Echogenic swirling pattern, carcinoembryonic antigen, and lactate dehydrogenase in the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion.

The echogenic swirling pattern has a role in predicting malignant pleural effusion (MPE). However, its predictive ability is suboptimal, and its clinical utility remains to be defined. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic potential of the echogenic swirling pattern combined with pleural carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and routine laboratory tests of pleural effusion in MPE. The 80 consecutive patients with underlying malignancy and pleural effusions were recruited. All patients underwent one diagnostic thoracentesis with a cytologic examination of pleural fluid. Our study showed that the sensitivity of echogenic swirling patterns in MPE diagnosis was 67.7%, specificity was 72.2%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 89.4%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 39.4%. Both CEA and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) had acceptable sensitivity (71.0% and 60.7%) and specificity (72.2% and 77.8%). Combining the echogenic swirling pattern, pleural CEA, and pleural LDH, the highest sensitivity (95.2%) with a good PPV (86.8) was reached. In this clinical study, we found that combining the echogenic swirling pattern, pleural CEA, and pleural LDH had a higher sensitivity and a high positive predictive value for the diagnosis of MPE. This combination is a potentially suitable method for MPE screening in cancer patients with pleural effusions.

[Microbial Community Structure and Diversity in Cellar Water by 16S rRNA High-throughput Sequencing].

This study was aimed to explore the bacterial diversity of cellar water as well as to study the relationship between the bacterial diversity and environmental factors. The MiSeq high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze and compare the bacterial diversity and community composition of samples from different cellar water samples. Overall 1605 optimized reads were obtained from four samples based on high-throughput sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Bacterial species detected in these samples covered 22 phyla,42 classes,71 orders,115 families, 146 genera. Analysis showed that the bacterial diversity was very high in these samples, and there were differences among different samples. The distribution characteristics of the dominant bacteria showed patterns of a large number of rare species and a few common types. Taxonomic assignment analysis indicated that Bacteroidetes,Proteobacteria,Actinobacteria,Verrucomicrobia,OD1 dominated in the Cellar water, and accounted for 87.1% to 94.8% at phylum level. The predominant groups were Actinobacteria,Acidimicrobiia,Cytophagia, Flavobacteriia, Sphingobacteriia,α-Proteobacteria,ß-Proteobacteria,γ-Proteobacteria,Opitutae, Verrucomicrobiae,Pedosphaerae and ZB2 at class level. At genus level Rhodobacter,Dechloromonas,Flavobacterium,Acinetobacter,Comamonas,Pseudomonas,Hydrogenophaga,et al were the abundant taxa, which were mainly denitrifying bacteria and heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification bacteria. The result of RDA suggested that the influences of different environmental factors on different microbes were different. Bacterial community Ⅱ had significant positive correlation with UV254,permanganate index,BOD5,and Bacterial community Ⅲ had significant positive correlation with TN,NO2--N,NO3--N,TP,NH4+-N. This research should deepen the understanding on microbial community in Cellar water, and provide references for the association of bacterial composition and diversity with environmental factors.

[Microbial Community Diversity and Differences in Cellar water of Typical Rainwater Harvesting Area].

In order to explore the natural change mechanisms for cellar water quality for typical rainwater harvesting and drinking water surfaces in China, the MiSeq high-throughput sequencing method was used to study the differences between characteristics of microbial communities and functional diversity regarding collecting and making use of rainwater. This is achieved through constructing combined modes of different types of catchment areas and water-storing cellars. The results of this study show that there is significant differences in microbial community structure and function. The main factors causing this difference are heterogeneity of internal and external environmental factors regarding cellar water. The diversity of microbial community structures in cellar water show patterns of a large number of rare species and few common species. There are different significant microbial communities at different water points. The differences in the functional diversity of microbial communities shows that gene sequences that encode metabolic functions have significant advantages over other functional gene sequences, and amino acid, carbohydrate, lipid, energy, vitamin, terpenoid and polyketide, nucleotide, and glycan metabolism, as well as the biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, are the main functional groups that compose metabolic function. This shows that there are a large number of microorganisms with relatively specific ecological functions in cellar water and many active metabolic activities are involved. Cellar water quality can be improved through combined modes of concrete collecting surfaces and water-storing cellars for collection and storage of rainwater. The results of the study aim to deepen the understanding of cellar water microbial community structures and diversity to be used as a reference for improving water quality and selecting the water surfaces for rainwater harvesting.

[Detection of Cryptosporidium parvum in human stool using TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction].

The special DnaJ-like protein gene of Cryptosporidium parvum was amplified through designing special primers and TaqMan probes within the conserved and specific regions for this gene. method of real-time PCR assay for the detection of C. parvum was established. The specificity and sensitivity of PCR were also analyzed. By adding standard culture fluid in blank fecal sample, the sensitivity of the method was evaluated. The results showed that the detection limit of pure culture with real-time PCR assay was 26 oocysts/ml. The detection limit for C. parvum in artificially contaminated fecal sample was 2 600 oocysts/ml. The specificity of the method was verified with no amplification on DNA from other enteric parasites and bacteria. These results indicated that the real-time PCR method for C. parvum detection in fecal sample is simple, rapid, with high specificity and sensitivity.