Automatic segmentation of temporal bone structures from clinical conventional CT using a CNN approach.

Background: Automatic segmentation of temporal bone structures from patients' conventional computed tomography (CT) data plays an important role in the image-guided cochlear implant surgery. Existing convolutional neural network approaches have difficulties in segmenting such small tubular structures.

Methods: We propose a light-weight three-dimensional convolutional neural network referred to as W-Net to achieve multiobjective segmentation of temporal bone structures including the cochlear labyrinth, ossicular chain and facial nerve from conventional temporal bone CT images.

Magnetic anchoring and guidance-assisted endoscopic irreversible electroporation for gastric mucosal ablation: a preclinical study in canine model.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of magnetic anchoring and guidance-assisted endoscopic irreversible electroporation (MAG-IRE) for gastric mucosal ablation.

Methods: A catheter-based, donut-like, and MAG-assisted electrode was developed. MAG-IRE for gastric mucosal ablation was performed in eight beagle canines.

Preoperative platelet count predicts posttransplant portal vein complications in orthotopic liver transplantation: a propensity score analysis.

Background: The role of platelets on the prognosis of patients with liver transplantation remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the influence of preoperative platelet count on postoperative morbidity after liver transplantation.

Methods: Clinical data of the patients who received liver transplantation from January 2015 to September 2018 were evaluated.

Novel Strategy for Engineering the Metal-Oxide@MOF Core@Shell Architecture and Its Applications in Cataluminescence Sensing.

Cataluminescence is an attractive oxydic luminescence on the gas-solid interface, and metal-oxide@MOF core@shell architectures show great potential for cataluminescence sensing due to their integrated synergistic effect from core and shell components. However, restricting the direct nucleation and growth of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) on the topologically distinct surface of metal oxides is a great challenge, owing to the high interface energy from the topology mismatch. Herein, for the first time, a novel liquid-phase concentration-controlled nucleation strategy is exploited to induce the direct assembly of a ZIF-8 layer on the surface of CeO nanospheres without any sacrificial templates or further surface modifications.

Risk of catheter-related bloodstream infection associated with midline catheters compared with peripherally inserted central catheters: A meta-analysis.

Background: Both midline catheters (MCs) and peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) can cause catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI), but the prevalence associated with each is not clear.

Objective: To compare the risk of CRBSI between MCs and PICCs with a meta-analysis.

Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, The Cochrane Library and ProQuest were searched.

Magnetic compression anastomosis for rectal atresia following necrotizing enterocolitis: A case report.

Rationale: Rectal atresia caused by necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious and rare complication in children. Magnetic compression anastomosis (MCA) has been effectively applied in children with congenital oesophageal atresia and biliary atresia. Herein, we reported a case of successfully application of MCA in an infant with rectal atresia following NEC.

Anonymous Linkage Between College Students and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Facilities: Systematic Evaluation of Urine Self-Collection for HIV Testing Initiative in China.

Background: Identifying young individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are unaware of their status is a major challenge for HIV control in China. To address this, an innovative, anonymous vending machine-based urine self-collection for HIV testing (USCT) program was implemented in 2016 in colleges across China.

Methods: From June 2016 to December 2019, 146 vending machines stocked with urine self-collection kits were distributed on 73 college campuses across 11 provinces of China.

Construction and validation of a nomogram for predicting cancer-specific survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a research hotspot. This study aimed to incorporate important factors obtained from SEER database to construct and validate a nomogram for predicting the cancer-specific survival (CSS) of patients with HCC and ICC. We obtained patient data from SEER database.

Homogeneous Multiplex Immunoassay for One-Step Pancreatic Cancer Biomarker Evaluation.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the foremost malignant gastrointestinal tumors, with prognosis and postoperative prediction remaining challenging because of the lack of facile, sensitive diagnostic methods and a specific single biomarker. Combined-biomarker analysis which provides a promising strategy to conquer such dilemma still requires developments in methodologies to gain accurate and reliable outcomes with wash-/separation-free scenarios and minimal interferences. Herein, a multiplex single-particle homogeneous immunoassay was proposed by simultaneously evaluating three pancreatic cancer-related biomarkers.

Fedora-type magnetic compression anastomosis device for intestinal anastomosis.

Background: Although previous studies have confirmed the feasibility of magnetic compression anastomosis (MCA), there is still a risk of long-term anastomotic stenosis. For traditional MCA devices, a large device is associated with great pressure, and eventually increased leakage.

Aim: To develop a novel MCA device to simultaneously meet the requirements of pressure and size.

[Application of 3D U-net in automatic segmentation of middle ear surgery structures in temporal bone CT].

To study the feasibility of fully automatic segmentation of labyrinth, facial nerve and ossicles in clinical routine temporal bone CT images based on 3D U-net neural network. Clinical data were divided into two groups: ①Normal group: data were randomly assigned from 30 patients for routine temporal bone CT examination; ②Abnormal group: cochlear, ossicles and facial nerve morphology variation of 1 case each. The structures of facial nerve, labyrinth and ossicles were manually initial segmented and fine segmented by 2 clinicians with Mimics 20.

Serum pentraxin 3 as a biomarker of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Biomarkers for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are needed in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, a leading cause of HCC. We evaluated whether measurement of serum pentraxin 3 (PTX3) could improve diagnosis of HCC in chronic HBV infection. Data from patients with HBV-related chronic hepatitis (n = 159), cirrhosis (n = 99) and HCC (n = 107), and healthy controls (n = 151) were analyzed.

Innate Immune Regulation Under Magnetic Fields With Possible Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications.

With the wide applications of magnetic fields (MFs) in medicine, researchers from different disciplines have gained interest in understanding the effect of various types of MFs on living cells and organisms. In this paper, we mainly focus on the immunological and physical aspects of the immune responses and their mechanisms under different types of MFs. Immune cells were slightly affected by low-frequency alternating MFs but were strongly influenced by moderate-intensity MFs and high-gradient MFs (HGMFs).

Internal Grasper and Magnetic Anchoring Guidance System in Gynecologic Laparoendoscopic Single-site Surgery: A Case Series.

Study Objective: To evaluate and report preliminary data after the use of an internal grasper and magnetic anchoring guidance system (MAGS) to allow free movement and optimal triangulation in the abdominal cavity during gynecologic laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS).

Design: A prospective, single-center case series.

Setting: The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University.

Positive RT-PCR Test Results in 420 Patients Recovered From COVID-19 in Wuhan: An Observational Study.

Objective: During the follow-up of patients recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the quarantine and observation period, some of the cured patients showed positive results again. The recurrent positive RT-PCR test results drew widespread concern. We observed a certain number of cured COVID-19 patients with positive RT-PCR test results and try to analyze the factors that caused the phenomenon.

Prediction of tumor recurrence by α-fetoprotein model after curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Preoperative α-fetoprotein (AFP) level levels may help select patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for surgery. The objective of the current study was to assess an AFP model to predict tumor recurrence and patient survival after curative resection for HCC.

Methods: Patients undergoing curative-intent resection for HCC between 2000 and 2017 were identified from a multi-institutional database.

Simultaneous monitoring of polarity changes of lipid droplets and lysosomes with two-photon fluorescent probes.

Intracellular polarity is an essential feature of cell physiological state and abnormal polarity changes of various organelles are related to many diseases. Thus, monitoring of polarity changes of multiple subcellular in living cells contributes to understanding different physiological and pathological processes more accurately. However, most of the previous reports on polarity probes mainly monitored the polarity of a single organelle.

Magnetic compression for anastomosis in treating an infant born with long-gap oesophageal atresia: A case report.

Rationale: Neonatal long-gap esophageal atresia (LGEA) with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is an uncommon but serious congenital malformation of the esophagus in newborns, and it remains challenging for pediatric surgeons. Magnetic compress has been shown to be effective for the treatment of LGEA in children and adults. However, the implementation of this unique technique for neonatal LGEA has not been evaluated.

Vanadium disulfide for ultrafast photonic application.

The investigation of two-dimensional (2D) nonlinear optical materials offers a promising way to construct the high-performance optical devices in fundamental and industrial applications because of their rich distinct optoelectronic properties. Herein, by utilizing the liquid exfoliation method, vanadium disulfide (VS) nanosheets are prepared and the thickness is measured to be 3.16 nm.

Magnetic Compression Anastomosis in Laparoscopic Pancreatoduodenectomy: A Preliminary Study.

Background: Laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) is a minimally invasive technique widely developed in the last few decades. Although magnetic compression anastomosis (magnamosis) is used during cholangiojejunostomy, its applicability in LPD has not yet been reported. Herein, we evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of magnamosis in LPD.

Author Correction: End-to-end vascular anastomosis using a novel magnetic compression device in rabbits: a preliminary study.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Serum irisin levels are decreased in patients with sepsis, and exogenous irisin suppresses ferroptosis in the liver of septic mice.

Background: Sepsis remains a major health issue without an effective therapy. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent programmed cell death, has been proposed to be related to the pathogenesis of sepsis. Irisin, a myokine released during exercise, improves mitochondrial function under various conditions.

Digital Analysis of Cranial Sutures Computed Tomography Data in Adolescents.

To investigate the degree of fusion in sutures of the skull, the authors analyzed cranial computed tomography (CT) data using digital technologies to obtain the density values of coronal, sagittal, and lambdoid sutures in Chinese Han adolescents.The authors selected 80 patients who had undergone maxillofacial surgery. They were divided by age into a 9- to 12-year-old group and a 13 to 15-year-old group.