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Transcatheter embolization is an important treatment method in clinical therapy, and vascular embolization material plays a key role in embolization. The temperature-sensitive p(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-butyl methylacrylate) (PIB) nanogel is a novel embolic agent. To evaluate the feasibility of the nanogel as a blood vessel embolization agent, we aimed to assess the effect of embolization with PIB nanogels in the rabbit renal artery by non-invasive computed tomography (CT) perfusion, macroscopic and histological examination. Ten healthy adult Japanese rabbits were used to implement RAE of PIB nanogels in their right kidneys. CT perfusion scans were performed pre- and post-treatment at various time-points (1, 4, 8, and 12 weeks). Two rabbits were euthanized and histologically examined at each time-point, and the remaining rabbits were euthanized at 12 weeks after embolization. The RAE efficacy of the nanogels was further confirmed by macroscopic and histological examination. The renal volume and renal blood flow (BF) of the right kidney were significantly decreased post-treatment compared with those pre-treatment (volume: pre, 9278 ± 1736 mm3; post 1 week, 5155 ± 979 mm3, P 3, P 3, P 3, P P P P P

Objective To evaluate the relationship between pancreatic parenchyma loss and early postoperative hyperglycemia in patients with benign pancreatic diseases. Methods A total of 171 patients with benign pancreatic tumors or chronic pancreatitis, whose preoperative fasting blood glucose (FBG) was normal and who underwent partial pancreatectomy were reviewed. The pancreatic volume was measured by CT imaging before and after the operation. According to their different pancreatic resection volume (PRV), 171 patients were divided into five groups: < 30%, 30%–39%, 40%–49%, 50%–59%, and ≥ 60%. The correlation between the PRV and postoperative FBG was investigated. According to the postoperative FBG value, the patients were divided into a hyperglycemia group (HG) and nonhyperglycemia group (non-HG) to explore the best cutoff value of the PRV between the two groups. Results There were significant differences in the postoperative FBG among the five groups (PRV < 30%, 30%–39%, 40%–49%, 50%–59%, and ≥ 60%). The PRV was positively correlated with postoperative FBG in the benign tumor group and chronic pancreatitis group (R = 0.727 and 0.651, respectively). ROC curve analysis showed that the best cutoff value of the PRV between the HG (n = 84) and non-HG (n = 87) was 39.95% with an AUC = 0.898; the sensitivity was 89.29%, and the specificity was 82.76%. Conclusion There was a linear positive correlation between the postoperative FBG level and PRV. Patients with a PRV ≥ 40% are more likely to develop early postoperative hyperglycemia.

This study sought to compare the image quality and radiation dose of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) from prospectively triggered 128-slice CT (128-MSCT) versus dual-source 64-slice CT (DSCT). The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee at Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Eighty consecutive patients with stable heart rates lower than 70 bpm were enrolled. Forty patients were scanned with 128-MSCT, and the other 40 patients were scanned with DSCT. Two radiologists independently assessed the image quality in segments (diameter1 mm) according to a three-point scale (1: excellent; 2: moderate; 3: insufficient). The CCTA radiation dose was calculated. Eighty patients with 526 segments in the 128-MSCT group and 544 segments in the DSCT group were evaluated. The image quality 1, 2 and 3 scores were 91.6%, 6.9% and 1.5%, respectively, for the 128-MSCT group and 97.6%, 1.7% and 0.7%, respectively, for the DSCT group, and there was a statistically significant inter-group difference (P ≤ 0.001). The effective doses were 3.0 mSv in the 128-MSCT group and 4.5 mSv in the DSCT group (P ≤ 0.001). Compared with DSCT, CCTA with prospectively triggered 128-MSCT had adequate image quality and a 33.3% lower radiation dose.

This study sought to compare the image quality and radiation dose of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) from prospectively triggered 128-slice CT (128-MSCT) versus dual-source 64-slice CT (DSCT). The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee at Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Eighty consecutive patients with stable heart rates lower than 70 bpm were enrolled. Forty patients were scanned with 128-MSCT, and the other 40 patients were scanned with DSCT. Two radiologists independently assessed the image quality in segments (diameter >1 mm) according to a three-point scale (1: excellent; 2: moderate; 3: insufficient). The CCTA radiation dose was calculated. Eighty patients with 526 segments in the 128-MSCT group and 544 segments in the DSCT group were evaluated. The image quality 1, 2 and 3 scores were 91.6%, 6.9% and 1.5%, respectively, for the 128-MSCT group and 97.6%, 1.7% and 0.7%, respectively, for the DSCT group, and there was a statistically significant inter-group difference (P ≤ 0.001). The effective doses were 3.0 mSv in the 128-MSCT group and 4.5 mSv in the DSCT group (P ≤ 0.001). Compared with DSCT, CCTA with prospectively triggered 128-MSCT had adequate image quality and a 33.3% lower radiation dose.

Bao-An Chen1, Nan Jin1, Jun Wang1, Jiahua Ding1, Chong Gao1, Jian Cheng1, Guohua Xia1, Feng Gao1, Yin Zhou1, Yue Chen1, Guina Zhou1, Xiaomao Li2, Yu Zhang3, Men Tang3, Xuemei Wang31Department of Hematology, Zhongda Hospital, Clinical Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Physics, University of Saarland, D-266041 Saarbruechen, Germany; 3National Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Laboratory), Southeast University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: We investigated the effect of magnetic nanoparticles of Fe3O4 (Fe3O4-MNPs) on the mice immune system. Imprinting control region (ICR) mice were assigned randomly into four groups and treated with normal saline or low, medium, or high doses of Fe3O4-MNPs, respectively. After intravenous administration of Fe3O4-MNPs for 72 hours, the peripheral T cells and the induction of primary immune responses in mice were investigated by flow cytometry and determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The results showed that the ratio of spleen to body weight was not different between the experimental groups and control group (P > 0.05). The lymphocyte transformation rates in the suspension of spleen were higher in low-dose group than those in the control group (P < 0.05), while the proliferation of splenocytes was low in the medium and high groups when compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In peripheral blood, both the proportions of subset CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the low-dose group were higher than those in the control group, whereas there was no difference in the number of CD4+ T cells between the medium- and low-dose groups. Interestingly, the Fe3O4-MNPs enhanced the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-γ, and IL-10 but did not affect the production of IL-4 in peripheral blood. It is concluded that Fe3O4-MNPs could influence immune functions of normal ICR mice in a dose-dependent manner.Keywords: magnetic nanoparticle of Fe3O4, immune function, splenocyte proliferation, cytokine

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐associated nephropathy is not a rare manifestation of HBV infection; this could result in diagnostic confusion and the possible misidentification of a diabetic patient with albuminuria. We present the first published case of a HBV‐associated nephropathy occurring in a patient with diabetes. The patient was a 24‐year‐old man who was admitted to hospital with 4 days of generalized swelling and oliguria. He had a 3‐year history of weight loss, and a 1‐year history of polydipsia and polyuria before the symptoms of generalized swelling and oliguria appeared. Laboratory tests showed a fasting blood sugar of 15.1 mmol/L and glycated hemoglobin of 18.1%. The 24‐h urine protein excretion was 2807.8 mg and serum albumin was 19.1 g/L. The diagnosis of HBV‐associated nephropathy was confirmed by serological evaluations of HBV antigen and antibodies, immunohistochemical evidence of HBV‐related antigens, and immune complexes in renal biopsies. The decreased proteinuria was observed after antiviral therapy.

The motion of spiral waves in excitable media driven by a weak pacing around the spiral tip is investigated numerically as well as theoretically. We presented a Bifurcations diagram containing four types of the spiral motion induced by different frequencies of pacing: rigidly rotating, inward-petal meandering, resonant drift, and outward-petal meandering spiral. Simulation shows that the spiral resonantly drifts when the frequency of pacing is close to that of the spiral rotation. We also find that the speed and direction of the drift can be efficiently controlled by means of the strength and phase of the local pacing, which is consistent with analytical results based on the framework of the weak deformation approximation.