Volume electron microscopy (vEM) imaging technology was rapidly developed in recent years. It has been the advanced technology to solve high-resolution three-dimensional structures of biological samples. Much wonderful work has revealed the fine structure and interactions of intracellular organelles, the ultrastructure of tissues, and even the three-dimensional structure of entire small biological organisms. With the continuous improvement of resolution, scale and throughput, vEM is becoming more and more widely used in medicine, life sciences, clinical diagnostics and other fields. As a result, this technology has been rated by Nature as one of the seven most noteworthy frontier technologies to watch in 2023. However, the development and application of vEM-related technologies started late in China and need to be further promoted. We write this review to introduce all related vEM technologies, covering the development history of vEM, technology classification, sample preparation, data collection, image processing, etc., which is convenient for people in various fields to understand, learn, apply and further develop this technology.

This article discussed the significance of latent pathogen theory in the understanding of pathogenesis and prevention and treatment of epidemic diseases such as novel coronavirus infection(COVID-19).Latent-qi is the cause of epidemic febrile disease,and it is also the yang-heat qi of human body.The stagnant yang-heat qi hidden in the body can induce the latent heat constitution.The latent heat constitution is particularly closely related to the development and progression of epidemic febrile disease,and is susceptible to the warm pathogen.The significance of the latent pathogen theory on the prevention and treatment of epidemic diseases such as COVID-19 with traditional Chinese medicine is as follows:abnormal climate is an important early warning and is the external condition for the development of epidemic diseases;latent pathogen is easily assimilated into the newly-attacked pathogenic factors for the assimilation of similar nature,and then injuries taiyin-spleen,which causes spleen deficiency and dampness accumulation and then results in latent dampness;preventing and treating epidemic diseases based on the latent pathogen theory is helpful for identifying the key syndromes,formulating the core regimen indicated for the pathogenesis,and cutting off the progression of the disease.Based on the latent pathogen theory,dampness-removing therapy for latent dampness is important for the prevention and early treatment of COVID-19,and our research group has developed a Chinese herbal formula of Wuzhi Fangguan Prescription(composed of Fici Simplicissimae Radix,Coicis Semen,Poria,Herba Polygoni Chinensis,Atractylodis Rhizoma,Pogostemonis Herba,and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma)to prevent COVID-19 early by using a variety of dampness-removing methods such as drying dampness,resolving dampness,draining dampness,and invigorating spleen.The prescription is indicated for the prevention and early treatment of COVID-19.The mechanism of dampness-removing therapy is mainly related to the improvement of the disordered immune function and restoration of the body's resistance to diseases.

Objective To monitor the antifungal resistance of clinical isolates of Candida spp.in the East China region.Methods MALDI-TOF MS or molecular methods were used to re-identify the strains collected from January 2018 to December 2022.Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution method.The susceptibility test results were interpreted according to the breakpoints of 2022 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)documents M27 M44s-Ed3 and M57s-Ed4.Results A total of 3 026 strains of Candida were collected,65.33％of which were isolated from sterile body sites,mainly from blood(38.86％)and pleural effusion/ascites(10.21％).The predominant species of Candida were Candida albicans(44.51％),followed by Candida parapsilosis complex(19.46％),Candida tropicalis(13.98％),Candida glabrata(10.34％),and other Candida species(0.79％).Candida albicans showed overall high susceptibility rates to the 10 antifungal drugs tested(the lowest rate being 93.62％).Only 2.97％of the strains showed dose-dependent susceptibility(SDD)to fluconazole.Candida parapsilosis complex had a SDD rate of 2.61％and a resistance rate of 9.42％to fluconazole,and susceptibility rates above 90％to other drugs.Candida glabrata had a SDD rate of 92.01％and a resistance rate of 7.99％to fluconazole,resistance rates of 32.27％and 48.24％to posaconazole and voriconazole non-wild-type strains(NWT),respectively,and susceptibility rates above 90％to other drugs.Candida tropicalis had resistance rates of 29.55％and 26.24％to fluconazole and voriconazole,respectively,resistance rates of 76.60％and 21.99％to posaconazole and echinocandins non-wild-type strains(NWT),and a resistance rate of 2.36％to echinocandins.Conclusions The prevalence and species distribution of Candida spp.in the East China region are consistent with previous domestic and international reports.Candida glabrata exhibits certain degree of resistance to fluconazole,while Candida tropicalis demonstrates higher resistance to triazole drugs.Additionally,echinocandins resistance has emerged in Candida albicans,Candida glabrata,Candida tropicalis,and Candida parapsilosis.

Objective To investigate the incidence rate,clinical characteristics,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen,China.Methods Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital,the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022.The incidence,clinical characteristics,treatment,and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed.Results The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137,1/6 060,and 1/7 704,respectively.Ischemic stroke accounted for 75％(27/36);boys accounted for 64％(23/36).Among the 36 neonates,31(86％)had disease onset within 3 days after birth,and 19(53％)had convulsion as the initial presentation.Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates(61％)had left cerebral infarction and 13(36％)had basal ganglia infarction.Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates,among whom 9(75％)had involvement of the middle cerebral artery.Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates,with sharp waves in 21 neonates(72％)and seizures in 10 neonates(34％).Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals.Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates(33％,12/36),with a mean score of(32±4)points.The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age,with 44％(12/27)of the neonates having a good prognosis.Conclusions Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke,often with convulsions as the initial presentation,involvement of the middle cerebral artery,sharp waves on electroencephalography,and a relatively low neurodevelopment score.Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method,and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.

Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who failed antiviral therapy are at increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study assessed the potential role of metformin and statins, medications for diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperlipidemia (HLP), in reducing HCC risk among these patients. Methods: We included CHC patients from the T-COACH study who failed antiviral therapy. We tracked the onset of HCC 1.5 years post-therapy by linking to Taiwan’s cancer registry data from 2003 to 2019. We accounted for death and liver transplantation as competing risks and employed Gray’s cumulative incidence and Cox subdistribution hazards models to analyze HCC development. Results: Out of 2,779 patients, 480 (17.3%) developed HCC post-therapy. DM patients not using metformin had a 51% increased risk of HCC compared to non-DM patients, while HLP patients on statins had a 50% reduced risk compared to those without HLP. The 5-year HCC incidence was significantly higher for metformin non-users (16.5%) versus non-DM patients (11.3%; adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratio [aSHR]=1.51; P=0.007) and metformin users (3.1%; aSHR=1.59; P=0.022). Statin use in HLP patients correlated with a lower HCC risk (3.8%) compared to non-HLP patients (12.5%; aSHR=0.50; P<0.001). Notably, the increased HCC risk associated with non-use of metformin was primarily seen in non-cirrhotic patients, whereas statins decreased HCC risk in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients. Conclusions Metformin and statins may have a chemopreventive effect against HCC in CHC patients who failed antiviral therapy. These results support the need for personalized preventive strategies in managing HCC risk.

Abstract: Objective　To evaluate the completion and final effect of key parasitic disease prevention and control planning tasks in Hubei Province from 2016 to 2019, summarize the experience, find out the problems, and provide the basis for the next stage of prevention and control. Methods　According to the requirements of the Final Evaluation Plan of the National Plan for the Prevention and Control of Hydatid Disease and Other Major Parasitic Diseases (2016-2020), a retrospective survey method was adopted to collect relevant data on the implementation and safeguard measures of the prevention and control of major parasitic diseases, and population infection status in Hubei Province in 2016-2019. Results From 2016 to 2019, We carried out 2 920 992 person times of publicity and education, 209 times of prevention and control technology training, 7 680 person times of business training, with an average of 52 sessions and 1 920 person times per year. We have allocated 3.445 2 million yuan for the prevention and control of parasitic diseases, including 1.722 2 million Yuan froom provincial government, to achieved full coverage of safe drinking water in rural areas under the current national standards, and 7.687 9 million harmless toilets have been built in rural areas. From 2016 to 2019, we carried out 39 658 person times of monitoring and disease investigation, the infection rate of human liver fluke was 0, and the infection rate of soil transmitted nematode was 0.42%. While the annual infection rates varied, there was no statistically significant difference in infection rate between years (χ2＝2.276, P>0.05), but there were statistically significant differences in the infection rates between various soil nematodes (χ2=112.807, P<0.01). From 2016 to 2019, a total of 5 393 people were detected at 17 monitoring points, with the serum positive rate of 3.93% for paragonimiasis, there was a statistically significant difference in serological positive rate between years (χ2=146.011, P<0.01); a total of 738 stream crabs were collected, and the infection rate of intermediate host was 16.26%, wtih a statistically significant difference in the infection rate of stream crabs between years (χ2=49.731, P<0.01). Conclusions　From 2016 to 2019, we adhered to the prevention and control strategy of "prevention first, prevention and control combined", implemented comprehensively various prevention and control measures, and achieved remarkable results in Hubei Province. The key parasitic diseases have been in a low epidemic situation, meeting the requirements of the prevention and control objectives. But the transmission risk still exists, the next step is to continue to strengthen security and monitoring and consolidate the achievements of prevention and control.

Platelets are reprogrammed by cancer via a process called education, which favors cancer development. The transcriptional profile of tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) is skewed and therefore practicable for cancer detection. This intercontinental, hospital-based, diagnostic study included 761 treatment-naïve inpatients with histologically confirmed adnexal masses and 167 healthy controls from nine medical centers (China, n = 3; Netherlands, n = 5; Poland, n = 1) between September 2016 and May 2019. The main outcomes were the performance of TEPs and their combination with CA125 in two Chinese (VC1 and VC2) and the European (VC3) validation cohorts collectively and independently. Exploratory outcome was the value of TEPs in public pan-cancer platelet transcriptome datasets. The AUCs for TEPs in the combined validation cohort, VC1, VC2, and VC3 were 0.918 (95% CI 0.889-0.948), 0.923 (0.855-0.990), 0.918 (0.872-0.963), and 0.887 (0.813-0.960), respectively. Combination of TEPs and CA125 demonstrated an AUC of 0.922 (0.889-0.955) in the combined validation cohort; 0.955 (0.912-0.997) in VC1; 0.939 (0.901-0.977) in VC2; 0.917 (0.824-1.000) in VC3. For subgroup analysis, TEPs exhibited an AUC of 0.858, 0.859, and 0.920 to detect early-stage, borderline, non-epithelial diseases and 0.899 to discriminate ovarian cancer from endometriosis. TEPs had robustness, compatibility, and universality for preoperative diagnosis of ovarian cancer since it withstood validations in populations of different ethnicities, heterogeneous histological subtypes, and early-stage ovarian cancer. However, these observations warrant prospective validations in a larger population before clinical utilities.
Humans ; Female ; Blood Platelets/pathology* ; Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics* ; Ovarian Neoplasms/pathology* ; China

OBJECTIVES: To explore the difference in CT values between pulmonary thromboembolism and postmortem clot in postmortem CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) to further improve the application value of virtual autopsy. METHODS: Postmortem CTPA data with the definite cause of death from 2016 to 2019 were collected and divided into pulmonary thromboembolism group (n=4), postmortem clot group (n=5), and control group (n=5). CT values of pulmonary trunk and left and right pulmonary artery contents in each group were measured and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The average CT value in the pulmonary thromboembolism group and postmortem clot group were (168.4±53.8) Hu and (282.7±78.0) Hu, respectively, which were lower than those of the control group (1 193.0±82.9) Hu (P<0.05). The average CT value of the postmortem clot group was higher than that of the pulmonary thromboembolism group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS CT value is reliable and feasible as a relatively objective quantitative index to distinguish pulmonary thromboembolism and postmortem clot in postmortem CTPA. At the same time, it can provide a scientific basis to a certain extent for ruling out pulmonary thromboembolism deaths.
Humans ; Autopsy ; Thrombosis ; Pulmonary Embolism/diagnostic imaging* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Angiography ; Cadaver

Objective: To evaluate different methods' efficacy of controlling acute bleeding and managing long-term menstruation in patients with heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) associated with antithrombotic therapy. Methods: The clinical data of 22 cases with HMB associated with antithrombotic therapy admitted to Peking University People's Hospital from January 2010 to August 2022 were analyzed, aged 39 years old (26-46 years). Changes in menstrual volume, hemoglobin (Hb), and quality of life were collected after control of acute bleeding and long-term menstrual management. Menstrual volume was assessed by pictorial blood assessment chart (PBAC), and quality of life was assessed by menorrhagia multi-attribute scale (MMAS). Results: (1) Treatment of acute bleeding: of the 22 cases with HMB associated with antithrombotic therapy, 16 cases were treated in our hospital and 6 in other hospital for emergency bleeding; of the 16 cases treated in our hospital, 3 underwent emergency intrauterine Foley catheter balloon compression due to severe bleeding (Hb decreased by 20 to 40 g/L within 12 hours). Of the 22 cases with antithrombotic therapy-related HMB, 15 (including 2 cases with severe bleeding) underwent emergency aspiration or endometrial resection, and intraoperative placement of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) followed by a significant reduction in bleeding volume; 3 cases had controlled acute bleeding after rivaroxaban dose reduction and continued observation; 2 cases were given gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists to control acute bleeding in other hospital, of which 1 case was temporarily treated with periodic blood transfusion, and the other one patient underwent total hysterectomy; and 2 cases had temporary amenorrhea with oral mifepristone after intrauterine balloon compression or oral norethindrone. (2) Long-term menstrual management: of the 22 cases with antithrombotic therapy-related HMB, 15 had LNG-IUS placement and 12 had LNG-IUS placement for 6 months, and menstrual volume was significantly reduced [PBAC scores were 365.0 (272.5-460.0) vs 25.0 (12.5-37.5), respectively; Z=4.593, P<0.001], Hb was significantly increased [91.5 g/L (71.8-108.2 g/L) vs 128.5 g/L (121.2-142.5 g/L); Z=4.695, P<0.001], and quality of life was significantly improved [MMAS scores were 415.0 (327.5-472.5) vs 580.0 (570.0-580.0), respectively; Z=-3.062, P=0.002] before placement compared with 6 months after placement. Three rivaroxaban dose reduction patients' PBAC scores decreased by 20 to 35 but remained >100, and perceived quality of life did not change significantly. Two cases with temporary amenorrhea treated with oral mifepristone felt significantly improved quality of life, and the MMAS scores increased by 220 and 180, respectively. Conclusion: Intrauterine Foley catheter balloon compression, aspiration or endometrial ablation could be used to control acute bleeding in patients with antithrombotic therapy-related HMB, and LNG-IUS for long-term management could reduce menstrual volume, increase hemoglobin, and improve the quality of life of patients.
Female ; Humans ; Adult ; Menorrhagia/etiology* ; Fibrinolytic Agents/adverse effects* ; Levonorgestrel/adverse effects* ; Amenorrhea/drug therapy* ; Mifepristone/therapeutic use* ; Quality of Life ; Rivaroxaban/therapeutic use* ; Hemoglobins ; Intrauterine Devices, Medicated/adverse effects* ; Contraceptive Agents, Female

Objective: To measure and analyze the shoulder circumferences of adults' permanent teeth crown preparations based on data collected through the intraoral scanning, so as to provide dental anatomy data for clinical diagnosis and analysis. Methods: Intraoral scanning data of 840 complete crown preparations were collected, and were entrusted to the World Dental Laboratory Co., Ltd. in Fuzhou between March 2021 and June 2022. Except the data of the third molar, the rest data were categorized in terms of 14 tooth positions in the upper and lower jaw (each category involved 30 samples from male group and 30 samples from female group). Image measurement software was used to measure the shoulder circumferences of permanent teeth crown preparations. And analysis was conducted to reveal the difference of shoulder circumference diameters between male and female groups. And then they were grouped according to the mean value at each tooth position, on the premise that the difference between the maximum and minimum values and the mean value of the entire group was≤±1.00 mm. Analysis were further conducted to determine the differences of shoulder circumference diameters between each dental position and the differences between male and female in the same groups. Results: Bivariate analysis of variance showed that gender had no effect on the shoulder circumference of full crown preparations (F=0.55, P=1.457), while tooth position had a significant impact on the shoulder circumference of full crown preparations (F=273.15, P<0.001). The samples were classified into 5 groups according to the mean values of shoulder circumference diameters relating to each tooth position. Statistical analysis showed that Group 1, covering maxillary lateral incisor, mandibular central incisor and mandibular lateral incisor, had shoulder circumference with diameters of (16.62±2.21) mm; Group 2, consisting of maxillary central incisor, maxillary cusp, mandibular cusp, mandibular first premolar and mandibular second premolar, had diameters of (20.78±2.48) mm; Group 3, consisting of maxillary first premolar and maxillary second premolar, had diamerters of (22.09±2.72) mm; Group 4, covering maxillary first molar, maxillary second molar and mandibular first molar, had diamerters of (30.21±2.67) mm; while group 5, with mandibular second molar alone its member, had diamerters of (31.34±3.18) mm. The difference among the 5 groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: Significant differences of shoulder circumference diameters could be found between different tooth positions, while at the same tooth position, the differences between male and female are not significant. The 14 tooth positions could be grouped into 5 groups according to their shoulder circumference diameters. Future research could take the grouping as reference.