Objective:To explore the protective effects and mechanisms of an indole-3-acetaldehyde (I3A)-loaded inulin-based hydrogel against radiation-induced intestinal injury.Methods:The gelation properties and injectability of the I3A-loaded inulin-based hydrogel were detected using a rheometer, and its biocompatibility was assessed via a CCK-8 assay. Eighteen C57BL/6 mice (aged: 6-8 weeks) were stratified by body weight and randomly assigned into three groups with 6 mice in each group: blank control, irradiation-only, and irradiation+ hydrogel protection. Abdominal irradiation was administered using 137Cs γ-rays at 17 Gy. The irradiation+ hydrogel protection group received 200 μl/day of I3A-loaded inulin-based hydrogel for two days before and 2-3 days after irradiation. Meanwhile, the irradiation-only group was treated with an equivalent volume of sterile water via gavage. The mice were euthanized four days post-irradiation, and their intestinal tissues were harvested. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Ki67 immunohistochemistry, and TUNEL immunofluorescence were performed to assess histopathological damage, epithelial cell proliferation, and apoptosis, respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to measure mRNA levels of inflammatory and antioxidant factors. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing. Results:The test results of the rheometer confirmed successful hydrogel formation. CCK-8 assays demonstrated excellent biocompatibility. Compared with the irradiation-only group, the irradiation+ hydrogel protection group exhibited preserved intestinal histoarchitecture, a 1.5-fold increase in intestinal cell proliferation ( t = 8.35, P < 0.05), and a 2-fold reduction in radiation-induced apoptosis ( t = 7.94, P < 0.05). Moreover, the hydrogel group showed significantly elevated expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and antioxidant factors NRF-2 and HO-1 ( t = 3.16, 24.83, 5.92, P < 0.05), alongside reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α ( t = 5.15, 3.82, 3.83, P < 0.05). Gut microbiota analysis revealed significant modulation in microbial composition and abundance in the hydrogel group. Conclusions:The I3A-loaded inulin-based hydrogel can significantly promote intestinal cell proliferation, reduce radiation-induced apoptosis, and enhance both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant responses. In addition, it regulates gut microbiota composition and abundance, protecting against radiation-induced intestinal injury.

Objective To observe the value of artificial intelligence iterative reconstruction(AIIR)for low-dose chest CT images of infants with congenital heart disease.Methods Totally 262 infants with congenital heart disease who would undergo chest CT scanning were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into low-dose group(n=142)and conventional dose group(n=120).Chest CT scanning with tube voltage of 80 kVp and tube current of 10 mAs was performed in low-dose group,and hybrid iterative reconstruction(HIR,group A)and AIIR(group B)were used to reconstruct images,respectively.In conventional dose group,chest CT scanning with tube voltage of 80 kVp and tube current of 100 mAs was performed,and HIR was used to reconstruct images(group C).Then subjective and objective evaluation on image quality were performed,the results were compared among 3 groups,and the value of AIIR was analyzed.Results Significant differences of image quality and clarity of displaying structures were found among 3 groups(all P＜0.001).Among them,except for the clarity of interlobar fissure,no significant difference of subjective scores was found between low-dose AIIR images and conventional dose HIR images(all corrected P＞0.05),while subjective scores of low-dose HIR images were all lower than those of low-dose AIIR images and conventional dose HIR images(all corrected P＜0.05).Significant differences of standard deviation(SD),signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)were found among 3 groups(all P＜0.001)and between each 2 groups(all corrected P＜0.05).The effective dose of low-dose group and conventional dose group was 0.09(0.08,0.10)and 0.85(0.75,1.03)mSv,respectively,and the former was lower than the latter(Z=-13.942,P＜0.001).Conclusion Using AIIR could obtain low-dose chest CT images of infants with quality comparable to conventional chest CT images.

Objective To explore the feasibility and precautions of small incision bile duct stone removal in primary hospitals in extremely high-altitude areas.Methods The experience of small incision biliary exploration and cholecystectomy under general anesthesia at primary hospitals during the author's medical aid to Xizang in the high-altitude areas of northern Xizang was summarized(from June 2022 to December 2022).Results A total of 11 cases of small incision common bile duct stone removal were completed.Abdominal drainage was performed in all patients,including 6 cases with T-shaped tubes and 5 cases with primary closure of the common bile duct.The patients recovered well after surgery and was discharged.Conclusion In extreme high-altitude areas,under the guidance of medical aid doctors,it is completely feasible for primary hospitals to carry out small incision bile duct stone removal by selecting appropriate cases,training surgical skills,and performing detailed preoperative preparation.

Objective To investigate the diarrhea after minilaparotomy cholecystectomy among Tibetan residents in extremely high-altitude areas.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 71 patients who underwent small incision cholecystectomy at the County People's Hospital during the period of medical aid(from June 2022 to December 2022).There were 38 patients(53.52%)with postoperative diarrhea and 33 patients(46.48%)without diarrhea.Results The duration of diarrhea was less than 1 week in 8 patients,ranged from 1 week to 3 months in 21 patients,and lasted for more than 3 months in 9 patients.There were significant differences between the two groups in terms of age(P<0.000 1),body mass index(P<0.000 1),proportions of patients with liver cirrhosis(P=0.012 9),history of acute cholecystitis(P=0.002 1),history of coronary heart disease(P=0.040 7),and presence of tenderness in the right upper abdomen during admission(P<0.000 1),white blood cell count(P=0.007 0),alanine aminotransferase(P=0.047 3),gallbladder diameter(P=0.003 4),gallbladder wall thickness(P=0.000 4),surgical duration(P=0.004 7),postoperative antibiotic use(P=0.000 6),postoperative hospital stay(P=0.000 2),and immediate resumption of butter tea(P<0.000 1).Age and immediate resumption of butter tea after surgery were independent risk factors for diarrhea after minilaparotomy cholecystectomy.Conclusion There is a higher incidence of diarrhea following small incision cholecystectomy in the residents of extremely high-altitude areas,which is associated with various factors such as the environment and lifestyle of the region.It is essential to enhance health education on gallstone and cultivate good personal health habits.Clinicians should conduct a detailed preoperative assessment.Patients should avoid drinking butter tea during perioperative period to avoid postoperative diarrhea.

Objective To analyze the influencing factors of cholecystolithiasis among Tibetan residents living at extreme altitude.Methods From Aug.10 to 17,2023,Nima County People's Hospital in Nagqu,in collaboration with Tibetan-aid doctors,organized physical examinations for Tibetan residents in Jiwa Township.The physical examination data were collected,and the general information and dietary habits of the examinees were recorded.Based on the results of abdominal ultrasound examination,the 448 enrolled participants were assigned to a cholecystolithiasis group(106 cases)and a non-cholecystolithiasis group(342 cases).Additionally,multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the factors influencing the occurrence of cholecystolithiasis among Tibetan residents.Results There were significant differences in age,weight,body mass index,systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,finger pulse oxygen,and educational level between the 2 groups(all P＜0.05).The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age(odds ratio[OR]=1.062,95％confidence interval[CI]1.020-1.106),weight(OR=1.120,95％CI 1.067-1.176),smoking(OR=4.751,95％CI 1.627-13.869),cholesterol(OR=1.429,95％CI 1.129-1.810),amount of butter tea drink(OR=2.123,95％CI 1.656-2.721),alanine transaminase(OR=1.045,95％CI 1.028-1.062),low educational level(OR=6.994,95％CI 2.615-18.702),fatty liver(OR=4.409,95％CI 1.499-12.968)and meat-based diet(OR=3.725,95％CI 1.255-11.055)were correlated with cholecystolithiasis.Conclusion The incidence of cholecystolithiasis among Tibetan residents living at extreme altitude may be related to various factors mentioned above,which provides clues for the prevention,early diagnosis,and treatment of local cholecystolithiasis.

Objective To observe the value of artificial intelligence iterative reconstruction(AIIR)for low-dose chest CT images of infants with congenital heart disease.Methods Totally 262 infants with congenital heart disease who would undergo chest CT scanning were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into low-dose group(n=142)and conventional dose group(n=120).Chest CT scanning with tube voltage of 80 kVp and tube current of 10 mAs was performed in low-dose group,and hybrid iterative reconstruction(HIR,group A)and AIIR(group B)were used to reconstruct images,respectively.In conventional dose group,chest CT scanning with tube voltage of 80 kVp and tube current of 100 mAs was performed,and HIR was used to reconstruct images(group C).Then subjective and objective evaluation on image quality were performed,the results were compared among 3 groups,and the value of AIIR was analyzed.Results Significant differences of image quality and clarity of displaying structures were found among 3 groups(all P＜0.001).Among them,except for the clarity of interlobar fissure,no significant difference of subjective scores was found between low-dose AIIR images and conventional dose HIR images(all corrected P＞0.05),while subjective scores of low-dose HIR images were all lower than those of low-dose AIIR images and conventional dose HIR images(all corrected P＜0.05).Significant differences of standard deviation(SD),signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)and contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)were found among 3 groups(all P＜0.001)and between each 2 groups(all corrected P＜0.05).The effective dose of low-dose group and conventional dose group was 0.09(0.08,0.10)and 0.85(0.75,1.03)mSv,respectively,and the former was lower than the latter(Z=-13.942,P＜0.001).Conclusion Using AIIR could obtain low-dose chest CT images of infants with quality comparable to conventional chest CT images.

Objective:To explore the protective effects and mechanisms of an indole-3-acetaldehyde (I3A)-loaded inulin-based hydrogel against radiation-induced intestinal injury.Methods:The gelation properties and injectability of the I3A-loaded inulin-based hydrogel were detected using a rheometer, and its biocompatibility was assessed via a CCK-8 assay. Eighteen C57BL/6 mice (aged: 6-8 weeks) were stratified by body weight and randomly assigned into three groups with 6 mice in each group: blank control, irradiation-only, and irradiation+ hydrogel protection. Abdominal irradiation was administered using 137Cs γ-rays at 17 Gy. The irradiation+ hydrogel protection group received 200 μl/day of I3A-loaded inulin-based hydrogel for two days before and 2-3 days after irradiation. Meanwhile, the irradiation-only group was treated with an equivalent volume of sterile water via gavage. The mice were euthanized four days post-irradiation, and their intestinal tissues were harvested. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Ki67 immunohistochemistry, and TUNEL immunofluorescence were performed to assess histopathological damage, epithelial cell proliferation, and apoptosis, respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to measure mRNA levels of inflammatory and antioxidant factors. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing. Results:The test results of the rheometer confirmed successful hydrogel formation. CCK-8 assays demonstrated excellent biocompatibility. Compared with the irradiation-only group, the irradiation+ hydrogel protection group exhibited preserved intestinal histoarchitecture, a 1.5-fold increase in intestinal cell proliferation ( t = 8.35, P < 0.05), and a 2-fold reduction in radiation-induced apoptosis ( t = 7.94, P < 0.05). Moreover, the hydrogel group showed significantly elevated expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and antioxidant factors NRF-2 and HO-1 ( t = 3.16, 24.83, 5.92, P < 0.05), alongside reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α ( t = 5.15, 3.82, 3.83, P < 0.05). Gut microbiota analysis revealed significant modulation in microbial composition and abundance in the hydrogel group. Conclusions:The I3A-loaded inulin-based hydrogel can significantly promote intestinal cell proliferation, reduce radiation-induced apoptosis, and enhance both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant responses. In addition, it regulates gut microbiota composition and abundance, protecting against radiation-induced intestinal injury.

Objective: To explore the association among neck-shoulder pain (NSP), low back pain (LBP) and co occurring symptoms with mental sub health in adolescents, so as to provide evidence for improving physical and mental health of adolescents. Methods: Stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select 7 986 students from 12 middle and high schools in Shenzhen, Nanchang, and Shenyang cities from October to December 2019. The Assessment of Spinal Health of Youth (ASHY) and the Brief Instrument on Psychological Health of Youth (BIOPHY) were used to assess NSP, LBP and mental sub health. Binary Logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between NSP, LBP and co occurring symptoms with mental sub health in adolescents. Results: The detection rates of adolescents with NSP, LBP and co occurring symptoms and mental sub health were 9.1% , 9.8%, 9.5%, and 10.0%, respectively. The co occurring rate of neck shoulder pain, low back pain and mental sub health was 3.2%. After adjusting for confounding variables such as gender, age, being an only child, family residence, and parental education level, NSP ( OR=6.01, 95%CI =5.02-7.19), LBP ( OR=5.08, 95%CI =4.25-6.07), and co occurring symptoms ( OR= 5.96 , 95%CI =4.98-7.12) in adolescents were positively correlated with mental sub health risk ( P <0.01). Stratifying the gender, boys with NSP, LBP and co occurring symptoms ( OR =6.84, 5.80, 6.74)had a higher risk of mental sub health compared to girls ( OR =5.52, 4.65, 5.49) ( P <0.01). Conclusions NSP, LBP and co occurring symptoms in adolescents are associated with mental sub health. The mental health status of boys is more affected by NSP, LBP and their co occurring symptoms. Measures should be taken to improve spinal health in adolescents to reduce the incidence of mental sub health.

Abstract Adolescence is a unique transitional period from childhood to adulthood, during which behavioral habits and physiological cycles undergo significant changes, and biorhythms are vulnerable to be disrupted. Meanwhile, due to increased rates of overweight and obesity, cardiovascular metabolic risk significantly increases during adolescence. The article reviews the prevalence, correlation, and potential epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of biorhythm disorders and adolescent cardiovascular metabolic health, providing a theoretical basis for regulating biorhythm to promote adolescent cardiovascular metabolic health.

Objective:To investigate the necessity of adaptive re-planning during radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its impact on dose improvement.Methods:Clinical data of 89 NPC patients admitted to Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from July 2014 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients received 25+7 rounds of adaptive re-planning during radiotherapy. Plan-A was defined as the initial CT scan-based 25-fraction radiotherapy plan, while plan-B was defined as the re-planned 7-fraction radiotherapy plan based on a subsequent CT scan. The changes in the target and parotid gland volumes were compared between plan-A and plan-B. Plan-I was a one-time simulation of plan-A extended to 32 fraction radiotherapy plan, and plan-II was generated through registration and fusion of the plan-A and plan-B for adaptive re-planning. The differences in dose metrics, homogeneity index (HI), conformity index (CI), and dose to organs at risk (OAR) were compared between plan-I and plan-II. Statistical analysis was performed by using paired t-test. Results:Compared with plan-A, the gross tumor volume of massive bleeding lesions (GTV nx) and parotid gland volume of plan-B were decreased by 13.14% and 11.12%, respectively (both P<0.001). While planning clinical target volume of metastatic lymph nodes (PCTV nd) of plan-B was increased by 7.75%( P<0.001). There were significant changes in the lymph nodes of plan-A and plan-B. The D mean, D 5%, D 95% of massive bleeding lesions planning target volume (PTV nx) and D 5% of high risk planning target volume (PTV1) in plan-II were all significantly higher than those in plan-I (all P<0.05). The CI of PTV nx and PTV1 in plan-II was closer to 1 than that in plan-I. In all assessed OAR, the D mean, D 50%, and D max of plan-II were significantly lower than those of plan-I (all P<0.05). Conclusions:During radiotherapy, NPC patients may experience varying degrees of primary tumor shrinkage, parotid gland atrophy, and lymph node changes. It is necessary to deliver re-planning and significantly improve the dose of target areas and OAR.