Objective To explore the efficiency improvement in segmenting neural network with the application of Transformer + U-Net artificial intelligence (AI) and modeling with the application of Python scripts in three-dimensional (3D) printing brachytherapy. Methods A Transformer + U-Net AI neural network model was constructed, and Adam optimizer was used to ensure rapid gradient descent. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging data of patients were standardized and processed as self-made data sets. The training set was used to train AI and the optimal result weight parameters were saved. The test set was used to evaluate the AI ability. Python programming language was used to write an automated script to obtain the output segmentation image and convert it to the STL file for import. The source applicator and needle could be automatically modeled. The time of automatic segmentation and modeling and the time of manual segmentation and modeling were entered by two people, and the difference was verified by paired t-test. Results Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), mean intersection over union (MIOU), and Hausdorff distance (HD95) were used for evaluation. DSC was 0.9341, MIOU was 0.8762, and mean HD95 was 2.516. The mean time of manual segmentation was 1187 s, and the mean time of AI segmentation was 145 s (P < 0.01). The mean time of manual modeling was 321 s, and the mean time of modeling with Python automated scripts was 18 s (P < 0.01). Conclusion The application of Transformer + U-Net automatic segmentation and Python automated scripts can effectively improve work efficiency in the 3D printing brachytherapy for cervical cancer.

Objective:To establish an animal model of trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis in SD rats.Methods:A self-designed V-shaped distraction device(distractor)was fabricated with the traction force(N)of 0,1.3,2.2,3.0,4.3 and 5.0 corresponding to the distraction length(mm)of 5,4,3,2,1 and 0 respectively,meeting the trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis requirements in skull of 5-week-old SD rats.The distractor was plased into the sagittal suture of 12 SD rats.Continuous sampling was conducted 1,3,5 and 7 days respectively(n=3)after operation.The tissue changes in the trans-sutural distraction area were observed by HE and Masson's trichrome staining.Inflammation levels were determined using Arg-1 immunofluorescence staining.The early angiogenesis was clarified through co-staining with CD31 and EMCN.Results:A stable trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis model was estab-lished,5 mm distraction osteogenesis width was observed completely within 7 days of distraction.Significant new bone formation was observed at 7 days after operation.Arg-1 expression increased and was concentrated at the bone margins,overlapping with the areas of new bone formation.EMCN expression gradually decreased,and by day 7 CD31 was predominant,indicating the basic maturation of blood vessels.Conclusion:This study successfully constructed a stable and effective trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis animal model,and provides an experimental basis for the investigation of its early continuous histological changes.

To introduce the modified pharyngeal flap of bilateral muscular rings (BMR), and to discuss the clinical effect of this operation in the correction of moderate and severe velopharyngeal insufficiency. The clinical data of 18 patients who underwent BMR surgery in the Department of Craniofacial Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University from May 2019 to July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 10 males and 8 females, with a median age of 8.5 years (aged from 5 to 34 years). The patients were diagnosed preoperatively with moderate to severe velopharyngeal insufficiency (velopharyngeal closure ratio<0.7). The results of nasopharyngoscopy and speech assessment were compared and analyzed before operation and at the follow-up 6 months after the operation to evaluate the changes in velopharyngeal function and speech. Eighteen patients underwent BMR, 4 patients had snoring (the symptom disappeared after a few weeks in 3 cases), and 2 patients had local erosion of the wound, which delayed healing. Postoperative nasopharyngoscopy showed that all patients achieved comparatively complete velopharyngeal closure, some patients got enhanced lateral pharyngeal wall motility, and all patients got active motility of posterior pharyngeal wall flap. The postoperative speech assessment was significantly improved compared with that before the operation. The preoperative median score was 9 (range 7-12), and the postoperative median score was 2 (range 0-4). The statistical analysis was performed by paired non-parametric Wilcoxon signed rank test, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.001). BMR is a reliable method for the treatment of moderate and severe velopharyngeal insufficiency. This technique can achieve functional contraction of the full circumference of the ventilator while preserving the obstructive effect of the posterior pharyngeal wall flap, which is helpful to balance nasal ventilation and velopharyngeal closure and improve the velopharyngeal function of patients.

Objective To establish the drug use evaluation(DUE)criteria of recombinant human prourokinase(rhPro-UK),and to provide reference for the rational clinical application of rhPro-UK.Methods Based on the drug instructions of rhPro-UK,DUE standard rules were established by referring to relevant guidelines,expert consensus,authoritative literature and expert consultation.The medical records of hospitalized patients treated with rhPro-UK from January 2019 to May 2022 in Xilin Gol League Central Hospital were evaluated by retrospective investigation.The effectiveness of rhPro-UK was evaluated based on clinical outcome,and its safety was evaluated based on the incidence and severity of adverse reactions.Results A total of 230 cases were included,and 4 cases fully met the evaluation criteria(medication indication,medication process,medication results),accounting for 1.74％.There were 226 patients(98.26％)with irrational drug use,mainly manifested in two aspects of drug indication and drug process(administration mode and dosage).Treatment was effective in 221 patients,with an overall effective rate of 96.09％;139 patients experienced adverse reactions,with an incidence rate of 60.43％.Conclusion The clinical use of rhPro-UK in our hospital is irrational in the indication of medication and the process of medication,and the establishment of the DUE standard rules of rhPro-UK can provide a reference to standardize the clinical application of rhPro-UK and promote its rational use.

Objective: To investigate the effect and regulatory mechanism of Smurf2 on the negative regulator Smad7 of TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. Methods: From January to October 2014, 8 patients with hypertrophic scar after burn were admitted. The age of patients ranged from 1 year 8 months to 7 years, and the time of scar hyperplasia ranged from 2 to 12 months. The residual normal skin of the same patient was used as the control. The fibroblasts were isolated from hypertrophic scar and normal skin respectively and cultured. The third to fifth passage cells were used for the experiments. ① The protein expression of Smad7 in the two groups was detected by Western Blot. ② Hypertrophic scar fibroblasts and normal skin fibroblasts were treated with exogenous TGF-β1 at concentration of 10 ng/ml for 0 min, 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h and 12 h. The expression of Smad7 protein and mRNA were detected by Western Blot and RT-PCR, respectively. ③ The cell lysates of the two groups were collected and incubated with the ubiquitin mixture for 1 h, 2 h and 6 h at 37℃, respectively. The degradation level of Smad7 protein was detected by Western Blot. ④ The cell lysate of hypertrophic scar fibroblasts was collected and incubated with ubiquitin mixture with or without proteasome inhibitor (MG132: MG115=1: 1) to study its inhibitory effect on the degradation of Smad7 in vitro. ⑤ Immunoprecipitation (IP) technique was used to detect the interaction between Smad 7 and E3 ubiquitin ligase Smurf2 in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. ⑥ The expression of Smad7 protein in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts stimulated by TGF-β1 after Smurf2 silencing by small interference RNA (siRNA) technique were detected by Western blot. Results: ① There was no significant difference in the expression level of Smad7 protein between hypertrophic scar and normal skin fibroblasts(t=0.76, P=0.46). ② Expressions of Smad7 mRNA and protein in normal skin fibroblasts stimulated by exogenous TGF-β1 gradually increased in a time-dependent manner(P<0.05). The expression of Smad7 mRNA in the hypertrophic scar fibroblasts increased at all-time points except at 5min , (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the expression level of Smad7 protein at all-time points with or without TGF-β1 stimulation(P>0.05). ③ Degradation of Smad7 protein was enhanced in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (the expression level of Smad 7 protein at each time point was compared with that of the control group and the last time point, P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in Smad7 protein degradation in normal skin fibroblasts(P=0.162). ④ Enhanced degradation of Smad7 in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts was blocked by the addition of the proteasome inhibitors MG132/MG115. ⑤ In hypertrophic scar fibroblasts, the Smurf2-Smad7 complex was detected, which indicated the interaction between Smurf2 and Smad7 in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. ⑥ The expression of Smad7 protein was not increased in the hypertrophic scar fibroblasts stimulated by TGF-β1, whereas the stimulation of TGF-β1 increased the expression of Smad7 protein after silencing of Smurf2 gene expression. Conclusions In the hypertrophic scar fibroblasts, Smurf 2 attenuates the inhibitory effect of Smad 7 on TGF-β1 signaling pathway through the degradation of Smad7 by ubiquitination, which may be involved in the formation of hypertrophic scar.

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of pulsed ultrasound (PUS) and pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) on the secretion of extracellular matrix from a culture complex during in vitro chondrogenesis.

METHODSAll the rat bone marrow mesen- chymal stem cell pellets were cultured in achondrogenic medium. Different intensities of PUS (100, 150, and 200 mW · cm⁻²) and PEMF (1, 2, and 5 mT) were applied to the cell pellets for 2 weeks. Group N was cultured without PUS and PEMF stimu- lation as control. The culture medium was collected after 2 weeks of culture. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the type of collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) in the culture medium.

RESULTSPUS increased the secreting-type collagen and GAG from cell pellets compared with group N (P < 0.05), whereas there was no difference in different intensities (P > 0.05). PEMF had no significant effect on the secretion of the type of collagen (P > 0.05). A PEMF of 1 mT had no significant effect on the secretion of GAG (P > 0.05). A PEMF 2 and 5 mT decreased the secretion of GAG (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTo prevent the secretary of extracellular matrix may play a role in chondrogenic effect of PEMF.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; radiation effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrogenesis ; radiation effects ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Extracellular Matrix ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; radiation effects ; Rats ; Ultrasonic Waves

Fast pyrolysis experiments of corn stalk were performed to investigate the optimal pyrolysis conditions of temperature and bed material for maximum bio-oil production under flue gas atmosphere. Under the optimized pyrolysis conditions, furfural residue, xylose residue and kelp seaweed were pyrolyzed to examine their yield distributions of products, and the physical characteristics of bio-oil were studied. The best flow rate of the flue gas at selected temperature is obtained, and the pyrolysis temperature at 500 degrees C and dolomite as bed material could give a maximum bio-oil yield. The highest bio-oil yield of 43.3% (W/W) was achieved from corn stalk under the optimal conditions. Two main fractions were recovered from the stratified bio-oils: light oils and heavy oils. The physical properties of heavy oils from all feedstocks varied little. The calorific values of heavy oils were much higher than that of light oils. The pyrolysis gas could be used as a gaseous fuel due to a relatively high calorific value of 6.5-8.5 MJ/m3.
Biofuels ; Biomass ; Bioreactors ; Furaldehyde ; chemistry ; Hot Temperature ; Kelp ; Temperature ; Xylose ; chemistry ; Zea mays

BACKGROUND:Implant stability is mainly influenced by peri-implant inflammatory stimulation.
OBJECTIVE:To build a beagle model of peri-implantitis under orthodontic force and to observe the bone remodeling of the Beagle dog model.
METHODS: Micro-implants were randomly implanted into the maxilary interradicular region at the center of the mesial and distal roots of bilateral P2, P3, P4 and M1 of Beagle dogs. One side served as a loaded micro-implant with peri-implantitis under 100 g of orthodontic force at 1, 2, 3, 4 weeks of peri-implantitis, and the force lasted for 1 month. After that, the animals were kiled to prepare specimens with micro-implants. Bone-to-implant contacts were calculated and histological changes of the bone interface under continuous orthodontic force at different stages of peri-implantitis were observed under light microscope.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There were a large number of inflammatory cels after micro-implants were implanted with silk thread ligation to the cervical part. Over time, inflammatory cels were gradualy diffused to the tip of micro-implant, and there were a great quantity of colagenous fibers, osteocytes and active bone remodeling. When the inflammation was diffused to the tip of micro-implant after 2 weeks of peri-implantitis, woven bones composed of newly formed trabeculae appeared, and imflammatory cels dispersed. The medulary cavity was irregular after colagen fibrils absorption, and there were 3-4 layers of osteoblasts in the bone lacunae, with active bone formation. These findings indicate that the Beagle model of pure titanium peri-implantitis under orthodontic force was successfuly built in the experiment, and bone formation became active at 2 weeks after modeling.

Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm) infections affect domestic dogs, cats, and various wild mammals with increasing incidence in temperate and tropical areas. More sensitive antibody detection methodologies are required to diagnose asymptomatic dirofilariasis with low worm burdens. Applying current transcriptomic technologies would be useful to discover potential diagnostic markers for D. immitis infection. A filarial homologue of the mammalian translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) was initially identified by screening the assembled transcriptome of D. immitis (DiTCTP). A BLAST analysis suggested that the DiTCTP gene shared the highest similarity with TCTP from Loa loa at protein level (97%). A histidine-tagged recombinant DiTCTP protein (rDiTCTP) of 40 kDa expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) showed immunoreactivity with serum from a dog experimentally infected with heartworms. Localization studies illustrated the ubiquitous presence of rDiTCTP protein in the lateral hypodermal chords, dorsal hypodermal chord, muscle, intestine, and uterus in female adult worms. Further studies on D. immitis-derived TCTP are warranted to assess whether this filarial protein could be used for a diagnostic purpose.
Animal Structures/chemistry ; Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth/blood ; Antigens, Helminth/chemistry/*genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Cloning, Molecular ; Dirofilaria immitis/chemistry/*genetics/immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs ; Escherichia coli/genetics ; Gene Expression ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Molecular Weight ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/chemistry/genetics/immunology/isolation & purification ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tumor Markers, Biological/chemistry/*genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification

Objective To investigate the characteristics and risk factors of thyroid dysfunction induced after interferon therapy in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.Methods The clinical data of 96 chronic viral hepatitis patients received interferon therapy were analyzed retrospectively.Serological markers of thyroid function and thyroid autoantibodies changes were observed,and were followed up for 1 year after treatment.Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate risk factors of thyroid dysfunction.Results Among the 96 cases,84 cases didn't develop thyroid dysfunction after interferon therapy(normal group),and 12 cases developed thyroid dysfunction after interferon therapy (abnormal group),the incidence was 12.5％ (12/96),there were 5 cases of Hashimoto's thyroiditis,3 cases of Graves disease,3 cases of destructive thyroiditis,and 1 case of non-autoimmune hypothyroidism.The time to develop thyroid dysfunction was 2-7 (3.8 ± 1.9) months after treatment,the duration of thyroid dysfunction was 1-11 (4.2 ± 0.9) months.Five patients received endocrine therapy,and 2 patients stopped interferon therapy.All patients regained normal thyroid function during 1-year followup after end of treatment.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that female gender (OR =3.767) and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (OR =1.117) were the independent risk factors for thyoid dysfunction.Conclusions Hashimoto's thyroiditis,Graves disease,destructive thyroiditis and non-autoimmune hypothyroidism are the main types of thyroid dysfunction induced after interferon therapy in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.The thyroid function and thyroid autoantibodies should be closely monitored during treatment in patients with chronic viral hepatitis receiving interferon therapy,especially in female and patients who have thyroid autoantibodies.