Objective To observe the feasibility of 5.0T MR for cardiac imaging.Methods Three patients with heart diseases and 17 healthy volunteers were prospectively enrolled.Cardiac MR(CMR)cine sequence and black blood sequence imaging were performed using 5.0T and 3.0T MR scanner,respectively.The image quality and artifacts degrees were compared between 5.0T and 3.0T CMR images,and the consistency of left ventricular parameters obtained using 5.0T and 3.0T scanners was analyzed.Results No significant difference of image quality nor artifacts degrees was found between 5.0T and 3.0T CMR images(all P＞0.05).The left ventricular end diastolic volume(EDV),end systolic volume(ESV),ejection fraction(EF),stroke volume(SV)and end diastolic mass(EDM)derived from cine images acquired at different fields were in a good agreement(all ICC＞0.75,all P＜0.001).Conclusion 5.0T MR could be used for cardiac imaging,with image quality of cine and black blood sequences comparable to that of 3.0T MR.

Objective::The risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) is high in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The aim of this study is to analyze the role of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) in diagnosing AKI in patients with ADHF and evaluate the therapeutic effect of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) on AKI.Method::Sixty patients with ADHF were enrolled at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to June 2021, and randomized into 2 groups (ARNI group: 30 patients treated with tablets of sacubitril valsartan sodium; and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) group: 30 patients treated with benazepril). The uNGAL level was measured immediately after as well as 1, 2, 3, and 7 d after hospital admission. The serum creatinine (sCr) level and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured immediately as well as 2 and 7 d after hospital admission. The urine volume, dose of loop diuretics, and duration of hospital stay (DoHS) were recorded.Result::The most valuable diagnostic metric for AKI in patients with ADHF was the uNGAL level 1 d after hospital admission, which had a sensitivity of 0.94, specificity of 0.84, and optimal cutoff of 125.62 μg/L. In the presence of AKI, during the first 2 d, patients in the ARNI-AKI and ACEI-AKI groups showed an increase in the sCr level and a reduction in the eGFR level, but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups ( P > 0.05). After 7 d of treatment, the sCr level decreased and the eGFR level increased in both groups, with a significantly greater changes being observed in the ARNI-AKI group than in the ACEI-AKI group ( P < 0.05, respectively). In the absence of AKI, the difference in the sCr level and eGFR between the 2 groups was not significant. The DoHS ((11.25 ± 2.38) d vs. (14.11 ± 2.89) d), urinary microalbumin level ((22.95 ± 6.04) mg/L vs. (31.91 ± 2.18) mg/L), and daily dose of loop diuretics ((19.03 ± 3.04) mg/d vs. (23.62 ± 4.46) mg/d) were significantly lower in patients with AKI in the ARNI group than in the ACEI group ( P < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion::In patients with ADHF, uNGAL measurement enables the diagnosis of AKI earlier than that using the sCr level by 1 to 2 d. ARNI treatment reduced the sCr level, facilitated eGFR recovery, reduced the daily dose of loop diuretics, and decreased the DoHS compared with that in patients receive ACEI treatment.

Objective::The risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) is high in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The aim of this study is to analyze the role of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) in diagnosing AKI in patients with ADHF and evaluate the therapeutic effect of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) on AKI.Method::Sixty patients with ADHF were enrolled at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to June 2021, and randomized into 2 groups (ARNI group: 30 patients treated with tablets of sacubitril valsartan sodium; and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) group: 30 patients treated with benazepril). The uNGAL level was measured immediately after as well as 1, 2, 3, and 7 d after hospital admission. The serum creatinine (sCr) level and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured immediately as well as 2 and 7 d after hospital admission. The urine volume, dose of loop diuretics, and duration of hospital stay (DoHS) were recorded.Result::The most valuable diagnostic metric for AKI in patients with ADHF was the uNGAL level 1 d after hospital admission, which had a sensitivity of 0.94, specificity of 0.84, and optimal cutoff of 125.62 μg/L. In the presence of AKI, during the first 2 d, patients in the ARNI-AKI and ACEI-AKI groups showed an increase in the sCr level and a reduction in the eGFR level, but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups ( P > 0.05). After 7 d of treatment, the sCr level decreased and the eGFR level increased in both groups, with a significantly greater changes being observed in the ARNI-AKI group than in the ACEI-AKI group ( P < 0.05, respectively). In the absence of AKI, the difference in the sCr level and eGFR between the 2 groups was not significant. The DoHS ((11.25 ± 2.38) d vs. (14.11 ± 2.89) d), urinary microalbumin level ((22.95 ± 6.04) mg/L vs. (31.91 ± 2.18) mg/L), and daily dose of loop diuretics ((19.03 ± 3.04) mg/d vs. (23.62 ± 4.46) mg/d) were significantly lower in patients with AKI in the ARNI group than in the ACEI group ( P < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion::In patients with ADHF, uNGAL measurement enables the diagnosis of AKI earlier than that using the sCr level by 1 to 2 d. ARNI treatment reduced the sCr level, facilitated eGFR recovery, reduced the daily dose of loop diuretics, and decreased the DoHS compared with that in patients receive ACEI treatment.

Objective To explore the CT features of pulmonary lymphangiomyomatosis (PLAM).Methods Clinical and high resolution CT (HRCT)data of 14 patients with pathologically proved PLAM were analyzed retrospectively.The clinical and CT features were summarized by combining the literatures.Results All 14 cases were female.They all presented with dyspnea in different degree after the activity. Scattered or widely distributed translucent and cystic lesions with indistinct walls in bilateral lungs were seen on routine CT images. HRCT showed homogeneous clear thin-walled cysts with diameter ranging from several millimeters to 25 mm,wall thickness of 1-2 mm,and surrounded by normal lung tissue.Meanwhile,blood vessels were found around the cysts,and there were no central lobular cores.The cysts were different sizes and irregular distribution.6 patients had extra-pulmonary CT manifestations:1 case with intracranial multiple sclerosis, hepatic and renal angiomyolipomas,and hepatic multiple hemangiomas,3 cases with mediastinal,hepatic and renal angiomyolipomas, and 2 cases with retroperitonea lymphangioleiomyomatosis.Conclusion The CT of PLAM is characterized by the diffuse distribution of thin-walled cystic cavities and the wall thickness is generally uniform.The typical manifestations of HRCT combined with clinical data have great values in the early diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

During the course of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) treatment, meibomian gland massage is an effective auxiliary method. Based on an extrusion method using anti-phase massage rollers and a theory on envelope plane, a massage mechanism was proposed in this paper for the defect of the traditional mechanical assist massage structure to discharge obstruction of Meibomian gland more smoothly and to enlarge massage coverage. Meanwhile, for the case that the power of motor was significantly limited by size, an evaluation, about the input, output and loss, was carried out to initially verify the feasibility of the designed mechanism.
Eyelid Diseases ; therapy ; Humans ; Massage ; instrumentation ; Meibomian Glands

During the course of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) treatment, meibomian gland massage is an effective auxiliary method. Based on an extrusion method using anti-phase massage rolers and a theory on envelope plane, a massage mechanism was proposed in this paper for the defect of the traditional mechanical assist massage structure to discharge obstruction of Meibomian gland more smoothly and to enlarge massage coverage. Meanwhile, for the case that the power of motor was signifi cantly limited by size, an evaluation, about the input, output and loss, was carried out to initialy verify the feasibility of the designed mechanism.

Objective To investigate the expression of histamine in the cardiac sympathetic fibers from the guinea pig superior cervical ganglion and its coexistence with norepinephrine so as to provide morphological evidence for histamine as a cardiac sympathetic neurotransmitter.Methods Biotinylated dextranamine(BDA) anterograde tracing and immunofluorescence histochemical staining for histamine/norepinephrine were applied.Results After injection of BDA into the superior cervical ganglion,BDA labeled sympathetic fibers in the left and right atria and ventricle were observed.Meanwhile,the tracing fibers proved histamine-like immunoreactive or both histamine and norepinephrine-like immunoreactive.Conclusion Histamine is expressed in the cardiac sympathetic fibers from the guinea pig superior cervical ganglion and coexisted with norepinephrine.