Renal interstitial fibrotic assessment using non-Gaussian diffusion kurtosis imaging in a rat model of hyperuricemia.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the feasibility of Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) in assessing renal interstitial fibrosis induced by hyperuricemia. METHODS: A hyperuricemia rat model was established, and the rats were randomly split into the hyperuricemia (HUA), allopurinol (AP), and AP + empagliflozin (AP + EM) groups (n = 19 per group). Also, the normal rats were selected as controls (CON, n = 19). DKI was performed before treatment (baseline) and on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 days after treatment. The DKI indicators, including mean kurtosis (MK), fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD) of the cortex (CO), outer stripe of the outer medulla (OS), and inner stripe of the outer medulla (IS) were acquired. Additionally, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson trichrome staining, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) immunostaining were used to reveal renal histopathological changes at baseline, 1, 5, and 9 days after treatment. RESULTS: The HUA, AP, and AP + EM group MKOS and MKIS values gradually increased during this study. The HUA group exhibited the highest MK value in outer medulla. Except for the CON group, all the groups showed a decreasing trend in the FA and MD values of outer medulla. The HUA group exhibited the lowest FA and MD values. The MKOS and MKIS values were positively correlated with Masson's trichrome staining results (r = 0.687, P < 0.001 and r = 0.604, P = 0.001, respectively). The MDOS and FAIS were negatively correlated with Masson's trichrome staining (r = -626, P < 0.0014 and r = -0.468, P = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: DKI may be a non-invasive method for monitoring renal interstitial fibrosis induced by hyperuricemia.

Multiparametric MRI analysis for the evaluation of renal function in patients with hyperuricemia: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the renal dysfunction in patients with hyperuricemia by employing a multiparametric MRI protocol, consisting of quantitative water molecule diffusion, microstructure, microscopic perfusion, and oxygenation measurements in kidneys. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 48 patients with hyperuricemia (HU) and 22 age-matched healthy control subjects (HC) were enrolled in the study. For each participant, three different functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sequences were acquired and analyzed, including intravoxel incoherent motion imaging (IVIM), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and blood-oxygen-level-dependent MRI (BOLD). Thereafter, an independent two-sample t-test was applied to discover the significant differences of MRI indices between the hyperuricemia (HU) and HC groups, and the specific potential biomarkers between two subgroups of HU group (asymptomatic hyperuricemia group (AH) and gouty arthritis group (GA)). Further, multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to classify the AH from the GA group using the MRI indices with significant between-group differences. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to assess the performance of each MR index for differentiation between the AH and GA groups. RESULTS: Ten parametric values of the HU group were significantly lower than those of the HC group among the 14 fMRI parameters (P < 0.05). The cortical D, D*, and f values and medullary D and R2*values had significant differences between the AH and GA groups (P < 0.05). Combining the cortical D and f values and medullary R2* value gave the best diagnostic efficacy, yielding an AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.967 ± 0.022, 91.67%, and 95.83%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A multiparametric MR analysis plays an important role in the evaluation of renal dysfunction in hyperuricemia from multiple perspectives. It could be a promising method for noninvasive detection and identification of the early-stage renal damage induced by hyperuricemia.

Non-invasive investigation of early kidney damage in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats by intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted (IVIM) MRI.

BACKGROUND: The current study investigated the performance of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion (IVIM) technology in monitoring early renal injury in streptozotocin rats. METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into a control group and a diabetic mellitus (DM) group. Six rats in each group were randomly selected for MR scans at four different time points (0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks). The IVIM-derived parameters (D, D*, f and ADC values) of the renal cortex (CO), outer and inner stripe of the outer medulla (OS, IS), and internal medulla (IM) were acquired. Changes in each IVIM-derived parameter over time were analyzed, and differences between the two groups at each point were assessed. The associations between the IVIM parameters and IV collagen expression, urine volume (UV), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and serum creatinine (Scr) were investigated. RESULTS: The D and D* values of CO and the ADC values of CO, OS, IS and IM displayed significantly different trends between the two groups over time (P<0.05). In addition, significant correlations were discovered between the D* value of CO and UV and BUN (r=0.527, P=0.033; r=0.617, P=0.005), between the ADC value of IM and BUN (r=0.557, P=0.019) and between the f value of IM and BUN (r=0.527, P=0.033). No correlation was found between IVIM parameters and IV collagen expression and Scr. CONCLUSIONS: IVIM is a potential sensitive and noninvasive technology for the simultaneous assessment of early renal cortical and medullary injuries induced by diabetes.

[Research progress on chemical constituents from Artemisiae Argyi Folium and their pharmacological activities and quality control].

Artemisiae Argyi Folium is a traditional medicine commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). It contains volatile oil, flavones, phenylpropanoids, terpenes and other chemical constituents. It has the functions of antibacterial, antiviral, hemostasis, anti-tumor, liver protection, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, relieving cough and asthma and other pharmacological activities. At present, many useful researches on the quality of moxa floss and Artemisiae Argyi Folium have been carried out on the contents of volatile oil, flavones, phenylpropanoids, the storage time of Artemisiae Argyi Folium, the processing of moxa, the genuineness of Artemisiae Argyi Folium, and their heat release properties in combustion. This paper summarized the literature on the chemical composition, pharmacological activities and quality control of Artemisiae Argyi Folium and provided the basis for the further development and utilization of Artemisiae Argyi Folium.

[Comparison of therapeutic effect of moxibustion materials from different places and storage periods on knee osteoarthritis].

Osteoarthritis(OA) is a kind of osteoarticular degenerative disease. The most common joint involvement of OA is knee and hip joint. The incidence rate of OA increases with age. Meta analysis shows that moxibustion is superior to other therapies in treating knee osteoarthritis(KOA). In this study, the effects of moxibustion materials from different places of origin(Hubei Qichun, Henan Nanyang, Hunan) and storage periods(5, 3, 1 years) on knee osteoarthritis in rats were compared. The swelling degree of knee joint and the histopathology of knee joint cartilage were measured. The mechanism of moxibustion in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis was discussed from the perspective of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. The results showed that the swelling degree of knee joint in the moxibustion material group of Hubei Qichun and Henan Nanyang was significantly lower than that in the model group, the diffe-rence was statistically significant(P<0.05), and it was better than that in the moxibustion material group of Hunan Province; compared with the model group, the degeneration and pathological change of knee joint cartilage tissue in the moxibustion material group of different origins were alleviated to different degrees, the Mankin's score was significantly reduced, and that in the moxibustion material group of Qichun in Hubei Province and Nanyang in Henan Province was significantly reduced and better than Hunan moxibustion material group. The effect of moxibustion materials with different storage years on the swelling degree of osteoarthritis in rats was the earliest in Qichun 5-year group, and there was significant difference between Qichun 5-year group and model group after 3 days of treatment; the improvement of histopathological changes in Qichun 5-year and 3-year moxibustion materials group was better than that in Qichun 1-year moxibustion materials group. The study on the mechanism of action showed that moxibustion materials from different places could reduce the mRNA expression of ß-catenin, BMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MMP-13 genes in knee cartilage, suggesting that moxibustion could inhibit cartilage base by regulating Wnt/ß-catenin signal pathway. It may be one of the mechanisms of moxibustion in the treatment of OA.

[Quality evaluation method of Lepidium meyenii using UPLC-UV-Q-TOF-MS].

In order to evaluate the quality of different varieties of Maca(Lepidium meyenii), the main chemical components in Maca were investigated and a method for simultaneous determination of the main chemical components in Maca was established. UPLC-UV-Q-TOF-MS technology and reference materials were used to identify the structures of 19 main components in Maca. Seven compounds with UV absorption and high contents were selected to establish a simultaneous concentration determination method. The method was employed with a Waters Acquity I-Class~(TM) liquid chromatographic system coupled with a PDA detector and a Waters Acquity Cortecs C_(18)~+ column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.6 µm), and acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid water was used as mobile phase(0.45 mL·min~(-1)). The detection wavelength was 195 nm and the column temperature was maintained at 40 ℃. There was efficient separation of seven compounds, p-hydroxybenzylglucosinolate, benzylglucosinolate, N-benzyl-9Z,12Z,15Z-octadecatrienamid, N-benzyl-9Z,12Z-octadecadienamide, N-(3-methoxybenzyl)-hexadecanamide, N-benzyl-hexadecanamide, and N-benzyl-9Z-octadecenamide. The stan-dard calibration curves were good(R~2>0.999). The precision, stability and repeatability were also good. The linearity ranges were 0.197-4.980 µg·mL~(-1) to 193.67-796.8 µg·mL~(-1), and the average recovery rate was 96.71%-103.9%. The average concentration of glucosinolates and macamides in Maca were 1.20% and 0.20%, respectively. Among four kinds of Maca grown in China, the concentration of glucosinolates in yellow Maca and black Maca were relatively high(1.55%), followed by white Maca(0.93%), and purple Maca(0.76%). The concentration of macamides in yellow, purple and white Maca was similar(0.23%-0.29%), however black Maca had significantly lower concentration(0.15%). Peru Maca tested in this study had the lowest concentration of these compounds. This qua-lity evaluation method was fast, accurate, and comprehensively reflects the concentration of the main chemical components in Maca, which provides a useful reference for the quality control and evaluation of Maca.

[Effects of different planting density, leaf position and leaf age on growth and quality of Artemisia argyi var. argyi 'Qiai'].

In order to guide the standardized planting and scientific harvesting of Artemisia argyi var. argyi 'Qiai', effects of diffe-rent planting density, leaf position and leaf age on the growth and quality of A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' were studied in this paper. The results showed that appropriate sparse planting could increase stem diameter, compact leaf spacing, increase the leaf size, reduce the rate of withered leaves and increase the number of effective leaves. Dense planting can significantly increase the yield of A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' per Mu(1 Mu≈667 m~2) and the output rate of moxa, but reduce the yield per plant and the number of effective leaves. With the decrease of leaf position and the increase of leaf age, the leaf size and the weight of one hundred leaves increased at first and then decreased, the density of non-glandular hair field of the lower epidermis and the output rate of moxa decreased. With the increase of planting density, the contents of eucalyptus oleoresin, camphor, α-platyclone, and cyanidin decreased gradually, the contents of chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid B, isochlorogenic acid A and isochlorogenic acid C in the leaves of A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' increased gradually, while the contents of borneol, bornyl acetate and isozelanin increased at first and then decreased significantly. With the decrease of leaf position and the increase of leaf age, the contents of volatile oil, phenolic acid and flavonoid in A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' decreased gradually. PCA analysis can divide the leaf quality characteristics of A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' into two parts: the middle and upper 10-30 days leaf age, the middle and lower 40-50 days above leaf age. Based on the above factors, the planting density of 28 000 plants/Mu(row spacing of 10 cm×20 cm) can be selected for cultivation of A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' rhizome, and the effective plants in the field are about 142 800 plants/Mu. In terms of harvesting, it is suggested that the A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' should be harvested on "March 3 rd" and "May 5 th" of the lunar calendar. If it is the traditionally harvested at one time in May, the A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' should be divided into two parts: the middle and upper leaves, the middle and lower leaves, so as to achieve high quality and high price of A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' leaves and improve the economic benefits of A. argyi var. argyi 'Qiai' planting.

[Moxa nitrogen content determination and its application in moxa floss grade identification].

Artemisia argyi samples were collected from different areas in Hubei Qichun and medicinal botanical garden of Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and samples were purchased from different areas in Qichun medicinal market. The same method was used to prepare A. argyi samples from different areas into moxa floss of different leaf velvet ratio. The nitrogen content of A. argyi was determined by Kjeldahl method. The results show that there was an inverse relationship between the content of nitrogen and the level of the leaf velvet ratio grades of moxa floss and nitrogen content. Therefore, six functional models were established to illustrate the relationship between the grades of leaf velvet ratio and nitrogen content. The accuracy of the functional models was evaluated by ■. The cubic function model and exponential function model are selected as the best models and the formula is: Y_(grades)=-4.26 N~3+26.09 N~2-61.09 N+55.84, Y_(grades)=63.68×10~(-1.374N), with R~2 values of 0.976 5 and 0.969 6, respectively. The accuracy reached above 95% of the two function models when verified by laboratory-made moxa floss, while the accuracy of the models was 85.44% when verifed by commercial moxa floss. These results indicate that the model could be applied to the identification of the grades of moxa floss.

[Effect of planting period and ridge pattern on yield and quality of Artemisia argyi var.argyi 'Qiai'].

To solve the problems of the unclear planting period and the traditional flat planting of Artemisia argyi var.argyi 'Qiai', such as the serious dead leaves in the middle and lower parts of the plant and the low yield and low quality in the field, the effects of different planting period and ridge pattern on yield and quality of A. argyi var.argyi 'Qiai' were studied. The results showed that the growth and development of A. argyi var.argyi 'Qiai' was better when planted in autumn and winter, and the ridge directions had little effect on the growth and yield of A. argyi var.argyi 'Qiai', while the ridge width had a significant effect. Compared the traditional wide ridge planting mode(the width of the ridge is 160 cm) with the ridge width of 80 cm, 60 cm and 40 cm, the results showed that the density per unit area, the number of effective plants, and the rate of dead leaves were decreased, while the number of productive leaves per plant, the number of lateral branches, and the total yield per plant were increased, the total yield was decreased. The output rates of moxa in the leaves of A. argyi var.argyi 'Qiai' decreased with the planting time postponed and the width of planting ridge increased. The contents of volatile oil, 1,8-oxido-p-menthane, camphor and borneol in A. argyi var.argyi 'Qiai' reach to the highest when planted in autumn and winter and the ridge width was 80 cm. In addition, the contents of total flavonoids, kaempferol, jeceosidin and eupatilin flavonoids in the leaves of A. argyi var.argyi 'Qiai' gradually decreased as the planting period postponed and the ridge width increased. The results show that the A. argyi var.argyi 'Qiai' should be planted in autumn and winter, and the double row ridge planting mode with width of 60-80 cm is more suitable for the cultivation and production of A. argyi var.argyi 'Qiai' in Qichun County of Hubei Province. This study will provide a theoretical basis and guidance for higher yield and quality in cultivation of A. argyi var.argyi 'Qiai' in Qichun county.

[Comparison of chemical components between Artemisia stolonifera and Artemisia argyi using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS].

The chemical component information of samples was analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The leaves and flosses of Artemisia argyi and A. stolonifera from different places, were distinguished by principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA). Then, compounds with significant differences(P<0.01) in abundance were screened out according to their VIP values and t-test. Eighteen components in all samples have been filtered and identified, including flavonoids and chlorogenic acids, the content of the 12 of which were measured by UPLC-UV, which are different in presence and content. Hispidulin in A. argyi is not detected in A. stolonifera. Schaftaside, isochlorogenic acid B, and isochlorogenic acid C are differential compounds of A. argyi and A. stolonifera leaves. Isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid C and jaceosidin are differential compounds of A. argyi and A. stolonifera floss. There are significant differences in the contents of jaceosidin and schaftoside in the four famous A. argyi. In addition, the content of isochlorogenic acid A in wild A. stolonifera is higher than that in cultivated A. stolonifera. The results of the study successfully clarified the differences between A. stolonifera and A. argyi, and provided theoretical and data references for the further development and utilization of A. stolonifera.

[Textual research on traditional Chinese medicine Jiuniucao].

Jiuniucao in Qizhou, known as "Qiai", was precious and expensive in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. But the authentic plant of Jiuniucao is not mentioned in the Ben Cao Tu Jing and other medical books in the Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties. In history, mugwort leaf originates from many species of plants, Jiuniucao may be one of it. So this paper is to identify the original plant of Jiuniucao and clarify the historical origin of Jiuniucao and mugwort leaf. The textual research and geographical origin analysis of Jiuniucao in ancient literature was conducted. Then field investigation and sampling of Jiuniucao in Qizhou was proceeded, combing with feature comparison of Jiuniucao and Artemisia specimen in the Herbarium of Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The study concluded that A. stolonifera is the authentic Jiuniucao for medical use. Jiuniucao was also an important original plant of mugwort leaf and it is worth further development and utilization.

[Thermodynamic characteristics of moxa floss and its biological effects and therapeutic mechanism on osteoarthritis rats].

Moxa floss is the main material of moxibustion, which plays a therapeutic role through the thermal effect of combustion. In this paper, TG/DSC thermal analysis method was used to study the characteristic parameters of combustion heat of moxa floss produced in Qichun, and the thermal therapeutic effect and mechanism of moxibustion were studied through moxibustion OA animal model. The results show that the combustion process of moxa floss can be divided into three stages: drying, combustion oxidation and carbonization, and ash burnout. The combustion properties of moxa floss are between herbaceous and woody, and tend to be woody, with flammable, slow and lasting combustion characteristics. Moxibustion can relieve the pathological state of knee joint synovium to a certain extent, reduce knee joint swelling and blood stasis in OA rats, reduce interstitial edema, and improve local inflammation. The mechanism and target point of moxibustion treatment for OA may be up-regulating TRPM3 gene to activate ion channels, affecting calcium metabolism and reducing OA swelling degree; down-regulation of GAPDH affects glucose metabolism of knee synovial cells and mediates anti-inflammatory effect. Down-regulation of pain-related gene MMP24 is helpful to relieve OA pain. Up-regulation of CTNNB1 activates Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and affects differentiation and regeneration of OA chondrocytes. This study reveals the pyrolysis characteristics of moxa floss for the first time and discusses the biological effect and possible mechanism of moxibustion heat, providing new ideas for the quality evaluation of moxa floss and the mechanism of moxibustion therapy.

Youhaiella tibetensis gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from subsurface sediment.

A Gram-reaction-negative bacterial strain, designated fig4(T), was isolated from a subsurface sediment core of Qiangtang Basin permafrost in China. Cells were catalase- and oxidase-positive and rods. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain fig4(T )was a member of the family Hyphomicrobiaceae and was most closely related to members of the genera Pelagibacterium, Vasilyevaea and Devosia with 93.8-96.2% sequence similarities. The major cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0, C18 : 0, 11-methyl C18 : 1 ω7c, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c). The major respiratory quinone was Q-10 and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and two unknown glycolipids. The DNA G+C content was 60.7 mol%. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic data, strain fig4(T) is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus in the family Hyphomicrobiaceae, for which the name Youhaiella tibetensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is fig4(T) ( = CGMCC 1.12719(T) = JCM 19854(T)).

Using intravoxel incoherent motion imaging to evaluate uric acid-induced renal injury and efficacy after treatment.

OBJECTIVES: To validate the feasibility of intravoxel incoherent motion imaging (IVIM) for monitoring renal injury and uric acid-lowering efficacy in a rat model of hyperuricaemia. METHODS: A total of 92 rats were analysed and categorized into 4 groups: control (CON), hyperuricaemia (HUA), allopurinol intervention (ALL), and combined intervention (COM). Eight rats were randomly selected from each group and underwent IVIM scanning on days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Quantitative magnetic resonance values (D, D*, and f values) measured from the different renal anatomical regions. Quantitative histopathological analysis was performed to assess renal tubular injury using neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and renal fibrosis using alpha-smooth-muscle-actin (α-SMA). Pearson's correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between IVIM-derived parameters and the expression of NGAL and α-SMA. RESULTS: The D values of the HUA, ALL, and COM groups generally showed a downward trend over time, and this fluctuation was most significant in the HUA group. The D values showed significant intergroup differences at each point, whereas only a few discrepancies were found in the D* and f values. In addition, the renal D value was negatively correlated with the positive staining rates for NGAL and α-SMA (P < .05), except for the lack of correlation between Dos and α-SMA (P > .05). CONCLUSION: IVIM could be a noninvasive and potential assessment modality for the evaluation of renal injury induced by hyperuricaemia and its prognostic efficacy. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: IVIM could be a surrogate manner in monitoring renal damage induced by hyperuricaemia and its treatment evaluation.

Preliminary Feasibility Study on Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging to Monitor the Early Functional Alterations of Kidneys in Streptozocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) to assess the early renal functional undulation of diabetic mellitus (DM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-seven Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into two groups and eventually 48 rats were included in this study: the normal control (CON) group and diabetic mellitus (DM) group. Weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12 after the diabetes model was successfully established, all the rats were scanned on the 3.0T MRI. The DKI derived parameters of renal parenchyma, including fractional anisotropy (FAco, FAme), mean diffusivity (MDco, MDme), and mean kurtosis (MKco, MKme) were measured. Their alteration over time was analyzed and then correlated with urine volume (UV), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and serum creatinine (Scr) using Pearson correlation analysis. Finally, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was performed on the kidneys of the two groups. RESULT: There was a decreasing trend in FA, MK, and MD values over time in diabetic rats. Also, the gradually worsening histological damage of kidneys was noted over time in diabetic rats. The cortical FA and MK values and medullary FA, MK and MD values of diabetic rats were significantly lower than those of controls at most time points after DM induction. In addition, negative correlations were revealed between the BUN and FAco (r = -0.43, p = 0.03) or FAme value (r = -0.49, p = 0.01). The cortical MK value was moderately correlated with UV (r = -0.46, p = 0.03) and BUN (r = -0.55, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The preliminary findings suggest that DKI might be an effective and sensitive tool to assess the early changes of renal function impairment in diabetic rats. The FA values of the cortex and medulla and the MK value of the cortex are sensitive markers in detecting renal injury in diabetic rats.

Preparation and Evaluation of Azelaic Acid Topical Microemulsion Formulation: In Vitro and In Vivo Study.

The aim of this study was to design oil in water (O/W) microemulsion formulations for the topical administration of azelaic acid. The permeability of azelaic acid through rat skin and the anti-inflammatory activities of the formulations were conducted to examine the efficacy of the designed formulations. Skin irritation and stability tests were also performed. The permeability of azelaic acid was significantly increased by using O/W microemulsions as carriers. The edema index of ear swelling percentage was significantly recovered by the 5% drug-loaded formulation and a 20% commercial product, demonstrating that the experimental formulation possessed comparable effect with the commercial product on the improvement of inflammation. The experimental formulation did not cause significant skin irritation compared to the negative control group. Moreover, the drug-loaded formulation also showed thermodynamic stability and chemical stability after storage for 30 days. In conclusion, the O/W microemulsion was a potential drug delivery carrier for azelaic acid topical application.

Combined application of DTI and BOLD-MRI in the assessment of renal injury with hyperuricemia.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of combined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and blood oxygenation level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-MRI) in detecting early renal alterations in patients with hyperuricemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-one individuals were enrolled in this study and divided into three groups according to their serum uric acid (SUA) level and clinical symptoms: healthy controls (HC, n = 23), asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AH, n = 22) and gouty arthritis (GA, n = 26). All patients underwent both DTI and BOLD-MRI examination. Renal cortical and medullary ADC, FA and R2* values were calculated, respectively, and compared among the three groups. Correlations between ADC, FA and R2* with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and SUA in hyperuricemia were evaluated, respectively. RESULT: In the renal cortex, the ADC, FA and R2* values of the AH and GA groups were significantly lower than those of the HC groups (p < 0.05). In the renal medulla, the ADC and FA values in AH and GA patients were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (p < 0.05). The R2* value of the GA group significantly decreased, compared to that of the AH and HC groups (p < 0.05). SUA was negatively correlated with cortical ADC, FA and R2* values (p < 0.05) as well as with medullary ADC and FA values. No significant correlation was discovered between the eGFR and ADC, FA and R2* values. CONCLUSION: The combined evaluation of DTI and BOLD might provide a sensitive and non-invasive approach for detection of renal microstructural alterations and oxygen metabolism abnormality in hyperuricemia.

Development and Validation of a Machine Learning Approach for Automated Severity Assessment of COVID-19 Based on Clinical and Imaging Data: Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has overwhelmed health systems worldwide. It is important to identify severe cases as early as possible, such that resources can be mobilized and treatment can be escalated. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to develop a machine learning approach for automated severity assessment of COVID-19 based on clinical and imaging data. METHODS: Clinical data-including demographics, signs, symptoms, comorbidities, and blood test results-and chest computed tomography scans of 346 patients from 2 hospitals in the Hubei Province, China, were used to develop machine learning models for automated severity assessment in diagnosed COVID-19 cases. We compared the predictive power of the clinical and imaging data from multiple machine learning models and further explored the use of four oversampling methods to address the imbalanced classification issue. Features with the highest predictive power were identified using the Shapley Additive Explanations framework. RESULTS: Imaging features had the strongest impact on the model output, while a combination of clinical and imaging features yielded the best performance overall. The identified predictive features were consistent with those reported previously. Although oversampling yielded mixed results, it achieved the best model performance in our study. Logistic regression models differentiating between mild and severe cases achieved the best performance for clinical features (area under the curve [AUC] 0.848; sensitivity 0.455; specificity 0.906), imaging features (AUC 0.926; sensitivity 0.818; specificity 0.901), and a combination of clinical and imaging features (AUC 0.950; sensitivity 0.764; specificity 0.919). The synthetic minority oversampling method further improved the performance of the model using combined features (AUC 0.960; sensitivity 0.845; specificity 0.929). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and imaging features can be used for automated severity assessment of COVID-19 and can potentially help triage patients with COVID-19 and prioritize care delivery to those at a higher risk of severe disease.

Blood-aqueous barrier function in a patient with choroideremia.

The purpose was to determine whether there was a breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier in a patient with choroideremia. A 27-year-old man with typical choroideremia underwent standardized ophthalmo-logical evaluation, including quantitative measurement of aqueous flare intensity, by a laser flare-cell meter. The results showed areas of atrophy of the choriocapillaries and retinal pigment epithelium in the mid-periphery and posterior pole, although not in the macula. Fluorescein angiography showed areas of loss of the choriocapillaries and retinal pigment epithelium. The fovea was spared with a surrounding zone of hy-perfluorescence. Electroretinography showed a subnormal photopic amplitude and extinguished scotopic response. Electrooculography revealed that the light peak/dark trough ratio was reduced. Goldmann perimetry showed constricted peripheral fields. Laser photometry showed an increase in the aqueous flare intensity in both eyes, as compared with normal subjects. We conclude that the function of the blood-aqueous barrier might be affected in patients with choroideremia.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of spine: A case report with review of literatures.

Primary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the spine is the extremely rare malignant vascular neoplasm with an unpredictable outcome. A case of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma with multiple lytic lesions of thoracolumbar spine and other bones in a 29-year-old male patient is reported. A review of the published data regarding this rare neoplasm is also presented. The features of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma include the occurrence in the young male patient, multiple osteolytic lesions with thin sclerotic rim and hypermetabolic activities. However, its imaging features are not specific. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography is essential for identification of the lesions and subsequent follow-up for treatment.