Specific convulsions and brain damage in children hospitalized for Omicron BA.5 infection: an observational study using two cohorts.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 continues to mutate over time, and reports on children infected with Omicron BA.5 are limited. We aimed to analyze the specific symptoms of Omicron-infected children and to improve patient care. METHODS: We selected 315 consecutively hospitalized children with Omicron BA.5 and 16,744 non-Omicron-infected febrile children visiting the fever clinic at our hospital between December 8 and 30, 2022. Specific convulsions and body temperatures were compared between the two cohorts. We analyzed potential associations between convulsions and vaccination, and additionally evaluated the brain damage among severe Omicron-infected children. RESULTS: Convulsion rates (97.5% vs. 4.3%, P < 0.001) and frequencies (median: 2.0 vs. 1.6, P < 0.001) significantly differed between Omicron-infected and non-Omicron-infected febrile children. The body temperatures of Omicron-infected children were significantly higher during convulsions than when they were not convulsing and those of non-Omicron-infected febrile children during convulsions (median: 39.5 vs. 38.2 and 38.6 °C, both P < 0.001). In the three Omicron-subgroups, the temperature during convulsions was proportional to the percentage of patients and significantly differed ( P < 0.001), while not in the three non-Omicron-subgroups ( P = 0.244). The convulsion frequency was lower in the 55 vaccinated children compared to the 260 non-vaccinated children (average: 1.8 vs. 2.1, P < 0.001). The vaccination dose and convulsion frequency in Omicron-infected children were significantly correlated ( P < 0.001). Fifteen of the 112 severe Omicron cases had brain damage. CONCLUSIONS: Omicron-infected children experience higher body temperatures and frequencies during convulsions than those of non-Omicron-infected febrile children. We additionally found evidence of brain damage caused by infection with omicron BA.5. Vaccination and prompt fever reduction may relieve symptoms.

Biomethane is produced by acetate cleavage, not direct interspecies electron transfer: genome-centric view and carbon isotope.

Understanding the source of methane (CH4) is of great significance for improving the anaerobic fermentation efficiency in bioengineering, and for mitigating the emission potential of natural ecosystems. Microbes involved in the process named direct interspecies electron transfer coupling with CO2 reduction, i.e., electrons released from electroactive bacteria to reduce CO2 into CH4, have attracted considerable attention for wastewater treatment in the past decade. However, how the synergistic effect of microbiota contributes to this anaerobic carbon metabolism accompanied by CH4 production still remains poorly understood, especial for wastewater with antibiotic exposure. Results show that enhancing lower-abundant acetoclastic methanogens and acetogenic bacteria, rather than electroactive bacteria, contributed to CH4 production, based on a metagenome-assembled genomes network analysis. Natural and artificial isotope tracing of CH4 further confirmed that CH4 mainly originated from acetoclastic methanogenesis. These findings reveal the contribution of direct acetate cleavage (acetoclastic methanogenesis) and provide insightsfor further regulation of methanogenic strategies.

Human adenovirus (HAdV) infection in children with acute respiratory tract infections in Guangzhou, China, 2010-2021: a molecular epidemiology study.

BACKGROUND: Human adenovirus (HAdV) infection can cause a variety of diseases. It is a major pathogen of pediatric acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) and can be life-threatening in younger children. We described the epidemiology and subtypes shifting of HAdV among children with ARI in Guangzhou, China. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 161,079 children diagnosed with acute respiratory illness at the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center between 2010 and 2021. HAdV specimens were detected by real-time PCR and the hexon gene was used for phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Before the COVID-19 outbreak in Guangzhou, the annual frequency of adenovirus infection detected during this period ranged from 3.92% to 13.58%, with an epidemic peak every four to five years. HAdV demonstrated a clear seasonal distribution, with the lowest positivity in March and peaking during summer (July or August) every year. A significant increase in HAdV cases was recorded for 2018 and 2019, which coincided with a shift in the dominant HAdV subtype from HAdV-3 to HAdV-7. The latter was associated with a more severe disease compared to HAdV-3. The average mortality proportion for children infected with HAdV from 2016 to 2019 was 0.38% but increased to 20% in severe cases. After COVID-19 emerged, HAdV cases dropped to 2.68%, suggesting that non-pharmaceutical interventions probably reduced the transmission of HAdV in the community. CONCLUSION: Our study provides the foundation for the understanding of the epidemiology of HAdV and its associated risks in children in Southern China.

Mortality reduction in pediatric patients with severe fatal human adenoviral pneumonia treated with high titer neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) plasma: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Severe fatal human adenoviral (HAdV) pneumonia is associated with significant mortality and no effective drug is available for clinical therapy. We evaluated the association and safety of high titer neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) plasma in pediatric patients with severe fatal HAdV pneumonia. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed between January 2016 to June 2021 in pediatric intensive care unit. Pediatric patients with severe fatal HAdV pneumonia were included and divided into plasma group (conventional treatment plus high titer NAbs plasma treatment) and control group (conventional treatment alone). The primary outcome was mortality in hospital. Secondary outcomes were the duration of fever after adenovirus genotype determined, duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay. T-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, chi-square test, univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were adopted to compare differences between two groups. RESULTS: A total of 59 pediatric patients with severe fatal HAdV pneumonia were enrolled. They were divided into plasma group (n = 33) and control group (n = 26). The mortality in hospital was 28.8% (17/ 59). Significantly fewer patients progressed to death in plasma group than control group (18.2% vs 42.3%, p = 0.042). Sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, oxygen index (OI) and high titer NAbs plasma treatment were included in multivariable logistic regression analysis for mortality risk factors. Consequentially, SOFA score (Hazard Ratio [HR] 7.686, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.735-34.054, p = 0.007) and without high titer NAbs plasma treatment (HR 4.298, 95%CI 1.030-17.934, p = 0.045) were significantly associated with mortality. In addition, high titer NAbs plasma treatment were associated with faster temperature recovering in survivors (p = 0.031). No serious adverse effects occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of high titer NAbs plasma were associated with a lower hazard for mortality in pediatric patients with severe fatal HAdV pneumonia. For survivors, high titer NAbs plasma treatment shorten the duration of fever.

Rapid removal of chloramphenicol via the synergy of Geobacter and metal oxide nanoparticles.

The wide use of chloramphenicol and its residues in the environments are an increasing threat to human beings. Electroactive microorganisms were proven with the ability of biodegradation of chloramphenicol, but the removal rate and efficiency need to be improved. In this study, a model electricigens, Geobacter metallireducens, was supplied with and Fe3O4 and MnO2 nanoparticles. Five times higher chloramphenicol removal rate (0.71 d-1) and two times higher chloramphenicol removal efficiency (100%) was achieved. Fe3O4 and MnO2 nanoparticles highly increased the current density and NADH-quinone oxidoreductase expression. Fe3O4 nanoparticles enhanced the expression of alcohol dehydrogenase and c-type cytochrome, while MnO2 nanoparticles increased the transcription of pyruvate dehydrogenase and Type IV pili assembly genes. Chloramphenicol was reduced to a type of dichlorination reducing product named CPD3 which is a benzene ring containing compound. Collectively, Fe3O4 and MnO2 nanoparticles increased the chloramphenicol removal capacity in MFCs by enhancing electron transfer efficiency. This study provides new enhancing strategies for the bioremediation of chloramphenicol in the environments.

LL-37 Exacerbates Local Inflammation in Sepsis-Induced Acute Lung Injury by Preventing Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Degradation-Induced Autophagy.

BACKGROUND Recent studies have proved that autophagy dysfunction in proinflammatory cells is involved in tissue damage and an excessive inflammatory response in sepsis. In the present study, we identified that the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 facilitates resistance to DNase II-induced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) degradation and subsequent autophagy. MATERIAL AND METHODS We found higher serum levels of LL-37 in patients with severe sepsis compared to that in patients with mild sepsis. Neutrophils isolated from mice with sepsis after treatment with Cramp-mtDNA produced an excess of proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, MMP-8, and TNF-alpha. Cramp-mtDNA in the lung samples from model animals with sepsis was detected by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS Exogenous delivery of Cramp-mtDNA complex significantly exacerbated lung inflammation but the antibody against Cramp-mtDNA attenuated the excessive inflammatory response in LPS-induced acute lung injury. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines in lungs was upregulated and downregulated after treatment with the complex and antibody, respectively. LC-3 expression in 16HBE cells increased after LPS induction, irrespective of stimulation with LL-37. CONCLUSIONS These data show that LL-37 treatment worsens local inflammation in sepsis-induced acute lung injury by preventing mtDNA degradation-induced autophagy.

Improvement of Oxygenation in Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome With High-Volume Continuous Veno-venous Hemofiltration.

The efficacy and therapeutic mechanisms of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) for improvement of oxygenation in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain controversial. These questions were addressed by retrospective analysis of severe ARDS patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit of our hospital from 2009 to 2015 who received high-volume continuous veno-venous hemofiltration during mechanical ventilation. There was a significant improvement in partial oxygen pressure/fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2) 24 hours after CRRT onset compared with baseline (median change = 51.5; range = -19 to 450.5; P < .001) as well as decreases in FiO2, peak inspiratory pressure, positive end-expiratory pressure, and mean airway pressure (P < .05). The majority of patients had a negative fluid balance after 24 hours of CRRT. White blood cell (WBC) count decreased in the subgroup with high baseline WBC count (P < .05). PaO2/FiO2 was higher in ARDS patients with extrapulmonary etiology than in those with pulmonary etiology (P < .05). Improvement in oxygenation is likely related to both restoration of fluid balance and clearance of inflammatory mediators.

Pediatric anaplastic large cell lymphoma misdiagnosed as multiple organ abscesses: a case report and literature review.

We report the case of a 6-year-old male with fever, left maxillofacial swelling, cervical and mediastinal masses, and lymphadenopathy who developed respiratory failure and shock caused by tracheal compression and superior vena cava reflux disorder. The initial diagnosis was maxillary sinus, cervical, and mediastinal abscesses. Initial treatments included maxillary sinus abscess resection, neck abscess incision drainage, and antibiotics. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) was diagnosed ultimately according to pathological and immunohistochemical examination of cervical lesion biopsy tissue. We analyze the reasons for misdiagnosis by comparing clinical and pathological features of ALCL to other systemic illnesses that cause lymphadenopathy.

[Study on effect of dexamethasone on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase and its tissue inhibitors in hyperoxia-induced lung injury].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of dexamethasone on the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMPs) in the lung tissue and to explore the protective mechanism of dexamethasone in hyperoxia-induced lung injury. METHODS: Thirty-two two-week old Wistar rats were randomly divided into atmospheric-air group (n=16) and hyperoxia group (n=16). After 7 days of continuous exposure to high concentration O (2)(>95%), the lung wet/dry(W/D) ratio, the protein content in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) and histopathological changes of the lung were measured in 16 rats(8 in each group). The lung tissue specimens of the other 16 rats were cultured, 8 among which served as atmospheric-air control group, the remainder in the hyperoxia group were divided into hyperoxia control group,hyperoxia+dexamethasone (1 x 10(-8) mol/L) group, hyperoxia+dexamethasone (1 x 10(-6) mol/L) group, and hyperoxia+dexamethasone (1 x 10(-4) mol/L) group. Eight samples were examined in each group. After cultured for 24 hours, the lung tissue were collected and its mRNA expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: 1. Pulmonary edema, hemorrhage and extensive inflammatory cells infiltration were observed in hyperoxia group, but no such changes were found in the atmospheric-air group. The lung W/D and the protein content in BALF in hyperoxia group were significantly higher than those in atmospheric air groups. 2. The mRNA expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and the ratio of MMP-2/TIMP-2, MMP-9/TIMP-1 were significantly higher in the hyperoxic group than those in the atmospheric-air group. 3. Dexamethasone could down-regulate the mRNA expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in a concentration dependent manner. The mRNA expressions of TIMP-1, TIMP-2 also could be reduced by dexamethasone. Decreasing ratios of MMP-2/TIMP-2 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 were found in correlation with increasing concentration of dexamethasone. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone can reduce the mRNA expressions of MMPs as well as regulate the balance of MMPs/TIMPs, which may be one of the mechanism of its protective effect on hyperoxia-induced lung injury.