Objective To investigate the perioperative safety of patients with myasthenia gravis who take high doses of oral glucocorticoids. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of patients with myasthenia gravis who received oral glucocorticoids and underwent thoracoscopic thymectomy at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital from April 2013 to October 2019. Patients were divided into a high-dose steroid group and a medium-to-low dose steroid group based on the dosage of oral steroids, and the clinical data of the two groups were compared. Results A total of 102 patients were included, including 19 (18.62%) males and 83 (81.37%) females, with an average age of (32.25±9.83) years. There were 75 patients in the medium-to-low dose steroid group and 27 patients in the high-dose steroid group. All patients in both groups successfully completed the surgery without major intraoperative bleeding, conversion to open chest surgery, delayed extubation, severe infection, or perioperative death. The daily oral steroid dose for the high-dose steroid group was (35.81±4.29) mg, and for the medium-to-low dose steroid group it was (15.29±2.17) mg. There was no statistical difference in the operation time [(124.69±23.51) min vs. (117.89±21.46) min, P=0.172] and intraoperative blood loss [(21.19±3.48) mL vs. (20.56±3.41) mL, P=0.419] between the two groups. Postoperatively, 12 (11.76%) patients developed complications: one patient of myasthenic crisis (the medium-to-low dose steroid group), which was improved after short-term respiratory support and intravenous immunoglobulin treatment; 11 patients of respiratory/swallowing difficulties (9 in the medium-to-low dose steroid group and 2 in the high-dose steroid group), which were improved after anticholinergic treatment to reduce oral secretions and sputum suction, and the patients were discharged smoothly. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (P=0.637). Conclusion On the basis of good perioperative management, it is safe and feasible for patients with myasthenia gravis who take high dose of oral steroids to undergo thymectomy, and they have the same perioperative safety as patients with medium-to-low dose steroids.

Childhood simple obesity has become a significant public health issue in China. Modern medicine primarily relies on lifestyle interventions and often suffers from poor long-term compliance， while pharmacological options are limited and associated with potential adverse effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM） has a long history in the prevention and management of this condition， demonstrating eight distinct advantages， including systematic theoretical foundation， diversified therapeutic approaches， definite therapeutic efficacy， high safety profile， good patient compliance， comprehensive intervention strategies， emphasis on prevention， and stepwise treatment protocols. Additionally， TCM is characterized by six distinctive features： the use of natural medicinal substances， non-invasive external therapies， integration of medicinal dietetics， simple exercise regimens， precise syndrome differentiation， and diverse dosage forms. By combining internal and external treatments， TCM facilitates individualized regimen adjustment and holistic regulation， demonstrating remarkable effects in improving obesity-related metabolic indicators， regulating constitutional imbalance， and promoting healthy behaviors. However， challenges remain， such as inconsistent operational standards， insufficient high-quality clinical evidence， and a gap between basic research and clinical application. Future efforts should focus on accelerating the standardization of TCM diagnosis and treatment， conducting multicenter randomized controlled trials， and fostering interdisciplinary integration， so as to enhance the scientific validity and international recognition of TCM in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.

Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.

Objective This study conducted molecular biological identification of the viruses carried by Culex pipiens pallens specimens collected in Shunyi District, Beijing in 2023, and observed the changes in the infection rate of the viruses carried by Cx. pipiens pallens at different collection times. Methods Cx. pipiens pallens were collected using carbon dioxide mosquito traps. The mosquito samples were ground in batches and analyzed by molecular biology technologies. The virus infection rate at different collection times was analyzed statistically. Results 17 strains of Culex pipiens pallens densovirus(CppDNV)were identified from Cx. pipiens pallens samples collected in Shunyi District, Beijing, in 2023. The nucleotide sequence analysis of the virus genome coding region showed that CppDNV was a single-stranded DNA virus with a total length of 3 335 nt, encoding 2 non-structural proteins(NS1, NS2)and 1 capsid protein(VP). The nucleotide(amino acid)sequence lengths of the three proteins were 2 376 nt(791 aa),1 092 nt(363 aa)and 1 071 nt(356 aa), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CppDNV was located in genus Brevihamaparvovirus. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in infection rates across collection times(χ2=4.429, P=0.194). Conclusions CppDNV was identified in Cx. pipiens pallens in Beijing, and it was stably maintained in this natural population.

Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.

Objective To investigate the temporal changes in pathological damage and macrophage polarization in liver and spleen tissues of mice infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis, and to preliminarily unravel the peripheral immune responses during the early stage of A. cantonensis infection. Methods Forty female BALB/c mice at ages of 6 to 8 weeks were randomly divided into four groups, including the control group and 7-, 14-, and 21-day infection groups, with 10 mice in each group. Each mouse in the infection groups was inoculated with 30 third-stage (L3) larvae of A. cantonensis by oral gavage, and five mice were randomly selected from each infection group on days 7, 14, and 21 post-infection, while mice in the control group were given the same volume of physiological saline and five mice were randomly selected from the control group on the day of oral gavage. Mouse liver and spleen tissues were sampled. The histopathological changes of mouse liver and spleen tissues were observed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and the percentage of positive staining area and the co-localization positive rates of the macrophage surface antigens F4/80, CD86, and CD206 were quantified in mouse liver and spleen tissues using immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining. In addition, five mice were collected from each infection group on days 7, 14, and 21 post-infection, and five mice were collected from the control group on the day of oral gavage. Mouse liver and spleen tissues were sampled for detection of macrophage markers CD86 and CD206 and macrophage phenotyping using flow cytometry, and the expression of M1 macrophage markers, including inducible nitric oxide synthase (Nos2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and M2 markers, including arginase 1 (Arg1), mannose receptor C-type 1 (Mrc1) and chitinase-like protein 3 (Chil3) was quantified in mouse liver and spleen tissues using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay. Results Proliferative lesions of the hepatocyte were observed in mouse liver tissues and the follicular structures of the mouse spleen white pulp were disrupted 21 days post-infection with A. cantonensis. Immunohistochemical staining showed that there were significant differences in the percentages of F4/80, CD86 and CD206 positive staining areas in the liver and spleen tissues among the four groups of mice (F = 242.40, 197.14, 183.19, 157.65, 242.35 and 146.24; all P values < 0.001), and the percentages of positive staining in the liver and spleen tissues of mice in the 14-day infection group [(4.45 ± 0.51)%, (3.74 ± 0.67)%, (8.32 ± 0.72)%, (16.56 ± 1.14)%, (11.62 ± 0.52)%, and (8.29 ± 0.72)%, respectively] and the 21-day infection group [(3.70 ± 0.11)%, (3.22 ± 0.43)%, (11.53 ± 1.03)%, (12.59 ± 1.05)%, (9.02 ± 0.83)%, and (11.67 ± 1.10)%, respectively] were higher than in the control group [(0.35 ± 0.16)%, (0.40 ± 0.02)%, (0.93 ± 0.05)%, (2.78 ± 0.26)%, (2.33 ± 0.20)%, and (1.85 ± 0.20)%, respectively] (all P values < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed significant differences in the positive rates of F4/80 co-localization with CD86 and CD206 in mouse liver and spleen tissues among the four groups (F = 24.42, 25.28, 54.51 and 130.55; all P values < 0.001). Flow cytometry detected significant differences in the proportions of CD86⁺ and CD206⁺ macrophages in mouse liver and spleen tissues among the four groups (F = 67.98, 18.41, 29.77, 172.80; all P values < 0.001), and the proportions of CD206⁺ macrophages in the liver and spleen of the 21-day infection group were significantly higher than those in the control group [(9.25 ± 2.55)% vs (3.83 ± 0.72)%, and (4.22 ± 0.56)% vs (0.47 ± 0.18)%, respectively] (both P values < 0.05). In addition, RT-qPCR assay quantified significant differences in the relative mRNA expression of M1 macrophage markers (IL-1β, TNF-α and Nos2) and M2 macrophage markers (Arg1, Chil3 and Mrc1) in mouse liver and spleen tissues among the four groups (F = 41.30, 31.82, 199.33, 19.96, 62.01, 119.76, 23.67, 95.90, 72.27, 82.59, 123.41 and 29.75; all P values < 0.05). Conclusions A. cantonensis infection may cause progressive pathological damage in mouse liver and spleen tissues, accompanied by dynamic temporal changes in macrophage polarization. M1 macrophage polarization predominates at the early stage of A. cantonensis infection and shifts towards M2 polarization at the later stages, suggesting that M2 polarization may participate in immune regulation at late stages of A. cantonensis infection by suppressing excessive inflammatory responses and promoting tissue repair.

Objective: To investigate the incidence and influencing factors of new onset suicidal behaviors among junior and senior high school students, so as to provide evidence for early warning and intervention. Methods: Using a cluster sampling method, baseline data were collected from September to November 2023 among 2 379 adolescents selected from 2 junior high schools, 2 general senior high schools and 2 vocational senior high schools in Wuhan, Hubei Province, with follow up carried out from September to November 2024. Data were collected using the School Adaptation Scale, the Essential Resilience Scale, the Personal Social Support Scale, the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, the Adolescent Life Events Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing new onset suicidal behavior among junior and senior high school students. Results: Among junior and senior high school students without suicide risk at baseline, 53.55% remained stable risk free during follow up, while 13.28% developed new suicidal behavior during follow up, of which suicidal ideation, suicide plan and suicide attempts accounted for 11.69%, 8.83% and 6.52%, respectively. Multivariate Logistic regression revealed that increased depressive symptoms at follow up elevated the risk of overall new onset suicidal behaviors ( OR =4.14), ideation ( OR = 4.59), plans ( OR =4.24), and attempts ( OR =4.09); poor sleep quality also increased the risk of overall new onset suicidal behaviors ( OR =2.23), plans ( OR =2.03), and attempts ( OR =2.65) (all P <0.05). Non boarding junior and senior high school students had lower risks of overall new onset suicidal behaviors and ideation ( OR=0.70 and 0.49, respectively); secondary school students with academic performance ranking in the top 20%-30% of their class had a lower risk of new onset ideation ( OR =0.27); and those whose place of origin was outside the city had a lower risk of new onset plans ( OR =0.49) (all P <0.05). Conclusions New onset suicidal behaviors among junior and senior high school students exhibit dynamic and stage specific differences. Depressive symptoms serve as a common core risk factor across all stages, whereas sleep quality, academic performance, boarding status, and place of origin exert differential influences at distinct stages.

Systemic chronic inflammation associated with advancing age is closely linked to the onset and progression of multiple age-related diseases. This persistent inflammatory state, commonly termed inflammaging, reflects complex interactions between accumulated cellular damage and dysregulated immune responses. Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes of the innate immune system that respond to cellular stress and damage and amplify inflammatory signaling. Their sustained or recurrent activation may contribute to the establishment and maintenance of inflammaging. This review focuses on the NLRP3 inflammasome and summarizes its activation mechanisms, regulatory pathways, and pathological significance within the aging microenvironment. Particular attention is given to neurodegenerative diseases, osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis, and type 2 diabetes, emphasizing shared activation mechanisms and tissue-specific effects. Although initiating stimuli differ among these conditions, several molecular events can contribute to NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Priming mediated by nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB) promotes the expression of NLRP3 and pro-interleukin-1β, whereas lysosomal damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species accumulation, mitochondrial DNA release, and potassium efflux can participate in activation pathways. These events are interconnected rather than obligatory sequential steps in every setting. Inflammasome assembly promotes caspase-1 activation, which facilitates interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 maturation and gasdermin D cleavage, potentially leading to pyroptosis. The relative contributions of these processes depend on cell type, tissue context, and disease stage. Within aging tissues, persistent damage signals and impaired cellular homeostasis may favor repeated inflammasome activation, establishing a cycle of inflammatory amplification and further tissue injury. However, the pathological consequences vary across organs. In neurodegenerative diseases, inflammasome signaling is associated with neuroinflammation and neuronal vulnerability; in osteoarthritis, it may contribute to joint inflammation and cartilage degeneration. In atherosclerosis, it is implicated in vascular inflammation and plaque progression, whereas in type 2 diabetes, it is linked to metabolic inflammation and impaired glucose homeostasis. These distinctions underscore the importance of interpreting shared molecular mechanisms within specific tissue environments. The review further discusses the therapeutic potential of targeting inflammasomes to mitigate inflammaging and associated disease processes. Strategies include inhibiting NLRP3 activation, modulating upstream stress and priming pathways, and limiting downstream inflammatory signaling or pyroptotic cell death. By interrupting shared mechanisms of inflammatory amplification, these approaches may offer opportunities for coordinated intervention across multiple age-related disorders. Nevertheless, mechanistic overlap does not imply uniform therapeutic responses, and benefits observed in experimental models should not be equated with established clinical efficacy or evidence of delayed human aging.Successful clinical translation will require careful consideration of disease stage, tissue specificity, treatment timing, and the consequences of prolonged interference with innate immune defenses. Long-term safety is particularly important for older populations and preventive applications. The limited availability of validated biomarkers of inflammasome activity also complicates patient stratification, assessment of target engagement, and monitoring of therapeutic responses. Future research should clarify causal relationships, identify contexts in which inflammasome inhibition is most beneficial, and establish reliable translational endpoints. Overall, inflammasomes represent an important link between aging-associated damage and chronic inflammatory amplification, supporting their investigation as shared targets for early intervention in multiple age-related diseases, while highlighting the need for disease-specific evaluation and rigorous assessment of benefits and risks.

Objective:To analyze the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), especially on the incidence of hypertensive disorder in pregnancy (HDP) in women with moderate to severe OSAS.Methods:A total of 180 pregnant women with OSAS who were diagnosed through sleep monitoring during pregnancy due to high-risk factors of OSAS and registered in Peking University People′s Hospital from January 2021 to May 2024 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data were collected from medical records for retrospective analysis. According to whether they received standardized treatment with CPAP, they were divided into the CPAP treatment group (42 cases) and the control group (138 cases). The CPAP treatment group consisted of 9 pregnant women with moderate to severe OSAS, while the control group consisted of 34 pregnant women with moderate to severe OSAS. The maternal and neonatal outcomes, the incidence of HDP, placental weight after delivery and placental weight/neonatal birth weight ratio were compared between the two groups.Results:(1) The average gestational age of pregnant women in the CPAP treatment group was higher than that in the control group [(38.7±1.0) vs (38.0±1.4) weeks], the proportion of infants small for gestational age (SGA) in the CPAP treatment group was lower [0 (0/42) vs 12.3% (17/138)], and the birth weight of infants in the CPAP treatment group was bigger [(3 396±475) vs (3 082±710) g); the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the CPAP treatment group and the control group in terms of delivery mode, rates of postpartum hemorrhage and preterm birth, umbilical artery blood gas analysis pH<7.1, lactate≥6.0 mmol/L, base excess<-12.0 mmol/L and the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus and HDP (all P>0.05). (2) The placental weight of the CPAP treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group [(554.0±70.6) vs (615.7±119.1) g], the placental weight/newborn birth weight ratio of the CPAP treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (median: 0.17 vs 0.19), and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). (3) The incidence of HDP in pregnant women with moderate to severe OSAS in the CPAP treatment group was lower than that in the control group [1/9 vs 61.8% (21/34)], and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusions:CPAP treatment could prolong the gestational age in pregnant women with OSAS, reduce the incidence of SGA, increase the birth weight of infants, and reduce the incidence of HDP in pregnant women with moderate to severe OSAS, and is worth promoting in clinical practice. The improvement of neonatal outcomes by CPAP treatment is closely related to the placenta, which is worthy of further exploration.

Turning to critical illness is a common stage of various diseases and injuries before death. Patients usually have complex health conditions, while the treatment process involves a wide range of content, along with high requirements for doctor′s professionalism and multi-specialty teamwork, as well as a great demand for time-sensitive treatments. However, this is not matched with critical care professionals and the current state of medical care in China. Telemedicine, which shortens the distance of medical professionals and the gap of disease diagnosis and treatments in various regions through electronic information, can effectively solve the current problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a standardized, high-quality visualization telemedicine round system .Therefore, experts have been organized to search domestic and foreign literature on telemedicine round for critically ill patients and to form this consensus based on clinical experiences so as to further improve the level of critical care treatments in regions.