1.The application value of deep learning image reconstruction algorithm in ultra-low dose abdominal CT scanning
Xing TANG ; Yuncheng LI ; Hongmin SHU ; Weishu HOU ; Jun WANG ; Xiaohu LI
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):758-762
ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of various strength levels of deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithms for improving non-contrast abdominal CT image quality at ultra-low radiation doses, by comparing ultra-low-dose DLIR images with low-dose filtered back projection (FBP) images. MethodsA prospective collection of 85 patients undergoing non-contrast abdominal CT scans was performed, and a self-controlled study method was employed to conduct low-dose (LD) group and ultra-low-dose (ULD) group scans. The LD group used a noise index of 10 and employed FBP for image reconstruction (LD-FBP group). The ULD group used a noise index of 30 and employed DLIR at different levels (low, medium, high), resulting in three subgroups of reconstructed images: ULD-DLIR-L, ULD-DLIR-M, and ULD-DLIR-H. For each group, CT values, standard devia-tion (SD), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were measured and calculated for the liver, spleen, kidneys, aorta, psoas major, and subcutaneous fat. Effective dose (ED) was also recorded. Two radiologists independently performed subjective evaluations of image quality using a 5-point scale. ResultsCompared with the LD-FBP group, the ULD-DLIR-L group showed significantly lower SNR and CNR values in the liver, spleen, kidneys, aorta, and psoas major (P<0.001), while the ULD-DLIR-H group exhibited significantly higher values (P<0.001). The difference of SNR and CNR values for the ULD-DLIR-M group showed no statistically significant difference. For subjective evaluation, the scores of the ULD-DLIR-L and ULD-DLIR-M groups were lower than those of the LD-FBP group, while there was no statistically significant difference in scores between the ULD-DLIR-H group and the LD-FBP group. The ED value of the ULD group was approximately 88% lower than that of the LD group. ConclusionCompared with the LD-FBP group, the ULD-DLIR-H group significantly reduces SD values while increasing SNR and CNR values, effectively improving the image quality of non-contrast abdominal CT scans.
2.The Impact of Pcdh15 Deficiency on Cellular Energy Metabolism and Oxidative Stress, and Its Role and Mechanism in Hearing Loss
Ying LAN ; Yang WU ; Shijie ZHAO ; Jun TANG ; Xingming LIANG ; Tao HOU ; Lu PENG ; Yongpeng LI ; Xinxing ZHAO ; Shihua YIN
Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology 2026;19(2):129-144
Objectives:
. This study aimed to explore the role of the Pcdh15 gene in hearing maintenance and to examine the effects of its deficiency on cochlear structure, cochlear function, and hearing loss in mice.
Methods:
. CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to generate Pcdh15 knockout (KO) mice. Auditory function was evaluated using hearing tests, while histological approaches were employed to assess morphological changes in cochlear hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on cochlear tissue from postnatal day 18 (P18) wild-type (WT) and Pcdh15 KO mice to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). These DEGs were subjected to functional annotation and pathway analysis, with particular emphasis on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were quantified using flow cytometry and DCFH-DA assays.
Results:
. Pcdh15 KO mice exhibited progressive sensorineural hearing loss, which worsened to profound deafness by P18. Notably, cochlear hair cells and SGNs showed substantial loss and pronounced morphological abnormalities, particularly within the basal high-frequency region. RNA-seq analysis identified 1,359 DEGs, including 1,024 downregulated and 335 upregulated genes. Pathway analysis indicated that Pcdh15 deficiency was associated with inhibition of the OXPHOS pathway, potentially disrupting mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I, III, IV, and V and thereby impairing energy production and ATP metabolism. In addition, early-stage cochleae from KO mice demonstrated elevated ROS levels and increased oxidative stress, suggesting that redox imbalance may contribute to hearing damage.
Conclusion
. Pcdh15 plays a critical role in hearing maintenance. Its deficiency is associated with severe hearing loss and marked cochlear abnormalities, which are linked to inhibition of OXPHOS, disruption of energy metabolism, and exacerbation of oxidative stress. Together, these findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying hearing loss and suggest potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
3.Feasibility analysis of bilateral uterine artery embolization via distal radial artery access
Faliang DAI ; Chunhai LI ; Jun HOU ; Tianshu LIU ; Yongqi JI ; Fangfang ZHANG ; Yan JIAO ; Guoning TIAN ; Yixing LIU
Journal of Practical Radiology 2025;41(9):1549-1552
Objective To explore the feasibility and safety of bilateral uterine artery embolization(UAE)via distal radial artery access.Methods Thirty patients who underwent bilateral UAE were selected.They were divided into distal radial artery group(14 cases)and femoral artery group(16 cases).The clinical signs,puncture times,operation time,compression hemostasis time,discomfort scores,microcatheter non-use rates,and complication rates of the two groups were analyzed,the feasibility and safety of bilateral UAE via distal radial artery access were evaluated.Results The mean number of puncture times in the distal radial artery group was 1.6 times that of the femoral artery group,and the puncture pain score was 1.5 times that of the femoral artery group(P<0.05).The operation time and puncture point compression hemostasis time in the distal radial artery group were shorter than those in the femoral artery group,and the discomfort score of compression hemostasis in the distal radial artery group was lower than that in the femoral artery group(P<0.01).The proportions who did not use microcatheters in the two groups accounted for 28.6%and 6.3%,respectively,the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05).Four patients with poor access vessels were found in the distal radial artery group(P<0.05).Conclusion Bilateral UAE via distal radial artery access is safe and feasible.
4.Performance evaluation of AI-enabled blood cell morphology system for peripheral blood smear and application in grading screening network of primary medical care system
Xiaobing SUN ; Gusheng TANG ; Kaiying YUAN ; Duanqin DIAO ; Jun HU ; Xiaoyuan SHI ; Hao YUAN ; Anmei WANG ; Yan FANG ; Liqin JIANG ; Xueliang QIN ; Chun XU ; Qi HOU ; Jiong WU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science 2025;43(4):246-252
Objective To evaluate the recognition capability of AI-enabled Cellsee CS-BM1 automatic cell morphology analyzer for pe-ripheral blood smears and its roles in assisting manual classification,and explore the application value of AI system in the diagnosis network of tiered primary medical units.Methods The blood samples which triggered the re-examination rules were collected from six primary medical units,including the Laboratory Department of Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital,and so on,from March to No-vember 2023.The smears of peripheral blood were prepared and AI analyzer was used for pre-classification to evaluate its recognition performance in identifying the samples with abnormal WBC and RBC.The sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of WBC classification by six junior and intermediate technicians,both with and without AI assistance,were analyzed.Additionally,the roles of the AI system in tiered diagnosis of primary medical units were also evaluated.Results The sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of AI system in recognizing malignant primitive cells were 92.86%,95.16%,and 95.10%,respectively.The sensitivities of AI system in recognizing immature granulocytes,reactive lymphocytes,and nucleated RBCs were all greater than 90%.The sensitivity of AI system in identif-ying abnormal morphology of RBCs reached 99.59%,along with rapid quantitative analysis for various anomalous types of RBCs.In AI-assisted mode,the sensitivity of recognition for all cell types was improved to varying degrees by junior and intermediate technicians,and the sensitivity for recognizing malignant primitive cells,reactive lymphocytes,and immature granulocytes increased to 58.24%,53.39%,and 62.37%for junior technicians,and to 92.06%,83.24%,and 83.12%for intermediate technicians,respectively.The improvements for junior technicians were particularly significant,with increases of 12.46%,10.61%,and 3.71%for each cell type,respectively.Both groups achieved higher specificity and accuracy.Through AI pre-classification and manual review,a variety of pe-ripheral blood cell-related diseases were accurately diagnosed in the tiered healthcare practice of primary medical units,including 339 cases(11.13%)of red blood cell diseases,5 cases(0.16%)of platelet diseases,2 343 cases(76.90%)of infection-related disea-ses,and 28 cases(0.92%)of malignant hematological diseases.In addition,332 cases(10.90%)which lacked an obvious related cause or required further examinations were identified as well.Conclusion AI pre-classification has demonstrated strong cell recogni-tion capabilities and may assist technicians in improving the sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of blood cell classification.AI could en-hance the disease-screening capabilities in the tiered diagnosis network of primary medical units,presenting a broad application prospect.
5.Study on the Suitability Regionalation of Codonopsis pilosula in Shanxi Province Based on MaxEnt and ArcGIS
Lei HOU ; Zihao XU ; Ziying LEI ; Yanhui WU ; Jun ZHANG ; Chenhui DU ; Runli HE
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(4):7-13
Objective To analyze the ecological suitability of Codonopsis pilosula;To provide theoretical reference for expanding the planting scale of Codonopsis pilosula in Shanxi Province.Methods Information on the distribution of Codonopsis pilosula samples through the fourth survey of TCM resources in Shanxi Province and literature review;the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS 10.8 geographic information system software were used to analyze the ecological factors affecting the distribution of Codonopsis Radix in Shanxi Province,and the suitable distribution areas of Codonopsis pilosula in Shanxi Province were predicted.Results The predicted distribution areas of Codonopsis pilosula in Shanxi Province by the model were highly consistent with the actual distribution area;the AUC of the training set was 0.945,indicating good prediction results.The predominant ecological factors(contributing)impacting the distribution of Codonopsis pilosula included vegetation type(31.1%),the standard deviation of seasonal temperature fluctuations(25.0%),slope(8.3%),mean January precipitation(5.3%),mean May precipitation(5.0%),and elevation(4.9%)etc.The optimal vegetation types conducive to the proliferation of Codonopsis pilosula were identified as temperate deciduous shrubs,temperate grasslands,temperate coniferous forests,and temperate deciduous broad-leaved forests.The standard deviation of seasonal temperature change was within the range of 92 to 108,the slope gradient was from 14° to 30°,mean January precipitation was of 4 to 6.8 mm,mean May precipitation was of 33.5 to 58 mm,and elevation ranged from 1 100 to 2 800 meters.Codonopsis pilosula was mainly distributed in Lucheng,Qinxian and Qinyuan counties in the eastern part of Taiyue Mountain in Changzhi City;Pu County,Fenxi County,Fenyang City of Lyuliang City in the Lyuliang Mountain Range and Yushe County of Jinzhong City in the northern part of Taiyue Mountain.The most suitable area in Shanxi Province was 14 109.67 km2,the suitable area encompassed 22 837.62 km2,the relatively suitable area covered 41 982.96 km2,while the unsuitable area extended over 77 769.75 km2.Conclusion The geographical distribution data of Codonopsis pilosula resources in Shanxi Province may serve as a basis for further examination of regional zoning,with the establishment of wild cultivation bases for Codonopsis pilosula in proximity to various mountain ranges,such as the Taihang Mountains.Moreover,the artificial cultivation conditions can be modified in accordance with the optimal growth environment of Codonopsis pilosula,thereby optimizing the management of Codonopsis resources.
6.Clinicopathologic analysis of 19 cases of urachal adenocarcinoma
Xiang LI ; Ying HUANG ; Weiyu PAN ; Juan YU ; Xinxin GUO ; Xiaolei ZHANG ; Licheng SHEN ; Yingyong HOU ; Jun HOU
Chinese Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology 2025;41(5):571-576
Purpose To explore the clinical and pathological features,differential diagnosis,treatment methods and prognosis of urachal adenocarcinoma.Methods Nineteen cases of urachal adenocarcinoma were collected and an-alyzed by combining clinical symptoms,auxiliary examinations,histology,immunohistochemical,and genetic testing and 11 cases of bladder adenocarcinomas.Results Among the 19 patients(15 males,4 females;age range:33-75 years,mean:55 years),tumors were located at the dome or anterior wall of the bladder.Histological subtypes includ-ed mucinous adenocarcinoma(6 cases),adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified(4 cases),enteric-type adenocarci-noma(6 cases),adenocarcinoma with focal mucinous differentiation(1 case),adenocarcinoma with signet-ring cell carcinoma(1 case),and metastatic urachal adenocarcinoma(1 case).Immunophenotypic analysis revealed membra-nous positivity for β-catenin,diffuse positivity for CK34βE 12,MUC-2,and CK20,focal CK7 positivity in some cases,and rare GATA-3 positivity.Mutations in p53 were observed,while KRAS,NRAS,BRAF,and PIK3CA mutations were absent.In colorectal adenocarcinomas,CK34βE12 positivity was 40%,nuclear β-catenin positivity was 48%,and MUC-2 expression was approximately 50%.In bladder adenocarcinomas,GATA-3 and MUC-2 positivity rates were 45%and 63.6%,respectively.Conclusion Distinguishing urachal adenocarcinoma from colorectal and primary bladder adenocarcinomas remains challenging.Urachal adenocarcinoma should be suspected in patients with anterior bladder wall or dome lesions,gross hematuria,or mucinuria.No definitive diagnostic markers currently exist for ura-chal adenocarcinoma.Immunophenotypic features such as membranous β-catenin,MUC-2,and CK7 positivity may fa-vor urachal adenocarcinoma over colorectal adenocarcinoma.Additional markers(e.g.,GATA-3,CK20,CK34βE12)aid in differential diagnosis,though individual markers lack specificity.Comprehensive evaluation integrating clinical presentation,imaging,and clinicopathological features is essential for accurate diagnosis.
7.Study on the changes of intestinal flora in patients with gastric cancer and precancerous lesions and its correlation with PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal-ing pathway
Chinese Journal of Current Advances in General Surgery 2025;28(2):119-124
Objective:Exploring gut microbiota alterations in gastric cancer and precancerous lesions and their As-sociation with the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.Methods:According to the propensity score matching"proximity method"with a ratio of 1∶1∶1,45 patients with gastric intraepithelial neoplasia(GIN)(precancerous group),45 patients with gastric cancer(gastric cancer group),and 45 healthy individuals(health examination center)(control group)were se-lected as the research subjects.High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA was used to detect intestinal flora.By oper-ating the taxonomic unit(OTU),the α diversity analysis,β diversity analysis,colony structure differences,and linear dis-criminant effect analysis(LEfSe)of the three groups of intestinal flora were compared,and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal-ing pathway in the three groups of feces were compared.The correlation between intestinal flora and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was analyzed using Pearson's method.Results:A total of 572 different OTUs were obtained from fecal sample sequencing,of which 287 were shared by three groups.Principal component analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences between three groups(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the Chao,Shannon,Simpson,and Observed indices among the three groups(P>0.05).The species abundance and com-position of intestinal flora in the gastric cancer group were relatively dispersed,while those in the control group were closer.The precancerous group was in the middle,and there were statistically significant differences between the three groups(P<0.05).The LEfSe significance analysis showed that at the phylum level,the abundance of Actinobacte-ria and Firmicutes in the gastric cancer group and precancerous group was lower than that in the control group,and the gastric cancer group was lower than the precancerous group.However,the abundance of Proteobacteria,Campylobac-teria,and Bacteroidetes increased,and the gastric cancer group was higher than the precancerous group;At the genus level,the abundance of Escherichia coli-Shigella in the gastric cancer group was higher than that in the control group,while the abundance of Bacteroides was lower than that in the control group,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).The levels of PI3K mRNA,AKT mRNA,and mTOR mRNA in the gastric cancer group and precancerous group were higher than those in the control group,and the precancerous group was higher than the control group,with sta-tistically significant differences(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that Enterobacteriaceae,Escherichia coli-Shigella were positively correlated with PI3K mRNA,AKT mRNA,and mTOR mRNA,while Bacteroides was negatively correlated with them.Conclusion:The diversity,structure,and abundance of gut microbiota are associated with the occurrence and progression of precancerous lesions in gastric cancer.Enterobacteriaceae,Escherichia coli-Shigella,and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway gene expression are all associated to some extent,which can provide a refer-ence for clinical diagnosis of precancerous lesions,understanding the development mechanism of gastric cancer,and early intervention.
8.Application effect of high flow humidified oxygen therapy combined with tracheotomy in elderly patients with cerebral hemorrhage and analysis of risk factors for pulmonary infection
Ziming HOU ; Dongyuan LIU ; Jun YANG ; Zhe HOU ; Hao WANG ; Hongbing ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Surgery 2025;33(7):697-702
Objective To investigate the application effect of high flow humidified oxygen therapy combined with tracheotomy in elderly patients with cerebral hemorrhage and analyze the risk factors of pulmonary infection.Methods A total of 140 elderly patients with cerebral hemorrhage who underwent tracheotomy in our hospital from 2019 to 2023 were selected as the study objects,of which 93 patients receiving high-flow humidified oxygen therapy were selected as the observation group,and 47 patients receiving conventional low-flow oxygen therapy were selected as the control group during the same period.The changes of PaO2,SpO2,heart rate and mean arterial pressure were compared,and patients in the observation group were divided into infected group(n=26)and non-infected group(n=67)according to whether pulmonary infection occurred during hospitalization.The risk factors affecting pulmonary infection during hospitalization in elderly patients with cerebral hemorrhage were analyzed,and a nematographic prediction model was built to predict the risk of pulmonary infection.Results The PaO2 and SpO2 levels in observation group were higher than those in control group at 24 h and 72 h,but the respiratory rate was lower than that in control group(P<0.05).The improvement of sputum viscosity in the observation group(68 cases of grade Ⅰ sputum and 25 cases of grade Ⅱ sputum)was better than that in the control group(16 cases of grade Ⅰ sputum,17 cases of grade Ⅱ sputum and 14 cases of gradeⅢ sputum).The rate of phlegm scab formation(0)and the number of sputum aspiration(5.15±1.08)times were lower than those in the control group[14.87%,(8.17±1.82)times](P<0.05).There were significant differences in tracheotomy time,smoking history,bed rest time,mechanical ventilation time and nasal feeding tube retention time between infected and non-infected groups(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that tracheotomy time>5 d,smoking history,bed time>10 d,mechanical ventilation time ≥24 h,nasal feeding tube retention time≥10 d were the risk factors for pulmonary infection in elderly patients with cerebral hemorrhage during treatment(P<0.05).The AUC,sensitivity and specificity were 0.696,0.565 and 0.889 in elderly patients with cerebral hemorrhage complicated by pulmonary infection during treatment.Conclusion High-flow humidification oxygen therapy combined with tracheotomy can improve the oxygenation status in elderly patients with cerebral hemorrhage,but the time of tracheotomy,smoking history,bed rest time,mechanical ventilation time,and nasal feeding tube retention time will affect the pulmonary infection during treatment.The construction of a nomogram model based on these risk factors has higher predictive efficacy in evaluating the pulmonary infection.
9.Effect of remote motor imagery therapy on rehabilitation of patients with severe coronary heart disease after PCI
Jun-xia HAO ; Cong-cong LI ; Ya-nan TIAN ; Xiao-xin HOU
Chinese Journal of cardiovascular Rehabilitation Medicine 2025;34(4):565-570
Objective:To explore the effect of remote motor imagery therapy on rehabilitation of patients with severe coronary heart disease(CHD)after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods:This randomized con-trolled study enrolled 164 patients with severe CHD undergoing PCI who admitted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University between January 2022 and January 2024.Patients were divided into control group(n=82)and intervention group(n=82).Patients in the control group was given conventional home nursing intervention comparing to those in the intervention group receiving additional remote motor imagery therapy.Both groups were intervened for 8 weeks.Indexes of pain,psychological emotion,ability of daily living,motor function and fall were compared between two groups.Results:Compared to those in control group after intervention,patients in interven-tion group had significant lower scores of visual analogue scale(VAS)[(2.03±0.81)points vs.(5.14±0.84)points],the Hospital anxiety and depression scale(HADS)anxiety subscale(HADS-A)[(4.89±0.84)points vs.(9.05±0.78)points],HADS depression subscale(H ADS-D)[(5.31±1.10)points vs.(10.13±0.82)points],HADS total score[(10.20±1.39)points vs.(19.18±1.18)points](P<0.001 all),and significant higher 6-min walking distance(6MWD)[(439.31±16.51)m vs.(364.94±12.76)m],peak oxygen uptake(VO2 peak)[(20.28±2.40)ml·kg-1·min-1 vs.(17.26±1.35)ml·kg-1·min-1],anaerobic threshold oxygen consumption(VO2AT)[(17.04±1.18)ml·kg-1·min-1 vs.(13.62±1.16)ml·kg-1·min-1],scores of Chinese modified Fall Efficacy Scale(MFES)[(107.28±4.84)points vs.(87.41±4.73)points],ability of daily living(ADL)scale[(78.95±3.92)points vs.(68.00±4.10)points]and Barthel index[(85.83±2.50)points vs.(69.79±3.42)points](P<0.001 all).We detected significant lower incidence of falling(7.50%vs.21.25%)in the intervention group compared to control group(P=0.013).Conclusion:Remote motor imagery therapy may strengthen motor function and ability of daily living,and relieve pain and negative emotions in patients with severe CHD after PCI.
10.Scutellarin alleviates cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats through CX3CL1/CX3CR1-PI3K/AKT pathway
Jun LI ; Yi HOU ; Ronghui LIU ; Wenchao HU ; Song TAO ; Hong HUANG
Chinese Journal of Neuroanatomy 2025;41(4):469-476
Objective:To investigate the neuroprotective efficacy of scutellarin(Scu)against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion(CIRI)injury in rats,with a focus on its regulatory mechanisms involving the CX3CL1/CX3CR1-PI3K/AKT signaling axis.Methods:The rat CIRI model was established using Longa's intraluminal suture method.The experimental design comprised four groups(n=15 per group):Sham operation group,CIRI model group,Scu treat-ment(40 mg/kg/d Scu gavage)group,and Scu+LY294002(Scu combined with PI3K inhibitor LY294002)group.Following 4 weeks of intervention,neurological function,pathological changes,and pathway protein expression were evaluated using Longa scoring,TTC staining,HE staining,transmission electron microscopy,immunofluorescence,or Western blot analysis.Results:Compared to the CIRI model group,Scu treatment significantly improved neurological function,reduced cerebral infarct volume and attenuated neuronal damage(P<0.05).Furthermore,Scu downregulat-ed CX3CL1/CX3CR1 expression,increased p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT ratios,elevated Bcl-2/Bax ratio,and de-creased IL-17A expression(P<0.05).These protective effects were partially reversed by LY294002.Conclusion:Scu exerts neuroprotective effects in cerebral CIRI injury by downregulating CX3CL1/CX3CR1 expression and activating the PI3K/AKT pathway,thereby attenuating inflammation and apoptosis.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail