OBJECTIVE: Since Omicron will likely persist, this trial evaluates the safety and efficacy of Shufeng Jiedu Granule (SFJDG) for mild Omicron infection, aims at finding new therapies especially for home-treated patients. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center phase III trial involves 844 patients, divided into a treatment group (422) and control group (422). Participants will receive SFJDG or placebo for 7 d (1.2 g/bag, 2 bags, 3 times/d). Hospital evaluations will be done on days 1 and 8, with telephone assessments on days 3 and 5. Follow-up continues on days 10 and 14. Diary cards will track symptom scores and safety data. The primary outcome is the time to sustained clinical recovery from corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms. An interim analysis will occur after 70 % of patients complete follow-up, with Type I error correction (α1 = 0.015) at interim analysis based on O'Brien-Fleming-type cumulative error spending function. RESULTS: This phase III trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of SFJDG for mild COVID-19, focusing on real-world applicability for home-managed patients. The study's randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design ensures methodological rigor, while its comprehensive outcome measures address both symptom recovery and treatment safety. By emphasizing symptom resolution and recovery time, the trial aligns with the clinical priorities for managing mild cases of COVID-19. The findings could offer valuable insights into SFJDG's role in improving patient outcomes and addressing gaps left by existing antiviral therapies, particularly in symptom management. CONCLUSION The global risk assessment remains high due to the ongoing virulence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-lineages. This Phase III study adopts a robust methodology to investigate SFJDG as a treatment for mild COVID-19 as well as it's effectiveness and safety. Furthermore, this study aim to provide sufficient scientific evidence for the market registration of SFJDG especially for home-treated patients. If successful, SFJDG could be a meaningful addition to therapeutic options for mild infections, supporting public health strategies in managing the ongoing impact of SARS-CoV-2.

Loss of protein homeostasis is a hallmark of cellular senescence, and ribosome pausing plays a crucial role in the collapse of proteostasis. However, our understanding of ribosome pausing in senescent cells remains limited. In this study, we utilized ribosome profiling and G-quadruplex RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing techniques to explore the impact of RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) on the translation efficiency in senescent cells. Our results revealed a reduction in the translation efficiency of rG4-rich genes in senescent cells and demonstrated that rG4 structures within coding sequence can impede translation both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, we observed a significant increase in the abundance of rG4 structures in senescent cells, and the stabilization of the rG4 structures further exacerbated cellular senescence. Mechanistically, the RNA helicase DHX9 functions as a key regulator of rG4 abundance, and its reduced expression in senescent cells contributing to increased ribosome pausing. Additionally, we also observed an increased abundance of rG4, an imbalance in protein homeostasis, and reduced DHX9 expression in aged mice. In summary, our findings reveal a novel biological role for rG4 and DHX9 in the regulation of translation and proteostasis, which may have implications for delaying cellular senescence and the aging process.
G-Quadruplexes ; Cellular Senescence ; Ribosomes/genetics* ; Humans ; Animals ; Mice ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases/genetics* ; Protein Biosynthesis ; RNA/chemistry* ; Neoplasm Proteins

Objective:To assess the effect of transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) with liposomal bupivacaine and general anesthesia on postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients with prior novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19).Methods:In this randomized double-blind controlled study, 416 patients of either sex, aged 65-90 yr, weighing 50-90 kg, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ-Ⅲ, diagnosed as having COVID-19 within 6 months prior to surgery, who underwent laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery under combination of elective TAPB and combined intravenous-inhalational general anaesthesia at Qingdao Municipal Hospital from June 2023 to December 2024, were selected. The patients were divided into liposomal bupivacaine group ( n=208) and bupivacaine hydrochloride group ( n=208) using the random number table method. After induction of anaesthesia, bilateral TAPB was performed with liposomal bupivacaine injectio 266 mg (40 ml) in liposomal bupivacaine group and with 0.5% bupivacaine hydrochloride 40 ml in bupivacaine hydrochloride group. The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of POD within 7 days after surgery. Secondary outcome measures included severity of POD, pain scores at 24, 48 and 72 h after operation, the rate of postoperative rescue analgesia and consumption of morphine, duration of post-anesthesia care unit stay, and length of hospital stay. The occurrence of complications such as death, reoperation, atelectasis and pneumonia was recorded at 30 days after surgery. Results:Compared with bupivacaine hydrochloride group, the incidence of POD was significantly decreased (21.5% [43/200]versus 12.0% [24/200]), pain scores at 24, 48 and 72 h after operation were decreased, the rate of postoperative rescue analgesia and consumption of morphine were decreased, and the duration of post-anesthesia care unit stay and length of hospital stay were shortened in liposomal bupivacaine group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the severity of POD and the case fatality rate and related complications within 30 days after surgery between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Liposomal bupivacaine TAPB combined with general anesthesia can reduce the development of POD in elderly patients with prior COVID-19.

Objective:To evaluate the association between the preoperative aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio and postoperative delirium (POD) in patients undergoing total knee/hip arthroplasty.Methods:In this nested case-control study, medical records from patients, aged ≥55 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ or Ⅱ, with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale score >24 on preoperative day 1, scheduled for elective total knee/hip arthroplasty under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia at Qingdao Municipal Hospital between November 2021 and December 2023, were collected. POD was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method. Patients were categorized into POD and non-POD groups based on the occurrence of POD. Logistic regression was employed to identify protective and risk factors for POD. The predictive performance of preoperative AST/ALT ratio alone and its combination with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker concentrations for POD was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves, and the clinical utility of the prediction models was assessed using decision curve analysis. Mediation analysis was conducted to examine the mediation role of CSF biomarkers in the relationship between the preoperative AST/ALT ratio and POD. Restricted cubic splines were used to assess the nonlinear relationship between the preoperative AST/ALT ratio and POD.Results:A total of 460 patients were finally included, with 49 in POD group and 411 in non-POD group. After adjustment for multiple confounding factors including age, sex, educational level, MMSE score, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, history of smoking and history of alcohol use, multivariable logistic regression identified that the higher preoperative AST/ALT ratio, CSF total tau protein (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau protein (p-tau) concentrations were independent risk factors for POD, whereas lower CSF β-amyloid 42 (Aβ 42) concentration, Aβ 42/t-tau ratio and Aβ 42/p-tau ratio served as protective factors ( P<0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the preoperative AST/ALT ratio combined with CSF biomarkers in predicting POD was 0.939 ( P<0.001), demonstrating high clinical efficacy. After adjusting for age, educational level, sex, MMSE score, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, history of smoking, history of alcohol use and body mass index, restricted cubic splines revealed a nonlinear relationship between preoperative AST/ALT levels and the probability of POD, and the probability of POD increased with rising ratios when the preoperative AST/ALT ratio ranged from 1.09 to 1.40 ( Poverall < 0.05, Pnonlinear <0.05). After stratification by sex, the preoperative AST/ALT ratio demonstrated a linear relationship with the probability of POD ( Poverall <0.05, Pnonlinear>0.05). Mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between the preoperative AST/ALT ratio and POD was partially mediated by CSF p-tau concentration (proportion mediated 18.1%), CSF t-tau concentration (proportion mediated 12.0%), and the Aβ 42/t-tau ratio (proportion mediated 15.4%). Conclusions:A higher preoperative AST/ALT ratio is an independent risk factor for POD in total knee/hip arthroplasty patients. The concentrations of CSF t-tau and p-tau and Aβ 42/t-tau ratio have a mediating role in the relationship between the preoperative AST/ALT ratio and POD.

Objective:To evaluate the association between preoperative cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) and postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients undergoing knee or hip replacement.Methods:Based on a perioperative neurocognitive dysfunction and biomarker lifestyle cohort, a nested case-control study was conducted using medical records of patients scheduled for elective knee or hip joint replacement at Qingdao Municipal Hospital from January 2022 to November 2023. Patients were divided into POD group ( n=124) and non-POD group ( n=414) based on whether POD occurred. The influencing factors were collected, and intergroup differences were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for POD, and sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the stability of the regression model. A mediation model was employed to examine whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers mediated the association between CMM and POD. Results:There were statistically significant differences in the rate of CMM, age, years of education, rate of hypertension, rate of diabetes mellitus, rate of coronary heart diseases, rate of stroke, Aβ 42 concentration, t-tau concentration, p-tau concentration, Aβ 42/t-tau ratio, and Aβ 42/p-tau ratio in CSF between POD group and non-POD group ( P<0.05). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative CMM was a risk factor for POD ( P<0.05). Mediation analysis revealed that the relationship between CMM and POD was partly mediated by Aβ 42 concentrations in CSF. Conclusions:Preoperative CMM is a risk factor for POD in elderly patients undergoing knee or hip replacement, and the CSF Aβ 42 concentration may play a partly mediating role in the association between preoperative CMM and POD.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy, and its occurrence in the penis is even rarer. This paper reports a case of primary sarcomatoid carcinoma of the penis. The patient was admitted to the hospital with a mass on the glans penis with ulceration, and underwent partial penectomy, and the postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of sarcomatoid carcinoma. One month after surgery, lower abdominal ultrasound and MRI showed abnormal enlargement of bilateral inguinal area and pelvic lymph nodes, respectively. PET/CT scan showed multiple lymph node metastases in retroperitoneum, pelvis, and inguinal area. The patient was recommended chemotherapy, which was refused by the patient and his family. At 9-month postoperative follow-up, there was no recurrence of the penile stump and no deterioration of the condition.

Objective:To investigate immunomodulatory effects of methionine enkephalin(MENK)on macrophages,and to explore effect of opsonizing receptors in anti-influenza virus infection of macrophages.Methods:Potential targets for antiviral effects of MENK on macrophages were explored by network pharmacology.Proteomics analysis was used to identify differentially expressed pro-teins(DEPs)in macrophages of MENK-PR8 and PR8 groups.DEPs were analyzed by bioinformatics,and key factors were verified by qPCR and Western blot.Results:MENK had 85 intersection targets with macrophages and influenza viruses,of which 7 were related to phagosome pathway(mmu04145).A total of 215 DEPs were identified by mass spectrometry,which were highly enriched in phago-some(mmu04145)and interaction of viral proteins with cytokines and cytokine receptors(mmu04061)pathways.qPCR and Western blot showed that Fc gamma receptor(FcγR)and complement receptor(CR3)related to phagosome were highly expressed.Conclu-sion:MENK enhances function of phagocytosis and killing virus by upregulating opsonizing receptors via opioid receptor,suggesting that MENK can serve as an immune modulator or a novel preventive drug for influenza viruses.

Objective To analyze the clinical distribution,drug resistance characteristics,molecular prevalence,and impact of immunocompromised status on the infection rate of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae(CRE)isolated from pediatric respiratory tract samples(sputum,bronchoalveolar lavage fluid).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of hospitalized children from 2019 to 2023.A total of 1 235 non-repetitive strains of Enterobacteriaceae bacteria were obtained from pediactric respiratory tract samples.Drug susceptibility testing,multilocus sequencing typing(MLST),and resistance-related gene sequencing were performed on 100 isolated CRE strains,to study the clinical distribution,drug resistance characteristics,and molecular prevalence of CRE,and to further analyze the impact of immunocompromised status on the respiratory CRE infection rate in children.Results From 2019 to 2023,the detection rate of CRE in 1 235 strains of Enterobacteriaceae bacteria was 8.10%(100/1 235).Among them,51.0%(51/100)of CRE were isolated from the intensive care unit(ICU),of which 33.0%(33/100)were isolated from the Surgical ICU,18.0%(18/100)of CRE was isolated from the Medical ICU;32.0%(32/100)of CRE were isolated from Department of Neonatology,with the majority(74.0%)isolated from infants under 6 months of age.Of all pediatric patients,85.0%recovered and were discharged after treatment.Immunocompromised status was identified as an independent risk factor for CRE infection.Among 100 strains of CRE,Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)was the most commonly detected strain,accounting for 88.0%(88/100),followed by Escherichia coli at 6.0%(6/100)and Enterobacter cloacae at 4.0%(4/100).CRE strains were highly resistant to carbapenems and cephalosporins,with prevalent resistance to amikacin,ciprofloxacin,and levofloxacin.However,their resistance rates were relatively low to tigecycline,colistin,minocycline,ceftazidime/avibactam,meropenem/vaborbactam,and imipenem/relebactam.The screening results of carbapenem resistance genes showed that blaKPC-2 was the most prevalent gene(74.0%),followed by blaNDM-1(14.0%)and blaNDM-5(11.0%).Molecular typing showed that ST11 type CRE was the dominant type,comprising 72.0%(72/100)and was the primary epidemic clone.Conclusions CRKP is the most prevalent CRE strain isolated from pediatric respiratory tract samples,primarily identified in the ICU,Department of Neonatology,and among infants under 6 months of age.Immunocompromised status is an independent risk factor for respiratory CRE infection in children.CRE generally has high resistance to antibacterial drugs,with blaKPC-2 being the dominant resistance genotype,and ST11 as the predominant multilocus sequence type.Clinical management should account for these characteristics to implement timely interventions and rational therapeutic strategies.

Objective To investigate the antimicrobial resistance patterns of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)strains isolated from children for better prevention,treatment,and control of CRKP infections in children.Methods A total of 182 clinical CRKP strains were collected between January 2018 and December 2020 in Hebei Children's Hospital.All CRKP strains were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight(MALDI-TOF)mass spectrometry.The common carbapenemase genes(blaKPC,blaNDM,blaIMP,blaVIM,blaOXA-48)of CRKP isolates were studied by PCR.Multilocus sequence typing(MLST)was performed for homology analysis.Results The 182 children infected with CRKP were mainly infants(＞28 days to＜1 years),accounting for 49.45％(90/182),followed by newborns(≤28 days),accounting for 36.26％(66/182).The main source of the 182 CRKP isolates was sputum(50.55％,92/182),blood(15.93％,29/182),and urine(13.19％,24/182).The strains were mainly isolated from patients in neonatology(30.22％,55/182),general surgery(21.43％,39/182),cardiac surgery(13.19％,24/182),and intensive care unit(11.54％,21/182).Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that all of the 182 CRKP strains were resistant to cefepime,ceftazidime,piperacillin-tazobactam,and cefoperazone-sulbactam(100％).Overall,97.8％,71.4％,81.9％,75.8％,69.2％,and 2.7％of the strains were resistant to aztreonam,amikacin,ciprofloxacin,levofloxacin,doxycycline,and tigecycline,respectively.The prevalence of carbapenemase gene blaKPC-2 was the highest(73.63％,134/182),followed by blaNDM-5(15.38％,28/182),and blaNDM-1(11.54％,21/182).A total of 15 different sequence types(ST)were identified by MLST,of which ST11 was the most common type(72.53％,132/182),followed by ST17(11.54％,21/182).Conclusions CRKP isolates in Hebei Children's Hospital showed high level resistance to antimicrobial agents.Antimicrobial therapy should be prescribed cautiously according to the results of antimicrobial susceptibility testing to avoid the emergence of resistant strains.KPC-2-producing ST1 1 type CRKP strains may be prevalent in this hospital.Effective control measures should be taken to avoid further spread of such CRKP strains.

Objective:To assess the effect of transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) with liposomal bupivacaine and general anesthesia on postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients with prior novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19).Methods:In this randomized double-blind controlled study, 416 patients of either sex, aged 65-90 yr, weighing 50-90 kg, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅰ-Ⅲ, diagnosed as having COVID-19 within 6 months prior to surgery, who underwent laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery under combination of elective TAPB and combined intravenous-inhalational general anaesthesia at Qingdao Municipal Hospital from June 2023 to December 2024, were selected. The patients were divided into liposomal bupivacaine group ( n=208) and bupivacaine hydrochloride group ( n=208) using the random number table method. After induction of anaesthesia, bilateral TAPB was performed with liposomal bupivacaine injectio 266 mg (40 ml) in liposomal bupivacaine group and with 0.5% bupivacaine hydrochloride 40 ml in bupivacaine hydrochloride group. The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of POD within 7 days after surgery. Secondary outcome measures included severity of POD, pain scores at 24, 48 and 72 h after operation, the rate of postoperative rescue analgesia and consumption of morphine, duration of post-anesthesia care unit stay, and length of hospital stay. The occurrence of complications such as death, reoperation, atelectasis and pneumonia was recorded at 30 days after surgery. Results:Compared with bupivacaine hydrochloride group, the incidence of POD was significantly decreased (21.5% [43/200]versus 12.0% [24/200]), pain scores at 24, 48 and 72 h after operation were decreased, the rate of postoperative rescue analgesia and consumption of morphine were decreased, and the duration of post-anesthesia care unit stay and length of hospital stay were shortened in liposomal bupivacaine group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the severity of POD and the case fatality rate and related complications within 30 days after surgery between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Liposomal bupivacaine TAPB combined with general anesthesia can reduce the development of POD in elderly patients with prior COVID-19.