Background/Aims: The World Health Organization set the goal of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030, with 80% and 65% reductions in HCV incidence and mortality rates, respectively. We aimed to evaluate the health benefits, cost-effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of HCV elimination. Methods: Using an HCV transmission compartmental model, we evaluated the benefits and costs of different strategies combining screening and treatment for Chinese populations. We identified strategies to achieve HCV elimination and calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted for 2022–2030 to identify the optimal elimination strategy. Furthermore, we estimated the ROI by 2050 by comparing the required investment with the economic productivity gains from reduced HCV incidence and deaths. Results: The strategy that results in the most significant health benefits involves conducting annual primary screening at a rate of 14%, re-screening people who inject drugs annually and the general population every five years, and treating 95% of those diagnosed (P14-R4-T95), preventing approximately 5.75 and 0.44 million HCV infections and deaths, respectively, during 2022–2030. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $12,615, the P14-R4-T95 strategy is the most cost-effective, with an ICER of $5,449/DALY. By 2050, this strategy would have a net benefit of $120,997 million (ROI=0.868). Conclusions Achieving HCV elimination in China by 2030 will require significant investment in large-scale universal screening and treatment, but it will yield substantial health and economic benefits and is cost-effective.

Background/Aims: The World Health Organization set the goal of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030, with 80% and 65% reductions in HCV incidence and mortality rates, respectively. We aimed to evaluate the health benefits, cost-effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of HCV elimination. Methods: Using an HCV transmission compartmental model, we evaluated the benefits and costs of different strategies combining screening and treatment for Chinese populations. We identified strategies to achieve HCV elimination and calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted for 2022–2030 to identify the optimal elimination strategy. Furthermore, we estimated the ROI by 2050 by comparing the required investment with the economic productivity gains from reduced HCV incidence and deaths. Results: The strategy that results in the most significant health benefits involves conducting annual primary screening at a rate of 14%, re-screening people who inject drugs annually and the general population every five years, and treating 95% of those diagnosed (P14-R4-T95), preventing approximately 5.75 and 0.44 million HCV infections and deaths, respectively, during 2022–2030. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $12,615, the P14-R4-T95 strategy is the most cost-effective, with an ICER of $5,449/DALY. By 2050, this strategy would have a net benefit of $120,997 million (ROI=0.868). Conclusions Achieving HCV elimination in China by 2030 will require significant investment in large-scale universal screening and treatment, but it will yield substantial health and economic benefits and is cost-effective.

Background/Aims: The World Health Organization set the goal of eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030, with 80% and 65% reductions in HCV incidence and mortality rates, respectively. We aimed to evaluate the health benefits, cost-effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of HCV elimination. Methods: Using an HCV transmission compartmental model, we evaluated the benefits and costs of different strategies combining screening and treatment for Chinese populations. We identified strategies to achieve HCV elimination and calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted for 2022–2030 to identify the optimal elimination strategy. Furthermore, we estimated the ROI by 2050 by comparing the required investment with the economic productivity gains from reduced HCV incidence and deaths. Results: The strategy that results in the most significant health benefits involves conducting annual primary screening at a rate of 14%, re-screening people who inject drugs annually and the general population every five years, and treating 95% of those diagnosed (P14-R4-T95), preventing approximately 5.75 and 0.44 million HCV infections and deaths, respectively, during 2022–2030. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $12,615, the P14-R4-T95 strategy is the most cost-effective, with an ICER of $5,449/DALY. By 2050, this strategy would have a net benefit of $120,997 million (ROI=0.868). Conclusions Achieving HCV elimination in China by 2030 will require significant investment in large-scale universal screening and treatment, but it will yield substantial health and economic benefits and is cost-effective.

Objective To investigate the association between lifestyle and risk of heart disease and diabetes in the elderly population in Xi'an City. Methods From January 2021 to January 2024, a staged cluster sampling method was used to investigate the lifestyle and the occurrence of heart disease and diabetes in elderly population aged 60 years and above in the communities of Xi'an. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between lifestyle and the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Results A total of 413 elderly people were investigated, of which 31.96% had heart disease, 27.12% had diabetes, and 10.90% had diabetes with heart disease. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, BMI, family history, sweet food preference, smoking, and sitting and lying for a long time were risk factors for diabetes in the elderly population (P<0.05). Age, BMI, family history, history of diabetes, preference for salted products, smoking, drinking, and sitting and lying for a long time were risk factors for heart disease in the elderly population (P<0.05). Conclusion The incidence rates of heart disease and diabetes are high in the elderly population in Xi'an City. The risk of diabetes is related to unhealthy lifestyles such as sweet food preference, smoking, and sitting and lying for a long time, while heart disease is related to unhealthy lifestyles such as preference for salted products, smoking, drinking, and sitting and lying for a long time.

Background: and Purpose CGG repeat expansion in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) of the Notch 2 N-terminal-like C gene (NOTCH2NLC) has been associated with neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) and oculopharyngodistal myopathy type 3 (OPDM3). Few OPDM3 patients have been reported. This report describes two OPDM3 patients with novel imaging findings who presented the typical features of NIID, and reviews all OPDM3 cases available in the literature. Methods: The available clinical, imaging, and pathological information was reviewed and investigated. CGG repeat expansion in the 5'UTR of NOTCH2NLC was tested using the repeatprimed polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by the fluorescence amplicon-length PCR to determine the number of CGG repeats. Results: Our two OPDM3 patients and most patients reported in the literature developed the typical clinical characteristics of NIID, including leukoencephalopathy, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive deterioration, pigmentary retinopathy, ataxia, tremor, acute encephalitis-like episodes, pigmentary retinopathy, miosis, and sensorineural hearing loss. In addition to typical imaging findings of NIID, our two patients exhibited diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) hyperintensities in the middle cerebellar peduncles, which have not been described previously. Muscle biopsies revealed rimmed vacuoles and p62-positive intranuclear inclusions in the myofibers in both patients. The skin biopsy performed in one patient detected typical eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions. Genetic analysis identified CGG repeat expansion in NOTCH2NLC as the causative mutation in the two patients. Conclusions Our two patients with OPDM3 had clinical characteristics of NIID and exhibited DWI abnormality in the cerebellum. Our results indicate that OPDM3 is within the spectrum of NIID and that DWI hyperintensities in the cerebellum are helpful for diagnosing NIID or OPDM3.

Background: and Purpose CGG repeat expansion in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) of the Notch 2 N-terminal-like C gene (NOTCH2NLC) has been associated with neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) and oculopharyngodistal myopathy type 3 (OPDM3). Few OPDM3 patients have been reported. This report describes two OPDM3 patients with novel imaging findings who presented the typical features of NIID, and reviews all OPDM3 cases available in the literature. Methods: The available clinical, imaging, and pathological information was reviewed and investigated. CGG repeat expansion in the 5'UTR of NOTCH2NLC was tested using the repeatprimed polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by the fluorescence amplicon-length PCR to determine the number of CGG repeats. Results: Our two OPDM3 patients and most patients reported in the literature developed the typical clinical characteristics of NIID, including leukoencephalopathy, peripheral neuropathy, cognitive deterioration, pigmentary retinopathy, ataxia, tremor, acute encephalitis-like episodes, pigmentary retinopathy, miosis, and sensorineural hearing loss. In addition to typical imaging findings of NIID, our two patients exhibited diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) hyperintensities in the middle cerebellar peduncles, which have not been described previously. Muscle biopsies revealed rimmed vacuoles and p62-positive intranuclear inclusions in the myofibers in both patients. The skin biopsy performed in one patient detected typical eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions. Genetic analysis identified CGG repeat expansion in NOTCH2NLC as the causative mutation in the two patients. Conclusions Our two patients with OPDM3 had clinical characteristics of NIID and exhibited DWI abnormality in the cerebellum. Our results indicate that OPDM3 is within the spectrum of NIID and that DWI hyperintensities in the cerebellum are helpful for diagnosing NIID or OPDM3.

Objective To observe the value of breast imaging reporting and data system(BI-RADS)classification combined with mammography(MG)radiomics for differentiating breast benign and malignant amorphous calcification lesions.Methods A total of 217 breast amorphous calcification lesions in 206 female patients,including 43 malignant and 174 benign ones were retrospectively enrolled and randomly divided into training set(n=151)and validation set(n=66)at the ratio of 7∶3.Then radiomics features were screened based on breast MG images.BI-RADS model,radiomics model and combined model were established,and the value of each model for distinguishing benign and malignant lesions was observed.Results Eight optimal radiomics features were selected.The area under the curve(AUC)of BI-RADS model,radiomics model and combined model for differentiating breast benign and malignant amorphous calcification lesions was 0.821,0.763 and 0.897 in training set,0.800,0.746 and 0.893 in validation set,respectively,AUC of combined model was significantly higher than that of the other two(both P＜0.05).Conclusion BI-RADS classification combined with MG radiomics was helpful for differential diagnosis of breast benign and malignant amorphous calcification lesions,with efficacy higher than that of each alone.

Objective:To evaluate the morphological characteristics of the fetal heart and the contractile function of the left and right ventricles in fetuses with pulmonary stenosis (PS) and pulmonary atresia (PA) using fetal heart quantitative analysis technology (fetal HQ), and to assess the impact of different degrees of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) on the contractile function of the fetal left and right ventricles. To accumulate early data and explore parameters for constructing a predictive model and clinical decision-making tool for the progression of fetal PS and PA.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 42 cases of mild to moderate PS and 23 cases of severe PS or PA detected through fetal echocardiography in the Department of Ultrasound, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, from July 2020 to December 2021. A control group of 195 normal fetal cases matching gestational weeks was selected. The fetal HQ technique was employed to measure the global sphericity index (GSI), left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), left/right ventricular area change percentage (LVFAC, RVFAC), and left/right ventricular longitudinal strain (LVGLS, RVGLS). Additionally, 24-segment sphericity index (SI) and fractional shortening (FS) for both left and right ventricles were measured. Comparative analyses were performed between the case and control groups, as well as within the case group.Results:In comparison with the control group, the case group exhibited significantly decreased GSI, LVGLS, LVEF, LVFAC, RVGLS, and RVFAC.The differences were statistically significant in the mild to moderate PS group (all P<0.05) and highly significant in the severe PS/PA group (all P<0.01). In the mild to moderate PS group, the left ventricle′s 2nd segment, right ventricle′s 24th segment SI, and the left ventricle′s 1st-13th segments, right ventricle′s 1st-16th and 20th-24th segments FS showed statistically significant differences compared to the control group (all P<0.05). In the severe PS/PA group, the right ventricle′s 1st-22nd segment SI, and the left ventricle′s 6th-13th, 21st-24th segments, and the right ventricle′s 1st-14th segments FS were reduced, showing statistically significant differences compared to the control group (all P<0.05). The severe PS/PA group showed lower RVGLS, RVFAC, and SI for the right ventricle′s 1st to 17th segments when compared to the mild to moderate PS group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Quantitative indices derived by fetal HQ is capable of evaluating the cardiac morphology and function of fetuses with PS/PA, which may provide for reference information for comprehensive understanding of cardiac morphological and functional changes in such fetuses.

Objective:To explore the hematological phenotype and genotypic characteristics of five Chinese individuals with a rare thalassemia mutation HBB: c. 93-21G>A. Methods:A retrospective study was carried out on five individuals identified by the People′s Hospital of Yangjiang and Guangzhou Hybribio Co., Ltd. from May 2018 to September 2022. Routine blood test and hemoglobin electrophoresis were performed, and the genotypes of five subjects were determined by using PCR combined with reverse dot blotting (RDB), nested PCR, Gap-PCR and Sanger sequencing. This study was approved by Medical Ethics Cornmittee of the People′s Hospital of Yangjiang (Ethics No. 20240001).Results:Among the five individuals, hematological data of one was unavailable, and the remaining four had presented with microcytosis and hypochromia. The results of hemoglobin electrophoresis indicated that all of them had a HbA 2 level of ≥4.7%. Genetic analysis showed that one case had harbored compound heterozygous mutations of ααα anti3.7 triplet and HBB: c. 93-21G>A, one had compound heterozygous mutations of -α 3.7 and HBB: c. 93-21G>A, whilst the remaining three were heterozygous for the HBB: c. 93-21G>A mutation. Conclusion:The hematological phenotype of β-thalassemia carriers ( HBB: c. 93-21G>A) is similar to that of other β + thalassemia heterozygotes with mild β-thalassemia characteristics.

Objective To investigate the risk factors affecting the malignancy of amorphous calcifications in the breast and to establish a predictive nomogram.Methods Patients with amorphous calcifications detected by mammography were retrospectively collected,clinical data were obtained from electronic medical record(EMR),and the mammographic features of the patients were assessed by diagnostic physicians.The risk factors affecting the malignancy of amorphous calcifications were analyzed to develop a predictive model and to assess the performance of the model.Results A total of 153 amorphous calcifications in 144 patients were included in the study,and the overall malignancy rate of calcifications was 20.92％.Patient's age ≥45 years,linear distribution of calcifications,unilateral single or unilateral multiple calcifications,and a larger maximum ratio of calcification extent all predicted a higher probability of malignancy,establishing a nomogram based on these 4 risk factors,with a 3.65％predicted probability of malig-nancy as the cut-off,33.99％(52/153)of patients were allowed to be spared biopsy.Conclusion Patient's age and the distribution,number,and maximum ratio of calcifications may be the risk predictors of malignancy for amorphous calcifications,with nomogram con-struction for distinguishing benignity from malignancy of amorphous calcifications via combining with mammographic features and clinical data.