Objective To assess the accuracy of pN staging prediction in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) using ultrasound radiomics and deep neural networks (DNN). Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 375 patients with pathologically confirmed PTC, comprising 261 cases in the training set and 114 in the test set. Staging was categorized as pN0 (no cervical lymph node metastasis), pN1a (central neck lymph node metastasis), and pN1b (lateral neck lymph node metastasis). An ultrasound physician manually segmented the regions of interest (ROIs) for PTC, extracting 1899 radiomic features. Dimensionality reduction was performed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. A DNN model for predicting PTC pN staging was developed using the H2O deep learning platform, trained on the training set, and validated on the test set to assess the accuracy of the optimal model. Results A total of 153 patients were in the pN0 stage, 131 patients in the pN1a stage, and 91 patients in the pN1b stage. LASSO regression selected 15 radiomic features for each PTC. The optimal DNN model, constructed using these 15 features, achieved accuracies of 85.82% on the training set and 81.57% on the test set. Conclusion Ultrasound radiomics of PTC demonstrates high accuracy in predicting pN staging and shows potential for automating N staging in patients.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the intrauterine phenotype and genotype of eight fetuses carrying a 16p11.2 microdeletion. METHODS: 5100 fetuses undergoing routine prenatal diagnosis were subjected to single nucleotide polymorphism-based microarray (SNP-array) analysis. Fetuses harboring a 16p11.2 microdeletion were analyzed for their ultrasonographic characteristics. RESULTS: Eight fetuses were found to harbor a microdeletion in the 16p11.2 region. Among these, six had a typical 500-600 kb deletion, while the remaining two had an atypical 220 kb deletion at the distal part of 16p11.2. Four fetuses showed vertebral malformations, two had mild left ventriculomegaly, one had hydrocephalus, and one had pulmonary valve stenosis with regurgitation. The parents of five fetuses have accepted pedigree verification, and the results confirmed that the 16p11.2 microdeletions carried by fetuses all had a de novo origin. CONCLUSION The intrauterine phenotypes of fetuses carrying a 16p11.2 microdeletion may be variable, and the deletion can be effectively detected with the SNP-array assay.
Chromosome Deletion ; Female ; Fetus ; Genetic Testing ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis

Ebola virus (EBOV) is an enveloped negative-sense RNA virus and a member of the filovirus family. Nucleoprotein (NP) expression alone leads to the formation of inclusion bodies (IBs), which are critical for viral RNA synthesis. The matrix protein, VP40, not only plays a critical role in virus assembly/budding, but also can regulate transcription and replication of the viral genome. However, the molecular mechanism by which VP40 regulates viral RNA synthesis and virion assembly/budding is unknown. Here, we show that within IBs the N-terminus of NP recruits VP40 and is required for VLP-containing NP release. Furthermore, we find four point mutations (L692A, P697A, P698A and W699A) within the C-terminal hydrophobic core of NP result in a stronger VP40-NP interaction within IBs, sequestering VP40 within IBs, reducing VP40-VLP egress, abolishing the incorporation of NC-like structures into VP40-VLP, and inhibiting viral RNA synthesis, suggesting that the interaction of N-terminus of NP with VP40 induces a conformational change in the C-terminus of NP. Consequently, the C-terminal hydrophobic core of NP is exposed and binds VP40, thereby inhibiting RNA synthesis and initiating virion assembly/budding.
Ebolavirus/physiology* ; HEK293 Cells ; HeLa Cells ; Humans ; Nucleocapsid Proteins/metabolism* ; RNA, Viral/metabolism* ; Viral Matrix Proteins/metabolism* ; Virion/metabolism* ; Virus Assembly

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the ultrasonographic phenotype and result of genetic testing in six fetuses carrying a 17q12 microdeletion. METHODS: Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) was carried out for 6200 pregnant women undergoing prenatal diagnosis from December 2016 to May 2021. RESULTS: CMA has identified 6 fetuses with a microdeletion in the 17q12 region, which spanned approximately 1.4 Mb and encompassed at least 13 OMIM genes. All fetuses have shown bilateral renal parenchymal echo enhancement. Four fetuses also had other ultrasonographic phenotypes. The parents of 4 fetuses had refused parental verification, whilst the remaining two fetuses were confirmed to be de novo in origin. CONCLUSION The prenatal ultrasonographic phenotype of 17q12 microdeletion is mainly enhanced bilateral renal parenchymal echos. CMA can facilitate detection of the 17q12 microdeletion.
Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Genetic Testing ; Phenotype ; Fetus/diagnostic imaging* ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Parents

Objective:To explore the influencing factors of bowel preparation quality in hospitalized elderly patients, and to find the appropriate waiting time from the end of bowel preparation to the beginning of colonoscopy.Methods:Baseline and clinical data of elderly patients over 60 years old who underwent colonoscopy in the Tenth People′s Hospital, Tongji University from February 2021 to August 2021 were collected. Multivariate analysis was used to screen the factors that might affect the quality of bowel preparation in hospitalized elderly patients. Patients were grouped according to waiting time before colonoscopy. After eliminating confounding factors using propensity matching analysis, the difference of bowel preparation quality among groups was compared.Results:251 patients were included in the study. Multivariate analysis revealed that, hypertension ( OR=3.530, 95% CI 1.295-9.618), chronic constipation ( OR=3.302,95% CI 1.132-9.632), dietary compliance ( OR=0.161, 95% CI 0.070-0.371), medication and drinking water compliance ( OR=0.167, 95% CI 0.070-0.397), exercise compliance after medication ( OR=2.245, 95% CI 1.040-4.845), The frequency of defecation after medication ( OR=0.446, 95% CI 0.308-0.647) and waiting time ( OR=0.537, 95% CI 0.387-0.745) were important factors affecting the quality of bowel preparation in hospitalized elderly patients ( P<0.05). There were differences in bowel preparation quality between groups of waiting times. The overall quality of bowel preparation in 120-180 min group was significantly better than that in 241-300 min group, 301-360 min group and>360 min group ( P<0.05). The overall quality of bowel preparation in 181-240 min group was better than that in >360 min group ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences among other groups( P>0.05). The scores of cecum and ascending colon were the best in 120-180 min group, and the cleanliness of descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum was significantly higher in 241-300 min group, 301-360 min group and > 360 min group. The scores of descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum showed that the intestinal preparation quality of 181-240 min group was better than that of 301-360 min group and > 360 min group. Conclusions:The best examination time for elderly patients is about 180 minutes after bowelpreparation. Medical workers should flexibly guide the medication time to ensure that patients are in the best clean state of intestinal tract during examination.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prenatal ultrasonic characteristics and genetic features of 14 fetuses with chromosome 22q11 microdeletion syndrome (22q11DS). METHODS: 4989 fetuses were analyzed by using single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP array) in the Fujian Maternal and Child Health Hospital from November 2016 to November 2019. RESULTS: SNP array showed that 11 fetuses had classic 3 Mb microdeletion in 22q11 region, one fetus had 2.0 Mb microdeletion, and two fetuses had 1.0 Mb microdeletion. The 1.0 Mb microdeletion in 22q11 region contains SNAP29 and CRKL genes, which may increase the risk of congenital renal malformation and cardiovascular malformation. CONCLUSION Prenatal ultrasonic characteristics of fetuses with 22q11 microdeletion syndrome vary, and SNP array is a powerful tool to diagnose such diseases, which can provide accurate genetic diagnosis and enable prenatal diagnosis.
22q11 Deletion Syndrome/diagnostic imaging* ; Chromosome Deletion ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22/genetics* ; Female ; Fetus ; Genetic Testing ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Ultrasonics

Objective: To evaluate the application of panning axial turnover in placement of surgical positions before thoracic surgery. Methods: From June 2017 to September 2017, altogether 140 patients who underwent thoracic surgery were enrolled in and randomly divided into two groups: the observation group and the control group. The control group was treated with traditional turnover method, while the observation group were treated with axial turnover. Results: No significant changes were found in blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate (P>0.05) after turning over. There was no significant difference between the observation group and the control group about turn over time, (7.06±0.78)s vs. (7.01±0.81)s (P>0.05). The subjective evaluation results of the medical staff in the observation group were significantly better than those of the control group (Z=-7.111, P<0.01) and the shift rate of double-lumen endotracheal tube in the observation group was 3.7% (2/54), which was significantly lower than 21.6% (11/51) of the control group (χ²=6.158, P<0.05). Conclusions The panning axial turnover properly guided the turn-over work with the principle of human body mechanics, which was more labor-saving and requires less operators. Besides, the panning axial turnover effectively reduced the double-lumen tracheal intubation shift rate. It′s worthy of clinical promotion.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of low-dose hormone replacement therapy（HRT）on menopausal-related symptoms in young patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: From March 2016 to September 2018,eighty patients aged 45 years below with cervical squamous cell carcinoma of stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ and iatrogenic menopause were recruited,who were diagnosed at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital and Women's Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Zhejiang University. Fourty of them performed low dose HRT（1 mg estradiol valerate a day or 1.25 mg tibolone a day）,twenty performed standard dose HRT（1 mg estradiol valerate and 1.25 mg tibolone a day）,another twenty do not perform HRT as a control group. The levels of follicle stimulating hormone（FSH）,estradiol（E2）,menopausal symptoms（the improved Kupperman score）and incidence of side effects were assessed before and 1,3,6 months after the intervention. Results: There were significant differences in E2 levels,FSH levels and improved Kupperman scores among the low dose group,the standard dose group and the control group（all P<0.05）. With the extension of intervention time,E2 levels in the low dose group and the standard dose group increased first and then decreased,FSH levels and improved Kupperman scores decreased（all P<0.05）. Compared with the control group,E2 levels,FSH levels and improved Kupperman scores in the standard dose group changed more significantly（all P<0.05）. E2 and FSH levels in the low dose group changed less than that in the standard dose group（all P<0.05）,while improved Kupperman scores was close to that in the standard dose group. The incidence rate of side effects in the low dose group was 2.50%,which was lower than 20.00% in the standard dose group（P<0.05）. Conclusion For young patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma,using low dose HRT may less affects E2 and FSH levels than using the standard dose,but could achieve similar effects in treatment of menopausal-related symptoms.

Objective To investigate the related factors for the survival of the patients with pancreatic cancer.Methods A total of 1 620 patients confirmed as pancreatic cancer admitted in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital affiliated with Sun Yat-sen University,Tumor prevention and treatment center affiliated with Sun Yat-sen University and People's Hospital of Guangdong Province from 2004 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed,and the effects of TNM staging,surgical treatment,palliative chemotherapy and postoperative assisted chemotherapy on the survival of the patients with pancreatic cancer were examined by life table and Log-rank test.Results The median survival time of all 1 620 cases was 7.15 months.The median survival time of TNM stage Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ was 12.50 months,10.12 months,9.56 months and 5.43 months,and there was statistically significant difference (P =0.001).The median survival time of cases who did not undergo surgery was 6.10 months,which of patients who underwent radical surgery was 13.67 months,and the difference was statistically significant (P =0.001).The median survival time of cases without chemotherapy was 5.55 months,which of patients who underwent palliative chemotherapy was 7.58 months,and the difference was statistically significant (P =0.001).The median survival time of cases with pure radical surgery without chemotherapy was 12.38 months,which of patients who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy was 14.50 months,and the difference was no statistically significant (P =0.561).Conclusions Early diagnosis followed closely by radical surgery is the key to prolong the survival of pancreatic cancer patients.And adjuvant chemotherapy for patients who lose surgery opportunity may improve clinical prognosis to a certain extent.

Objective To investigate the incidence and related factors of postoperative hemorrhage, so as to provide data support for preventing its occurrence and developing reasonable risk assessment tools. Methods The retrospective analysis of clinical data of 50 patients with postoperative hemorrhage after surgical operation in a 3A hospital in Shanghai from January to December 2016 was conducted. A 1:2 matching case-control study was conducted to explore the risk factors of postoperative bleeding in surgical patients by univariate and multivariate regression analysis.Results The total number of surgical operations (excluding obstetrics and gynecology, five senses) was 18942. Postoperative hemorrhage occurred in 50 cases, including 6 deaths. The incidence of postoperative hemorrhage was 0.26％ and the mortality rate was 12％. The incidence of postoperative bleeding in the top four departments were gastrointestinal surgery (13 cases), hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery (11 cases), cardiac surgery (10 cases), neurosurgery (9 cases). The statistical analysis of binary Logistic in the case group and the control group showed that postoperative albumin<35g/L, postoperative AST abnormality, postoperative ALT abnormality, postoperative hypertension were independent risk factors of postoperative bleeding.Conclusions The incidence of postoperative bleeding in this hospital is relativelylow, but the mortality is relatively high. Medical staff should pay more attention to the patients undergoing gastrointestinal, liver, pancreas, heart and brain surgery. It is also necessary to pay more attention to the blood pressure, albumin and liver function of the patients after operation,and establish the evaluation of prevention of hemorrhage, which has a certain early warning effect on the prevention of postoperative hemorrhage.