OBJECTIVETo compare the performance of three different types of RF coil in 3.0T MRI, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and image uniformity in 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging system have been studied.

MATERIALS AND METHODSIn addition to the measurement of SNR and Uniformity based on the protocol recommend by AAPM, the images had also been analyzed using SPSS and MATLAB to get the SNR distribution along two vertical direction and the whole imaging plane.

RESULTSThe SNR with T/R birdcage coil and 8-ch surface coil is seven and twelve times higher than surface coil in the region of interest (ROI), which was set in the center of the phantom images. With regard to the spatial variation of sensitivity, the uniformity of T/R birdcage coil and 8-ch surface coil are also much higher than that of surface coil.

CONCLUSIONThe images from T/R birdcage and phased array coils are all better than those of surface coil. The SNR of the images from phased array coil is highest while the uniformity of the images from T/R birdcage coil is highest.

In this paper, an overview is given on the optimization methods of designing RF coil array. Advantages and disadvantages are also discussed.
Equipment Design ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; instrumentation ; methods ; Radio Waves

Objective:To explore the relationship between their proficiency, needle penetration angle and the success rate of puncture by using a self-developed venipuncture angle monitor based on remote sensing technology, and measured the needle penetration angle of people with different venipuncture proficiency levels.Methods:A total of 30 sophomore medical school undergraduates without venipuncture experience and 30 nurses with more than 3 years of clinical experience each were recruited. Volunteers performed punctures on a rubber puncture model of the arm. The result of each puncture, the volunteer′s estimated insertion angle, and the actual insertion angle measured by the monitor were recorded and analyzed.Results:The puncture success rate of the nurse group was 96.7% (58/60), and the puncture success rate of the student group was 51.7% (31/60). The puncture success rate of the nurse group was higher than that of the student group( χ2 value was 29.4, P<0.05); The estimated difference of the average angle of the nurse group was (5.2 ± 1.9) °, and the estimated difference of the average angle of the student group was (8.9 ± 2.6) °. The estimated difference of the nurse group was less than the student group ( Z value was -7.10, P<0.05); the most suitable venipuncture angle range for beginners was (31.6 ± 6.4)°. Conclusions:There is a correlation between the success rate of venipuncture and the puncture angle, and optimum puncture angle for beginners in the controlled model was (31.6±6.4)°. At both skill levels, operator estimates of the puncture angle were commonly larger than the actual angle. The angle monitor based on remote sensing technology makes the precise study of venipuncture possible.

Objective To evaluate the value of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy(US-CNB) in diagnosing malignant and benign thyroid nodule by meta-analysis.Methods A computer-based online retrieval on the accurate tests of US-CNB for diagnosing thyroid nodule was conducted in PubMed,Cochrane Library (Issue 5,2016),EMbase,CBM,CNKI,VIP,Wangfang Data databases.The retrieval time limit was from the database establishment to June 8,2016.The quality of included articles was assessed by using the quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies (QUADAS).The puncture success rate,diagnosis sensitivity (Sen),specificity (Spe),positive likelihood ratio (+LR),negative likelihood ratio (-LR),diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and area under the curve (AUC) of summary receiver operating characteristic curve (SROC) were served as the outcome indicators.The included data were performed the statistical analysis by using STATA12.0 and Meta-Disc 1.4 softwares.Results A total of 29 diagnostic accuracy trials were finally included,involving 4 213 patients with 4 391 thyroid nodules.The meta-analysis results suggested that the US-CNB puncture success rate was 98.7 ％ [95％ CI (98.3 ％,99.0 ％)];Sen of US-CNB for diagnosing thyroid nodule was 0.94 [95％CI(0.93,0.95)],Spe=0.98[95 ％CI(0.98,0.99)],+LR=33.96[95％CI(20.31,56.78)],-LR=0.06[95％CI(0.04,0.10)],DOR=581.44[95 ％CI(335.08,1 007.87)],and the AUC of SROC was 0.99.Conclusion The current evidences indicate that UG-CNB has high diagnostic accuracy in benign and malignant thyroid nodules,and is worth promotion and application in clinic.

Objective To explore the value of retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement for prevention of perioperative pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with lower extremity/pelvic fracture with deep vein thrombosis (DVT).Methods Clinical data of 1 891 lower extremity/pelvic fracture patients combined with DVT were retrospectively analyzed.Totally 411 patients with permanent filters were excluded,and the other patients were divided into filter group (n=843) and control group (n=637) according to whether receiving retrievable IVC filter placement or not.The incidence of perioperative symptomatic PE and mortality were compared between the two groups.Results In filter group,Optease nonpermanent filters were inserted in 218 patients,and the mean indwelling time was (14.3±3.6) days.Celcet filters were inserted in 625 patients,and the filters were successfully removed in 566 out of 578 patients who underwent filter removal surgery (97.92％,566/578),and the mean indwelling time was (15.8±4.1) days.The incidence of PE in filter group (0.12％[1/843]) was significantly lower than that in control group (1.57％ [10/637],P＜0.05).Among the patients who received chemical anticoagulant therapy,the incidence of PE in filter group and control group was 0.14 ％ (1/700) and 1.47％(9/612),respectively (P＜0.05).Conclusion Retrievable IVC filter placement is a safe and effective method for preventing perioperative symptomatic and fatal PE in lower extremity/pelvic fracture patients with DVT.

OBJECTIVE：To provid e a more accurate calculation method for the determination of drug negotiation base price ， pharmacoeconomic calculation and budget impact analysis and calculation in the process of medical insurance access with buy-and-gift strategy. METHODS ：By the model method and literature research ，understanding the existing price conversion methods of the anti-cancer drugs that currently implement the buy-and-gift strategy ，a new method of drug price conversion was explored on the basis of the survival data of patients in different disease states ，and the core idea and calculation process of the algorithm were analyzed by an example. RESULTS ：The new algorithm was combined with the survival data of patients under different disease states. Its calculation process mainly included obtaining the actual duration of medication use per unit cycle and the theoretical amount of medication ，determining the aid model for anti-cancer drugs under buy-and-gift strategy ，converting the actual price. The simulation calculation was carried out under the one-step drug donation mode ，periodic drug donation mode and preferential installment drug donation mode. CONCLUSIONS ：The conversion method of anti-cancer drug price under buy-and-gift strategy based on survival data makes up for the shortcoming that the existing calculation methods are difficult to reflect the actual price of anti-cancer drugs ，and provides a new calculation method for calculating the actual reference price of anti-cancer drugs for medical insurance access.

Objective To discuss the feasibility,safety and surgical effect of the modified Prolene thread double-headed needle"U-shaped"suture combined with extra-and intracavity combination knotting method in thoracoscopic diaphragm plication in the treatment of diaphragmatic eventration in infants.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of 70 infants who underwent thoracoscopic diaphragm plication in the treatment of diaphragmatic eventration in our hospital from May 2010 to May 2022.According to the different methods of suturing and knotting,the patients were divided into the improved group(modified Prolene thread double-headed needle"U-shaped"suture combined with extra-and intracavity combination knotting method,n =30)and the conventional group(intracavity suture knotting method,n = 40).The perioperative indicators,as well as whether there was knot loosening or recurrence of diaphragmatic eventration,were compared between the two groups.Results All the 70 operations were performed safely and successfully,without conversion to open surgery.The operation time in the improved group was significantly less than that in the conventional group[(35.3±7.4)min vs.(64.7±10.8)min,t =13.521,P =0.000].There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of intraoperative bleeding volume,indwelling time of thoracic drainage tube,postoperative hospital stay,preoperative,intraoperative,and postoperative pH values,PO2,and PCO2 in arterial blood gas,and postoperative slight diaphragm elevation(P>0.05).All the 70 cases were followed up for 6-24 months postoperatively,with a median follow-up time of 12 months,having no knot loosening or recurrence of diaphragmatic eventration.No death was reported.Conclusions The modified Prolene thread double-headed needle"U-shaped"suture combined with extra-and intracavity combination knotting method in thoracoscopic diaphragm plication in the treatment of diaphragmatic eventration in infants is safe,feasible,effective,and easy to operate.Doctors with a certain endoscopic surgery experience can master it quickly,which is suitable for promotion in qualified hospitals.

Uch37 is a de-ubiquitinating enzyme that is activated by Rpn13 and involved in the proteasomal degradation of proteins. The full-length Uch37 was shown to exhibit low iso-peptidase activity and is thought to be auto-inhibited. Structural comparisons revealed that within a homo-dimer of Uch37, each of the catalytic domains was blocking the other's ubiquitin (Ub)-binding site. This blockage likely prevented Ub from entering the active site of Uch37 and might form the basis of auto-inhibition. To understand the mode of auto-inhibition clearly and shed light on the activation mechanism of Uch37 by Rpn13, we investigated the Uch37-Rpn13 complex using a combination of mutagenesis, biochemical, NMR, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques. Our results also proved that Uch37 oligomerized in solution and had very low activity against the fluorogenic substrate ubiquitin-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (Ub-AMC) of de-ubiquitinating enzymes. Uch37Δ(Hb,Hc,KEKE), a truncation removal of the C-terminal extension region (residues 256-329) converted oligomeric Uch37 into a monomeric form that exhibited iso-peptidase activity comparable to that of a truncation-containing the Uch37 catalytic domain only. We also demonstrated that Rpn13C (Rpn13 residues 270-407) could disrupt the oligomerization of Uch37 by sequestering Uch37 and forming a Uch37-Rpn13 complex. Uch37 was activated in such a complex, exhibiting 12-fold-higher activity than Uch37 alone. Time-resolved SAXS (TR-SAXS) and FRET experiments supported the proposed mode of auto-inhibition and the activation mechanism of Uch37 by Rpn13. Rpn13 activated Uch37 by forming a 1:1 stoichiometric complex in which the active site of Uch37 was accessible to Ub.
Binding Sites ; Catalytic Domain ; Chromatography, Gel ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Humans ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular ; Protein Binding ; Protein Conformation ; Protein Multimerization ; Scattering, Small Angle ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Ultracentrifugation

OBJECTIVE To learn from the self-medication tax system in Japan and improve over-the-counter drug cost sharing mechanism in China. METHODS By searching relevant policies and literature ，the evolution ，specific contents ，current situation and effects of Japanese self-medication tax system were summarized. Recommendations were put forward in the light of the actual situation of over-the-counter drug guarantee in China. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS Japan has implemented the self-medication tax system since 2017. The Ministry of Health ， Labour and Welfare has made clear provisions on the preconditions for applying for the tax system and the deduction standards of the tax system ，and established a list of drugs to be responsible for the regular inclusion and discharge of the drugs under the tax system. The self- medication tax system has a remarkable effect in promoting the self-health management ，disease prevention and reducing medical expenses of Japanese residents. Our country can learn from the self-medication tax system in Japan and the experience of implementing the special deduction system for major medical conditions in China. To promote rational self-medication ，it is advisable to add a special deduction system for over-the-counter drugs into deductions in personal income tax and formulate the criteria and scope of application ，and establish a special list of over-the-counter drugs，thereby reducing the heavy burden of medical expenses of residents ，and exploring a new way to share the costs of over-the-counter drugs which is applicable to our national conditions.

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury （MIRI） is a common injury in the treatment of ischemic heart diseases. MIRI can be categorized as chest impediment and palpitation in traditional Chinese medicine， with the pathogenesis related to Qi and blood disharmony. The simultaneous disorders of Qi and blood are the key mechanism of MIRI， and thus the differentiation of Qi and blood syndromes is the prerequisite for the treatment. The theory of Qi and blood interacting in vessels is proposed by our team based on Qi being the commander of blood and blood being the mother of Qi as well as previous pharmacological studies. Specifically， Qi marshals blood by vessels， and the blood carries Qi by vessels. Accordingly， Qi and blood interact in the vessels. MIRI is accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction， platelet function abnormality， and vascular endothelial damage， which are correlated with Qi deficiency， blood stasis， and vessel damage， respectively. Mitochondrial， platelet， and vascular endothelial structural and functional changes triggered by their interactions are one of the mechanisms by which Qi deficiency， blood stasis， and vessel damage lead to the occurrence and development of MIRI. By exploring the correlations between Qi and mitochondria， between blood and platelets， and between vessels and blood vessels， we can explain the modern scientific content of the theory of Qi and blood interacting in vessels in traditional Chinese medicine. According to the pathogenesis of Qi and blood disharmony in vessels， we discussed the pharmacological mechanisms of Qi-replenishing medicines， blood-activating medicines， and their combinations in the prevention and treatment of MIRI. On the basis of the research achievements in the prevention and treatment of MIRI by Qi-replenishing and blood-activating Chinese medicines based on the theory of Qi and blood interacting in vessels， we analyzed the effects of these medicines on Qi， blood， and vessels. According to the theory of Qi and blood， this article reveals the theoretical basis and scientific connotations of the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases， with the aim of providing new ideas and references for the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.