Hemodynamic alterations of left heart valvar diseases may induce varying degrees of myocardial structural and functional remodeling.Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography can noninvasively assess myocardial strain and strain rate as well as detect subclinical systolic dysfunction,hence providing significant incremental value for evaluating global strain,layer-specific strain and segmental variations in strain among patients with left heart valvar diseases,also for guiding clinical management and improving prognosis.The advances of speckle-tracking echocardiography for assessing myocardial strain in left heart valvar diseases were reviewed in this article.

Hemodynamic alterations of left heart valvar diseases may induce varying degrees of myocardial structural and functional remodeling.Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography can noninvasively assess myocardial strain and strain rate as well as detect subclinical systolic dysfunction,hence providing significant incremental value for evaluating global strain,layer-specific strain and segmental variations in strain among patients with left heart valvar diseases,also for guiding clinical management and improving prognosis.The advances of speckle-tracking echocardiography for assessing myocardial strain in left heart valvar diseases were reviewed in this article.

Objective:To explore the value of ultrasound imaging characteristics combined with clinical indicators in assessing the prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted for patients who underwent pancreatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) from September 2017 to October 2023 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and were diagnosed with PDAC based on pathological findings. Various parameters were recorded, including CA19-9 levels, tumor size, location, morphologic features, echogenicity, presence of internal cystic components, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, peripheral vascular invasion, CEUS characteristics, presence or absence of liver metastasis, and treatment methods. In April 2024, patient survival information was obtained through telephone follow-up or review of medical records. Based on the results of the cox regression model analysis, a nomogram model of the risk of death was developed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to evaluate the predictive efficacy of the model. The calibration curves were plotted to evaluate the accuracy of the model, and clinical decision curves were used to evaluate the clinical benefit of the model.Results:This study included a total of 207 patients with PDAC. As of April 2024, 71 patients were alive and 136 died, with a median survival time of 14 months (95% CI: 12 -17). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the elevated CA19-9 ( HR=1.689, 95% CI: 1.102-2.588), tumor size >4 cm ( HR=1.641, 95% CI: 1.159-2.322), taller-than-wide shapes ( HR=1.450, 95% CI: 1.019-2.065), incomplete hypo-enhancement ( HR=1.618, 95% CI: 1.100-2.380), and liver metastasis ( HR=1.687, 95% CI: 1.175-2.423) were independent risk factors for survival in patients with PDAC. A nomogram model was further constructed for 6-month, 12-month and 3-year survival of patients with PDAC. The areas under the ROC curve were 0.679, 0.705 and 0.815, respectively. The calibration curves suggested that the model was more accurate, and the clinical decision curves showed that the model had a better clinical benefit. Conclusion:The combined use of ultrasound imaging characteristics and clinical indicators could effectively predict the prognosis of PDAC patients. Specifically, tumor size >4 cm, taller-than-wide shapes, incomplete hypo-enhancement, elevated CA19-9, and the presence of liver metastasis are correlated with poorer survival outcomes. The nomogram model constructed on the basis of these factors can be used to assess the survival of patients with PDAC.

Objective:To explore the value of ultrasound imaging characteristics combined with clinical indicators in assessing the prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted for patients who underwent pancreatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) from September 2017 to October 2023 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and were diagnosed with PDAC based on pathological findings. Various parameters were recorded, including CA19-9 levels, tumor size, location, morphologic features, echogenicity, presence of internal cystic components, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, peripheral vascular invasion, CEUS characteristics, presence or absence of liver metastasis, and treatment methods. In April 2024, patient survival information was obtained through telephone follow-up or review of medical records. Based on the results of the cox regression model analysis, a nomogram model of the risk of death was developed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to evaluate the predictive efficacy of the model. The calibration curves were plotted to evaluate the accuracy of the model, and clinical decision curves were used to evaluate the clinical benefit of the model.Results:This study included a total of 207 patients with PDAC. As of April 2024, 71 patients were alive and 136 died, with a median survival time of 14 months (95% CI: 12 -17). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the elevated CA19-9 ( HR=1.689, 95% CI: 1.102-2.588), tumor size >4 cm ( HR=1.641, 95% CI: 1.159-2.322), taller-than-wide shapes ( HR=1.450, 95% CI: 1.019-2.065), incomplete hypo-enhancement ( HR=1.618, 95% CI: 1.100-2.380), and liver metastasis ( HR=1.687, 95% CI: 1.175-2.423) were independent risk factors for survival in patients with PDAC. A nomogram model was further constructed for 6-month, 12-month and 3-year survival of patients with PDAC. The areas under the ROC curve were 0.679, 0.705 and 0.815, respectively. The calibration curves suggested that the model was more accurate, and the clinical decision curves showed that the model had a better clinical benefit. Conclusion:The combined use of ultrasound imaging characteristics and clinical indicators could effectively predict the prognosis of PDAC patients. Specifically, tumor size >4 cm, taller-than-wide shapes, incomplete hypo-enhancement, elevated CA19-9, and the presence of liver metastasis are correlated with poorer survival outcomes. The nomogram model constructed on the basis of these factors can be used to assess the survival of patients with PDAC.

Foot torsion stiffness refers to the foot's ability to resist deformation when subjected to torsional forces,and such characteristics play a crucial role in the prevention of sports injuries and design of athletic footwear.This review systematically summarizes the biomechanical research progress of foot torsion and shoe torsion,as well as the research and application of multi-segment foot models in foot-shoe torsion.The findings indicate that foot torsional stiffness significantly impacts lower limb kinematics,kinetics,and athletic performance.Optimizing this stiffness can improve stress distribution,reduce injury risk,and enhance performance.The future researches should focus on refining measurement techniques to enhance reliability and efficiency in clinical applications,providing a scientific foundation for sports injury prevention and footwear design.

Foot torsion stiffness refers to the foot's ability to resist deformation when subjected to torsional forces,and such characteristics play a crucial role in the prevention of sports injuries and design of athletic footwear.This review systematically summarizes the biomechanical research progress of foot torsion and shoe torsion,as well as the research and application of multi-segment foot models in foot-shoe torsion.The findings indicate that foot torsional stiffness significantly impacts lower limb kinematics,kinetics,and athletic performance.Optimizing this stiffness can improve stress distribution,reduce injury risk,and enhance performance.The future researches should focus on refining measurement techniques to enhance reliability and efficiency in clinical applications,providing a scientific foundation for sports injury prevention and footwear design.

Objective To observe the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)for evaluating blood supply pattern of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC).Methods A total of 210 single PDAC patients proved by pathology who underwent CEUS and contrast enhanced CT(CECT)examination were retrospectively enrolled.Blood supply patterns of PDAC,i.e.deficient or rich blood supply were evaluated based on findings of CEUS 25 s(CEUS-25 s)and 35 s(CEUS-35 s)after contrast agents injection and CECT,respectively.The evaluation results were compared among different methods.Disease free survival(DFS)and overall survival(OS)of patients with deficient and rich blood supply PDAC shown on CEUS-25 s were followed up and compared.Results CEUS-25 s found 60.00％(126/210)PDAC with deficient blood supply(poor blood supply group),while 40.00％(84/210)with rich blood supply(rich blood supply group).CEUS-35 s showed that the proportion deficient blood supply PDAC increased to 70.48％(148/210,P＜0.05),22 lesions changed from rich blood supply pattern on CEUS-25 s to deficient blood supply pattern.CECT displayed deficient blood supply in 91.90％(193/210)PDAC but rich blood supply in 8.10％(17/210)PDAC,both being significant different compared with results of CEUS-25 s and CEUS-35 s(both P＜0.05).Fifteen-five cases in deficient blood supply group and 39 in rich blood supply group completed 12(8,25)months'follow-up,and the median DFS of patients in deficient blood supply group and rich blood supply group was 8(6,10)and 12(7,17)months,respectively,with the median OS of 14(9,17)and 19(16,24)months,respectively.The median DFS and OS in poor blood supply group were both shorter than those in rich blood supply group(x2=17.227,27.166,both P＜0.001).Conclusion CEUS had important clinical value for evaluating blood supply pattern of PDAC.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of secretogranin II (SCG2) for the prognosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) and to construct a nomogram prediction model based on SCG2.Methods:One hundred and thirty-three patients with pNET who underwent radical surgery at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from August 2013 to December 2021 were retrospectively collected. The cohort, including 60 males and 73 females with a mean age of (53.70±12.08) years, was divided into a training set ( n=93) and a validation set ( n=40). Clinical data such as gender, age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, liver metastasis, surrounding tissue invasion, tumor histological grade, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CA) 19-9 levels were gathered. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect SCG2 expression. Patient survival information was obtained through outpatient records or telephone follow-up. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze prognostic factors. A nomogram was created based on the multivariate Cox regression analysis results. The calibration curve and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to evaluate the nomogram's accuracy and discrimination. Results:The SCG2 expression in pNET patients with AJCC stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ was higher than in those with stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ. Similarly, patients with histological grade G3 had higher SCG2 levels compared to those with grades G1-G2. SCG2 expression was also elevated in patients older than 60 years compared to those 60 years or younger, and in patients with CA19-9>30 U/L compared to those with CA19-9≤30 U/L. These differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis ( HR=3.132, 95% CI: 1.212-8.096, P=0.017), liver metastasis ( HR=2.685, 95% CI: 1.002-7.192, P=0.049), histological grade G3 ( HR=3.692, 95% CI: 1.229-11.088, P=0.011), and high SCG2 expression ( HR=52.181, 95% CI: 38.476-108.118, P=0.002) were associated with significantly higher risks of shorter disease free survival. Additionally, patients with longer tumor diameters ( HR=1.297, 95% CI: 1.088-1.545, P=0.004), histological grade G3 ( HR=19.625, 95% CI: 5.276-88.634, P<0.001), and high SCG2 expression ( HR=39.454, 95% CI: 17.317-97.263, P<0.001) had a higher risk of shorter overall survival. A nomogram prediction model was constructed using these above factors. The calibration curve demonstrated good alignment between predicted and actual outcomes in both the training and validation sets. The areas under the ROC curves for the disease-free survival and overall survival nomogram models for predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival of pNET patients in both sets were above 0.8. Conclusion:High SCG2 expression is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in pNET patients. The nomogram model based on SCG2 has high predictive efficacy for pNET patient prognosis.

Objective To observe the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)for evaluating blood supply pattern of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC).Methods A total of 210 single PDAC patients proved by pathology who underwent CEUS and contrast enhanced CT(CECT)examination were retrospectively enrolled.Blood supply patterns of PDAC,i.e.deficient or rich blood supply were evaluated based on findings of CEUS 25 s(CEUS-25 s)and 35 s(CEUS-35 s)after contrast agents injection and CECT,respectively.The evaluation results were compared among different methods.Disease free survival(DFS)and overall survival(OS)of patients with deficient and rich blood supply PDAC shown on CEUS-25 s were followed up and compared.Results CEUS-25 s found 60.00％(126/210)PDAC with deficient blood supply(poor blood supply group),while 40.00％(84/210)with rich blood supply(rich blood supply group).CEUS-35 s showed that the proportion deficient blood supply PDAC increased to 70.48％(148/210,P＜0.05),22 lesions changed from rich blood supply pattern on CEUS-25 s to deficient blood supply pattern.CECT displayed deficient blood supply in 91.90％(193/210)PDAC but rich blood supply in 8.10％(17/210)PDAC,both being significant different compared with results of CEUS-25 s and CEUS-35 s(both P＜0.05).Fifteen-five cases in deficient blood supply group and 39 in rich blood supply group completed 12(8,25)months'follow-up,and the median DFS of patients in deficient blood supply group and rich blood supply group was 8(6,10)and 12(7,17)months,respectively,with the median OS of 14(9,17)and 19(16,24)months,respectively.The median DFS and OS in poor blood supply group were both shorter than those in rich blood supply group(x2=17.227,27.166,both P＜0.001).Conclusion CEUS had important clinical value for evaluating blood supply pattern of PDAC.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of secretogranin II (SCG2) for the prognosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) and to construct a nomogram prediction model based on SCG2.Methods:One hundred and thirty-three patients with pNET who underwent radical surgery at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from August 2013 to December 2021 were retrospectively collected. The cohort, including 60 males and 73 females with a mean age of (53.70±12.08) years, was divided into a training set ( n=93) and a validation set ( n=40). Clinical data such as gender, age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, liver metastasis, surrounding tissue invasion, tumor histological grade, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CA) 19-9 levels were gathered. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect SCG2 expression. Patient survival information was obtained through outpatient records or telephone follow-up. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze prognostic factors. A nomogram was created based on the multivariate Cox regression analysis results. The calibration curve and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to evaluate the nomogram's accuracy and discrimination. Results:The SCG2 expression in pNET patients with AJCC stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ was higher than in those with stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ. Similarly, patients with histological grade G3 had higher SCG2 levels compared to those with grades G1-G2. SCG2 expression was also elevated in patients older than 60 years compared to those 60 years or younger, and in patients with CA19-9>30 U/L compared to those with CA19-9≤30 U/L. These differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that lymph node metastasis ( HR=3.132, 95% CI: 1.212-8.096, P=0.017), liver metastasis ( HR=2.685, 95% CI: 1.002-7.192, P=0.049), histological grade G3 ( HR=3.692, 95% CI: 1.229-11.088, P=0.011), and high SCG2 expression ( HR=52.181, 95% CI: 38.476-108.118, P=0.002) were associated with significantly higher risks of shorter disease free survival. Additionally, patients with longer tumor diameters ( HR=1.297, 95% CI: 1.088-1.545, P=0.004), histological grade G3 ( HR=19.625, 95% CI: 5.276-88.634, P<0.001), and high SCG2 expression ( HR=39.454, 95% CI: 17.317-97.263, P<0.001) had a higher risk of shorter overall survival. A nomogram prediction model was constructed using these above factors. The calibration curve demonstrated good alignment between predicted and actual outcomes in both the training and validation sets. The areas under the ROC curves for the disease-free survival and overall survival nomogram models for predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival of pNET patients in both sets were above 0.8. Conclusion:High SCG2 expression is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in pNET patients. The nomogram model based on SCG2 has high predictive efficacy for pNET patient prognosis.