PurposeWith the extensive use of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of hepatic carcinoma (HC), the study of MRI findings and its clinical signiifcance after RFA of HC have important value and can improve the complete ablation rate.Materials and MethodsA retrospective analysis of post-procedure MRI ifndings of 79 patients (114 lesions) with HC were performed, the size of the lesion, the signal changes and enhancement condition were observed at the ifrst, fourth and seventh month after RFA; the two different ifndings of high signal ring on MRI T1WI and local recurrence rate were analyzed.ResultsOne month after RFA, peripheral region of RFA lesion showed high signal on T1WI, and slightly lower signal on T2WI, the size of lesions was slightly larger than pre-procedure, enhancement scan showed the thin homogeneous ring enhanced around the non-enhanced lesions; 4 months later, the size of lesions were relative stable and the periphery enhancement was weaken; 7 months later, the size of lesions were reduced and showed no enhancement. For recurrence lesions, the high signal ring was incomplete on TIWI, the incomplete area showed nodular enhancement on the arterial phase, and most of nodule showed slightly lower signal on the delay phase demonstrated a feature of quick wash-in and wash-out; 7 months after RFA, recurrence rate was 6.12% in patients with complete high signal ring and 43.75% in patients with incomplete high signal ring, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The total survival rate and accumulated survival rate of the patients with complete high signal ring on T1WI were higher than the patients with incomplete ring, the difference was statistically signiifcant (P<0.05).ConclusionThere are characteristic ifndings of MRI examination of liver cancer after percutaneous RFA, observation of the integrity of high signal ring on T1WI image and ifnding of dynamic enhancement scan can early evaluate efifcacy of RFA guide the selection of treatment plan.

Objective To evaluate the clinical curative effect of traditional Chinese medical massage for the treatment of congenital muscular torticollis in the infants with real-time tissue elastography technology, and to explore the clinical application value of real-time tissue elastography. Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out in 120 infants with clinical diagnosis of congenital muscular torticollis. All of the infants were treated with traditional Chinese medical massage once a day, 10 times for a course of treatment, and the treatment lasted 18 courses. The differences of image of the injured sternomastoid muscle were observed before and after treatment by real-time tissue elastography. Results Before massage therapy, the differences between the image scores of injured sternomastoid muscle and those of the healthy sternomastoid muscle were significant ( P<0.01), and the sensitivity of real-time tissue elastography for the diagnosis of congenital muscular torticollis was 93.3% . After massage therapy, the mass of injured sternomastoid muscle was reduced, and the myogenic torticollis was improved, the image scores of injured sternomastoid muscle were similar to those of the healthy sternomastoid muscle ( P>0.05) . The differences of the image scores of injured sternomastoid muscle were sternomastoid muscle ( P> 0.05) . The differences of the image scores of injured sternomastoid muscle were significant before and after therapy ( P<0.01) Conclusion Traditional Chinese medical massage has certain therapeutic effect for the treatment of congenital muscular torticollis in the infants, and real-time tissue elastography technology can reflect the changes of muscle tissue directly and noninvasively, which will provide objective basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of congenital muscular torticollis in the infants.

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles (N-CNPs) with a fluorescence quantum yield of 15.1％ were prepared from sucrose and urea in oleic acid medium by a one-pot solvothermal method.A new approach for quick,sensitive,and selective determination of free chlorine in water was developed based on fluorescence quenching of N-CNPs.There existed a good linear correlation between the fluorescence quenching and the concentration of ClO-in the range of 0.05-25.00 μmol/L.The limit of detection (LOD,S/N =3) was estimated to be 23 nmol/L.This method can be applied to the determination of free chlorine in real water samples.

Objective To survey the female sexual status and its influence factors during the second trimester of pregnancy.Methods The Chinese Version of Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data of 304 women during the second trimester of pregnancy.The investigation results were analyzed.Results Most women reported a decrease in sexual desire(74.7％,227/304),intercourse frequency(90.8％,276/304) and sexual satisfaction(41.1％,125/304).FSFI all dimensions mean scores of these 304 women during the second trimester of pregnancy were less than the critical value,and total FSFI was (20.82±3.74) scores.The female sexual status during the second trimester of pregnancy were affected by age,duration of marriage,education,the way of pregnancy,F=21.974,12.288,3.345,7.748,the differences were statistically significant,P＜0.05.Conclusion Pregnant women are in a low level sexual function during the relative safety stage for sexual behavior during the second trimester of pregnancy,so providing some sexual education is necessary to improve couples' sexual health.

Objective:To explore the differences on clinical characteristics, concomitant diseases and treatment status between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and provide clues for the early diagnosis and treatment of PsA.Methods:Data were collected by in-person interview of 225 patients with psoriasis and 299 patients with PSA who visited the department of rheumatology and Immunology and Department of Dermatology in People′s Hospital of Peking University from November 2020 to May 2021. After informed consent, the questionnaire was completed on site. The differences of clinical characteristics, concomitant diseases, mental health evaluation and treatment status between patients with arthritis (PsA) and patients with psoriasiswere analyzed and compared. Enumeration data were described by frequency. Chi square test was used to compare categorical variables. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors. P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:Dactylitis [ OR(95% CI)=8.439(4.677,15.226), P<0.001], hip pain [ OR(95% CI)=3.442(1.829,6.480), P<0.001], heel pain [ OR(95% CI)=2.621(1.652,4.157), P<0.001] and low back pain [ OR(95% CI)=1.924(1.156,3.203), P=0.012] may be closely related to the progression of PsA ( P<0.05). The three most common concomitant diseases of patients with PsA and psoriasis both were overweight [43.1%(129/299)、29.3%(66/225)], fatty liver [(28.4%(85/299)、23.1%(52/225)]and hypertension[24.1%(72/299、13.3%(30/225)]. The proportion of osteoporosis in PsA group at the age of 30-39 and 40-49 years old was significantly higher than those in psoriasis group (30-39 years old:12.5%(10/80) vs 1.5%(1/65), χ2=6.14, P=0.013; 40~49 years old: 19.2%(15/78) vs 2.0%(1/51), χ2=8.46, P=0.004]. The proportion of hypertension in PsA group was also higher than that in psoriasis group at the age of 40~49 years old[7.0% (21/78) vs 2.7%(6/51), χ2=4.99, P=0.026)]. And the proportion of fatty liver in PsA group was also higher than that in psoriasis group at the age ≥60 years old [(46.0%(23/50) vs 29.1(7/24), χ2=4.99, P=0.025)]. Among 299 PsA patients, 47.1%(141/299) had anxiety tendency, 45.2%(135/299) had sleep disorder and 41.8%(125/299) had depression tendency. Among 225 psoriasis patients, 44.4%(100/225) had anxiety tendency, 40%(90/225) had sleep disorder and 36.9%(83/225) had depression tendency, there was no significant difference in above-mentioned situations between the PsA and psoriasis patients ( P>0.05). Conclusion:More attention should be paid to the management of concomitant diseases and psychological intervention in patients with PsA. When psoriasis patients occur with heel pain, dactylitis, low back pain and hip pain, the risk of development into PsA should be considered.

Objective To understand the status of depression symptoms and influencing factors among Vietnam returned overseas Chinese elders in Shenzhen and to provide evidence for community intervention . Methods Totals of 246 employees were selected by multi-stage random sampling and investigated by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) questionnaires.Then, we assessed the status of depression level ,society support, and activity of daily life, and analyzed their correlations .Results Among 246 employees, 116 employees (47.2%) had no depression, 85(37.5%) had light depression,and 45(18.3%) had moderate and severe depression . Different depression level was related to different ages , gender, living pattem, past occupation, income, whether experienced land expropriation, economic assessment, health assessment, family status, social support, activity of daily life, and negative life event .Conclusions Vietnam returned overseas Chinese elders with resident alone, female, source of income from others , health problems, lost land and so on should be the important subjects of intervention , and the intervention key is timely provided mental support for elders who experienced negative life event .

Gap junctions mediate direct communication between cells; however, toxicological cascade triggered by nonessential metals can abrogate cellular signaling mediated by gap junctions. Although cadmium (Cd) is known to induce apoptosis in organs and tissues, the mechanisms that underlie gap junction activity in Cd-induced apoptosis in BRL 3A rat liver cells has yet to be established. In this study, we showed that Cd treatment decreased the cell index (a measure of cellular electrical impedance) in BRL 3A cells. Mechanistically, we found that Cd exposure decreased expression of connexin 43 (Cx43), increased expression of p-Cx43 and elevated intracellular free Ca2+ concentration, corresponding to a decrease in gap junctional intercellular communication. Gap junction blockage pretreatment with 18β-glycyrrhizic acid (GA) promoted Cd-induced apoptosis, involving changes in expression of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3 and the mitochondrial transmembrane electrical potential (Δψm). Additionally, GA was found to enhance ERK and p38 activation during Cd-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, but had no significant effect on JNK activation. Our results indicated the apoptosis-related proteins and the ERK and p38 signaling pathways may participate in gap junction blockage promoting Cd-induced apoptosis in BRL 3A cells.
Animals ; Apoptosis/*drug effects ; Cadmium/*toxicity ; Calcium/metabolism ; Cell Communication/drug effects ; Connexin 43/genetics ; Enzyme Activation/drug effects ; Gap Junctions/*drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects ; Hepatocytes/cytology/*drug effects ; Rats ; Signal Transduction/drug effects

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of 125I seeds implantation on bone metastasis from radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid carcinoma (RAIR-DTC).Methods A total of 9 RAIR-DTC patients with bone metastases (4 males,5 females,age range:42-87 years) between April 2014 and December 2016 were enrolled in this prospective study.Treatment plan was developed through treatment planning system (TPS).125I seeds implantation was performed under CT guidance.After 2 and 4 months,metastasis size,serum thyroglobulin (Tg) and verbal rating scale (VRS) pain score changes were recorded.Paired t test and two-sample t test were used for data analysis.Results VRS pain score decreased 2 months post-treatment comparing with that before treatment (2.56±0.88 vs 5.22±2.44;t =4.28,P＜0.01).VRS pain score at 4 months post-treatment was 1.78±0.83,which was lower than that at 2 months post-treatment (t =3.48,P＜0.01).The maximum tumor diameters before the implantation and 2 months post-treatment were (6.47± 1.84) cm and (5.08±2.11) cm,respectively (t =9.14,P＜0.01).The maximum tumor diameter at 4 months post-treatment showed a decreasing trend but it was not statistically different compared to that at 2 months post-treatment:((4.52±2.16) cm;t =2.19,P＞0.05).Serum Tg level reduced 2 months after the implantation (lgTg:2.71±0.85 vs 2.94±0.82;t =4.82,P＜0.01).Serum Tg level at 4 months post-treatment (lgTg:2.56±0.81) was lower than that at 2 months post-treatment (t =2.69,P＜0.05).Conclusions 125I seeds implantation is an effective method for treating bone metastasis from RAIR-DTC.It can help to shrink bone metastasis,alleviate pain and improve patients' quality of life.

ObjectiveTo explore the effects and satisfaction of reference-induced blended teaching method in medical statistics teaching for undergraduate students in clinical medicine. MethodA total of 83 clinical medical undergraduate students from the class of 2018 at the Tongji University School of Medicine were enrolled into the study. The effect evaluation of blended teaching based on reference-induced self education （RISE） in the course of medical statistics was conducted. A self-designed questionnaire was used to assess student satisfaction. ResultsCompared with the traditional teaching method group， students’ distinguished achievement rate and pass rate in total score from RISE blended teaching group were 53.7% and 96.3%， respectively， and 83.3% students were satisfied with the overall effect. The RISE blended teaching method had higher satisfaction in stimulating learning interest （90.7% satisfaction rate， P=0.034） and cultivating scientific research ability （96.3% satisfaction rate， P=0.048）. ConclusionThe RISE blended teaching method， which integrates literature guidance with online and offline approaches， organically combines statistical knowledge with clinical research problems. It yields positive results in medical statistics education， stimulating learning interest， and fostering innovative scientific research abilities.

A young female patient with acne and elevated testosterone level underwent plasma steroid hormones testing and found a significant increase in aldosterone. We excluded testing interference and verified the absence of hypertension, hypokalemia, and adrenal occupancy, as well as primary and secondary hyperaldosteronism. During follow-up, a temporal correlation was found between aldosterone levels and the use of drospirenone and ethinylestradiol tablets. It was observed that the combination of drospirenone and ethinylestradiol could lead to the increase of aldosterone level and the concentration ratio of aldosterone to direct renin through different mechanisms. Drospirenone exerts an antagonistic effect on mineralocorticoid receptor to prevent the development of hypertension or hypokalemia. In clinical practice, it is necessary to pay attention to the effect of this drug on screening markers for primary aldosteronism. In the laboratory examination, when female patients with no symptoms of hypertension and hypokalemia but with elevated aldosterone levels are encountered, it can be verified whether they have a history of use of compound estrogen-progestin such as drospirenone and ethinylestradiol tablets, and appropriate tips are provided in the report.