Objective To explore an artificial intelligence (AI)-based method for automated hand hygiene monitoring and to compare the effectiveness of three algorithms (UniFormerV2, TDN, C3D) in recognizing hand hygiene steps in surgical settings, thereby aiding hospital infection control. Methods From April to October 2024, we non-invasively collected 641 video recordings of healthcare staff performing hand hygiene at four-bay scrub sinks in two tertiary hospitals using overhead HD cameras. The dataset was annotated by five trained experts for model training and validation. Results Following training on 385 samples, internal validation (n=119) showed the C3D model achieved 81% accuracy, 87% recall, and an 83% F1-score. The TDN model achieved 93%, 91%, and 92% for the same metrics. The UniFormerV2 model outperformed both, with an accuracy, recall, and F1-score of 93%—an improvement of over 10 percentage points compared to traditional CNNs (TDN, C3D). It also achieved an 84% accuracy in external validation, demonstrating strong generalization. Conclusion The UniFormerV2 model is more accurate than CNN-based models for hand hygiene step recognition and shows robust performance in external validation. It presents a viable tool for healthcare facilities to enhance hand hygiene management, ultimately improving medical quality and patient safety.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Objective To observe the value of right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain(RVFWLS)to pulmonary artery systolic pressure(PASP)ratio(RVFWLS/PASP)for evaluating systolic function of right ventricle(RV)in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM).Methods Fifty-two HCM patients were retrospectively collected and divided into group A(RVFWLS/PASP≤0.75,n=26)and B(RVFWLS/PASP＞0.75,n=26)according to median RVFWLS/PASP.Meanwhile,26 healthy individuals were included as control group.Parameters of echocardiography and speckle tracking imaging(STI)were obtained and compared among 3 groups.The correlations of RVFWLS/PASP and other parameters were analyzed with linear regression.Results In group A and B,left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),RV septal longitudinal strain(RVSepLS),RVFWLS,RV end-diastolic volume index(RVEDVi),RV stroke volume(RVSV),RV fractional area change(RVFAC)and left ventricular global longitudinal strain(LVGLS)were all lower,while the ratio of peak E blood flow velocity at mitral orifice diastole to early mitral intervalal annulus diastole velocity(E/e′)were higher than those in control group(all adjusted P＜0.05).Compared with group B and control group,group A had higher PASP but lower RV ejection fraction(RVEF)(all adjusted P＜0.05).Furthermore,RVFWLS and LVGLS were both lower in group A than in group B(both adjusted P＜0.05).Linear regression analysis showed that RVSepLS and RVEF were independently linearly related to RVFWLS/PASP(both P＜0.05).Conclusion RVFWLS/PASP could be used to monitor changes of RV systoic function in HCM patients at early stage.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of Union Plate combined with robotic placement of infra-acetabular and posterior column screws and common reconstruction plate combined with freehand placement of infra-acetabular and posterior column screws in the treatment of complex acetabular fractures.Methods:The data of 42 patients with complex acetabular fractures treated in Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from June 2020 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 22 patients were treated with Union Plate combined with robotic placement of posterior column screws and infra-acetabular screws (Union Plate robot group). 20 cases were treated with common reconstruction plate combined with posterior column screw and infra-acetabular screw fixation by hand (reconstruction plate freehand group). The Union Plate robot group included 16 males and 6 females, aged 43.7±11.6 years (range, 24-67 years). Letournel-Judet classification: 14 cases of double-column fractures, 5 cases of anterior column with posterior semi-transverse fractures, 3 cases of "T" -shaped fractures. There were 15 males and 5 females in the reconstruction plate freehand group, aged 42.9±12.0 years (range, 22-66 years). Letournel-Judet classification: 15 cases of double-column fractures, 3 cases of anterior column with posterior semi-transverse fractures, 2 cases of "T" -shaped fractures. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative fluoroscopy times, frame screw placement time, fracture healing time, perfect frame screw placement rate (grade 0 rate) assessed according to the Lonstein criteria, reduction quality assessed according to the Matta criteria, the modified Merle d'Aubign-Postel score and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups.Results:All 42 patients were followed up for 10 to 30 months, with an average of 13 months. The fracture healing time was 3.4±0.4 months in the Union Plate robot group and 3.6±0.4 months in the reconstruction plate freehand group, with no statistical significance ( t=2.179, P=0.035). The operative time and intraoperative blood loss of the Union Plate robot group were 138.3±30.7 min and 735.7±159.8 ml, respectively, which were lower than 163.9±48.7 min and 843.5±181.1 ml in the reconstruction plate freehand group. The differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The time and intraoperative fluoroscopy times of the Union Plate robot group were 19.9±3.2 min and 17.1±4.9 times, respectively, which were less than 42.5±6.7 min and 45.4±4.9 times of the reconstruction plate freehand group, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). According to the Lonstein evaluation, there were 42 cases of class 0 and 2 cases of class I in the Union Plate robot group, and the perfect frame screw placement rate was 96%(42/44). There were 30 cases of grade 0, 8 cases of grade I and 2 cases of grade II in the reconstruction plate freehand group, and the perfect frame screw placement rate was 75%(30/40). There was significant difference between the two groups (χ 2=7.426, P=0.024). According to the Matta criteria, 15 cases of Union Plate robot group were excellent, 4 cases were good, and 3 cases were poor, with an excellent and good rate of 86%(19/22). In the reconstruction plate free hand group, 13 cases were excellent, 4 cases were good, and 3 cases were poor, with an excellent and good rate of 85%(17/20). There was no significant difference between the two groups (χ 2=0.048, P=0.976). At the last follow-up visit, the modified Merle d'Aubign-Postel score of the Union Plate robot group was 16.9±1.7 points and that of the reconstruction plate freehand group was 16.5±2.2 points, with no statistical significance ( t=0.593, P=0.557). In the Union Plate robot group, wound fat liquefaction and lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injury occurred in 1 case, the complication rate was 9%(2/22). There were 4 cases of fat liquefaction, 1 case of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injury, and 1 case of traumatic hip arthritis in the reconstruction plate freehand group. The complication rate was 30%(6/20), and the difference in complication rate was not statistically significant (χ 2=1.769, P=0.183). Conclusions:The clinical efficacy of Union Plate combined with robotic placement of posterior column screws and infra-acetabular screws in the treatment of complex acetabular fractures is comparable to that of reconstruction plate combined with freehand placement of posterior column screws and infra-acetabular screws. However, the use of Union Plate combined with robotic placement of frame screws can shorten the operative time and the time of frame screw placement. The amount of intraoperative blood loss and intraoperative fluoroscopy times were reduced, and the accuracy of frame screw placement was higher.

Objective:To investigate the acute effects of persistent high exposure to atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) on residents' outpatient visits for respiratory diseases. Methods:We collected daily outpatient records from 92 hospitals in 13 cities across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, along with daily PM 2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), and meteorological data from 2013 to 2018. Five persistent high PM 2.5 exposure scenarios were defined in terms of daily mean PM 2.5 concentrations (>75 μg/m 3 and >150 μg/m 3), duration (≥2 days and ≥3 days), and whether or not there was concurrent exposure to high levels of NO 2 (daily mean NO 2 concentration >50 μg/m 3). A two-stage statistical analysis strategy based on a generalized linear model was applied to conduct a time-series analysis to assess the exposure-response relationship between persistent high PM 2.5 exposure scenarios and residents' outpatient visits for a variety of respiratory diseases, and to estimate excess outpatient visits. Results:During the period, M ( Q1, Q3) PM 2.5 and NO 2 concentrations were 61.2 (42.3, 95.1) μg/m 3 and 40.2 (31.4, 54.4) μg/m 3, respectively, and the daily respiratory disease outpatient visits were 57 (52, 66) cases. When compared with non-permanent high PM 2.5 exposure periods, exposure scenarios with PM 2.5 >75 μg/m 3 and lasting for ≥2 days caused an increased risk of outpatient visits for respiratory diseases by 2.10% (95% CI: 1.44%-2.77%), and resulted in 43 787 (95% CI: 30 025-57 757) excess visits; in this scenario, the concurrent exposure to high levels of NO 2 had a greater acute effect on respiratory disease visits than the absence of exposure to high levels of NO 2 ( P<0.001). The risk of respiratory disease visits increased substantially by 4.41% (95% CI: 3.15%-5.68%) when the daily mean PM 2.5 concentration exceeded 150 μg/m 3 for ≥2 days. Subgroup disease analyses showed that scenarios with daily mean PM 2.5 concentrations exceeding 75 μg/m 3 for ≥3 days caused a significant increase in the risk of lower respiratory tract infections, chronic lower respiratory disease, and asthma visits. Conclusions:Sustained persistent high PM 2.5 exposure increases the risk of outpatient visits for various respiratory diseases; concurrent exposure to high concentrations of NO 2 leads to a greater risk of visiting the clinic, suggesting that the prevention and control of PM 2.5 pollution should be synchronized with the control of mobile source emissions, to synergistically manage the compound pollution of PM 2.5 and NO 2 in the atmosphere.

Objective:To assess the effect of short-term exposures to atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) and its components on cognitive function in middle-aged and older people aged 40-89 and identify key components that affect cognitive function. Methods:From October 2018 to March 2019, a cross-sectional survey of middle-aged and older people aged 40-89 was conducted across 10 cities in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and neighboring regions of China. Data on PM 2.5 and its components were collected from the nearest air supermonitoring stations to the residential addresses. The cognitive function was assessed using the Min-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the effect of short-term exposures to PM 2.5 and its components on cognitive function in middle-aged and older people. The restricted cubic spline function was used to fit the exposure-response relationship between different components and changes in MMSE scores. Results:The age of the 1 978 respondents was (65.1±13.4) years, and 976 (49.34%) were males. During the study period, the daily mean concentration of PM 2.5 was (71.2±43.2) μg/m 3, and the MMSE score was (28.2±3.7). The results of the multiple linear regression model showed that short-term exposures to PM 2.5 and its components were associated with cognitive decline in middle-aged and older people after adjusting for confounding factors, and the effect was higher at lag 0-28 days. For an interquartile range (64.3 μg/m 3) increase in PM 2.5 at lag 0-28 d, the MMSE score decreased by 5.91 (95% CI: 0.04, 11.77). For an interquartile range increase in organic carbon (OC), antimony (Sb), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), and cadmium (Cd), the MMSE scores of middle-aged and older people decreased by 5.71 (95% CI: 1.69, 9.73), 4.67 (95% CI: 2.50, 6.84), 4.49 (95% CI: 1.05, 7.92), 3.65 (95% CI: 0.89, 6.42), 2.76 (95% CI: 1.22, 4.30), and 1.72 (95% CI: 0.53, 2.92). Conclusions:Short-term exposures to atmospheric PM 2.5 and its components (OC, Sb, Cr, Zn, Sn, and Cd) are associated with cognitive decline in middle-aged and older people.

Objective To observe the effects of growth differentiation factor-15(GDF-15)on collateral circulation and cardiac function in rats with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)in relation to the nitric oxide(NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP)/protein kinase G(PKG)signaling pathway.Methods An AMI rat model was constructed by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery.After modeling,the rats were divided randomly into Sham,Model,and GDF-15 groups(n=12 rats per group).Rats in the GDF-15 group were injected intraperitoneally with recombinant GDF-15 protein,and the other two groups were injected with the same amount of normal saline twice a week for 8 consecutive weeks.Cardiac function was detected by echocardiography.Pathological damage to rat myocardial tissue was detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the collateral circulation was observed by CD31 immunohistochemical staining.Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)mRNA expression was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Transcriptomic sequencing of heart tissues in the model and GDF-15 groups was performed and differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were screened.Pathway enrichment analysis of the DEGS was carried out according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG).Nitric oxide(NO),reactive oxygen species(ROS),and cGMP were detected using kits,and VEGF,endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)monomer,p-eNOSser1177monomer,eNOS dimer,and PKG protein were detected by Western blot.Results Left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVEDs)and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDd)were increased(P＜0.001),and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and the short-axis shortening rate(FS)were decreased in the Model group compared with the Sham group(P＜0.001).Myocardial cell necrosis was more severe,vascular density in the infarcted area was decreased(P＜0.05),but VEGF mRNA and protein levels were no change(P＞0.05),and levels of NO,eNOS dimer,cGMP,and PKG protein were decreased(P＜0.05),and expression levels of ROS,eNOS monomer,and p-eNOSser1177 monomer were increased(P＜0.05).LVEDs and LVEDd decreased(P＜0.05),LVEF and FS increased(P＜0.01),myocardial cell necrosis was relieved,vascular density in the infarcted area increased significantly(P＜0.0001),and VEGF mRNA levels increased(P＜0.0001),compared with the Model group.Transcriptomic sequencing identified 324 DEGs,including 230 up-regulated and 94 down-regulated genes.According to KEGG enrichment analysis,the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway showed the most significant difference in the T20 pathway.VEGF,NO,eNOS dimer,cGMP,and PKG protein levels were all increased(P＜0.05),while ROS,eNOS monomer,and p-eNOSser1177 monomer were decreased in the GDF-15 group(P＜0.05).Conclusions GDF-15 can promote collateral circulation in ischemic myocardium and improve cardiac function by inhibiting eNOS decoupling and activating the NO/cGMP/PKG pathway.