockdown of HOXA1 inhibited activation of ERK1/2 and AKT in the DU-145 cells. Our in vivo data revealed that knockdown of HOXA1 suppressed the growth and metastasis of prostate cancer cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that HOXA1 is involved in the regulation of prostate cancer progression, including cell growth, migration, invasion and metastasis. Thus, downregulation of HOXA1 may be a novel approach for the treatment of prostate cancer.

No abstract

Percutaneous closure is an attractive alternative to surgery in selected patients with ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm for the better clinical advantages and economic benefits.

In this paper, a novel size-dependent functionally graded (FG) cylindrical shell model is developed based on the nonlocal strain gradient theory in conjunction with the Gurtin-Murdoch surface elasticity theory. The new model containing a nonlocal parameter, a material length scale parameter, and several surface elastic constants can capture three typical types of size effects simultaneously, which are the nonlocal stress effect, the strain gradient effect, and the surface energy effects. With the help of Hamilton’s principle and first-order shear deformation theory, the non-classical governing equations and related boundary conditions are derived. By using the proposed model, the free vibration problem of FG cylindrical nanoshells with material properties varying continuously through the thickness according to a power-law distribution is analytically solved, and the closed-form solutions for natural frequencies under various boundary conditions are obtained. After verifying the reliability of the proposed model and analytical method by comparing the degenerated results with those available in the literature, the influences of nonlocal parameter, material length scale parameter, power-law index, radius-to-thickness ratio, length-to-radius ratio, and surface effects on the vibration characteristic of functionally graded cylindrical nanoshells are examined in detail.

This experiment was to investigate ginger extract on production performance, antioxidant ability and immunity of laying hens. A total of 600 Hy-Line brown laying hens aged at 25 wk old were randomly divided into 2 treatments, 4 replicates per treatment, 75 layers each replicate. The control group hens were fed a basal diet; the experimental group hens were fed basal diets with 0.1% ginger extract. The results were shown as follows: 1) ginger extract significantly enhanced laying rates (P < 0.05) and daily egg weight (P < 0.05), substantially reduced the ratio of feed to egg (P < 0.05) of the hens; 2) ginger extract did not change the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and total antioxidant capacity (TAOC) but significantly improved plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P < 0.05), reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content (P < 0.05) of the birds; 3) ginger extract did not affect the contents of serum total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB), but significantly increased lysozyme (LZM) activity (P < 0.05); 4) ginger extract also significantly reduced plasma prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) content (P < 0.05). This study shows that ginger extract not only can improve the birds' antioxidant capacity, enhance immune function, but also has a potential of reducing inflammatory response.

No abstract

Adults can be treated with BPV using the Inoue balloon with encouraging immediate and long-term follow-up results that are similar to those in children using the single balloon.