Background/PurposeAptamers are oligonucleotide or peptide molecules that bind to a target molecule with high affinity and specificity. The present study aimed to evaluate the target specificity and applicability for in vivo molecular imaging of an aptamer labeled with a radioisotope.MethodsThe human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/ErbB2) aptamer was radiolabeled with 18F-fluoride. HER2-positive tumor cell uptake of the aptamer was evaluated in comparison to negative controls by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Using 18F-labeled HER2-specific aptamer positron emission tomography (PET), in vivo molecular images of BT474 tumor-bearing mice were taken at 60, 90 and 120 minutes after injection.ResultsIn flow cytometric analysis, HER2 aptamer showed strong binding to HER2-positive BT474 cells, while binding to HER2-negative MDA-MB231 cells was quite low. Likewise, in confocal microscopic images, the aptamer was bound to HER2-positive breast cancer cells, with minimal binding to HER2-negative cells. In vivo PET molecular imaging of BT474 tumor-bearing mice revealed significant higher uptake of the 18F-labeled HER2 specific aptamer into the tumor compared to the that of HER2-negative cell tumor(p = 0.033). HER2 aptamer was able to preferentially bind to HER2-positive breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo, by recognizing HER2 structure on the surface of these cells.ConclusionThe 18F-labeled aptamer enabled appropriate visualization of HER2 expression by human breast cancer cells. The results suggest that a radiolabeled HER2 aptamer could potentially be applied in the development of treatment strategies or in targeted therapy against HER2-positive breast cancer cells.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate whether everolimus (EVR) affects long-term survival after liver transplantation (LT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods:The data from 303 consecutive patients with HCC who had undergone LT from January 2012 to July 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: 1) patients treated with EVR in combination with calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) (EVR group; n=114) and 2) patients treated with CNI-based therapy without EVR (Non-EVR group; n=189). Time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS) after propensity score (PS) matching were compared between the groups, and prognostic factors for TTR and OS were evaluated. Results:The EVR group exhibited more aggressive tumor biology than the Non-EVR group, such as a higher number of tumors (P = 0.003), a higher prevalence of microscopic vascular invasion (P = 0.017) and exceeding Milan criteria (P = 0.029). Compared with the PSmatched Non-EVR group, the PS-matched EVR group had significantly better TTR (P < 0.001) and OS (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, EVR was identified as an independent prognostic factor for TTR (hazard ratio [HR]=0.248; P = 0.001) and OS (HR=0.145; P < 0.001). Conclusion:Combined with CNIs, EVR has the potential to prolong long-term survival in patients undergoing LT for HCC. These findings warrant further investigation in a welldesigned prospective study.

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Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare but highly lethal disease. Therefore, its diagnosis at an early stage and a rapid and accurate establishment of a proper treatment strategy is warranted. Tumor glycolysis assessed by 18fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) is predictive of many cancers despite its limited proven applicability to ATC. We investigated the prognostic capability of [18F]FDG PET/CT in patients with ATC. Forty patients with ATC were subjected to [18F]FDG PET/CT for pre-treatment evaluation. The tumor size and stage, overall survival (OS), and PET parameters, including the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were analyzed. The 1-year OS rate was 17.5% with a mean life expectancy of 7.1 months. Distant metastasis was detected solely using PET/CT in 37.5% of cases. High SUVmax, MTV, and TLG were significantly associated with poor prognosis (p < 0.001, p = 0.002, and p < 0.001, respectively). A significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed in OS between patients with a high and low tumor SUVmax. Glucose metabolism assessed by [18F]FDG PET/CT was significantly associated with the OS of patients with ATC. PET-derived parameters such as SUVmax, MTV, and TLG are useful prognostic biomarkers for ATC.

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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine and share experiences of male nurses who have been rejected during their nursing practice by their patients. Methods: The participants were 12 male nurses who have worked in several hospitals. Data were collected through personalized in-depth interviews. Collected data were analyzed with the content analysis method. Results: The results can be categorized into three main themes. 1. Rejection based on gender stereotypes of nurses' roles. 2. Nurses' reactions when nursing was rejected 3. Reestablishing the role as a nurse. The results of this study showed that male nurses were struggling to maintain their own positions as professional nurses. They were refused by their patients and they experienced a lack of skill and knowledge in nursing practice. They were harmed physically and psychologically from being turned down, and sometimes they had serious conflicts with female nurses. Meanwhile, the male nurses tried to be faithful to their role as professional nurses. Conclusion: The results of this study show the following findings. 1. The male nurses' experiences where mostly ones of understanding and cooperation with patients' caregivers. 2. The need for public relations advertising and systematic support from the media. 3. The need for improving gender equality for nurses. 4. Strengthening male nursing students' endeavors for sound nursing professionalism.