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The method provided robust validation results with inaccuracy and imprecision values of ≤ 9.59 % and ≤ 11.1 % for all quality controls.

The presented method is suitable for accurate and simultaneous quantification of remdesivir, its metabolite GS-441525, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, ritonavir, favipiravir and azithromycin in human serum. The quantitative assay may be an efficient tool for the therapeutic drug monitoring of these potential drug candidates in COVID-19 patients in order to increase treatment efficacy and safety.

The presented method is suitable for accurate and simultaneous quantification of remdesivir, its metabolite GS-441525, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, ritonavir, favipiravir and azithromycin in human serum. The quantitative assay may be an efficient tool for the therapeutic drug monitoring of these potential drug candidates in COVID-19 patients in order to increase treatment efficacy and safety.

Oncotype DX is a multigene assay used in breast cancer, and the result provided as a ‘recurrence score (RS)’ corresponds to the risk of a cancer recurrence and the chemotherapeutic benefit in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)2-negative invasive breast cancer. However, its accessibility is limited.

To evaluate whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be used to predict Oncotype DX RS in patients with ER-positive HER2-negative invasive breast cancer.

We enrolled 473 patients with ER-positive HER2-negative invasive breast cancer who underwent a preoperative MRI and Oncotype DX assay between January 2015 and December 2018. The MRI was reviewed and associations between Oncotype DX RS values were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of high and low RS.

Of the 485 cancers, 288 (59.4%) had low (<18), 155 (31.9%) had intermediate (18-30), and 42 (8.7%) had high (≥31) RS. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that a round shape (odds ratio [OR]=2.554, P=0.089) and low proportion of washout component (OR=1.011, P=0.014) were associated with low RS and that heterogeneously dense (OR=3.205, P=0.007) or scattered fibroglandular (OR=3.776, P=0.005) breast tissue, a non-spiculated margin (OR=5.435, P=0.007), and low proportion of persistent component (OR=1.012, P=0.036) were associated with high RS.

MRI features showed the potential for the discrimination of Oncotype DX RS in patients with ER-positive HER2-negative invasive breast cancer.

MRI features showed the potential for the discrimination of Oncotype DX RS in patients with ER-positive HER2-negative invasive breast cancer.

Accurate and timely diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a diagnostic challenge given the lack of specific diagnostic and imaging biomarkers as well as the significant clinic overlap with mimic syndromes. We hypothesize that MR quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) can help differentiate ALS from mimic diagnoses.

In a blinded retrospective study of MRIs with QSM from 2015 to 2018, we compared motor cortex susceptibility along the hand and face homunculi in ALS patients and patients with similar clinical presentations. Inclusion required a confirmed ALS or a mimic diagnosis. Comparative groups included age-matched patients with MRIs performed for non-motor neuron symptoms that were reported as normal or demonstrated leukoaraiosis. Quantitative susceptibility values were compared with ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer (post-hoc). ROC analysis and Youden’s index were used to identify optimal cutoff values.

Fifty ALS, 35 mimic, and 70 non-motor neuron symptom patients (35 normal, 35 leukoaraiosis) were included. Hand and face homunculus mean susceptibility values were significantly higher in the ALS group compared to the mimic (p=0.001, p=0.004), leukoaraiosis (p<0.001, p=0.003), and normal (p<0.001, p<0.001) groups. ROC curve analysis comparing ALS to mimics resulted in an area under the curve of 0.71 and 0.67 for the hand and face homunculus measurements, respectively. In differentiating ALS from mimics, Youden’s index showed 100% specificity and 36% sensitivity for hand homunculus measurements.

QSM has diagnostic potential in the assessment of suspected ALS patients, demonstrating very high specificity in differentiating ALS from mimic diagnoses.

QSM has diagnostic potential in the assessment of suspected ALS patients, demonstrating very high specificity in differentiating ALS from mimic diagnoses.

Progestational stress has been proven to be a risk for the neural development of offspring, especially in the hippocampus. However, whether Chaihu Shugan San (CSS) can ameliorate hippocampal neural development via the regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) 2A (NR2A) and 2B (NR2B), and the mechanism of such action remains unclear.

Thirty-six female rats were randomly allocated into control, chronic immobilization stress (CIS) and CSS groups according to the random number table, respectively. The male offspring were fed for 21 days after birth then randomly divided into the same three groups (6 rats/group) as the female rats. Female rats, except for the control group, underwent 21-day CIS to established a progestational stress anxiety-like model which was evaluated by body weight, the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test and serum dopamine (DA) measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 3-Methyladenine ic50 The expression levels of estrogen receptors (ERα/ERese changes, especially the BDNF in the DG region (P < 0.05), and NR2A and NR2B in the CA3 and DG region (P < 0.05).

CSS could ameliorate the neural development of the hippocampus in offspring damaged by anxiety-like progestational stress in female rats via regulating the expression levels of ERα, ERβ, and PR in female rat ovaries and BDNF, NR2A, and NR2B in the hippocampus of their offspring.

CSS could ameliorate the neural development of the hippocampus in offspring damaged by anxiety-like progestational stress in female rats via regulating the expression levels of ERα, ERβ, and PR in female rat ovaries and BDNF, NR2A, and NR2B in the hippocampus of their offspring.