Novel Sandwich-Structured Flexible Composite Films with Enhanced Piezoelectric Performance.

Piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and its copolymers have been widely investigated for applications in wearable electric devices and sensing systems, owing to their intrinsic piezoelectricity and superior flexibility. However, their weak piezoelectricity poses major challenges for practical applications. To overcome these challenges, we propose a two-step synthesis approach to fabricate sandwich-structured piezoelectric films (BaTiO3@PDA/PVDF/BaTiO3@PDA) with significantly enhanced ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. As compared to pristine PVDF films or conventional 0-3 composite films, a maximum polarization (Pmax) of 11.24 µC/cm2, a remanent polarization (Pr) of 5.83 µC/cm2, and an enhanced piezoelectric coefficient (d33 ∼ 14.6 pC/N) were achieved. Simulation and experimental results have demonstrated that the sandwich structure enhances the ability of composite films to withstand higher poling electric fields in comparison with 0-3 composites. The sandwich-structured piezoelectric films are further integrated into a wireless sensor system with a high force sensitivity of 288 mV/N, demonstrating great potential for movement monitoring applications. This facile approach shows great promise for the large-scale production of composite films with remarkable flexibility, ferroelectricity, and piezoelectricity for wearable sensing devices.

Association between needle track bleeding and postoperative immediate pneumothorax in CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsies: a cross-sectional study.

The relationship between Needle Track Bleeding (NTB) and the occurrence of postoperative immediate pneumothorax remains unclear. In our cross-sectional study, we conducted a retrospective collected of data from 674 consecutive patients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsies between 2019 and 2022. A logistic regression model was employed to explore the association between NTB and postoperative immediate pneumothorax, and restricted cubic spline curves was used to investigate the link and its explicit curve shape. A sensitivity analysis was performed by transforming the continuous NTB into categorical variable and calculated an E-value. A total of 453 participants (47.90% male) were included in our analysis. The postoperative immediate pneumothorax rate was 41.05% (186/453). We found a negative correlation between NTB and postoperative immediate pneumothorax (OR = 0.91, 95%CI 0.88-0.95) after adjusting for confounding factors. This relationship was nonlinear, with a key inflection point at NTB of 8 mm. No significant link was noted for NTB > 8 mm (OR = 0.98, 95%CI 0.95-1.02), while a protective association was observed for NTB ≤ 8 mm (OR = 0.74, 95%CI 0.66-0.81). NTB showed a nonlinear, protective correlation with postoperative immediate pneumothorax. However, when NTB exceeded 8 mm, the protective association was not observed.

Soil organic carbon stability and exogenous nitrogen fertilizer influence the priming effect of paddy soil under long-term exposure to elevated atmospheric CO2.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) stability and dynamics are greatly influenced by long-term elevated atmospheric CO2 [CO2]. The priming effect (PE) is vital in SOC stability and dynamics, but its role in paddy soil under long-term elevated [CO2] remains unclear. To examine how SOC stability changed in paddy soil after long-term elevated atmospheric CO2 enrichment, the PE was quantified through a 13C-glucose-induced experiment with different N levels for topsoil (0-20 cm) from paddy free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) platform. Compared with the ambient CO2 concentration ([CO2]), 10 years of elevated [CO2] (500 µmol·mol-1) significantly increased SOC and TN content by 18.4% and 19.0%, respectively, while the C/N ratio was not changed. The labile C fractions including dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROC), but excluding microbial biomass C (MBC), accumulated faster than SOC in paddy soil, which implied the reduced SOC stability for long-term elevated [CO2] enrichment. With the decline of SOC stability, the exogenously induced cumulative specific PE (PE per gram of SOC) remarkably increased by 41.1-72.7% for elevated [CO2] fumigation. The cumulative PE, especially the cumulative specific PE, was found significantly linearly correlated with the ROC content or ROC/SOC ratio (labile SOC pool). Furthermore, the application of nitrogen fertilizer slowed down the PE under elevated [CO2] condition. Our results showed that long-term elevated [CO2] enrichment reduced SOC stability and, together with exogenous nitrogen fertilizer, regulated the PE in paddy soil.

SGLT2 inhibitors alleviated podocyte damage in lupus nephritis by decreasing inflammation and enhancing autophagy.

OBJECTIVES: The protective role of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in renal outcomes has been revealed by large cardiovascular outcome trials among patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on lupus nephritis (LN) and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. METHODS: We applied empagliflozin treatment to lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice to explore the renal protective potential of SGLT2 inhibitors. An SGLT2 knockout monoclonal podocyte cell line was generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: In MRL/lpr mice treated with empagliflozin, the levels of mouse anti-dsDNA IgG-specific antibodies, serum creatinine and proteinuria were markedly decreased. For renal pathology assessment, both the glomerular and tubulointerstitial damages were lessened by administration of empagliflozin. The levels of SGLT2 expression were increased and colocalised with decreased synaptopodin in the renal biopsy samples from patients with LN and MRL/lpr mice with nephritis. The SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin could alleviated podocyte injury by attenuating inflammation and enhanced autophagy by reducing mTORC1 activity. Nine patients with LN treated with SGLT2 inhibitors with more than 2 months of follow-up showed that the use of SGLT2 inhibitors was associated with a significant decrease in proteinuria from 29.6% to 96.3%. Moreover, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was relatively stable during the treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the renoprotective effect of SGLT2 inhibitors in lupus mice, providing more evidence for non-immunosuppressive therapies to improve renal function in classic autoimmune kidney diseases such as LN.

CD36 aggravates podocyte injury by activating NLRP3 inflammasome and inhibiting autophagy in lupus nephritis.

A major cause of proteinuria in lupus nephritis (LN) is podocyte injury, and determining potential therapeutic targets to prevent podocyte injury is important from a clinical perspective in the treatment of LN. CD36 is involved in podocyte injury in several glomerulopathies and was reported to be a vital candidate gene in LN. Here, we determined the role of CD36 in the podocyte injury of LN and the underlying mechanisms. We observed that CD36 and NLRP3 (NLR family pyrin domain containing 3) were upregulated in the podocytes of lupus nephritis patients and MRL/lpr mice with renal impairment. In vitro, CD36, NLRP3 inflammasome, and autophagy were elevated accompanied with increased podocyte injury stimulated by IgG extracted from lupus nephritis patients compared that from healthy donors. Knocking out CD36 with the CRISPR/cas9 system decreased the NLRP3 inflammasome levels, increased the autophagy levels and alleviated podocyte injury. By enhancing autophagy, NLRP3 inflammasome was decreased and podocyte injury was alleviated. These results demonstrated that, in lupus nephritis, CD36 promoted podocyte injury by activating NLRP3 inflammasome and inhibiting autophagy by enhancing which could decrease NLRP3 inflammasome and alleviate podocyte injury.

New traction method (traction ring) for colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection.

OBJECTIVES: Colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is challenging because of the difficulty in adequately visualizing the submucosal layer. Many traction methods have been developed to facilitate submucosal dissection; however, they are not widely applied. Therefore, we designed a new traction device, a traction ring, and conducted this pilot study to evaluate its feasibility and safety for colorectal ESD. METHODS: Twenty patients with colorectal lesions who underwent traction ring-assisted ESD were retrospectively included. The main outcomes included en bloc resection rate, R0 resection rate, procedure time, resection time, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. RESULTS: The median procedure time was 74.5 min (range 35-269 min). The median resection time was 55 min (range 25-209 min). Application of the traction system accounted for only 2.7% of the entire procedure time. The en bloc resection rate was 95.0% (19/20), whereas the R0 resection rate was 90.0% (18/20). All traction rings were successfully set and retrieved. Significant intraoperative bleeding was not observed. One patient experienced perforation after treatment, but no further intervention was required. No delayed complications were observed within 1 month post-ESD. CONCLUSION: Traction ring is an effective and safe method for colorectal ESD and can be used at any location in the colorectum.

The comprehensive analysis of clinical trials registration for IgA nephropathy therapy on ClinicalTrials.gov.

OBJECTIVES: IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) is common chronic kidney disease with a high incidence. This study aims to analyze comprehensively therapeutic clinical trials for IgAN registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. METHODS: Therapeutic trials for IgAN registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. up to 15 August 2021 were obtained. The general characteristics, features of experimental design, treatment strategies, and some main inclusion criteria and outcome measures were accessed. RESULTS: A total of 104 therapeutic clinical trials for IgAN were extracted on ClinicalTrials.gov up to 15 August 2021. Most of these trials explored the treatment for primary IgAN confirmed by renal biopsy in adults. Only 9% of all selected trials had results. Forty-five percent of trials recruited 50 or fewer participants, and 73% were adults or older adults. 99% of trials were interventional studies, and of all the interventional trials, 70% of trials were randomized, and 68% exercised a parallel assignment of intervention model. Immunosuppression was the most studied for the treatment of IgAN. Moreover, many novel agents had been increasingly studied in recent years. Furthermore, the inclusion criteria and primary outcome measures in these trials were diverse, and the level of proteinuria and change of proteinuria levels were the most used as inclusion criteria and primary outcome, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of therapeutic trials for IgAN were randomized, none masking and parallel-assignment interventional studies, primarily recruiting adult patients as research subjects. These trials had relatively small sample sizes and short observation. Thus, more large-scale, multicenter, and randomized controlled trials are still needed to improve the management for IgAN.

A quantitative MRI investigation of the association between iliotibial band syndrome and patellofemoral malalignment.

BACKGROUND: The iliotibial band (ITB) has a wide patellar insertion that provides lateral restraint to the patella and maintains the patellofemoral joint's stability. There has been limited investigation into the relationship between patellofemoral malalignment and iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 47 knees with ITBS by retrieving magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data collected over an approximately 6-year period from our database. The Insall-Salvati ratio, lateral patellofemoral angle (LPA), lateral patellar tilt (LPT), lateral trochlear length (LTL), angle of the non-weight-bearing facet of the lateral femoral condyle (nwb-LFCA), and the ITB-lateral femoral condyle (IT-LFC) distance were measured on MR images. The knees of 47 age- and gender-matched subjects were enrolled as the normal group. RESULTS: In the ITBS group, over one third (34%, 16/47) of knees had abnormal patellofemoral measurements, including 8 (17%, 8/47) knees with patellar alta, 11 (23.4%, 11/47) knees with an abnormally decreased LPA, and 5 (10.6%, 5/47) knees with an abnormally increased LPT indicating lateral patellar tilt. Moreover, 8 knees had simultaneous combinations of two or three abnormality parameters, and 8 (17%, 8/47) knees presented with superolateral Hoffa's fat pad edema. The Insall-Salvati ratio, LPT, and nwb-LFCA in the ITBS group were significantly higher than those in the normal group (P=0.001, P<0.001, and P<0.001, respectively); the LPA and IT-LFC distances in the ITBS group were significantly lower (P=0.003, P<0.001, respectively) than those in the normal group. There were mild to moderate correlations between the MRI parameters and ITBS (P=0.006, P<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that a higher position or lateral tilt of the patella and a steeper morphology of the anterior part of the lateral femoral condyle were associated with the development of ITBS, which is helpful in understanding and further exploring the mechanism of ITBS.

Exosomal miR-186 derived from BMSCs promote osteogenesis through hippo signaling pathway in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND: Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) that results from estrogen withdrawal is the most common primary osteoporosis among older women. However, little is known about the mechanism of PMO, and effective treatment of PMO is limited. METHODS: We used real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blotting, and RNA pull down to investigate the relationship between miR-186 and MOB Kinase Activator 1A (Mob1). Also, we investigated the effect of exosome in osteogenesis using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining. And hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining was used to verify the osteogenesis in PMO model. RESULTS: Exosomal miR-186 plays an important role in bone formation. The results of miRNA-seq and q-PCR showed that miR-186 was upregulated in a PMO + Exo treatment group. Results of RNA-pull down and luciferase reporter assays verified interactions between miR-186 and Mob1. We also verified the Hippo signaling pathway plays an important role in osteogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that exosomes derived from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) can transfer miR-186 to promote osteogenesis in ovariectomy (OVX) rats through the Hippo signaling pathway.

Histopathological features of multiorgan percutaneous tissue core biopsy in patients with COVID-19.

AIMS: The global outbreak of COVID-19 has resulted in an increased mortality. However, whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can affect multiple organs is still unclear. In this study, postmortem percutaneous biopsies of multiple organs from deceased patients were performed to understand the histopathological changes caused by COVID-19. METHODS: Biopsy specimens of pulmonary, cardiac, hepatic and lymphoid tissues were obtained from three patients, who died due to COVID-19 pneumonia. H&E stain, Masson trichrome stain, immunohistochemistry stain and in-situ hybridisation were used. RESULTS: Pulmonary damages caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection was diffuse alveolar damage (DAD). In the early phase, the histological findings were mainly those of exudative features of DAD. The later phase was characterised by organisation of DAD combined with bacterial pneumonia. No serious damage was found in the bronchiolar epithelium and submucosal glands. The hepatic tissue revealed features of ischaemic necrosis, but findings suggestive of mild lobular hepatitis were also observed. The lymphoid tissue revealed features of non-specific acute lymphadenitis. The cardiac tissue revealed changes of underlying disease. SARS-CoV-2 RNAs were not detected in hepatocytes, cholangiocytes and lymphocytes of lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 predominantly involves the pulmonary tissue, causes DAD and aggravates the cardiovascular disease. However, other extrapulmonary tissues did not reveal any virus-specific findings, but were affected by multiple factors. The findings in this report caution the pathologists that they should not mistakenly attribute all the histological features to CoV infection. Moreover, the clinicians should pay attention to the potentially injurious and correctable causes.

Multicenter prospective study to validate a new transient elastography device for staging liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

OBJECTIVES: To validate the operational and diagnostic performances of a new device for transient elastography (TE), FibroTouch, for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). METHODS: In this prospective multicenter study, adult patients with CHB and valid liver pathological results were recruited to validate the operational and diagnostic performance of a TE device by FibroTouch for staging liver fibrosis. RESULTS: In total, 517 patients with histologically proven CHB were enrolled. All had achieved at least 10 successful liver stiffness measurements (LSM), resulting in a success rate of 99.1% and reliable evaluations of 95.2%. Altogether 412 patients were included to analyze the diagnostic performance of FibroTouch. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the LSM was 0.846 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.808-0.880) for fibrosis stage ≥ F1, 0.850 (95% CI 0.811-0.883) for ≥ F2, 0.908 (95% CI 0.876-0.934) for ≥ F3 and 0.874 (95% CI 0.836-0.903) for F4. The diagnostic accuracy of LSM was superior to that of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-platelet ratio (GPR), aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), or fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4) index in staging fibrosis F2-F4 (P = 0.007 to < 0.0001). Optimal LSM cut-off values for diagnosing fibrosis stage ≥ F1, ≥ F2, ≥ F3, and F4 were 5.5 kPa, 7.85 kPa, 10.0 kPa, and 12.7 kPa, respectively. CONCLUSION: FibroTouch has a high success rate and good reliability in staging liver fibrosis in patients with CHB.

Lateral ventricular volume and calcarine sulcus depth: a fetal MRI analysis of mild ventriculomegaly: A STROBE compliant article.

The aim of this study was to quantify changes in the lateral ventricular volume, the depth of the calcarine sulcus (CS), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of occipital lobe in fetuses with isolated mild ventriculomegaly (IMVM) using MRI.Seventy-one fetuses with IMVM at 25 to 38 weeks gestational age (GA) and 58 fetuses with normal lateral ventricles at 25 to 38 weeks GA were enrolled. Volumes of the lateral ventricles were measured by 3D magnetic resonance hydrography. Depths of the CS and ADC values were also evaluated. All differences were tested by t test. Bivariate correlations were performed using Pearson method.Fetuses with IMVM had significantly larger lateral ventricular volumes and smaller CS depths than controls (volumes: 9.37 ±â€Š2.20 mL vs 5.04 ±â€Š1.33 mL, respectively, P < .001; depths: 8.27 ±â€Š2.55 mm vs 10.30 ±â€Š3.14 mm, respectively, P < .001). In IMVM cases, the CS depths were smaller on the side with the larger ventricle (8.10 ±â€Š2.54 mm vs 9.59 ±â€Š2.81 mm, P < .001). No differences were observed in occipital lobe ADC values between the2 groups (IMVM = 1.80 ±â€Š0.24 µm/ms; controls = 1.78 ±â€Š0.28 µm/ms, P > .05).Fetuses with IMVM had larger lateral ventricular volumes, shallower CS depths, but normal occipital lobe ADC values.

A Chinese Male with Normal Hematological Indices and High Hb A2 Levels in ß-Thalassemia Trait.

ß-Thalassemia (ß-thal) is a common hematological disorder in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of Southern China. Heterozygous ß-thal is usually associated with reduced hematological indices and increased Hb A2 levels. However, the preventive program of the regional government only conducts the screening of hematological indices [complete blood count (CBC)] especially at primary hospitals. In this study, we describe a male ß-thal patient presenting normal hematological indices but with a high Hb A2 level. We proposed that hemoglobin (Hb) analysis and CBC should be performed together in the preventive screening program in regions with a high thalassemia incidence to avoid misdiagnosis.

Effects of maternal hepatitis B surface antigen positive status on the pregnancy outcomes: A retrospective study in Xiamen, China, 2011-2018.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis B virus infection is a major social and economic burden in developing countries, especially in China. We aimed to evaluate the effects of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive status on the pregnancy outcomes in the Chinese population. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was performed using data from the Medical Birth Registry of Xiamen, China, from January 2011 to March 2018. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between the HBsAg status and pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: This study included 3,789 HBsAg-positive women and 29, 648 non-exposed women. The HBsAg-positive pregnant women were slightly older in age (29.3±4.3 vs. 28.9±4.4, P< 0.001). Additionally, pregnant women with a positive HBsAg status had higher odds of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.23), and cesarean delivery (aOR, 1.12; 95%CI, 1.03-1.21). The risk of infants being large or small-for-gestational age, having low-birth weight, and of macrosomia, preterm birth, and stillbirth did not differ significantly between the HBsAg-positive and-negative women. CONCLUSION: In Xiamen, China, the slightly higher risk of GDM and cesarean section in women positive for HBsAg should not be neglected. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the effects of HBsAg positivity on the pregnancy outcomes in different ethnic populations.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Stem Secondary Growth of Grafted Rosa rugosa 'Rosea' Scion and R. multiflora 'Innermis' Rootstock.

Grafted plant is a chimeric organism formed by the connection of scion and rootstock through stems, so stem growth and development become one of the important factors to affect grafted plant state. However, information regarding the molecular responses of stems secondary growth after grafting is limited. A grafted Rosa plant, with R. rugosa 'Rosea' as the scion (Rr_scion) grafted onto R. multiflora 'Innermis' as the stock (Rm_stock), has been shown to significantly improve stem thickness. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of stem secondary growth in grafted plant, a genome-wide transcription analysis was performed using an RNA sequence (RNA-seq) method between the scion and rootstock. Comparing ungrafted R. rugosa 'Rosea' (Rr) and R. multiflora 'Innermis' (Rm) plants, there were much more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in Rr_scion (6887) than Rm_stock (229). Functional annotations revealed that DEGs in Rr_scion are involved in two Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways: the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction, whereas DEGs in Rm_stock were associated with starch and sucrose metabolism pathway. Moreover, different kinds of signal transduction-related DEGs, e.g., receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinases (RLKs), transcription factor (TF), and transporters, were identified and could affect the stem secondary growth of both the scion and rootstock. This work provided new information regarding the underlying molecular mechanism between scion and rootstock after grafting.

MRI evaluation of endopelvic fascial swelling and analysis of influencing factors in patients with uterine fibroids after high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation.

Purpose: To evaluate endopelvic fascial swelling in patients with uterine fibroids after high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and investigate the factors that influence endopelvic fascial swelling.Methods: MRI and clinical data from 188 patients with uterine fibroids who were treated with HIFU were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into a fascial swelling group and a non-swelling group, and the degree of swelling was graded. Fascial swelling was set as the dependent variable, and factors such as baseline characteristics and HIFU parameters, were set as the independent variables. The relationship between these variables and fascial swelling was analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Correlations between the factors and the degree of fascial swelling were evaluated by Kruskal-Wallis test.Results: The univariate analysis revealed that the fibroid location, distance from the fibroid to the sacrum, sonication time, treatment time, treatment intensity, therapeutic dose (TD), and energy efficiency (EEF) all affected the endopelvic fascial swelling (p < 0.05). Subsequently, multivariate analysis showed that the distance from the fibroid to the sacrum was significantly correlated with fascial swelling (p < 0.05). Moreover, TD and sonication time were significantly positively correlated with the degree of fascial swelling (p < 0.05). The incidence of sacrococcygeal pain was significantly correlated with fascial swelling (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The distance from the fibroid to the sacrum was a protective factor for fascial swelling. TD and sonication time were significantly positively correlated with the degree of fascial swelling.

Volume growth trend and correlation of atrial diameter with lateral ventricular volume in normal fetus and fetus with ventriculomegaly: A STROBE compliant article.

To explore the growth trend of fetal lateral ventricular volume, for understanding the relationship between atrial diameter (AD) and volume in normal fetus and fetus with ventriculomegaly.Overall, 97 sequential fetal head magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed; these pertained to 50 fetuses with normal lateral ventricles [normal group; gestational age (GA): 24-38 weeks] and 47 fetuses with ventriculomegaly (VM) (VM group; GA: 24-37 weeks). The left, right, and total lateral ventricular volume were measured using 3-dimensional magnetic resonance hydrography (MRH). Correlation coefficient (r) was calculated to assess the relationships of measurements. Lineal regression analysis was used to assess correlation of AD and GA with volume. Between-group differences in terms of AD and volume were assessed using t test.Significant linear growth was observed in the total lateral ventricular volume compared with GA in the normal group with a relative growth rate of 2.87% per week (P <.001). Significant linear relationship between AD and volume was observed, and a significant equation was acquired in the normal group and VM groups, respectively, using the simple linear regression model: left volume = 0.438 * normal left diameter (NLD) + 1.359; right volume = 0.493 * normal right diameter (NRD) + 1.012; left volume = 0.959 * left diameter in VM (VLD) - 2.074; right volume = 0.799 * right diameter in VM (VRD) - 0.443. A significant equation was obtained in the normal group and the VM group, using the multiple linear regression model: Total volume (mL) = 0.396 * NLD + 0.410 * NRD + 3.101; and total volume = 0.989 * VLD + 0.834 * VRD - 3.141, respectively. In terms of AD and volume, the left lateral ventricle was significantly larger than the right side in both groups. The volume of lateral ventricle in AD ≥10 mm group was larger than that in the AD <10 mm group. The total volume in the VM group was significantly larger than that in the normal group.The total lateral ventricular volume increased with GA. AD can be used to evaluate the fetal ventricular volume.

Benign Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Population at Low Risk for Hematoma Growth and Poor Outcome.

Background To define benign intracerebral hemorrhage ( ICH ) and to investigate the association between benign ICH , hematoma expansion, and functional outcome. Methods and Results We analyzed a prospectively collected cohort of patients with ICH, who presented within 6 hours of symptom onset between July 2011 and February 2017 to a tertiary teaching hospital. Follow-up computed tomographic scanning was performed within 36 hours after initial computed tomographic scanning. Benign ICH was operationally defined as homogeneous and regularly shaped small ICH . The presence of benign ICH was judged by 2 independent reviewers (Q.L., W.Y.) on the basis of the admission computed tomographic scan. Functional independence was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 2 at 3 months. The associations between benign ICH , hematoma expansion, and functional outcome were assessed by using multivariable logistic regression analyses. A total of 288 patients with ICH were included. Benign ICH was found in 48 patients (16.7%). None of the patients with benign ICH had early hematoma expansion. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of benign ICH for predicting functional independence at 3 months were 30.7%, 96.6%, 90.0%, 60.0%, and 0.637, respectively. Conclusions Patients with benign ICH are at low risk of hematoma expansion and poor outcome. These patients may be safe for less intensive monitoring and are unlikely to benefit from therapies aimed at preventing ICH expansion.

Black Hole Sign Predicts Poor Outcome in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: In spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), black hole sign has been proposed as a promising imaging marker that predicts hematoma expansion in patients with ICH. The aim of our study was to investigate whether admission CT black hole sign predicts hematoma growth in patients with ICH. METHODS: From July 2011 till February 2016, patients with spontaneous ICH who underwent baseline CT scan within 6 h of symptoms onset and follow-up CT scan were recruited into the study. The presence of black hole sign on admission non-enhanced CT was independently assessed by 2 readers. The functional outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between the presence of the black hole sign and functional outcome. RESULTS: A total of 225 patients (67.6% male, mean age 60.3 years) were included in our study. Black hole sign was identified in 32 of 225 (14.2%) patients on admission CT scan. The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, intraventricular hemorrhage, baseline ICH volume, admission Glasgow Coma Scale score, and presence of black hole sign on baseline CT independently predict poor functional outcome at 90 days. There are significantly more patients with a poor functional outcome (defined as mRS ≥4) among patients with black hole sign than those without (84.4 vs. 32.1%, p < 0.001; OR 8.19, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The CT black hole sign independently predicts poor outcome in patients with ICH. Early identification of black hole sign is useful in prognostic stratification and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for anti-expansion clinical trials.