Background In recent years, the increasingly widespread application of nuclear and medical radiation technologies has resulted in a large number of occupational populations exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR). At present, there is no consistent conclusion on the effects of long-term exposure to LDIR on the metabolic health of the occupational population. Objective To explore the association between long-term exposure to LDIR and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among medical radiologists. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to enroll 6431 medical radiologists who ordered occupational health checkups from January 2022 to December 2023, and basic information such as demographic characteristics, occupational characteristics, lifestyles, and dietary habits was collected through questionnaires. Physical examinations were conducted using a standardized protocol. Individual dose equivalents of occupational external exposure were monitored by dosimeters worn by medical radiologists. Logistic regression model was used for identifying influencing factors of MetS and sensitivity analysis, and restricted cubic spline model was used to explore the dose-response relationship between cumulative effective dose and MetS. Two-stage linear regression was used to evaluate threshold effect of association between cumulative effective dose and MetS. Results The positive rate of MetS was 13.6% (877/6431) among the enrolled 6431 study participants. The logistic regression showed that gender, age, monthly income, body mass index (BMI), cumulative effective dose, and smoking were influencing factors for MetS. The risk of MetS was higher in males (OR=1.511, 95%CI: 1.209, 1.888); using the < 30 years old group as reference, the risk of MetS was higher in the 30-39 years old (OR=1.509, 95%CI: 1.095, 2.079), 40-49 years old (OR=2.214, 95%CI: 1.551, 3.161), and ≥50 years old (OR=3.480, 95%CI: 2.338, 5.181) groups; using the <10000 yuan group as reference, the risk of MetS was lower in the group with a monthly income of 10000-14999 yuan (OR=0.715, 95%CI: 0.582, 0.878); the risk of MetS was higher in the BMI ≥ 24 kg·m⁻² group (OR=7.548, 95%CI: 6.223, 9.156); using the < 0.76 mSv group as reference, the risk of MetS was higher in the cumulative effective dose of 0.76-2.73 mSv group (OR=1.270, 95%CI: 1.017, 1.586); the risk of MetS was higher in the smoking group (OR=1.734, 95%CI: 1.428, 2.107). The results of restricted cubic spline showed that the cumulative effective dose was nonlinearly correlated with MetS (P _{non-linearity}=0.028), with an inflection point of 1.25 mSv. The risk of developing MetS increased by 34.1% for each unit increase in cumulative effective dose up to 1.25 mSv, whereas above 1.25 mSv, the statistical association was not significant. The sensitivity analysis results showed that after excluding the self-reported hypertensive and diabetic patients, the cumulative effective dose 0.76-2.73 mSv group still had an increased risk of developing MetS compared with the < 0.76 mSv group (P < 0.05), and the results were robust. Conclusion Among medical radiologists, male, age, BMI, and smoking are positively correlated with MetS, and monthly income is negatively correlated with MetS; cumulative effective dose is non-linearly correlated with MetS among medical radiologists.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an artificial intelligence-assisted system for the automatic detection of the features of common 21 auricular points based on the YOLOv8 neural network. METHODS: A total of 660 human auricular images from three research centers were collected from June 2019 to February 2024. The rectangle boxes and features of images were annotated using the LabelMe5.3.1 tool and converted them into a format compatible with the YOLO model. Using these data, transfer learning and fine-tuning training were conducted on different scales of pretrained YOLO neural network models. The model's performance was evaluated on validation and test sets, including the mean average precision (mAP) at various thresholds, recall rate (recall), frames per second (FPS) and confusion matrices. Finally, the model was deployed on a local computer, and the real-time detection of human auricular images was conducted using a camera. RESULTS: Five different versions of the YOLOv8 key-point detection model were developed, including YOLOv8n, YOLOv8s, YOLOv8m, YOLOv8l, and YOLOv8x. On the validation set, YOLOv8n showed the best performance in terms of speed (225.736 frames per second) and precision (0.998). On the external test set, YOLOv8n achieved the accuracy of 0.991, the sensitivity of 1.0, and the F1 score of 0.995. The localization performance of auricular point features showed the average accuracy of 0.990, the precision of 0.995, and the recall of 0.997 under 50% intersection ration (mAP⁵⁰). CONCLUSION The key-point detection model of 21 common auricular points based on YOLOv8n exhibits the excellent predictive performance, which is capable of rapidly and automatically locating and classifying auricular points.
Humans ; Neural Networks, Computer ; Artificial Intelligence ; Acupuncture Points

Objective: To investigate the efficacy, nursing characteristics, and management of different desensitization strategies before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) among patients with high level of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 82 patients with high levels of HLA antibodies who underwent allo-HSCT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and Suzhou Hopes Hematonosis Hospital between January 2020 to November 2023. Patients were divided into two groups based on the desensitization strategy they received: the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody combined with therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) group (n=50) and the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody combined with Protein A immunoabsorption group (n=32). The differences of efficacy between the desensitization strategies were analyzed. The safety of both desensitization strategies were assessed by close monitoring of adverse events throughout the treatment. The nursing characteristics and interventions specific to these strategies were comprehensively summarized. Results: There were no significant differences in age, gender, and diagnosis between the two groups of patients receiving different desensitization strategies (P>0.05). Following desensitization in the immunoadsorption group, the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) levels of anti-HLA Class I antibody decreased significantly compared to initial screening (P=0.048), while the decrease in MFI values of anti-HLA Class II antibody was not statistically significant (P=0.173). In the TPE group, the MFI levels for both anti-HLA Class I and II antibodies after desensitization decreased significantly compared to initial screening (P=0.025 and 0.028, respectively). Monitoring of adverse events during desensitization treatment, found that patients in the immunoadsorption group experienced mild decreases in blood pressure during the process, with two patients developing severe hypotension. No allergic reactions occurred, and no damage of liver or kidney function was observed after the immunoadsorption. In the immunoadsorption group, a total of 19 patients underwent sera immunoglobulin assays before and after immunoadsorption. Compared to the initial screening, the immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels significantly decreased after immunoadsorption (P<0.001). In TPE group, 12 patients experienced mild hypotension during the plasma exchange process, but no severe hypotension was observed. One patient developed an allergic reaction. After the TPE treatment, no damage of liver or kidney function was observed, nor any decrease of IgG levels. In terms of safety of intravenous access, neither group experienced severe complications such as catheter-related bloodstream infections or deep vein thrombosis. In the TPE group, catheter occlusion occurred during the process of plasma exchange in 2 patients, while no such incident was observed in the immunoadsorption group. Patients of both groups exhibited anxiety and depression before treatment. After psychological care, the scores for anxiety and depression significantly decreased (P<0.001). Conclusion: Both desensitization strategies significantly decreased the HLA antibodies in highly sensitized patients with high level of HLA antibodies undergoing allo-HSCT. For patients receiving immunoabsorption, nursing care should focus on preventing and managing hypotension and implementing infection-prevention measures due to IgG depletion. In contrast, for those undergoing TPE, vigilant monitoring and prompt management of potential allergic reactions are essential components of nursing practice.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical process of fragment reattachment in crown-root fractures (CRF) of teeth that the fracture occurred between sub-gingival and supra-alveolar ridge (sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge) in the esthetic zone, and to analyze the feasibility of this minimally invasive technique for sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge CRF involving anterior teeth.Methods:Fourteen sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge CRF involving anterior teeth in 12 patients received fragment reattachment in the Department of Prosthodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University from January 2016 to August 2024. The success rate of the fractured teeth 3 years after reattachment and the complications during the follow-up period were retrospectively analyzed. The 3-year success rate and complications during follow-up were evaluated to assess the clinical efficacy of this technique.Results:The 14 treated teeth were followed for an average of (36.0±33.7) months (range: 4-99 months). Complications occurred in 2 teeth: one was extracted due to debonding and replaced with a removable partial denture, while the other developed a palatal sinus post-reattachment, which healed after local saline irrigation and medication (followed for 12 months without recurrence). The remaining 12 teeth exhibited no complications, resulting in a success rate of 13/14.Conclusions:Fragment reattachment is a minimally invasive, rapid, and cost-effective treatment option for sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge CRF in the anterior esthetic zone. With strict case selection, it delivers favorable outcomes and extends the clinical lifespan of affected teeth.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical process of fragment reattachment in crown-root fractures (CRF) of teeth that the fracture occurred between sub-gingival and supra-alveolar ridge (sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge) in the esthetic zone, and to analyze the feasibility of this minimally invasive technique for sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge CRF involving anterior teeth.Methods:Fourteen sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge CRF involving anterior teeth in 12 patients received fragment reattachment in the Department of Prosthodontics, School of Stomatology, the Fourth Military Medical University from January 2016 to August 2024. The success rate of the fractured teeth 3 years after reattachment and the complications during the follow-up period were retrospectively analyzed. The 3-year success rate and complications during follow-up were evaluated to assess the clinical efficacy of this technique.Results:The 14 treated teeth were followed for an average of (36.0±33.7) months (range: 4-99 months). Complications occurred in 2 teeth: one was extracted due to debonding and replaced with a removable partial denture, while the other developed a palatal sinus post-reattachment, which healed after local saline irrigation and medication (followed for 12 months without recurrence). The remaining 12 teeth exhibited no complications, resulting in a success rate of 13/14.Conclusions:Fragment reattachment is a minimally invasive, rapid, and cost-effective treatment option for sub-gingival & supra-alveolar ridge CRF in the anterior esthetic zone. With strict case selection, it delivers favorable outcomes and extends the clinical lifespan of affected teeth.

Clinically, it is challenging to differentiate Crohn's disease (CD) from abdominal actinomycosis due to their similar symptoms. However, cases of CD with secondary actinomycosis infection are rare. This article systematically reviews the diagnosis and treatment process of a patient with CD complicated by secondary actinomycosis infection at the Air Force Medical University Xijing Digestive Disease Hospital, to provide ideas and experience for future clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of a 1 064 nm picosecond laser combined with intense pulsed light in the treatment of melasma.Methods:From May to August 2022, ninety-two female patients with melasma were admitted to the Medical Cosmetology Center, Xi′an International Medical Center Hospital, aged 25-50 years, with an average age of (35.0±3.5) years. The were divided by random number table method. Forty-six cases were divided into laser combined group, which were treated with precise intense pulsed light combined with a 1 064 nm picosecond laser. Forty-six cases in the laser group were treated with a 1 064 nm picosecond laser. The area and severity score of melasma (MASI), VISIA score and clinical efficacy were evaluated.Results:The MASI scores of laser combined group were 12.58 (11.04, 13.99) before treatment, and the MASI scores of laser group were 13.16 (11.47, 14.14) before treatment. The MASI scores of laser combined group were 5.75 (3.79, 7.19), and the MASI scores of laser group were 7.15 (5.42, 5.85) after treatment. The MASI scores of the two groups were decreased compared with those before treatment, and the MASI score of the laser combined group was lower than that of the laser group. The difference was statistically significant ( Z=-4.05, P<0.01). The median VISIA scores of the laser combined group were (173.72±43.77), and the median VISIA scores of the laser group were (175.65±34.9) before treatment. The median VISIA scores of the laser combined group were (135.46±41.63), and the median VISIA scores ofthe laser group were (145.26±33.33) after treatment. The VISIA scores of the two groups were decreased compared with those before treatment. The scores of the laser combined group were lower than those of the laser group. The difference was statistically significant ( t=-2.52, P<0.05). The effective rate of the laser combined group (80.43%, 37/46) was higher than that of the laser group (69.56%, 22/46, P<0.05). Conclusions:The curative effect of 1 064 nm picosecond laser combined with precise intense pulsed light in the treatment of melasma is better than that of a 1 064 nm picosecond laser alone.

Objective:Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of ultra-picosecond 1 064 nm laser treatment for enlarged facial pores.Methods:From November 2022 to April 2023, 31 female patients with enlarged facial pores, aged between 28 and 52 (35.2±5.5) years old, were treated at the Medical Aesthetics Center of Xi′an International Medical Center Hospital. They received ultra-picosecond 1 064 nm laser fractional handpiece treatment once every 4 weeks for a total of 3 times. One month after the last treatment, facial pore changes were evaluated using facial pore scores and VISIA pore feature count absolute values, and adverse reactions were assessed.Results:All 31 patients completed the treatment. The facial pore scores before and after treatment were 4 (4, 5) and 2 (2, 3), respectively, indicating a statistically significant ( Z=-4.99, P<0.001) decrease in facial pore scores compared to before treatment. The absolute values of VISIA facial pore counts before and after treatment were 859 (829, 1147) and 652 (632, 731), respectively. The absolute value of VISIA pore count after treatment was lower than that before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-4.86, P<0.05 ). Conclusions:Ultra-picosecond laser can effectively improve enlarged facial pores without significant adverse reactions.

Objective To explore the predictive value of CT radiomics and morphological features for the prognosis and survival in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)patients.Methods The clinic data of 300 NSCLC patients(300 lesions)were downloaded from the Cancer Imaging Archive,with 210 randomly selected as the training set and 90 as the test set.According to the prognosis and survival,the patients were divided into two groups with survival period≤3 and＞3 years.3D Slicer software was used to delineate the regions of interest layer by layer in CT images,and the radiomics features were extracted from each region of interest.Both t-test and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were utilized for radiomics feature screening.Three types of prediction models,namely radiomics model,morphological model and combined model,were constructed with Logistic regression,whose performances were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results The differences in radiomics labels and mediastinal lymph node metastasis between the training set and the test set were statistically significant.For radiomics model,morphological model and combined model,the area under the ROC curve was 0.784(95%CI:0.722-0.847),0.734(95%CI:0.664-0.804)and 0.748(95%CI:0.680-0.815)in the training set,and 0.737(95%CI:0.630-0.844),0.665(95%CI:0.554-0.777)and 0.687(95%CI:0.578-0.797)in the test set,which demonstrated that radiomics model had the best diagnostic performance.Conclusion The CT radiomics model can effectively predict the prognosis and survival in NSCLC patients.

Objective To explore the biological function and downstream mechanism of ETS1 in glioma.Methods Bioinformatics and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the differential expression characteristics of ETS1 in gliomas;qRT-PCR was employed to detect the expression level of ETS1 mRNA and lncRNA X-inactive specific transcript(XIST).CCK-8 and 5-ethyl-2′-deoxyuridine experiments were conducted to detect cell growth.Western blot was used to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins(Bax,Bak,Bcl-2).PROMO database was utilized to predict the binding sites between ETS1 and XIST promoter.Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays were performed to verify the binding relationship between ETS1 and the XIST promoter region.cBioPortal database was used to analyze the correlation between the expression of ETS1 mRNA and XIST in glioma tissues.Results The expression levels of ETS1 mRNA and protein were significantly upregulated in glioma(P<0.05).The depletion of ETS1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of glioma cells and promoted cell apoptosis(P<0.05).ETS1 could target and bind with the XIST promoter and promote the expression of XIST(P<0.05).The overexpression of XIST reversed the effects of ETS1 on the proliferation of glioma cells and the promotion of cell apoptosis(P<0.05).Conclusion ETS1 is highly expressed in glioma tissues.It could promote the expression of lncRNA XIST,boost the proliferation of glioma cells,and inhibit cell apoptosis.