Atherogenic dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes and stable coronary artery disease: a prospective, cohort study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the impacts of triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) dyslipidaemia on prognosis in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with different glucose metabolism status.

Design: An observational cohort study.

Setting/participants: A total of 3057 patients with stable CAD were consecutively enrolled and divided into three groups according to different glucose metabolism status.

The Role of Transient Receptor Potential Channels in Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction after Ischemic Stroke.

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability, demanding an ever-increasing need to find treatment. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are nonselective Ca-permeable channels, among which TRPC, TRPM, and TRPV are widely expressed in the brain. Dysfunction of the blood brain barrier (BBB) is a core feature of stroke and is associated with severity of injury.

Lipoprotein(a) as a marker for predicting coronary collateral circulation in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

The aim of the present study was to examine the predictive value of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) levels for coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 409 consecutive patients with AMI were enrolled for this study. Patients were divided into two groups according to rentrop grades assessed by coronary angiography: bad (n = 277) and good CCC group (n = 132).

The clinical role of contrast enhanced ultrasound in differential diagnosis of BI-RADS 4 breast disease.

Objective: To clarify the clinical role of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in predicting BI-RADS 4 breast disease.

Methods: A total of 92 sites of BI-RADS 4 breast diseases were reassessed by routine ultrasound and CEUS. The main indicators of routine ultrasound, CEUS and the combination of the two modalities were picked up by binary logistic regression analysis, scoring 0 for benign and 1 for malignant characteristics with pathology as referential standard to generate corresponding score systems of them.

Triglyceride glucose index for predicting cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a novel marker for metabolic disorders and recently it has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in apparently healthy individuals. However, the prognostic value of TyG index in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) is not determined.

Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study among 3,745 patients with stable CAD.

Use of cationic microbubbles targeted to P-selectin to improve ultrasound-mediated gene transfection of hVEGF to the ischemic myocardium.

Gene therapies have been applied to the treatment of cardiovascular disease, but their use is limited by the need to deliver them to the right target. We have employed targeted contrast ultrasound-mediated gene transfection (TCUMGT) via ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) to transfer therapeutic genes to specific anatomic and pathological targets. Phospholipid microbubbles (MBs) with pcDNA-human vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (pcDNA-hVEGF) plasmids targeted to P-selectin (MB+P+VEGFp) were created by conjugating monoclonal antibodies against P-selectin to the lipid shell.

[Value of ultrasonography in diagnosis of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis].

Objective: To assess the value of ultrasonography in differential diagnosis of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) and wall-thickening type of gallbladder cancer (GBC).

Methods: The clinical features and sonographic finding of 31 patients with XGC and 36 patients with wall-thickening type of GBC were retrospectively reviewed. The diagnosis of all cases was confirmed by pathological examination, and the ultrasonographic manifestations of the thickening of the gallbladder wall, intramural hypoechoic nodules, gallbladder mucosa line, gallbladder stones, biliary dilatation and gallbladder-liver boundary were compared between two groups.

Hysterosalpingo-Contrast Sonography With Four-Dimensional Technique for Screening Fallopian Tubal Patency: Let's Make an Exploration.

Study Objective: To evaluate the practicability of transvaginal 4-dimensional (4D) hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (HyCoSy) using SonoVue for screening of fallopian tube patency in infertile females.

Design: Prospective observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University.

Microarray analysis unmasked two siblings with pure hereditary spastic paraplegia shared a run of homozygosity region on chromosome 3q28-q29.

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a clinical and genetic heterogeneity group of neurodegenerative disorders which is characterized by progressive weakness and spasticity of the lower limbs. More than 70 genetic types of HSP have been described so far. Here we describe a Chinese non-consanguineous family with two affected siblings manifesting early-onset autosomal recessive HSP in pure forms.

[The value of transesophageal echocardiography to guide the implantation of 2 pieces of MitraClip during transcatheter mitral valve repair operation].

Objective: To investigate the value of transesophageal echocardiography to guide the implantation of 2 pieces of MitraClip during transcatheter mitral valve repair operation.

Methods: From October 2013 to June 2014, 6 transcatheter mitral valve repair operations were performed in our hospital for symptomatic patients with severe functional mitral regurgitation (MR), transesophageal echocardiography was applied to guide the implantation of 2 pieces of MitraClip. Clinical data are retrospectively analyzed to evaluate implantation timing and approach of the 2nd piece of MitraClip, as well as the immediate effect of the interventional therapy.

Association between the NFKB1-94ins/del ATTG polymorphism and cancer risk: an updated meta-analysis.

To assess the effect of the NFKB1 -94ins/del polymorphism on cancer, we conducted a meta-analysis based on 25 studies including 8,750 cases and 9,170 controls. Overall, the -94ins/del polymorphism was associated with cancer risk in the pooled analysis and in Asian population, whereas no association was observed in Caucasian population. Stratified analysis by subtypes of cancer showed that the -94ins/del polymorphism was associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma and ovarian cancer risk, but had no association with colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, and renal cell cancer.

Relationship between enhanced intensity of contrast enhanced ultrasound and microvessel density of aortic atherosclerostic plaque in rabbit model.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between enhanced intensity of contrast enhanced ultrasound and microvessel density of aortic atherosclerotic plaque in rabbit model. The abdominal aortas of thirty-six male New Zealand rabbits were damaged by balloon expansion and the animals were then fed a high fat diet for 12 weeks. Twenty-seven plaques on the near aortic wall were detected using conventional ultrasound examination.

[Exploration on an ultrasonographic imaging reporting and data system in malignancy grading of thyroid nodules].

Objective: To explore the values of ultrasonographic features in differentially diagnosing benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and attempt to establish a quantitative ultrasound classification system.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 20 ultrasound features of 926 thyroid nodules in 527 patients. Using logistic regression analysis, we obtained the probability function for predicting the malignancy in thyroid nodules and established a preliminary ultrasound classification system.

A novel therapeutic strategy using ultrasound mediated microbubbles destruction to treat colon cancer in a mouse model.

The goal of this study was to determine whether ultrasound mediated microbubbles destruction (UMMD) could inhibit colon cancer growth in a mouse model. Six-week-old balb/c female nude mice were subcutaneously inoculated with HT29-GFP cells (HT29 cells labeled with green fluorescent dye) in axilla to establish a xenograft mouse model of colon carcinoma, which were randomly divided into five groups (n=10 each): group A (blank group): no treatment; group B (saline only); group C (saline+ultrasound exposure); group D (intravenous microbubbles only); and group E (intravenous microbubbles+ultrasound exposure). Treatment of each group was performed on days 20, 21, and 22 after inoculation.

[Aortic elastic properties and its clinical significance in intracranial aneurysms].

Objective: To investigate the aortic elastic properties and its clinical significance in intracranial aneurysms (IAs).

Methods: One hundred and seven IAs patients (57 with hypertension) and 108 healthy subjects were recruited. The internal aortic diameters in systole and diastole were measured by the M-mode echocardiography, the aortic elasticity indexes were calculated and compared.

Protein expression of mesenchymal stem cells after transfection of pcDNA3.1⁻-hVEGF₁₆₅ by ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction.

Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) has been proposed as a new technique for organ-specific gene transfer and drug delivery. This study was performed to investigate the effect of UTMD on marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transfected with pcDNA3.1⁻-hVEGF₁₆₅.

Giant left atrial thrombus associated with ablation for atrial tachycardia.

We report a very rare case of giant left atrial thrombus (size: 7.2 x 4.5 mm(2)) associated with radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial tachycardia in a 72-year-old man.

[Assessment of postsystolic shortening of left ventricle in dilated cardiomyopathy using tissue velocity imaging].

Objective: To evaluate the postsystolic shortening (PSS) of different segments of left ventricle (LV) and its meanings in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods: Twenty-two normal controls and 14 DCM patients underwent tissue velocity imaging (TVI) to obtain the regional velocity profiles of 18 segments of LV. The peak velocities of isovolumic contraction phase (V(IC)), systolic phase (V(S)), and PSS (V(PSS)), the time of V(PSS) (T(PSS)) was measured and the ratio of V(PSS) to V(IC) (V(PSS)/V(IC)), and ratio of V(PSS) to V(S) (V(PSS)/V(S)) were calculated.

Biventricular pacemaker implantation in a patient with isolated noncompaction of the right ventricular myocardium.

Isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium is an unclassified cardiomyopathy and is thought to be due to arrest of myocardial morphogenesis. Fetal arrhythmias may occur in approximately half of the patients and account for the death in this disorder. We describe a patient with isolated noncompaction of the right ventricular myocardium in whom implantation of biventricular pacemaker was thought to be effective to prevent the risk of sudden cardiac death and complications.

Cerebral infarction in an adult patient with right ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction.

Ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (VHT) is a rare congenital anomaly, and usually involves the left ventricle (LVHT), with the right ventricle (RVHT) being infrequently involved. Clinical manifestations are highly variable, ranging from no symptoms to disabling congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, systemic thromboemboli and sudden death. We report a case of right ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (RVHT) presenting as cerebral infarction.

Tissue Doppler imaging study of right ventricular myocardial systolic activation in subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) has provided an objective means to quantify global and regional left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function with improved accuracy and greater reproducibility than conventional echocardiography. This study was conducted to assess RV myocardial systolic activation by TDI in subjects with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Methods: A total of 30 patients with PAH and 30 healthy volunteers, all comparable in age and sex, underwent standard Doppler echo and TDI.

Rapid detection of pneumothorax by ultrasonography in patients with multiple trauma.

Introduction: Early detection of pneumothorax in multiple trauma patients is critically important. It can be argued that the efficacy of ultrasonography (US) for detection of pneumothorax is enhanced if it is performed and interpreted directly by the clinician in charge of the patients. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of emergency department clinicians to perform bedside US to detect and assess the size of the pneumothorax in patients with multiple trauma.

[The epidemiological study on human immunodeficiency virus infection among paid blood donors living in Shandong provincial China Comprehensive Response Project Areas].

Objective: To understand the current epidemic situation and high risk factors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among paid blood donors living in Shandong provincial China Comprehensive Response (CARES) Project Areas.

Methods: All residents between 20 to 60 years old were selected from one or several counties in August 2003.

Results: There were 19 HIV(+) infections among 661 subjects interviewed.