Piezocatalysis for Chemical-Mechanical Polishing of SiC: Dual Roles of t-BaTiO3 as a Piezocatalyst and an Abrasive.

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) offers a promising pathway to smooth third-generation semiconductors. However, it is still a challenge to reduce the use of additional oxidants or/and energy in current CMP processes. Here, a new and green atomically smoothing method: Piezocatalytic-CMP (Piezo-CMP) is reported. Investigation shows that the Piezo-CMP based on tetragonal BaTiO3 (t-BT) can polish the rough surface of a reaction sintering SiC (RS-SiC) to the ultra-smooth surface with an average surface roughness (Ra) of 0.45 nm and the rough surface of a single-crystal 4H-SiC to the atomic planarization Si and C surfaces with Ra of 0.120 and 0.157 nm, respectively. In these processes, t-BT plays a dual role of piezocatalyst and abrasive. That is, it piezo-catalytically generates in-situ active oxygen species to selectively oxidize protruding sites of SiC surface, yielding soft SiO2, and subsequently, it acts as a usual abrasive to mechanically remove these SiO2. This mechanism is further confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculation and molecular simulation. In this process, piezocatalytic oxidation is driven only by the original pressure and friction force of a conventional polishing process, thus, the piezo-CMP process do not require any additional oxidant and energy, being a green and effective polishing method.

Differential T-cell profiles determined by Hepatitis B surface antigen decrease among people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus /Hepatitis B Virus coinfection on treatment.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported that combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) enhances the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance rate in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1/Hepatitis B Virus (HIV/HBV) coinfected patients, yet the associated immunological characteristics remain unclear. METHODS: Global and specific immune phenotypic profiles were examined in 48 patients with HIV/HBV coinfection before cART and at 1-year, and 3-year after cART using flow cytometry. In addition, 61 patients with HBV monoinfection were included for comparison. RESULTS: HBsAg response (sAg-R) was defined as > 0.5 log decrease within six months of cART initiation, and 16 patients achieved it. Patients with sAg-R (the sAg-R group) exhibited distinct immune phenotypes compared to those of HBsAg-retained patients (the sAg-NR group). Notably, patients with sAg-R had lower CD4+ T cell counts and a higher number of HBcAg-specific T cells. Further, the sAg-R group exhibited upregulation of HLA-DR, Ki67, and PD-1 in CD4+ T cells and heightened HLA-DR and T-bet in CD8+ T cells. However, the sAg-R group had fewer TEMRA cells but more TEM and Th17 cells than those in the sAg-NR group. Expression of various markers, including HLA-DR+CD4+, Ki67+CD4+, PD-1+CD4+, CD38+CD8+, HLA-DR+CD8+, TIM-3+CD8+, HBV-specific CD4+ T cell secreting IFN-γ and IL-2, and specific CD8+ T cell secreting IFN-γ and IL-2, correlated with HBsAg decrease. CONCLUSION: The decline in HBsAg levels during cART in HIV/HBV coinfection involves significant alterations in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells phenotypes, offering a novel perspective on a functional HBV cure.

The Application of 68Ga-Somatostatin Analog and 18F-FDG PET/CT for Bone Metastasis from Neuroendocrine Tumors.

INTRODUCTION: Aims of the study were to assess the differences in the diagnostic efficacy of 68Ga-somatostatin receptor analogs (68Ga-SSAs) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for detecting bone metastases in neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) and to analyze the correlation between imaging features and clinical features of BMs. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and imaging data of 213 NEN patients who underwent 68Ga-SSA PET/CT and were finally diagnosed as BMs by pathology or follow-up. Of those, 103 patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT within 7 days after 68Ga-SSA PET/CT. RESULT: The BM detection rate of 68Ga-SSA PET/CT was higher than 18F-FDG PET/CT (86.4% vs. 66.0%, p = 0.02) in 103 patients with dual scanning. Meanwhile, the number of positive lesions in 68Ga-SSA PET/CT was significantly more than in 18F-FDG PET/CT (3.37 ± 1.95 vs. 2.23 ± 2.16, t = 4.137, p < 0.001). Most bone metastasis lesions presented as osteogenic change in CT (55.4%, 118/213). Concerning the primary tumor, the most frequent were of pancreatic origin (26.3%, 56/213), followed by rectal origin (22.5%, 48/213), thymic origin in 33 cases (15.5%), pulmonary origin in 29 cases (13.6%), paraganglioma in 20 cases (9.4%). The efficiency of 68Ga-SSA PET/CT to detect BMs was significantly correlated with the primary site (p = 0.02), with thymic carcinoid BMs being the most difficult to detect, and the positive rate was only 60.6% (20/33). However, 18F-FDG PET/CT positive rate was 76.92% (10/13) in thymic carcinoid BMs. In addition, the BMs of 7 patients in this study were detected by 68Ga-SSA PET earlier than CT for 4.57 months (range: 2-10 months). CONCLUSION: 68Ga-SSA PET/CT has higher sensitivity for detecting the BMs of NEN than 18F-FDG and detects the BM earlier than CT. Moreover, 18F-FDG PET/CT should be a complement for diagnosing the BMs of thymic carcinoids.

Simultaneous detection of SO2 and viscosity in drug-induced inflammation in live cells and zebrafish.

The viscosity within cells is a crucial microenvironmental factor, and sulfur dioxide (SO2 ) has essential functions in regulating cellular apoptosis and inflammation. Some evidence has been confirmed that changes in viscosity and overexposure of SO2 within the cell may cause detrimental effects including, but not limited to, respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, inflammation, fatty liver, and various types of cancer. Therefore, precise monitoring of SO2 and viscosity in biological entities holds immense practical importance. Therefore, in this research, we developed a versatile fluorescent TCF-Cou that enables the dual detection of SO2 and viscosity in the living system. Probe TCF-Cou possessed a response to viscosity and SO2 through red and green emissions. The alteration of SO2 and viscosity levels in live cells and zebrafish were also monitored using probe TCF-Cou. We hope that this fluorescent probe could be a potential tool for revealing the related pathological and physiological processes through monitoring the changes in SO2 and viscosity.

Fluorescent dyes based on rhodamine derivatives for bioimaging and therapeutics: recent progress, challenges, and prospects.

Since their inception, rhodamine dyes have been extensively applied in biotechnology as fluorescent markers or for the detection of biomolecules owing to their good optical physical properties. Accordingly, they have emerged as a powerful tool for the visualization of living systems. In addition to fluorescence bioimaging, the molecular design of rhodamine derivatives with disease therapeutic functions (e.g., cancer and bacterial infection) has recently attracted increased research attention, which is significantly important for the construction of molecular libraries for diagnostic and therapeutic integration. However, reviews focusing on integrated design strategies for rhodamine dye-based diagnosis and treatment and their wide application in disease treatment are extremely rare. In this review, first, a brief history of the development of rhodamine fluorescent dyes, the transformation of rhodamine fluorescent dyes from bioimaging to disease therapy, and the concept of optics-based diagnosis and treatment integration and its significance to human development are presented. Next, a systematic review of several excellent rhodamine-based derivatives for bioimaging, as well as for disease diagnosis and treatment, is presented. Finally, the challenges in practical integration of rhodamine-based diagnostic and treatment dyes and the future outlook of clinical translation are also discussed.

EMR-HRNet: A Multi-Scale Feature Fusion Network for Landslide Segmentation from Remote Sensing Images.

Landslides constitute a significant hazard to human life, safety and natural resources. Traditional landslide investigation methods demand considerable human effort and expertise. To address this issue, this study introduces an innovative landslide segmentation framework, EMR-HRNet, aimed at enhancing accuracy. Initially, a novel data augmentation technique, CenterRep, is proposed, not only augmenting the training dataset but also enabling the model to more effectively capture the intricate features of landslides. Furthermore, this paper integrates a RefConv and Multi-Dconv Head Transposed Attention (RMA) feature pyramid structure into the HRNet model, augmenting the model's capacity for semantic recognition and expression at various levels. Last, the incorporation of the Dilated Efficient Multi-Scale Attention (DEMA) block substantially widens the model's receptive field, bolstering its capability to discern local features. Rigorous evaluations on the Bijie dataset and the Sichuan and surrounding area dataset demonstrate that EMR-HRNet outperforms other advanced semantic segmentation models, achieving mIoU scores of 81.70% and 71.68%, respectively. Additionally, ablation studies conducted across the comprehensive dataset further corroborate the enhancements' efficacy. The results indicate that EMR-HRNet excels in processing satellite and UAV remote sensing imagery, showcasing its significant potential in multi-source optical remote sensing for landslide segmentation.

An ER-targeted, Viscosity-sensitive Hemicyanine Dye for the Diagnosis of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver and Photodynamic Cancer Therapy by Activating Pyroptosis Pathway.

The concept of molecular design, integrating diagnostic and therapeutic functions, aligns with the general trend of modern medical advancement. Herein, we rationally designed the smart molecule ER-ZS for endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-targeted diagnosis and treatment in cell and animal models by combining hemicyanine dyes with ER-targeted functional groups (p-toluenesulfonamide). Owing to its ability to target the ER with a highly specific response to viscosity, ER-ZS demonstrated substantial fluorescence turn-on only after binding to the ER, independent of other physiological environments. In addition, ER-ZS, being a small molecule, allows for the diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) via liver imaging based on high ER stress. Importantly, ER-ZS is a type I photosensitizer, producing O2 ⋅- and ⋅OH under light irradiation. Thus, after irradiating for a certain period, the photodynamic therapy inflicted severe oxidative damage to the ER of tumor cells in hypoxic (2 % O2 ) conditions and activated the unique pyroptosis pathway, demonstrating excellent antitumor capacity in xenograft tumor models. Hence, the proposed strategy will likely shed new light on integrating molecular optics for NAFLD diagnosis and cancer therapy.

Elevated Hemoglobin A1c Is Associated With Leaky Plaque Neovasculature as Detected by Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Patients with diabetes have accelerated atherosclerosis progression, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging has allowed in vivo characterization of plaque neovasculature, which plays a critical role in plaque progression. We aimed to evaluate the impact of diabetes on carotid plaque neovasculature as assessed by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: Patients with recent ischemic stroke and ipsilateral carotid plaque underwent multicontrast magnetic resonance imaging for characterizing plaque morphology and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for pharmacokinetic parameters of plaque neovasculature, including transfer constant (Ktrans, reflecting flow, endothelial surface area, and permeability) and fractional plasma volume (νp). RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were enrolled, including 30 patients with diabetes (years since diagnosis: median 5.0 [interquartile range, [3.0-12.0]) and 35 patients without diabetes. Subjects with diabetes had a greater plaque burden and a higher prevalence of high-risk characteristics. Additionally, carotid plaques in the subjects with diabetes showed higher Ktrans than those in the subjects without diabetes (0.100±0.048 min-1 versus 0.067±0.042 min-1, P=0.005) but νp was numerically lower in the subjects with diabetes (5.2±3.7% versus 6.2±4.3%, P=0.31). The association of diabetes with high Ktrans (ß=0.033, P=0.005) was independent of patient and plaque characteristics and remained largely intact after adjusting for serum lipids, glucose, or hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein). However, it became nonexistent after adjusting for hemoglobin A1c (ß=-0.010, P=0.49). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of carotid plaques suggested that plaque neovasculature in patients with diabetes is leaky, indicating enhanced capability of bringing blood constituents and facilitating extravasation of inflammatory cells, erythrocytes, and plasma proteins. Leaky plaque neovasculature correlated with hemoglobin A1c and may play a role in accelerated atherosclerosis progression in diabetes.

HBV pgRNA profiles in Chinese HIV/HBV coinfected patients under pre- and posttreatment: a multicentre observational cohort study.

Data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) pregenomic (pgRNA) levels in HIV/HBV coinfected patients pre- and post-combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the distribution of HBV pgRNA levels in treatment-naive coinfected patients and explore the changes that occur after the initiation of cART by examining patients from multicentre cohort studies performed in China. We included HIV/HBV coinfected subjects from the China AIDS Clinical Trial cohorts established from 2008 to 2014. Clinical and serological markers of HIV and HBV infection and biochemical data were acquired at baseline and after 96 and 240-480 weeks of cART. The correlations between HBV pgRNA and HBV DNA levels as well as HBsAg levels were calculated using Spearman's bivariate correlation analysis, and multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with undetectable HBV pgRNA levels before cART and HBeAg loss after cART. A total of 132 HIV/HBV coinfected patients were enrolled, and 100 individuals were HBeAg-negative. A total of 34.4% (32/93) of patients were positive for HBV pgRNA, and the median HBV pgRNA level was 4.92 (IQR: 4.21-6.12) log10 copies/mL before cART. The median HBV pgRNA level was significantly lower in HBeAg-negative individuals than in HBeAg-positive individuals (4.22 (IQR: 2.70-4.84) log10 copies/mL vs. 5.77 (IQR: 4.63-6.55) log10 copies/mL, p = 0.002). HBV pgRNA was moderately correlated with HBsAg (r = 0.594, p = 0.001), and positively associated with HBV DNA (r = 0.445, p = 0.011). The factors independently associated with undetectable HBV pgRNA level before cART were HBV DNA (OR: 5.61, 95% CI: 1.50-20.96, p = 0.01) and HBeAg status (OR: 5.95, 95% CI: 1.52-23.25, p = 0.01). A total of 87.5% (28/32) of patients were followed for a median duration of 138 (IQR: 54-240) weeks, and the HBV pgRNA levels became undetectable in seven patients. The 132 patients were observed for 695.5 person-years, and no HBsAg loss occurred. Thirteen individuals achieved HBeAg loss, four patients had undetectable levels of HBV pgRNA pre-cART, and the level of six individuals became undetectable during the 48-week (IQR: 48-264) follow-up period. HBeAg status was significantly associated with HBV pgRNA level in HIV/HBV coinfected patients pre- and post-cART. Additionally, undetectable HBV pgRNA level may be associated with HBeAg loss after cART.

Head-to-head evaluation of [18F]FDG and [68 Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT in recurrent soft tissue sarcoma.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the value of [68 Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT for the diagnosis of recurrent soft tissue sarcoma (STS), compared with [18F]FDG PET/CT. METHODS: A total of 45 patients (21 females and 24 males; median age, 46 years; range, 18-71 years) with 13 subtypes of STS underwent [18F]FDG and [68 Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT examination within 1 week for assessment local relapse or distant metastasis. Positive lesions on PET/CT images were verified by biopsy or 3-month follow-up. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test was used to compare the semiquantitative values (SUVmax and TBR) of [18F]FDG and [68 Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 in tumor lesions, and McNemar test was applied to test for differences of both tracers. RESULTS: Among the 45 patients, 282 local relapses and distant metastases were identified. Compared to [18F]FDG, [68 Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT detected more lesions (275 vs. 186) and outperformed in sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy for the diagnosis of recurrent lesions (P < 0.001). [68 Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 demonstrated significantly higher values of SUVmax and TBR than [18F]FDG PET/CT in liposarcoma (P = 0.011 and P < 0.001, respectively), malignant solitary fibrous tumor (MSFT) (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), and interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS) (P < 0.001and P < 0.001, respectively). While mean SUVmax and TBR presented favorable uptake of [18F]FDG over [68 Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) (P = 0.003 and P < 0.001, respectively) and rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: [68 Ga]Ga-DOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT is a promising new imaging modality for recurrent surveillance of STS, and compares favorably with [18F]FDG for identifying recurrent lesions of liposarcoma, MSFT, and IDCS.

Association of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Glycemic Control With Intracranial Plaque Characteristics in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has shown to be associated with carotid plaque vulnerability. However, the impact of T2DM on intracranial artery atherosclerosis is not well-understood. PURPOSE: To evaluate the association of diabetes and glycemic control with intracranial atherosclerotic plaque characteristics identified by three-dimensional contrast enhanced MR vessel wall imaging in patients after acute ischemic stroke. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: Two hundred and eighty-eight symptomatic patients with acute ischemic stroke due to intracranial atherosclerotic plaque. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: T1 WI volume isotropic turbo spin-echo acquisition sequence at 3.0 T. ASSESSMENT: Clinical profiles, blood biomarkers, the number of intracranial plaques, plaque enhanced score, and the features (location, luminal stenotic rate, intraplaque hemorrhage, length, burden, enhancement grade, and ratio) of culprit plaque (defined as the most stenotic lesion ipsilateral to the ischemic event) and nonculprit plaque were analyzed by three radiologists. STATISTICAL TESTS: Analysis of variance (ANOVA), Shapiro-Wilk normality test, Levene's test, ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc test, Kruskal Wallis H test with subsequent pairwise comparisons, chi-square with Bonferroni post-hoc test, generalized linear regression, Pearson correlation test, Kendall's W and intra-class correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty-five participants (age 60 ± 10 years, 58.7% male) with 958 intracranial plaques were included. More intracranial plaques were found in the T2DM group than the non-T2DM group (4.80 ± 2.22 vs. 3.60 ± 1.78, P < 0.05). Patients with poorly-controlled T2DM exhibited higher culprit plaque enhancement ratio than patients with well-controlled T2DM and non-T2DM (2.32 ± 0.61 vs. 1.60 ± 0.62 and 1.39 ± 0.39; respectively, P < 0.05). After adjusting for other clinical variables, T2DM was independently associated with increased intracranial plaque number (ß = 0.269, P < 0.05), and HbA1c level was independently associated with culprit plaque enhancement ratio (ß = 0.641, P < 0.05) in multivariate analysis. DATA CONCLUSION: T2DM is associated with an increased intracranial plaque number. Higher HbA1c is associated with stronger plaque enhancement. 3D contrast enhanced MR vessel wall imaging may help better understand the association of T2DM and glycemic control with intracranial plaque. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 3.

FSI-based non-cooperative target absolute distance measurement method using PLL correction for the influence of a nonlinear clock.

We propose a frequency swept interferometry (FSI)-based absolute distance measurement method that can be used to measure a noncooperative target located at a distance of 10s of m. In this method, an external cavity laser serves as the frequency tuning laser, and a single frequency laser and two acoustic optical modulators (AOMs) are used to measure the optical path difference (OPD) variation during the frequency tuning, which can correct the Doppler effect. A phase-locked loop (PLL) is introduced to synchronize the nonlinearities between the OPD variation measurement signal and the absolute distance measurement signal, improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the OPD variation measurement signal. The distance to a noncooperative target located at 15 m is experimentally measured using this method, and a precision of 3.43 µm is obtained.

Effect of soaking and temperature process on the volatile compounds in soymilk made by soymilk maker.

ABSTRACT: The influence of different processing and storage conditions on the aroma and taste of soymilk were investigated. Volatile components in soymilk were made by soymilk machine, half soybeans produced by grinding soaked with water, the other half soybeans without soaking. Then the soymilk was stored in different conditions for 24 h. Dynamic headspace dilution analysis and aroma extract dilution analysis in conjunction and gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry were used to identify major aroma-active compounds. Sixteen odor-active compounds were identified in dry milling soymilk, while 21 odor-active compounds for wet milling one (smell was also more intense), among them, (E)-2-decanal (fatty, green), (E)-2-nonenal (sweet, fruity), 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (popcorn), having the highest FD factors in SDE extract, were regarded as the most important odorants in soymilk. Investigation of the volatile components was affected to a greater extent by hot soymilk compared with refrigerated or frozen storage. Sensory results showed that intensities of overall aroma, flower aromatic, flour were affected by the soaking and storage.

Association between carotid plaque characteristics and acute cerebral infarction determined by MRI in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) might aggravate the carotid plaque vulnerability, and increase the risk for ischemic stroke. Few studies reported the acute stroke subtype with carotid plaque characteristics in T2DM patients. This study aimed to investigate the association between carotid plaque characteristics and acute cerebral infarct (ACI) lesion features determined by MRI in T2DM patients. METHODS: Patients with acute cerebrovascular syndrome in internal carotid artery territory were recruited. All patients were stratified into T2DM and non-T2DM groups and underwent both carotid and brain MRI scans. Ipsilateral carotid plaque morphological and compositional characteristics, intracranial and extracranial carotid artery stenosis were also determined. Stroke subtype based on the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment classification and ACI lesion patterns were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the recruited 140 patients, 68 (48.6%) patients had T2DM (mean age 64.16 ± 11.38 years, 40 males). T2DM patients exhibited higher prevalence of carotid type IV-VI lesions, larger plaque burden as well as larger lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) compared with non-T2DM patients. Among the patients with carotid LRNC on symptomatic side, more concomitant large perforating artery infarct patterns and larger ACI size in the internal carotid artery territory were found in T2DM group than those in non-T2DM group. Carotid plaque with LRNC% > 22.0% was identified as an independent risk factor for the presence of ACI lesions confined to the carotid territory in T2DM patients, regardless of other risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that more concomitant large perforating artery infarct patterns and larger ACI size in the internal carotid artery territory were found in the T2DM patients with ipsilateral carotid LRNC plaque than those in non-T2DM patients. Quantification of the carotid plaque characteristics, particularly the LRNC% by MRI has the potential usefulness for stroke risk stratification.

Evaluation of carotid plaque vulnerability in vivo: Correlation between dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and MRI-modified AHA classification.

PURPOSE: To noninvasively monitor carotid plaque vulnerability by exploring the relationship between pharmacokinetic parameters (PPs) of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and plaque types based on MRI-modified American Heart Association (AHA) classification, as well as to assess the ability of PPs in discrimination between stable and vulnerable plaques suspected on MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 70 consecutive patients with carotid plaques who volunteered for 3.0T MRI (3D time-of-flight [TOF], T1 -weighted, T2 -weighted, 3D magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient-echo [MP-RAGE] and DCE-MRI), 66 participants were available for analysis. After plaque classification according to MRI-modified AHA Lesion-Type (LT), PPs (Ktrans , kep , ve , and vp ) of DCE-MRI were measured. The Extended Tofts model was used for calculation of PPs. For participants with multiple carotid plaques, the plaque with the worst MRI-modified AHA LT was chosen for analysis. Correlations between PPs and plaque types and the ability of these parameters to distinguish stable and vulnerable plaques suspected on MRI were assessed. RESULTS: Significant positive correlation between Ktrans and LT III to VI was found (ρ = 0.532, P < 0.001), as was the correlation between kep and LT III to VI (ρ = 0.409, P < 0.001). Stable and vulnerable plaques suspected on MRI could potentially be distinguished by Ktrans (sensitivity 83%, specificity 100%) and kep (sensitivity 77%, specificity 91%). CONCLUSION: Ktrans and kep from DCE-MRI can provide quantitative information to monitor plaque vulnerability in vivo and differentiate vulnerable plaques suspected on MRI from stable ones. These two parameters could be adopted as imaging biomarkers for plaque characterization and risk stratification. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:870-876.

Assessment of response to anti-angiogenic targeted therapy in pulmonary metastatic renal cell carcinoma: R2* value as a predictive biomarker.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of MR R2*-mapping and the optimal time-point for assessing the response of pulmonary metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) to anti-angiogenic targeted therapy (aATT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The exploration-sample group and the validation-sample group consisted of 22 and 16 patients. The parameters of MR R2*-mapping, including the R2* value at each time-point (R2*base, R2*1cyc and R2*2cyc) and change between different time-points (R2*(1cyc-base)/base, R2*(2cyc-base)/base and R2*(2cyc-1cyc)/1cyc), were evaluated with a receiver-operating-characteristic analysis, and a cut-off value derived from the clinical outcome was applied to the Kaplan-Meier method to assess the value of R2* mapping and Response-Evaluation-Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) during treatment evaluation. RESULTS: The inter-, intra-observer agreements and inter-scan consistency were excellent (p > 0.80). For the exploration-sample group, the areas under the curve for the parameters of MR R2* mapping were 0.55, 0.60, 0.83, 0.64, 0.88 and 0.83 for R2*base, R2*1cyc, R2*2cyc, R2*(1cyc-base)/base, R2*(2cyc-base)/base and R2*(2cyc-1cyc)/1cyc. For the validation-sample, R2*(2cyc-base)/base better predicted progression-free survival (p = 0.03) than RECIST and other R2* mapping parameters with a lower p value. CONCLUSION: Assessing aATT outcome based on changes in the R2* value between baseline and second treatment is more accurate than assessment at other time-points and assessment based on the RECIST. KEY POINTS: • The inter-scan consistency of R2*-mapping in pulmonary mRCC are excellent. • The intra-/inter-observer agreement of R2* mapping in pulmonary mRCC are excellent. • Using changes in R2* value between baseline/after second-treatment is better than RECIST. • The choice of baseline/after second treatment is better than other time-points.

Assessment of carotid artery atherosclerotic disease by using three-dimensional fast black-blood MR imaging: comparison with DSA.

PURPOSE: To assess fast three-dimensional (3D) black-blood (BB) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as a noninvasive alternative to intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) at quantifying moderate to severe carotid artery atherosclerotic disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Local ethics committee approval and written informed patient consent were obtained for this study. Sixty-five carotid arteries from 52 patients with at least 50% stenosis underwent 3D BB MR imaging and DSA. Quantitative measurements, including stenosis, lesion length, and the presence or absence of plaque ulceration, obtained with the two modalities were independently determined. Sensitivity and specificity, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Cohen κ, and Bland-Altman analysis were used to assess the agreement. RESULTS: Excellent agreement in measuring luminal stenosis was found between 3D BB MR imaging and DSA (ICC, 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93, 0.97). Three-dimensional BB MR imaging was also found to have high sensitivity (91.7%), specificity (96.2%), and agreement (Cohen κ, 0.85; 95% CI: 0.66, 0.99) with DSA for detection of ulcers. Good agreement was found between lesion length measured by using 3D BB MR imaging and DSA (ICC, 0.75; 95% CI: 0.51, 0.84). However, lesion length measurements by using 3D BB MR imaging were, on average, 4.0 mm longer than those measured by using DSA (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional BB MR imaging is a noninvasive and accurate way to quantify moderate to severe carotid artery atherosclerotic disease. With fast acquisition and large coverage, 3D BB MR imaging has the potential to become an alternative imaging approach in evaluating the severity of atherosclerosis.

Endovascular embolization is applicable for large and giant intracranial aneurysms: experience in one center with long-term angiographic follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular treatment of large and giant intracranial aneurysms and long-term results of angiographic follow-up of these aneurysms treated endovascularly are not known currently. PURPOSE: To investigate the outcome of endovascular treatment of large and giant aneurysms and the long-term angiographic follow-up results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all patients with endovascular treatment of large and giant aneurysms between 1998 and 2009 was performed. There were 90 large or giant aneurysms treated with coiling alone, stent-assisted coiling, covered-stent deployment, or parent artery occlusion (PAO) in 88 patients (female/male, 54/34; age range, 23-92 years; mean age, 56 years). RESULTS: Immediately after the initial endovascular embolization procedure, complete occlusion was achieved in 56.7%, near complete occlusion in 37.8%, and incomplete occlusion in 5.5%. The total periprocedural complication rate excluding subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-induced vasospasm was 10.2% with a mortality rate of 2.3%. Follow-up angiography was performed in all of the aneurysms with the longest follow-up duration of 131 months. Among 38 aneurysms initially treated with coiling alone and 17 initially treated with stent-assisted coiling, 22 (57.9%) and four (23.5%) recurred, respectively, during follow-up. No recurrence occurred in aneurysms initially treated with covered-stent deployment or PAO. Aneurysm recurrence was predominantly seen in older and female patients, in larger aneurysms, and in aneurysms treated with coiling alone. Twenty-three aneurysms were successfully retreated endovascularly. CONCLUSION: Endovascular intervention with coiling alone or stent-assisted coiling for large and giant cerebral aneurysms is not very effective, while covered stents are more promising. Better endovascular devices are needed to obtain more secure closure.

Aroma-active compounds in jinhua ham produced with different fermentation periods.

The aroma-active compounds in Jinhua ham processed and stored for 9, 12, 15 and 18 months were extracted by dynamic headspace sampling (DHS) and solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and analyzed by gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS). In GC-O-MS, volatile compounds were identified based on their mass spectrum, linear retention index (LRI), odor properties, or reference compound comparisons. The results showed that a total number of 81 aroma-active compounds were identified by GC-O-MS. Among them, acids (such as acetic acid, butanoic acid and 3-methylbutanoic acid), saturated aldehydes (such as hexanal, heptanal, octanal and 3-methylbutanal), benzene derivatives (such as benzeneacetic acid), ester and lactone (such as γ-nonalactone and γ-decalactone) were identified as critical compounds in Jinhua ham aroma. The results also indicated that the type and content of the odorants increased significantly with the duration of the fermentation period.

Aroma-active components of yeast extract pastes with a basic and characteristic meaty flavour.

BACKGROUND: Aroma-active compounds, together with sugars, amino acids, fat and nucleotides, are the main chemical species determining the characteristic aroma and taste of food. For selecting yeast extract pastes products with a less undesirable aroma, the aroma-active compounds that affect the overall consumer acceptance of yeast extract pastes products were analysed in this work. RESULTS: The aroma-active compounds of yeast extract pastes were extracted by using dynamic headspace extraction or simultaneous distillation extraction, and were detected by gas chromatography-olfactrometry-mass spectrometry in conjunction with dynamic headspace dilution analysis or aroma extract dilution analysis. Sensory results revealed that a meaty, roasted aroma was the dominant of overall aroma. The important aroma-active compounds referred in this work were mainly aldehydes, acids, ketones, furan derivatives, pyrazines, and sulfur-containing compounds. Of these, six volatile compounds such as 3-methylbutanal, 2,3-butanedione, 2,3,5-trimethyl-pyrazin, acetic acid ethenyl ester, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal had never been reported before as key aroma-active compounds of yeast extract pastes. CONCLUSIONS: The key aroma-active compounds were identified in basic and characteristic meaty flavour yeast extract pastes, and their characterisation was determined.