Objective:To investigate the clinical value of a fully autonomous ultrasound robot in splenic ultrasound imaging.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted by enrolling 56 adult volunteers from the Third Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital between February 1-8，2024 as research subjects.A senior physician sequentially performed splenic ultrasound examinations using both the fully autonomous ultrasound robot and a matched portable ultrasound device. The acquired images were randomly coded and scored via a double-blind method by 3 physicians. The differences of the image quality scores and high-quality image proportions between the two groups were compared. Examination durations were recorded and compared between the two groups.Results:Both modalities successfully acquired splenic images in all 56 volunteers. No statistically significant differences were observed in image quality scores among the 3 physicians：（3.52 ± 1.31）points vs.（3.83 ± 1.23）points，（2.77 ± 1.23）points vs.（3.17 ± 1.17）points，and（3.48 ± 0.97）points vs.（3.79 ± 0.94）points（all P>0.05）. The numbers of images scoring ≥ 3 points showed no significant differences：45（80.36%） vs. 50（89.29%），30（53.57%） vs. 38（67.86%），and 48（85.71%） vs. 52（92.86%）（all P>0.05）. The fully autonomous ultrasound robot required significantly longer examination time［（60.86 ± 50.55）s vs.（7.95 ± 4.35）s， t=6.88， P＜0.01］. Conclusions:The fully autonomous ultrasound robot demonstrates comparable image quality and clinically acceptable image proportions to conventional portable ultrasound in splenic examinations. These findings suggest its potential equivalence to operator-dependent ultrasound for splenic imaging，supporting its feasibility as an alternative ultrasound modality despite longer procedural duration.

Objective:To explore the impact of the two-way referral model on compliance and prognosis in patients with heart failure.Methods:This bidirectional cohort study enrolled chronic heart failure (CHF) patients treated at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University or designated primary hospitals between March 2018 and March 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups based on referral status: two-way referral group (participating in the referral model with≥1 follow-up visit at primary hospitals) and the core hospital group (receiving treatment and follow-up exclusively at Qilu Hospital). Baseline clinical characteristics were collected and compared between groups. Patients underwent followed-up, with primary endpoints including follow-up rate, drug (β-blockers, angiotension converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)/angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blockers (ARB)/angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists) utilization rate and target dose achievement rate. Secondary endpoints encompassed changes from baseline in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), plus cardiovascular mortality and heart failure rehospitalization. Generalized linear mixed models analyzed longitudinal trends in LVEF, LVEDd, and NT-proBNP levels. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression evaluated LVEF recovery rates, supplemented by subgroup analyses. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing target dose achievement rate for β-blockers and ACEI/ARB/ARNI therapies in CHF patients.Results:A total of 357 patients were enrolled, aged 53 (41, 63) years, including 256 males (71.7%). 157 patients were in the two-way referral group and 200 patients in the core hospital-treated group. Compared with the core hospital-treated group, the two-way referral group had lower baseline LVEF (28 (22, 34)% vs. 31 (23, 36)%, P=0.021) and systolic blood pressure (116 (104, 125) mmHg vs. 121 (109, 134) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), P=0.010). The 12-month follow-up rate of the two-way referral group was higher than the core hospital-treated group (73.8% vs. 56.0%, P=0.004). No significant between-group differences were observed in drug utilization rate of β-blockers, ACEI/ARB/ARNI, or sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors during follow-up (all P>0.05), while mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists use showed a declining trend in both groups. Although the core hospital-treated group had higher target dose achievement rates for β-blockers (65.4% vs. 49.3%, P=0.042) and ACEI/ARB/ARNI (79.8% vs. 65.8%, P=0.046) than the two-way referral group, multivariate logistic regression indicated that the two-way referral model was not a negative predictor for these outcomes (all P>0.05). Both groups showed improved NT-proBNP, LVEDd, and LVEF from baseline (all P<0.001) with no significant difference in trends between groups (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the composite incidence (7.6% vs. 6.5%, P=0.674) and cumulative incidence (log-rank P=0.684) of cardiovascular death and heart failure rehospitalization at 12 months between two groups. Conclusion:The two-way referral model demonstrates advantages in improving medication adherence, drug utilization rates, and targetdoseachievement rates among CHF patients. This model not only promotes cardiac functional recovery but also reduces risks of cardiovascular mortality and heart failure rehospitalization, achieving comparable therapeutic and management outcomes to those observed in core hospital-treated patients.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of a fully autonomous ultrasound robot in splenic ultrasound imaging.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted by enrolling 56 adult volunteers from the Third Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital between February 1-8，2024 as research subjects.A senior physician sequentially performed splenic ultrasound examinations using both the fully autonomous ultrasound robot and a matched portable ultrasound device. The acquired images were randomly coded and scored via a double-blind method by 3 physicians. The differences of the image quality scores and high-quality image proportions between the two groups were compared. Examination durations were recorded and compared between the two groups.Results:Both modalities successfully acquired splenic images in all 56 volunteers. No statistically significant differences were observed in image quality scores among the 3 physicians：（3.52 ± 1.31）points vs.（3.83 ± 1.23）points，（2.77 ± 1.23）points vs.（3.17 ± 1.17）points，and（3.48 ± 0.97）points vs.（3.79 ± 0.94）points（all P>0.05）. The numbers of images scoring ≥ 3 points showed no significant differences：45（80.36%） vs. 50（89.29%），30（53.57%） vs. 38（67.86%），and 48（85.71%） vs. 52（92.86%）（all P>0.05）. The fully autonomous ultrasound robot required significantly longer examination time［（60.86 ± 50.55）s vs.（7.95 ± 4.35）s， t=6.88， P＜0.01］. Conclusions:The fully autonomous ultrasound robot demonstrates comparable image quality and clinically acceptable image proportions to conventional portable ultrasound in splenic examinations. These findings suggest its potential equivalence to operator-dependent ultrasound for splenic imaging，supporting its feasibility as an alternative ultrasound modality despite longer procedural duration.

Objective:To explore the impact of the two-way referral model on compliance and prognosis in patients with heart failure.Methods:This bidirectional cohort study enrolled chronic heart failure (CHF) patients treated at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University or designated primary hospitals between March 2018 and March 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups based on referral status: two-way referral group (participating in the referral model with≥1 follow-up visit at primary hospitals) and the core hospital group (receiving treatment and follow-up exclusively at Qilu Hospital). Baseline clinical characteristics were collected and compared between groups. Patients underwent followed-up, with primary endpoints including follow-up rate, drug (β-blockers, angiotension converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)/angiotensin Ⅱ receptor blockers (ARB)/angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists) utilization rate and target dose achievement rate. Secondary endpoints encompassed changes from baseline in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), plus cardiovascular mortality and heart failure rehospitalization. Generalized linear mixed models analyzed longitudinal trends in LVEF, LVEDd, and NT-proBNP levels. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression evaluated LVEF recovery rates, supplemented by subgroup analyses. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing target dose achievement rate for β-blockers and ACEI/ARB/ARNI therapies in CHF patients.Results:A total of 357 patients were enrolled, aged 53 (41, 63) years, including 256 males (71.7%). 157 patients were in the two-way referral group and 200 patients in the core hospital-treated group. Compared with the core hospital-treated group, the two-way referral group had lower baseline LVEF (28 (22, 34)% vs. 31 (23, 36)%, P=0.021) and systolic blood pressure (116 (104, 125) mmHg vs. 121 (109, 134) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), P=0.010). The 12-month follow-up rate of the two-way referral group was higher than the core hospital-treated group (73.8% vs. 56.0%, P=0.004). No significant between-group differences were observed in drug utilization rate of β-blockers, ACEI/ARB/ARNI, or sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors during follow-up (all P>0.05), while mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists use showed a declining trend in both groups. Although the core hospital-treated group had higher target dose achievement rates for β-blockers (65.4% vs. 49.3%, P=0.042) and ACEI/ARB/ARNI (79.8% vs. 65.8%, P=0.046) than the two-way referral group, multivariate logistic regression indicated that the two-way referral model was not a negative predictor for these outcomes (all P>0.05). Both groups showed improved NT-proBNP, LVEDd, and LVEF from baseline (all P<0.001) with no significant difference in trends between groups (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the composite incidence (7.6% vs. 6.5%, P=0.674) and cumulative incidence (log-rank P=0.684) of cardiovascular death and heart failure rehospitalization at 12 months between two groups. Conclusion:The two-way referral model demonstrates advantages in improving medication adherence, drug utilization rates, and targetdoseachievement rates among CHF patients. This model not only promotes cardiac functional recovery but also reduces risks of cardiovascular mortality and heart failure rehospitalization, achieving comparable therapeutic and management outcomes to those observed in core hospital-treated patients.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a fetus with club foot detected upon mid-pregnancy ultrasonography. METHODS: Amniotic fluid of the fetus and peripheral blood samples of its parents were collected and subjected to G-banding karyotype analysis and copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq). The result was verified by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). RESULTS: The fetus and its parents all had a normal karyotype. CNV-seq analysis revealed that the fetus has harbored a 23.12 Mb on chromosome 5 and a 21.46 Mb duplication on chromosome 7. FISH assay has verified that its mother has carried a cryptic t(5;7)(p14.3;q33) translocation. CONCLUSION CNV-seq combined with FISH can effectively detect cryptic chromosome aberrations, and can help to reduce severe birth defects and provide a basis for prenatal genetic counseling.
Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Cri-du-Chat Syndrome ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Fetus ; Amniotic Fluid ; Chromosome Deletion

Objective: To investigate the level of maternal and infant health literacy and its influencing factors among lying-in women, so as to provide insights into formulating maternal and infant health education and promotion strategies. Methods: Lying-in women were sampled from Children's Hospital of Shanxi using a cluster sampling method from March to September 2022. Demographic characteristics, maternal and infant health literacy, and health education demands were collected through a questionnaire survey. Factors affecting maternal and infant health literacy among lying-in women were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 1 099 questionnaires were allocated, and 1 059 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective rate of 96.36%. Participants had a mean age of (30.93±4.01) years, 930 urban residents (87.82%), and 706 pluripara (66.67%). The overall prevalence of maternal and infant health literacy was 35.51% among lying-in women, and the prevalence rates of basic knowledge and concept, healthy lifestyles and behaviors and basic skills were 47.69%, 83.10% and 38.81%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that educational level (diploma or undergraduate degree, OR=3.916, 95%CI: 1.250-9.031; master degree and above, OR=4.557, 95%CI: 1.498-11.460), occupation (company employees, OR=2.701, 95%CI: 1.385-5.268; medical staff, OR=2.981, 95%CI: 1.289-6.893), pluripara (OR=5.649, 95%CI: 3.919-8.142), participating in health education activities (OR=2.332, 95%CI: 1.524-3.570), and participating in schools for pregnant women (OR=2.252, 95%CI: 1.541-3.291) were promoting factors for maternal and infant health literacy; while gestational hypertension (OR=0.255, 95%CI: 0.133-0.488) and gestational diabetes (OR=0.318, 95%CI: 0.211-0.478) were inhibiting factors for maternal and infant health literacy. Most participants acquired health knowledge through online media (62.42%), and hoped to participate in health education activities through online media publicity (68.18%). Conclusions The maternal and infant health literacy level of lying-in women in this survey is associated with education, occupation, parturition frequency, participation in health education activities, participation in schools for pregnant women, gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes.

Objective:To explore the value of conventional ultrasonography combined with cervical compression in the diagnosis of orbital venous malformation (OVM).Methods:A total of 43 patients with suspected OVM were admitted in sequentially from January 2019 to July 2022 in the Third Medical Center of PLA General Hospital. All patients were examined by ultrasonography combined with cervical compression and demonstrated by operation or digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The conventional ultrasound features of OVM were summarized, and the value of conventional ultrasonography combined with cervical compression in the diagnosis of OVM was discussed.Results:The features of the conventional ultrasound combined with cervical compression for diagnosis of OVM were as follows: the interior of lesion was mainly tubular structure, and the compression test was positive. After cervical compression, the lesion enlarged and the inner diameter of the internal tubular structure widened. Doppler flow imaging showed that the interior of lesion was mainly venous blood flow. Compared with the results of postoperative pathology or DSA, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and positive predictive value of ultrasonography combined with cervical compression were 0.952, 1.000, 95.3% and 100%, respectively. The results of Fisher exact diagnosis showed that there was no significant difference between ultrasonography and operation or DSA of OVM( P>0.05). Conclusions:Conventional ultrasound combined with cervical compression can be used as an effective method for the diagnosis of OVM.

Objective:To explore the value of 5G robotic remote ultrasound in the diagnosis of plateau pulmonary edema(HAPE).Methods:A total of 27 patients who quickly entered Nagqu, Tibet at an altitude of 4 600 m-5 600 m from March to December 2021 and developed one of the clinical symptoms of HAPE were collected. All patients were examined by 5G remote robotic ultrasound and lung CT respectively. Kappa test was used to analyze the consistency of the two diagnostic results, and McNemar test was used to compare the difference in diagnostic results. The ROC curve was used to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of remote lung ultrasound scores in the diagnosis of HAPE.Results:Among the 27 patients, 16 showed thickening of pleural line, increasing of B line, lung consolidation, pleural effusion, etc. Meanwhile, 11 showed no abnormality. Additionally, 8 cases had diffuse pulmonary fluid in both lungs, and 8 cases had localized pulmonary fluid. ROC curve showed that the area under the curve of lung ultrasound score for the diagnosis of HAPE was 0.947 (95% CI=0.78-0.99, P<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity were 0.933 and 0.917, respectively. Lung CT diagnosis was positive in 15 cases. Lung CT showed thickening of lung texture, ground glass, small nodular shadow, fine reticulate shadow, etc. The diagnostic results of the two techniques were in good agreement (Kappa=0.924, P<0.001), and there was no significant difference between the two methods ( P>0.05). Conclusions:5G remote robotic ultrasound has high consistency with CT in the diagnosis of HAPE and is an alternative early diagnosis method for HAPE. It may have clinical application value in scattered medical resources and remote plateau areas.

Clinical data of 43 patients who underwent endoscopic resection for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) of length ≤1.2 cm at the Digestive Endoscopy Center of the 909th Hospital from January 2016 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the endoscopic ligation resection (ELR) group ( n=27) and the endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) group ( n=16). The general, perioperative and follow-up data of the two groups were compared. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the general data between the two groups. The operation time was 20.0 (18.0,25.0) min in the ELR group and 27.5 (23.0,37.5) min in the ESE group, showing significant difference ( U=92.5, P=0.001). The en bloc resection rates were 100.0% (27/27) in the ELR group and 81.3% (13/16) in the ESE group, showing significant difference ( P=0.045). The postoperative hospital stays were 3 (2,4) days in the ELR group and 5 (4,6) days in the ESE group, showing significant difference ( U=125.5, P=0.020). There was no significant difference in the intraoperative bleeding rate, intraoperative hemorrhage volume, intraoperative perforation rate, number of hemostatic clips or postoperative complications including hemorrhage, fever and peritonitis between the two groups ( P>0.05). During the follow-up, there was no recurrence or metastasis of GIST in both groups. ELR and ESE can be safe and effective for small GIST ≤1.2 cm in diameter. Compared with the ESE group, the operation time and postoperative hospital stay are shorter with higher en bloc resection rate in the ELR group.

Objective: To investigate the role of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in ischemic rats underwent cardiac shock therapy. Methods: Adult male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats weighing 220-250 g were used to establish a heart failure model by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Rat models were defined by echocardiographic assessment at 4 weeks post operation and heart failure rats were randomly divided into 4 groups,namely heart failure group (HF group, 9 cases),heart failure+cardiac shock waves therapy group (HF+CSWT group, 9 cases),heart failure+inhibitor(HF+LY294002 group, 9 cases),heart failure+cardiac shock waves therapy group+inhibitor (HF+CSWT+LY294002 group, 9 cases),and another 9 sham-operated SD rats served as control group (sham group, 9 cases). At 8 weeks postoperation, echocardiography was used to evaluate cardiac function in each group,myocardial infarct size was measured by TTC staining,the apoptotic index of rats cardiomyocytes were detected by TUNEL method,the myocardial mRNA expression of apoptosis-related factor was detected by real-time quantitative PCR, the protein expression levels of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and apoptosis-related pathways were detected by Western blot. Results: (1) Eight weeks after operation, left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) and left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD) were significantly lower in HF+CSWT group than in HF group (all P<0.05), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular shortening rate (LVFS) were significantly higher in HF+CSWT group than in HF group (all P<0.05),LVEF was significantly lower in the HF+ CSWT+ LY294002 group than in HF+ CSWT group (P<0.05). (2) Myocardial infarct size was significantly lower in the HF+ CSWT group than in HF group ((5.57 ± 0.51)% vs. (25.56 ± 0.56)%, P<0.05), which was significantly higher in the HF+CSWT+LY294002 group than in HF+CSWT group ((12.90±2.34)% vs. (5.57±0.51)%,P<0.05). (3) The cardiomyocyte apoptotic index was significantly lower in the HF+CSWT group than in the HF group ((30.25±6.12)% vs. (53.85±9.89)%,P<0.05), which was significantly higher in the HF+CSWT+LY294002 group than in the HF+CSWT group ((46.12±3.42)% vs.(30.25±6.12)%,P<0.05). (4) The myocardial mRNA expression of Bcl-2 was significantly higher, while myocardial mRNA Bax and Caspase-3 expression were significantly lower in HF+CSWT group than in HF group and HF+CSWT+LY294002 group (all P<0.05). (5) The expression levels of p-Akt, Bcl-2 and pro-Caspase-3 in myocardial tissue were significantly higher in the HF+CSWT group than in the HF group and HF+CSWT+LY294002 group (all P<0.05), which were significantly lower in the HF+LY294002 group than in the HF and HF+CSWT+LY294002 groups (all P<0.05). Myocardial Bax protein expression was significantly lower in the HF+CSWT group than in the HF group and the HF+CSWT+LY294002 group (all P<0.05), which was significantly higher in the HF+LY294002 group than in the HF group (P<0.05). Conclusion CSWT improves cardiac function and inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis through PI3K/Akt signaling pathways in this rat HF model.