Objective:To investigate the relationship between the visceral adiposity index(VAI) and cognitive decline.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted.Between October 2020 and March 2023, 483 elderly residents living in communities in Hefei were recruited and divided into four groups based on VAI scores, Q1(VAI ≤ 1.14), Q2(VAI>1.15 and ≤1.85), Q3(VAI>1.86 and ≤2.81) and Q4(VAI>2.82).General cognitive function was assessed by(MMSE)and(MoCA).Attention and working memory were tested by forward and backward digit span tasks.Logistic regression was utilized to analyze the relationship between different VAI scores and insulin resistance.The correlation between different VAI scores and cognitive function domains was analyzed by partial correlation.Results:The values of BMI, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, HOMA-IR and HOMA-β increased with increasing VAI scores(all P<0.01).VAI was significantly correlated with insulin sensitivity after adjusting for confounding factors including sex.The risk of insulin resistance in Q4 was 7.40 times that in Q1( OR=7.40, 95% CI: 4.30-12.74, P<0.05).In addition, the correlation coefficients between VAI and forward digital span and between VAI and backward digital span were -0.116 and -0.105, respectively(both P<0.05), but there was no correlation between VAI and MMSE or MoCA. Conclusions:VAI is closely related to insulin resistance and also associated with early cognitive decline in elderly people with visceral obesity.

Objective:To compare the biomechanical properties of posterolateral distal humeral plate, inverted anterior proximal humerus internal locking system (PHILOS), and anterior reconstruction plate in the treatment of distal humeral shaft fractures by a finite element analysis.Methods:One healthy adult male volunteer, aged 27 years, with a height of 171 cm and a weight of 70 kg, was recruited for this study. The finite element method was used to establish a simulation model of distal humeral shaft fracture. The maximum displacement and maximum stress were compared between fixation with posterolateral distal humeral plate (group A), fixation with inverted anterior PHILOS (group B), and fixation with anterior reconstruction plate (group C).Results:In groups A, B, and C, respectively, the overall stress peak values were 409.07 MPa, 217.04 MPa, and 370.64 MPa; the peak stresses under torsional load were 234.55 MPa, 348.80 MPa and 458.17 MPa; the overall stress peaks under bending load were 250.22 MPa, 466.76 MPa, and 582.32 MPa. The smaller the stress, the smaller the risk of fatigue fracture. In groups A, B, and C, respectively, the overall displacement peak values were 5.18 mm, 3.04 mm and 3.75 mm; the peak displacements under torsional load were 1.20 mm, 1.02 mm and 2.05 mm; the peak displacements under bending load were 3.85 mm, 5.28 mm and 9.04 mm. The smaller the displacement, the better the fixation stability.Conclusions:In the treatment of distal humeral shaft fractures, fixation with inverted anterior PHILOS leads to the best mechanical stability under axial compression and torsional stress, while fixation with the posterolateral distal humeral plate leads to the best mechanical stability under bending stress.

Objective:To investigate the value of intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics models based on 18F-FDG PET-CT in predicting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in lung adenocarcinoma and interpret peritumoral radiomics features. Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. Patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent 18F-FDG PET-CT at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between January 2018 and April 2022 were retrospectively collected and samplied into a training set (309 cases) and a test set (206 cases) in a 6∶4 ratio randomly. Radiomics features were extracted from the intratumoral and peritumoral regions of interest based on PET and CT images, respectively, and the optimal feature sets were selected. Radiomics models were established using the XGBoost algorithm, and radiomics scores (intratumoral CT label, peritumoral CT label, intratumoral PET label, peritumoral PET label) were calculated. Logistic regression analysis was used to construct a clinical model and a combined model (incorporating PET-CT intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics, clinical features, and CT semantic features). The predictive performance of the models was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves and the area under the curve (AUC). Unsupervised clustering, Spearman correlation analysis, and visualization methods were used for the interpretability of peritumoral radiomics features. Results:In both the training and test sets, the AUC value of CT peritumoral labels was greater than that of CT intratumoral labels for predicting EGFR mutation status in lung adenocarcinoma (training set: Z=3.84, P<0.001; test set: Z=1.99, P=0.046). In the test set, the AUC value of PET intratumoral labels (0.684) was slightly higher than that of PET peritumoral labels (0.672) for predicting EGFR mutation status, but the difference was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The combined model had the highest AUC value for predicting EGFR mutation status of lung adenocarcinoma in both the training and test sets and was significantly better than the clinical model (training set: Z=6.52, P<0.001; test set: Z=2.31, P=0.021). Interpretability analysis revealed that CT peritumoral radiomics features were correlated with CT shape features, and there were significant differences in CT peritumoral features between different EGFR mutation statuses. Conclusions:The value of CT peritumoral labels is superior to that of CT intratumoral labels in predicting EGFR mutation status in lung adenocarcinoma. The predictive performance of the model can be improved by combining PET-CT intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics, clinical features, and CT semantic features.

Background::Hypothermia therapy has been suggested to attenuate myocardial necrosis; however, the clinical implementation as a valid therapeutic strategy has failed, and new approaches are needed to translate into clinical applications. This study aimed to assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of a novel selective intracoronary hypothermia (SICH) device in mitigating myocardial reperfusion injury.Methods::This study comprised two phases. The first phase of the SICH was performed in a normal porcine model for 30 minutes ( n = 5) to evaluate its feasibility. The second phase was conducted in a porcine myocardial infarction (MI) model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion which was performed by balloon occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 60 minutes and maintained for 42 days. Pigs in the hypothermia group ( n = 8) received hypothermia intervention onset reperfusion for 30 minutes and controls ( n = 8) received no intervention. All animals were followed for 42 days. Cardiac magnetic resonance analysis (five and 42 days post-MI) and a series of biomarkers/histological studies were performed. Results::The average time to lower temperatures to a steady state was 4.8 ± 0.8 s. SICH had no impact on blood pressure or heart rate and was safely performed without complications by using a 3.9 F catheter. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein (CRP), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were lower at 60 min post perfusion in pigs that underwent SICH as compared with the control group. On day 5 post MI/R, edema, intramyocardial hemorrhage, and microvascular obstruction were reduced in the hypothermia group. On day 42 post MI/R, the infarct size, IL-6, CRP, BNP, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 were reduced, and the ejection fraction was improved in pigs that underwent SICH.Conclusions::The SICH device safely and effectively reduced the infarct size and improved heart function in a pig model of MI/R. These beneficial effects indicate the clinical potential of SICH for treatment of myocardial reperfusion injury.

Objective:To investigate the causal relationship between trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors (betaine, carnitine, and choline) and pancreatic diseases based on the Mendelian randomization (MR) method.Methods:Genome-wide association study data of TMAO, betaine, carnitine, choline, acute pancreatitis (AP), chronic pancreatitis (CP), pancreatic cancer (PC), and circulating immune cell characteristics (white blood cell, lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophil, eosinophil and basophil) were collected. According to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE)-MR reporting guidelines, the available genetic variants [single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)] were strictly screened. The causal relationship between exposure (TMAO and its precursors) and outcomes (pancreatic diseases and circulating immune cell characteristics) was evaluated using inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger regression and weighted median. The reliability of the results was evaluated by sensitivity analysis based on MR-Egger regression, MR-PRESSO, Cochrane's Q test and leave-one-out method. Results:A total of 36 SNP associated with TMAO and its precursors were included. Five of these were associated with TMAO, 13 with betaine, 12 with carnitine, and 6 with choline. ① MR analysis showed that TMAO may increase the risk of AP [odds ratio ( OR) = 1.100, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.008-1.200, P = 0.032], and choline may reduce the risk of alcoholic acute pancreatitis (AAP; OR = 0.743, 95% CI was 0.585-0.944, P = 0.015). The analysis results of MR-Egger regression and weighted median were consistent with the IVW results. There is no evidence to support a causal relationship between TMAO and its precursors and the risk of CP and PC. Sensitivity analysis indicated that SNP analyzed by MR showed no heterogeneity and low pleiotropy. The leave-one-out method analysis determined that after excluding any SNP, the effect intervals of the remaining SNP on the results were similar to the overall effect intervals, which suggested the robustness of MR results. ② There was a positive causal relationship between plasma TMAO level and circulating monocyte count ( OR = 1.017, 95% CI was 1.000*-1.034, P = 0.048, * represented that the data was obtained by correcting to 3 decimal places from 1.000 1). The causal effect obtained by MR-Egger regression and weighted median analysis was consistent with the results of IVW. Sensitivity analysis illustrated SNP analyzed by MR showed no heterogeneity and pleiotropy. The leave-one-out method analysis determined that after excluding any SNP, the effect intervals of the remaining SNP on the results were similar to the overall effect intervals, which suggested the robustness of MR results. Conclusion:TMAO and choline may change the risk of AP, and TMAO may contribute to the increase of circulating monocyte count in AP.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value of death-associated protein 5 (DAP5) in gastric cancer (GC) and its regulatory effect on aerobic glycolysis in GC cells. METHODS: We analyzed DAP5 expression levels in GC and adjacent tissues and its association with survival outcomes of GC patients using public databases. We collected paired samples of GC and adjacent tissues from 102 patients undergoing radical resection of GC in our hospital from June, 2012 to July, 2017, and analyzed the correlation of DAP5 expression level detected immunohistochemically with the clinicopathological parameters of the patients. Cox regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and ROC curves were used to explore the independent risk factors and the predictive value of DAP5 expression for 5-year survival of the patients. In the cell experiments, we observed the changes in aerobic glycolysis in MGC-803 cells following lentivirus-mediated DAP5 knockdown or overexpression by measuring glucose uptake and cellular lactate level and using qRT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Analysis using the public databases showed that DAP5 was highly expressed in GC and correlated with tumor progression and poor survival outcomes of the patients (P < 0.05). In the clinical samples, DAP5 expression was significantly higher in GC than in the adjacent tissues (3.19±0.60 vs 1.00±0.12; t=36.863, P < 0.01), and a high expression of DAP5 was associated with a reduced 5-year survival rate of the patients (17.6% vs 72.5%; χ²=29.921, P < 0.05). A high DAP5 expression, T3-4, N2-3, and CEA≥5 ng/mL were identified as independent risk factors affecting 5-year survival outcomes of GC (P < 0.05), for which DAP5 expression showed a prediction sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 73.2%, 80.4% and 79.0%, respectively. In MGC-803 cells, DAP5 knockdown significantly reduced glucose uptake, lactate level and the expressions of GLUT1, HK2 and LDHA, and DAP5 overexpression produced the opposite effects (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION A high expression of DAP5 in GC, which enhances cellular aerobic glycolysis to promote cancer progression, is correlated with a poor survival outcome and may serve as a biomarker for evaluating long-term prognosis of GC patients.
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Blotting, Western ; Databases, Factual ; Glucose ; Lactates

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is one of the most common malignant head and neck tumors, and radiotherapy is the main treatment. However, radio-resistance is a key cause of local recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Therefore, overcoming the radio-resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and enhancing the radiosensitivity have become urgent problems in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which also play a key role in improving the overall survival rate of patients. In this article, recent studies on DNA, non-coding RNA (ncRNA), protein and cell behaviors related to radio-resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were reviewed, aiming to provide valuable ideas for clinical treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Objective:To elucidate the spatial distribution patterns of the right hepatic vein by analyzing the image information obtained after CT three-dimension reconstruction of liver to provide guidance in surgical planning of anatomical hepatectomy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 77 subjects who underwent CT examination of the liver at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from September 2018 to October 2021. There were 42 males and 35 females, aged (50.2±12.8) years old. CT DICOM data of the patients were collected, and the two-dimensional image data were reconstructed into a three-dimensional model by using the 3D reconstruction software. The characteristics and typing were studied by analyzing the number of branches of the right hepatic vein and the spatial location of the main trunk.Results:Of 77 subjects, 645 branches of the right hepatic vein were observed in the liver CT 3D reconstruction model, including 268 (41.6%) right-sided branches, 240 (37.2%) dorsal branches, 70 (10.9%) left-sided branches, and 67 (10.3%) ventral branches. Each right hepatic vein possessed 3 (3, 4) right-sided branches, 3 (3, 4) dorsal branches, 1 (0, 1) left-sided branch, and 1 (0, 1) ventral branch. The numbers of branches in the four directions were significantly different ( H=175.89, P<0.001). Comparison showed that the number of right-sided branches was significantly more than that of the left-sided (χ 2=136.86) and ventral (χ 2=140.07), respectively. The number of dorsal branches was more than that of left-sided (χ 2=-123.36) and ventral (χ 2=126.57) branches, respectively. The differences were significant ( P<0.001). There were no significant differences between the number of ventral and left-sided branches, and between the dorsal and right-sided branches (all P>0.05). Conclusion:The right hepatic vein had fewer ventral and left-sided branches. It is relatively safe to dissect the right hepatic vein from the ventral or the left side during surgery. For resection of the central liver segments or segment VIII of the liver, it is reasonable to transect the liver along the left border of the right hepatic vein.

【Objective】 To assess the effect of reconstruction kernels and window settings on the detection and measurement of pulmonary solid nodules and their measurement variability and repeatability. 【Methods】 We retrospectively recruited 49 patients with pulmonary solid nodules who had undergone low-dose CT scanning. Images were reconstructed using five reconstruction kernels： lung， bone， chest， detail and standard kernels. Two radiologists independently assessed the detection rate， diameter and CT number measurement of nodules under the five kernels and two window settings （lung-window and mediastinal-window）. Bland-Altman plots and relative average deviation （RAD） were used to evaluate the repeatability and variability of nodule diameter and CT number measurement. 【Results】 Seventy-seven nodules were detected on lung-window regardless of reconstruction kernels， while the detection rates （75.3%-98.7%） were significantly different （P<0.001） on the mediastinal-window， with the lung kernel significantly improving the detection of nodules with the diameter below 6 mm. In both display windows， the diameter and CT number measurements among reconstruction kernels were similar except for the lung kernel. The lung-window had better variability in the diameter measurement while mediastinal-window was better in CT number measurement among various reconstruction kernels. Although the variability in the diameter of the nodule on the lung-window and mediastinal-window was similar， there was a significant difference in the variability in the diameter measurement among different reconstruction kernels on the mediastinal-window （P=0.004）. No significant difference in the variability in the CT number measurement was found among the different reconstruction kernels （lung-window P=0.163； mediastinal-window P=0.201）， and the variability in the CT number measurements on the mediastinal-window was smaller than that of the lung-window. Both window displays had acceptable repeatability in diameter and CT number measurement； however， the mediastinal-window was better in CT number measurement. 【Conclusion】 The lung kernel can improve the detection of pulmonary solid nodules below 6 mm， but is limited in the CT number measurement. The lung-window display provides better variability in measuring nodule diameter， while mediastinal-window display is better at measuring CT numbers.

Objective:To synthesize N- 18F-fluoroethyl-tofacitinib, and explore its feasibility in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods:The " two-step method" was used to modify tofacitinib with 18F-fluoroethyl, and the labeling rate and radiochemical purity of the probe were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the stabilities of the probe in vivo and in vitro were investigated. BALB/c mice (normal group; n=3) and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model mice (CIA group; n=3) were injected with N- 18F-fluoroethyl-tofacitinib and CIA model mice injected with tofacitirrib and N- 18F-fluoroethyl-tofacitinib were as blocking group ( n=3). All mice underwent microPET imaging and the percentage injection dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g) and the uptake ratio of inflamed joints to muscle (T/M) were calculated. One-way analysis of variance and the least significant difference (LSD) t test were used to analyze the data. Results:The synthesis time of N- 18F-fluoroethyl-tofacitinib was about 120 min, with the yield approximately 1%, the specific activity >13.6 GBq/μmol, and the radiochemical purity >99%. After the probe incubated with PBS, plasma or in vivo for 2 h, the radiochemical purity was still more than 95%. MicroPET imaging showed that 30 min after injection, the uptake of N- 18F-fluoroethyl-tofacitinib in the inflamed joints of CIA group was higher than that of normal group and blocking group ((10.22±1.64), (2.71±0.26) and (2.81±0.33) %ID/g; F=58.26, t values: 7.83, 7.67, P values: 0.001, 0.002). The T/M of CIA group was also higher than that of normal group and blocking group (24.73±5.77, 2.75±1.36 and 2.89±0.54; F=40.64, t values: 6.42, 6.53, P values: 0.003, 0.003). Conclusions:N- 18F-fluoroethyl-tofacitinib is successfully prepared and it is stable in vitro with good imaging performance in vivo. It may be used in clinic for the diagnosis of RA.