OBJECTIVE: Blood culture remains the gold standard for diagnosing bloodstream infections. Clinical laboratories must ensure the quality of blood culture processes from receipt to obtaining definitive results. We examined laboratory analytical indicators associated with positive blood culture results. METHODS: Blood cultures collected from Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. The mode of transportation (piping logistics delivery vs. staff), source of blood cultures (outpatient/emergency department vs. inpatient department), rotation of personnel, and time of reception (8:00-19:59 vs. 20:00-07:59) were compared between blood culture-positive and -negative results. RESULTS: Between 2020 and 2022, the total positive rate of blood culture was 8.07%. The positive rate of blood cultures in the outpatient/emergency department was significantly higher than that in the inpatient department (12.46% vs. 5.83%; P < 0.0001). The time-to-detection of blood cultures was significantly affected by the delivery mode and personnel rotation. The blood culture positive rate of the total pre-analytical time within 1 h was significantly higher than that within 1-2 h or > 2 h ( P < 0.0170). CONCLUSION Laboratory analytical indicators such as patient source, transportation mode, and personnel rotation significantly impacted the positive detection rate or time of blood culture.
Blood Culture/statistics & numerical data* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Emergency Service, Hospital/statistics & numerical data*

Objective To evaluate the value of miniprobe endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)in guiding endoscopic treatment of small-diameter(maximum diameter less than 1 cm)and low-grade(G1 grade)rectum neuroendocrine neoplasm(R-NEN),and to provide evidence and clues for its clinical application and further research.Methods The clinical data of 85 cases of low-grade(G1 grade)R-NEN with a maximum diameter of less than 1 cm who underwent endoscopic treatment in our center from January 2014 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into the EUS group(37 cases)and control group(48 cases)according to whether EUS was performed before endoscopic treatment.The positive rate of incision margin,the incidence of complications,the recurrence rate,the hospital stay,the cost of hospitalization and endoscopic therapy were compared between the two groups.Results The positive rate of incision margin in the EUS group was significantly lower than that in control group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications,tumor recurrence rate,hospital stay or hospital costs between the two groups(P>0.05).There was statistically significant difference in the endoscopic therapy between the two groups(P<0.05).Conclusion Evaluating the lesion depth of small-diameter and low-grade(G1 grade)R-NEN before surgery by miniprobe EUS and selecting endoscopic surgery according to its results of can significantly reduce the residual risk of resection margin tumors.

Objective To investigate the ameliorative effect of sulforaphane on inflammatory response and airway remodeling in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods Seventy-five SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group,the model group,and the low-,medium-,and high-dose groups of sulforaphane,with 15 rats in each group.Except for the normal group,the COPD model was prepared in the remaining group using aroma smoke inhalation combined with intratracheal droplet lipopolysaccharide(LPS)method.After the successful modelling,the rats were administered the drug by gavage for 28 days.At the end of the administration,the general conditions of the rats in each group were observed,and the lung function[forced vital capacity(FVC),peak expiratory flow-rate(PEF),forceful expiratory volume in 1 second(FEV1)]was examined,and the pathological changes of the lung tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining method,and the indexes of airway remodeling(thickness of the bronchial wall,thickness of the smooth muscle)were measured;the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to examine the lung function of the rats.The levels of inflammatory factors[tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),interleukin 1β(IL-1β)]were detected in lung tissue by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and changes in the protein expressions of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4),myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88),and nuclear transcription factor κB(NF-κB)were detected in lung tissue by Western Blot.Results(1)The rats in the model group had dry and lack of glossy fur,obvious coughing and nose scratching,shortness of breath,slow movement,and preferred to arch their backs and lie curled up;the rats in the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of sulforaphane showed significant improvement in shortness of breath,coughing,and other abnormal manifestations.(2)HE staining showed that the airway wall and smooth muscle of rats in the model group were thickened,the airway epithelium was damaged,and alveolar destruction,fusion,and massive infiltration of inflammatory cells were seen;the histopathological changes in the lungs of rats in the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of sulforaphane improved to varying degrees,with the airway wall becoming thinner,the degree of alveolar destruction being reduced,and the infiltration of inflammatory cells being reduced.(3)Compared with the normal group,FVC,PEF and FEV1 were significantly reduced in the model group(P＜0.05),and the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β,bronchial wall thickness,smooth muscle thickness,and the expression levels of TLR4,MyD88 and NF-κB were significantly increased in the model group(P＜0.05);and in comparison with the model group,the levels of FVC,PEF,and FEV1 were significantly increased in the rats in the sulforaphane low-,medium-,and high-dose groups(P＜0.05),and the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β,bronchial wall thickness,smooth muscle thickness,and the expression levels of TLR4,MyD88,and NF-κB were significantly decreased(P＜0.05)compared with the model group.Conclusion Sulforaphane helps to inhibit the inflammatory response,attenuate airway remodeling,and improve the pathological injury and lung function of lung tissue in rats with COPD,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of TLR4,MyD88,and NF-κB protein expressions.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for detecting fetal chromosomal copy number variants (CNV).Methods:A retrospective analysis was carried out on NIPT positive samples in Suzhou Municipal Hospital from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. The effect of NIPT on fetal CNV detection was assessed by comparison with the results of karyotype analysis and/or chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA).Results:Among the 525 NIPT positive samples, 146 were CNV cases, of which 84 were further verified by karyotyping and/or CMA, 29(34.5%) were true positive. Among them, 12 cases were pathogenic variants, 2 cases were likely pathogenic variants and 15 cases were variants of uncertain significance.Conclusion:NIPT could detect CNV with high accuracy, and to combine CNV detection and chromosomal aneuploidy detection has great significance to improve the prenatal and postnatal care.

Objective To understand the disease acceptance status and related factors in human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)-infected/acquired immunodeficiency syndrom(AIDS)patients,so as to guide the clinical development of intervention measures,and to provide empirical evidence for improving clinical outcomes.Methods Convenience sampling method was used to select 555 HIV-infected/AIDS patients who received treatment in the designated AIDS treatment clinic of a hospital.General data,disease acceptance,disease self-management efficacy and clinical out-comes(such as quality of life,CD4+T lymphocyte count and HIV viral load)of the studied subjects were collected.Results The average disease acceptance of HIV-infected/AIDS patients was(26.08±5.34)points.Multiple linear regression analysis showed that religious belief and self-management efficacy were related factors affecting the di-sease acceptance of patients(both P＜0.05),which could explain the 30.4％variation in disease acceptance of HIV-infected/AIDS patients,and the disease acceptance of patients was closely related to their quality of life(P＜0.001).Conclusion HIV-infected/AIDS patients have a moderate level of disease acceptance.Medical staff should fully consider patients'religious beliefs and self-management efficacy,so as to formulate targeted intervention mea-sures to improve patients'acceptance of disease,and further promote patients'quality of life.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and outcomes of adolescence-onset methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) and explore preventive strategies.Methods:This was a retrospective case analysis of the phenotypes, genotypes and prognoses of adolescence-onset MMA patients. There were 55 patients diagnosed in Peking University First Hospital from January 2002 to June 2023, the data of symptoms, signs, laboratory results, gene variations, and outcomes was collected. The follow-ups were done through WeChat, telephone, or clinic visits every 3 to 6 months.Results:Among the 55 patients, 31 were males and 24 were females. The age of onset was 12 years old (range 10-18 years old). They visited clinics at Tanner stages 2 to 5 with typical secondary sexual characteristics. Nine cases (16%) were trigged by infection and 5 cases (9%) were triggered by insidious exercises. The period from onset to diagnosis was between 2 months and 6 years. Forty-five cases (82%) had neuropsychiatric symptoms as the main symptoms, followed by cardiovascular symptoms in 12 cases (22%), kidney damage in 7 cases (13%), and eye disease in 12 cases (22%). Fifty-four cases (98%) had the biochemical characteristics of methylmalonic acidemia combined with homocysteinemia, and 1 case (2%) had the isolated methylmalonic acidemia. Genetic diagnosis was obtained in 54 cases, with 20 variants identified in MMACHC gene and 2 in MMUT gene. In 53 children with MMACHC gene mutation,1 case had dual gene variants of PRDX1 and MMACHC, with 105 alleles. The top 5 frequent variants in MMACHC were c.482G>A in 39 alleles (37%), c.609G>A in 17 alleles (16%), c.658_660delAAG in 11 alleles (10%), c.80A>G in 10 alleles (10%), c.567dupT and c.394C>T both are 4 alleles (4%). All patients recovered using cobalamin, L-carnitine, betaine, and symptomatic therapy, and 54 patients (98%) returned to school or work.Conclusions:Patients with adolescence-onset MMA may triggered by fatigue or infection. The diagnosis is often delayed due to non-specific symptoms. Metabolic and genetic tests are crucial for a definite diagnosis. Treatment with cobalamin, L-carnitine, and betaine can effectively reverse the prognosis of MMA in adolescence-onset patients.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery combined with PanOptix trifocal intraocular lens implantation.METHODS:The retrospective study enrolled 22 cases(26 eyes)of cataract patients who underwent femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery combined with PanOptix trifocal intraocular lens implantation from August 2020 to August 2021. Follow-up to 3mo after surgery, the changes of far, intermediate and near visual acuity, aberration, Strehl ratio(SR)and modulation transfer function cutoff(MTF-cutoff)frequency were compared. Defocus curve at 1mo postoperatively was made, and the visual quality and satisfaction were evaluated after 3mo of surgery.RESULTS: The visual acuity of all patients was better than 0.1(LogMAR)at the far, intermediate and near distance at 1d, 1wk, 1 and 3mo postoperatively, and it was significantly improved compared with those before surgery(all P<0.01). The defocus curve transitioned smoothly between +0.5 and -3.0D at 1mo after surgery, and visual acuity was better than 0.63. The total aberration and spherical aberration in the whole eye were significantly lower after surgery than before, and the SR and MTF-cutoff were significantly improved at 1d and 1wk after surgery(all P<0.05). With high satisfaction and good visual quality, patients could watch at far, intermediate and near distance without wearing glasses at 3mo after surgery.CONCLUSION: Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery combined with PanOptix trifocal intraocular lens implantation gave patients a comfortable and satisfactory full-course vision.

Objective: To investigate the impact of molecular classification and key oncogenes on the oncologic outcomes in patients with endometrial carcinoma (EC) and atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) receiving fertility-preserving treatment. Methods: Patients with EC and AEH undergoing progestin-based fertility-preserving treatment and receiving molecular classification as well as key oncogenes test at Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University from January 2021 to March 2023 were reviewed. Hysteroscopic lesion resection and endometrial biopsy were performed before initiating hormone therapy and every 3 months during the treatment to evaluate the efficacy. The risk factors which had impact on the treatment outcomes in EC and AEH patients were further analyzed. Results: Of the 171 patients analyzed, the median age was 32 years, including 86 patients with EC and 85 patients with AEH. The distribution of molecular classification was as follows: 157 cases (91.8%) were classified as having no specific molecular profile (NSMP); 9 cases (5.3%), mismatch repair deficient (MMR-d); 3 cases (1.8%), POLE-mutated; 2 cases (1.2%), p53 abnormal. No difference was found in the cumulative 40-week complete response (CR) rate between the patients having NSMP or MMR-d (61.6% vs 60.0%; P=0.593), while the patients having MMR-d had increased risk than those having NSMP to have recurrence after CR (50.0% vs 14.4%; P=0.005). Multi-variant analysis showed PTEN gene multi-loci mutation (HR=0.413, 95%CI: 0.259-0.658; P<0.001) and PIK3CA gene mutation (HR=0.499, 95%CI: 0.310-0.804; P=0.004) were associated with a lower cumulative 40-week CR rate, and progestin-insensitivity (HR=3.825, 95%CI: 1.570-9.317; P=0.003) and MMR-d (HR=9.014, 95%CI: 1.734-46.873; P=0.009) were independent risk factors of recurrence in EC and AEH patients. Conclusions: No difference in cumulative 40-week CR rate is found in the patients having NSMP or MMR-d who received progestin-based fertility-preserving treatment, where the use of hysteroscopy during the treatment might be the reason, while those having MMR-d have a higher risk of recurrence after CR. Oncogene mutation of PTEN or PIK3CA gene might be associated with a lower response to progestin treatment. The molecular profiles help predict the fertility-preserving treatment outcomes in EC and AEH patients.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Adult ; Hyperplasia ; Progestins ; Fertility Preservation ; Endometrial Neoplasms/pathology* ; Endometrial Hyperplasia/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Precancerous Conditions ; Fertility ; Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; Retrospective Studies

Objective:To investigate COVID-19 vaccination status and relevant adverse reactions in patients with psoriasis treated with biological agents, and to explore the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on psoriatic lesions.Methods:Clinical data were collected from 572 psoriasis patients aged 18 - 60 years, who were registered in the management system of psoriasis patients treated with biological agents in the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital from May 2019 to June 2021. The COVID-19 vaccination status was investigated by telephone interviews, and the vaccination-related information was obtained by fixed healthcare workers during a fixed time period according to a predesigned questionnaire. Measurement data were compared between two groups by using t test, and enumeration data were compared by using chi-square test or Fisher′s exact test. Results:The COVID-19 vaccination coverage rate was 43.13% (226 cases) among the 524 patients who completed the telephone interview, and was significantly lower in the biological agent treatment group (30.79%, 105/341) than in the traditional drug treatment group (66.12%, 121/183; χ2 = 60.60, P < 0.001) . The main reason for not being vaccinated was patients′ fear of vaccine safety (49.66%, 148/298) , followed by doctors′ not recommending (26.51%, 79/298) . In the biological agent treatment group after vaccination, the exacerbation of psoriatic lesions was more common in patients receiving prolonged-interval treatment (42.86%, 6/14) compared with those receiving regular treatment (4.40%, 4/91; Fisher′s exact test, P < 0.001) . Skin lesions were severely aggravated in two patients after COVID-19 vaccination, who ever experienced allergic reactions and whose skin lesions did not completely subside after the treatment with biological agents. Conclusions:The COVID-19 vaccination coverage rate was relatively low in the psoriasis patients treated with biological agents, and no serious adverse reaction was observed after vaccination. Prolonged-interval treatment due to COVID-19 vaccination ran the risk of exacerbation of skin lesions.

Objective To develop an intelligent positioning system for mobile medical equipment in the operating room based on Bluetooth technology to enhance medical equipment management efficiency.Methods The intelligent positioning system for mobile medical equipment used received signal strength indication(RSSI)algorithm and multi-gateway trajectory filtering algorithm to realize Bluetooth positioning,which was composed of Bluetooth gateways,Bluetooth beacons,Bluetooth labels and a background data processing platform.The Bluetooth gateway consisted of an active power over ethernet(POE)module,a DC power module,a CPU,a Wi-Fi module and a Bluetooth module;the Bluetooth beacon included a beacon control unit,a Bluetooth transmitter module and a Bluetooth receiver module;the Bluetooth label was made up of a microcontroller unit(MCU),a Bluetooth module,an anti-temper switch and a accelerometer;the data processing platform had the front end developed with Vue architecture and the back end with Java language.Results The system developed could accurately locate the medical equipment in the operating room without electromagnetic interference to other medical devices.Conclusion The system developed gains advantages in high positioning accuracy,low electromagnetic interference,high stability and reliability and low cost,which improves the positioning and management efficiency of medical equipment under the premise of ensuring safety.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2023,44(9):29-32]