Real-world effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonist-based treatment strategies on "time in range" in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Diabetes affects millions of people worldwide annually, and several methods, including medications, are used for its management; glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are one such class of medications. The efficacy and safety of GLP-1RAs in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been assessed and have been shown to significantly improve time in range (TIR) in several clinical trials. However, presently, there is a lack of real-world evidence on the efficacy of GLP-1RAs in improving TIR. To address this, we investigated the effect of GLP-1RA-based treatment strategies on TIR among patients with T2DM in real-world clinical practice. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective, real-world study included patients with T2DM who had previously used a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system and received treatment with GLP-1RAs or oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs). Patients who received OADs served as controls and were matched in a 1:1 ratio to their GLP-1RA counterparts by propensity score matching. The primary endpoint was the TIR after 3-6 months of treatment. Results: According to propensity score matching, 202 patients were equally divided between the GLP-1RA and OAD groups. After 3-6 months of treatment, the TIR values for the GLP-1RA and OAD groups were 76.0% and 65.7%, respectively (p < 0.001). The GLP-1RA group displayed significantly lower time above range (TAR) and mean glucose values than the OAD group (p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that, compared with the administration of liraglutide, the administration of semaglutide and polyethylene glycol loxenatide (PEG-Loxe) significantly improved TIR over 3-6 months of treatment (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These real-world findings indicate that GLP-1RA-based treatment strategies could be superior to oral treatment strategies for improving TIR among patients with T2DM and that once-weekly GLP-1RA may be more effective than a once-daily GLP-1RA. Clinical trial registration: http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn/index.html, identifier number ChiCTR2300073697.

Spatial distribution characteristics and degradation mechanism of microorganisms in n-hexadecane contaminated vadose zone.

The damage caused by petroleum hydrocarbon pollution to soil and groundwater environment is becoming increasingly significant. The vadose zone is the only way for petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants to leak from surface into groundwater. The spatial distribution characteristics of indigenous microorganisms in vadose zone, considering presence of capillary zones, have rarely been reported. To explore the spatial distribution characteristics of indigenous microorganisms in vadose zone contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons, a one-dimensional column migration experiment was conducted using n-hexadecane as characteristic pollutant. Soil samples were collected periodically from different heights during experiment. Corresponding environmental factors were monitored online. The microbial community structure and spatial distribution characteristics of the cumulative relative abundance were systematically analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. In addition, the microbial degradation mechanism of n-hexadecane was analyzed using metabolomics. The results showed that presence of capillary zone had a strong retarding effect on n-hexadecane infiltration. Leaked pollutants were mainly concentrated in areas with strong capillary action. Infiltration and displacement of NAPL-phase pollutants were major driving force for change in moisture content (θ) and electric conductivity (EC) in vadose zone. The degradation by microorganisms results in a downward trend in potential of hydrogen (pH) and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). Five petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial phyla and 11 degradable straight-chain alkane bacterial genera were detected. Microbial degradation was strong in the area near edge of capillary zone and locations of pollutant accumulation. Mainly Sphingomonas and Nocardioides bacteria were involved in microbial degradation of n-hexadecane. Single-end oxidation involved microbial degradation of n-hexadecane (C16H34). The oxygen consumed, hexadecanoic acid (C16H32O2) produced during this process, and release of hydrogen ions (H+) were the driving factors for reduction of ORP and pH. The vadose zone in this study considered presence of capillary zone, which was more in line with actual contaminated site conditions compared with previous studies. This study systematically elucidated vertical distribution characteristics of petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants and spatiotemporal variation characteristics of indigenous microorganisms in vadose zone considered presence of capillary zone. In addition, the n-hexadecane degradation mechanism was elucidated using metabolomics. This study provides theoretical support for development of natural attenuation remediation measures for petroleum-hydrocarbon-contaminated soil and groundwater.

A rapid and accurate method for evaluating the degradation of pan-Akt in cells by PROTACs using NanoLuc luciferase.

Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) is a protein degradation technique that has been increasingly used in the development of new drugs in recent years. Akt is a classical serine/threonine kinase, and its role outside of the kinase has gradually gained attention in recent years, making it one of the proteins targeted by PROTACs. Currently, there are many methods used for the evaluation of intracellular protein degradation, but each has its own advantages or disadvantages. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of evaluating the degradation of pan-Akt proteins in cells by PROTACs (MS21 and MS170) using the NanoLuc luciferase method. After conducting a thorough comparison between this method and the classical western blot assay in various cells, as well as testing the stability of the experiments between multiple batches, we found that NanoLuc luciferase is a highly accurate, stable, low-cost and easy-to-operate method for the evaluation of intracellular pan-Akt degradation by PROTACs with a short cycle time and high cellular expandability. Given the numerous advantages of this method, it is hypothesized that it could be extended to evaluate the degradation of more target proteins of PROTACs. In summary, the NanoLuc luciferase is a suitable method for early protein degradation screening of PROTAC compounds.

68Ga-DOTATATE and 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT in a Patient with Castleman Disease of the Retroperitoneum.

This is a case of a 42-year-old man with recurrent symptoms of dizziness and a newly found retroperitoneal mass with no 131I-MIBG uptake who was referred for restaging with 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT and local 68Ga-pentixafor PET/CT. The examinations both showed intense radioactivity uptake in the retroperitoneal mass and no abnormal uptake in the right adrenal nodule. Two lesions showed distinct properties of radioactivity uptake, which suggested the possibility of different sources. A postoperative pathological test revealed that the morphology and immunohistochemistry of the retroperitoneal mass was found to be consistent with Castleman disease, and the right adrenal gland was normal tissue.

Determination of the binding affinities of OPEs to integrin αvß3 and elucidation of the underlying mechanisms via a competitive binding assay, pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking and QSAR modeling.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) can cause adverse biological effects through binding to integrin αvß3. However, few studies have focused on the binding activity and mechanism of OPEs to integrin αvß3. Herein, a comprehensive investigation of the mechanisms by which OPEs bind to integrin αvß3 and determination of the binding affinity were conducted by in vitro and in silico approaches: competitive binding assay as well as pharmacophore, molecular docking and QSAR modeling. The results showed that all 18 OPEs exhibited binding activities to integrin αvß3; moreover, hydrogen bonds were identified as crucial intermolecular interactions. In addition, essential factors, including the -P = O structure of OPEs, key amino acid residues and suitable cavity volume of integrin αvß3, were identified to contribute to the formation of hydrogen bonds. Moreover, aryl-OPEs exhibited a lower binding activity with integrin αvß3 than halogenated- and alkyl-OPEs. Ultimately, the QSAR model constructed in this study was effectively used to predict the binding affinity of OPEs to integrin αvß3, and the results suggest that some OPEs might pose potential risks in aquatic environments. The results of this study comprehensively elucidated the binding mechanism of OPEs to integrin αvß3, and supported the environmental risk management of these emerging pollutants.

FFR CT and Static Computed Tomography Myocardial Perfusion Imaging for Therapeutic Decision-making and Prognosis in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of integrated evaluation of resting static computed tomography perfusion (CTP) and coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR CT ) on therapeutic decision-making and predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this post hoc analysis of a prospective trial of CCTA in patients assigned to either CCTA or CCTA plus FFR CT arms, 500 patients in the CCTA plus FFR CT arm were analyzed. Both resting static CTP and FFR CT were evaluated by using the conventional CCTA. Perfusion defects in the myocardial segments with ≥50% degree of stenosis in the supplying vessels were defined as resting static CTP positive, and any vessel with an FFR CT value of ≤0.80 was considered positive. Patients were divided into 3 groups: (1) negative CTP-FFR CT match group (resting static CTP-negative and FFR CT -negative group); (2) mismatch CTP-FFR CT group (resting static CTP-positive and FFR CT -negative or resting static CTP-negative and FFR CT -positive group); and (3) positive CTP-FFR CT match group (resting static CTP-positive and FFR CT -positive group). We compared the revascularization-to-invasive coronary angiography ratio and the MACE rate among 3 subgroups at 1- and 3-year follow-ups. The adjusted Cox hazard proportional model was used to assess the prognostic value of FFR CT and resting static CTP to determine patients at risk of MACE. RESULTS: Patients in the positive CTP-FFR CT match group were more likely to undergo revascularization at the time of invasive coronary angiography compared with those in the mismatch CTP-FFR CT group (81.4% vs 57.7%, P =0.033) and the negative CTP-FFR CT match group (81.4% vs 33.3%, P= 0.001). At 1- and 3-year follow-ups, patients in the positive CTP-FFR CT match group were more likely to have MACE than those in the mismatch CTP-FFR CT group (10.5% vs 4.2%, P= 0.046; 35.6% vs 9.4%, P <0.001) and the negative CTP-FFR CT match group (10.5% vs 0.9%, P <0.001; 35.6% vs 5.4%, P <0.001). A positive CTP-FFR CT match was strongly related to MACE at 1-year (hazard ratio=8.06, P= 0.003) and 3-year (hazard ratio=6.23, P <0.001) follow-ups. CONCLUSION: In patients with suspected coronary artery disease, the combination of FFR CT with resting static CTP could guide therapeutic decisions and have a better prognosis with fewer MACE in a real-world scenario.

Key to the Treatment of Primary Aldosteronism in Secondary Hypertension: Subtype Diagnosis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a leading global cause of secondary hypertension. Subtyping diagnosis of PA is the key to surgery, but accurate classification of PA is crucial but challenging in clinical diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of current literature and propose subtyping diagnosis flow chart to help us classify PA quickly and accurately. RECENT FINDINGS: Early diagnosis and accurate typing are essential for the timely treatment and appropriate management of PA. For most patients, adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is the central choice for typing diagnosis, but AVS is invasive and difficult to promote effectively. CT can help identify unilateral typical adenomas in select patients to avoid AVS. New radionuclide imaging has shown value in the diagnosis and classification of PA, which distinguishes adrenocortical hyperplasia from adenoma and can replace AVS in some patients. Accurately diagnosing unilateral PA is crucial for determining the appropriate treatment strategy for PA. The simple flow chart of PA subtyping diagnosis based on the current literature needs to be verified and evaluated by follow-up researches.

Environmental stressors altered the groundwater microbiome and nitrogen cycling: A focus on influencing mechanisms and pathways.

Nitrogen cycling, as an important biogeochemical process in groundwater, strongly impacts the energy and matter flow of groundwater ecology. Phthalate esters (PAEs) were screened as key environmental stressors in the groundwater of Beijing, contributing to the alteration of microbial community structure and functions; thus, it could be deduced that these stressors might influence nitrogen cycling that is almost exclusively mediated by microorganisms. Identification of the influences of PAEs on groundwater nitrogen cycling and exploration of the potential influence mechanisms and pathways are vital but still challenging. This study explored the influence mechanisms and pathways of the environmental stressor PAE on nitrogen cycling in groundwater collected from a typical monitoring station in Beijing based on high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis combined with mediation analysis methods. The results suggested that among the 5 detected PAEs, dimethyl phthalate and diethyl phthalate significantly negatively impacted nitrogen cycling processes, especially nitrogen fixation and denitrification processes (p < 0.05), in groundwater. Their influences were fully or partially mediated by functional microorganisms, particularly assigned keystone genera (such as Dechloromonas, Aeromonas and Noviherbaspirillum), whose abundance was significantly inhibited by these PAEs via dysregulation of carbohydrate metabolism and activation of defense mechanisms. These findings confirmed that the influences of environmental stressors PAEs on nitrogen cycling in groundwater might be mediated by the "PAE stress-groundwater microbiome-nitrogen cycling alteration" pathway. This study may advance the understanding of the consequences of environmental stressors on groundwater ecology and support the ecological hazard assessment of groundwater stressors.

Intraoperative Vasoactive Medications and Perioperative Outcomes in Liver Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analyses.

We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analyses evaluating the effects of different intraoperative vasoactive drugs on acute kidney injury (AKI) and other perioperative outcomes in adult liver transplant recipients. We searched multiple electronic databases using words from the "liver transplantation" and "vasoactive drug" domains. We included all randomized controlled trials conducted in adult liver transplant recipients comparing 2 different intravenous vasoactive drugs or 1 against a standard of care that reported AKI, intraoperative blood loss, or any other postoperative outcome. We conducted 4 frequentist network meta-analyses using random effect models, based on the interventions' mechanism of action, and evaluated the quality of evidence (QoE) using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations recommendations. We included 9 randomized controlled trials comparing different vasopressor drugs (vasoconstrictor or inotrope), 3 comparing a somatostatin infusion (or its analogues) to a standard of care, 11 comparing different vasodilator infusions together or against a standard of care, and 2 comparing vasoconstrictor boluses at graft reperfusion. Intravenous clonidine was associated with shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit, and hospital length of stay (very low QoE), and some vasodilators were associated with lower creatinine level 24 h after surgery (low to very low QoE). Phenylephrine and terlipressin were associated with less intraoperative blood loss when compared with norepinephrine (low and moderate QoE). None of the vasoactive drugs improve any other postoperative outcomes, including AKI. There is still important equipoise regarding the best vasoactive drug to use in liver transplantation for most outcomes. Further studies are required to better inform clinical practice.

Nano- and micro-plastic transport in soil and groundwater environments: Sources, behaviors, theories, and models.

With the increasing use of plastics, nano- and micro-plastic (NMP) pollution has become a hot topic in the scientific community. Ubiquitous NMPs, as emerging contaminants, are becoming a global issue owing to their persistence and potential toxicity. Compared with studies of marine and freshwater environments, investigations into the sources, transport properties, and fate of NMPs in soil and groundwater environments remain at a primary stage. Hence, the promotion of such research is critically important. Here, we integrate existing information and recent advancements to compile a comprehensive evaluation of the sources and transport properties of NMPs in soil and groundwater environments. We first provide a systematic description of the various sources and transport behaviors of NMPs. We then discuss the theories (e.g., clean-bed filtration and Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theories) and models (e.g., single-site and dual-site kinetic retention and transport models) of NMP transport through saturated porous media. Finally, we outline the potential limitations of current research and suggest directions for future research. Overall, this review intends to assimilate and outline current knowledge and provide a useful reference frame to determine the sources and transport properties of NMPs in soil and groundwater environments.

Antihypertensive drugs may not delay the symptom progression of Parkinson's disease: A 2-year follow-up study.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disease, and half of PD patients have hypertension as well. The effect of antihypertensive drugs on the progression of PD has been less studied. The focus of this study was on the changes in dopamine transporter (DAT) levels to assess the effect of antihypertensive drugs on the progression of PD. Methods: Data from 321 drug-naïve patients from the Parkinson's Disease Progression Marker Initiative (PPMI) were collected over a 2-year period. Patients were divided into the PD with arterial hypertension (AH) group (102 cases) with antihypertensive drugs, the PD with other cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) group (60 cases) with antidiabetic and/or lipid-lowering drugs, and the pure PD group (159 cases) without CVRFs. The Movement Disorder Society Sponsored Revision Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) and Hoehn-Yahr (H&Y) stage were used to assess progression. DAT semiquantitative values were used to evaluate damage to dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, including the contralateral and ipsilateral count density ratio and asymmetry index. Results: There were no significant differences among the three groups in MDS-UPDRS score and H&Y stage. Changes in DAT levels among the three groups were without distinct differences in the first year and second year. In each group, DAT decreased more in the first year than in the second year. There was no decrease in DAT uptake in the PD with AH group compared with the other groups during the follow-up period. Conclusions: There is no evidence that antihypertensive drugs can delay PD progression within 2 years.

The value of Gallium-68 prostate-specific membrane antigen ([68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11) PET/CT and 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-[18F]FDG) PET/CT in the detection of thyroid cancer lesions: a prospective head-to-head comparison.

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid cancer is increasing in incidence. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) targeted radionuclide imaging and treatment demonstrated remarkable value in prostate cancer patients. Studies have shown that PSMA is also expressed in thyroid cancer. Our purpose is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. METHODS: We enrolled 23 DTC and 17 RAIR-DTC patients prospectively. All patients underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT. PSMA expression was determined by immunohistochemistry on histological samples of lymphatic metastasis of 12 patients. We compared the detection rates and semi-quantitative parameters between [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11PET/CT and 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT. RESULTS: A total of 72 lesions were detected. Detection rates of DTC and RAIR-DTC by [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT were lower than those by 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT (60.00% vs 90.00%, p = 0.004; 59.38% vs 96.88%). Compared with DTC, RAIR-DTC had higher semi-quantitative parameters of 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT. There was no significant difference in semi-quantitative parameters of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT between DTC and RAIR-DTC. Immunohistochemistry showed a significantly higher PSMA expression for RAIR-DTC than for DTC. However, there was no significant correlation between PSMA expression and SUVmax on 68Ga-PSMA [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. CONCLUSIONS: [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT can detect thyroid cancer metastases but its detection rate was lower than that of 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT. There was a difference in PSMA expression levels between DTC and RAIR-DTC, but the difference was not reflected on [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT has potential value in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT could screen out patients who may benefit from PSMA targeted radionuclide therapy.

Angiopoietin-like 4 promotes epidermal stem cell proliferation and migration and contributes to cutaneous wound re-epithelialization.

Proliferation and migration of epidermal stem cells (EpSCs) are essential for epithelialization during skin wound healing. Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) has been reported to play an important role in wound healing, but the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Here, we investigate the contribution of ANGPTL4 to full-thickness wound re-epithelialization and the underlying mechanisms using Angptl4-knockout mice. Immunohistochemical staining reveals that ANGPTL4 is significantly upregulated in the basal layer cells of the epidermis around the wound during cutaneous wound healing. ANGPTL4 deficiency impairs wound healing. H&E staining shows that ANGPTL4 deficiency significantly reduces the thickness, length and area of the regenerated epidermis postwounding. Immunohistochemical staining for markers of EpSCs (α6 integrin and ß1 integrin) and cell proliferation (PCNA) shows that the number and proliferation of EpSCs in the basal layer of the epidermis are reduced in ANGPTL4-deficient mice. In vitro studies show that ANGPTL4 deficiency impedes EpSC proliferation, causes cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase and reduces the expressions of cyclins D1 and A2, which can be reversed by ANGPTL4 overexpression. ANGPTL4 deletion suppresses EpSC migration, which is also rescued by ANGPTL4 overexpression. Overexpression of ANGPTL4 in EpSCs accelerates cell proliferation and migration. Collectively, our results indicate that ANGPTL4 promotes EpSC proliferation by upregulating cyclins D1 and A2 expressions and accelerating the cell cycle transition from G1 to S phase and that ANGPTL4 promotes skin wound re-epithelialization by stimulating EpSC proliferation and migration. Our study reveals a novel mechanism underlying EpSC activation and re-epithelialization during cutaneous wound healing.

A ratiometric, colorimetric fluorescent probe with a large emission shift for the rapid detection of diethyl chlorophosphate.

A new ratiometric and colorimetric probe (SWJT-16) based on the isophorone skeleton to detect diethyl chlorophosphite (DCP), a nerve agent mimic, was designed and synthesized. SWJT-16 underwent a nucleophilic substitution reaction with DCP in DMF, leading to a large emission shift (Δλem = 174 nm) accompanied by a significant color change from blue to yellow under visible light. All these changes occurred within 6 seconds, faster than those of most reported ratiometric fluorescent probes for DCP. Furthermore, SWJT-16 was successfully employed to monitor gaseous DCP.

Clinical application of 18F-FCH PET/CT in the diagnosis and treatment of hyperparathyroidism.

Objective: We evaluated the difference in parathyroid visualization on 18F-FCH PET/CT images obtained at 5 and 60 min, and quantitatively analyzed the mode of FCH uptake at different time points, to determine the best imaging time for FCH PET/CT. Methods: This retrospective study included 73 patients with hyperparathyroidism (HPT) who underwent 18F-FCH PET/CT imaging between December 2017 and December 2021. The diagnostic efficiency of 5- and 60-min dual time point imaging for the diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid adenoma and hyperplasia, were compared using visual and quantitative analyses. Results: Dual-time 18F-FCH PET/CT imaging visual analysis had diagnostic value for HPT. The receiver operating characteristic curve of PET/CT quantitative parameters for the diagnosis of HPT and lesions showed that the parathyroid/thyroid SUVmax ratio for 60-min imaging had a higher sensitivity and specificity (based on patient, sensitivity: 90.90% and specificity: 85.71%; based on focus, sensitivity: 83.06% and specificity: 85.71%) compared to that for 5-min imaging. PET/CT quantitative parameters can distinguish parathyroid adenoma and hyperplasia. The 60-min parathyroid SUVmax value had the highest diagnostic value (cutoff: 3.945; area under the curve: 0.783). Conclusion: The quantitative parameters of 60min 18F-FCH PET/CT have more advantages in aiding in the pathologica diagnosis and clinical treatment of HPT.

A Turn-On and Colorimetric Probe Based on Isophorone Skeleton for Detecting Nerve Agent Mimic Diethyl Chlorophosphite.

A new turn-on probe (SWJT-20) based on isophorone fluorophore for the detection of nerve agent mimic diethyl chlorophosphite (DCP) was designed and synthesized. SWJT-20 could rapidly respond to DCP within 2 s using UV-Vis or fluorescent spectra, accompanied by a significant change in the solution color under visible light or UV light, which could be observed by the naked eyes. The detection limit of SWJT-20 to DCP was as low as 8.3 nM, which is lower than those of most reported fluorescent probes for DCP detection. Additionally, SWJT-20 could quantitatively measure DCP using ratio changes in A427/A645 in absorption spectra. Furthermore, facile paper as sensors with the visualization of colorimetric/fluorometric responses based on SWJT-20 has been fabricated. Notably, this probe could detect DCP vapor through gas diffusion experiments.

Development and validation of a nonenhanced CT based radiomics model to detect brown adipose tissue.

Purpose: It has been reported that brown adipose tissue (BAT) has a protective effect regarding cardiovascular disease. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is the reference method for detecting active BAT; however, it is not feasible to screen for BAT due to the required radionuclides and high-cost. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a nonenhanced CT based radiomics model to detect BAT and to explore the relationship between CT radiomics derived BAT and cardiovascular calcification. Patients and methods: 146 patients undergoing 18F-FDG PET-CT were retrospectively included from two centers for model development (n = 86) and external validation (n = 60). The data for the model development were randomly divided into a training cohort and an internal validation cohort with a 7:3 ratio, while the external validation data were divided 1:1 into a propensity score matching (PSM) cohort and a randomly sex matched cohort. Radiomics features of BAT and non-BAT depots were extracted from regions of interest (ROI) on nonenhanced CT corresponding to PET studies. Inter-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Pearson's correlation analysis were performed to select radiomics features with high consistency. Next, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) with linear regression model was used to select radiomics features for model construction. Support vector machine (SVM) was used to develop the model and a radiomics score (RS) was calculated for each depot. The diagnostic performance of the radiomics model was evaluated both on a per-depot and per-patient basis by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). We further divided patients into BAT-RS group and non-BAT-RS group based on radiomics score and compared their cardiovascular calcification by calculating calcium volume and score. Results: A total of 22 radiomics features were selected for model construction. On a per-depot basis, the AUROCs were 0.87 (95% CI: 0.83-0.9), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79-0.90), 0.72 (95% CI: 0.67-0.77) and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.69-0.79) for detecting BAT in the training, internal validation, external validation 1 and external validation 2 cohorts, respectively. On a per-patient basis, the radiomics model had high AUROCs of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.84-0.98), 0.77 (95% CI: 0.61-0.92) and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.72-0.98) in the training, external validation 1 and external validation 2 cohorts, respectively. When grouping based on the radiomics model, the BAT-RS group had lower odds of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and thoracic aorta calcium (TAC) compared with the non-BAT-RS group (CAC: 2.8% vs. 20.3%, p = 0.001; TAC: 19.4% vs. 39.2%, p = 0.009). The BAT-RS group had less CAC volume (4.1 ± 4.0 mm3 vs. 147.4 ± 274.3 mm3; p = 0.001), CAC score (2.8 ± 3.0 vs. 169.1 ± 311.5; p = 0.001), TAC volume (301.4 ± 450.2 mm3 vs. 635.3 ± 1100.7 mm3; p = 0.007) and TAC score (496.2 ± 132.6 vs. 749.2 ± 1297.3; p = 0.007) than the non-BAT-RS group. Conclusion: We developed and validated a nonenhanced CT based reliable radiomics model for detecting BAT with PET-CT findings as reference standard. Radiomics signatures from nonenhanced CT can reliably detect BAT and have promising potential to be used in routine clinical settings. Importantly, our study showed that patients with BAT had less cardiovascular calcification.

Research on Risk Assessment and Contamination Monitoring of Potential Toxic Elements in Mining Soils.

Potentially toxic element (PTE) contamination in soils has serious impacts on ecosystems. However, there is no consensus in the field of assessment and monitoring of contaminated sites in China. In this paper, a risk assessment and pollution monitoring method for PTEs was proposed and applied to a mining site containing As, Cd, Sb, Pb, Hg, Ni, Cr, V, Zn, Tl, and Cu. The comprehensive scoring method and analytical hierarchical process were used to screen the priority PTEs for monitoring. The potential ecological risk index method was used to calculate the risk index of monitoring point. The spatial distribution characteristics were determined using semi-variance analysis. The spatial distribution of PTEs was predicted using ordinary kriging (OK) and radial basis function (RBF). The results showed that the spatial distribution of As, Pd, and Cd are mainly influenced by natural factors, while Sb and RI are influenced by both natural and human factors. OK has higher spatial prediction accuracy for Sb and Pb, and RBF has higher prediction accuracy for As, Cd, and RI. The areas with high ecological risk and above are mainly distributed on both sides of the creek and road. The optimized long-term monitoring sites can achieve the monitoring of multiple PTEs.