Objective To investigate the potential role of estrogen in the formation of granulation tissue hyperplasia-induced tracheal stenosis in rats.Methods Twenty-four female SD rats were ran-domly divided into three groups(n=8)using a random number table method:sham group(n=8),ovariectomized(OVX)group(bilateral ovariectomy,n=8),and ovariectomized+estrogen(OVX+E2)group(bilateral ovariectomy followed by exogenous estrogen intervention,n=8).Four weeks af-ter establishment of the Sham and OVX rat models,a granulation tissue hyperplasia-induced tracheal stenosis model was constructed in all rats using the oral nylon brush scraping method.On the first day of modeling,rats in the OVX+E2 group were administered 17β-E2 at a dose of 300 μg/kg via intrap-eritonealinjection daily,while rats in the other two groups were given the same volume of normal saline.After 7 consecutive days of administration,tracheal specimens were obtained.Hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the pathological changes of tracheal granulation tissue hyperplasia in each group and calculate the tracheal stenosis rate.Masson staining was employed to analyze the collagen fibers in the tracheal granulation tissue and calculate the relative collagen deposition area.Immunohistochemical(IHC)staining was used to detect the protein expression levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1(TGF-β 1),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),and collagen type Ⅰ(COL-Ⅰ)in the tracheal granulation tissue,and the average optical density(AOD)was calculated.Results HE staining revealed granulation tissue hyperplasi-a and tracheal lumen stenosis in the tracheal walls of all three groups.The stenosis rate was the highest in the OVX+E2 group,followed by the sham group,and the lowest in the OVX group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Masson staining showed that the collagen fibers in the sham group were thicker and denser with more collagen deposition compared to the OVX group.In contrast,the OVX+E2 group had even thicker and denser collagen fibers with more collagen dep-osition than the sham group.IHC staining demonstrated that the protein expression levels of COL-Ⅰ,TGF-β1,VEGF,and α-SMA in the tracheal granulation tissue were the lowest in the OVX group,fol-lowed by the sham group,and the highest in the OVX+E2 group.Conclusion Estrogen can acceler-ate tracheal granulation tissue hyperplasia by upregulating the protein expression levels of COL-Ⅰ,TGF-β1,and VEGF,as well as promoting fibroblast activation,leading to aggravated tracheal stenosis.

Objective To explore the influence of impulsivity on digital addiction tendencies in patients with Wilson disease(WD)and its related factors.Methods A total of 66 patients with WD were included in the study which were divided into neurological WD group(42 cases)and hepatic WD group(24 cases)according to clinical manifestations.Sixty-six WD patients were included as the study subjects,including 24 cases of hepatic WD and 42 cases of neurological WD.The Chinese version of the Barratt impulsiveness scale(BIS-11-C)was used to assess patients'impulsiveness.Mobile phone addiction index(MPAI)evaluates the degree of dependence on mobile phone use.Cranial MRI was used to examine the location and cumulative frequency of the diseased brain region.Results Among the 66 WD patients,45 cases(68.2% )had the tendency of digital addiction,including 35 cases(53.0% )in the neurological WD group and 10 cases(15.2% )in the hepatic WD group.There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of the two types of WD patients(P=0.001).The scores of BIS-11-C and MPAI scales in neurological WD group were higher than those in hepatic WD group(P<0.05).The out-of-control score in the MPAI scale is positively correlated with the attention impulsivity score(r=0.499,P=0.001),motor impulsivity score(r=0.553,P=0.001),unplanned impulsivity score(r=0.535,P=0.001),and impulse control score(r=0.653,P=0.001)in the BIS-11-C scale.Linear regression analysis showed a correlation between attention impulsivity score and frontal lobe lesions(B=-1.634,P=0.018).There was a correlation between loss of control score and frontal lobe lesions(B=-3.609,P=0.023).The withdrawal score was associated with the thalamus lesions(B=-5.047,P=0.007)and frontal lobe lesions(B=-2.204,P=0.024).Avoidance score was associated with parietal lobe lesions(B=-1.867,P=0.032).The low efficacy score was associated with the putamen lesions(B=-1.789,P=0.016)and frontal lobe lesions(B=-1.592,P=0.044).Conclusion Neurological WD patients have higher tendency of digital addiction than hepatic WD patients and the tendency of digital addiction is related to impulsivity.The digital addiction tendency of WD patients may be related to impulse control disorders caused by lesions in multiple brain regions such as the putamen,thalamus,and frontal lobe.

INTRODUCTIONMulti-voxel MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) provides chemical metabolite information that can supplement conventional MR imaging in the study of intracranial neoplasia. Our purpose was to use a robust semi-automated spectroscopic analysis to distinguish intracranial tumours from non-neoplastic disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODSTwenty intracranial tumours and 15 patients with non-neoplastic disease confirmed on histological examination or serial neuroimaging were studied with 2-dimensional MRSI using point-resolved spectroscopic (PRESS) imaging localisation. Using semi-automated post-processing software, spectra were analysed for peak heights of choline (Cho), creatine (Cr), N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), lactate (Lac) and lipid (Lip). Normalised Cho (nCho) ratios, computed by dividing maximum Cho in the lesion by the normal-appearing brain, were compared between intracranial tumours and non-neoplastic disease.

RESULTSMeningiomas displayed homogeneously elevated Cho. Malignant tumours, especially large glioblastoma multiforme, displayed inhomogeneity of metabolites within the tumour. All tumours had elevation of nCho >1 (mean 1.91 +/- 0.65), and non-neoplastic diseases had tumour nCho <1 (mean 0.91 +/- 0.46), which was significantly lower (P <0.05). Two patients with non-neoplastic lesions, one with subacute cerebral infarction and the other with cryptococcoma, had elevated Cho compared to normal tissue (false positive rate 13%).

CONCLUSIONUsing semi-automated MRSI method, a simplified normalised Cho algorithm provides a method to distinguish intracranial tumours from non-neoplastic disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; analysis ; Brain Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies