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Background Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is considered to be a powerful instrument for the diagnosis of intestine diseases. Convolution neural network (CNN) is a type of artificial intelligence that has the potential to assist the detection of WCE images. We aimed to perform a systematic review of the current research progress to the CNN application in WCE. Methods A search in PubMed, SinoMed, and Web of Science was conducted to collect all original publications about CNN implementation in WCE. Assessment of the risk of bias was performed by Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 risk list. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated by an exact binominal rendition of the bivariate mixed-effects regression model. I2 was used for the evaluation of heterogeneity. Results 16 articles with 23 independent studies were included. CNN application to WCE was divided into detection on erosion/ulcer, gastrointestinal bleeding (GI bleeding), and polyps/cancer. The pooled sensitivity of CNN for erosion/ulcer is 0.96 [95% CI 0.91, 0.98], for GI bleeding is 0.97 (95% CI 0.93–0.99), and for polyps/cancer is 0.97 (95% CI 0.82–0.99). The corresponding specificity of CNN for erosion/ulcer is 0.97 (95% CI 0.93–0.99), for GI bleeding is 1.00 (95% CI 0.99–1.00), and for polyps/cancer is 0.98 (95% CI 0.92–0.99). Conclusion Based on our meta-analysis, CNN-dependent diagnosis of erosion/ulcer, GI bleeding, and polyps/cancer approached a high-level performance because of its high sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, future perspective, CNN has the potential to become an important assistant for the diagnosis of WCE.

BackgroundThe effect of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS) on stroke outcomes remains unclear.MethodsData of 1045 patients with minor stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) were obtained from 45 sites of the Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients with Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial. We assessed the associations of burdens of CSVD and ICAS with new strokes and bleeding events using multivariate Cox regression models and those with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores using ordinal logistic regression models.ResultsAmong the 1045 patients, CSVD was present in 830 cases (79.4%) and ICAS in 460 (44.0%). Patients with >1 ICAS segment showed the highest risk of new strokes (HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.56, p=0.01). No association between CSVD and the occurrence of new strokes was found. The presence of severe CSVD (common OR (cOR) 2.01, 95% CI 1.40 to 2.89, p1 ICAS segment (cOR 2.15, 95% CI 1.57 to 2.93, pInterpretationCSVD is associated with more disability and bleeding events, and ICAS is associated with an increased risk of stroke and disability in patients with minor stroke and TIA at 3 months. CSVD and ICAS may represent different vascular pathologies and play distinct roles in stroke outcomes.Trial registration numberNCT00979589

BackgroundSmall single subcortical infarction (SSSI) may be classified as parent artery disease-related or only branch involved according to the stenosis of parent artery. The study aimed to evaluate short-term and long-term prognoses and the effectiveness of antiplatelet therapy in SSSI.MethodsWe prospectively enrolled 2890 patients with SSSI from the Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III) database from August 2015 to March 2018. We assessed clinical outcomes and antiplatelet treatment effects in patients with SSSI with and without parent artery stenosis (PAS) identified by magnetic resonance angiography.ResultsAmong 2890 patients with SSSI in the perforator territory of the middle cerebral artery and the basilar artery, there were 680 (23.53%) patients with PAS and 2210 (76.47%) patients without PAS, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, the PAS group had a greater initial stroke severity (OR 1.262, 95% CI 1.058 to 1.505; p=0.0097) and a higher risk of ischaemic stroke recurrence at 3 months (OR 2.266, 95% CI 1.631 to 3.149; pConclusionPAS related to significantly higher rates of short-term and long-term stroke recurrence and composite vascular events, suggesting heterogeneous mechanisms in SSSI subgroups. The effectiveness of antiplatelet therapy for SSSI needs further investigation.

Background We aimed to quantitatively assess the vessel morphology of middle cerebral artery (MCA) atherosclerosis and explore its value in discriminating plaque types. Methods Patients were selected from a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) study from January 2007 to December 2015. One hundred and three patients with acute cerebral infarcts due to MCA stenosis (>50%) and eighty-nine patients with asymptomatic MCA stenosis (>50%) were included. Quantitative measurements of MCA morphology, including lumen area, outer-wall and wall area at stenotic site and reference site, stenotic degree, plaque length, remodeling index and plaque eccentricity, were performed on HRMRI with observers blinded to clinical presentations. Firth's penalized logistic regression analysis was used to construct a symptomatic plaque score (SPS) model. Then, the HRMRI data of 39 patients prospectively enrolled from January 2016 to January 2017 were used to validate the SPS model. Results The HRMRI data of 103 patients with symptomatic MCA stenosis and 89 patients with asymptomatic MCA stenosis in the construction cohort were analyzed. Four main factors were found to be associated with symptomatic plaques: stenotic lumen area ≥ 2.28 mm2, stenotic wall area ≥ 8.88 mm2, plaque length and presence of an eccentric plaque. Summation of each logistic regression coefficient multiplying the corresponding score produced the SPS with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.890 on receiver operating characteristics analysis. Validation of the score of 39 plaques (19 symptomatic and 20 asymptomatic) revealed an AUC of 0.862, confirming the continued diagnostic ability. When the data were pooled in all 235 plaques, the optimal cutoff score of discriminating symptomatic and asymptomatic plaques was 2.79 (SPS ≥ 2.79 indicating a symptomatic plaque) with AUC = 0.886, sensitivity 81.1% and specificity 80.5%. Conclusions The quantitative analysis of MCA morphology can independently and accurately discriminate plaque types, suggesting its close association with the underlying pathophysiology. Further prospective studies are required to verify whether the SPS model is clinically valuable in monitoring plaque progression and assessing the vulnerability.

Background To characterize the severity and distribution of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) and to assess the relationship of WMHs with initial stroke severity, 3-month functional outcome, stroke recurrence and response to antiplatelet therapies. Methods In Clopidogrel High-risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial, 787 minor stroke patients with baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) information were included in this analysis. Deep and periventricular WMHs (DWMHs and PVWMHs) were rated using the Fazekas scale and categorized into mild (grades 0-2), moderate (grades 3-4) and severe (grades 5-6). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the associations between WMHs severities and outcomes, including initial stroke severity by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, 3-month functional outcome by modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and stroke recurrence. Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the treatment-by-subgroup interaction effect. Results Among the 787 patients in this analysis, 432 (54.9%) had moderate or severe WMHs (3-6). Compared with mild WMHs, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of severe WMHs for risk of higher NIHSS was 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-3.48 (P=0.004). Both severities of SDWMHs (OR 1.66; 95% CI, 1.15-2.40; P=0.007) and PVWMHs (OR 1.47; 95% CI, 1.02-2.10; P=0.04) were associated with higher NIHSS scores. There were no statistically significant associations of WMHs with 3-month functional outcome and stroke recurrence. There were no significant interactions between WMHs and antiplatelet therapy. Conclusions In patients with minor stroke, both SDWMHs and PVWMHs might related with initial stroke severity. No interaction was detected between the severity of WMHs and antiplatelet treatment.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00979589. Date of registration: Sep 18, 2009.

Background: The presence of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) is related to poor outcomes in stroke patients. However, the short-term outcome is unknown in patients with minor stroke and TIA and WMH. Objective: We investigated the impact of WMH on 90-day outcome in patients with minor stroke and TIA. Methods: We derived data from the Clopidogrel in High-risk Patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial. After excluding 45 patients with low quality images, 8 without mRS at 3 months, 1036 patients with baseline MR examinations were included in this analysis. FAZEKAS scores were recorded for each individual. The primary efficacy outcome was ischemic stroke and mRS scores at the 90-day follow-up. We assessed the associations between FAZEKAS scores and prognosis of patients using multivariable Logistic regression models. Results: Among the 1,036 patients included in this subgroup analysis, there were 490 (47.3%), 347 (33.5%), and 199 (19.2%) patients identified as score 0-2, 3-4, 5-6, respectively. Compared with those with FAZEKAS 0-2, patients with FAZEKAS 3-4 (13.0% vs 7.6%, OR 1.53, 95% CI 0.93-2.50, p=0.093) and FAZEKAS 5-6 (11.1% vs 7.6%, OR 0.936, 95% CI 0.501-1.748, p=0.835) were not associated with higher mRS scores (2-6) at 90 days; neither did they have an increased risk of ischemic stroke (9.5% vs 8.0%, OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.64-1.81, p=0.779; 7.0% vs 8.0%, OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.33-1.35, p=0.261). However, in subgroup analysis for NIHSS 2-3, compared with FAZEKAS 5-6, FAZEKAS 3-4 was a risk factor for ischemic stroke (OR, 2.29; 95%CI 1.01-5.18; p=0.047) and higher mRS scores (OR, 1.98; 95%CI 1.03-3.82; p=0.041). Conclusion: In patients with minor stroke or TIA, Fazekas score was not associated with an increased risk of 90-day ischemic stroke and higher mRS scores. Medium grade WMH might indicate progression of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), while severe white matter lesion suggests relatively stabilized condition of CSVD.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown about the influence of prestroke antiplatelet use on early outcomes in patients with and without the indication. We aimed to evaluate the in-hospital prognosis of first-ever noncardiogenic ischemic stroke patients with and without indications of antiplatelet use for primary prevention. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational study based on a prospective hospital-based registry (Chinese Stroke Center Alliance). Using the data with 436,660 first-ever noncardiogenic acute ischemic strokes recorded from Aug 1, 2015, to July 31, 2019, from 1,453 hospitals in China, we examined the associations between the indication for prestroke antiplatelet use and in-hospital clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Among 436,660 first-ever noncardiogenic ischemic stroke patients, 42,409 patients (9.7%) had a documented previous vascular indication and 394,251 (90.3%) did not. Compared to those without, patients with the indication were associated with increased prevalence of in-hospital morbid conditions, including stroke severity (OR 2.71; 95% CI: 2.62–2.81; P14 days (OR 1.16; 95% CI: 1.13–1.19; P

Introduction We sought to incorporate high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) into the diagnostic process of intracranial atherosclerosis associated moyamoya syndrome in adult patients. Methods From March 2013 to March 2014, HRMRI was consecutively performed on adult patients with angiographic moyamoya. The patients were classified as moyamoya - plaques (MMD-P) if a plaque could be identified or as moyamoya - no plaques (MMD-NP) if a plaque could not be identified. The angiography, HRMRI findings and atherogenic risk factors of these patients were analyzed. Results Fifty-one patients (mean age 39 ± 9, 20 males) were enrolled. On traditional angiography, probable intracranial atherosclerosis was identified in 5 patients, no definite diagnosis in 12 patients, and moyamoya disease in 34 patients. On HRMRI, 15 out of 32 patients with risk factors and 4 out of 19 patients without risk factors were found to have plaques and were diagnosed as MMD-P, while the other 32 patients were diagnosed as MMD-NP. The MMD-P patients were more likely to be older ( P = 0.033) and male ( P = 0.0353) and were less likely to have cerebral hemorrhage ( P = 0.0066) and a history of disease progression ( P = 0.0012). Conclusions Our study suggests that HRMRI can help diagnose intracranial atherosclerosis more accurately in moyamoya disease patients with atherogenic risk factors. The distinct clinical features between MMD-P and MMD-NP patients suggest different underlying pathophysiology and therefore potentially different treatment strategies.

In this study, we sought to examine the prevalence and clinical relevance of deep tiny flow voids (DTFV) in patients with steno-occlusive middle cerebral artery (MCA) disease on high-resolution MRI (HRMRI).We retrospectively reviewed the HRMRI and clinical data of 477 patients with MCA steno-occlusive disease. The presence and distribution of DTFV, defined as 3 or more flow voids along the affected MCA on at least 2 consecutive T2-weighted image slices on HRMRI, were observed. The relationships among DTFV, the degree of stenosis (mild50%, moderate 50%-70%, severe 70%-99%, and occlusion), and infarctions were analyzed. To clarify the difference between DTFV and moyamoya collaterals, we compared the HRMRI findings of the patients with DTFV and 102 patients with moyamoya disease.The prevalence of DTFV was 1.4% in mild stenosis, 12.8% in moderate stenosis, 40.6% in severe stenosis, and 50.7% in MCA occlusions. Of the 112 patients with DTFV, 57 (50.9%) had all 4 quadrants (superior, inferior, dorsal, and ventral sides) of the MCA involved. DTFV were more common in asymptomatic patients than in symptomatic patients with severe stenosis (49.3% vs 30.9%, p = 0.025) and occlusions (68.0% vs 41.7%, p = 0.033). Obvious flow voids in the basal ganglia region were observed in 58 patients (56.9%) with moyamoya disease but in none of the patients with DTFV (p0.001).DTFV are common in patients with severe steno-occlusive MCA disease, especially in asymptomatic patients. We hypothesize that DTFV originate from new vessel network formation in response to chronic cerebral ischemia.

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of high-resolution 3D CUBE T1WI for intracranial vessel wall imaging. Methods High-resolution 3D CUBE T1 weighted intracranial vessel wall images (0.4mm×0.4mm×0.4mm) of 50 patients were retrospectively evaluated. A 5-point scale (1 poor, 5 excellent) was used to score the imaging quality for displaying the vessel wall of every intracranial artery segments. The inter-observer and intra-observer reproducibility of identifying plaques, intraplaque hemorrhage/luminal thrombosis, and wall enhancement were calculated. Results Totally 893 artery segments were evaluated. 3D CUBE T1WI displayed the arteries wall and lumen clearly, with the highest score (4.920±0.837) for the C6–7 segments and the lowest (3.370±1.107) for the C3 segments of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Both intra-observer and inter-observer reproducibility were high for identification of normal walls ( κ =0.928, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.891–0.954; κ =0.911, CI 0.868–0.940), plaque ( κ =0.924, CI 0.884–0.954; κ =0.907, CI 0.866–0.943), luminal thrombosis ( κ =1.000, CI 1.000–1.000; κ =1.000, CI 1.000–1.000), and wall enhancement ( κ =1.000, CI 1.000–1.000; κ =0.914, CI 0.863–0.961). Conclusions High-resolution 3D CUBE T1WI displayed intracranial wall and lumen clearly, and detected intracranial artery abnormalities with high reproducibility.

ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the geometric features of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and their relevance to plaque distribution and ischemic stroke.MethodsWe reviewed our institutional vessel wall imaging database. Patients with symptomatic MCA atherosclerosis, asymptomatic MCA atherosclerosis, or without MCA atherosclerosis were included. The MCA geometric features, including M1 segment shape and M1 curve orientation, were defined on magnetic resonance angiography. Plaque distribution and other plaque parameters were identified on vessel wall imaging. The association among MCA geometric features, plaque distribution, and ischemic stroke were analyzed.ResultsA total of 977 MCAs were analyzed (87 atherosclerotic symptomatic MCAs, 459 atherosclerotic asymptomatic MCAs, and 431 plaque-free MCAs). Overall, curved M1 segments were the predominant shape across all groups. In 91.1% of curved atherosclerotic MCAs, the plaque involved the inner wall of the curve. Plaque not involving the inner wall was shorter (p < 0.0001) and thinner (p = 0.005) compared to plaque involving the inner wall. Inferior plaque was observed in 39.9% of inferior-oriented M1 curves compared to 21.7% in non–inferior-oriented M1 curves (p < 0.0001). The absence of an inferior-oriented M1 curve (odds ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.27–0.77) and presence of superior plaque (odds ratio 2.67, 95% confidence interval 1.52–4.67) were independently associated with stroke after adjusting for plaque length and thickness, degree of stenosis, and remodeling ratio.ConclusionsMCA geometric features are associated with plaque distribution and stroke. Our findings provide insight into the vascular pathophysiology of MCA atherosclerosis.

This study addressed the design and syntheses of diverse ligands, which were then successfully treated with Ni (II) ion to afford a series of nickel complexes. α-Chloroformylarylhydrazine hydrochlorides 6 contain two different functional groups. One is a strong nucleophile, and the other is a good electrophile. Therefore, it can be designed to react with several reagents to obtain diverse derivatives which can be used as ligands for metal complexes. Furthermore, benzimidazole and salicylaldehyde can provide electron donor sites, N and O electron donors, separately. Hence, the starting materials α-chloroformylarylhydrazine hydrochlorides 6 were first treated with 2-(aminomethyl)-benzimidazole (7) to give the corresponding semicarbazides 8. Then, the semicarbazides 8 reacted with various substituted salicylaldehydes 9–11 to afford the desired substituted-salicylaldehyde 2-aryl-4-substituted semicarbazones 12–14, which could coordinate with nickel (II) ion to give the corresponding nickel complexes 15–17.

Many epidemiological studies have found a positive association between chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection and the risk of preterm labor, but the magnitude of this association varies and independent studies have reported conflicting findings. We performed a meta-analysis to ascertain the relationship between CHB infection and preterm labor. The PubMed and Embase databases were searched up to May 1st, 2014, for relevant observational studies on an association between CHB infection and the risk of preterm labor. Data were extracted and analyzed independently by two authors. The meta-analysis was performed using Stata version 10.0 software. Six observational case-control studies and 4 cohort studies, involving 6781 women with preterm labor, were identified. Based on a random-effects meta-analysis, no association between CHB infection and preterm labor was identified (odds ratio=1.12, 95% confidence interval CI, 0.94-1.33). Our meta-analysis suggested that CHB infection is not associated with an increased risk of preterm labor.

Background The underlying pathophysiology of BA distribution is unclear and intriguing. Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI), we sought to explore the plaque distribution of low-grade basilar artery (BA) atherosclerosis and its clinical relevance. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the imaging and clinical data of 61 patients with low-grade atherosclerotic BA stenosis (

Endoscopic submucosal tunneling dissection (ESTD) has been proved to be safe and effective for removal of esophageal submucosal tumors (SMTs) and can maintain the mucosal integrity compared with other endoscopic methods. The aim of the study was to estimate the safety and efficacy of ESTD as well as compare its efficacy with thoracoscopic enucleation for esophageal SMTs, which is used increasingly as a minimally invasive approach.We retrospectively collected the clinical data of patients with esophageal SMTs 40 mm who underwent ESTD or thoracoscopic enucleation at Nanfang Hospital between January 2008 and August 2016. Epidemiologic data (sex, age), tumor location, tumor size, en bloc resection rate, adverse events, pathologic results, length of postoperative hospital stay, and cost were compared between ESTD and thoracoscopic enucleation.A total of 126 patients were included. A total of 74 patients underwent ESTD, and the other 52 underwent thoracoscopic enucleation. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in sex, age, tumor size, hospitalization expense, infection, adverse events, and en bloc resection rate (P .05). However, patients in the ESTD group had a shorter operating time, less estimated blood loss, shorter length of postoperative hospital stay, and lower chest pain level (P .05). Kaplan-Meier curves for disease-free survival also showed no statistically significant difference between ESTD and thoracoscopic enucleation groups during the median follow-up of 19.5 and 42 months, respectively.The treatment efficacy was comparable between the ESTD and thoracoscopic enucleation for esophageal SMTs 40 mm. However, there was a significant advantage in the ESTD group for a shorter operating time, reduced postoperative chest pain, and shorter hospitalization.

Background: Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI), we sought to investigate the underlying etiology of intracranial stenosis in young patients. Methods: We retrospectively studied 122 Chinese young adult patients (from 18 to 45 years old, mean age 36.2±7.5 years) with unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis based on a prospectively established HRMRI database. The eccentricity, degree of stenosis, and remodeling types of MCA lesions were analyzed. The MCA lesions were classified as eccentric (presumed atherosclerosis) or concentric stenosis (presumed non-atherosclerosis). The clinical data and vessel wall properties were compared between the patients >35 years old and the patients ≤35 years old. Results: Eccentric stenosis was observed in 98 (80.3%) patients and concentric stenosis in 24 (19.7%) patients. The patients with eccentric stenosis were older (37.5±6.8 vs. 31.4±8.4 years old, P vs. 25.0%, P=0.006). The patients >35 years old had higher prevalence (90.1% vs. 66.7%, P=0.001) of eccentric stenosis and atherosclerosis factors (60.6% vs. 35.3%, P=0.006) than the patients ≤35 years old. Most of the patients with concentric stenosis were ≤35 years old (17/24, 70.8%) and were female (16/24, 66.7%). Binary Logistic analysis suggested smoking (OR =3.171; 95% CI, 1.210–8.314) and remodeling ratio (OR =1.625; 95% CI, 1.001–2.636) were independent predictive factors for symptomatic stenosis. Conclusions: Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of intracranial stenosis in Chinese young patients. Non-atherosclerosis disease is an important etiology in young female, especially in the patients aged 35 years old or younger.