Objective To provide a theoretical basis for radiation health supervision through an analysis of the situation of computed tomography (CT) equipment quality control and CT room radiological protection in Guangdong Province, China in recent years. Methods We collected the data of 392 times of CT quality control and radiological protection testing by a third-party radiological health technical service institution in Guangdong Province from 2019 to 2021. We analyzed the levels of CT-owning hospitals, CT manufacturers, CT quality control test results, and the pass rate of radiation protection tests. Results The examined CT scanners were from different levels of hospitals in Guangdong Province, and were manufactured by nine major CT equipment manufacturers at home and abroad. The pass rate of CT room radiological protection was 99.88%, and the ambient dose equivalent rates of five monitoring points exceeded the limit, with four at the control room door and one at the shield wall of the room. The overall pass rate of CT equipment quality control was 99.49%, and the non-conforming parameters were the accuracy of positioning light and the deviation of reconstructed slice thickness. Conclusion In recent years, CT equipment quality control and room radiation protection in Guangdong Province have been at a high level.

OBJECTIVE To explore the changes in chemical compositions and the characteristics of “fried charcoal and saving properties” based on the carbon-frying process of Sophora japonica and its bud. METHODS The slightly， moderately and heavily carbon-fried samples of S. japonica and its bud were prepared. The fingerprints of S. japonica， its bud and carbon-fried samples were established， and common peaks were identified. HPLC method was used to determine the contents of identified components and differential analysis was also performed； the differential components were screened by using chemometric methods， and their content ratios were used to characterize the “fried charcoal and saving properties” of S. japonica and its bud. RESULTS There were 9 common peaks in the fingerprints of S. japonica and its carbon-fried samples， 8 common peaks in those of S. japonica bud and its carbon-fried samples. In the fingerprints of S. japonica and its bud， and their different fried products， 6 components were identified， such as rutin， kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside， isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside， quercetin， kaempferol，isorhamnetin. Among them， the contents of rutin， kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside were the highest in slightly carbon-fried samples of S. japonica bud， and the contents of quercetin and isorhamnetin were the highest in moderately carbon-fried samples of S. japonica bud， and the contents of kaempferol were higher in moderately and healily carbon-fried samples of S. japonica bud. The chemometric results showed that the variable importance projection values of rutin and quercetin were both greater than 1. The range of rutin-quercetin content ratio between 9.00-14.00 and 3.00-6.00 respectively could characterize “fried charcoal and saving properties” of S. japonica and its bud. CONCLUSIONS There are significant differences in the chemical compositions of raw and fried products of S. japonica and its bud. Rutin and quercetin may be the differential components that affect their quality， and the ratio range of the two can be used to characterize the “fried charcoal and saving properties” of S. japonica and its bud in the future.

From June 16 to 30, 2023, men who have sex with men (MSM) who had visited Voluntary Counseling Testing (VCT) clinics in the Luohu, Futian and Nanshan districts of Shenzhen were included in this study to analyze their awareness of Mpox and the influencing factors. The mean age of the 262 MSM was (34.78±8.94) years, with the majority being unmarried (75.2%) and 79.0% confirmed to be infected with HIV. The awareness rates for five primary indicators, current status of Mpox, pathogen and source of infection, mode of transmission, population susceptibility, clinical manifestations and treatment were 68.4%, 84.7%, 60.3%, 87.8%, and 52.5%, respectively. The awareness rates for five secondary indicators, earliest transmission location (44.7%), main mode of transmission (54.2%), role of masks (46.9%), drug accessibility (46.6%), and self-limiting nature (38.2%) were all below 60%. The MSM population in Shenzhen perceived their likelihood of being infected (2.76±1.32) and discriminated against (3.87±1.26) as relatively low. The logistic analysis showed that the high school or vocational school education ( OR:3.094, 95 %CI:1.180-9.299), college or above education ( OR:5.360, 95% CI:2.159-15.501), and higher scores on questions affecting learning or work ( OR:2.196, 95% CI:1.409-3.599) were promoting factors for Mpox awareness, while higher scores on questions concerning the possibility of Mpox mortality ( OR:0.591, 95% CI:0.432-0.791) was the hindering factor for Mpox awareness.

From June 16 to 30, 2023, men who have sex with men (MSM) who had visited Voluntary Counseling Testing (VCT) clinics in the Luohu, Futian and Nanshan districts of Shenzhen were included in this study to analyze their awareness of Mpox and the influencing factors. The mean age of the 262 MSM was (34.78±8.94) years, with the majority being unmarried (75.2%) and 79.0% confirmed to be infected with HIV. The awareness rates for five primary indicators, current status of Mpox, pathogen and source of infection, mode of transmission, population susceptibility, clinical manifestations and treatment were 68.4%, 84.7%, 60.3%, 87.8%, and 52.5%, respectively. The awareness rates for five secondary indicators, earliest transmission location (44.7%), main mode of transmission (54.2%), role of masks (46.9%), drug accessibility (46.6%), and self-limiting nature (38.2%) were all below 60%. The MSM population in Shenzhen perceived their likelihood of being infected (2.76±1.32) and discriminated against (3.87±1.26) as relatively low. The logistic analysis showed that the high school or vocational school education ( OR:3.094, 95 %CI:1.180-9.299), college or above education ( OR:5.360, 95% CI:2.159-15.501), and higher scores on questions affecting learning or work ( OR:2.196, 95% CI:1.409-3.599) were promoting factors for Mpox awareness, while higher scores on questions concerning the possibility of Mpox mortality ( OR:0.591, 95% CI:0.432-0.791) was the hindering factor for Mpox awareness.

Clinicians need to focus on various points in the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia.This article prescribed the treatment protocol based on the unique features,such as insomnia in the elderly,women experiencing specific physiologi-cal periods,children insomnia,insomnia in sleep-breathing disorder patients,insomnia in patients with chronic liver and kidney dysfunction.It pro-vides some reference for clinicians while they make decision on diagnosis,differentiation and treat-ment methods.

Objective To investigate the effects of endostatin combined with icotinib on chemotherapy sensitivity,tumor markers,and prognosis in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods A total of 88 patients with advanced NSCLC admitted to our hospital from January 2019 to August 2020 were selected and randomly assigned to two groups,with 44 patients in each group.The patients in both groups were treated with pemetrexed+cisplatin(PP)chemotherapy,whereas those in the control group were administered echitinib and those in the observation group was treated with endostatin combined with icotinib.Patients in the two groups were assessed for clinical efficacy,tumor markers[carbohydrate antigen(CA)50,carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),cytokeratin 19 fragment(CYFRA)21-1],T lymphocyte subsets,microRNA expression levels(miR-34b,miR-204-5p,and miR-158-5p)and tyrosine protein excitation.We also examined janus kinase 2(JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling pathways,along with adverse reactions.Results We detected no significant differences between the two groups with respect the total response rate(P>0.05).Following treatment,the levels of serum CA50,CEA,and CYFRA21-1 in the observation group patients were found to be lower than those of patients in the control group(P<0.05).Similarly,the levels of CD3+,CD4+,CD4+/CD8+in observation group patients were higher than those in the control group patients,whereas the levels of CD8+were lower than those in the control patients(P<0.05).Furthermore,the expression levels of miR-34b,miR-204-5p,and miR-158-5p in the observation group patients were higher than those in the control group patients,whereas contrastingly,the levels of J AK2 and STAT3 mRNA expression were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).In addition,the progression-free survival of the observation group patients was higher than that of control group patients(P<0.05).Conclusion The combination of endostatin and icotinib has clear therapeutic efficacy in patients with advanced NSCLC,which can con-tribute to enhancing their sensitivity to chemotherapy and immune function.We speculate that the underlying mechanisms of action may be associated with a reduction in the activity of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway,which is beneficial for patient prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a severe congenital disorder characterized by vaginal hypoplasia caused by dysplasia of the Müllerian duct. Patients with MRKH syndrome often require nonsurgical or surgical treatment to achieve satisfactory vaginal length and sexual outcomes. The extracellular matrix has been successfully used for vaginal reconstruction. METHODS: In this study, we developed a new biological material derived from porcine vagina (acellular vaginal matrix, AVM) to reconstruct the vagina in Bama miniature pigs. The histological characteristics and efficacy of acellularization of AVM were evaluated, and AVM was subsequently transplanted into Bama miniature pigs to reconstruct the vaginas. RESULTS: Macroscopic analysis showed that the neovaginas functioned well in all Bama miniature pigs with AVM implants. Histological analysis and electrophysiological evidence indicated that morphological and functional recovery was restored in normal vaginal tissues. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the neovaginas had mucosal folds characteristics of normal vagina. No significant differences were observed in the expression of CK14, HSP47, and a-actin between the neovaginas and normal vaginal tissues. However, the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) was significantly lower in the neovaginas than in normal vaginal tissues. In addition, AVM promoted the expression of b-catenin, c-Myc, and cyclin D1. These results suggest that AVM might promotes vaginal regeneration by activating the b-catenin/cMyc/cyclin D1 pathway. CONCLUSION This study reveals that porcine-derived AVM has potential application for vaginal regeneration.

Objective:To compare the clinical utility of 18F-prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-1007 and 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in newly diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods:From April 2022 to July 2022, 17 patients (14 males, 3 females, age 36-73(54.4±10.1) years) with newly diagnosed HCC who underwent 18F-FDG and 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT imaging within 3 d in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were prospectively enrolled. ROIs were drawn from normal liver tissue (L), abdominal aorta (A), right gluteus medius (M), and SUV max of these regions were compared with the SUV max of primary tumor (T). Wilcoxon rank sum test and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test were used to analyze the data. Results:18F-FDG PT/CT, 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and enhanced MRI detected 1(0, 2), 2(1, 5) and 2(1, 4) tumor lesions of the liver in each patient respectively ( H=7.10, P=0.029), and 18F-PSMA-1007 detected more lesions than 18F-FDG ( P=0.024). Although SUV max of 18F-PSMA-1007 in HCC was significantly higher than that of 18F-FDG (25.7(17.1, 45.1) vs 6.3(2.9, 12.4); z=3.39, P=0.001), there was no significant difference of T/L ratio between 18F-PSMA-1007 and 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging (2.7(2.1, 4.7) vs 1.6(1.0, 4.5); z=0.52, P=0.602). T/A and T/M ratios were significantly higher in 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT imaging than those in 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging ( z values: 3.15, 3.53, P values: 0.002, <0.001). 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT imaging found high uptake foci in the liver and ribs in 2 cases, which were pathologically confirmed as bone metastasis of HCC, while those lesions were not found by 18F-FDG imaging. Conclusion:Compared with 18F-FDG, 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT demonstrates higher tumor uptake, more intrahepatic tumors foci and distant bone metastases.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of a dual-crosslinked injectable hydrogel derived from acellular musclar matrix (AMM) for promoting myoblasts proliferation and myogenic differentiation. METHODS: Firstly, hyaluronic acid was oxidized with NaIO ₄ and methylated to prepare methacrylamidated oxidized hyaluronic acid (MOHA). Then, AMM obtained by washing enzymatically treated muscle tissue was aminolyzed to prepare aminated AMM (AAMM). MOHA hydrogel and AAMM were crosslinked using Schiff based reaction and UV radiation to prepare a dual-crosslinked MOHA/AAMM injectable hydrogel. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to characterize MOHA, AAMM, and MOHA/AAMM hydrogels. The injectability of MOHA/AAMM hydrogel were evaluated by manual injection, and the gelation performance was assessed by UV crosslinking. The rheological properties and Young's modulus of the hydrogel were examined through mechanical tests. The degradation rate of the hydrogel was assessed by immersing it in PBS. The active components of the hydrogel were verified using immunofluorescence staining and ELISA assay kits. The promotion of cell proliferation by the hydrogel was tested using live/dead staining and cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) assays after co-culturing with C2C12 myoblasts for 9 days. The effect of the hydrogel on myogenic differentiation was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: FTIR spectra confirmed the successful preparation of MOHA/AAMM hydrogel. The hydrogel exhibited good injectability and gelation ability. Compared to MOHA hydrogel, MOHA/AAMM hydrogel exhibited higher viscosity and Young's modulus, a reduced degradation rate, and contained a higher amount of collagen (including collagen type Ⅰ and collagen type Ⅲ) as well as bioactive factors (including epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor 2, vascular endothelial growth factor, and insulin-like growth factor 1). The live/dead cell staining and CCK-8 assay indicated that with prolonged incubation time, there was a significant increase in viable cells and a decrease in dead cells in the C2C12 myoblasts within the MOHA/AAMM hydrogel. Compared with MOHA hydrogel, the difference was significant at each time point ( P<0.05). Immunofluorescence staining and RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that the deposition of IGF-1 and expression levels of myogenic-related genes (including Myogenin, Troponin T, and myosin heavy chain) in the MOHA/AAMM group were significantly higher than those in the MOHA group ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION The MOHA/AAMM hydrogel prepared based on AMM can promote myoblasts proliferation and myogenic differentiation, providing a novel dual-crosslinked injectable hydrogel for muscle tissue engineering.
Hydrogels ; Hyaluronic Acid/pharmacology* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism* ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Cell Differentiation ; Myoblasts/metabolism* ; Cell Proliferation

Objective    To explore the short-term efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Methods    The clinical data of 11 male patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent pembrolizumab combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from December 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The average age of the patients was 52.0-79.0 (62.0±6.9) years. The imaging data and pathological changes before and after neoadjuvant treatment were compared, and adverse reactions during neoadjuvant treatment were recorded. Objective remission rate (ORR) and main pathological remission rate (MPR) and pathological complete remission rate (pCR) were the main observation endpoints. Results    After preoperative neoadjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab combined with platinum or paclitaxel, all patients successfully underwent thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer. The ORR was 72.7%, and the MPR was 81.8%. Among them, 45.5% of patients achieved pCR. The main adverse reactions were hypoalbuminemia, decreased appetite and nausea. The mortality rate within 30 days after surgery was 0, and no tumor metastasis was observed. Conclusion    Pembrolizumab combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy is safe and feasible to treat non-small cell lung cancer, and the short-term efficacy is beneficial.