1.Sclera Vessel Segmentation Based on Fusion Filtering and Reflection Suppression
Ming-Xuan FAN ; Zong-Qing MA ; Chu-Xiang GAO ; Yi-Xuan SHI ; Zi-Hang ZHANG ; Zhe-Xuan JIA ; Fan FAN ; Guo-Liang HUANG ; Jiang ZHU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1195-1206
ObjectiveIn traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the foundational doctrine that the eyes reflect the essence of the internal viscera establishes ocular observation as a cornerstone of diagnostic practice. Specifically, the morphological characteristics and coloration variations of the scleral microvasculature serve as critical clinical indicators for assessing the dynamic balance of Qi and Blood, as well as the pathological status of internal organs. Historically, however, TCM eye diagnosis has relied predominantly on the subjective clinical experience and visual acuity of individual practitioners, leading to inherent challenges in standardization and reproducibility. While automated computer-aided diagnostic systems offer a promising solution, existing vessel segmentation algorithms encounter significant domain-specific bottlenecks when applied to scleral imagery. These challenges primarily stem from the highly reflective and moist nature of the ocular surface, which generates severe reflective interference. Furthermore, the inherent low contrast of fine capillary networks against complex background textures, compounded by non-uniform illumination, frequently results in high false-positive rates, misdetections, and severe vessel fragmentation. To address these critical limitations and advance the objective quantification of TCM diagnostics, this paper proposes a novel, highly robust sclera vessel segmentation framework that innovatively integrates Frangi-Sato dual-filter adaptive enhancement with pixel-level reflection detection. MethodsThe proposed methodology systematically addresses the segmentation pipeline through three synergistic stages. First, to overcome the structural limitations of single-filter approaches, a multi-scale weighted fusion strategy is meticulously designed to harness the complementary extraction capabilities of both Frangi and Sato filters. This adaptive enhancement optimally balances the preservation of main vessel trunk continuity with the heightened sensitivity required for delineating delicate, low-contrast peripheral capillaries. Second, to tackle the persistent issue of reflective highlights, a sophisticated multi-feature synergistic reflection detection module is introduced. By jointly analyzing local information entropy, gradient field variations, and intensity statistical distributions, this module achieves precise, pixel-level identification and elimination of reflective artifacts without compromising the underlying vascular structures. Finally, a dual-level adaptive thresholding strategy, featuring an innovative “core protection” mechanism, is implemented. This critical step effectively suppresses complex background noise while rigorously preserving the structural and topological integrity of the intricate vessel network, preventing the structural breaks often seen in conventional binarization methods. ResultsThe efficacy of the proposed framework was rigorously evaluated using both self-constructed clinical datasets specifically acquired for TCM research and standardized public datasets. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method consistently outperforms state-of-the-art traditional approaches and contemporary deep learning models. Specifically, the proposed method achieves a Dice similarity coefficient of approximately 0.71 on the private clinical dataset, and secures the best performance across the majority of quantitative metrics on both datasets. Notably, the framework exhibits exceptional robustness and generalization capabilities in highly challenging scenarios characterized by intense reflective interference, low signal-to-noise ratios, and cross-domain image variations. ConclusionThis study successfully realizes the high-integrity, automated segmentation of scleral vessel networks under complex clinical imaging conditions. By overcoming the fundamental algorithmic challenges of reflection interference and micro-vessel loss, the proposed methodology provides potential support for the digitization, objective standardization, and intelligent advancement of modern TCM eye diagnosis systems.
2.Sclera Vessel Segmentation Based on Fusion Filtering and Reflection Suppression
Ming-Xuan FAN ; Zong-Qing MA ; Chu-Xiang GAO ; Yi-Xuan SHI ; Zi-Hang ZHANG ; Zhe-Xuan JIA ; Fan FAN ; Guo-Liang HUANG ; Jiang ZHU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1195-1206
ObjectiveIn traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the foundational doctrine that the eyes reflect the essence of the internal viscera establishes ocular observation as a cornerstone of diagnostic practice. Specifically, the morphological characteristics and coloration variations of the scleral microvasculature serve as critical clinical indicators for assessing the dynamic balance of Qi and Blood, as well as the pathological status of internal organs. Historically, however, TCM eye diagnosis has relied predominantly on the subjective clinical experience and visual acuity of individual practitioners, leading to inherent challenges in standardization and reproducibility. While automated computer-aided diagnostic systems offer a promising solution, existing vessel segmentation algorithms encounter significant domain-specific bottlenecks when applied to scleral imagery. These challenges primarily stem from the highly reflective and moist nature of the ocular surface, which generates severe reflective interference. Furthermore, the inherent low contrast of fine capillary networks against complex background textures, compounded by non-uniform illumination, frequently results in high false-positive rates, misdetections, and severe vessel fragmentation. To address these critical limitations and advance the objective quantification of TCM diagnostics, this paper proposes a novel, highly robust sclera vessel segmentation framework that innovatively integrates Frangi-Sato dual-filter adaptive enhancement with pixel-level reflection detection. MethodsThe proposed methodology systematically addresses the segmentation pipeline through three synergistic stages. First, to overcome the structural limitations of single-filter approaches, a multi-scale weighted fusion strategy is meticulously designed to harness the complementary extraction capabilities of both Frangi and Sato filters. This adaptive enhancement optimally balances the preservation of main vessel trunk continuity with the heightened sensitivity required for delineating delicate, low-contrast peripheral capillaries. Second, to tackle the persistent issue of reflective highlights, a sophisticated multi-feature synergistic reflection detection module is introduced. By jointly analyzing local information entropy, gradient field variations, and intensity statistical distributions, this module achieves precise, pixel-level identification and elimination of reflective artifacts without compromising the underlying vascular structures. Finally, a dual-level adaptive thresholding strategy, featuring an innovative “core protection” mechanism, is implemented. This critical step effectively suppresses complex background noise while rigorously preserving the structural and topological integrity of the intricate vessel network, preventing the structural breaks often seen in conventional binarization methods. ResultsThe efficacy of the proposed framework was rigorously evaluated using both self-constructed clinical datasets specifically acquired for TCM research and standardized public datasets. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method consistently outperforms state-of-the-art traditional approaches and contemporary deep learning models. Specifically, the proposed method achieves a Dice similarity coefficient of approximately 0.71 on the private clinical dataset, and secures the best performance across the majority of quantitative metrics on both datasets. Notably, the framework exhibits exceptional robustness and generalization capabilities in highly challenging scenarios characterized by intense reflective interference, low signal-to-noise ratios, and cross-domain image variations. ConclusionThis study successfully realizes the high-integrity, automated segmentation of scleral vessel networks under complex clinical imaging conditions. By overcoming the fundamental algorithmic challenges of reflection interference and micro-vessel loss, the proposed methodology provides potential support for the digitization, objective standardization, and intelligent advancement of modern TCM eye diagnosis systems.
3.Clinical course, causes of worsening, and outcomes of severe ischemic stroke: A prospective multicenter cohort study.
Simiao WU ; Yanan WANG ; Ruozhen YUAN ; Meng LIU ; Xing HUA ; Linrui HUANG ; Fuqiang GUO ; Dongdong YANG ; Zuoxiao LI ; Bihua WU ; Chun WANG ; Jingfeng DUAN ; Tianjin LING ; Hao ZHANG ; Shihong ZHANG ; Bo WU ; Cairong ZHU ; Craig S ANDERSON ; Ming LIU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(13):1578-1586
BACKGROUND:
Severe stroke has high rates of mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to investigate the clinical course, causes of worsening, and outcomes of severe ischemic stroke.
METHODS:
This prospective, multicenter cohort study enrolled adult patients admitted ≤30 days after ischemic stroke from nine hospitals in China between September 2017 and December 2019. Severe stroke was defined as a score of ≥15 on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Clinical worsening was defined as an increase of 4 in the NIHSS score from baseline. Unfavorable functional outcome was defined as a modified Rankin scale score ≥3 at 3 months and 1 year after stroke onset, respectively. We performed Logistic regression to explore baseline features and reperfusion therapies associated with clinical worsening and functional outcomes.
RESULTS:
Among 4201 patients enrolled, 854 patients (20.33%) had severe stroke on admission. Of 3347 patients without severe stroke on admission, 142 (4.24%) patients developed severe stroke in hospital. Of 854 patients with severe stroke on admission, 33.95% (290/854) experienced clinical worsening (median time from stroke onset: 43 h, Q1-Q3: 20-88 h), with brain edema (54.83% [159/290]) as the leading cause; 24.59% (210/854) of these patients died by 30 days, and 81.47% (677/831) and 78.44% (633/807) had unfavorable functional outcomes at 3 months and 1 year respectively. Reperfusion reduced the risk of worsening (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.12-0.49, P <0.01), 30-day death (adjusted OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.11-0.41, P <0.01), and unfavorable functional outcomes at 3 months (adjusted OR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.08-0.68, P <0.01) and 1 year (adjusted OR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.06-0.50, P <0.01).
CONCLUSIONS:
Approximately one-fifth of patients with ischemic stroke had severe neurological deficits on admission. Clinical worsening mainly occurred in the first 3 to 4 days after stroke onset, with brain edema as the leading cause of worsening. Reperfusion reduced the risk of clinical worsening and improved functional outcomes.
REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03222024.
Humans
;
Male
;
Female
;
Prospective Studies
;
Ischemic Stroke/mortality*
;
Aged
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged, 80 and over
;
Stroke
;
Brain Ischemia
4.Prognostic value of ultrasound carotid plaque length in patients with coronary artery disease.
Wendong TANG ; Zhichao XU ; Tingfang ZHU ; Yawei YANG ; Jian NA ; Wei ZHANG ; Liang CHEN ; Zongjun LIU ; Ming FAN ; Zhifu GUO ; Xianxian ZHAO ; Yuan BAI ; Bili ZHANG ; Hailing ZHANG ; Pan LI
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(14):1755-1757
5.Current situation of clinical trial registration in acupuncture anesthesia: A scoping review.
Yue LI ; You-Ning LIU ; Zhen GUO ; Mu-En GU ; Wen-Jia WANG ; Yi ZHU ; Xiao-Jun ZHUANG ; Li-Ming CHEN ; Jia ZHOU ; Jing LI
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(3):256-263
BACKGROUND:
Modern acupuncture anesthesia is a combination of Chinese and Western medicine that integrates the theories of acupuncture with anesthesia. However, some clinical studies of acupuncture anesthesia lack specific descriptions of randomization, allocation concealment, and blinding processes, with subsequent systematic reviews indicating a risk of bias.
OBJECTIVE:
Clinical trial registration is essential for the enhancement of the quality of clinical trials. This study aims to summarize the status of clinical trial registrations for acupuncture anesthesia listed on the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP).
SEARCH STRATEGY:
We searched the ICTRP for clinical trials related to acupuncture anesthesia registered between January 1, 2001 and May 31, 2023. Additionally, related publications were retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and Wanfang Data. Registrations and publications were analyzed for consistency in trial design characteristics.
INCLUSION CRITERIA:
Clinical trials that utilized one of several acupuncture-related therapies in combination with pharmacological anesthesia during the perioperative period were eligible for this review.
DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS:
Data extracted from articles included type of surgical procedure, perioperative symptoms, study methodology, type of intervention, trial recruitment information, and publication information related to clinical enrollment.
RESULTS:
A total of 166 trials related to acupuncture anesthesia from 21 countries were included in the analysis. The commonly reported symptoms in the included studies were postoperative nausea and vomiting (19.9%) and postoperative pain (13.3%). The concordance between the publications and the trial protocols in the clinical registry records was poor, with only 31.7% of the studies being fully compatible. Inconsistency rates were high for sample size (39.0%, 16/41), blinding (36.6%, 15/41), and secondary outcome indicators (24.4%, 10/41).
CONCLUSION
The volume of acupuncture anesthesia clinical trials registered in international trial registries over the last 20 years is low, with insufficient disclosure of results. Postoperative nausea and vomiting as well as postoperative pain, are the most investigated for acupuncture intervention. Please cite this article as: Li Y, Liu YN, Guo Z, Gu ME, Wang WJ, Zhu Y, Zhuang XJ, Chen LM, Zhou J, Li J. Current situation of clinical trial registration in acupuncture anesthesia: A scoping review. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 256-263.
Humans
;
Acupuncture Analgesia
;
Acupuncture Therapy
;
Anesthesia
;
Clinical Trials as Topic
;
Registries
6.Molecular Characterization of New Recombinant Human Adenoviruses Detected in Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Beijing, China, 2022-2023.
Yi Nan GUO ; Ri DE ; Fang Ming WANG ; Zhen Zhi HAN ; Li Ying LIU ; Yu SUN ; Yao YAO ; Xiao Lin MA ; Shuang LIU ; Chunmei ZHU ; Dong QU ; Lin Qing ZHAO
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(9):1071-1081
OBJECTIVE:
Recombination events are common and serve as the primary driving force of diverse human adenovirus (HAdV), particularly in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs). Therefore, continual monitoring of these events is essential for effective viral surveillance and control.
METHODS:
Respiratory specimens were collected from children with ARIs between January 2022 and December 2023. The penton base, hexon, and fiber genes were amplified from HAdV-positive specimens and sequenced to determine the virus type. In cases with inconsistent typing results, genes were cloned into the pGEM-T vector to detect recombination events. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed to characterize the recombinant HAdV genomes.
RESULTS:
Among 6,771 specimens, 277 (4.09%, 277/6,771) were positvie for HAdV, of which 157 (56.68%, 157/277) were successfully typed, with HAdV-B3 being the dominant type (91.08%, 143/157), and 14 (5.05%, 14/277) exhibited inconsistent typing results, six of which belonged to species B. The penton base genes of these six specimens were classified as HAdV-B7, whereas their hexon and fiber genes were classified as HAdV-B3, resulting in a recombinant genotype designated P7H3F3, which closely resembled HAdV-B114. Additionally, a partial gene encoding L1 52/55 kD was identified, which originated from HAdV-B16.
CONCLUSION
A novel recombinant, P7H3F3, was identified, containing sequences derived from HAdV-B3 and HAdV-B7, which is similar to HAdV-B114, along with additional sequences from HAdV-B16.
Humans
;
Adenoviruses, Human/isolation & purification*
;
Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology*
;
Child, Preschool
;
Child
;
Recombination, Genetic
;
Male
;
Beijing/epidemiology*
;
Infant
;
Female
;
Phylogeny
;
Adenovirus Infections, Human/epidemiology*
;
Acute Disease
;
Genome, Viral
7.Explanation and interpretation of blood transfusion provisions for children with hematological diseases in the national health standard "Guideline for pediatric transfusion".
Ming-Yi ZHAO ; Rong HUANG ; Rong GUI ; Qing-Nan HE ; Ming-Yan HEI ; Xiao-Fan ZHU ; Jun LU ; Xiao-Jun XU ; Tian-Ming YUAN ; Rong ZHANG ; Xu WANG ; Jin-Ping LIU ; Jing WANG ; Zhi-Li SHAO ; Yong-Jian GUO ; Xin-Yin WU ; Jia-Rui CHEN ; Qi-Rong CHEN ; Jia GUO ; Ming-Hua YANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(1):18-25
To guide clinical blood transfusion practices for pediatric patients, the National Health Commission has issued the health standard "Guideline for pediatric transfusion" (WS/T 795-2022). Blood transfusion is one of the most commonly used supportive treatments for children with hematological diseases. This guideline provides guidance and recommendations for blood transfusions in children with aplastic anemia, thalassemia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, acute leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. This article presents the evidence and interpretation of the blood transfusion provisions for children with hematological diseases in the "Guideline for pediatric transfusion", aiming to assist in the understanding and implementing the blood transfusion section of this guideline.
Humans
;
Child
;
Hematologic Diseases/therapy*
;
Blood Transfusion/standards*
;
Practice Guidelines as Topic
8.Explanation and interpretation of the compilation of blood transfusion provisions for children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the national health standard "Guideline for pediatric transfusion".
Rong HUANG ; Qing-Nan HE ; Ming-Yan HEI ; Xiao-Fan ZHU ; Jun LU ; Xiao-Jun XU ; Tian-Ming YUAN ; Rong ZHANG ; Xu WANG ; Jin-Ping LIU ; Jing WANG ; Zhi-Li SHAO ; Ming-Yi ZHAO ; Yong-Jian GUO ; Xin-Yin WU ; Jia-Rui CHEN ; Qi-Rong CHEN ; Jia GUO ; Rong GUI ; Ming-Hua YANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(2):139-143
To guide clinical blood transfusion practices for pediatric patients, the National Health Commission has issued the health standard "Guideline for pediatric transfusion" (WS/T 795-2022). Blood transfusion for children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is highly complex and challenging. This guideline provides recommendations on transfusion thresholds and the selection of blood components for these children. This article presents the evidence and interpretation of the transfusion provisions for children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, with the aim of enhancing the understanding and implementation of the "Guideline for pediatric transfusion".
Humans
;
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
;
Child
;
Blood Transfusion/standards*
;
Practice Guidelines as Topic
9.Explanation and interpretation of blood transfusion provisions for critically ill and severely bleeding pediatric patients in the national health standard "Guideline for pediatric transfusion".
Rong HUANG ; Qing-Nan HE ; Ming-Yan HEI ; Ming-Hua YANG ; Xiao-Fan ZHU ; Jun LU ; Xiao-Jun XU ; Tian-Ming YUAN ; Rong ZHANG ; Xu WANG ; Jin-Ping LIU ; Jing WANG ; Zhi-Li SHAO ; Ming-Yi ZHAO ; Yong-Jian GUO ; Xin-Yin WU ; Jia-Rui CHEN ; Qi-Rong CHEN ; Jia GUO ; Rong GUI
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(4):395-403
To guide clinical blood transfusion practices for pediatric patients, the National Health Commission has issued the health standard "Guideline for pediatric transfusion" (WS/T 795-2022). Critically ill children often present with anemia and have a higher demand for transfusions compared to other pediatric patients. This guideline provides guidance and recommendations for blood transfusions in cases of general critical illness, septic shock, acute brain injury, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, non-life-threatening bleeding, and hemorrhagic shock. This article interprets the background and evidence of the blood transfusion provisions for critically ill and severely bleeding children in the "Guideline for pediatric transfusion", aiming to enhance understanding and implementation of this aspect of the guidelines. Citation:Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics, 2025, 27(4): 395-403.
Humans
;
Critical Illness
;
Blood Transfusion/standards*
;
Child
;
Hemorrhage/therapy*
;
Practice Guidelines as Topic
10.Explanation and interpretation of blood transfusion provisions for children undergoing cardiac surgery in the national health standard "Guideline for pediatric transfusion".
Rong HUANG ; Qing-Nan HE ; Ming-Yan HEI ; Ming-Hua YANG ; Xiao-Fan ZHU ; Jun LU ; Xiao-Jun XU ; Tian-Ming YUAN ; Rong ZHANG ; Xu WANG ; Jing WANG ; Zhi-Li SHAO ; Ming-Yi ZHAO ; Yong-Jian GUO ; Xin-Yin WU ; Jia-Rui CHEN ; Qi-Rong CHEN ; Jia GUO ; Rong GUI ; Jin-Ping LIU
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(7):778-785
To guide clinical blood transfusion practices in pediatric patients, the National Health Commission has issued the health standard "Guideline for pediatric transfusion" (WS/T 795-2022). Children undergoing cardiac surgery are at high risk of bleeding, and the causes of perioperative anemia and coagulation disorders in neonates and children are complex and varied, often necessitating the transfusion of allogeneic blood components. This guideline provides direction and recommendations for specific measures in blood management for children undergoing cardiac surgery before, during, and after surgery. This article interprets the background and evidence for the formulation of the blood transfusion provisions for children undergoing cardiac surgery, hoping to facilitate the understanding and implementation of this guideline.
Humans
;
Cardiac Surgical Procedures
;
Blood Transfusion/standards*
;
Child
;
Practice Guidelines as Topic

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