Objective: To explore the management of blood donors tested reactive to HCV in blood screening based on confirmation of HCV infection. Methods: Multiple HCV antibody assays, repeating HCV RNA testing, follow-up of blood donors and retesting of archive samples were performed to confirm HCV infection, identify infection status, and exclude false positives in blood donors reactive to HCV in blood screening. Results: From 2011 to 2024, the unqualified rate of HCV detection in blood screening was 2.45‰(2 751/1 122 026). Among these, anti-HCV+-&NAT-accounted for 1.85‰, followed by anti-HCV++ at 0.60‰. The proportion of anti-HCV+-&NAT-and HCV RNA yields was extremely low (0.007‰). The positive rate of anti-HCV+-&NAT-samples tested by electrochemiluminescence method (ELCIA) was approximately 7.5%, differing among reagents (P<0.05). The follow-up of anti-HCV+-&NAT-donors showed that 96.2% (202/210) were false positives, but 51.4% of donors remained anti-HCV+-&NAT-during follow-up. Among them, 8 donors (3.8%) could not be ruled out from HCV infection due to positive retesting by ELCIA. Of the anti-HCV+-&NAT-donors who were reactive at the first follow-up, 86.8% remained anti-HCV+-&NAT-at the second follow-up. The sampling confirmation data showed that all of 260 anti-HCV++ donors were confirmed as anti-HCV positive, and the proportion of false positives or missed detections by NAT was very low. Two occult HBV infections (OBIs) and one HBsAg carrier were identified among the 3 anti-HCV +-&NAT+ donors, and no HCV infection was confirmed in 5 anti-HCV--&HCV RNA + donors. Conclusion: The prevalence of HCV among blood donors in Dalian was about 0.06%, with extremely low proportion of window-period infection and slightly higher proportion of resolved infections than that of current infections. The majority of anti-HCV+-&NAT-were false positive. Blood donors confirmed as false positive should be qualified in blood screening 3 months later before next donation. In order to reduce the false positive results, it was advisable to avoid the same type of supplementary reagents as the initial reagents when performing confirmation.

Objective: To evaluate repeated testing on blood screening platforms in confirmation of non-discriminatory reactive (NDR) samples in nucleic acid testing (NAT). Methods: A total of 102 HBsAg-negative/NAT NDR samples were collected from voluntary blood donors at Dalian Blood Center between January 2021 and December 2023. Repeated testing was performed using two NAT platforms (Cobas s201 and Panther). For the first round of repeated testing, all samples were tested 12 times on each system; for the second round, the samples which were non-reactive or only reactive once in the first round were tested an additional 8 times. Anti-HBc and anti-HBs was detected using electrochemiluminescence assay (ECA). Meanwhile, blood donors were followed up. Results: The proportion of anti-HBc+ in 102 NDR samples was 88.2%. Forty-one samples (40.2%, 41/102) and 7 samples were confirmed HBV DNA+ in first-round and second-round repeated testing, respectively. The cumulative confirmation rate of HBV DNA+ was 47.1% (48/102) after repeated testing. Extra five blood donors detected HBV DNA+ in follow-up were identified as anti-HBc+ occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI), while no window period infection was observed. Ultimately, there were 53 HBV infected donors confirmed, 46 HBV infection-unconfirmed, and 3 HBV uninfected. No significant difference was observed between the confirmation rate of the first-round testing and the cumulative confirmation rate after the second-round testing (P>0.05). The proportion of anti-HBc+ donors was quite high in both HBV infection-confirmed (98.1%) and unconfirmed group (82.6%), and donors with seronegative and anti-HBs-only occupied a high proportion in the latter (P<0.05). Conclusion: Numerous repeated testing of NDR samples using NAT platforms cannot achieve complete confirmation of HBV infection. Supplementary anti-HBc testing can minimize potential OBI risk among NDR donors, and is low-cost and efficient.

Objective: To investigate the impact of current laboratory testing models and screening strategies on blood safety by analyzing repeat nucleic acid testing (NAT) results obtained from blood donors who had dual-reactive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results but were initially nonreactive by NAT. Methods: Samples from blood donors with dual-reactive ELISA results and initially nonreactive NAT results collected at Dalian Blood Center from 2017 to 2025 were included. Repeated testing was performed using two NAT systems: transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results were analyzed in terms of the frequency of reactive NAT results and the testing strategies, including minipool and individual donation testing. Results: A total of 199 samples with dual-reactive ELISA results and initially nonreactive NAT results were included，comprising 66 HBsAg-reactive samples，130 anti-HCV-reactive samples，and 3 HIV Ag/Ab-reactive samples. Among the HBsAg-reactive samples，57（57/66，86.4%）showed at least one reactive NAT result upon repeated testing，and 49 showed two or more repeat reactive results. Anti-HBc was reactive in 64 samples（64/66，97.0%）and nonreactive in 2 samples（2/66，3.0%）；both anti-HBc-nonreactive samples remained nonreactive in repeated NAT. No stable repeat nucleic acid reactivity was observed in anti-HCV- or HIV Ag/Abreactive samples. The TMA system detected 50 reactive samples（50/66，75.8%）through three combined assays plus one discriminatory assay, whereas the PCR system detected 51 reactive samples (51/66, 77.3%) through four rounds of individual-donation testing. Fortyfour samples were reactive on both systems, 6 were reactive only on the TMA system, and 7 were reactive only on the PCR system. Conclusion: Among blood donors with dual-reactive ELISA results and initially non-reactive NAT results, HBsAg-reactive samples contain a high proportion of low viral load HBV-related cases, with intermittent and probabilistic nucleic acid detectability. Both testing frequency and detection strategy significantly affect the detection of low viral load samples. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing the detection characteristics of low viral load HBV-related samples in order to optimize blood screening strategies and improve blood safety.

Objective:To compare the benefits and prognostic risks of unilateral lobectomy (with or without isthmusectomy) or total (or near-total) thyroidectomy for primary foci of unilateral papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients with ipsilateral lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (LLNM) , so as to find out the optimal surgery for these patients.Methods:A total of 505 unilateral PTC patients with ipsilateral LLNM who underwent initial surgical treatment at the Thyroid Surgery Department of Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from Feb. 2012 to Jan. 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into unilateral lobectomy group ( n=314) and total thyroidectomy group ( n=191) according to the extent of resection of primary foci. Then 177 pairs of cases were screened out after eliminating the potential confounding bias between the two groups by using propensity score matching (PSM) , analyzing the differences in clinical outcomes such as recurrence-free survival (RFS) , overall survival (OS) , hospitalization costs, and postoperative complications between the two groups. Results:After PSM, the postoperative complication rate was 37.3% ( n=66) in the total thyroidectomy group and 3.4% ( n=6) in the unilateral lobectomy group. The complication was mainly characterized by temporary hypoparathyroidism (HP) . Although the difference in length of hospitalization between the two groups was not statistically significant ( P=0.792) , patients in the unilateral lobectomy group used less surgical time ( P<0.001) , had lower hospitalization and surgical costs ( P<0.0001) , and took a relatively smaller dose of levothyroxine (L-T4) one month after the operation ( P<0.0001) , as compared with the total thyroidectomy group. Univariate analysis showed that the number of LLNM total lymph node metastasis (LNM) rate, LLNM rate, and T stage were significant risk factors for relapse. Multi-factor regression analysis indicated that T-staging was a risk factor for recurrence. After a median follow-up of 60 (3-138) months, 19 patients (10.7%) in the unilateral lobectomy group and 11 patients (6.2%) in the total thyroidectomy group recurred, with no statistical difference between the two groups ( P=0.133) . The OS curve displayed no significant difference between the unilateral lobectomy and total thyroidectomy groups ( P=0.740) . Conclusion:For unilateral PTC patients with ipsilateral LLNM without other high-risk features, unilateral lobectomy could be a better option.

Objective:To develop a deep learning-based segmentation model for anterior segment ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) images to automatically segment the anterior segment tissues of patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG).Methods:A single-center retrospective case series was conducted.A small-scale dataset comprised 468 UBM images of the anterior chamber angle closure from 156 patients with PACG who underwent the UBM examination at Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital between July 12, 2022, and February 20, 2023.The UBM images were randomly split into a training dataset of 228 images and a testing dataset of 152 images using a random seed method in a ratio of 6∶4.The models were trained using the PSPNet model with MobileNet V2 and ResNet50 as backbones, the DeepLab v3+ model with MobileNet V2 and Xception as backbones, and the SegFormer model with MiT-B0 and MiT-B2 as backbones.The testing dataset was used for result prediction and to achieve segmentation of four regions: the cornea and sclera, iris, ciliary body, and anterior lens surface.To evaluate the performance of the models in segmenting the anterior segment structures, multiple metrics were assessed, including the mean intersection over union (mIoU), Dice coefficient, precision, recall, false negative rate, and specificity.A comparative analysis of the test results across the different models was subsequently performed.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital (No.2023KY-05).Results:The two models with the best segmentation performance were PSPNet and DeepLab v3+ .The PSPNet model with ResNet50 as the backbone achieved the mIoU of 85.11%, Dice coefficient of 91.38%, precision of 91.83%, recall of 90.94%, false negative rate of 9.06%, and specificity of 98.89%.The DeepLab v3+ model with MobileNet V2 as the backbone achieved an mIoU of 85.84%, Dice coefficient of 92.01%, precision of 92.67%, recall of 91.36%, false negative rate of 8.64%, and specificity of 98.90%.Among the five key metrics, mIoU, Dice coefficient, recall, false negative rate, and specificity, DeepLab v3+ exhibited the best segmentation performance.In addition, the DeepLab v3+ model with Xception as the backbone had the highest precision among all models, reaching 92.77%.Conclusions:The deep learning-based DeepLab v3+ model achieves precise segmentation of anterior segment tissue structures in PACG anterior segment UBM image segmentation, providing auxiliary support for clinical diagnosis.

Objective:To explore the impact of the fear of disease progression on the return-to-work readiness of patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) , and the chain mediating effect of psychological consistency and disease acceptance between the two factors.Methods:A convenience sampling method was used to select 198 PCI patients at the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University from February 2023 to May 2024. The General Information Survey, Return-To-Work Readiness Scale, Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form, Acceptance Illness Scale, and Sense of Coherence-13 were used to investigate the patients.Results:A total of 198 questionnaires were distributed, with 178 valid questionnaires returned, yielding an effective response rate of 89.90%. Among the patients' return-to-work readiness, 42 patients were in the pre-intention stage, 60 patients in the intention stage, 36 patients in the action preparation-self-assessment stage, and 40 patients in the action preparation-behavior stage. The fear of disease progression significantly influenced the patients' return-to-work readiness. Psychological consistency and disease acceptance played significant chain mediation roles between the fear of disease progression and return-to-work readiness, with a total mediation effect value of -0.072, accounting for 41.38% of the total effect.Conclusions:Return-to-work readiness in PCI patients needs improvement. Psychological consistency and disease acceptance play a chain mediation role between the fear of disease progression and return-to-work readiness. Healthcare providers should develop personalized care strategies based on patients' specific conditions, improve their psychological state, and enhance their readiness to return to work.

Objective:To compare the benefits and prognostic risks of unilateral lobectomy (with or without isthmusectomy) or total (or near-total) thyroidectomy for primary foci of unilateral papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients with ipsilateral lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (LLNM) , so as to find out the optimal surgery for these patients.Methods:A total of 505 unilateral PTC patients with ipsilateral LLNM who underwent initial surgical treatment at the Thyroid Surgery Department of Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from Feb. 2012 to Jan. 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into unilateral lobectomy group ( n=314) and total thyroidectomy group ( n=191) according to the extent of resection of primary foci. Then 177 pairs of cases were screened out after eliminating the potential confounding bias between the two groups by using propensity score matching (PSM) , analyzing the differences in clinical outcomes such as recurrence-free survival (RFS) , overall survival (OS) , hospitalization costs, and postoperative complications between the two groups. Results:After PSM, the postoperative complication rate was 37.3% ( n=66) in the total thyroidectomy group and 3.4% ( n=6) in the unilateral lobectomy group. The complication was mainly characterized by temporary hypoparathyroidism (HP) . Although the difference in length of hospitalization between the two groups was not statistically significant ( P=0.792) , patients in the unilateral lobectomy group used less surgical time ( P<0.001) , had lower hospitalization and surgical costs ( P<0.0001) , and took a relatively smaller dose of levothyroxine (L-T4) one month after the operation ( P<0.0001) , as compared with the total thyroidectomy group. Univariate analysis showed that the number of LLNM total lymph node metastasis (LNM) rate, LLNM rate, and T stage were significant risk factors for relapse. Multi-factor regression analysis indicated that T-staging was a risk factor for recurrence. After a median follow-up of 60 (3-138) months, 19 patients (10.7%) in the unilateral lobectomy group and 11 patients (6.2%) in the total thyroidectomy group recurred, with no statistical difference between the two groups ( P=0.133) . The OS curve displayed no significant difference between the unilateral lobectomy and total thyroidectomy groups ( P=0.740) . Conclusion:For unilateral PTC patients with ipsilateral LLNM without other high-risk features, unilateral lobectomy could be a better option.

Objective:To develop a deep learning-based segmentation model for anterior segment ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) images to automatically segment the anterior segment tissues of patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG).Methods:A single-center retrospective case series was conducted.A small-scale dataset comprised 468 UBM images of the anterior chamber angle closure from 156 patients with PACG who underwent the UBM examination at Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital between July 12, 2022, and February 20, 2023.The UBM images were randomly split into a training dataset of 228 images and a testing dataset of 152 images using a random seed method in a ratio of 6∶4.The models were trained using the PSPNet model with MobileNet V2 and ResNet50 as backbones, the DeepLab v3+ model with MobileNet V2 and Xception as backbones, and the SegFormer model with MiT-B0 and MiT-B2 as backbones.The testing dataset was used for result prediction and to achieve segmentation of four regions: the cornea and sclera, iris, ciliary body, and anterior lens surface.To evaluate the performance of the models in segmenting the anterior segment structures, multiple metrics were assessed, including the mean intersection over union (mIoU), Dice coefficient, precision, recall, false negative rate, and specificity.A comparative analysis of the test results across the different models was subsequently performed.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital (No.2023KY-05).Results:The two models with the best segmentation performance were PSPNet and DeepLab v3+ .The PSPNet model with ResNet50 as the backbone achieved the mIoU of 85.11%, Dice coefficient of 91.38%, precision of 91.83%, recall of 90.94%, false negative rate of 9.06%, and specificity of 98.89%.The DeepLab v3+ model with MobileNet V2 as the backbone achieved an mIoU of 85.84%, Dice coefficient of 92.01%, precision of 92.67%, recall of 91.36%, false negative rate of 8.64%, and specificity of 98.90%.Among the five key metrics, mIoU, Dice coefficient, recall, false negative rate, and specificity, DeepLab v3+ exhibited the best segmentation performance.In addition, the DeepLab v3+ model with Xception as the backbone had the highest precision among all models, reaching 92.77%.Conclusions:The deep learning-based DeepLab v3+ model achieves precise segmentation of anterior segment tissue structures in PACG anterior segment UBM image segmentation, providing auxiliary support for clinical diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Senescent human skin primary fibroblast (FB) models have been established for studying aging-related, proliferative, and inflammatory skin diseases. The aim of this study was to compare the transcriptome characteristics of human primary dermal FBs from children and the elderly with four senescence models. METHODS: Human skin primary FBs were obtained from healthy children (FB-C) and elderly donors (FB-E). Senescence models were generated by ultraviolet B irradiation (FB-UVB), D-galactose stimulation (FB-D-gal), atazanavir treatment (FB-ATV), and replication exhaustion induction (FB-P30). Flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, co-culturing with immune cells, and bulk RNA sequencing were used for systematic comparisons of the models. RESULTS: In comparison with FB-C, FB-E showed elevated expression of senescence-related genes related to the skin barrier and extracellular matrix, proinflammatory factors, chemokines, oxidative stress, and complement factors. In comparison with FB-E, FB-UVB and FB-ATV showed higher levels of senescence and expression of the genes related to the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and their shaped immune microenvironment highly facilitated the activation of downstream immune cells, including T cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. FB-P30 was most similar to FB-E in terms of general transcriptome features, such as FB migration and proliferation, and aging-related characteristics. FB-D-gal showed the lowest expression levels of senescence-related genes. In comparisons with the single-cell RNA sequencing results, FB-E showed almost complete simulation of the transcriptional spectrum of FBs in elderly patients with atopic dermatitis, followed by FB-P30 and FB-UVB. FB-E and FB-P30 showed higher similarity with the FBs in keloids. CONCLUSIONS Each senescent FB model exhibited different characteristics. In addition to showing upregulated expression of natural senescence features, FB-UVB and FB-ATV showed high expression levels of senescence-related genes, including those involved in the SASP, and FB-P30 showed the greatest similarity with FB-E. However, D-galactose-stimulated FBs did not clearly present aging characteristics.
Humans ; Fibroblasts/drug effects* ; Cellular Senescence/physiology* ; Skin/metabolism* ; Child ; Transcriptome/genetics* ; Aged ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Cells, Cultured ; Galactose/pharmacology*

One of its primary surgical treatments of tricuspid regurgitation is tricuspid valve biological valve replacement. Catheter tricuspid valve-in-valve implantation is a novel interventional alternative for biological valve failure. The non-invasive lung fluid measuring device remote dielectric sensing (ReDSTM) has been increasingly incorporated into clinical practice as a means of monitoring chronic heart failure in recent years. This report describes the process and outcomes of the first instance of perioperative lung fluid volume evaluation following transcatheter tricuspid valve implantation utilizing ReDSTM technology. The patient has a short-term, substantial increase in postoperative lung fluid volume as compared to baseline.