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In recent decades, people's attention to human settlements has been increasing. However, the research on the evaluation method of the suitability of human settlements is still in the exploratory stage, and there is no universally accepted evaluation method worldwide. Considering the uncertainty in the evaluation index system, this paper combines the set pair analysis theory and the Logistic model to construct a new evaluation model of the suitability of human settlements and applies the model to the dynamic evaluation of the suitability of human settlements in Qingpu district from 2007 to 2016. The evaluation results show that the overall suitability of human settlements in Qingpu district is on the rise. Based on the analysis of the evaluation results, this paper puts forward some opinions on the development plan of Qingpu District and verifies the validity of the constructed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the clinical value of Superb Microvascular Imaging (SMI) combined with low dose CT scanning in differential diagnosis of thyroid lesions and tumor staging. Methods: A total of 120 patients with thyroid nodules admitted to the Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2017 to July 2020 were selected. Paired design was adopted in this study. SMI and SMI combined with low-dose CT scanning were respectively carried out to these patients. The results were judged by two senior imaging physicians and two senior sonographers respectively. And t-test, X2 test, Pearson correlation coefficient check and other methods were adopted to comparatively analyze the above two methods and the pathological results after operation or puncture. Results: Compared with pathologic findings, the coincidence rate of SMI was 40%, and the coincidence rate of SMI combined with low dose CT scanning was 84%. The difference was significant (p=0.00); among the 120 thyroid nodule patients, 50 were diagnosed as malignant by pathological diagnosis, and 70 as benign; 27 malignant cases and 93 benign cases were detected by SMI; 48 malignant cases and 72 benign cases were detected by SMI combined with low dose CT scanning. The sensitivity and accuracy of the latter were significantly higher than those of the former, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.00); the enhancement, edge sharpness and homogeneity of SMI increased with the increase of tumor malignancy, showing positive correlation property. Results: Compared with pathologic findings, the coincidence rate of SMI was 40%, and the coincidence rate of SMI combined with low dose CT scanning was 84%. The difference was significant (p=0.00); among the 120 thyroid nodule patients, 50 were diagnosed as malignant by pathological diagnosis, and 70 as benign; 27 malignant cases and 93 benign cases were detected by SMI; 48 malignant cases and 72 benign cases were detected by SMI combined with low dose CT scanning. The sensitivity and accuracy of the latter were significantly higher than those of the former, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.00); the enhancement, edge sharpness and homogeneity of SMI increased with the increase of tumor malignancy, showing positive correlation property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the role of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) in the differential diagnosis of gouty arthritis (GA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to analyze the ultrasound imaging features of the two diseases. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out. A total of 66 patients who had been admitted to The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from May 2018 to March 2019 were enrolled. Among them, 34 patients were diagnosed with RA and were included in the RA group; 32 patients were diagnosed with gouty arthritis and were included in the GA group. The imaging features of musculoskeletal ultrasound were compared between the two groups of patients. Results: A total of 34 patients were included in the RA group, including 17 males and 17 females. A total of 32 patients were included in the GA group, including 14 males and 18 females. There were no significant differences in gender composition, age, and duration of disease between the two groups (P>0.05). In the RA group, there were joint bone erosions with a clear boundary in seven cases and with a blurred boundary in 27 cases; synovial hyperplasia was observed in 27 cases, and point-like hyperechoic masses were observed in four cases. In the GA group, there were joint bone erosions with a clear boundary in 27 cases and with a blurred boundary in five cases; synovial hyperplasia was observed in four cases, tophus was observed in 23 cases, point-like hyperechoic masses were observed in 27 cases, and the tram-track sign was observed in 23 cases. The differences in bone erosion boundaries (c²=26.854, P<0.01), synovial hyperplasia (c²=29.631, P<0.01), tophus (P<0.01), point-like hyperechoic mass (c²=33.095, P<0.01), and tram-track sign (P<0.01) were statistically significant between the two groups of patients. In the RA group, blood flow signaling was Grade 0 in one case, Grade-I in five cases, Grade-II in 14 cases, and Grade-III in 14 cases. In the GA group, blood flow signaling was Grade 0 in 26 cases, Grade-I in three cases, Grade-II in three cases, and Grade-III in zero cases. The difference in the synovial blood flow signaling between the two groups of patients was statistically significant (c²=34.323, P<0.01). Conclusions: MSUS has certain diagnostic value in the differentiation of GA and RA. Moreover, the two conditions have their own ultrasound imaging features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare and analyze the clinical effects of ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotripsy and X-ray-guided percutaneous nephrolithotripsy in the treatment of complex renal calculi without hydronephrosis. Methods: Eighty patients with multiple stones without hydronephrosis were admitted at Department of Ultrasound Diagnosis, The first medical center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 21, 2020 to December 21, 2020 randomly divided into two groups: experimental group and control group, with 40 cases in each group. Patients in the experimental group were treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy, while those in the control group were treated with X-ray-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy. The differences in operation time, channel establishment time, channel number, blood loss and stone clearance rate between the two groups were compared and analyzed. Venous blood was drawn before surgery and on the first day after surgery, and serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, blood β2- microglobulin, blood uric acid and other renal indexes were detected. Moreover, renal parenchymal injury was compared between the two groups by renal static imaging, and the incidence of postoperative complications such as pain, fever, urination through incision and injury of surrounding organs were compared and analyzed. Results: The operation time, channel establishment time, channel number and blood loss in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (p<0.05). The postoperative renal injury score of the experimental group was 1.03±0.37, which was lower than 1.85±0.63 of the control group (p=0.00); Postoperative Cr, BUN, blood β 2-microglobulin and other indicators in the control group were significantly higher than those in the experimental group, with statistically significant differences (p<0.05). The incidence of peripheral organ injury in experimental group was lower than that in control group, with a statistically significant difference (p=0.04). Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a safe and effective treatment regimen, boasting various advantages such as real-time monitoring of the surgical process, more accurate and clear channel establishment, avoidance of large vessel injury, shortening of surgical time, alleviation of kidney injury and reduction of surgical complications, which is more advantageous for the treatment of complex renal calculi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is an objective tool widely used to assess nutritional status of patients. We aimed to investigate the value of CONUT score on predicting length of hospital stay (LOS) and the risk of long COVID in patients with COVID-19. Methods: a total of 151 patients with COVID-19 were enrolled for analysis. Patients were followed up for two years from three months after the onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONUT score was calculated on admission. The correlation between CONUT score and LOS were assessed by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and multivariate linear analysis. The association between different CONUT grade and long COVID was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed that CONUT scores were positively correlated with LOS (r = 0.469, p < 0.001). Multivariate linear analysis showed that CONUT score is the only independent determinant of LOS (B 2.055, 95 % CI: 1.067-3.043, p < 0.001). A total of 53 (35.10 %) patients with long COVID were identified. Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curves and Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that the incidence of long COVID in patients with a higher CONUT score was significantly higher than in patients with lower CONUT score (p < 0.001). Conclusions: higher CONUT score predicts longer LOS and the risk of long COVID in patients with COVID-19. The CONUT score might be useful for risk stratification in COVID-19 patients and help to develop new nutritional treatment strategies for long COVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between the serum calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) level and severity of coronary stenosis.Methods: A total of 233 eligible patients who underwent coronary angiography were divided into two groups: a control and a coronary heart disease (CHD) group. The angiographic severity of coronary stenosis was evaluated by SYNTAX and Gensini scores. The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events within two years was collected.Results: A negative correlation between serum CGRP levels and Gensini scores was observed in all patients (r=-0.352, p<0.001), the control group (r=-0.422, p<0.001) and the CHD group (r=-0.393, p<0.001). Serum CGRP levels were negatively associated with SYNTAX scores in the CHD group (r=-0.522, p<0.001). The area under the curve of CGRP for identifying high SYNTAX scores (>22) was 0.772 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.673-0.870, p<0.001], and for identifying high Gensini scores was 0.744 (95% CI: 0.646-0.842, p<0.001). A CGRP concentration of 25.05 pg/ml was selected as the cutoff point. A low CGRP level (<25.05 pg/ml) was an independent predictor of severe coronary stenosis, a SYNTAX score >22 [odds ratio (OR) =5.819, 95% CI: 2.240-15.116; p<0.001] and a high Gensini score (>64) (OR=4.943, 95% CI: 2.020-12.095; p<0.001). The low CGRP group had a higher incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events within two years (11.1 vs. 3.1%, p=0.031).Conclusion: In coronary atherosclerosis patients without acute myocardial injury, serum CGRP levels were negatively associated with the severity of coronary stenosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We hypothesized that lack of the high-energy phosphates during liver storage may potentially cause persistent injury to the vascular endothelium. Biopsies were obtained from livers obtained from beating heart human donors, stored either in the standard storage solution, that is, University of Wisconsin solution (UWS) or Celsior, and examined for various markers related to progressive endothelial injury. The expression of P2Y1 receptor, the major signal transduction machinery for adenosine triphosphate/adenosine diphosphate, decreased in hepatic vascular endothelial cells over time. Despite unaltered endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) levels, serine1177- phosphorylated eNOS, the active form of eNOS, progressively decreased with time. The production of nitric oxide enzyme decreased with time when liver tissues were examined in vitro. This also coincided with decreased interaction of eNOS with actin nucleating proteins like myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate and Rac1, which plays a role in modulating the cytoskeleton and helps position eNOS in a favorable cytosolic position for active enzymatic activity. Conversely, the interaction of eNOS with caveolin1 was significantly increased 6 H after ex vivo storage. Finally, we demonstrated by targeted contrast-enhanced ultrasound that membrane-bound vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in the hepatic vascular endothelial cell increased after 6 H of ex vivo storage. Overall, the results of this study provide evidence of a progressive hepatic vascular endothelial injury during the ex vivo storage. This may be a causative factor for ischemic cholangiopathy and delayed graft function post liver transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To assess the accuracy of ultrasound-guided 16G or 18G core needle biopsy (CNB) for ultrasound-visible breast lesions, and to analyze the effects of lesion features. Methods Between July 2005 and July 2012, 4,453 ultrasound-detected breast lesions underwent ultrasound-guided CNB and were retrospectively reviewed. Surgical excision was performed for 955 lesions (566 with 16G CNB and 389 with 18G CNB) which constitute the basis of the study. Histological findings were compared between the ultrasound-guided CNB and the surgical excision to determine sensitivity, false-negative rate, agreement rate, and underestimation rate, according to different lesion features. Results Final pathological results were malignant in 84.1% (invasive carcinoma, ductal carcinoma in situ, lymphoma, and metastases), high-risk in 8.4% (atypical lesions, papillary lesions, and phyllodes tumors), and benign in 7.5%. False-negative rates were 1.4% for 16G and 18G CNB. Agreement rates between histological findings of CNB and surgery were 92.4% for 16G and 92.8% for 18G CNB. Overall underestimate rates (high-risk CNB becoming malignant on surgery and ductal carcinoma in situ becoming invasive carcinoma) were 47.4% for 16G and 48.9% for 18G CNB. Agreements were better for mass lesions (16G: 92.7%; 18G: 93.7%) than for non-mass lesions (16G, 85.7%; 18G, 78.3%) (P <0.01). For mass lesions with a diameter ⩽10 mm, the agreement rates (16G, 83.3%; 18G, 86.7%) were lower (P <0.01). Conclusions Ultrasound-guided 16G and 18G CNB are accurate for evaluating ultrasound-visible breast mass lesions with a diameter >10 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical value and potential impact of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the characterization of undetermined focal liver lesions (FLLs) in patients with fatty liver. Methods: Fifty-two patients (34 men, 18 women) with fatty liver with 67 FLLs (size range, 1–8.6 cm; mean, 4.1 ± 3.1 cm) undetermined at baseline ultrasound (US) underwent contrast-enhanced US. CEUS examinations were analyzed by two experienced sonologists blinded to the final diagnosis. Readers evaluated by consensus the baseline echogenicity, the dynamic enhancement pattern in comparison with peripheral liver parenchyma. The final diagnosis was based on consensus interpreting of all examinations by another two expert observers with access to histological data. The characterization accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of CEUS in characterizing the lesion as benign or malignant, and as the correct pathologic type, were analyzed. Results: After CEUS, two hemangiomas, three inflammatory pseudotumors, and one hepatocellular carcinoma were misdiagnosed. The overall characterization accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of CEUS were 91% (61/67), 91.7% (11/12), and 90.9% (50/55), respectively. Forty-three benign lesions were diagnosed as the correct pathologic type. The portal venous phase and late phase were important in the characterization of the lesions. The characterization accuracy had no relationship with the size of FLLs. Conclusion: CEUS can improve the characterization of undetermined FLLs arising from fatty liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]