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.

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of Nuanxinkang on plaque formation in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS)comorbid with atherosclerosis(AS)mice by inhibiting endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition(EndMT).Methods Male ApoE-/-mice were randomly divided into six groups:control group,model group,atorvastatin group(2.6 mg·kg-1)and Nuanxinkang low-,medium-and high-dose groups(crude drug 3.5,7.0,14.0 g·kg-1),with eight mice in each group.The mice were exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia(CIH)environment during sleep for a long time,and fed with high-fat diet to replicate OSAHS comorbid with AS mouse model.Oil red O staining was used to observe the formation of plaque on aortic intima in mice.Masson trichrome staining was used to evaluate the collagen content of atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic root of mice.The expressions of endothelial cell marker CD31 and EndMT marker Vimentin in aortic plaque were detected by immunofluorescence.Blood lipid levels were determined by ELISA;the mRNA expression levels of EndMT markers α-SMA and Cdh2 in aortic tissue were detected by qPCR.Results Compared with the control group,the area of aortic atherosclerotic plaque in the model group was significantly increased(P＜0.01),and the area of collagen deposition in the aortic root plaque was significantly increased(P＜0.01).The number of CD31 positive cells in the plaque were significantly decreased(P＜0.01),and the number of Vimentin positive cells were significantly increased(P＜0.01).Serum TG,T-CHO and LDL-C levels were significantly increased(P＜0.01),and HDL-C level was significantly decreased(P＜0.01).The mRNA expression levels of α-SMA and Cdh2 in aortic tissue were significantly increased(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the area of aortic atherosclerotic plaque in Nuanxinkang groups were significantly reduced(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and the collagen deposition area of aortic root atherosclerotic plaque were significantly reduced(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The number of CD31 positive expression cells in the plaque of Nuanxinkang high-dose group were significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the number of Vimentin positive expression cells in the plaque of Nuanxinkang medium-and high-dose groups were significantly decreased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The serum TG level of mice in the high-dose group of Nuanxinkang was significantly decreased(P＜0.01).The serum T-CHO and LDL-C levels of mice in each Nuanxinkang administration group were significantly decreased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).The serum HDL-C levels of mice in the medium-and high-dose groups of Nuanxinkang were significantly increased(P＜0.01).The mRNA expression levels of α-SMA and Cdh2 in aortic tissue of mice in each treatment group were significantly decreased(P＜0.01).Conclusion Nuanxinkang can effectively reduce the plaque formation in OSAHS comorbid with atherosclerosis mice,which may be related to its inhibition of EndMT and reduction of collagen fiber formation.

This paper summarized the experience of fire needling combined with black cloth ointment in the treatment of keloid. In terms of the pathogenesis of keloid， it is believed that "phlegm causes stasis， and then stasis accumulates into tumors" is the key； the internal obstruction of phlegm and stasis caused by insufficient endowment and invasion of external pathogens is the root of the disease， while the endogenous generation of phlegm and dampness is the branch. It is therefore proposed to explore the etiology and pathogenesis of keloid from the perspective of "phlegm-stasis-tumor"， and the treatment principle is mainly to eliminate phlegm， dispel stasis and dissolve tumors， supplemented with heat-clearing and toxin-resolving. Treatment methods include oral administration of Chinese herbal medicinals and external treatment. Self-made formula for keloid is taken orally， with the main functions of dissolving phlegm， dispelling stasis and clearing heat， to finally dissolve the tumors. For external treatment， fire needling is used to pierce the skin and to open the striae and interstices， and force out the toxin pathogens such as phlegm-heat and stasis-heat with fire power， thereby clearing heat， dissolving phlegm， dispelling stasis and resolving toxins. Black cloth ointment can be used to the affected area to unblock meridians and collaterals， clear heat-toxin and dissolve phlegm-stasis， thereby softening hardness and dissipating masses.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features and the prognosis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in children with massive proteinuria.Methods:It was a retrospective cohort study. Clinical data of IgAN children with massive proteinuria admitted to the Department of Nephrology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2008 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into effective group and ineffective group according to whether urine protein turned negative after 6 months of initial treatment. The follow-up endpoint event was defined as a reduction in proteinuria of less than 50% or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) achievement. MedCalc software was used to perform Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and Log-rank test was used to compare the difference of renal survival between the two groups.Results:A total of 127 patients were diagnosed as primary IgAN by renal biopsy, of whom 57 patients with IgAN showed massive proteinuria. These 57 IgAN patients with macroproteinuria accounted for 44.9% of the total IgAN patients and were enrolled in the study. Among the 57 cases, 33 cases (57.9%) were Lee's grade Ⅲ, 11 cases (19.3%) were below Lee's grade Ⅲ, and 13 cases (22.8%) were above Lee's grade Ⅲ. The follow-up time was 4.0 (3.0,5.8) years. In the initial treatment, among 57 patients, 46 (80.7%) were effective (effective group) and 11 (19.3%) were ineffective (ineffective group). Compared with the effective group, the ineffective group had a higher proportion of concurrent AKI at the onset of disease and longer recovery time of renal function, with significant difference (7/11 vs. 13/46, χ2=4.878, P=0.027). Compared with the effective group, the proportion of Lee grade Ⅲ or above was higher in the ineffective group, and the difference was statistically significant (5/11 vs. 8/46, χ2=3.971, P=0.046). There were significant differences in endocapillary hypercellularity (E1), segmental glomerulosclerosis or adhesion (S1) and cellular/fibrocellular crescents (C2) of Oxford classification between IgAN children with Lee grade Ⅲ or below and those over Lee grade Ⅲ (11/13 vs. 20/44, χ2=6.204, P=0.013; 12/13 vs. 17/44, χ2=11.566, P=0.001; 9/13 vs. 7/44, χ2=14.131, P=0.001). Among 57 patients, endpoint events occurred in 2 patients who both were urinary protein unmitigated, and none of the children progressed to ESRD. There was no significant difference in cumulative renal survival between the two groups by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Log-rank test ( χ2=0.537, P=0.460) after addition of calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) to the initial treatment ineffective group. Conclusions:Macroproteinuria is the prominent manifestation of IgAN in children. The pathological type is mainly Lee grade Ⅲ. Children with macroproteinuria have a good prognosis in the short and medium term after active treatment. For IgAN with macroproteinuria that does not respond well to initial treatment, AKI is more common at onset, and renal function recovery time is longer. The application of CNIs may have a certain effect on improving the renal outcome of IgAN with massive proteinuria.

A 31-year-old man sought medical evaluation for a 2-year history of edema and proteinuria, with prior pathology suggesting atypical membranous nephropathy (MN). Despite treatment with a combination of steroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and four courses of rituximab (1 g, intravenous injection), the patient′s nephrotic syndrome showed no relief (24 h urine protein peaked at 31.18 g/d), indicating refractory nephrotic syndrome. Later in the disease course, a sudden surge of creatinine level (322.5 μmol/L) prompted a renal biopsy, which revealed concurrent acute interstitial nephritis. Further treatment involving steroids, cyclophosphamide, and a fifth rituximab infusion (1 g, intravenous injection) resulted in improvement in renal function (serum creatinine: 322.5?147 μmol/L), but the MN failed to achieve partial relief. Subsequent treatment with the novel humanized CD20 monoclonal antibody obinutuzumab (1 g, intravenous injection) was initiated. In the latest follow-up, anti-phospholipase-A2-receptor antibody (PLA2R) antibody were negative, B cells were eliminated, serum albumin was 36 g/L, urine protein-to-creatinine ratio was 4 810 mg/g, and serum creatinine was 162 μmol/L. This case underscores the potential efficacy of obinutuzumab in refractory MN. For advanced MN cases, prompt identification of the cause of acute kidney injury is crucial, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to potentially stall renal function decline.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The study examined the association between homocysteine and diabetes mellitus in patients with H-type hypertension and assessed the possible effect modifiers. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 1,255 eligible participants in the ‘H-type Hypertension Management and Stroke Prevention Strategic International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Project’ among rural Chinese people with H-type hypertension. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between homocysteine and diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: The mean level of total homocysteine (tHcy) in the diabetes mellitus population was 19.37 μmol/L, which was significantly higher than the non-diabetic patients (18.18 μmol/L). When tHcy was analyzed as a continuous variable, the odds ratio (OR) of diabetes was 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.35; per interquartile range). When tHcy was stratified according to the quintile, the ORs for diabetes were 2.86 (95% CI, 1.22–6.69) in the highest quintile (tHcy ≥ 20.60 μmol/L) compared to the reference group (tHcy < 12.04 μmol/L). When tHcy was grouped by 15 μmol/L and 20 μmol/L, patients with tHcy ≥ 20 μmol/L had a significantly (P = 0.037) higher risk of diabetes (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.04–3.96) than in those with tHcy < 15 μmol/L. Subgroup analysis showed that the tHcy-diabetes association was unaffected by other variables. CONCLUSION In this study of rural Chinese people with H-type hypertension, the tHcy levels showed a positive association with diabetes mellitus. This independent association is unaffected by other potential risk factors.

【Objective】 To investigate the effects of different anticoagulants on platelet-rich plasma(PRP) release content of growth factor and injection pain. 【Methods】 A total of 15 voluntary blood donors were selected, with each blood donor using four kinds of anticoagulant tubes with EDTA-K2 anticoagulation, EDTA-NA2 anticoagulation, citrate anticoagulation, ACD-A anticoagulation respectively as group A, B, C and D. PRP was isolated and prepared by the rich plasma method, and the contents of PDGF-AA, TGF-β, IGF-1, VEGF, and PF-4 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Meanwhile, SD rats (20, 4 / group) were injected subcutaneously or intradermally with the supernatant of PRP and PG gel prepared in the 4 groups and normal saline in the control group. The pain status of SD rats during the injection was observed and recorded. The pain status of the 5 groups of experimental animals was evaluated according to the American Laboratory Animal Pain Guide. 【Results】 The platelet counts in PRP in group D was the highest [(1 294.53±277.37) × 10⁹/L], which was significantly higher than that in group A [ (789.13±377.13) ×10⁹/L] and group C [ (990.94±493.12) ×10⁹/L] (P<0.05). The OD value of PDGF-AA in group A, B, C, and D were 1.51± 0.18, 1.69±0.21, 0.66±0.19and 1.72±0.13, respectively, with statistically significant difference between groups (P<0.05 ) and group D better than the other three groups. The OD value of PF-4 was 1.18±0.24, 1.61±0.14, 0.65±0.26 and 1.72±0.10 respectively, with statistically significant difference between groups (P<0.05) and group D better than other three groups. The OD value of IGF-1 was 1.02±0.08, 0.98±0.11, 1.06±0.11 and 1.32±0.65 respectively, with no significant difference between groups (P>0.05). The OD value of VEGF was 0.13±0.04, 0.21±0.14, 0.08±0.02 and 0.13±0.04 respectively, with statistically significant difference between group B and C (P<0.05). The OD value of TGF-β was 0.14±0.01, 0.15±0.01, 0.28±0.17 and 1.10±0.37 respectively, with statistically significant difference between groups (P<0.05) and group D better than other three groups. Comparison of injection pain: when the supernatant of PRP and PG gel was injected, there were significant differences between group A, B, C and D, and the control group (P<0.05) . The median pain scores of PRP injection of group A, B, C, and D were 6 (1.5), 5 (0.75), 4.5 (2.5), and 3(3) respectively, with group D lower than other three groups, and no statistically significant difference was noticed (P>0.05) . The median pain scores of the PG supernatant injection of group A, B, C, and D were 4 (2.25), 3 (2.75), 4 (3), 1 (1.5), and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the PRP injection group and the PG supernatant group (P> 0.05). 【Conclusion】 PRP prepared by two-step centrifugation with ACD-A anticoagulant can obtain the higher platelet counts and the maximum release of PDGF-AA, PF-4, IGF-1, and TGF-β. In terms of pain, ACD-A anticoagulant injection has the lowest pain with the animals.

【Objective】 To develop a spray-on membrane dressing for wound repair containing platelet rich plasma (PRP) sodium alginate (SA)/agarose(AG)/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS). 【Methods】 SA/AG/ CMCS were mixed in different proportions to prepare biodegradable quick setting spray (BQSS) by blending film method, and the film-forming time, moisture retention and compression resistance of the prepared BQSS were tested. Then PRP and BQSS were mixed in the proportion of 3∶7, 4∶6, 5∶5, 6∶4 and 7∶3 to prepare PRP-BQSS spray film dressings. The film-forming time, moisture retention, compressive strength, porosity and slow-release effect of growth factors of PRP-BQSS spray film dressings were studied. 【Results】 In the preparation of BQSS compound spray film solution, when SA, AG, CMCS and sterile distilled water were 0.6∶0.6∶0.6∶98.2g, the film-forming time (7.73±0.31) s, moisture retention (75. 54±3.03) % and compression resistance (791.00±68.02) g of the spray-film dressing were the best. The basic properties of PRP-BQSS spray-on film dressings and the release of growth factors show that PRP-BQSS spray-on film dressings can exist in different forms, and with the decrease of PRP concentration percentage, its film-forming time, moisturizing performance and compressive strength showed an upward trend. When the PRP content is 30%, the porosity of the dressing is the highest, about(84.34±0.90)%. The release of platelet-derived growth factor-AA(PDGF-AA), platelet factor-4(PF-4) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) was in a slow upward trend, and the release of the three growth factors was higher than that of PRP group in 48 hours. 【Conclusion】 The preparation method of PRP-BQSS spray film dressing designed in this study is simple and mild, and can form a film quickly, with good biological properties and better growth factor inhibition and sustained-release effect.

Objective To understand the relationship between air pollutants and digestive system cancers, and to provide a reference for future research and prevention and control of digestive system cancer. Methods All relevant literature published in English between 1970-2022 was searched through the databases of PubMed, web of science and Embase, and meta-analysis was used to explore the effects of specific air pollutants on digestive system cancers. Results PM_2.5 was able to increase the risk of incidence or mortality of total digestive cancers by 11% (1.05 to 1.17). For specific cancers, PM_2.5 was only associated with an increased risk of liver cancer in this study, with a combined RR (95% CI) of 1.31 (1.19 to 1.46), while there was no statistically significant association with other specific digestive cancers ( P>0.05）. NO2 increased the risk of incidence or mortality of total digestive cancers by 3% (1.00 to 1.07). Conclusion For specific digestive system cancers, PM_2.5 has the most pronounced effect on liver cancer. More evidence is needed to support the relationship between NO₂ and cancer. Currently, it has been observed that NO2 has a negative effect on overall digestive cancers. This study provides insights for the prevention and control of digestive system cancer in countries and regions with high PM_2.5 and NO₂ concentrations.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. It is urgent to develop new drugs to improve the prognosis of ESCC patients. Here, we found benzydamine, a locally acting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, had potent cytotoxic effect on ESCC cells. Benzydamine could suppress ESCC proliferation in vivo and in vitro. In terms of mechanism, CDK2 was identified as a target of benzydamine by molecular docking, pull-down assay and in vitro kinase assay. Specifically, benzydamine inhibited the growth of ESCC cells by inhibiting CDK2 activity and affecting downstream phosphorylation of MCM2, c-Myc and Rb, resulting in cell cycle arrest. Our study illustrates that benzydamine inhibits the growth of ESCC cells by downregulating the CDK2 pathway.
Humans ; Benzydamine ; Esophageal Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/drug therapy* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Phosphorylation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Apoptosis ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2