Objective To investigate the effect of stellate ganglion block （SGB） on postoperative recovery quality， serum inflammatory factors， and neuron-specific enolase （NSE） in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. Methods A total of 92 male or female patients who underwent elective carotid endarterectomy in The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were enrolled， with an age of 40-75 years and an ASA grade of Ⅱ-Ⅲ. The patients were randomly divided into SGB group with 46 patients and control group with 46 patients. The patients in the SGB group received SGB treatment before carotid endarterectomy， while those in the control group did not undergo SGB. ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-10 （IL-10）， and NSE immediately after anesthesia intubation， before blocking， after vessel opening， at the end of surgery， and at 6 and 24 hours after surgery. Major adverse cardiac events during the perioperative period and the rate of use of vasoactive agents were recorded for both groups， as well as Mini-Mental State Examination （MMSE） score， Montreal Cognitive Assessment （MoCA） score， and Quality of Recovery-15 （QoR-15） score on day 1 before surgery and on days 3 and 7 after surgery. Results Compared with the control group， the SGB group had significantly lower serum levels of IL-1β， IL-6， and NSE and a significantly higher serum level of IL-10 （P0.05）. During the perioperative period， compared with the control group， the SGB group had significantly lower incidence rates of hypertension， nausea and vomiting， and hypoxemia and a significantly rate of use of vasoactive agents （P0.05）. The SGB group had significantly higher MMSE， MoCA， and QoR-15 scores than the control group on day 7 after surgery （P0.05）. Conclusion For patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy， SGB can effectively alleviate perioperative inflammatory response， reduce the serum level of NSE， improve the quality of short-term postoperative recovery， and reduce adverse events.

BACKGROUND: While emotional distress, encompassing anxiety and depression, has been associated with negative clinical outcomes, its impact across various clinical departments and general hospitals has been less explored. Previous studies with limited sample sizes have examined the effectiveness of specific treatments (e.g., antidepressants) rather than a systemic management strategy for outcome improvement in non-psychiatric inpatients. To enhance the understanding of the importance of addressing mental health care needs among non-psychiatric patients in general hospitals, this study retrospectively investigated the impacts of emotional distress and the effects of early detection and management of depression and anxiety on hospital length of stay (LOS) and rate of long LOS (LLOS, i.e., LOS >30 days) in a large sample of non-psychiatric inpatients. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 487,871 inpatients from 20 non-psychiatric departments of a general hospital. They were divided, according to whether they underwent a novel strategy to manage emotional distress which deployed the Huaxi Emotional Distress Index (HEI) for brief screening with grading psychological services (BS-GPS), into BS-GPS ( n = 178,883) and non-BS-GPS ( n = 308,988) cohorts. The LOS and rate of LLOS between the BS-GPS and non-BS-GPS cohorts and between subcohorts with and without clinically significant anxiety and/or depression (CSAD, i.e., HEI score ≥11 on admission to the hospital) in the BS-GPS cohort were compared using univariable analyses, multilevel analyses, and/or propensity score-matched analyses, respectively. RESULTS: The detection rate of CSAD in the BS-GPS cohort varied from 2.64% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.49%-2.81%) to 20.50% (95% CI: 19.43%-21.62%) across the 20 departments, with a average rate of 5.36%. Significant differences were observed in both the LOS and LLOS rates between the subcohorts with CSAD (12.7 days, 535/9590) and without CSAD (9.5 days, 3800/169,293) and between the BS-GPS (9.6 days, 4335/178,883) and non-BS-GPS (10.8 days, 11,483/308,988) cohorts. These differences remained significant after controlling for confounders using propensity score-matched comparisons. A multilevel analysis indicated that BS-GPS was negatively associated with both LOS and LLOS after controlling for sociodemographics and the departments of patient discharge and remained negatively associated with LLOS after controlling additionally for the year of patient discharge. CONCLUSION Emotional distress significantly prolonged the LOS and increased the LLOS of non-psychiatric inpatients across most departments and general hospitals. These impacts were moderated by the implementation of BS-GPS. Thus, BS-GPS has the potential as an effective, resource-saving strategy for enhancing mental health care and optimizing medical resources in general hospitals.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Length of Stay/statistics & numerical data* ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Psychological Distress ; Inpatients/psychology* ; Aged ; Anxiety/diagnosis* ; Depression/diagnosis*

SARS-CoV-2 and its emerging variants continue to pose a significant global public health threat. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M^pro) is a critical target for the development of antiviral agents that can inhibit viral replication and transcription. In this study, we identified chebulagic acid (CHLA), isolated from Terminalia chebula Retz., as a potent non-peptidomimetic and non-covalent M^pro inhibitor. CHLA exhibited intermolecular interactions and provided significant protection to Vero E6 cells against a range of SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the wild-type, Delta, Omicron BA.1.1, BA.2.3, BA.4, and BA.5, with EC₅₀ values below 2 μmol/L. Moreover, in vivo studies confirmed the antiviral efficacy of CHLA in K18-hACE2 mice. Notably, CHLA bound to a unique groove at the interface between M^pro domains I and II, which was revealed by the high-resolution crystal structure (1.4 Å) of the M^pro-CHLA complex, shrinking the substrate binding pocket of M^pro and inducing M^pro aggregation. CHLA was proposed to act as an allosteric inhibitor. Pharmacokinetic profiling and safety assessments underscore CHLA's potential as a promising broad-spectrum antiviral candidate. These findings report a novel binding site on M^pro and identify antiviral activity of CHLA, providing a robust framework for lead compounds discovery and elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms of inhibition.

Background: SM-like (LSM) genes a family of RNA-binding proteins, are involved in mRNA regulation and can function as oncogenes by altering mRNA stability. However, their roles in B-cell progression and tumorigenesis remain poorly understood. Methods: We analyzed gene expression profiles and overall survival data of 123 patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). The LSM index was developed to assess its potential as a prognostic marker of MCL survival. Results: Five of the eight LSM genes were identified as potential prognostic markers for survival in MCL, with particular emphasis on the LSM.index. The expression levels of these LSM genes demonstrated their potential utility as classifiers of MCL. The LSM.index-high group exhibited both poorer survival rates and lower RNA levels than did the overall transcript profile. Notably, LSM1 and LSM8 were overexpressed in the LSM.index-high group, with LSM1 showing 2.5-fold increase (p < 0.001) and LSM8 depicting 1.8-fold increase (p < 0.01) than those in the LSM.index-low group.Furthermore, elevated LSM gene expression was associated with increased cell division and RNA splicing pathway activity. Conclusions The LSM.index demonstrates potential as a prognostic marker for survival in patients with MCL. Elevated expression of LSM genes, particularly LSM1 and LSM8, may be linked to poor survival outcomes through their involvement in cell division and RNA splicing pathways. These findings suggest that LSM genes may contribute to the aggressive behavior of MCL and represent potential targets for therapeutic interventions.

Objective:To explore how to avoid screw in-out-in in fixation of femoral neck fractures with 3 cannulated screws based on analysis of 3D fine anatomical morphology of the head, neck, and proximal end of the femur.Methods:The CT data of the healthy femurs were collected retrospectively of the 22 patients with hip fracture who had been admitted to Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The First Hospital Affiliated to Dalian Medical University from September 2021 to March 2024. There were 12 males and 10 females with an age of (52.5±16.8) years. The CT data of the healthy femurs of the patients were imported into software Mimics 19.0 to establish a 3D model of the proximal femur. The fine anatomy of the head, neck, and proximal end of the femur was measured and analyzed to determine the optimal decentralized arrangement of the 3 cannulated screws at the narrowest medullary cavity along the femoral neck axis. 3D model simulation was conducted to observe and analyze the occurrence of screw in-out-in after fixation of femoral neck fracture with 3 cannulated screws in different configurations. The inclination angle of the posterior superior cortical slope of the femoral neck (i.e. negative anteversion angle) was measured. Fluoroscopy was simulated at the negative anteversion angle to observe the occurrence of in-out-in of the posterior upper screw after fixation of femoral neck fracture with 3 cannulated screws. The efficacy of the optimal configuration and fluoroscopy at the negative anteversion angle was validated in the clinical treatment of 2 patients with femoral neck fracture (one 51-year-old male patient and one 68-year-old female patient).Results:The 3D model of the head, neck, and proximal end of the femur showed that the medullary cavity of the femoral head and neck was not on the same plane of the medullary cavity of the proximal femur, but was offset forward by about 1/4 from the proximal femur [(6.16±0.86) mm]. The narrowest part of the femoral neck medullary cavity was irregular in shape. The most reasonable configuration for the decentralized arrangement of 3 cannulated screws was like an inverted right angle in shape (improved inverted right angle configuration), but not the traditional configuration of an inverted triangle in shape. In 3D model simulation, the traditional inverted triangle configuration with 3 cannulated screws led to occurrence of in-out-in of the posterior upper screw while the improved inverted right angle configuration led to no occurrence of in-out-in of the posterior upper screw. Intraoperative fluoroscopy at the negative anteversion angle (31.02°±3.32°) could be used to detect whether in-out-in of the posterior upper screw occurred or not. In the 2 patients with femoral neck fracture undergoing fixation with 3 cannulated screws in the improved inverted right angle configuration, screw in-out-in was not detected by intraoperative fluoroscopy at the negative anteversion angle or by postoperative CT scan.Conclusions:The fine anatomical morphology of the head, neck, and proximal end of the femur determines that the traditional inverted triangle configuration of cannulated screws in fixation of femoral neck fracture is likely to lead to in-out-in of the posterior upper screw while the improved inverted right angle configuration may effectively reduce the risk of in-out-in of the posterior upper screw. Intraoperative fluoroscopy at the negative anteversion angle can be used to detect timely whether in-out-in of the posterior upper screw occurs or not.

Background: SM-like (LSM) genes a family of RNA-binding proteins, are involved in mRNA regulation and can function as oncogenes by altering mRNA stability. However, their roles in B-cell progression and tumorigenesis remain poorly understood. Methods: We analyzed gene expression profiles and overall survival data of 123 patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). The LSM index was developed to assess its potential as a prognostic marker of MCL survival. Results: Five of the eight LSM genes were identified as potential prognostic markers for survival in MCL, with particular emphasis on the LSM.index. The expression levels of these LSM genes demonstrated their potential utility as classifiers of MCL. The LSM.index-high group exhibited both poorer survival rates and lower RNA levels than did the overall transcript profile. Notably, LSM1 and LSM8 were overexpressed in the LSM.index-high group, with LSM1 showing 2.5-fold increase (p < 0.001) and LSM8 depicting 1.8-fold increase (p < 0.01) than those in the LSM.index-low group.Furthermore, elevated LSM gene expression was associated with increased cell division and RNA splicing pathway activity. Conclusions The LSM.index demonstrates potential as a prognostic marker for survival in patients with MCL. Elevated expression of LSM genes, particularly LSM1 and LSM8, may be linked to poor survival outcomes through their involvement in cell division and RNA splicing pathways. These findings suggest that LSM genes may contribute to the aggressive behavior of MCL and represent potential targets for therapeutic interventions.

Background: SM-like (LSM) genes a family of RNA-binding proteins, are involved in mRNA regulation and can function as oncogenes by altering mRNA stability. However, their roles in B-cell progression and tumorigenesis remain poorly understood. Methods: We analyzed gene expression profiles and overall survival data of 123 patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). The LSM index was developed to assess its potential as a prognostic marker of MCL survival. Results: Five of the eight LSM genes were identified as potential prognostic markers for survival in MCL, with particular emphasis on the LSM.index. The expression levels of these LSM genes demonstrated their potential utility as classifiers of MCL. The LSM.index-high group exhibited both poorer survival rates and lower RNA levels than did the overall transcript profile. Notably, LSM1 and LSM8 were overexpressed in the LSM.index-high group, with LSM1 showing 2.5-fold increase (p < 0.001) and LSM8 depicting 1.8-fold increase (p < 0.01) than those in the LSM.index-low group.Furthermore, elevated LSM gene expression was associated with increased cell division and RNA splicing pathway activity. Conclusions The LSM.index demonstrates potential as a prognostic marker for survival in patients with MCL. Elevated expression of LSM genes, particularly LSM1 and LSM8, may be linked to poor survival outcomes through their involvement in cell division and RNA splicing pathways. These findings suggest that LSM genes may contribute to the aggressive behavior of MCL and represent potential targets for therapeutic interventions.

Objective:To determine the prevalence and risk factors of constipation in Hangzhou urban areas by analyzing data from a recent epidemiological survey.Methods:From August 2022 to June 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on 43 communities on eight streets in suburbs of Hangzhou, including Wangjiang, Sijiqing, Puyan, Changhe, Ziyang, Xiaoshanchengxiang, Zhuantang, and Banshan. Written questionnaires were filled out face to face by community doctors. The prevalence of constipation was investigated using a combination of the Bristol stool typing method and the Rome IV criteria. The risk factors for constipation were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results:The study cohort comprised 10,479 participants, 5551 of whom were male (53.0%) and 4928 female (47.0%). The overall prevalence of constipation was 10.6% (1107/10,479). The prevalence was 11.0% (613/5551) for male and 10.0% (494/4928) for female participants; this difference is not statistically significant ( P>0.05).There were no significant differences in the prevalence of constipation between different categories of body mass index ( P>0.05). The prevalence of constipation was highest in individuals aged 70 years and above, accounting for 15.4% (264/1717) of all cases. There were significant differences in the prevalence of constipation between different occupations, marital statuses, and educational levels ( P<0.001). Patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus had a higher prevalence of constipation than those without these conditions, those who had been taking long-term medication had a higher prevalence of constipation than those who did not, parents of children with constipation had a higher prevalence of constipation than those with children who did not have constipation, and there were other significant differences in various variables ( P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of modifiable factors revealed that eating less fruit (OR=1.284, 95%CI: 1.061–1.553, P=0.010), liking spicy and salty food (OR=1.234, 95%CI: 1.039–1.466, P=0.016), sleeping for too long (OR=1.644, 95%CI: 1.260–2.144, P<0.001), irregular sleep patterns (OR=1.370, 95%CI: 1.127–1.665, P=0.002) and minimal exercise (OR=1.388, 95% CI: 1.168–1.649, P<0.001) were all risk factors for constipation; whereas mix diets (OR=0.709,95%CI:0.608–0.826, P<0.001), meat diets (OR=0.604,95%CI: 0.495–0.736, P<0.001), moderate alcohol consumption (OR=0.659, 95% CI: 0.534–0.812, P<0.001), less or no drinking (OR=0.523, 95% CI: 0.428–0.638, P<0.001), and non-smoking (OR=0.819, 95%CI:0.674–0.995, P<0.001) protected against constipation. We found no association between dietary preferences and the risk of constipation (refined grains: OR=1.147, 95%CI:0.944–1.393, P=0.167; no specific preference: OR=0.935, 95%CI:0.783–1.117, P=0.459). The rate of agreement between self-evaluation of constipation by the respondents and objective criteria was higher for negatives (95.8%) than for positives (38.0%). Conclusion:The prevalence of constipation is relatively high in the urban population of Hangzhou. A good lifestyle and diet can significantly reduce its incidence. There should be more emphasis on preventive education, promotion of prevention of constipation, and advocacy for a healthy lifestyle.

Objective:To determine the prevalence and risk factors of constipation in Hangzhou urban areas by analyzing data from a recent epidemiological survey.Methods:From August 2022 to June 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on 43 communities on eight streets in suburbs of Hangzhou, including Wangjiang, Sijiqing, Puyan, Changhe, Ziyang, Xiaoshanchengxiang, Zhuantang, and Banshan. Written questionnaires were filled out face to face by community doctors. The prevalence of constipation was investigated using a combination of the Bristol stool typing method and the Rome IV criteria. The risk factors for constipation were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results:The study cohort comprised 10,479 participants, 5551 of whom were male (53.0%) and 4928 female (47.0%). The overall prevalence of constipation was 10.6% (1107/10,479). The prevalence was 11.0% (613/5551) for male and 10.0% (494/4928) for female participants; this difference is not statistically significant ( P>0.05).There were no significant differences in the prevalence of constipation between different categories of body mass index ( P>0.05). The prevalence of constipation was highest in individuals aged 70 years and above, accounting for 15.4% (264/1717) of all cases. There were significant differences in the prevalence of constipation between different occupations, marital statuses, and educational levels ( P<0.001). Patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus had a higher prevalence of constipation than those without these conditions, those who had been taking long-term medication had a higher prevalence of constipation than those who did not, parents of children with constipation had a higher prevalence of constipation than those with children who did not have constipation, and there were other significant differences in various variables ( P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of modifiable factors revealed that eating less fruit (OR=1.284, 95%CI: 1.061–1.553, P=0.010), liking spicy and salty food (OR=1.234, 95%CI: 1.039–1.466, P=0.016), sleeping for too long (OR=1.644, 95%CI: 1.260–2.144, P<0.001), irregular sleep patterns (OR=1.370, 95%CI: 1.127–1.665, P=0.002) and minimal exercise (OR=1.388, 95% CI: 1.168–1.649, P<0.001) were all risk factors for constipation; whereas mix diets (OR=0.709,95%CI:0.608–0.826, P<0.001), meat diets (OR=0.604,95%CI: 0.495–0.736, P<0.001), moderate alcohol consumption (OR=0.659, 95% CI: 0.534–0.812, P<0.001), less or no drinking (OR=0.523, 95% CI: 0.428–0.638, P<0.001), and non-smoking (OR=0.819, 95%CI:0.674–0.995, P<0.001) protected against constipation. We found no association between dietary preferences and the risk of constipation (refined grains: OR=1.147, 95%CI:0.944–1.393, P=0.167; no specific preference: OR=0.935, 95%CI:0.783–1.117, P=0.459). The rate of agreement between self-evaluation of constipation by the respondents and objective criteria was higher for negatives (95.8%) than for positives (38.0%). Conclusion:The prevalence of constipation is relatively high in the urban population of Hangzhou. A good lifestyle and diet can significantly reduce its incidence. There should be more emphasis on preventive education, promotion of prevention of constipation, and advocacy for a healthy lifestyle.

BackgroundFunctional near-infrared spectroscopy （fNIRS） is a new generation of imaging tool that can be used to assist the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. However， whether the patterns of prefrontal cortex activation observed by fNIRS are specific for different psychiatric disorders remains to be explored. ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of prefrontal cortex activation in patients with depression， anxiety disorder， bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in verbal fluency task （VFT） using fNIRS. MethodsFrom September to December 2021， 39 patients with schizophrenia， 205 patients with depressive disorder， 212 patients with anxiety disorder and 77 patients with bipolar disorder meeting the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5） were recruited in the outpatient and inpatient department of West China Hospital， Sichuan University. fNIRS was used to monitor the prefrontal cortex hemodynamic changes of patients under VFT， and the clinical symptoms of patients were assessed by Symptom Checklist 90 （SCL-90） and Hypomania Checklist-32 items（HCL-32）. Differences in mean oxyhemoglobin （HbO₂） concentration and the initial slope from 2 to 7 second during VFT were compared among patients with different diseases， and the correlation between mean HbO₂ concentration/initial slope and clinical symptoms was analyzed by partial correlation analysis. ResultsThe concentration of HbO₂ in channel 4 （Z=2.828， P=0.028） and channel 6 （Z=2.912， P=0.022） in patients with depression were significantly higher than those in patients with schizophrenia. Patients with anxiety had significantly higher changes in mean HbO₂ concentration in channel 4 （Z=3.154， P=0.010）， channel 5 （Z=3.021， P=0.015）， channel 6 （Z=2.980， P=0.017） and of all channels （Z=2.881， P=0.024） than those of schizophrenia patients. There was a statistically significant difference in the initial slope of channel 3 between patients with depressive disorder and those with bipolar disorder （Z=2.691， P=0.039）. Among patients with bipolar disorder， the anger-hostility scores of SCL-90 were negatively correlated with the mean HbO₂ concentration changes in channel 4 （r=-0.505， P=0.004）， channel 6 （r=-0.390， P=0.004）， channel 15 （r=-0.546， P=0.002）， channel 16 （r=-0.550， P=0.002） and the mean HbO₂ concentration changes of all channels （r=-0.491， P=0.006）. ConclusionPatients with schizophrenia had lower activation in frontopolar and orbitofrontal region than patients with depression and anxiety disorder， and the initial slope of the right frontopolar， inferior frontal and orbitofrontal region in patients with depression is higher than patients with bipolar disorder. In addition， patients with bipolar disorder had less activation in the frontopolar and orbitofrontal lobe， the insular cover of Broca's area and the upper outer frontal cortex， and were more irritable and hostile. ［Funded by 1·3·5 Project for Disciplines of Excellence-Clinical Research Incubation Project， West China Hospital， Sichuan University （number， ZYJC21083）］