Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an elevated amount of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the heart. However, the persistence of cardiac fibrosis ultimately diminishes contractility and precipitates cardiac dysfunction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we elucidate the functional role of a specific circular RNA CELF1 in cardiac fibrosis and delineate a novel feedback loop mechanism. Functionally, circ-CELF1 was involved in enhancing fibrosis-related markers' expression and promoting the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), thereby exacerbating cardiac fibrosis. Mechanistically, circ-CELF1 reduced the ubiquitination-degradation rate of BRPF3, leading to an elevation of BRPF3 protein levels. Additionally, BRPF3 acted as a modular scaffold for the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase KAT7 to facilitate the induction of H3K14 acetylation within the promoters of the Celf1 gene. Thus, the transcription of Celf1 was dramatically activated, thereby inhibiting the subsequent response of their downstream target gene Smad7 expression to promote cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, Celf1 further promoted Celf1 pre-mRNA transcription and back-splicing, thereby establishing a feedback loop for circ-CELF1 production. Consequently, a novel feedback loop involving CELF1/circ-CELF1/BRPF3/KAT7 was established, suggesting that circ-CELF1 may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.

Bio-mineralization has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance vaccine immunogenicity. This study optimized the calcium phosphate (CaP) mineralization process of foot-and-mouth disease virus-like particles (FMD VLPs) to achieve high mineralization efficiency and scalability. Key parameters, including concentrations of Ca²⁺, HPO₄^2-, NaCl, and VLPs, as well as stirring speed, were systematically optimized. Stability of the scaled-up reaction system and immunogenicity of the mineralized vaccine were evaluated. Optimal conditions [25.50 mmol/L Ca(NO₃)₂, 15 mmol/L Na₂HPO₄, 300 mmol/L NaCl, 0.75 mg/mL VLPs, and 1 500 r/min] yielded CaP-mineralized VLPs (VLPs-CaP) with high mineralization efficiency, uniform morphology, and a favorable particle size. Scaling up the reaction by 25 folds maintained consistent mineralization efficiency and particle characteristics. Immunization in mice demonstrated that VLPs-CaP induced higher titers of specific antibodies and neutralizing antibodies than unmineralized VLPs (P < 0.05). Higher IgG2a/IgG1 ratio and enhanced IFN-γ secretion (P < 0.05) further indicated robust cellular immune responses. We establish a stable and scalable protocol for VLPs-CaP, providing a theoretical and technical foundation for developing high-efficacy VLPs-CaP vaccines.
Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle/immunology* ; Immunogenicity, Vaccine ; Calcium Phosphates/chemistry* ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus ; Biomineralization ; Particle Size ; Animals ; Mice ; Antibodies, Neutralizing/blood* ; Antibodies, Viral/blood* ; Immunity, Cellular

ObjectiveTo investigate the influencing factors for recompensation in patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis， and to establish a predictive model. MethodsA total of 217 patients who were diagnosed with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis and were admitted to The Third People’s Hospital of Kunming l from January， 2019 to December， 2022 were enrolled， among whom 63 patients who were readmitted within at least 1 year and had no portal hypertension-related complications were enrolled as recompensation group， and 154 patients without recompensation were enrolled as control group. Related clinical data were collected， and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for the factors that may affect the occurrence of recompensation. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed measurement data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed measurement data between two groups； the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. A binary Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for recompensation in patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis， and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess the predictive performance of the model. ResultsAmong the 217 patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis， 63 （29.03%） had recompensation. There were significant differences between the recompensation group and the control group in HIV history （χ²=4.566， P=0.034）， history of partial splenic embolism （χ²=6.687， P=0.014）， Child-Pugh classification （χ²=11.978， P=0.003）， grade of ascites （χ²=14.229， P<0.001）， albumin （t=4.063， P<0.001）， prealbumin （Z=-3.077， P=0.002）， high-density lipoprotein （t=2.854， P=0.011）， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （Z=-2.447， P=0.014）， prothrombin time （Z=-2.441， P=0.015）， carcinoembryonic antigen （Z=-2.113， P=0.035）， alpha-fetoprotein （AFP） （Z=-2.063， P=0.039）， CA125 （Z=-2.270， P=0.023）， TT3 （Z=-3.304， P<0.001）， TT4 （Z=-2.221， P=0.026）， CD45⁺ （Z=-2.278， P=0.023）， interleukin-5 （Z=-2.845， P=0.004）， tumor necrosis factor-α （Z=-2.176， P=0.030）， and portal vein width （Z=-5.283， P=0.005）. The multivariate analysis showed that history of partial splenic embolism （odds ratio ［OR］=3.064， P=0.049）， HIV history （OR=0.195， P=0.027）， a small amount of ascites （OR=3.390， P=0.017）， AFP （OR=1.003， P=0.004）， and portal vein width （OR=0.600， P<0.001） were independent influencing factors for the occurrence of recompensation in patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis. The ROC curve analysis showed that HIV history， grade of ascites， history of partial splenic embolism， AFP， portal vein width， and the combined predictive model of these indices had an area under the ROC curve of 0.556， 0.641， 0.560， 0.589， 0.745， and 0.817， respectively. ConclusionFor patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis， those with a history of partial splenic embolism， a small amount of ascites， and an increase in AFP level are more likely to experience recompensation， while those with a history of HIV and an increase in portal vein width are less likely to experience recompensation.

Objective: To investigate the spatio-temporal clustering characteristics of influenza in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from 2014 to 2023, so as to provide the basis for strengthening influenza prevention and control. Methods: Data pertaining to influenza cases reported in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from 2014 to 2023 were retrieved from the Infectious Disease Surveillance System of the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System, including age, sex, current residence, onset date, and reporting date. The seasonal incidence of influenza was analyzed using seasonal index. The spatio-temporal clustering characteristics of influenza were identified using spatial autocorrelation analysis and spatio-temporal scan analysis. Results: A total of 20 377 influenza cases were reported in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from 2014 to 2023, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.15∶1. The majority were children under 15 years, with 10 950 cases accounting for 53.74%. Influenza was highly prevalent in January, February, March, and December, with seasonal indices of 219.06%, 111.00%, 246.65%, and 366.24%, respectively. The average annual reported incidence was 29.55/100 000, among which Pengyang County, Jinfeng District, Dawukou District, Xiji County, and Litong District had higher average annual reported incidence, at 63.99/100 000, 55.71/100 000, 55.70/100 000, 49.49/100 000, and 49.04/100 000, respectively. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that in 2023, there was spatial clustering of influenza cases in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (Moran's I=0.333, P<0.05), with a high-high cluster in Jingyuan County, while in other years, the distribution of influenza cases was random (all P>0.05). Spatio-temporal scan analysis showed that from 2014 to 2023, there were four space-time clusters in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, including one type Ⅰ cluster in Hongsibao District of Wuzhong City, with the clustering period from January 20 to 26, 2014; and three type Ⅱ clusters, mainly in January, February, March and December, covering one area in Shizuishan City, five areas in Guyuan City, one area in Zhongwei City, three areas in Wuzhong City, and four areas in Yinchuan City. Conclusions From 2014 to 2023, children under 15 years were the primary population affected by influenza in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, with distinct spatio-temporal distribution characteristics. The peak incidence occurred during the winter and spring seasons, and the main clustering areas were in the southern regions.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features, pathological classification, and molecular characteristics of pulmonary hamartomas.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 316 cases of pulmonary hamartomas diagnosed at Nanjing Chest Hospital, Nanjing, China from January 2015 to June 2024. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was performed on 15 cases of this study. The clinical data, histopathological features, immunophenotypes, and molecular alterations were analyzed. Relevant literature was reviewed.Results:Among the 316 patients, there were 154 males and 162 females, with an average age of 56±10 years. Among the 316 cases, 310 were intrapulmonary hamartomas and 6 were intraluminal bronchial hamartomas. Microscopically, there were complex proliferative mesenchymal components and epithelial components, presenting various combinations and hamartomatous morphologies. These hamartomas were morphologically classified into mesenchymal-type hamartomas (cartilaginous, fibrous, smooth muscle, adipose tissue, and mixed types) and epithelial-mesenchymal mixed-type hamartomas (respiratory epithelial-mesenchymal mixed and mucosal gland-mesenchymal mixed types). The cartilaginous hamartomas accounted for 72.8% (230/316) of them, and the non-cartilaginous hamartoma accounted for 27.2% (86/316). Secondary changes such as calcification, ossification, collagenization, mucin degeneration, and cystic changes were commonly present. The immunophenotype was CK7 +/TTF1 + for respiratory epithelial cells, or TTF1 -/CK7 +/p40 + for interstitial cells. Interstitial cells might express desmin, SMA, S-100, caldesmon, etc, while CD34 +/CD10 +/ER + spindle-shaped interstitial cells were also commonly noted. Genetic variations were detected in 11 of the 15 cases that were subject to NGS, including HMGA2-related fusion genes, EP300 mutations, FLT1 mutations, JAK1 mutations, SETD2 and TAP2 mutations, and high-copy amplification of CDK4/PHF1/TSPAN31. The patients were followed up for 6 to 110 months without any known recurrence or metastasis. Conclusions:Pulmonary hamartomas mainly occur in the peripheral lung parenchyma, with the cartilaginous type being the most common. Their clinical pathological and molecular features of pulmonary hamartomas are characterized and the histological types are roughly ascertained in this study, with emphasis of the key points of diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Classification of pulmonary hamartomas is valuable for guiding future research. Pulmonary hamartomas overall have a good prognosis. However, those with cystic changes or intraluminal hamartomas in the bronchus may cause serious airway lesions and therefore require special attention.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features, pathological classification, and molecular characteristics of pulmonary hamartomas.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 316 cases of pulmonary hamartomas diagnosed at Nanjing Chest Hospital, Nanjing, China from January 2015 to June 2024. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was performed on 15 cases of this study. The clinical data, histopathological features, immunophenotypes, and molecular alterations were analyzed. Relevant literature was reviewed.Results:Among the 316 patients, there were 154 males and 162 females, with an average age of 56±10 years. Among the 316 cases, 310 were intrapulmonary hamartomas and 6 were intraluminal bronchial hamartomas. Microscopically, there were complex proliferative mesenchymal components and epithelial components, presenting various combinations and hamartomatous morphologies. These hamartomas were morphologically classified into mesenchymal-type hamartomas (cartilaginous, fibrous, smooth muscle, adipose tissue, and mixed types) and epithelial-mesenchymal mixed-type hamartomas (respiratory epithelial-mesenchymal mixed and mucosal gland-mesenchymal mixed types). The cartilaginous hamartomas accounted for 72.8% (230/316) of them, and the non-cartilaginous hamartoma accounted for 27.2% (86/316). Secondary changes such as calcification, ossification, collagenization, mucin degeneration, and cystic changes were commonly present. The immunophenotype was CK7 +/TTF1 + for respiratory epithelial cells, or TTF1 -/CK7 +/p40 + for interstitial cells. Interstitial cells might express desmin, SMA, S-100, caldesmon, etc, while CD34 +/CD10 +/ER + spindle-shaped interstitial cells were also commonly noted. Genetic variations were detected in 11 of the 15 cases that were subject to NGS, including HMGA2-related fusion genes, EP300 mutations, FLT1 mutations, JAK1 mutations, SETD2 and TAP2 mutations, and high-copy amplification of CDK4/PHF1/TSPAN31. The patients were followed up for 6 to 110 months without any known recurrence or metastasis. Conclusions:Pulmonary hamartomas mainly occur in the peripheral lung parenchyma, with the cartilaginous type being the most common. Their clinical pathological and molecular features of pulmonary hamartomas are characterized and the histological types are roughly ascertained in this study, with emphasis of the key points of diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Classification of pulmonary hamartomas is valuable for guiding future research. Pulmonary hamartomas overall have a good prognosis. However, those with cystic changes or intraluminal hamartomas in the bronchus may cause serious airway lesions and therefore require special attention.

Objective:To investigate the effects of regular yoga practice on pulmonary function and mechanical parameters of diaphragm.Methods:Eighty regular yoga practitioners, including 40 practicing for≤5 year (yoga≤5 years group) and 40 for>5 year (yoga>5 years group) were recruited in Shanxi Norman Bethune Hospital from January 2024 to April 2024; and 40 sedentary subjects were also recruited as the control group. The diaphragmatic motion was evaluated by two-dimensional ultrasound and speckle tracking ultrasound in all subjects, the parameters, including displacement, fractional thickening, strain and strain rate of diaphragm were observed at rest and deep breathing. At the same time, the pulmonary function tests were performed, the indexes including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1) and one-second rate (FEV 1/FVC) were measured in all subjects. The mechanical parameters of diaphragm and the pulmonary function were compared among three groups. Results:There were no significant differences in gender ( χ2= 0.346), age ( F=1.16), height ( F=0.45), weight ( F=0.11) and body mass index (BMI) ( F=0.07) among the three groups (all P>0.05).At the rest status, there was no significant difference in diaphragm displacement, thickening rate and strain among three groups ( F=1.21, 2.10 and 0.23,all P>0.05); the strain rate of yoga>5 years group was lower than that of other two groups ( t=-4.23、-4.10, all P<0.05); however, there was no significant difference between yoga≤5 years group and control group ( t=-0.06, P>0.05). During deep breathing, the increment of displacement, thickening rate, strain and strain rate of diaphragm in yoga>5 years group was larger than that in other tow groups, while the increment of yoga≤5 years group was larger than that in control group ( F=25.82, 60.99, 17.29 and 52.46, all P<0.05); the increment of FVC, FEV 1 and FEV 1/FVC in yoga>5 years group was larger than other two groups, whilc the increment of yoga≤5 years group was larger than that of sedentary group (F=4.49, 7.32 and 39.71, all P<0.05). The diaphragmatic displacement was positively correlated with FVC ( r=0.290, P<0.05), and diaphragmatic displacement and thickening rate were positively correlated with FEV 1 and FEV 1/FVC (0.333 and 0.448, 0.231 and 0.599, all P<0.05), the strain and strain rate of diaphragm were negatively correlated with FEV 1 and FEV 1/FVC ( r=-0.399 and -0.719, -0.355 and -0.796, all P<0.05). Conclusion:The regular yoga practice can improve the movement capacity and efficiency of diaphragm, improve the pulmonary function, and there is a negative correlation between the strain rate and the mechanical parameters of diaphragm and FEV 1, FEV 1/FVC.

Objective:To investigate the neuropsychological and imaging features of patients with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA).Methods:Patients of PCA, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), typical Alzheimer′s disease (t-AD) who were diagnosed in the Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University from September 27, 2019, to September 24, 2021 were enrolled, and the normal controls who visited the Outpatient and Physical Examination Centers of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University and Rizhao People′s Hospital at the same time were enrolled, too. Neuropsychological assessments, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT data of the 4-group subjects were collected. Variance analysis was used to compare the differences in neuropsychological performance among the 4 groups, and the imaging features of PCA patients were summarized.Results:Eleven PCA patients, 17 DLB patients, 31 t-AD patients, and 11 normal controls were included in the study. The cognitive function of patients in the PCA group [Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score 13.52±1.81; Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score 7.06±1.72] was significantly impaired compared to the normal control group (MMSE score 27.85±1.75, t=-6.561, P<0.001; MoCA score 23.60±1.59, t=-7.968, P<0.001]. However, there was no statistically significant difference compared to the DLB group and the t-AD group. Patients in the PCA group exhibited more severe impairments in attention, executive function, and language compared to the DLB group (Trail Making Test A score: 298.86±16.16 vs 110.07±18.62, t=9.980, P<0.001; Trail Making Test B score: 305.51±18.89 vs 230.34±23.59, t=2.865, P=0.024; Boston Naming Test score: 8.67±1.53 vs 15.66±1.56, t=-2.682, P=0.013) and the t-AD group (148.91±12.77, t=7.071, P<0.001; 200.78±19.34, t=3.789, P=0.004; 15.15±1.05, t=-2.544, P=0.016). Scores for visuospatial function [PCA group: 1(0, 1), normal control group: 3(3, 3), Z=-4.023, P<0.001] and visual perception [PCA group: 0(0, 1), normal control group: 35(34, 36), Z=-3.704, P<0.001] were significantly lower in the PCA group compared to the normal control group. The cranial MRI findings of PCA patients showed atrophy of the parietal and occipital lobes, with less obvious atrophy of the medial temporal lobe, which can be distinguished from t-AD. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT of the PCA patients showed a relative reduced glucose metabolism in the bilateral parietal lobe, occipital lobe and posterior cingulate gyrus, while the 18F-florbetapir PET/CT showed deposition of amyloid protein in the bilateral frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and cingulate gyrus. Conclusions:PCA patients exhibit neuropsychological characteristics of visuospatial dysfunction, along with impairments in various cognitive domains such as memory, attention, and executive functions. The typical MRI feature is parietal occipital lobe atrophy, and the PET/CT findings are consistent with metabolic changes in AD.