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.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mechanism by which astragaloside IV (AS-IV) alleviates D-galactose (D-GAL)-induced senescence in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS: Cultured HUVECs were treated with D-GAL (40 g/L), AS-IV (200 μmol/L), D-GAL+AS-IV, or D-GAL+AS-IV+MTK458 (a mitochondrial autophagy agonist, 25 μmol/L) for 48 h, and the changes in cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis capacity were evaluated. Cell apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and expressions of autophagy-related proteins (LC3-II/LC3-I) and PINK1/Parkin pathway proteins in the treated cells were detected. RESULTS: AS-IV treatment significantly reduced the inhibitory effect of D-GAL on HUVEC viability, effectively alleviated D-GAL-induced impairment of tube-forming ability, and promoted angiogenesis and migration ability of the cells. AS-IV also significantly reduced the rate of D-GAL-induced HUVECs positive for senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining and inhibited the expression of senescence-related genes P21 and P53. AS-IV restored mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced intracellular ROS levels in D-GAL-induced HUVECs, and inhibited the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes to prevent the completion of autophagic flux. In HUVECs treated with both D-GAL and AS-IV, the application MTK458 significantly increased the number of yellow spots and enhanced the expressions of P21, P53, PINK1, Parkin, LC3, and Beclin proteins. CONCLUSIONS AS-IV alleviates D-GAL-induced endothelial cell senescence by inhibiting the PINK1/Parkin pathway to regulate mitochondrial autophagy.
Humans ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/drug effects* ; Cellular Senescence/drug effects* ; Autophagy/drug effects* ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/metabolism* ; Mitochondria/drug effects* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Protein Kinases/metabolism* ; Galactose/pharmacology* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Cells, Cultured ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects*

Schizophrenia (SZ) stands as a severe psychiatric disorder. This study applied diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data in conjunction with graph neural networks to distinguish SZ patients from normal controls (NCs) and showcases the superior performance of a graph neural network integrating combined fractional anisotropy and fiber number brain network features, achieving an accuracy of 73.79% in distinguishing SZ patients from NCs. Beyond mere discrimination, our study delved deeper into the advantages of utilizing white matter brain network features for identifying SZ patients through interpretable model analysis and gene expression analysis. These analyses uncovered intricate interrelationships between brain imaging markers and genetic biomarkers, providing novel insights into the neuropathological basis of SZ. In summary, our findings underscore the potential of graph neural networks applied to multimodal DTI data for enhancing SZ detection through an integrated analysis of neuroimaging and genetic features.
Humans ; Schizophrenia/pathology* ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Brain/metabolism* ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; White Matter/pathology* ; Gene Expression ; Nerve Net/diagnostic imaging* ; Graph Neural Networks

OBJECTIVE: This study reports the first imported case of Lassa fever (LF) in China. Laboratory detection and molecular epidemiological analysis of the Lassa virus (LASV) from this case offer valuable insights for the prevention and control of LF. METHODS: Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, saliva, and environmental materials were collected from the patient and their close contacts for LASV nucleotide detection. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on positive samples to analyze the genetic characteristics of the virus. RESULTS: LASV was detected in the patient's CSF, blood, and urine, while all samples from close contacts and the environment tested negative. The virus belongs to the lineage IV strain and shares the highest homology with strains from Sierra Leone. The variability in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) among different strains ranged from 3.9% to 15.1%, higher than previously reported for the seven known lineages. Amino acid mutation analysis revealed multiple mutations within the GPC immunogenic epitopes, increasing strain diversity and potentially impacting immune response. CONCLUSION The case was confirmed through nucleotide detection, with no evidence of secondary transmission or viral spread. The LASV strain identified belongs to lineage IV, with broader GPC variability than previously reported. Mutations in the immune-related sites of GPC may affect immune responses, necessitating heightened vigilance regarding the virus.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Genome, Viral ; Lassa Fever/virology* ; Lassa virus/classification* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Phylogeny

AIM To optimize the extraction process for Bletillae Rhizoma,and to evaluate its anti-oxidant,tyrosinase inhibitory activities.METHODS With ultrasound time,ethanol concentration and solid-liquid ratio as influencing factors,the total extraction content of gastrodin,protocatechualdehyde,p-hydroxybenzaldehyde,1,4-bis[4-(gluconoxy)benzyl]-2-isobutylmalate-2-glucoside,1,4-bis[4-(gluconoxy)benzyl]-2-isobutylmalate,yam Ⅲ,dihydropinosin and 3'-O-methylyam Ⅲ as an evaluation index,the extraction process was optimized by Box-Behnken response surface method.Subsequently,the extract's scavenging effects on DPPH,ABTS+free radicals,and inhibitory ability on tyrosinase were determined.RESULTS The optimal conditions were determined to be 49 min for ultrasound time,55％for ethanol concentration,1∶30 for solid-liquid ratio,and 2 times for extraction frequency,the total extraction content was 13.18 mg/g.The extract demonstrated the IC50 of 10.12,314.07 and 1.70 μg/g on DPPH,ABTS+free radicals and tyrosinase,respectively.CONCLUSION This simple,reliable and stable method can be used for the extraction for Bletillae Rhizoma with strong anti-oxidant,tyrosinase inhibitory activities.

Postoperative infection of internal fixation of closed fractures the lower limbs in adults represents a devastating complication, characterized by diagnostic challenges, prolonged treatment duration and high disability rates. Current management of these infections faces multiple challenges, such as difficulties in early accurate diagnosis, and various controversies about the treatment plan, leading to poor overall diagnosis and treatment results. To address these issues, based on evidence-based medicine and principles with emphasis on scientific rigor, clinical applicability and innovation, the Trauma Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Orthopedic Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Orthopedics Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and Trauma Orthopedics and Polytrauma Group of the Resuscitation and Emergency Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association have collaboratively organized a panel of relevant experts to develop the Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of infection after internal fixation of closed lower limb fractures in adults ( version 2025). The guideline proposed 10 recommendations, aiming to provide a foundation for standardized diagnosis and treatment of postoperative infection in adults with closed lower limb fractures.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between sarcopenic obesity(SO), defined by various obesity indicators, and mortality risk in older adults based on a prospective cohort from multiple nursing homes.Methods:Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the 2019 consensus of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia.Obesity was defined using six different indicators: waist circumference(WC), waist-hip ratio(WHR), waist-height ratio(WHTR), body mass index(BMI), visceral fat area(VFA), and percentage of body fat(PBF).A prospective cohort of adults aged 60 and above was established across 15 nursing homes in Zigong City, with annual follow-ups on survival status conducted over two consecutive years.Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to analyze the association between SO, defined by different obesity indicators, and mortality risk, calculating hazard ratios( HR)and their 95% confidence intervals( CI). Results:A total of 695 older adults were included in the study, of whom 67.1% were male.During the 2-year follow-up period, 88 participants died.The prevalence of SO as defined by WC, WHR, WHTR, BMI, VFA, PBF was found to be 17.6%, 30.1%, 48.9%, 3.0%, 28.3%, and 58.7%, respectively.When SO was defined using WC, WHR, WHTR, BMI, and VFA, there was no statistically significant difference in mortality rates between the SO and non-SO groups.However, when defined by PBF, the SO group exhibited a significantly higher mortality rate compared to the non-SO group(16.9% vs.6.6%, P<0.01).Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that, compared to the non-SO group, the SO group defined by PBF had a significantly increased mortality risk( HR=2.81, 95% CI: 1.67-4.73, P<0.001).After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the mortality risk for the SO group remained significantly higher than that of the non-SO group( HR=1.97, 95% CI: 1.14-3.38, P=0.015). Conclusions:The prevalence of SO varies significantly across different obesity indicators.SO defined by PBF is significantly associated with mortality risk in nursing home residents.This study provides new evidence for further optimizing the diagnostic criteria for SO in this population.

Objective:To develop a treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to test its reliability and validity.Methods:The initial scale was constructed through a literature search, Delphi expert correspondence, and cognitive testing. This study conducted a preliminary survey of 379 patients with MM and a formal survey of 865 patients from the hematology departments of 155 hospitals nationwide from February 2024 to March 2024. The final scale was obtained after conducting item analysis and reliability and validity tests on the initial scale.Results:The constructed scale contains 36 items covering six domains: physiological, psychological, social, treatment side effects, general health, and others. In the preliminary survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.597 to 0.939, and the test-retest reliability was 0.747 ( P<0.001). Exploratory factor analysis extracted eight common factors with a cumulative variance contribution of 60.058%. In the formal survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.484 to 0.930, and the test-retest reliability was 0.835 ( P<0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a comparative fit index of 0.750, a root-mean-square error of approximation of 0.090, and a root-mean-square residual of 0.067. Conclusion:The treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with MM designed in this study exhibited good reliability and validity, reflecting the impact of treatment on the quality of life of patients. This scale can provide a reference to clinicians for assessing the disease status of patients.

Objective:To investigate the diversity, temporal dynamics and influencing factors of serotypes of Salmonella among asymptomatic workers in Yulin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from 2013 to 2023, and provide reference for controlling the hidden transmission of Salmonella and for disease prevention among healthy populations. Methods:Anal rectal swabs were collected from asymptomatic workers in Yulin from 2013 to 2023 for the isolation and identification of Salmonella. The diversity of serotypes of Salmonella was evaluated by using Shannon index, while the isolation rates and composition ratio of different serotypes were compared with χ2 test. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of natural and social factors with serotype isolation rates for more than eight years, and stepwise multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate the impact of social factors on the serotype isolation rates for more than 8 years. Results:A total of 8 073 strains of Salmonella were isolated from 2013 to 2023, with an overall isolation rate of 18.88‰ During the 11-year period, 135 serotypes of Salmonella were identified, and the serotype diversity increased first and then decreased. The serotype with the highest isolation rate was Salmonella Typhimurium (3.04‰), followed by Salmonella Rissen (1.70‰), Salmonella Corvallis (1.41‰), Salmonella Agona (1.36‰), Salmonella Derby (1.22‰), and Salmonella London (1.02‰), accounting for 51.67% of the total Salmonella serotypes isolated. There was no significant trend in isolation rate of Salmonella over the years ( χ2=0.67, P=0.415); however, season significantly influenced the isolation rate, with lower rate being observed in winter and higher rate in summer ( χ2=615.91, P<0.001). The isolation rate of different serotypes of Salmonella was influenced by social and natural factors, showing a positive correlation with temperature, precipitation, and poultry consumption and production levels. Conclusions:The serotypes of Salmonella carried by asymptomatic workers were complex and diverse in Yulin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, from 2013 to 2023, and the isolation rates of multi-serotypes increased from 2013 to 2023. Higher isolation rate was observed in summer and the isolation rate was widely influenced by natural factors such as temperature and precipitation, as well as social factors such as economic conditions. It is necessary to pay attention to the Salmonella serotype carriage in healthy population, and strengthen monitoring of both healthy individuals and pathogenic bacteria.

The Portable Life Support System(PLSS),serving as a core component of the Extravehicular Activity spacesuit,must balance the requirements of life support protection and lightweight design.This study proposes a sandwich structure design based on Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer and validates the structural reliability of the composite backpack under launch/return segment overloads and space collision conditions through multi-scenario mechanical simulations.Simulation results demonstrate that the design achieves maximum deformations of 0.372 mm(mounting plate)under 6 g acceleration and 7.4 mm(skeleton)under 0.97 MPa impact loading,satisfying structural integrity requirements under extreme loads.The composite backpack manufactured by the autoclave molding process has passed the impact protection test under load conditions,verifying the manufacturing feasibility of the composite PLSS.This research provides a technically reliable pathway for lightweight design of EVA spacesuit structures by using composite materials,offering practical engineering value.