Objective To explore a novel method for early lung cancer screening based on exhaled breath analysis. MethodsThis study enrolled patients with suspected pulmonary malignancies and healthy individuals undergoing physical examinations at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (Qingchun and Qiantang campuses) from September 2023 to June 2024. Enrolled subjects were categorized into a lung cancer group, a benign nodule/tumor group, and a healthy control group. Exhaled breath samples were collected using a sensor array constructed from multiple graphene composite materials to capture breath fingerprints. Based on the collected data, screening and diagnostic models for lung cancer were developed and their performance was evaluated. ResultsA total of 4 580 subjects were included. Among them, 3 195 were pathologically diagnosed with pulmonary malignancies, including 1 394 males and 1 801 females with a mean age of (58.93±12.37) years, 599 were diagnosed with benign nodules/tumors including 339 males and 260 females with a mean age of (57.10±11.06) years, and 786 were healthy controls with no pulmonary nodules detected on chest CT including 420 males and 366 females with a mean age of (29.75±9.32) years. The screening model for high-risk populations (distinguishing patients with lung cancer/high-risk pulmonary nodules from healthy individuals) demonstrated excellent performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.926. At the optimal Youden’s index (cutoff threshold of 63.5%), the external test set achieved a specificity of 85.2%, a sensitivity of 88.4%, and an accuracy of 86.8%. The diagnostic model (distinguishing patients with lung cancer/premalignant lesions from those with benign pulmonary nodules/healthy individuals) achieved an AUC of 0.818. At its optimal Youden’s index (cutoff threshold of 47.0%), the external test set showed a specificity of 71.7%, a sensitivity of 77.3%, and an accuracy of 74.5%. ConclusionThe non-invasive breath analysis platform based on a sensor array, developed in this study, can achieve rapid and relatively accurate lung cancer screening by analyzing breath fingerprints. This confirms the feasibility of this technology for early lung cancer screening and holds promise for facilitating the early detection and intervention of lung cancer.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of single intravitreal injection of C3F8 in treating vitremacular traction (VMT) syndrome.MethodsA retrospective case series of 38 eyes of 36 patients affected with VMT syndrome in Department of Ophthalmology, Central Theater Command General Hospital from March 2016 to June 2017 were enrolled in this study. There were 16 males (16 eyes) and 20 females (22 eyes), with the mean age of 64.11±9.49 years and the mean courses of 151.55±127.87 days. All the patients received an intravitreal injection of 0.3 ml of 100% C3F8 within one week. The BCVA examination was performed using the international standard visual acuity chart, which was converted into logMAR visual acuity. The severity of metamorphopsia was detected using M-charts. The extent of vitreomacular adhesion (VMA), central macular thickness (CMT) and the status of ellipsoid zone (EZ) were assessed with spectral-domain OCT at baseline and each month after treatment. The average BCVA was 0.58±0.22. The mean horizontal metamorphopsia (MH) and vertical metamorphopsia (MV) were 0.34±0.30 and 0.50±0.42, respectively. The mean CMT was 415.15±89.59 μm. The mean horizontal VMA was 1168.68±400.61 μm (30 eyes with VMA≤1500 μm and 8 eyes with VMA＞1500 μm). The mean vertical VMA was 976.89±295.92 μm. There were 22 eyes with integrity EZ and 16 eyes without integrity EZ, 33 eyes with crystalline lens and 5 eyes with IOL. The mean follow-up time was 10.7 months. The differences in BCVA, MH, MV, CMT, the integrity of EZ before and after treatment were analyzed. The VMT release rates were assessed. The Spearman rank correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship of VMT release rates with the data at baseline.ResultsVitreomacular traction release occurred in 29 of 38 eyes by the final follow-up visit, the VMT release rate was 76.3%. VMT release occurred and the average time of VMT release occurred was 2.2 weeks. VMT persisted in 7 eyes, in the rest two eyes, one eye developed a retinal detachment and another eye formed macular hole, both eyes responded to vitrectomy. At 6 months after treatment, the average logMAR BCVA was 0.43±0.23, the mean MH and MV were 0.25±0.23 and 0.24±0.23, the mean CMT was 310.61±63.10 μm. Among 16 eyes without integrity EZ before treatment, there were 9 eyes with integrity EZ at 6 months after treatment. There were 16 eyes with integrity EZ and 9 Compared with baseline, the mean BCVA at 6 months after treatment was significantly increased (F=3.779, P=0.037), but the MV (F=4.958, P =0.003) and CMT (F=13.419, P＜0.001) were significantly decreased, the integrity of EZ was improved significantly (χ2=5.050, P=0.025). The VMT release correlated inversely with the extent of horizontal VMA, BCVA, and CMT at baseline (r=-0.514, -0.348, -0.429; P=0.009, 0.001, 0.038).ConclusionIntravitreal injection of C3F8 can induce a posterior vitreous detachment and release vitreomacular traction, it is an efficient and safe treatment for VMT syndrome. It can improve the visual acuity, metamorphopsia and foveal morphology in patients with VMT syndrome.
In the clinical practice, the mechanical ventilation is a very important assisting method to improve the patients' breath. Whether or not the parameters set for the ventilator are correct would affect the pulmonary gas exchange. In this study, we try to build an advisory system based on the gas exchange model for mechanical ventilation using fuzzy logic. The gas exchange mathematic model can simulate the individual patient's pulmonary gas exchange, and can help doctors to learn the patient's exact situation. With the fuzzy logic algorithm, the system can generate ventilator settings respond to individual patient, and provide advice to the doctors. It was evaluated in 10 intensive care patient cases, with mathematic models fitted to the retrospective data and then used to simulate patient response to changes in therapy. Compared to the ventilator set only as part of routine clinical care, the present system could reduce the inspired oxygen fraction, reduce the respiratory work, and improve gas exchange with the model simulated outcome.
ObjectiveTo compare the effects of intravitreal tamponade of C3F8 with silicon oil on postoperative vitreous hemorrhage and visual prognosis after vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). MethodsThe clinical data of 121 patients (127 eyes) who underwent primary vitrectomy due to PDR were analyzed retrospectively. All the patients were divided into two groups according to different intravitreal tamponade, including C3F8 tamponade group (53 patients with 56 eyes) and silicone oil tamponade group (68 patients with 71 eyes). There was no difference of gender (χ2=0.956), age (t=1.122), duratiion of diabetes (t=0.627), fasting blood glucose (t=1.049), systolic pressure (t=1.056), diastolic pressure (t=0.517), history of hypertension (χ2=0.356), nephropathy (χ2=1.242), preoperative laser photocoagulation (χ2=1.225) and All the patients underwent three port pars plana vitrectomy. The mean follow-up was 2 years ranging from 6 months to 4 years. And then the incidence and onset time of postoperative vitreous hemorrhage and postoperative BCVA of the two groups were compared. ResultsPostoperative vitreous hemorrhage occurred in 14 of 56 eyes (25.00%) in C3F8 tamponade group. The average onset time of postoperative vitreous hemorrhage were (64.64±59.09) days ranging from 7-225 days and mostly were within 30-60 days (35.71%, 5/14). Postoperative vitreous hemorrhage also occurred in 7 of 71 eyes (9.89%) of silicone oil tamponade group after silicone oil removal with an average onset time of (25.29±20.46) days ranging from 3-65 days and were mostly within 15-30 days (42.86%, 3/7). There was a significant difference in the incidence of postoperative vitreous hemorrhage between the two groups (χ2=5.200, P<0.05). BCVA of the two groups was improved significantly after operation (Z=2.472, 3.114; P<0.05). Postoperative BCVA of silicone oil tamponade group was poorer than C3F8 tamponade group (Z=1.968, P<0.05). ConclusionBoth C3F8 and silicone oil tamponade can improve the visual acuity after vitrectomy for PDR. Compared with C3F8, silicone oil tamponade had lower incidence and late onset of postoperative vitreous hemorrhage after vitrectomy for PDR.
Objective To evaluate the long-term results of vitreoretinal surgery without use of intraocular silicone oil or gas in patients with diabetic tractional retinal detachment (DTRD). Methods The clinical interventional caseseries study included 104 patients (112 eyes) with DTRD, who were consecutively treated by pars plana vitrectomy without use of intraocular silicone oil or gas. Among the eyes, there were 6 eyes with iris neovascularization (INV), 1 eye with neovascular glaucoma (NVG) and 50 eyes with macular retinal detachment. There were no preexisting retinal holes or breaks prior to surgery nor any iatrogenic retinal breaks developed during vitrectomy. Cataract removal combined with intraocular lens implant surgeries were performed on 15 eyes. Followup duration varied from 12 to 65 months (mean: 29 months). Results Subretinal fluid was completely absorbed within 2 months after surgery. In 107 eyes (95.54%), the retina reattached after surgery and remained attached till the end of followup period. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved in 79 eyes (70.53%), remained unchanged in 14 eyes (12.50%) and got worse in 19 eyes (16.79%). The BCVA improving rate was lower in the macular detached group (33 eyes/50 eyes, 66.00% Vs 46 eyes/62 eyes, 74.19%,chi;2=0.89, P=0.344). No obviously aggravated opacity of lens was observed after vitreoretinal surgeries in the eyes without cataract surgeries. Seven (6.25%) eyes showed INV (5 new onset eyes), and none of them developed into NVG. In multivariate logistic regression, factors associated with postoperative rubeosis iridis were pre-existing rubeosis iridis ［adjusted odds ratio (OR)=10.2］, low preoperative BCVA (OR=11.1) and low postoperative BCVA (OR=16.7). Conclusions Vitreoretinal surgery for DTRD may not necessarily be combined with silicone oilor gas tamponade if there are no preoperative or intraoperative retinal breaks, and only using irrigation fluid could access a good longterm prognosis result.