1.Pathogen genome databases development and application in public health
Ziquan LYU ; Yanbo YANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Xiangjie YAO ; Xuemei LU ; Yulin FU ; Xiran WANG ; Qinghua HU ; Xuan ZOU
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(9):1697-1703
Infectious diseases continue to pose a threat to global public health. Successive global shocks caused by emerging and re-emerging pathogens have continuously challenged existing surveillance systems, highlighting the urgent need to build efficient and precise pathogen surveillance networks. Pathogen genomic databases have been developed rapidly in recent two decades, significantly improving the molecular identification, evolutionary analysis, and transmission tracking of pathogens, and changing disease surveillance strategies and patterns. This paper summarizes the developmental history and current state of pathogen genomic databases, and discusses their applications in public health, including pathogen variation surveillance, emerging or suspected pathogen identification, and epidemiological tracing. Furthermore, this paper systematically analyzes the limitations and key challenges faced by current global health prevention and control system, and suggests the focus of the development of online pathogen databases to address existing shortcomings, ultimately improve global infectious disease surveillance and early warning
2.Clinical features of recompensation in autoimmune hepatitis-related decompensated cirrhosis and related predictive factors
Xiaolong LU ; Lin HAN ; Huan XIE ; Lilong YAN ; Xuemei MA ; Dongyan LIU ; Xun LI ; Qingsheng LIANG ; Zhengsheng ZOU ; Caizhe GU ; Ying SUN
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(9):1808-1817
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features and outcomes of recompensation in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH)-related decompensated cirrhosis, to identify independent predictive factors, and to construct a nomogram prediction model for the probability of recompensation. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted among the adult patients with AIH-related decompensated cirrhosis who were admitted to The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2015 to August 2023 (n=211). The primary endpoint was achievement of recompensation, and the secondary endpoint was liver-related death or liver transplantation. According to the outcome of the patients at the end of the follow-up, the patients were divided into the recompensation group (n=16) and the persistent decompensation group(n=150).The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data with homogeneity of variance, and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data with heterogeneity of variance; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups; the Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis; the Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used to identify independent predictive factors, and a nomogram model was constructed and validated. ResultsA total of 211 patients were enrolled, with a median age of 55.0 years and a median follow-up time of 44.0 months, and female patients accounted for 87.2%. Among the 211 patients, 61 (with a cumulative proportion of 35.5%) achieved recompensation. Compared with the persistent decompensation group, the recompensation group had significantly higher white blood cell count, platelet count (PLT), total bilirubin (TBil), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bile acid, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio (INR), SMA positive rate, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, Child-Pugh score, and rate of use of glucocorticoids (all P0.05), as well as significantly lower age at baseline, number of complications, and death/liver transplantation rate (all P0.05). At 3 and 12 months after treatment, the recompensation group had continuous improvements in AST, TBil, INR, IgG, MELD score, and Child-Pugh score, which were significantly lower than the values in the persistent decompensation group (all P0.05), alongside with continuous increases in PLT and albumin, which were significantly higher than the values in the persistent decompensation group (P0.05). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that baseline ALT (hazard ratio [HR]=1.067, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.010 — 1.127, P=0.021), IgG (HR=0.463,95%CI:0.258 — 0.833, P=0.010), SMA positivity (HR=3.122,95%CI:1.768 — 5.515, P0.001), and glucocorticoid therapy (HR=20.651,95%CI:8.744 — 48.770, P0.001) were independent predictive factors for recompensation, and the nomogram model based on these predictive factors showed excellent predictive performance (C-index=0.87,95%CI:0.84 — 0.90). ConclusionAchieving recompensation significantly improves clinical outcomes in patients with AIH-related decompensated cirrhosis. Baseline SMA positivity, a high level of ALT, a low level of IgG, and corticosteroid therapy are independent predictive factors for recompensation. The predictive model constructed based on these factors can provide a basis for decision-making in individualized clinical management.
3.Pathogen genome databases development and application in public health
Ziquan LYU ; Yanbo YANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Xiangjie YAO ; Xuemei LU ; Yulin FU ; Xiran WANG ; Qinghua HU ; Xuan ZOU
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(9):1697-1703
Infectious diseases continue to pose a threat to global public health. Successive global shocks caused by emerging and re-emerging pathogens have continuously challenged existing surveillance systems, highlighting the urgent need to build efficient and precise pathogen surveillance networks. Pathogen genomic databases have been developed rapidly in recent two decades, significantly improving the molecular identification, evolutionary analysis, and transmission tracking of pathogens, and changing disease surveillance strategies and patterns. This paper summarizes the developmental history and current state of pathogen genomic databases, and discusses their applications in public health, including pathogen variation surveillance, emerging or suspected pathogen identification, and epidemiological tracing. Furthermore, this paper systematically analyzes the limitations and key challenges faced by current global health prevention and control system, and suggests the focus of the development of online pathogen databases to address existing shortcomings, ultimately improve global infectious disease surveillance and early warning
4.A meta-analysis of related factors of depressive symptoms among men who have sex with men in China
Xiaocui ZOU ; Xiaorong MAO ; Xuemei CHEN ; Qinghua JIANG
Chinese Mental Health Journal 2024;38(2):186-192
Objective:To systematically review the related factors of depressive symptoms among men who have sex with men(MSM)in China.Methods:CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP,CBM,EMbase,Pubmed,CINAHL,Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to February 17,2023.After literature screening and data extraction,two researchers independently assessed the quality of included studies according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.Results:A total of 21 articles with 11 822 participants were includ-ed.The results of meta-analysis showed that month income ≥3 000 yuan(OR=0.59),college degree or above(OR=0.59)and high self-esteem(OR=0.83)were protective factors,sexual role as the recipient(OR=1.68),dual sexual role(OR=1.41),multiple sexual partners(OR=1.65),sexual violence experience(OR=3.44),self-rated poor health status(OR=3.93),HIV/AIDS related discrimination(OR=1.13),HIV/AIDS related stress(OR=1.11)and suicidal tendency(OR=2.86)were risk factors for depressive symptoms.Conclusion:There are many related factors to the depressive symptoms of MSM.It is necessary to carry out early intervention on the basis of personalized assessment to reduce the occurrence of depressive symptoms among MSM.
5.Advances in construction and applications of quantitative adverse outcome pathways in toxicology
Mintao LI ; Jiahui CHEN ; Beibei JIANG ; Jie GAO ; Jiali ZOU ; Qianru ZHOU ; Xiaofeng YAN ; Shuquan LUO ; Huadong ZHANG ; Jinyao CHEN ; Xuemei LIAN ; Jiao HUO
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2024;38(6):473-480
"Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century—A Vision and Strategy"proposed by the National Research Council of US has brought innovative directives and objectives for toxicity evaluation and risk assessment,pushing forward the next generation of toxicity testing and risk assessment.In this initiative,the concept of adverse outcome pathways(AOPs)has emerged as a prominent methodology,capturing the attention of toxicologists and researchers due to its promising applications in recent years.The quantitative AOP(qAOP)is an extension of the adverse outcome pathway,which is built upon the foundational qualitative adverse outcome pathway model and leverages mathematical frame-works to depict dose-response and/or response-response relationships.This article reviews the princi-ples and advancement surrounding qAOP,introduceds two prevalent methodologies for constructing qAOP,Bayesian network models and regression models,and demonstrates diverse applications of qAOP.Actual cases are used to underscore the transformative role of qAOP in contemporary toxicology and risk assessment practices.
6.Application of case study combined with scenario simulation in teaching clinical internship of radiation oncology
Chen CHEN ; Bijun ZOU ; Yuan ZHANG ; Biaoshui LIU ; Xuan GUO ; Xuemei CHEN ; Bin WANG ; Dandan ZHANG ; Yuanhong GAO
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(12):1680-1684
Objective:To explore the effect of case study combined with scenario simulation in teaching clinical internship of radiation oncology.Methods:This study selected 144 undergraduate students majoring in clinical medicine who interned at the Department of Radiotherapy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from November 2022 to May 2023 as the research subjects. They were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group. The control group received traditional teaching, while the observation group received case study combined with scenario simulation teaching, with 72 students in each group. The two groups of trainees were evaluated for theoretical and skill assessment scores, core competencies, and teaching satisfaction. The t-test and chi-square test were performed using SPSS 22.0. Results:The theoretical and skill scores of the trainees in the observation group [(88.27±3.40) and (92.69±3.65)] were higher than those in the control group [(83.01±10.38) and (87.20±3.74)], and the differences were statistically significant. Compared with the control group, the observation group showed higher core competency scores in eight dimensions, including learning initiative and enthusiasm, knowledge comprehension ability, critical thinking ability, clinical specialty practice ability, analytical and problem-solving ability, doctor-patient communication, professional ethics, and teamwork ability, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The satisfaction scores of the observation group trainees of teaching plan, teaching content, teaching methods, teaching results, and teaching ability were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The application of case study combined with scenario simulation teaching clinical internship of radiation oncology can help improve the theoretical and skill scores of medical students, as well as their core competencies and teaching satisfaction. This is a teaching method worthy of application and promotion.
7.Application of case study combined with scenario simulation in teaching clinical internship of radiation oncology
Chen CHEN ; Bijun ZOU ; Yuan ZHANG ; Biaoshui LIU ; Xuan GUO ; Xuemei CHEN ; Bin WANG ; Dandan ZHANG ; Yuanhong GAO
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(12):1680-1684
Objective:To explore the effect of case study combined with scenario simulation in teaching clinical internship of radiation oncology.Methods:This study selected 144 undergraduate students majoring in clinical medicine who interned at the Department of Radiotherapy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from November 2022 to May 2023 as the research subjects. They were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group. The control group received traditional teaching, while the observation group received case study combined with scenario simulation teaching, with 72 students in each group. The two groups of trainees were evaluated for theoretical and skill assessment scores, core competencies, and teaching satisfaction. The t-test and chi-square test were performed using SPSS 22.0. Results:The theoretical and skill scores of the trainees in the observation group [(88.27±3.40) and (92.69±3.65)] were higher than those in the control group [(83.01±10.38) and (87.20±3.74)], and the differences were statistically significant. Compared with the control group, the observation group showed higher core competency scores in eight dimensions, including learning initiative and enthusiasm, knowledge comprehension ability, critical thinking ability, clinical specialty practice ability, analytical and problem-solving ability, doctor-patient communication, professional ethics, and teamwork ability, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The satisfaction scores of the observation group trainees of teaching plan, teaching content, teaching methods, teaching results, and teaching ability were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The application of case study combined with scenario simulation teaching clinical internship of radiation oncology can help improve the theoretical and skill scores of medical students, as well as their core competencies and teaching satisfaction. This is a teaching method worthy of application and promotion.
8.Diagnostic and therapeutic value of endoscopy and mucosal histology for digestive tract diseases in infants
Weiwei LIAO ; Xuemei ZHONG ; Xin MA ; Youzhe GONG ; Huijuan NING ; Yanling ZHANG ; Jizhen ZOU
Chinese Journal of Digestive Endoscopy 2023;40(6):444-448
Objectives:To investigate the clinical value of endoscopy and mucosal histology for digestive tract diseases in infants.Methods:Clinical data of 357 infants who underwent 422 gastrointestinal endoscopies from January 2010 to December 2021 were collected. The indications, endoscopic manifestations, histological features of mucosa and diagnosis were analyzed.Results:A total of 159 gastroscopies and 263 colonoscopies were performed. Diarrhea (185 cases), bloody stool (178 cases) and vomiting (46 cases) were common symptoms. Endoscopy showed manifestations including non-specific inflammatory changes (265 cases), ulcer-like changes (72 cases), and normal mucusa (48 cases). A total of 373 biopsies were performed, including 260 cases of abnormal mucosal histology, 109 cases of normal mucosal histology, and 4 cases of too small biopsy specimens for analysis. Diagnoses were 208 cases of anaphylactic disease, 45 cases of inflammatory bowel disease, 15 cases of variation of structure, 10 cases of intestinal lymphangiectasis, 2 cases of autoimmune enteropathy, and 1 case of celiac disease. There was only 1 colonic perforation complicating endoscopy in terms of endoscopic complication.Conclusions:It is safe and effective to perform endoscopy standardly for digestive tract diseases in infants. Endoscopy with biopsies is a greatly informative test for diagnosis in infants.
9.Risk factors and prognostic value of heart-type fatty acid binding protein in patients with heart failure
Yuyi CHEN ; Pengchao TIAN ; Changhong ZOU ; Jiayu FENG ; Yan HUANG ; Qiong ZHOU ; Mei ZHAI ; Xiaofeng ZHUANG ; Yihang WU ; Boping HUANG ; Jingyuan GUAN ; Jing WANG ; Xinqing LI ; Xuemei ZHAO ; Tianyu XU ; Yuhui ZHANG ; Jian ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2022;45(9):968-976
Objective:To investigate the prognostic value and related factors of heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) in patients with heart failure.Methods:A total of 877 consecutive patients who were admitted to heart failure care unit of Fuwai hospital and diagnosed as heart failure from July 2015 to July 2017 were enrolled in this study. Baseline serum H-FABP concentration was measured by fluorescence lateral flow immunoassay. According to serum H-FABP levels, patients were divided into three groups: low H-FABP group (H-FABP≤4.04 ng/ml, n=292), middle H-FABP group (H-FABP 4.04-7.02 ng/ml, n=292) and high H-FABP group (H-FABP≥7.02 ng/ml, n=293). The general clinical characteristics were collected and compared among the three groups. According to whether heart failure was caused by coronary artery disease or not, patients with heart failure were divided into ischemic heart failure and non-ischemic heart failure. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to explore the independent risk factors of H-FABP. The primary endpoint events were the composite of all-cause death or heart transplantation. Multivariate Cox regression analyses, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, risk prediction tests with multivariate Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between H-FABP and the prognosis of heart failure. Results:Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that age, coronary artery disease, alanine aminotransferase, uric acid and N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were positively associated with H-FABP (β=0.012, 0.238, 0.001, 0.345 and 0.063 respectively,all P<0.05), while female, hemoglobin, albumin, sodium, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were negatively associated with H-FABP (β=-0.184, -0.006, -0.016, -0.034 and -0.006 respectively, all P<0.05). One hundred and nineteen patients (13.6%) lost to follow-up, and 246 patients (32.5%) suffered from all-cause death or heart transplantation during the median follow-up duration of 931 (412-1 185) days. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that baseline H-FABP (log 2H-FABP) level was the independent predictor of all-cause death or heart transplantation in patients with heart failure ( HR=1.39, P<0.001). ROC curves showed that baseline H-FABP was a predictor of all-cause death or heart transplantation in patients with heart failure within 3 months, 1 year and 2 years (areas under the curves were 0.69, 0.69 and 0.71 respectively), and the best cut-off values were 5.85 ng/ml, 6.54 ng/ml and 6.54 ng/ml respectively. Risk prediction test with multivariate Cox regression model showed that baseline H-FABP could provide additional prognostic value in predicting all-cause death or heart transplantation for patients with heart failure on top of basic model and baseline NT-proBNP ( P<0.001). Taking 6.54 ng/ml and trisected levels of H-FABP as cut-off values respectively, Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that the survival rates were significantly different among the two or three groups ( P<0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that baseline H-FABP (log 2H-FABP) level was an independent predictor of all-cause death or heart transplantation in patients with ischemic heart failure ( HR=1.74, P<0.001), as well as in patients with non-ischemic heart failure ( HR=1.28, P=0.027). Conclusions:Age, sex, coronary artery disease, hemoglobin, albumin, alanine aminotransferase, sodium, eGFR, uric acid and NT-proBNP are associated with H-FABP level. Baseline H-FABP level is an independent predictor of all-cause death or heart transplantation in patients with heart failure. On top of basic model and baseline NT-proBNP, baseline H-FABP could provide additional prognostic value in predicting adverse events for patients with heart failure.
10.Meibomian gland dysfunction and expressions of inflammatory factors and lipid metabolic factors in diabetic mice
Yuanyuan ZOU ; Xuemei LIU ; Yuanyuan QI ; Shaozhen ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Ophthalmology 2022;40(9):820-826
Objective:To explore the changes in morphology and function of meibomian gland and the expressions of inflammatory factors and lipid metabolic factors in meibomian gland of diabetic mice.Methods:Fifty 8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice of clean degree were divided into normal control group ( n=20) and diabetes model group ( n=30) according to a random table.Diabetes model was established by the intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg, 10 mg/ml). Mouse tail vein blood glucose ≥16.7 mmol/L was considered as successful modeling.Blood glucose was measured weekly, and body weight was compared between the two groups.Ten mice were randomly selected for fluorescein sodium staining of the cornea to evaluate the integrity of the corneal epithelium from both groups at an interval of 4 weeks.Five mice were randomly selected from the two groups and were sacrificed via anesthesia to collect meibomian gland tissue for hematoxylin and eosin staining in order to observe morphological changes at 8 and 16 weeks after modeling, respectively.At 16 weeks following modeling, mebomian gland of 5 mice randomly selected from both groups was stained with oil red O staining to observe the distribution of lipid.Real-time fluorescence quantitative-PCR was performed to detect the relative expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, pigment epithelium derived factor (PEDF), peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and adipose differentiation-related protein (ADFP) mRNA in meibomian gland.The use and care of animals complied with the ARVO statement.This study protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital (No.TJYY20190630009). Results:The successful modeling rate of diabetes in mice was 100%, and the survival rate was 83.3% (25/30). The weight was significantly lower and the blood glucose level was higher in diabetes model group at 8 and 16 weeks after modeling in comparison with normal control group (all at P<0.05). There were significant differences in corneal fluorescein staining score among different time points in diabetes model group ( F=27.155, P<0.05). In diabetes model group, thinner wall of meibomian gland duct, enlarged lumen of the duct, dilated acini and oil red-stained lipid deposition in most acini were observed.At 16 weeks after modeling, the expressions of TNF-α, and PPARγ mRNA in meibomian gland of diabetes model group were 3.33±0.91 and 1.55±0.25, which were significantly higher than 1.00±0.16 and 1.00±0.27 of normal control group (both at P<0.05). The expression of PEDF mRNA in diabetes model group was 0.42±0.08, which was significantly lower than 1.00±0.34 in normal control group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the ADFP mRNA expression between the two groups ( t=0.943, P=0.38). Conclusions:Inflammatory factors and lipid metabolic factors such as TNF-α, PEDF, and PPARγ may be involved in the pathogenesis of meibomian gland dysfunction induced by diabetes.

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