On dose cube pixel spacing pre-processing for features extraction stability in dosiomic studies

PurposeDosiomics allows to parameterize regions of interest (ROIs) and to produce quantitative dose features encoding the spatial and statistical distribution of radiotherapy dose. The stability of dosiomics features extraction on dose cube pixel spacing variation has been investigated in this study.Material and MethodsBased on 17 clinical delivered dose distributions (P_n), dataset has been generated considering all the possible combinations of four dose grid resolutions and two calculation algorithms. Each dose voxel cube has been post-processed considering 4 different dose cube pixel spacing values: 1x1x1, 2x2x2, 3x3x3 mm³ and the one equal to the planning CT. Dosiomics features extraction has been performed from four different ROIs. The stability of each extracted dosiomic feature has been analyzed in terms of coefficient of variation (CV) intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).ResultsThe highest CV mean values were observed for PTV ROI and for the grey level size zone matrix features family. On the other hand, the lowest CV mean values have been found for RING ROI for the grey level co-occurrence matrix features family. P₃ showed the highest percentage of CV >1 (1.14%) followed by P₁₅ (0.41%), P₁ (0.29%) and P13 (0.19%). ICC analysis leads to identify features with an ICC >0.95 that could be considered stable to use in dosiomic studies when different dose cube pixel spacing are considered, especially the features in common among the seventeen plans.ConclusionConsidering the observed variability, dosiomic studies should always provide a report not only on grid resolution and algorithm dose calculation, but also on dose cube pixel spacing.     

多奈哌齐治疗阿尔兹海默症患者的临床剂量使用探讨

目的:评价多奈哌齐治疗阿尔兹海默症(AD)的疗效及疗效与用药剂量的关系,探讨检测血清中胰岛素样生长因子-I(IGF-I)来指导治疗剂量的可行性。方法:87例轻中度的AD患者,患者使用5 mg/d多奈哌齐疗效不佳。在增加剂量之前,根据血清胰岛素样生长因子-I(IGF-I)水平和简易智力状态检查表(MMSE)得分之间的一致性,将患者分为3组。A组:n=27,IGF-I≤99ng/m L,MMSE≤37;B组:n=33,IGF-I≤99 ng/m L,MMSE18;C组:n=27,IGF-I99 ng/m L,MMSE18。A、B组中,血清IGF-I水平显著低于C组。试验开始后将多奈哌齐的剂量从5 mg/d增加到10 mg/d,服用12周后,观察血清IGF-I水平同MMSE和阿尔兹海默症评定量表(ADAS)得分的相关性及三组患者的临床改善情况。结果:血清IGF-I水平同认知功能有明显相关性。IGF-I同MMSE正相关(r=0.478,P=0.036),IGF-I同ADAS得分负相关(r=-0.464,P=0.029)。增加多奈哌齐(10 mg/d)剂量治疗后,只有A组患者MMSE得到显著改善。A组患者对治疗的敏感性显著高于B、C组患者。结论:血清中IGF-I水平和MMSE分值可以做为一种标志物,判断对低剂量多奈哌齐(5 mg/d)无效的轻中度AD患者,能否采用高剂量多奈哌齐(10 mg/d)进行治疗。     

Detailed analysis of dose difference in using water as tissue-equivalent material in 252Cf brachytherapy

AimThe purpose of this study is to analyse how small variations in the elemental composition of soft tissue lead to differences in dose distributions from a ²⁵²Cf brachytherapy source and to determine the error percentage in using water as a tissue-equivalent material.BackgroundWater is normally used as a tissue-equivalent phantom material in radiotherapy dosimetry.Materials and methodsNeutron energy spectra, neutron and gamma-ray dose rate distributions were calculated for a ²⁵²Cf AT source located at the center of a spherical phantom filled with various types of tissue compositions: adipose, brain, muscle, International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) report No. 44 9-component soft tissue and water, using Monte Carlo simulation.ResultsThe obtained results showed differences between total dose rates in various tissues relative to water varying between zero and 4.94%. The contributions of neutron and total gamma ray doses to these differences are, on average, 81% and 19%, respectively. It was found that the dose differences between various soft tissues and water depend not only on the soft tissue composition, but also on the beam type emitted from the ²⁵²Cf source and the distance from the source.ConclusionAssuming water as a tissue-equivalent material, although leads to overestimation of dose rate (except in the case of adipose tissue), is acceptable and suitable for use in ²⁵²Cf brachytherapy treatment planning systems based on the recommendation by the ICRU that the uncertainties in dose delivery in radiotherapy should be lower than 5%.     

Ensuring quality in cervical screening programmes based on molecular human papillomavirus testing

The increased use of human papillomavirus testing within cervical screening programmes necessarily brings about changes to the laboratory services required to support them. A crucial element of such services is to demonstrate initial and ongoing quality of the test (and associated processes). In this review, we outline some of the quality considerations and challenges with an emphasis on the laboratory including assay and platform validation, internal quality control selection and strengths and weaknesses of external quality assurance schemes. The influence and role of key external entities, including regulatory agencies, guideline groups, programme commissioners and commercial providers, are also discussed.     

丁苯酞对颈动脉狭窄大鼠认知功能及海马CA1区神经元凋亡的影响及相关机制研究

摘要 目的：探讨与研究丁苯酞对颈动脉狭窄大鼠认知功能及海马CA1区神经元凋亡的影响及相关机制。方法：将颈动脉狭窄大鼠大鼠（n=42）随机为三组-模型组、低剂量丁苯酞（20 mg/kg）组和高剂量丁苯酞（40 mg/kg）组,每组14只。低剂量丁苯酞组与高剂量丁苯酞组每天给予20 mg/kg、40 mg/kg丁苯酞灌胃治疗,对照组给予等剂量的生理盐水灌胃,持续21 d。结果：低剂量丁苯酞组与高剂量丁苯酞组治疗第7 d、第14 d、第21 d的BBT评分低于模型组（P<0.05）,高剂量丁苯酞组低于低剂量丁苯酞组（P<0.05）。低剂量丁苯酞组与高剂量丁苯酞组治疗第21 d、第28 d的海马CA1区神经元凋亡指数低于模型组,高剂量丁苯酞组低于低剂量丁苯酞组（P<0.05）。低剂量丁苯酞组与高剂量丁苯酞组治疗第21 d、第28 d的脑组织超氧化物歧化酶（Superoxide dismutase,SOD）活性高于模型组（P<0.05）,丙二醛（Malondialdehyde,MDA）活性低于模型组（P<0.05）,高剂量丁苯酞组与低剂量丁苯酞组对比差异都有统计学意义（P<0.05）。低剂量丁苯酞组与高剂量丁苯酞组治疗第21 d、第28 d的海马CA1区BCL2-Associated X（Bax）、B淋巴细胞瘤-2（B-cell lymphoma-2,bcl-2）蛋白相对表达水平高于模型组（P<0.05）,高剂量丁苯酞组高于低剂量丁苯酞组（P<0.05）。结论：丁苯酞在颈动脉狭窄大鼠的应用能提高海马CA1区Bax、Bcl-2蛋白的表达,抑制神经元的凋亡,改善氧化应激状态,从而提高大鼠的认知功能。     

不同剂量乌司他丁联合微量推注泵美罗培南对重症肺炎患者的疗效及血管生成素2的影响

摘要 目的：探讨与分析不同剂量乌司他丁联合微量推注泵美罗培南对重症肺炎患者的疗效及血管生成素-2的影响。方法：2019年1月到2022年2月选择在本院诊治的重症肺炎患者78例作为研究对象,将其分为研究组与对照组各39例,两组都给予美罗培南微量推注治疗,研究组与对照组分别给予高剂量与低剂量的乌司他丁治疗,连续应用7 d,观察患者的疗效及血清血管生成素2表达变化情况。结果：研究组的ICU住院时间、退热时间、炎症吸收时间与痰液颜色改变时间较对照组少（P<0.05）。研究组的治疗总有效率较对照组高（P<0.05）。两组治疗后的血清白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、白细胞介素-17（IL-17）含量明显低于治疗前(P<0.05),研究组治疗后的血清IL-6、IL-17含量也明显低于对照组（P<0.05）。两组治疗后的血清血管生成素-2含量低于治疗前,治疗后研究组血清血管生成素-2含量低于对照组（P<0.05）。结论：高剂量乌司他丁联合微量推注泵美罗培南在重症肺炎患者的应用能抑制血清血管生成素-2的表达,也可抑制血清IL-6、IL-17的表达,从而能提高治疗效果,促进改善患者的临床症状,有利于患者康复。     

桃Pp4CL2基因的克隆及抗寒功能验证

基于‘丁家坝李光桃’抗寒转录组数据,采用RT PCR技术克隆桃4 香豆酸辅酶A连接酶基因(Pp4CL2),并对其进行生物信息学及转化模式植物拟南芥和烟草的抗寒分析,以解析‘丁家坝李光桃’的抗寒机制。结果显示：(1)成功克隆获得桃Pp4CL2基因(登录号：LOC18792923),其cDNA序列为1 635 bp,编码544个氨基酸残基,具有4CL基因家族保守结构域。(2)二级结构分析显示,Pp4CL2蛋白由4种状态的二级结构组成,其中α螺旋占30.51%、β 折叠占7.35%、不规则卷曲及延伸链分别占41.54%和20.59%。(3)顺式作用元件分析发现,Pp4CL2基因上游启动子区含有光、低温以及多种激素响应元件。(4)序列系统进化分析显示,桃Pp4CL2与杏(Prunus armeniaca)、欧洲甜樱桃(Prunus avium)和梅(Prunus mume)的蛋白相似性最高,分别为99.08%、97.98%和96.14%。(5)成功构建转化载体Pp4CL2 pRI101,对拟南芥和烟草进行遗传转化并通过PCR鉴定获得转基因拟南芥和烟草。(6)与野生型相比,低温胁迫下转基因拟南芥和烟草的Pp4CL2基因相对表达量高,受冷害程度轻,具有更高的渗透调节物质含量和抗氧化酶活性,对低温具有更强的耐受性。研究表明,过表达Pp4CL2基因可增强植物对低温的耐受性,推测Pp4CL2基因在‘丁家坝李光桃’响应低温胁迫过程中具有重要作用。     

Venom of ectoparasitoid,Euplectrus sp near plathypenae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) regulates the physiological state of Pseudaletia separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) host as a food resource

Euplectrus sp. near plathypenae is an ectoparasitoid that can parasitize from 3rd to day 0-6th instar Pseudaletia separata. The developmental period of the parasitoid from the egg to the pupal stage is about 13 days. Parasitized hosts are developmentally arrested and never molt to the next stadium. The injection of venom fluid results in similar effects on P. separata larvae as does parasitization. The inhibitory effect of the venom on molting was dose dependent. Injection of 0.3 female equivalents of venom into day 0-5th host instar resulted in a similar developmental arrest as seen in parasitized hosts. The amount of total lipid in the hemolymph of the host increased as a function of the amount of venom injected, while the lipid content of the fat body was similar to lipid levels in the fat body of parasitized larvae. The amount of total protein in the hemolymph also increased when venom was injected, whereas the protein level of the fat body did not increase. The lipid concentration within the parasitoid larva was maintained at the same level throughout larval development, but increased before pupation. We conclude that the injected venom increased the hemolymph content of lipid and protein to support the growth and development of the ectoparasitoid larva.