Objective:To explore the value of quantitative parameters of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) combined with dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in predicting the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) .Methods:A total of 97 patients with LABC admitted to the hospital from Mar. 2020 to Mar. 2023 were studied and received neoadjuvant chemotherapy to evaluate the therapeutic effect, and DWI and DCE-MRI scans were performed before and after treatment. The difference of DWI and DCE-MRI quantitative parameters before treatment in patients with different therapeutic effects was compared, and the correlation between the difference of DWI and DCE-MRI quantitative parameters and therapeutic effect was analyzed. The predictive value of quantitative parameters of DWI and DCE-MRI before treatment was analyzed. The quantitative parameters of DWI and DCE-MRI in patients with different pathological reactions were compared before treatment, and the quantitative parameters of DWI and DCE-MRI were compared before and after treatment.Results:The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of patients with effective chemotherapy before treatment was higher, but transport constant (Ktrans) , extracellular space volume percentage (Ve) and rate constant (Kep) were lower ( t=5.0, 3.27, 3.55, 3.89, P < 0.05) ; Spearman correlation analysis showed that ADC was positively correlated with chemotherapy efficacy before treatment (r=0.66; P < 0.05) , while Kep, Ve, Ktrans were negatively correlated with it (r=-0.58, -0.47, -0.60; P < 0.05) ; ROC curves showed that the area under the curve (AUC) values of ADC, Kep, Ve and Ktrans in predicting chemotherapy efficacy before treatment were 0.771, 0.797, 0.664 and 0.715, respectively, while the combined AUC value of each indicator was 0.832; Compared with patients with non-significant pathological response, ADC before treatment was higher in patients with significant pathological response, Kep, Ve and Ktrans were lower ( t=4.46, 3.32, 3.60, 3.95, P < 0.05) ; Compared with before treatment, ADC value increased after treatment, while Kep, Ve and Ktrans decreased ( t=8.77, 6.22, 9.34, 10.26, P < 0.05) . Conclusion:Quantitative parameters of DWI and DCE-MRI can reflect the changes in the condition of patients with locally advanced neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the combination of the two can help to improve the predictive value of chemotherapy efficacy in patients.

Objective:To explore the value of material separation technique based on energy spectrum CT in predicting the recurrence of osteoporotic vertebral fractures after operation, in order to provide reference for the evaluation of postoperative recurrence of fractures.Methods:A total of 80 cases with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) treated in the First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu, Henan Province from Jan. 2020 to Dec. 2021 were selected for pre-operative CT material separation examination and postoperative follow-up for at least 2 years. The patients were divided into recurrence group and no recurrence group according to the recurrence of fracture. The clinical data and the results of material separation technique by energy spectrum CT were compared. The relevant factors for fracture recurrence was assessed by Logistic regression analysis, and ROC curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of material separation technique based on energy spectrum CT in the recurrence of fracture.Results:After a follow-up of at least 2 years, 26 of the 80 patients had a recurrence of the fracture. The age, calcium water and hydroxyapatite (HAP) -water values in recurrent group were higher than those in no recurrent group, and the proportion of bone cement leakage was higher ( t/ Fisher=2.57, 5.40, 3.96, - P = 0.012 < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.033) . Logistic regression analysis showed that calcium-water ( OR=2.321, 95%CI: 1.464-3.679) and HAP-water ( OR=1.784, 95%CI: 1.246-2.554) values were the factors for postoperative fracture recurrence in osteoporotic fractures ( P<0.001) . ROC curve showed that AUC, sensitivity and specificity of combined calcium-water and HAP-water values in predicting postoperative fracture recurrence were 0.868, 88.46% and 79.63%, respectively ( P<0.001) . Conclusions:The material separation technique based on energy spectrum CT in predicting the recurrence of osteoporotic vertebral fractures after operation has high clinical application value, and provides a new idea for the clinical evaluation of postoperative recurrence of fractures.

Objective:To analyze the relationship between CT characteristics and related quantitative parameters of spectral CT in diagnosing the nature of thyroid nodules and lymph node metastasis in patients.Methods:This retrospective analysis included 198 patients with thyroid nodules who visited Shangqiu First People’s Hospital between Jun. 2019 and Dec. 2024. The patients included 53 males and 145 females, aged (50.96 ± 5.36) years. A total of 105 patients were classified as benign nodules and 93 patients as malignant nodules (45 with metastasis and 48 without metastasis). All patients underwent spectral CT scans to analyze the efficacy of spectral CT in diagnosing the nature of thyroid nodules and lymph node metastasis in malignant nodules. Continuous data were expressed as ±s, and intergroup comparisons were performed using independent sample t-tests. Enumeration data were expressed as [n (%) ] and tested using the chi-squared test. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to determine the diagnostic efficacy of various CT features and related quantitative parameters in diagnosing thyroid nodules and cervical lymph node metastasis. Results:The AUCs of capsule, edge and shape for diagnosing malignant nodules were 0.706, 0.701 and 0.735, respectively. The AUCs of IC, NIC and slope of energy spectrum curve in arterial phase and IC, NIC and slope of energy spectrum curve in venous phase for diagnosing malignant thyroid nodules were 0.967, 0.992, 0.966, 0.819, 0.991 and 0.986, respectively. The AUCs of nodule number, capsule, edge, shape and long diameter of nodule for diagnosing cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with malignant thyroid nodules were 0.642, 0.617, 0.643, 0.619 and 0.651, respectively. The AUCs of IC, NIC and slope of energy spectrum curve in arterial phase and IC, NIC and slope of energy spectrum curve in venous phase were 0.941, 0.941, 0.955, 0.786, 0.881 and 0.824, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that multiple nodules, absence of capsule, blurred margins, irregular shape, nodule long diameter >10 mm, IC, NIC in the arterial and venous phases, and increased slope of the energy spectrum curve were independent risk factors for cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with malignant thyroid nodules ( OR=2.631, 1.854, 2.694, 1.936, 2.657, 2.064, 2.314, 2.525, 2.342, 2.712, 2.986, P<0.05) . Conclusions:In spectral CT examinations of patients with thyroid nodules, malignant nodules often show characteristics such as no capsule and blurred edges, accompanied by changes in relevant quantitative parameters. These CT characteristics and quantitative parameters have good diagnostic efficacy for the nature of thyroid nodules and cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with malignant nodules, and have high clinical application value.

Objective:To explore the predictive value of dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative measurement combined with serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteocalcin (BGP), and β-type I collagen carboxy-terminal peptide ( β-CTx) for the risk of fractures in patients with osteoporosis. Methods:A total of 90 patients with osteoporosis who underwent dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative detection at the First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu from Jan. 2020 to Jan. 2023 were selected as the research subjects. According to the occurrence of fractures within one year of follow-up, the patients were divided into the fracture group ( n=36) and the non-fracture group ( n=54). The clinical data, dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative parameters, and serum BALP, BGP, and β-CTx levels of the two groups were compared. Logistic multivariate regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for fractures in patients with osteoporosis, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative parameters combined with serum BALP, BGP, and β-CTx for fractures in patients with osteoporosis. Results:There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking history, drinking history, or bone marrow CT value parameters between the fracture group and the non-fracture group ( χ2=0.66, t=1.86, t=1.59, χ2=0.19, χ2=0.98, t=0.40, all P > 0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences in the history of fragility fractures, regular calcium supplementation, lumbar bone mineral density (BMD), calcium CT value, mixed energy image CT value, calcium concentration, fat fraction, BALP, BGP, and β-CTx ( χ2=9.73, χ2=4.17, t=3.14, t=7.06, t=7.92, t=6.50, t=3.26, t=8.12, t=12.66, t=11.37, all P < 0.05). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that the history of fragility fractures ( OR=1.863, P=0.023), regular calcium supplementation ( OR=1.728, P=0.031), fat fraction ( OR=1.685, P=0.009), BALP ( OR=1.815, P=0.002), BGP ( OR=1.605, P=0.003), and β-CTx ( OR=1.636, P < 0.001) were risk factors for fractures in patients with osteoporosis, while lumbar bone BMD ( OR=0.456, P=0.025), calcium CT value ( OR=0.486, P=0.005), mixed energy image CT value ( OR=0.490, P < 0.001), and calcium concentration ( OR=0.509, P=0.010) were protective factors. The ROC curve showed that the sensitivity of dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative measurement parameters combined with serum BALP, BGP, and β-CTx in predicting fractures in patients with osteoporosis was 94.68%, the specificity was 92.16%, the Youden index was 0.868, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.947, and the 95% confidence interval ( CI) was 0.905 to 0.982. Conclusion:Dual-energy CT lumbar quantitative parameters and serum BALP, BGP, and β-CTx levels have certain predictive value for the risk of fractures in patients with osteoporosis, and the combined prediction value is higher.

Objective To investigate the cytokine levels in patients in acute stage of intracranial ar-terial occlusion and its correlation with infarct volume and functional prognosis.Methods A total of 168 patients with large artery intracranial occlusion admitted in Department of Neurosurgery of Huaihe Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were enrolled and then divided into good prognosis group(54 cases)and poor prognosis group(114 cases)according to their functional prognosis within 90 d after onset.The cytokine levels in acute stage and infarct volume were col-lected,and their correlation with infarct volume and functional prognosis was analyzed.Results The poor prognosis group had significantly larger proportion of hypertension,longer time from onset to admission,higher NIHSS score at admission,larger infarct core volume,and elevated lev-els of IL-1,IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α,MMP-9,reactive oxygen species(ROS)and VEGF than the good prognosis group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Pearson correlation analysis showed that infarct core volume was positively correlated with the levels of IL-1,IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α,MMP-9,ROS and VEGF(P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that after removing confounding var-iables(time from onset to admission,NIHSS at admission and infarct core volume),IL-1(OR=1.723,95％CI:1.333-2.227,P=0.000),IL-6(OR=1.475,95％CI:1.190-1.830,P=0.000),TNF-α(OR=1.392,95％CI:1.167-1.661,P=0.000),MMP-9(OR=1.062,95％CI:1.031-1.094,P=0.000)and ROS(OR=1.020,95％CI:1.007-1.034,P=0.003)were still independent influencing factors for poor functional prognosis in the patients.Conclusion Infarct core volume is positively correlated with IL-1,IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α,MMP-9,ROS and VEGF.In the acute stage,cy-tokines IL-1,IL-6,TNF-α,MMP-9 and ROS are independent influencing factors for poor function-al prognosis in patients with intracranial arterial occlusion.

AIM:This study aims to investigate the effects of baicalin on the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α)/solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11)/glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4)axis and the ferroptosis induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein(ox-LDL)in RAW264.7 macrophage-derived foam cells.METHODS:RAW264.7 cells were categorized into five groups:control,ox-LDL,baicalin+ox-LDL,ferrostatin-1(Fer-1;ferroptosis inhibitor)+ox-LDL,and baicalin+Fer-1+ox-LDL.To induce foam cell formation,RAW264.7 macrophages were exposed to 100 μg/mL ox-LDL for 24 h.Oil red O staining was employed to visualize lipid droplet formation in each group.The ultrastructure of the mitochondria was examined using transmission electron microscopy.Fluorescence microscopy was utilized to assess the fluorescence intensity of intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS),lipid peroxides,and Fe2+.A colorimetric assay facilitated the measurement of malondialdehyde(MDA)and glutathione(GSH)levels.Additionally,Western blot analy-sis was conducted to quantify protein levels of HIF-1α,SLC7A11,and GPX4.RESULTS:The model group exhibited foam cell formation,abundant lipid droplets,significant swelling of mitochondrial structures,and observable shortening or disappearance of cristae.There was a marked increase in intracellular fluorescence intensity of ROS,lipid peroxides,and Fe2+,alongside elevated MDA levels and decreased GSH levels.HIF-1α protein expression was significantly increased,while SLC7A11 and GPX4 protein expressions were notably decreased(P<0.05).In comparison to the model group,both the baicalin+ox-LDL and Fer-1+ox-LDL groups demonstrated a significant reduction in lipid droplets,improved mitochon-drial structures,decreased fluorescence intensity of ROS,lipid peroxides,and Fe2+,as well as lower MDA levels and higher GSH levels.Additionally,HIF-1α expression significantly decreased,while SLC7A11 and GPX4 expressions sig-nificantly increased(P<0.05).Furthermore,the baicalin+Fer-1+ox-LDL group showed a more pronounced reduction in lipid droplets,near-normal mitochondrial structures,lower fluorescence intensity of ROS,lipid peroxides,and Fe2+,de-creased MDA levels,and increased GSH levels compared to the baicalin+ox-LDL group;HIF-1α,SLC7A11,and GPX4 protein expressions were also significantly reduced(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:Baicalin modulates the HIF-1α/SLC7A11/GPX4 axis,thereby inhibiting ox-LDL-induced ferroptosis in macrophage-derived foam cells.

Objective:To explore the value of quantitative parameters of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) combined with dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in predicting the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) .Methods:A total of 97 patients with LABC admitted to the hospital from Mar. 2020 to Mar. 2023 were studied and received neoadjuvant chemotherapy to evaluate the therapeutic effect, and DWI and DCE-MRI scans were performed before and after treatment. The difference of DWI and DCE-MRI quantitative parameters before treatment in patients with different therapeutic effects was compared, and the correlation between the difference of DWI and DCE-MRI quantitative parameters and therapeutic effect was analyzed. The predictive value of quantitative parameters of DWI and DCE-MRI before treatment was analyzed. The quantitative parameters of DWI and DCE-MRI in patients with different pathological reactions were compared before treatment, and the quantitative parameters of DWI and DCE-MRI were compared before and after treatment.Results:The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of patients with effective chemotherapy before treatment was higher, but transport constant (Ktrans) , extracellular space volume percentage (Ve) and rate constant (Kep) were lower ( t=5.0, 3.27, 3.55, 3.89, P < 0.05) ; Spearman correlation analysis showed that ADC was positively correlated with chemotherapy efficacy before treatment (r=0.66; P < 0.05) , while Kep, Ve, Ktrans were negatively correlated with it (r=-0.58, -0.47, -0.60; P < 0.05) ; ROC curves showed that the area under the curve (AUC) values of ADC, Kep, Ve and Ktrans in predicting chemotherapy efficacy before treatment were 0.771, 0.797, 0.664 and 0.715, respectively, while the combined AUC value of each indicator was 0.832; Compared with patients with non-significant pathological response, ADC before treatment was higher in patients with significant pathological response, Kep, Ve and Ktrans were lower ( t=4.46, 3.32, 3.60, 3.95, P < 0.05) ; Compared with before treatment, ADC value increased after treatment, while Kep, Ve and Ktrans decreased ( t=8.77, 6.22, 9.34, 10.26, P < 0.05) . Conclusion:Quantitative parameters of DWI and DCE-MRI can reflect the changes in the condition of patients with locally advanced neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the combination of the two can help to improve the predictive value of chemotherapy efficacy in patients.

Objective:To explore the value of material separation technique based on energy spectrum CT in predicting the recurrence of osteoporotic vertebral fractures after operation, in order to provide reference for the evaluation of postoperative recurrence of fractures.Methods:A total of 80 cases with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) treated in the First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu, Henan Province from Jan. 2020 to Dec. 2021 were selected for pre-operative CT material separation examination and postoperative follow-up for at least 2 years. The patients were divided into recurrence group and no recurrence group according to the recurrence of fracture. The clinical data and the results of material separation technique by energy spectrum CT were compared. The relevant factors for fracture recurrence was assessed by Logistic regression analysis, and ROC curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of material separation technique based on energy spectrum CT in the recurrence of fracture.Results:After a follow-up of at least 2 years, 26 of the 80 patients had a recurrence of the fracture. The age, calcium water and hydroxyapatite (HAP) -water values in recurrent group were higher than those in no recurrent group, and the proportion of bone cement leakage was higher ( t/ Fisher=2.57, 5.40, 3.96, - P = 0.012 < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.033) . Logistic regression analysis showed that calcium-water ( OR=2.321, 95%CI: 1.464-3.679) and HAP-water ( OR=1.784, 95%CI: 1.246-2.554) values were the factors for postoperative fracture recurrence in osteoporotic fractures ( P<0.001) . ROC curve showed that AUC, sensitivity and specificity of combined calcium-water and HAP-water values in predicting postoperative fracture recurrence were 0.868, 88.46% and 79.63%, respectively ( P<0.001) . Conclusions:The material separation technique based on energy spectrum CT in predicting the recurrence of osteoporotic vertebral fractures after operation has high clinical application value, and provides a new idea for the clinical evaluation of postoperative recurrence of fractures.

Objective To investigate the relationship between triglyceride glucose body mass index(TyG-BMI),high density lipoprotein cholesterol to Apolipoprotein A ratio(HAR),glycemic risk index(GRI)and diabetic retinopathy(DR).Methods A total of 159 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)complicated with DR(the DR group)were divided into the non-proliferative retinopathy group(NPDR group,66 cases)and the proliferative retinopathy group(PDR group,93 cases)according to DR international clinical grading criteria,and 159 T2DM patients without DR were selected as the control group.Clinical information and baseline laboratory test results were recorded,and TyG-BMI,HAR and GRI were calculated.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the related factors of the incidence of DR,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of TyG-BMI,HAR and GRI for DR.Results The duration of T2DM,the proportion of hypertension,diabetic nephropathy and diabetic foot,levels of HbA1c,homeostasis model insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR),total cholesterol(TC),C-reactive protein(CRP),TyG-BMI,HAR and GRI were higher in the DR group than those in the control group(P<0.05).TyG-BMI,HAR and GRI were higher in the PDR group than those in the NPDR group(P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the longer course of T2DM disease[OR(95%CI):2.781(1.398-5.534)],high TyG-BMI[2.036(1.169-3.546)],high HAR[1.890(1.090-3.280)]and high GRI[1.836(1.065-3.167)]were risk factors for DR(P<0.05).ROC curve analysis results showed that,the area under the curve(AUC)of combined TyG-BMI,HAR and GRI diagnosis of DR was higher than that of single diagnosis[0.940(0.908-0.964),0.864(0.821-0.900),0.796(0.747-0.839)and 0.836(0.790-0.875),all P<0.05].Conclusion The increased TyG-BMI,HAR and GRI in T2DM patients is associated with the onset and severity of DR,and which can be used to assess the risk of DR.

Objective:To analyze the relationship between CT characteristics and related quantitative parameters of spectral CT in diagnosing the nature of thyroid nodules and lymph node metastasis in patients.Methods:This retrospective analysis included 198 patients with thyroid nodules who visited Shangqiu First People’s Hospital between Jun. 2019 and Dec. 2024. The patients included 53 males and 145 females, aged (50.96 ± 5.36) years. A total of 105 patients were classified as benign nodules and 93 patients as malignant nodules (45 with metastasis and 48 without metastasis). All patients underwent spectral CT scans to analyze the efficacy of spectral CT in diagnosing the nature of thyroid nodules and lymph node metastasis in malignant nodules. Continuous data were expressed as ±s, and intergroup comparisons were performed using independent sample t-tests. Enumeration data were expressed as [n (%) ] and tested using the chi-squared test. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to determine the diagnostic efficacy of various CT features and related quantitative parameters in diagnosing thyroid nodules and cervical lymph node metastasis. Results:The AUCs of capsule, edge and shape for diagnosing malignant nodules were 0.706, 0.701 and 0.735, respectively. The AUCs of IC, NIC and slope of energy spectrum curve in arterial phase and IC, NIC and slope of energy spectrum curve in venous phase for diagnosing malignant thyroid nodules were 0.967, 0.992, 0.966, 0.819, 0.991 and 0.986, respectively. The AUCs of nodule number, capsule, edge, shape and long diameter of nodule for diagnosing cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with malignant thyroid nodules were 0.642, 0.617, 0.643, 0.619 and 0.651, respectively. The AUCs of IC, NIC and slope of energy spectrum curve in arterial phase and IC, NIC and slope of energy spectrum curve in venous phase were 0.941, 0.941, 0.955, 0.786, 0.881 and 0.824, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that multiple nodules, absence of capsule, blurred margins, irregular shape, nodule long diameter >10 mm, IC, NIC in the arterial and venous phases, and increased slope of the energy spectrum curve were independent risk factors for cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with malignant thyroid nodules ( OR=2.631, 1.854, 2.694, 1.936, 2.657, 2.064, 2.314, 2.525, 2.342, 2.712, 2.986, P<0.05) . Conclusions:In spectral CT examinations of patients with thyroid nodules, malignant nodules often show characteristics such as no capsule and blurred edges, accompanied by changes in relevant quantitative parameters. These CT characteristics and quantitative parameters have good diagnostic efficacy for the nature of thyroid nodules and cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with malignant nodules, and have high clinical application value.