1.Exploration on the challenges and ethical countermeasures of artificial intelligence intervening in the care decision-making of older adults with disabilities
Runying WANG ; Yiyao ZHANG ; Huan DU ; Yingchun PENG
Chinese Medical Ethics 2026;39(5):656-662
Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually being applied in the field of decision-making support for the daily care of the older adults with disabilities. However, due to their limited cognitive functions, information asymmetry with medical staff and technical parties, and a certain degree of emotional deprivation, the older adults with disabilities are in a structurally vulnerable position. Against this background, several ethical dilemmas arise when AI technology intervenes in care decision-making. First, the informed consent process is difficult to genuinely implement. Second, algorithms based on average models tend to ignore individual differences, leading to “de-personalization” of services. Third, over-reliance on technology may further weaken humanistic care, thereby undermining the individual dignity of the older adults with disabilities. Fourth, in the care decision-making involving the joint participation of the older adults with disabilities, caregivers, medical teams, and AI systems, the boundaries of responsibility among all parties remain unclear, making it difficult to assign accountability when adverse outcomes occur. Drawing on the theories of vulnerability ethics, interactive ethics, and care ethics, this paper proposes a “vulnerability-interaction-care” path and put forward three-tiered countermeasures. The first was baseline safeguards, preventing the exploitation of the vulnerability of the older adults with disabilities and their caregivers, and requiring further safeguards for their dignity. The second was process protection, enhancing transparency and accountability within the human-machine collaboration framework, as well as establishing a multi-party consultation mechanism. The third was capacity empowerment, improving the subjectivity of the older adults with disabilities through age-appropriate interaction, structured expression of intentions, and caregiver participation.
2.A preliminary discussion on ethical regulation of brain organoid applications from the perspective of biopolitics
Runying WANG ; Yiyao ZHANG ; Huan DU ; Yingchun PENG
Chinese Medical Ethics 2026;39(10):1298-1303
From the perspective of biopolitics, brain organoids represent an emerging technological field for life governance, embodying the governmentality logic of biopower and posing challenges to traditional ethical systems and bodily categories. Under the effect of the Foucauldian medical gaze and disciplinary mechanisms, brain organoid technology may objectify life processes and give rise to new forms of subjectivation, with risk governance standing as one of the core logics behind the ethical regulation of brain organoids. This paper further compared existing regulatory paths in China, the United States, and Europe to reveal the underlying disparities in political cultures and power distribution structures. On this basis, it is proposed to introduce institutional proposals into ethical regulation, such as the formulation of ethical regulation, the implementation of ethical review, and the setting of identifiable risks, to balance the governance tension between innovative exploration and disciplinary mechanisms.
3.Application of Modified Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Wenzheng LIU ; Yuhuan MA ; Hong CHANG ; Xiu'e YAN ; Wei YAO ; Yingchun WANG ; Wei ZHENG ; Yaopeng ZHANG ; Yonghui HUANG
Chinese Journal of Minimally Invasive Surgery 2025;25(3):153-157
Objective To evaluate the value of modified percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy(PEG)for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)and dysphagia.Methods From January 2018 to December 2023,47 patients with ALS were treated with modified PEG in our hospital.The surgery was performed under local anesthesia.The patients were placed in a semi-seated position,and the surgeon performed surgery with an ultra-fine endoscope through oral entrance to the stomach.Results The modified PEG were successfully completed in all the 47 cases.The operation time was5-20 min[mean,(10.3±1.7)min].The postoperative hospitalization lasted for2-8 d(mean,2.8 d).Postoperative complications occurred in6 cases(12.8%),including aspiration pneumonia in4 cases(8.5%)and incision infection in2 cases(4.3%).The body mass index was17.06±0.89 before PEG and 18.15±0.81 at 3 months after PEG,with significant difference(t=-10.373,P=0.000).Conclusion For ALS patients with dysphagia,modified PEG is feasible,which significantly improves nutritional status of patients.
4.Transcranial ultrasound imaging characteristics of 6-OHDA Parkinson's disease rats and their correlation with motor deficits and pathological changes
Ying ZHANG ; Qingyuan LIU ; Jian WU ; Min YANG ; Fen WANG ; Yingchun ZHANG ; Chunfeng LIU
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2025;34(3):239-246
Objective:To analyze transcranial sonography(TCS)imaging characteristics of rats with 6-hydroxydopamine hydrochloride(6-OHDA)and explore the correlations between the imaging characteristics with motor deficits and pathological changes.Methods:Twenty-nine male SD rats were divided into 3 groups:8 in the no-treatment control(NC)group,10 in the Sham group and 11 in the 6-OHDA group. The model for Sham/Parkinson's disease(PD)was established by stereotacticly injecting saline/6-OHDA containing ascorbic acid to bilateral substantia nigra pars compacta(SNpc). After three weeks,the models were stable. At the fourth week and seventh week,the behavioral testing was accomplished. The TCS examination was performed weekly at the same time for four weeks. At the eighth week,the rats were sacrificed for pathology.Results:①Behavioral testing:6-OHDA group showed asymmetric motor deficits and the difference was significant compared with the NC group and Sham group(both P<0.001). ②TCS examination:compared with the NC and Sham group,there were asymmetric substantia nigra hyperechogenicity(SNH)in 6-OHDA group(both P<0.05);meanwhile the area of SNH in the left was significantly larger in the right side( P<0.05).No significant change in SNH area was found during the continuous observation period of weeks 4-7. For 6-OHDA group,the area of SNH was negatively correlated with the number of forelimb wall-touches( r=-0.825, P<0.001). ③Pathological examination:compared with NC group and sham group,the substantia nigra(SN)of 6-OHDA group showed a series of pathological events,including dopaminergic(DA)neurons asymmetrically decreasing,asymmetric ironion deposition and the number of active microglia increasing(all P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the area of SNH was negatively correlated with the number of DA neurons survivors( r=-0.689, P=0.013),while the activation of microglial and the deposition of iron were positively correlated with the area of SNH( r=0.915,0.735;all P<0.001). Conclusions:Asymmetric SNH of 6-OHDA PD rats is a representation of asymmetric motor deficits,and the mechanism is related to a catalogue of asymmetric pathological changes in SN,which comprise DA neurons decreasing,asymmetric iron ions deposition,microglial activating.
5.Mendelian randomization study of endometriosis and trace elements
Xinying ZHOU ; Yingchun DUAN ; Hu ZHANG ; Zhanpeng ZHU ; Haiyan DAI
China Modern Doctor 2025;63(27):13-18
Objective The causal relationship between endometriosis(EMs)and 15 trace elements including copper,calcium,carotene,folic acid,iron,magnesium,potassium,selenium,vitamin A,vitamin B12,vitamin B6,vitamin C,vitamin D,vitamin E and zinc was analyzed by double sample Mendelian randomization(MR).Methods Multiple trace elements were used as exposure factors,and the incidence risk of EMs was used as the outcome factor for two-sample MR analysis.The data were sourced from the publicly available integrative epidemiology unit open Genome-Wide Association Studies database and Finnish Genome Research Project database.Five Mendelian randomization analysis methods were employed to investigate the causal relationship between EMs and trace elements.Additionally,sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the influence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy on the results of the MR analysis.Results The impact of trace elements on various types of EMs varies.The results of the inverse variance weighted(IVW)method indicated that trace element calcium(OR=1.465,95%CI:1.094-1.962)and vitamin B6(OR=1.580,95%CI:1.146-2.178)might be risk factors for ovarian EMs.Vitamin B6(OR=0.203,95%CI:0.044-0.939)may be a protective factor for tubal EMs.The above research results were not affected by heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy(P>0.05).This study did not find a causal relationship between other trace elements and EMs.Conclusion The trace elements calcium and vitamin B6 predicted by genetics may play a regulatory role in the development of EMs.
6.One case of near-tetraploidy acute myeloid leukemia with TP53 gene mutation
Yu MA ; Guochang ZHANG ; Yingchun ZHENG ; Jihong ZHANG ; Lifen CUI ; Shuang WANG ; Jing WANG
Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;48(5):666-669
A 62-year-old male, was admitted to the hospital, with a chief complaint of fever lasting over 10 days and leukopenia and thrombocytopenia for 2 days. Ten days prior to admission, the patient experienced intermittent fever without obvious incentive factors. The breath sounds in both lungs were coarse, without accompanying dry or moist rales. Color Doppler Ultrasound indicated mild splenomegaly and multiple lymphadenectasis in the bilateral cervical, axillary, and inguinal regions. Morphological examination of bone marrow cells demonstrated abnormally large blasts, with some of the nuclei being rather irregular and cytoplasmic vacuoles. Immunophenotyping results identified this group of blast cells as immature monocytes. Karyotype analysis of chromosomes showed clonal abnormalities, with 19 out of 20 cells exhibiting near-tetraploid karyotypes, including complex karyotypic abnormalities involving chromosome17.Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) detected gene mutations associated with hematological malignancies that have definite or potential clinical significance,including TP53, SRSF2, STAG2, and ARID2, with variant allele frequencies (VAF) of 63.10%, 30.30%, 0.80%, and 0.60%, respectively. Integrating laboratory findings, the diagnosis was diagnosed as AML-M5 at high-risk. After receiving chemotherapy with the regimen of azacitidine combined with venetoclax, the patient passed away more than 20 days later.
7.Research progress in pathogen nucleic acid detection technology based on the CRISPR/Cas system
Ainiwaer AILIFEIRE ; Yating NING ; Yingchun XU ; Li ZHANG
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(19):2408-2414,2420
Infectious diseases caused by bacteria,viruses,and other pathogens are a significant global public health challenge.Accurate and efficient detection methods are crucial for the diagnosis and prevention of infec-tious diseases.Nucleic acid detection technologies based on the clustered regularly interspaced short palin-dromic repeats(CRISPR)and CRISPR-associated protein(Cas)systems have begun to be applied in the de-tection of pathogenic microorganisms due to their high sensitivity,high specificity,and rapid simplicity.In re-cent years,various convenient and efficient nucleic acid detection technologies and platforms for pathogenic microorganisms have been derived from the CRISPR/Cas system,further expanding the field of pathogen nu-cleic acid detection.This article summarizes the research progress of pathogen nucleic acid detection technolo-gies based on the CRISPR/Cas system,discusses the value of these detection technologies in the in vitro diag-nosis of pathogens,and provides references for the further development of CRISPR/Cas nucleic acid detection technologies.
8.Retrospective epidemiological analysis of fungal infection of a hospital from 2018 to 2024
Zhihao LIU ; Yali LIU ; Lina GUO ; Yao WANG ; Ying ZHAO ; Xiuli XIE ; Wenjing LIU ; Renyuan ZHU ; Hongli SUN ; Hongtao DOU ; Dingding LI ; Lingli LIU ; Shuying YU ; Menglan ZHOU ; Qiwen YANG ; Yingchun XU ; Li ZHANG
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(21):2588-2594
Objective To analyze the main epidemiological characteristics of fungal infection in this hospital in the past 7 years,and to provide reference for clinical treatment and prevention and control strategies of fun-gal infection.Methods The fungal data and clinical data of related patients isolated from clinical samples in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from early January 2018 to the end of May 2024 were selected,and the main epidemiological characteristics of fungal infection in this hospital were identified and described through multi-angle statistical analysis.Results A total of 4 479 patients with filamentous fungal infection were en-rolled.The proportion of male patients[57.5%(2 576/4 479)]was higher than that of female patients[42.5%(1 903/4 143)],mainly distributed in internal medicine,Intensive Care Unit(ICU)and emergency de-partment,among which internal medicine accounted for the highest proportion[50.0%(2 241/4 479)].About 90.0%of the specimens were from the lower respiratory tract,in addition to specimens from skin and soft tis-sue,tissue,ear and blood culture.In terms of seasonal distribution,there are more patients in winter.The fun-gi were mainly composed of Aspergillus,Mucor,Cerdosporium,Fusarium and Penicillium,among which As-pergillus was the most abundant,accounting for 74.6%of the total.Aspergillus fumigatus was the most a-bundant Aspergillus,accounting for 42.5%of the total Aspergillus(1 418/3 340).Among the related infec-tions caused by mold,Aspergillus was the most common in the lower respiratory tract,accounting for 76.8%.Among them,Aspergillus fumigatus accounted for the highest proportion(33.6%).98.6%of the molds infected the ear were Aspergillus,of which Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus terreus were the most common.Skin infections are mainly caused by Sporothrix schenckii,Trichophyton rubrum,Microsporum ca-nis.The results of in vitro drug sensitivity test showed that the four common Aspergillus isolated in this hos-pital were sensitive to voriconazole,and amphotericin B had better antifungal activity against Mucorales in vitro.Conclusion Based on the main epidemiological characteristics of fungal infections in this hospital,it is recommended that special attention be paid to the admission of patients in the respiratory department during the peak infection period in autumn and winter.In the treatment of fungal infections in different regions and on different body parts,attention should be paid to the differences in the distribution of bacterial species.
9.Blood management strategy for massive transfusion patients in frigid plateau region
Haiying WANG ; Jinjin ZHANG ; Lili CHEN ; Xiaoli SUN ; Cui WEI ; Yongli HUANG ; Yingchun ZHU ; Chong CHEN ; Yanchao XING
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(2):268-273
[Objective] To explore the strategy of blood management in patients with massive transfusion in the frigid plateau region. [Methods] The treatment process of a patient with liver rupture in the frigid plateau region was analyzed, and the blood management strategy of the frigid plateau region was discussed in combination with the difficulties of blood transfusion and literature review. [Results] The preoperative complete blood count (CBC) test results of the patient were as follows: RBC 3.14×1012/L, Hb 106 g/L, HCT 30.40%, PLT 115.00×109/L; coagulation function: PT 18.9 s, FiB 1.31 g/L, DD > 6 μg/mL, FDP 25.86 μg/mL; ultrasound examination and imaging manifestations suggested liver contusion and laceration / intraparenchymal hematoma, splenic contusion and laceration, and massive blood accumulation in the abdominal cavity; it was estimated that the patient's blood loss was ≥ 2 000 mL, and massive blood transfusion was required during the operation; red blood cell components were timely transfused during the operation, and the blood component transfusion was guided according to the patient's CBC and coagulation function test results, providing strong support and guarantee for the successful treatment of the patient. The patient recovered well after the operation, and the CBC test results were as follows: RBC 4.32×1012/L, Hb 144 g/L, HCT 39.50%, PLT 329.00×109/L; coagulation function: APTT 29.3 s, PT 12.1 s, FiB 2.728 g/L, DD>6 μg/mL, FDP 25.86 μg/mL. The patient was discharged after 20 days, and regular follow-up reexamination showed no abnormal results. [Conclusion] Individualized blood management strategy should comprehensively consider the patient’s clinical symptoms, the degree of hemoglobin decline, dynamic coagulation test results and existing treatment conditions. Efficient and reasonable patient blood management strategies can effectively improve the clinical outcomes of massive transfusion patients in the frigid plateau region.
10.Epidemiological Analysis of Pathogens in Acute Respiratory Infections During the 2023-2024 Autumn-Winter Season in Beijing:A Case Series of 5556 Patients at Peking Union Medical College Hospital
Yan CAO ; Yu CHEN ; Jie YI ; Lingjun KONG ; Ziyi WANG ; Rui ZHANG ; Qi YU ; Yiwei LIU ; Maimaiti MULATIJIANG ; Chenglin YANG ; Yujie SUN ; Yingchun XU ; Qiwen YANG ; Juan DU
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(3):680-686
Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of acute respiratory infections(ARIs)during the autumn-winter season in Beijing,providing evidence for the prevention,control,diagnosis,and treatment of ARIs.Methods A convenience sampling method was employed,enrolling patients who visited Peking Union Medical College Hospital(PUMCH)between September 2023 and February 2024 due to ARIs.Na-sopharyngeal swabs were collected,and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect six common respiratory pathogens[influenza A virus(FluA),influenza B virus(FluB),human rhinovirus(HRV),Myco-plasma pneumoniae(MP),respiratory syncytial virus(RSV),and adenovirus(ADV)],as well as SARS-CoV-2 infection.The distribution patterns of pathogen infections were analyzed.Results A total of 5556 eligible patients were included.The overall positivity rate for the six common respiratory pathogens was 63.7%,with sin-gle-pathogen positivity at 54.0%,dual-pathogen positivity at 8.9%,and triple or more pathogen positivity at 0.7%.The predominant pathogens detected were FluA(16.1%)and RSV(15.7%),followed by ADV(11.1%),MP(11.1%),HRV(10.0%),and FluB(10.0%).No significant difference in overall pathogen positivity was observed between genders.However,significant differences were found between autumn and winter(x2=34.617,P<0.001)and among pediatric,young/middle-aged,and elderly patients(x2=422.38,P<0.001).Specifically,MP(x2=8.647,P=0.003),FluA(x2=131.932,P<0.001),and HRV(x2=174.199,P<0.001)exhibited significantly higher positivity rates in autumn than in winter,whereas FluB was more prevalent in winter(x2=287.894,P<0.001).In pediatric patients,MP,RSV,HRV,and ADV positivity rates were significantly higher than in young/middle-aged and elderly patients(all P<0.001),whereas FluB was more common in young/middle-aged patients(both P<0.001).The positivity rates of the six common respiratory pathogens significantly declined during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic period,exhibiting an asynchronous seasonal pattern.Conclusions The prevalence of respiratory pathogens in Beijing is associated with age and season.Tar-geted preventive measures should be implemented in different seasons and for key populations.

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