Objective: To assess left atrial(LA)function by evaluating changes of LA wall movement and volume detected by real-time three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging(RT3D-STI)in elderly patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation(IMR). Methods: Eighty-six elderly patients with coronary heart disease(CHD)were enrolled in this study.According to whether or not to have IMR, the patients were divided into the pure CHD group(n=32)and the CHD-induced ischemic mitral regurgitation(IMR)group(n=54, including 20 cases of mild IMR, 18 cases of moderate IMR and 16 cases of severe IMR). Thirty-two healthy elderly volunteers were considered as control group.RT3D-STI was used to evaluate the global atrial longitudinal strain(GLS), global circumferential strain(GCS), global radial strain(GRS)and LA maximal, minimal and pre-systolic volumes(LAVmax, LAVmin, and LAVp). LA ejection fraction(LAEF), LA passive ejection fraction(LApEF)and LA active ejection fraction(LAaEF)were calculated.The relationship of LA volume changes and myocardial strain with LA function was analyzed. Results: The left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and LAEF were reduced in CHD group and IMR group as compared with the control group, and were lower in IMR group than in CHD group(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the LAVmin was increased, and the LAaEF was decreased in the IMR group(P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the GLS, GCS, GRS were declined in the CHD and IMR groups, and were lower in IMR group than in control group(P<0.05). Along with the increased severity of regurgitation, GLS, GCS, and GRS were decreased in varying degrees.The standard deviations of time to peak longitudinal strains(TLS-SD), of time to peak circumferential strains(TCS-SD), and of time to peak radial strain(TRS-SD)rose in the IMR group as compared with the control group(P<0.05). The myocardial motion indicators(GLS, GCS, GRS)had a quite strong correlation with LAEF in the CHD and IMR groups(CHD group: r=-0.745, -0.718 and 0.627, P=0.006, 0.007 and 0.009; IMR group: r=-0.785, -0.781, 0.643, P=0.006, 0.007 and 0.008). The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves analysis showed that the sensitivity and specificity of TLS-SD, TCS-SD and TRS-SD were 89.7% and 81.8%, 78.6% and 84.8%, 85.7% and 72.1%, respectively in the evaluation of LA function changes. Conclusions RT3D-STI can precisely and objectively assess the LA function changes by measuring the volume changes and tracing the myocardial motion in elderly IMR patients.

Objective:To evaluate the application values of classifications of acute distal occlusion of internal carotid artery and variation of Willis' circle in predicting prognoses of acute ischemic stroke patients after mechanical thrombectomy (MT).Methods:One hundred and fifty-eight patients with acute ischemic stroke, admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to November 2020, were chosen in our study; these patients had conformed imaging diagnosis of acute distal occlusion of internal carotid artery and accepted endovascular MT; the clinical and imaging data of these patients were retrospectively analyzed. The distal occlusion of internal carotid artery was divided into Ia, Ib, L, and T types according to the occlusion positions. Prognoses were evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 90 d after treatment. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to determine the independent factors for prognoses.Results:Among these 158 patients, 58 patients achieved good prognosis and 100 had poor prognosis. As compared with patients in the poor prognosis group, patients in the good prognosis group had significantly younger age, significantly lower NIHSS scores at admission, and statistically lower atrial fibrillation ratio ( P<0.05). There were statistical differences in the classifications of acute distal occlusion of internal carotid artery between the two groups ( P<0.05): the proportion of Ia type in patients of good prognosis group was the highest (75.9%), while that of T type was the lowest (3.4%). There was no significant difference in variation of Willis' circle between the two groups ( P>0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that T type of acute distal occlusion of internal carotid artery and atrial fibrillation were independent factors for prognoses of these patients ( OR=0.342, 95%CI: 0.127-0.919, P=0.033; OR=0.066, 95%CI: 0.005-0.803, P=0.033). Conclusion:Patients with T type of acute distal occlusion of internal carotid artery and atrial fibrillation are trend to have poor prognosis.

Purpose To detect left atrial volume change and myocardial strain,and to evaluate left atrial (LA) function in coronary heart disease patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) by real-time three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (RT3D-STI).Materials and Methods Eighty-eight patients with coronary disease were divided into non mitral regurgitation group (NMR group,n=30) and mitral regurgitation group (MR group,n=58),including mild MR (n=20),moderate MR (n=20) and severe MR (n=18).Thirty healthy participants were also included as control group.Using RT3D-STI,the global atrial longitudinal strain (GLS),global radial strain (GRS),global circumferential strain (GCS),LA maximal,minimal and pre-systolic volume (LAVmax,LAVmin and LAVp),LA passive ejection fraction (LApEF) and LA active ejection fraction (LAaEF) were measured,and the relationship between LA myocardial strain and left ventricular function was analyzed.Results ① The LAEF,LVEF,LApEF in NMR group and MR group decreased compared those with the control group (P＜0.05),and the LApEF in MR group were lower than those in NMR group (P＜0.05);② compared with the control group,the GLS and GCS in NMR group and MR group decreased observably (P＜0.05),and the parameters in MR group was lower than those in NMR group (P＜0.05);along with the severity of mitral regurgitation,GLS,GCS and GRS declined in varying degrees.③ The overall strain ability of left atrial myocardium (GLS,GCS,GRS) had a positive correlation with LAEF (NMR group:r=-0.810,-0.760 and 0.851;MR group:r=-0.680,-0.745 and 0.583;P＜0.05).Conclusion RT3D-STI plays an important role in assessing LA myocardial movement change and evaluating left atrial function of mitral regurgitation patients by nvestigating left atrial volume change,calculating LAEF and tracing myocardial motion,which provides valuable references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective:To investigate the value of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEPs) combined with cochlear electrogram (ECochG) monitoring in the protection of auditory function during microvascular decompression (MVD) for patients with facial spasm (HFS).Methods:Clinical data of 908 patients with HFS who received MVD treatment in our hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into BAEPs group ( n=309), ECochG group ( n=301) and BAEPs+ECochG group ( n=298) according to the different methods of auditory nerve function monitoring. Waveform extraction rate, mean extraction time, amplitude, latency, intraoperative warning effect of 3 monitoring methods, as well as hearing status immediately after surgery and during follow-up were compared in patents from the 3 groups. Results:(1) The overall waveform extraction rate in ECochG group and BAEPs+ECochG group was significantly higher than that in BAEPs group, and the average waveform extraction time in ECochG group and BAEPs+ECochG group was significantly shorter than that in BAEPs group ( P<0.05). The amplitude of compound action potential (CAP) wave in ECochG group was significantly higher than that of V wave in BAEPs group, and the latency of CAP wave was also significantly earlier than that of V wave ( P< 0.05). (2) A total of 48 patients of the 288 patients in the BAEPs group showed warning signs; a total of 73 of the 292 patients in the ECochG group showed warning signs; and a total of 65 of the 292 patients in the BAEPs+ECochG group showed warning signs. (3) There was significant difference in hearing grading (American Association of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery [AAO-HNS] grading) among the 3 groups immediately after surgery ( H=18.041, P=0.000), and the average rank suggested that the hearing of patients in the BAEPs+ECochG group was superior to the other two groups. All patients were followed up for an average of 15 months (ranged 3-24 months); there was still a significant difference in AAO-HNS grading among the 3 groups ( H=29.625, P=0.000), and the hearing of patients in the BAEPs+ECochG group was still superior to the other two groups. Conclusion:The combined application of ECochG and BAEPs monitoring can reflect the changes of intraoperative hearing impairment comprehensively, accurately and timely, which is of great significance for the protection of auditory function in HFS patients during MVD.

Recent progress in targeted metabolic therapy of cancer has been limited by the considerable toxicity associated with such drugs. To address this challenge, we developed a smart theranostic prodrug system that combines a fluorophore and an anticancer drug, specifically 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine (DON), using a thioketal linkage (TK). This system enables imaging, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and on-demand drug release upon radiation exposure. The optimized prodrug, DON-TK-BM3, incorporating cyanine dyes as the fluorophore, displayed potent reactive oxygen species release and efficient tumor cell killing. Unlike the parent drug DON, DON-TK-BM3 exhibited no toxicity toward normal cells. Moreover, DON-TK-BM3 demonstrated high tumor accumulation and reduced side effects, including gastrointestinal toxicity, in mice. This study provides a practical strategy for designing prodrugs of metabolic inhibitors with significant toxicity stemming from their lack of tissue selectivity.