Objective:To investigate the clinical manifestation, therapy, and prognosis of Susac syndrome and enhance the understanding of this disease.Methods:A case summary was made.The clinical data of two siblings with Susac syndrome treated at Children′s Medical Center, Peking University First Hospital in January 2024 were summarized.Reported cases of pediatric Susac syndrome were reviewed.Results:The onset of the disease in the two siblings was at the age of 3.00 and 6.75 years, with recurrent headaches, tinnitus, hearing loss and encephalopathy symptoms.Cranial magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple cerebral microbleeding and microinfarction lesions, " snowball like" in the corpus callosum and diffuse white matter edema in the brain.Audiometry revealed sensorineural hearing loss.In one case, ophthalmic fluorescein angiography revealed ischemic changes due to branch retinal artery occlusions.No pathogenic variants were detected in gene testing.This child was diagnosed with Susac syndrome, and the symptoms were improved after treatment with Corticosteroids and Rituximab.No relapse was observed during the 9-month follow-up.A total of 20 pediatric cases of Susac syndrome were retrieved, including 18 reported previously and 2 cases from this study.There were 2 boys and 18 girls, with the age of onset ranging from 2.5 to 17.0 years.The common initial symptoms included headache (19 cases), vertigo and tinnitus or hearing loss (9 cases), and vision impairment or visual field defect (4 cases). The symptoms were improved after immunotherapy.Conclusions:With a low incidence, Susac syndrome is rare in children and difficult to diagnose.There may be a genetic predisposition in such disease.Early diagnosis and immunotherapy can low the relapse and improve the prognosis.

Objective·To Investigate the effects of salidroside(SAL)on the immune response of macrophages infected with BCG.Methods·RAW264.7 mouse macrophages were infected with BCG,and the experiments were divided into blank control(BCG),salidroside(SAL+BCG),isoniazid(INH+BCG),and salidroside+isoniazid(SAL+INH+BCG)groups.The effects of SAL and INH on the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells were detected by MTT colorimetric assay,and the experimental concentrations of SAL and INH were screened.After the establishment of the BCG-infected macrophage model,intracellular bacterial survival was detected by bacterial plate count and flow cytometry following salidroside pretreatment.The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interferon-γ(IFN-γ),interleukin-6(IL-6),and interleukin-10(IL-10)in the culture supernatants were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and apoptosis levels were assessed by flow cytometry.Results·SAL at a concentration of 800 μmol/L and INH at 10 μmol/L were selected for subsequent experiments.Compared with the BCG group,SAL pretreatment for 36 h had the best effect,and the growth of BCG in macrophages in the administered group was inhibited.The inhibitory effect of the combined application of SAL and INH was obvious and statistically significant.Compared with the BCG group,SAL alone led to decreased secretion of TNF-α,IFN-γ,IL-6,and IL-10,although the differences were not statistically significant.However,the combination of SAL and INH caused a significant decrease in the levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-10 in the supernatants of the cells(all P<0.05).Compared with the BCG group,in the early stage of the infection,SAL and INH were able to significantly reduce the apoptotic levels of BCG-infected RAW264.7 cells(P=0.008,P=0.032),and the combined application of SAL and INH significantly enhanced the apoptosis levels of BCG-infected RAW264.7 cells in the late stage of infection(P=0.001).Conclusion·In BCG-infected macrophages,SAL can exhibit antimycobacterial effects on the host by enhancing macrophage immune function,suppressing intracellular bacterial survival,and concurrently mitigating the inflammatory response elicited by BCG infection.

Objective:To preliminarily assess the biocompatibility and durability of the TruDelta TM transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) system. Method:Six adult sheep were divided into 3 groups based on the duration of follow-up: 30 days ( n=1), 90 days ( n=3) and 180 days ( n=2). The TruDelta TM TMVR system was implanted through a transapical approach under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. The operability of the TMVR system was evaluated using an instrument performance evaluation scale (consisting of 39 items), with scores ranging from 1 (worst) to 10 (best) assigned by the operator. Echocardiography was conducted preoperatively, immediately after surgery, and at 30, 90, and 180 days post-implantation. At the last follow-up time point, the intervention mitral valve membrane and major organs were dissected for observation. The artificial valves were taken for hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining and observed under a scanning electron microscope. Result:All six procedures were successfully completed using 29S size TruDelta TM TMVR device. At the final follow-up, echocardiogram demonstrated good valve function without obvious paravalvular leakage, with a transvalvular gradient of (7.8±3.2) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) and a mitral valve orifice area of (1.8±0.2) cm 2. Autopsy findings revealed no structural valve failure and almost complete endothelialization (>75%) with 90 to 180 days. Both HE staining and scanning electron microscopy confirmed optimal endothelialization of the valve stent. Conclusion:The preclinical animal study indicates that the TruDelta TM device exhibits favorable biocompatibility and durability.

Purpose To summarize the clinicopathological features of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma(PPGL)and discuss the potential correlation between SDHB immunophenotype and prognosis in PPGLs.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 30 samples of PPGL along with their corresponding clinicopathological informa-tion,SDHB immunophenotype characteristics,and the risk of recurrence and metastasis.Results The study included 20 extra-adrenal paragangliomas and 10 pheochromocytoma cases.The male-to-female ratio was 13∶17,with a mean age of 56(range from 21 to 79).Four cases recurred,one case resulted in death and five cases failed to follow-up.All recurrent or fatal cases were paraganglioma patients.Among the 30 cases,3 had multiple nodular lesions,and the re-maining cases were single nodule.The neck was the most frequent site for paraganglioma(6/20),followed by retroper-itoneum(5/20).Histologically,the tumors displayed a variable"zellballen"architecture with a highly vascularized stroma.The chief cells had abundant pale eosinophilic cytoplasm and slightly to moderately atypical nuclei,and pe-ripherally located sustentacular cells.Positive immunoreactivity with markers of neuroendocrine cells,including Syn,CgA,and GATA3,was found in tumor chief cells,which were nonreactive for CK.The sustentacular cells exhibited positive immunoreactivity for the S-100 protein.SDHB deficiency was demonstrated in 12 of 30 cases,with only one case being pheochromocytoma.The recurrence rate in SDHB-deficient group was higher than that in the positive group(33.3％vs 6.7％).Only one case of paraganglioma developed distant metastasis and death.Conclusion SDHB de-ficiency was predominantly observed in paragangliomas and serverd as an indipentent factor for metastatic risk in PPGLs.It was closely associated with younger age at onset,invasiveness,extra-adrenal tumorgenesis,and a high rate of tumor recurrence.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy and effects on cognitive function of magnetic seizure therapy (MST) and modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) in the treatment of major depressive episode (MDE).Methods:From January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021, 40 patients who met the MDE diagnostic criteria in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) were selected in Shanghai Mental Health Center. Participants were randomly assigned to MECT therapy group (20 patients) and MST therapy group (20 patients) using the random number table method. Both groups received MECT or MST while using serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), 3 times a week for 4 weeks. The 17-items Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD 17) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) were performed before and after treatment. HAMD 17 reduction rate and effective rate were the main assessment indicators, while RBANS total score and factor scores were considered as the secondary assessment indicators. T-test was used to compare the reduction rate of HAMD 17 between the two groups, and corrected Chi-square test or Fisher′s exact probability method was used to compare the effective rate of treatment between the two groups. HAMD 17 scores and RBANS scores before and after treatment were compared using two-factor repeated measure ANOVA. Results:There were no significant differences in baseline HAMD 17 scores and RBANS scores between 2 groups( t=0.29, P=0.773; t=0.67, P=0.509). The treatment effective rate in the MECT group was 90% (18/20), and the average reduction rate of HAMD 17 was 67.9%. Meanwhile, the effective rate of MST group was 75% (15/20), and the average reduction rate of HAMD 17 was 60.9%. There was no significant difference in the reduction rate and effective rate of HAMD 17 between the two groups ( t=0.69, P=0.493; χ2=0.16, P=0.693). The total scores and factor scores of RBANS after treatment were lower than those before treatment, with statistical significance(total scores: F=19.29, P<0.001;immediate memory score: F=6.22, P=0.020; language function score: F=9.13, P=0.006;attention score: F=5.23, P=0.031;delayed memory score: F=35.90, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the total scores and factor scores of RBANS before and after treatment in MST group(total scores: F=0.49, P=0.490;immediate memory score: F=2.25, P=0.147;language function score: F=1.22, P=0.280;attention score: F=0.23, P=0.640;delayed memory score: F=0.02, P=0.887). Conclusions:The efficacy of MST treatment and MECT treatment in treating MDE patients seems to be comparable. MDE patients receiving MST had less impact on cognitive function compared to those treated with MECT.

Objective To explore the characteristics of latent profiles of ego depletion in patients with heart failure,and analyze the impacts of these profiles on patients' self-management behavior.Methods 280 heart failure patients who were hospitalized in a tertiary grade A hospital were conveniently selected in Nanjing from April to October 2024 as study subjects.The investigation utilized a general information questionnaire,the Ego-Depletion Scale for Heart Failure Patients,the Self-Management Scale of Heart Failure Patients,and the Chronic Disease Self-Efficacy Scale.The latent profile categories of ego depletion was explored in heart failure patients.Univariate analysis and multiple Logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the influencing factors of different latent profile categories and the impact of each category on patients' self-management levels.Results The ego depletion of 255 heart failure patients could be classified into 3 latent profiles:self-adaptive low depletion group(35.29％),symptom distressed moderate depletion group(43.53％),and social life change high depletion group(21.18％).Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that residence,primary caregiver,education level,New York Heart Association cardiac function grade,and self-efficacy score were factors influencing the potential profile of ego depletion in heart failure patients(P＜0.05).The comparison of self-management scores among patients in different latent profiles of ego depletion showed statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Conclusion The level of ego depletion in patients with heart failure is high with significant heterogeneity.Medical staff should pay attention to the heterogeneity and influencing factors of ego depletion in patients with heart failure in time,and develop personalized comprehensive intervention strategies to alleviate ego depletion and improve their self-management levels.

Objective:This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics of the clustered cases of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in Jiangsu province, so as to provide a scientific basis for prevention and control efforts.Methods:In this study we searched for cases related to clustered outbreaks and conducted epidemiological investigations of the cases, their co-exposed individuals, and close contacts. The basic information of the cases and their disease progression were collected and documented. The source of infection and transmission routes were analyzed. Fisher’s exact probability test and independent samples t-test were used to compare the differences between index and secondary cases. Results:From 2018 and 2024, a total of nine cluster outbreaks were reported in Jiangsu province, involving 32 cases of SFTS with 12 fatalities. Seven clustered outbreaks occurred in rural communities, while two occurred in medical institutions. The primary cause of these outbreaks was direct contact with confirmed cases.Conclusions:In recent years, Jiangsu province has experienced multiple clustered outbreaks of SFTS. Targeted health education should be implemented in high-risk areas to increase awareness of personal protective measures. Medical institutions should standardize the management of confirmed cases, educate patients′ families about prevention and control measures, and strengthen training for healthcare workers to ensure effective infection control within hospitals.

Objective:To identify strain-specific features of Klebsiella pneumoniae by analyzing metagenomics next generation sequencing (mNGS) data, thereby expanding the downstream applications of mNGS. Methods:The sequences of K.pneumoniae strains were organized from both the self-built database of the long-term multi-center research cohort in China established by the Peking University People′s Hospital from 2009 to 2020 (with 2 345 sequences) and the public databases (with 19 648 sequences). The existing large-scale databases were compressed, and a set of strains representative of clonal groups were screened. A strain genome information library was constructed based on k-mer features, and the most matching representative sequences in the database were searched for the raw mNGS data. The search results of the self-built library and public library were merged and optimized to update the prediction of antimicrobial-resistance characteristics and avoid the impact of uneven data distribution on the results. A total of 314 clinical samples from patients with K.pneumoniae detected by mNGS in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of Peking University People′s Hospital from 2022 to 2024 were retrospectively collected, and 101 samples with positive clinical culture results were selected to validate the prediction results. The antimicrobial-resistance phenotypes were verified by clinical antimicrobial susceptibility test results. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on the culture strains of 14 samples randomly selected using random numbers to verify the genotypes. Single nucleotide polymorphism distance analysis was used to verify the occurrence of outbreak events. The χ2 test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. Results:A representative strain sequence k-mer feature library containing self-built and public sub-libraries was constructed. The library construction required only about 1 hour with <3 GB storage, with a high compression ratio and low update cost. Using k-mer-based analysis, mNGS data achieved precise strain characterization within 4 minutes and and <5 GB memory occupation. There was a significant difference in the antimicrobial-resistance rates to more than half of the antibiotics between the self-built database (90.8%, 2 130/2 345) and the public database (22.7%, 4 457/19 648) ( χ2=4 634.1, P<0.001). After optimizing the search results, the mean category agreement, sensitivity, and specificity of the prediction for eight antibiotics reached 84.8% (323/381), 78.9% (131/166), and 91.2% (196/215), respectively. The target genotypes were successfully detected in 10 out of 12 samples, and two outbreak events (2 samples per event) were successfully identified. Conclusions:An independent analysis process adapted to the needs of identifying the features of K. pneumoniae strains in mNGS data was developed. This process requires minimal computational resources and processing time and can directly achieve the simultaneous analysis of the antimicrobial-resistance phenotypes of K. pneumoniae at the strain level and their corresponding genomic characteristic profiles based on the raw mNGS reads.

Objective·To Investigate the effects of salidroside(SAL)on the immune response of macrophages infected with BCG.Methods·RAW264.7 mouse macrophages were infected with BCG,and the experiments were divided into blank control(BCG),salidroside(SAL+BCG),isoniazid(INH+BCG),and salidroside+isoniazid(SAL+INH+BCG)groups.The effects of SAL and INH on the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells were detected by MTT colorimetric assay,and the experimental concentrations of SAL and INH were screened.After the establishment of the BCG-infected macrophage model,intracellular bacterial survival was detected by bacterial plate count and flow cytometry following salidroside pretreatment.The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interferon-γ(IFN-γ),interleukin-6(IL-6),and interleukin-10(IL-10)in the culture supernatants were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and apoptosis levels were assessed by flow cytometry.Results·SAL at a concentration of 800 μmol/L and INH at 10 μmol/L were selected for subsequent experiments.Compared with the BCG group,SAL pretreatment for 36 h had the best effect,and the growth of BCG in macrophages in the administered group was inhibited.The inhibitory effect of the combined application of SAL and INH was obvious and statistically significant.Compared with the BCG group,SAL alone led to decreased secretion of TNF-α,IFN-γ,IL-6,and IL-10,although the differences were not statistically significant.However,the combination of SAL and INH caused a significant decrease in the levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-10 in the supernatants of the cells(all P<0.05).Compared with the BCG group,in the early stage of the infection,SAL and INH were able to significantly reduce the apoptotic levels of BCG-infected RAW264.7 cells(P=0.008,P=0.032),and the combined application of SAL and INH significantly enhanced the apoptosis levels of BCG-infected RAW264.7 cells in the late stage of infection(P=0.001).Conclusion·In BCG-infected macrophages,SAL can exhibit antimycobacterial effects on the host by enhancing macrophage immune function,suppressing intracellular bacterial survival,and concurrently mitigating the inflammatory response elicited by BCG infection.

ObjectiveTo understand the prevalence of tobacco use among residents aged 15 years old and above in Jiading District of Shanghai, and to provide a scientific basis for formulating effective regional tobacco control policies. MethodsThe Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) sampling method was employed to select one neighborhood committee (village) from each of Jiading District’s 11 subdistricts as survey monitoring sites. From the household registry of each selected neighborhood committee (village), 50 residential households were randomly sampled, resulting in a total of 550 households surveyed. Within each selected household, one permanent resident aged 15 years old or above was randomly chosen to complete the questionnaire. The content covered general information, exposure to secondhand smoke, awareness of tobacco related health hazards, etc. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0 software. ResultsA total of 550 questionnaires were distributed, with 549 valid responses collected, and the effective response rate was 99.82%. The survey findings revealed that in 2023, the current smoking rate among individuals aged 15 years old and above in Jiading District of Shanghai was 18.76%, with males accounting for 38.93% and females accounting for 2.62%. Male gender was identified as a relative factor for smoking (OR=34.108, 95%CI: 14.440‒80.722), whereas higher education attainment emerged as a protective factor against smoking (OR=0.388, 95%CI: 0.184‒0.820). Among non-smokers aged 15 years old and above in Jiading District, the secondhand smoke exposure rate was 46.86%, with statistically significant differences observed across different age groups and occupations (P<0.001). Restaurants exhibited the highest secondhand smoke exposure rate of 42.14%, followed by households bearing (36.79%). The overall awareness rate among individuals aged 15 years old and above in Jiading District regarding four smoking-related diseases, namely stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and impotence, was 48.45%, while the awareness rate for three secondhand smoke-induced diseases, namely adult heart disease, pediatric pulmonary disease, and adult lung cancer, was 64.29%. ConclusionThere is still room for reduction in the prevalence of tobacco use among individuals aged 15 yeas old and above in Jiading District. The exposure to secondhand smoke is severe, and residents have low awareness of the harm of tobacco. Tobacco control law enforcement should be strengthened, smoke-free-home health education should be included in tobacco control efforts, and targeted health education should be carried out.