Azvudine and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) are recommended for COVID-19 treatment in China, but their safety and efficacy in the elderly population are not fully known. In this multicenter, retrospective, cohort study, we identified 5131 elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients from 32,864 COVID-19 patients admitted to nine hospitals in Henan Province, China, from December 5, 2022, to January 31, 2023. The primary outcome was all-cause death, and the secondary outcome was composite disease progression. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to control for confounding factors, including demographics, vaccination status, comorbidities, and laboratory tests. After 2:1 PSM, 1786 elderly patients receiving azvudine and 893 elderly patients receiving Paxlovid were included. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses revealed that compared with Paxlovid group, azvudine could significantly reduce the risk of all-cause death (log-rank P = 0.002; HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.573-0.883, P = 0.002), but there was no difference in composite disease progression (log-rank P = 0.52; HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.877-1.260, P = 0.588). Four sensitivity analyses verified the robustness of above results. Subgroup analysis suggested that a greater benefit of azvudine over Paxlovid was observed in elderly patients with primary malignant tumors (P for interaction = 0.005, HR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.18-0.57) compared to patients without primary malignant tumors. Safety analysis revealed that azvudine treatment had a lower incidence of adverse events and higher lymphocyte levels than Paxlovid treatment. In conclusion, azvudine treatment is not inferior to Paxlovid treatment in terms of all-cause death, composite disease progression and adverse events in elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

The Department of Thoracic Surgery of Shanghai Chest Hospital has performed esophageal function testing for over 30 years, being the only department of its kind in China with this capability. The pressure testing and 24-hour pH/impedance monitoring of the esophagus is of great help to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant esophageal diseases related to it. Thanks to the esophageal function test, in addition to the routine various endoscopic anti-reflux procedures, our hospital has taken the lead in China in recent years to carry out a series of clinical and research work for benign esophageal diseases, such as the development of magnetic ring, double nedoscopic combination and new anti-reflux endoscopic techniques. In recent years, we have carried out high-resolution esophageal manometry and 24-hour pH/impedance monitoring for patients with interstitial pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis suspected to be caused by gastroesophageal acid reflux. We can better assess the correlation between gastroesophageal reflux and pulmonary fibrosis, and to provide the different clinical treatments and even surgical interventions. The Bravo capsule is used more often in the United States, and it has obvious advantages over traditional approach for acid measurement. We strongly call for the collaboration between industry and academic institutions in this field, and the development of our own related products with independent intellectual property rights.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis(PaeP).Methods Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis(PDAP)patients who were followed up in the nephrology outpatient department of a hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively.According to bacterial culture results,patients were divided into the PaeP group and non-PaeP group.Clinical characteristics of PaeP patients and antimicrobial susceptibility testing results of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were analyzed,clinical manifestations,laboratory test results,and prognosis of two groups of patients were compared.Results A total of 124 peritoneal dialysis patients were included in analysis,164 cases of peritoni-tis occurred,16 cases were in the PaeP group and 148 in the non-PaeP group.11 patients developed 16 episodes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection,accounting for 8.9％of PDAP patients.Among them,4 patients had peritoneal dialysis catheter exit-site infection,with 5 recurrence cases,1 case cured,1 case died,and 9 cases were extubated.Among the extubated patients,1 withdrew dialysis,3 were recovered to peritoneal dialysis after hemodialysis,5 changed to permanently hemodialysis,with a technical failure rate of 54.5％.Compared with the non-PaeP group,patients in the PaeP group had a shorter dialysis time(13.83±4.92 vs 38.53±35.77 months).During the infection period,C-reactive protein levels were higher(96.61±6.17 vs 45.87±44.65 mg/L),while albumin levels were lower(25.62±4.42 vs 29.46±8.25 g/L).At the onset of infection,the proportion of polymorphonuclear cells in perito-neal dialysis fluid was relatively higher.On the 5th day of treatment,the negative conversion rate of white blood cell count in peritoneal dialysis fluid was relatively low.Differences were all statistically significant(all P＜0.05).The cure rate of patients in the PaeP group was lower than that in the non-PaeP group,the technical failure rate was higher than that in the non-PaeP group,both with statistically significant differences(both P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the mortality between two groups of patients(P＞0.05).Conclusion PaeP patients have severe clinical manifestations,poor clinical treatment prognosis,high recurrence and extubation rates.For patients with repeated episodes,resetting and replacing the tunnel after extubation is an effective means to re-duce technical failures.

The blood products industry,both domestically and internationally,exhibits distinct features in product research,development,and technological innovation.International companies possess extensive expertise in developing immunoglobulins,coagulation factors,and recombinant plasma protein products,demonstrating continuous advancements-particularly in specific immunoglobulin development,long-acting formulation optimization,and manufacturing process improvements.In recent years,Chinese enterprises have also achieved notable progress in related fields,especially in immunoglobulin process refinement and the development of novel recombinant coagulation factor products.However,there remains significant scope for improvement in areas such as the application of recombinant protein technologies,efficient utilization of plasma resources,and the adoption of advanced manufacturing techniques.Additional challenges include the accumulation of patented technologies,the supply of critical raw materials,and access to comprehensive epidemiological data.Driven by ongoing advances in gene recombination technologies,innovations in drug delivery systems,digital transformation,and the rise of personalized medicine,the blood products industry is poised for broader development prospects.To foster sustained and stable domestic industry growth and enhance global competitiveness,Chinese blood product enterprises should intensify their technological accumulation,upgrade manufacturing processes,and optimize plasma resource utilization.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis(PaeP).Methods Peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis(PDAP)patients who were followed up in the nephrology outpatient department of a hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively.According to bacterial culture results,patients were divided into the PaeP group and non-PaeP group.Clinical characteristics of PaeP patients and antimicrobial susceptibility testing results of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were analyzed,clinical manifestations,laboratory test results,and prognosis of two groups of patients were compared.Results A total of 124 peritoneal dialysis patients were included in analysis,164 cases of peritoni-tis occurred,16 cases were in the PaeP group and 148 in the non-PaeP group.11 patients developed 16 episodes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection,accounting for 8.9％of PDAP patients.Among them,4 patients had peritoneal dialysis catheter exit-site infection,with 5 recurrence cases,1 case cured,1 case died,and 9 cases were extubated.Among the extubated patients,1 withdrew dialysis,3 were recovered to peritoneal dialysis after hemodialysis,5 changed to permanently hemodialysis,with a technical failure rate of 54.5％.Compared with the non-PaeP group,patients in the PaeP group had a shorter dialysis time(13.83±4.92 vs 38.53±35.77 months).During the infection period,C-reactive protein levels were higher(96.61±6.17 vs 45.87±44.65 mg/L),while albumin levels were lower(25.62±4.42 vs 29.46±8.25 g/L).At the onset of infection,the proportion of polymorphonuclear cells in perito-neal dialysis fluid was relatively higher.On the 5th day of treatment,the negative conversion rate of white blood cell count in peritoneal dialysis fluid was relatively low.Differences were all statistically significant(all P＜0.05).The cure rate of patients in the PaeP group was lower than that in the non-PaeP group,the technical failure rate was higher than that in the non-PaeP group,both with statistically significant differences(both P＜0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the mortality between two groups of patients(P＞0.05).Conclusion PaeP patients have severe clinical manifestations,poor clinical treatment prognosis,high recurrence and extubation rates.For patients with repeated episodes,resetting and replacing the tunnel after extubation is an effective means to re-duce technical failures.

The blood products industry,both domestically and internationally,exhibits distinct features in product research,development,and technological innovation.International companies possess extensive expertise in developing immunoglobulins,coagulation factors,and recombinant plasma protein products,demonstrating continuous advancements-particularly in specific immunoglobulin development,long-acting formulation optimization,and manufacturing process improvements.In recent years,Chinese enterprises have also achieved notable progress in related fields,especially in immunoglobulin process refinement and the development of novel recombinant coagulation factor products.However,there remains significant scope for improvement in areas such as the application of recombinant protein technologies,efficient utilization of plasma resources,and the adoption of advanced manufacturing techniques.Additional challenges include the accumulation of patented technologies,the supply of critical raw materials,and access to comprehensive epidemiological data.Driven by ongoing advances in gene recombination technologies,innovations in drug delivery systems,digital transformation,and the rise of personalized medicine,the blood products industry is poised for broader development prospects.To foster sustained and stable domestic industry growth and enhance global competitiveness,Chinese blood product enterprises should intensify their technological accumulation,upgrade manufacturing processes,and optimize plasma resource utilization.

Standardized patient (SP) has been widely used for medical teaching and assessment in medical colleges at home and abroad. Pediatric consultations are mostly directed toward parents, so in pediatric education, SP is usually referred to as standardized family (Sfam), which is trained to portray the patient's family members. At present, the development of Sfam in pediatric teaching in China is relatively slow. Based on the characteristics of pediatric teaching, the paper summarizes the necessity of Sfam, the application of different types of Sfam, the integration of Sfam with other clinical teaching methods, and the value of Sfam in pediatric teaching, and also discusses the future direction and prospects of Sfam combined with artificial intelligence in pediatric teaching. After years of development, Sfam has been proved to be an effective teaching model. We hope this paper can help more pediatric clinical educators gain a deeper understanding of the Sfam teaching method, and promote the application of Sfam in pediatric teaching to maximize its role in advancing the development of pediatric education.

Objective·To compare the prognostic effects of radical resection of esophageal cancer,concurrent chemoradiotherapy and simple follow-up observation on the prognosis of patients with T1b invasion of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD).Methods·From May 2016 to May 2021,the clinical data of 67 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who were pathologically confirmed as pT1b after ESD and treated in Shanghai Chest Hospital were retrospectively analyzed.According to the additional treatment after ESD,the patients were divided into additional surgery group(S group),chemoradio-therapy group(CRT group)and observation group(O group).χ2 test was used to compare the clinical baseline data and pathological information of the three groups of patients.The Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were used to compare the disease free survival(DFS)and recurrence free survival(RFS)of the three groups of patients,and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used on DFS and RFS by univariate and multivariate analysis.Results·Among all 67 patients,there were 23 cases in the S group,19 cases in the CRT group,and 25 cases in the O group.There was no significant difference in age(P=0.080),gender(P=0.078),tumor length(P=0.485),tumor location(P=0.655),lesion circumferential ratio(P= 0.310),histological grading(P=0.084),depth of tumor invasion(P=0.066)and lymphovascular invasion(P=0.279)among the three groups.During(42.6±16.7)months of follow-up,tumor recurrence was observed in 10 cases(14.9%),including 6 patients(60%)with local recurrence,2 patients(20%)with regional lymph recurrence and 2 patients(20%)with distant metastasis.The median recurrence time of group S,group CRT,and group O was 40.1,36.6,and 22.1 months,and the 3-year DFSs were 100%,89.5%,and 74.5%(P-trend=0.040).Multivariate Cox analysis showed that additional esophagectomy was the key to improving independent protective factors of RFS(HR=0.097,95%CI 0.010?0.956,P=0.046).Conclusion·For patients with superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma confirmed as pT1b after ESD,additional surgery can significantly reduce the possibility of long-term recurrence.

Pigeons show flocking and homing behaviors,which require characteristics including long-distance weight-bearing and continuous flight,with excellent navigation and spatial cognitive abilities.Pigeons have been widely used in animal robot research in recent years.Pigeon robots achieve motor behavior control by applying neural information intervention to specific neural targets in the pigeon's brain.This review summarizes research progress in pigeon robots based on the sensory system,motivation and emotional system or cortex and midbrain motor area respectively,according to the distribution of hierarchical multi-level neural regulatory targets in the pigeon's brain,with the aim of providing reference and guidance for further applied research into the use of pigeon robots in space perception,reconnaissance,and anti-terrorism search and rescue.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of sevoflurane on Ca 2+ transporter expression in cardiomyocytes during right ventricular remodeling in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Methods:Twenty-four clean-grade healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 8-10 weeks, weighing 200-250 g, were divided into 4 groups ( n=6 each) by the random number table method: control group (CM group), sevoflurane group (CS group), monocrotaline group (M group) and sevoflurane + monocrotaline group (S group). Monocrotaline 60 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected in group M and group S, and monocrotaline lysate was intraperitoneally injected in group CM. The rats in S and CS groups inhaled 2.5% sevoflurane for 1 h, twice a week, at an interval of 3 days starting from the first day after injection of monocrotaline. Pulmonary artery acceleration time and pulmonary artery ejection time were measured by transthoracic echocardiography at 6 weeks after monocrotaline injection. The chest was exposed under 3% sevoflurane anesthesia, the heart was perfused, and the pulmonary artery branch and right ventricular myocardial tissues were retained. The wall thickness of pulmonary arterioles and cross-section area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes were observed by HE staining. The expression of Ca 2+ transporter in right ventricular cardiomyocytes was detected by Western blot. Results:Compared with CM group, the ratio of pulmonary artery acceleration time to pulmonary artery ejection time was significantly decreased, the cross-section area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes was increased, the wall thickness of pulmonary arteriole was increased, the expression of type 1 sodium-calcium exchange and inositol triphosphate receptor was up-regulated, and the expression of voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel α1C subunit, type 2 ryanodine receptor, sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump 2α and proteinphilin-2 was down-regulated in M group ( P<0.01). Compared with group M, the ratio of pulmonary artery acceleration time to pulmonary artery ejection time was significantly increased, the cross-section area of right ventricular cardiomyocytes was decreased, the wall thickness of pulmonary arteriole was decreased, the expression of type 1 sodium-calcium exchange and inositol triphosphate receptor was down-regulated, and the expression of voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel α1C subunit, type 2 ryanodine receptor, sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump 2α and proteinphilin-2 was up-regulated in group S ( P<0.01). Conclusions:The mechanism by which sevoflurane improves right ventricular remodeling is related to regulating the expression of Ca 2+ transporter in cardiomyocytes of rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension.