Background and purpose: Radiation therapy has entered the era of precise radiotherapy. Set-up error becomes important factor affecting the effects of radiotherapy. The aim of this study was to analyze the set-up accuracy of the in-house developed technique of body plate with vacuum cushion and thermoplastic mask (Group A) and the conventional technique of arm support (Group B) in thoracic tumor radiotherapy. Methods: A total of 19 patients with thoracic tumor were enrolled in this study and randomly separated into Group A and Group B. The patients of Group A underwent the secondary set-up: align the marker on vacuum cushion and patient's body to the room laser, cover the patient's body with thermoplastic mask and align the marker on the mask to the room laser. The patients of Group B were directly setup by aligning the marker on the patient's body to the room laser. The kilo-voltage cone beam computed tomography (KV-CBCT) was performed on each patient to collect the pre- and post-treatment CBCT images. The CBCT images were registered to the planning CT to analyze the translational error of Group A and Group B. Results: The pre-treatment set-up errors of Group A vs Group B were (1.06±0.58) vs (1.82±0.82) mm in left and right (LR) direction, (1.31±0.40) vs (2.18±1.20) mm in superior and inferior (SI) direction, and (1.28±0.66) vs (2.94±1.81) mm in anterior and posterior (AP) direction. The post-treatment set-up errors of Group A vs Group B were (0.86±0.54) vs (1.29±0.58) mm in LR direction, (1.07±0.58) vs (1.08±0.45) mm in SI direction, and (0.98±0.53) vs (1.56±0.63) mm in AP direction.Conclusion: The in-house developed immobilization technique of body plate with vacuum cushion and thermoplastic mask was more accurate and reproducible than the conventional immobilization technique of arm support in thoracic tumor radiotherapy.

Objective: To analyze the clinical pathologic characteristics of cases with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) positive of exfoliated urothelial cells, so as to evaluate the clinical utility of FISH in the diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma (UC).Methods: A total of 271 cases of FISH positive in Department of Urology of Peking University First Hospital from Apr.2012 to Sep.2015 were recruited in this study.Retrospective analysis was made on their clinical data.For FISH analysis, labeled probes specific for chromosomes 3, 7, 17, and the p16 (9p21) gene were used to assess chromosomal abnormalities indicative of malignancy.The positive predict values (PPV) of all the techniques were analyzed.Results: Of the 271 patients, 207 cases were UC, 7 cases were non-UC, and 57 cases were benign diseases.The PPV of FISH in detecting UC was 76.4%, while the 95% confidence interval (CI) 71.3% to 81.5%.In the cohort of FISH positive, this value was similar to that of urinary cytology (PPV 86.8%, 95% CI: 78.5%-95.0%).The PPV of FISH was lower than that of cystoscopy and ureteroscopy (PPV 96.1%, 95% CI: 91.7%-100.0%).There were significant differences between this study and the PPV of FISH reported abroad (PPV 53.9%, χ2=33.048, P<0.001).Of all the UC with FISH positive, bladder cancer showed an earlier pathological stage versus renal pelvic carcinoma and ureteral carcinoma, with significance (χ2=5.894, P=0.015, and χ2=13.601, P<0.001, respectively).However, no difference was found in the size, pathological stage and pathological grade of tumors between the urinary cytology positive group and the urinary cytology negative group.The rate of high-grade UC in ureteral carcinoma of FISH positive was 92.3%, much higher than that of ureteral carcinoma reported domestically.Conclusion: The PPV of FISH in detecting UC is higher relatively, with a better clinic value for Chinese patients.The ureteral carcinoma with FISH positive obtains a higher pathological grade, which is of great guiding significance for UC.

Objective To establish a Juema minipig model of myocardial infarction, to evaluate the clinical indi?ces in the model pigs, and to explore the relationship between gene expression and metabolic decompensation. Methods 13 male Juema minipigs were randomly divided into control (Sham, n=5), myocardial infarction (MI, n=5) and normal control (for evaluating the recovery condition after surgery, n=3) groups. In the MI group, the ligation was done at the left descending coronary artery around the 1/3 distance to heart apex. Four weeks after the surgery, the cardiac function and serum biochemistry was analyzed. The histological changes and gene expression profiles in the myocardium in the peri?infarct area were exanimated. Results Ultrasonic images showed that the infarction was formed, the ejection fraction and fraction shortening were significantly reduced in the MI group ( ~32% and ~40% less than those of the sham group). Histological examination showed that myocardial fibers at the peri?infarct area were broken, dissolved, and there was con?nective tissue hyperplasia with increased neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltration. Microarray analysis revealed that two myo?cardial remodeling and pathology mediating pathways, three inflammation?related pathways, and 8 metabolic pathways ( in?cluding fatty acid, amino acid, and glucose metabolic pathways) were significantly changed. Conclusions We have suc?cessfully established a Juema minipig model of myocardial infarction. The less branches of the left descending coronary ar?tery allow us to establish a stable model by surgery with comparable characteristics in the clinic indices. The results of this study provides useful reference characteristics of an animal model with characteristic changes in the peri?infarct area.

Objective To explore the effect of low-dose ionizing radiation on the platelets and leukocytes of the radiation workers.Methods We collected data from a total number of 2 055 radiation related workers and with their cumulative doses.Data on platelets and leukocytes was gathered from physical examination of the staff members,from 2013 to 2015 in Chengdu.T test,variance analysis,x2 test,linear correlation,covariance analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the data.Results Results from the covariance analysis showed that with the increase of cumulative doses,the quantity of platelet and leukocyte appeared a decreasing trend.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that,with the increase of BMI levels and the medium cumulative dose and above (＞4.333 mSv),the risk of thrombocytopenia became more obvious (trend test as P＜ 0.05).In the group with high-dose exposure radiation (＞15.639 mSv) and combined factor as smoking,the risk of developing thrombocytopenia would increase (OR=2.33,95％ CI:1.23-4.44).Staff with cumulative dose of less than 4.332 mSv and exercised more than 1 time per week,the risk of developing low leukocyte would decrease (OR=0.26,95％CI:0.09-0.70).Conclusions Along with the increase of cumulative doses on exposure to radiation related workers.The quantity of platelet and leukocyte showed a decreasing trend among them.When this high-dose exposure radiation combined with overweight/obesity or cigarette smoking,the risk of developing thrombocytopenia was high.However,physical exercise might have served as protective factor on leukopenia.

AIM:We investigated how AT 1-R stimulated by mechanical stresses induces cardiac fibrosis .METHODS:We produced in vivo cardiac pressure overload model in angiotensinogen knockout ( ATG-/-) mice and in vitro mechanically-stretched cell model in cultured neonatal cardiac cells of ATG-/-mice both lack the participation of Ang II .RESULTS: Pressure overload for 4 weeks in ATG-/-mice induced myocardial hypertrophy accompanied by the significant interstitial fibrosis , however , the TGF-β, a key regulatory factor of fibrosis, was not significantly increased in these ATG-/-mice.Meanwhile, the inhibitor for AT1-R significantly inhibited mechani-cal stress-induced cardiac fibrosis in these ATG-/-models whereas inhibition of TGF-βdid not.CONCLUSION:The results showed that mechanical stress-induced fibrotic responses through AT 1-R required the phosphorylation of Smad 2 but not the involvement of TGF-β.

Objective To study the value of postmortem imaging on the diagnosis of intestinal perforation.Method Postmortem imaging(PMCT and PMCTA)data of 2 intestinal perforation deaths(and 4 controlled cases)were reviewed retrospectively.Diagnosing capacities of intestinal perforation by postmortem imaging method were further investigated.Results PMCT is sensitive in detecting the free air and liquid induced by intestinal perforation.PMCT can sometimes detect the gravity-dependent purulent secretions in the abdominopelvic cavity.PMCTA can visualize the extravasation of contrast agent from the perforation,which can be used to locate the accurate perforation region.Conclusion Postmortem imaging method(PMCT and PMCTA)is an important tool for the diagnosis of intestinal perforation,which can not only be used as a forensic diagnosis method,but is also useful to locate the perforation site before an forensic autopsy.

Objective Based on the gene expression omnibus(GEO)database,bioinformatics methods were employed to analyze the expression characteristics of hypoxia-related differentially expressed genes(HRDEGs)in ischemic stroke,and key genes were screened,to provide important support for a deeper understanding of ischemic stroke.Methods The GSE16561 and GSE58294 datasets were downloaded from the GEO database,and Python software was used for data integration.The Combat method was employed to eliminate batch effects while retaining disease grouping characteristics.Principal component analysis was conducted to reduce dimensionality of the data before and after batch effect removal,and intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)testing was performed on the ischemic stroke and normal control groups.Gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)and single-sample GSEA were conducted on the merged and batch effects eliminated dataset,with a nominal P-value(NOM P-val)＜0.05 and false discovery rate P-value(FDR P-val)＜0.25 used as criteria to select significantly different gene sets.Differential expression genes between the ischemic stroke samples and normal control samples after merging and eliminating batch effects of the GSE16561 and GSE58294 datasets were identified using R software,with an absolute value of log2 gene expression fold change(FC)≥0.58 and adjusted P-value(Padj)＜0.05 as selection criteria.Intersection with hypoxia-related genes obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI)in the United States yielded the HRDEGs.Gene ontology(GO)and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses were performed on the HRDEGs,and the STRING database was used to construct a protein-protein interaction network of differentially expressed genes.The top 10 key genes were filtered using Cytoscape 3.8 software.Results The ICC analysis results showed excellent consistency in the ischemic stroke and normal control samples after batch effect removal,with ICC values of 0.94 and 0.98 for the GSE16561 and GSE58294datasets,respectively.GSEA results demonstrated significant enrichment of 34 gene sets in the stroke samples in the newly merged and batch effects removed dataset from GSE16561 and GSE58294,leading to the identification of 404 differentially expressed genes(all with Padj＜0.05),including 354 upregulated genes and 50 downregulated genes.Intersection with hypoxia-related genes yielded 64 HRDEGs.GO enrichment analysis indicated significant enrichment of HRDEGs in vesicle lumen,cytoplasmic vesicle lumen,secretory granule lumen,with molecular functions such as amide binding,peptide binding,phospholipid binding,and enzyme inhibitor activity.These genes are primarily involved in the positive regulation of cytokine production,regulation of immune response,response to bacterium-derived molecules,and response to lipopolysaccharide,among other biological processes.KEGG enrichment analysis revealed enrichment of HRDEGs in pathways related to lipid and atherosclerosis,Salmonella infection,neutrophil extracellular trap formation,nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor signaling pathway,protein glycosylation in cancer,tuberculosis,and necroptosis.Based on the protein-protein interaction network,10 key genes were identified,including arginase1(ARG1),caspase1(CASP1),interleukin1 receptor type 1(IL-1R1),integrin subunit alpha M(ITGAM),matrix metalloproteinase9(MMP9),prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2),signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3),Toll-like receptor2(TLR2),TLR4,and TLR8.Conclusion This study has identified 10 key genes associated with ischemic stroke and hypoxia through bioinformatics mining,which maybe provid potential targets for subsequent research and diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.

Objective: To investigate the molecular characterization of adult diarrhea cases caused by enterotoxic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and explore the practical model of epidemiology for laboratory technique and data needs based on the surveillance network. Methods: Epidemiological design and sampling targeted adult cases ETEC caused diarrhea in epidemic season. The enterotoxin type, serogroup, resistance, colonization factor and molecular type of ETEC were identified. Multiple dynamic phenotypic characteristics of ETEC were indicated by multidimensional and multivariable data. Results: From 2016 to 2018, 84 eligible ETEC strains were detected. The dominant serums/toxins were O∶6 (STh), O∶25 (LT), O∶159 (STh), O∶153 (STh). O∶6 (STh+CS21), which replaced O∶25 and O∶159 as the popular clones in 2018. Six cases of O∶153 (STh+CFA/I+CS8+PT34) in outbreak in 2017 were imported ones. The resistance rates of ETEC strains detected in adults to sulfasoxazole, naproxinic acid, ampicillin and azithromycin were more than 30%, multidrug resistance (MDR) reached 58.3%. Serum/toxin types suggested that attenuated strains were more likely to become MDR. Molecular typing confirmed that the genetic similarity of the dominant clone of O∶6 serogroup (PT20-24) was higher than O∶25 and O∶159. There was a high correlation between the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of azithromycin and the resistant gene mphA (87.5%, 28/32). O∶6 (STh+CS21+mphA) resistant clone was first detected in 2016. Conclusion A new epidemic clone in adult ETEC diarrhea cases in Shanghai was O∶6 (STh+CS21+mphA). For the first time the association between azithromycin resistance gene mphA and a serum group of ETEC was observed. Multidimensional and multivariate analysis techniques based on epidemiology can help reveal the potential transmission pattern of ETEC for the accurate surveillance and early warning of outbreaks.

Humans ; Acute Disease ; Pancreatitis/diagnosis* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Patient Discharge ; Disease Progression