Objective: This prospective study evaluated the feasibility of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI for assessing disease activity in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Materials and Methods: A total of 88 patients with active TAO, 76 with inactive TAO, and 30 healthy controls were enrolled. CEST MRI-derived magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and MTR asymmetry (MTRasym) at 1 ppm, 2 ppm, and 3.5 ppm were calculated. Clinical data, MTR, and MTRasym values for the extraocular muscles (one representative muscle per eye, yielding two measurements per participant) were compared among the groups. Spearman’s correlation was used to examine associations between imaging parameters and the clinical activity score (CAS) in patients with TAO. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent associations between imaging parameters and disease activity in patients with TAO (active vs. inactive). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance for discriminating active from inactive TAO. Results: Patients with active TAO showed lower MTR values (P < 0.001) and higher MTRasym (1 ppm), MTRasym (2 ppm), and MTRasym (3.5 ppm) (all P < 0.001) compared with those with inactive TAO. MTR was negatively correlated with CAS (r = -0.402; P < 0.001), while MTRasym (1 ppm), MTRasym (2 ppm), and MTRasym (3.5 ppm) were positively correlated with CAS (r = 0.369, 0.350, and 0.349, respectively;all P < 0.001). MTR and MTRasym (1 ppm) were independently associated with TAO activity. The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) for MTR and MTRasym (1 ppm) in discriminating active from inactive TAO were 0.772 and 0.730, respectively. Combining MTR with MTRasym (1 ppm) significantly improved diagnostic performance compared with either parameter alone, achieving an AUC of 0.805 (P = 0.029 and 0.001). Conclusion MTR and MTRasym (1 ppm) were independently associated with TAO activity. Their combination further enhanced diagnostic performance in distinguishing active from inactive TAO, suggesting their potential as quantitative imaging biomarkers to guide treatment in patients with TAO.

Objective:To evaluate the left atrial structure and function in patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy（NOHCM）and atrial fibrillation（AF）using four-dimensional automatic left atrial quantification（4D Auto LAQ）technology，and to explore the correlation between left atrial remodeling and AF.Methods:Ninety patients with NOHCM treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May 2023 to September 2024 were prospectively selected and divided into AF group（ n=27）and non-AF group（ n=63）according to whether they had AF. Clinical data of all enrolled patients were collected，and two-dimensional，color Doppler，and tissue Doppler ultrasound parameters were measured. 4D Auto LAQ technology was used to obtain left atrial volume and strain parameters. Inter-group comparison，univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis，and repeatability test were used to analyze the data. Results:Compared with non-AF group，left atrial maximum volume index（LAVImax），left atrial minimum volume index（LAVImin）and left atrial pre-systolic volume index（LAVIpreA）were increased in the AF group，but left atrial total ejection fraction（LAEF），left atrial passive ejection fraction（LApEF），left atrial active ejection fraction（LAaEF）and the absolute values of left atrial reservoir longitudinal and circumferential strains（LASr，LASr-c），left atrial conduit longitudinal and circumferential strains（LAScd，LAScd-c）and left atrial contraction longitudinal and circumferential strains（LASct，LASct-c）were decreased（all P<0.05）. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that LAVImin was independently associated with AF（ OR=0.837， P<0.001）. Conclusions:4D Auto LAQ can quantitatively evaluate the left atrial structure and function in patients with NOHCM and AF，and LAVImin is independently associated with the presence of AF.

Objective:To explore the value of three-dimensional automatic right ventricular quantitive analysis（3D Auto RVQ）technology in predicting the improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction（LVEF）in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction（HFrEF）.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 89 HFrEF patients admitted to the Cardiology Department of Central China Fuwai Hospital of Zhengzhou University from April 2022 to June 2024. All patients received medication treatment and were further divided into heart failure with improved ejection fraction（HFimpEF）group and non HFimpEF group based on changes detected by echocardiography in LVEF after treatment. The clinical data，biological indicators，and medication treatment status of patients were collected，routine echocardiographic parameters and right ventricular strain parameters were measured，3D right ventricular ejection fraction（3D-RVEF），3D right ventricular stroke volume index（3D-RVSVI），3D right ventricular end-diastolic volume index（3D-RVEDVI），3D right ventricular end-systolic volume index（3D-RVESVI），3D tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion（3D-TAPSE），and 3D right ventricular fractional area change（3D-RVFAC）were measured using 3D Auto RVQ technology. The differences of the above parameters between the two groups were compared. The ROC curve was used to analyze the predictive efficiency of right ventricular parameters for HFimpEF，and the area under ROC curve（AUC）was calculated and compared. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the predictive value of right ventricular parameters for HFimpEF.Results:Compared with the non HFimpEF group，the HFimpEF group had a younger age，shorter heart failure course，a smaller proportion of males，New York Heart Association（NYHA）functional class ≥Ⅲ，and patients with concomitant coronary heart disease. The baseline LVEF，absolute value of two dimensional right ventricular global longitudinal strain（2D-RVGLS），3D-RVEF，3D-TAPSE，and 3D-RVSVI were higher in the HFimpEF group（all P<0.05）. ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC of 3D-RVEF for predicting HFimpEF was 0.858，and the predictive efficiency was higher than other right ventricular parameters. According to the Yoden index，the optimal cutoff value for predicting HFimpEF based on 3D-RVEF was 36.2%，with a corresponding sensitivity of 84.0% and specificity of 75.0%. After adjusting for clinical and other echocardiographic parameters，the logistic regression model showed that 3D-RVEF was an independent predictor of HFimpEF（ OR=1.435，95% CI=1.145-1.800， P<0.05）. Conclusions:The 3D-RVEF evaluated by 3D Auto RVQ technology has high predictive value for HFimpEF，which can provide a reference for clinical treatment，thereby improving the prognosis of HFrEF patients.

BackgroundAggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients could result in legal disputes and public safety concerns. In patients with illness episodes of different numbers， there may exist differences in the association between levels of novel inflammatory indicators and aggressivity. ObjectiveTo investigate the differences in the correlation between levels of novel inflammatory indicators and aggressivity in patients with first-episode and recurrent schizophrenia， in order to search for inflammatory biomarkers to assess aggression level in schizophrenic patients. MethodsA total of 168 schizophrenic patients were selected as subjects， who were hospitalized for acute disease onset in Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University from October 2022 to April 2024 as well as met the diagnostic criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5）. Patients were divided into first-episode group （n=58） and recurrent group （n=110）. Meanwhile， 110 healthy controls from community who matched in age and gender with the patient group were recruited. All patients were evaluated with Modified Overt Aggression Scale （MOAS） and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale （PANSS）. All subjects went through examination of the levels of novel inflammatory indicators， including neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio （NLR）， monocyte/lymphocyte ratio （MLR）， platelet/lymphocyte ratio （PLR）， neutrophil/high-density lipoprotein ratio （NHR）， monocyte/high-density lipoprotein ratio （MHR） and platelet/high-density lipoprotein ratio （PHR）. Spearman correlation analysis was adopted to investigate the correlation between levels of novel inflammatory indicators and the total score of MOAS in patients with first-episode and recurrent schizophrenia. ResultsThe levels of NLR， MLR， PLR， NHR， MHR and PHR in first-episode group were higher than those in control group （adjusted P<0.01）. The levels of NLR， MLR， NHR， MHR and PHR in recurrent group were higher than those in control group （adjusted P<0.01）. No significant difference was observed in the comparison in the levels of six novel inflammatory indicators between first-episode group and recurrent group （adjusted P>0.05）. Spearman correlation analysis showed， the MOAS total score of recurrent group was positively correlated with the levels of NLR， MLR and PLR （r=0.234， 0.192， 0.243， P<0.05）. There was no statistical significance in the correlation between MOAS total score and levels of six novel inflammatory indicators in first-episode group （P>0.05）. ConclusionAmong patients with first-episode and recurrent schizophrenia， the correlation between levels of novel inflammatory indicators and aggressivity could differ. NLR， MLR and PLR might be the biomarkers for assessing aggression level in recurrent schizophrenic patients. ［Funded by Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation （number， 2108085MH275）］

Objective:To evaluate the left atrial function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy（HCM）combined with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction（HFpEF）using four-dimensional automated left atrial quantification（4D Auto LAQ）technology，and to investigate the independent factors affecting patients with HCM combined with HFpEF.Methods:One hundred HCM patients with left ventricular ejection fraction（LVEF）≥ 50% who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from September 2023 to March 2025 were prospectively selected. There were 50 cases in the HFpEF group and 50 cases in the non-HF group. The clinical data and conventional ultrasound parameters of HCM patients were collected. The 4D Auto LAQ technology was applied to obtain the four-dimensional volume and strain parameters of the left atrium，including the minimum left atrial volume（LAVmin），the maximum left atrial volume（LAVmax），the maximum left atrial volume index（LAVImax），the pre-atrial contraction volume（LAVpreA），the left atrial emptying volume（LAEV），the left atrial ejection fraction（LAEF），the longitudinal and circumferential strains in the left atrial reservoir period（LASr，LASr-c），the longitudinal and circumferential strains in the left atrial conduit period（LAScd，LAScd-c），the longitudinal and circumferential strains in the left atrial contraction period（LASct，LASct-c），and the minimum left atrial volume index（LAVImin）. The differences in the above parameters between the two groups were compared. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the independent influencing factors in HCM patients with HFpEF. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to test the repeatability of the 4D Auto LAQ parameters.Results:Compared with the non-HF group，LAVmin，LAVmax，LAVpreA，LAVImin，and LAVImax increased，while LAEF，LASr，LAScd，LASct，LASr-c，LAScd-c，and LASct-c decreased in the HFpEF group（all P<0.05）. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that LASr was the strongest independent influencing factor in patients with HCM combined with HFpEF（ OR=0.255， P=0.003）. The consistency test showed that the intraclass correlation coefficients of each parameters of 4D Auto LAQ were all>0.7，the consistency was good. Conclusions:4D Auto LAQ technology can be used to evaluate left atrial function in patients with HCM combined with HFpEF，and LASr is the strongest independent influence factor in patients with HCM combined with HFpEF.

Objective To observe the value of three-dimensional ultrasound combined with microvascular flow imaging for prenatal diagnosis of fetal intracranial anomalies.Methods Totally 118 fetuses with intracranial anomalies diagnosed through cranial MRI/induced labor specimen dissection who underwent prenatal ultrasound examination were retrospectively enrolled.Two-dimensional,three-dimensional ultrasound and microvascular flow imaging manifestations of fetal intracranial anomalies were observed,and the accuracy of three-dimensional ultrasound combined with microvascular flow imaging for prenatal diagnosis of fetal intracranial anomalies was analyzed.Results The accuracy of three-dimensional ultrasound combined with microvascular flow imaging for prenatal diagnosis of fetal intracranial anomalies was 93.22％(110/118),of isolated and non-isolated intracranial anomalies was 97.47％(77/79)and 84.62％(33/39),respectively.Six fetuses were missed diagnosis of malformations of cortical development(1 fetus of tuberous sclerosis,4 of abnormal morphology of the sulci gyrus and 1 of schizencephaly)and 1 fetus of intracranial softening lesion,while posterior fossa arachnoid cyst in 1 fetus was misdiagnosed as mega cisterna magna.Conclusion The accuracy of three-dimensional ultrasound combined with microvascular flow imaging for prenatal diagnosis of fetal intracranial anomalies was relatively high.

Objective To explore the effects of physical activity(PA)on carotid intima-media thickness(CIMT)thickening in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)with poor HbA1c control.Methods A total of 2505 T2DM inpatients with poor HbA1c control who visited the Endocrinology Department of the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Changzhou Second People's Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing Medical University from January 2019 to February 2022 were enrolled in this study.The patients were categorized into the mild-intensity PA(1～599 MET-min/w,n=795),moderate-intensity PA(600～1499 MET-min/w,n=1107)and high-intensity PA(≥1500 MET-min/w,n=603)based on the metabolic equivalence level(MET).Logistic regression was performed to analyze the relationship between PA and CIMT thickening.Statified analysis was used to investigate the effects of blood pressure(BP)and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)target status on CIMT thickness in different PA groups.Results Restricted cubic spline plots showed a nonlinear relationship between PA levels and the risk of CIMT thickening(P<0.05).Logistic regression showed that with moderate-intensity PA as the control,while high-intensity PA was the influence factor of CIMT thickening(OR 1.581,95%CI 1.244～2.010,P<0.05).Statified analyses showed that under mild-intensity PA,using neither BP nor LDL-C on target as reference,achievement of either index and both were the influence factor of CIMT thickening.Using BP on target as reference,achievements of both indexes,achievements of neither of both indexes,and achievement of LDL-C only were the influence factor of CIMT thickening.Using LDL-C on target as reference,achievement of neither of them and achievement of BP only were the influence factor of CIMT thickening.Under high-intensity PA,achievement of both indexes was negatively associated with CIMT thickening.Conclusions Moderate-intensity PA is the recommended scheme to prevent CIMT thickening in T2DM patients whose HbA1c is not up to standard.Mild-intensity PA is not related to the risk of CIMT thickening,while high-intensity PA is positively related to the risk of CIMT thickening,and focusing on LDL-C compliance is particularly important to avoid CIMT thickening.

Objective To observe the value of three-dimensional ultrasound combined with microvascular flow imaging for prenatal diagnosis of fetal intracranial anomalies.Methods Totally 118 fetuses with intracranial anomalies diagnosed through cranial MRI/induced labor specimen dissection who underwent prenatal ultrasound examination were retrospectively enrolled.Two-dimensional,three-dimensional ultrasound and microvascular flow imaging manifestations of fetal intracranial anomalies were observed,and the accuracy of three-dimensional ultrasound combined with microvascular flow imaging for prenatal diagnosis of fetal intracranial anomalies was analyzed.Results The accuracy of three-dimensional ultrasound combined with microvascular flow imaging for prenatal diagnosis of fetal intracranial anomalies was 93.22％(110/118),of isolated and non-isolated intracranial anomalies was 97.47％(77/79)and 84.62％(33/39),respectively.Six fetuses were missed diagnosis of malformations of cortical development(1 fetus of tuberous sclerosis,4 of abnormal morphology of the sulci gyrus and 1 of schizencephaly)and 1 fetus of intracranial softening lesion,while posterior fossa arachnoid cyst in 1 fetus was misdiagnosed as mega cisterna magna.Conclusion The accuracy of three-dimensional ultrasound combined with microvascular flow imaging for prenatal diagnosis of fetal intracranial anomalies was relatively high.

Objective To explore the effects of physical activity(PA)on carotid intima-media thickness(CIMT)thickening in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)with poor HbA1c control.Methods A total of 2505 T2DM inpatients with poor HbA1c control who visited the Endocrinology Department of the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Changzhou Second People's Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing Medical University from January 2019 to February 2022 were enrolled in this study.The patients were categorized into the mild-intensity PA(1～599 MET-min/w,n=795),moderate-intensity PA(600～1499 MET-min/w,n=1107)and high-intensity PA(≥1500 MET-min/w,n=603)based on the metabolic equivalence level(MET).Logistic regression was performed to analyze the relationship between PA and CIMT thickening.Statified analysis was used to investigate the effects of blood pressure(BP)and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)target status on CIMT thickness in different PA groups.Results Restricted cubic spline plots showed a nonlinear relationship between PA levels and the risk of CIMT thickening(P<0.05).Logistic regression showed that with moderate-intensity PA as the control,while high-intensity PA was the influence factor of CIMT thickening(OR 1.581,95%CI 1.244～2.010,P<0.05).Statified analyses showed that under mild-intensity PA,using neither BP nor LDL-C on target as reference,achievement of either index and both were the influence factor of CIMT thickening.Using BP on target as reference,achievements of both indexes,achievements of neither of both indexes,and achievement of LDL-C only were the influence factor of CIMT thickening.Using LDL-C on target as reference,achievement of neither of them and achievement of BP only were the influence factor of CIMT thickening.Under high-intensity PA,achievement of both indexes was negatively associated with CIMT thickening.Conclusions Moderate-intensity PA is the recommended scheme to prevent CIMT thickening in T2DM patients whose HbA1c is not up to standard.Mild-intensity PA is not related to the risk of CIMT thickening,while high-intensity PA is positively related to the risk of CIMT thickening,and focusing on LDL-C compliance is particularly important to avoid CIMT thickening.

Objective:To evaluate the left atrial structure and function in patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy（NOHCM）and atrial fibrillation（AF）using four-dimensional automatic left atrial quantification（4D Auto LAQ）technology，and to explore the correlation between left atrial remodeling and AF.Methods:Ninety patients with NOHCM treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May 2023 to September 2024 were prospectively selected and divided into AF group（ n=27）and non-AF group（ n=63）according to whether they had AF. Clinical data of all enrolled patients were collected，and two-dimensional，color Doppler，and tissue Doppler ultrasound parameters were measured. 4D Auto LAQ technology was used to obtain left atrial volume and strain parameters. Inter-group comparison，univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis，and repeatability test were used to analyze the data. Results:Compared with non-AF group，left atrial maximum volume index（LAVImax），left atrial minimum volume index（LAVImin）and left atrial pre-systolic volume index（LAVIpreA）were increased in the AF group，but left atrial total ejection fraction（LAEF），left atrial passive ejection fraction（LApEF），left atrial active ejection fraction（LAaEF）and the absolute values of left atrial reservoir longitudinal and circumferential strains（LASr，LASr-c），left atrial conduit longitudinal and circumferential strains（LAScd，LAScd-c）and left atrial contraction longitudinal and circumferential strains（LASct，LASct-c）were decreased（all P<0.05）. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that LAVImin was independently associated with AF（ OR=0.837， P<0.001）. Conclusions:4D Auto LAQ can quantitatively evaluate the left atrial structure and function in patients with NOHCM and AF，and LAVImin is independently associated with the presence of AF.