Objective To compare the segmenting efficacy of automatic segmentation models for advanced gastric cancer(AGC)on CT virtual monoenergetic images(VMI),non-linear blending images(NLBI)and mixed-energy images(MEI)based on 3D-nnU-Net.Methods Totally 216 cases of AGC were retrospectively enrolled,among them 185 cases were used to construct,train and validate models and divided into training set(n=154)and test set(n=31)at the ratio of 5∶1,while the other 31 cases were used as validation set to evaluate the generalization of the models.The 70 keV energy level VMI(VMI70 keV),NLBI and MEI were reconstructed with whole-abdominal dual-energy mode venous CT,and automatic segmentation models of AGC,including VMI70 keV,NLBI and MEI models were constructed using 3D-nnU-Net,respectively.Taken manually segmented results as golden standards,the efficacy of each model for segmenting all lesions and T2 stage lesions in test set and validation set were evaluated using Dice similarity coefficient(DSC),intersection over union(IoU)and average symmetric surface distance(ASSD).Results For all lesions in test and validation sets,DSC of 3 models were all＞0.80.DSC and IoU of VMI70 keV and NLBI models were both higher,while their ASSD was lower than those of MEI model(all P＜0.05).For T2 stage AGC in both test set and validation set(each n=5),DSC of MEI model was lower than that of VMI70 keV and NLBI models(both P＜0.05),while IoU of MEI model was lower than that of VMI70 keV model(P＜0.05),and its ASSD was higher than that of NLBI model(P＜0.05).Conclusion All 3D-nnU-Net-based VMI70 keV,NLBI and MEI models could effectively segment AGC on dual-energy CT images,and the segmentation efficacy of the former two were better.

Selenium is an essential trace element for human body.The primary functional form of selenium in the organism is selenoproteins(Sep),which plays a crucial role in maintaining normal physiological functions,influencing immune responses,and is also implicated in tumorigenesis and related metabolic disorders.Recent studies have shown that Sep is involved in the pathophysiological process of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).This article reviewed the mechanisms of Sep in IBD,aiming to explore the pathogenic mechanisms of IBD and provide insights for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Objective To compare the segmenting efficacy of automatic segmentation models for advanced gastric cancer(AGC)on CT virtual monoenergetic images(VMI),non-linear blending images(NLBI)and mixed-energy images(MEI)based on 3D-nnU-Net.Methods Totally 216 cases of AGC were retrospectively enrolled,among them 185 cases were used to construct,train and validate models and divided into training set(n=154)and test set(n=31)at the ratio of 5∶1,while the other 31 cases were used as validation set to evaluate the generalization of the models.The 70 keV energy level VMI(VMI70 keV),NLBI and MEI were reconstructed with whole-abdominal dual-energy mode venous CT,and automatic segmentation models of AGC,including VMI70 keV,NLBI and MEI models were constructed using 3D-nnU-Net,respectively.Taken manually segmented results as golden standards,the efficacy of each model for segmenting all lesions and T2 stage lesions in test set and validation set were evaluated using Dice similarity coefficient(DSC),intersection over union(IoU)and average symmetric surface distance(ASSD).Results For all lesions in test and validation sets,DSC of 3 models were all＞0.80.DSC and IoU of VMI70 keV and NLBI models were both higher,while their ASSD was lower than those of MEI model(all P＜0.05).For T2 stage AGC in both test set and validation set(each n=5),DSC of MEI model was lower than that of VMI70 keV and NLBI models(both P＜0.05),while IoU of MEI model was lower than that of VMI70 keV model(P＜0.05),and its ASSD was higher than that of NLBI model(P＜0.05).Conclusion All 3D-nnU-Net-based VMI70 keV,NLBI and MEI models could effectively segment AGC on dual-energy CT images,and the segmentation efficacy of the former two were better.

Objective:To analyze changes of donor corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) and morphology from eye bank before and after keratolasty and the influencing factors.Methods:An observational case series study was performed.A total of 118 donor corneas, retrieved by the Shandong Province Eye Bank between July 2020 and June 2021 for penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) and endothelial keratoplasty (EK) were included.Among them, 99 corneas (83.90%) were used for PKP, and 19(16.10%) for EK.The basic information of donors and the results of corneal quality tests were analyzed and compared with ECD measured by endothelial microscopy one month after keratolasty.Morphological changes in endothelial cells before and after surgery were observed, and factors influencing corneal ECD and morphology were analyzed.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shandong Eye Hospital (No.SDSYKYY20170319).Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:Among the 99 donor corneas for PKP, there were statistically significant differences in preoperative donor corneal ECD and 1-month postoperative ECD of implant among different age groups ( F=18.136, 5.936; both P<0.01), which were lower in the 31-60-year-old group and the >60-year-old group than in the 0-30-year-old group and higher in the 31-60-year-old group than in the >60-year-old group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.01).There were statistically significant differences in the preoperative donor corneal ECD among different donor cause of death groups ( F=4.524, P<0.01), which was higher in the traumatic accident group compared to the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease group, chronic organ failure group and malignant tumor group (all P<0.01).The preoperative donor ECD in the death-tissue retrieval time ≤6 hours group was (2 577.66±284.63)cells/mm 2, which was higher than (2 372.46±399.75)cells/mm 2 in the death-tissue retrieval time >6 hours group, with a statistically significant difference ( t=2.289, P<0.05).There were statistically significant differences in 1-month postoperative ECD among the preservation-surgery time ≤3 days, 3-6 days, and >6 days groups ( F=6.201, P<0.01), with higher ECD in preservation-surgery time ≤3 days groups than in 3-6 days and >6 days groups (both P<0.01).The preoperative donor corneal ECD applied to EK was significantly higher than that applied to PKP ( t=-2.660, P<0.01).ECD at 1 month after surgery applied to PKP was significantly higher than that applied to EK ( t=4.286, P<0.01).The ECD reduction rate was 7.14% (0.01%, 17.69%) and 31.07% (22.11%, 45.86%) in PKP group and EK group, respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( Z=4.969, P<0.01).The ECD was lower in the group with dark area than in the non-dark area group before PKP, with a statistically significant difference ( t=6.789, P=0.011).There was no significant difference in ECD at 1 month after keratoplasty between the two groups ( t=0.005, P=0.945).Multivariate logistic regression model results showed that preservation-surgery time >6 days and the cause of donor death being malignant tumor were risk factors for the appearance of dark areas in donor corneal endothelium ( OR=9.038, P=0.030; OR=6.577, P=0.018). Conclusions:The older the donor, the lower the ECD.Prolonged preservation-surgery time (>6 days) is the main factor contributing to the decline in ECD after keratolasty.Compared to PKP, there is a higher endothelial cell loss after EK.The tissue preservation-surgery time >6 days and the cause of donor death being malignant tumor are the main risk factors affecting the appearance of dark areas in the donor corneal endothelium.But the presence of physiological dark areas does not significantly influence the ECD after surgery.

Selenium is an essential trace element for human body.The primary functional form of selenium in the organism is selenoproteins(Sep),which plays a crucial role in maintaining normal physiological functions,influencing immune responses,and is also implicated in tumorigenesis and related metabolic disorders.Recent studies have shown that Sep is involved in the pathophysiological process of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).This article reviewed the mechanisms of Sep in IBD,aiming to explore the pathogenic mechanisms of IBD and provide insights for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Objective:To analyze changes of donor corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) and morphology from eye bank before and after keratolasty and the influencing factors.Methods:An observational case series study was performed.A total of 118 donor corneas, retrieved by the Shandong Province Eye Bank between July 2020 and June 2021 for penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) and endothelial keratoplasty (EK) were included.Among them, 99 corneas (83.90%) were used for PKP, and 19(16.10%) for EK.The basic information of donors and the results of corneal quality tests were analyzed and compared with ECD measured by endothelial microscopy one month after keratolasty.Morphological changes in endothelial cells before and after surgery were observed, and factors influencing corneal ECD and morphology were analyzed.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shandong Eye Hospital (No.SDSYKYY20170319).Written informed consent was obtained from each subject.Results:Among the 99 donor corneas for PKP, there were statistically significant differences in preoperative donor corneal ECD and 1-month postoperative ECD of implant among different age groups ( F=18.136, 5.936; both P<0.01), which were lower in the 31-60-year-old group and the >60-year-old group than in the 0-30-year-old group and higher in the 31-60-year-old group than in the >60-year-old group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.01).There were statistically significant differences in the preoperative donor corneal ECD among different donor cause of death groups ( F=4.524, P<0.01), which was higher in the traumatic accident group compared to the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease group, chronic organ failure group and malignant tumor group (all P<0.01).The preoperative donor ECD in the death-tissue retrieval time ≤6 hours group was (2 577.66±284.63)cells/mm 2, which was higher than (2 372.46±399.75)cells/mm 2 in the death-tissue retrieval time >6 hours group, with a statistically significant difference ( t=2.289, P<0.05).There were statistically significant differences in 1-month postoperative ECD among the preservation-surgery time ≤3 days, 3-6 days, and >6 days groups ( F=6.201, P<0.01), with higher ECD in preservation-surgery time ≤3 days groups than in 3-6 days and >6 days groups (both P<0.01).The preoperative donor corneal ECD applied to EK was significantly higher than that applied to PKP ( t=-2.660, P<0.01).ECD at 1 month after surgery applied to PKP was significantly higher than that applied to EK ( t=4.286, P<0.01).The ECD reduction rate was 7.14% (0.01%, 17.69%) and 31.07% (22.11%, 45.86%) in PKP group and EK group, respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( Z=4.969, P<0.01).The ECD was lower in the group with dark area than in the non-dark area group before PKP, with a statistically significant difference ( t=6.789, P=0.011).There was no significant difference in ECD at 1 month after keratoplasty between the two groups ( t=0.005, P=0.945).Multivariate logistic regression model results showed that preservation-surgery time >6 days and the cause of donor death being malignant tumor were risk factors for the appearance of dark areas in donor corneal endothelium ( OR=9.038, P=0.030; OR=6.577, P=0.018). Conclusions:The older the donor, the lower the ECD.Prolonged preservation-surgery time (>6 days) is the main factor contributing to the decline in ECD after keratolasty.Compared to PKP, there is a higher endothelial cell loss after EK.The tissue preservation-surgery time >6 days and the cause of donor death being malignant tumor are the main risk factors affecting the appearance of dark areas in the donor corneal endothelium.But the presence of physiological dark areas does not significantly influence the ECD after surgery.

Objective To evaluate the dosimetric impact of interfractional bladder fullness variation in volumetric modulated arc therapy for cervical cancer using artificial intelligence-assisted cone-beam CT(CBCT)image segmentation,and propose an imaging-based quantitative assessment criterion for bladder fullness,providing an objective basis for assessing bladder filling status during clinical treatment.Methods Fifty patients receiving volumetric modulated arc therapy for cervical cancer were selected.The criterion for determining bladder fullness was as follow:if the bladder longitudinal diameter measured on the CBCT mid-sagittal plane was greater than half of the bladder longitudinal diameter measured on the localizable CT,it was defined as≥50%bladder fullness;otherwise,it was defined as<50%bladder fullness.Based on this criterion,two CBCT images were selected for each patient(representing fractions with≥50%and<50%fullness,respectively).Borui auto-contouring system was applied to re-contour the target areas and organs at risk,followed by dose recalculation.Results Compared with≥50%bladder fullness group,<50%bladder fullness group had significantly increased bladder V40,and small bowel Dmax,Dmean,V55,V45,V40(P<0.05),indicating that during interfractional radiotherapy,a CBCT-measured bladder longitudinal diameter less than half of the bladder longitudinal diameter measured on the localizable CT could serve as a predictor for significantly increased radiation dose to the bladder and small bowel.Correlation analysis revealed that bladder volume change showed a positive correlation with bladder Dmax change(R=0.45),a significant negative correlation with bladder V30(R=-0.37),and negative correlations with small bowel Dmax,Dmean,V55,V45,V40(R=-0.31,-0.41,-0.39,-0.49,-0.61).The correlation results indicate that increasing bladder fullness could reduce the radiation dose to the bladder and small bowel.Conclusion Artificial intelligence-assisted segmentation confirms that in interfractional radiotherapy for cervical cancer,when the CBCT-measured bladder longitudinal diameter is less than half of the longitudinal diameter measured on the localizable CT,there is a significant increase in radiation dose to OAR.Maintaining an ideal state of bladder fullness contributes to reducing the radiation dose to the bladder and small bowel.It is crucial to provide patients with adequate bladder management education before treatment and implement strict bladder volume management strategies during treatment fractions.

Objective: To explore glymphatic impairment in pediatric refractory epilepsy (RE) using multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assess its relationship with white-matter (WM) abnormalities and clinical indicators, and preliminarily evaluate the performance of multi-parameter MRI in discriminating RE from drug-sensitive epilepsy (DSE). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively included 70 patients with DSE (mean age, 9.7 ± 3.5 years; male:female, 37:33) and 26 patients with RE (9.0 ± 2.9 years; male:female, 12:14). The diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index as well as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and nodal efficiency values were measured and compared between patients with RE and DSE. With sex and age as covariables, differences in the FA and MD values were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics, and nodal efficiency was analyzed using a linear model. Pearson’s partial correlation was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the discrimination performance of the MRI-based machine-learning models through five-fold cross-validation. Results: In the RE group, FA decreased and MD increased in comparison with the corresponding values in the DSE group, and these differences mainly involved the callosum, right and left corona radiata, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and posterior thalamic radiation (threshold-free cluster enhancement, P < 0.05). The RE group also showed reduced nodal efficiency, which mainly involved the limbic system, default mode network, and visual network (false discovery rate, P < 0.05), and significantly lower DTI-ALPS index (F = 2.0, P = 0.049). The DTI-ALPS index was positively correlated with FA (0.25 ≤ r ≤ 0.32) and nodal efficiency (0.22 ≤ r ≤ 0.37), and was negatively correlated with the MD (-0.24 ≤ r≤ -0.34) and seizure frequency (r = -0.47). A machine-learning model combining DTI-ALPS, FA, MD, and nodal efficiency achieved a cross-validated ROC curve area of 0.83 (sensitivity, 78.2%; specificity, 84.8%). Conclusion Pediatric patients with RE showed impaired glymphatic function in comparison with patients with DSE, which was correlated with WM abnormalities and seizure frequency. Multi-parameter MRI may be feasible for distinguishing RE from DSE.

Objective: To explore glymphatic impairment in pediatric refractory epilepsy (RE) using multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assess its relationship with white-matter (WM) abnormalities and clinical indicators, and preliminarily evaluate the performance of multi-parameter MRI in discriminating RE from drug-sensitive epilepsy (DSE). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively included 70 patients with DSE (mean age, 9.7 ± 3.5 years; male:female, 37:33) and 26 patients with RE (9.0 ± 2.9 years; male:female, 12:14). The diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index as well as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and nodal efficiency values were measured and compared between patients with RE and DSE. With sex and age as covariables, differences in the FA and MD values were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics, and nodal efficiency was analyzed using a linear model. Pearson’s partial correlation was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the discrimination performance of the MRI-based machine-learning models through five-fold cross-validation. Results: In the RE group, FA decreased and MD increased in comparison with the corresponding values in the DSE group, and these differences mainly involved the callosum, right and left corona radiata, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and posterior thalamic radiation (threshold-free cluster enhancement, P < 0.05). The RE group also showed reduced nodal efficiency, which mainly involved the limbic system, default mode network, and visual network (false discovery rate, P < 0.05), and significantly lower DTI-ALPS index (F = 2.0, P = 0.049). The DTI-ALPS index was positively correlated with FA (0.25 ≤ r ≤ 0.32) and nodal efficiency (0.22 ≤ r ≤ 0.37), and was negatively correlated with the MD (-0.24 ≤ r≤ -0.34) and seizure frequency (r = -0.47). A machine-learning model combining DTI-ALPS, FA, MD, and nodal efficiency achieved a cross-validated ROC curve area of 0.83 (sensitivity, 78.2%; specificity, 84.8%). Conclusion Pediatric patients with RE showed impaired glymphatic function in comparison with patients with DSE, which was correlated with WM abnormalities and seizure frequency. Multi-parameter MRI may be feasible for distinguishing RE from DSE.

Objective: To explore glymphatic impairment in pediatric refractory epilepsy (RE) using multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), assess its relationship with white-matter (WM) abnormalities and clinical indicators, and preliminarily evaluate the performance of multi-parameter MRI in discriminating RE from drug-sensitive epilepsy (DSE). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively included 70 patients with DSE (mean age, 9.7 ± 3.5 years; male:female, 37:33) and 26 patients with RE (9.0 ± 2.9 years; male:female, 12:14). The diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index as well as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and nodal efficiency values were measured and compared between patients with RE and DSE. With sex and age as covariables, differences in the FA and MD values were analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics, and nodal efficiency was analyzed using a linear model. Pearson’s partial correlation was analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the discrimination performance of the MRI-based machine-learning models through five-fold cross-validation. Results: In the RE group, FA decreased and MD increased in comparison with the corresponding values in the DSE group, and these differences mainly involved the callosum, right and left corona radiata, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculus, and posterior thalamic radiation (threshold-free cluster enhancement, P < 0.05). The RE group also showed reduced nodal efficiency, which mainly involved the limbic system, default mode network, and visual network (false discovery rate, P < 0.05), and significantly lower DTI-ALPS index (F = 2.0, P = 0.049). The DTI-ALPS index was positively correlated with FA (0.25 ≤ r ≤ 0.32) and nodal efficiency (0.22 ≤ r ≤ 0.37), and was negatively correlated with the MD (-0.24 ≤ r≤ -0.34) and seizure frequency (r = -0.47). A machine-learning model combining DTI-ALPS, FA, MD, and nodal efficiency achieved a cross-validated ROC curve area of 0.83 (sensitivity, 78.2%; specificity, 84.8%). Conclusion Pediatric patients with RE showed impaired glymphatic function in comparison with patients with DSE, which was correlated with WM abnormalities and seizure frequency. Multi-parameter MRI may be feasible for distinguishing RE from DSE.