Objective: Versican (VCAN) has been reported as a potential biomarker in some cancers. However, its role in gastric cancer (GC) is poorly understood. Methods: Associations between clinical variables and VCAN were assessed. The diagnostic value of VCAN expression in GC patients was determined through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Cox regression and the Kaplan-Meier method were used to explore clinicopathologic factors related to overall survival in GC patients. The Gene Expression Omnibus and the Human Protein Atlas were used for further validation. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed using The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset. Results: High expression of VCAN was associated with high stage and T classification in GC. The area under the ROC curve was 0.853. Patients with high VCAN expression had worse prognoses than those with low VCAN expression. Multivariate analysis showed that VCAN was an independent risk factor for overall survival in both cohorts. GSEA identified pathways involved in cancer, ECM-receptor interaction, Wnt signaling, T cell receptor signaling, and chemokine signaling as differentially enriched in GCs with high VCAN expression. Conclusion: We demonstrated that VCAN is expressed at high levels in GC, and represents a potential independent molecular marker for diagnosis and prognosis of GC.

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Background:Differentiation of high-grade gliomas (HGGs) and low-grade gliomas (LGGs) is an important clinical problem because treatment strategies vary greatly. This study was performed to investigate the potential diagnostic value of incoherent intravoxel motion imaging (IVIM) to distinguish HGG from LGG by meta-analysis.Methods:A computerized search of the literature was performed using the free-access PubMed database, Web of Science, and Chinese biomedical database, and relevant articles until September 18, 2018 that used IVIM to distinguish HGG from LGG were included. All analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata. Mean difference (MD) at 95% confidence interval (CI) of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), diffusion coefficient value (D), perfusion fraction value (f), and perfusion coefficient value (D∗) were summarized.Results:Nine studies were used for general data pooling. In the tumor parenchyma (TP) regions, subgroup analysis revealed D∗ in HGG is higher than in LGG (MD = 1.19, P = .002), and D in HGG is lower than in LGG (MD = −1.06, P = .001). However, no significant difference in f (MD = 0.89, P = .056) was detected between HGG and LGG. In the white matter regions, HGG had higher D∗ (MD = 0.76, P = .04) compared with LGG, while no marked differences between the D value (P = .07) and f (P = .09) values.Conclusion:The present meta-analysis shows that the ADC, D, and D∗ values derived from IVIM may be useful in differentiating HGG from LGG. Considering the small sample of this study, we need to be cautious when interpreting the results of this study. Other prospective and large-sample randomized controlled trials were needed to establish the value of IVIM in differentiating HGG from LGG.

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Background: Low-intensity transcranial ultrasound (LITUS) may have a therapeutic effect on Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients to some extent. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and relaxation time T2∗ that indicate the integrity of fiber tracts and iron concentrations in brain tissue have been used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of LITUS.Purpose: This study aims to use FA and T2∗ values to evaluate the therapeutic effects of LITUS in a PD rat model.Materials and Methods: Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a hemi-PD group (n = 10) and a LITUS group (n = 10). Single-shot spin echo echo-planar imaging and fast low-angle shot T2WI sequences at 3.0 T were used. The FA and T2∗ values on the right side of the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta were measured to evaluate the therapeutic effect of LITUS in the rats.Results: One week after PD-like signs were induced in the rats, the FA value in the LITUS group was significantly larger compared with the PD group (0.214 ± 0.027 vs. 0.340 ± 0.032, t = 2.864, P = 0.011). At the 5th and 6th weeks, the FA values in the LITUS group were significantly smaller compared with the PD group (5th week: 0.290 ± 0.037 vs. 0.405 ± 0.027, t = 2.385, P = 0.030; 6th week: 0.299 ± 0.021 vs. 0.525 ± 0.028, t = 6.620, P < 0.0001). In the 5th and 6th weeks, the T2∗ values in the injected right SN of the LITUS group were significantly higher compared with the PD group (5th week, 12.169 ± 0.826 in the LITUS group vs. 7.550 ± 0.824 in the PD group; 6th week, 11.749 ± 0.615 in the LITUS group vs. 7.550 ± 0.849 in the PD group).Conclusion: LITUS had neuroprotective effects and can reduce the damage of 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in hemi-PD rats. The combination of FA and T2∗ assessments can potentially serve as a new and effective method to evaluate the therapeutic effects of LITUS.