ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the 21 confirmed monkeypox cases in a district of Chengdu City, and to provide scientific guidance for the prevention and control of subsequent monkeypox epidemics. MethodsData of confirmed monkeypox cases residing in this district were collected from the Disease Control and Prevention Information System of China. A retrospective descriptive epidemiological analysis was used to analyze the demographic, distributional and behavioral characteristics of the cases. ResultsThe first confirmed case of monkeypox was reported on July 5, 2023. Up to April 30, 2025, a total of 21 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported. All cases were male, with a mean age of (30.9±6.2) years. The highest proportion of cases(47.62%) was in the 30‒40 years age group. The majority were men who have sex with men (MSM) population (90.48%, 19/21). The results showed that 19.05% of cases were co-infected with HIV, and 19.05% had a history of syphilis infection. Within 21 days prior to symptom onset, 19 cases (90.48%) self-reported engaging in male-to-male sexual contact, among whom 10 cases (52.63%) reported having taken protective measures, while 9 cases (47.37%) did not take safety precautions. Thirteen cases (61.90%) had no travel history to areas with reported monkeypox cases during the 21 days before symptom onset. The predominant manifestation was exanthem (100%, 21/21), followed by fever (57.14%, 12/21) and lymphadenectasis (47.62%, 10/21). Among febrile cases, 50.00% (6/12) had low-grade fever (37.3‒38.0 ℃). All cases were identified through active medical consultation. The median interval from symptom onset to the first medical visit was 3 (2, 6) days, with a maximum interval of 14 days. The median interval from symptom onset to laboratory confirmation was 7 (5, 9) days. Six cases (28.57%) had two or more visits to the hospital, with bacterial infection being the primary initial diagnosis. ConclusionMonkeypox prevention and control efforts in a district of Chengdu City should prioritize MSM population and young and middle-aged adults aged 30 to <40 years. It is recommended to establish an integrated monkeypox epidemic prevention and control network by leveraging existing HIV/AIDS prevention and control network. Concurrently, accelerating the deployment of the national intelligent infectious disease monitoring and early warning front-end software will strengthen early detection capabilities and be beneficial for the overall effectiveness of epidemic prevention and control efforts.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of D-dimer for in-hospital mortality and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods A total of 688 patients with AMI who were hospitalized at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, from January 2020 to December 2023 were retrospectively enrolled. Demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, echocardiographic parameters, and in-hospital outcomes were collected. Patients were divided into four groups according to D-dimer quartiles, and trend tests were used to compare changes in each indicator with increasing D-dimer levels. The primary endpoints were in-hospital mortality and HFrEF. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the independent associations of D-dimer with in-hospital mortality and HFrEF. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate its predictive performance. Results Differences and trend tests among four groups for age, creatinine, peak cardiac troponin T, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), left ventricular ejection fraction, HFrEF incidence, and in-hospital mortality were statistically significant (P＜0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that elevated D-dimer was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with AMI (OR＝1.251, 95%CI 1.093–1.432, P＝0.001), and HFrEF (OR＝1.075, 95%CI 1.028–1.124, P＝0.002). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of D-dimer for predicting in-hospital mortality and HFrEF were 0.871 and 0.716, respectively. At a cutoff value of 0.47 mg/L, the sensitivity and specificity of D-dimer in predicting HFrEF were 81.9% and 52.1%, respectively; at a cutoff value of 2.18 mg/L, the sensitivity and specificity of D-dimer in predicting in-hospital mortality were 63.6% and 93.8%, respectively. Restricted cubic spline analysis demonstrated significant non-linear associations between D-dimer and the risks of in-hospital mortality and HFrEF (P＜0.001). Conclusions Elevated D-dimer level is significantly associated with increased risks of in-hospital mortality and HFrEF in patients with AMI and shows acceptable predictive performance. As a simple and readily available laboratory biomarker, D-dimer may provide useful information for early risk stratification and clinical management in patients with AMI.

Objective To discuss the technical advantages of MRI image fusion technology in guiding percutaneous balloon compression(PBC)for trigeminal neuralgia(TN).Methods The clinical data of 13 patients with TN,who received MRI image fusion technology-guided PBC from November 2022 to July 2023,were retrospectively analyzed.The MRI images of the trigeminal nerve obtained one week before surgery were fused with the intraoperative DynaCT images of the skull base so as to simultaneously display the Meckel s cave and foramen ovale,and under the 3-D view the optimal puncture path was determined.The needle was positioned at the entry point of the skin,than the skin was cut open with a sharp surgical blade and the needle was inserted to the foramen ovale area to a predetermined depth.Lateral skull base fluoroscopy and DynaCT scan were used to check that the puncture needle tip was placed into the foramen ovale.Than the puncture needle was replaced by a fine guiding-needle and it was pushed into the Meckel's cave.Under the dual guidance of lateral fluoroscopy and fusion image,the balloon was push forward and was filled with iodine contrast media to compress the trigeminal ganglion within the Meckel's cave.After completion of the treatment,the balloon and puncture needle were removed and manual oppression was applied on the face to achieve hemostasis.Results Immediately after PBC,the pain was relieved in all patients.No permanent or serious complications occurred.One patient had a relapse 3 months after PBC and a second PBC procedure had to be carried out.No obvious pain recurrence was observed in the remaining patients during follow-up period.During the surgery,the mean number of foramen ovale puncturing was(1.31±0.46)times,the mean X-ray exposure time was(8.64±5.66)min,and the mean cumulative dose of X-ray was(570.29±257.15)mGy.After PBC,12 patients(92.31％)developed facial numbness and one patient(7.69％)developed facial pain,all of which were healed after treatment.Conclusion MRI image fusion technology can improve the visualization and accuracy of PBC procedure.It can also reduce the number of puncturing,decrease the radiation exposure dose,and improve the surgical ability of young doctors.Therefore,MRI image fusion technology should be further developed and applied in clinical practice.

Background: Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity has attracted considerable attention in clinical settings due to the limited treatment options available. Liensinine stands out as a key alkaloid known for its pharmaceutical activities. However, the role of liensinine in mitigating APAP-induced liver injury remains unclear. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the protective effects of liensinine against APAP-induced liver injury. Methods: C57BL/6 male mice were treated with a dose of 200 mg/kg N-acetylcysteine or varying doses of liensinine (10 or 20 mg/kg) for seven consecutive days. APAP (400 mg/kg, i.g.) was then administered to induce liver damage for 12 hours. Blood samples and hepatic tissues were collected for further analysis. Liver enzyme levels and histopathological analysis were employed to assess liver injury. RNA-seq was conducted to evaluate the dynamic changes in gene expression. Biochemical assays were used to measure oxidative stress and inflammation, while the TUNEL assay was performed to assess hepatocyte apoptosis. Results: The results demonstrated that the administration of liensinine mitigated serum liver enzyme levels and tissue damage resulting from APAP overdose. Transcriptome analysis revealed significant and coordinated changes in genes related to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, and apoptosis pathway in response to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. The expression alterations of key genes within these three pathways, associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis, were reversed by liensinine, indicating its potential in alleviating APAP-induced liver damage through multiple signaling pathways. This suggests the diverse therapeutic effects of liensinine, including inflammation suppression, oxidative stress reduction, and cell apoptosis inhibition. Indeed, pretreatment with liensinine effectively reduced inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress indicators, and apoptotic cells induced by APAP. Conclusions: Liensinine mitigates APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in mice through multifaceted pathways, providing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic benefits.

Background: Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity has attracted considerable attention in clinical settings due to the limited treatment options available. Liensinine stands out as a key alkaloid known for its pharmaceutical activities. However, the role of liensinine in mitigating APAP-induced liver injury remains unclear. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the protective effects of liensinine against APAP-induced liver injury. Methods: C57BL/6 male mice were treated with a dose of 200 mg/kg N-acetylcysteine or varying doses of liensinine (10 or 20 mg/kg) for seven consecutive days. APAP (400 mg/kg, i.g.) was then administered to induce liver damage for 12 hours. Blood samples and hepatic tissues were collected for further analysis. Liver enzyme levels and histopathological analysis were employed to assess liver injury. RNA-seq was conducted to evaluate the dynamic changes in gene expression. Biochemical assays were used to measure oxidative stress and inflammation, while the TUNEL assay was performed to assess hepatocyte apoptosis. Results: The results demonstrated that the administration of liensinine mitigated serum liver enzyme levels and tissue damage resulting from APAP overdose. Transcriptome analysis revealed significant and coordinated changes in genes related to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, and apoptosis pathway in response to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. The expression alterations of key genes within these three pathways, associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis, were reversed by liensinine, indicating its potential in alleviating APAP-induced liver damage through multiple signaling pathways. This suggests the diverse therapeutic effects of liensinine, including inflammation suppression, oxidative stress reduction, and cell apoptosis inhibition. Indeed, pretreatment with liensinine effectively reduced inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress indicators, and apoptotic cells induced by APAP. Conclusions: Liensinine mitigates APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in mice through multifaceted pathways, providing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic benefits.

Background: Acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity has attracted considerable attention in clinical settings due to the limited treatment options available. Liensinine stands out as a key alkaloid known for its pharmaceutical activities. However, the role of liensinine in mitigating APAP-induced liver injury remains unclear. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the protective effects of liensinine against APAP-induced liver injury. Methods: C57BL/6 male mice were treated with a dose of 200 mg/kg N-acetylcysteine or varying doses of liensinine (10 or 20 mg/kg) for seven consecutive days. APAP (400 mg/kg, i.g.) was then administered to induce liver damage for 12 hours. Blood samples and hepatic tissues were collected for further analysis. Liver enzyme levels and histopathological analysis were employed to assess liver injury. RNA-seq was conducted to evaluate the dynamic changes in gene expression. Biochemical assays were used to measure oxidative stress and inflammation, while the TUNEL assay was performed to assess hepatocyte apoptosis. Results: The results demonstrated that the administration of liensinine mitigated serum liver enzyme levels and tissue damage resulting from APAP overdose. Transcriptome analysis revealed significant and coordinated changes in genes related to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, and apoptosis pathway in response to APAP-induced hepatotoxicity. The expression alterations of key genes within these three pathways, associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis, were reversed by liensinine, indicating its potential in alleviating APAP-induced liver damage through multiple signaling pathways. This suggests the diverse therapeutic effects of liensinine, including inflammation suppression, oxidative stress reduction, and cell apoptosis inhibition. Indeed, pretreatment with liensinine effectively reduced inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress indicators, and apoptotic cells induced by APAP. Conclusions: Liensinine mitigates APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in mice through multifaceted pathways, providing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic benefits.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical phenotype and genetic characteristics of a child with Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 8 (PFIC8). METHODS A child with PFIC diagnosed at Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University in September 2025 was selected as the study subject. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from the child and her parents. Following extraction of genomic DNA, whole-exome sequencing (WES) was carried out. Candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. The pathogenicity of the candidate variants was classified based on the guidelines from American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University (Ethics No.: 2023-E-126-Y). RESULTS: The proband, a 2-month-old female infant, had manifested jaundice of the skin and sclera, and slightly distended abdomen. She had no visible abdominal wall varicose veins, soft abdomen, and no palpable masses. Biliary atresia was ruled out by intraoperative cholangiography. WES revealed that she has harbored compound heterozygous variants of KIF12 gene, namely c.809C>T (p.Ala270Val) and c.1313G>A (p.Arg438Lys), which were verified by Sanger sequencing to have derived from her mother and father, respectively. According to the ACMG guidelines, both variants were classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). Based on the pre-defined search strategy, 10 articles were retrieved, which involved 25 PFIC cases, including 5 from China. Together with the proband of this study, the 26 PFIC patients have primarily presented with high GGT cholestasis, with the genetic cause in all cases attributed to variants of the KIF12 gene. CONCLUSION The c.809C>T and c.1313G>A compound heterozygous variants of the KIF12 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of cholestatic liver disease in this child. Above findings have enriched the mutational and phenotypic spectra of PFIC8.
Humans ; Kinesins/genetics* ; Female ; Cholestasis, Intrahepatic/genetics* ; Infant ; Heterozygote ; Mutation ; Exome Sequencing ; Male

Objective:To understand the mental problem in elderly male prisoners and its related factors.Methods:A total of 289 elderly male prisoners from five prisons in Sichuan Province were selected.They were assessed with the self-compiled general situation questionnaire,12-item General Health Questionnaire(GHQ-12,with a total score ≥ 3 indicating a tendency towards mental problem),short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale(ULS-8)and Insomnia Severity Index-Chinese Version(ISI-C).Results:The detection rate of mental problem was 41.52％.Multiple factor logistic regression analysis indicated that having a remaining sentence of≥5 years,educa-tional levels of primary school and below,high school or technical secondary school and above,involvement in drug-related crimes,property crimes,violent crimes,good and poor relationships with spouses,average relationships with fellow inmates,self-assessed blood pressure levels that were low and high,and having insomnia were risk fac-tors for mental problem(OR=9.55,11.75,13.88,82.24,33.96,363.52,5.77,113.27,2.33,1.87,3.80,42.89).Conclusion:The mental problem among elderly male prisoners are related to their sentence,education lev-el,crime type,relationship with spouse and cellmates,self-rated blood pressure and sleep status.

Objective To investigate the effect of Dex on neurological function in PD rats through the receptor interacting protein kinase 1(RIPK1)/RIPK3/mixed lineage kinase domain-like pro-tein(MLKL)pathway.Methods After rat PD model was constructed,the PD rats were assigned into PD group,L-,M-and H-Dex groups(intraperitoneal injection of 25,50,and 100 μg/kg Dex,respectively),and Dex+recombinant RIPK1 protein(rRIPK1)group(intraperitoneal injection of 100 μg/kg Dex+8 μg/kg rRIPK1),with 6 animals in each group.Another 6 rats served as sham-operation(Sham)group.The rats from the Sham group and PD group were intragastrically ad-ministered and injected with an equal amount of normal saline solution once a day.After 21 con-secutive days,the rotational behavior was observed of in each group rats.HE staining was per-formed to detect the pathological changes in dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra.TUNEL staining was conducted to measure the apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons.ELISA was used to determine the levels of neurotransmitters[DA,HVA,3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid(DOPAC),5-hydroxytrptamine(5-HT)]and inflammatory factors(TNF-α,IL-1β)in the sub-stantia nigra.Western blotting was applied to detect the expression of RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL pathway related proteins in the substantia nigra tissues.Results Intact and well-arranged mor-phology and structure were observed in the neurons of the Sham group.The PD group presented prominently less neurons,in scattered arrangement,with obviously reduced volume,irregular nu-clear deformation,indicating notably neuronal damage.The severity of neuronal damage was at-tenuated sequentially in the L-Dex,M-Dex,and H-Dex groups,but the damage in the Dex+rRIPK1 group was further worsened.The PD group had significantly larger number of rotations,longer escape latency,higher apoptotic rate,increased TNF-α and IL-1β contents,and elevated lev-els of p-RIPK1/RIPK1(1.07±0.18 vs 0.36±0.11),p-RIPK3/RIPK3(1.32±0.21 vs 0.47±0.14),and p-MLKL/MLKL(0.79±0.11 vs 0.18±0.05),but lower DA,DOPAC,5-HT,and HVA con-tents than the Sham group(P＜0.05).Dex treatment of low,medium and high doses reserved all above changes induced by PD modeling(P＜0.05).The Dex+rRIPK1 group obtained larger num-ber of rotations,longer escape latency,higher apoptotic rate,increased TNF-α and IL-1β contents,and elevated levels of p-RIPK1/RIPK1(0.95±0.17 vs 0.41±0.12),p-RIPK3/RIPK3(1.14±0.20 vs 0.51±0.15),and p-MLKL/MLKL(0.72±0.09 vs 0.24±0.06),but decreased DA,DOPAC,5-HT,and HVA contents when compared with the H-Dex group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Dex protects the neurological function of PD rats by inhibiting the RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL pathway.

Objective:To optimize the image quality of PET/CT following 90Y-selective internal radiation therapy ( 90Y-SIRT) using block-sequential regularized expectation maximization (BSREM) reconstruction algorithm, and to evaluate its impact of different β values on image quality and quantitative analysis. Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 8 male patients with hepatic tumors (age: 62(52, 71) years) treated at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua Medicine Tsinghua University, between June 2024 and January 2025. All patients were treated with 90Y resin microspheres (2.6(0.9, 3.6)GBq) and underwent post-treatment 90Y PET/CT liver imaging. Imaging data were reconstructed using BSREM with different noise penalty weighting factors ( β values: 0, 300, 1000, 1500, 2500, 3500, 4000, 6000, 8000, 10000). Visual assessment was independently performed by two nuclear medicine physicians, using a 4-point scale (1=worst, 4=best). The mean score was considered as the final score. The consistency of the 2 reviewers was calculated and analyzed by Kappa test. Visual scores of different β value groups were compared by Friedman test. The β value demonstrating highest mean score and optimal consistency was selected as the optimal. Quantitative analysis was performed using MIM software to calculate the maximum absorbed dose ( Dmax) and the mean absorbed dose ( Dmean) for tumor, normal liver, and whole liver regions, and the CV was used to evaluate the impact of β values. Results:The visual assessment consistency of reviewers in 3 β value groups (0, 3500, 6000) were the highest (7/8) (all kappa=0.88, all P<0.05). Visual scores of the 10 β value groups were significantly different ( χ2=28.74, P<0.001), and the visual scores of 2 β value groups (3500, 4000) were the highest, both of which were 4.0(4.0, 4.0). Overall, visual assessment identified β=3500 as the optimal. Quantitative analysis revealed that, (1) Dmax in all regions (tumor, normal liver, whole liver) decreased with the increasing β values, stabilizing when β>1000 ( CV 56%-67%); (2) Dmean remained stable across different β values ( CV 0.04%-5.00%). Conclusions:In BSREM reconstruction, β=3500 is the optimal parameter for improving 90Y-PET image quality. β values significantly affect Dmax (stabilizing at β > 1000), but have no significant impact on Dmean, suggesting that reconstruction parameters primarily influence dose distribution morphology rather than average dose assessments.