In recent years, the consensus has confirmed the high lymph node metastasis rate of thyroid papillary cancer (PTC) and the characteristics of its sequential metastasis and intranodal metastasis. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer (second edition) proposed the concept of “selective lymph node dissection”, a strategy that provides a promising outlook for endoscopic lateral neck dissection for PTC. Among various approaches, the transthoracic approach has been widely recognized for its simplicity, safety, feasibility, and wide range of indications. Years of practical exploration have shown that the four-zone seven-step selective dissection method through the transthoracic approach can achieve the same effect as open surgery without increasing the incidence of related complications. Therefore, for young patients with cosmetic needs, this operation has a very broad clinical prospective.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of silencing Ras homolog family member C(RhoC)on the proliferation,apoptosis,invasion,migration,and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma(SACC)and its molecular mechanisms.Methods A total of 27 SACC lesions and normal salivary gland tissues that were surgically resected at Qingdao Municipal Hospital from January 1,2019 to March 1,2024 were selected,and the expression levels of RhoC were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry.Three small interfering RNA(siRNAs)were designed to target the RhoC gene sequence,transfected into SACC-LM and SACC-83 cell lines,and evaluated for transfection efficiency.The protein expression levels of RhoC,Rho-asso-ciated protein kinase-1(ROCK1),p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38MAPK),phosphorylated-p38MAPK(p-p38MAPK),twist family bHLH transcription factor 1(TWIST1),E-cadherin,N-cadherin,and Vimentin were com-pared using Western blot.CCK-8 assay,flow cytometry,transwell invasion assay,and wound healing assay were conducted to assess the differences in cell proliferation,apoptosis,invasion,and migration abilities among the groups.Bioinformatics methods were also used to predict possible upstream micro RNAs(miRNAs)of RhoC and their expression levels in SACC.Moreover,dual-luciferase reporter gene experiments were performed to verify the binding sites of miR-138-5p and RhoC.Results RhoC was highly expressed in SACC(P＜0.05).After silencing RhoC,the test group showed a significant decrease in the expression level of ROCK1,p-p38MAPK,TWIST1,N-cadherin,and Vimentin,as well as a significant increase in the expression level of E-cadherin(P＜0.05).No signifi-cant difference in the expression level of p38MAPK was observed(P＞0.05).The cell proliferation,invasion,and mi-gration ability decreased in the test group,whereas the apoptosis rates significantly increased(P＜0.05).miR-138-5p was lowly expressed in SACC,and miR-138-5p mimic can significantly downregulated the luciferase activity of 293T cells after transfection with a RhoC wild-type plasmid(P＜0.05).Conclusion RhoC is highly expressed in SACC,and RhoC silencing may target the downstream ROCK1/p38MAPK/TWISTl signaling pathway,thereby in-hibiting the proliferation,invasion,migration,and EMT of SACC while promoting its apoptosis.On the contrary,miR-138-5p is lowly expressed in SACC and is a potential upstream gene of RhoC,and there may be binding sites between the two genes.

In recent years, the consensus has confirmed the high lymph node metastasis rate of thyroid papillary cancer (PTC) and the characteristics of its sequential metastasis and intranodal metastasis. Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer (second edition) proposed the concept of “selective lymph node dissection”, a strategy that provides a promising outlook for endoscopic lateral neck dissection for PTC. Among various approaches, the transthoracic approach has been widely recognized for its simplicity, safety, feasibility, and wide range of indications. Years of practical exploration have shown that the four-zone seven-step selective dissection method through the transthoracic approach can achieve the same effect as open surgery without increasing the incidence of related complications. Therefore, for young patients with cosmetic needs, this operation has a very broad clinical prospective.

Objective:To explore the characteristics of glucose and lipid metabolism and intrauterine growth indicators in fetuses with selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR) in twins.Methods:Sixty cases of sIUGR type I twin fetuses who were registered, underwent regular prenatal care, and were hospitalized for delivery at the Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital from January 2021 to January 2023 were selected as the research subjects. Selected 30 fetuses with growth restriction from sIUGR pregnant patients were taken as the observation group, while the 30 fetuses with non-growth-restricted served as the control group. During cesarean section, the umbilical vein blood of two fetuses was collected after the fetus was delivered and before the placenta was delivered, and the factors regulating growth, development and metabolism in the umbilical vein blood were detected: adiponectin, leptin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B and other indicators. The measurement data of normal distribution are presented as xˉ± s, and the comparison of means between the two groups is performed using paired t-tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:(1) The levels of adiponectin (83.60±8.91) μg/L, leptin (7.11±0.53) μg/L, and IGF-1 (43.43±0.68) μg/L in the umbilical cord blood of the case group were significantly lower than those of the control group (92.50±10.52) μg/L, leptin (12.00±0.66) μg/L, and IGF-1 (70.34±1.44) μg/L, with statistically significant differences ( t-values of 2.94, 31.33, 99.70, respectively; P values of 0.006, <0.001, <0.001, respectively). (2) There was no statistically significant difference in the levels of blood glucose, triglycerides, HDL-C, and apolipoprotein A1 in umbilical cord blood between the two groups of fetuses (all P>0.05). (3) The total cholesterol (2.626±0.764) mmol/L, LDL-C (1.168±0.482) mmol/L, and apolipoprotein B (0.359±0.133) mmol/L in the umbilical cord blood of the case group were significantly higher than those in the control group, with total cholesterol (2.351±0.725) mmol/L and LDL-C (1.043±0.418) mmol/L. Apolipoprotein B was (0.317±0.107) mmol/L, and there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups ( t-values were 3.42, 3.10, and 3.67, respectively; and P values were 0.002, 0.004, and 0.001, respectively). Conclusion:There are abnormalities in lipid metabolism present in the cord blood of growth-restricted infants. Clinically, adiponectin, leptin, IGF-1, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and apolipoprotein B in twin umbilical blood can be served as key indicators for assessing fetal intrauterine development.

Objective:To construct a risk prediction model for infection with Klebsiella pneumonia (KP) for patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).Methods:Retrospective analysis was done on the clinical data of 109 SAP patients who were admitted to Shanghai General Hospital, between March 2016 and December 2021. Patients were classified into infection group ( n=25) and non-infection group ( n=84) based on the presence or absence of KP infection, and the clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm was used to reduce the dimension of the variables with statistical significance in univariate analysis. A nomogram prediction model was created by incorporating the optimized features from the LASSO regression model into the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn and the area under curve (AUC) was calculated; and consistency index (C-index) were used to assess the prediction model's diagnostic ability. Results:A total of 25 strains of KP were isolated from 109 patients with SAP, of which 21(84.0%) had multi-drug resistance. 20 risk factors (SOFA score, APACHEⅡ score, Ranson score, MCTSI score, mechanical ventilation time, fasting time, duration of indwelling of the peritoneal drainage tube, duration of deep vein indwelling, number of invasive procedures, without or with surgical intervention, without or with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), types of high-level antibiotics used, digestion disorders, abnormalities in blood coagulation, metabolic acidosis, pancreatic necrosis, intra-abdominal hemorrhage, intra-abdominal hypertension, length of ICU stay and total length of hospital stay) were found to be associated with KP infection in SAP patients by univariate analysis. The four variables (APACHEⅡ score, duration of indwelling of the peritoneal drainage tube, types of high-level antibiotics used, and total length of hospital stay) were extracted after reduced by LASSO regression. These four variables were found to be risk factors for KP infection in SAP patients by multiple logistic regression analysis (all P value <0.05). Nomogram prediction model for KP infection in SAP was established based on the four variables above. The verification results of the model showed that the C-index of the model was 0.939, and the AUC was 0.939 (95% CI 0.888-0.991), indicating that the nomogram model had relatively accurate prediction ability. Conclusions:This prediction model establishes integrated the basic clinical data of patients, which could facilitate the risk prediction for KP infection in patients with SAP and thus help to formulate better therapeutic plans for patients.

Objective:To investigate the attitude of neonatologists toward the treatment of extremely preterm infants (EPIs) in China.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire designed and posted on Wenjuanxing, a web-based survey platform, from June to July 2021. The respondents were neonatal physicians in various provinces and cities in China. The questionnaire covered the basic information, treatment experience and attitude towards EPIs, and opinions on the current definition of the preterm infant in China. The results were described or analyzed using the Chi-square test.Results:A total of 1 066 valid replies were collected. The respondents included 322 males and 744 females, among whom 78.1% (832/1 066) were assistant director physicians or director physicians, 82.8% (882/1 066) were from tertiary hospitals, and 83.0% (885/1 066) had the experiences of treating EPIs. In terms of the attitude toward the treatment of EPIs, 63.0% (672/1 066) of the respondents suggested that the lower limit of gestational age for EPIs requiring active resuscitation should be defined at 25 gestational weeks or less. Moreover, 57.1% (609/1 066) considered that the current domestic definition of preterm infants as 28 gestational age or above was inappropriate, and 75.2% (458/609) considered that the lower limit defined as preterm infants should be 25 gestational weeks or less. Concerning the treatment experience in EPIs, 54.3% (579/1 066) of the respondents suggested that in their hospital, withdrawing treatment in EPIs was common or very common, and 83.3% (888/1 066) considered that the main reason for withdrawing treatment was family members' concerns about the prognosis. Those who hesitated about treating the EPIs accounted for 71.6% (763/1 066), and 83.9% (640/763) hesitated due to the poor prognosis and possible medical disputes. Moreover, 32.7% (349/1 066) of the respondents or their colleagues had been involved in medical disputes about whether to treat EPIs, and 74.8% (797/1 066) believed that the patients should be the decision-maker on whether to treat EPIs or not.Conclusion:Most neonatal physicians in this survey hold a positive attitude toward the treatment of EPIs and believe that the lower limit of gestational age for preterm infants should be lowered. However, a hesitating attitude to the care of EPIs is still common, and uncertainty about the prognosis of EPIs remains a concern.

Objective:To understand the profile type of serum Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies in children with infectious mononucleosis (IM), and to analyze the significance of viral capsid antigen (VCA) IgG antibody affinity in the diagnosis of IM.Methods:Retrospective analysis was performed on the results of the serum anti-EBV antibody profile and plasma EBV nucleic acid test of 150 hospitalized children with IM diagnosed in Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University, from May 2016 to May 2019.Anti-EBV antibody profiles, including anti-VCA-IgG, anti-VCA-IgM, anti-early antigen (EA) IgA, anti-EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) IgG, and anti-VCA-IgG affinity, were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plasma EBV nucleic acids were detected by real-time quantitative PCR.Results:There were mainly two types of anti-EBV antibody profiles in 150 children with IM: (1)130 cases who were positive for anti-VCA-IgM/IgG, negative for anti-EBNA-IgG and positive for anti-VCA-IgG antibodies with low affinity, accounting for 86.7% (130/150 cases), of which 50 cases were positive for anti-early antigen IgA; (2)18 cases who were negative for anti-VCA-IgM, positive for anti-VCA-IgG, negative for anti-EBNA-IgG and positive for anti-VCA-IgG antibody with low affinity, accounting for 12.0% (18/150 cases), of which 5 cases were positive for anti-EA IgA.EBV DNA was measured in 132 children, with a posi-tive rate of 37.9% (50/132 cases).Conclusions:There were several types of serum EBV antibody profiles in children with IM, 12.0% of patients with IM in this study were negative for anti-VCA-IgM, and the diagnosis of IM was confirmed by the affinity of anti-VCA IgG.

Objective:To evaluate the performance of the Cepheid Xpert Xpress Flu/RSV assay (Xpert) in the detection of children infected with influenza virus (Flu) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).Methods:Nasopharyngeal specimens were collected from children who showed symptoms of respiratory infection and tested FluA, FluB and RSV by Xpert and sequencing assay respectively side by side. Discordant result were tested with a laboratory-developed real-time PCR for resolution.Results:A total of 388 nasopharyngeal swabs (NAPs) from children with acute respiratory tract infection were analyzed and the result showed 91.75-94.85% agreement between two tests. The sensitivity of FluA, FluB and RSV detected by Xpert and sequencing assay were 99.21% (125/126) vs. 92.86% (117/126), 100.00% (109/109) vs. 84.40% (92/109) and 100.00% (52/52) vs. 40.38% (21/52), respectively. The specificity of FluA, FluB and RSV detected by Xpert were all lower than that of the sequencing assay: 95.42% (250/262) vs 99.24% (260/262), 99.28% (277/279) vs 99.64% (278/279) and 99.70% (335/336) vs 100.00% (336/336). The positive predictive values (PPV) of FluA, FluB and RSV detected by Xpert were lower than those of the sequencing assay: 91.30% (126/138) vs. 98.33% (118/120), 98.18% (108/110) vs. 98.92% (92/93) and 98.11% (52/53) vs. 100.00% (21/21), respectively. The negative predictive values (NPV) of FluA, FluB and RSV detected by Xpert were higher than those of the sequencing assay: 99.60% (251/252) vs. 96.67% (261/270), 99.64% (279/280) vs. 94.27% (280/297) and 100.00% (337/337) vs. 91.60% (338/369).Conclusions:The Cepheid Xpert Xpress Flu/RSV assay is a sensitive, reliable and rapid assay for the detection of FluA, FluB and RSV in pediatrics.

Objective:To investigate the cause of missed diagnosis by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) based on the characteristics of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC), and to improve the ultrasonic diagnostic accuracy of PAPVC in children.Methods:The TTE results of 252 children under 12 years old who were confirmed with PAPVC at Guangdong Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2011 to June 2019 were reviewed retrospectively.The types of PAPVC and the associated atrial septal defects (ASD) as well as the confirmed and missed cases by TTE were analyzed.Results:PAPVC was right-sided in 238 patients (94.4%), left-sided in 8 patients (3.2%), and bilateral in 6 patients (2.4%). There were 177 cases (70.2%) whose pulmonary veins were abnorma-lly connected to the right atrium(RA), 37 cases (14.7%) to the junction of the RA and the superior vena cava (SVC), 27 cases (10.7%) to the distal SVC, and 6 cases (2.4%) to the inferior vena cava.Besides, pulmonary veins of 5 cases (2.0%) flew back to the RA through the coronary sinus.One hundred and ninety PAPVC cases were combined with sinus venous defects (SVD) and 53 cases combined with secondum ASD.Two hundred and twenty-one cases were accurately diagnosed while 31 cases were underestimated by TTE.The omission diagnostic rates of right superior pulmonary veins connecting to the distal SVC, 1 or 2 right pulmonary veins connecting to the RA or the junction of the RA and SVC, and left-sided PAPVC were 8 out of 18 (44.4%), 22 out of 215 (10.2%) and 1 out of 8 (12.5%), respectively.Among 54 cases with right superior pulmonary veins anomalously connected to the RA or the junction of the RA and SVC, 88.9% of them (48/54 cases) were combined with superior SVD.Among 161 cases with the right inferior pulmonary veins or 2 right pulmonary veins connected to the RA, 78.2% of them (126/161 cases) were combined with inferior SVD.There were statistically significant differences in ASD types between the 2 right-sided PAPVC groups.Conclusions:SVD is often associated with 1 or 2 right pulmonary veins connected to the RA or the junction of the RA and SVC.The cases with right superior pulmonary veins connected to the distal SVC are prone to be underestimated by TTE.Whether there is abnormal blood flowing into SVC should be noticed during superior sternal fossa examinations.Each pulmonary vein should be examined in detail in the TTE test and accurate diagnosis of PAPVC can be made in most cases.

Objective:To evaluate a multiplex fluorescent probe real-time PCR kit in the viral pathogen detection among children with acute lower respiratory tract infections.Methods:This study used multiplex fluorescent probe real-time PCR method to detect viral pathogens in 300 nasopharyngeal swabs from children with acute lower respiratory tract infection in Beijing Children′s Hospital (influenza A/B virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus type I and parainfluenza virus type ⅡI), and liquid chip method was used for comparison. In addition, 136 positive-nasopharyngeal aspirates determined by immunofluorescence test were verified by the multiplex fluorescent probe real-time PCR method .Results:For the 300 nasopharyngeal swabs, 173 and 159 were determined positive by real-time PCR and liquid chip kit, respectively. In addition, real-time PCR method found 22 cases of mixed infection samples with two or more viral pathogens compared with the immunofluorescence method .Conclusions:The multiplex fluorescent probe real-time PCR method has high sensitivity and specificity, and has good application value for the detection of children′s acute lower respiratory tract viral pathogens.