1.An Attention-weighted Tri-modal Ultrasound Network (TUS-Net) for Screening of Atypical Hepatocellular Carcinoma From LR-M Liver Nodules
He-Chong ZHANG ; Liang-Hui HUANG ; Xue-Hua WANG ; Shang-Lin JIANG ; Ying-Ying CHEN ; Ya-Guang ZENG ; Wei ZHENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1485-1498
ObjectiveDiscriminating atypical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from other malignancies in liver nodules classified as Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System category M (LR-M) remains a significant diagnostic challenge on conventional ultrasound examination. The LR-M category, originally intended to capture non-HCC malignancies, paradoxically contains up to 63% of atypical HCCs that deviate from classic enhancement patterns, leading to potential misdiagnosis and suboptimal treatment planning. While deep learning has shown promise in HCC diagnosis, most existing models rely exclusively on single-modality ultrasound, overlooking the diagnostic benefits of integrating complementary information from multiple imaging sources. To address this gap, we propose a novel attention-weighted tri-modal ultrasound network (TUS-Net) that integrates contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), B-mode ultrasound (BUS), and time-intensity curves (TICs) to improve diagnostic accuracy for these clinically challenging lesions. MethodsOur framework incorporates a three-dimensional convolutional neural network (C3D) backbone to extract spatiotemporal features from CEUS videos, capturing dynamic vascular patterns critical for lesion characterization. To effectively fuse complementary modalities, we introduce a dual-channel feature fusion module (DCFFM) that adaptively combines features from CEUS and BUS through channel-wise attention mechanisms, allowing the model to dynamically weigh the contribution of each modality based on diagnostic relevance. Additionally, we propose a temporal intensity feature fusion module (TIFFM) that leverages quantitative hemodynamic information from TICs to guide the model’s attention toward diagnostically critical temporal phases, such as arterial wash-in and portal venous washout. The model is further enhanced by automated lesion localization using YOLOX and class activation mapping for interpretability, ensuring that predictions align with clinically meaningful imaging features. ResultsEvaluated on a tri-modal ultrasound dataset comprising 161 patients with pathologically confirmed LR-M nodules (131 atypical HCC and 30 non-HCC malignancies), our model achieved an accuracy of 86.83%, a sensitivity of 92.50%, a specificity of 75.50%, and an AUC of 89.32% in screening atypical HCC. Compared to single-modality baselines, TUS-Net demonstrated superior specificity, a clinically critical metric given the higher risk associated with misclassifying non-HCC malignancies. Ablation studies confirmed the contribution of each module, with the full model outperforming both standard C3D and 3D ResNet backbones integrated with attention mechanisms. A reader study involving junior and senior radiologists further validated the clinical utility of AI assistance, showing consistent improvements in specificity and inter-reader consistency, particularly for less experienced clinicians. ConclusionThese results surpass existing benchmark models and demonstrate the potential of our approach to enhance diagnostic precision in clinically specific cases. By intelligently fusing multi-modal ultrasound data with attention-guided mechanisms, TUS-Net offers a reliable and interpretable tool that holds promise for improving the non-invasive diagnosis of atypical HCC in challenging LR-M liver nodules.
2.An Attention-weighted Tri-modal Ultrasound Network (TUS-Net) for Screening of Atypical Hepatocellular Carcinoma From LR-M Liver Nodules
He-Chong ZHANG ; Liang-Hui HUANG ; Xue-Hua WANG ; Shang-Lin JIANG ; Ying-Ying CHEN ; Ya-Guang ZENG ; Wei ZHENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1485-1498
ObjectiveDiscriminating atypical hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from other malignancies in liver nodules classified as Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System category M (LR-M) remains a significant diagnostic challenge on conventional ultrasound examination. The LR-M category, originally intended to capture non-HCC malignancies, paradoxically contains up to 63% of atypical HCCs that deviate from classic enhancement patterns, leading to potential misdiagnosis and suboptimal treatment planning. While deep learning has shown promise in HCC diagnosis, most existing models rely exclusively on single-modality ultrasound, overlooking the diagnostic benefits of integrating complementary information from multiple imaging sources. To address this gap, we propose a novel attention-weighted tri-modal ultrasound network (TUS-Net) that integrates contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), B-mode ultrasound (BUS), and time-intensity curves (TICs) to improve diagnostic accuracy for these clinically challenging lesions. MethodsOur framework incorporates a three-dimensional convolutional neural network (C3D) backbone to extract spatiotemporal features from CEUS videos, capturing dynamic vascular patterns critical for lesion characterization. To effectively fuse complementary modalities, we introduce a dual-channel feature fusion module (DCFFM) that adaptively combines features from CEUS and BUS through channel-wise attention mechanisms, allowing the model to dynamically weigh the contribution of each modality based on diagnostic relevance. Additionally, we propose a temporal intensity feature fusion module (TIFFM) that leverages quantitative hemodynamic information from TICs to guide the model’s attention toward diagnostically critical temporal phases, such as arterial wash-in and portal venous washout. The model is further enhanced by automated lesion localization using YOLOX and class activation mapping for interpretability, ensuring that predictions align with clinically meaningful imaging features. ResultsEvaluated on a tri-modal ultrasound dataset comprising 161 patients with pathologically confirmed LR-M nodules (131 atypical HCC and 30 non-HCC malignancies), our model achieved an accuracy of 86.83%, a sensitivity of 92.50%, a specificity of 75.50%, and an AUC of 89.32% in screening atypical HCC. Compared to single-modality baselines, TUS-Net demonstrated superior specificity, a clinically critical metric given the higher risk associated with misclassifying non-HCC malignancies. Ablation studies confirmed the contribution of each module, with the full model outperforming both standard C3D and 3D ResNet backbones integrated with attention mechanisms. A reader study involving junior and senior radiologists further validated the clinical utility of AI assistance, showing consistent improvements in specificity and inter-reader consistency, particularly for less experienced clinicians. ConclusionThese results surpass existing benchmark models and demonstrate the potential of our approach to enhance diagnostic precision in clinically specific cases. By intelligently fusing multi-modal ultrasound data with attention-guided mechanisms, TUS-Net offers a reliable and interpretable tool that holds promise for improving the non-invasive diagnosis of atypical HCC in challenging LR-M liver nodules.
3.Research progress on pain assessment tools
Hui LI ; Bing CHEN ; He HUANG ; Guang-you DUAN
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(3):263-267
Accurate pain assessment is a prerequisite for pain management.However,pain is a relatively subjective feeling greatly affected by the environment,education,and emotional state.Therefore,in diagnosing and treating pain,it is necessary not only to assess the subjective feelings of patients,but also to have stable and reliable objective indicators to evaluate the pain status of different patients.At present,there are many clinical tools for assessing and monitoring pain.This paper introduces the commonly used subjective assessment tools(single-dimensional pain assessment scale,multi-dimensional pain assessment scale)and objective assessment tools(surgical pleth index,analgesia and nociception index,nociceptive level index,and biomarkers),and analyzes their advantages and disadvantages,so as to provide reference for future clinical pain assessment.
4.Effect of preoperative oral carbohydrate on overweight or obese patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy in Trendelenburg position
Guang-le WEI ; Rong-xiang LU ; Jing-hui QIU ; Chang CHEN ; Ti-jun DAI
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(11):1004-1007
Objective To clarify the effect of preoperative oral carbohydrate on overweight or obese patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy in Trendelenburg position.Methods A total of 72 overweight or obese patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy in Trendelenburg position at Yancheng Third People's Hospital from September 2022 to August 2024 were selected,and randomly divided into the control group and the observation group,with 36 cases in each group.The control group received routine restriction of fasting and fluid starting from 22:00 on the day before surgery,while the observation group was given an additional 300 mL of carbohydrate orally 2 hours before anesthesia on the basis of the control group.The preoperative ultrasound results of gastric antrum,Perlas classification,full stomach status,visual analogue scale(VAS)scores for thirst and hunger,awakening time,tracheal extubation time,intraoperative hypothermia,gastro-intestinal function recovery time,and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results Before anesthesia,there was no statistically significant difference in the cross-sectional area of the gastric antrum(CSA)in the right lateral position,gastric volume(GV),or the ratio of gastric volume to body weight(GV/W)between the two groups(P>0.05).There was also no statistically significant difference in the Perlas classification of gastric antrum ultrasound or the incidence of full stomach between the two groups(P>0.05).Immediately before anesthesia,the VAS scores for thirst and hunger in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The awakening time,tracheal extubation time,and incidence of intraoperative hypothermia in the observation group were significantly shorter/lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The observation group had significantly shorter time of first exhaust and defecation after surgery,as well as lower incidence of postoperative bloating,compared with the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion For overweight or obese patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy in the Trendelenburg position,oral intake of 300 mL carbohydrate 2 hours before anesthesia does not increase the risk of regurgitation or aspiration,with safety and reliability.It not only can improve comfort of patients and promote post-anesthesia awakening,but also can reduce the incidences of intraoperative hypothermia and gastrointestinal adverse reactions,which is conducive to accelerating postoperative recovery.
5.Research progress on pain assessment tools
Hui LI ; Bing CHEN ; He HUANG ; Guang-you DUAN
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(3):263-267
Accurate pain assessment is a prerequisite for pain management.However,pain is a relatively subjective feeling greatly affected by the environment,education,and emotional state.Therefore,in diagnosing and treating pain,it is necessary not only to assess the subjective feelings of patients,but also to have stable and reliable objective indicators to evaluate the pain status of different patients.At present,there are many clinical tools for assessing and monitoring pain.This paper introduces the commonly used subjective assessment tools(single-dimensional pain assessment scale,multi-dimensional pain assessment scale)and objective assessment tools(surgical pleth index,analgesia and nociception index,nociceptive level index,and biomarkers),and analyzes their advantages and disadvantages,so as to provide reference for future clinical pain assessment.
6.Primary central nervous system lymphoma with clonal bone marrow B cells:16 cases and literature review
Yu-nan LING ; Jing-jing MA ; Zhi-guang LIN ; Yan MA ; Qing LI ; Hui KANG ; Meng-xue ZHANG ; Bo-bin CHEN
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2025;52(1):91-98
Objective To summarize the clinical features,treatment and prognosis of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma(PCNSL)with clonal bone marrow B cells,and to explore the influence on clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods PCNSL patients with clonal bone marrow B cells diagnosed by flow cytometry between Jan 2020 and Jul 2023 at Huashan Hospital of Fudan University were enrolled.The auxiliary examination data of these patients were collected,including complete blood count,routine biochemistry,bone marrow aspiration and biopsy,contrast-enhanced brain MRI,and whole-body PET-CT.Kaplan-Meier was used to draw the survival curve,and relevant literature was reviewed.Results A total of 223 newly diagnosed PCNSL patients were included,187 of whom completed bone marrow puncture and biopsy evaluation.We found clonal bone marrow B cells in 16 of 187 cases(8.56%)by flow cytometry.2 patients showed B lymphoma involving the bone marrow.All patients received a high-dose methotrexate based chemotherapy.The median progression free survival(PFS)of 16 patients with clonal bone marrow B cells was 11.1 months,and the median PFS of 171 patients with normal bone marrow was 12.6 months.There was no significant difference in the PFS between the two groups.Conclusion PCNSL with clonal bone marrow B cells had no specific clinical features,but bone marrow flow cytometry showed clonal B cells.High-dose methotrexate treatment regimen is effective.There was no significant difference in PFS for PCNSL patients with clonal B cells and normal findings in bone marrow.Clonal B cells in bone marrow may be caused by monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis(MBL),lymphoma involves the bone marrow and the presence of common precursor cells.Bone marrow examination should be performed in the initial evaluation of suspected PCNSL.
7.Expert consensus on visualized tele-round and quality control management based on the improvement of clinical practice ability
Wanhong YIN ; Xiaoting WANG ; Ran ZHOU ; Dawei LIU ; Yan KANG ; Yaoqing TANG ; Xiaochun MA ; Jianguo LI ; Zhenjie HU ; Haitao ZHANG ; Wei HE ; Lixia LIU ; Wenjin CHEN ; Ran ZHU ; Jun WU ; Hongmin ZHANG ; Lina ZHANG ; Wenzhao CHAI ; Shihong ZHU ; Wangbin XU ; Rongqing SUN ; Xiangyou YU ; Tianjiao SONG ; Ying ZHU ; Hong REN ; Ai SHANMU ; Qing ZHANG ; Wei FANG ; Xiuling SHANG ; Liwen LYU ; Shuhan CAI ; Xin DING ; Heng ZHANG ; Guang FENG ; Lipeng ZHANG ; Bo HU ; Dong ZHANG ; Weidong WU ; Feng SHEN ; Xiaojun YANG ; Zhenguo ZENG ; Qibing HUANG ; Xueying ZENG ; Tongjuan ZOU ; Milin PENG ; Yulong YAO ; Mingming CHEN ; Hui LIAN ; Jingmei WANG ; Yong LI ; Feng QU ; Gang YE ; Rongli YANG ; Xiukai CHEN ; Suwei LI ; Juxiang WANG ; Yangong CHAO
Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;64(2):101-109
Turning to critical illness is a common stage of various diseases and injuries before death. Patients usually have complex health conditions, while the treatment process involves a wide range of content, along with high requirements for doctor′s professionalism and multi-specialty teamwork, as well as a great demand for time-sensitive treatments. However, this is not matched with critical care professionals and the current state of medical care in China. Telemedicine, which shortens the distance of medical professionals and the gap of disease diagnosis and treatments in various regions through electronic information, can effectively solve the current problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a standardized, high-quality visualization telemedicine round system .Therefore, experts have been organized to search domestic and foreign literature on telemedicine round for critically ill patients and to form this consensus based on clinical experiences so as to further improve the level of critical care treatments in regions.
8.Primary central nervous system lymphoma with clonal bone marrow B cells:16 cases and literature review
Yu-nan LING ; Jing-jing MA ; Zhi-guang LIN ; Yan MA ; Qing LI ; Hui KANG ; Meng-xue ZHANG ; Bo-bin CHEN
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2025;52(1):91-98
Objective To summarize the clinical features,treatment and prognosis of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma(PCNSL)with clonal bone marrow B cells,and to explore the influence on clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods PCNSL patients with clonal bone marrow B cells diagnosed by flow cytometry between Jan 2020 and Jul 2023 at Huashan Hospital of Fudan University were enrolled.The auxiliary examination data of these patients were collected,including complete blood count,routine biochemistry,bone marrow aspiration and biopsy,contrast-enhanced brain MRI,and whole-body PET-CT.Kaplan-Meier was used to draw the survival curve,and relevant literature was reviewed.Results A total of 223 newly diagnosed PCNSL patients were included,187 of whom completed bone marrow puncture and biopsy evaluation.We found clonal bone marrow B cells in 16 of 187 cases(8.56%)by flow cytometry.2 patients showed B lymphoma involving the bone marrow.All patients received a high-dose methotrexate based chemotherapy.The median progression free survival(PFS)of 16 patients with clonal bone marrow B cells was 11.1 months,and the median PFS of 171 patients with normal bone marrow was 12.6 months.There was no significant difference in the PFS between the two groups.Conclusion PCNSL with clonal bone marrow B cells had no specific clinical features,but bone marrow flow cytometry showed clonal B cells.High-dose methotrexate treatment regimen is effective.There was no significant difference in PFS for PCNSL patients with clonal B cells and normal findings in bone marrow.Clonal B cells in bone marrow may be caused by monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis(MBL),lymphoma involves the bone marrow and the presence of common precursor cells.Bone marrow examination should be performed in the initial evaluation of suspected PCNSL.
9.Effect of preoperative oral carbohydrate on overweight or obese patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy in Trendelenburg position
Guang-le WEI ; Rong-xiang LU ; Jing-hui QIU ; Chang CHEN ; Ti-jun DAI
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(11):1004-1007
Objective To clarify the effect of preoperative oral carbohydrate on overweight or obese patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy in Trendelenburg position.Methods A total of 72 overweight or obese patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy in Trendelenburg position at Yancheng Third People's Hospital from September 2022 to August 2024 were selected,and randomly divided into the control group and the observation group,with 36 cases in each group.The control group received routine restriction of fasting and fluid starting from 22:00 on the day before surgery,while the observation group was given an additional 300 mL of carbohydrate orally 2 hours before anesthesia on the basis of the control group.The preoperative ultrasound results of gastric antrum,Perlas classification,full stomach status,visual analogue scale(VAS)scores for thirst and hunger,awakening time,tracheal extubation time,intraoperative hypothermia,gastro-intestinal function recovery time,and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results Before anesthesia,there was no statistically significant difference in the cross-sectional area of the gastric antrum(CSA)in the right lateral position,gastric volume(GV),or the ratio of gastric volume to body weight(GV/W)between the two groups(P>0.05).There was also no statistically significant difference in the Perlas classification of gastric antrum ultrasound or the incidence of full stomach between the two groups(P>0.05).Immediately before anesthesia,the VAS scores for thirst and hunger in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The awakening time,tracheal extubation time,and incidence of intraoperative hypothermia in the observation group were significantly shorter/lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).The observation group had significantly shorter time of first exhaust and defecation after surgery,as well as lower incidence of postoperative bloating,compared with the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion For overweight or obese patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy in the Trendelenburg position,oral intake of 300 mL carbohydrate 2 hours before anesthesia does not increase the risk of regurgitation or aspiration,with safety and reliability.It not only can improve comfort of patients and promote post-anesthesia awakening,but also can reduce the incidences of intraoperative hypothermia and gastrointestinal adverse reactions,which is conducive to accelerating postoperative recovery.
10.Hypoglycemic Effect and Mechanism of ICK Pattern Peptides
Lin-Fang CHEN ; Jia-Fan ZHANG ; Ye-Ning GUO ; Hui-Zhong HUANG ; Kang-Hong HU ; Chen-Guang YAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):50-60
Diabetes is a very complex endocrine disease whose common feature is the increase in blood glucose concentration. Persistent hyperglycemia can lead to blindness, kidney and heart disease, neurodegeneration, and many other serious complications that have a significant impact on human health and quality of life. The number of people with diabetes is increasing yearly. The global diabetes prevalence in 20-79 year olds in 2021 was estimated to be 10.5% (536.6 million), and it will rise to 12.2% (783.2 million) in 2045. The main modes of intervention for diabetes include medication, dietary management, and exercise conditioning. Medication is the mainstay of treatment. Marketed diabetes drugs such as metformin and insulin, as well as GLP-1 receptor agonists, are effective in controlling blood sugar levels to some extent, but the preventive and therapeutic effects are still unsatisfactory. Peptide drugs have many advantages such as low toxicity, high target specificity, and good biocompatibility, which opens up new avenues for the treatment of diabetes and other diseases. Currently, insulin and its analogs are by far the main life-saving drugs in clinical diabetes treatment, enabling effective control of blood glucose levels, but the risk of hypoglycemia is relatively high and treatment is limited by the route of delivery. New and oral anti-diabetic drugs have always been a market demand and research hotspot. Inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) peptides are a class of multifunctional cyclic peptides. In structure, they contain three conserved disulfide bonds (C3-C20, C7-C22, and C15-C32) form a compact “knot” structure, which can resist degradation of digestive protease. Recent studies have shown that ICK peptides derived from legume, such as PA1b, Aglycin, Vglycin, Iglycin, Dglycin, and aM1, exhibit excellent regulatory activities on glucose and lipid metabolism at the cellular and animal levels. Mechanistically, ICK peptides promote glucose utilization by muscle and liver through activation of IR/AKT signaling pathway, which also improves insulin resistance. They can repair the damaged pancrease through activation of PI3K/AKT/Erk signaling pathway, thus lowering blood glucose. The biostability and hypoglycemic efficacy of the ICK peptides meet the requirements for commercialization of oral drugs, and in theory, they can be developed into natural oral anti-diabetes peptide drugs. In this review, the structural properties, activity and mechanism of ICK pattern peptides in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism were summaried, which provided a reference for the development of new oral peptides for diabetes.

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