Objective To obtain the protective performance parameters of barium sulfate mortar against positron nuclide γ-rays, provide reference data for precise shielding calculations, and guide the design, evaluation, and construction of radiation shielding. Methods The FLUKA program was used to build a model for simulating the dose equivalent rate variation around points of interest under the irradiation of the most commonly used positron nuclide ¹⁸F with changes in the thicknesses of lead and barium sulfate mortar. The transmission curves of lead and barium sulfate mortar were fitted, and the half-value layer (HVL) and lead equivalence of barium sulfate mortar were calculated based on the fitted curves. Results The ambient dose equivalent rate coefficient of positron nuclide ¹⁸F was 1.339 4×10⁻¹ μSv·m²/MBq·h and the HVL for lead was 4.037 mm, with deviations of 0.043% and 1.53% compared to the values provided in the AAPM Report No. 108, respectively. The HVLs for γ-rays produced by ¹⁸F, using barium sulfate mortar with apparent densities of 4.20, 4.00, and 3.90 g/cm³ mixed with 35.2-grade cement in a 4∶1 mass ratio, were 2.914, 2.969, and 3.079 cm, respectively. The lead equivalences were 0.1385, 0.1360, and 0.1311 mmPb/mm, respectively. Conclusion The three types of barium sulfate mortar can provide good protection against γ-rays in positron imaging locations. As the apparent density of barium sulfate increases, its protective effect improves slightly but remains significantly better than common construction materials like concrete and solid bricks.

BACKGROUND: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP), a rare and recurrent autoinflammatory disease, imposes a substantial burden on patients and society. Awareness of GPP in China remains limited. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey, conducted between September 2021 and May 2023 across 14 hospitals in China, included GPP patients of all ages and disease phases. Data collected encompassed demographics, clinical characteristics, economic impact, disease severity, quality of life, and treatment-related complications. Risk factors for GPP recurrence were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 127 patients (female/male ratio = 1.35:1), the mean age of disease onset was 25 years (1st quartile [Q1]-3rd quartile [Q3]: 11-44 years); 29.2% had experienced GPP for more than 10 years. Recurrence occurred in 75.6% of patients, and nearly half reported no identifiable triggers. Younger age at disease onset ( P  = 0.021) and transitioning to plaque psoriasis ( P  = 0.022) were associated with higher recurrence rates. The median diagnostic delay was 8 months (Q1-Q3: 2-41 months), and 32.3% of patients reported misdiagnoses. Comorbidities were present in 53.5% of patients, whereas 51.1% experienced systemic complications during treatment. Depression and anxiety affected 84.5% and 95.6% of patients, respectively. During GPP flares, the median Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 19.0 (Q1-Q3: 13.0-23.5). This score showed significant differences between patients with and without systemic symptoms; it demonstrated correlations with both depression and anxiety scores. Treatment costs caused financial hardship in 55.9% of patients, underscoring the burden associated with GPP. CONCLUSIONS The substantial disease and economic burdens among Chinese GPP patients warrant increased attention. Patients with early onset disease and those transitioning to plaque psoriasis require targeted interventions to mitigate the high recurrence risk.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Psoriasis/pathology* ; Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adolescent ; Child ; Young Adult ; Quality of Life ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; East Asian People

Objective:To investigate the expression and clinical significance of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues, and to analyze the regulatory effect and downstream mechanism of AP006284.1 knockdown on the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells. Methods:The expression of AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues, and the relationship between AP006284.1 expression and tumor stage and disease-free survival of bladder cancer patients were analyzed in the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. AP006284.1 gene expression in bladder cancer cell lines, including MGH-U3, T24, UMUC-3, J82 and 5637, and bladder epithelial immortalized SV-HUC-1 cell were detected by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR) assay. J82 cells were divided into the control group and the transfection group, and transfected with control plasmid and AP006284.1 knockdown plasmid, respectively. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the proliferation of J82 cells was detected by RT-qPCR and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the migration of J82 cells was determined by the scratch healing assay. The target gene of AP006284.1 was predicted by LncRNA2Target and LncRNome databases. The target fragment of wild-type AP006284.1 ( AP006284.1-Wt) or mutant AP006284.1 ( AP006284.1-Mut) was constructed into pGL3 plasmid by dual luciferase gene reporter assay. J82 cells were co-transfected with miR-205-3p or miR-negtive control (miR-NC) to validate the targeting relationship between AP006284.1 and miR-205-3p. The correlation between miR-205-3p and AP006284.1 expression in bladder cancer tissues was further analyzed by the GEO database. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the expression of miR-205-3p gene in J82 cells was detected by RT-qPCR assay. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the expression of phosphorylated Ras protein (p-Ras), phosphorylated Raf protein (p-Raf), phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (p-MEK), and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) of the ERK pathway was detected by Western blotting in J82 cells. Results:GEO database analysis showed that the relative expression of AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues ( n=304) was significantly higher than that in normal tissues ( n=28, P<0.01). The relative expression of AP006284.1 was positively correlated with the tumor stage of the bladder cancer patients ( P<0.01). Compared with bladder cancer patients with low expression of AP006284.1, patients with high expression had a lower disease-free survival ( P<0.01). Compared with the SV-HUC-1 cell (1.02±0.34), the expression level of AP006284.1 gene was upregulated in MGH-U3 cell (5.77±0.37), T24 cell (3.02±0.40), UMUC-3 cell (3.62±0.59), J82 cell (7.19±0.24) and 5637 cell (5.59±0.30) (all P<0.01). The expression level of the AP006284.1 gene was the highest in J82 cells, therefore, the J82 cells were selected for the study. The expression level of AP006284.1 gene in the control group (7.20±0.26) was 6.92 times higher than that in the transfection group (1.04±0.28, t=16.16, P<0.01). Compared with the control group (0.74±0.11, 1.35±0.09, 1.63±0.14, 1.74±0.11), the absorbance ( A) values of J82 cells in the transfection group (0.49±0.06, 0.95±0.14, 1.09±0.08, 1.13±0.11) were reduced than those in the control group at the 24, 36, 48 and 60 h after AP006284.1 knockdown (all P<0.05). The migration distance of J82 cells in the control group was significantly longer than that in the transfection group. The migration rate of the control group [(65.03±6.20)%], which was 2.58 times higher than that of the transfection group [(25.22±3.45)%, t=5.61, P<0.01]. The target site of miR-205-3p containing AP006284.1 was predicted by LncRNA2Target and LncRNome databases. Compared with miR-NC group (1.00±0.11), the relative activity of dual luciferase of AP006284.1-Wt gene was significantly downregulated in the miR-205-3p group (0.31±0.07, t=5.47, P<0.01). Compared with the miR-NC group (0.97±0.14), the relative activity of dual luciferase of AP006284.1-Mut vector (0.98±0.07) was not significantly change ( t=0.09, P>0.05). The GEO database analysis showed that the expression of AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues was negatively correlated with the expression of miR-205-3p ( P<0.01). The expression level of miR-205-3p gene in the transfection group (5.42±0.24) was 5.21 times higher than that in the control group (1.04±0.40, t=9.40, P<0.01). Compared with the control group (3.22±0.17, 5.56±0.19, 4.38±0.17, 5.74±0.36), the expressions of p-Ras (2.33±0.12), p-Raf (1.61±0.20), p-MEK (1.57±0.25), and p-ERK (2.40±0.28) of the ERK pathway were decreased in the transfected J82 cells (all P<0.01). Conclusions:AP006284.1 is highly expressed in bladder cancer tissues. Knockdown of AP006284.1 can inhibit the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells by regulating the miR-205-3p and ERK pathway proteins.

Objective To simulate and analyze the dose distribution from external exposure and its influencing factors of induced radioactivity in proton therapy site. Methods Referencing a domestically under-construction proton therapy facility, a geometric model of the proton therapy site was constructed, and the FLUKA program was used to simulate the distribution of the induced radioactive dose of the proton therapy site under the conditions of different energies, beam angles, irradiation time, cooling time and medium of the treatment site. Results For a 230 MeV proton beam with a current of 3.0 nA, directed along the negative Z-axis and irradiating a phantom for two minutes, at the shutdown moment, the ambient dose equivalent rates in air and vacuum 5, 30, and 50 cm away from the phantom surface were (1 039.02±5.82)-(127.86±1.20) and (1 037.96±4.38)~(127.35±0.93) μSv/h, respectively. The mean difference was 0.51~1.06 μSv/h, and the air-immersed external irradiation accounted for <1% of the total irradiation, which rapidly decreased to 1/15 of the shutdown moment value after cooling for 10 minutes. Under the condition of 130~250 MeV, the ambient dose equivalent rates at the shutdown moments 5, 30 and 50 cm away from the surface of the phantom were (427.49±3.12)-(1 058.41±4.66), (100.36±0.92)-(259.70±1.69) and (50.15±0.68)-(131.93±1.11) μSv/h, respectively. Irradiation for one-five minutes, and at the moment of shutdown at 5, 30, and 50 cm from the surface of the phantom were (688.19±3.33)-(1 594.04±8.08), (167.60±1.35)-(388.24±2.96) and (84.73±0.69)-(195.94±1.56) μSv/h. The peripheral dose-equivalent rate of the sensed radioactivity decreases with the irradiation time, the energy of the beam, and the distance from the model. The peak dose equivalent rate around the induced radioactivity exists in the beam direction, which is significantly larger than that in the non-beam direction. Conclusion Proton therapy sites are characterized by relatively large levels of induced peripheral radioactive dose equivalent rates, mainly originating from patients. In actual practice, a suitable working position can be chosen according to the direction of the beam current, especially the direction of the final irradiation field beam current, in the non-beam current direction and as far away from the patient as possible. Within 10 minutes after the end of treatment, staff should try to avoid close contact with the patients.

Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of suction ureteral stent and conventional ureteral stent in the treatment of patients with urinary calculi,so as to evaluate the clinical application value.Methods A total of 196 patients with urinary calculi admitted to in our hospital during Dec.2022 and May 2023 were selected to undergo ureteral holmium laser lithotripsy with hard ureteroscopy or soft ureteroscopy,including 100 with suction ureteral stent(suction group)and 96 with conventional ureteral stent(conventional group).Basic data,visual analog scale(VAS),extubation time,extubation success rate,gross hematuria,lumbar and abdominal pain,and urinary tract infection were compared between the two groups.Results Compared with the conventional group,the suction group had lower VAS[(2.94±1.24)vs.(5.78±1.50)],shorter extubation time[(4.28±0.51)min vs.(13.51±1.81)min],and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.01).After extubation,the suction group had a lower incidence of complications(P＜0.05).Conclusion Compared with conventional ureteral stent,extraction of suction ureteral stent has the advantages of simpler operation,better patient comfort,fewer complications,shorter extubation time and lower medical costs.

Patients with severe trauma require an extremely timely treatment and transfusion plays an irreplaceable role in the emergency treatment of such patients. An increasing number of evidence-based medicinal evidences and clinical practices suggest that patients with severe traumatic bleeding benefit from early transfusion of low-titer group O whole blood or hemostatic resuscitation with red blood cells, plasma and platelet of a balanced ratio. However, the current domestic mode of blood supply cannot fully meet the requirements of timely and effective blood transfusion for emergency treatment of patients with severe trauma in clinical practice. In order to solve the key problems in blood supply and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma, Branch of Clinical Transfusion Medicine of Chinese Medical Association, Group for Trauma Emergency Care and Multiple Injuries of Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Young Scholar Group of Disaster Medicine Branch of Chinese Medical Association organized domestic experts of blood transfusion medicine and trauma treatment to jointly formulate Chinese expert consensus on blood support mode and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma patients ( version 2024). Based on the evidence-based medical evidence and Delphi method of expert consultation and voting, 10 recommendations were put forward from two aspects of blood support mode and transfusion strategies, aiming to provide a reference for transfusion resuscitation in the emergency treatment of severe trauma and further improve the success rate of treatment of patients with severe trauma.

Objective To analyze the dose distribution of induced radiation in fixed proton beam therapy room and the influence of shielding materials, and to provide a basis for radiation protection and shielding material selection in proton therapy. Methods FLUKA was used to simulate the dose distribution of induced radiation in fixed proton beam therapy room, the dose over time, and the influence of different concrete materials. Results The dose of induced radiation was mainly concentrated around the target, and the dose rapidly decreased to 1/5-1/10 of the value at the time of stopping irradiation after cooling for 3-5 min. The induced radiation in concrete formed a slightly higher dose area at the end of the main beam near the inner side of the shield. The content of Fe, O, and H in concrete had significant effects on induced radiation (P < 0.01), and the dose was negatively correlated with the content of Fe. Conclusion The patients after proton therapy as well as the induced radiation in air and shielding materials are the main sources of external radiation dose for workers, and waiting for a period of time is the most effective way to protect the staff. Without considering the difficulty in construction and based on the analysis of shielding materials in protection against external irradiation and their influence on induced radiation, heavy concrete with a relatively high level of Fe is the best choice of the shielding material for proton therapy room.

Objective:To investigate the effect of insular involvement on the outcomes of patients with acute anterior circulation ischemic stroke.Methods:Patients with acute anterior circulation ischemic stroke admitted to the Department of Neurology, Nanjing Jinling Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University from January 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively included. Demographic data, vascular risk factors, clinical and laboratory data, as well as treatment and outcomes were collected. Firstly, the correlation between the insular involvement and the outcomes was investigated, and then the bootstrap method was used to clarify the mediating role of infarct volume between the insular involvement and the poor outcomes.Results:A total of 450 patients with acute anterior circulation ischemic stroke were enrolled, among whom 79 cases (17.6%) had insular involvement and 41 (9.1%) had left insular involvement. There were 111 (24.7%) with poor outcomes, including 5 (1.1%) died. Compared to the non-insular involvement group, the insular involvement group had a higher proportion of patients with atrial fibrillation, shorter onset to door time, higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission, larger infarct volume, and higher proportion of patients with poor outcomes (all P<0.05). In addition, patients with left insular involvement were younger than those with right insular involvement, had a higher baseline NIHSS score, a lower proportion of patients with minor stroke (NIHSS score ≤8), and had a longer onset to door time (all P<0.05). Compared to the good outcome group, the poor outcome group was older, with a higher proportion of female patients, higher systolic blood pressure, blood glucose, NLR, and NIHSS scores at admission, larger infarct volume, and a higher proportion of patients with insular involvement (all P<0.05). Mediation analysis suggested that the mediating effect of infarct volume between the insular involvement and the poor outcomes was significant (95% confidence interval 0.033-0.230; P=0.008). Conclusions:insular involvement in patients with acute anterior circulation ischemic stroke is associated with the poor outcomes, and this association may be mediated by infarct volume. Patients with left insular involvement may have more severe symptoms than those with right insular involvement, but there is no significant difference in the outcomes.

Objective To analyze the occupational hazards and protective measures for personnel in an iodine-125(¹²⁵I) seed source production company. Methods In 2022, a ¹²⁵I seed source production enterprise in Guangdong Province was selected as the research subject. The occupational hazards in the workplace of the research subject was identified using the system engineering analysis method. The FLUAK program based on Monte Carlo method was used to simulate the blocking protection of the production of the ¹²⁵I seed source, and to estimate the dose of internal and external irradiation of seed source that affected workers. Results The main occupational radiation hazards in the seed production were non-sealed radioactive materials, including external irradiation from X-ray and γ ray and internal irradiation from aerosols formed by iodine volatilization. Estimated maximum dose equivalent rate around the chest and eye lens for workers were 0.52 and 0.02 μSv/h, respectively. The expected annual effective dose for workers in each work site was 0.035 mSv, and the expected annual equivalent dose to the eye lens for all workers in various work sites was 0.001 mSv. The maximum annual equivalent dose of operator's hand was 80.620 mSv. The maximum dose of internal irradiation to the worker was 18.750 mSv, which was caused by the volatilization of nuclides. Conclusion With effective protection measures for internal and external irradiation in place, the annual exposure doses for seed production personnel and operator’s hand are below the national limits. Adequate measures should be taken on hand protection.