Objective:To study the consistency between post-processing bone mineral density(BMD)values of multi-slice spiral computed tomography(MSCT)scan and the BMD value of quantitative computed tomography(QCT)for lumbar vertebra,so as to explore the feasibility of utilizing MSCT scan-based post-processing BMD values for lumbar vertebra in clinical practice.Methods:The MSCT equipment and QCT equipment were respectively adopted to conduct imaging scan for the L2-L4 of lumber vertebra of QRM-ESP145 European Spine Phantom(ESP),and L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult sheep,and L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult volunteer.The L2-L4 of ESP lumber vertebra and L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult sheep were scanned respectively MSCT and QCT for three times,so as to measure BMD values.The L2-L4 of lumbar vertebrae of volunteers were scanned respectively by the two methods for one time according to the standard of clinical examination,which were reconstructed by three times so as to obtain mean of them.The BMD values of QCT scan were set as control group,and the BMD values of MSCT scan were set as experiment group.The experiment group was further divided into experiment 1 group[two dimension(2D)regional volumetric BMD values of the lumbar vertebra]and experiment 2 group[three dimension(3D)global volumetric BMD post-processing of the lumbar vertebra]according to the reliability of experiment.Then,the consistency between the MSCT 3D post-processing BMD values of three groups and QCT-measured BMD values was compared and analyzed.Results:The MSCT 3D post-processing BMD values of L2-L4 of ESP lumbar vertebra of three groups were respectively(120.83±0.97),(199.57±0.54)and(119.19±1.04)mg/cm3,and that of L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult sheep of three groups were respectively(414.89±1.72),(410.50±0.77)and(420.25±2.71)mg/cm3,and that of L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of volunteer were respectively(141.22±0.09),(137.38±0.37)and(152.03±1.03)mg/cm3.There were not statistically significant differences in BMD values between MSCT examination and QCT examination(P＞0.05).Conclusion:MSCT 3D post-processing BMD values on lumbar vertebra has high consistency with that of QCT measurements,which post-processing technique can replace QCT to conduct BMD examination,and reduce unnecessary radiation exposure and examination costs for patients.

Objective:To study the consistency between post-processing bone mineral density(BMD)values of multi-slice spiral computed tomography(MSCT)scan and the BMD value of quantitative computed tomography(QCT)for lumbar vertebra,so as to explore the feasibility of utilizing MSCT scan-based post-processing BMD values for lumbar vertebra in clinical practice.Methods:The MSCT equipment and QCT equipment were respectively adopted to conduct imaging scan for the L2-L4 of lumber vertebra of QRM-ESP145 European Spine Phantom(ESP),and L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult sheep,and L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult volunteer.The L2-L4 of ESP lumber vertebra and L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult sheep were scanned respectively MSCT and QCT for three times,so as to measure BMD values.The L2-L4 of lumbar vertebrae of volunteers were scanned respectively by the two methods for one time according to the standard of clinical examination,which were reconstructed by three times so as to obtain mean of them.The BMD values of QCT scan were set as control group,and the BMD values of MSCT scan were set as experiment group.The experiment group was further divided into experiment 1 group[two dimension(2D)regional volumetric BMD values of the lumbar vertebra]and experiment 2 group[three dimension(3D)global volumetric BMD post-processing of the lumbar vertebra]according to the reliability of experiment.Then,the consistency between the MSCT 3D post-processing BMD values of three groups and QCT-measured BMD values was compared and analyzed.Results:The MSCT 3D post-processing BMD values of L2-L4 of ESP lumbar vertebra of three groups were respectively(120.83±0.97),(199.57±0.54)and(119.19±1.04)mg/cm3,and that of L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of adult sheep of three groups were respectively(414.89±1.72),(410.50±0.77)and(420.25±2.71)mg/cm3,and that of L2-L4 of lumbar vertebra of volunteer were respectively(141.22±0.09),(137.38±0.37)and(152.03±1.03)mg/cm3.There were not statistically significant differences in BMD values between MSCT examination and QCT examination(P＞0.05).Conclusion:MSCT 3D post-processing BMD values on lumbar vertebra has high consistency with that of QCT measurements,which post-processing technique can replace QCT to conduct BMD examination,and reduce unnecessary radiation exposure and examination costs for patients.

Objective·To explore the effects of the cancer-testis antigen(CTA)family member CT63 on proliferation,differentiation,and tumorigenicity of chronic myeloid leukemia(CML)cells,and uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms.Methods·The link between CT63 expression and the prognosis of myeloid leukemia patients was analyzed using bioinformatics methods(TCGA database).A K562 cell line with CT63 knockdown was established.The knockdown efficiency of CT63 was confirmed by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.Live-cell imaging and CCK-8 methods were adopted to evaluate the inhibitory effect of CT63 knockdown in CML cells.A subcutaneous tumorigenesis assay in nude mice was conducted to examine the effects of CT63 on tumorigenesis,tumor growth,and differentiation of K562 cells in vivo.Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate(PMA)-induced monocyte/macrophage differentiation experiment was carried out to investigate the role of CT63 in the differentiation of K562 cells in vitro.Mitochondrial function was assessed to determine the impact of CT63 on CML cells both in vivo and in vitro.Results·The Kaplan-Meier survival curve indicated that low expression levels of CT63 were correlated with longer survival in patients with myeloid leukemia.Down-regulation of CT63 in K562 cells inhibited proliferation and promoted differentiation.Live-cell imaging and CCK-8 assays displayed that knockdown of CT63 inhibited cell proliferation and extended cell doubling time in K562 cells.In the subcutaneous xenotransplantation model,down-regulation of CT63 inhibited tumor growth in nude mice.K562 cells expressing lower levels of CT63 were more prone to differentiate into monocyte/macrophage both in vivo and in vitro under PMA exposure condition.Knockdown of CT63 suppressed the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅳ.This led to decreased expression of mitochondrial markers,including cytochrome C oxidase Ⅳ(COX Ⅳ),pyruvate dehydrogenase,succinate dehydrogenase A(SDHA),and voltage-dependent anion channel(VDAC),thus affecting the mitochondrial metabolic activity of K562 cells.Conclusion·CT63 is related to the prognosis of myeloid leukemia patients.CT63 plays an important role in promoting proliferation and inhibiting differentiation of K562 cells in vivo and in vitro.CT63 serves as a switch to regulate the balance between proliferation and differentiation of CML cells via the modulation of mitochondrial activity.

An 11-year-old boy received tofacitinib (oral 7.5 mg once daily) on the basis of methotrexate therapy (oral 10 mg once a week) due to poor control of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and the symptoms were relieved. The boy′s liver function was normal before using tofacitinib. After more than 2 months of combined use of the 2 drugs, laboratory tests showed alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 178 U/L and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 78 U/L. No intervention was given because there were no clinical symptoms. His liver enzyme elevated significantly (ALT 586 U/L, AST 170 U/L) after continued medication for 1 month. After excluding viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, and other liver diseases, drug-induced liver injury was considered. Methotrexate was discontinued, tocilizumab was added, and liver protection therapy with reduced glutathione and magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate was given. Eleven days of methotrexate withdrawal, the laboratory tests showed ALT 512 U/L and AST 194 U/L. Then tofacitinib was discontinued and hepatic enzyme decreased significantly (ALT 150 U/L, AST 41 U/L) 3 days later. The liver injury was considered to be related to tofacitinib. The liver protection therapy was continued for 1 week, and the liver function examination showed ALT 41 U/L and AST 35 U/L.

An 11-year-old boy received tofacitinib (oral 7.5 mg once daily) on the basis of methotrexate therapy (oral 10 mg once a week) due to poor control of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and the symptoms were relieved. The boy′s liver function was normal before using tofacitinib. After more than 2 months of combined use of the 2 drugs, laboratory tests showed alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 178 U/L and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 78 U/L. No intervention was given because there were no clinical symptoms. His liver enzyme elevated significantly (ALT 586 U/L, AST 170 U/L) after continued medication for 1 month. After excluding viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, and other liver diseases, drug-induced liver injury was considered. Methotrexate was discontinued, tocilizumab was added, and liver protection therapy with reduced glutathione and magnesium isoglycyrrhizinate was given. Eleven days of methotrexate withdrawal, the laboratory tests showed ALT 512 U/L and AST 194 U/L. Then tofacitinib was discontinued and hepatic enzyme decreased significantly (ALT 150 U/L, AST 41 U/L) 3 days later. The liver injury was considered to be related to tofacitinib. The liver protection therapy was continued for 1 week, and the liver function examination showed ALT 41 U/L and AST 35 U/L.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in pediatric patients. Methods: Sixty pediatric patients of both sexes with hydronephrosis, aged 3-12 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ, undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty from March 2018 to April 2019, were divided into 2 groups using a random number table method: control group (group C, n=28) and ERAS group (n=32). In ERAS group, preoperative ERAS education was carried out, the time of preoperative food and water deprivation was shortened, pediatric patients drank glucose water at 2 h before surgery, anesthetic regimen was optimized, lung protective ventilation and target-directed fluid therapy were performed, and intraoperative warming and multi-mode antiemetic measures were carried out during operation, and multi-mode analgesic measures were taken after operation, and pediatric patients received water and food intake early through the mouth and got out of bed as soon as possible after operation.In group C, the traditional concept was adopted for perioperative management.Immediately after tracheal intubation, at 30 min and 1 and 2 h after establishing pneumoperitoneum, at 5 min after the end of pneumoperitoneum and at 5 min after extubation, the airway peak pressure and tidal volume were recorded, and blood gas analysis was performed.The occurrence of cardiovascular events was recorded during surgery.The postoperative time of extubation, time of first intake, the first postoperative off-bed time, the first flatus time, time of pulling out the ureter and drainage tube, and length of hospital stay were recorded.The Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium scale was used to assess the agitation during the recovery period.The Faces Pain Scale-Revised scale was used to assess the degree of pain within 72 h after surgery.When Faces Pain Scale-Revised scale score ≥4, fentanyl 0.25 μg/kg was intravenously injected as rescue analgesic.The requirement for rescue analgesia was recorded.The overall complications were evaluated by using Clavin-Dindo grading, and postoperative complications included nausea and vomiting, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, incision infection, abdominal infection, anastomotic leakage, fever, etc. Results: Compared with group C, the preoperative food and water deprivation time was significantly shortened, the time of postoperative extubation was prolonged, the postoperative length of hospital stay, time of first intake, the first postoperative off-bed time, the first flatus time, and time of pulling out the ureter were shortened, airway peak pressure was decreased at 1 and 2 h of pneumoperitoneum, arterial blood lactate concentrations were decreased at each time point of pneumoperitoneum (P<0.05 or 0.01), and no significant change was found in the incidence of postoperative agitation, nausea and vomiting, incision infection, abdominal infection or fever in group ERAS (P>0.05). No intraoperative adverse cardiovascular events were found, and no pediatric patients required rescue analgesia after operation in two groups. Conclusion ERAS can be safely and effectively used for the pediatric patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplast.

Objective To study the relationship between serum uric acid (UA) level and metabolic syndrome (MS) in elderly essential hypertensive (EH) patients.Methods Two hundred and one elderly EH patients were divided into hyperuricemia group (n=47) and normal UA group (n=154).Hyperuricemia was defined in males with their serum UA level ＞ 420 μmol/L and in females with their serum UA level ＞ 360 μmol/L.Relationship between serum UA level and MS in elderly EH patients was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis respectively.Results The age was significantly older,the waist circumference was significantly longer,the BMI and serum SCr,FPG,TG level and the incidence of MS,central obesity,high blood glucose and high TG were significantly higher while the serum HDL-C level was significantly lower in hyperuricemia group than in normal UA group.Pearson correlation analysis showed that waist circumference,BMI,serum FPG and TG level were positively related with serum UA level while serum HDL-C level was negatively related with serum UA level (P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Logistic regression analysis showed that waist circumference and serum TG level were the independent risk factors for elevated serum UA level in elderly EH patients (OR=1.080,95％ CI:1.035-1.127,P=0.000;OR=1.472,95％CI:1.021-2.122,P=0.038).Conclusion Serum UA level is closely related with MS and its components while waist circumference and serum TG level are the independent risk factors for hyperuricemia in elderly EH patients.

Objective To construct a scoring system of combination of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein for diagnosis of invasive bacterial diarrhea in children. Methods The clinical data of hospitalized children with acute diarrhea were retrospectively analyzed. All of the children were divided into two groups, invasive bacterial diarrhea group and nonbacterial diarrhea group. The scoring system of combination of two markers for diagnosis of invasive bacterial diarrhea in children was constructed by means of two categories logistic regression analysis using procalcitonin and C- reactive protein as parameters. In addition,receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)was used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy.Results One hundred ten cases of invasive bacterial diarrhea and 108 cases of nonbacterial diarrhea were included. The levels of serum procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in invasive bacterial diarrhea group were significantly higher than those in nonbacterial diarrhea group, and there were statistical difference(P all<0.05).The area under the ROC curve(AUC)of invasive bacterial diarrhea was 0.894 when the established scoring system was used, which was higher than the AUCs when either serum procalcitonin or in C- reactive protein was used (P<0.05). The best diagnostic boundary value for combination of serum procalcitonin and C- reactive protein scoring was 0.52 with a sensitivity at 80.9% and specificity at 88.9%. Conclusions The scoring system of combination of procalcitonin and C- reactive protein has good accuracy in diagnosis of invasive bacterial diarrhea in children, and can assist the early diagnosis of the disease.

Objective To investigate the impact of actual gantry angle on the accuracy of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods A total of 27 patients with NPC were enrolled in this study. IMRT plans were designed with Pinnacle treatment planning system (TPS),and 8 beams with an interval of 30°(within 0°-360°) were selected for each plan. These plans were divided into plan A and plan B according to the beam parameters. In plan A,the minimum sub-field area was 5 cm2 ,the minimum number of sub-field monitor unit ( MU) was 5,and the maximum sub-field number was 80;in plan B,the minimum sub-field area was 8 cm2 ,the minimum number of sub-field MUs was 8,and the maximum sub-field number was 60.The gamma passing rate using the criteria of 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm at actual and zero degree gantry angles were calculated using Mapcheck 2 device for dose verification,and were compared with the paired t-test. The relationship between the above differences (Δ value) and the beam angle or the beam parameters was also analyzed. Results In plan A with the criteria of 3%/3 mm, the beams were significantly different (P=0000-0007) except for at angles of 270°,300°,and 300°,and the mean Δ value was 090%;under the criteria of 2%/2 mm,all beams were significantly different ( P=0000-0019) except for at an angle of 300°,and the meanΔvalue was 272%.In plan B with the criteria of 3%/3 mm,the beams showed no significant difference ( P=0052-0639) except for at an angle of 300 ° ,and the mean Δ value was 040%;under the criteria of 2%/2 mm,all beams showed no significant difference ( P>005) except for at angles of 210°,240°,270°,and 300°,and the meanΔvalue was 152%.When the plan B parameters were used, the Δ value was reduced;the results of two verification methods were more consistent,so the accuracy was also improved. Conclusions Compared with the validation method at zero degree gantry angle,the validation method at an actual gantry angle is associated with reduced gamma passing rate because of some factors such as gravity,which is not significantly related to the beam angle,but the beam parameters. In the design of IMRT plans for NPC,the total number of sub-fields should be decreased as far as possible,and the minimum sub-field area and the minimum number of MU should be increased, so as to improve the accuracy of treatment plans.

Objective To discuss the microanatomy features of jugular foramen region in transpetrosal-presigmoidal minimally invasive approach based on virtual reality image models.Methods CT and MRI scans were performed to fifteen adult cadaver heads,and then,imaging data were inputted into Vitrea virtual reality system to establish three-dimensional anatomy models of jugular foramen region.Different minimally invasive transpetrosal-presigrnoidal approaches exposing superior edge of internal acoustic meatus (route A),anterior edge of jugular foramen (route B),and posterior edge of jugular foramen (route C) were simulated by selecting osseous landmark points.Anatomic exposures in surgical trajectory following alternation of minimally invasive approach were observed,measured and compared.Results Spacial sequence of nerves and vessels in the route simulating transpetrosal-presigmoidal approach for exposure of jugular foramen region was displayed clearly;route A had the highest location and route C was the lowest.Volumes of route and petrosal osseous structure involved in route A was the largest,and then,volumes of route and osseous structure involved in route B was larger than those in route C,with significant differences (P＜0.05).Volumes of involved venous sinus were as follow:route B＞route A＞route C,with significant differences (P＜0.05).Volumes of facial-acoustic nerve complex and anterior inferior cerebellar artery involved in route A were (53.32± 5.54) mm3 and (30.55±3.51) mm3,respectively.Volumes of lower cranial nerves involved in route B were (84.59±9.23) mm3.Conclusion There are different impacts on the osseous structures and venous sinus for the minimally invasive routes of transpetrosal-presigmoidal approach exposing different targets,of which combinations are helpful to utilize respective advantages.