Objective To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of combination of dapagliflozin and sacubitril valsartan on patients with heart failure(HF)complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 160 patients with HF and T2DM admitted to our hospital from November 2020 to November 2022.According to drug treatment,they were classified into sacubitril valsartan group(80 cases)and combined group(dapagliflozin combined with sacubitril valsartan,80 cases).After 3 months of treatment,the differences were compared between the two groups in following aspects:blood glucose fluctuations,left ventricular diastolic function,and vascular endothelial function,and the incidence of adverse events after 1 year of follow-up.Results After 3 months of treatment,serum FPG,2 h-PG and HbAlc levels,and MAGE,LAGE,MODD and SDBG values were significantly lower in the combined group than the sacubitril valsartan group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The combined group had obviously higher e'and LVEF values while lower LVMI and BNP levels than the other group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).After 3 months of treatment,NO and FMD were notably higher[96.18±6.70 ng/L vs 92.34±6.85 ng/L,P=0.000;(8.25±1.16)％vs(7.72±1.28)％,P=0.007],while ET-1(59.72±4.95 ng/L vs 63.90±4.63 ng/L,P=0.000)was remarkably lower in the combined group than the sacubitril valsartan group.There was no statistical significance in the total incidence of adverse events between both groups after 1 year of follow-up(P＞0.05).Conclusion The combination of dapagliflozin and sacubitril valsartan has a significant improvement effect on blood glucose,left ventricular diastolic function and vascular endothelial function in T2DM patients with HF,with good drug safety.

Purpose To evaluate the predictive performance of mean apparent propagator-magnetic resonance imaging(MAP-MRI)combined with habitat analysis for determining O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase(MGMT)promoter methylation status in glioma.Materials and Methods This retrospective study analyzed MRI and clinical data from 55 patients with surgically confirmed glioma at Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from January 2019 to December 2023.All patients underwent structural and diffusion-weighted imaging.Three-dimensional volumes of interest were delineated in the tumor solid region using ImageJ software.The nn-FAE tool was used to segment the tumor solid region into two habitat subregions based on mean diffusivity(MD)maps:high-MD and low-MD habitats.Average diffusion parameter values were extracted from the entire tumor solid region and each habitat subregion.Differences in parameters between methylated and unmethylated groups were compared,and the area under the curve was calculated.Results Among 55 patients,significant differences were observed in all MAP-MRI parameters and MD in the tumor solid region and low-MD habitat,as well as all parameters in the high-MD habitat between methylated and unmethylated groups(t/Z=-3.780-3.153,all P<0.05).The return-to-origin probability(RTOP)in the low-MD habitat demonstrated the highest diagnostic performance,with the area under the curve improving from 0.771 before habitat analysis to 0.827 after habitat analysis.In the high-grade subgroup,significant differences were observed in return-to-axis probability(RTAP)and RTOP in the tumor solid region;RTOP,non-Gaussianity,non-Gaussianity axial,and RTAP in the low-MD habitat;and non-Gaussianity in the high-MD habitat(t/Z=-2.820--1.976,all P<0.05).RTOP in the low-MD habitat again showed optimal diagnostic efficacy(the area under the curve 0.725 before habitat analysis,0.798 after).Multivariate analysis identified RTAP and RTOP in the tumor solid region and low-MD habitat as independent predictors of MGMT methylation.Conclusion MAP-MRI diffusion parameters demonstrate the ability to predict MGMT promoter methylation status in glioma,with superior performance compared with diffusion tensor imaging.Habitat imaging further enhances the predictive efficacy of MAP-MRI parameters for MGMT promoter methylation.

Purpose To evaluate the predictive performance of mean apparent propagator-magnetic resonance imaging(MAP-MRI)combined with habitat analysis for determining O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase(MGMT)promoter methylation status in glioma.Materials and Methods This retrospective study analyzed MRI and clinical data from 55 patients with surgically confirmed glioma at Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from January 2019 to December 2023.All patients underwent structural and diffusion-weighted imaging.Three-dimensional volumes of interest were delineated in the tumor solid region using ImageJ software.The nn-FAE tool was used to segment the tumor solid region into two habitat subregions based on mean diffusivity(MD)maps:high-MD and low-MD habitats.Average diffusion parameter values were extracted from the entire tumor solid region and each habitat subregion.Differences in parameters between methylated and unmethylated groups were compared,and the area under the curve was calculated.Results Among 55 patients,significant differences were observed in all MAP-MRI parameters and MD in the tumor solid region and low-MD habitat,as well as all parameters in the high-MD habitat between methylated and unmethylated groups(t/Z=-3.780-3.153,all P<0.05).The return-to-origin probability(RTOP)in the low-MD habitat demonstrated the highest diagnostic performance,with the area under the curve improving from 0.771 before habitat analysis to 0.827 after habitat analysis.In the high-grade subgroup,significant differences were observed in return-to-axis probability(RTAP)and RTOP in the tumor solid region;RTOP,non-Gaussianity,non-Gaussianity axial,and RTAP in the low-MD habitat;and non-Gaussianity in the high-MD habitat(t/Z=-2.820--1.976,all P<0.05).RTOP in the low-MD habitat again showed optimal diagnostic efficacy(the area under the curve 0.725 before habitat analysis,0.798 after).Multivariate analysis identified RTAP and RTOP in the tumor solid region and low-MD habitat as independent predictors of MGMT methylation.Conclusion MAP-MRI diffusion parameters demonstrate the ability to predict MGMT promoter methylation status in glioma,with superior performance compared with diffusion tensor imaging.Habitat imaging further enhances the predictive efficacy of MAP-MRI parameters for MGMT promoter methylation.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of combination of dapagliflozin and sacubitril valsartan on patients with heart failure(HF)complicated with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 160 patients with HF and T2DM admitted to our hospital from November 2020 to November 2022.According to drug treatment,they were classified into sacubitril valsartan group(80 cases)and combined group(dapagliflozin combined with sacubitril valsartan,80 cases).After 3 months of treatment,the differences were compared between the two groups in following aspects:blood glucose fluctuations,left ventricular diastolic function,and vascular endothelial function,and the incidence of adverse events after 1 year of follow-up.Results After 3 months of treatment,serum FPG,2 h-PG and HbAlc levels,and MAGE,LAGE,MODD and SDBG values were significantly lower in the combined group than the sacubitril valsartan group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The combined group had obviously higher e'and LVEF values while lower LVMI and BNP levels than the other group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).After 3 months of treatment,NO and FMD were notably higher[96.18±6.70 ng/L vs 92.34±6.85 ng/L,P=0.000;(8.25±1.16)％vs(7.72±1.28)％,P=0.007],while ET-1(59.72±4.95 ng/L vs 63.90±4.63 ng/L,P=0.000)was remarkably lower in the combined group than the sacubitril valsartan group.There was no statistical significance in the total incidence of adverse events between both groups after 1 year of follow-up(P＞0.05).Conclusion The combination of dapagliflozin and sacubitril valsartan has a significant improvement effect on blood glucose,left ventricular diastolic function and vascular endothelial function in T2DM patients with HF,with good drug safety.

Objective:To investigate impacts of a deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithm on image quality of lower extremity CTA with low kVp and reverse flow direction scanning.Methods:From January 2021 to March 2021, fifty patients with suspected lower extremities diseases and received lower extremity CTA with low kVp and reverse flow direction scanning in Union Hospital affiliated to Fujian Medical University were retrospectively collected in this study. Six groups of CT images were reconstructed at the thickness of 0.625 mm using two algorithms including ASIR-V of three blending ratios (ASIR-V 20%, ASIR-V 50% and ASIR-V 80%) and DLIR of three strengths (DLIR-H, DLIR-M and DLIR-L). Regions of interest (ROIs) were placed on proximal abdominal aorta (AA), distal AA, left and right common iliac arteries, left and right femoral arteries (upper segment), left and right superficial femoral arteries (middle segment), left and right popliteal arteries. The CT value and SD value were measured for each group; the signal-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. The lower extremity CTA was divided into four segments, and the subjective evaluation was independently performed on noise and sharpness using 4 points scales by two radiologists. One-way analysis of variance was utilized to evaluate the differences in subjective scoring and objective parameters among the six groups.Results:For all arteries segments, with the increase of blending ratios for ASIR-V and reconstruction strength of DLIR, the SD values were reduced while SNR and CNR were increased (all P<0.05). Among the six groups, DLIR-H and ASIR-V80% images had lowest SD as well as highest SNR and CNR (all P<0.05). In comparison to ASIR-V20% and ASIR-V50% images, DLIR-H images showed lower SD, higher SNR and CNR values (all P<0.05). There were no statistical differences between ASIR-V80% and DLIR-H images in SD, SNR and CNR values (all P>0.05). Subjective scoring results showed that the DLIR-H images displayed the best noise performance for the entire lower extremity arteries from AA to the foot artery, and the sharpness scores of DLIR-H images were also significantly higher than ASIR-V80% (all P<0.05). Conclusion:DLIR can significantly reduce the image noise and improve the image quality in CTA for abdominal aorta to lower extremity arteries. DLIR-H showed the greatest noise reduction ability and the best effect balancing noise and sharpness, providing highest image quality.

Objective: To evaluate the application of laplacian-regularized mean apparent propagator (MAPL)-MRI to brain glioma-induced corticospinal tract (CST) injury. Materials and Methods: This study included 20 patients with glioma adjacent to the CST pathway who had undergone structural and diffusion MRI. The entire CSTs of the affected and healthy sides were reconstructed, and the peritumoral CSTs were manually segmented. The morphological characteristics of the CST (track number, average length, volume, displacement of the affected CST) were examined and the diffusion parameter values, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), mean squared displacement (MSD), q-space inverse variance (QIV), returnto-origin probability (RTOP), return-to-axis probabilities (RTAP), and return-to-plane probabilities (RTPP) along the entire and peritumoral CSTs, were calculated. The entire and peritumoral CST characteristics of the affected and healthy sides as well as those relative CST characteristics of the patients with motor weakness and normal motor function were compared. Results: The track number, volume, MD, RD, MSD, QIV, RTAP, RTOP, and RTPP of the entire and peritumoral CSTs changed significantly for the affected side, whereas the AD and FA changed significantly only in the peritumoral CST (p < 0.05). In patients with motor weakness, the relative MSD of the entire CST, QIV of the entire and peritumoral CSTs, and the AD, MD, RD of the peritumoral CST were significantly higher, whereas the RTPP of the entire and peritumoral CSTs and the RTOP of the peritumoral CST were significantly lower than those in patients with normal motor function (p < 0.05 for all). In contrast, no significant changes were found in the CST morphological characteristics, FA, or RTAP (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusion MAPL-MRI is an effective approach for evaluating microstructural changes after CST injury. Its sensitivity may improve when using the peritumoral CST features.

Objective: To evaluate the application of laplacian-regularized mean apparent propagator (MAPL)-MRI to brain glioma-induced corticospinal tract (CST) injury. Materials and Methods: This study included 20 patients with glioma adjacent to the CST pathway who had undergone structural and diffusion MRI. The entire CSTs of the affected and healthy sides were reconstructed, and the peritumoral CSTs were manually segmented. The morphological characteristics of the CST (track number, average length, volume, displacement of the affected CST) were examined and the diffusion parameter values, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), mean squared displacement (MSD), q-space inverse variance (QIV), returnto-origin probability (RTOP), return-to-axis probabilities (RTAP), and return-to-plane probabilities (RTPP) along the entire and peritumoral CSTs, were calculated. The entire and peritumoral CST characteristics of the affected and healthy sides as well as those relative CST characteristics of the patients with motor weakness and normal motor function were compared. Results: The track number, volume, MD, RD, MSD, QIV, RTAP, RTOP, and RTPP of the entire and peritumoral CSTs changed significantly for the affected side, whereas the AD and FA changed significantly only in the peritumoral CST (p < 0.05). In patients with motor weakness, the relative MSD of the entire CST, QIV of the entire and peritumoral CSTs, and the AD, MD, RD of the peritumoral CST were significantly higher, whereas the RTPP of the entire and peritumoral CSTs and the RTOP of the peritumoral CST were significantly lower than those in patients with normal motor function (p < 0.05 for all). In contrast, no significant changes were found in the CST morphological characteristics, FA, or RTAP (p > 0.05 for all). Conclusion MAPL-MRI is an effective approach for evaluating microstructural changes after CST injury. Its sensitivity may improve when using the peritumoral CST features.

Objective:To explore the technical advantages of MR cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) with single breath holding high parallel acquisition factor 3-D variable flip angle fast spin echo (3D-SPACE) sequence.Methods:From November 2018 to March 2019, 75 patients who underwent MRCP examination in our hospital were prospectively enrolled, with single breath holding high parallel acquisition factor 3D-SPACE sequence and free breathing navigation gated 3D-SPACE sequence. Three experienced radiologists scored the overall image quality, artifacts, CBD visibility, left and right hepatic ducts, right anterior and posterior branches, second and third branches, main pancreatic duct and gallbladder duct with four scales. Paired t test was used for statistical analysis. Results:The scanning time of single breath holding method (18 s) was significantly shorter than that of free breathing diaphragm navigation method［264（226，313）s］, and the difference between the two methods was statistically significant ( Z=-7.520， P<0.001). The SNR, CR and CNR (8.31±4.23, 0.92±0.30, 11.46±5.77) of single breath holding method were lower than those of free breathing diaphragm navigation method (11.23±5.70, 0.93±0.38, 15.06±7.37), and the differences between the two methods were also statistically significant ( t=4.378, 3.429, 4.063, P<0.05). The overall image quality, artifact, the CBD, left and right hepatic duct, right anterior and posterior branchs, the second and third branches, main pancreatic duct and cystic duct of single breath holding method were higher than those of free breathing diaphragm navigation method, and the differences between the two methods were statistically significant ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Compared with the free breathing diaphragm navigation gated 3D-SPACE MRCP imaging method, the single breath holding high parallel acquisition factor 3D-SPACE MRCP imaging method has less artifacts and examination time, but higher visibility to pancreaticobiliary tree and work efficiency, which is worthy of further promotion.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of The Stork OTC conception aid kit for the treatment of male infertility compared with natural sexual intercourse.Methods:A multi-center, prospective, open, self-controlled, randomly crossed trial was performed in 57 infertility couples who were unable to naturally conceive, and were selected in Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Reproductive Medicine Center,Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Anhui Provincial Hospital from July 2017 to September 2018. Patients were required to participate both the conception aid kit and natural sexual intercourse in two consecutive periods of ovulation. A random envelope method was used to determine the application sequences of two methods. Twenty-nine couples were treated with the conception aid kit in the first month of ovulation, and applied the natural sexual intercourse in the second month of ovulation as group A. Twenty-eight couples were applied the natural sexual intercourse in the first month of ovulation, and were treated with the conception aid kit in the second month of ovulation as group B. Test results collected from all couples who used the conception aid kit were categorized as the test group data. Meanwhile, test results out of those couples who completed natural sexual intercourse were collected as control group data. Compared with its self-controlled natural sexual intercourse two months before and after, the effectiveness and safety of the conception aid kit was verified by general vaginal examination, routine leucorrhea examination, motile sperm score from post coital test (PCT), pregnancy rate comparison and other methods.Results:The trial was conducted at three clinical trial centers. A total of 57 infertility couples were enrolled. A total of 54 couples were validated eventually including 26 couples in group A and 28 infertility couples in group B. Effectiveness was evaluated. The PCT results showed that the sperm score of test group was 6.11±3.00, and the score of the sperm score of control group was 1.22±0.79. The motile sperm score of test group was 5 times ( P<0.001) than that in control group. In the follow-up, 7 (13.0%) of the couples successfully achieved pregnancy with the conception aid kit, 6 (85.7%) of them had healthy offspring, 1 (14.3%) had spontaneous abortion. No couples were pregnant after natural sexual intercourse. Safety was evaluated. The general examination of the vagina and the routine tests of the vaginal leukorrhea showed no difference between test group and control group. All 54 effective couples who completed the test can successfully use the conception aid kid to place the seminal vesicles containing semen and remove them with the attached pulling thread on time without obvious discomfort. Conclusion:The Stork OTC conception aid kits can effectively treat infertility, significantly increase the number of forward-moving sperm entering the cervix, and significantly increase the pregnancy rate. It is safe, non-invasive, simple, can be easily operate by patients themselves, and meets the needs of clinical applications.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of The Stork OTC conception aid kit for the treatment of male infertility compared with natural sexual intercourse.Methods:A multi-center, prospective, open, self-controlled, randomly crossed trial was performed in 57 infertility couples who were unable to naturally conceive, and were selected in Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Reproductive Medicine Center,Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Anhui Provincial Hospital from July 2017 to September 2018. Patients were required to participate both the conception aid kit and natural sexual intercourse in two consecutive periods of ovulation. A random envelope method was used to determine the application sequences of two methods. Twenty-nine couples were treated with the conception aid kit in the first month of ovulation, and applied the natural sexual intercourse in the second month of ovulation as group A. Twenty-eight couples were applied the natural sexual intercourse in the first month of ovulation, and were treated with the conception aid kit in the second month of ovulation as group B. Test results collected from all couples who used the conception aid kit were categorized as the test group data. Meanwhile, test results out of those couples who completed natural sexual intercourse were collected as control group data. Compared with its self-controlled natural sexual intercourse two months before and after, the effectiveness and safety of the conception aid kit was verified by general vaginal examination, routine leucorrhea examination, motile sperm score from post coital test (PCT), pregnancy rate comparison and other methods.Results:The trial was conducted at three clinical trial centers. A total of 57 infertility couples were enrolled. A total of 54 couples were validated eventually including 26 couples in group A and 28 infertility couples in group B. Effectiveness was evaluated. The PCT results showed that the sperm score of test group was 6.11±3.00, and the score of the sperm score of control group was 1.22±0.79. The motile sperm score of test group was 5 times ( P<0.001) than that in control group. In the follow-up, 7 (13.0%) of the couples successfully achieved pregnancy with the conception aid kit, 6 (85.7%) of them had healthy offspring, 1 (14.3%) had spontaneous abortion. No couples were pregnant after natural sexual intercourse. Safety was evaluated. The general examination of the vagina and the routine tests of the vaginal leukorrhea showed no difference between test group and control group. All 54 effective couples who completed the test can successfully use the conception aid kid to place the seminal vesicles containing semen and remove them with the attached pulling thread on time without obvious discomfort. Conclusion:The Stork OTC conception aid kits can effectively treat infertility, significantly increase the number of forward-moving sperm entering the cervix, and significantly increase the pregnancy rate. It is safe, non-invasive, simple, can be easily operate by patients themselves, and meets the needs of clinical applications.