Objective To propose a novel method for image segmentation based on"catalyst" segmentation method.Methods Feeler image was imported into segmentation algorithm as the"catalyst",and whether the candidate nodes should stop segmentation or not was decided according to whether the catalyst appeared in the segmentation result.Results Image segmentation based on "catalyst" segmentation method could judge the right class number for segmented images.Conclusions Primary experiments shows that "catalyst" segmentation method is simple and useful.

Objective: To investigate the physical and intellectual development and mutation characteristics of the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene among 53 newborns with phenylketonuria (PKU), so as to provide insights into the management and genetic counseling of PKU Methods: The medical records of 54 children with definitive diagnosis of PKU and standardized therapy until 2 years at the Center for Neonatal Disease Screening of Shanxi Children' s Hospital from 2018 to 2021 were collected. Newborns' body weight and height developments were evaluated using the World Health Organization growth chart (2006 version), and the intellectual development was assessed using the national criteria of Development Behavior Assessment Scale among Children at Ages of 0 to 6 Years (WS/T 580-2017). The gene mutations were detected among neonates and their children, and the physical, intellectual developments and genetic characteristics of neonates with PKU were descriptively analyzed. Results: The 53 PKU cases included 29 male children and 24 female children, 36 cases with classic PKU and 17 cases with mild PKU, and 30 cases from rural areas and 23 cases from urban areas. The study subjects had a median age of 30 (10) d at initial therapy, and a mean blood phenylalanine concentration of (1 507±685) μmol/L at definitive diagnosis. There were 52 cases with normal height developments (98.11%), and all cases had normal weight and intellectual developments. The mean developmental functional quotient (DFQ) was significantly greater among urban children with PKU than among rural children [(94.92±8.57) vs. (87.65±6.57); t=-3.498, P=0.001], and the mean DFQ was significantly higher among children with mild PKU than among those with classic PKU [(95.55±8.76) vs. (88.57±7.11); t=-3.095, P=0.003]. There were 37 mutations detected in the PAH gene, which were mainly distributed in exons 3, 6, 7, 11, 12 and intron 4. Three high-frequency mutation sites were detected, including c.728G>A, c.611A>G and c.1197A>T, including three novel mutations (c.674C>G, c.1316-2A>C and c.1069T>C). Conclusions Following standardized treatment, the children with PKU have comparable physical and intellectual developments as compared to normal children. c.728G>A, c.611A>G and c.1197A>T were predominant mutations in the PAH gene among these 53 children with PKU, and three novel mutations were identified, including c.674C>G, c.1316-2A>C and c.1069T>C.

BACKGROUND: It is indicated in a large amount of basic researches that compound danshen di wan has a certain action on removing carotid atherosclerotic plaques (CAP), but there is lack of large sample data in randomized, controlled, multi-central clinical experiment.OBJECTIVE: To observe the removing action of compound danshen di wan on CAP, compared with aspirin.DESIGN: Multi-central, randomized controlled experiment was designed.SETTING: Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ultrasonic Department of Xinjing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA; Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Second Clinical Hospital, Xi' an Jiaotong University and Department of Cardiac Internal Medicine of Xi' an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.PARTICIPANTS: Totally 162 cases were selected from the clinic of Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University of Chinese PLA; Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Clinical Hospital, Xi' an Jiaotong University and Department of Cardiac Internal Medicine of Xi' an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 2002 to 2004, aged varied from 40 to 80 years, the thickness of carotid internal media ≥ 1.2 mm. They were randomized into two groups, named danshen di wan group of 89 cases(cases of soft plaque and hard plaque were 49 and 40 respectively) and aspirin group of 73 cases(cases of soft plaque and hard plaque were 42 and 31 respectively).METHODS: In danshen di wan group: compound danshen di wan was administrated orally(10 pills/time, 3 times/day), in aspirin group, enteric soluble aspirin table was administrated orally(75 mg/time, once a day),continuously for 6 months. The alternations of thickness of carotid internal media were determined with ultrasonic B of high resolving power before and after treatment.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in thickness of carotid internal media before and after treatment.RESULTS: By practical measuring analysis, 143 cases accomplished nation of thickness of carotid internal media in the patients with soft plaque:In danshen di wan group, the thickness was remarkably decreased after treatment[ (2. 12 ± 0. 34), (2.44± 0.40) mm, t = 4. 267, P ＜ 0.01 ] . In aspirin group, it was also reduced relatively after treatment[ (2.25 ± 0. 3),of carotid internal media in the patients with hard plaque: The changes were not significant no matter in danshen di wan group or aspirin group in the comparison before and after treatment[in danshen di wan group: (2.46 ±0.42),(2.34 ± 0. 40) mm; in aspirin group: (2.42 ± 0. 44), (2. 36 ± 0. 38) mm,P＞ 0.05].CONCLUSION: Compound danshen di wan acts on removing soft atherosclerotic plaque and its effect is similar to aspirin.

Objective To explore the relationship between gastric juice pH and hospital-acquired pneumonia ( HAP) , the gastric bacterial colonization and etiology of HAP in neurologic intensive care unit patients by monitoring gastric juice pH value.Methods From October 2014 to May 2015, consecutive seventy-two tube feeding patients admitted in the Department of Neurology Intensive Care Unit in Xijing Hospital were enrolled in this research.The type and concentration of pathogens from gastric contents were collected, while samples from upper respiratory tract and pharynx were detected dynamically at the same time.Results (1)The group with new onset HAP was higher in gastric juice pH (6.4(5.4,6.4) vs 5.4 (2.5, 6.4), Z=-2.37, P=0.01); (2) The isolation rate of colonized bacteria in gastric cavity was associated with the pH of gastric juice , achieving 60.8% ( 42/69 ) in HAP group; ( 3 ) When the gastric juice pH was >4, the isolation rate of Gram-negative bacilli in gastric cavity obviously increased (63.6%(28/44) vs 35.7%(10/28),χ2 =5.323, P=0.021); (4)The same pathogens were found in stomach-pharynx-upper respiratory tract in 7 cases ( 17.5%) of the total 40 HAP patients.Conclusion Increased gastric juice pH was associated with gastric colonization , especially Gram-negative bacilli , and may lead to a higher incidence of new onset HAP in patients on enteral feeding.

Objective To investigate the energy intake and complications of continuous and intermittent pump feeding in acute stroke patients and provide a theoretical evidence to support for clinical treatment.Methods From April 2012 to June 2016,69 acute srtoke patients on the nasogastric tube feeding and admitted in the Department of Neurology intensive care unit in Xijing Hospital were enrolled and randomly assigned to have continuous or intermittent pump feeding.The primary endpoint was the efficacy in supplying the desired amount of nutrients by the fifth day and complications(hospital-acquired pneumonia,diarrhea,gastric retention,gastrointestinal bleeding)during the first week.The secondary endpoint was nutritional assessments(albumin,prealbumin,transferrin,hypersensitive c-reactive protein)in the first week.Results Both groups were comparable in acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(13.3±4.7 vs.12.9±4.5),Glasgow coma scale[10(7.2,14)vs.9.5(7.7,12)],National Institute of Health stroke scale[17(15,19)vs.16(13,20)],and Barthel scores[5(0,12.5)vs.10(5,15)](all P>0.05).It was no significantly different in the achievement percentage of the energy determined in the fifth day [93.9％(77.9％,99.8％)in continuous group and 84.8％(75.7％,93.9％)in intermittent group(U=0.144,P>0.05).Intermittent pump feeding significantly reduced the rate of hospital-acquired pneumonia in the first week when compared with continuous pump feeding(58.3％vs.33.3％,X2=4.327,P=0.038),and both groups displayed a moderate number of digestive complications without significant differences,including diarrhea(30.6％vs.27.3％,X2=0.09,P=0.764),gastric retention(2.78％vs.3.03％,X2=0.001,P=1.000),and gastrointestinal bleeding(5.56％vs.9.10％,X2=0.010,P=0.920).No difference could be demonstrated in serum protein markers between two groups in the first week,including prealbumin[0.17(0.13,0.20)g/L vs.0.18(0.15,0.24)g/L,P=0.195),transferrin[1.90(1.52,2.20)g/L vs.1.94(1.65,2.06)g/L,P=0.747),and hypersensitive C-reactive protein[22.5(8.3,50.1)mg/L vs.14.6(6.5,30.5)mg/L,P=0.205].Conclusions Both continuous and intermittent pump feeding can reach the target predictive nutrition(100％of calculated caloric requirements)without statistical differences in the incidences of gastrointestinal complications,and the rate of HAP is lower in intermittent group.Intermittent enteral nutrition can be used as an appropriate method of enteral nutrition support to improve the nutritional status in critically acute stroke patients.

Objective To examine the prognostic value of flow diversion (FD) presented on transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) in patients with large hemispheric infarction (LHI) caused by the unilateral middle cerebral artery (MAC) occlusion.Methods Seventy-three consecutive LHI patients who had occlusion in M1 segment of MAC and were admitted to neurological intensive care unit at Xijing Hospital from January 2012 to June 2016 were reviewed.All the participants had TCD examination after admission,and were grouped according to the presence or absence of FD into FD+ and FD-.Three-month,six-month,and twelve-month functional outcomes of all the participants were collected and analyzed.Long-term survival rates were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to examine the predictive power of FD in patients with LHI.Results Among 73 LHI patients,28 (38.36％) patients were presented with FD.The incidence rates of cerebral herniation,usage of mechanical ventilation,mortality during hospitalization and incidence rates of three-month,six-month and twelve-month poor outcomes were much higher in patients without FD than those with FD.Multivariate analyses demonstrated that FD was independently associated with cerebral herniation (OR=28.943,95％CI 1.922-435.918,P=0.015),usage of mechanical ventilation (OR=11.151,95％CI 1.614-77.018,P=0.014),three-month (OR=20.163,95％CI 3.048-133.362,P=0.002),six-month (OR=3.525,95％CI 1.153-10.773,P=0.027),and twelve-month (OR=4.400,95％CI 1.387-13.960,P=0.012) poor outcomes.FD yielded an area under the ROC of 0.756,allowing for prediction of three-month outcomes of LHI.Conclusion FD presented on TCD is an early predictor of outcomes in patients with LHI.

AIM:To investigate the expression of CUE domain-containing 2 (CUEDC2) in hepatocellular car-cinoma ( HCC) and to analyze its clinical prognostic significance .METHODS:Total 186 formalin-fixed paraffin-embed-ded tissues obtained from surgical HCC with detailed clinicopathological and follow -up data were used .The expression of CUEDC2 was detected by immunohistochemistry .The relationships between the expression of CUEDC 2 and clinicopatholog-ical characteristics and prognosis were analyzed .RESULTS: The positive rate of CUEDC 2 in HCC was 85.5% ( 159/186), among which, the low expression was 52.2%(97/186) and the high expression was 47.8%(89/186).CUEDC2 expression was correlated with serum alpha-fetal protein (AFP) level, tumor size, tumor number, tumor differentiation and TNM stage (P<0.05).Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the patients with high expression of CUEDC 2 were asso-ciated with significantly shorter overall survival and recurrence-free survival than those with low CUEDC 2 expression ( P<0.05).Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed 3 independent prognostic factors including CUEDC 2 expression, ser-um AFP and tumor number .CONCLUSION:CUEDC2 was expressed in most HCC tissues , which was relevant to tumor growth, tumor differentiation and prognosis .CUEDC2 could be a novel valuable molecular marker to predict the HCC prog-nosis.

Methods:Two thousand standard sections images werre collected from 2 000 clinical retrospective pediatric hip ultrasound videos from January 2019 to January 2021. All standard sections were annotated by the annotation team through the self-designed software based on Python 3.6 environment for image cross-media data annotation and manual review standardization process with unified standards. Among them, 1 753 were randomly selected for training the deep learning system, and the remaining 247 were used for testing the system. Further, 200 standard sections were randomly selected from the test set, and 8 clinicians independently completed the film reading annotation. The 8 independent results were then compared with the AI results.Results:The testing set consists of 247 patients. Compared with the clinician's measurements, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of diagnosing hip joint maturity was 0.865, the sensitivity was 76.19%, and the specificity was 96.9%. The AUC of AI system interpretation under Graf detailed typing was 0.575, the sensitivity was 25.90%, the specificity was 89.10%. The 95% LoA of α-angle determined by Bland-Altman method, of -4.7051° to 6.5948° ( Bias -0.94, P<0.001), compared with clinicians' measurements. The 95% LoA of β-angle, of -7.7191 to 6.8777 ( Bias -0.42, P=0.077). Compared with those from 8 clinicians, the results of AI system interpretation were more stable, and the β-angle effect was more prominent. Conclusion:The AI system can quickly and accurately measure the Graf correlation index of standard DDH ultrasonic standard diagnosis plane.

Femoral neck fracture (FNF) in the elderly patients is currently a major health challenge worldwide, with excessive consumption of medical resources, high incidence of complications as well as suboptimal outcome and prognosis. Hip joint arthroplasty (HJA) has been the mainstream treatment for FNF in the elderly, but the conventional surgical approaches and techniques are still confronted with a series of bottlenecks such as dislocation, limp and limb length discrepancy. In recent years, direct anterior approach (DAA) for HJA (DAA-HJA) has been a major new choice in the field of joint replacement, which achieves improved clinical effectiveness of HJA in the treatment of elderly FNF, due to the fact that DAA approach involves the neuromuscular interface and accords with the idea of soft tissue retention and enhanced recovery after surgery. However, there is still a lack of unified understanding of standard technique and procedure of DAA-HJA in the treatment of elderly FNF. Therefore, relevant experts from the Hip Joint Group of Chinese Orthopedics Association of Chinese Medical Association, Youth Arthrology Group of Orthopedic Committee of PLA, Orthopedic Committee of Chongqing Medical Association, Branch of Orthopedic Surgeons of Chongqing Medical Doctor Association and Sport Medicine Committee of Chongqing Medical Association were organized to formulate the " Chinese expert consensus on the technical standard of direct anterior hip arthroplasty for elderly femoral neck fracture ( version 2023)" based on evidence-based medicine. This consensus mainly proposed 13 recommendations covering indications, surgical plans, prosthesis selections, surgical techniques and processes, and postoperative management of DAA-HJA in elderly patients with FNF, aiming to promote standardized, systematic and patient-specific diagnosis and treatment to improve the functional prognosis of the patients.