1.18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging for identifying the involved myocardium in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Li WANG ; Yilu WANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Yao SU ; Zhixiang DONG ; Minfu YANG
Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2025;45(9):519-524
Objective:To investigate the ability of 18F-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT imaging to identify involved myocardium in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) compared with cardiac MRI. Methods:A prospective study was conducted on 50 patients (32 males, 18 females, age (43±13) years) with HCM confirmed by ultrasound or cardiac MRI in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from July 2021 to January 2022. All patients underwent both cardiac 18F-FAPI PET/CT and MRI. The SUV max and maximum target-to-background ratio (TBR max) of the left ventricular myocardium were obtained using post-processing software. Regions with 18F-FAPI uptake not less than predefined thresholds (SUV max 40%, 50%, 60%) were defined as myocardium with positive uptake. The FAPI amount was defined as the product of TBR max and the extent of FAPI-positive uptake (FAPI%). Cardiac MRI post-processing software was used to measure the extent of left ventricular myocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) (expressed as LGE%), native T 1 value, extracellular volume fraction (ECV), and myocardial deformation characteristics. Spearman rank correlation analysis was employed to assess the correlation between 18F-FAPI imaging parameters and cardiac MRI parameters, as well as the correlation between FAPI amount and the 5-year risk score for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Linear regression analysis was utilized to identify factors associated with FAPI amount. Results:When the threshold for 18F-FAPI-positive uptake in the left ventricular myocardium was set at 60%, the correlations between FAPI amount, FAPI%, and MRI parameters were optimal ( rs values: from -0.465 to 0.460, all P<0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that HCM duration ( β=0.128, 95% CI: 0.022-0.233, P=0.008), serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels ( β=0.190, 95% CI: 0.099-0.280, P<0.001), and left ventricular ejection fraction ( β=-0.005, 95% CI: -0.011 to 0.000, P=0.041) were independent predictors of FAPI amount. FAPI amount was positively correlated with the 5-year SCD risk score across different thresholds (40%: rs=0.32, P=0.026; 50%: rs=0.29, P=0.039; 60%: rs=0.29, P=0.040). Conclusions:When the threshold for 18F-FAPI-positive uptake is set at 60%, 18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging can more effectively identify the involved myocardium in HCM. FAPI amount is correlated with the 5-year SCD risk score in patients with HCM.
2.Screening of miRNA-mRNA regulatory targets based on a plasma-derived exosomal hair regeneration model in Xinji Fine-wool sheep and Small-tailed Han sheep
Wei WANG ; Xinyu ZHANG ; Dazhuo ZHAO ; Wei FAN ; Yilu ZHAI ; Jiaqi FU ; Fuliang SUN
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(5):1067-1076,1094
To investigate the effects of plasma exosomes from sheep on animal hair growth,exo-somes were extracted from two sheep breeds with significant differences in wool fineness(Xinji Fine-wool sheep and Small-tailed Han sheep)using biphasic precipitation.The exosomes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and nanoparticle tracking analysis(NTA).A murine alopecia areata model was established,followed by subcutaneous injection of ex-osomes for 7 consecutive days.Dorsal skin samples were collected on day 10 post-injection for his-tological analysis via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining.miRNA and mRNA libraries were constructed through qPCR,while TargetScan and g:Profiler were employed for target gene predic-tion and KEGG enrichment analysis,respectively.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks were analyzed using STRING to identify key miRNA-mRNA targets,which were preliminarily validated by qPCR.Results demonstrated that on day 5 post-injection,the Small-tailed Han sheep plasma ex-osome group(SPE)exhibited more melanin deposition spots compared to the Xinji Fine-wool sheep plasma exosome group(XPE),with XPE showing greater melanin spots than the control group(NC).Histological analysis revealed that XPE group displayed significantly fewer hair folli-cles compared to SPE and NC groups(P<0.01),while SPE group exhibited significantly larger hair follicle diameters than both XPE and NC groups(P<0.01).Bioinformatics analysis predicted 357,711,477,346,and 3 178 target genes for miR-150,miR-133b,miR-31-5p,miR-433-3p,and miR-218,respectively,with 508 genes being co-regulated by two or more miRNAs.PPI analysis i-dentified 217 genes involved in positive regulation of cellular processes,109 in developmental regu-lation,133 in cellular development,132 in cell differentiation,and 69 in regulation of cell differenti-ation.Target genes were found to regulate hair follicle growth through Wnt signaling via Frizzled receptor binding and downstream pathways involving calmodulin(CaM)and cyclic-AMP response binding protein(CREB).qPCR validation showed significantly higher relative expression levels of miR-218,miR-150,miR-31-5p,miR-133b,and miR-433-3p in SPE and XPE groups compared to NC,with SPE exhibiting greater expression than XPE.Additionally,significant differences in FZD4,WNT4,CREB1,and FZD3 expression were observed between treatment groups and NC.These findings demonstrate that plasma exosomes from Xinji Fine-wool and Small-tailed Han sheep modulate hair growth by altering miRNA-mRNA expression profiles in skin tissues.
3.Isolation and identification of Sheep-origin Proteus mirabilis and evaluation of immunization effect of inactivated vaccine
Wei FAN ; Yilu ZHAI ; Wei WANG ; Xinyu ZHANG ; Jiaqi FU ; Dazhuo ZHAO ; Fuliang SUN
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(9):1944-1951
To investigate the pathogenicity of Sheep-origin Proteus mirabilis and the immunity effect of its inactivated vaccine.In this study,autopsy were performed on sick and dead sheep with severe diarrhea,collected liver,spleen and other diseased organs.And identified the isolated strains by morphology,Gram staining microscopy,biochemical test,molecular biology and 16S rRNA se-quencing;Drug resistance and pathogenicity were studied by drug sensitivity test,pathogenicity test in mouse and pathological histological observation;The isolated strains were inactivated by formaldehyde and mixed with alum adjuvant containing aluminum hydroxide to prepare the inacti-vated vaccine;mice were immunized after safety testing to test antibodies,cytokines and evaluate the immunological effects.Results showed that the isolate was Gram-negative short bacillus with blunt rounded ends after purification staining.Combined with biochemical tests,PCR amplified fragments and 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that the strain was Proteus mirabilis;The re-sults of drug sensitivity test showed that the isolate was highly sensitive to four antibiotics,including amikacin and piperacillin(S),the rest of the strain was moderately or poorly sensitive,or even resistant;The isolate was highly sensitive to the four antibiotics,such as amikacin and pip-eracillin(S).The lethal concentration of the isolated strain was 1.6 × 105 CFU/mL and it could cause different degrees of congestion and bruising and inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver,spleen and other major organs;The formaldehyde inactivated vaccine did not cause adverse reac-tions in mice,and the serum levels of antibodies to IgG,IgG1 and IgG2a,and the levels of antibod-ies to IL-4 and IFN-γ were higher than that of the PBS group,and the vaccine immunoprotection rate was 90%in the attacking bacterial test.In the present experiment,Proteus mirabilis was suc-cessfully isolated from the organs of sick and dead sheep.The inactivated vaccine prepared by form-aldehyde inactivation method can mediate humoral immunity to play a preventive role against the infection of S.chimaera,which can provide a new method for the prevention of bacterial diseases in sheep breeding.
4.Construction of a cardiovascular disease risk prediction model for patients with rheumatic immune diseases based on echocardiography combined with clinical laboratory tests
Ting SONG ; Yilu SHI ; Shasha DUAN ; Dan ZHANG ; Ying JIANG ; Yaxi WANG ; Shurong YUN ; Xiaoshan ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2025;34(8):701-707
Objective:To investigate the incidence and high-risk pathogenic factors of cardiovascular disease(CVD)in patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases,and to construct and validate a predictive model for the risk of CVD occurrence in these patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 239 patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases who underwent treatment and echocardiography at the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University between June 2020 and June 2023. General patient data,laboratory test results,and echocardiographic findings were collected. Follow-up was performed via electronic medical records or telephone surveys until December 2024 to determine the incidence of CVD,starting from the date of the first echocardiographic examination. Predictive factors were screened using univariate analysis and Lasso regression,and a Logistic regression model was constructed. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. The model's accuracy and clinical utility were assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test,calibration curve,and decision curve analysis.Results:Among the 239 patients,111 developed CVD. Logistic regression analysis identified age,diastolic blood pressure,use of immunosuppressants,lymphocyte count(LYM),α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase(α-HBDH)level,serum cystatin C(CysC),and right ventricular fractional area change(RVFAC)as independent predictive factors for CVD in these patients(all P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve(AUC)for the prediction model was 0.895(95% CI = 0.856 - 0.935),and after Bootstrap validation,it was 0.894(95% CI = 0.861-0.925). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test,calibration curve,and decision curve analysis all indicated that the model had good accuracy and clinical utility. Conclusions:Age,diastolic blood pressure,use of immunosuppressants,LYM,α-HBDH,CysC,and RVFAC may serve as independent risk factors for CVD in patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. The prediction model based on echocardiography combined with laboratory indicators can,to some extent,predict the risk of CVD occurrence in these patients.
5.18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging for identifying the involved myocardium in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Li WANG ; Yilu WANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Yao SU ; Zhixiang DONG ; Minfu YANG
Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2025;45(9):519-524
Objective:To investigate the ability of 18F-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT imaging to identify involved myocardium in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) compared with cardiac MRI. Methods:A prospective study was conducted on 50 patients (32 males, 18 females, age (43±13) years) with HCM confirmed by ultrasound or cardiac MRI in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from July 2021 to January 2022. All patients underwent both cardiac 18F-FAPI PET/CT and MRI. The SUV max and maximum target-to-background ratio (TBR max) of the left ventricular myocardium were obtained using post-processing software. Regions with 18F-FAPI uptake not less than predefined thresholds (SUV max 40%, 50%, 60%) were defined as myocardium with positive uptake. The FAPI amount was defined as the product of TBR max and the extent of FAPI-positive uptake (FAPI%). Cardiac MRI post-processing software was used to measure the extent of left ventricular myocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) (expressed as LGE%), native T 1 value, extracellular volume fraction (ECV), and myocardial deformation characteristics. Spearman rank correlation analysis was employed to assess the correlation between 18F-FAPI imaging parameters and cardiac MRI parameters, as well as the correlation between FAPI amount and the 5-year risk score for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Linear regression analysis was utilized to identify factors associated with FAPI amount. Results:When the threshold for 18F-FAPI-positive uptake in the left ventricular myocardium was set at 60%, the correlations between FAPI amount, FAPI%, and MRI parameters were optimal ( rs values: from -0.465 to 0.460, all P<0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that HCM duration ( β=0.128, 95% CI: 0.022-0.233, P=0.008), serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels ( β=0.190, 95% CI: 0.099-0.280, P<0.001), and left ventricular ejection fraction ( β=-0.005, 95% CI: -0.011 to 0.000, P=0.041) were independent predictors of FAPI amount. FAPI amount was positively correlated with the 5-year SCD risk score across different thresholds (40%: rs=0.32, P=0.026; 50%: rs=0.29, P=0.039; 60%: rs=0.29, P=0.040). Conclusions:When the threshold for 18F-FAPI-positive uptake is set at 60%, 18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging can more effectively identify the involved myocardium in HCM. FAPI amount is correlated with the 5-year SCD risk score in patients with HCM.
6.Establishment of Risk Prediction Model for Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Connective Tissue Disease
Yilu SHI ; Yaxi WANG ; Dan ZHANG ; Xiaoxiao LIU ; Shurong YUN ; Ting SONG ; Xiaoshan ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging 2025;33(10):1104-1112
Purpose To assess the utility of echocardiographic parameters in predicting adverse cardiovascular in patients with connective tissue disease.Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and echocardiographic records of patients with connective tissue disease from the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University(June 1st,2020 to June 1st,2023)who had complete medical data and at least twelve months of follow-up.Variables were screened based on univariate analysis,combined with clinical expertise and XGBoost feature weight analysis;this information was used to construct a Cox proportional hazards regression model designed to predict composite endpoint events of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap resampling method,and the model's performance was evaluated.Results The study included 123 participants.The incidence of positive events reached 39.02%(48/123).Mitral valve early diastolic annular velocity(reflecting left heart function)(HR=0.79,P=0.041)and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion(reflecting right heart function)(HR=0.92,P=0.044)emerged as significant predictors for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Compared with the clinical model,the model combined with left heart function parameters showed significant improvements in both risk classification and absolute accuracy for short-term and medium-term adverse prognosis(NRI365=0.054,IDI365=0.060,NRI730=0.064,IDI730=0.079,all P<0.05)and optimized risk classification for long-term adverse prognosis(NRI1 095=0.256,P<0.05).In contrast,the model combined with right heart function parameters improved risk classification at all time points(NRI365=0.054,NRI730=0.000,NRI1 095=0.135,all P<0.05).Conclusion Mitral valve early diastolic annular velocity and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion,which reflect cardiac function,are factors for predicting adverse cardiovascular outcomes among individuals diagnosed with connective tissue disease.Multi-parameter combined models incorporating echocardiographic variables can provide incremental predictive value compared with clinical models.
7.Isolation and identification of Sheep-origin Proteus mirabilis and evaluation of immunization effect of inactivated vaccine
Wei FAN ; Yilu ZHAI ; Wei WANG ; Xinyu ZHANG ; Jiaqi FU ; Dazhuo ZHAO ; Fuliang SUN
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(9):1944-1951
To investigate the pathogenicity of Sheep-origin Proteus mirabilis and the immunity effect of its inactivated vaccine.In this study,autopsy were performed on sick and dead sheep with severe diarrhea,collected liver,spleen and other diseased organs.And identified the isolated strains by morphology,Gram staining microscopy,biochemical test,molecular biology and 16S rRNA se-quencing;Drug resistance and pathogenicity were studied by drug sensitivity test,pathogenicity test in mouse and pathological histological observation;The isolated strains were inactivated by formaldehyde and mixed with alum adjuvant containing aluminum hydroxide to prepare the inacti-vated vaccine;mice were immunized after safety testing to test antibodies,cytokines and evaluate the immunological effects.Results showed that the isolate was Gram-negative short bacillus with blunt rounded ends after purification staining.Combined with biochemical tests,PCR amplified fragments and 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that the strain was Proteus mirabilis;The re-sults of drug sensitivity test showed that the isolate was highly sensitive to four antibiotics,including amikacin and piperacillin(S),the rest of the strain was moderately or poorly sensitive,or even resistant;The isolate was highly sensitive to the four antibiotics,such as amikacin and pip-eracillin(S).The lethal concentration of the isolated strain was 1.6 × 105 CFU/mL and it could cause different degrees of congestion and bruising and inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver,spleen and other major organs;The formaldehyde inactivated vaccine did not cause adverse reac-tions in mice,and the serum levels of antibodies to IgG,IgG1 and IgG2a,and the levels of antibod-ies to IL-4 and IFN-γ were higher than that of the PBS group,and the vaccine immunoprotection rate was 90%in the attacking bacterial test.In the present experiment,Proteus mirabilis was suc-cessfully isolated from the organs of sick and dead sheep.The inactivated vaccine prepared by form-aldehyde inactivation method can mediate humoral immunity to play a preventive role against the infection of S.chimaera,which can provide a new method for the prevention of bacterial diseases in sheep breeding.
8.Establishment of Risk Prediction Model for Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Connective Tissue Disease
Yilu SHI ; Yaxi WANG ; Dan ZHANG ; Xiaoxiao LIU ; Shurong YUN ; Ting SONG ; Xiaoshan ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging 2025;33(10):1104-1112
Purpose To assess the utility of echocardiographic parameters in predicting adverse cardiovascular in patients with connective tissue disease.Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and echocardiographic records of patients with connective tissue disease from the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University(June 1st,2020 to June 1st,2023)who had complete medical data and at least twelve months of follow-up.Variables were screened based on univariate analysis,combined with clinical expertise and XGBoost feature weight analysis;this information was used to construct a Cox proportional hazards regression model designed to predict composite endpoint events of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap resampling method,and the model's performance was evaluated.Results The study included 123 participants.The incidence of positive events reached 39.02%(48/123).Mitral valve early diastolic annular velocity(reflecting left heart function)(HR=0.79,P=0.041)and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion(reflecting right heart function)(HR=0.92,P=0.044)emerged as significant predictors for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.Compared with the clinical model,the model combined with left heart function parameters showed significant improvements in both risk classification and absolute accuracy for short-term and medium-term adverse prognosis(NRI365=0.054,IDI365=0.060,NRI730=0.064,IDI730=0.079,all P<0.05)and optimized risk classification for long-term adverse prognosis(NRI1 095=0.256,P<0.05).In contrast,the model combined with right heart function parameters improved risk classification at all time points(NRI365=0.054,NRI730=0.000,NRI1 095=0.135,all P<0.05).Conclusion Mitral valve early diastolic annular velocity and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion,which reflect cardiac function,are factors for predicting adverse cardiovascular outcomes among individuals diagnosed with connective tissue disease.Multi-parameter combined models incorporating echocardiographic variables can provide incremental predictive value compared with clinical models.
9.Screening of miRNA-mRNA regulatory targets based on a plasma-derived exosomal hair regeneration model in Xinji Fine-wool sheep and Small-tailed Han sheep
Wei WANG ; Xinyu ZHANG ; Dazhuo ZHAO ; Wei FAN ; Yilu ZHAI ; Jiaqi FU ; Fuliang SUN
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(5):1067-1076,1094
To investigate the effects of plasma exosomes from sheep on animal hair growth,exo-somes were extracted from two sheep breeds with significant differences in wool fineness(Xinji Fine-wool sheep and Small-tailed Han sheep)using biphasic precipitation.The exosomes were characterized by transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and nanoparticle tracking analysis(NTA).A murine alopecia areata model was established,followed by subcutaneous injection of ex-osomes for 7 consecutive days.Dorsal skin samples were collected on day 10 post-injection for his-tological analysis via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining.miRNA and mRNA libraries were constructed through qPCR,while TargetScan and g:Profiler were employed for target gene predic-tion and KEGG enrichment analysis,respectively.Protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks were analyzed using STRING to identify key miRNA-mRNA targets,which were preliminarily validated by qPCR.Results demonstrated that on day 5 post-injection,the Small-tailed Han sheep plasma ex-osome group(SPE)exhibited more melanin deposition spots compared to the Xinji Fine-wool sheep plasma exosome group(XPE),with XPE showing greater melanin spots than the control group(NC).Histological analysis revealed that XPE group displayed significantly fewer hair folli-cles compared to SPE and NC groups(P<0.01),while SPE group exhibited significantly larger hair follicle diameters than both XPE and NC groups(P<0.01).Bioinformatics analysis predicted 357,711,477,346,and 3 178 target genes for miR-150,miR-133b,miR-31-5p,miR-433-3p,and miR-218,respectively,with 508 genes being co-regulated by two or more miRNAs.PPI analysis i-dentified 217 genes involved in positive regulation of cellular processes,109 in developmental regu-lation,133 in cellular development,132 in cell differentiation,and 69 in regulation of cell differenti-ation.Target genes were found to regulate hair follicle growth through Wnt signaling via Frizzled receptor binding and downstream pathways involving calmodulin(CaM)and cyclic-AMP response binding protein(CREB).qPCR validation showed significantly higher relative expression levels of miR-218,miR-150,miR-31-5p,miR-133b,and miR-433-3p in SPE and XPE groups compared to NC,with SPE exhibiting greater expression than XPE.Additionally,significant differences in FZD4,WNT4,CREB1,and FZD3 expression were observed between treatment groups and NC.These findings demonstrate that plasma exosomes from Xinji Fine-wool and Small-tailed Han sheep modulate hair growth by altering miRNA-mRNA expression profiles in skin tissues.
10.Construction of a cardiovascular disease risk prediction model for patients with rheumatic immune diseases based on echocardiography combined with clinical laboratory tests
Ting SONG ; Yilu SHI ; Shasha DUAN ; Dan ZHANG ; Ying JIANG ; Yaxi WANG ; Shurong YUN ; Xiaoshan ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2025;34(8):701-707
Objective:To investigate the incidence and high-risk pathogenic factors of cardiovascular disease(CVD)in patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases,and to construct and validate a predictive model for the risk of CVD occurrence in these patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 239 patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases who underwent treatment and echocardiography at the Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University between June 2020 and June 2023. General patient data,laboratory test results,and echocardiographic findings were collected. Follow-up was performed via electronic medical records or telephone surveys until December 2024 to determine the incidence of CVD,starting from the date of the first echocardiographic examination. Predictive factors were screened using univariate analysis and Lasso regression,and a Logistic regression model was constructed. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. The model's accuracy and clinical utility were assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test,calibration curve,and decision curve analysis.Results:Among the 239 patients,111 developed CVD. Logistic regression analysis identified age,diastolic blood pressure,use of immunosuppressants,lymphocyte count(LYM),α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase(α-HBDH)level,serum cystatin C(CysC),and right ventricular fractional area change(RVFAC)as independent predictive factors for CVD in these patients(all P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve(AUC)for the prediction model was 0.895(95% CI = 0.856 - 0.935),and after Bootstrap validation,it was 0.894(95% CI = 0.861-0.925). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test,calibration curve,and decision curve analysis all indicated that the model had good accuracy and clinical utility. Conclusions:Age,diastolic blood pressure,use of immunosuppressants,LYM,α-HBDH,CysC,and RVFAC may serve as independent risk factors for CVD in patients with rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. The prediction model based on echocardiography combined with laboratory indicators can,to some extent,predict the risk of CVD occurrence in these patients.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail