Objective To investigate the distribution characteristics of pathogens causing infections within 90 days after liver transplantation and the influencing factors of infection. Methods Clinical data of 176 recipients who underwent liver transplantation at the Liver Transplant Center of Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from September 2021 to August 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the infection group (n=124) and the non-infection group (n=52) based on whether they developed infection within 90 days after transplantation. The distribution characteristics of pathogens in infected patients were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the influencing factors of infection. Results Among the 176 liver transplant recipients, 124 cases developed 243 episodes of 518 bacterial, fungal, viral or mycoplasma infections within 90 days after transplantation, with an overall infection rate of 70.5% (124/176). The composition of pathogens was mainly Gram-negative bacteria (38.6%, 200/518), followed by Gram-positive bacteria (32.2%, 167/518) and viruses (15.4%, 80/518), and fungi accounted for 13.1% (68/518). Among Gram-negative bacteria, the main pathogen was Klebsiella pneumoniae (6.8%, 35/518), and among Gram-positive bacteria, the main pathogen was Enterococcus faecalis (8.5%, 44/518). Viruses included Epstein-Barr virus (3.7%, 19/518) and cytomegalovirus (3.7%, 19/518), and fungi were mainly Candida albicans (6.8%, 35/518). The most common infection site among the 243 episodes was pulmonary infection (42.0%, 102/243), followed by abdominal infection (22.6%, 55/243) and bloodstream infection (18.1%, 44/243). The infections mainly occurred within 2 weeks after transplantation (60.9%, 148/243). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that preoperative infection within 2 weeks, a high preoperative model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and preoperative sarcopenia were independent risk factors for infection within 90 days after liver transplantation (all odds ratio>1, P<0.05). After multivariate correction, the levels of CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells within 90 days after surgery were independently associated with the occurrence of infection. Low levels of CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells might be related to an increased risk of infection. Conclusions The infection rate after liver transplantation is high, and the pathogens are mainly Gram-negative bacteria. The lungs are the most common infection site. Preoperative MELD score, preoperative sarcopenia and preoperative infection within 2 weeks are independent risk factors for infection within 90 days after liver transplantation. Regular monitoring of immune indicators CD4⁺T cells and CD8⁺T cells levels after transplantation is helpful to reduce the occurrence of post-transplantation infection.

Plutonium isotopes(238Pu,239Pu,240Pu and 241Pu)in the environment are important"fingerprint"nuclides in the study of nuclear activity traceability.The content of plutonium isotopes in the environmental metrics is usually very low,and the measurement of these isotopes,especially 238Pu,using mass spectrometry is seriously interfered with by the coexisting 238U.The analysis of several plutonium isotopes in soil usually requires combination of multiple measurement techniques,which leads to a long analysis time and large uncertainty in the isotope ratio.In this work,the hydrous titanium oxide(HTiO)precipitated by the hydrolysis of titanium oxydichloride(TiOCl2)under near-neutral condition was used to preconcentrate plutonium from the soil digestion solution,and the highly efficient decontamination of 238U in the sample was achieved by TK200 resin column chromatography with a decontamination factor of 108.Simulation resuts of density functional theory(DFT)showed that NH3 was considered as a promising reaction gas to eliminate the interference of 238U from 238Pu measurement using mass spectrometry due to the significant discrepancy of the chemical reactivity of U+and Pu+with the reactive gas NH3.Experiments confirmed that by optimizing the flow rates of collision gas(He)and reaction gas(NH3),the interference of 238U could be effectively suppressed,and the decontamination factor of 238U was 104.Combined with chemical separation,the overall decontamination factor of 238U could reach 1012 by using the developed method.By combining chemical separation and tandem quadrupole inductively coupled plasmon-mass spectrometry(ICP-MS/MS)measurement,the simultaneous determination of four ultra-trace plutonium isotopes in soil was realized,and the detection limit of plutonium isotopes was at the femtogram level.Analysis of the international standard reference materials(NIST-SRM-4357 and IAEA-384)showed that the established method could be successfully used for the accurate analysis of ultra-trace four plutonium isotopes(238Pu,239Pu,240Pu and 241Pu)in soil samples.

This study aimed to address the limitations of current diagnostic methods for well leg compartment syndrome(WLCS),including invasiveness,high costs,and insufficient accuracy,by proposing a solution based on electrical impedance tomography(EIT)technology.The electrical response characteristics of the human calf muscle to changes in compartment pressure using EIT were investigated,aiming to visualize the effects of pressure variations on the electrical properties within the compartment and to provide technical support for early non-invasive detection of WLCS.EIT sensors were placed on the right calf of the experimental subjects,with pressure applied externally to the right thigh.Measurements were conducted in two phases:pre-pressure(pre)and post-pressure(post).Pre-pressure,the conductivity distribution image σpre was measured when the calf was placed horizontally.Post-pressure,the calf was raised at an angle of approximately 30°,and pressures of 0,40,80,and 120 mmHg were applied to the right thigh,and the corresponding conductivity distribution images σP=0,σP=40,σP=80,andσP=120were recorded.To quantitatively analyze the pressure effects on the compartment response,paired sample t-test was used to assess the spatial-mean conductivity((σ))from the EIT reconstructed images.Compared to the horizontal position of the right calf,raising the calf at approximately 30° resulted in a significant increase in the spatial-mean conductivity(σ)of the M1 compartment.Furthermore,when pressure was applied to the right thigh while the calf remained at a 30° angle,the spatial-mean conductivity of the M1 compartment σM1 showed an increasing trend with rising pressure.The results indicated that as compartment pressure increased,the volume of extracellular fluid and ion concentration significantly increased,leading to an increase in conductivity,which reflected ischemia and hypoxia in muscle tissue and the related pathophysiological changes.EIT,due to its high sensitivity to conductivity changes,offered a potential effective diagnostic method for non-invasively monitoring the onset and progression of muscle compartment syndrome.

Objective:To analyze the positioning error and the overall setup errors (OSEs) of patients undergoing gamma knife pain-free face mask fractionated treatment for head tumors based on kV orthogonal image guidance.Methods:A total of 58 patients who received image-guided fractionated gamma knife treatment for head tumors with a pain-free face mask at the Gamma Knife Treatment Center of Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital from July 1, 2022 to May 31, 2024 were included in the study. A kV-class orthogonal X-ray IGPS image-guided positioning system was used to collect positioning errors in three translational directions: left-right (X), anterior-posterior (Y), and head-foot (Z), as well as in three rotational directions: left-right (P), anterior-posterior (R), and head-foot ( Y) before correction. After online correction and combined with manual positioning verification, the corrected positioning errors were recalculated. The OSEs in translational and rotational directions were calculated before and after correction. The positioning errors in all six directions (X, Y, Z, P, R, Y) before and after correction were plotted. And the OSE scatter plots in translational and rotational directions were created accordingly. Errors in the six directions and OSEs in translational and rotational directions were compared. The OSEs in translational and rotational directions were analyzed across different age groups and genders. Results:The pre-correction positioning errors in the X, Y, Z, P, R, Y directions for patients were (0.45±1.54) mm, -0.96 (-1.70, -0.28) mm, 1.67 (-0.15, 3.07) mm, (0.70±1.60) °, 0.65 (0.30, 1.19) °, (0.59±0.87) °, and the post-correction positioning errors were (-0.02±0.18) mm, 0.15 (0.10, 0.21) mm, 0.06 (-0.04, 0.16) mm, (0.20±0.79) °, 0.42 (0.19, 0.78) °, (0.20±0.63) °. There were statistically significant differences between before and after correction ( t=2.30, P=0.025; Z=-5.43, P<0.001; Z=-4.10, P<0.001; t=2.56, P=0.013; Z=-3.21, P=0.001; t=3.21, P=0.002). The OSEs in translational (X, Y, Z) and rotational (P, R, Y) directions before correction were 3.07 (1.93, 4.35) mm, 1.90 (1.28, 2.66) °, and the OSEs after correction were 0.27 (0.21, 0.33) mm, 1.08 (0.70, 1.54) °, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-6.60, P<0.001; Z=-5.52, P<0.001). For patients aged 18-44 years, the OSEs in translational (X, Y, Z) and rotational (P, R, Y) directions before and after correction were 3.65 (1.62, 3.95), 0.21 (0.21, 0.31) mm, 3.25 (2.24, 3.96) °, 0.92 (0.59, 1.45) °; for patients aged 45-59 years, the OSEs were 3.57 (2.17, 5.22), 0.29 (0.22, 0.35) mm, 1.89 (1.30, 2.30) °, 1.08 (0.62, 1.51) °; for patients aged 60-74 years, the OSEs were 2.92 (1.74, 4.06), 0.24 (0.19, 0.35) mm, 2.16 (1.09, 2.95) °, 0.98 (0.78, 1.75) °; for patients aged 75-89 years, the OSEs were 3.24 (2.12, 4.37), 0.29 (0.22, 0.47) mm, 1.73 (1.01, 1.83) °, 0.60 (0.47, 1.51) °. There were no statistically significant differences in OSEs of translational and rotational directions before and after correction among the four age groups ( H=1.23, P=0.747; H=1.74, P=0.627; H=7.45, P=0.059; H=2.80, P=0.424). For male patients, the OSEs before and after correction in translational (X, Y, Z) and rotational (P, R, Y) directions were (3.19±1.59), 0.27 (0.27, 0.33) mm, 1.89 (1.27, 2.75) °, (0.84±0.59) °; for female patients, the OSEs were (3.22±1.99), 0.26 (0.25, 0.35) mm, 1.90 (1.34, 2.41) °, (1.04±0.46) °. There were no statistically significant differences in OSEs of translational and rotational directions before and after correction between genders ( t=-0.07, P=0.949; Z=-0.48, P=0.632; Z=-0.02, P=0.161; t=-2.80, P=0.424) . Conclusions:The image-guided system, which is based on the kV orthogonal X-ray stereoscopic imaging, can significantly reduce the positioning errors between fractions of pain-free face mask gamma knife treatment for head tumor patients and improve the positioning accuracy of the gamma knife through the dual verification process of "automatic correction and manual review".

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a non-invasive, high temporal-resolution technique for monitoring brain activity. However, affected by the volume conduction effect, EEG has a low spatial resolution and is difficult to locate brain neuronal activity precisely. The surface Laplacian (SL) technique obtains the Laplacian EEG (LEEG) by estimating the second-order spatial derivative of the scalp potential. LEEG can reflect the radial current activity under the scalp, with positive values indicating current flow from the brain to the scalp (“source”) and negative values indicating current flow from the scalp to the brain (“sink”). It attenuates signals from volume conduction, effectively improving the spatial resolution of EEG, and is expected to contribute to breakthroughs in neural engineering. This paper provides a systematic overview of the principles and development of SL technology. Currently, there are two implementation paths for SL technology: current source density algorithms (CSD) and concentric ring electrodes (CRE). CSD performs the Laplace transform of the EEG signals acquired by conventional disc electrodes to indirectly estimate the LEEG. It can be mainly classified into local methods, global methods, and realistic Laplacian methods. The global method is the most commonly used approach in CSD, which can achieve more accurate estimation compared with the local method, and it does not require additional imaging equipment compared with the realistic Laplacian method. CRE employs new concentric ring electrodes instead of the traditional disc electrodes, and measures the LEEG directly by differential acquisition of the multi-ring signals. Depending on the structure, it can be divided into bipolar CRE, quasi-bipolar CRE, tripolar CRE, and multi-pole CRE. The tripolar CRE is widely used due to its optimal detection performance. While ensuring the quality of signal acquisition, the complexity of its preamplifier is relatively acceptable. Here, this paper introduces the study of the SL technique in resting rhythms, visual-related potentials, movement-related potentials, and sensorimotor rhythms. These studies demonstrate that SL technology can improve signal quality and enhance signal characteristics, confirming its potential applications in neuroscientific research, disease diagnosis, visual pathway detection, and brain-computer interfaces. CSD is frequently utilized in applications such as neuroscientific research and disease detection, where high-precision estimation of LEEG is required. And CRE tends to be used in brain-computer interfaces, that have stringent requirements for real-time data processing. Finally, this paper summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of SL technology and envisages its future development. SL technology boasts advantages such as reference independence, high spatial resolution, high temporal resolution, enhanced source connectivity analysis, and noise suppression. However, it also has shortcomings that can be further improved. Theoretically, simulation experiments should be conducted to investigate the theoretical characteristics of SL technology. For CSD methods, the algorithm needs to be optimized to improve the precision of LEEG estimation, reduce dependence on the number of channels, and decrease computational complexity and time consumption. For CRE methods, the electrodes need to be designed with appropriate structures and sizes, and the low-noise, high common-mode rejection ratio preamplifier should be developed. We hope that this paper can promote the in-depth research and wide application of SL technology.

Objective To investigate and analyze the occupational stress levels and influencing factors among radiation workers in China, and provide a reference for alleviating occupational stress and promoting mental health. Methods Using the general situation questionnaire, Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire, and radiation protection knowledge questionnaire, a convenience sampling method was adopted to investigate the occupational stress of 243 radiation workers in Liaoning, Fujian, Guangdong, and Xinjiang provinces. The independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the influencing factors. Results The average score of Effort-Reward Imbalance was 0.97 ± 0.22, and 100 (41.15%) radiation workers had occupational stress. There were significant differences in the detection rate of occupational stress among radiation workers of different ages, working years in radiation positions, monthly incomes, daily sleep durations, and daily working hours (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis identified daily working hours as a factor contributing to occupational stress. Conclusion The occupational stress among radiation workers in China is relatively severe. It is recommended to pay attention to the associated risks and implement targeted intervention measures to reduce the impact of occupational stress.

Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumor worldwide, ranking first in both incidence and mortality rates. According to the latest statistics from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), approximately 2.5 million new cases and around 1.8 million deaths from lung cancer occurred in 2022, placing a tremendous burden on global healthcare systems. The high mortality rate of lung cancer is closely linked to its subtle early symptoms, which often lead to diagnosis at advanced stages. This not only complicates treatment but also results in substantial economic losses. Current treatment options for lung cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy. Among these, immunotherapy has emerged as the most groundbreaking advancement in recent years, owing to its unique antitumor mechanisms and impressive clinical benefits. Unlike traditional therapies such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, immunotherapy activates or enhances the patient’s immune system to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. It offers advantages such as more durable therapeutic effects and relatively fewer toxic side effects. The main approaches to lung cancer immunotherapy include immune checkpoint inhibitors, tumor-specific antigen-targeted therapies, adoptive cell therapies, cancer vaccines, and oncolytic virus therapies. Among these, immune checkpoint inhibitors and tumor-specific antigen-targeted therapies have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use in lung cancer, significantly improving outcomes for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Although other immunotherapy strategies are still in clinical trials, they show great potential in improving treatment precision and efficacy. This article systematically reviews the latest research progress in lung cancer immunotherapy, including the development of novel immune checkpoint molecules, optimization of treatment strategies, identification of predictive biomarkers, and findings from recent clinical trials. It also discusses the current challenges in the field and outlines future directions, such as the development of next-generation immunotherapeutic agents, exploration of more effective combination regimens, and the establishment of precise efficacy prediction systems. The aim is to provide a valuable reference for the continued advancement of lung cancer immunotherapy.

Enamel demineralization, the formation of white spot lesions, is a common issue in clinical orthodontic treatment. The appearance of white spot lesions not only affects the texture and health of dental hard tissues but also impacts the health and aesthetics of teeth after orthodontic treatment. The prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of white spot lesions that occur throughout the orthodontic treatment process involve multiple dental specialties. This expert consensus will focus on providing guiding opinions on the management and prevention of white spot lesions during orthodontic treatment, advocating for proactive prevention, early detection, timely treatment, scientific follow-up, and multidisciplinary management of white spot lesions throughout the orthodontic process, thereby maintaining the dental health of patients during orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Consensus ; Dental Caries/etiology* ; Dental Enamel/pathology* ; Tooth Demineralization/etiology* ; Tooth Remineralization

Glutamine provides carbon and nitrogen to support the proliferation of cancer cells. However, the precise reason why cancer cells are particularly dependent on glutamine remains unclear. In this study, we report that glutamine modulates the tumor suppressor F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7 (FBW7) to promote cancer cell proliferation and survival. Specifically, lysine 604 (K604) in the sixth of the 7 substrate-recruiting WD repeats of FBW7 undergoes glutaminylation (Gln-K604) by glutaminyl tRNA synthetase. Gln-K604 inhibits SCFFBW7-mediated degradation of c-Myc and Mcl-1, enhances glutamine utilization, and stimulates nucleotide and DNA biosynthesis through the activation of c-Myc. Additionally, Gln-K604 promotes resistance to apoptosis by activating Mcl-1. In contrast, SIRT1 deglutaminylates Gln-K604, thereby reversing its effects. Cancer cells lacking Gln-K604 exhibit overexpression of c-Myc and Mcl-1 and display resistance to chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Silencing both c-MYC and MCL-1 in these cells sensitizes them to chemotherapy. These findings indicate that the glutamine-mediated signal via Gln-K604 is a key driver of cancer progression and suggest potential strategies for targeted cancer therapies based on varying Gln-K604 status.
Glutamine/metabolism* ; Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein/genetics* ; Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation ; Signal Transduction ; Neoplasms/pathology* ; F-Box-WD Repeat-Containing Protein 7/genetics* ; Cell Survival ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Apoptosis

The microstructures of pharmaceutical preparations play a pivotal role in determining their critical quality attributes (CQAs), such as drug release, content uniformity, and stability, which greatly impact the safety and efficacy of drugs. Unlike the inherent molecular structures of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients, the microstructures of pharmaceutical preparations are developed during the formulation process, presenting unique analytical challenges. In this review, we primarily focus on presenting the research methods used to elucidate the microstructures of pharmaceutical preparations, including X-ray imaging (XRI), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and rheometer technology. Subsequently, we highlight the applications, advantages, and limitations of these methods. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and future perspectives in this field. This review aims to provide a comprehensive reference for understanding the microstructures of pharmaceutical preparations, offering new insights and potential advancements in their development.