Objective To explore the mechanism of abnormal metastable dynamics in Alzheimer disease(AD)using brain network dynamic model based on MRI.Methods Data of MR T1WI diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)and resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI)of 25 AD patients(AD group)38 mild cognitive impairment(MCI)patients(MCI group)and 37 healthy controls(HC group)in AD Neuroimaging Initiative(ADNI)database were collected.Based on abnormal brain structural connectivity and cortical atrophy characteristics of AD group the structural virtual injury brain network model was constructed and the mechanism of abnormal metastable dynamics in AD was explored.Results The abnormal functional connectivity of white matter in AD group was concentrated in visual network(VIS)default mode network(DMN)frontoparietal network(FPN)and limbic network(LIM).The overall metastable state of AD group in sensorimotor network(SMN)dorsal attention network(DAN)&ventral attention network(VAN)(i.e.attention network[AN])and DMN specific perturbation models were all significantly lower than that in HC group and MCI group respectively(all P＜0.001).In AD group local circuits abnormality could be seen in posterior right superior temporal gyrus precentral gyrus caudal anterior cingulate gyrus and isthmus of the cingulate gyrus leading to decrease in global metastability.The structural connection damage of DMN and AN as well as cortical atrophy of FPN had significant impact on metastable dynamics in AD patients.Conclusion Multimodal MRI brain network dynamic model revealed the core factors of mechanism of metastable dynamic decline in AD included DMN AN and FPN abnormalities.

Objective:To investigate changes of choroid plexus volume in patients with essential hypertension using deep learning-based segmentation technique.Methods:According to the inclusion criteria,19 patients with essential hypertension who visited The 900th Hospital of People's Liberation Army Joint Service Support Force from December 2022 to May 2024 were divided into hypertension group.Additionally,19 healthy individuals,matched with the hypertension group in terms of gender,age,and years of education,were recruited as the healthy control group during the same period.All participants underwent data acquisition of three-dimensional T1(T1-3D)brain structural images using a Siemens 3.0T Trio magnetic resonance(MR)scanner.A pre-trained deep learning model,which based on the 3D U-Net architecture and generated by fully convolutional neural network,was employed for choroid plexus segmentation,and the total brain volume and lateral ventricle volume were calculated using the United Imaging Artificial Intelligence(AI)platform.Statistical analysis of the choroid plexus volume and other data for both groups were performed using SPSS27.0.Results:Compared with the healthy control group(1 866 mm3),the hypertensive group(2 047 mm3)showed an abnormal increase in choroid plexus volume(x2=3.900,P<0.05).Moreover,the choroid plexus volume was positively correlated with lateral ventricle volume and systolic blood pressure(r=0.849,P<0.05),and was negatively correlated with digit span(forward)in the hypertensive group(r=-0.374,P<0.05).Conclusion:The choroid plexus volume in patients with essential hypertension abnormally increased,which might be a factor promoting to changes in brain structure,it can affect further the cognitive function of patients with hypertension.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of enteral nutrition (EN) initiated within 24 h after heart transplantation in pediatric patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Clinical data from 16 pediatric heart transplant recipients at the Seventh Medical Center of the Chinese People′s Liberation Army General Hospital between October 2022 and October 2024 were collected, including demographics, anthropometric measurements, biochemical markers, cytokine levels, and clinical outcomes. Based on the timing of EN initiation, the patients were divided into EN-initiated within 24 h and EN-initiated after 24 h 2 groups. Demographic data, preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, physical examination indicators, laboratory parameters, and cytokine levels were compared between groups using independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher′s exact probability test. Results:The cohort comprised 16 patients (10 males and 6 females) with an age of (12.5±1.9) years. The EN-initiated within 24 h group comprised 6 cases, and the EN-initiated after 24 h group comprised 10 cases. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in age, preoperative body mass index Z-score, preoperative ECMO support, physical examination indicators, laboratory parameters (total protein, albumin, hemoglobin), or cytokine levels (all P>0.05). Compared to the EN-initiated after 24 h group, the EN-initiated within 24 h group exhibited a shorter intensive care unit stay ( t=2.65, P<0.05) and shorter mechanical ventilation duration ( t=2.23, P<0.05) than EN-initiated after 24 h group. Total hospitalization length had no significant difference ( P>0.05). At 72 h post-transplant, the EN-initiated within 24 h group had a lower interleukin-12 P70 ( t=2.46, P<0.05) and interferon-γ levels ( t=2.55, P<0.05) than EN-initiated after 24 h group. Prior to discharge, the EN-initiated within 24 h group has a lower mean skinfold thickness ( t=2.49, P<0.05) and lower mid-upper arm circumference ( t=2.36, P<0.05) compared with the EN-initiated after 24 h group. Conclusions:Initiating EN within 24 h postoperatively is safe and feasible in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Early EN may shorten the length of intensive care unit stay and mechanical ventilation while attenuating postoperative release of inflammatory cytokine.

Objective:To analyze and explore the selection of secondary intervention strategies for residual issues following congenital aortic valve disease surgery in children, as well as to evaluate their prognostic efficacy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 41 children with residual issues after congenital aortic valve disease surgery, who were treated at the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, between January 2013 and August 2024. Among them, 25 were male and 16 were female, with a mean age of(116.8±45.1)months and a mean weight of(40.0±20.2)kg. The mean interval for secondary intervention was(60.0±36.4)months. The residual issues included aortic valve insufficiency(20 cases), aortic valve stenosis(11 cases), and combined aortic valve insufficiency and stenosis(10 cases).Results:Secondary interventions included aortic valve repair(7 cases), mechanical valve replacement(20 cases), Ross procedure(13 cases), and Ozaki procedure(1 case). Additionally, 5 cases with left ventricular outflow tract stenosis underwent concomitant Konno surgery.One case of early postoperative in-hospital death occurred, with a mortality rate of 2.4%, primarily due to acute left heart failure and multiple organ dysfunction. The average follow-up period for surviving children was( 64.6±34.5) months(5-147 months), with no mid- to long-term mortality. Follow-up results showed that In surviving children, the left heart showed significant reduction in size postoperatively, with the LVEDD Z-score decreasing from 1.24±2.23 before surgery to -0.97±1.48( P=0.001). Postoperative LVEF 0.66±0.06 showed no significant difference compared to pre-reintervention 0.68±0.10( P=0.140). In aortic stenosis(AS) patients, the peak transvalvular pressure gradient decreased from(69.5±19.8) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) preoperatively to(25.1±10.9) mmHg postoperatively( P=0.003). In aortic insufficiency(AI) patients, the width of the aortic regurgitation jet decreased from(5.8±1.1) mm preoperatively to(2.7±1.1) mm postoperatively( P=0.012). 97.5% of children maintained mild-to-moderate aortic regurgitation(jet width <4 mm), with only 1 case of moderate regurgitation(jet width 4.4 mm)remaining under close observation.Two children underwent reoperation on the aortic valve, with a tertiary intervention rate of 5.0%. One case underwent redo commissurotomy 21 months after aortic valve repair due to recurrent stenosis, and the other underwent mechanical valve replacement 34 months after the Ozaki procedure due to leaflet calcification and infective endocarditis. Mid-term follow-up revealed good cardiac function recovery in surviving children, with 87.5% achieving NYHA functional class Ⅰ/Ⅱ. Conclusion:Due to the demands of growth and development and the degenerative nature of valve tissue, residual issues are inevitable in the mid- to long-term following congenital aortic valve disease surgery in children, often necessitating secondary intervention. Given the lack of suitable autologous valve tissue, the use of aortic valve replacement has significantly increased in secondary interventions. The Ross procedure, as an ideal secondary intervention, demonstrates satisfactory mid-term follow-up outcomes. For children with high-risk factors for the Ross procedure, mechanical valve replacement also yields favorable prognoses.

Objective:To analyse the clinical characteristics of 214 cases of paediatric high altitude pulmonary edema（HAPE）and the efficacy of dexamethasone in adjunctive therapy.Methods:This retrospective study analyzed 214 pediatric cases of HAPE admitted to the Department of Paediatrics of the General Hospital of Tibetan Military between June 2015 to June 2017 and June 2019 to June 2021.Patients were divided into dexamethasone-treated group and dexamethasone-untreated group.Baseline data，clinical characteristics were collected to evaluate the treatment efficacy and drug side effects.Results:There were 107 children in each of the two groups with a median age of 8（5，11）years. The median age of the dexamethasone-treated group was 9（6，12）years and the mean age of the dexamethasone-untreated group was 7（3，10）years. The proportion of male children was 69.60%（149/214）；the onset of illness was mostly concentrated within 72 hours，accounting for 97.20%（208/214）of the cases；83.18%（178/214）of the cases had symptoms of combined upper respiratory tract infection before entering the plateau. The most important clinical symptoms of the children were cough（86.92%，186/214），cyanosis（70.09%，150/214），and shortness of breath（66.36%，142/214）. The proportion of auscultatory rhonchi was 83.18%（178/214），and all cases showed positive findings on chest radiography. After the dexamethasone regimen，the overall cure rate of the children was 94.39%，the average disappearance time of the symptoms and signs was（40.52±7.85）h，and the average hospital stay was（3.60±1.90）d. After treatment with the dexamethasone-free regimen，the overall cure rate was 92.52%，the mean time to disappearance of symptoms and signs was（42.10±7.62）h，and the mean length of stay in the hospital was(3.84±2.08)d. There was no significant difference in the cure rate，the disappearance time of symptoms and signs，and the average hospitalisation days between the two groups（ P>0.05），but a total of 11 children in the dexamethasone-treated group experienced adverse drug reactions，and no children in the dexamethasone-untreated group experienced adverse drug reactions. Conclusion:Han Chinese male children，particularly those with upper respiratory infections，should be closely monitored for HAPE risk within three days of ascending to high altitudes. This study does not recommend the use of dexamethasone for pediatric HAPE due to the lack of therapeutic benefits and potential adverse effects.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility and safety of high-speed railway (HSR) transport for critically ill pediatric patients.Methods:A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted.A total of 39 children transported via HSR (HSR group) and 420 children transported via ambulance (ambulance group) from May 2019 to December 2024 at the Seventh Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital were included.Demographic data,disease types,transport distances,and outcomes were compared between the two groups,and the vital signs,blood gas analysis,mechanical ventilation parameters,and vasoactive drug usage before and after HSR transport were also compared.Results:Over the five-year period,39 HSR transports and 420 ambulance transports were completed.No significant differences were observed in gender,age,or weight between HSR group and ambulance group( P>0.05).The proportion of circulatory system diseases was significantly higher in the HSR group (74.4% vs.55.1%, P = 0.020).HSR transports covered longer distances [855(855,1 075)km vs.84(23,273) km, P<0.001] and achieved faster speeds [150(150,216) vs.80(79,80)km/h, P<0.001].No significant differences were found in heart rate,body temperature,or diastolic pressure before and after HSR transport ( P>0.05).However,systolic blood pressure and partial pressure of oxygen increased slightly post-HSR transport [(82.97±15.44) vs.(85.15 ± 14.82)mmHg, P=0.003；(84.22±25.45)mmHg vs.(88.95±28.70)mmHg, P=0.029].Mechanical ventilation parameters remained stable during HSR transport ( P>0.05). Conclusion:HSR transport is feasible and safe for critically ill children and represents a promising option for long-distance interhospital transfers of pediatric patients.

Objective:To analyze and explore the selection of secondary intervention strategies for residual issues following congenital aortic valve disease surgery in children, as well as to evaluate their prognostic efficacy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 41 children with residual issues after congenital aortic valve disease surgery, who were treated at the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, between January 2013 and August 2024. Among them, 25 were male and 16 were female, with a mean age of(116.8±45.1)months and a mean weight of(40.0±20.2)kg. The mean interval for secondary intervention was(60.0±36.4)months. The residual issues included aortic valve insufficiency(20 cases), aortic valve stenosis(11 cases), and combined aortic valve insufficiency and stenosis(10 cases).Results:Secondary interventions included aortic valve repair(7 cases), mechanical valve replacement(20 cases), Ross procedure(13 cases), and Ozaki procedure(1 case). Additionally, 5 cases with left ventricular outflow tract stenosis underwent concomitant Konno surgery.One case of early postoperative in-hospital death occurred, with a mortality rate of 2.4%, primarily due to acute left heart failure and multiple organ dysfunction. The average follow-up period for surviving children was( 64.6±34.5) months(5-147 months), with no mid- to long-term mortality. Follow-up results showed that In surviving children, the left heart showed significant reduction in size postoperatively, with the LVEDD Z-score decreasing from 1.24±2.23 before surgery to -0.97±1.48( P=0.001). Postoperative LVEF 0.66±0.06 showed no significant difference compared to pre-reintervention 0.68±0.10( P=0.140). In aortic stenosis(AS) patients, the peak transvalvular pressure gradient decreased from(69.5±19.8) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) preoperatively to(25.1±10.9) mmHg postoperatively( P=0.003). In aortic insufficiency(AI) patients, the width of the aortic regurgitation jet decreased from(5.8±1.1) mm preoperatively to(2.7±1.1) mm postoperatively( P=0.012). 97.5% of children maintained mild-to-moderate aortic regurgitation(jet width <4 mm), with only 1 case of moderate regurgitation(jet width 4.4 mm)remaining under close observation.Two children underwent reoperation on the aortic valve, with a tertiary intervention rate of 5.0%. One case underwent redo commissurotomy 21 months after aortic valve repair due to recurrent stenosis, and the other underwent mechanical valve replacement 34 months after the Ozaki procedure due to leaflet calcification and infective endocarditis. Mid-term follow-up revealed good cardiac function recovery in surviving children, with 87.5% achieving NYHA functional class Ⅰ/Ⅱ. Conclusion:Due to the demands of growth and development and the degenerative nature of valve tissue, residual issues are inevitable in the mid- to long-term following congenital aortic valve disease surgery in children, often necessitating secondary intervention. Given the lack of suitable autologous valve tissue, the use of aortic valve replacement has significantly increased in secondary interventions. The Ross procedure, as an ideal secondary intervention, demonstrates satisfactory mid-term follow-up outcomes. For children with high-risk factors for the Ross procedure, mechanical valve replacement also yields favorable prognoses.

Objective:To analyse the clinical characteristics of 214 cases of paediatric high altitude pulmonary edema（HAPE）and the efficacy of dexamethasone in adjunctive therapy.Methods:This retrospective study analyzed 214 pediatric cases of HAPE admitted to the Department of Paediatrics of the General Hospital of Tibetan Military between June 2015 to June 2017 and June 2019 to June 2021.Patients were divided into dexamethasone-treated group and dexamethasone-untreated group.Baseline data，clinical characteristics were collected to evaluate the treatment efficacy and drug side effects.Results:There were 107 children in each of the two groups with a median age of 8（5，11）years. The median age of the dexamethasone-treated group was 9（6，12）years and the mean age of the dexamethasone-untreated group was 7（3，10）years. The proportion of male children was 69.60%（149/214）；the onset of illness was mostly concentrated within 72 hours，accounting for 97.20%（208/214）of the cases；83.18%（178/214）of the cases had symptoms of combined upper respiratory tract infection before entering the plateau. The most important clinical symptoms of the children were cough（86.92%，186/214），cyanosis（70.09%，150/214），and shortness of breath（66.36%，142/214）. The proportion of auscultatory rhonchi was 83.18%（178/214），and all cases showed positive findings on chest radiography. After the dexamethasone regimen，the overall cure rate of the children was 94.39%，the average disappearance time of the symptoms and signs was（40.52±7.85）h，and the average hospital stay was（3.60±1.90）d. After treatment with the dexamethasone-free regimen，the overall cure rate was 92.52%，the mean time to disappearance of symptoms and signs was（42.10±7.62）h，and the mean length of stay in the hospital was(3.84±2.08)d. There was no significant difference in the cure rate，the disappearance time of symptoms and signs，and the average hospitalisation days between the two groups（ P>0.05），but a total of 11 children in the dexamethasone-treated group experienced adverse drug reactions，and no children in the dexamethasone-untreated group experienced adverse drug reactions. Conclusion:Han Chinese male children，particularly those with upper respiratory infections，should be closely monitored for HAPE risk within three days of ascending to high altitudes. This study does not recommend the use of dexamethasone for pediatric HAPE due to the lack of therapeutic benefits and potential adverse effects.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility and safety of high-speed railway (HSR) transport for critically ill pediatric patients.Methods:A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted.A total of 39 children transported via HSR (HSR group) and 420 children transported via ambulance (ambulance group) from May 2019 to December 2024 at the Seventh Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital were included.Demographic data,disease types,transport distances,and outcomes were compared between the two groups,and the vital signs,blood gas analysis,mechanical ventilation parameters,and vasoactive drug usage before and after HSR transport were also compared.Results:Over the five-year period,39 HSR transports and 420 ambulance transports were completed.No significant differences were observed in gender,age,or weight between HSR group and ambulance group( P>0.05).The proportion of circulatory system diseases was significantly higher in the HSR group (74.4% vs.55.1%, P = 0.020).HSR transports covered longer distances [855(855,1 075)km vs.84(23,273) km, P<0.001] and achieved faster speeds [150(150,216) vs.80(79,80)km/h, P<0.001].No significant differences were found in heart rate,body temperature,or diastolic pressure before and after HSR transport ( P>0.05).However,systolic blood pressure and partial pressure of oxygen increased slightly post-HSR transport [(82.97±15.44) vs.(85.15 ± 14.82)mmHg, P=0.003；(84.22±25.45)mmHg vs.(88.95±28.70)mmHg, P=0.029].Mechanical ventilation parameters remained stable during HSR transport ( P>0.05). Conclusion:HSR transport is feasible and safe for critically ill children and represents a promising option for long-distance interhospital transfers of pediatric patients.