Objective:To assess the quality of low-keV monoenergetic images using deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithm combined with dual energy CT (DECT) in gastric cancer and to compare them with images from the conventional adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR-V) algorithm.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, DECT images of 31 gastric cancer patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were prospectively collected from September 2022 to March 2023. The 55 keV monoenergy images were reconstructed using the DLIR algorithm at low-, medium-, and high-intensity levels (DLIR-L, DLIR-M, and DLIR-H) based on arterial phase and venous phase images, respectively. The 70 keV 40% mixing coefficient (ASiR-V40%) images were reconstructed using the ASiR-V algorithm. In the objective evaluation of images, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for both lesions and muscle were calculated across four sets of reconstructed images. In the subjective evaluation of images, scores were assigned to the overall image quality, lesion visibility, and diagnostic confidence for each set of reconstructed images. Comparisons of SNR and CNR between the 4 groups were made by One-way repeated-measures ANOVA or Friedman′s test. Comparisons of scores were made by Friedman′s test. The P value of pairwise comparison was adjusted using Bonferroni correction methods. Results:In the objective evaluations, CNR lesion, SNR lesion and SNR muscle were highest on the 55 keV DLIR-H images in the arterial and venous phases, and showed a gradually increasing trend on the 70 keV ASiR-V40%, 55 keV DLIR-L, DLIR-M, DLIR-H images ( P<0.05). In subjective evaluations, compared to the 70 keV ASiR-V40% images, overall image quality scores were numerically higher for the 55 keV DLIR-H ( P>0.05), similar or slightly worse for the 55 keV DLIR-M, and significantly lower for the 55 keV DLIR-L ( P<0.05). The lesion visibility and diagnostic confidence on the 55 keV DLIR reconstruction images were higher in both arterial and venous phases than 70 keV ASiR-V40% images ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared to the conventional 70 keV ASiR-V40% images, the 55 keV DLIR-H images had higher lesion contrast and diagnostic confidence with lower image noise. The 55 keV DLIR-M images had comparable overall image quality to 70 keV ASiR-V40% images, but the former had higher lesion contrast and diagnostic confidence. The 55 keV DLIR-L was unable to improve image quality to the level of 70 keV ASiR-V40%.

Objective:To preliminarily investigate the applicability of a poliovirus pseudovirus-based neutralization assay in evaluating the immunogenicity of recombinant poliovirus vaccines and their in vivo potency in rats. Methods:Serum samples from rats immunized with recombinant poliovirus vaccines were tested using both the pseudovirus neutralization assay and the live-virus neutralization assay with Sabin strain. The consistency and correlation of the two methods were analyzed using the Kappa test and Spearman′s rank correlation.Results:For the neutralizing antibodies against typeⅠ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ polioviruses, the Kappa values for consistency analysis of the two methods were 0.914, 1.000, and 0.751, respectively ( P<0.001), and the correlation coefficients ( R values) were 0.833, 0.927, and 0.859, respectively ( P<0.001). Conclusions:The test results of the two methods are consistent and show a good correlation, indicating that the pseudovirus neutralization assay can be applied to evaluating the immunogenicity of poliovirus vaccines and also can be used in rat potency tests.

Although primary vesical calculi is an ancient disease, the mechanism of calculi formation remains unclear. In this study, we established a novel primary vesical calculi model with d,l-choline tartrate in mice. Compared with commonly used melamine and ethylene glycol models, our model was the only approach that induced vesical calculi without causing kidney injury. Previous studies suggest that proteins in the daily diet are the main contributors to the prevention of vesical calculi, yet the effect of fat is overlooked. To assay the relationship of dietary fat with the formation of primary vesical calculi, d,l-choline tartrate-treated mice were fed a high-fat, low-fat, or normal-fat diet. Genetic changes in the mouse bladder were detected with transcriptome analysis. A high-fat diet remarkably reduced the morbidity of primary vesical calculi. Higher fatty acid levels in serum and urine were observed in the high-fat diet group, and more intact epithelia in bladder were observed in the same group compared with the normal- and low-fat diet groups, suggesting the protective effect of fatty acids on bladder epithelia to maintain its normal histological structure. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the macrophage differentiation-related gene C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 14 (Cxcl14) was upregulated in the bladders of high-fat diet-fed mice compared with those of normal- or low-fat diet-fed mice, which was consistent with histological observations. The expression of CXCL14 significantly increased in the bladder in the high-fat diet group. CXCL14 enhanced the recruitment of macrophages to the crystal nucleus and induced the transformation of M2 macrophages, which led to phagocytosis of budding crystals and prevented accumulation of calculi. In human bladder epithelia (HCV-29) cells, high fatty acid supplementation significantly increased the expression of CXCL14. Dietary fat is essential for the maintenance of physiological functions of the bladder and for the prevention of primary vesical calculi, which provides new ideas for the reduction of morbidity of primary vesical calculi.

Objective:To construct a risk assessment scale for flap necrosis after flap transplantation in patients with head and neck tumors, so as to provide an effective reference for clinical implementation of flap necrosis risk screening.Methods:The overall study period was from December 2020 to June 2021. Based on evidence, the item pool of the risk assessment scale for flap necrosis after flap transplantation in patients with head and neck tumors was preliminarily established. Using the Delphi method, 16 experts engaged in flap transplantation were selected for three rounds of consultation, and the risk assessment scale for flap necrosis after flap transplantation in patients with head and neck tumors was initially established. The weights were given to all indicators through the paired comparison.Results:In the first round, 16 questionnaires were distributed, and 15 valid questionnaires were recovered. In the second and third rounds, 15 questionnaires were distributed, and 15 valid questionnaires were recovered. Expert authority coefficients of the three rounds of expert consultation were 0.851, 0.853 and 0.853, respectively. The Kendall coordination coefficients of the three rounds of expert consultation were 0.377, 0.302 and 0.302 ( P<0.05) . The final constructed risk assessment scale for flap necrosis after flap transplantation in patients with head and neck tumors included 3 first-level indicators, 8 second-level indicators, and 32 third-level indicators. The weights were assigned to each indicator by paired comparison, and the weights of the first-level indicator patient factor, treatment factor, and nursing factor were 0.36, 0.38, and 0.26, respectively. Conclusions:The risk assessment scale for flap necrosis after flap transplantation in patients with head and neck tumors constructed by combining evidence-based and Delphi method is highly scientific and reliable. Its clinical applicability and effectiveness can be further verified in the future clinical flap evaluation process.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the main chronic liver diseases in the world, and the prevalence rate of ALD is increasing year by year in China, with a trend of earlier age of onset. Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent deacetylase and plays a significant role in cell metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation, and it is expected to become a new therapeutic target for ALD. This article reviews the mechanism of action of SIRT1 in ALD and related pharmaceutical studies, in order to provide a reference and strategies for further research on the pathogenesis of ALD and its potential therapeutic targets.

An increased level of reactive oxygen species is a key factor in neuronal apoptosis and epileptic seizures. Irisin reportedly attenuates the apoptosis and injury induced by oxidative stress. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of exogenous irisin in a kainic acid (KA)-induced chronic spontaneous epilepsy rat model. The results indicated that exogenous irisin significantly attenuated the KA-induced neuronal injury, learning and memory defects, and seizures. Irisin treatment also increased the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), which were initially reduced following KA administration. Furthermore, the specific inhibitor of UCP2 (genipin) was administered to evaluate the possible protective mechanism of irisin. The reduced apoptosis, neurodegeneration, and spontaneous seizures in rats treated with irisin were significantly reversed by genipin administration. Our findings indicated that neuronal injury in KA-induced chronic epilepsy might be related to reduced levels of BDNF and UCP2. Moreover, our results confirmed the inhibition of neuronal injury and epileptic seizures by exogenous irisin. The protective effects of irisin may be mediated through the BDNF-mediated UCP2 level. Our results thus highlight irisin as a valuable therapeutic strategy against neuronal injury and epileptic seizures.
Rats ; Animals ; Kainic Acid/toxicity* ; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism* ; Fibronectins/metabolism* ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Epilepsy/metabolism* ; Seizures/prevention & control*

Objective:To evaluate the effects of bosutinib on acute lung injury in mice with endotoxemia.Methods:Sixty clean-grade healthy male C57BL/6 mice, aged 8-12 weeks, weighing 20-25 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=15 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C), bosutinib group (group B), endotoxemia group (group lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) and bosutinib plus endotoxemia group (group B+ LPS). Septic acute lung injury model was developed by intraperitoneal injection of LPS.Bosutinib 5 mg/kg was injected via the tail vein at 0.5 h before establishing the model in group B+ LPS and at the corresponding time point in group B. At 24 h after developing the model, the mice were sacrificed for microscopic examination of the pathological results of lung tissues which were scored for calculation of the lung coefficient (LI) and wet/dry lung weight (W/D) ratio, and for determination of the content of Evans blue in lung tissues (by Evans blue staining), expression of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), phosphorylated nuclear transcription factor κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65), phosphorylated nuclear factor κB inhibitory protein α (pIκB-α) (by Western blot) and expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) mRNA (using real-time polymerase chain reaction). Results:Compared with group C, the LI, W/D ratio, Evans blue content in lung tissues and lung injury score were significantly increased, and the expression of IL-1β mRNA, TNF-α mRNA, IL-6 mRNA, VCAM-1, p-NF-κB p65 and pIKB-α was up-regulated, and the expression of VE-cadherin was down-regulated in group LPS ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the parameters mentioned above in group B ( P>0.05). Compared with group B, the LI, W/D ratio, Evans blue content in lung tissues and lung injury score were significantly decreased, and the expression of IL-1β mRNA, TNF-α mRNA, IL-6 mRNA, VCAM-1, p-NF-κB p65 and pIKB-α was down-regulated, and the expression of VE-cadherin was up-regulated in group LPS ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Bosutinib can ameliorate the acute lung injury in mice with endotoxemia.

The term porto-sinusoidal vascular disease (PSVD) was proposed in 2017 to replace "idiopathic non-cirrhotic portal hypertension", so as to describe typical histological changes involving the portal vein or the hepatic sinus in the absence of liver cirrhosis. According to the definition of PSVD, patients with common causes of liver disease, portal vein thrombosis, and absence of portal hypertension are no longer excluded. This article reviews the etiology, clinical manifestations, examination, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of PSVD, in order to improve the awareness of this disease among clinicians.

Purpose: Drug resistance is one of the main causes of chemotherapy failure in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and extensive biological studies into chemotherapy drug resistance are required. Materials and Methods: In this study, we performed lncRNA microarray, in vitro functional assays, in vivo models and cDNA microarray to evaluate the impact of lncRNA in SCLC chemoresistance. Results: The results showed that KCNQ1OT1 expression was upregulated in SCLC tissues and was a poor prognostic factor for patients with SCLC. Knockdown of KCNQ1OT1 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, chemoresistance and promoted apoptosis of SCLC cells. Mechanistic investigation showed that KCNQ1OT1 can activate transforming growth factor-β1 mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in SCLC cells. Conclusion Taken together, our study revealed the role of KCNQ1OT1 in the progression and chemoresistance of SCLC, and suggested KCNQ1OT1 as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in SCLC clinical management.

Objective:To investigate the application value of spectral computed tomo-graphy (CT) multi-parameter imaging in predicting gastric cancer lymph node metastasis.Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 86 patients with gastric cancer who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2014 to June 2017 were collected. There were 53 males and 33 females, aged from 22 to 87 years, with a median age of 53 years. All patients received abdominal plain scan and arterial and venous phase contrast spectral scan. Images of plain scan, 70 keV monochromatic and iodine-based images in arterial and venous phase were analyzed on post-processing working station. Observation indicators: (1) gastric cancer lymph node metastasis; (2) analysis of influencing factors for lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer; (3) introduction of special cases. Count data were described as absolute numbers. Univariate analysis was performed using the chi-square test or rank sum test. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Logistic regression model.Results:(1) Gastric cancer lymph node metastasis: of the 86 patients, 64 cases had lymph nodes metastasis and 22 had no lymph nodes metastasis. (2) Analysis of influencing factors for lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer: results of univariate analysis showed that tumor growth pattern, tumor diameter, infiltration of peritumor fat, CT value in arterial phase, CT value in venous phase, iodine value in venous phase were related factors affecting lymph nodes metastasis in gastric cancer ( χ2=6.753, Z=-3.180, χ2=7.649, Z=-2.051, -2.971, -2.547, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that infiltration of peritumor fat and the iodine value in venous phase were greater than 12(100 μg/cm 3) and not greater than 16(100 μg/cm 3), or greater than 16(100 μg/cm 3) were independent risk factors affecting lymph nodes metastasis in gastric cancer ( odds ratio=13.154, 3.761, 7.583, 95% confidence interval as 2.597-66.620, 1.893-8.572, 4.769-16.692, P<0.05). (3) Introduction of special cases: case 1 was male, aged 46 years. Results of preoperative spectral CT enhanced scan showed gastric antrum space occupying lesion combined with enlarged lymph nodes. During enhancement arterial phase, spectral CT 70 keV monochromatic images and corresponding iodine-based images of primary lesion layer in the transverse view showed gastric wall thickening with mild to moderate enhancement, clear fat space in serosa and enlarged lymph nodes in lesser curvature. The spectral CT 70 keV monochromatic images and corresponding iodine-based images below pylorus level in the transverse view showed subpyloric enlarged lymph nodes. During enhancement venous phase, the 70 keV monochromatic images and corresponding iodine-based images of primary lesion layer in the transverse view showed layered enhancement of gastric antrum lesions and mucosal enhancement, with a high iodine value. The patient was diagnosed as gastric antrum cancer with lymph node metastasis, no serosal or peritumoral fat invasion. Results of postoperative pathological examination showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of gastric antrum with serosal invasion and lymph node metastasis. Case 2 was male, aged 53 years. Results of preoperative spectral CT enhanced scan showed gastric cancer of lesser curvature combined with enlarged lymph nodes. During enhancement arterial phase, 70 keV monochromatic images and corresponding iodine-based images of primary lesion layer in the transverse view showed gastric wall heterogeneous thickening of lesser curvature, with moderate enhancement, obscure peritumor fat space, unclear serosa, and multiple enlarged lymph nodes in lesser curvature. During enhancement venous phase, 70 keV monochromatic images in the transverse view showed unclear boundary between lesions and enlarged lymph nodes in lesser curvature, obscure peritumor fat. During enhancement arterial phase, 70 keV monochromatic images of celiac trunk layer in the transverse view showed parasplenic artery lymph nodes, with circular enhancement and no enhancement in central necrotic elements. The patient was diagnosed as gastric cancer of lesser curvature with lymph node metastasis, serosal and peritumor fat invasion. Results of postoperative pathological examination showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of gastric antrum with serosal invasion and lymph node metastasis. Conclusion:The infiltration of peritumor fat and iodine value in venous phase are independent factors affecting gastric cancer lymph node metastasis.