Contrast-enhanced ultrasound（CEUS），as a non-invasive imaging technique，has been widely applied in the characterization of focal liver lesions（FLLs）. By intravenously injecting contrast agents and using specific low mechanical index imaging techniques，CEUS not only provides high spatial and temporal resolution，but also enables dynamic assessment of blood flow perfusion in both large vessels and microvessels，including capillaries in the liver. However，CEUS is highly operator-dependent. The quantitative analysis of time-intensity curves in dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound（DCE-US）can provide further information，overcome the subjectivity limitations of traditional CEUS and improve the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment in FLLs. This review discusses the theoretical basis of DCE-US and its quantitative analysis methods，their applications in the diagnosis and treatment of FLLs，limitations，and future directions.

Objective Cheng's Juanbi Decoction(CSJBD)is a classic traditional Chinese medicine formula for treating rheumatoid arthritis(RA),exhibiting significant clinical efficacy,but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.We investigated whether CSJBD inhibited RA pathology by blocking the WTAP-Wnt7b-Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis using a collagen-induced arthritis(CIA)mouse model and fibroblast-like synoviocytes(FLSs)derived from RA patients(RA FLSs)and examined the underlying mechanisms.Methods We conducted in vivo experiments.Male C57BL/6 mice weighing 17 to 20 g were used to establish the CIA model.The mice were assigned to 6 groups,including the normal group,the model(CIA)group,the model+CSJBD-L(8.1 g/kg)group,the model+CSJBD-M(16.2 g/kg)group,the model+CSJBD-H(32.4 g/kg)group,and the model+leflunomide(LEF)(0.05 mg/10 g)group,with 10 mice in each group.CSJBD was administered twice daily via gastric gavage,while LEF was administered once daily via gastric gavage,for a duration of 28 days.We also conducted in vitro experiments.RA FLSs were assigned to 4 groups,including the RA FLSs+CSJBDS-L group receiving 10%CSJBDS-containing serum,the RA FLSs+CSJBDS-M group receiving 15%CSJBDS-containing serum,the RA FLSs+CSJBDS-H group receiving 20%CSJBDS-containing serum,and the RA FLSs+NC group(negative control).To study whether WTAP regulated Wnt7b,RA FLSs were divided into the RA FLSs group,the RA FLSs+si-WTAP#3 group,the RA FLSs+si-WTAP#3+Wnt7b-OE group,and the RA FLSs+si-WTAP#3+Wnt7b-NC group.To study the underlying mechanism by which CSJBT affected RA FLSs,RA FLSs were divided into the RA FLSs group,the RA FLSs+CSJBDS-M group,the RA FLSs+CSJBDS-M+Wnt7b-OE group,and the RA FLSs+CSJBDS-M+NC group.We used ultra-high performance liquid chromatography(UPLC)to identify and quantify key monomer compounds from CSJBD as quality criteria for CSJBD preparation.Bioinformatics,CCK-8,RT-qPCR,Western blot,immunofluorescence,and related methods were employed to assess the therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanisms of CSJBD in treating RA.Results According to the UPLC analysis,ferulic acid,osthole,mulberroside A,notopterol,and gentiopicroside were identified as quality control standards for the preparation of CSJBD formula.CSJBD improved RA pathology in CIA mice,reduced the levels of interleukin(IL)-6,IL-1β,IL-8,and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in their serum,and decreased the expression of RA pathological genes MMP3 and fibronectin,with the difference between groups being statistically significant.Bioinformatics analysis suggested that CSJBD might inhibit RA pathology by suppressing the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway through Wnt7b.Experimental results showed that the expression of WTAP and Wnt7b was significantly increased in RA.After knocking down WTAP,the expression of Wnt7b was significantly reduced,and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was also inhibited,with the difference between groups being statistically significant(P<0.05),confirming that WTAP regulated the pathway via Wnt7b.According to experimental verification,CSJBD significantly inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and the proliferation of RA FLSs.Wnt7b overexpression reversed the inhibitory effect of CSJBD on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and the proliferation of RA FLSs,indicating that Wnt7b is the direct target of CSJBD.Conclusion CSJBD inhibits RA pathology by blocking the WTAP-Wnt7b-Wnt/β-catenin signaling axis,with Wnt7b identified as a direct therapeutic target of CSJBD.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a boy affected with Cohen syndrome. METHODS: A boy admitted to Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University in January 2021 was selected as the study subject. Genome DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples from the child and his parents. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out. And candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the hospital (Ethics No.: 202106060-1). RESULTS: WES revealed that the child has harbored compound heterozygous variants of the VPS13B gene, namely c.1563+1G>A and c.3007insC (p.A1003Afs*13), which were inherited from his mother and father, respectively. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), both variants were rates as pathogenic. The c.3007insC (p.A1003Afs*13) was unreported previously. CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous variants c.1563+1G>A and c.3007insC (p.A1003Afs*13) of the VPS13B gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of Cohen syndrome in this child. Above finding has enriched the mutational spectrum of VPS13B gene.
Humans ; Male ; Vesicular Transport Proteins/genetics* ; Intellectual Disability/genetics* ; Muscle Hypotonia/genetics* ; Microcephaly/genetics* ; Fingers/abnormalities* ; Myopia/genetics* ; Obesity/genetics* ; Developmental Disabilities/genetics* ; Mutation ; Exome Sequencing ; Child ; Heterozygote ; Retinal Degeneration

Health behavior motivation significantly affects the quality of life of patients with cardiovascular diseases.Assessing the level of health behavior motivation can measure the health behavior of individuals,help to promote the participation rate of cardiac rehabilitation,reduce the readmission rate of patients,and promote patients'healthy lifestyles.This article reviews the content,characteristics and application of assessment tools for health behavior motivation of patients with cardiovascular diseases at home and abroad,with the aim of providing references for the development and application of such tools in China,and offering a basis for scientifically assessing their health behavior motivation level and formulating effective strategies to promote health behavior motivation.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and aesthetic outcome of liposuction combined with mammary adenectomy through a periareolar small incision in the management of gynecomastia(GYN).Methods From January 2019 to June 2023,18 patients with GYN were admitted.All of them were treated with small incision through the areola combined with liposuction.The postoperative aesthetic effect,occurrence of complications and patient satisfaction of the patients were evaluated.Results All 18 patients in this study were follwed up for a period of 3 to 18 months.No serious complications such as wound infection or necrosis of the nipple-areola occurred.Pathological examinations were consistent with the diagnosis of GYN.Except for one patient,who exhibited slight skin folds in the surgical area at the 12-month follow-up,the other patients all achieved symmetrical and smooth chest contours with noticeable aesthetic improvement,resulting in a 100％patient satisfaction rate.Conclusion The combined approach of liposuction combined with mammary adenectomy through a periareolar small incision for the treatment of GYN is straightforward,minimally invasive,and yields satisfactory therapeutic and aesthetic outcomes.

Objective To analyze the risk factors for moderate-to-severe coronary artery stenosis in the population of Tacheng,Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,and to construct and verify a nomogram prediction model for the degree of coronary artery ste-nosis.Methods We retrospectively selected 629 patients who were hospitalized in the Cardiovascular Department of Tacheng Peo-ple's Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023.Using R language software,the sociodemographic data,disease-related data,and va-rious laboratory indicators of the 629 patients were included in the initial screening of risk factors for use in the LASSO regression analysis using a random number table method.The 629 patients were divided into a training group(n=440)and a validation group(n=189)in a 7:3 ratio.Data from the training group were used for model construction,with the degree of coronary artery stenosis as the dependent variable,and the variables selected by LASSO regression as independent variables in the logistic regression model.The validation group was used for model validation.Based on the results of the logistic regression analysis,a visual nomogram for predicting the degree of co-ronary artery stenosis was constructed using R language software.The discriminability,calibration,and clinical utility of the model were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),a calibration curve,and decision curve analysis(DCA).Results Age,non-Han ethnicity,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,and a history of cerebrovascular disease were risk factors for mode-rate-to-severe coronary artery stenosis and were included in the risk prediction model.The AUC of the training group and the validation group were 0.905(95％CI:0.790-0.863)and 0.864(95％CI:0.744-0.861),respectively.The predicted values of the calibration curve were consistent with the actual values(Brier scores of the training and validation group:0.03 and 0.14,respectively).The predictive per-formance of the model was good,and the DC A results indicated that the model had net clinical benefits.Conclusion The risk prediction model for coronary artery stenosis in the population of the Tacheng area constructed in this study has good predictive performance and can provide a simple,feasible,economical,and easy-to-promote evaluation tool for medical personnel to screen patients with moderate-to-se-vere coronary artery stenosis.

Health behavior motivation significantly affects the quality of life of patients with cardiovascular diseases.Assessing the level of health behavior motivation can measure the health behavior of individuals,help to promote the participation rate of cardiac rehabilitation,reduce the readmission rate of patients,and promote patients'healthy lifestyles.This article reviews the content,characteristics and application of assessment tools for health behavior motivation of patients with cardiovascular diseases at home and abroad,with the aim of providing references for the development and application of such tools in China,and offering a basis for scientifically assessing their health behavior motivation level and formulating effective strategies to promote health behavior motivation.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and aesthetic outcome of liposuction combined with mammary adenectomy through a periareolar small incision in the management of gynecomastia(GYN).Methods From January 2019 to June 2023,18 patients with GYN were admitted.All of them were treated with small incision through the areola combined with liposuction.The postoperative aesthetic effect,occurrence of complications and patient satisfaction of the patients were evaluated.Results All 18 patients in this study were follwed up for a period of 3 to 18 months.No serious complications such as wound infection or necrosis of the nipple-areola occurred.Pathological examinations were consistent with the diagnosis of GYN.Except for one patient,who exhibited slight skin folds in the surgical area at the 12-month follow-up,the other patients all achieved symmetrical and smooth chest contours with noticeable aesthetic improvement,resulting in a 100％patient satisfaction rate.Conclusion The combined approach of liposuction combined with mammary adenectomy through a periareolar small incision for the treatment of GYN is straightforward,minimally invasive,and yields satisfactory therapeutic and aesthetic outcomes.

Objective To analyze the risk factors for moderate-to-severe coronary artery stenosis in the population of Tacheng,Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,and to construct and verify a nomogram prediction model for the degree of coronary artery ste-nosis.Methods We retrospectively selected 629 patients who were hospitalized in the Cardiovascular Department of Tacheng Peo-ple's Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023.Using R language software,the sociodemographic data,disease-related data,and va-rious laboratory indicators of the 629 patients were included in the initial screening of risk factors for use in the LASSO regression analysis using a random number table method.The 629 patients were divided into a training group(n=440)and a validation group(n=189)in a 7:3 ratio.Data from the training group were used for model construction,with the degree of coronary artery stenosis as the dependent variable,and the variables selected by LASSO regression as independent variables in the logistic regression model.The validation group was used for model validation.Based on the results of the logistic regression analysis,a visual nomogram for predicting the degree of co-ronary artery stenosis was constructed using R language software.The discriminability,calibration,and clinical utility of the model were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),a calibration curve,and decision curve analysis(DCA).Results Age,non-Han ethnicity,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,and a history of cerebrovascular disease were risk factors for mode-rate-to-severe coronary artery stenosis and were included in the risk prediction model.The AUC of the training group and the validation group were 0.905(95％CI:0.790-0.863)and 0.864(95％CI:0.744-0.861),respectively.The predicted values of the calibration curve were consistent with the actual values(Brier scores of the training and validation group:0.03 and 0.14,respectively).The predictive per-formance of the model was good,and the DC A results indicated that the model had net clinical benefits.Conclusion The risk prediction model for coronary artery stenosis in the population of the Tacheng area constructed in this study has good predictive performance and can provide a simple,feasible,economical,and easy-to-promote evaluation tool for medical personnel to screen patients with moderate-to-se-vere coronary artery stenosis.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound（CEUS），as a non-invasive imaging technique，has been widely applied in the characterization of focal liver lesions（FLLs）. By intravenously injecting contrast agents and using specific low mechanical index imaging techniques，CEUS not only provides high spatial and temporal resolution，but also enables dynamic assessment of blood flow perfusion in both large vessels and microvessels，including capillaries in the liver. However，CEUS is highly operator-dependent. The quantitative analysis of time-intensity curves in dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound（DCE-US）can provide further information，overcome the subjectivity limitations of traditional CEUS and improve the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment in FLLs. This review discusses the theoretical basis of DCE-US and its quantitative analysis methods，their applications in the diagnosis and treatment of FLLs，limitations，and future directions.