Objectives
The purpose of this study was to observe the imaging characteristics of the novel coronavirus pneumonia.
Methods
Sixty-three confirmed patients were enrolled from December 30, 2019 to ...January 31, 2020. High-resolution CT (HRCT) of the chest was performed. The number of affected lobes, ground glass nodules (GGO), patchy/punctate ground glass opacities, patchy consolidation, fibrous stripes and irregular solid nodules in each patient's chest CT image were recorded. Additionally, we performed imaging follow-up of these patients.
Results
CT images of 63 confirmed patients were collected. M/F ratio: 33/30. The mean age was 44.9 ± 15.2 years. The mean number of affected lobes was 3.3 ± 1.8. Nineteen (30.2%) patients had one affected lobe, five (7.9%) patients had two affected lobes, four (6.3%) patients had three affected lobes, seven (11.1%) patients had four affected lobes while 28 (44.4%) patients had 5 affected lobes. Fifty-four (85.7%) patients had patchy/punctate ground glass opacities, 14 (22.2%) patients had GGO, 12 (19.0%) patients had patchy consolidation, 11 (17.5%) patients had fibrous stripes and 8 (12.7%) patients had irregular solid nodules. Fifty-four (85.7%) patients progressed, including single GGO increased, enlarged and consolidated; fibrous stripe enlarged, while solid nodules increased and enlarged.
Conclusions
Imaging changes in novel viral pneumonia are rapid. The manifestations of the novel coronavirus pneumonia are diverse. Imaging changes of typical viral pneumonia and some specific imaging features were observed. Therefore, we need to strengthen the recognition of image changes to help clinicians to diagnose quickly and accurately.
Key Points
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High-resolution CT (HRCT) of the chest is critical for early detection, evaluation of disease severity and follow-up of patients with the novel coronavirus pneumonia
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The manifestations of the novel coronavirus pneumonia are diverse and change rapidly
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Radiologists should be aware of the various features of the disease and temporal changes
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To analyse the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) early imaging features and the changing trend of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia.
Forty-six patients with COVID-19 pneumonia ...who had an isolated lesion on the first positive CT were enrolled in this study. The following parameters were recorded for each lesion: sites, sizes, location (peripheral or central), attenuation (ground-glass opacity or consolidation), and other abnormalities (supply pulmonary artery dilation, air bronchogram, interstitial thickening, etc.). The follow-up CT images were compared with the previous CT scans, and the development of the lesions was evaluated.
The lesions tended to be peripheral and subpleural. All the lesions exhibited ground-glass opacity with or without consolidation. A higher proportion of supply pulmonary artery dilation (89.13 % 41/46) and air bronchogram (69.57 % 32/46) were found. Other findings included thickening of the intralobular interstitium and a halo sign of ground glass around a solid nodule. Cavitation, calcification or lymphadelopathy were not observed. The reticular patterns were noted from the 14 days after symptoms onset in 7 of 20 patients (45 %). At 22–31 days, the lesions were completely absorbed only in 2 of 7 patients (28.57 %).
The typical early CT features of COVID-19 pneumonia are ground-glass opacity, and located peripheral or subpleural location, and with supply pulmonary artery dilation. Reticulation was evident after the 2nd week and persisted in half of patients evaluated in 4 weeks after the onset. Long-term follow-up is required to determine whether the reticulation represents irreversible fibrosis.
The present study aimed to adapt the Attitudes Toward Accompanied Driving Scale (ATADS) to a Chinese drivers sample and to examine its reliability and validity. Five hundred and seventy-two drivers ...aged 18 to 25 years old were asked to complete the ATADS and a validated Chinese version of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory. The factorial structure of the ATADS was examined using exploratory factor analysis (N = 259) and confirmatory factor analysis (N = 313). The validity of the scale was evaluated by examining the associations between the ATADS factors, demographic variables and driving styles. The results showed that both the findings of the EFA and CFA showed a five-factor structure of the ATADS, including tension, relatedness, avoidance, disapproval and anxiety. Second, significant gender differences were found in tension, relatedness, avoidance and anxiety. Third, tension, avoidance, disapproval and anxiety were moderately or weakly correlated with risky, anxious, angry and careful driving styles. Moreover, the number of traffic accidents after the accompanying phase was positively correlated with disapproval and avoidance. The findings supported the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the ATADS and highlighted the adverse effects of young drivers' negative attitudes toward accompanied driving on their driving styles.
Objective
To observe the evolution of chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) manifestations in 105 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Methods
One hundred five patients with ...confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled from 11 January to 9 February 2020. Sequential chest HRCT examinations were performed. Five stages were identified from the onset of initial symptoms: 0–3, 4–7, 8–14, 15–21, and >21 days (Stages A–E, respectively). A semi-quantitative CT scoring system was used to estimate the sum of lung abnormalities in each stage.
Results
In total, 393 CT scans were collected. The patients underwent 3.8 ± 1.5 CT examinations. Multiple lobes were involved in most cases. The proportion of consolidation and the total CT score gradually increased from Stage A to C and gradually decreased from Stage C to E. The total CT score of lung involvement was significantly higher in Stage C than in Stages B and D. The CT score of the lower lobe was significantly higher than the corresponding upper and middle lobes in Stages A to D.
Conclusions
Most patients with COVID-19 had a disease course of >14 days, and the lung lesions in most patients improved after 14 days since initial symptom onset.
Background
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in humans chronically promotes the neuronal damage in the hippocampus. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is pivotal for the development of numerous hippocampal ...diseases. Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is a prominent feature of OSA. Here in our study, the effects of TLR2 antagonism on the neural damage elicited by CIH were examined.
Methods
Ortho-vanillin (O-vanillin) is an inhibitor of TLR2. Adult male mice were subjected to 8 h of intermittent hypoxia per day with or without O-vanillin for 28 days. Neuronal damage, the number of microglia, the interaction of TLR2 with its adapter protein myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MYD88), the expressions of inflammatory cytokines, and the oxidative stress were observed.
Results
O-vanillin inhibited the increased interaction of TLR2 and MyD88, the activation of NFκB, the aggregation of microglia, the overexpression of proinflammatory agents, the elevation of oxidative stress, and hippocampal neuron cell apoptosis induced by CIH.
Conclusions
Our experiments indicate that TLR2 antagonism may alleviate the hippocampal neuronal damage caused by CIH via inhibiting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.
To examine the value of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-derived fractional flow reserve based on deep learning (DL-FFRCT) on clinical practice and analyze the limitations of the ...application of DL-FFRCT.
This is an observational, retrospective, single-center study. Patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) were enrolled. The patients underwent invasive coronary angiography (ICA) examination within 1 months after CCTA examination. And quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) was performed to evaluate the area stenosis rate. The CCTA data of these patients were retrospectively analyzed to calculate the FFRCT value.
A total of 485 lesions of coronary arteries in 229 patients were included in the analysis. Of the lesions, 275 (56.7%) were ICA-positive, and 210 (43.3%) were FFRCT-positive. The discordance rate of the risk stratification of FFRCT for ICA-positive lesions was 33.1% (91) and that for ICA-negative lesions was 12.4% (26). 14.6% (7/48) patients with mild to moderate coronary stenosis in ICA have functional ischemia according to FFRCT positive indications. In addition, hemodynamic analysis of severely calcified, occluded, or small (< 2 mm in diameter) coronary arteries by DL-FFRCT is not so reliable.
This study revealed that most patients with ICA negative did not require further invasive FFR. Besides, some patients with mild to moderate coronary stenosis in ICA may also have functional ischemia. However, for severely calcified, occluded, or small coronary arteries, treatment strategy should be selected based on ICA in combination with clinical practice.
Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), the hallmark of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), has been reported to play a key role in the development of OSAS-associated cardiovascular diseases ...including cardiac remodeling. RhoA/Rho-kinase (ROCK) pathway has also been implicated in myocardial remodeling, but the exact mechanisms are not fully elucidated. This study's purpose is to investigate the influence of fasudil, a selective ROCK inhibitor, on CIH-induced left ventricular remodeling in rats and its possible mechanisms. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats suffered from CIH or normoxia stimulus and were intervened with vehicle or fasudil (10 mg·kg·d, intraperitoneal injection) for 6 weeks. In this study, treatment with fasudil significantly reversed intermittent hypoxia-induced histopathological transformations and ultrastructural changes in rat myocardium. Moreover, fasudil downregulated the protein levels of RhoA and phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase targeting subunit-1 (MYPT1), thus effectively inhibited the activation of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. Simultaneously, activity of nuclear factor (NF)-kB was suppressed by fasudil, which was accompanied by reduced NF-kB downstream inflammatory genes including interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-a and monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and apoptosis. These results suggest that fasudil attenuates myocardial remodeling in CIH rats, at least partly by suppressing activation of NF-kB. Inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK pathway could become an important therapeutic target in the prevention of OSAS-related cardiomyopathy.
•The interfacial tension change of Ssa-PGPR mixture was investigated.•30/70 was an optimum water/oil ratio in the emulsions.•PGPR and Ssa showed a synergistic effect on the stability of the emulsion, ...such that less PGPR could be used.
This study aimed to develop an innovative water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion with soyasaponin (Ssa) and polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) as emulsifiers. The effects of the oil/water ratio and aqueous Ssa concentration on the stability of emulsions was investigated. The analyses performed include evaluations of the overall stability, droplet size, rheological analysis, and interfacial tension. Research indicated that the most stable W/O emulsion corresponded to a water/oil ratio of 30/70, and the stability could be further enhanced by increasing the concentration of Ssa and PGPR. In the case of a 1% (w/w) Ssa emulsifier, results indicate a decreased particle size, increased viscosity, and increased stability of the prepared W/O emulsions. Furthermore, with 1% Ssa, the Turbiscan stability index (TSI) value of the W/O emulsions at 3% PGPR was lower than that of pure 4% PGPR emulsions. The results clearly show that 3% PGPR and 1% Ssa exhibited a synergistic effect on the stability of the emulsion. Overall, this study establishes a method for constructing food-grade W/O emulsions, which has prospects for certain applications in delivering functional components.
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•Changes of protein’s surrounding microenvironment after the interaction.•Influence of soyasaponin on the structure of 7S and 11S.•Adsorption of soyasaponin–7S/11S mixtures at air-water ...interface.•Force and mode of the interaction by molecular docking.
In this study, the proteins glycinin (11S) and β-conglycinin (7S) were mixed with soyasaponin (Ssa) Ab/Bb to form a composite system. We used fluorescence and synchronous fluorescence spectra to demonstrate the changes in the surrounding environment and the structure of the proteins. Dynamic interface behavior analysis showed the possible interface behavior induced by the composite system. The interactions between Ssa and the proteins, along with the mode of action, were analyzed by molecular docking. The interactions between Ssa and soy protein increased with the change in concentration. The interactions between the two proteins were mediated by tryptophan (Trp) and primarily involved hydrogen bonds, which changed the microenvironment and loosened the protein structure. These results helped in understanding the mechanism underlying the interactions between Ssa Ab/Bb and 7S/11S. Furthermore, these results highlighted the theoretical fundamentals for the future applications of composite systems as surfactants in the food industry.
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