Objective: To develop a modified calculation formula for renal tumor volume and tumor contact surface area (CSA) based on the modeling results of 3D Slicer software, and to create a webpage of the calculation formula for use. Methods: The general information and tumor anatomical data of 98 patients who underwent partial nephrectomy during Jan.2021 and Jul.2023 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University were retrospectively analyzed.The imaging data were input into 3D Slicer software in the form of Dicom files for tumor and ipsilateral kidney modeling to obtain tumor anatomical data.The relationship between tumor anatomical parameters and tumor volume and CSA was analyzed using multifactorial linear regression.The initial modified formulas (V2, C2) and the optimized modified formulas (V3, C3) for tumor volume over CSA were established, respectively, after insignificant variables were eliminated.The mean square error (MSE) and Akaike information criterion (AIC) of the modified and traditional formulas (V1, C1) were compared, and the formula with the smallest MSE and AIC was selected as the optimal tumor volume and CSA calculation formula.The median tumor volume and CSA obtained from 3D modeling were used as the cutoff values.The optimal formula and conventional formula were applied to calculate tumor volume and CSA for all patients, and risk stratification was performed for all patients based on these cutoff values, and the perioperative indicators of patients in the upper and lower groups were compared.Finally, an online calculation tool was developed based on HTML. Results: Based on multifactorial linear regression analysis, we obtained the modified tumor volume calculation formula: V=0.382abc+2.488a+2.372b－4.146c+1.948（V2）, V=0.469abc－4.586c+13.816（V3）; the modified tumor CSA calculation formula CSA=2.469a －2.262L －19.23a+6.206b+1.212c+18.017L+1.616h－3.97h －2.185h/h －0.388（C2）, CSA=2.376a －2.144L －20.157a+5.024b+1.128c+17.578L+2.525h－2.634（C3）.Both of the modified volume formula (MSE=151.298 vs. 127.807 vs. 104.106) and modified CSA formula (MSE=309.878 vs.23.556 vs.30.388) had smaller errors compared to the conventional formula.The modified volume calculation formula showed that bleeding was more and thermal ischemia time was longer in patients with larger tumor volumes than in patients with smaller tumor volumes (P<0.05); and the modified CSA calculation formula showed that bleeding was more, surgery and thermal ischemia time were longer in patients with high CSA than in patients with low CSA (P＜0.05).Finally, V3 and C3 are selected as the best calculation formula, and a web page (https://lizihao-bot.github.io/RCC-Calculate/) was established for easy use. Conclusion: This study combined data from a medical information technology platform with numerical modeling methods to provide a faster and more accurate method to calculate the renal tumor volume and CSA.Meanwhile, a webpage version of the tool was developed to enhance its practicability.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is an important sugar crop. Biotic and abiotic stresses such as diseases, cold, and drought are major factors limiting sugarcane production. β-1,3-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.39), a member of the pathogenesis-related protein family, plays an essential role not only in the plant defenses against pathogens but also in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. To systematically investigate the sugarcane β-1,3-glucanase gene family, 132 glycoside hydrolase (GH) 17 family members were identified in the genomes of the sugarcane wild species Saccharum spontaneum 'Np-X', the tropical species S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', and the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570'. The results of the phylogenetic analysis categorized them into four subfamilies, of which subfamily Ⅳ had the largest proportion of members (102). The members of the sugarcane GH17 gene family contained five conserved motifs and 0-16 introns. The majority of the GH17 genes exhibited a genome-wide replication pattern, with 89.50% originating from S. spontaneum 'Np-X' and S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', while 58.10% of them in the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570' belonged to the discrete replication type. Four major classes of cis-acting elements were identified in the promoters, including the elements related to plant growth, development, and tissue-specific expression (14.21%), light-responsive elements (38.24%), biotic or abiotic stress-responsive elements (9.18%), and hormone-responsive elements (38.37%), which suggested that this gene family was involved in plant growth, development, hormone responses, and stress responses. Transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) analyses showed that the sugarcane GH17 genes exhibited tissue-specific expression and were differentially expressed under low temperature, drought, and hormone treatments, as well as during the interactions between different sugarcane genotypes and Sporisorium scitamineum, suggesting their potential roles in plant defenses. In addition, some SsGlu genes (SsGlu5, SsGlu20, SsGlu21, SsGlu25, SsGlu28, and SsGlu39) were expected to serve as candidate stress-related genes. This study lays a foundation for further revealing the molecular mechanisms of the stress resistance of sugarcane via β-1,3-glucanase genes.
Saccharum/physiology* ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase/metabolism* ; Multigene Family ; Phylogeny ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/genetics*

Liver fibrosis is a significant health burden,marked by the consistent deposition of collagen.Unfortunately,the currently available treatment approaches for this condition are far from optimal.Lysyl oxidase-like protein 2(LOXL2)secreted by hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)is a crucial player in the cross-linking of matrix collagen and is a significant target for treating liver fibrosis.Mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles(MSC-sEVs)have been proposed as a potential treatment option for chronic liver disorders.Previous studies have found that MSC-sEV can be used for microRNA delivery into target cells or tissues.It is currently unclear whether microRNA-4465(miR-4465)can target LOXL2 and inhibit HSC activation.Additionally,it is uncertain whether MSC-sEV can be utilized as a gene therapy vector to carry miR-4465 and effectively inhibit the progression of liver fibrosis.This study explored the effect of miR-4465-modified MSC-sEV(MSC-sEVmiR-4465)on LOXL2 expression and liver fibrosis development.The results showed that miR-4465 can bind specifically to the promoter of the LOXL2 gene in HSC.Moreover,MSC-sEVmiR-4465 inhibited HSC activation and collagen expression by downregulating LOXL2 expression in vitro.MSC-sEVmiR-4465 injection could reduce HSC activation and collagen deposition in the CCl4-induced mouse model.MSC-sEVmiR-4465 mediating via LOXL2 also hindered the migration and invasion of HepG2 cells.In conclusion,we found that MSC-sEV can deliver miR-4465 into HSC to alleviate liver fibrosis via altering LOXL2,which might provide a promising therapeutic strategy for liver diseases.

Objective To observe the echocardiographic manifestations of infective endocarditis(IE)complicated with valve damage in children.Methods Totally 104 children with IE were retrospectively enrolled and divided into non-damage group(n=34),mild damage group(n=39)and dysfunction group(n=31)according to whether complicated with valve damage and damage's degree.The general and echocardiographic data were compared among groups,and the echocardiographic characteristics of IE complicated with valve damage in children were analyzed.Results Significant difference of the proportion of combining with other congenital heart diseases(excluding bicuspid aortic malformations),the incidence of embolization events during hospital stay,also of endocarditis of left cardiac system were found among groups(all P＜0.05).Pairwise comparison showed that in non-damage group,the proportion of combining with other congenital heart diseases was higher,while the incidence of endocarditis of left cardiac system was lower than those in both mild damage group and dysfunction group(all P＜0.05).The incidence of embolization events during hospital stay in non-damage group was lower than that in dysfunction group(P＜0.05).Among 70 cases of IE complicated with valve damage,mitral valve(30/70,42.86％)was the most common involved valve,mostly presented as valve stenosis(63/70,90.00％).No significant difference of valve involvement site,valve structural lesions nor the incidence of valve stenosis was found between mild damage group and dysfunction group(all P＞0.05).Conclusion IE complicated with valve damage in children mostly involved left cardiac system,and the risk of embolization events was higher than that of IE children without valve damage.Echocardiography could be used as an important method for evaluating the site of valve involvement and the degree of damage.

Objective:To explore the blocking effect of temporary epiphysiodesis technique with "8"-plate in the treatment of leg length discrepancy (LLD) in children.Methods:From January 2013 to July 2020, 49 children (27 males and 22 females) with leg length discrepancy treated with "8"-plate in Pediatric Orthopedics Department of Beijing Jishuitan hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The average age at the time of surgery was 8.8±2.6 years (ranging from 3.8 to 13.1 years). The length difference between femur and tibia was measured before operation on full-length X-ray films of lower limbs, and the "8"-plate was placed on both medial and lateral sides of the distal femur and/or the proximal tibia. During the follow-up, the shape of epiphyseal plate and internal fixation change were evaluated on X-ray films of the knee joint, and the length difference before and after the operation was compared to evaluate the blocking effect. The blocking rate was compared according to the following conditions: the blocking position (femur, tibia), classification of LLD (constant or increasing), screw diameter (3.5 mm or 4.5 mm) and the age at operation (≥8 or <8 years).Results:49 patients were successfully operated. The follow-up time was 39.6±18.5 months (range 16-91 months) with the fixing time of 24.3±11.8 months (range 7-66 months). A total of 76 independent data of single bone were obtained. The correction range was 8.6±6.4 mm (range -8-37 mm). The correction rate was 0.35±0.31 mm/month. The correction rate of 52 femurs was 0.41±0.32 mm/month, which was significant higher than that of 24 tibias with 0.20±0.14mm/month ( t=5.323, P=0.008). The correction rate of the constant group with 0.54±0.32 mm/month was obviously better than the increasing group with 0.26±0.21 mm/month ( t=7.362, P=0.001). The average correction rate of 4.5 mm diameter screw group was 0.46±0.23 mm/month, which was significantly better than that of 3.5 mm diameter screw group with 0.26±0.24 mm/month ( t=3.467, P=0.022). The correction rate in the group of <8 years old was 0.32±0.25 mm/month, which was not significantly different from that in the group of ≥8 years old with 0.37±0.31 mm/month ( t=1.026, P=0.548). Conclusion:The blocking effect of "8" -plate temporary epiphysiodesis technique in the treatment of leg length discrepancy was related to the LLD classification and blocking position. Distal femoral block was better than proximal tibia block. Block effect of patients with constant unequal distance between lower limbs was better than that of patients with increased distance. 4.5 mm diameter screw was better than 3.5mm. Because the blocking effect was slow, early treatment and a firm stick to indications was of great importance.

Nipah virus(NipahVirus,NiV)is a zoonotic virus that can cause encephalitis and severe respiratory symptoms in humans and animals,and is at risk of being introduced into China.At present,there are many factors related to the transmission of Nipah virus disease(NVD),but the actual effects of these factors are controversial.Therefore,with the help of meta-analysis,this paper aims to determine the current mortality and the main means of transmission of NVD,so as to pro-vide reference for the input of controlling Nipah virus disease and making emergency plans for pre-vention and control in our country.By searching the articles published in Pubmed,Embase,Web of knowledge,CNKI,VIP Chinese Sci-tech Journals Database and Wanfang Database up to December 31,2022,the literature of cross-sectional,cohort and case-control studies with NiV encephalitis fa-tality rate(CFR)and risk factors were selected.Results showed that a total of 25 literatures were included in the meta-analysis after retrieval and screening,and the fatality rate of NiV encephalitis was 64.6％(95％CI,60.8-68.2;I2=96.8％).Subgroup analysis showed that tree climbing(OR=1.43;95％CI:1.05-1.96),bats were seen near their nighttime residence(OR=2.38;95％CI:1.74-3.25)and direct contact with date palm SAP(OR=6.01;95％CI:4.07-8.89)Bananas(OR=2.25;95％CI:1.31-3.85)OR porcine(OR=11.87;95％CI:1.15-122.23)was significantly associated with NiV encephalitis.The results of this study suggest that NiV encephalitis has a high mortality rate,and tree climbing,nocturnal exposure to bats,and exposure to pig,banana,and date palm SAP increase the risk of NiV encephalitis.In order to prevent NiV transmission,epidemic surveillance,education and publicity should be strengthened and protective measures should be taken.

Objective To investigate associations between three-dimensional(3D)morphology of cervical vertebrae and skeletal mat-uration by cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT)and establish corresponding regression models for quantitatively evaluating cervical vertebral maturation(CVM).Methods The analyzed sample consisted of 358 CBCT images(175 male,183 female),of which 277 images were randomly selected as the model development group and 81 as the performance test group.Twenty-one 3D morphological pa-rameters were defined and measured,incorporating all parts of the cervical vertebrae,including the cervical vertebral bodies,transverse processes,spinous processes,pedicles,lamina,and articular processes.The cervical vertebral maturation index(CVMI)was determined by experienced orthodontists as reference standard.Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and multivariable stepwise regression analysis were used to identify the associations and build regression models.The performance test group was employed to ex-amine each model's reliability.Paired-samples Wilcoxon signed-rank test compared the CVMI of the model prediction with the reference standard.Results Three-dimensional morphological changes in various parts of the cervical vertebrae correlated with CVMI(P＜0.05).Six 3D morphometric parameters were each recognized for male and female models,three of which were identical.The adjusted R2 was 0.899 for males and 0.902 for females,with corresponding accuracies of 85.0%and 85.4%,respectively.These models showed no difference as compared with the reference standard(P＞0.05).Con-clusion New associations were found between 3D morphology of cer-vical vertebrae and skeletal maturation.The 3D-driven morphometric CVM assessment method and corresponding regression models exhibited good credibility and high consistency with experts.

Humans ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Tissue Donors ; Transplantation Conditioning ; Graft vs Host Disease

ObjectiveTo explore the underlying mechanism by which the Chinese medicine compound Yitangkang granule（YTK） treats diabetic kidney disease （DKD） by observing its effects on podocyte autophagy through the regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/forkhead transcription factor O1 （FoxO1） signaling pathway mediated by silent information regulator 1 （SIRT1） via advanced glycation end products （AGE）/receptor for AGE （RAGE） axis. MethodNinety-six 8-week-old healthy male SPF-grade Wistar rats were selected and randomly divided into blank control group （B）， model control group， high-dose YTK （40 g·kg^-1）， medium-dose YTK （20 g·kg^-1）， low-dose YTK （10 g·kg^-1）， and Western medicine control （20 mg·kg^-1 losartan） groups. The DKD rat model was established by high-fat diet feeding combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. After successful modeling， the rats in each group received the corresponding treatments for eight weeks. The levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px）， and catalase （CAT） were measured according to the instructions of the respective assay kits. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining was used to observe pathological changes in kidney tissues. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the average optical density values of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， fibronectin （FN）， desmin， and nephrin. Western blot analysis was used to measure the expression levels of PI3K， phosphorylated PI3K （p-PI3K）， Akt， phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt）， RAGE， SIRT1， Caspase-3， and FoxO1 proteins in kidney tissues of DKD rats. ResultCompared with the blank control group， the model group showed significantly lower levels of SOD， GSH-Px， and CAT， and significantly higher levels of MDA （P<0.01）. The rats exhibited severe kidney damage. The positive expression of podocyte marker proteins α-SMA， FN， and desmin increased significantly， while nephrin and podocin significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The expression levels of PI3K， p-PI3K， Akt， p-Akt， RAGE， and Caspase-3 proteins were significantly elevated， while SIRT1 and FoxO1 protein levels were significantly reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with the model control group， rats in the YTK treatment groups showed significantly higher levels of SOD， GSH-Px， and CAT， and significantly lower levels of MDA in serum （P<0.01）. The degree of kidney damage was reduced to varying extents. The average optical density values of podocyte marker proteins α-SMA， FN， and desmin were significantly decreased， while nephrin and podocin significantly increased （P<0.01）. The expression levels of PI3K， p-PI3K， Akt， p-Akt， RAGE， and Caspase-3 in kidney tissues were significantly reduced， while SIRT1 and FoxO1 expression levels significantly increased （P<0.01）. The Chinese medicine groups demonstrated a clear dose-response trend. ConclusionYTK may alleviate kidney pathological damage， reduce proteinuria， and protect kidney function in DKD rats， thereby delaying the progression of DKD by improving podocyte autophagy through the AGE-RAGE axis-mediated SIRT1 regulation of the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway. Additionally， a dose-response relationship was observed in the Chinese medicine groups.