Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of the early slope value of enhancement in differentiating benign from malignant musculoskeletal masses.Methods Dynamic contrast-enhanced gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state imaging(GRASS) was performed to evaluate 36 musculoskeletal masses(18 malignant,18 benign).The difference of the early slope value of enhancement was analysed and compared between benign lesions and malignant ones.Using ROC curve plotting obtained the best decisive threshold.Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to determine the relation between slope and microvessel density of tumor tissues.Results The average early slope value of enhancement was (4.33?2.70)% per second (range 0.97%～10.50% per second)for malignant lesions,and was (1.46?0.97)% per second(range 0.37%～3.86% per second)for benign ones.There was an apparent statistical significance between benign and malignant tumors(?

Objective To compare the accuracy and feasibility among CT, MR, and CT-MR image fusion technology in the delineation of gross target volume (GTV) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods Thirty-six consecutive patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent NPC were enrolled. Each pa-tient underwent both CT and MR scanning in the same treatment position. Several lead marks were made at the exactly same locations of the body surface before CT and MR scanning. The two sets of images were then transferred to the Tomcon workstation for image fusion. CT-MR image registration was performed using Land-Mark methods. GTV of each patient was contoured on CT (GTV_(CT)), MR (GTV_(MR)) and CT-MR (GTV_(CT-MR)) images. Results The mean GTV_(CT), GTV_(MR) and GTV_(CT-MR) were 27.60 cm~3, 30.99 cm~3 and 31.71 cm~3, respectively (F = 7.48, P = 0.001). Significant difference was found between GTV_(CT) and GTV_(MR) (q =2.54,P=0.016), GTV_(CT) and GTV_(CT-MR) (q =3.10,P =0.004), but not GTV_(MR) and GTV_(CT-MR) (q = 1.31 ,P = 0. 199). Significant difference among GTV_(CT), GTV_(MR) and GTV_(CT-MR) was found in patients with skull base invasion (35.65, 42.70 and 44.22 cm~3 ; F = 14. 13, P = 0. 000), but not in those without skull base invasion (20.79 cm~3, 20.46 cm~3 and 21.18 cm~3 ; F = 0.18, P = 0.832). Significant difference between GTV_(CT) and GTV_(CT-MR) was found in patients with T_3 and T_4 tumor (t = -2.17,P =0. 036), but not in those with T_1 and T_2 (t = -0.66 ,P = 0.514). Conclusions CT-MR image fusion is helpful in GTV de-lineation for NPC, particularly for patients with skull base invasion.

Objective In order to understand the children's blood lead load and presence status of blood lead levels,provide the first-hand information on further preventive intervention in high lead hyperlipidemia.Methods This study routinely collected 5 to 9-year-old children's blood,a total of 1963 cases.Peripheral blood lead levels was detected by atomic absorption spectrometry.Results Blood lead ≥ 100μg/L is 45 cases in 1963 cases of children, the rate is 2.3%, the highest is 439μg/L,only one.Other 44 persons' blood lead level is 100 ~ 200μg/L,average 149.2μg/L.Conclusion The children's blood lead levels in Beilun district of Ningbo city is in normal state in general,not high blood lead load.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of microsurgery for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in elderly patients.Methods Totally 143 patients with intractable primary TN who received microsurgery were retrospectively analyzed.There were 92 cases in the elderly group with age of 65-82 years,and the other 51 cases in control group with age of 40-62 years.All the patients in both groups were classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Scale Grade 1 to 3.After suboccipital retrosigmoid craniotomy,microvascular decompression (MVD) was performed in 136patients and partial sensory trigeminal rhizotomy in 7 patients.The complications and efficacy were compared between the two groups.Results 87 cases in the elderly group and 49 cases in control group underwent MVD procedure,complete and part pain relief were achieved in 78 cases and 9 cases in the elderly group,45 cases and 4 cases in control group,respectively.After an average follow-up period of 2.6 and 2.1 years,4 cases (5.1％) among 79 follow-up cases and 3 cases (6.5％) among 46follow-up cases experienced TN recurrences in the elderly and control groups,respectively.No statistically significant differences existed in the efficacy and recurrence rate between the two groups (P＞0.05).There were 3 cases with aseptic meningitis,1 cases with hearing decrease,1 case with cerebrospinal fluid leakage,1 case with pulmonary infection and 1 cases with deliration in the elderlygroup,meanwhile,1 cases with aseptic meningitis,1 case with tinnitus and 1 case with cerebrospinal fluid leakage after surgery in control group (P＞0.05).No facial hypoesthesia appeared in the patients receiving MVD.5 cases in the elderly and 2 cases in control group underwent partial trigeminal rhizotomy with facial hypoesthesia,but the pain released,and no recurrence was found.There were no dead cases in both groups.Conclusions With cautious and proper treatment,microsurgical procedure can be performed safely and effectively in the elderly TN.

Objective To investigate and design a coincidence detection system for an all-digital small animal PET scanner and evaluate its preliminary performance properties.Methods This coincidence module adopted a coincidence identification mode based on singles data in list-mode.Using digital signal processing technology,energy calibration,crystal identification,timing alignment and coincidence events extraction were performed on singles data in list-mode.The obtained data could be used for image reconstruction.Results The 13 × 13 crystal array was well recognized by the position histogram of one lutetium yttrium orthosilicate (LYSO) crystal block.In the coincidence timing histogram of the micro-Derenzo phantom,1.36 ns full width at half maximum was obtained.The rods with a diameter of 1.2 mm were clearly displayed in the reconstructed image of the micro-Derenzo phantom.Conclusion The coincidence module can provide satisfactory performance to meet the design needs of an all-digital small animal PET scanner.

This paper presents a new pulse oximeter used to low perfusion at 0.125% and wide oxygen saturation range from 35% to 100%. In order to acquire the best PPG signals, the variable gain amplifier(VGA) is adopted in hardware. The self-developed auto-correlation modeling method is adopted in software and it can extract pulse wave from low perfusion signals and remove motion artifacts partly.
Artifacts ; Equipment Design ; Oximetry ; instrumentation ; Software

Objective To evaluate the prognostic significance of carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) expression in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods CA IX expression in a cohort of 120 patients with ccRCC was evaluated by P-V immunohistochemistry with a rabbit CA IX polyclonal antibody. Twenty-five normal kidney tissues were used as a control. The relationship between CA IX expression and prognosis was analyzed by univariate and multiple-factor analysis (Cox regression model). The primary end point was cancer specific survival. Results One hundred and twelve (93.3%) patients were followed up with the median follow-up time of 45 months (range, 6 to 94 months). Seventy-five patients survived without evidence of tumor recurrence, 3 patients survived with tumor recurrence, and 34 patients died, 28 of the 34 died of cancer. CA IX expression was negative in all normal renal tissue. High CA IX expression was observed in 89 (74.2%) patients, among which 82 patients were followed up, and the disease free survival was 75.6% (62/82). Two (2.4%) patients survived with tumor recurrence, and 18 (22.0%) patients died, of which 13 (15.9%) died of cancer. Tumor recurrence and (or) metastasis occurred in 9 (11.0%) patients, with a median survival of 92 months in this high expression group. Low CA IX expression was observed in 31 (25.8%) patients, among which 30 patients were followed up, and the disease free survival was 43.3% (13/30). One (3.3%) patient survived with tumor recurrence, and 16 (53.3%) patients died, of which 15 (50.0%) died of cancer. Tumor recurrence and (or) metastasis occurred in 8 (26.7%) patients with a median survival of 53 months in this low expression group. Cancer specific survival between CA IX high expression group and low expression group was significantly different (P=0.000, χ2=15.950), and tumor relapse and (or) metastasis rates were significantly different (P=0.040, χ2=4.200). The 1, 3, 5 and 7 year cancer specific survival rates were 95.2%, 83.9%, 81.2% and 78.2% respectively in the high CA IX expression group, and 89.5%, 63.9%, 46.8% and 40.1% respectively in the low expression group. Multivariate analysis with Cox regression model showed that CA IX expression was a prognostic factor (RR=0.186). Conclusions High CA IX expression is negatively correlated with postoperative mortality, relapse and (or) metastasis in ccRCC. CA IX expression could be used as a prognostic biomarker in ccRCC.

OBJECTIVETo assess the results of 26 patients with tethered cord syndrome (TCS) after microsurgical operation.

METHODSTwenty-six patients with TCS were treated microsurgically and their clinical data were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS72% of the patients with TCS showed significant improvement. Surgical outcome was excellent in relieving pain and sensorimotor deficits, but bladder dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONEarly diagnosis and adequate surgical release are the keys to a successful outcome.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Neural Tube Defects ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Dry eye disease is a multifactorial disease affecting the ocular surface, lacrimal glands and meibomian glands.Its incidence is gradually increasing and tends to occur in the younger.Its main features are ocular surface inflammation caused by tear film instability and high osmotic pressure of tears.Moreover, there is a vicious circle between inflammation and ocular surface damage.Immune-related inflammatory responses play a key role in this process.Regulatory T cell (Treg) is a subset of T cells with immunoregulatory functions, which are closely related to the occurrence and development of dry eye, and can inhibit the inflammation of dry eyes by acting on antigen-presenting cells and T helper cell (Th)1/Th17.Recent studies have shown that Treg in dry eye is abnormal in number or function and closely related to the risk factors of dry eye such as age and gender.In addition, by increasing the number of Tregs and promoting their differentiation to alleviate inflammatory response can provide new treatment strategies in dry eye.The correlation between Treg and dry eye and its related research in the pathogenesis and treatment of dry eye were reviewed in this article.

Objective: To analyze the effects of twirling reinforcing and reducing manipulations on protein expres-sion in parietal cortex of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and elucidate the main mechanisms and differences between two manipulations in hypertension treatment. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into the control, model, twirling reinforcing manipulation (TRFM), and twirling reducing manipulation (TRDM) groups. The control and model groups received catch and fixation stimulations once a day for 14 days. The TRFM and TRDM groups were intervened once a day for 20 min for 14 days. On days 0, 2, 6, 10, and 14 after acupuncture, rat systolic blood pressures (SBPs) were measured. Differential protein (DP) expression in the rat parietal cortices was detected. Thereafter, GO functional significance and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed. Results: Compared with the model group, SBP of rats in the TRDM and TRFM groups decreased on days 6 and 10 of acupuncture, respectively (P=.009; P<.001). Moreover, SBP of the TRDM group was signif-icantly lower than that of the TRFM group on days 10 and 14 of acupuncture (P = .015; P = .013). Compared with control group, 601 and 1040 DPs were up-and downregulated, respectively, in the model group. Compared with model group, 44 and 28 up-and downregulated DPs were expressed, respectively, in the TRFM group. Compared with model group, expression of 616 and 427 up-and downregulated DPs, respectively, was found in the TRDM group. After combining the results of GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, five and one pathways were found to be related to the central antihypertensive mechanism of the parietal cortex during twirling reducing and reinforcing manipulations, respectively. Conclusion: TRDM showed a more effective antihypertensive effect on SHRs than TRFM; this antihy-pertensive effect was related to the regulation of different proteins and their biological functions.