Objective:To analyze the current situation and core issues of medical escort services in Shanghai through a two-side (supply and demand) survey, so as to provide references for formulating targeted strategies for the standardized management of this industry.Methods:From June to August 2024, a questionnaire survey on awareness of escort services was conducted among patients at 16 tertiary public hospitals in Shanghai. The survey covered patients′ basic information, their needs, concerns, and expectations regarding escort services. Concurrently, a specialized questionnaire was administered to trainees enrolled in Shanghai Open University′s " elderly care escort service provider" program. This survey covered the companions′ basic profiles, types of service recipients, relevant qualifications, training programs, and standardized service procedures. Data were organized and analyzed by using SPSS 26.0 software.Results:The survey on awareness of patient escort services yielded 855 valid responses, achieving a 92.13% response rate. Among these 855 patients, the primary demand for escort services was queue management for examinations (515 cases, 71.47%), followed by assistance with registration/payment/medication pickup (528 cases, 61.74%). 587 patients (68.66%) expressed willingness to use the service. The main concerns included lack of professional expertise among attendants (538 cases, 62.92%), trust issues (494 cases, 57.78%), and fee concerns (456 cases, 53.33%). Expectations for service supervision primarily focused on service quality and safety (618 cases, 72.28%) and pricing standards (609 cases, 71.23%). The specialized survey on medical escort services yielded 194 valid questionnaires, achieving a 100.00% response rate. Among the 194 medical escort service providers, 82.5% (160 individuals) were full-time practitioners, 31.96% (62 individuals) held relevant qualification certificates, and 72.68% (144 individuals) had participated in related training programs. Regarding standardized services, 74.74% (145 individuals) of medical escorts obtained patient information prior to service delivery, 56.70% (110 individuals) signed agreements with users, and 67.01% (130 individuals) maintained records of their medical escort services.Conclusions:Shanghai′s medical escort services had achieved some success, yet faced challenges including high patient demand coupled with low trust, insufficient certification and training for escorts, and an urgent need to improve service standardization. It is recommended that medical institutions further strengthen their primary role in managing escort services. By enhancing top-level design, establishing standardized training and certification mechanisms, implementing comprehensive quality monitoring and credit evaluation systems, and other measures, they could elevate the professional competence of practitioners, reinforce patient safety safeguards, and promote the high-quality, standardized development of escort services.

Aim To explore the role and mechanism of epimedokoreanin B(EKB)in HepaRG cell pyroptosis through endoplasmic reticulum stress and NLRP1-me-diated pyroptosis pathway.Methods The effect of EKB on the viability of HepaRG cells at different con-centrations was determined by MTT assay,and the cell growth status was recorded by Incucyte.Four groups of HepaRG cells were set up.The control group was cul-tured with complete medium for 24 h;the drug admin-istration group was cultured with three concentration gradients of 6.25,12.5 and 25 μmol·L-1 of EKB for 24 h.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins and pyroptosis-related proteins in the cells of each group.Results HepaRG cells showed cytotoxicity at a concentration of 6.25 μmol·L-1 for 24 h,and the half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)was 12.41 μmol·L-1.Incucyte recordings of the cell growth status showed that the cells in the control group were in good growth status,and the vesicular pyropto-sis cells appeared in the different concentrations of EKB and the cells swelled and ruptured after 24 h.Western blot showed that the protein expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins pERK,eIF-2α,ATF-4,GRP78,and CHOP significantly in-creased in HepaRG cells at 25 μmol·L-1 of EKB compared with the control group.The proteins of the classical pathway of cellular pyroptosis mediated by NLRP1,caspase-1,cleaved caspase-1,GSDMD,GS-DMD-N significantly increased in HepaRG cells.Con-clusion EKB administration induces HepaRG cell py-roptosis,and EKB activates HepaRG cells to undergo endoplasmic reticulum stress and activates the NLRP1/caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis pathway.

Objective To examine the changing prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Burkholderia cepacia in 52 hospitals across China from 2015 to 2021.Methods A total of 9 261 strains of B.cepacia were collected from 52 hospitals between January 1,2015 and December 31,2021.Antimicrobial susceptibility of the strains was tested using Kirby-Bauer method or automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems according to a unified protocol.The results were interpreted according to the breakpoints released in the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)guidelines(2023 edition).Results A total of 9 261 strains of B.cepacia were isolated from all age groups,especially elderly patients.The proportion was 11.1％(1 032 strains)in children,significantly lower than the proportion in adults.About half(46.5％,4 310/9 261)of the strains were isolated from patients at least 60 years old and 42.3％(3 919/9 261)of the strains were isolated from young adults.Most isolates(71.1％)were isolated from sputum and respiratory secretions,followed by urine(10.7％)and blood samples(8.1％).B.cepacia isolates were highly susceptible to the five antimicrobial agents recommended in the CLSI M100 document(33rd edition,2023).B.cepacia isolates showed relatively higher resistance rates to meropenem and levofloxacin.However,the resistance rates to ceftazidime,trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole,and minocycline remained below 8.1％.The percentage of B.cepacia strains resistant to levofloxacin was the highest compared to other antibiotics in any of the three age groups(from 12.4％in the patients＜18 years old to 20.6％in the patients aged 60 years or older).Conclusions B.cepacia is one of the clinically important non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria.Accurate and timely reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility test results and ongoing antimicrobial resistance surveillance are helpful for rational prescription of antimicrobial agents and proper prevention and control of nosocomial infections.

Aim To explore the role and mechanism of epimedokoreanin B(EKB)in HepaRG cell pyroptosis through endoplasmic reticulum stress and NLRP1-me-diated pyroptosis pathway.Methods The effect of EKB on the viability of HepaRG cells at different con-centrations was determined by MTT assay,and the cell growth status was recorded by Incucyte.Four groups of HepaRG cells were set up.The control group was cul-tured with complete medium for 24 h;the drug admin-istration group was cultured with three concentration gradients of 6.25,12.5 and 25 μmol·L-1 of EKB for 24 h.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins and pyroptosis-related proteins in the cells of each group.Results HepaRG cells showed cytotoxicity at a concentration of 6.25 μmol·L-1 for 24 h,and the half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)was 12.41 μmol·L-1.Incucyte recordings of the cell growth status showed that the cells in the control group were in good growth status,and the vesicular pyropto-sis cells appeared in the different concentrations of EKB and the cells swelled and ruptured after 24 h.Western blot showed that the protein expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins pERK,eIF-2α,ATF-4,GRP78,and CHOP significantly in-creased in HepaRG cells at 25 μmol·L-1 of EKB compared with the control group.The proteins of the classical pathway of cellular pyroptosis mediated by NLRP1,caspase-1,cleaved caspase-1,GSDMD,GS-DMD-N significantly increased in HepaRG cells.Con-clusion EKB administration induces HepaRG cell py-roptosis,and EKB activates HepaRG cells to undergo endoplasmic reticulum stress and activates the NLRP1/caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis pathway.

Objective To summarize the changing prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales based on the data of CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program from 2015 to 2021 for improving antimicrobial treatment in clinical practice.Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using a commercial automated susceptibility testing system according to the unified CHINET protocol.The results were interpreted according to the breakpoints of the Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)M100 31st ed in 2021.Results Over the seven-year period(2015-2021),the overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales(CRE)was 9.43％(62 342/661 235).The prevalence of CRE strains in Klebsiella pneumoniae,Citrobacter freundii,and Enterobacter cloacae was 22.38％,9.73％,and 8.47％,respectively.The prevalence of CRE strains in Escherichia coli was 1.99％.A few CRE strains were also identified in Salmonella and Shigella.The CRE strains were mainly isolated from respiratory specimens(44.23±2.80)％,followed by blood(20.88±3.40)％and urine(18.40±3.45)％.Intensive care units(ICUs)were the major source of the CRE strains(27.43±5.20)％.CRE strains were resistant to all the β-lactam antibiotics tested and most non-β-lactam antimicrobial agents.The CRE strains were relatively susceptible to tigecycline and polymyxins with low resistance rates.Conclusions The prevalence of CRE strains was increasing from 2015 to 2021.CRE strains were highly resistant to most of the antibacterial drugs used in clinical practice.Clinicians should prescribe antimicrobial agents rationally.Hospitals should strengthen antibiotic stewardship in key clinical settings such as ICUs,and take effective infection control measures to curb CRE outbreak and epidemic in hospitals.

Objective To characterize the changing species distribution and antibiotic resistance profiles of respiratory isolates in hospitals participating in the CHINET Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Program from 2015 to 2021.Methods Commercial automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing systems and disk diffusion method were used to test the susceptibility of respiratory bacterial isolates to antimicrobial agents following the standardized technical protocol established by the CHINET program.Results A total of 589 746 respiratory isolates were collected from 2015 to 2021.Overall,82.6％of the isolates were Gram-negative bacteria and 17.4％were Gram-positive bacteria.The bacterial isolates from outpatients and inpatients accounted for(6.0±0.9)％and(94.0±0.1)％,respectively.The top microorganisms were Klebsiella spp.,Acinetobacter spp.,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Staphylococcus aureus,Haemophilus spp.,Stenotrophomonas maltophilia,Escherichia coli,and Streptococcus pneumoniae.Each microorganism was isolated from significantly more males than from females(P＜0.05).The overall prevalence of methicillin-resistant S.aureus(MRSA)was 39.9％.The prevalence of penicillin-resistant S.pneumoniae was 1.4％.The prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase(ESBL)-producing E.coli and K.pneumoniae was 67.8％and 41.3％,respectively.The overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant E.coli,K.pneumoniae,Enterobacter cloacae,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Acinetobacter baumannii was 3.7％,20.8％,9.4％,29.8％,and 73.3％,respectively.The prevalence of β-lactamase was 96.1％in Moraxella catarrhalis and 60.0％in Haemophilus influenzae.The H.influenzae isolates from children(＜18 years)showed significantly higher resistance rates to β-lactam antibiotics than the isolates from adults(P＜0.05).Conclusions Gram-negative bacteria are still predominant in respiratory isolates associated with serious antibiotic resistance.Antimicrobial resistance surveillance should be strengthened in clinical practice to support accurate etiological diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial therapy based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing results.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical value of three-dimensional(3D) printing-assisted fenestrated/branched endovascular aortic repair (F/B-TEVAR) for the treatment of endoleak after open surgery for type A aortic dissection.Methods:A multi-center retrospective case series analysis was conducted on 16 patients with anastomotic leakage following Stanford type A aortic dissection open repair, admitted to 12 medical centers between January 2019 and December 2023. All surgeries were led by the vascular surgery team from Department of Vascular Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital. The study included 12 males and 4 females, with an age of (58.1±8.2) years (range: 42 to 75 years). Preoperative patient-specific 3D-printed models or 3D parametric surface topological guides were created based on aortic CT angiography data. These models assisted intraoperative external positioning of fenestration sites, combined with stent diameter selection and inner branch techniques to complete endovascular repair. Surgical procedures, complications, and clinical outcomes were evaluated, with follow-up CT imaging to assess efficacy.Results:All patients successfully underwent surgery without conversion to open repair. One patient had distal stent migration from a prior open repair, requiring intraoperative coverage of the main stent window and conversion to an in situ fenestration procedure. The mean operative time was (332.6±111.2)minutes (range: 80 to 460 minutes). No renal failure, paraplegia, or branch artery loss occurred. Postoperative follow-up ( M(IQR)) was 18(18) months(range: 6 to 36 months), with follow-up rates of 16/16 at 6 months, 10/16 at 12 months, 8/16 at 24 months, and 2/16 at 36 months. During follow-up, endoleak occurred in 3 patients, cerebral infarction in 1 patient, and death in 1 patient. The remaining patients demonstrated stable stent positioning, patent branches, and no endoleak. Conclusion:3D technology-guided F/B-TEVAR shows favorable mid-to short-term outcomes in treating anastomotic leakage after open repair of type A aortic dissection.

Objective:To analyze the current situation and core issues of medical escort services in Shanghai through a two-side (supply and demand) survey, so as to provide references for formulating targeted strategies for the standardized management of this industry.Methods:From June to August 2024, a questionnaire survey on awareness of escort services was conducted among patients at 16 tertiary public hospitals in Shanghai. The survey covered patients′ basic information, their needs, concerns, and expectations regarding escort services. Concurrently, a specialized questionnaire was administered to trainees enrolled in Shanghai Open University′s " elderly care escort service provider" program. This survey covered the companions′ basic profiles, types of service recipients, relevant qualifications, training programs, and standardized service procedures. Data were organized and analyzed by using SPSS 26.0 software.Results:The survey on awareness of patient escort services yielded 855 valid responses, achieving a 92.13% response rate. Among these 855 patients, the primary demand for escort services was queue management for examinations (515 cases, 71.47%), followed by assistance with registration/payment/medication pickup (528 cases, 61.74%). 587 patients (68.66%) expressed willingness to use the service. The main concerns included lack of professional expertise among attendants (538 cases, 62.92%), trust issues (494 cases, 57.78%), and fee concerns (456 cases, 53.33%). Expectations for service supervision primarily focused on service quality and safety (618 cases, 72.28%) and pricing standards (609 cases, 71.23%). The specialized survey on medical escort services yielded 194 valid questionnaires, achieving a 100.00% response rate. Among the 194 medical escort service providers, 82.5% (160 individuals) were full-time practitioners, 31.96% (62 individuals) held relevant qualification certificates, and 72.68% (144 individuals) had participated in related training programs. Regarding standardized services, 74.74% (145 individuals) of medical escorts obtained patient information prior to service delivery, 56.70% (110 individuals) signed agreements with users, and 67.01% (130 individuals) maintained records of their medical escort services.Conclusions:Shanghai′s medical escort services had achieved some success, yet faced challenges including high patient demand coupled with low trust, insufficient certification and training for escorts, and an urgent need to improve service standardization. It is recommended that medical institutions further strengthen their primary role in managing escort services. By enhancing top-level design, establishing standardized training and certification mechanisms, implementing comprehensive quality monitoring and credit evaluation systems, and other measures, they could elevate the professional competence of practitioners, reinforce patient safety safeguards, and promote the high-quality, standardized development of escort services.

Objective To observe the value of three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging(3D-STI)in evaluation on right ventricle(RV)function for predicting adverse events in patients with unstable angina(UA)after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods A total of 155 UA patients who underwent both 3D-STI and conventional echocardiography and planned to accept PCI were prospectively enrolled and divided into adverse event group(n=37)and control group(n=118)based on the occurrence of adverse events after PCI or not.Clinical data and echocardiographic parameters were compared between groups,and new binary variables were generated according to the optimal cut-off values showed by the maximum Youden index of receiver operating characteristic curves of 3D-STI parameters being statistically different between groups.Then the independent predictors of adverse events among UA patients after PCI were analyzed,a combined model was constructed,and its predictive value was assessed.Results In adverse event group,the left ventricular end diastolic volume(LVEDV)was higher,while the left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain(RVFWLS)and right ventricular global longitudinal strain(RVGLS)were all lower than those in control group(all P＜0.05).The optimal cut-off values for distinguishing adverse event or not was 110 ml for LVEDV,19.05%for RVFWLS and 19.75%for RVGLS,respectively,and all the 3 generated binary variables were independent predictors for adverse events of UA patients after PCI(all P＜0.05).The area under the curve of combined model for predicting adverse events in UA patients after PCI was 0.864.Conclusion RVFWLS＜19.05%and RVGLS＜19.75%obtained with 3D-STI,as well as LVEDV＞110 ml with conventional echocardiography were all independent predictors of adverse events in UA patients after PCI.