1.Three-dimensional Electrical Impedance Tomography for Monitoring Gastric Hemorrhage
Zi-Han ZHAO ; Bo SUN ; Jing-Shi HUANG ; Zhi-Wei LI ; Yang WU ; Nan LI ; Jia-Feng YAO ; Tong ZHAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):1062-1075
ObjectiveGastric hemorrhage is one of the most common and life-threatening emergencies of the upper digestive tract. Early identification and continuous monitoring are essential for reducing rebleeding rates and mortality, particularly within the critical early hours after onset. Although endoscopy and radiological imaging can accurately localize bleeding sites, these approaches are invasive, resource-intensive, and unsuitable for continuous bedside monitoring. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT), as a noninvasive and radiation-free functional imaging technique, offers real-time visualization of conductivity distribution and has the potential for detecting intragastric bleeding based on the electrical contrast between blood and surrounding gastric tissues. In this study, a three-dimensional gastric EIT (3D-gEIT) framework is proposed to achieve noninvasive, real-time, and dynamic monitoring of gastric hemorrhage, with emphasis on spatial localization and quantitative volume assessment. MethodsA three-dimensional upper-abdominal simulation model incorporating the stomach, gastric wall, gastric contents, and surrounding tissues was established. Three electrode configurations, namely the dual layer ring, the four layer staggered ring, and the opposed dual plane array, were designed and systematically compared to evaluate their influence on depth sensitivity and spatial resolution. Based on the Tikhonov-Noser hybrid regularization scheme, a region-clustering constraint was introduced to develop the TK-Noser-RCC algorithm. This approach aggregates spatially adjacent elements with similar conductivity variations, thereby enhancing structural continuity and suppressing isolated noise artifacts. To validate the proposed framework, an upper-abdominal physical phantom was constructed using agar to simulate background tissue conductivity. Hemispherical high-conductivity inclusions with volumes ranging from 10 ml to 50 ml were attached to the inner gastric wall to mimic localized bleeding under different gastric filling states. Boundary voltages were acquired under a 120 kHz excitation current and reconstructed using the TK-Noser-RCC algorithm. Furthermore, an in vivo animal experiment was performed using a porcine model with adult-scale abdominal dimensions. A total of 100 ml of autologous blood was injected incrementally into the stomach to simulate progressive gastric hemorrhage, and time-difference EIT reconstruction was conducted at each injection stage to assess the dynamic system response under physiological conditions. ResultsSimulation results demonstrated that the opposed dual-plane electrode array achieved superior depth sensitivity distribution and spatial resolution. For a 40 ml hemorrhage model, the average ICC and SSIM improved by 55.9% and 38.8% compared with the dual-layer ring configuration, and by 64.0% and 39.5% compared with the four-layer staggered configuration. The proposed region-clustering constraint significantly enhanced reconstruction stability. Under added Gaussian noise of 40 dB and 30 dB, ICC values remained approximately 0.85, indicating effective artifact suppression and preservation of boundary integrity. In physical phantom experiments, reconstructed hemorrhage volumes increased approximately linearly with the preset hemispherical volumes, and the reconstructed high-conductivity regions closely matched the actual bleeding locations. Both empty-stomach and full-stomach conditions were evaluated, demonstrating that the opposed dual-plane configuration maintained stable imaging performance across varying gastric contents. In the animal experiment, reconstructed low-impedance regions expanded progressively with increasing injected blood volume. The spatial localization of the hemorrhage remained stable throughout the procedure, and no significant artifacts were observed. Quantitative analysis showed that reconstructed volume and average conductivity variation exhibited an approximately linear growth trend with injected blood volume, confirming the sensitivity of the system to dynamic intragastric conductivity changes. ConclusionThe proposed 3D-gEIT framework enables quantitative reconstruction of gastric hemorrhage volume and spatial distribution with improved depth sensitivity, structural continuity, and noise robustness compared with conventional EIT approaches. By integrating optimized electrode configuration and a region-clustering-constrained reconstruction algorithm, the system provides stable dynamic monitoring under both controlled phantom conditions and in vivo physiological environments. This method offers a noninvasive, real-time, and low-cost imaging strategy for early diagnosis, postoperative monitoring, and bedside surveillance of gastric bleeding.
2.Medication rules of Astragali Radix in ancient Chinese medical books based on "disease-medicine-dose" pattern.
Jia-Lei CAO ; Lü-Yuan LIANG ; Yi-Hang LIU ; Zi-Ming XU ; Xuan WANG ; Wen-Xi WEI ; He-Jia WAN ; Xing-Hang LYU ; Wei-Xiao LI ; Yu-Xin ZHANG ; Bing-Qi WEI ; Xian-Qing REN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(3):798-811
This study employed the "disease-medicine-dose" pattern to mine the medication rules of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) prescriptions containing Astragali Radix in ancient Chinese medical books, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of Astragali Radix and the development of new medicines. The TCM prescriptions containing Astragali Radix were retrieved from databases such as Chinese Medical Dictionary and imported into Excel 2020 to construct the prescription library. Statical analysis were performed for the prescriptions regarding the indications, syndromes, medicine use frequency, herb effects, nature and taste, meridian tropism, dosage forms, and dose. SPSS statistics 26.0 and IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0 were used for association rules analysis and cluster analysis. A total of 2 297 prescriptions containing Astragali Radix were collected, involving 233 indications, among which sore and ulcer, consumptive disease, sweating disorder, and apoplexy had high frequency(>25), and their syndromes were mainly Qi and blood deficiency, Qi and blood deficiency, Yin and Yang deficiency, and Qi deficiency and collateral obstruction, respectively. In the prescriptions, 98 medicines were used with the frequency >25 and they mainly included Qi-tonifying medicines and blood-tonifying medicines. Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Angelicae Sinensis Radix, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium were frequently used. The medicines with high frequency mainly have warm or cold nature, and sweet, pungent, or bitter taste, with tropism to spleen, lung, heart, liver, and kidney meridians. In the treatment of sore and ulcer, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 3.73 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to promote granulation and heal up sores. In the treatment of consumptive disease, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 37.30 g and combined with Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma to tonify deficiency and replenish Qi. In the treatment of sweating disorder, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 3.73 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to consolidate exterior and stop sweating. In the treatment of apoplexy, Astragali Radix was mainly used with the dose of 7.46 g and combined with Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma to dispell wind and stop convulsions. Astragali Radix can be used in the treatment of multiple system diseases, with the effects of tonifying Qi and ascending Yang, consolidating exterior and stopping sweating, and expressing toxin and promoting granulation. According to the manifestations of different diseases, when combined with other medicines, Astragali Radix was endowed with the effects of promoting granulation and healing up sores, tonifying deficiency and Qi, consolidating exterior and stopping sweating, and dispelling wind and replenishing Qi. The findings provide a theoretical reference and a scientific basis for the clinical application of Astragali Radix and the development of new medicines.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history*
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Humans
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history*
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History, Ancient
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Astragalus Plant/chemistry*
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China
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Astragalus propinquus
3.Heart Yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis: from pathological mechanisms to therapeutic strategies.
Jia-Hui CHEN ; Si-Jing LI ; Xiao-Jiao ZHANG ; Zi-Ru LI ; Xing-Ling HE ; Xing-Ling CHEN ; Tao-Chun YE ; Zhi-Ying LIU ; Hui-Li LIAO ; Lu LU ; Zhong-Qi YANG ; Shi-Hao NI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(7):1987-1993
Cardiac fibrosis(CF) is a cardiac pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM). When the heart is damaged by adverse stimuli, cardiac fibroblasts are activated and secrete a large amount of ECM, leading to changes in cardiac fibrosis, myocardial stiffness, and cardiac function declines and accelerating the development of heart failure. There is a close relationship between heart yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis, which have similar pathogenic mechanisms. Heart Yin deficiency, characterized by insufficient Yin fluids, causes the heart to lose its nourishing function, which acts as the initiating factor for myocardial dystrophy. The deficiency of body fluids leads to stagnation of blood flow, resulting in blood stasis and water retention. Blood stasis and water retention accumulate in the heart, which aligns with the pathological manifestation of excessive deposition of ECM, as a tangible pathogenic factor. This is an inevitable stage of the disease process. The lingering of blood stasis combined with water retention eventually leads to the generation of heat and toxins, triggering inflammatory responses similar to heat toxins, which continuously stimulate the heart and cause the ultimate outcome of CF. Considering the syndrome of heart Yin deficiency, traditional Chinese medicine capable of nourishing Yin, activating blood, and promoting urination can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, inhibit fibroblast activation, and lower the inflammation level, showing significant advantages in combating CF.
Humans
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Fibrosis/drug therapy*
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Animals
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Yin Deficiency/metabolism*
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Myocardium/metabolism*
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
4.Multifaceted mechanisms of Danggui Shaoyao San in ameliorating Alzheimer's disease based on transcriptomics and metabolomics.
Min-Hao YAN ; Han CAI ; Hai-Xia DING ; Shi-Jie SU ; Xu-Nuo LI ; Zi-Qiao XU ; Wei-Cheng FENG ; Qi-Qing WU ; Jia-Xin CHEN ; Hong WANG ; Qi WANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(8):2229-2236
This study explored the potential therapeutic targets and mechanisms of Danggui Shaoyao San(DSS) in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD) through transcriptomics and metabolomics, combined with animal experiments. Fifty male C57BL/6J mice, aged seven weeks, were randomly divided into the following five groups: control, model, positive drug, low-dose DSS, and high-dose DSS groups. After the intervention, the Morris water maze was used to assess learning and memory abilities of mice, and Nissl staining and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining were performed to observe pathological changes in the hippocampal tissue. Transcriptomics and metabolomics were employed to sequence brain tissue and identify differential metabolites, analyzing key genes and metabolites related to disease progression. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) was employed to validate the expression of key genes. The Morris water maze results indicated that DSS significantly improved learning and cognitive function in scopolamine(SCOP)-induced model mice, with the high-dose DSS group showing the best results. Pathological staining showed that DSS effectively reduced hippocampal neuronal damage, increased Nissl body numbers, and reduced nuclear pyknosis and neuronal loss. Transcriptomics identified seven key genes, including neurexin 1(Nrxn1) and sodium voltage-gated channel α subunit 1(Scn1a), and metabolomics revealed 113 differential metabolites, all of which were closely associated with synaptic function, oxidative stress, and metabolic regulation. RT-qPCR experiments confirmed that the expression of these seven key genes was consistent with the transcriptomics results. This study suggests that DSS significantly improves learning and memory in SCOP model mice and alleviates hippocampal neuronal pathological damage. The mechanisms likely involve the modulation of synaptic function, reduction of oxidative stress, and metabolic balance, with these seven key genes serving as important targets for DSS in the treatment of AD.
Animals
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Alzheimer Disease/genetics*
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Male
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Metabolomics
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Transcriptome/drug effects*
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Maze Learning/drug effects*
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Hippocampus/metabolism*
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Humans
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Disease Models, Animal
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Memory/drug effects*
5.Expert consensus on evaluation index system construction for new traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) from TCM clinical practice in medical institutions.
Li LIU ; Lei ZHANG ; Wei-An YUAN ; Zhong-Qi YANG ; Jun-Hua ZHANG ; Bao-He WANG ; Si-Yuan HU ; Zu-Guang YE ; Ling HAN ; Yue-Hua ZHOU ; Zi-Feng YANG ; Rui GAO ; Ming YANG ; Ting WANG ; Jie-Lai XIA ; Shi-Shan YU ; Xiao-Hui FAN ; Hua HUA ; Jia HE ; Yin LU ; Zhong WANG ; Jin-Hui DOU ; Geng LI ; Yu DONG ; Hao YU ; Li-Ping QU ; Jian-Yuan TANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(12):3474-3482
Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards*
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Humans
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Consensus
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Surveys and Questionnaires
6.Optimization of extraction process for Shenxiong Huanglian Jiedu Granules based on AHP-CRITIC hybrid weighting method, grey correlation analysis, and BP-ANN.
Zi-An LI ; De-Wen LIU ; Xin-Jian LI ; Bing-Yu WU ; Qun LAN ; Meng-Jia GUO ; Jia-Hui SUN ; Nan-Yang LIU ; Hui PEI ; Hao LI ; Hong YI ; Jin-Yu WANG ; Liang-Mian CHEN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(10):2674-2683
By employing the analytic hierarchy process(AHP), the CRITIC method(a weight determination method based on indicator correlations), and the AHP-CRITIC hybrid weighting method, the weight coefficients of evaluation indicators were determined, followed by a comprehensive score comparison. The grey correlation analysis was then performed to analyze the results calculated using the hybrid weighting method. Subsequently, a backpropagation-artificial neural network(BP-ANN) model was constructed to predict the extraction process parameters and optimize the extraction process for Shenxiong Huanglian Jiedu Granules(SHJG). In the extraction process, an L_9(3~4) orthogonal experiment was designed to optimize three factors at three levels, including extraction frequency, water addition amount, and extraction time. The evaluation indicators included geniposide, berberine, ginsenoside Rg_1 + Re, ginsenoside Rb_1, ferulic acid, and extract yield. Finally, the optimal extraction results obtained by the orthogonal experiment, grey correlation analysis, and BP-ANN method were compared, and validation experiments were conducted. The results showed that the optimal extraction process involved two rounds of aqueous extraction, each lasting one hour; the first extraction used ten times the amount of added water, while the second extraction used eight times the amount. In the validation experiments, the average content of each indicator component was higher than the average content obtained in the orthogonal experiment, with a higher comprehensive score. The optimized extraction process parameters were reliable and stable, making them suitable for subsequent preparation process research.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis*
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Neural Networks, Computer
7.Development and Initial Validation of the Multi-Dimensional Attention Rating Scale in Highly Educated Adults.
Xin-Yang ZHANG ; Karen SPRUYT ; Jia-Yue SI ; Lin-Lin ZHANG ; Ting-Ting WU ; Yan-Nan LIU ; Di-Ga GAN ; Yu-Xin HU ; Si-Yu LIU ; Teng GAO ; Yi ZHONG ; Yao GE ; Zhe LI ; Zi-Yan LIN ; Yan-Ping BAO ; Xue-Qin WANG ; Yu-Feng WANG ; Lin LU
Chinese Medical Sciences Journal 2025;40(2):100-110
OBJECTIVES:
To report the development, validation, and findings of the Multi-dimensional Attention Rating Scale (MARS), a self-report tool crafted to evaluate six-dimension attention levels.
METHODS:
The MARS was developed based on Classical Test Theory (CTT). Totally 202 highly educated healthy adult participants were recruited for reliability and validity tests. Reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability. Structural validity was explored using principal component analysis. Criterion validity was analyzed by correlating MARS scores with the Toronto Hospital Alertness Test (THAT), the Attentional Control Scale (ACS), and the Attention Network Test (ANT).
RESULTS:
The MARS comprises 12 items spanning six distinct dimensions of attention: focused attention, sustained attention, shifting attention, selective attention, divided attention, and response inhibition.As assessed by six experts, the content validation index (CVI) was 0.95, the Cronbach's alpha for the MARS was 0.78, and the test-retest reliability was 0.81. Four factors were identified (cumulative variance contribution rate 68.79%). The total score of MARS was correlated positively with THAT (r = 0.60, P < 0.01) and ACS (r = 0.78, P < 0.01) and negatively with ANT's reaction time for alerting (r = -0.31, P = 0.049).
CONCLUSIONS
The MARS can reliably and validly assess six-dimension attention levels in real-world settings and is expected to be a new tool for assessing multi-dimensional attention impairments in different mental disorders.
Humans
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Adult
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Male
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Attention/physiology*
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Female
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Middle Aged
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Reproducibility of Results
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Young Adult
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Psychometrics
8.The Impact of Reproductive Traits on Psoriasis Risk is Mediated by Education Attainment and Body Mass Index: A Mendelian Randomization Study.
Ya Jia LI ; Qiang Xiang LI ; Zi Qin CAO ; Jian Huang WU
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(3):365-375
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the causality between reproductive traits and risk of psoriasis by using a large Mendelian randomization (MR) study.
METHODS:
A two-sample MR study was performed using summarized statistics from the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted in reproductive traits, as well as GWAS data on overall psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and psoriasis vulgaris (PV). Besides univariable MR (UVMR), multivariable MR and two-step MR was used to calculate the independent effects and quantify the proportion mediated by education or body mass index (BMI).
RESULTS:
Genetically predicted early age at first sexual intercourse (AFS) led to an increased risk of overall psoriasis [odds ratio ( OR) UVMR: 0.54]; 36.13% of this effect was mediated through BMI and 47.79% through educational attainment. The direct negative casual association between age at first birth (AFB)-PsA was dominant ( OR UVMR: 0.76), with 49.61% proportion of the mediation due to BMI. The mediating effect was found for BMI on the AFS-PV relationship, which accounted for 26.27% of the proportion. AFS was inversely associated with the risk of overall psoriasis and PV, with considerable mediation by BMI and educational attainment.
CONCLUSION
Early AFB may cause a higher risk of PsA, while the AFS-PsA association was fully mediated by BMI.
Humans
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Body Mass Index
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Psoriasis/etiology*
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Mendelian Randomization Analysis
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Educational Status
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Female
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Genome-Wide Association Study
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Risk Factors
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Male
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Reproduction
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Adult
9.Analysis of Influencing Factors of Death in the Elderly With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Based on Propensity Score Matching.
Ying CHEN ; Hai-Ping HUANG ; Xin LI ; Si-Jie CHAI ; Jia-Li YE ; Ding-Zi ZHOU ; Tao ZHANG
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(3):375-381
Objective To analyze the influencing factors of death in the elderly with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Methods The case data of death caused by COVID-19 in West China Fourth Hospital from January 1 to July 8,2023 were collected,and surviving cases from the West China Elderly Health Cohort infected with COVID-19 during the same period were selected as the control.LASSO-Logistic regression was adopted to analyze the data after propensity score matching and the validity of the model was verified by drawing the receiver operating characteristic curve.Results A total of 3 239 COVID-19 survivors and 142 deaths with COVID-19 were included.The results of LASSO-Logistic regression showed that smoking(OR=3.33,95%CI=1.46-7.59,P=0.004),stroke(OR=3.55,95%CI=1.15-10.30,P=0.022),malignant tumors(OR=19.93, 95%CI=8.52-49.23, P<0.001),coronary heart disease(OR=7.68, 95%CI=3.52-17.07, P<0.001),fever(OR=0.51, 95%CI=0.26-0.96, P=0.042),difficulty breathing or asthma symptoms(OR=21.48, 95%CI=9.44-51.95, P<0.001),and vomiting(OR=8.19,95%CI=2.87-23.58, P<0.001)increased the risk of death with COVID-19.The prediction model constructed based on the influencing factors achieved an area under the curve of 0.889 in the test set.Conclusions Smoking,stroke,malignant tumors,coronary heart disease,fever,breathing difficulty or asthma symptoms,and vomiting were identified as key factors influencing the death risk in COVID-19.
Humans
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COVID-19/mortality*
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Aged
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Propensity Score
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China/epidemiology*
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Risk Factors
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Logistic Models
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Smoking
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SARS-CoV-2
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Male
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Female
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Stroke
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Neoplasms
10.Clinical and genetic features of 5 neonates with centronuclear myopathy caused by MTM1 gene variation.
Tian XIE ; Jia-Jing GE ; Zi-Ming ZHANG ; Ding-Wen WU ; Yan-Ping XU ; Li-Ping SHI ; Xiao-Lu MA ; Zheng CHEN
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(9):1071-1075
OBJECTIVES:
To study clinical manifestations and gene mutation features of neonates with centronuclear myopathy.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical data of 5 neonates with centronuclear myopathy diagnosed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2020 to August 2024. The data included gender, gestational age, birth weight, Apgar score, clinical manifestations, creatine kinase level, electromyography, genetic testing results and the outcomes of the infants.
RESULTS:
All 5 male neonates had a history of postpartum asphyxia and resuscitation. They all presented with hypotonia, myasthenia, and respiratory failure; two neonates also had swallowing dysfunction. Of the five neonates, three had normal creatine kinase levels, while two had slightly elevated levels. Electromyography was performed for three neonates, among whom two had myogenic damage. MTM1 gene mutations were identified by genetic testing in all five neonates, including two nonsense mutations and three missense mutations, among which one variant had not been previously reported. Four mutations were inherited from the mother, and the other one was a de novo mutation. The five neonates showed no clinical improvement following treatment, failed weaning from mechanical ventilation, and ultimately died after withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy.
CONCLUSIONS
Centronuclear myopathy caused by MTM1 gene mutation often has a severe phenotype and a poor prognosis, and it should be considered for neonates with hypotonia and myasthenia after birth. Genetic testing should be performed as soon as possible.
Humans
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Myopathies, Structural, Congenital/genetics*
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Male
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Infant, Newborn
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Retrospective Studies
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Mutation
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Female
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Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor/genetics*

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