Objective:To investigate genetic variation profiles of δ-globin (HBD gene) and hematological phenotypes in Guangdong population.Methods:Retrospective case analysis was performed in this study. Blood samples of 11 616 couples who participated in free thalassemia screening in Guangzhou from July 2020 to December 2022 were collected which underwent blood routine tests and hemoglobin (Hb) capillary electrophoresis. According to the results, 154 samples were enrolled in this study: (1)group of 35 cases with HbA 2 <2.0% but no HbF band; (2)group of 64 cases with HbA 2 < 2.0% and HbF band; (3)group of 25 cases with HbA 2 <2.0% and suspected HbA 2 variants; (4) group of 25 cases with HbA 2 ≥2.0% and <3.5% and HbF band, as well as abnormal blood routine report [mean corpuscular volume (MCV) <82 fl and/or mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) <27 pg]; (5)group of 5 cases with HbA 2 ≥2.0% and <3.0% accompanied with β thalassemia gene carriers Sanger sequencing was used to detect single nucleotide variants of δ-globin. Results:(1) A total of 22 genetic variations were detected, including 6 de novo variations, and the top 3 genetic variations were respectively c.-127T>C (57.02%, 65/114), c.-80T>C (9.65%, 11/114), c.349C>T (7.89%, 9/114). (2) In group of patients with HbA 2 <2.0% but no HbF band, 22 cases (62.85%, 22/35) had HBD gene variation, including 7 cases with MCV and MCH lower than reference values, 4 cases with α thalassemia; 13 cases had no HBD gene variation, including 12 cases with lower MCV and MCH. Among 19 cases with abnormal blood routine test results, levels of HbA 2 in patients (7 cases) with HBD gene variation were lower compared with those without HBD gene variation (12 cases) ( P<0.01%). (3)In group of patients with HbA 2<2.0% with HbF band, 59 cases (92.18%, 59/64) had HBD gene variations whose mutations all occurred in promoter region, and the HbF were all lower than 5.0%; 5 cases with HbF >5.0% had no HBD gene variation. (4) In group of patients with HbA 2 <2.0% and suspected HbA 2 variants, the detection rate was 100% (25/25) and δ-globin variants <1.0%. (5) In group of patients with HbA 2 ≥2.0% and <3.5% and HbF band accompanied with abnormal blood routine results, no HBD gene variation was found. (6) In group of 5 patients with HbA 2 ≥2.0% and <3.0% with β thalassemia gene carriers, HBD gene variation were found in all cases, and the level of HbA 2 was (2.62±0.17)% and HbF was (3.62±2.22)%. Conclusions:There are various genotypes of HBD gene variation, among which HBD: c.-127T>C is the most common in Guangdong population in China. Mutations in the promoter region may cause decrease in HbA 2 and increase in HbF which is mostly less than 5% but exceeds 5.0% when combined with β thalassemia. Our study enriched the gene mutation profiles of HBD gene in Guangdong population.

Objective To compare the effectiveness and safety of semaglutide with dulaglutide in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.Methods A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted to include patients with type 2 diabetes who received semaglutide or dulaglutide treatment at three hospitals between April 2021 and July 2023 in the study.The patients were divided into the semaglutide group(SEMA group)and the dulaglutide group(DULA group)based on their treatment.Propensity score matching was used to pair the two groups in a 1:1 ratio,aligning them based on baseline characteristics such as gender,age,body mass index,blood glucose levels,duration of diabetes,and complications.Various parameters including fasting blood glucose,2-hour postprandial blood glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c),serum creatinine,urea nitrogen levels,estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR),urinary albumin/creatinine ratio(UACR),and occurrences of adverse reactions were assessed at 3,6,9,and 12 months after the treatment.Results After propensity score matching,98 patients were included in both the SEMA and DULA groups,showing no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the groups(P＞0.05).At each follow-up point,the fasting blood glucose,2-hour postprandial blood glucose,and HbA1c levels of both groups showed a significant decrease compared to the baseline(P≤0.05).The inter-group comparison revealed no statistically significant differences in the changes in fasting blood glucose,2-hour postprandial blood glucose,and HbA1c levels between the two groups(P＞0.05).At the 6th month,the SEMA group exhibited a statistically significant higher rate of HbA1c＜7％compared to the DULA group(P＜0.05).In the SEMA group,serum creatinine and urea nitrogen decreased significantly at the 6th month compared to baseline,while eGFR showed an increase at the 3rd and 6th month,and UACR decreased,all with statistical significance(P＜0.05).In the DULA group,there was a statistically significant increase in serum creatinine and decrease at the 3rd and 6th months in eGFR,respectively.Additionally,urea nitrogen levels decreased significantly at the 9th month,all differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The inter-group comparison revealed that at the 3rd and 6th month,the SEMA group exhibited a greater reduction in serum creatinine levels compared to the DULA group.Additionally,the SEMA group demonstrated a more pronounced increase in eGFR levels than the DULA group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05).At the 6th month,the SEMA group exhibited a significantly greater decrease in UACR and a significantly lower incidence of renal insufficiency compared to the DULA group(P＜0.05).There were no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion Semaglutide and dulaglutide can significantly improve blood glucose control,exhibit comparable effectiveness and safety in lowering blood glucose levels,and semaglutide has a potentially protective effect on renal function.

Compared with other drug loading methods,PLGA drug-loaded microspheres have the advantages of sustained and con-trolled release ability,biodegradability,drug release stability,and targeted delivery function,which have become a research hotspot in pharmaceutics.With the improvement of the preparation technology and the quality of microspheres,they have been gradually promoted in clinical practice,and have achieved remarkable results in the treatment of tumors,osteoarthritis,diabetes,eye diseases and so on.However,there is still a lack of systematic review on the application of PLGA microspheres in stomatology.This article aims to intro-duce the clinical application characteristics of PLGA microspheres,and review their application prospect in oral and maxillofacial tumors,temporomandibular joint diseases,periodontitis,caries and alveolar bone defects,so as to provide reference for their applica-tion in stomatology.

Objective To establish an intelligent detection algorithm model for acute promyelocytic leukemia(M3 model)based on a contrast large model using machine learning statistical software and validate its effectiveness.Methods The data from 8 256 outpa-tients and inpatients who underwent complete blood cell analysis at Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrieved and analyzed using the laboratory information system(LIS)and hospital information system(HIS).A M3 screening model was established and vali-dated using the data from outpatients and inpatients who underwent complete blood cell analysis at our hospital from July to October 2023.Results The M3 model demonstrated potential application value in screening for M3 disease in complete blood cell analysis,which showed certain efficacy in screening for neutrophil toxicity changes,particularly in identifying two cases of blue-green inclusion bodies in neutrophils.Conclusion The M3 model exhibited low specificity for M3 diagnosis.Future research should focus on increas-ing the number of M3-positive cases to optimize the model,ensuring high sensitivity while improving specificity.This model will provide assistance for the intelligent review of complete blood cell analysis.

Objective:To investigate the practicality of TrueFidelity deep learning reconstruction algorithm in low-dose abdominal and pelvic CT angiography (CTA).Methods:The patients who required abdominal and pelvic CTA were prospectively included at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University from June 2020 to March 2021. All patients underwent low-dose CTA with a tube voltage of 80 kV and smart tube current modulation (100-720 mA). Images were reconstructed using the traditional FBP, adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction with a strength of 50% (ASIR-V 50%), TrueFidelity with medium (TF-M) and high (TF-H) strength. The CT value and standard deviation (SD value) of the abdominal aorta, psoas major muscle and subcutaneous fat in the same layer were measured, signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) were calculated. We also introduced the measurement of skewness of CT value in psoas major muscle with uniform density. The above indexes of the four groups of reconstructed images were compared. A 5-point scoring method was used to evaluate the granularity, fuzziness and beam-hardening artifacts of all images. Objective measurement indicators, such as CT values, were tested by repeated measure ANOVA with the Bonferroni post hoc test.Results:There were forty-six patients in the study. The volume CT dose index of the scan was low at (1.09±0.31)mGy. There was no significant difference in CT values of vessels and muscles between the four groups ( P>0.05), but there was a significant difference in SD value( P<0.001). The SD value of the FBP group was the largest and that of the TF-H group was the smallest. The difference between SNR and CNR was statistically significant ( P<0.001), and the overall trend was opposite to that of the SD value. There was no significant difference in the skewness between the four groups. The granularity score of the FBP group was the largest, that of the TF-H group was the smallest, and there was a significant difference among the four groups. The score of fuzziness in the TF-H group was slightly higher than that in the other three groups, but there was no significant difference. The beam-hardening artifact score of FBP and ASIR-V 50% group was the worst, and the TF-H group was the best ( P<0.001). Conclusions:Compared with FBP and ASIR-V, TrueFidelity reconstruction algorithm provides better image quality (comprehensively considering image noise, fuzziness, uniformity, and hardening artifacts) in low-dose CT scanning of abdominal and pelvic vessels, and TF-H has the best image quality.

Objective To study the mechanical response of tibial prostheses and the distal tibial cancellous bone after implantation of radial and axial functionally graded materials(FGM)into the ankle joint.Methods Three FGM were used:titanium alloy-bioactive glass composite FGM(FGM-Ⅰ),titanium(Ti)alloy-ideal bone elastic composite FGM(FGM-Ⅱ),and Ti alloy-hydroxylapatite composite FGM(FGM-Ⅲ).A three-dimensional finite element model of total ankle arthroplasty(TAA)was established,and the simulation software ABAQUS was used for secondary development based on Fortra.By changing the volume fraction,the mechanical properties of the FGM tibial prosthesis can be adjusted both axially and radially.The stress distributions of the tibial prosthesis and cancellous bone after FGM axial and radial tibial component implantation in the standing position were analyzed.Results Compared with Ti alloy tibial prosthesis,three kinds of FGM could effectively reduce the stress concentration on the tibial prosthesis,and the overall effect of FGM-Ⅲ tibial prosthesis was better than that of FGM-Ⅰ and FGM-Ⅱ tibial prosthesis;the radial distribution of FGM could effectively reduce the maximum von Mises stress of the prosthesis.For the tibial cancellous bone,the three types of FGM radial tibial prostheses and FGM-Ⅲ axial tibial prostheses could effectively increase the distal stress,thus,relieving the stress shielding on the cancellous bone;the FGM-Ⅲ radial tibial prosthesis was the most effective in improving the stress level of the cancellous bone.Conclusions FGM-Ⅲ radial ankle prosthesis can effectively reduce the stress concentration phenomenon and the stress shielding effect on the prosthesis to prolong its life,with potential application prospects.

Objective:To investigate the application of virtual reality (VR) technology on intraoperative pain in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related procedures with local infiltration anesthesia and the satisfaction.Methods:It was a single-center, prospective, concurrent controlled study. Patients were divided into two groups: VR group and control group. In the VR group, patients wore a VR headset to watch soothing audio and video content during surgery, while the control group underwent routine procedures. Intraoperative pain and satisfaction were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) and a 5-point satisfaction scale within 30 minutes of surgery. In addition, tolerance of the VR experience in the VR group was assessed using the VR sickness questionnaire.Results:A total of 43 patients were included in the study, including 25 males (58.1%). Chronic glomerulonephritis [17 cases (39.5%)] and diabetic nephropathy [6 cases (14.0%)] were the main primary diseases. There were 23 cases in the control group and 20 cases in the VR group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age, sex ratio, proportion of primary disease, diabetes, hypertension, distribution of operation methods, preoperative vital signs and operation time (all P>0.05). VAS pain score was significantly lower in the VR group than that in the control group (5.90±2.38 vs. 7.43±1.67, t=2.469, P=0.018). The percentage of patients who were satisfied was 89.5% (17/19) in the VR group and 78.3% (18/23) in the control group, but there was no significant difference (chi-square test for continuity correction, χ2=0.308, P=0.579). Three patients in the VR group withdrew from the study due to severe discomfort, while the remaining participants found the VR experience to be tolerable. Common adverse effects included fatigue and blurred vision. Conclusions:The application of VR technology in PD-related procedures has been effective in reducing intraoperative pain when combined with local infiltration anesthesia. Furthermore, the utilization of VR technology in PD-related procedures is associated with a safe and tolerable outcome, despite the observation of some adverse effects.

The paper summarizes the treatment experience of surgical repair combined with automated peritoneal dialysis in a maintenance peritoneal dialysis patient complicated with thoracoabdominal fistula. Through the close participation of medical and patients, the diagnosis method and peritoneal dialysis scheme were optimized continuously. The thoracoabdominal fistula repair operation was successfully implemented by a multidisciplinary team, and the patient's condition was improved and was discharged. This case suggests that standardized diagnosis process and optimized diagnosis method can be applied to improve the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis, and strive for early diagnosis and intervention; multi-disciplinary teams can be actively formed and the patients can be encouraged to participate in decision-making, to improve treatment confidence; the advantages of automated peritoneal dialysis can be made full use to reduce complications and improve the life quality of the patient.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of homodimer neutrophil gelatinase- associated lipocalin (H-NGAL) rapid test kit in diagnosing peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis (PDAP).Methods:It was a multicenter prospective observational study. The PD patients from the nephrology clinics or wards at four hospitals: the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Taian Central Hospital, and Weifang People's Hospital from December 27, 2021, and July 18, 2022 were enrolled. The patients were categorized into PDAP and non-PDAP groups based on whether PDAP occurred at the time of enrollment. PD effluent samples were collected, and H-NGAL test was performed. The patients or their families used cassette-type, strip-type, and pen-type H-NGAL test kits to detect H-NGAL. Healthcare professionals only used the cassette-type H-NGAL kit to detect H-NGAL. All participants completed a questionnaire regarding the instructions for use of H-NGAL kit before testing, and a summary of patient experience and evaluation questionnaires after testing. The sensitivity, specificity, compliance rate, and 95% confidence interval ( CI) of H-NGAL rapid test kit for diagnosing PDAP were calculated using clinical diagnosis as the standard. Kappa test was used to assess the consistency between H-NGAL detection results and clinical diagnoses. Results:A total of 221 PD patients were enrolled, with 42 PDAP patients and 179 non-PDAP patients. The sensitivity and specificity of H-NGAL rapid test kit for diagnosing PDAP were 100% (95% CI 91.62%-100%) and 99.44% (95% CI 96.90%-99.90%), respectively, with accuracy rate of 99.55% (95% CI 97.48%-99.92%). The positive agreement rate was 97.67% (95% CI 87.94%-99.59%), and the negative agreement rate was 100% (95% CI 97.89%-100%). The consistency evaluation results showed that kappa value was 0.985 (95% CI 0.956-1.000). The results obtained by patients and their families using the H-NGAL rapid test kits were consistent across all three methods (cassette, strip, and pen-type H-NGAL test kits), and the results obtained by using the H-NGAL rapid test kits were also consistent between non-healthcare professionals and healthcare professionals. The kit instruction questionnaire and the experience and evaluation questionnaire showed that the overall satisfaction of patients with the H-NGAL rapid test kits was very good. Conclusions:H-NGAL rapid test kit exhibits high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing PDAP and can serve as a rapid diagnostic method for PDAP.

The correlation between hearing loss (HL) and physical performance in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) remains poorly investigated. This study explored the association between HL and physical performance in patients on MHD. Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2020 and April 2021 in seven hemodialysis centers in Shanghai and Suzhou, China. The hearing assessment was performed using pure-tone average (PTA). Physical performance was assessed using the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), handgrip strength, and gait speed. Results: Finally, 838 adult patients (male, 516 [61.6%]; 61.2 ± 2.6 years) were enrolled. Among them, 423 (50.5%) had mild to profound HL (male, 48.6% and female, 53.4%). Patients with HL had poorer physical performance than patients without HL (p < 0.001). TUGT was positively correlated with PTA (r = 0.265, p < 0.001), while handgrip strength and gait speed were negatively correlated with PTA (r = –0.356, p < 0.001 and r = –0.342, p < 0.001, respectively). Physical performance in patients aged <60 years showed significant dose-response relationships with HL. After adjusting for confounders, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for HL across the TUGT quartiles (lowest to highest) were 1.00 (reference), 1.15 (0.73–1.81), 1.69 (1.07–2.70), and 2.87 (1.69–4.88) (p for trend = 0.005). Conclusion: Lower prevalence of HL was associated with a faster TUGT and a stronger handgrip strength in patients on MHD.