Recent studies have initially shown that MRI-based rim enhancement associates with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, but their sample sizes are small, leading to a necessary of comprehensive analyses to make a relatively solid statement. Thus, this meta-analysis aimed to summarize the correlation between MRI-based rim enhancement and prognosis in HCC patients. Until March 2023, a literature search was conducted on Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CNKI, Wangfang, and CQVIP databases in order to identify studies that report the correlation between MRI-based rim enhancement and the prognosis of HCC patients. MRI-based rim enhancement and prognostic data were extracted and analyzed. In our study, eight studies containing 1816 HCC patients were analyzed. Generally, the presence of MRI-based rim enhancement was related to shortened disease-free survival (DFS) [hazard ratio (HR): 2.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.11–3.62, P < 0.001], and worse overall survival (OS) (HR: 5.43, 95% CI: 2.14–13.79, P < 0.001). While no other prognostic data could be retrieved. Funnel plots, Begg’s test, and Egger’s test all indicated that no publication bias existed; and the risk score by Newcastle-Ottawa Scale criteria ranged from 7–9 points, suggesting a generally low risk of bias. Meanwhile, the sensitivity analysis showed that the significant findings did not change by omitting each study. Then, subgroup analyses revealed that no matter stratified by tumor size, treatment option, or sample size, rim enhancement was linked with unsatisfied DFS (all P < 0.05). Conclusively, MRI-based rim enhancement could effectually estimate poor survival in HCC patients, indicating its good prognostic value.

In neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, spike frequency adaptation and membrane afterhyperpolarization occur during a train of action potentials. Extracellular Ca2+ may regulate neuronal excitability by several mechanisms, including activation of small conductance and large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels. The overall goal of this study was to examine the role of Ca(2+)-activated K+ currents in individual suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons. To this end, we used the nystatin-perforated patch technique to record currents from suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons. Iberiotoxin and tetraethylammonium, antagonists of large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels, had no effect on the membrane afterhyperpolarization. However, antagonists of small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels, apamin and d-tubocurarine, reduced the amplitude of the membrane afterhyperpolarization and inhibited the spike frequency adaptation that occurred during a train of action potentials. Although there was no significant difference in membrane AHP between different portions of the circadian day, apamin and d-tubocurarine increased the spontaneous firing frequency of suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons during the daytime. In voltage-clamp mode, membrane depolarization-activated currents were followed by an outward tail current reversing near the K+ equilibrium potential. The tail current decayed with a time constant of 220 ms at +20 mV and 149 ms at -40 mV. Apamin irreversibly and d-tubocurarine reversibly inhibited the tail current. The tail current amplitude was also reduced by the GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline methiodide, while picrotoxin (another GABAA receptor antagonist) was without effect. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ or the addition of Cd2+ reversibly inhibited the tail current. These results indicate that apamin- and d-tubocurarine-sensitive small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels have a modulatory function on the action potential firing frequency as well as the membrane afterhyperpolarization that follows a train of action potentials in suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons. Importantly, our data also indicate that a portion of the effects of bicuculline methiodide on suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons may be mediated by inhibition of small conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels.

Background Recently, subjective cognitive decline (SCD) has been described as the earliest at-risk state of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and drawn attention of investigators. Studies suggested that SCD-community individuals may constitute a more vulnerable population than SCD-clinic patients, therefore, to investigate the early changes of the brain may provide guidance for treatment of the disease. We sought to investigate the changes of structure and functional connectivity alternation of the hippocampus in individuals with SCD recruited from the community using structural and resting-state functional MRI (fMRI). Methods Thirty-five SCD patients and 32 healthy controls were recruited. Resting-state fMRI data and high-resolution T1-weighted images were collected. Whole-brain voxel-based morphometry was used to examine the brain structural changes. We also used the hippocampal tail and the whole hippocampus as seeds to investigate functional connectivity alternation in SCD. Results Individuals with SCD showed significant gray matter volume decreases in the bilateral hippocampal tails and enlargement of the bilateral paracentral lobules. We also found that individuals with SCD showed decreased hippocampal tail resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) with the right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the left temporoparietal junction (TPJ), and decreased whole hippocampus rsFC with the bilateral mPFC and TPJ. These brain region and FC showing significant differences also showed significantly correlation with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores. Conclusion Individuals with SCD recruited from the community is associated with structural and functional changes of the hippocampus, and these changes may serve as potential biomarkers of SCD. Clinical Trial Registration The Declaration of Helsinki, and the study was registered in http://www.chictr.org.cn. The Clinical Trial Registration Number was ChiCTR-IPR-16009144.

目的 探讨扩散张量成像(DTI)评估髌股关节表面软骨早期损伤的临床应用价值.方法 对临床预行膝关节镜检查的患者行膝关节DTI及T2* mapping扫描;依据膝关节镜结果,搜集30例Outerbridge分级为Ⅰ、Ⅱ级的髌股关节表面软骨损伤患者纳入早期损伤组,30例无髌股关节软骨损伤患者纳入正常对照组;对比分析早期损伤组及正常组的DTI、T2* mapping表现.结果 30例髌股关节早期损伤患者关节镜下共发现48处软骨表面软骨损伤.DTI的各向异性分数(FA)、表观扩散性系数(ADC)伪彩图分别能显示39处(81.2％,39/48)、36处(75.0％,36/48),DTI共显示41处,敏感度为85.4％,特异度为83.3％.T2* mapping伪彩图显示35处(72.9％,35/48),敏感度为72.9％,特异度为91.7％.DTI与T2*mapping在发现损伤数目上差异没有统计学意义(x2=2.274,P=0.132).早期损伤组FA均值0.29±0.05较正常组0.39±0.08降低,ADC均值(1.71 ±0.20) ×10-3mm2/s较正常组(1.39±0.06)×10-3mm2/s升高,T2*均值(57.66±12.99) ms较正常组(31.16±5.48) ms升高,各组间差异均有统计学意义.结论 DTI可定量评估髌股关节早期软骨损伤,且较T2*mapping敏感,有较大临床应用潜力.

Objective To explore the feasibility and the effect of Test-Bolus with low tube voltage,low tube current,low dosage contrast medium(CM) ("Three-Lows") and thinner collimator in intracranial and cervical CT angiography (CTA).Methods 120 patients with suspected craniocervical vascular disease randomly divided into three groups(40 cases per group) underwent 64-MSCT with diffirent protocol of Test-Bolus for getting scan delay time (DT).Group A using conventional methods:kV =120,mA =60,CM =20 ml,thickness =5 mm;Group B and C:kV =80,mA =20,thickness =1.25 mm,CM B =20 ml,CMc (ml) =weight (kg) * 1 ml/kg * 10％.Time to peak (T),dosage of iodine per capita (I),dose length product (DLP),effective dose (ED) were recorded.The peak CT value (PCTValue) of monitored arteries,background noise (N),signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) of images of Test-Bolus and mean CT values of aortic arch,M1 segment of middle cerebral artery of final raw images (AA CTValue,M1CTValue) were measured and assessed.Arterial displaying and interference from subclavian veins were further scored by two senior doctors.Results T,AA CTValue,M1CTValue,and image-quality-scores in three groups were not statistically different (P ＞ 0.05),T in group C is about 0.5 s sooner compared with group A and B;DLP and ED in group B [(2.87 ± 0.54)mGy · cm,(0.014 ±0.002)mSv] and group C [(2.93 ± 0.63)mGy · cm,(0.014 ±0.003)mSv] were both lower than group A [(61.05 ± 14.08)mGy · cm,(0.305 ±0.07)mSv],ED in group B and group C were only about 4.59％ of that in group A (P ＜0.05);I in group C was about 31.50％ of that in group B and C (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The Test-Bolus with "Three Lows" and thinner collimator applied to intracranial and cervical CTA is feasible for reducing the dosage of CM and radiation dose greatly.

PurposeTo investigate differences in hippocampal activity between premenstrual syndrome (PMS) patients and healthy controls, to elucidate the neural mechanisms of PMS.Materials and MethodsTwenty female patients with PMS (PMS group) and 21 healthy controls (HC group) underwent a single‐shot gradient‐recalled echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence scan during the luteal phase in 3.0 Tesla MRI. Spontaneous neural activity in hippocampus (HIPP) was measured by fractional amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation (fALFF). Functional connectivity (FC) was used to examine the neural networks of PMS patients by selecting the abnormal HIPP as the seed region. All participants completed a daily record of severity of problems (DRSP) questionnaire to measure the severity of clinical symptoms.ResultsResults from a two‐sample t‐test showed increased left HIPP fALFF in the PMS group compared with the HC group (P = 0.042), while there was no between‐group difference of fALFF in the right HIPP (P = 0.1011). A secondary analysis using a two‐sample t‐test with the left HIPP as the seed region, the results revealed that the PMS group exhibited increased FC between the left HIPP and left medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), right middle cingulate cortex (MCC), and bilateral precentral cortex (PC), while decreased FC between the left HIPP and right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Moreover, the PMS group exhibited higher DRSP scores, which were positively correlated (r = 0.64, P = 0.003) with FC between the left HIPP and mPFC during the luteal phase.ConclusionAltered spontaneous neural activity and connectivity of left HIPP may be involved in PMS.Level of Evidence: 1Technical Efficacy: Stage 2J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:545–553.

目的 探讨3.0T MRI量化评分在腕关节类风湿关节炎(RA)治疗过程中的临床应用价值.方法 对27例病史<2年的RA患者在治疗前后各行1次同侧腕关节MRI扫描,共54只腕关节完成扫描,观察各腕关节滑膜炎、骨髓水肿、骨侵蚀及关节间隙情况,并进行定量评分,分别比较治疗前及治疗后滑膜炎、骨髓水肿、骨侵蚀及关节间隙狭窄的评分.结果 所有患者2次MRI扫描均见不同程度滑膜炎及骨髓水肿;15例患者治疗前后均有骨侵蚀,12例患者治疗前扫描无骨侵蚀,其中4例患者治疗后出现骨侵蚀;25例患者2次扫描均见不同程度关节间隙变窄,2例患者治疗前无关节间隙变窄,其中1例患者治疗后出现关节间隙变窄.滑膜炎、骨髓水肿在治疗后评分较治疗前降低,但治疗前后差异均无统计学意义(Z=-1.428,P=0.153及Z=-1.120,P=0.263),骨侵蚀及关节间隙狭窄评分在治疗后均不同程度升高,且与治疗前相比差异有统计学意义(Z=-2.913,P=0.004及Z=-4.059,P=0.000).结论 3.0T MRI能清晰显示RA治疗前后腕关节滑膜炎、骨髓水肿、关节间隙狭窄及骨侵蚀改变,MRI量化评分可以作为监测RA治疗过程中病变变化的有效手段.

Objective To investigate the effect of the problem-based learning (PBL) based on the WeChat platform in Medical Imaging Teaching of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Methods 261 Chinese medicine students were divided into experimental group and control group according to their class. The control group used the traditional teaching method. The experimental group adopted the PBL teaching method based on the WeChat platform. After the class was over, the scores of the two groups of students were compared, and to investigate students' acceptance and satisfaction with PBL pedagogy based on WeChat platform. Results The students' enthusiasm and teaching atmosphere in the experimental group were better than those of the control group, the experimental group could stimulate students' self-study, active teaching atmosphere, and deepen the interaction between teachers and students. The average score of the case analysis in the final examination of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group, but the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P=0.054). Conclusion The problem-based learning (PBL) teaching method based on WeChat platform helps to cultivate students' autonomous learning ability, activate teaching atmosphere, improve students' learning enthusiasm, and also enhance communication between teachers and students and enhance teacher-student sentiment.