Deciphering significances of autophagy in the development and metabolism of adipose tissue.

The mechanisms of adipose tissue activation and inactivation have been a hot topic of research in the last decade, from which countermeasures have been attempted to be found against obesity as well as other lipid metabolism-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Autophagy has been shown to be closely related to the regulation of adipocyte activity, which is involved in the whole process including white adipocyte differentiation/maturation and brown or beige adipocyte generation/activation. Dysregulation of autophagy in adipose tissue has been demonstrated to be associated with obesity.

Deciphering endocrine function of adipose tissue and its significant influences in obesity-related diseases caused by its dysfunction.

Current research has found that adipose tissue is not only involved in energy metabolism, but also a highly active endocrine organ that secretes various adipokines, including adiponectin, leptin, resistin and apelin, which are involved in the regulation of physiology and pathology of tissues and organs throughout the body. With the yearly increasing incidence, obesity has become a risk factor for a variety of pathological changes, including inflammation and metabolic syndrome in various system (endocrine, circulatory, locomotor and central nervous system). Thus these symptoms lead to multi-organ dysfunctions, including the heart, liver, kidneys, brain and joints.

Modulation of smoker brain activity and functional connectivity by tDCS: A go/no-go task-state fMRI study.

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to particular brain areas may reduce a smoker's smoking cravings. Most studies on tDCS mechanisms are performed on brains in the resting state. Therefore, brain activity changes induced by tDCS during tasks need to be further studied.

Delayed contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging enables detection of pulmonary artery lesions in Takayasu's arteritis.

Background: Delayed contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) is a useful technique to identify arterial wall inflammation. The aim of this study was to explore the value of DE-MRI in the evaluation of pulmonary artery (PA) lesions in Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) compared with F-fuorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT).

Methods: Patients with TAK were recruited for this prospective, observational study.

Enhanced CT-based texture analysis and radiomics score for differentiation of pleomorphic adenoma, basal cell adenoma, and Warthin tumor of the parotid gland.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of computed tomography (CT) radiomics analysis for differentiating pleomorphic adenoma (PA), Warthin tumor (WT), and basal cell adenoma (BCA).

Methods: A total of 189 patients with PA ( = 112), WT ( = 53) and BCA ( = 24) were divided into a training set ( = 133) and a test set ( = 56). The radiomics features were extracted from plain CT and contrast-enhanced CT images.

Myocardial Glucose Metabolism Is Increased in Newly Diagnosed Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Cardiac metabolism alterations may be involved in abnormalities of cancer patients' cardiovascular system. This study aimed to explore whether left ventricular myocardial glucose metabolism is altered and its related factors in newly diagnosed patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LAD) who underwent fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).

Methods: From our 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging database, 171 patients with newly diagnosed LAD and 43 nononcologic subjects with matched age and sex were retrospectively analyzed.

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging in atrial fibrillation: a pilot prospective study.

Aims: This prospective study explored relevant factors and clinical significance of atrial 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods And Results: One hundred AF patients underwent baseline FDG imaging prior to radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). Of those, 30 subjects underwent additional FDG imaging at 3 months post-RFCA.

Value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the evaluation of pulmonary artery activity in patients with Takayasu's arteritis.

Aims: To explore the value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the detection of active pulmonary artery (PA) lesions in patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TA).

Methods And Results: Consecutive TA patients with PA involvement were prospectively recruited. Clinical activity was assessed according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria.

Value of F-FDG PET/CT in differentiating malignancy of pulmonary artery from pulmonary thromboembolism: a cohort study and literature review.

To determine the value of F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in differentiating malignancy of pulmonary artery (PA) from pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) based on a larger number of cases by pooling our cases and those from the literature. Consecutive patients with a PA lesion who had undergone F-FDG PET/CT in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Moreover, PubMed, Embase, and Medline were searched for literature reporting individual maximum standardised uptake value (SUV) of the malignant PA lesion and/or PTE.

Factors relevant to atrial F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in atrial fibrillation.

Background: This retrospective study was designed to explore the factors relevant to increased atrial F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who had undergone routine whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging.

Methods And Results: Forty-eight consecutive AF patients (32 persistent, 16 paroxysmal) were identified from our routine FDG PET/CT database. Twenty-two control subjects were selected to establish the normal range of FDG uptake (maximum standardized uptake value, SUV) in target tissues.