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Aiming at the problem of serious loss of accuracy in the lightweighting process of the current human pose estimation model, a lightweight human pose estimation model that introduces cascaded channel attention is proposed using the high resolution network (HRNet) as a baseline. Firstly, a cascading channel attention that maintains internal high-resolution features is constructed so as to learn the importance of each channel of the input features to improve the model representation. Secondly, the residual module with high arithmetic complexity in HRNet stages 2, 3, and 4 is replaced by designing a lightweight deepwise convolutional transform module based on the structure of the MetaFormer. Furthermore, a multi-scale feature fusion method is designed to reduce the loss of semantic information of multi-dimensional features in the original fusion method of HRNet. Finally, unbiased data processing is used to eliminate offset errors caused by the process of encoding the heat map at key points. Experimental results from the COC02017 validation set show that the pro-posed model reduces the number of model parameters and floating-point operations by 90.2% and 83.1%, respectively, compared to the benchmark model with a 2 percentage points decrease in AP, and achieves the optimal accuracy among the lightweight models with an AP of 71.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of gastrointestinal function on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in critically ill patients.

Introduction Thyroid carcinoma is one of the most common endocrine malignancies. Based on the origin and histopathological features, thyroid carcinoma can be classified as papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic (Hundahl [...], Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid malignancy involving local and distant metastasis. It is known that CXC chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) interacts specifically with CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) to guide the migration of PTC cells. However, the signaling pathway downstream of the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis in PTC is not fully understood. In the present study, high expression of CXCR4 was detected in 38 out of 82 specimens of PTC, and the expression level of CXCR4 significantly correlated with the stage of PTC. Additionally, the roles of the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis in the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of B-CPAP cells were investigated in vitro. The motility and invasiveness were significantly enhanced in CXCR4-overexpressing B-CPAP cells with CXCL12 treatment. Moreover, the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis promoted the EMT process, as evidenced by a decreased level of E-cadherin and increased expressions of N-cadherin and vimentin. Furthermore, the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis activated the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-[kappa]B) signaling pathway, whereas BAY11-7082, an IKB phosphorylation inhibitor, counteracted CXCL12-CXCR4-induced migration, invasion, and EMT processes in B-CPAP cells. In conclusion, the CXCL12-CXCR4 axis promotes the migration, invasion, and EMT processes in B-CPAP cells, at least partly, by activating the NF-[kappa]B signaling pathway. Key words: papillary thyroid carcinoma, CXCR4, CXCL12, SDF-1, NF-[kappa]B. Le carcinome papillaire de la thyroide (CPT) est la tumeur maligne thyroidienne la plus frequente qui implique des metastases locales et a distance. On sait que la chimiokine CXCL12 interagit specifiquement avec le recepteur CXCR4 pour guider la migration des cellules de CPT. Cependant, la voie de signalisation en aval de l'axe CXCL12-CXCR4 dans le CPT n'est pas pleinement comprise. Dans l'etude presentee ici, une forte expression de CXCR4 a ete detectee chez 38 de 82 specimens de CPT examines et le niveau d'expression de CXCR4 etait significativement correle avec le stade du CPT. Par ailleurs, les roles de l'axe CXCL12-CXCR4 dans la migration, l'invasion et la transition epithelio-mesenchymateuse (TEM) des cellules B-CPAP ont ete examines in vitro. La motilite et le potentiel invasif des cellules B-CPAP dans lesquelles CXCR4 est surexprime etaient significativement accrus par le CXCL12. De plus, l'axe CXCL12-CXCR4 favorisait le processus de TEM, comme le mettait en evidence la diminution de l'expression de la E-cadherine et l'expression accrue de la N-cadherine et de la vimentine. En outre, l'axe CXCL12-CXCR4 activait la voie de signalisation du facteur de transcription NF-[kappa]B, alors que le BAY11-7082, un inhibiteur de la phosphorylation de I[kappa]B, neutralisait la migration, l'invasion et la TEM induites par CXCL12-CXCR4 dans les cellules B-CPAP. En conclusion, l'axe CXCL12-CXCR4 favorise la migration, l'invasion et le processus de TEM chez les cellules B-CPAP, du moins partiellement, en activant la voie de signalisation du NF-[kappa]B. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : carcinome papillaire de la thyroide, CXCR4, CXCL12, SDF-1, NF-[kappa]B.

Objectives: To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound (US) in determining the positions of parametrial implants by comparing US with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for advanced cervical cancer. Methods: Patients undergoing brachytherapy with parametrial implantation for cervical cancer from February 2017 to February 2019 were involved in the study. The transverse section of the cervix (surface S1) and the transverse section 1 cm above the external cervix (surface S2) were selected from MRI and US images as the observation planes. In the MRI observation plane, the distances between the uterine titanium needles and the uterine tube/implanter were set as M1 to M4; in the US observation plane, the distances between the uterine titanium needles and the uterine tube/implanter were set as D1 to D4. The differences and consistency in M and D of each group were then compared. Results: There were no significant differences between M and D in each group (P =.058; P =.821; P =.870; and P =.936, respectively). The intraclass correlation coefficients of M and D in each group were 0.970, 0.968, 0.952, and 0.956. A regression analysis showed that the relationships between M and D in each group were as follows: M1 = 0.9449D1 + 0.1812; M2 = 0.9463D2 + 0.0965; M3 = 0.9176D3 + 0.1233; and M4 = 0.9253D4 + 0.1224. Conclusions: In parametrial brachytherapy for cervical cancer, US can accurately determine the positions of parametrial implantation needles, which is already applicable on MRI, and can provide assistance in parametrial brachytherapy for advanced cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of 90 Sr- 90 Y β-irradiation in a rat model of alkali burn-induced corneal neovascularization (CNV). Alkali burn-induced CNV was induced in the right eyes of 30 female Wistar rats, which were randomly divided into the following three groups (n=10/group): i) The alkali burn control group, which received a balanced salt solution treatment; ii) group 1, which received treatment with angiogenesis inhibitors; and iii) group 2, which received 90 Sr- 90 Y β-irradiation treatment. A further 10 female Wistar rats comprised a blank control group and received only balanced salt solution. Digital photographs of the corneas were acquired and the area of NV was calculated. In addition, the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-1 and VEGFR-2 in alkali-burned rat corneas were determined using western blot analysis. The results suggested that the number of new vessels and the area of CNV were significantly decreased in groups 1 and 2, as compared with the alkali burn group at each time point (P<0.05). In addition, the number of inflammatory cells and the degree of edema were decreased in groups 1 and 2, as compared with the alkali burn group, with group 2 exhibiting the most marked reduction. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the expression levels of MMP-9, VEGF, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 were significantly decreased in groups 1 and 2, as compared with the alkali burn control group, with group 2 exhibiting the most significant reduction (P<0.05). The results of the present study suggested that 90 Sr- 90 Y β-irradiation and angiogenesis inhibitor treatments were able to inhibit alkali burn-induced CNV, although 90 Sr- 90 Y β-irradiation may be more effective.