Association of Thallium with Diabetes Risk among Patients with Hearing Loss: Result from NHANES 2013 to 2018.

To evaluate the correlation between thallium and diabetes risk among participants with hearing loss. This retrospective cohort study extracted related data such as demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and laboratory findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database (2013-2018). Logistic regression analysis and interaction analysis were adopted to analyze the correlation between thallium and diabetes risk among patients with hearing loss.

A new logistic regression model for early prediction of severity of acute pancreatitis using magnetic resonance imaging and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scoring systems.

Background: The aim of this study was to develop a new model constructed by logistic regression for the early prediction of the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scoring system.

Methods: This retrospective study included 363 patients with AP. The severity of AP was evaluated by MRI and the APACHE II scoring system, and some subgroups of AP severity were constructed based on a combination of these two scoring systems.

Progress of MRI Radiomics in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer in the world and the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Although the diagnostic scheme of HCC is currently undergoing refinement, the prognosis of HCC is still not satisfactory. In addition to certain factors, such as tumor size and number and vascular invasion displayed on traditional imaging, some histopathological features and gene expression parameters are also important for the prognosis of HCC patients.

Application of Diffusion Weighted Imaging in Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis: Detection and Therapy Evaluation.

Background: Bone metastasis is one of the most common complications of Prostate Cancer (PCa). The detection of distal bone metastasis at the time of initial PCa diagnosis is valuable for the determination of therapeutic methods and for the prognosis of PCa. Many current therapeutic methods target PCa bone metastasis, but no uniform evaluation standard for therapeutic efficacy has been established; in addition, traditional therapeutic evaluation standards that rely on changes in the measured tumor volume are quite controversial.

Pachymic acid protects oocyte by improving the ovarian microenvironment in polycystic ovary syndrome mice†.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are characterized by endocrine disorders accompanied by a decline in oocyte quality. In this study, we generated a PCOS mice model by hypodermic injection of dehydroepiandrosterone, and metformin was used as a positive control drug to study the effect of pachymic acid (PA) on endocrine and oocyte quality in PCOS mice. Compared with the model group, the mice treated with PA showed the following changes (slower weight gain, improved abnormal metabolism; increased development potential of GV oocytes, reduced number of abnormal MII oocytes, and damaged embryos; lower expression of ovarian-related genes in ovarian tissue and pro-inflammatory cytokines in adipose tissue).

MR imaging of hemorrhage associated with acute pancreatitis.

Purpose: To study MRI findings of hemorrhage in acute pancreatitis (AP) and correlate the presence and extent of hemorrhage with the MR severity index (MRSI), Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores, and clinical outcome.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 539 patients with AP. Hemorrhage was defined as areas of hyperintensity in or outside the pancreas on liver imaging with volume acceleration flexible (LAVA-Flex).

Balloon-assisted ultrasonic localization: a novel technique for direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy.

Direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (DPEJ) is a useful method for the establishment of enteral nutrition (EN) pathway. However, the identification of stomal puncture points for DPEJ is difficult. Here we present a case treated with an improved technique for DPEJ puncture-point localization, which was named DPEJ with balloon-assisted ultrasonic localization (DPEJ-BAUL).

Gastrointestinal tract involvement in acute pancreatitis: initial findings and follow-up by magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: To study the initial and follow up patterns of gastrointestinal tract involvement in acute pancreatitis (AP) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: A total of 209 patients with AP undergoing abdominal MRI on 1.5 T MRI were compared to 100 control patients selected from our daily clinical caseload who underwent MRI over the same recruitment period and had no other disease which can cause abnormality of gastrointestinal tract.

[Analysis of HPA gene Polymorphisms in Children with Acute or Chronic ITP].

Objective: To investigate the frequency distribution of human platelet antigen allele HPA-2 and HPA-15 among the pediatric patients with acute or chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in Chinese Guangxi area, and to explore the potential correlation of ITP with HPA-2 and HPA-15 gene polymorphisms.

Methods: The clinical and laboratorial data of 46 children diagnosed as acute ITP and 46 children diagnosed as chronic ITP between January 2007 and December 2014 were collected. Genotyping of HPA-2 and HPA-15 in 92 ITP patients and 48 healthy controls was performed by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with direct sequencing.

Magnetic resonance imaging of retroperitoneal interfascial plane involvement in acute pancreatitis.

Background: To study the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of acute pancreatitis (AP) involving the retroperitoneal interfascial planes and to analyze the correlations of interfascial plane involvement with the magnetic resonance severity index (MRSI) and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) scoring system.

Methods: A total of 316 consecutive patients with AP between November 2011 and August 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The extension and path of the inflammation spreading along the retroperitoneal interfascial plane on MRI were graded from grade 0 to grade 5.

Acute pancreatitis with gradient echo T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: To study gradient recalled echo (GRE) T2*-weighted imaging (T2*WI) for normal pancreas and acute pancreatitis (AP).

Methods: Fifty-one patients without any pancreatic disorders (control group) and 117 patients with AP were recruited. T2* values derived from T2*WI of the pancreas were measured for the two groups.

Common bile duct diameter in an asymptomatic population: A magnetic resonance imaging study.

Aim: To measure the common bile duct (CBD) diameter by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in a large asymptomatic population and analyze its some affecting factors.

Methods: This study included 862 asymptomatic subjects who underwent MRCP. The CBD diameter was measured at its widest visible portion on regular end-expiration MRCP for all subjects.

Various diffusion magnetic resonance imaging techniques for pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors and remains a treatment-refractory cancer with a poor prognosis. Currently, the diagnosis of pancreatic neoplasm depends mainly on imaging and which methods are conducive to detecting small lesions. Compared to the other techniques, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has irreplaceable advantages and can provide valuable information unattainable with other noninvasive or minimally invasive imaging techniques.

[Association between gene polymorphisms of Perforin 1 and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis].

Objective: To investigate frequency distribution of gene polymorphisms of PRF1 gene in children with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), and to explore whether the possible gene polymorphisms of PRF1 gene confer an increased risk of susceptibility to HLH.

Methods: Forty-eight children who were diagnosed with HLH between January 2009 and December 2013 (HLH group) and 100 healthy children (control group) were enrolled in this study. The gene polymorphisms in the coding region of PRF1 gene, which consists of three exons and two introns, were genotyped by PCR, followed by direct sequencing.

The angle of pancreaticobiliary junction correlates with acute pancreatitis: a magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography study.

Objective: To study the correlation between the angle of the pancreaticobiliary junction (APJ) and the prevalence of acute pancreatitis using magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP).

Materials And Methods: From February 2014 to October 2014, thirty two subjects with normal pancreas (group A) and 40 patients with acute pancreatitis (group B) who underwent MRCP were enrolled into our study. The type of biliary duct and main pancreatic duct joining the duodenal wall was reviewed and divided into V, B-P and P-B type.

Preparation of polydopamine nanocapsules in a miscible tetrahydrofuran-buffer mixture.

A miscible tetrahydrofuran-tris buffer mixture has been used to fabricate polydopamine hollow capsules with a size of 200 nm and with a shell thickness of 40 nm. An unusual non-emulsion soft template mechanism has been disclosed to explain the formation of capsules. The results indicate that the capsule structure is highly dependent on the volume fraction of tetrahydrofuran as well as the solvent, and the shell thickness of capsules can be controlled by adjusting the reaction time and dopamine concentration.

Magnetic resonance imaging for the normal mesostenium and involvement of the mesostenium in acute pancreatitis.

The main point of this paper is to study MRI findings of the normal mesostenium and the involvement of the mesostenium in acute pancreatitis and to discuss the relationship between the involvement of the mesostenium and the severity of acute pancreatitis. In clinical practice, the mesenterical involvement in acute pancreatitis was often observed on MRI in daily works, which was little recorded in the reported studies. We conducted the current study to assess the mesenterical involvement in acute pancreatitis with MRI.

Rare earth elements activate endocytosis in plant cells.

It has long been observed that rare earth elements (REEs) regulate multiple facets of plant growth and development. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. Here, using electron microscopic autoradiography, we show the life cycle of a light REE (lanthanum) and a heavy REE (terbium) in horseradish leaf cells.

GRE T2∗-weighted MRI: principles and clinical applications.

The sequence of a multiecho gradient recalled echo (GRE) T2*-weighted imaging (T2*WI) is a relatively new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique. In contrast to T2 relaxation, which acquires a spin echo signal, T2* relaxation acquires a gradient echo signal. The sequence of a GRE T2*WI requires high uniformity of the magnetic field.

The normal transverse mesocolon and involvement of the mesocolon in acute pancreatitis: an MRI study.

Objective: To study the MRI findings of the normal transverse mesocolon and the involvement of the mesocolon in acute pancreatitis (AP) as well as the relationship between the involvement of the mesocolon and the severity of AP.

Materials And Methods: Forty patients without pancreatic disorders were retrospectively analyzed to observe the normal transverse mesocolon using MRI; 210 patients with AP confirmed by clinical and laboratory tests were retrospectively analyzed using MRI to observe transverse-mesocolon involvement (TMI). The severity of TMI was recorded as zero points (no abnormalities and transverse-mesocolon vessel involvement), one point (linear and patchy signal in the transverse mesocolon) or two points (transverse-mesocolon effusion).

Abdominal MRI at 3.0 T: LAVA-Flex compared with conventional fat suppression T1-weighted images.

Purpose: To study liver imaging with volume acceleration-flexible (LAVA-Flex) for abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3.0 T and compare the image quality of abdominal organs between LAVA-Flex and fast spoiled gradient-recalled (FSPGR) T1-weighted imaging.

Materials And Methods: Our Institutional Review Board approval was obtained in this retrospective study.

The features of extrahepatic collateral arteries related to hepatic artery occlusion and benefits in the transarterial management of liver tumors.

Purpose. To investigate the extrahepatic collateral arteries related to hepatic artery occlusion (HAO) and to determine its benefits in the transarterial management of liver tumors. Methods and Findings.

Pancreatic duct patterns in acute pancreatitis: a MRI study.

Objectives: To study the MRI findings of the pancreatic duct in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Materials And Methods: A total of 239 patients with acute pancreatitis and 125 controls were analyzed in this study. The severity of acute pancreatitis was graded using the MR severity index (MRSI) and the Acute Physiology And Chronic Healthy Evaluation II(APACHE II) scoring systems.