Objective:To evaluate the acute toxicities and related influencing factors of vertebral-body-sparing proton craniospinal irradiation (VBSpCSI) using pencil beam scanning (PBS) technology in pediatric patients, and to assess spinal growth and survival outcomes.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 pediatric patients treated with PBS-based VBSpCSI at Hebei Yizhou Cancer Hospital between January 2020 and December 2022, and continued to follow up until November 2023. Acute toxicities were assessed, and linear regression analysis combined with receiver operating characteristic curve were employed to investigate the dose-effect relationship between vertebral dose and toxicities. Spinal growth after radiotherapy was evaluated by measuring the Cobb angle on follow-up MRI. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results:The median age of patients at the time of irradiation was 6 years (range, 2-16 years). Two patients (3%) developed grade ≥3 gastrointestinal toxicities, while 7 patients (10%) experienced grade 1 radiation-induced esophagitis. The nadirs of white blood cell count (WBC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) during treatment were significantly negatively correlated with vertebral V 5 Gy ( P=0.009, 0.006, 0.001) and vertebral V 20 Gy ( P=0.007, 0.011, <0.001). When vertebral V 5 Gy<86.5% and vertebral V 20 Gy<73.2%, the incidence of grade ≥3 myelosuppression was significantly reduced ( P<0.001, =0.001). Additionally, younger patient age (in months) and concurrent chemotherapy were also significantly associated with increased acute hematologic toxicity. Among 43 patients with MRI follow-up, no scoliosis, kyphosis, or chronic lumbosacral pain was observed. The 3-year OS and PFS rates were 95.7% and 86.4%, respectively. Conclusions:PBS-based VBSpCSI in pediatric patients demonstrates manageable acute toxicities, with a clear dose-effect relationship between vertebral V 5 Gy , V 20 Gy and hematologic toxicities, and the incidence of non-hematological toxicities remains low. No adverse effects on spinal growth or survival outcomes were observed in the short term.

Objective:To analyze the accuracy of nine estimation methods for umbilical venous catheterization (UVC) insertion depth in neonates.Methods:This prospective study enrolled neonates who underwent successful UVC placement in the Department of Neonatology at Gansu Provincial Women and Child Healthcare Hospital between September 2023 and October 2024. The standard catheter tip position was defined as the junction of the inferior vena cava and right atrium, with a deviation of ≤0.5 cm considered accurate. Patients were stratified by birth weight (BW) into three groups: <1 500 g, 1 500- 2 499 g, and ≥2 500 g. The actual UVC depth was compared with depths estimated using nine methods: Shukla formula, modified Shukla formula, JSS formula, BW formula, Tambasco formula, modified Tambasco formula, Dunn's nomogram, body surface measurement, and ultrasonographic measurement. Accuracy was evaluated using nonparametric tests and Bland-Altman agreement analysis.Results:The study included 111 neonates: 41 (36.9%) in the <1 500 g group, 55 (49.6%) in the 1 500-2 499 g group, and 15 (13.5%) in the ≥2 500 g group. In the <1 500 g group, accuracy rates ranged from 24% to 56%, with body surface measurement showing the highest accuracy (56%); the mean difference from actual depth was－0.073 cm, with 95% limits of agreement (LOA) of－1.764 to 1.618 cm. In the 1 500-2 499 g group, accuracy rate ranged from 15% to 51%, with the modified Tambasco formula being most accurate (51%); the mean difference was 0.113 cm (95%LOA:－1.558-1.783 cm). In the ≥2 500 g group, accuracy rate ranged from 0/15 to 10/15, with Dunn's nomogram being most accurate (10/15); the mean difference was－0.120 cm (95%LOA:－1.380-1.140 cm).Conclusions:The accuracy of the nine UVC depth estimation methods varied across different BW groups and among methods within the same group. Selection of an estimation method should be tailored to the neonate's birth weight.

Objective:To analyze the accuracy of nine estimation methods for umbilical venous catheterization (UVC) insertion depth in neonates.Methods:This prospective study enrolled neonates who underwent successful UVC placement in the Department of Neonatology at Gansu Provincial Women and Child Healthcare Hospital between September 2023 and October 2024. The standard catheter tip position was defined as the junction of the inferior vena cava and right atrium, with a deviation of ≤0.5 cm considered accurate. Patients were stratified by birth weight (BW) into three groups: <1 500 g, 1 500- 2 499 g, and ≥2 500 g. The actual UVC depth was compared with depths estimated using nine methods: Shukla formula, modified Shukla formula, JSS formula, BW formula, Tambasco formula, modified Tambasco formula, Dunn's nomogram, body surface measurement, and ultrasonographic measurement. Accuracy was evaluated using nonparametric tests and Bland-Altman agreement analysis.Results:The study included 111 neonates: 41 (36.9%) in the <1 500 g group, 55 (49.6%) in the 1 500-2 499 g group, and 15 (13.5%) in the ≥2 500 g group. In the <1 500 g group, accuracy rates ranged from 24% to 56%, with body surface measurement showing the highest accuracy (56%); the mean difference from actual depth was－0.073 cm, with 95% limits of agreement (LOA) of－1.764 to 1.618 cm. In the 1 500-2 499 g group, accuracy rate ranged from 15% to 51%, with the modified Tambasco formula being most accurate (51%); the mean difference was 0.113 cm (95%LOA:－1.558-1.783 cm). In the ≥2 500 g group, accuracy rate ranged from 0/15 to 10/15, with Dunn's nomogram being most accurate (10/15); the mean difference was－0.120 cm (95%LOA:－1.380-1.140 cm).Conclusions:The accuracy of the nine UVC depth estimation methods varied across different BW groups and among methods within the same group. Selection of an estimation method should be tailored to the neonate's birth weight.

Objective:To evaluate the acute toxicities and related influencing factors of vertebral-body-sparing proton craniospinal irradiation (VBSpCSI) using pencil beam scanning (PBS) technology in pediatric patients, and to assess spinal growth and survival outcomes.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 pediatric patients treated with PBS-based VBSpCSI at Hebei Yizhou Cancer Hospital between January 2020 and December 2022, and continued to follow up until November 2023. Acute toxicities were assessed, and linear regression analysis combined with receiver operating characteristic curve were employed to investigate the dose-effect relationship between vertebral dose and toxicities. Spinal growth after radiotherapy was evaluated by measuring the Cobb angle on follow-up MRI. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results:The median age of patients at the time of irradiation was 6 years (range, 2-16 years). Two patients (3%) developed grade ≥3 gastrointestinal toxicities, while 7 patients (10%) experienced grade 1 radiation-induced esophagitis. The nadirs of white blood cell count (WBC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) during treatment were significantly negatively correlated with vertebral V 5 Gy ( P=0.009, 0.006, 0.001) and vertebral V 20 Gy ( P=0.007, 0.011, <0.001). When vertebral V 5 Gy<86.5% and vertebral V 20 Gy<73.2%, the incidence of grade ≥3 myelosuppression was significantly reduced ( P<0.001, =0.001). Additionally, younger patient age (in months) and concurrent chemotherapy were also significantly associated with increased acute hematologic toxicity. Among 43 patients with MRI follow-up, no scoliosis, kyphosis, or chronic lumbosacral pain was observed. The 3-year OS and PFS rates were 95.7% and 86.4%, respectively. Conclusions:PBS-based VBSpCSI in pediatric patients demonstrates manageable acute toxicities, with a clear dose-effect relationship between vertebral V 5 Gy , V 20 Gy and hematologic toxicities, and the incidence of non-hematological toxicities remains low. No adverse effects on spinal growth or survival outcomes were observed in the short term.

Objective To investigate the effects of long noncoding RNA(lncRNA)-NRON on apoptosis following myocardial infarc-tion(MI)in mice.Methods The C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups:sham operation(Sham)group,MI group,MI combined with lncRNA-NRON interference lentivirus(MI+shNRON)group,and MI combined with the negative control(NC)lentivirus(MI+NC)group.The expression of lncRNA-NRON was detected using real-time PCR.In addition,the pathology of the myocardial tissue injury was analyzed using HE staining,the myocardial infarction size was examined using TTC staining,and the extent of apoptosis was assessed using the TUNEL assay,respectively.The RPISeq database was used to predict the probability of interaction between lncR-NA-NRON and the voltage-dependent anionic channel protein(VDAC).The effect of lncRNA-NRON on the expression of VDAC protein was detected using Western blotting.Results The lncRNA-NRON expression was significantly increased in the MI group,and the tar-geted knockdown of lncRNA-NRON resulted in alleviation of the pathological myocardial tissue injury,reduction in the myocardial infarc-tion area,and inhibition of apoptosis.The probability of interaction between lncRNA-NRON and VDAC reached 0.9,indicating a high probability of their association.Additionally,lncRNA-NRON could regulate the protein expression of VDAC.Conclusion Knockdown of lncRNA-NRON could reduce the occurrence of myocardial injury following myocardial infarction.This effect may be attributable to a spe-cific mechanism wherein lncRNA-NRON affects the process of apoptosis by binding to VDAC,consequently suppressing its expression.

In the various diseases of oral and maxillofacial system,the incidence of tissue defects is high and harmful,the reconstruction of the morphology and function is difficult,which seriously affects the physiological and mental health of the patients.Dental and maxillofacial regeneration based on stem cells and tissue engineering technology is a potential way for the treatment of dental and maxillofacial defects,and is also the focus of current international competition.Based on the possible mechanism of stem cells regulating organ development,this paper reviews the current status of dental and maxillofacial regeneration and translation,and proposes future direction in this field in order to pro-mote the sustainable development of dental and maxillofacial regeneration and translation.

Objective To investigate the application of susceptibility weighted imaging(SWI)and diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)parameters in clinical diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of mild traumatic brain injury(mTBI).Methods Forty-four mTBI patients were enrolled for observation group,and 32 healthy volunteers were selected as controls.All the patients underwent conventional magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),SWI and DTI scanning of the brain.Fractional anisotropy(FA)and apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)were measured in regions of interest(frontal lobe,genu of corpus callosum,external capsule,internal capsule,thalamus,splenium of corpus callosum,and semioval center).The Glasgow outcome Scale-Extended for traumatic brain injury(GOSE)-TBI was used to evaluate the prognosis at 6 months after discharge.FA and ADC values were compared between two groups by t-test.Correlations between imaging parameters and prognosis were analyzed by Spearman test.Results SWI showed microhemorrhages in 88.6%mTBI patients,with a mean number of 2.36±1.26(range 0-5)and a mean area of(349.48±225.82)mm2.The mean GOSE-TBI score was 7.50±0.51(range 7-8)in the observation group at 6 months after discharge,with 50.00%(22/44)of the patients scored 8.The hemorrhage area was negatively correlated with the GOSE-TBI score(P<0.001).The FA values of the frontal lobe,genu of corpus callosum and left internal capsule in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the FA value of the thalamus between the two groups(P>0.05).The FA values of the frontal lobe and genu of corpus callosum were positively correlated with the GOSE-TBI score(P<0.001).The FA values of the internal capsule and corpus callosum splenium were negatively correlated with the GOSE-TBI score(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the ADC values between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion SWI can sensitively detect microbleeds in mTBI patients.DTI shows mild white matter injury in mTBI patients.FA value is related to the GOSE-TBI score,and is a sensitive index for evaluating the severity and prognosis of mTBI.

Objective:To investigate the application effect of the blended teaching model of "pre-class synchronous small private online course (SPOC)+ flipped classroom+post-class knowledge expansion" in the theoretical teaching of biochemistry and molecular biology. Methods:A total of 951 students majoring in clinical medicine, preventive medicine, and pharmacy in the class of 2020 in Qiqihar Medical College were selected as teaching reform research group (experimental group), and their curriculum relied on the self-built massive open online course (MOOC) curriculum and the MOOC resources of Chinese universities to construct a blended teaching model; the reform methods such as small class grouping, case-based learning, and diversified examination were adopted to carry out theoretical flipped teaching activities with cross integration of cases and knowledge points as the main line. A total of 847 students majoring in clinical medicine, preventive medicine, and pharmacy in the class of 2019 were selected as control group, and the traditional teaching method was used for theoretical courses. The courses were evaluated by offline assessment and online assessment, and feedback information was collected through examination scores, questionnaire survey, and online voting. SPSS 20.0 was used for statistical analysis, and the t-test was used for comparison between groups. Results:The experimental group had a significantly higher total score of final examination than the control group [(92.12±3.88) vs. (86.73±5.27), P<0.05]. The questionnaire survey showed that the students in the experimental group showed a relatively high degree of satisfaction with the blended teaching reform, which increased their participation, experiencing, and sharing activities. The students majoring in clinical medicine in the class of 2020 believed that they had established clinical thinking ability (263, 92.61%) and become familiar with the clinical manifestations and pathogenesis of common diseases (262, 92.25%); the students majoring in preventive medicine in the class of 2020 believed that they had increased their awareness of serving the public (151, 93.21%) and developed the ability to teach and guide healthy living (148, 91.36%); the students majoring in pharmacy in the class of 2020 believed that they had mastered the mechanism of action of drugs for disease treatment (138, 93.24%) and understood the importance of rational drug use in clinical practice (135, 91.22%). Conclusion:The blended teaching model realizes student-centered teaching, stimulates the interest and initiative in learning, and improves learning outcome, thereby improving teaching quality to a certain extent.

OBJECTIVE To compare the acute toxicity characteristics and differences of water extracts from unprocessed and different processed products of Psoraleae Fructus in mice. METHODS Kunming mice were divided into 36 groups, including Psoraleae Fructus raw product group, stir-fried group, salt-baked group, Leigong group, and wine soaked group, as well as control group. Each group of mice was given a single intragastric administration of 0.04 mL·g-1 and observed for 14 d. The body weight, serum biochemical indices, and mortality of the mice were detected, and the LD50 value was calculated to study the toxicity differences of Psoraleae Fructus raw product and different processed products. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference in the body weight of mice before administration in different groups. On the first day of administration, some mice in the administration group showed a certain decrease in body weight. The LD50 values of the Psoraleae Fructus raw product group, stir-fried group, salt-baked group, Leigong group, and wine soaked group were 63.20, 56.92, 51.95, 88.61, 59.02 g·kg-1, respectively. Compared with the control group, the serum ALT and TBA levels in the male mice in the Psoraleae Fructus raw product group were significantly increased; the serum ALT, AST, and TBA levels in the stir-fried group were significantly increased, but the ALP level was not statistically significant; the serum ALP, ALT, AST, and TBA levels in the salt-baked group, Leigong group, and wine soaked group were significantly increased. Compared with the control group, the serum ALP, ALT, AST, and TBA levels in female mice in the Psoraleae Fructus raw product group, salt-baked group, Leigong group, and wine soaked group were significantly increased; the serum ALT, AST, and TBA levels in the stir-fried group were significantly increased; all groups had significantly decreased TP levels. Pathological results showed that there was no abnormality in the liver of mice in the control group; the liver of mice in the Psoraleae Fructus raw product group, stir-fried group, salt-baked group, Leigong group, and wine soaked group had pathological changes such as vacuolar degeneration of liver cells, glycogen degeneration of liver cells, loose cytoplasm of liver cells, and partial central hepatocellular hypertrophy; the degree of liver damage in mice caused by different processed products compared with the raw product group: raw product group > wine soaked group > stir-fried group > salt-baked group > Leigong group. Among them, the wine soaking method caused the highest degree of liver damage, while the Leigong method caused the least. CONCLUSION Psoraleae Fructus has different toxicities after being processed by different methods. According to LD50, the toxicity of Leigong method processed products is significantly reduced.

Objective:To examine the value serum calcium and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels measured on the first day after total thyroidectomy on prediction for permanent hypoparathyroidism.Methods:Totally 546 patients with thyroid cancer and benign thyroid lesions who underwent total thyroidectomy at Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University from February 2008 to December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 158 males and 388 females aging (50.9±13.2) years (range: 19.0 to 79.2 years). Serum calcium and iPTH levels were collected before surgery, on the first day and 6 months after surgery. Logistic regression was used to analyze the correlation between each data and the occurrence of permanent hypoparathyroidism after surgery.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the predictive power of iPTH for postoperative occurrence of permanent hypoparathyroidism.Results:Among the 546 cases of total thyroidectomy, 22 cases of permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred, with an incidence of 4.0% (22/546). Multivariate analysis showed that iPTH levels on the first day after total thyroidectomy ( OR=2.932, 95 %CI: 1.129 to 7.616, P=0.027) and serum calcium levels ( OR=2.584, 95 %CI: 1.017 to 6.567, P=0.046) were independent prognosis factors for postoperative permanent hypoparathyroidism. When the threshold value of iPTH at 24 hours after total thyroidectomy was 5.51 ng/L, the AUC was 0.956 (95 %CI: 0.936 to 0.972, P=0.000), sensitivity was 100%, specificity was 85.1%, positive predictive value was 22%, negative predictive value was 100%. When the threshold value of serum calcium at 24 hours after total thyroidectomy was 1.93 mmol/L, the AUC was 0.733 (95 %CI: 0.694 to 0.770, P=0.000), sensitivity was 63.6%, specificity was 78.1%, positive predictive value of 10.8% and negative predictive value of 98.1%. Conclusions:Serum iPTH and calcium levels on the first day after total thyroidectomy were related to the occurrence of permanent hypoparathyroidism postoperatively. The predictive value of iPTH level is higher than that of serum calcium level.