Objective To analyze the application of in-use laparoscopes in clincal departments to enhance the laparoscope's effectiveness.Methods The effective utilization data of 29 laparoscopes from January 2024 to June 2024 were acquired with an hospital intelligent medical device management platform.Comparisons were carried out in terms of average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency between the laparoscopes from different departments and brands with non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test and between the conventional and 3D laparoscopes with non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test.Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between the number of years of laparoscope use and the average daily workload,the average daily hours of use,and the average daily efficiency and the chi-square test was applied to investigating the relationship between the surgery grade and the type of equipment selected.Results Thoracic sugery department had the highest average daily workload(3.82 person-time),while the general medical department had the highest average daily hours of use(443.76 min)and the highest daily efficiency(92.45％).There were significant differences between the laparoscopes from different departments in average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency(P＜0.05).Brand D laparoscope behaved the best among brands of laparoscopes with the highest average daily workload(3.72 person-time),average daily hours of use(394.41 min)and average daily efficiency(82.17％).There were sig-nificant differences between the brands of laparoscopesin average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency(P＜0.05).3D laparoscopes obviously gained advantages over the conventional ones in average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency(P＜0.05).The number of years of use correlated negatively with average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency,with Pearson correlation coefficients being-0.095,-0.039 and-0.039 respectively.Grade Three and Four surgeries had significant differences in types of selected equipment(P＜0.001),and 3D laparoscopes were preferred for Grade Four surgery.Conclusion Utilization analysis of laparoscopes provides data support for optimized application and setup of laparoscopes.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(2):87-91]

Environmental damage affects many aspects of healthcare, from extreme weather events to evolving population disease. Singapore's healthcare sector has the world's second highest healthcare emissions per capita, hampering the nation's pledge to reduce emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. In this review, we provide an overview of the impact environmental damage has on healthcare, including facilities, supply chain and human health, and examine measures to address healthcare's impact on the environment. Utilising the 'R's of sustainability - rethinking, reducing/refusing, reusing/repurposing/reprocessing, repairing, recycling and research - we have summarised the opportunities and challenges across medical disciplines. Awareness and advocacy to adopt strategies at institutional and individual levels is needed to revolutionise our environmental footprint and improve healthcare sustainability. By leveraging evidence from ongoing trials and integrating sustainable practices, our healthcare system can remain resilient against environment-driven challenges and evolving healthcare demands while minimising further impacts of environmental destruction.
Humans ; Climate Change ; Delivery of Health Care ; Singapore ; Conservation of Natural Resources ; Sustainable Development ; Environment

Objective To carry out quality control testing of anesthesia ventilators to ensure the reliability and safety during their clinical use.Methods Totally 88 anesthesia ventilators used in some hospital underwent quality control testing in terms of tidal volume,peak airway pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure by using a gas flow analyzer according to JJF(E)61-2020 Calibration Specification of Anesthetic Machines,which included 31 ones,36 ones,12 ones and 9 ones respectively from brand A,B,C and D.The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the variability of the measured values and errors of the performance indicators between different brands of anesthesia ventilators,the chi-square test was applied to discussing the variability of the accuracy class of the performance indicators between different brands of anesthesia ventilators,and the Pearson correlation coefficient was adopted to investigate the correlation between the years of use and the absolute values of the relative errors of the performance indicators.Results The 88 anesthesia ventilators had the overall pass rate for quality control testing being 42.05%,of which,brand B had the highest pass rate(52.78%)and brand C had the lowest pass rate(8.33%).Brand B gained advantages in tidal volume when compared with brand A,C and D,with the differences being significant(P<0.05);brand A behaved the best in peak airway pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure when compared with brand B,C and D,with the differences being significant(P<0.05).Brand A had the highest proportion(63.08%)of distinction and credit in terms of the three performance indicators.The absolute value of the relative error in tidal volume was positively correlated with the years of use at the 3 measurement points for setting values of 400,600,and 800 mL respectively(P<0.05),and there was a significant correlation between the absolute value of the relative error and the years of use at a peak airway pressure setting of 10 cmH2O(1 cmH2O=98.07 Pa)(P<0.05).Conclusion Quality control testing of anesthesia ventilators contributes to finding the risks during their application,which can be an effective tool to ensure the safety of anesthesia ventilators used in medical institutions.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(9):75-80]

Objective To analyze the application of in-use laparoscopes in clincal departments to enhance the laparoscope's effectiveness.Methods The effective utilization data of 29 laparoscopes from January 2024 to June 2024 were acquired with an hospital intelligent medical device management platform.Comparisons were carried out in terms of average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency between the laparoscopes from different departments and brands with non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test and between the conventional and 3D laparoscopes with non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test.Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between the number of years of laparoscope use and the average daily workload,the average daily hours of use,and the average daily efficiency and the chi-square test was applied to investigating the relationship between the surgery grade and the type of equipment selected.Results Thoracic sugery department had the highest average daily workload(3.82 person-time),while the general medical department had the highest average daily hours of use(443.76 min)and the highest daily efficiency(92.45％).There were significant differences between the laparoscopes from different departments in average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency(P＜0.05).Brand D laparoscope behaved the best among brands of laparoscopes with the highest average daily workload(3.72 person-time),average daily hours of use(394.41 min)and average daily efficiency(82.17％).There were sig-nificant differences between the brands of laparoscopesin average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency(P＜0.05).3D laparoscopes obviously gained advantages over the conventional ones in average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency(P＜0.05).The number of years of use correlated negatively with average daily workload,average daily hours of use and average daily efficiency,with Pearson correlation coefficients being-0.095,-0.039 and-0.039 respectively.Grade Three and Four surgeries had significant differences in types of selected equipment(P＜0.001),and 3D laparoscopes were preferred for Grade Four surgery.Conclusion Utilization analysis of laparoscopes provides data support for optimized application and setup of laparoscopes.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(2):87-91]

Objective To carry out quality control testing of anesthesia ventilators to ensure the reliability and safety during their clinical use.Methods Totally 88 anesthesia ventilators used in some hospital underwent quality control testing in terms of tidal volume,peak airway pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure by using a gas flow analyzer according to JJF(E)61-2020 Calibration Specification of Anesthetic Machines,which included 31 ones,36 ones,12 ones and 9 ones respectively from brand A,B,C and D.The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the variability of the measured values and errors of the performance indicators between different brands of anesthesia ventilators,the chi-square test was applied to discussing the variability of the accuracy class of the performance indicators between different brands of anesthesia ventilators,and the Pearson correlation coefficient was adopted to investigate the correlation between the years of use and the absolute values of the relative errors of the performance indicators.Results The 88 anesthesia ventilators had the overall pass rate for quality control testing being 42.05%,of which,brand B had the highest pass rate(52.78%)and brand C had the lowest pass rate(8.33%).Brand B gained advantages in tidal volume when compared with brand A,C and D,with the differences being significant(P<0.05);brand A behaved the best in peak airway pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure when compared with brand B,C and D,with the differences being significant(P<0.05).Brand A had the highest proportion(63.08%)of distinction and credit in terms of the three performance indicators.The absolute value of the relative error in tidal volume was positively correlated with the years of use at the 3 measurement points for setting values of 400,600,and 800 mL respectively(P<0.05),and there was a significant correlation between the absolute value of the relative error and the years of use at a peak airway pressure setting of 10 cmH2O(1 cmH2O=98.07 Pa)(P<0.05).Conclusion Quality control testing of anesthesia ventilators contributes to finding the risks during their application,which can be an effective tool to ensure the safety of anesthesia ventilators used in medical institutions.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(9):75-80]

A 5-year-old girl was admitted due to one episode of melena and one episode of hematemesis.Upon admission,gastroscopy revealed esophageal and gastric varices.Abdominal CT scan,MRI,and color Doppler ultrasound suggested cirrhosis,intrahepatic bile duct dilation,and bilateral kidney enlargement.Genetic testing identified compound heterozygous mutations in the PKHD1 gene:c.2264C>T(p.Pro755Leu)and c.1886T>C(p.Val629Ala).The c.2264C>T(p.Pro755Leu)mutation is a known pathogenic variant with previous reports,while c.1886T>C(p.Val629Ala)is a novel mutation predicted to have pathogenic potential according to Mutation Taster and PolyPhen2.The child was diagnosed with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease.In children presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding without obvious causes,particularly those with liver or kidney disease,consideration should be given to the possibility of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease,and genetic testing should be conducted for definitive diagnosis when necessary.

The UHPLC-LTQ-orbitrap-MS metabolomics technique was used to determine the effect of deapio-platycodin D (DPD) on endogenous metabolites in lung tissues of mice with ammonia-induced cough, and to identify the metabolic regulatory pathways of DPD in its antitussive and expectorant activities. This work was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine (Approval No. JZLLSC-20190235). Metabolites were identified by UHPLC-LTQ-orbitrap-MS method and the metabolic pathways related to differentially-expressed metabolites were analyzed by the MetaboAnalyst platform. DPD significantly prolonged (P < 0.05) cough latency, reduced the number of coughs, and significantly increased (P < 0.05) phenol red excretion in ammonia-induced cough mice. Twenty-five metabolites related to cough and 38 metabolites related to sputum excretion were identified by UHPLC-LTQ-orbitrap-MS. Changes in the metabolism of linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, glycerophospholipid, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and lysine degradation were evident with DPD treatment of ammonia-induced cough mice. Changes in the metabolism of linoleic acid, taurine and hypotaurine, glycerophospholipid, purines and pyrimidines, arachidonic acid and the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids after DPD treatment were related to phenol red excretion. Linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism are common regulatory pathways by which DPD appears to exert its antitussive and expectorant activity. These metabolic pathways are closely related to anti-inflammatory pathways, immune function regulation, neurotransmitter release, cell signal transduction, energy metabolism and apoptosis. This study clarifies the antitussive and expectorant activity and mechanism of DPD.

Objective: To investigate the incidence and trend of short-term outcomes among preterm infants born <34 weeks' gestation. Methods: A secondary analysis of data from the standardized database established by a multicenter cluster-randomized controlled study "reduction of infection in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) using the evidence-based practice for improving quality (REIN-EPIQ) study". This study was conducted in 25 tertiary NICU. A total of 27 192 infants with gestational age <34 weeks at birth and admitted to NICU within the first 7 days of life from May 2015 to April 2018 were enrolled. Infants with severe congenital malformation were excluded. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the mortality and major morbidities of preterm infants by gestational age groups and different admission year groups. Cochran-Armitage test and Jonckheere-Terpstra test were used to analyze the trend of incidences of mortality and morbidities in 3 study-years. Multiple Logistic regression model was constructed to analyze the differences of outcomes in 3 study-years adjusting for confounders. Results: A total of 27 192 preterm infants were enrolled with gestational age of (31.3±2.0) weeks at birth and weight of (1 617±415) g at birth. Overall, 9.5% (2 594/27 192) of infants were discharged against medical advice, and the overall mortality rate was 10.7% (2 907/27 192). Mortality for infants who received complete care was 4.7% (1 147/24 598), and mortality or any major morbidity was 26.2% (6 452/24 598). The incidences of moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis, severe intraventricular hemorrhage or periventricular leukomalacia, proven necrotizing enterocolitis, and severe retinopathy of prematurity were 16.0% (4 342/27 192), 11.9% (3 225/27 192), 6.8% (1 641/24 206), 3.6% (939/25 762) and 1.5% (214/13 868), respectively. There was a decreasing of the overall mortality (P<0.001) during the 3 years. Also, the incidences for sepsis and severe retinopathy of prematurity both decreased (both P<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in the major morbidity in preterm infants who received complete care during the 3-year study period (P=0.230). After adjusting for confounders, infants admitted during the third study year showed significantly lower risk of overall mortality (adjust OR=0.62, 95%CI 0.55-0.69, P<0.001), mortality or major morbidity, moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis and severe retinopathy of prematurity, compared to those admitted in the first study year (all P<0.05). Conclusions: From 2015 to 2018, the mortality and major morbidities among preterm infants in Chinese NICU decreased, but there is still space for further efforts. Further targeted quality improvement is needed to improve the overall outcome of preterm infants.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology* ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Mortality/trends* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Premature, Diseases/epidemiology* ; Patient Discharge ; Retinopathy of Prematurity/epidemiology* ; Sepsis/epidemiology*

"Kidney essence" is a profound concept in the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. But its biological basis is unknown until now, resulting in the therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese drugs on reinforcing kidney for supplementing essence hard to be evaluated. This study aimed, to explore the potential biological basis and mechanism of traditional Chinese drugs of reinforcing kidney for supplementing essence on diseases related to deficiency of kidney essence through network pharmacology analysis on the intersection of targets of drugs and diseases. The targets for ingredients in Rehmanniae radix praeparata (RRP), Polygoni multiflori radix praeparata (PMRP) and Polygonati rhizome (PR) were gathered from TCMSP and TCMID database. Osteoporosis, Alzheimer's disease, anemia, infertility and oligospermia targets were collected from OMIM and DisGeNET database. Drug-compound-target-disease (DCTD) network was established with Cytoscape 3.6.1 software, then Clue GO and DAVID database was used to acquire the annotation about GO terms and signaling pathways. Natural aging mice, an acknowledged syndrome model of deficiency of kidney essence, and RRP were used to verify the predictive targets by Western blot analysis. All animal experiments were conducted in accordance with the international guidelines and regulations for the care and use of animals. DCTD network showed that the intersection of drugs and diseases included 175 common targets. After topology analysis, 71 key were screened out targets which were associated with GO annotation exhibited that biological processes (including transcription regulation, RNA metabolism regulation, and DNA-dependent transcription regulation), cell composition (including nuclear lumen, organelle lumen, and membrane closure lumen), molecular function (including transcription regulation, transcription factor activity, and enzyme binding), and signaling pathway (including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), erythropoietin (EPO) and other signaling pathways. In natural aging mice, the expressions of HIF-1α, growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2), MAPK3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A (STAT5A), transcription factor AP-1 (JUN) and proto-oncogene c-Fos (FOS) in EPO pathway were significantly decreased. RRP significantly reversed the decrease of the above targets. Above all, these results indicated that the therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese drugs of reinforcing kidney for supplementing essence on deficiency of kidney essence may be related to the regulation of nuclear transcriptional activity and EPO signaling pathway.