Objective:To investigate the clinical manifestations, therapeutic strategies and prognostic outcomes in pediatric patients with severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (SMPP) complicated by cardiac thrombosis. Methods:This case series study retrospectively analyzed 15 pediatric patients with SMPP complicated by cardiac thrombosis. The patients was recruited from the Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine at Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University between July 2018 and January 2025. Comprehensive clinical data and follow-up information were collected.Results:Among the 15 children, 10 were male and 5 were female, and the age of onset was 8.0 (6.3, 10.0) years. All 15 children presented with fever and cough, while additional symptoms included dyspnea in 7 cases, chest pain in 6 cases, hemoptysis in 3 cases, and chest tightness in 1 case. The white blood cell count was 11.7 (9.5, 15.9)×10 9/L, C-reactive protein was 31.6 (17.5, 64.8) mg/L and lactate dehydrogenase was 548.2 (410.4, 768.3) U/L. A total of 14 children underwent testing for the Mycoplasma pneumoniae drug resistance genes 2063A>G and 2064A>G, of which 13 tested positive. The plasma D-dimer levels of 15 children were 8.77 (7.23, 12.50) mg/L, all of which were higher than normal. Among the 15 children, 5 had decreased activity of anticoagulant proteins (protein C, protein S, antithrombin Ⅲ), and 8 tested positive for antiphospholipid antibodies. Chest CT scans of all 15 children showed pulmonary consolidation and (or) atelectasis, with pleural effusion present in 12 cases. In the 15 children, thrombosis was detected at 14.0 (11.0, 18.0) days after the onset of illness. The locations of cardiac thrombosis included the right ventricle in 9 cases, the right atrium in 5 cases, and the left atrium in 1 case. Additionally, 10 cases had pulmonary vascular embolism, comprising 9 cases of pulmonary artery thrombosis and 1 case of pulmonary vein thrombosis. After anticoagulant treatment, cardiac thrombi disappeared in 10 children. Five children who did not show improvement with anticoagulation underwent surgical thrombectomy. In the follow-up of 15 children, lung imaging basically returned to normal, with no major hemorrhagic events or other adverse events. Conclusions:In children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, the presence of clinical symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain and hemoptysis, along with elevated plasma D-dimer levels, should raise suspicion for the possibility of cardiac thrombosis. SMPP complicated by cardiac thrombosis, prognosis is good following anticoagulation or surgical treatment.

Objective:To investigate the clinical manifestations, therapeutic strategies and prognostic outcomes in pediatric patients with severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (SMPP) complicated by cardiac thrombosis. Methods:This case series study retrospectively analyzed 15 pediatric patients with SMPP complicated by cardiac thrombosis. The patients was recruited from the Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine at Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University between July 2018 and January 2025. Comprehensive clinical data and follow-up information were collected.Results:Among the 15 children, 10 were male and 5 were female, and the age of onset was 8.0 (6.3, 10.0) years. All 15 children presented with fever and cough, while additional symptoms included dyspnea in 7 cases, chest pain in 6 cases, hemoptysis in 3 cases, and chest tightness in 1 case. The white blood cell count was 11.7 (9.5, 15.9)×10 9/L, C-reactive protein was 31.6 (17.5, 64.8) mg/L and lactate dehydrogenase was 548.2 (410.4, 768.3) U/L. A total of 14 children underwent testing for the Mycoplasma pneumoniae drug resistance genes 2063A>G and 2064A>G, of which 13 tested positive. The plasma D-dimer levels of 15 children were 8.77 (7.23, 12.50) mg/L, all of which were higher than normal. Among the 15 children, 5 had decreased activity of anticoagulant proteins (protein C, protein S, antithrombin Ⅲ), and 8 tested positive for antiphospholipid antibodies. Chest CT scans of all 15 children showed pulmonary consolidation and (or) atelectasis, with pleural effusion present in 12 cases. In the 15 children, thrombosis was detected at 14.0 (11.0, 18.0) days after the onset of illness. The locations of cardiac thrombosis included the right ventricle in 9 cases, the right atrium in 5 cases, and the left atrium in 1 case. Additionally, 10 cases had pulmonary vascular embolism, comprising 9 cases of pulmonary artery thrombosis and 1 case of pulmonary vein thrombosis. After anticoagulant treatment, cardiac thrombi disappeared in 10 children. Five children who did not show improvement with anticoagulation underwent surgical thrombectomy. In the follow-up of 15 children, lung imaging basically returned to normal, with no major hemorrhagic events or other adverse events. Conclusions:In children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, the presence of clinical symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain and hemoptysis, along with elevated plasma D-dimer levels, should raise suspicion for the possibility of cardiac thrombosis. SMPP complicated by cardiac thrombosis, prognosis is good following anticoagulation or surgical treatment.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in children in Jiangsu Province from 2014 to 2023.Methods:The acute respiratory infection cases in children aged 0-14 years were selected from outpatient/emergency or inpatient departments in 2 surveillance sentinel hospitals, respectively, in Nanjing, Suzhou and Taizhou of Jiangsu from 1 July 2014 to 31 December 2023, and RSV nucleic acid test was conducted and the intensity of the RSV infection was accessed by WHO influenza epidemiological threshold method, and case information and clinical data were collected. χ2 test was used to compare the differences between groups, and the Bonferroni method was used for pairwise comparisons between groups. Results:In 4 946 cases of acute respiratory infections, the RSV positive rate was 8.21% (406/4 946), and the age M( Q1, Q3) of the cases was 1 (0, 3) years. The RSV positive rate was 10.92% (258/2 362) during 2014-2019 and 6.06% (118/1 948) during 2019-2023, the difference was significant ( χ2=31.74, P<0.001). RSV infection mainly occurred from October to March during 2014-2019, with the incidence peak in December and moderate or higher intensity. The seasonality of RSV infection was not obvious during 2019-2023, with low intensity. The RSV positive rate was highest in children in age group 0- years (17.85%, 151/846), and the positive rate declined gradually with age ( χ2=184.51, P<0.001). The RSV positive rate was higher in inpatient cases (9.84%, 244/2 480) than in outpatient/emergency cases (6.57%, 162/2 466) ( χ2=17.54, P<0.001). In the 155 RSV infection cases with complete clinical data, the clinical symptoms mainly included cough (99.35%, 154/155), fever (55.48%, 86/155), and shortness of breath (45.16%, 70/155). In the cases aged <6 months, the proportion of those with fever was low, but the proportion of those with shortness of breath, transferred to intensive care units, and receiving oxygen therapy were higher (all P<0.05). Children aged <6 months and those with underlying diseases were more likely to have severe RSV infection (all P<0.05). Conclusions:RSV infection in children in Jiangsu Province showed seasonal prevalence in winter from 2014 to 2019. Since 2020, the seasonal characteristics of the epidemic have changed, the epidemic period has been dispersed and the epidemic intensity has decreased. Infants <1 year old were at high risk for RSV infection, and those <6 months old and with underlying diseases might have severe infection.

The solute carrier family 12(SLC12)of cation-chloride cotransporters(CCCs)comprises potassium chlo-ride cotransporters(KCCs,e.g.KCC1,KCC2,KCC3,and KCC4)-mediated Cl-extrusion,and sodium po-tassium chloride cotransporters(N[K]CCs,NKCC1,NKCC2,and NCC)-mediated Cl-loading.The CCCs play vital roles in cell volume regulation and ion homeostasis.Gain-of-function or loss-of-function of these ion transporters can cause diseases in many tissues.In recent years,there have been considerable ad-vances in our understanding of CCCs'control mechanisms in cell volume regulations,with many tech-niques developed in studying the functions and activities of CCCs.Classic approaches to directly measure CCC activity involve assays that measure the transport of potassium substitutes through the CCCs.These techniques include the ammonium pulse technique,radioactive or nonradioactive rubidium ion uptake-assay,and thallium ion-uptake assay.CCCs'activity can also be indirectly observed by measuring y-aminobutyric acid(GABA)activity with patch-clamp electrophysiology and intracellular chloride con-centration with sensitive microelectrodes,radiotracer 36Cl-,and fluorescent dyes.Other techniques include directly looking at kinase regulatory sites phosphorylation,flame photometry,22Na+uptake assay,structural biology,molecular modeling,and high-throughput drug screening.This review sum-marizes the role of CCCs in genetic disorders and cell volume regulation,current methods applied in studying CCCs biology,and compounds developed that directly or indirectly target the CCCs for disease treatments.

Objective:To understand the relationship between the RNA shedding time of SARS-CoV-2 infected persons and the single nucleotide mutation of the virus, the population of infected persons, underlying diseases and other factors, so as to provide more clues for the study of SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics.Methods:The data of epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and underlying diseases of infected persons in a cluster epidemic of COVID-19 in Jiangsu province from July to September 2021 were collected. Nasopharyngeal swab samples of cases were collected, and the whole genome of the virus was sequenced by second-generation sequencing technology. The online analysis platform was used to judge the virus type and analyze the mutation site, and Cox proportional risk model was used to analyze the relationship between the RNA shedding time of SARS-CoV-2 and various research factors.Results:There were 350 persons who finally obtained the whole genome sequence of the virus in this COVID-19 outbreak, of which 60.3% were female, the median age was 49 years old (interquartile range, IQR: 37-65 years old)), and the median time of virus shedding was 33 days ( IQR, 26-44 days). The whole-genome sequencing analysis showed that compared with the Wuhan reference strain sequence, the infected persons’ sequence had 34~41 nucleotide mutation sites, belonging to VOC/Delta variant (B.1.617.2 evolutionary branch), and C346T, C1060T, T2803C, T7513C, A29681C were the main single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of this epidemic. Cox regression analysis showed that age, underlying disease, clinical classification, vaccination, SNP T2803C and T7513C had an impact on the RNA shedding time of SARS-CoV-2. The adjusted multivariate Cox regression result showed that age [ HR=0.73, 95% CI (0.55, 0.95)] and T7513C [ HR=0.37, 95% CI (0.18, 0.77)] were still the risk factors for the extension of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding time. Conclusions:This study analyzed the effects of the individual factors and viral single nucleotide variations on the time of viral RNA shedding. Those who were older, suffered from hypertension, had more severe clinical symptoms, were not vaccinated or incompletely vaccinated, and had T7513C mutation in the infected virus, had a risk of a long RNA shedding time of SARS-CoV-2, which should be given special attention and follow-up after rehabilitation.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and etiology of pulmonary embolism in children, and to discuss the efficacy and safety of anticoagulation therapy.Methods:The data of 30 children with pulmonary embolism, who were treated with anticoagulation therapy in the Department of Pediatrics, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from January 2017 to December 2021, were analyzed retrospectively.The etiology, clinical characteristics, complications, outcomes and prognosis after anticoagulation treatment were analyzed.Results:There were 17 males and 13 females, with an average age of (8.95±2.58) years (age range: 4-13 years). The follow-up duration was 3-59 months.(1) The symptoms included cough in 30 cases (100.0%), fever in 29 cases (96.7%), shortness of breath in 27 cases (90.0%), chest pain in 15 cases (50.0%), hemoptysis in 9 cases (30.0%), bloody secretions under bronchoscopy but no hemoptysis in 4 cases (13.3%), and respiratory failure in 2 cases (6.7%). (2) The protopathy was Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in 23 cases (76.7%), whose symptoms accorded with refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.About 16 cases (53.3%) were positive for Mycoplasma pneumoniae drug resistance mutation 2063A>G or 2064A>G.Two cases (6.7%) had nephrotic syndrome.One case (3.3%) had purpura nephritis (nephrotic syndrome type). One case (3.3%) was lupus nephritis (nephrotic syndrome type). One case (3.3%) was hereditary protein S deficiency.One case (3.3%) had osteomyelitis and Staphylococcus aureus sepsis.One case (3.3%) had congenital heart disease.(3) Complications included limb thrombosis in 7 cases (23.3%), atrial thrombosis in 2 cases (6.7%), thoracic and abdominal deep venous thrombosis in 2 case (6.7%), cerebral infarction in 2 cases (6.7%), and splenic infarction in 1 case (3.3%). (4) Imaging examination showed that 30 children had lung consolidation/atelectasis (100.0%), and 24 cases had pleural effusion (80.0%). (5) Coagulation function examination suggested D-dimer increased to ≥ 5 mg/L in 21 cases (70.0%). (6) One case (3.3%) was given thrombolytic therapy with urokinase at the acute stage.Nine cases (30.0%) were treated with heparin/low molecular weight heparin.Twenty-one cases (70.0%) first received anticoagulation therapy with heparin/low molecular weight heparin and later took oral anticoagulant.Four cases (13.3%) were treated with Warfarin and 17 cases (56.7%) with Rivaroxaban.The anticoagulant treatment lasted 1-9 months.No recurrence of embolism or sequelae of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension was observed. Conclusions:Infection, especially Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, is the main cause of pulmonary embolism in children.The symptoms of pulmonary embolism in children are atypical, so it is difficult to distinguish this disease from primary underlying diseases.Bronchoscopy can help find occult pulmonary hemorrhage.Unexplained shortness of breath in children of any age suggests the possibility of pulmonary embolism.Combination of clinical symptoms and necessary examination contribute to early diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.Then selection of appropriate anticoagulant drugs and timely anticoagulant therapy can improve the prognosis of children.

The number of projects and the amount of sponsoring funds have been increasing during the past years.Conventional research branches are respiratory tumor and digestive tumor.Emerging research branches are lung transplantation and lung preservation.Underdeveloped research branches are acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome and thymic tumor.The position and academic impact of domestic thoracic surgery has been more valuable with the increasing number,quality and achievements of SCI papers.Therefore,international cooperation and megamergers should be encouraged and more attention should be paid to the censorship,implementation and achievements to optimize the value of projects.The aim of this article is providing important information on projects sponsored by National Nature Science Foundation of China(NSFC) in the field of general thoracic surgery,promoting the development of thoracic surgery of China.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of patients with thrombosis or prothrombotic status with hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), activated protein C-resistance(APCR) and gene polymorphism of coagulation factor V.

METHODSThree hundred healthy voluteers were selected as controls, 223 cases of thrombosis (80 cases of cerebral infarction of CT, the MI of 82 cases of myocardial infarction, venous thrombosis of VTE 61 cases), 270 cases of patients with prothrombotic state (76 cases of pregnancy disease of PIH, 62 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 60 cases of diabetes(DM) and 72 cases of cancer) were enrolled in this study. The plasma APCR and hyperhomocysteinemia were detected by APTT coagulation method and cycling enzyme method respectively, and restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP) were was used to detect the gene polymorphism of FV G1691-A, G1091-C and A1090-G in the patient and control groups.

RESULTSAPCR positive rate was 62.29% and 7.33%, and the positive hyperhomocysteinemia accounted for 68.42% and 10.00% respectively in the group of the patients with venous thrombosis and the normal control group. 3 cases of heterozygous FV gene mutations were found in the APCR-positive patients with venous thrombosis.

CONCLUSIONHHcy possitive rate of patients with venous thrombosis is signiticantly higher than that in control, the HHcy is one of the important causes resulting in thrombosis, the patients with venous thrombosis have proved to be with APCR, and the possitive APCR may be related with the coagulation factor V gene polymorphism.

BACKGROUNDIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common and devastating form of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in the clinic. There is no effective therapy except for lung transplantation. Rapamycin is an immunosuppressive drug with potent antifibrotic activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of rapamycin on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats and the relation to the expression of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1).

METHODSSprague-Dawley rats were treated with intratracheal injection of 0.3 ml of bleomycin (5 mg/kg) in sterile 0.9% saline to make the pulmonary fibrosis model. Rapamycin was given at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg per gavage, beginning one day before bleomycin instillation and once daily until animal sacrifice. Ten rats in each group were sacrificed at 3, 7, 14, 28 and 56 days after bleomycin administration. Alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis were semi-quantitatively assessed after HE staining and Masson staining under an Olympus BX40 microscope with an IDA-2000 Image Analysis System. Type I and III collagen fibers were identified by Picro-sirius-polarization. Hydroxyproline content in lung tissue was quantified by a colorimetric-based spectrophotometric assay, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were detected by immunohistochemistry and by realtime quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTSBleomycin induced alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis of rats was inhibited by rapamycin. Significant inhibition of alveolitis and hydroxyproline product were demonstrated when daily administration of rapamycin lasted for at least 14 days. The inhibitory efficacy on pulmonary fibrosis was unremarkable until rapamycin treatment lasted for at least 28 days (P < 0.05). It was also demonstrated that rapamycin treatment reduced the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in lung tissue that was increased by bleomycin.

CONCLUSIONThese results highlight the significance of rapamycin in alleviating alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis, which is associated with decreased expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1.

Animals ; Bleomycin ; pharmacology ; Lung ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sirolimus ; therapeutic use ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 ; metabolism