BACKGROUND: Changes in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels may not fully translate into patient-reported health status in patients with heart failure (HF). We aimed to evaluate the correlation between NT-proBNP levels and patient-reported health status changes at one month after discharge of patients, and their associations with risk of death and rehospitalization in patients with acute HF. METHODS: We used data from the China Patient-centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events Prospective Heart Failure Study (PEACE 5p-HF Study). Patient-reported health status was measured by the 12-item Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12). Patients who were hospitalized for HF and completed the KCCQ-12 and NT-proBNP tests before and one month after discharge were eligible in our study. We stratified patients into different groups based on NT-proBNP levels (i.e., improved, stable, and deteriorated) and KCCQ-12 scores (i.e., not deteriorated and deteriorated). We also examined the associations of the joint NT-proBNP and KCCQ-12 change with the risk of one-year and four-year clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 2461 patients were included in the analysis. The mean age was 64.06 ± 13.51 years, and 36.37% (895/2461) of the study population were female. Among patients with improved NT-proBNP levels, 115 (10.95%) patients had deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores. The correlation between the change in the KCCQ-12 score and NT-proBNP level was weak ( r2 = 0.002, P = 0.013). Stratification by changes in the KCCQ-12 score revealed subgroups with distinctive risks, such that patients with deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores in any of the NT-proBNP change groups exhibited an increased risk of one-year all-cause death than participants with not deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores in any of the NT-proBNP change groups. Patients with improved NT-proBNP levels and deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores presented greater risks of one-year all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34-4.48) than patients with stable NT-proBNP levels and not deteriorated KCCQ-12 scores (HR [95% CI], 1.77 [1.25-2.53]). CONCLUSIONS: A discrepancy between changes in NT-proBNP levels and KCCQ-12 scores was common. The change in NT-proBNP levels was not sufficient to characterize critical aspects related to HF during one month after discharge of patients. Changes in the KCCQ-12 score exhibit complementary information to NT-proBNP levels for the prediction of clinical outcomes in patients with acute HF. REGISTRATION www.clinicaltrials.gov (No. NCT02878811).
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Health Status ; Heart Failure/metabolism* ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/metabolism* ; Peptide Fragments/metabolism* ; Prospective Studies

Objective:To understand the epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal distribution of hepatitis E in Zhejiang Province from 2008 to 2023 and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of hepatitis E.Methods:The incidence data of hepatitis E in Zhejiang from 2008 to 2023 were obtained from China Disease Control and Prevention Information System. Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the trends in incidence rates. Software ArcGIS 10.8 was used to analyze the spatial distribution and autocorrelation of hepatitis E cases, while software SaTScan 10.1 was used to investigate spatial clustering at district level.Results:A total of 33 027 cases of hepatitis E were reported in Zhejiang from 2008 to 2023. The average annual incidence rate was 3.64/100 000. The majority of the cases reported were men (21 739), and higher average annual incidence rate was observed in the age group 50-74 years (32.04/100 000). The overall reported incidence rate declined first and then increased in 2020, showing a seasonal distribution with a high incidence from January to May. Notably, the incidence was particularly high in Hangzhou (6.54/100 000) and Quzhou (5.56/100 000). Spatial autocorrelation analyses revealed that the incidence of hepatitis E exhibited high-high clustering in all the years, with northwestern Zhejiang as main affected area. Prior to 2020, the high-high clustering area in northwestern Zhejiang became smaller, followed by an expansion trend in 2020-2022. Spatiotemporal clustering analyses identified seven clustering areas from 2010 to 2019, one was in 16 counties (cities, districts) in northwestern Zhejiang. And the clustering areas along the coastline shifted from the north to the south.Conclusions:The incidence of hepatitis E in Zhejiang exhibited distinct spatiotemporal clustering pattern. Consequently, targeted prevention and control measures could be taken for hepatitis E in high-risk areas in Zhejiang, including northwestern and coastal areas.

Objective:s To investigate the risk factors for delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP) in patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning (ACOP) and to develop predictive models based on machine learning algorithms.Methods:Patients with ACOP hospitalized at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from August 2019 to October 2024 were included, with the occurrence of DEACMP as the outcome measure. The dataset was randomly divided into training and validation sets at a ratio of 7:3. Lasso regression was used to select features influencing the outcome in training sets. Nine machine learning models—including Random Forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Support Vector Machine (SVM)—were constructed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted and the area under the curve (AUC) calculated for each model. Calibration curves were used to assess accuracy, and decision curve analysis (DCA) was applied to evaluate clinical utility. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was employed to visualize and interpret the best-performing model.Results:A total of 264 ACOP patients were included, of whom 54 (20.5%) developed DEACMP. Lasso regression identified eight key feature variables. Based on these factors, predictive models were constructed, showing good AUC stability across the nine machine learning models in both training (0.92–0.99) and validation sets (0.85–0.91). The RF model performed best, with an AUC of 0.99 in the training set and 0.90 in the validation set; its calibration curve and DCA curve also demonstrated excellent performance. SHAP analysis of the RF model revealed the importance ranking of factors from highest to lowest as follows: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, duration of coma, age, history of coronary heart disease, CK-MB level, monocyte count, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and drinking history.Conclusions:The RF model exhibited the highest predictive performance for DEACMP occurrence in ACOP patients. The influencing factors, ranked in order of importance from highest to lowest, are as follows: GCS score, duration of coma, age, history of coronary heart disease, CK-MB level, monocyte count, DBP, and drinking history.

Objective:To understand the epidemiological characteristics and spatiotemporal distribution of hepatitis E in Zhejiang Province from 2008 to 2023 and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of hepatitis E.Methods:The incidence data of hepatitis E in Zhejiang from 2008 to 2023 were obtained from China Disease Control and Prevention Information System. Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the trends in incidence rates. Software ArcGIS 10.8 was used to analyze the spatial distribution and autocorrelation of hepatitis E cases, while software SaTScan 10.1 was used to investigate spatial clustering at district level.Results:A total of 33 027 cases of hepatitis E were reported in Zhejiang from 2008 to 2023. The average annual incidence rate was 3.64/100 000. The majority of the cases reported were men (21 739), and higher average annual incidence rate was observed in the age group 50-74 years (32.04/100 000). The overall reported incidence rate declined first and then increased in 2020, showing a seasonal distribution with a high incidence from January to May. Notably, the incidence was particularly high in Hangzhou (6.54/100 000) and Quzhou (5.56/100 000). Spatial autocorrelation analyses revealed that the incidence of hepatitis E exhibited high-high clustering in all the years, with northwestern Zhejiang as main affected area. Prior to 2020, the high-high clustering area in northwestern Zhejiang became smaller, followed by an expansion trend in 2020-2022. Spatiotemporal clustering analyses identified seven clustering areas from 2010 to 2019, one was in 16 counties (cities, districts) in northwestern Zhejiang. And the clustering areas along the coastline shifted from the north to the south.Conclusions:The incidence of hepatitis E in Zhejiang exhibited distinct spatiotemporal clustering pattern. Consequently, targeted prevention and control measures could be taken for hepatitis E in high-risk areas in Zhejiang, including northwestern and coastal areas.

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of intelligent ophthalmology in China, including technological advancements, academic exchange platforms, policy support, future challenges, and potential solutions. Technologically, remarkable progress have been made in various areas of intelligent ophthalmology in China, including diabetic retinopathy, fundus image analysis, and crucial aspects such as quality assessment of medical artificial intelligence products, clinical research methods, technological evaluation, and industrial standards. Researchers are constantly improving the safety and standardization of intelligent ophthalmology technology by formulating clinical application guidelines and standards. Academic exchange platforms have been established to provide extensive collaboration opportunities for professionals across diverse fields, and various academic journals serve as publication platforms for intelligent ophthalmology research. Regarding public policy, the Chinese government has not only established a supportive policy environment for the advancement of intelligent ophthalmology through various documents and regulations, but provided a legal basis and management framework. However, there are still challenges to overcome, such as technological innovation, data privacy and security, outdated regulations, and talent shortages. To tackle these issues, there is a requirement for increased technological research and development, the establishment of regulatory frameworks, talent cultivation, and greater awareness and acceptance of new technologies among patients. By comprehensively addressing these challenges, intelligent ophthalmology in China is expected to continue leading the industry's global development, bringing more innovation and convenience to the field of ophthalmic healthcare.

Gancao Fuzitang originates from the Treatise on Febrile Diseases and Miscellaneous Diseases （《伤寒杂病论》） and is mainly used to treat pain in the bones and joints and symptoms such as no flexion or extension. It has the effect of tonifying the spleen and kidney and removing dampness and turbidity， so it is widely used in the clinical treatment of various bone and joint diseases. This article reviewed the clinical research and mechanism of Gancao Fuzitang in the treatment of bone and joint diseases. The research has found that this prescription has good efficacy in treating bone and joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis， rheumatoid arthritis， ankylosing spondylitis， gout， and intervertebral disc herniation. Its mechanism of action may be related to regulating the level of inflammatory factors， antioxidation， and the protein expression of inflammatory and apoptotic cell-related pathways， improving bone and joint diseases， and alleviating related symptoms. This study can provide a reference for further deepening the research on the prevention and treatment of bone and joint diseases with Gancao Fuzitang.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in Haishu District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province from 2011 to 2022, so as to provide the basis for the formulation of HFMD prevention and control strategies. Methods: Data of HFMD in Haishu District from 2011 to 2022 were collected from Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System, and the epidemiological and etiological characteristics were analyzed using a descriptive epidemiological method. The trends in incidence of HFMD and prevalence of positive etiological tests were analyzed using annual percent change (APC). Results: A total of 33 334 cases of HFMD were reported in Haishu District from 2011 to 2022, with an average annual reported incidence of 279.16/105, showing no significant trend (APC=-5.492%, P>0.05). The average annual reported incidence of HFMD was lower after the enterovirus 71 vaccine was launched (from 2017 to 2022) than before (from 2011 to 2016; 219.69/105 vs. 343.70/105, P<0.05). The incidence of HFMD showed seasonal characteristics, with a peak from May to July. There were 19 720 male and 13 614 female cases, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.45∶1. The age of the HFMD cases ranged from 27 days to 63 years old, and the children aged 5 years and below were predominant (30 657 cases, 91.97%). A total of 1 976 specimens of HFMD cases were collected from 2011 to 2022, and 1 509 enterovirus positive specimens were detected, with a positive rate of 76.37%. The positive rates of enterovirus 71 decreased (APC=-32.599%, P<0.05), the positive rates of coxsackievirus A16 increased (APC=9.226%, P<0.05), while the positive rates of other enteroviruses showed no significant change (APC=0.808%, P>0.05). Conclusions The average annual reported incidence of HFMD in Haishu District from 2011 to 2022 decreased after the enterovirus 71 vaccine was launched, with a peak in spring and summer. Children aged 5 years and below were the high-incidence population, and coxsackievirus A16 was the main serotype.

Objective To explore the effect of ligustrazine on the learning and memory function of rats with aluminum-induced cognitive impairment and its mechanism.Methods Sixty male Wistar rats were divided into a blank control group,a model group,a low-dose ligustrazine group,a high-dose ligustrazine group,and a piracetam group using a random number table method,with 12 rats in each group.The rats in the blank control group were not subjected to any treatment;the rats in the model group,low-dose ligustrazine group,high-dose ligustrazine group,and piracetam group were first prepared with aluminum toxicity models by daily gavage of 100 mg·kg-1 AlCl3 solution.After successful modeling,the rats in the piracetam group were intragastrically administered with piracetam at a dose of 400 mg·kg-1,while rats in the low-dose and high-dose ligustrazine groups were intragastrically administered with 100 and 200 mg·kg-1 ligustrazine,respectively;the rats in the blank control group and the model group were intragastrically administered with the same volume of physiological saline.All rats in the five groups received intragas tric administration once a day for 30 consecutive days.After 30 days of intervention,the Morris water maze test was used to evaluate the learning and memory function of rats in the five groups.After completing the water maze experiment,rats in the five groups were anesthetized with 200 g·L-1 chloral hydrate,and their brain tissues were quickly removed after decapitation.Immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the expression of calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha 1E(CACNA1E),calmodulin(CALM),and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats in the five groups;Western blot was used to detect the relative expression levels of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF proteins in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats in the five groups;and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the relative expression levels of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF mRNA in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats in the five groups.Results On the 1st day of the Morris water maze test,the latent periods of rats in the model group,piracetam group,low-dose ligustrazine group,and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly higher than those in the blank control group(P＜0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the latent periods of rats among the piracetam group,low-dose ligustrazine group,high-dose ligustrazine group,and model group(P＞0.05).On the 3rd day of the Morris water maze test,the latent periods of rats in the model group,piracetam group,low-dose ligustrazine group,and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly higher than those in the blank control group(P＜0.05);the latent periods of rats in the piracetam group and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly lower than those in the model group and low-dose ligustrazine group(P＜0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the latent periods of rats between the low-dose ligustrazine group and the model group(P＞0.05).On the 5th day of the Morris water maze test,the latent periods of rats in the model group,piracetam group,low-dose ligustrazine group,and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly higher than those in the blank control group(P＜0.05);the latent periods of rats in the piracetam group and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly lower than those in the model group and low-dose ligustrazine group(P＜0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the latent periods of rats between the low-dose ligustrazine group and the model group(P＞0.05).On the 3rd and 5th days of the Morris water maze test,there was no statistically significant difference in the latent periods of rats between the piracetam group and the high-dose ligustrazine group(P＞0.05).The times of rats crossing platform in the model group,piracetam group,low-dose ligustrazine group,and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly lower than those in the blank control group,and the times of rats crossing platform in the piracetam group and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly higher than those in the model group and low-dose ligustrazine group(P＜0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the times of rats crossing platform between the low-dose ligustrazine group and the model group(P＞0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the times of rats crossing platform between the piracetam group and the high-dose ligustrazine group(P＞0.05).Under the microscope,brown CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF positive cells could be observed in the hippocampal CA1 region.The expressions of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF proteins in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats in the model group,piracetam group,low-dose ligustrazine group,and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly lower than those in the blank control group,and the expressions of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF proteins in the hippocampal CAl region of rats in the piracetam group and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly higher than those in the model group and low-dose ligustrazine group(P＜0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the expressions of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF proteins in the hippocampal CAI region of rats between the low-dose ligustrazine group and the model group(P＞0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the expressions of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF proteins in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats between the piracetam group and the high-dose ligustrazine group(P＞0.05).The relative expression levels of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF proteins and mRNAs in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats in the model group,piracetam group,low-dose ligustrazine group,and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly lower than those in the blank control group(P＜0.05);the relative expression levels of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF proteins and mRNAs in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats in the piracetam group and high-dose ligustrazine group were significantly higher than those in the model group and low-dose ligustrazine group(P＜0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the relative expression levels of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF proteins and mRNAs in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats between the low-dose ligustrazine group and the model group(P＞0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the relative expression levels of CACNA1E,CALM,and BDNF proteins and mRNAs in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats between the piracetam group and the high-dose ligustrazine group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Ligustrazine has significant protective effects on aluminum-induced cognitive impairment in rats and can greatly enhance the learning and memory function of rats.The mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of CANA1E,CALM and BDNF expression in the brain induced by ligustrazine.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence(AI)technology has driven the intelligentization of medicine.In recent years,due to the continuous improvement of machine learning and deep learning technologies,AI technology has made rapid progress in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular fundus diseases,including retinal vascular disease,macular disease,retinal detachment,and retinal pigment degeneration.Early diagnosis and treatment are of great significance for the prognosis of ocular fundus diseases.This article gives a guide for the application of AI in automatic segmentation of ret-inal images and disease diagnosis,providing a reference for further research and appIication of AI in this field.

Objective:To explore the clinical application of portable head and neck magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device in neurosurgery.Methods:A total of 213 patients with brain diseases who were scanned by portable head and neck MRI device in Center of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University from June to September 2022 were selected. The portable head and neck MRI images and 3.0T conventional MRI images of 10 randomly selected patients were compared; the differences in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of different sequences were analyzed. Thirty-one patients accepted tracheal intubation/tracheotomy, or ventilator-assisted breathing were selected as special patient group, and another 30 patients were as general patient group; the differences in comprehensive diagnostic scores of portable head and neck MRI images were compared. Noise intensity differences in different sequences between 3.0T conventional MRI and portable head and neck MRI were statistically compared. Twenty hospitalized volunteers with normal hearing in our center from July to August 2022 were selected, conventional 3.0T MRI and portable head and neck MRI were performed successively, and the noise intensity of different sequences in them was evaluated by using a 5-point system.Results:Compared with those in 3.0T conventional MRI images, the SNR and CNR of T1WI, T2WI, and Liquid attenuated reverse recovery sequence (FLAIR) sequences in portable head and neck MRI images were significantly lower ( P<0.05). No significant difference was noted in the comprehensive diagnostic scores of portable head and neck MRI images between special patients and general patients ( P>0.05). Compared with that in the 3.0T conventional MRI, the noise intensity of different sequences in portable head and neck MRI was significantly reduced ( P<0.05). These volunteers had significantly reduced noise intensity scores of different sequences in portable head and neck MRI compared with that in conventional 3.0T MRI ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Portable head and neck MRI device is easy to use, enjoying high safety, imaging quality and suitability, which meets the clinical needs for neurosurgery patients.