Objective:To investigate the effect of organ dose modulation (ODM) technique on reducing the breast radiation dose in chest CT scanning.Methods:In the phantom test, the PBU-2 adult chest module was used. The clinical chest scan protocol was used and three sets of scans performed on the chest module： (1) ODM off group, ODM was not used; (2) ODM part group, ODM was applied only in the breast region； (3) ODM all group, ODM was applied in the whole scan scope. Other scan parameters were same for the three groups, with smart mA applied. The volume CT dose index (CTDI vol) was recorded for all three groups. A long rod ionization chamber was placed in a fixed position in front of the right breast area to measure the breast skin dose (D). The contrast noise ratio (CNR) and the figure of merit (FOM) were measured respectively. In clinical research, 72 female patients who underwent chest CT scanning in Beijing Tongren Hospital Capital Medical University from August to November 2018 were retrospectively recruited. According to the application of ODM, the patients were divided into ODM off group (without ODM, 36 cases) and ODM part group (ODM applied in the breast region, 36 cases). The CTDI vol and the dose length product (DLP) were recorded. CNR, noise of images were measured and calculated, respectively. The image quality was evaluated by subjective evaluation scores. The one way ANOVA analysis was used in comparing the difference of CNR among the 3 groups in module test. As for clinical cases, the independent samples t test was used to compare the difference in CTDI vol, DLP, CNR and the noise between two groups; and the rank-sum test was used for comparison in image quality subjective evaluation. Results:In module test, the radiation dose was highest in ODM off group, and lowest in ODM all group. The CTDI vol were (6.90±0.02), (6.26±0.02) and (5.99±0.02) mGy, and the D values were (9.17±1.01), (8.01±0.92) and (7.58±0.87) mGy for ODM off group, ODM part group and ODM all group respectively. The CNR values of images with soft tissue algorithm reconstruction were highest in ODM off group and lowest in ODM all group, while no statistically significant difference was displayed ( P>0.05). The CNR values of the images with lung algorithm reconstruction showed the same trend, with statistically significant difference among the three groups ( F=154.732, P=0.006). The FOM of the lung and soft tissue algorithm images was maximized when the ODM was partially applied. As for clinical cases, compared with ODM off group, the dose of ODM part group showed significantly decreased, with CTDI vol decreased by 16.12% ( t=2.604, P=0.011), and the DLP decreased by 16.85% ( t=3.293, P=0.002). No significant difference was found in CNR, noise and subjective score by two doctors between two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The application of ODM in chest CT imaging can reduce the radiation dose of breast with simultaneously maintaining the image quality.

Objective:To evaluate correlation between left ventricular mechanical contraction synchrony and left ventricular systolic function by gated myocardial perfusion imaging(GMPI) using Cadmium-Zine-Telluride (CZT) SPECT.Methods:Three hundred and forty three consecutive patients( 232 males, 111 females, age (60.08±12.88) years) who underwent CZT SPECT GMPI in Shanxi Cardiovascular Hospital between January and August 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The Emory cardiac toolbox was used to process the imaging data, and the left ventricular systolic synchrony parameters and systolic function parameters were acquired, including peak phase(PP), phase standard deviation (PSD), phase histogram bandwidth(PHB), histogram skewness(HS), histogram kurtosis(HK), and end-diastolic volume( EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), left ventrieular ejection fraction (LVEF). All patients were divided into 4 groups: the normal group (147 cases), ischemic cardiomyopathy group (114 cases), nonischemic cardiomyopathy without left bundle branch block (LBBB) group(50 cases)and nonischemic cardiomyopathy with LBBB group(32 cases). The relationship between systolic synchrony parameters and systolic function parameters were analyzed with Pearson correlation analysis.Results:Statistic results for all patients showed that PSD and PHB were well correlated with LVEF( r values: -0.790, -0.799, both P<0.01), but PP was poorly correlated with LVEF( r=-0.194, P<0.01); HS, HK were positively correlated with LVEF( r values: 0.767, 0.676, both P<0.01); PSD, PHB were positively correlated with ESV( r values: 0.778, 0.795, both P<0.01) and EDV ( r values: 0.722, 0.732, both P<0.01); but PP was poorly correlated with ESV( r=0.145, P<0.01) and not correlated with EDV ( r=0.095, P>0.01). HS, HK were negatively correlated with EDV and ESV ( r values: -0.700 to -0.580, all P<0.01). PSD and PHB showed negatively correlation with LVEF ( r values: -0.834 to -0.492, all P<0.01), while HS, HK showed positive correlation with LVEF ( r values: 0.243-0.792, all P<0.01) in normal group, the ischemic cardiomyopathy group, the nonischemic cardiomyopathy without LBBB group and the nonischemic cardiomyopathy with LBBB group. Conclusions:The left ventricular systolic synchrony parameters provided by CZT SPECT GMPI correlate well with the left ventricular systolic function parameters, and the worse systolic function, the worse systolic synchrony. Both ischemic cardiomyopathy and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy can affect left ventricular mechanical contraction synchrony, and the effect on contraction synchrony in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy patients with LBBB is greater.

Objective:To investigate the expression of coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor (CAR) in thymic carcinoma and the relationship between CAR and the antitumor activity of oncolytic adenovirus H101.Methods:The expression of CAR in thymic carcinoma tissues and cells were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. H101 expression and virus titers in Bcap-37, MP59 and T1889 cells after infection were detected by RT-qPCR and 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID 50). The proliferation activity and apoptosis rates of T1889 cells infected with H101 at different multiplicity of infection (MOI) were detected by CCK-8 and flow cytometry. CAR expression in T1889 cells treated with different concentrations of trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, was detected. H101 expression and virus titers in the TSA-treated and H101-infected cells were detected. Cell activity was detected by CCK-8. The phosphorylation levels of MARK and ERK1/2 and the expression of CAR at protein level in TSA-treated or TSA+ TBHQ (ERK activator) treated cells were detected. Results:CAR expression at both mRNA and protein levels were significantly lower in thymic carcinoma tissues than in adjacent normal tissues ( P<0.01), and lower in MP59 and T1889 cells than in thymic epithelial cells (TEC) and Bcap-37 cells ( P<0.01). H101 expression in MP59 and T1889 cells and the titers of H101 in culture supernatants were significantly lower than those in Bcap-37 cells ( P<0.01). Compared with Bcap-37 cell, the activity of MP59 and T1889 cells was significantly increased and the apoptosis rates were significantly decreased 48 h after H101 infection ( P<0.01). The expression of CAR at both mRNA and protein levels in T1889 cells treated with different concentrations of TSA increased in a dose-dependent manner. When T1889 cells were treated with 0.25 μmol/L of TSA, the expression of H101 at mRNA level and H101 titers were significantly increased ( P<0.05); the phosphorylation levels of MAPK and ERK1/2 proteins were continuously decreased; the expression of CAR was continuously increased. Compared with the TSA treatment group, the expression of CAR at protein level in the TSA+ TBHQ treatment group decreased significantly ( P<0.01), and the p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 ratio increased significantly ( P<0.01). Conclusions:TSA could up-regulate CAR expression in thymic carcinoma by inhibiting the MARK/ERK1/2 pathway, thereby enhancing the antitumor activity of H101.

Objective:To explore the safety and short-term and long-term efficacy of robot-assisted radical esophageal cancer surgery.Methods:A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. Patients who were preoperatively diagnosed as stage 0-IIIB esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and suitable for minimally invasive surgery in our hospital from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2018 were prospectively enrolled. Those of age ≥75 years having received preoperative neoadjuvant therapy, contradicted to anesthesia or operation due to severe complications, with history of thoracotomy or laparotomy, with concurrent malignant tumors, without complete informations or refusing to participate in this study were excluded. Participants were randomly divided into the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group and the robot group using a random number table in ratio of 1:1. Preoperative clinicopathological data, surgical data and postoperative outcomes were recorded. The patients were followed up mainly by telephone. Follow-up endpoint was recurrence of esophageal cancer and death. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival rate. The survival difference between the two groups was analyzed using the log-rank test.Results:According to above criteria, a total of 192 esophageal cancer patients were enrolled finally, including 144 males and 48 females with mean age of (61.9±8.6) years. The robot group had 94 cases, including 72 males and 22 females with mean age of (61.3±8.2) years, and the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group had 98 cases, including 72 males and 26 females with mean age of (62.4±9.1) years. There were no significant differences in baseline data between the two groups (all P>0.05). Operation was abandoned in one case in each group due to extensive pleural cavity metastasis and one case in each group was converted to thoracotomy. The success rate of operation was 97.9% (92/94) in the robot group and 98.0% (96/98) in the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group (χ 2=0.002, P=0.996). The number of lymph nodes dissected in the robot group was significantly higher than that in the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group (29.2±12.5 vs. 22.8±13.3, t=3.433, P=0.001), while there were no significant differences in operative time, intraoperative blood loss, R0 resection rate, postoperative 30-day mortality, postoperative hospital stay, ICU stay, time to withdrawal of chest drainage tube, ICU readmission, and postoperative morbidity of complications between the two groups (all P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 21 (3 to 57) months. During the follow-up, 3 cases and 4 cases were lost, and 2 cases and 3 cases died of other diseases in the robot group and in the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group respectively. Recurrence occurred in 39 cases during follow-up, including 14 recurrences in the robotic group with 1- and 3-year recurrence-free survival rates of 92.4% and 87.6% respectively and the median recurrence time of 15 (9 to 42) months. There were 25 recurrences in the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group with 1- and 3-year recurrence-free survival rates of 81.7% and 67.9% respectively and the median recurrence time of 9 (3 to 42) months. There was significant difference in recurrence-free survival between the two groups (χ 2=4.193, P=0.041). Conclusions:The robotic surgical system has good oncology effect and surgical safety in the radical operation of esophageal cancer, which deserves further research and promotion.

Objective:To explore the safety and short-term and long-term efficacy of robot-assisted radical esophageal cancer surgery.Methods:A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. Patients who were preoperatively diagnosed as stage 0-IIIB esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and suitable for minimally invasive surgery in our hospital from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2018 were prospectively enrolled. Those of age ≥75 years having received preoperative neoadjuvant therapy, contradicted to anesthesia or operation due to severe complications, with history of thoracotomy or laparotomy, with concurrent malignant tumors, without complete informations or refusing to participate in this study were excluded. Participants were randomly divided into the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group and the robot group using a random number table in ratio of 1:1. Preoperative clinicopathological data, surgical data and postoperative outcomes were recorded. The patients were followed up mainly by telephone. Follow-up endpoint was recurrence of esophageal cancer and death. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival rate. The survival difference between the two groups was analyzed using the log-rank test.Results:According to above criteria, a total of 192 esophageal cancer patients were enrolled finally, including 144 males and 48 females with mean age of (61.9±8.6) years. The robot group had 94 cases, including 72 males and 22 females with mean age of (61.3±8.2) years, and the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group had 98 cases, including 72 males and 26 females with mean age of (62.4±9.1) years. There were no significant differences in baseline data between the two groups (all P>0.05). Operation was abandoned in one case in each group due to extensive pleural cavity metastasis and one case in each group was converted to thoracotomy. The success rate of operation was 97.9% (92/94) in the robot group and 98.0% (96/98) in the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group (χ 2=0.002, P=0.996). The number of lymph nodes dissected in the robot group was significantly higher than that in the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group (29.2±12.5 vs. 22.8±13.3, t=3.433, P=0.001), while there were no significant differences in operative time, intraoperative blood loss, R0 resection rate, postoperative 30-day mortality, postoperative hospital stay, ICU stay, time to withdrawal of chest drainage tube, ICU readmission, and postoperative morbidity of complications between the two groups (all P>0.05). The median follow-up time was 21 (3 to 57) months. During the follow-up, 3 cases and 4 cases were lost, and 2 cases and 3 cases died of other diseases in the robot group and in the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group respectively. Recurrence occurred in 39 cases during follow-up, including 14 recurrences in the robotic group with 1- and 3-year recurrence-free survival rates of 92.4% and 87.6% respectively and the median recurrence time of 15 (9 to 42) months. There were 25 recurrences in the thoracoscopy-laparoscopy group with 1- and 3-year recurrence-free survival rates of 81.7% and 67.9% respectively and the median recurrence time of 9 (3 to 42) months. There was significant difference in recurrence-free survival between the two groups (χ 2=4.193, P=0.041). Conclusions:The robotic surgical system has good oncology effect and surgical safety in the radical operation of esophageal cancer, which deserves further research and promotion.

Objective To explore the effects of detector width and pitch on radiation dose and image quality when using organ dose modulation (ODM) technology in a wide?area detector CT scanning. Methods Based on the clinical chest scan protocol,3 sets of scans of the chest phantom were performed using any combination of two detector width (40 mm and 80 mm) and pitch (0.500,1.000 and 1.375) with the same parameters:1 Do not use ODM technology (ODM off),2 open ODM (ODM part) 240 mm from scan start layer to breast area,3 open ODM (ODM all) in full 320 mm scan range. A long rod ionization chamber was placed in the fixed position in front of the right breast area. The scanning parameters of each group were measured 7 times, and the volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) and breast skin dose measurement values D were recorded and the mean was calculated and recorded as Dav. The coronal 5 mm thick images of lung and soft tissue algorithms were reformed. It was divided into three parts in the Z?axis direction, and the contrast?to?noise ratio (CNR) and figure of merit (FOM) were measured separately. Independent sample t test was used for CTDI and breast skin doses D and CNR at both detector widths. ANOVA was used for dose and CNR of three sets of pitch (0.500, 1.000, and 1.375) and the three ODM techniques. Result The FOM factor was the largest when using an 80 mm detector with a pitch of 0.992 and partially turning on the ODM. The radiation dose of the three ODM groups decreased in turn, and the effect of ODM on CTDIvol (P=0.019) and breast skin dose (P=0.002) was statistically significant. The width of the detector increased and the dose was increased. The width of the detector was statistically significant for CTDIvol (t=-2.723, P=0.015). There was no statistically significant effect on the breast skin dose (t=-0.908, P=0.377). The effects of the pitch were not statistically significant for CTDIvol (P=0.254) and breast dose (P=0.146). The CNR of the three ODM groups decreased in turn, and the effect of ODM on the soft tissue image CNR was not statistically significant (P=0.146). The CNR of lung algorithm image (P=0.030) had significant effects. The multiple comparisons:only ODM all was significantly different from ODM off (P=0.009). With the increase of detector width,the values of CNR increased,the values of CNR (t=-4.128,P=0.001) of lung images were significantly affected. The effects on the soft tissue images were not statistically significant (P=0.187). There was no statistically significant difference in the effect of pitch on the CNR (P=0.660) of the lung images. The effects of the pitch on the values of CNR of soft tissue images (F=11.756,P=0.001) were statistically significant. By multiple comparisons, the difference of CNR between 0.500 (P=0.000) and 1.375 (P=0.013) was statistically significant compared with that when the pitch was 1.000. There was no significant difference among the three ODM modes (P>0.05) on the values of CNR of upper and middle parts of lung and soft tissue arithmetic images. The differences of CNR between ODM all and the other two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05) on the bottom part of images. Conclusion The changes of detector width and pitch will affect the organs dose modulation technique, and then affect the radiation dose and image quality. When using 80 mm detector with the pitch of 0.992 and partially turning on ODM in chest CT scan,achieving the optimized benefits of quality and dose.

Objective To explore the guiding role of double volume reconstruction (DVRT) in interventional embolization of intracranial aneurysms. Methods Ninety?six cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage with 115 aneurysms underwent total cerebrovascular angiography and interventional endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysms in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. They were randomly divided into observation group (n=48) and control group (n=48) according to random number method. In the control group, guided by the results of 2D?DSA and 3D?DSA 3D reconstruction, the aneurysm neck and tumor were fully exposed with the optimal position. the responsible aneurysms were performed with the interventional endovascular embolization. The operators finished the embolization According to the size and shape of aneurysms and the operative experience. In the observation group, the operators could speculate the embolization density of aneurysms by using the data of 3D reconstruction and digital subtraction reconstruction and adjusted the surgical plan to make the aneurysms had been completely embolized. The baseline data, treatment status, adverse cerebrovascular reaction and recurrence rate of aneurysms were compared between the two groups. All patients in the two groups were operated by Deputy chief surgeons or above of the neurosurgery department. The comparison of the counting data were tested by χ2. The measured data conformed to normal distribution were tested by independent sample t. Results Statistically, There was no significant differences in baseline data including sex, age, blood glucose, blood pressure and cerebral atherosclerosis between the two groups (P>0.05). Comparing the responsible aneurysms in different positions and sizes, the differences was not statistically significant (P>0.05).There was no statistically significant differences in the dosage of contrast media and the cost of operation between the two groups (P>0.05). The radiation dose and operation time in the observation group were smaller and shorter than those in the control group, but there was no statistical differences between the two groups (P<0.05). Statistically, The incidence of rerupture of aneurysm and thrombosis in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). and The incidence of cerebral infarction and the recurrence rate of aneurysm in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in sex, age, blood glucose, blood pressure and cerebral atherosclerosis between the two groups (P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the location and size of responsible arterial tumors (χ2=0.148, P=0.929).There was no significant difference in the dosage of contrast agent and the cost of operation between the two groups (t=-0.769, 0.225; P>0.05). The radiation dose and operation time were (479.81 ± 51.21)mGy, (103.52 ± 10.18) minin the observation group and (511.95 ± 53.26)mGy, (114.60 ± 9.51)min in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (t=-1.376,-2.516; P<0.05).There were 1 case of rerupture of aneurysm in the observation group, 4 cases in the control group;There were 0 cases of thrombus, respectively, 3 cases in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (χ2=11.748, 4.256; P<0.05).There were 0 cases postoperative cerebral infarction occurred in the observation group, and aneurysm recurrence in 1 case. Four cases postoperative cerebral infarction occurred in the control group, and aneurysm recurrence in 3 cases, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (χ2=5.719, 10.811; P<0.05). Conclusions The clinical effect of interventional embolization of intracranial aneurysms under the guidance of double volume reconstruction is remarkable, and the effect of interventional embolization and the relationship with the peripheral vessels can be clearly demonstrated. It can reduce the incidence of adverse cerebral vascular reactions and the recurrence rate of aneurysms and reduce the intraoperative risk. It is worthy to be popularized in interventional embolization of intracranial aneurysms and follow?up after operation.

Objective To investigate the effects of different tube voltages on the dose of superficial radiation-sensitive organs and image quality when using organ dose modulation( ODM) in chest CT. Methods Based on clinical chest CT protocol with the sameother parameters, chest phantom was scanned using 140, 120, 100, and 80 kv ( 100 kV was the recommended by the CT system) without ODM ( ODM off ) or with ODM from the starting layer to the breast area ( ODM part ) . A long rod ionization chamber was placed iat a fixed position in front of the right breast area. The scans were repeated for 7 times with each group of scanning parameters and dose values were measured for each scanning, the CTDIvol and breast skin dose measurements( D) were recorded. Coronal images of 5 mm thickness for the lung and soft tissue algorithms were reformatted. The images were divided into 8 parts along the z axis direction, the contrast noise ratios( CNR) for every region were measured. For CTDIvol , D, CNR for different ODM and tube voltage scanning modes, two factor non-repeat test ANOVA was performed. LSD method was used for comparison among groups. Results The CTDIvol was lowest at 80 kV, and the breast skin dose measurement was lowest at 100 kV, CTDIvol decreased in turn from140 to 80 kV ( F=105. 5795, P<0. 05) . The breast skin dose measurement decreased in turn from140 to 100 kV, but increased instead at 80 kV. The difference was statistically significant(F=27. 736, P<0. 05). Compared with ODM off , the CTDIvol and D for ODM part both declined and the differences were statistically significant ( F=39. 732, 81. 961, P<0. 05). The CNRs of the lung and soft tissue images decreased at every tube voltage(F=12. 809, 11. 261, P<0. 05 ) . The CNRs decreased from140 to 100 kV, but there was no statistical difference( P>0. 05) , and the difference was significant at 80 kV( P<0. 05) . Compared with ODM off, the CNRs of lung and soft tissue algorithm images with ODM part decreased, withnot statistically significant differences ( P>0. 05 ) . Conclusions In clinical practice, with the tube voltage not less than the recommended(100 kV), the optimal reduction of breast radiation dose can be achieved by reducing kV and using ODM on the premise of resonable image quality.

Cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) is ubiquitously expressed in the cytomembrane of a considerable number of eukaryotic cells. Although several studies have investigated the functions of PrP(C) in cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, and tumorigenesis of mammals, the correlated functions of chicken PrP(C) (chPrP(C)) remain unknown. In this study, stable chPrP(C)-downregulated Marek's disease (MD) virus-transformed avian T cells (MSB1-SiRNA-3) were established by introducing short interfering RNA (SiRNA) targeting chicken prion protein genes. We found that downregulation of chPrP(C) inhibits proliferation, invasion, and migration, and induces G1 cell cycle phase arrest and apoptosis of MSB1-SiRNA-3 cells compared with Marek's disease virus-transformed avian T cells (MSB1) and negative control cells. To the best of our knowledge, the present study provides the first evidence supporting the positive correlation between the expression level of chPrP(C) and the proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of MSB1 cells, but appears to protect MSB1 cells from apoptosis, which suggests it functions in the formation and development of MD tumors. This evidence may contribute to future research into the specific molecular mechanisms of chPrP(C) in the formation and development of MD tumors.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; Chickens ; Down-Regulation* ; Eukaryotic Cells ; Mammals ; Marek Disease* ; RNA, Small Interfering ; T-Lymphocytes*

Amyloidosis ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; Humans