Objective To develop an artificial intelligence(AI)diagnostic system for computed tomography angiography(CTA)images related to acute aortic syndrome(AAS)and to evaluate its efficacy in diagnosing and differentiating between AAS subtypes.Methods We collected the CTA images of patients diagnosed with aortic dissection(AD),intramural hematoma(IMH),or penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer(PAU)who were treated in the Department of Peripheral Vascular Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from June 2016 to June 2022.Based on the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria,2 057 CTA images were selected and extracted.Normal human aorta CTA images served as the control group.The YOLO v7 neural network was used to diagnose and differentiate subgroups of AAS patients in the CTA images,and its diagnostic performance was evaluated.Results The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and total accuracy of the AAS diagnostic system based on the YOLO v7 were 98.72％,83.10％,97.82％,89.40％,and 96.92％,respectively.The total accuracy for differential diagnosis of the subgroups was 85.58％.The total accuracy of diagnosis results was significantly higher than that of differential diagnosis results(P＜0.05).Conclusion The AI-based AAS diagnostic system utilizing YOLO v7 meets the established standards for disease diagnosis.However,further research is warranted involving larger image databases and more advanced deep learning networks to improve the differentiation among AAS subtypes.

Objective To explore the independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after percutaneous renal artery angioplasty in patients with transplant renal artery stenosis(TRAS).Methods We retrospectively collected medical records and surgery details of TRAS patients who underwent renal artery angioplasty at the Department of Peripheral Vascular Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from January 2017 to June 2021.All patients were followed up for 3 years post-operation.Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to find the independent predictive factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in the TRAS patients.Results A total of 45 TRAS patients who underwent percutaneous renal artery angioplasty were included in this study.During the five-year follow-up period,10 patients(22.2％)experienced long-term adverse events.These consisted of 3 patients(6.7％)who died from any cause,1 patient(2.2％)who developed transplant renal artery dissection,6 patients(13.3％)who had restenosis of the transplant renal artery,and 1 patient(2.2％)who lost the transplant kidney and received dialysis again.Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that male gender(HR=4.915,95％CI:1.036-23.328,P=0.045)and balloon angioplasty alone(HR=8.594,95％CI:2.191-33.710,P=0.002)were independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in TRAS patients.Conclusion Male gender and balloon angioplasty alone are independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in TRAS patients.

Objective To explore the independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after percutaneous renal artery angioplasty in patients with transplant renal artery stenosis(TRAS).Methods We retrospectively collected medical records and surgery details of TRAS patients who underwent renal artery angioplasty at the Department of Peripheral Vascular Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from January 2017 to June 2021.All patients were followed up for 3 years post-operation.Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to find the independent predictive factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in the TRAS patients.Results A total of 45 TRAS patients who underwent percutaneous renal artery angioplasty were included in this study.During the five-year follow-up period,10 patients(22.2％)experienced long-term adverse events.These consisted of 3 patients(6.7％)who died from any cause,1 patient(2.2％)who developed transplant renal artery dissection,6 patients(13.3％)who had restenosis of the transplant renal artery,and 1 patient(2.2％)who lost the transplant kidney and received dialysis again.Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that male gender(HR=4.915,95％CI:1.036-23.328,P=0.045)and balloon angioplasty alone(HR=8.594,95％CI:2.191-33.710,P=0.002)were independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in TRAS patients.Conclusion Male gender and balloon angioplasty alone are independent risk factors for long-term adverse prognosis after renal artery angioplasty in TRAS patients.

Objective To develop an artificial intelligence(AI)diagnostic system for computed tomography angiography(CTA)images related to acute aortic syndrome(AAS)and to evaluate its efficacy in diagnosing and differentiating between AAS subtypes.Methods We collected the CTA images of patients diagnosed with aortic dissection(AD),intramural hematoma(IMH),or penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer(PAU)who were treated in the Department of Peripheral Vascular Diseases,The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,from June 2016 to June 2022.Based on the strict inclusion and exclusion criteria,2 057 CTA images were selected and extracted.Normal human aorta CTA images served as the control group.The YOLO v7 neural network was used to diagnose and differentiate subgroups of AAS patients in the CTA images,and its diagnostic performance was evaluated.Results The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and total accuracy of the AAS diagnostic system based on the YOLO v7 were 98.72％,83.10％,97.82％,89.40％,and 96.92％,respectively.The total accuracy for differential diagnosis of the subgroups was 85.58％.The total accuracy of diagnosis results was significantly higher than that of differential diagnosis results(P＜0.05).Conclusion The AI-based AAS diagnostic system utilizing YOLO v7 meets the established standards for disease diagnosis.However,further research is warranted involving larger image databases and more advanced deep learning networks to improve the differentiation among AAS subtypes.

Lower extremity chronic total occlusion (CTO) is the most severe manifestation of peripheral artery disease (PAD), with high amputation and mortality rates. As a minimal invasive reconstruction therapy, endovascular therapy (EVT) plays an important role in limb salvage for CTO in current clinical practice. The complexity of CTO lesions leads to a high risk for complications and a low success rate of EVT. Therefore, establishing a grading or scoring system to predict the success rate of revascularization strategy will be helpful in developing appropriate treatment strategies and assessing benefits and risks. This paper summarizes the most popular CTO scoring systems, such as PACSS grading, PARC grading, TAC grading, CTOP classification, Infrapop-CTO scoring, and J-BTK CTO scoring. PACSS grading and PARC grading are suitable for evaluating the severity of vascular calcification including iliofemoral segment, femoral-popliteal segment, and below-the-knee artery segment. TAC grading is suitable for grading calcification below the knee lesions; with low intervention success rate in a high calcification grading. CTOP classification was developed by analyzing the effect of morphological characteristics of proximal and distal fibrous caps of lower extremity CTO lesions on the outcome of EVT. The success rate of antegrade intervention is lower in type IV. The Infrapop-CTO score and J-BTK CTO score can predict successful anterograde crossing of infrapopliteal CTO lesions, with low intervention success rate in high score. Both scoring systems use three variables, namely, shape of proximal stump, calcification, and occlusion length.

AIM:To study the expression of Jagged 2/Notch3 signaling molecules in pulmonary vascular wall of pulmonary hypertensive rats induced by monocrotaline .METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (C group,n=15), solvent control group (S group,n=15) and monocrotaline model groups (M group,n=15).The model of pulmonary hypertension was established by a single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline (50 mg/kg).The rats in S group were given a single subcutaneous injection of the same dose of solvent .After 4 weeks, the pulmonary vascular remodeling was assessed by HE staining , and the mean pulmonary artery pressure ( mPAP) and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) were determined by right heart catheterization .The expression of Jagged2/Notch3 /Hes5 molecules in the pulmonary vascular wall was detected by immunohistochemical method and real -time PCR.RESULTS:Compared with S group and C group , the percentage of medial wall thickness of smaller arteries in model group increased significantly (P<0.01).The levels of mPAP and RVSP in M group were significantly higher than those in S group and C groups (P<0.01).The results of real-time PCR showed that the expression of Jagged 2, Notch3 and Hes5 was significantly increased in M group compared with S group and C group .The data from immunohistochemical detection indicated that Jagged 2 mainly expressed in the intima of small lung artery , Notch3 and Hes5 mainly expressed in the medial smooth muscle cells .Com-pared with S group and C group , the expression of Jagged 2 and Notch3 was significantly increased in the lung small arteries of M group.CONCLUSION:The activation of Jagged2/Notch3 signaling pathway might play an important role in the for-mation of pulmonary hypertension .

Objective To observe the effect of platelet derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFR-β) transfected endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) on vascular regeneration.Methods Spleen-derived mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated using density gradient centrifugation and induced with special culture medium.EPCs transfection was performed with LipofectamineTM 2000 reagent according to the instruction manual.Carotid artery injury was induced in splenectomized mice.EPCs were injected by tail vein immediately and at 24 h after endothelial injury of the carotid artery.Evans blue staining was performed to evaluate reendothelialization at 7 days after endothelial injury of the carotid artery.Results Most adherent cells were LDL and UEA-I double positive.Laser scanning confocal microscopy showed that transfection efficiency was about 50％-60％.The reendothelialized area in the PDGFR-β-EPCs group was significantly larger than that in EGFP-EPCs group.Conclusion Transplantation of PDGFR-β over-expressed EPCs can promote reendothelialization in the early phase after carotid artery injury.