Objective:To explore the application value of CT-guided percutaneous coaxial needle biopsy (CT-PTCB) in the diagnosis of malignant tumors.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted. The clinical data of 802 suspected malignant tumor patients who underwent CT-PTCB upon admission to Beijing Chaoyang District Huanxing Cancer Hospital from January 2019 to December 2023 were analyzed. All patients underwent imaging follow-up combined with CT-PTCB or surgical pathology to determine the final diagnosis. The CT-PTCB puncture effect, diagnosis effect and incidence of complications were recorded.Results:Among the 802 patients, 488 (60.8%) were male and 314 (39.2%) were female, with the age of (51±11) years. The puncture sites included 610 cases (76.1%) in the chest, 169 cases (21.1%) in the abdomen, 17 cases (2.1%) in the bones, and 6 cases (0.7%) in the pelvic cavity. The success rate of CT-PTCB puncture upon admission was 99.5% (798/802), the diagnostic accuracy was 96.5% (774/802), and the false negative rate was 3.5% (28/802). The incidence of pneumothorax and bleeding in patients undergoing pulmonary CT-PTCB was 13.0% (75/575) and 17.9% (103/575), respectively; the incidence of puncture bleeding in patients undergoing liver CT-PTCB was 0.8% (1/125), and the incidence of pain was 1.6% (2/125); the incidence of pneumothorax in patients undergoing mediastinal CT-PTCB was 8.7% (2/23); no obvious complications were observed in other puncture sites. All complications were cured through active treatment.Conclusions:The application of CT-PTCB for the diagnosis of malignant tumors has high success rate and diagnosis rate, and is safe and minimally invasive.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of applying deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) in low-radiation dose liver dual-energy CT to further improve image quality, diagnostic confidence of lesion, and accuracy of iodine concentration (IC) measurement.Methods:This prospective cohort study enrolled 60 patients scheduled for enhanced liver CT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2023 to January 2024. The participants were randomly assigned into the standard dose group and low radiation dose group with 30 cases in each using randomized block method. The standard radiation dose group underwent standard-radiation dose 120 kVp scans during the venous phase, while the low radiation dose group underwent low radiation dose scans with a rapid kVp-switching spectral scanning mode at 80 kVp and 140 kVp. The effective radiation dose (ED) was calculated for both groups. The standard radiation dose group was reconstructed using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-V (ASIR-V) algorithm 40% (AR40 120 kVp). The low radiation dose group using high-intensity DLIR (DLIR-H) to reconstructed 40 keV and 50 keV virtual monoenergetic images (VMI) (DH-VMI 40 keV, DH-VMI 50 keV). The image quality of the above three groups was objectively evaluated through the measurement of image noise and calculation of contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the liver and portal vein; and the image quality was subjectively scored for image noise, contrast, lesion conspicuity, and diagnostic confidence. In the low radiation dose group, DLIR-H and ASIR-V40% reconstructed iodine maps were used to measure the liver and portal vein of IC values, standard deviations (SD), and coefficients of variation (CV). One-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare the differences of subjective and objective image quality among the three groups, and paired t-test was used to compare the differences in measurement indexes between DLIR-H and ASIR-V40% reconstructed iodine maps. Results:The ED in the low radiation dose group [(2.2±0.5) mSv] was reduced by 56.8% compared to the conventional radiation dose group [(5.4±1.4) mSv]. Objective evaluations demonstrated that DH-VMI 40 keV had higher image noise, CNR, and SNR for liver and portal veins compared to AR40 120 kVp ( P<0.001). DH-VMI 50 keV had lower image noise ( P=0.200), with higher CNR and SNR for the liver and portal vein compared to AR40 120 kVp( P<0.001). In subjective evaluation, there was no statistically significant difference in image noise scores between DH-VMI 40 keV and AR40 120 kVp ( P>0.05), while the image noise score for DH-VMI 50 keV was lower than that of AR40 120 kVp ( P<0.05). Both DH-VMI 40 keV and DH-VMI 50 keV had higher scores for contrast, lesion conspicuity, and diagnostic confidence compared to those of AR40 120 kVp ( P<0.05). In the low radiation dose group, there was no statistically significant difference in IC values for the liver and portal vein between the ASIR-V40% and DLIR-H algorithm reconstructed iodine maps ( P>0.05). The SD and CV of liver and portal vein in the DLIR-H reconstructed iodine maps were lower than those in the ASIR-V40% reconstructed iodine maps ( P<0.001). Conclusions:DLIR can effectively reduce the image noise of low-energy (40, 50 keV) VMI, enhance lesion conspicuity and diagnostic confidence, and improve measurement accuracy without affecting IC values.

Objective:To investigate the additional prognostic value of coronary CT angiography (CCTA)-based flow reserve fraction (CT-FFR) over semi-quantitative CCTA risk scores in predicting the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in type 2 diabetic patients.Methods:A total of 231 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who underwent CCTA at Lanzhou University from May 2020 to April 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical baseline data were collected, and patients were divided into a MACE-positive group (20 cases) and a MACE-negative group (211 cases) based on follow-up results. The CCTA images of all patients were analyzed by semi-quantitative CCTA risk score, which included coronary artery disease reporting and data system classification, segment involvement score, segmental stenosis score, Leaman score, and Leiden score. CT-FFR measurements of CCTA data of all patients were performed using Coronary Analysis software. t-test, U-test, and χ2 test were used to compare baseline parameters between MACE-positive and MACE-negative groups. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the relationship between semi-quantitative CCTA risk score and CT-FFR with the occurrence of MACE, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used to calculate the efficacy of the prediction model established by the semi-quantitative CCTA risk score combined with CT-FFR. Results:There was no statistically significant difference in baseline data between patients in the MACE-positive and MACE-negative groups ( P>0.05), and there were significant differences in semi-quantitative CCTA risk scores and CT-FFR ( P<0.05). Multivariate Cox proportional risk regression analysis of CT-FFR≤0.80 ( HR=3.860, 95% CI 1.477-10.087, P=0.006) and Leaman score≥5 ( HR=5.210, 95% CI 1.136-23.908, P=0.029) were the best and independent predictors for the occurrence of MACE events. The combined CT-FFR and Leaman score prediction model (AUC=0.791, 95% CI 0.733-0.842, P<0.001) was a better predictor of MACE than CT-FFR alone (AUC=0.718, 95% CI 0.656-0.775, P<0.001) and Leaman score alone (AUC=0.711, 95% CI 0.648-0.768, P<0.001) both had better predictive efficacy ( Z=2.62, 1.98, P=0.009, 0.047). Conclusion:CT-FFR independently predict the occurrence of MACE in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and significantly improve the predictive capacity of semi-quantitative CCTA risk score for MACE.

Elemene is widely recognized as an effective anti-cancer compound and is routinely administered in Chinese clinical settings for the management of several solid tumors,including non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).However,its detailed molecular mechanism has not been adequately demonstrated.In this research,it was demonstrated that elemene effectively curtailed NSCLC growth in the patient-derived xenograft(PDX)model.Mechanistically,employing high-throughput screening techniques and subsequent biochemical validations such as microscale thermophoresis(MST),microRNA-145-5p(miR-145-5p)was pinpointed as a critical target through which elemene exerts its anti-tumor effects.Inter-estingly,elemene serves as a binding stabilizer for miR-145-5p,demonstrating a strong binding affinity(dissociation constant(KD)=0.39±0.17 μg/mL)and preventing its degradation both in vitro and in vivo,while not interfering with the synthesis of the primary microRNA transcripts(pri-miRNAs)and precursor miRNAs(pre-miRNAs).The stabilization of miR-145-5p by elemene resulted in an increased level of this miRNA,subsequently suppressing NSCLC progression through the miR-145-5p/mitogen-activated pro-tein kinase kinase kinase 3(MAP3K3)/nuclear factor kappaB(NF-κB)pathway.Our findings provide a new perspective on revealing the interaction patterns between clinical anti-tumor drugs and miRNAs.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis(AIS)is a complex three-dimensional deformity involving coronal,sagittal,and axial planes,with a prevalence that should not be overlooked.With advancements in technology and in-depth research,an increasing number of hospitals and physicians are exploring standardized diagnostic and treatment approaches for AIS.Comprehensive and in-depth understanding is required for AIS,including its etiology,screening and diagnosis,classification,assessment and examination,treatment options,exploration of current focus,and evaluation of quality of life.Such understanding ensures that the diagnostic and treatment are scientific,standardized,and timely.Based on the principles of evidence-based medicine,a consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of AIS is reached after multiple discussions among spinal surgery experts,aiming to provide reference and guidance for clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE:To assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treating postmenopausal osteoporosis.METHODS:Clinical randomized controlled trials on acupuncture for postmenopausal osteoporosis were retrieved from databases including CNKI,VIP,WanFang,China Biomedical Literature Service System,Web of Science,PubMed,Embase,and Cochrane Library.The search period was from the inception of the database to July 23,2024.The quality of evidence and risk of bias of the included studies were assessed using the GRADEprofiler and the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials(RoB 2.0).Meta-analysis was performed using StataSE 15 and TSA 0.9.5,along with heterogeneity analysis,sensitivity analysis,subgroup analysis,publication bias analysis,trim-and-fill analysis,and trial sequential analysis.RESULTS:The study included 19 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 1 464 patients.(1)The meta-analysis revealed that compared with conventional therapies,acupuncture significantly increased the total effective rate(RR=1.25,95％confidence interval[1.19,1.32],P＜0.001),lumbar spine L2-L4 bone mineral density(mean difference=0.08,95％confidence interval[0.05,0.11],P＜0.001),and estrogen levels(standard mean difference=0.55,95％confidence interval[0.30,0.81],P＜0.001).Additionally,acupuncture increased bone mineral density and gonadotropin levels in the femoral neck,greater trochanter,and Ward's triangle,reduced visual analogue scale scores,and improved bone metabolism without significantly increasing the incidence of adverse events.(2)Subgroup analysis of the main outcome indicators showed no significant difference between the treatment and control groups when the body mass index was greater than 23.9 kg/m2 and the total treatment duration was 6 months.All other treatment subgroups were significantly superior to the control group.(3)Publication bias analysis indicated a significant risk of publication bias in the overall efficacy;however,a trim-and-fill analysis showed that this risk did not significantly impact the reliability of the conclusions.Publication bias analysis showed no significant risk of publication bias in the bone mineral density values of lumbar spine L2-L4 and estradiol levels.(4)The sequential analysis of the trial further confirmed that acupuncture significantly increased the overall effective rate,bone mineral density values at the lumbar spine L1-L4,and estradiol levels.CONCLUSION:Acupuncture is an effective and safe treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis.More rigorously designed and high-quality studies are needed in the future to verify this conclusion.

Objective To investigate the preoperative prediction of the expression level of programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1)in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)by a nomogram model constructed with clinical data,conventional CT signs and spectral CT parameters.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 52 patients with pathologically confirmed NSCLC and undergoing preoperative spectral CT examination.The patients were categorized into positive and negative groups according to PD-L1 expression level,and their clinical data,conventional CT signs and spectral CT parameters were collected.Specifically,clinical data included gender,age,Ki-67 and tumor markers;conventional CT signs included tumor density,margins,calcification,spiculation,lobulation,pleural indentation and cavitation;and spectral CT parameters measured in the arterial and venous phases included effective atomic number(Eff-Z),iodine concentration(IC),water concentration(WC)and normalized iodine concentration(NIC).Intergroup differences were analyzed,and multivariate Logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors and establish the prediction model which was evaluated for prediction performance and accuracy using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,calibration curve and decision curve analyses.Results For clinical data,only the difference in gender between two groups had statistical significance(P<0.05).The spectral CT parameters(IC,NIC and Eff-Z)in the arterial and venous phases of PD-L1 positive group were all greater than those of PD-L1 negative group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis identified gender(P=0.024),venous-phase Eff-Z(P=0.002),and venous-phase IC(P=0.003)as independent predictive factors for PD-L1 expression.The nomogram prediction model constructed with these independent predictors had an area under curve of 0.80,a sensitivity of 88.00%,and a specificity of 59.00%.The calibration curve showed that the predicted values had a high consistency with the actual values.The decision curve revealed that when the high-risk threshold was between 0.10 and 0.83,the model could achieve the maximum net benefit.Conclusion The nomogram model constructed with spectral CT parameters and clinical data has certain value in predicting the expression level of PD-L1 in NSCLC.

Reporting guidelines are structured checklists for researchers to follow when reporting spe-cific types of studies.As researches conducted in real-world settings to address practical issues,implementa-tion research has stringent requirements for the replicability of result and the transparency of reporting,making its reporting guidelines particularly important.This paper systematically introduces the reporting guidelines in the field of implementation science,outlines their classification systems and scopes of applica-tion,and focuses on explaining the core characteristics and functions of five key reporting guidelines,inclu-ding the Standards for Reporting Implementation Studies(StaRI),Reporting guidelines for implementation and operational research,the Template for Intervention Description and Replication(TIDieR),the Frame-work for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications-Enhanced(FRAME),and recommendations for specifying and reporting implementation strategies.Furthermore,combined with the PEDALs research paradigm in im-plementation science,this paper further clarifies the specific application pathways for reporting guidelines and discusses directions for refinement,aiming to provide references for researchers to select appropriate reporting guidelines.

Objective To investigate the effects of five-element music on depressive behaviors and intestinal flora in offspring of fear-stress rats during pregnancy.Methods Thirty-six 0.5-day pregnant Wistar rats were divided randomly into a control group,fear-stress group,and five-element music group,and the subsequent litters continued the maternal grouping.Pregnant rats in the fear-stress and five-element music groups were modeled on days 1～19 of gestation using the bystander electric method,while the five-element music group was also exposed to Feather Tune five-element music intervention.The fear behavior and serum glucocorticoid(GC)levels in pregnant rats were assessed on day 20 of pregnancy by open field test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,respectively,to evaluate the effectiveness of the model.Depression in 3-week-old offspring was evaluated by open field,tail suspension,and sucrose preference tests.Norepinephrine(NE),dopamine(DA),and 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)levels in the hippocampus of the offspring were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.Changes in the intestinal flora of the offspring were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing.Expression levels of the proximal colonic proteins claudin1,occludin,and ZO1 in the offspring were measured by Western blot assay.Results Pregnant rats in the fear-stress group stayed longer in the area around the open field(P＜0.05),had fewer entries into the central area(P＜0.001),and had higher serum GC levels compared with those in the blank group(P＜0.001).In contrast,five-element music exposure reversed these behavioral changes(P＜0.05)and serum GC levels(P＜0.001)in the fear-stress group.Offspring in the fear-stress group exhibited decreased open-field crossing frequency(P＜0.01),reduced sucrose preference index,and longer immobility time in the tail suspension test(P＜0.05),compared with those in the blank group,together with significantly decreased NE,DA,and 5-HT levels in the hippocampus(P＜0.05).Rats in the fear-stress group showed decreased diversity of the intestinal flora(P＜0.01)and significant alterations in flora structure,including higher abundance of Proteobacteria,Enterobacteriaceae,Enterococcus,and Escherichia(P＜0.05),and lower abundance of Spirochaetes,Spirochaetaceae,Lachnospiraceae,Ruminococcaceae,Treponema,Prevotella,Coprococcus,Allobaculum,Ruminococcus,and Dorea(P＜0.05).The proximal colonic proteins Claudin1,Occludin,and ZO1 were significantly downregulated(P＜0.05).The open-field crossing frequency,sucrose preference index,and duration of tail suspension immobilization were improved in the five-element music group compared with those in the fear-stress group(P＜0.05),while DA and 5-HT levels were significantly restored in the hippocampus(P＜0.05),species diversity of the intestinal flora increased(P＜0.01)and changes in the abundance of the flora were reversed,and the proximal colonic proteins Occludin and ZO1 expression were significantly upregulated(P＜0.05).Conclusions Five-element music intervention during pregnancy can ameliorate fear-stress-induced depression behaviors and intestinal flora disorders in the offspring.

Brain-computer interface (BCI) has high application value in the field of healthcare. However, in practical clinical applications, convenience and system performance should be considered in the use of BCI. Wearable BCIs are generally with high convenience, but their performance in real-life scenario needs to be evaluated. This study proposed a wearable steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)-based BCI system equipped with a small-sized electroencephalogram (EEG) collector and a high-performance training-free decoding algorithm. Ten healthy subjects participated in the test of BCI system under simplified experimental preparation. The results showed that the average classification accuracy of this BCI was 94.10% for 40 targets, and there was no significant difference compared to the dataset collected under the laboratory condition. The system achieved a maximum information transfer rate (ITR) of 115.25 bit/min with 8-channel signal and 98.49 bit/min with 4-channel signal, indicating that the 4-channel solution can be used as an option for the few-channel BCI. Overall, this wearable SSVEP-BCI can achieve good performance in real-life scenario, which helps to promote BCI technology in clinical practice.
Brain-Computer Interfaces ; Humans ; Evoked Potentials, Visual/physiology* ; Electroencephalography ; Wearable Electronic Devices ; Algorithms ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Adult ; Male