Abstract The power of computed tomography (CT) radiomics for preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) demonstrated in current research is variable. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the value of CT radiomics for MVI prediction in HCC, and to investigate the methodologic quality in the workflow of radiomics research. Databases of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched. The methodologic quality of included studies was assessed. Validation data from studies with Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) statement type 2a or above were extracted for meta-analysis. Eleven studies were included, among which nine were eligible for meta-analysis. Radiomics quality scores of the enrolled eleven studies varied from 6 to 17, accounting for 16.7%-47.2% of the total points, with an average score of 14. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and Area Under the summary receiver operator Characteristic Curve (AUC) were 0.82 (95% CI 0.77-0.86), 0.79 (95% CI 0.75-0.83), and 0.87 (95% CI 0.84-0.91) for the predictive performance of CT radiomics, respectively. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses showed radiomics model based on 3D tumor segmentation, and deep learning model achieved superior performances compared to 2D segmentation and non-deep learning model, respectively (AUC: 0.93 vs. 0.83, and 0.97 vs. 0.83, respectively). This study proves that CT radiomics could predict MVI in HCC. The heterogeneity of the included studies precludes a definition of the role of CT radiomics in predicting MVI, but methodology warrants uniformization in the radiology community regarding radiomics in HCC.

RESUMO Introdução: O infarto cerebral agudo refere-se à deficiência do fornecimento de sangue para o cérebro e ao dano da função tecidual. Objetivo: Estudar o efeito do treinamento físico na reabilitação precoce de pacientes com hemiplegia tratados no departamento de neurologia. Métodos: Foram estudados 96 pacientes com hemiplegia por infarto cerebral agudo. De acordo com a ordem de admissão, 96 pacientes foram divididos em grupo controle e grupo recuperação precoce, com 48 pacientes em cada grupo. Resultados: Antes da reabilitação precoce, não havia significância estatística nos escores NIHSS e FUGL-Meyer entre os dois grupos (P > 0,05). Depois da reabilitação precoce, o escore NIHSS do grupo reabilitação precoce foi menor do que o escore antes da reabilitação precoce e o escore do grupo controle, enquanto o escore FUGL-Meyer foi maior do que antes da reabilitação precoce e do grupo controle (P < 0,05). Antes da reabilitação precoce, não houve diferença significativa no escore GQOLI-74 entre os dois grupos (P > 0,05). Depois da reabilitação precoce, o escore GQOLI-74 foi maior no grupo reabilitação precoce do que antes da reabilitação precoce e no grupo controle (P < 0,05). Conclusões: O efeito clínico do treinamento de reabilitação precoce em pacientes com infarto cerebral agudo com hemiplegia é significativo e pode melhorar ainda mais o tratamento clínico dos pacientes e sua qualidade de vida. Nível de Evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - Investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Acute cerebral infarction refers to the deficiency of the blood supply to the brain and the damage of tissue function. Objective: To study the effect of exercise training in early rehabilitation of patients with hemiplegia treated in the neurology department. Methods: Ninety-six patients with acute cerebral infarction hemiplegia were studied. According to the order of admission, 96 patients were divided into a control group and an early recovery group, with 48 patients in each group. Results: Before early rehabilitation, there was no statistical significance in NIHSS and FUGL-Meyer scores between the two groups (P > 0.05). After early rehabilitation,the NIHSS score of early rehabilitation group was lower than both its pre-early-rehab score and the control group score, while the FUGL-Meyer score was higher than both its pre-early-rehab and the control group score (P<0.05). Before early rehabilitation, there was no significant difference in the GQOLI-74 score between the two groups (P > 0.05). After early rehabilitation, the GQOLI-74 score was higher in the early rehabilitation group than both its pre-early-rehab score and the control group score (P<0.05). Conclusions: The clinical effect of early rehabilitation training in acute cerebral infarction patients with hemiplegia is significant and can further improve the clinical treatment of patients and their quality of life. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

RESUMEN Introducción: El infarto cerebral agudo se refiere a la deficiencia del suministro de sangre al cerebro y al daño de la función del tejido. Objetivo: Estudiar el efecto del entrenamiento físico en la rehabilitación temprana de pacientes con hemiplejia tratados en el departamento de neurología. Métodos: Se estudiaron noventa y seis pacientes con hemiplejia por infarto cerebral agudo. Según el orden de ingreso, se dividieron 96 pacientes en grupo de control y grupo de recuperación temprana, con 48 pacientes en cada grupo. Resultados: Antes de la rehabilitación temprana, no hubo significancia estadística en las puntuaciones de NIHSS y FUGL-Meyer entre los dos grupos (P > 0,05). Después de la rehabilitación temprana, la puntuación NIHSS del grupo de rehabilitación temprana fue menor que la puntuación antes de la rehabilitación temprana y la puntuación del grupo de control, mientras que la puntuación FUGL-Meyer fue mayor que antes de la rehabilitación temprana y el grupo de control (P < 0,05). Antes de la rehabilitación temprana, no hubo diferencias significativas en la puntuación GQOLI-74 entre los dos grupos (P > 0,05). Después de la rehabilitación temprana, la puntuación GQOLI-74 fue mayor en el grupo de rehabilitación temprana que antes de la rehabilitación temprana y en el grupo de control (P < 0,05). Conclusiones: El efecto clínico del entrenamiento de rehabilitación temprana en pacientes con infarto cerebral agudo con hemiplejia es significativo y puede mejorar aún más el tratamiento clínico y la calidad de vida de los pacientes. Nivel de Evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - Investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

RESUMO Objetivo: Determinar a discrepância na morfologia coroa-raiz de dentes anteriores, utilizando tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônico (TCFC), e fornecer parâmetros para a expressão apropriada do torque. Método: No total, 200 tomografias elegíveis foram importadas para o software Invivo 5.4 para obtenção das secções médias vestibulolinguais dos dentes anteriores. Osoftware AutoCAD 2007 foi usado para medir a angulação coroa-raiz (ângulo Collum) e o ângulo formado por uma tangente ao centro da superfície vestibular da coroa e o longo eixo da coroa (ângulo da superfície vestibular). O software SPSS 18.0 foi utilizado para as comparações estatísticas das duas medições, com nível de significância de p< 0,05, e a análise de correlação de Pearson foi aplicada para investigar a associação entre as duas medições. Resultados: O valor do ângulo Collum do incisivo central superior foi próximo a 0°. Foram detectados valores significativamente negativos para o ângulo Collum nos incisivos laterais e caninos superiores, mas valores positivos nos caninos inferiores (p< 0,001). O ângulo da superfície vestibular no canino foi significativamente maior do que nos incisivos intra-arcada (p< 0,001), e nenhuma diferença significativa foi detectada entre incisivos centrais e laterais (p> 0,05). Também foi observada uma correlação positiva significativa entre as duas medições. Conclusões: As angulações coroa-raiz foram muito diferentes entre os dentes anteriores. Os caninos superiores e inferiores apresentaram considerável curvatura na superfície vestibular, associada a uma evidente angulação coroa-raiz. Consequentemente, desvios durante a colagem de braquetes podem desencadear maior erro na expressão de torque e aumentar o risco de fenestração alveolar e deiscência, sendo necessária uma avaliação antes da colagem.

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the discrepancy of crown-root morphology of anterior teeth, using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and to provide a guidance for proper torque expression. Methods: A total of eligible 200 CBCT were imported into Invivo v. 5.4 software, to obtain the middle labio-lingual sections of anterior teeth. AutoCAD 2007 software was applied to measure the crown-root angulation (Collum angle) and the angle formed by a tangent to the center of the labial surface and the long axis of the crown (labial surface angle). SPSS 18.0 was used for statistical comparisons of the two measurements, at the level of p< 0.05, and the Pearson correlation analysis was applied to investigate the association between the two measurements. Results: The value of Collum angle in maxillary central incisor was close to 0°. Significantly negative Collum angle in lateral incisors and maxillary canine, and positive value in mandibular canine were detected (p < 0.001). The labial surface angle in canine was significantly greater than the intra-arch incisors (p< 0.001), and no significant difference was detected between the central and lateral incisors (p > 0.05). Notably, there was also a significant positive correlation between the two measurements. Conclusions: The crown-root angulations were greatly different among anterior teeth. Accompanying the obvious crown-root angulations, the canines both in maxillary and mandibular arches presented considerable labial surface curvatures. Hence, equivalent deviation during bracket bonding might cause greater torque expression error and increase the risk of alveolar fenestration and dehiscence.

ABSTRACT Objective Intrathyroid injection of dexamethasone (IID) was used for decrease the relapse rate of hyperthyroidism in the treatment of Graves’ disease (GD), but the mechanism is still unclear. We aimed to explore the effect of IID on T help (Th)1/Th2 cells and their chemokine in patients with GD. Subjects and methods A total of 42 patients with GD who were euthyroidism by methimazole were randomly divided into IID group (n = 20) and control group (n = 22). Thyroid function and associated antibody, Th1/Th2 cells proportion, serum CXCL10 and CCL2 levels, and CXCR3/CCR2 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells before and after 3-month IID treatment were tested by chemiluminescence assay, Flow cytometry, ELISA, and real-time PCR, respectively. Thyroid follicular cells were stimulated by IFN-γ and TNF-α and treated with dexamethasone in vitro. CXCL10 and CCL2 levels in supernatant were determined. Results After 3-month therapy, the proportion of Th2 cells and serum CCL2 levels, as well as TPOAb, TRAb levels and thyroid volume decreased in IID group (p < 0.05). However, the proportion of Th1 and CXCL10 levels had no change in IID group and control (p > 0.05). The CXCR3/CCR2 ratio had no change in both groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion IID therapy could inhibit peripheral Th2 cells via decreasing CCL2 level in peripheral blood, and this result partly explain the effects of IID therapy on prevention of relapse of GD. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2020;64(3):243-50

ABSTRACT Quantifying the effects of coal mining subsidence on soil quality is critical for developing sustainable strategies in the local agriculture. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of slope position because of coal mining on soil quality using principal component analysis. Soil samples were collected from five positions in the subsided farmland: Top slope position (1), upper slope position (2), middle slope position (3), lower slope position (4), and bottom position (5). Samples from an adjacent non-subsided farmland (CK) were used as a reference. For each soil sample, 21 different physical, chemical and biological attributes were investigated. The principal components analysis (PCA) identified the bulk density (BD), salinity, organic matter (OM) content, urease enzymatic activity (UA), actinomycete quantities (AQ), polyphenol oxidase enzymatic activity (POA) and phosphatase enzymatic activity (PA) as the most sensitive indicators in a mínimum data set (MDS) to assess the soil quality. The soil quality index (SQI) was highest for positions 5 (1.220), 4 (1.203), CK (1.101), 1 (1.093), 3 (1.080), and 2 (1.044). Positions 5 and 4 had higher SQI values but lower crop yields than CK, which suggests that higher SQI does not represent higher production, and other soil quality indicators, which were not investigated in this study, had stronger effects on the crop productivity. Overall, the slope position because of coal mining subsidence strongly affected the soil quality and crop yields.

By reaction of 5-methoxysalicylaldehyde with 3-chlorobenzohydrazide and 3-methylbenzohydrazide, respectively, two structurally similar hydrazone compounds, 3-chloro-N'-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide (1) and N'-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)-3-methylbenzohydrazide (2), were synthesized. The compounds were characterized by elemental analyses, infrared and UV-vis spectra, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal of 1 crystallizes in monoclinic space group P2/n, with unit cell dimensions a = 5.8872(8) Å, b = 31.649(2) Å, c = 7.6309(9) Å, β = 94.427(2)°, V = 1417.6(3) ų, Z = 4, R1 = 0.0462, wR2 = 0.1053. The crystal of 2 crystallizes in orthorhombic space group Pbca, with unit cell dimensions a = 10.415(1) Å, b = 9.781(1) Å, c = 29.548(2) Å, V = 3010.2(5) ų, Z = 8, R1 = 0.0519, wR2 = 0.1577. The compounds were assayed for antibacterial (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescence and Staphylococcus aureus) and antifungal (Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans) activities by MTT method.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the associations of liver lobe-based magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging findings using multiple b values with the presence and Child-Pugh class of cirrhosis in patients with hepatitis B. METHODS: Seventy-four cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B and 25 healthy volunteers underwent diffusion-weighted imaging using b values of 0, 500, 800 and 1000 sec/mm2. The apparent diffusion coefficients of individual liver lobes for b(0,500), b(0,800) and b(0,1000) were derived from the signal intensity averaged across images obtained using b values of 0 and 500 sec/mm2, 0 and 800 sec/mm2, or 0 and 1000 sec/mm2, respectively, and were statistically analyzed to evaluate cirrhosis. RESULTS: The apparent diffusion coefficients for b(0,500), b(0,800) and b(0,1000) inversely correlated with the Child-Pugh class in the left lateral liver lobe, the left medial liver lobe, the right liver lobe and the caudate lobe (r=-0.35 to -0.60, all p<0.05), except for the apparent diffusion coefficient for b(0,1000) in the left medial liver lobe (r=-0.17, p>0.05). Among these parameters, the apparent diffusion coefficient for b(0,500) in the left lateral liver lobe best differentiated normal from cirrhotic liver, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.989. The apparent diffusion coefficient for b(0,800) in the right liver lobe best distinguished Child-Pugh class A from B-C and A-B from C, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.732 and 0.747, respectively. CONCLUSION: Liver lobe-based apparent diffusion coefficients for b(0,500) and b(0,800) appear to be associated with the presence and Child-Pugh class of liver cirrhosis.

Abstract A modified computational scheme of the stochastic perturbation finite element method (SPFEM) is developed for structures with low-level uncertainties. The proposed scheme can provide second-order estimates of the mean and variance without differentiating the system matrices with respect to the random variables. When the proposed scheme is used, it involves finite analyses of deterministic systems. In the case of one random variable with a symmetric probability density function, the proposed computational scheme can even provide a result with fifth-order accuracy. Compared with the traditional computational scheme of SPFEM, the proposed scheme is more convenient for numerical implementation. Four numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed scheme can be used in linear or nonlinear structures with correlated or uncorrelated random variables.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether and how the diameter of the vein that gives rise to the inflowing vein of the esophageal and gastric fundic varices secondary to posthepatitic cirrhosis, as measured with multidetector-row computed tomography, could predict the varices and their patterns. METHODS: A total of 106 patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis underwent multidetector-row computed tomography. Patients with and without esophageal and gastric fundic varices were enrolled in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. Group 1 was composed of Subgroup A, consisting of patients with varices, and Subgroup B consisted of patients with varices in combination with portal vein-inferior vena cava shunts. The diameters of the originating veins of veins entering the varices were reviewed and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The originating veins were the portal vein in 8% (6/75) of patients, the splenic vein in 65.3% (49/75) of patients, and both the portal and splenic veins in 26.7% (20/75) of patients. The splenic vein diameter in Group 1 was larger than that in Group 2, whereas no differences in portal vein diameters were found between groups. In Group 1, the splenic vein diameter in Subgroup A was larger than that in Subgroup B. A cut-off splenic vein diameter of 8.5 mm achieved a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of 58.1% for predicting the varices. For discrimination of the varices in combination with and without portal vein-inferior vena cava shunts, a cut-off diameter of 9.5 mm achieved a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 60.0%. CONCLUSION: The diameter of the splenic vein can be used to predict esophageal and gastric fundic varices and their patterns.

Most frequently reported Chinese renal biopsy data have originated from southeastern China. The present study analyzed the renal biopsy data from northeastern China. The records of 1550 consecutive native patients who were diagnosed with primary glomerular diseases (PGD) after renal biopsy at our hospital during 2005-2009 were used. These patients were divided into four age groups for stratified analysis: <15, 15-44, 45-59, and ≥60 years old. Among PGD, minimal change disease (MCD) was the most common histologically diagnosed disease (30.7%), followed by IgA nephropathy (IgAN), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN), membranous nephropathy (MN), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis (EnPGN). MCD was the disease most frequently observed (43.7%) in the <15-year-old group. MsPGN was the most common disease in the elderly group (38.1%). MsPGN was more prevalent in females (27.8%), whereas MCD was more prevalent in males (35.3%). Primary glomerular diseases constituted the most commonly encountered group of diseases with a high prevalence of MCD, which predominantly affected males and young adults. The prevalence of MCD was high in northeastern China. Further study is necessary to expand the epidemiologic data available for renal disease in China.

We want to construct a yeast expression system for thymosin a1 (Ta1) to make the orally administered Ta1 preparation possible. The whole Ta1 DNA fragment was obtained by PCR. After being digested with restriction enzymes, it was cloned into pYES2 vector. Sequencing was performed to identify the recombinant. The sequence of Ta1 in recombinant coincided with the original one reported in Genbank. When pYES2-Ta1 plasmid was transformed into yeast, galactose instead of glucose was used to induce Ta1 expression. Western blot was performed to identify the quality of the expressed Ta1. Dried yeast containing pYEST2-Ta1 was fed to Balb/c mice whose immunities were inhibited by cyclophosphamide in advance. Synthesized Ta1 peptide was used as positive control and empty yeast was used as negative control. Compared with the negative control group, both dried yeast containing pYEST2-Ta1 and synthesized Ta1 peptide can significantly increase the CD8+ level (22.74±1.09 and 18.77±4.72 vs 7.49±2.14, p<0.01), while both of them had little effect on the CD4+ lymphocytes (61.86±6.94 and 65.91±4.78 vs 57.93±10.40, p>0.05). We concluded that a high effective yeast expression system for Ta1 was constructed successfully and the Ta1 protein expressed by this system can improve CD8+ level in immune inhibited mice.