Objective To evaluate the performance of the artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled snail identification system for recognition of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni and Tricula in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province. Methods Fifty O. hupensis robertsoni and 50 Tricula samples were collected from Yongbei Township, Yongsheng County, Lijiang City, a schistosomiasis-endemic area in Yunnan Province in May 2024. A total of 100 snail sample images were captured with smartphones, including front-view images of 25 O. hupensis robertsoni and 25 Tricula samples (upward shell opening) and back-view images of 25 O. hupensis robertsoni and 25 Tricula samples (downward shell opening). Snail samples were identified as O. hupensis robertsoni or Tricula by schistosomiasis control experts with a deputy senior professional title and above according to image quality and morphological characteristics. A standard dataset for snail image classification was created, and served as a gold standard for recognition of snail samples. A total of 100 snail sample images were recognized with the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system based on a WeChat mini program in smartphones. Schistosomiasis control professionals were randomly sampled from stations of schistosomisis prevention and control and centers for disease control and prevention in 18 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts, cities) of Yunnan Province, for artificial identification of 100 snail sample images. All professionals are assigned to two groups according the median years of snail survey experiences, and the effect of years of snail survey experiences on O. hupensis robertsoni sample image recognition was evaluated. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, Youden’s index and the area under the curve (AUC) of the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system and artificial identification were calculated for recognition of snail sample images. The snail sample image recognition results of AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system and artificial identification were compared with the gold standard, and the internal consistency of artificial identification results was evaluated with the Cronbach’s coefficient alpha. Results A total of 54 schistosomiasis control professionals were sampled for artificial identification of snail sample image recognition, with a response rate of 100% (54/54), and the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, Youden’s index, and AUC of artificial identification were 90%, 86%, 94%, 0.80 and 0.90 for recognition of snail sample images, respectively. The overall Cronbach’s coefficient alpha of artificial identification was 0.768 for recognition of snail sample images, and the Cronbach’s coefficient alpha was 0.916 for recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni snail sample images and 0.925 for recognition of Tricula snail sample images. The overall accuracy of artificial identification was 90% for recognition of snail sample images, and there was no significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni (86%) and Tricula snail sample images (94%) (χ² = 1.778, P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of snail sample images with upward (88%) and downward shell openings (92%) (χ² = 0.444, P > 0.05), and there was a significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of snail sample images between schistosomiasis control professionals with snail survey experiences of 6 years and less (75%) and more than 6 years (90%) (χ² = 7.792, P < 0.05). The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and AUC of the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system were 88%, 100%, 76% and 0.88 for recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni snail sample images, and there was no significant difference in the accuracy of recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni snail sample images between the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system and artificial identification (χ² = 0.204, P > 0.05). In addition, there was no significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of snail sample images with upward (90%) and downward shell openings (86%) (χ² = 0.379, P > 0.05), and there was a significant difference in the accuracy of artificial identification for recognition of snail sample images between schistosomiasis control professionals with snail survey experiences of 6 years and less and more than 6 years (χ² = 5.604, P_adjusted < 0.025). Conclusions The accuracy of recognition of snail sample images is comparable between the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system and artificial identification by schistosomiasis control professionals, and the AI-enabled intelligent snail identification system is feasible for recognition of O. hupensis robertsoni and Tricula in Yunnan Province.

Disrupted bone morphogenetic protein type 2 receptor (BMPR2) signaling in endothelial cells drives pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, targeted recovery of this signaling pathway by lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) has not been explored as a therapy. Here, we employed Design of Experiments to optimize the delivery efficiency of LNPs targeting pulmonary endothelial cells developed by our laboratory, resulting in a remarkable 35-fold increase in a simplified three-component formulation without helper lipids. Administration of BMPR2 mRNA LNPs effectively reversed established PAH in two experimental rat models (monocrotaline or SU5416-hypoxia) by reversing pulmonary vascular remodeling. Specifically, BMPR2 mRNA LNPs replenished the expression of BMPR2 protein and subsequently activated downstream pathways, as confirmed by elevated levels of p-SMAD1/5/9 and ID1 proteins. The relief of pulmonary arterial occlusion was demonstrated by thinned pulmonary arterial media and decreased proportion of full muscularized vessels. Alleviation of right ventricular hypertrophy was indicated by declined Fulton index, the cross-sectional area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes as well as collagen deposition. Effective recovery of right ventricular function was evidenced by increased pulmonary artery flow acceleration time/pulmonary artery flow ejection time ratio. These findings underscore the potential of restoring BMPR2 signaling through pulmonary endothelial cell-specific LNPs for treating PAH.

Digital technologies have become an integral part of complete denture restoration. With advancement in computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), tools such as intraoral scanning, facial scanning, 3D printing, and numerical control machining are reshaping the workflow of complete denture restoration. Unlike conventional methods that rely heavily on clinical experience and manual techniques, digital technologies offer greater precision, predictability, and efficacy. They also streamline the process by reducing the number of patient visits and improving overall comfort. Despite these improvements, the clinical application of digital complete denture restoration still faces challenges that require further standardization. The major issues include appropriate case selection, establishing consistent digital workflows, and evaluating long-term outcomes. To address these challenges and provide clinical guidance for practitioners, this expert consensus outlines the principles, advantages, and limitations of digital complete denture technology. The aim of this review was to offer practical recommendations on indications, clinical procedures and precautions, evaluation metrics, and outcome assessment to support digital restoration of complete denture in clinical practice.
Humans ; Denture, Complete ; Computer-Aided Design ; Denture Design/methods* ; Consensus ; Printing, Three-Dimensional

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of chylous pleural effusion caused by liver cirrhosis.Methods:The clinical data of 19 cases of liver cirrhosis complicated with chylous pleural effusion admitted at Department of Lymphatic Surgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital from Jun 2013 to Oct 2022 was retrospectively analyzed.Results:There were 12 males (63.2%) and 7 females (36.8%).Ten cases (52.6%) had right chylothorax, and 9 cases (47.4%) had bilateral chylothorax; Seventeen cases (89.5%) had concurrent ascites. Chest fluid examination: 3 cases were milky white (16%), 10 cases were yellow white (53%), 4 cases were orange yellow (21%), and 2 cases were pink (10%).There were 2 cases of exudate and 17 cases of transudate. By radionuclide lymphatic imaging, 9 cases showed increased radiation in the right chest cavity; One case showed increased radiation in the left chest cavity; Five cases showed bilateral chest radiation elevation. By lymphangiography,11 cases showed complete visualization of the thoracic duct, of which 10 cases showed obstruction at the outlet of the thoracic duct. The 10 patients underwent surgical treatment for the release of adhesions at the end of the thoracic duct, and the postoperative result was good. Six patients died during follow-up.Conclusions:Cirrhosis combined with chylous pleural effusion is rare in clinical practice and prognosis is poor. The laboratory examination of pleural effusion is an important basis for determining chylous pleural effusion. The lysis of adhesions at the end of the thoracic duct has a certain therapeutic effect on patients with lymphangiography indicating thoracic duct outlet obstruction.

Objective To analyze the correlation between venous thromboembolism(VTE)and traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitution types in elderly frail patients.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 1 428 elderly frail patients admitted to the Second Comprehensive Department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to June 2023.Patients were divided into a venous thrombsis(VT)group(n=187)and a non-VT group(n=1 241)based on VTE occurrence.Baseline data,including age distribution,Padua scores,Wells scores,and TCM constitution types,were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors for influencing VTE in elderly frail patients.Results(1)Compared with the non-VT group,the VT group had significantly higher total hospitalization costs,length of stay,age,Fried scores,Padua scores,and Wells scores,with statistically significance(P＜0.001).(2)Compared with the non-VT group,the VT group had a higher proportion of high VTE-risk individuals and those with Wells scores of 2 points,with statistically significance(P＜0.001).(3)The age distribution of VTE patients showed an increasing trend in the age groups of 60-69,70-79,80-89,and ≥90-year-old,with a significant difference compared to the non-VT group(P＜0.001).(4)The VT group had a higher proportion of qi-deficiency,blood-stasis,and qi-depression constitutions than the non-VT group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.001).(5)Multivariate logistic regression analysis(after adjusting age,gender,frailty,and other scores)showed that qi-deficiency and yang-deficiency constitutions were non-susceptible,while damp-heat,blood-stasis,and qi-depression constitutions were susceptible to VTE in elderly frail patients(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Conclusion VTE in elderly frail patients is significantly correlated with TCM constitution types.Deviated constitutions are characteristic of TCM constitution types in elderly frail patients,and damp-heat,blood-stasis,and qi-depression constitutions are risk factors for VTE in this population.

Medical fiber endoscope is one kind of medical device that utilizes fiber technique to realize visual detection for internal organs or cavities.In clinical applications,medical fiber endoscope not only need to complete fiber optic imaging but also need possess the functions of delivering water and air,and operating device.Therefore,its routine management and maintenance for fault is more and more payed attention by the staffs of using medical fiber endoscope in department.The system of delivering water and air is a key structure for some of medical fiber endoscopes,which has higher maintenance matters and frequency of maintaining fault.Based on the above reasons,this research analyzed the working principle of medical fiber endoscopes,and summarized the ideas and methods of repairing common faults through focused on the structural composition of delivering system of water and air of medical fiber endoscopes,so as to improve the management level for this type of medical device.

Objective:To assess the presence of chemotherapy-induced abnormal myocardial perfusion using SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in patients with malignant hematologic diseases before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), and to explore its predictive value for mid-to-long-term mortality risk after transplantation.Methods:From March 2016 to August 2022, 139 patients with malignant hematologic diseases (80 males, 59 females; age (45.7±13.0) years) who underwent resting MPI to assess the presence of chemotherapy-induced abnormal myocardial perfusion before HSCT at the First People′s Hospital of Changzhou were prospectively included. Baseline-data were collected and patients were followed up for mid-to-long-term (≥100d) adverse outcomes after transplantation. Overall survival (OS) of each patient was recorded. The χ2 test and independent-sample t test were used for data analysis. Cox regression analysis was utilized to identify independent risk factors affecting OS. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used for survival analysis. Results:The median follow-up time of 139 patients was 41.6(19.5, 65.6) months, with all-cause mortality of 28.8%(40/139), and the cardiovascular mortality was 42.5%(17/40). The prior cardiotoxic therapies rate (anthracycline dose ≥250mg/m 2) was higher in the death group compared to that in the survival group (15.0% (6/40) vs 5.1% (5/99); χ2=3.87, P=0.049). Pre-transplant abnormal myocardial perfusion rate was also higher in the death group compared to that in the survival group (55.0%(22/40) vs 22.2%(22/99); χ2=15.19, P<0.001). But pre-transplant left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was lower in the death group compared to that in the survival group ((60.4±5.2)% vs (62.9±3.9)%; t=-3.07, P=0.003). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that the abnormal myocardial perfusion indicated by MPI before transplantation was an independent risk factor affecting OS after HSCT in patients with malignant hematologic diseases (hazard rate ( HR)=2.70, 95% CI: 1.33-5.46, P=0.006). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed the 1-, 2-, 5-year OS rates of patients with the abnormal myocardial perfusion and the normal myocardial perfusion were 73.5%, 69.1%, 49.2% and 94.6%, 89.9%, 81.6%, respectively, with significant difference ( χ2=17.01, P<0.001). Conclusions:Patients with abnormal myocardial perfusion detected by MPI before HSCT for malignant hematologic diseases have a poorer prognosis, characterized by lower post-transplantation OS rates. The utilization of MPI for assessing abnormal myocardial perfusion before transplantation in patients with malignant hematologic diseases can aid in predicting the mid-to-long-term mortality risk after transplantation.

Osteoarthritis(OA)is closely related to cardiovascular disease(CVD).The incidence of CVD is signifi-cantly higher in the population of OA patients.This review first analyzes the epidemiology and common risk factors of OA and CVD,then discusses the pathogenesis of OA and CVD,and clarifies the roles of chronic low-grade in-flammation,metabolic syndrome,endothelial dysfunction,as well as macrophages,T?cells,and inflammatory fac?tors involved in the mechanisms of interaction between OA and CVD.The review further analyzes treatment strate?gies and preventive measures for OA and CVD,explores the impact of OA treatment drugs on cardiovascular safety,and elucidates the importance of cardiovascular risk assessment and management in OA patients for clinical diagno?sis and treatment.Finally,this review orientes future research directions of OA and CVD,including in?depth explo?ration of the molecular and cellular mechanisms between OA and CVD,drug interactions,and the development of new treatment strategies,aiming to provide ideas for improving the clinical diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of OA and CVD.

Objective:To explore the incidence of Crohn's disease-like pouch (CDP) after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) and analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. One hundred and eighty-two UC patients undergoing IPAA at Jinling Hospital affiliated to Nanjing University from November 2003 to November 2024 were enrolled. Patients were categorized into CDP and non-CDP groups. Clinical features and prognosis were compared, and multivariate Cox regression was performed to identify risk factors for CDP.Results:A total of 182 UC patients were included, with a median follow-up time of 45.00 (30.00, 75.25) months. The patients were divided into two groups based on the diagnosis of CDP, with 23 patients (12.64%) in the CDP group and 159 patients (87.30%) in the non-CDP group. Compared to the non-CDP group, patients in the CDP group had a lower body mass index (BMI) ( Z=-2.87, P=0.004), and were more likely to develop early postoperative pouchitis (χ 2=4.50, P=0.034). The median time from ileostomy closure to the development of CDP was 12 .00 (6.00, 28.00) months. Cox regression analysis showed that a preoperative BMI<18.5 kg/m 2 ( HR=2.84, 95% CI: 1.24~6.49, P=0.013) and early postoperative pouchitis ( HR=3.11, 95% CI: 1.22~7.93, P=0.018) were associated with an increased risk of CDP. Conclusions:Preoperative low BMI and pouchitis occurring within 3 months postoperatively are significant risk factors for CDP. Close monitoring and early intervention are recommended for high-risk patients.

Objective:To explore the time variations of the influence of the ultra-high dose rate irradiation (FLASH irradiation, FLASH-IR) and conventional dose rate irradiation (CONV-IR) of electron beams under different doses on the energy metabolism of triple-negative breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231.Methods:The basal metabolism of the MDA-MB-231 cells and normal breast epithelial cells MCF-10A was compared using a Seahorse XF Pro Metabolic Analyzer. Based on an irradiation platform with a thermionic cathode electron accelerator (6 MeV), the MDA-MB-231 cells were exposed to FLASH-IR (106 Gy/s) and CONV-IR (0.1 Gy/s) at 2 and 14 Gy, respectively. Meanwhile, a sham irradiation group was established under identical culture conditions. The mitochondrial metabolism and glycolytic metabolism of the cells at 4, 24, and 48 h post-irradiation were analyzed.Results:Compared to the MCF-10A cells, the MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited a greater reliance on glycolytic metabolism. Compared to those of the sham irradiation group, MDA-MB-231 cells in the 2 Gy CONV-IR group showed up-regulated ATP-linked respiration at 4, 24, and 48 h post-irradiation ( t = 2.69-3.70, P < 0.05). Their glycolytic level and glycolytic capacity were up-regulated only at 4 h post-irradiation and were down-regulated at 48 h ( t = 2.79, -4.44, P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference in these indicators between the FLASH-IR and CONV-IR groups ( P > 0.05). However, the proton leak of the MDA-MB-231 cells in the FLASH-IR group was relatively down-regulated at 4 h post-irradiation and was significantly up-regulated at 24 h and 48 h post-irradiation compared with the CONV-IR group ( t = -2.45, 3.19, 6.51, P < 0.05). At 14 Gy, the MDA-MB-231 cells in the CONV-IR group showed progressively increased mitochondrial and glycolytic metabolism across all time points ( t = 2.48-12.14, P < 0.05). Notably, compared with the CONV-IR group, the MDA-MB-231 cells in the FLASH-IR group exhibited more significantly up-regulated basal respiration, ATP-linked respiration, and non-mitochondrial oxygen consumption ( t = 2.56-6.51, P < 0.05), as well as a higher glycolytic capacity at 24 h post-irradiation ( t = 2.86, P < 0.05). Conclusions:Low-dose (2 Gy) FLASH-IR induces relatively up-regulated proton leak in breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 at 24 h post-irradiation. In contrast, under high-dose (14 Gy) FLASH-IR, the MDA-MB-231 cells show more pronounced mitochondrial metabolic stress and a higher demand for energy metabolism.