Safety findings after intravenous administration of sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles to 463,434 examinations at 24 centers.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the safety of the ultrasound contrast agent sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles in a large group of patients referred for routine contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). METHODS: A retrospective assessment was made of all patients that received sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles intravenously for CEUS at 24 centers between January 2006 and April 2019. Patient demographic details, examination type, and the dose of sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles administered were recorded with specific adverse events (AEs) documentation tools at each center. All AEs were recorded as serious or non-serious. Non-serious AEs were classified by intensity as mild, moderate, or severe according to ACR criteria. The frequencies of AEs across patient subgroups were compared using the chi-square test. RESULTS: A total of 463,434 examinations were evaluated. Overall, 157 AEs (153 [0.033%] non-serious; 4 [0.001%] serious) were reported after sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles administration, giving an AE frequency of 0.034% (157/463,434). Among the non-serious AEs, 66 (0.014%) were mild, 70 (0.015%) moderate, and 17 (0.004%) severe in intensity. The liver was the most common examination site, presenting an AE frequency of 0.026%. The highest AE frequency (0.092%) was for patients undergoing CEUS for vascular disease. There were no significant gender differences in either the total number or the severity of non-serious AEs (chi-square = 2.497, p = 0.287). The onset of AEs occurred within 30 min of sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles administration in 91% of cases. CONCLUSION: The frequency of AEs to sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles is very low and severe reactions are rare, confirming that sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles are appropriate for routine CEUS applications. KEY POINT: • The frequency of AEs to sulfur hexafluoride microbubbles is very low and severe reactions are rare.

Remnant Cholesterol and Common Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness in Community Population with Normal Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol.

INTRODUCTION: Remnant cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especially when low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are normal. However, there are few studies on the relationship between remnant cholesterol and subclinical atherosclerosis. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) is an imaging marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between remnant cholesterol and cIMT in a community population with normal LDL-C. METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis; 1,101 community population with available carotid artery imaging and fasting lipid data with LDL-C <4.1 mmol/L were included in this analysis. Remnant cholesterol was calculated as total cholesterol minus LDL-C minus high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Abnormal cIMT was defined as maximum cIMT value ≥1 mm. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationships between remnant cholesterol levels and abnormal cIMT. RESULTS: As the remnant cholesterol level increased from the lowest to the highest quartile, the rate of abnormal cIMT increased from 24.5% to 38.6% (p trend <0.001) in the community population with normal LDL-C level. In the unadjusted model, the odds ratios (ORs, 95% confidence intervals) in the highest quartile group were 1.937 (1.338-2.803) for abnormal cIMT compared with the lowest quartile. The multivariable-adjusted ORs (95% confidence intervals) for the highest versus lowest quartile of remnant cholesterol were 2.132 (1.420-3.202) for abnormal cIMT. CONCLUSION: Elevated fasting remnant cholesterol levels were positively associated with abnormal cIMT in community population with normal LDL-C levels. Remnant cholesterol may be an important indicator of risk stratification in community population with normal LDL-C level.

Radiofrequency ablation for primary hyperparathyroidism and risk factors for postablative eucalcemic parathyroid hormone elevation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) as a treatment option for primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) and risk factors for postablative eucalcemic parathyroid hormone elevation (ePTH). METHODS: This retrospective study included 51 patients with pHPT who underwent RFA. The patients were divided into the ePTH and normal PTH groups, based on the serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) level one month after ablation. Serum iPTH, calcium, and phosphorus levels, and the volume reduction rates (VRR) of the parathyroid glands were compared between the groups at each follow-up point. Risk factors for ePTH at one month after ablation were examined. RESULTS: After RFA, one (2%) patient had persistent pHPT, and 50 (98%) patients were cured. The incidence rates of ePTH at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months were 48%, 30%, 20%, and 16%, respectively. Serum iPTH levels in the ePTH group were higher than those in the normal PTH group at each follow-up point (all p < 0.05), except 1 day after ablation (p > 0.05). Serum calcium and phosphorus levels, and the VRR of the glands were comparable in both groups at each follow-up point (all p > 0.05), except for calcium levels 3 days after RFA (p < 0.05). Baseline iPTH (odds ratio, 1.067; p = 0.045) and calcium (odds ratio, 3.923; p = 0.038) levels were independent risk factors for ePTH 1 month after RFA. CONCLUSIONS: RFA is safe and effective for the treatment of pHPT. Moreover, ePTH occurrence after RFA was associated with baseline iPTH and calcium levels and did not increase the risk of recurrent pHPT.

High levels of serum superoxide dismutase as a biomarker of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in patients with viral hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is characterized by skin pruritus and impaired liver function. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection increases the risk of developing ICP. HBV infection is associated with oxidative stress, which has been proven to participate in the development of ICP. The goal of this study was to explore the relationship among HBV, oxidative stress, and ICP, and investigate whether a biomarker of oxidative stress may predict the diagnosis and severity of ICP. METHODS: We induced a retrospective cohort of 70 ICP patients from January 2019 to December 2020, and compared their data with those from healthy pregnant women (n = 70). Serum levels of an oxidative stress marker superoxide dismutase (SOD) were examined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Diagnostic and prognostic values of serum SOD were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: Pregnant women in the ICP group had significantly higher level of serum SOD (243.24 ± 12.57 U/L vs 98.70 ± 2.95 U/L, p < 0.01) and a higher rate of HBV infection (51.53% vs 25.71%, p < 0.05) compared with the control group. HBsAg-positive ICP patients had a higher levels of serum SOD (287.24 ± 19.21 U/L vs 196.65 ± 11.75 U/L, p < 0.01) compared with HBsAg-negative ICP patients. A serum SOD level > 121.4 U/mL might be used to predict ICP, while a serum SOD level > 274.6 U/mL might predict ICP severity. CONCLUSION: HBV infection promotes oxidative stress during the pathogenesis of ICP. Serum levels of SOD could be used to predict ICP diagnosis and severity. Modification of oxidative stress might be a treatment target for ICP.

The circACC1/miR-29c-3p/FOXP1 network plays a key role in gastric cancer by regulating cell proliferation.

Although substantial progress has been made in early detection and treatment of GC, this disease remains a major burden worldwide. CircRNAs have potential as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers in tumorigenesis. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the role and mechanism of circACC1 in GC cell proliferation. The expression levels of circACC1, miR-29c-3p and FOXP1 were validated in GC tissue samples and adjacent tissue samples. The impact of circACC1 and miR-29c-3p on overall survival was evaluated in GC specimens. A functional study was performed on MKN-45 and BGC823 cells transfected with different vectors. Cell proliferation was assayed by CCK-8 and colony formation assays. The interactions among circACC1, miR-29c-3p and FOXP1 were tested by RNA immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays. This study demonstrated that circACC1 is upregulated in GC tissues, and its upregulation predicts poorer OS in GC patients. Upregulation of circACC1 promoted GC cell proliferation, as indicated by CCK-8 and colony formation assays. A mechanistic study revealed that the pro-oncogenic effect of circACC1 was mainly caused by binding to miR-29c-3p, thus regulating expression of its downstream target FOXP1. The circACC1/miR-29c-3p/FOXP1 network plays a key role in gastric cancer by regulating cell proliferation.

G-Protein-Coupled Receptors 120 Agonist III Improves Hepatic Inflammation and ER Stress in Steatohepatitis.

BACKGROUND: GPR120 plays a crucial role in insulin sensitization, inflammatory responses and obesity and is considered as an attractive potential target for the treatment of metabolic dysfunctions. However, the mechanisms of GPR120 agonist III in NAFLD/NASH treatment are still unclear. AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the effect and molecular mechanisms of GPR120 agonist III on NASH, and search for future treatments of human NAFLD/NASH. METHODS: The effects of GPR120 agonist III on steatohepatitis were evaluated in mice fed with HFHC diet and MCD diet. The ultrastructural changes of ER were assessed by TEM. Hepatic ROS production was evaluated by DHE staining. Apoptosis and macrophage infiltration were determined by IHC staining. Inflammatory cytokines secretion were examined using mouse XL cytokine array. RESULTS: GPR120 agonist III significantly suppressed macrophage infiltration and ROS production and reversed hepatic inflammation, ER stress and apoptosis in dietary-induced steatohepatitis. CONCLUSION: GPR120 agonist III will be an attractive treatment method in steatohepatitis, which opens up a new sight for future treatments of human NAFLD/NASH.

Carotid Intraplaque Neovascularization Predicts Ischemic Stroke Recurrence in Patients with Carotid Atherosclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to examine whether intraplaque neovascularization (IPN) of carotid plaques, as characterized by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), is associated with ischemic stroke recurrence in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of consecutive patients with a recent stroke and at least one atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery on the side consistent with symptoms. All patients underwent CEUS after their first admission. IPN was graded on the basis of the presence and location of microbubbles within each plaque. RESULTS: We eventually included 155 patients, all of whom underwent IPN analysis. After a follow-up of 24 months, we recorded 25 (16.1%) stroke recurrences in the whole population. All the recurrences occurred in patients presenting IPN. There was significant difference in the IPN between the 2 groups (p = 0.002). In the final Cox proportional-hazards multivariable models, IPN of grade 2 was independently associated with the risk of stroke recurrence (HR = 4.535; 95% CI: 1.892-10.870; p = 0.001). This association remained after adjusting for the degree of carotid stenosis (HR = 3.491; 95% CI: 1.410-8.646; p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: IPN was an independent predictor of stroke recurrence in patients with a recent ischemic stroke and carotid atherosclerosis. In predicting stroke recurrence, IPN may be an earlier indicator than carotid stenosis and may help stratify the risk of stroke recurrence.

CHD is Associated With Higher Grades of NAFLD Predicted by Liver Stiffness.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Accumulating clinical and epidemiologic evidence indicates that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is not only associated with liver-related morbidity and mortality, but also with a greater risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, there is currently no diagnostic parameter for NAFLD that has been determined to reliably indicate the presence of CHD as a co-morbidity. We evaluated the liver stiffness and visceral fat thickness of NAFLD patients ultrasonographically to explore the relationship between liver stiffness, visceral fat thickness, and CHD, aiming to find explore the relationship between the liver stiffness and CHD. METHODS: We enrolled 120 consecutive patients who had been initially diagnosed with CHD on the basis of their symptoms. All patients underwent coronary angiography or computed tomography angiography, and were classified into a CHD group and a non-CHD group on the basis of the results. All patients underwent liver ultrasonography, shear-wave elastography, and visceral fat thickness measurement. RESULTS: NAFLD and visceral fat thickness were significantly positively correlated with CHD and Gensini score (P<0.001). Multivariate regression showed that age, male, cholesterol, liver stiffness, and visceral fat thickness were determinants of CHD. Age, cholesterol, liver stiffness, and visceral fat thickness cut-off points for the prediction of CHD were above 50 years old [area under the curve (AUC): 0.678; sensitivity, 87%; specificity, 42.6%], >3.76 mmol/L (AUC: 0.687; sensitivity, 68.4%; specificity, 64.8%), >6.1 kPa (AUC: 0.798; sensitivity, 50%; specificity, 92.6%), and >7.41 cm (AUC: 0.694; sensitivity, 52.6%; specificity, 87%), respectively. Compared with the use of age, gender, and cholesterol (model 1), the addition of the liver stiffness cut-off to model 1 resulted in a stronger predictive value (P=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: High-grade NAFLD is more present in symptomatic CHD. The higher degree of liver stiffness in patients with NAFLD, the higher risk of CHD in these NAFLD patients.

Intraprocedurally EOB-MRI/US fusion imaging focusing on hepatobiliary phase findings can help to reduce the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: To explore the ability of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI)/ultrasound (US) fusion imaging (FI) to improve the prognosis of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) by ablating the characteristic findings of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatobiliary phase (HBP) imaging. METHODS: We retrospectively recruited 115 solitary HCC lesions with size of (15.9 ± 4.6) mm. They were all treated by RFA and preoperative EOB-MRI. According to the modalities guiding RFA performance, the lesions were grouped into contrast enhanced US (CEUS)/US guidance group and EOB-MRI/US FI guidance group. For the latter group, the ablation scope was set to cover the HBP findings (peritumoral hypointensity and irregular protruding margin). The presence of HBP findings, the modalities guided RFA, the recurrence rate were observed. RESULTS: After an average follow-up of 377 days, local tumor progression (LTP) and intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR) were 14.8% and 38.4%, respectively. The lesions having HBP findings exhibited a higher recurrence rate (73.7%) than the lesions without HBP findings (42.9%) (p = 0.002) and a low overall recurrence-free curve using the Kaplan-Meier method (p = 0.038). Using EOB-MRI/US FI as guidance, there was no difference in the recurrence rate between the groups with and without HBP findings (p = 0.799). In lesions with HBP findings, RFA guided by EOB-MRI/US FI (53.8%) produced a lower recurrence rate than CEUS/US (84.0%) (p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: The intraprocedurally application of EOB-MRI/US FI to determine ablation scope according to HBP findings is feasible and beneficial for prognosis of RFA.

Carotid intraplaque neovascularization predicts atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis in patients with carotid artery stenosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study aimed to examine whether intraplaque neovascularization (IPN) of carotid plaques, as characterized by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), is associated with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) in patients with normal kidney function. METHODS AND RESULTS: We investigated carotid IPN using CEUS in 198 consecutive patients with normal kidney function with and without ARAS. IPN was graded on the basis of the presence and location of microbubbles within each plaque (0, no visible microbubbles in the plaque; 1, moderate microbubbles confined to the shoulder and/or adventitial side of the plaque; and 2, extensive microbubbles throughout the plaque). The grades of each plaque were averaged to obtain an overall score per patient. ARAS was determined angiographically. We found that a higher CEUS-assessed carotid IPN score was associated with ARAS (Odd Ratio, OR: 7.281; 95% Confidence Interval, 95% CI: 3.246-16.336; P < 0.001). Furthermore, an IPN score >1.75 predicted severe stenosis with a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 58%. Compared with using the IPN score alone, the addition of the homocysteine (HCY) cutoff value (>22.5 mmol/L) resulted in a stronger predictive value (Area Under Curve, AUC: 0.893 vs 0.834; P < 0.001) for severe ARAS. CONCLUSION: Carotid plaque neovascularization combined with HCY levels is predictive of severe ARAS in patients with normal kidney function. CEUS-assessed carotid IPN is clinically useful for stratification of ARAS in patients with normal kidney function.

Suggested amendment of TI-RADS classification of thyroid nodules by shear wave elastography.

BACKGROUND: The application of the ultrasound elastography and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) classification further expands the scope of ultrasound differential diagnosis between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. PURPOSE: To investigate the value of the quantitative parameter of ultrasonic shear waves in optimizing the TI-RADS classification of thyroid nodules. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 168 thyroid nodules, initially classified using TI-RADS and scanned by shear wave elastography (SWE), were retrospectively analyzed. All cases were diagnosed by fine needle aspiration and histology following surgery. RESULTS: The benign rate of TI-RADS 3 nodules was 76.5%, while the benign rate of TI-RADS 4a nodules was 71.7%. Furthermore, the malignant rate of TI-RADS 4b nodules was 69.7%, while the malignant rate of TI-RADS 4c nodules was 85.7%. In differentiating benign from malignant nodules, the combination of TI-RADS classification and Emean had the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Using an Emean value of 42.25 kpa as the cut-off point, the malignant rate of TI-RADS 4a nodules decreased from 28.3% to 23.5%, while the malignant rate of TI-RADS 4b nodules increased from 69.7% to 79.4%. Compared to conventional ultrasound alone, the sensitivity, negative predictive value, and AUC of conventional ultrasound combined with SWE in the diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules significantly improved (P=0.012, 0.029, 0.001). CONCLUSION: The SWE technique can be used to further determine the benign and malignant nature of TI-RADS 4 lesions, providing further reference for the choice of clinical treatment. The TI-RADS classification system corrected by SWE is more significant in the diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

Tei index is associated with survival in cirrhosis patients treated with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.

BACKGROUND: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is the method of choice for the treatment of portal hypertension. The Tei index is the most sensitive indicator of myocardial function. DESIGN: This study enrolled 31 patients with cirrhosis who underwent TIPS and were followed up over a median period of 34 months (range 2-60 months). Baseline Meld score and the changes in the Tei index within 1 month after TIPS and their potential relationship with prognosis were evaluated. The primary endpoint was mortality. RESULTS: Thirteen patients (42%) died during follow-up. Survival analysis showed that the pre-TIPS Tei index (RR = -7.660, 95% confidence interval 0.000-0.069, P < 0.05) and the baseline MELD score > 10 (RR = 0.305,95% CI:1.036-1.778, P < 0.05) were significantly associated with survival rate after TIPS. CONCLUSION: The Tei index before TIPS is associated with the survival of patients with cirrhosis after TIPS, and is potentially a predictive factor of mortality.

Mining and characterization of two amidase signature family amidases from Brevibacterium epidermidis ZJB-07021 by an efficient genome mining approach.

Amidases have received increasing attention for their significant potential in the production of valuable carboxylic acids. In this study, two amidases belonging to amidase signature family (BeAmi2 and BeAmi4) were identified and mined from genomic DNA of Brevibacterium epidermidis ZJB-07021 by an efficient strategy combining comparative analysis of genomes and identification of unknown region by high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (HiTAIL-PCR). The deduced amino acid sequences of BeAmi2 and BeAmi4 showed low identity (< 40%) with other reported amidases. The two amidases displayed optimum activity toward a wide spectrum of substrates at a mild alkaline pH and 45 °C. Both of them were remarkably inactivated by serine-directed inhibitor and sulfhydryl-reducing agent. Kinetic analysis revealed that nicotinamide was the preferable substrate for both amidases and the chlorine substitutions on the pyridine ring had a negative effect on activity. The bioprocesses for hydrolysis of 100 mM nicotinamide, isonicotinamide, 2-chloronicotinamide and 5-chloronicotinamide with purified BeAmi2 (6 U mL(-1)) were complete in 60 min with full conversion except 2-chloronicotinamide. These results indicated BeAmi2 was an effective catalyst for hydrolysis of several nicotinamide derivatives.

A novel amidase from Brevibacterium epidermidis ZJB-07021: gene cloning, refolding and application in butyrylhydroxamic acid synthesis.

A novel amidase gene (bami) was cloned from Brevibacterium epidermidis ZJB-07021 by combination of degenerate PCR and high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (hiTAIL-PCR). The deduced amino acid sequence showed low identity (≤55 %) with other reported amidases. The bami gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the resultant inclusion bodies were refolded and purified to homogeneity with a recovery of 22.6 %. Bami exhibited a broad substrate spectrum towards aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic amides, and showed the highest acyl transfer activity towards butyramide with specific activity of 1331.0 ± 24.0 U mg(-1). Kinetic analysis demonstrated that purified Bami exhibited high catalytic efficiency (414.9 mM(-1) s(-1)) for acyl transfer of butyramide, with turnover number (K cat) of 3569.0 s(-1). Key parameters including pH, substrate/co-substrate concentration, reaction temperature and catalyst loading were investigated and the Bami showed maximum acyl transfer activity at 50 °C, pH 7.5. Enzymatic catalysis of 200 mM butyramide with 15 µg mL(-1) purified Bami was completed in 15 min with a BHA yield of 88.1 % under optimized conditions. The results demonstrated the great potential of Bami for the production of a variety of hydroxamic acids.

Positive correlation between neovascularization degree of carotid atherosclerosis determined by contrast-enhanced ultrasound and level of serum C-reactive protein.

BACKGROUND: Neovascularization is one of the most important risk factors for unstable plaque. This study was designed to correlate plaque thickness, artery stenosis and levels of serum C-reactive protein with the degree of intraplaque enhancement determined by contrast-enhanced ultrasound. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was performed on 72 carotid atherosclerotic plaques in 48 patients. Contrast enhancement within the plaque was categorized as grade 1, 2 or 3. Maximum plaque thickness was measured in short-axis view. Carotid artery stenosis was categorized as mild, moderate or severe. RESULTS: Plaque contrast enhancement was not associated with the degree of artery stenosis or with plaque thickness. Serum C-reactive protein levels were positively correlated with the number of new vessels in the plaque. C-reactive protein levels increased in the three groups(Grade 1: 3.72±1.79mg/L; Grade 2: 7.88±4.24 mg/L; Grade 3: 11.02±3.52 mg/L), with significant differences among them (F=10.14, P<0.01), and significant differences between each two groups (P<0.05). Spearman’s rank correlation analysis showed that serum C-reactive protein levels were positively correlated with the degree of carotid plaque enhancement (Rs =0.69, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of C-reactive protein levels and intraplaque neovascularization detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasound may allow more accurate evaluation of plaque stability.

Doppler perfusion index and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To assess the value of the Doppler perfusion index (DPI) and contrast agent for the detection of liver metastases in patients with colorectal cancer. METHODOLOGY: DPI was measured in 18 patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases and 18 control subjects. Sixteen patients were underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). RESULTS: patients with liver metastases had significantly greater DPI than control group (0.39 +/- 0.10 vs. 0.19 +/- 0.07, p < 0.05). Sixteen liver metastasis lesions underwent a rapid wash-out of contrast agent during the portal venous phase followed by a complete wash-out of SonoVue during the sinusoidal phase and were differentiated as "fast-in and fast-out" contrast enhancement patter. Another 3 lesions which were not found by baseline ultrasonography were detected to be enhancement defects at sinusoidal phases by CEUS. CONCLUSIONS: DPI is a sensitive index in detection of colorectal liver metastases; if used combined with contrast agent, much more occult liver metastasis would be detected by ultrasonography.

Establishment of nomogram prediction model of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI for vessels encapsulating tumor clusters pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma.

To establish clinical prediction models of vessels encapsulating tumor clusters (VETC) pattern using preoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 111 resected HCC lesions from 101 patients were included. Preoperative imaging features of CEUS and EOB-MRI, postoperative recurrence, and survival information were collected from medical records. The best subset regression and multivariable Cox regression were used to select variables to establish the prediction model. The VETC-positive group had a statistically lower survival rate than the VETC-negative group. The selected variables were peritumoral enhancement in the arterial phase (AP), hepatobiliary phase (HBP) on EOB-MRI, intratumoral branching enhancement in the AP of CEUS, intratumoral hypoenhancement in the portal phase of CEUS, incomplete capsule, and tumor size. A nomogram was developed. High and low nomogram scores with a cutoff value of 168 points showed different recurrence-free survival rates and overall survival rates. The area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy were 0.804 and 0.820, respectively, indicating good discrimination. Decision curve analysis showed a good clinical net benefit (threshold probability > 5%), while the Hosmer-Lemeshow test yielded excellent calibration (P = 0.6759). The AUC of the nomogram model combining EOB-MRI and CEUS was higher than that of the models with EOB-MRI factors only (0.767) and CEUS factors only (0.7). The nomogram verified by bootstrapping showed AUC and calibration curves similar to those of the nomogram model. The Prediction model based on CEUS and EOB-MRI is effective for preoperative noninvasive diagnosis of VETC.

Left atrial subclinical dysfunction in children with Kawasaki disease: a two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography study.

BACKGROUND: Left atrial (LA) function is a very important prognostic indicator for many cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to determine whether LA function is impaired in children with Kawasaki disease (KD) and to analyze the relationships between LA deformation and conventional echocardiographic parameters and laboratory markers. METHODS: A total of 50 KD patients during different disease phases and 50 age- and sex-matched controls were retrospectively analyzed. Patients in the acute phase based on coronary artery dilation (CAD) were subdivided into Group I (with CAD) and Group II (without CAD) and compared. RESULTS: During the acute phase, KD patients had a lower peak LA longitudinal strain (PLALS), a lower LA strain peak during LA contraction (LASct), and a lower LA strain rate peak during LA contraction (LASRct) than the controls. The PLALS, LASct and LASRct began to increase during the subacute phase, and during the convalescent phase, all LA strains in patients had recovered to normal compared with the control subjects. Subgroup analysis revealed that, compared with Group II, Group I had higher C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels; however, there were no significant differences in LA strains. Only the PLALS during the acute phase was negatively correlated with left ventricular mass index, CRP and NT-proBNP. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with KD, LA function is impaired during the acute phase, and this impairment is transient. Two-dimensional speckled tracking echocardiography is a useful tool for detecting subclinical LA dysfunction.

Viscoelastic Characteristics in Mouse Model of Hepatic Steatosis With Inflammation by Kelvin-Voigt Fractional Derivative Modeling.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the work described here was to measure the characteristics of viscoelasticity and fluidity in a mouse model of hepatic steatosis and inflammation using a nano-indentation test and the Kelvin-Voigt fractional derivative (KVFD) model and to explore the viscoelasticity and fluidity characteristics in mice with different degrees of hepatic steatosis with inflammation. METHODS: Twenty-five ApoE mice were randomly divided into an experimental high-fat diet group (n = 15) and an ordinary-food control group (n = 10), then subdivided into four subgroups based on pathological degree of hepatic steatosis: S0 (normal), S1 (mild), S2 (moderate) and S3 (severe). The 25 liver specimens from these mice were evaluated by a slope-keeping relaxation nano-indentation test. RESULTS: Elasticity (E0) was significantly higher in the S3 group than in the S1 and S2 groups, while fluidity (α) and viscosity (τ) were significantly lower in S3 than in S1 and S2 (all p values < 0.05). The following cutoff values for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis >33% with inflammation were also determined: E0 > 85.01 Pa (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.917, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.735-0.989), α ≤ 0.38 (AUC: 0.885, 95% CI: 0.695-0.977),\ and τ ≤ 3.92 (AUC: 0.813, 95% CI: 0.607-0.939). CONCLUSION: Increases in the degree of hepatic steatosis with inflammation in mice paralleled gradual increases in the stiffness of the liver and gradual decreases in the fluidity and viscosity of the liver.