Objective:To investigate the value of CT radiomic model based on analysis of primary gastric cancer and the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer in differentiating stage T1-2 from stage T3-4 gastric cancer.Methods:This study was a case-control study. Totally 465 patients with gastric cancer treated in Affiliated People′s Hospital of Jiangsu University from December 2011 to December 2019 were retrospectively collected. According to postoperative pathology, they were divided into 2 groups, one with 150 cases of T1-2 tumors and another with 315 cases of T3-4 tumors. The cases were divided into a training set (326 cases) and a test set (139 cases) by stratified sampling method at 7∶3. There were 104 cases of T1-2 stage and 222 cases of T3-4 stage in the training set, 46 cases of T1-2 stage and 93 cases of T3-4 stage in the test set. The axial CT images in the venous phase during one week before surgery were selected to delineate the region of interest (ROI) at the primary lesion and the extramural gastric adipose tissue adjacent to the cancer areas. The radiomic features of the ROIs were extracted by Pyradiomics software. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator was used to screen features related to T stage to establish the radiomic models of primary gastric cancer and the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer. Independent sample t test or χ2 test were used to compare the differences in clinical features between T1-2 and T3-4 patients in the training set, and the features with statistical significance were combined to establish a clinical model. Two radiomic signatures and clinical features were combined to construct a clinical-radiomics model and generate a nomogram. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the efficacy of each model in differentiating stage T1-2 from stage T3-4 gastric cancer. The calibration curve was used to evaluate the consistency between the T stage predicted by the nomogram and the actual T stage of gastric cancer. And the decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the clinical net benefit of treatment guided by the nomogram and by the clinical model. Results:There were significant differences in CT-T stage and CT-N stage between T1-2 and T3-4 patients in the training set ( χ2=10.59, 15.92, P=0.014, 0.001) and the clinical model was established. After screening and dimensionality reduction, the 5 features from primary gastric cancer and the 6 features from the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer established the radiomic models respectively. In the training set and the test set, the AUC values of the primary gastric cancer radiomic model were 0.864 (95% CI 0.820-0.908) and 0.836 (95% CI 0.762-0.910), and the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer radiomic model were 0.782 (95% CI 0.731-0.833) and 0.784 (95% CI 0.702-0.866). The AUC values of the clinical model were 0.761 (95% CI 0.705-0.817) and 0.758 (95% CI 0.671-0.845), and the nomogram were 0.876 (95% CI 0.835-0.917) and 0.851 (95% CI 0.781-0.921). The calibration curve reflected that there was a high consistency between the T stage predicted by the nomogram and the actual T stage in the training set ( χ2=1.70, P=0.989). And the decision curve showed that at the risk threshold 0.01-0.74, a higher clinical net benefit could be obtained by using a nomogram to guide treatment. Conclusions:The CT radiomics features of primary gastric cancer lesions and the adipose tissue outside the gastric wall beside cancer can effectively distinguish T1-2 from T3-4 gastric cancer, and the combination of CT radiomic features and clinical features can further improve the prediction accuracy.

Objective To establish diagnostic criteria for dampness syndrome through scientific and normative research methods.Methods The basis for syndrome differentiation of dampness syndrome was comprehensively integrated through literature research and structured tools,and in-depth investigation was carried out on the connotation and extension of dampness syndrome,judgment basis and criteria construction through questionnaire surveys and consensus conference method.Results Thirty-six items for syndrome differentiation of dampness syndrome were obtained through literature research.Through the questionnaire surveys,some experts suggested that the diagnosis mode of dampness syndrome should be in line with the clinical practice requirements.Accordingly,we were deep in thought about the key issue of"how to establish accurate diagnostic criteria".After in-depth investigation,we found that the dampness syndrome had specific and sensitive indicators.And 11 specific and 19 sensitive indicators were determined.Furthermore,according to the experts'suggestions,the specific indicators were classified into three categories based on dampness characteristics.Meanwhile,we investigated the diagnosis attributes of Chinese medicine syndromes and summarized them into four corresponding modes.Based on this,specificity mode and similarity/consistency mode should be adopted for diagnostic criteria for dampness syndrome.In addition,the judgment form in accord with the diagnostic attributes of dampness syndrome was determined.Conclusion This diagnostic criteria can provide a basis for the clinical diagnosis of dampness syndrome.Besides,this study explored the diagnostic attributes of Chinese medicine syndromes,which could provide reference for the development of other Chinese medicine syndrome criteria.

BACKGROUND: Ever-growing tissue regeneration causes pressing need for large population of stem cells. However, extensive cell expansion eventually leads to impaired regenerative potentials. In this study, chromobox protein homolog 7 (CBX7) was overexpressed to rejuvenate late passage dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs-P9). METHODS: The recruitment of copper ions (Cu2+ )-activated hypoxia-inducible factor-1a (HIF-1a) to the CBX7 gene promoter was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Functions subsequent to Cu2+ -induced or recombinant overexpression of CBX7 on proliferation, multipotency, odontoblastic differentiation and angiogenesis were investigated in vitro, while murine subcutaneous transplantation model was used to further detect the effects of Cu2+ -induced CBX7 overexpression in vivo. RESULTS: Our data displayed that CBX7 overexpression maintain proliferation and multipotency of DPSCs-P9 almost as strong as those of DPSCs-P3. Both gene level of odontoblast-lineage markers and calcium precipitation were nearly the same between CBX7 overexpressed DPSCs-P9 and normal DPSCs-P3. Moreover, we also found upregulated expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in DPSCs-P9 with CBX7 overexpression, which increased the number of capillary-like structures and migrating co-cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells as well. These findings indicate CBX7 as an effective factor to rejuvenate late passage stem cells insusceptible to cell expansion. Cu2+ has been proved to achieve CBX7 overexpression in DPSCs through the initiation of HIF-1a-CBX7 cascade. Under Cu2+ stimulation since P3, DPSCs-P9 exhibited ameliorated regenerative potential both in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION Long-term stimulation of Cu2+ to overexpress CBX7 could be a new strategy to manufacture large population of self-renewing stem cells.

Objective:To clarity the clinical features of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) with positive anti-melanoma differentiation associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody.Methods:Retrospective study.Clinical data of 11 anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive JDM patients in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2016 to January 2019 were retrospectively recruited for analyzing their clinical characteristics, pulmonary imaging and pulmonary function, thus summarizing treatment experiences.Results:A total of 11 children with anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive JDM were recruited, involving 2 males and 9 females, with the average onset age of 1-13 (5.8±4.2) years.Clinical manifestations included rash in 11 cases (100.0%), arthritis in 5 cases (45.5%), and myasthenia in 4 cases (36.4%). Muscle enzyme elevated in 10 cases (90.9%) and serum ferritin (SF) elevated in 9 patients (81.8%). Ten cases (90.9%) showed interstitial lung disease (ILD), manifesting as ground glass opacity at subpleural area on CT scans, restrictive ventilation and decreased diffusion function on lung function test, while respiratory symptoms were absent.All patients were treated with glucocorticoid combined with immunosuppressor.Case 2 developed into rapid progressive pulmonary interstitial disease (RPILD), and died of respiratory failure 2 months later.The remaining was followed up for 1-2 years, and the ILD was relieved.Conclusions:All recruited children with anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive JDM presented typical rash, and mild muscle weakness with a greater tendency to arthritis.Chinese pediatric patients are prone to complicate with ILD with no respiratory symptoms, but ground glass opacity at subpleural area on CT, and restrictive ventilation and decreased diffusion function on lung function test can be detected.Elevated SF is associated with the development of ILD.Glucocorticoid combined with immunosuppressive therapy is effective to JDM with ILD, but ineffective for RPILD.The mortality of anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive JDM is high without an effective treatment.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of intra-articular injection with Triamcinolone acetonide on the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).Methods:The clinical data of 26 children diagnosed with JIA undergoing the intra-articular injection of Triamcinolone acetonide for the joints with obvious swelling and pain at the Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from October 2018 to December 2019 who were retrospectively analyzed.Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein(CRP) were tested before and after the application of Triamcinolone acetonide.Detailed clinical manifestations were recorded.The nonparametric Kruskal- Wallis test was used to compare the differences in clinical evaluation indicators and changes in laboratory tests at diffe-rent treatment times. Results:Among the 26 children, 8 were boys and 18 were girls.After the intra-articular injection of Triamcinolone acetonide, 9 cases (34.62%) achieved complete remission, 15 cases(57.69%) achieved partial remission, and 2 cases (7.69%) were not responsive to the intra-articular injection.The overall therapeutic efficacy was 92.31%.Compared with pre-treatment period, from 4 weeks after treatment, assessment of disease activity by the physicians and parents of the children was significantly improved after 4-week treatment, and the number of active joints, ESR and CRP and the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score with 27 joints (JADAS 27) gradually decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). No adverse drug reactions were seen during the treatment and follow-up period. Conclusions:Intra-articular injection of Triamcinolone acetonide is effective in contro-lling joint symptoms of JIA with less adverse events.

Objective:To improve the understanding of Takayasu′s arteritis (TA) and its diagnosis and treatment by analyzing and summarizing the clinical characteristics of TA in children at different ages.Methods:Clinical and follow-up data of 41 children with TA admitted in Children′s Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics between January 2010 and May 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Based on the cut-off age of 3 years, children with TA were divided into older group and younger group.Clinical characteristics, involvement of the coronary artery, blood pressure control and growth restriction between 2 groups were analyzed.Counting data were expressed as percentage and case, and compared by the Chi- square test. Results:Among the 17 children with TA in younger group, there were 8 males and 9 females.There were 6 males and 18 females in older group.The general type was most common in younger group, with 10 cases (58.8%). In older group, thoracic and abdominal aortic type was the most common, with 13 cases (54.2%). The most common clinical manifestation in younger group was fever, with 13 cases (76.5%). In older group, 19 patients (79.2%) had hypertension.Lower hemoglobin (Hb) was detected in younger group.Leukocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) increased in all patients (100.0%). In older group, leukocyte count increased in 6 cases (25.0%), ESR increased in 13 cases (54.2%), and CRP increased in 11 cases (45.8%). The coronary artery and its branches (anterior descending branch and circumvolute branch) were the mostly affected in younger group, with 16 cases (94.1%). The subclavian artery was the most commonly involved in older group (15 cases, 62.5%). All TA children in younger group were in the active stage.Among them, 8 cases were treated with biological agents alone, 3 cases were treated with glucocorticoid alone, 5 cases were treated with the combination of glucocorticoid and biological agents, and 1 case was treated with glucocorticoid first, and then transferred to biological agents due to the poor effect.In older group, there were 18 active-stage patients (75.0%), and 2 refused treatment.Sixteen active patients and 6 inactive patients were treated with glucocorticoid, involving 19 cases treated with glucocorticoid combined with Cyclophosphamide, and 3 cases treated with glucocorticoid combined with biologics.There were 16 cases of coronary artery involvement in younger group and only 1 case in older group ( P<0.01). In younger group, 9 patients had growth restriction, while none was detected in older group ( P<0.01). The blood pressure of younger group was all controlled, which was not satisfactorily controlled in 16 cases of older age ( P<0.01). The incidence of general type and active stage in younger group was higher than that of older group without significant difference ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The clinical characteristics of TA vary at different ages.TA progresses more rapidly in younger children, which are more prone to the involvement of extensive vessels, the coronary arteries and other vessels, and the effects of drugs on growth and development should be well concerned.Older TA patients can be alleviated into the inactive phase by themselves, which is mainly characterized as the involvement of large vessels and hypertension sequelae.

Objective:To summarize the clinical features of chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) in children.Methods:Clinical data of 8 CNO patients admitted to the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from March 2014 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The clinical characteristics of 8 children with CNO were summarized and compared with those reported abroad.Results:A total of 8 CNO patients were recruited, involving 3 males and 5 females with the mean age of onset (7.2±3.2)years, and the average diagnosis time 25.9 months, respectively.The common clinical symptoms included bone pain (7 cases, 87.5%), arthritis (4 cases, 50.0%), and fever (3 cases, 37.5%). The main manifestations on X-ray and CT scans were bone destruction and progressive osteosclerosis.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed bone marrow edema, periostitis, soft tissue swelling, and enhancement.All of them had more than one site of bone involvement.Seven patients(87.5%) had bilateral bone involvement, with the most common site of tibia (22.0%), followed by femur (17.1%) and mandible (9.8%). Bone biopsy was performed in 8 patients, and 4 cases showed osteonecrosis, 4 cases showed bone fibrosis and 2 cases showed osteomyelitis.The etiological examination of the bone was negative.Eight children received non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs alone or in combination with glucocorticoids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), bisphosphonates or tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) antagonists.After treatment, the patients were followed up for 3 months to 2 years.Eight children improved.Their inflammatory indexes were normal, and had no disability, teratology or multiple organ damage.Conclusions:Pediatric CNO is more common in children of school age, with a long course of disease.The main manifestations are multi-site bone pain and arthritis.Imaging studies indicate multiple bone involvement, which is more common at lower extremities.Non-steroids anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, DMARDs, bisphosphonates and TNF-α antagonists are effective to CNO.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of different inhalation time on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of sevoflurane in adult rats.Methods:Two hundred SPF healthy adult Sprague-Dawley rats (half male, half female), aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 200-260 g, were divided into 2 groups using a random number table method: inhalation of sevoflurane for 1 h group and inhalation of sevoflurane for 20 min group, with 100 rats in each group.Each group was subdivided into 10 subgroups with 10 rats in each subgroup, the initial concentration was preset at 1.50%, and the ratio between two successive concentrations r was 1.08.The tail clamping stimulus was applied to evaluate the efficacy of anesthesia in each subgroup, a positive response was defined as a body movement occurred within 1 min after tail clamping stimulus, and the response was defined as negative when no body movement occurred within 1 min after tail clamping.The Bliss method was used to calculate the MAC, EC 95 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of sevoflurane. Results:The MAC and EC 95 (95% CI) of sevoflurane were 2.09% (1.98%-2.20%) and 2.75% (2.56%-3.04%), respectively, in inhalation of sevoflurane for 1 h group, and 2.35% (2.22%-2.49%) and 3.10% (2.87%-3.45%), respectively, in inhalation of sevoflurane for 20 min group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The MAC of sevoflurane in adult rats inhaled sevoflurane for 1 h is decreased than that inhaled for 20 min.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) complicated with macrophage activation syndrome (MAS).Methods:From January 1st, 2018 to January 1st, 2020, 7 cases of SJIA-MAS were diagnosed. Their clinical and laboratory data were collected and summarized.Results:In these 7 cases, 2 were males and 5 were females, the ratio of male to female was 2∶5. The age range was 11 months to 2 years old. The course of disease was 14 to 32 days. The clinical manifestations included fever and rash in 7 without arthritis; hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy in 7; hematological involvement in 7; nervous system involvement in 2; digestive system involvement in 7; respiratory system involvement in 7; cardiovascular involvement in 3. White blood cell was decreased in 1 case, platelet was decreased in 1 case and hemoglobin was decreased in 7 cases. Ferritin, triglyceride, alanine transaminas and aspartate aminotransferase were increased in 7 cases, fibrinogen was significantly decreased in 7 cases, and direct bilirubin was increased in 4 cases. IL-2R was significantly increased. Hemophagocytosis was observed in bone marrow of 4 cases. Cerebrospinal fluid protein was 2 005 mg/L in 1 case. All the 7 cases were tested for exon genes, and no pathogenic mutation was found. All of the 7 cases showed lung lesions in chest CT scan. Multiple demyelinating lesions were found in 1 case by head magnetic resonance imaging. One case was treated with high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone combined with IL-6 receptor antagonist(tocilizumab). The other 6 cases were treated with high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone combined with cyclosporine A (CsA). Two cases were treated with Janus kinases inhibitor(tofacitinib). After treatment, 7 cases got relieved, no death, no recurrence oocurred during the follow-up.Conclusion:Acute onset, multiple organ involvement and no joint inflammation are prominent in MAS of infants and toddlers. High fever, proressive reduction of blood cells and increase of SF are significant in SJIA-MAS. High dose glucocorticoid combined with CsA can benefit in most cases, and some severe cases need to be treated with biological agents.

Objective    To investigate the feasibility of using magnetic beads to locate small pulmonary nodules. Methods    Twelve rabbits were randomly divided into two groups, 6 in each group. One group underwent thoracotomy after anesthesia and the other group underwent percutaneous puncture under the guidance of X-ray. One and two cylindrical tracer magnets (magnetic beads) with a diameter of 1 mm and a height of 3 mm were injected adjacent to the imaginary pulmonary nodules in left lung in each group. The magnetic beads beside the imaginary nodules were attracted by a pursuit magnet with a diameter of 9 mm and a height of 19 mm. The effectiveness of localization by magnetic beads were determined by attraction between tracer and pursuit magnets. Results    All processes were uneven in 12 rabbits. There was micro hemorrhage and no hematoma in the lung tissue at the injection site of the magnetic beads. When tracked with the pursuit magnets, there was one bead divorce in cases that one bead was injected, but no migration or divorce of the magnetic beads in cases that two magnetic beads were simultaneously injected to localize the small pulmonary nodules. Conclusion    The feasibility of using magnetic beads to locate small pulmonary nodules has been  preliminarily verified.