BACKGROUND:Osteoporotic vertebral fractures are the most common complication in patients with osteoporosis.As a new imaging technique,spine magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)is much more sensitive than X-ray film in the diagnosis of osteoporotic vertebral fractures.However,total spine MRI is costly and takes a long time to scan.Therefore,there is no consensus on whether all patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures need to undergo total spine MRI scan and which patients need to undergo total spine MRI. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the distribution characteristics of vertebral fractures and explore their clinical significance by observing the whole spine MRI data of osteoporotic vertebral fractures patients. METHODS:Data of cases and MRI images of all patients diagnosed with fresh osteoporotic vertebral fractures who visited the Department of Orthopedics,Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from August 2018 to September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.903 patients were included in the study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.General information(age,gender,and body mass index),medical history characteristics(duration of illness,history of trauma surgery,percussion pain area,and pain score)were collected.The characteristics of vertebral fractures were analyzed through whole spine magnetic resonance imaging.Firstly,based on the number of vertebral fractures in patients,they were divided into the single vertebral fracture group(484 cases)and the multi-vertebral fracture group(419 cases),and the differences were analyzed between the two groups.Then,based on whether the farthest interval between the fractured vertebrae was greater than or equal to 5,the multi vertebral fracture group was further divided into two subgroups.Among them,Group A(the farthest interval between the fractured vertebrae was less than 5)contained 306 cases;Group B(with the farthest interval between fractured vertebral bodies greater than 5)included 113 cases.The differences were analyzed between two subgroups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Among 903 patients,419 patients(46.4%)had more than two fractured vertebrae.There were 654 patients(72.4%)with thoracolumbar fractures,and 54 patients(6%)with fractures in the thoracic plus lumbar region and the entire thoracic to lumbar region.In group B,96.5%of patients had multiregional percussion pain.(2)Compared with the patients in the single vertebral fracture group and the multi-vertebral fracture group,there were significant differences in bone mineral density,whether the medical history was greater than or equal to 1 month,the history of low energy injury,and the distribution and number of axial percussion pain areas in the spine during physical examination between the two groups(P<0.05).Age,gender,body mass index,whether there was underlying disease,pain visual analog scale score,whether there was a history of elderly thoracolumbar fracture,and whether there was a history of thoracolumbar surgery,and the number of fractured vertebrae had no statistical significance(P>0.05).(3)There were statistically significant differences between the Groups A and B in bone mineral density,the distribution and quantity of percussion pain area,and the history of low energy injury(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in age,gender,history of old fractures,visual analog scale score,body mass index,whether the medical history was longer than or equal to 1 month,history of underlying diseases,and history of thoracolumbar surgery between the two groups(P>0.05).(4)Patients with multiple low-energy trauma history,history of more than 1 month,multiple percussion pain,and the lower bone mineral density should be alert to the occurrence of multiple vertebral fracture and jump fracture.We recommend the whole spinal MRI for these patients.

Objective To explore the polymorphism of tyrosinase (TYR) and melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) genes and their mRNA expression levels in relation to coat-color phenotypes in guinea pigs, providing genetic markers for locating dominant traits in guinea pigs. Methods A total of 57 self-bred ordinary-level guinea pigs were selected and divided into three groups based on coat color: white (n=22), variegated (n=22) and black (n=13). The guinea pigs were euthanized with an overdose of pentobarbital sodium via intraperitoneal injection. DNA was then extracted from the dorsal skin tissue. Polymorphism in the coding sequence (CDS) of the exons of the TYR and MC1R genes in each group was detected by cloning and sequencing. The mRNA expression of the two genes in skin tissues was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR to investigate the relationship between these genes and guinea pig coat color. Results A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) site was found in the CDS region of TYR exon Ⅰ, where the base A was replaced by G. All white guinea pigs had the G/G genotype for TYR, while no deep-colored (variegated and black) guinea pigs exhibited the G/G genotype for TYR. Most deep-colored guinea pigs had the A/A genotype, and a few had A/G genotype. The A/A genotype frequency in black guinea pigs was higher than in variegated guinea pigs. A 2 760 bp sequence deletion was identified in the exon of the MC1R gene, marked as the - gene, with non-deleted samples marked as N gene. Most white guinea pigs had the -/- genotype for MC1R, variegated guinea pigs mainly had the -/N genotype, and black guinea pigs mainly had the N/N genotype, with a few showing the -/N. The TYR gene expression level was higher in white guinea pigs, lower in variegated guinea pigs, and intermediate in black guinea pigs, but there was no significant difference among the three groups (P>0.05). The MC1R gene expression level in white guinea pigs was extremely low, while both variegated and black guinea pigs showed significantly higher levels than white guinea pigs (P<0.01). Black guinea pigs showed significantly higher levels than variegated guinea pigs (P<0.05). ConclusionThe TYR and MC1R genes synergistically regulate coat color of guinea pigs. The G-site mutation in the TYR gene may lead to albinism, and the change of N-site in the MC1R gene affects the depth of the coat color.

With the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence(GAI)technologies,their widespread application in academic research and writing is continuously expanding the boundaries of sci-entific inquiry.However,this trend has also raised a series of ethical and regulatory challenges,inclu-ding issues related to authorship,content authenticity,citation accuracy,and accountability.In light of the growing involvement of AI in generating academic content,establishing an open,controllable,and trustworthy ethical governance framework has become a key task for safeguarding research integrity and maintaining trust within the academic community.This expert consensus outlines ethical requirements across key stages of AI-assisted academic writing-including topic selection,data management,citation practices,and authorship attribution.It aims to clarify the boundaries and ethical obligations surrounding AI use in academic writing,ensuring that technological tools enhance efficiency without compromising in-tegrity.The goal is to provide guidance and institutional support for building a responsible and sustainable research ecosystem.

Carbon dioxide(CO2),a colorless,odorless,low-density negative contrast agent with no nephrotoxicity or allergic reactions,has seen increasingly widespread application in the field of vascular imaging in recent years,particularly in patients with iodine allergy or renal insufficiency.When combined with digital subtraction angiography,CO2 angiography has demonstrated high-quality imaging in various arterial and venous sites such as the abdominal aorta,renal arteries,iliac arteries,lower limb arteries,and inferior vena cava.It has also shown safety and efficacy in clinical scenarios such as peripheral arterial disease,dialysis access evaluation,and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedures.This review systematically summarizes domestic and international research progress on CO2 angiography,outlines its physicochemical properties,injection dosages and parameters,clinical indications,and imaging characteristics,and compares its image quality with that of iodine-based contrast agents.Common complications,their mechanisms,and preventive measures are also discussed.Although the image quality of CO2 is slightly inferior to that of iodine agents,it remains sufficient for most diagnostic and therapeutic needs,with a low overall incidence of mainly mild and transient adverse effects.With the development of automated injection systems and digital variance angiography technology,CO2 imaging quality is expected to continue improving,and its application scope is likely to expand further.Future efforts should focus on strengthening multicenter clinical research and establishing standardized operational protocols to promote the broader adoption and regulated use of this technology.

Objective:To analyzed the correlation between the sacral slope (SS) and the slip degree of vertebral body, the morphological parameters of intervertebral disc, paraspinal muscle and pedicle in patient with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. One hundred and forty patients with L 4-5 degenerative spondylolisthesis who visited the Department of Orthopedics, the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from July 2018 to October 2022 were included. There were 32 males and 108 females, with an age of (62.6±10.0) years (range: 42 to 87 years) and the body mass index was (23.8±2.8) kg/m 2(range: 14.7 to 28.7 kg/m 2). General information and imaging data (lumbar X-ray, CT three-dimensional reconstruction, MRI images) of the patients were collected. SS and the slip degree (SD) of the L 4 vertebral body were measured on lateral lumbar radiographs. Based on Roussouly classification, 140 patients with DLS were divided into a low SS group (SS<35°), a medium SS group (35°≤SS<45°), and a high SS group (SS≥45°). The morphological parameters of the L 4 pedicle of the patient were measured on the lumbar CT three-dimensional reconstruction images, including pedicle length (PL), pedicle width (PW), pedicle screw trajectory length (PSTL), pedicle camber angle(PCA) and pedicle height (PH). The morphological parameters of the paraspinal muscles (psoas major, multifidus and erector spinae) were measured on MRI images, including total cross-sectional muscle area (TCSA), functional cross-sectional muscle area (FCSA), and the ratio of functional cross-sectional muscle area (FCSA/TCSA) was calculated. The degree of degeneration of the L 4-5 disc was assessed on MRI images. The slip degree, morphological parameters of the pedicle, intervertebral disc, and paraspinal muscles among the groups were compared and their correlation was analyzed. The comparison of quantitative data was conducted using one-way analysis of variance, and the post hoc analysis for pairwise comparisons among groups was performed using the least significant difference method. The comparison of unordered categorical data was carried out using the χ2 test, and the comparison of ordered categorical data was conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. Pearson correlation analysis was used to test the correlation. Results:Among the 140 patients, there were 70 in the low SS group, 48 in the medium SS group, and 22 in the high SS group. The SD and PL of the low SS group were the lowest ((18.6±4.2)%, (14.0±1.0) mm), those of the medium SS group were slightly higher ((21.0±3.6)%, (15.7±0.9) mm), and those of the high SS group were the highest ((23.7±2.8)%, (16.2±0.7) mm), with statistically significant differences among the groups (all P<0.01). The PW, PH and PCA of the low SS group were the highest ((11.0±1.1) mm, (11.0±1.0) mm, 22.9°±1.1°), those of the medium SS group were slightly lower ((10.2±1.1) mm, (10.4±0.9) mm, 21.6°±1.3°), and those of the high SS group were the lowest ((9.6±0.9) mm, (9.4±0.7) mm, 18.7°±1.5°), with statistically significant differences among the groups (all P<0.05). The FSCA/TCSA of the psoas major, erector spinae and multifidus muscles in the low SS group were the highest ((93.1±4.0)% and (77.6±6.4) %), next were those in the medium SS group ((90.9±3.5)% and (74.9±6.1)%), and those in the high SS group were the lowest ((88.6±4.4)% and (71.2±7.4) %), with statistically significant differences among the different groups (all P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that SS was positively correlated with SD( r=0.557, P<0.01); SS was negatively correlated with the FSCA/TCSA of the paraspinal muscles (psoas major, erector spinae+multifidus) ( r=-0.393,-0.394,both P<0.01); SS was positively correlated with PL and PSTL ( r=0.706, P<0.01; r=0.264, P<0.01), and negatively correlated with PW, PCA and PH ( r=-0.469,-0.669,-0.549, all P<0.01). The Pfirrmann grade of intervertebral disc degeneration in the low SS group was better than that in the medium SS group and the high SS group( H=23.128, P<0.01). Conclusions:In DLS patients, as SS increases, the SD of the L 4 vertebral body gradually increases, the proportion of paraspinal muscle functional area gradually decreases, the degree of intervertebral disc degeneration gradually worsens, the pedicle gradually becomes slender, and the pedicle camber angle gradually decreases. There is a correlation between SS and the degree of vertebral slippage, as well as morphological parameters of pedicle, intervertebral disc, and paraspinal muscles.

Objective:To develop habitat radiomics models to predict early treatment responses to the hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) combined with targeted therapy or immunotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and to guide clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:From October 2021 to Decemeber 2023, at Army Characteristic Medical Center of PLA (Chongqing Daping Hospital) and the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, 94 patients with advanced HCC who received HAIC combined with targeted therapy or immunotherapy were retrospectively enrolled. According to the treatment results, the patients were divided into response group and non-response group. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to analyze the clinical data of the patients. Based on contrast-enhanced CT images, tumor habitats were delineated and habitat features were extracted with k-means clustering, and the imaging features of arterial and venous phases were also extracted. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used for dimensionality reduction. Feature selection was performed using LASSO to reduce dimensions, and then the selected features were further refined through stepwise logistic regression analysis.Binary logistic regression models were conducted to develop the habitat radiomics model, arterial phase radiomics model (APRM), venous phase radiomics model (VPRM), clinical data model, as well as the combination of radiomics model and clinical data model to predict early treatment (after 2 treatment cycles) response. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were plotted, and model performance was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC), calibration curves, and decision curve. The models were validated through Bootstrap methods (1 000 times). DeLong test was used to compare AUC values.Results:The results of cluster analysis identified 3 characteristic habitats in HCC imaging: low-, medium-, and high-enhancement tumor habitats. The proportion of high-enhancement habitats was higher than that in the non-response group. A predictive model was established based on the proportions of these 3 habitats. Based on the proportion of low-, medium-, and high-enhancement habitats within the tumor, a habitat radiomics model was constructed. After LASSO selection and logistic regression analysis, 3 arterial phase and 3 venous phase radiomic features were selected to build the APRM and VPRM, respectively. Logistic regression analysis identified the following factors for the clinical data model: comorbidities ( OR=0.275, P=0.031), maximum tumor diameter ( OR=1.149, P=0.019), red blood cell count ( OR=0.463, P=0.022), alpha fetoprotein >400 μg/L ( OR=3.452, P=0.017), and tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy ( OR=3.072, P=0.048). Among the single predictive model′s comparison, the AUC of habitat radiomics model was 0.860 (95% confidence interval(95% CI): 0.789 to 0.932), while those of the APRM、VPRM and clinical data model were 0.850 (95% CI: 0.773 to 0.926), 0.855 (95% CI: 0.782 to 0.928), and 0.774 (95% CI: 0.681 to 0.867), respectively, and there were no statistically significant among these models (all P>0.05). Among the combination models, the AUC of the habitat rediomic-clinical data combination model was 0.881 (95% CI: 0.814 to 0.947); the AUC of arterial phase rediomic-clinical data combination model was 0.897 (95% CI: 0.833 to 0.961); and the AUC of venous phase rediomic-clinical data combination model was 0.888 (95% CI: 0.826 to 0.951), but there were no statistically significant among the 3 models (all P>0.05). The calibration curve showed that the habitat rediomic-clinical data combination model had the most accurate predictive probability. Internal validation showed that the AUC of habitat rediomic-clinical data combination model was 0.848 (95% CI: 0.772 to 0.922), and the predictive performance was better than that of the clinical-data model (0.733 (95% CI: 0.670 to 0.863)). Conclusion:The habitat radiomics model based on enhanced CT can effectively predict early treatment responses to the HAIC combined with targeted therapy or immunotherapy in advanced HCC patients, which provides theoretical basis for individualized treatment in advanced HCC.

This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of atractylon on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. Changes in lung function parameters were measured in mice after intraperitoneal administration of atractylon. Pathological changes in lung tissue were observed by H&E staining, and the degree of pulmonary edema was assessed by the lung wet/dry weight ratio (W/D). Kit assays were used to detect changes in oxidative stress markers in mouse serum and the protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). ELISA was employed to measure the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines in BALF and serum. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of proteins related to the cGAS-STING pathway and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in lung tissue. Results showed that, compared to the ALI model group, mice in the low-dose and high-dose atractylon groups exhibited significant improvement in lung function parameters, alleviated pulmonary edema, and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue. Protein content and inflammatory cytokine levels in serum and BALF were decreased, while serum oxidative stress indicators were improved. Western blot results further indicated that atractylon could regulate the cGAS-STING pathway, blocking the generation of inflammatory signals, and simultaneously inhibit VCAM-1 expression, thereby reducing pulmonary vascular injury. The results suggest that atractylon may alleviate LPS-induced ALI by modulating the cGAS-STING signaling pathway, reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the production of pro-inflammatory mediators, and improving vascular endothelial injury. This study provides a new potential target and theoretical basis for the treatment of ALI, as well as a potential drug candidate for ALI therapy.

OBJECTIVE To compare the ability of ultra-high-resolution CT(U-HRCT)and multi-slice spiral CT(MSCT)to display key vocal transmission structures in the middle ear.METHODS Subjects with normal middle ear structures who underwent 0.1 mm layer thickness U-HRCT and 0.625 mm layer thickness MSCT scans at the same time in Beijing Friendship Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from December 2019 to August 2024 were retrospectively enrolled.Two experienced head and neck radiologists reconstruct standard transsectional,coronal images based on the thinnest layer thickness.According to the 5-point method,16 key sound transmission structures of the middle ear,including malleus,incus and stapes,as well as joints,ligaments and tendons,were evaluated for image quality scoring.The standard deviation(SD)value,signal noise ratio(SNR),and contrast noise ratio(CNR)of bone in the malleus region and intratympanic gas were measured and calculated on the two examination images.RESULTS Thirty patients(47 sides)with normal middle ear structure were included,including 18 males and 12 females.The two physicians compared the results of U-HRCT in showing malleus head,malleus neck,malleus handle,incus body,long process,and short process,5 points accounted for 100%,and the 5-point scores of incudomalleolar joint space,incudostapedial joint space,stapes footplate and annular ligament were 100%,98.29%,75.83%and 77.83%,respectively,which were significantly higher than those of MSCT(P<0.001).In addition,U-HRCT showed higher scores for lenticular process,stapes head,anterior arch of stapes,posterior arch of stapes,annular ligament,stapes muscle,and tendo musculi tensoris tympani than MSCT(P<0.001),and the lenticular process showed a 100%display rate.There was no significant difference in the SNR between the two groups(P>0.05),but the SD value of the malleus in U-HRCT was 161.6±36.4,which was significantly lower than that in MSCT(297.8±128.1),and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.001).CONCLUSION U-HRCT can clearly visualize the key sound transmission structures of the middle ear,and its visualization ability is significantly better than that of MSCT.

Objective To explore the correlation between the expression of serum microRNA(miR)-1298-5p,miR-625-5p,and miR-155 with the degree of Helicobacter pylori(Hp)infection in elderly gastric cancer patients.Methods From January 2021 to November 2023,120 elderly patients with gastric cancer admitted to the hospital from January 2021 to November 2023 were selected as the gastric cancer group,and 130 non-gas-tric cancer patients who underwent gastroscopy were selected as the control group.The expression levels of miR-1298-5p,miR-625-5p and miR-155 in serum were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR(qPCR).Car-bon 13 urea breath test was used to detect the positive rate of Hp infection in two groups,and the degree of Hp infection in elderly patients with gastric cancer were evaluated.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was applied to analyze the diagnostic value of serum miR-1298-5p,miR-625-5p,and miR-155 expression levels for Hp infection in elderly gastric cancer patients.Pearson method was applied to analyze the correlation between serum miR-1298-5p,miR-625-5p,miR-155 expression and positive rate of Hp infection in elderly gas-tric cancer patients.Results Compared with the control group,the expression levels of miR-1298-5p and miR-625-5p in serum of gastric cancer group decreased(P＜0.05),while the positive rate of Hp infection and the expression level of serum miR-155 increased(P＜0.05).The expression levels of serum miR-1298-5p and miR-625-5p in elderly gastric cancer patients with Hp grade Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ infection were lower than those without Hp infection,while the expression level of miR-155 was higher(P＜0.05).Patients with poor differ-entiation,lymph node metastasis,and TNM stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ had lower expressions of serum miR-1298-5p and miR-625-5p(P＜0.05),and higher expression of miR-155(P＜0.05)than those with moderate-high differen-tiation,no lymph node metastasis,and TNM stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ.The expression levels of serum miR-1298-5p and miR-625-5p were negatively correlated with the positive rate of Hp infection in elderly patients with gastric cancer(r=-0.443,-0.386,both P＜0.001),and the expression levels of serum miR-155 were positively correlated with the positive rate of Hp infection(r=0.525,P＜0.001).The area under the curve(AUC)of serum miR-1298-5p,miR-625-5p and miR-155 combined diagnosis of Hp infection in elderly gastric cancer pa-tients was higher than that of single diagnosis(P＜0.05).Conclusion The expression levels of miR-1298-5p and miR-625-5p in serum of elderly gastric cancer patients with Hp infection decrease,while the expression level of miR-155 increases.These three factors are related to the degree of Hp infection and have good diag-nostic value for the occurrence of Hp infection.

Objective:To evaluate the sample preparation proficiency and storage proficiency of 11 clinical biobanks in Beijing through simulated experiments, and to establish an assessment method for the quality comparability of biological samples.Methods:An exploratory research design was adopted. In November 2023, artificial composite serum quality control materials containing six recombinant human protein markers—recombinant human alanine aminotransferase (rhALT), recombinant human aspartate aminotransferase (rhAST), recombinant human creatine kinase (rhCK), recombinant human creatine kinase-MB (rhCK-MB), recombinant human B-type natriuretic peptide (rhBNP), and recombinant human troponin I (rhTNI)—were distributed to 11 clinical biobanks in Beijing City. Sample preparation and storage followed the standardized operating procedures. Proficiency differences were assessed through statistical analysis.Results:Three-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed all six protein markers showed a declining trend over storage time in ultra-low-temperature environments ( F values 11.68-4 179.66, all P<0.01). However, neither long-term/temporary refrigerator types ( F values 0.01-1.23, all P>0.05)nor placement locations within refrigerators significantly affected the stability of these six proteins ( F valus 0.03-1.47, all P>0.05). The biases in detection results for rhALT, rhAST, rhTNI, and rhBNP at different storage time points were within the allowable bias limits for each item, supporting their use as markers for protein stability in biobank samples. All 11 institutions passed the storage proficiency assessment. In the preparation proficiency assessment, deviations were observed in post-preparation sample results, with a notably high out-of-control rate for rhCK (36.36%). Conclusion:Sample preparation proficiency can serve as a quality control metric for clinical biobanks. Future external quality assessment systems for biobanks should focus on sample preparation rather than storage processes.