Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for early detection of dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF).Methods:A retrospective collection of 53 patients with DAVF confirmed by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from September 2018 to June 2023 was conducted. All patients underwent routine non-enhanced and enhanced MRI scans before treatment, with 30 patients also receiving magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) examination. Medical records were reviewed, and basic patient information, clinical symptoms, and imaging markers [pial venous engorgement (PVE), cerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, vasogenic edema, venous infarction, medullary veins engorgement (MVE), parenchymal enhancement, encephalopathy mimics] were recorded. The Cognard grading was carried out in accordance with the manifestations shown by DSA.Results:Seventy-seven percent (41/53) of patients exhibited PVE on the brain surface, with 95% (39/41) of these cases showing localized PVE on one hemisphere or even within a single brain lobe. Approximately 64% (34/53) of these PVEs were detectable on conventional T 2-weighted imaging. Among the 30 patients who underwent MRA, only 50% (15/30) showed evidence of PVE on both T 2WI and MRA, while an additional 23% (7/30) had PVE only on MRA. About 38% (20/53) of patients presented with isolated vasogenic edema, with 70% (14/20) of these cases demonstrating PVE on T 2WI. Twenty-six percent (14/53) of patients had intracranial hemorrhage, and 11 of these patients demonstrated positive signs of PVE. Parenchymal enhancement was primarily observed in subarachnoid structures in 11% (6/53) of patients, with 5/6 showing PVE on the brain surface or spinal cord surface. Venous infarction (4%, 2/53) and MVE (4%, 2/53) were more commonly seen in high Cognard grade DAVF, whereas encephalopathy mimics (4%, 2/53) were frequently encountered in low Cognard grade DAVF. Conclusions:PVE on the brain surface is a direct sign for the diagnosis of DAVF on routine MRI, yet it is often subtle. Familiarity with common indirect signs is of great importance for the early diagnosis of DAVF.

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings for early detection of dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF).Methods:A retrospective collection of 53 patients with DAVF confirmed by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from September 2018 to June 2023 was conducted. All patients underwent routine non-enhanced and enhanced MRI scans before treatment, with 30 patients also receiving magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) examination. Medical records were reviewed, and basic patient information, clinical symptoms, and imaging markers [pial venous engorgement (PVE), cerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, vasogenic edema, venous infarction, medullary veins engorgement (MVE), parenchymal enhancement, encephalopathy mimics] were recorded. The Cognard grading was carried out in accordance with the manifestations shown by DSA.Results:Seventy-seven percent (41/53) of patients exhibited PVE on the brain surface, with 95% (39/41) of these cases showing localized PVE on one hemisphere or even within a single brain lobe. Approximately 64% (34/53) of these PVEs were detectable on conventional T 2-weighted imaging. Among the 30 patients who underwent MRA, only 50% (15/30) showed evidence of PVE on both T 2WI and MRA, while an additional 23% (7/30) had PVE only on MRA. About 38% (20/53) of patients presented with isolated vasogenic edema, with 70% (14/20) of these cases demonstrating PVE on T 2WI. Twenty-six percent (14/53) of patients had intracranial hemorrhage, and 11 of these patients demonstrated positive signs of PVE. Parenchymal enhancement was primarily observed in subarachnoid structures in 11% (6/53) of patients, with 5/6 showing PVE on the brain surface or spinal cord surface. Venous infarction (4%, 2/53) and MVE (4%, 2/53) were more commonly seen in high Cognard grade DAVF, whereas encephalopathy mimics (4%, 2/53) were frequently encountered in low Cognard grade DAVF. Conclusions:PVE on the brain surface is a direct sign for the diagnosis of DAVF on routine MRI, yet it is often subtle. Familiarity with common indirect signs is of great importance for the early diagnosis of DAVF.

Recent studies have shown that stress can substantially facilitate breast cancer metastasis,which can be reduced by nonselective β1/β2-adrenergic receptor(β1/β2-AR)blocker.However,several side effects were identified.Thus,it is extremely warranted to explore more effective and better-tolerated β2-AR blocker.Currently,we demonstrated that baicalin(BA),a major bioactive component of Scutellaria bai-calensis Georgi,could significantly attenuate stress hormones especially epinephrine(Epi)-induced breast cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro.Mechanistically,we identified that β2-AR was a direct target of BA via the drug affinity responsive target stability(DARTS)combined with mass spectrum assay,and BA photoaffinity probe with pull-down assay,which was further confirmed by a couple of bio-physical and biochemical assays.Furthermore,we demonstrated that BA could directly bind to the Phe-193 and Phe-289 of β2-AR,subsequently inhibit cyclic adenosine monophosphate-protein kinase A-focal adhesion kinase(cAMP-PKA-FAK)pathway,and thus impede epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT),thereby hindering the metastatic progression of the chronic stress coupled with syngeneic and xenograft in vivo orthotopic and tail vein mouse model.These findings firstly identify BA as a potential β2-AR inhibitor in the treatment of stress-induced breast cancer metastasis.

Objective:To explore whether anlotinib or bevacizumab has better efficacy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.Methods:The clinical characteristics and treatment data of patients with recurrent glioblastoma admitted to Ren Ji Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,were collected retrospectively.All patients received maximal resection of the tumor combined with postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy,and the recurrence was detected by head contrast-enhanced MRI.According to the choice of anti-vascular therapy,the patients were divided into anlotinib group and bevacizumab group.Survival curves were drawn to compare the overall survival time of the two groups of patients,and subgroup analysis was performed according to the basic information of the patients and whether they received temozolomide chemotherapy or radiotherapy after recurrence.Results:A total of 37 patients were enrolled in the study,19 in the anlotinib group and 18 in the bevacizumab group.The median overall survival time was 16.3 months,with 19.6 months in the anlotinib group and 12.8 months in the bevacizumab group.However,survival analysis showed that there was no significant difference in survival time between the anlotinib group and the bevacizumab group(P=0.88).Further subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant difference in survival time between the two groups in all subgroups.Conclusion:This study provided an initial indication of the efficacy of anlotinib in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and suggested that oral anlotinib may be a viable option for patients who were unable to tolerate bevacizumab or who had.

Objective:To explore whether anlotinib or bevacizumab has better efficacy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.Methods:The clinical characteristics and treatment data of patients with recurrent glioblastoma admitted to Ren Ji Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,were collected retrospectively.All patients received maximal resection of the tumor combined with postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy,and the recurrence was detected by head contrast-enhanced MRI.According to the choice of anti-vascular therapy,the patients were divided into anlotinib group and bevacizumab group.Survival curves were drawn to compare the overall survival time of the two groups of patients,and subgroup analysis was performed according to the basic information of the patients and whether they received temozolomide chemotherapy or radiotherapy after recurrence.Results:A total of 37 patients were enrolled in the study,19 in the anlotinib group and 18 in the bevacizumab group.The median overall survival time was 16.3 months,with 19.6 months in the anlotinib group and 12.8 months in the bevacizumab group.However,survival analysis showed that there was no significant difference in survival time between the anlotinib group and the bevacizumab group(P=0.88).Further subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant difference in survival time between the two groups in all subgroups.Conclusion:This study provided an initial indication of the efficacy of anlotinib in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and suggested that oral anlotinib may be a viable option for patients who were unable to tolerate bevacizumab or who had.

Objective:To observe any effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the cognition of stroke survivors and the integrity of their white matter fibers.Methods:Thirty persons with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) were randomly divided into an experimental group ( n=15) and a control group ( n=15). In addition to basic drug therapy and routine cognition training, the experimental group received 20 minutes of tDCS daily, 5 days per week for 3 weeks, while the control group received sham tDCS stimulation. Before and after the treatment, both groups′ cognitive functioning was evaluated using the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the Montreal cognitive assessment scale (MoCA). Their ability in the activities of daily living (ADL) was quantified using the modified Barthel index (MBI). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was employed to observe any changes in the integrity of their white matter fibers. Results:The average MMSE, MOCA and MBI scores of both groups had improved significantly after the treatment, but the improvement in the experimental group was significantly greater than among the controls. The average fractional anisotroposy value of the affected inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus in both groups was positively correlated with the group′s average MMSE score and MoCA score.Conclusion:tDCS can effectively improve the cognition and functioning in the activities of daily living of stroke survivors. Its mechanism may be related to improving the integrity of the white matter fibers involved.

Objective:To evaluate the safety of mass vaccination of inactivated 2019-nCoV vaccine in population aged ≥3 years in Guizhou Province.Methods:The open-label study was conducted in eligible volunteers in Yanhe County of Guizhou from June 2021 to July in 2022. In the study, two doses of the inactivated 2019-nCoV vaccine were given at (0, 28) days according to the immunization schedule. The information about adverse reaction (AR) within 30 minutes and during 0-28 days after vaccination were collected, and the incidence of AR was analyzed by age, doses, and health status.Results:The overall incidence of AR was 1.51% (294/19 458), all ARs, mainly pain at injection site, occurred within 7 days after the vaccination, the AR grade was 1-2. The incidence of AR was 1.01% in age group 3- years (58/5 721), 2.44% in age group 18- years (220/9 017), and 0.34% in age group ≥60 years (16/4 720). The differences were significant ( P<0.001). The incidence of AR after the first dose vaccination (1.20%, 233/19 458) was significantly higher than that after the second dose (0.37%, 61/16 368), the difference was significant ( P<0.001). In the elderly aged ≥60 years, the incidence of AR was 0.36% (9/2 520) in healthy group and 0.32% (7/2 200) in group with underlying medical conditions, the differences were not significant ( P=0.818). Conclusion:The domestic inactivated 2019-nCoV vaccine showed good safety in mass vaccination in population aged ≥3 years, including the elderly in both healthy group and group with underlying medical conditions.

Objective:To investigate the additional value of unenhanced computed tomography (CT) in the differential diagnosis of brain tumors and non-neoplastic lesions.Methods:A total of 237 cases [140 males and 97 females; (49±16) years old; including 48 cases of low-grade glioma, 134 cases of high-grade glioma, 38 cases of primary central nervous system lymphoma, 9 cases of medulloblastoma, 5 cases of germinoma, and 3 cases of central neurocytoma] of brain tumors (diffuse gliomas and non-glial tumors) diagnosed by biopsy or surgery and pathology in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from September 2016 to October 2020 were collected retrospectively. Sixty-six cases [46 males and 20 females; (42±13) years old; including 12 cases of abscesses, 5 cases of infarcts, 33 cases of demyelinating lesions, 11 cases of autoimmune encephalitis, and 5 cases of central nervous system vasculitis] of brain non-neoplastic lesions were confirmed by biopsy or clinic. All patients underwent routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and unenhanced CT before the treatment. The images were reviewed by two neuroradiologists together blind to the final diagnosis with and without CT images respectively. The diagnostic results and reliability scores were recorded, and the accuracy of the two evaluations was compared.Results:CT hyperattenuation exhibited a higher specificity (95%) than conventional MRI scan (86%), and a lower diagnostic sensitivity (34% vs 86%). Compared to MRI alone, the combined modality of MRI and unenhanced CT significantly improved diagnostic accuracy (94% vs 86%). Additionally, the CT attenuation ratio of non-neoplastic lesions was significantly lower than that of neoplastic lesions [0.69 (0.61,0.78) and 1.14 (1.00,1.25), W=2 123, P<0.05]. The CT attenuation ratio in the non-glial origin tumor group was significantly higher than that in the diffuse glioma group [1.28 (1.18,1.41) and 1.13 (0.97,1.21), W=1 858, P<0.05]. There was no significant difference in grade Ⅲ and Ⅳ groups of diffuse glioma [1.11 (0.99,1.20) vs 1.16 (1.09,1.24), P>0.05 (Nemenyi test)]. However, both were significantly higher than that of grade Ⅱgroup of diffuse glioma [0.89 (0.76,1.07), P<0.05 (Nemenyi test)]. No significant difference was observed between astrocytic tumors and oligodendroglial tumors at the same grade. Conclusions:Hyperattenuation on unenhanced CT is highly specific for the diagnosis of brain tumors. Unenhanced CT plus MRI is more accurate for distinguishing the two entities in hypoattenuation lesion on unenhanced CT.

Objective:To observe any relationship between corticospinal tract integrity and the upper limb motor function of stroke survivors treated with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS).Methods:Bilateral corticospinal tracts (CSTs) were reconstructed in ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke survivors with upper limb motor dysfunction using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Thirty patients with good CST integrity (rFA>0.5) and 30 with rFA≤0.5 were further divided into a high frequency rTMS group (HF, n=10), a low frequency group (LF, n=10), and a control group ( n=10). All groups were given routine rehabilitation, while the high and low frequency groups were additionally provided with 5Hz and 1Hz rTMS respectively applied over the M1 area of the contralesional hemisphere. Before and after 3 weeks of treatment, all of the subjects were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer upper extremity scale (F-M UE), the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Results:For the high CST integrity group, significant improvement was observed in the average scores of all measurements, with the average FMA-UE, WMFT and MBI scores of the LF group [(38.10±5.71), (43.20±5.32) and (78.00±11.35)] significantly better than those of the other 2 groups. Among the low CST integrity group, the HF subgroup showed greater improvement than the other 2 on average.Conclusions:For patients with good CST integrity, LF-rTMS over the contralesional cortex is superior to HF-rTMS in promoting upper limb motor function, while for patients with low CST integrity HF-rTMS over the contralesional cortex has a better effect than LF-rTMS or sham stimulation in terms of improving upper limb motor function after a stroke.

Objective:This study aimed to compare the detection efficacy of transrectal ultrasound-guided transrectal cognitive fusion targeted+ systematic prostate biopsy and transperineal cognitive fusion targeted + systematic biopsy in patients with suspected prostate cancer (PCa). In addition, the relative clinical characteristics of PCa were evaluated.Methods:A total of 385 patients with suspected prostate cancer in the affiliated hospital of Qingdao University from May 2019 to November 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients met the prostate biopsy criterion, who underwent transrectal(n=275)and transperineal(n=110)prostate biopsy respectively. There were no significant differences of mean age [(70.7±7.3)years vs.(69.2±8.4) years], PSA [(55.12±116.96)ng/ml vs. (63.41±315.34)ng/ml], prostate volume [(55.96±35.26)ml vs. (64.35±55.99)ml] between two groups. According to preoperative prostate magnetic resonance imaging combined with intraoperative ultrasound, 2-4 needles targeted puncture of suspected lesion were performed, followed by 12 needle systematic prostate biopsy. The detection rate of prostate cancer between two biopsy ways were compared. The related factors of PCa including age, prostate volume and PSA level were collected for univariable and multivariable logistic analysis. The cancer detection rate was compared and logistic regression was used to assess the impact of patient characteristics on PCa detection.Results:For all patients, the detection rate with cancer between transrectal group and transperineal group were 121/275(40.0%) and 67/110(60.9%), respectively. The transperineal group detected a higher rate of PCa ( P=0.003)and more clinically significant prostate cancers (csPCa) (54.6% vs.36.7%, P=0.001) than that of the transrectal group, there were significant differences between two groups ( P<0.05). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PSA( OR=1.025, P=0.001) and prostate volume( OR=0.984, P=0.001)were two independent factors for the detection rate of prostate cancer between two biopsy ways( P<0.05). The effect of age on the detection rate of PCa in the transperieal group was significantly lower than that of the transrectal group( OR=0.037, P=0.238 vs. OR=0.053, P=0.002). Conclusion:The transperieal biopsy could find more PCa than the transrectal biopsy. PSA level and prostate volume could affect the detection rate of cancer between two prostate biopsy ways.