In recent years, 7-tesla high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (7 T HR-MRI) has demonstrated significant advantages in evaluating intracranial atherosclerotic plaques due to its ultrahigh signal-to-noise ratio and submillimeter isotropic spatial resolution. This cutting-edge technique enables precise visualization of plaque microstructures, including morphological characteristics and compositional features. Moreover, it allows noninvasive in vivo imaging of small intracranial vessels and provides clear delineation of the anatomical relationship between perforating artery ostia and their parent arteries. Although not yet widely adopted in clinical practice, 7 T HR-MRI shows promising potential for plaque vulnerability assessment, stroke mechanism elucidation, and therapeutic monitoring. This review summarizes recent advancements in 7 T MRI applications for intracranial atherosclerotic disease, aiming to provide novel insights for precision medicine in clinical practice.

In recent years, 7-tesla high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (7 T HR-MRI) has demonstrated significant advantages in evaluating intracranial atherosclerotic plaques due to its ultrahigh signal-to-noise ratio and submillimeter isotropic spatial resolution. This cutting-edge technique enables precise visualization of plaque microstructures, including morphological characteristics and compositional features. Moreover, it allows noninvasive in vivo imaging of small intracranial vessels and provides clear delineation of the anatomical relationship between perforating artery ostia and their parent arteries. Although not yet widely adopted in clinical practice, 7 T HR-MRI shows promising potential for plaque vulnerability assessment, stroke mechanism elucidation, and therapeutic monitoring. This review summarizes recent advancements in 7 T MRI applications for intracranial atherosclerotic disease, aiming to provide novel insights for precision medicine in clinical practice.

Embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) is a concept proposed by an international working group in 2014 to define a class of stroke patients and explore the rationality of secondary prevention by anticoagulation in them. During the decade since the concept was proposed, numerous studies have been conducted on the pathogenesis and prevention strategies of ESUS. However, the research results are not quite consistent with the speculations and assumptions when the concept was proposed. Based on the review of the findings of related studies over the past decade, this article discusses the inherent defects in the ESUS concept, the new idea derived from the research results, the future role of ESUS, and trends in etiological diagnosis of ischemic stroke.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the cerebral small vascular disease (CSVD) total burden and the imaging markers and the degree of unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis.Methods:The study was a cross-sectional study. Clinical and imaging data of patients with chronic unilateral MCA stenosis who underwent multimodal MRI from October 2015 to January 2019 in the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 261 patients were included, 187 males and 74 females. According to the degree of MCA stenosis, the patients were divided into 102 cases in severe stenosis-occlusion group (stenosis degree ≥70%) and 159 cases in mild-moderate stenosis group (stenosis degree <70%). CSVD imaging marker scores (including white matter hyperintensity, perivascular space, cerebral microbleed, and lacune of presumed vascular origin) were assessed according to the ?standards for reporting vascular changes on neuroimaging 1 in the 2 groups, and the CSVD total burden score was calculated. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the indicators between the two groups, and the CSVD total burden score and imaging marker scores were ultimately included in a multifactorial binary logistic regression to assess the association of CSVD imaging markers with severe stenosis-occlusion of the MCA after adjusting for vascular risk factors (age, gender, drinking, smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation and coronary heart disease). Results:There were significant differences in the CSVD total burden, centrum semiovale perivascular space and lacune of presumed vascular origin score between the mild-to-moderate stenosis group and the severe stenosis-occlusion group (all P<0.05), and none of the differences in the remaining imaging marker scores were statistically significant (all P>0.05). Multivariate binary logistics regression analysis showed CSVD total burden score ( OR=1.300, 95% CI 1.047-1.613, P=0.017), centrum semiovale perivascular space score ( OR=2.099, 95% CI 1.540-2.860, P<0.001) and lacune of presumed vascular origin score ( OR=2.609, 95% CI 1.294-5.261, P=0.007) were independent associated with severe stenosis-occlusion of MCA. Conclusion:The higher CSVD total burden score, centrum semiovale perivascular space score and lacune of presumed vascular origin score are associated with severe stenosis-occlusion of MCA.

Background::Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) ranks among the foremost factors responsible for mortality on a global scale. The mortality patterns of CVDs and temporal trends in China need to be well-illustrated and updated.Methods::We collected mortality data on patients with CVD from Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Disease Surveillance Points (CDC-DSP) system. The mortality of CVD in 2020 was described by age, sex, residence, and region. The temporal trend from 2013 to 2019 was evaluated using joinpoint regression, and estimated rates of decline were extrapolated until 2030 using time series models.Results::In 2019, the age-standardized mortality in China (ASMRC) per 100,000 individuals was 113.2. The ASMRC for males (137.7/10 5) and rural areas (123.0/10 5) were both higher when stratified by gender and urban/rural residence. The central region had the highest mortality (126.5/10 5), the western region had a slightly lower mortality (123.5/10 5), and the eastern region had the lowest mortality (97.3/10 5). The age-specific mortality showed an accelerated upward trend from aged 55-59 years, with maximum mortality observed in individuals over 85 years of age. The age-standardized mortality of CVD decreased by 2.43% (95% confidence interval, 1.02-3.81%) annually from 2013 to 2019. Notably, the age-specific mortality of CVD increased from 2013 to 2019 for the age group of over 85 years. In 2020, both the absolute number of CVD cases and the crude mortality of CVD have increased compared to their values in 2019. The estimated total deaths due to CVD were estimated to reach 2.3 million in 2025 and 2.4 million in 2030. Conclusion::The heightened focus on the burden of CVD among males, rural areas, the central and western of China, and individuals aged 75 years and above has emerged as a pivotal determinant in further decreasing mortalities, consequently presenting novel challenges to strategies for disease prevention and control.

Objective:To analyze the causal relationship between gut microbiota and gestational diabetes,and to clarify its mechanism.Methods:Two-sample Mendelian randomization(MR)analysis was conducted by using summary data from genome-wide association study(GWAS)for gut microbiota and gestational diabetes.The GWAS data of gut microbiota were obtained from a GWAS study from the MiBioGen consortium;the GWAS data on gestational diabetes were sourced from the FinnGen consortium's publicly available R8 dataset;inverse variance weighted(IVW)method was used as the primary method to detect the causal association between the gut microbiota and the gestational diabetes.Sensitivity analysis was performed by Weighted Median and MR Egger methods;heterogeneity and pleiotropy were detected by Cochran's Q,MR-PRESSO,Egger intercept tests and Leave-One-Out analysis;multivariable MR was used to adjust for the effect of body mass index(BMI);reverse MR was used to explore the presence of reverse causal associations;Gene Ontology(GO)fuctional and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)signaling enrichment analyses were used to explore the potential pathways through which gut microbiota may have impact on gestational diabetes.Results:Four gut microbes were found to be causally associated with gestational diabetes:the genus Methanobrevibacter and the phylum Euryarchaeota displayed negative causal relationships with the risk of gestational diabetes,while the genus Olsenella and genus Lachnoclostridium exhibited positive causal associations.No significant heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy was detected in the analysis.The reverse MR analysis did not reveal any causal relationship.After adjusting for BMI,the multivariable MR analysis results showed there were the causal associations between the genus Olsenella and the phylum Euryarchaeota with the risk of gestational diabetes.The GO fuctional and KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analyses results showed that axon development,axon production,insulin secretion and other pathways were significantly enriched.Conclusion:There are causal associations between four gut microbes and gestational diabetes.Among them,the significant correlations with gestational diabetes are still observed in phylum Euryarchaeota and genus Olsenella after adjusting for BMI.

Objective:To explore the value of fast susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) generated by a deep learning model in assessment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Methods:From January 2019 to January 2021, 118 AIS patients [75 males and 43 females, aged 23-100 (66±14) years] who underwent MR examination and SWI sequence scanning within 24 h of symptom onset in the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. MATLAB ′s randperm function was used to divide 118 patients into a training set of 96 cases and a test set of 22 cases at a ratio of 8∶2. Fourty-seven AIS patients [38 males and 9 females, aged 16-75 (58±12) years] from one center of a multicenter study were selected to build the external validation set. SWI image and filtered phase image were combined into complex value image as full sampling reference image. Undersampled SWI images were obtained by retrospective undersampling of reference fully sampled images, and the undersampling multiple was five times which could save 80% of the scanning time, then the complex-valued convolutional neural network (ComplexNet) was used to develop reconstruct fast SWI. Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) or Kappa tests were used to compare the consistency of image quality and the diagnostic consistency for the presence of susceptibility vessel sign (SVS), cerebral microbleeds and asymmetry of cerebral deep medullary veins (DMVs) in AIS patient on fully sampled SWI and fast SWI based on ComplexNet.Results:In test set, score of image quality was 4.5±0.6 for fully sampled SWI image and 4.6±0.7 for fast SWI based on ComplexNet, and coefficient was excellent (ICC=0.86, P<0.05). Full sampling SWI had good agreement with fast SWI based on ComplexNet in detecting SVS (Kappa=0.79, P<0.05), microbleeds (Kappa=0.86, P<0.05), and DMVs asymmetry (Kappa=0.82, P<0.05) in AIS patients. In the external validation set, score of image quality was 4.1±1.0 for fully sampled SWI image and 4.0±0.9 for fast SWI based on ComplexNet, and coefficient was excellent (ICC=0.97, P<0.05). Full sampling SWI had good agreement with fast SWI based on ComplexNet in detecting SVS (Kappa=0.74, P<0.05), microbleeds (Kappa=0.83, P<0.05), and DMVs asymmetry (Kappa=0.74, P<0.05) in AIS patients. Conclusions:Deep learning techniques can significantly accelerate the speed of SWI, and the consistency of image quality and detected AIS signs between fast SWI based on ComplexNet and fully sampled SWI is good. The fast SWI based on ComplexNet can be applied to the radiographic assessment of clinical AIS patients

Renal abscess caused by fish bone ingestion is extremely rare and has not been reported in the literature. A male patient presented with a 1-week history of flank pain and a 2-day history of fever. Urinary ultrasound and CT scan showed an irregular hypodense lesion in the left kidney and blurred thickening of the descending colon wall. Three-dimensional CT reconstruction images revealed a needle-like foreign body, which perforated from the descending colonic lumen to the left kidney. The patient had accidentally eaten fish bone one week prior. On the basis of clinical data, the diagnosis of renal abscess caused by foreign body was suspected. Accordingly, laparotomy was performed, the abscess was drained, and the colon was repaired. The foreign body was confirmed to be fish bone. The postoperative condition of the patient was uneventful, and the patient remained well in the 3 months' follow-up without any further complaints.

Objective:To investigate the effect of Fuzheng-Peiyuan recipe assisted modified VAD program on M protein, myeloma cells and immune function in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Methods:A total of 96 patients with MM from January 2017 to May 2019 in our hospital were selected as the research objects, and they were divided into two groups according to the random number table method, with 48 patients in each group. The control group was given a modified VAD regimen (vincristine + adriamycin + dexamethasone), and the observation group was given Fuzheng-Peiyuan recipe as an auxiliary VAD regimen. Both groups were treated for 3 cycles. The clinical efficacy, TCM syndrome score, bone pain score, blood creatinine, hemoglobin, blood calcium, M protein, myeloma cells, immune function [Interleukin-2 (IL-2), Interferon-gamma (INF-γ), Interleukin-4 (IL-4), Interleukin-10 (IL-10)] levels and adverse reactions of the two groups were recorded and compared before and after treatment. Results:The total effective rate of the observation group was 81.3% (39/48), and the control group was 62.5% (30/48). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( χ2=4.174, P=0.041). The scores of TCM syndromes ( t=4.674, 13.328) and bone pain scores ( t=4.505, 11.398) in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01) at 1 and 3 cycles after treatment; SCr ( t=4.452, 10.039), blood calcium ( t=4.578, 4.155) in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01); HbAlc levels ( t=5.290, 8.871) in the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group ( P<0.01); M protein ( t=11.145, 33.812), myeloma cells ( t=6.415, 19.731) in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01); serum IL-2 ( t=4.922, 8.789), INF-γ ( t=5.610, 8.886) in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( P<0.01); IL-4 ( t=4.709, 6.784), IL-10 ( t=5.287, 12.823) in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01). During the treatment, the incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was 41.7% (20/48) and that in the control group was 62.5% (30/48). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( χ2=4.174, P=0.041). Conclusion:Fuzheng-Peiyuan recipe assisted in improving the VAD regimen in the treatment of MM has a significant clinical effect, which can relieve the clinical symptoms of patients and reduce the degree of bone pain, and promote the reduction of myeloma cells in patients, improve their immune function, and improve the tolerance of chemotherapy.

Tumor markers (TMs) in blood are important tools for the diagnosis, prognosis prediction and monitoring therapeutic efficacy of malignant tumor. Measurement of TMs in pleural and peritoneal fluid has been widely used. However, the significance of common TMs associated with systemic solid tumors in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been overlooked to some extent. TMs in CSF are within extremely low limits in patients without intracranial malignant diseases. Slightly elevated TMs in CSF usually indicate abnormal intrathecal synthesis. Measurement of TMs in CSF is a useful and feasible ancillary diagnostic tool for intracranial metastasis, especially for leptomeningeal metastasis.