Objective:To compare the accuracy of two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound with three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and conventional 2D ultrasound in measuring bladder volume in pelvic tumor patients, using computed tomography (CT) as the reference.Methods:A set of bladder phantoms were constructed to compare CT and ultrasound measurements with actual injected volumes. Clinical data of 104 pelvic tumor patients who received radiotherapy at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between August and December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Portable transabdominal ultrasound was used to obtain the largest bladder cross-section, and the maximum diameters in the left-right (LR), anterior-posterior (AP), and superior-inferior (SI) directions (D LR, D AP, D SI) were measured. The 2D ultrasound volume was calculated as V=0.523 × D LR × D AP × D SI. Full-bladder transverse videos were recorded and processed in Matlab R2016a through frame extraction(60 images), followed by contrast enhancement, edge detection segmentation, cubic spline interpolation, and image smoothing to achieve 3D reconstruction. Paired t-tests, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and Bland-Altman analyses were performed to assess systematic bias and consistency between ultrasound methods and CT. Multivariate linear regression was applied to evaluate the effects of slice thickness, posture, age, and other factors on CT measurements. Results:In the phantom study, deviations of 2D ultrasound and CT from actual injected volumes were (0.73±3.05) ml ( t=-0.48, P=0.667) and (1.52±11.27) ml ( t=0.17, P=0.875), with ICC values>0.999. In the clinical study, mean bladder volumes measured by 3D-reconstructed ultrasound, conventional 2D ultrasound, and CT were (373.5±153.31), (314.89±135.28), (382.82±157.57) ml, respectively. The 3D-reconstructed method showed excellent agreement with CT (ICC=0.98; Bland-Altman mean bias=-9.32 ml, P=0.096), while 2D ultrasound also showed good consistency (ICC=0.91), but significantly underestimated bladder volume (mean bias=-67.93 ml, P<0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that 2D ultrasound had the best agreement with CT in the medium-volume group (200-500 ml, ICC=0.902), whereas agreement decreased in the small-volume (<200 ml, ICC=0.884) and large-volume (>500 ml, ICC=0.840) groups (all P<0.001). The 3D-reconstructed ultrasound maintained excellent consistency with CT across all subgroups (all ICC>0.95), and the measured bladder volume was not statistically significant. Multivariate regression showed that slice thickness, posture, age, sex, and surgical status had no significant effects on CT measurements. Conclusions:Ultrasound with 3D reconstruction enables accurate bladder volume monitoring through true 3D contour reconstruction, while conventional 2D ultrasound systematically underestimates bladder volume and requires correction.

Objective:To compare the accuracy of two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound with three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and conventional 2D ultrasound in measuring bladder volume in pelvic tumor patients, using computed tomography (CT) as the reference.Methods:A set of bladder phantoms were constructed to compare CT and ultrasound measurements with actual injected volumes. Clinical data of 104 pelvic tumor patients who received radiotherapy at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between August and December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Portable transabdominal ultrasound was used to obtain the largest bladder cross-section, and the maximum diameters in the left-right (LR), anterior-posterior (AP), and superior-inferior (SI) directions (D LR, D AP, D SI) were measured. The 2D ultrasound volume was calculated as V=0.523 × D LR × D AP × D SI. Full-bladder transverse videos were recorded and processed in Matlab R2016a through frame extraction(60 images), followed by contrast enhancement, edge detection segmentation, cubic spline interpolation, and image smoothing to achieve 3D reconstruction. Paired t-tests, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and Bland-Altman analyses were performed to assess systematic bias and consistency between ultrasound methods and CT. Multivariate linear regression was applied to evaluate the effects of slice thickness, posture, age, and other factors on CT measurements. Results:In the phantom study, deviations of 2D ultrasound and CT from actual injected volumes were (0.73±3.05) ml ( t=-0.48, P=0.667) and (1.52±11.27) ml ( t=0.17, P=0.875), with ICC values>0.999. In the clinical study, mean bladder volumes measured by 3D-reconstructed ultrasound, conventional 2D ultrasound, and CT were (373.5±153.31), (314.89±135.28), (382.82±157.57) ml, respectively. The 3D-reconstructed method showed excellent agreement with CT (ICC=0.98; Bland-Altman mean bias=-9.32 ml, P=0.096), while 2D ultrasound also showed good consistency (ICC=0.91), but significantly underestimated bladder volume (mean bias=-67.93 ml, P<0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that 2D ultrasound had the best agreement with CT in the medium-volume group (200-500 ml, ICC=0.902), whereas agreement decreased in the small-volume (<200 ml, ICC=0.884) and large-volume (>500 ml, ICC=0.840) groups (all P<0.001). The 3D-reconstructed ultrasound maintained excellent consistency with CT across all subgroups (all ICC>0.95), and the measured bladder volume was not statistically significant. Multivariate regression showed that slice thickness, posture, age, sex, and surgical status had no significant effects on CT measurements. Conclusions:Ultrasound with 3D reconstruction enables accurate bladder volume monitoring through true 3D contour reconstruction, while conventional 2D ultrasound systematically underestimates bladder volume and requires correction.

Objective Postoperative delirium(POD)has become a critical challenge with severe consequences and increased incidences as the global population ages.However,the underlying mechanism is yet unknown.Our study aimed to explore the changes in metabolites in three specific brain regions and saliva of older mice with postoperative delirium behavior and to identify potential non-invasive biomarkers. Methods Eighteen-month-old male C57/BL6 mice were randomly assigned to the anesthesia/surgery or control group.Behavioral tests were conducted 24 h before surgery and 6,9,and 24 h after surgery.Complement C3(C3)and S100 calcium-binding protein B protein(S100beta)levels were measured in the hippocampus,and a metabolomics analysis was performed on saliva,hippocampus,cortex,and amygdala samples. Results In total,43,33,38,and 14 differential metabolites were detected in the saliva,hippocampus,cortex,and amygdala,respectively."Pyruvate""alpha-linolenic acid"and"2-oleoyl-1-palmitoy-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine"are enriched in one common pathway and may be potential non-invasive biomarkers for POD.Common changes were observed in the three brain regions,with the upregulation of 1-methylhistidine and downregulation of D-glutamine. Conclusion Dysfunctions in energy metabolism,oxidative stress,and neurotransmitter dysregulation are implicated in the development of POD.The identification of changes in the level of salivary metabolite biomarkers could aid in the development of noninvasive diagnostic methods for POD.

Objective:To explore the effects of maternal exposure to Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides (MOO) during lactation on the Sprague-Dawley (SD) maternal rats and their offspring's growth and development. Methods:Seventy-two female rats with a surviving litter size of ≥ 6 were divided into the excipients control group, MOO low-dose group (50 mg/kg), MOO medium-dose group (160 mg/kg), and MOO high-dose group (500 mg/kg) using a snake-shaped grouping based on body weight, with 18 rats per group. The rats were gavage fed once daily until 20 days of delivery. The response of maternal rats after MOO exposure during lactation, as well as the appearance, response, gross anatomical abnormalities of their F1 and F2 offspring were observed. The body weight and food intake of maternal rats during lactation and those of their offspring before and after weaning were measured. The behavior (central nervous system function) of the F1 and F2 offspring was evaluated using functional observation battery (FOB). The learning and memory function of the F1 offspring was evaluated using Y-maze test. The male and female F1 offspring in the same dose group were mated when they were raised to 10-12 weeks in order to observe the reproductive function of F1 female rats.Results:Compared with the excipients control group, no abnormality was found in the clinical observation of maternal rats in the 3 MOO exposure groups during lactation, and there was no significant differences in their body weight and daily food intake during lactation (all P>0.05). No significant effects were found on the appearance, clinical symptoms, gross anatomy, body weight, and food intake of the F1 and F2 offspring after maternal rats receiving MOO exposure during lactation. In the FOB of the F1 and F2 offspring and the Y-maze test of F1 offspring, few differences in MOO exposure groups were observed and lack of significant dose-response relationship. After pregnancy, there were no statistically significant differences in the number of corpus luteum, implantation number, birth index, delivery index, survival index, and weaning index in F1 female offspring of maternal rats exposed to MOO at different doses during lactation compared with those of the excipients control group (all P>0.05). Conclusions:There were no obvious toxic reactions in maternal rats after exposure to different doses of MOO during lactation, nor in the growth and development, nervous system, learning and memory, and reproductive function of their offspring.

Objective:To explore the effects of maternal exposure to Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides (MOO) during lactation on the Sprague-Dawley (SD) maternal rats and their offspring's growth and development. Methods:Seventy-two female rats with a surviving litter size of ≥ 6 were divided into the excipients control group, MOO low-dose group (50 mg/kg), MOO medium-dose group (160 mg/kg), and MOO high-dose group (500 mg/kg) using a snake-shaped grouping based on body weight, with 18 rats per group. The rats were gavage fed once daily until 20 days of delivery. The response of maternal rats after MOO exposure during lactation, as well as the appearance, response, gross anatomical abnormalities of their F1 and F2 offspring were observed. The body weight and food intake of maternal rats during lactation and those of their offspring before and after weaning were measured. The behavior (central nervous system function) of the F1 and F2 offspring was evaluated using functional observation battery (FOB). The learning and memory function of the F1 offspring was evaluated using Y-maze test. The male and female F1 offspring in the same dose group were mated when they were raised to 10-12 weeks in order to observe the reproductive function of F1 female rats.Results:Compared with the excipients control group, no abnormality was found in the clinical observation of maternal rats in the 3 MOO exposure groups during lactation, and there was no significant differences in their body weight and daily food intake during lactation (all P>0.05). No significant effects were found on the appearance, clinical symptoms, gross anatomy, body weight, and food intake of the F1 and F2 offspring after maternal rats receiving MOO exposure during lactation. In the FOB of the F1 and F2 offspring and the Y-maze test of F1 offspring, few differences in MOO exposure groups were observed and lack of significant dose-response relationship. After pregnancy, there were no statistically significant differences in the number of corpus luteum, implantation number, birth index, delivery index, survival index, and weaning index in F1 female offspring of maternal rats exposed to MOO at different doses during lactation compared with those of the excipients control group (all P>0.05). Conclusions:There were no obvious toxic reactions in maternal rats after exposure to different doses of MOO during lactation, nor in the growth and development, nervous system, learning and memory, and reproductive function of their offspring.

Objective:Utilizing multi-criterion optimization (MCO) technology to improve plan design quality based on knowledge-based planning (KBP) model.Methods:Fifty-five patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who had completed radiotherapy were selected, and fixed-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) technology was used in each case. Among them, 40 cases were randomly selected as training set 1. Then, IMRT plans in training set 1 were preprocessed by MCO technology to construct a new training set 2. With the initial training set 1 and the processed training set 2 as training samples, the traditional KBP model and the MCO-KBP model refined by MCO technology were trained, respectively. Among the remaining 15 cases, 5 cases were randomly selected as the validation set, and the remaining 10 cases were used as the test set. After verification, the test set was used to statistically analyze the plan quality of the initial manual plan and the automatic plan generated by the traditional KBP model and the MCO-KBP model.Results:The target dose (D 95%) of plans generated by the traditional KBP model and the MCO-KBP model met the clinical requirements. Conformity index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI) were almost the same ( P>0.05), and the doses of organ at risk (OAR) of the automatic plans generated by the MCO-KBP model were lower than those of the traditional KBP model. For example, compared with the traditional KBP model, the average D max of the brainstem in the automatic plans generated by the MCO-KBP model was lower by 2.13 Gy, the average D mean of the left parotid gland was lower by 1.39 Gy, the average D mean of the right parotid gland was lower by 1.59 Gy, and the average D max of the left optic nerve was lower by 1.42 Gy, the average D max of the right optic nerve was lower by 1.16 Gy, and the average D max of the pituitary gland was lower by 1.88 Gy. All of the above-mentioned dosimetry indexes were statistically significant. Conclusion:Compared with the traditional KBP model, the IMRT plans designed by the refined MCO-KBP model have obvious advantages in the protection of OAR, which proves the feasibility of utilizing MCO technology to improve the plan design quality of the KBP model.

Objective:Continuous acquisition of swallowing images of head and neck cancer patients by using MRI technique was performed to observe and measure the movement regularity and maximum displacement of the soft palate, tongue and larynx.Methods:From July 2018 to October 2018, 20 patients with primary head and neck cancer were chosen randomly, 17 male and 3 female. The median age was 58.5 years (28 to 78 years). Among the 20 patients, 7 patients were diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 3 patients with oral cancer, 5 patients with oropharyngeal cancer, 3 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer, and 2 patients with nasal and paranasal sinuses cancer. Two patients were classified as stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ, 8 patients as stage Ⅲ and 10 patients as stage Ⅳ according to the eighth edition of AJCC.Results:The displacement of the upward movement of the soft palate during swallowing was (1.06±0.31) cm and followed the pattern normal distribution. The displacement of backward movement of the soft palate was (0.83±0.24) cm, which also almost normally distributed. The displacement of backward tongue movement was (0.77±0.22) cm and followed the normal distribution pattern. The displacement of upward tongue movement was 0 in patients with tongue depressor for image acquisition. The mediandisplacement of upward tongue movement in patients without tongue depressor was 1.23 cm (0.59 to 1.41 cm). The displacement of upward laryngeal movement was (1.14±0.22) cm and followed the normal distribution pattern, and the median displacement of forward laryngeal movement was 0.4 cm (0.27 to 0.90 cm).Conclusions:Swallowing movement may occur in head and neck cancer patients during radiotherapy. It can also cause the movement of gross tumor volume (GTV) and surrounding normal tissues. Therefore, extensive attention should be paid to the individual distance between GTV and planning gross tumor volume (PGTV) when making radiotherapy plans, aiming to ensure the prescription dose of cancer.

With the rapid development of the social economy in China, the incidence of diseases caused by excessive drinking is gradually increasing as well. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy refers to long-term high intake of ethanol, and has typical dilated cardiomyopathy characteristics, such as, hemodynamic changes, symptoms, signs, and morphological features. It is a kind of cardiomyopathy that excludes other causes of dilated cardiomyopathy. Due to the lack of specific pathological changes, the forensic pathological identification of alcoholic cardiomyopathy can only be based on the patient's medical history and by ruling out other causes of cardiomyopathy. This paper reviews the pathogenesis and forensic identification of alcoholic cardiomyopathy in order to provide reference for forensic pathologists and clinicians.
Cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic/pathology* ; China ; Ethanol ; Forensic Pathology/trends* ; Humans

Objective To investigate the optimal gamma passing rate of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) dosimetric verification in the treatment of esophageal cancer using a three-dimensional dose verification system EDoseTM.Methods Twenty five esophageal cancer patients treated by 7-field IMRT were retrospectively reviewed.Measured dose distribution were reconstructed on CT image and evaluated by gamma analysis and DVH metrics using the EDoseTM system.Plans with DVH metrics dose difference ＜ 5％ or with gamma passing ＞ 90％ under 3％/3 mm criteria were accepted.The optimal gamma passing rate for criteria of 5％/3 mm,3％/3 mm,2％/2 mm were investigated by drawing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calculating the Youden Index.The sensitivity and specificity of the these optimal thresholds in the plan verification were also analyzed.Results The optimal thresholds for global gamma indices with 5％/3 mm,3％/3 mm,2％/2 mm were 98.66％,94.84％,78.56％,respectively.In the 90％ common threshold,The sensitivity and specificity for common 90％ threshold and optimal threshold under 3％/3 mm criteria were 0.17 vs.0.85 and t 0.84 vs.0.27,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity were 0.89,0.65 and 0.23,0.47 for optimal thresholds under 5％/3 mm and 2％/2 mm criteria,respectively.Conclusions The sensitivity of optimal threshold gamma passing rate improved significantly compared with the common threshold (90％) at 3％/3 mm criteria.,The sensitivity and the specificity were more balanced at the 2％/2 mm criteria compared with those at 3％/3 mm criteria.

OBJECTIVETo prepare rabbit anti-mouse zona pellucida 2 (mZP2) polyclonal antibodies and test their immunoactivity.

METHODSRecombinant proteins of mZP2 expressed in Rosetta transformant was separated by SDS-PAGE, and the gel strips containing the recombinant mZP2 were cut out and emulsified to immunize New Zealand white rabbits. The antibody response of the antiserum was detected by ELISA, and the specificity of the antiserum was verified by immunohistochemical assay. The effect of the antiserum on the binding of oocytes with acrosomal reacted sperm was tested by sperm-egg binding assay.

RESULTSELISA results showed that the immunized rabbit produced anti-mZP2 antiserum. The antiserum reacted specifically with the zona pellucida of mouse ovarian sections. Sperm-egg binding assay showed that treatment of the oocytes with the anti-mZP2 antiserum caused decreased binding of zona pellucida with the acrosomal reacted sperm by 43.7%.

CONCLUSIONWe obtained rabbit anti-mouse ZP2 polyclonal antibodies that can inhibit the binding of oocytes with acrosomal reacted sperm.

Animals ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Antibody Formation ; Egg Proteins ; immunology ; Female ; Immune Sera ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; immunology ; Mice ; Oocytes ; Rabbits ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; immunology ; Recombinant Proteins ; immunology ; Sperm-Ovum Interactions ; Spermatozoa ; Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins