Objective To analyze the layout and shielding effectiveness of medical accelerator vaults, and to provide a reference for the layout, shielding design, and optimization of protection of medical accelerator vaults. Methods Four medical accelerator radiotherapy vaults were selected. The layouts of these vaults were compared with the layout requirements in the radiation therapy protection standards. For each vault, the dose rates at four points of interest outside the shielding were calculated, including the primary shielding area, secondary shielding area, maze outer wall, and lateral shielding area. These values were then compared with the actual measurements obtained using a dose rate meter. Results All four vaults were located on the ground floor of the building and included a maze, with the auxiliary rooms all placed outside the treatment rooms. However, one vault was not located at one end of the building, and in another vault, the control room was exposed to direct irradiation of the useful beam. The calculated dose rates outside the primary shielding area ranged from 0.04 μSv/h to 0.62 μSv/h, while the measured values ranged from 0.10 μSv/h to 0.66 μSv/h, with the measured values being higher than the calculated ones. The calculated dose rates outside the secondary shielding area ranged from 0.0005 μSv/h to 0.12 μSv/h, those outside the maze outer wall ranged from 0.06 μSv/h to 0.18 μSv/h, and those outside the lateral shielding area ranged from 0.009 μSv/h to 0.15 μSv/h; the measured values were all below the detection limit. Conclusion Inadequate layouts were observed in some of the accelerator vaults. The calculated and measured dose rates at points of interest outside the vaults were both significantly lower than the shielding protection requirements in standards, indicating that the shielding designs were overly conservative. Construction units should follow the principle of optimization of radiation protection to design the layout and shielding reasonably and pay attention to the underestimation of dose rates outside the primary shielding caused by the tenth value layer.

Objective:This study investigated the efficacy and safety of denosumab (DENOS) versus zoledronic acid (ZOL) in the bone disease treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.Methods:The clinical data of 80 patients with myeloma bone disease (MBD) at the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital between March 1, 2021 and June 30, 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Eighteen patients with severe renal impairment (SRI, endogenous creatinine clearance rate<30 ml/min) were treated with DENOS, and 62 non-SRI patients were divided into DENOS (30 patients) and ZOL group (32 patients) .Results:Hypocalcemia was observed in 26 (33%) patients, and 22 patients developed hypocalcemia during the first treatment course. The incidence of hypocalcemia in the non-SRI patients of DENOS group was higher than that in the ZOL group [20% (6/30) vs 13% (4/32), P=0.028]. The incidence of hypocalcemia in SRI was 89% (16/18). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that endogenous creatinine clearance rate<30 ml/min was significantly associated with hypocalcemia after DENOS administration ( P<0.001). After 1 month of antiresorptive (AR) drug application, the decrease in the serum β-C-terminal cross-linked carboxy-telopeptide of collagen type I concentrations of SRI and non-SRI patients in the DENOS group were significantly higher than that in the ZOL group (68% vs 59% vs 27%, P<0.001). The increase in serum procollagen type Ⅰ N-terminal propeptide concentrations of patients with or without SRI in the DENOS group were significantly higher than that in the ZOL group (34% vs 20% vs 11%, P<0.05). The level of intact parathyroid hormone in each group increased after AR drug treatment. None of the patients developed osteonecrosis of the jaw and renal adverse events, and no statistically significant differences in the overall response rate, complete remission and stringent complete remission rates were found among the groups ( P>0.05), and the median PFS and OS time were not reached ( P>0.05) . Conclusions:In the treatment of MBD, DENOS minimizes nephrotoxicity and has strong AR effect. Hypocalcemia is a common adverse event but is usually mild or moderate and manageable.

Objective:To explore the independent risk factors of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis, and to establish and evaluate a risk prediction model for PVT in patients with cirrhosis.Methods:A total of 295 cases of cirrhosis hospitalized in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from December 2019 to October 2021 were divided into a modeling set ( n=207) and an internal validation set ( n=88) by the random number table. In addition, patients with cirrhosis hospitalized in Yichang Central People's Hospital, Wuhan Puren Hospital, No.2 People's Hospital of Fuyang City and People's Hospital of China Three Gorges University during the same period were collected as an external validation set ( n=92). The modeling set was divided into PVT group ( n=56) and non-PVT group ( n=151). Univariate analysis was used to preliminarily screen the related indicators of PVT, and then multivariate logistic regression analysis with forward stepwise regression was used to determine independent risk factors for PVT. A nomogram prediction model was constructed based on the independent risk factors obtained. The internal and external validation set were used to verify the predictive ability of the model. Distinction degree was used to evaluate the ability of the model to distinguish patients with or without PVT. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was used to evaluate the consistency between predicted risk and the actual risk of the model. Results:Univariate analysis showed that smoking, history of splenectomy, trans-jugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), gastrointestinal bleeding and endoscopic variceal treatment, and levels of hemoglobin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and D-dimer were significantly different between the PVT group and the non-PVT group ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that smoking ( P=0.020, OR=31.21, 95% CI: 1.71-569.40), levels of D-dimer ( P=0.003, OR=1.12, 95% CI: 1.04-1.20) and hemoglobin ( P=0.039, OR=0.99, 95% CI: 0.97-1.00), history of TIPS ( P=0.011, OR=18.04, 95% CI: 1.92-169.90) and endoscopic variceal treatment ( P=0.001, OR=3.21, 95% CI: 1.59-6.50) were independent risk factors for PVT in patients with liver cirrhosis. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the internal validation set was 0.802 (95% CI: 0.709-0.895) ( P<0.001), and the AUC for the external validation set was 0.811 (95% CI: 0.722-0.900) ( P<0.001). Both AUC were larger than 0.75. The calibration curve of Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed that the P values of both internal validation set ( χ2=3.602, P=0.891) and the external validation set ( χ2=11.025, P=0.200) were larger than 0.05. Conclusion:Smoking, history of TIPS or endoscopic variceal treatment, levels of D-dimer and hemoglobin are independent risk factors for PVT in patients with liver cirrhosis. The prediction nomogram model based on the above factors has strong predictive ability.

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of daratumumab as a maintenance treatment after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) .Methods:The clinical data, hematological and renal response, and safety of 15 post-transplant patients with NDMM who had received daratumumab maintenance between May 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Fifteen patients (11 males and 4 females) with a median age of 58 (41-72) years were included. Thirteen patients did not receive daratumumab during induction therapy and auto-HSCT, 6 patients had renal impairment, and nine patients had high-risk cytogenetics. The median infusion of daratumumab was 12 (6-17) times, and the median duration of maintenance was 6 (1.5-12) months. The treatment efficacy was evaluated in all 15 patients, and daratumumab maintenance therapy increased the rate of stringent complete response from 40% to 60%. The renal response rate and median estimated glomerular filtration rate of six patients with RI-NDMM were also improved. During daratumumab maintenance therapy, the most common hematological grade 3 adverse event (AE) was lymphopenia [4 of 15 patients (26.67%) ], whereas the most common nonhematologic AEs were infusion-related reactions [7 of 15 patients (46.67%) ] and grade 3 pneumonia [5 of 15 patients (33.33%) ]. The five patients with pneumonia were daratumumab naive [5 of 13 patients (38.46%) ], with a median of 8 (6-10) infusions. Among them, the chest computed tomography of three patients showed interstitial infiltrates, and treatment with methylprednisolone was effective. With a median follow-up of 12 months, the 1-year overall survival rate was 93.33%, and only one patient died (which was not related to daratumumab treatment) .Conclusions:Daratumumab was safe and effective as a maintenance agent for post-auto-HSCT patients with NDMM, and AEs were controllable. The most common nonhematologic AE was grade 3 pneumonia, and a less dose-intense maintenance regimen for the first 8 weeks could reduce the incidence of pneumonia.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics and change trends of electroencephalogram (EEG) in patients with drug resistant epilepsy (DRE) after vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).Methods:Twenty-five patients with DRE, admitted to our hospital from July 2016 to May 2019, were chosen; all patients accepted VNS and followed up for 12 months. Long range video EEG (VEEG) monitoring was performed before VNS, and 3, 6 and 12 months after VNS, and the tracing time of each monitoring was longer than 12 h. The EEG characteristics of these patients before and different times after VNS were analyzed.Results:In the VEEG monitoring before VNS, 25 patients showed sharp wave, spike wave, sharp slow wave, and compound spike slow wave in the interictal period; 3 patients (12%) could locate the brain region. The interictal EEG of 11 patients 3 months after VNS showed different degrees of improvement as compared with the preoperative one, which manifested as mixed rhythms: mono-spiking as sharp wave, sharp slow wave or spike wave; 8 patients had McHugh grading I-II. The interictal EEG of 18 patients 6 months after VNS showed different degrees of improvement as compared with the preoperative one; 11 patients had McHugh grading I-II. The interictal EEG of 21 patients 12 months after VNS showed different degrees of improvement as compared with the preoperative one; 15 patients had McHugh grading I-II.Conclusion:The EEG improvement effect of DRE patients after VNS is gradually improved with time; in some patients, the EEG improvement is earlier than improvement of clinical symptoms.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics and change trends of electroencephalogram (EEG) in patients with drug resistant epilepsy (DRE) after vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).Methods:Twenty-five patients with DRE, admitted to our hospital from July 2016 to May 2019, were chosen; all patients accepted VNS and followed up for 12 months. Long range video EEG (VEEG) monitoring was performed before VNS, and 3, 6 and 12 months after VNS, and the tracing time of each monitoring was longer than 12 h. The EEG characteristics of these patients before and different times after VNS were analyzed.Results:In the VEEG monitoring before VNS, 25 patients showed sharp wave, spike wave, sharp slow wave, and compound spike slow wave in the interictal period; 3 patients (12%) could locate the brain region. The interictal EEG of 11 patients 3 months after VNS showed different degrees of improvement as compared with the preoperative one, which manifested as mixed rhythms: mono-spiking as sharp wave, sharp slow wave or spike wave; 8 patients had McHugh grading I-II. The interictal EEG of 18 patients 6 months after VNS showed different degrees of improvement as compared with the preoperative one; 11 patients had McHugh grading I-II. The interictal EEG of 21 patients 12 months after VNS showed different degrees of improvement as compared with the preoperative one; 15 patients had McHugh grading I-II.Conclusion:The EEG improvement effect of DRE patients after VNS is gradually improved with time; in some patients, the EEG improvement is earlier than improvement of clinical symptoms.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between gallbladder carcinoma and gallbladder stones, and provide theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of gallbladder carcinoma.Methods:A case-control study was used to retrospectively analyze the clinical data of 134 patients(study group) with gallbladder stones and gallbladder carcinoma treated in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Corps Hospital of Chinese People′s Armed Police Forces from January 2010 to December 2012.Another 134 patients with gallbladder stones were selected as control group, and the clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared.Results:The average age of patients in the study group was (60.5±11.7)years, which was significantly older than that in the control group [(49.6±10.3)years], the difference was statistically significant ( t=7.916, P<0.05). The history of gallbladder stones in the study group and control group were (9.3±4.1)years and (4.6±2.5)years, respectively, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant( t=11.682, P<0.01). The multiple stones, maximum stone diameter and maximum gallbladder wall thickness in the study group were 75 cases, (2.4±0.6)cm and (0.59±0.16)cm, respectively, which in the control group were 46 cases, (1.3±0.5)cm and (0.87±0.23)cm, respectively, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant(χ 2=3.978, t=6.217, 5.110, all P<0.05). The incidences of cholecystitis and jaundice in the study group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05). Conclusion:Gallbladder stones are one of the causative factors of gallbladder carcinoma.Early diagnosis of gallbladder carcinoma is difficult.Patients with high-risk gallbladder stones who are old, have a long history of gallbladder stones, multiple stones, large stone diameters, and thick gallbladder walls should actively undergo surgical intervention.

Objective To investigate the correlation between C-reactive protein (CRP) level at admission and severity and early outcome of acute ischemic stroke.Methods Inpatients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled retrospectively.The demographic and clinical data were collected.The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at admission was used to evaluate the neurologic deficits,≤8 was defined as a mild stroke and ＞ 8 was defined as a severe stroke.The modified Rankin scale was used to evaluate the outcomes at discharge,0-2 was defined as good outcome and ＞ 2 was defined as poor outcome.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent influencing factors of severity and early outcome of acute ischemic stroke.Results A total of 120 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled in the study.Their mean age was 63.35 ± 11.51 years,71 (59.17％) were males;81 had mild stroke (67.5％),39 (32.5％) had moderate to severe stroke;71 (59.17％) had good outcome,and 49 (40.83％) had poor outcome.There were significant differences in the age,CRP level,and proportions of ischemic heart disease,atrial fibrillation,smoking,and drinking between the mild stroke group and the moderate to severe stroke group (all P ＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that ischemic heart disease (odds ratio [OR] 4.407,95％ confidence interval [CI] 1.100-17.653;P=0.036),atrial fibrillation (OR 6.603,95％ CI 1.190-36.635;P =0.031) and CRP (OR 1.022,95％ CI 1.001-1.043;P =0.041)were independently and positively correlated with the severity of stroke.There were significant differences in baseline NIHSS score,fibrinogen and CRP level,as well as the proportions of the patients with atrial fibrillation,smoking,and drinking between the good outcome group and the poor outcome group (all P ＜0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that smoking (OR 8.895,95％ CI 1.699-46.557;P=0.010),baseline NIHSS score (OR 2.241,95％ CI 1.567-3.206;P ＜0.001),and CRP (OR 1.195,95％ CI 1.030-1.386;P =0.019) were independently correlated with the early poor outcomes.Conclusion CRP level at admission was the independent influencing factor of severity and early outcome of acute ischemic stroke.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the level of circulating CD133+/KDR+ endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods Inpatients with first-ever ischemic stroke within 24 hfrom the onset and age-and sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled in the study.The demographic and clinical data of the patients were collected.The level of CD133+/KDR+ EPCs was detected by flow cytometry.All patients were followed up at 90 d.The modified Rankin Scale was used to evaluate the clinical outcome,0-2 was defined as good outcome and >2 was defined as poor outcome.Results A total of 126 consecutive patients with first-ever ischemic stroke within 24 hfrom the onset and 60 age-and sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled.In patients with ischemic stroke,33 (26.19%) were large artery atherosclerosis (LAA),74 (58.73%) were small artery occlusion (SAO),19 (15.08%) were cardioembolism (CE);82 (65.08%) had good outcomes and 44 (34.92%) had poor outcomes.The number of circulating EPCs at baseline in patients of the LAA subtype (0.071%±0.018%),CE subtype (0.068%±0.16%) and SAO subtype (0.118%±0.12%) was significantly lower than that in the control group (0.246%±0.052%;all P<0.05),and the CE subtype (P=0.028) and LAA subtype (P=0.037) were significantly lower than the SAO subtype;the CE subtype was lower than the LAA subtype,but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.762).The proportions of patients with LAA subtype (40.91% vs.18.29%;χ2=7.577,P=0.006) and CE subtype (29.55% vs.7.32%;χ2=11.049,P=0.001) and atrial fibrillation (29.55% vs.10.98%;χ2=6.582,P=0.009),and age (69.64±9.62 years vs.61.12±7.31 years;t=5.570,P<0.001),and baseline NIHSS score (14.16±4.22 vs.6.96±2.04;t=12.919,P<0.001),baseline systolic blood pressure (176.06±13.42 mmHg vs.164.12±11.69 mmHg,1 mmHg=0.133 kPa;t=5.187,P<0.001),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (2.92±0.52 mmol/L vs.2.49±0.36 mmol/L;t=5.447,P<0.001),fasting blood glucose (8.76±2.88 mmol/L vs.6.82±2.24 mmol/L;t=4.185,P<0.001),C-reactive protein (7.62±1.82 mg/L vs.4.57±1.58 mg/L;t=9.790,P<0.001),and D-dimer (1.14±0.08 mg/L vs.0.97±0.22 mg/L;t=4.946,P<0.001) levels in the poor outcome group were significantly higher than those in the good outcome group,while the proportion of the SAO subtype patients (29.55% vs.74.39%;χ2=23.759,P<0.001),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.94±0.68 mmol/L vs.1.16±0.14 mmol/L;t=2.829,P=0.005),and baseline EPCs (0.069%±0.018% vs.0.098%±0.021%;t=7.755,P<0.001) were significantly lower than those in the good outcome group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the higher baseline NIHSS score (odds ratio 1.242,95% confidence interval 1.126-1.372;P<0.001),CE subtype (odds ratio 3.460,95% confidence interval 1.312-5.146;P=0.016),and the lower baseline EPCs (odds ratio 1.632,95% confidence interval 1.006-3.024;P<0.001) were the independent risk factors for poor outcome in patients.Conclusion s The level of circulating EPCs was decreased significantly in patients with acute ischemic stroke,and the lower level of baseline EPCs was an independent predictor of poor outcome in patients with ischemic stroke at 90 d.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the serum copeptin levels and the outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods Patients with first-ever ischemic stroke within 24 h were enrolled in the study.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the serum copeptin levels.The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to evaluate the severity of baseline stroke.The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores were used to evaluate the outcomes at day 90,and 0-2 was defined as good outcome.The age-and sex-matched healthy subjects were used as controls.Results A total of 86 consecutive patients with first-ever ischemic stroke within 24 h were enrolled and 50 age-and.sex-matched healthy subjects were used as controls.The serum copeptin levels of the patients with acute ischemic stroke at 24 h,day 7 and 14 were 7.81 ± 0.66 pmol/L,4.78 ± 1.76 pmol/L,and 2.82 ± 1.42 pmol/L,respectively.They were all significantly higher than those of the control group (1.67 ± 0.56 pmol/L;all P＜0.05).In 86 patients,74 (86.05％) had good outcome and 12 (13.95％) had poor outcome.The age (67.64 ± 9.62 years vs.61.12± 7.31 years;t=-3.420,P=0.020),NIHSS score (14.16±4.22 vs.6.96± 2.04;t=-8.263,P＜ 0.001),baseline systolic blood pressure (166.06± 13.42 mmHgvs.154.12± 11.69 mmHg;t=5.216,P=0.037;1 mmHg=0.133 kPa),fasting blood glucose (8.79 ±2.98 mmol/L vs.6.92 ±2.24 mmol/L;t =2.076,P =0.041),C-reactive protein (7.02 ± 1.72 mg/L vs.4.07 ± 1.58 mg/L;t =-1.724,P =0.019),copeptin level at 24 h (9.67 ±2.28 pmol/L vs.6.88 ±2.82 pmol/L;t =13.962,P ＜ 0.001),copeptin level at day 7 (8.22 ± 2.14 pmol/L vs.2.97 ± 2.04 pmol/L;t =20.564,P ＜ 0.001),copeptin level at day 14 (4.77 ± 1.86 pmol/L vs.2.02 ± 0.76 pmol/L;t =8.428,P =0.032),as well as the proportions of atrial fibrillation (33.33％ vs.8.11％;x2 =4.986,P=0.036),large artery atherosclerotic stroke (41.67％ vs.21.62％;x2 =6.729,P =0.038),cardioembolism (33.33％ vs.8.11％;x2 =4.986,P=0.036) in the poor outcome group were significantly higher than those in the good outcome group.The proportion of patients with small arterial occlusive stroke was significantly lower than that of the good outcome group (16.67％ vs.70.27％;x2 =16.972,P =0.041).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the serum copeptin level at 24 h (odds ratio 2.424,95％ confidence interval 1.92 0-3.562;P ＜ 0.001) and day 7 (odds ratio 2.326,95％ confidence interval 1.768-3.482;P ＜ 0.001),and baseline NIHSS score (odds ratio 2.146,95％ confidence interval 1.616-3.268;P ＜ 0.001) were the independent risk factors for the poor outcomes.Conclusions The increased baseline serum copeptin level is an independent risk factor for poor outcomes at day 90 in patients with acute ischemic stroke.