Evaluating the efficacy of balloon pulmonary angioplasty using quantitative analysis of SPECT pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Background: Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) ventilation perfusion imaging is the main imaging method for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, and its application in the diagnosis and efficacy evaluation of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) has been paid more and more attention. In recent years, with the development of computer software technology, ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) imaging quantitative analysis technology has become more and more mature. The objective of this study was to investigate the utility of quantitative analysis of pulmonary V/Q scintigraphy in evaluating the efficacy of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in patients with CTEPH.

Danggui Niantong granules ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis by regulating intestinal flora and promoting mitochondrial apoptosis.

Context: Danggui Niantong Granules (DGNTG) are a valid and reliable traditional herbal formula, commonly used in clinical practice to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the mechanism of its effect on RA remains unclear.

Objective: An investigation of the therapeutic effects of DGNTG on RA.

Gross tumor volume delineation in primary prostate cancer on F-PSMA-1007 PET/MRI and Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI.

Background: We aimed to assess the clinical value of F-PSMA-1007 and Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI in the gross tumor volume (GTV) delineation of radiotherapy for prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: Sixty-nine patients were retrospectively enrolled (57 in the F subgroup and 12 in the Ga subgroup). Three physicians delineated the GTV and tumor length by the visual method and threshold method with thresholds of 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60% SUVmax.

A Feasibility Study on Using Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Pulmonary Perfusion/Ventilation Imaging for the Diagnosis of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension and Patient Risk Assessment.

Objective: The study is designed to evaluate the diagnostic ability of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) pulmonary ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) imaging in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and investigate its feasibility in assessing patient risk.

Methods: A total of 83 patients suspected of having CTEPH who received V/Q tomography were retrospectively analyzed. The consistency between SPECT V/Q imaging and pulmonary angiography was compared to investigate the correlation between the percentage of pulmonary perfusion defect score (PPDs%) and the hemodynamic indices.

Evaluation of Hybrid PET/MRI for Gross Tumor Volume (GTV) Delineation in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases Radiotherapy.

Purpose: Hybrid PET/MRI has been increasingly incorporated into the practice of radiation oncologists since it contains both anatomical and biological data and may bring about personalized radiation plans for each patient. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of GTV delineation from hybrid PET/MRI compared with that from current-practice MRI during radiotherapy planning in patients with colorectal liver metastases.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-four patients (thirty lesions) with colorectal liver metastases were prospectively enrolled in this study.

Predicting Chronic Myocardial Ischemia Using CCTA-Based Radiomics Machine Learning Nomogram.

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a well-established non-invasive diagnostic test for the assessment of coronary artery diseases (CAD). CCTA not only provides information on luminal stenosis but also permits non-invasive assessment and quantitative measurement of stenosis based on radiomics.

Purpose: This study is aimed to develop and validate a CT-based radiomics machine learning for predicting chronic myocardial ischemia (MIS).

Amyloid PET in Dementia Syndromes: A Chinese Multicenter Study.

Cerebral β-amyloid deposits and regional glucose metabolism assessed by PET are used to distinguish between Alzheimer disease (AD) and other dementia syndromes. In the present multicenter study, we estimated the prevalence of β-amyloid deposits on PET imaging in a wide variety of dementia syndromes and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) within a memory clinic population. Of the 1,193 consecutive patients with cognitive impairment (CI) who received 1 C-PIB PET or F-AV45 PET or both C-PIB PET and F-AV45 PET, 960 were diagnosed with AD, 36 with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), 5 with dementia with Lewy bodies, 144 with MCI, 29 with vascular dementia, 4 with corticobasal syndrome, and 15 with unclassifiable dementia.

[Prognostic Value of Interim PET/CT in 227 Patients of DLBCL].

Objective: To investigate the prognostic evaluation value of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) interim positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

Methods: Two hundred and twenty-seven patients with pathologically diagnosed DLBCL underwent 18F-FDG scans at baseline and before 3 cycles of a rituximab-containing chemotherapy regimen. The Visual Deauville score (DS) and changes in maximum standard uptake values (ΔSUVmax) were calculated for tracer for the predominant lesion of each patient, for prediction of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) using Kaplan-Meier method and COX regression.

[Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Different Doses of Dexamethasone Combined with Bortezomib and Thalidomide for Treating Patients with Multiple Myeloma].

Objective: To study the clinical efficacy and safety of dexamethasone of different doses combined with bortezomib and thalidomide for treatment of primary multiple myeloma.

Methods: Ninety-six patients with multiple myeloma from January 2013 to January 2014 were randomly divided into group A (high-dose dexamethasone + bortezomib + thalidomide, 32 cases), group B (low-dose dexamethasone + bortezomib + thalidomide, 32 cases) and group C (placebo + bortezomib + thalidomide, 32 cases). The clinical efficacy and safety of patients was compared among 3 groups.

Therapeutic approach for the cesarean scar pregnancy.

The aim of this study was to explore the pros and cons of different treatments of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP).We retrospectively studied 205 cases of CSP that were treated in our hospital from June 2013 to June 2014, 189 of which had surgical operation.The average age of the patients was (32.

Multi-modality molecular imaging characteristics of dementia with Lewy bodies.

Objective Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a common type of neurodegenerative dementia. Molecular neuroimaging using dopamine transporter (DaT), Pittsburgh compound B (PIB), and fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) has advantages in detecting dopaminergic neuron loss, abnormal amyloid β-protein deposition, and glucose metabolism changes in patients with neurodegenerative disorders. However, the multi-modality molecular imaging features of patients with DLB have rarely been reported.

18F-FDG PET/CT in the Detection of Undifferentiated Carcinoma With Osteoclast-like Giant Cells of the Pancreas.

Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of the pancreas (UCOGCP) is a rare nonendocrine pancreatic tumor. We present a case of a very small UCOGCP. F-FDG PET/CT revealed a solid mass measuring 1.

Correlations between drug resistance of Beijing/W lineage clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and sublineages: a 2009-2013 prospective study in Xinjiang province, China.

Background: The prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in Xinjiang is higher than in other regions of China, and Beijing/W lineage Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is the dominant strain of MTB in Xinjiang. However, information on multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB, particularly the correlation between MDR and the Beijing/W lineage and the correlation between drug resistance and the Beijing/W sublineage strains, is limited.

Material/methods: We conducted a prospective study to describe the prevalence of MDR/XDR TB, Beijing/W lineage and sublineage strains in Xinjiang in China from 2009 to 2013.

[Study on the vacuum ultraviolet transmittance of barium fluoride crystals at different temperature].

Two VUV-grade BaF2 windows with 0.5 mm-thick and 1 mm-thick respectively were selected to study the transmittance variety with the temperature. The results show that the cutoff wavelength of BaF2 crystals will shift towards the long wave with the increase in temperature.

Altered intrinsic hippocmapus declarative memory network and its association with impulsivity in abstinent heroin dependent subjects.

Converging evidence suggests that addiction can be considered a disease of aberrant learning and memory with impulsive decision-making. In the past decades, numerous studies have demonstrated that drug addiction is involved in multiple memory systems such as classical conditioned drug memory, instrumental learning memory and the habitual learning memory. However, most of these studies have focused on the contributions of non-declarative memory, and declarative memory has largely been neglected in the research of addiction.

A rare case of pulmonary malignant granular cell tumor detected with 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging.

Malignant granular cell tumor is rarely involved in the lungs. We present a rare case with 18F-FDG PET/CT images showing a hypermetabolic lesion in the lower lobe of the left lung with posterior mediastinum invasion. Histopathologic study proved it as malignant granular cell tumor.

The influence of interpreters' professional background and experience on the interpretation of multimodality imaging of pulmonary lesions using 18F-3'-deoxy-fluorothymidine and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT.

Objective: Based on the results of a recently accomplished multicenter clinical trial for the incremental value of a dual-tracer (18F-FDG and 18F-FLT), dual-modality (PET and CT) imaging in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary lesions, we investigate some issues that might affect the image interpretation and result reporting.

Methods: The images were read in two separate sessions. Firstly the images were read and reported by physician(s) of the imaging center on completion of each PET/CT scanning.

Three-component domino reactions for regioselective formation of bis-indole derivatives.

A microwave-assisted regioselective reaction dealing with arylglyoxal monohydrate, diverse N-aryl enaminones, and indoles to achieve 3,2'- and 3,3'-bis-indoles by varying a substituted indole substrate is reported. The 2-unsubstituted indoles resulted in the 3,2'-bis-indole skeleton, whereas indoles bearing a methyl or phenyl group at C2 led to the 3,3'-bis-indoles with simultaneous formation of three sigma-bonds. The procedures feature excellent regioselectivity, short reaction times, convenient one-pot manner, and operational simplicity.

Characteristic findings of malignant melanoma in the sinonasal cavity on magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Malignant sinonasal melanoma (MSM) is a rare tumor with a perplexing signal intensity due to variable histopathologic components. This study was undertaken to delineate its MR imaging features.

Methods: MR imaging findings of 10 patients (6 women and 4 men, mean age 61.

Net financial benefits of averting HIV infections among people who inject drugs in Urumqi, Xinjiang, Peoples Republic of China (2005-2010).

Background: To quantify the contribution of locally implemented prevention programmes in contributing to reductions in treatment and care costs by averting HIV infections among those who inject drugs this study calculates net financial benefit of providing harm reduction programmes using information from services being implemented in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China ( between 2005 and 2010).

Methods: Information was collected to assess cost of providing methadone treatment (MMT) and needle and syringe programmes (NSP). HIV incidence was estimated among people who inject drugs (PWID).

[Spectral response measurement of FUV image intensifier].

It is possible to obtain some space weather parameters such as the electron flux and mean energy of the precipitating electrons from the far ultraviolet (FUV) radiance of the aurora observed in a nadir viewing geometry, and the FUV image intensifier is one of the key equipment that used for observation the FUV radiance of the aurora in a nadir viewing geometry. The capability of this equipment will affect the whole purpose of the detection. And the responsibility to the wavelength is the most important parameter of image intensifier.

Impaired response inhibition function in abstinent heroin dependents: an fMRI study.

Heroin, like various illicit substances, has a negative impact on the frontal cognitive function after repeated abuse. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the neural substrates of response inhibition and competition in 18 healthy controls and assess the frontal neurocognition in 30 abstinent heroin dependents (AHD) as they performed a Go/NoGo Association task with reaction times recorded spontaneously. The neural response which was induced by response inhibition was prominent in the midline structure, specifically the bilateral medial prefrontal gyrus and anterior cingulated cortex, as well as the left middle frontal gyrus, insula, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus and limbic system.