Objective To investigate the relation between serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) level and endothelial function before and after living donor kidney transplantation in uremic patients.Methods A total of 38 renal transplant patients (21males and 17 females) and 36 healthy controls (20 males and 16 females) were enrolled. Plasma ADMA, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (SeGSHPx), C-reactive protein (CRP) were mea-sured before transplantation and on Days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 posttransplantation. The brachial artery flow mediated dilatation (FMD) was studied before transplantation and on the 28th day after the transplantation. Results Serum levels of ADMA,SDMA,MDA and CRP were significantly increased, and the activities of nitric oxide (NO) and SeGSHPx were decreased in uremic patients compared with age matched healthy subjects (all P＜0.01). Serum levels of ADMA,SDMA,MDA and CRP decreased while the activities of NO and SeGSHPx increased significantly at the first day after the transplantation (all P＜0.01). The decrement of plasma SDMA normalized on the 28th day (P＞0.05). The FMD was lower in the patients than the control group (P＜0.01) and improved significantly on the 28th day of posttransplantation (P＜0.05). Serum levels of ADMA were positively correlated with MDA (r=0.412, P＜0.01;r=0.342,P＜0.01) and negatively correlated with the values of SeGSHPx (r=-0.345, P＜0.01;r=-0.315, P＜0.01) and FMD (r=-0.452,P＜0.01;r=-0.416,P＜0.01) both before and after kidney transplantation. Conclusion The level of serum ADMA is associated with endothelial function improvement in uremic patients both before and after kidney transplantation.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of applying an ArcCHECK detector to the dose verification for ultra-long target volumes of cervical cancer.Methods:This study retrospectively selected patients suffering from cervical cancer with ultra-long target volumes (lengths: ≥ 26 cm; 50 cases; the ultra-long target volume group) and conventional target volumes (lengths: < 26 cm; 50 cases; the conventional target volume group). Subsequently, this study designed treatment plans using the Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) technique and then collected and verified doses using an ArcCHECK detector. The dose detection for the conventional target volume group was performed at the central point of the detector (marked by iso and Short-0 cm). Then, the detector was moved for 5 cm along the bed exit direction (marked by iso 1), followed by the dose verification of the ultra-long target volume group (marked by Long-5 cm) and conventional target volume group (marked by Short-5 cm). The geometric parameters (the length and volume of a target volume), mechanical parameters (machine hop count and the duration of irradiation), and gamma pass rates (GPRs) under different detection conditions of each group were analyzed.Results:The target lengths, target volumes, machine hop counts, and irradiation durations of the ultra-long target group were higher than those of the conventional target group ( t = 2.61-18.56, P < 0.05). For the conventional target group, the GPRs at iso 1 were significantly lower than those at iso ( t = 2.14-8.17, P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the GPRs at iso 1 of the ultra-long target volume group were significantly lower than those of the conventional target volume group ( t = -4.70 to -2.73, P < 0.01). The GPRs of each group met clinical requirements for criteria of both 3%/3 mm and 3%/2 mm. Conclusions:The deviation of the positioning center and the length of the target volume serve as primary factors affecting the dose verification result of cervical cancer. For ultra-long target volumes, dose verification can be performed by moving the positioning center, thus ensuring treatment accuracy for cervical cancer patients.