Expression and significance of procalcitonin, leukotriene B4, serum amyloid A, and C-reactive protein in children with different types of pneumonia: An observational study.

This study aimed to investigate the expression and significance of serum procalcitonin (PCT), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), Serum amyloid A (SAA), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in children with different types of pneumonia caused by different pathogenic infections. One hundred and one children with pneumonia admitted to The Fifth People Hospital of Zhuhai from July 2019 to June 2020 were enrolled and divided into 38 cases in the bacterial group, 30 cases in the mycoplasma group, and 33 cases in the virus group according to the different types of pathogens. The patients were divided into 42 cases in the noncritical group, 33 cases in the critical group, and 26 cases in the very critical group according to the pediatric clinical illness score (PCIS), and 30 healthy children were selected as the control group during the same period. Comparison of serum PCT, SAA: bacterial group > mycoplasma group > viral group > control group with significant differences (P < .05). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the curves (AUCs) of serum PCT, LTB4, SAA, and CRP for the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia were 1.000, 0.531, 0.969, and 0.833, respectively, and the AUCs for the diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumonia were 0.653, 0.609, 0.547, and 0.652, respectively, and the AUCs for the diagnosis of viral pneumonia were 0.888, 0.570, 0.955, and 1.000, respectively. Comparison of serum PCT, LTB4, SAA: very critical group > critical group > noncritical group > control group, with significant differences (P < .05). Serum PCT, LTB4, and SAA were negatively correlated with PCIS score by Pearson analysis (P < .05). Serum PCT and SAA showed diagnostic value for bacterial pneumonia, and serum SAA and CRP showed diagnostic value for viral pneumonia; serum PCT, LTB4, and SAA correlate with severity of disease and show higher expression with worsening of the condition.

Effects of acrylamide exposure during pregnancy and lactation on the development of myelin sheath of corpus callosum in offspring rats.

Acrylamide is an alkene known to induce neurotoxicity in humans and experimental animals. However, the effects of acrylamide on the development of myelin sheath are unclear. The present study was to explore the effects of acrylamide exposure during pregnancy and lactation on the development of myelin sheath in offspring rats. Four groups of thirty-two pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 0, 4.5, 9 and 18 mg/kg BW acrylamide by gavage from gestational day 15 to postnatal day 13. The corpus callosum of nine offspring rats per group were dissected in postpartum day 14. Structural changes and lipid contents in myelin sheaths were examined by transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and Luxol Fast Blue staining(LFB). The expression of MBP and PLP was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. TEM showed that the myelin sheaths in the 18 mg/kg group were disordered compared with control group. Luxol Fast Blue staining gradually decreased with increasing acrylamide maternal exposure. The immunohistochemistry and Western Blotting results showed that maternal exposure to acrylamide caused a decreasing trend in MBP and PLP in the corpus callosum of rats at postnatal day 14. Furthermore, these reduced protein levels may be neurodevelopmental toxicity's mechanism in response to maternal exposure to acrylamide.

Cryo-EM structures of two human B cell receptor isotypes.

The B cell receptor (BCR) complex plays a critical role in B cell development and immune responses. The assembly mechanisms underlying the BCR complex remain unknown. We determined the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of human IgG-BCR and IgM-BCR, which consist of membrane-bound immunoglobulin molecules (mIg) and Igα/ß subunits at a 1:1 stoichiometry. Assembly of both BCR complexes involves their extracellular domains, membrane-proximal connection peptides, and transmembrane (TM) helices. The TM helices of mIgG and mIgM share a conserved set of hydrophobic and polar interactions with Igα/ß TM helices. By contrast, the IgG-Cγ3 and IgM-Cµ4 domains interact with extracellular Ig-like domains of Igα/ß through head-to-tail and side-by-side modes, respectively. This work reveals the structural basis for BCR assembly and provides insights into BCR triggering.

Theoretical study of the formation and nucleation mechanism of highly oxygenated multi-functional organic compounds produced by α-pinene.

In recent years, highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) derived from photochemical reactions of α-pinene, the most abundant monoterpene, have been considered as important precursors of biogenic particles. However, the specific reactions of HOMs remain largely unknown, especially the corresponding formation and nucleation mechanism in the nanoscale. In this study, we implemented quantum chemical calculations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the mechanism of the formation of HOM monomers/dimers by ozonolysis and autoxidation of α-pinene. Furthermore, we investigated the mechanisms of HOMs with different oxygen-to­carbon (O/C) ratios and functional groups participating in neutral and ion-induced nucleation. The results show that the formation of HOMs is hardly affected by water, sulfuric acid and ions. In the ion-induced nucleation, HOM can dominate the initial nucleation steps; however, in the neutral nucleation, HOMs are more likely to participate in the growth stage. In addition, the nucleation ability of HOM has a bearing on the O/C ratio and the types of the functional groups. The current calculations provide valuable insight into the formation mechanism of the pure organic particles at low sulfuric acid concentrations.

Gardner syndrome with a giant mass in the thoracic cavity: a case report and analysis of the related complications.

Gardner syndrome (GS) is a form of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and is characterized by colonic polyposis, osteomas, and soft-tissue tumors. Desmoid tumors (DT) are lesions of mesenchymal origin and are an extra-colonic manifestation of GS. Gardner-associated fibroma (GAF) is considered to be a benign soft-tissue lesion related to DT and FAP. Here we present a case of an 18-year-old female patient with a huge lump in her right thoracic cavity and another lump located in her left lumbar muscles who was diagnosed with GS through a colonoscopy and through adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene mutation detection. The patient underwent a surgical resection of the right thoracic tumor. Three months later, the left waist lump underwent medical treatment with tamoxifen and celecoxib and was monitored using computed tomography (CT). Subsequently, colonoscopy screening was performed annually to prevent colorectal cancer. GAF is frequent in GS, and such a huge GAP in the thorax is very rare, with few cases reported in the literature. Patients with GS must be closely monitored, and clinical and imaging examinations must be performed to detect any signs of tumors.

Value of Liver Regeneration in Predicting Short-Term Prognosis for Patients with Hepatitis B-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The value of hepatocyte regeneration in predicting the outcomes of hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) is not fully assessed. The present study was aimed at establishing a novel scoring system to predict patients' outcomes within 3 months by applying serological indicators of hepatic regeneration and liver injury. METHODS: Patients with chronic hepatitis B who had a rapid deterioration were investigated. Patients were observed for 90 days, and the endpoint of follow-up was death or liver transplantation. Serum parameters were estimated on the diagnosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Cox proportional hazard regression was used to identify independent prognostic factors and create a novel prognostic scoring system, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the performance of the model. RESULTS: A total of 308 patients with HBV-ACLF were incorporated and divided into the training cohort (n = 206) and testing cohort (n = 102) randomly. Creatine (Cre), age, total bilirubin (TBil), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and international normalized ratio (INR) were found to be independent prognostic factors. According to the results of Cox regression analysis, a new prognostic model (we named it the TACIA score) was calculated. The areas under ROC (AUROC) for the new model were 0.861 and 0.763 in the training and testing cohorts, respectively, and patients with lower TACIA scores (<4.34) would survive longer (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A pertinent prognostic scoring system for patients with HBV-ACLF was established in our study, and the novel model could predict patients' short-term survival effectively.

[A polymer resin surface polymerization-based hydroxide-selective anion exchange stationary phase].

A polystyrene-divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) microspheres-based hydroxide-selective anion exchange stationary phase is described. This stationary phase is obtained by the surface polymerization of an allyl glycidyl ether (AGE) and the pendant vinyl groups onto the surface of PS-DVB, followed by open-ring of the epoxy groups using an alkylol amine (abbreviated as P@A-M). Both alkylol amines were compared in terms of separation performance of the stationary phase. Scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analyses were carried out to characterize the stationary phase. The results indicated that the quaternary amine group was successfully introduced onto the surface of the PS-DVB microspheres, and that there was no obvious change in the physicochemical properties of the resin during the surface polymerization reaction. The P@A-M phase showed high hydroxide-selectivity and good separation performance (resolution>1.5) as well as high running stability (relative standard deviation of retention times<1.13%). The utility of the P@A-M phase was demonstrated by using it for the determination of inorganic anions in the tea.

Xuezhitong capsule, an extract of Allium macrostemon Bunge, exhibits reverse cholesterol transport and accompanies high-density lipoprotein levels to protect against hyperlipidemia in ApoE-/- mice.

BACKGROUND: Xuezhitong capsules (XZT) are derived from Xie Bai and used for abnormal lipid homeostasis treatment through maintained metabolic balance. However, their mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we mainly assessed the contribution of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) and the accompanying increase in the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) effects of XZT to cholesterol dysfunction amelioration in mice. METHODS: We assessed serum lipids by using enzymatic kits. We observed atherosclerotic plaque formation by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Oil Red O staining. We studied the lipid metabolism, fatty acid synthase (FAS), HDL, low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), triglyceride (TG) metabolic enzyme expression levels, and RCT function in various tissues upon stimulation with high-fat diet, XZT, and some positive drugs by ELISA. RESULTS: After 34 weeks of high-fat diet administration, blood lipids levels increased because attenuated by XZT treatment (800 and 1,600 mg/kg, i.g.). XZT improved the lipid metabolism instability, induced RCT activation, and subsequently increased the HDL levels in hyperlipidemic mice (P<0.05). FAS (P<0.05) and LDLR (P<0.01) levels also remarkably improved. The effects of XZT were closely associated with RCT activation and the accompanying increase in the HDL levels, as characterized by XZT-induced preservation in ATP-binding cassette transporter member 1 (ABCA1), scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SRB1), acyl coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), apolipoprotein A I (ApoA1) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB). However, XZT showed no effect on high fat diet-activated TG metabolic enzyme expression levels (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: XZT are promising drugs in balancing the cholesterol dysfunction from hyperlipidemia through RCT activation and accompanying increase in HDL levels.

MiR-200a is involved in proliferation and apoptosis in the human endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line HEC-1B by targeting the tumor suppressor PTEN.

Abnormal cell proliferation is a main driver of tumor formation and development, which involves the deletion, mutation, and downregulation of tumor suppressor genes. One study recently demonstrated that miR-200a plays an oncogenic role by inhibiting phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) expression. In the human endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line HEC-1B, suppression of miR-200a expression inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis, whereas its over-expression had no effect on proliferation and apoptosis. Furthermore, inhibition or over-expression of miR-200a increased or reduced the expression of PTEN, respectively, with no change in PTEN mRNA levels. These effects were achieved by directly targeting miR-200a to the 3' untranslated region of the PTEN mRNA to inhibit its translation. Taken together, we propose that in HEC-1B cells, miR-200a functions as an oncogene, affecting proliferation and apoptosis by regulating the expression of the tumor suppressor PTEN at the translational level.

Heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification by a novel Halomonas campisalis.

A novel halophilic strain that could carry out heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification was isolated and named as Halomonas campisalis ha3. It removed inorganic nitrogen compounds (e.g. NO3 (-), NO2 (-) and NH4 (+)) simultaneously, and grew well in the medium containing up to 20 % (w/v) NaCl. PCR revealed four genes in the genome of ha3 related to aerobic denitrification: napA, nirS, norB and nosZ. The optimal conditions for aerobic denitrification were pH 9.0, at 37 °C, with 4 % (w/v) NaCl and sodium succinate as carbon source. The nitrogen removal rate was 87.5 mg NO3 (-)-N l(-1 )h(-1). Therefore, this strain is a potential aerobic denitrifier for the treatment of saline wastewater.

Possible roles of mmu-miR-141 in the endometrium of mice in early pregnancy following embryo implantation.

OBJECTIVE: Embryo implantation is directly affected by genes related to uterine receptivity. Studies have demonstrated the important roles of miRNAs in the regulation of gene expression. Our early miRNA chip analyses revealed that the mmu-miR-141 expression in endometrial tissue is lower after embryo implantation than before it. However, the possible roles of miR-141 in embryo implantation have not yet been elucidated. Here, mmu-miR-141 was designed to detect the expression and role of miR-141 in the endometria of mice in early pregnancy following embryo implantation. METHODS: Real-time PCR and in-situ hybridization were used to study mmu-miR-141 expression in mouse uterus. Cell proliferation was detected by tetrazolium dye (MTT) assay and flow cytometry. Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were used to confirm the mRNA and protein levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) to determine whether it was the target gene of mmu-miR-141. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fluorescence reporter vector analysis was also performed. A functional study was performed by injecting mice uteri with mmu-miR-141 inhibitor or mimic vectors. RESULTS: mmu-miR-141 expression was lower on day 6 (D6) than day 4 (D4) and could be increased by progesterone. Reduced mmu-miR-141 could decrease the proliferation activity of stromal cells and promote apoptosis. Upregulation of mmu-miR-141 inhibited PTEN protein expression but downregulation of mmu-miR-141 increased it, while the mRNA level remained unchanged. EGFP fluorescence reporter vector analysis showed that miR-141 targets the 3'-untranslated region of the PTEN mRNA. In addition, when the physiological mmu-miR-141 level was altered on D2 by injecting with inhibitor or mimic, the embryo implantation sites were significantly decreased on D7. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that mmu-miR-141 might influence cell proliferation and apoptosis in the endometrium by negatively regulating PTEN expression, and could also influence the number of embryo implantation sites. mmu-miR-141 plays an essential role in embryo implantation.

Mmu-microRNA-200a overexpression leads to implantation defect by targeting phosphatase and tensin homolog in mouse uterus.

Successful mouse embryo implantation requires a receptive uterus and an activated blastocyst. A large number of genes, cytokines, and other factors are involved in the process. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the expression of many genes, and previous studies have investigated the relationship between miRNA expression and embryo implantation. In this study, we show that mmu-microRNA-200a (mmu-miR-200a) is expressed in a spatiatemporal manner during implantation in mouse uterus and found that phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), SON, and programmed cell death 4 (Pdcd4) are the target genes of mmu-miR-200a by bioinformatics analysis. In vitro gain and loss of function experiments confirm that PTEN, a critical gene for cell proliferation and apoptosis, is the target gene of mmu-miR-200a. Our experiments also show that injection of the uterine horn with mmu-miR-200a lentivirus leads to a decreased implantation rate. Collectively, our results suggest that mmu-miR-200a affects embryo implantation by regulating PTEN protein expression. Thus, clarifying the physiological functions of uterine miRNAs will help to elucidate the embryo implantation process and may even contribute to curing infertility and inventing new contraceptives.

Bacillus thermotolerans sp. nov., a thermophilic bacterium capable of reducing humus.

A novel thermotolerant bacterium, designated SgZ-8(T), was isolated from a compost sample. Cells were non-motile, endospore-forming, Gram-staining positive, oxidase-negative and catalase-positive. The isolate was able to grow at 20-65 °C (optimum 50 °C) and pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum 6.5-7.0), and tolerate up to 9.0 % NaCl (w/v) under aerobic conditions. Anaerobic growth occurred with anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonate (AQDS), fumarate and NO3(-) as electron acceptors. Phylogenetic analysis based on the16S rRNA and gyrB genes grouped strain SgZ-8(T) into the genus Bacillus, with the highest similarity to Bacillus badius JCM 12228(T) (96.2 % for 16S rRNA gene sequence and 83.5 % for gyrB gene sequence) among all recognized species in the genus Bacillus. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 49.3 mol%. The major isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7) and the polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and an unidentified phospholipid. The major cellular fatty acid was iso-C16 : 0. On the basis of its phenotypic and phylogenetic properties, chemotaxonomic analysis and the results of physiological and biochemical tests, strain SgZ-8(T) ( = CCTCC AB 2012108(T) = KACC 16706(T)) was designated the type strain of a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus thermotolerans sp. nov. is proposed.

Bacillus thermocopriae sp. nov., isolated from a compost.

A Gram-reaction-positive, facultatively anaerobic, motile, endospore-forming, rod-shaped strain, designated SgZ-7(T), was isolated from a windrow compost pile and was characterized by means of a polyphasic approach. Growth occurred with 0-3 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1 %), at pH 6.0-10.0 (optimum pH 7.2) and at 40-60 °C (optimum 50 °C). The main respiratory quinone was MK-7. The predominant polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 46.6 mol%. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that strain SgZ-7(T) should be assigned to the genus Bacillus and was related most closely to Bacillus drentensis LMG 21831(T) (sequence similarity 97.2 %). The result of the DNA-DNA hybridization experiment revealed a low relatedness (27.2 %) between the isolate and B. drentensis LMG 21831(T). The results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic analyses clearly indicated that strain SgZ-7(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Bacillus thermocopriae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SgZ-7(T) (= CCTCC AB 2012030(T) = KACC 16700(T)).

[Correlation between distributions of pathogenic bacteria on hands and the position of funeral staffs].

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the bacteria contamination on hands of funeral staffs in different positions. METHODS: Bacterial samples were collected from the hands of 105 funeral staffs in different positions (including 90 frontline staffs and 15 administrative workers) from 13 funeral parlors nationwide, and were subsequently tested by bacterium inspection. RESULTS: In total, 1783 strains of bacteria were isolated, including 1027 Gram-positive bacteria, most of which were Staphylococcus; and 756 Gram-negative bacteria, most of which were Pseudomonas. Out of the 1783 strains of bacteria, 570 pathogens and opportunistic pathogens were isolated, accounted to 31.96%. The isolated ratio of pathogens and conditional pathogens in embalmed/cosmetologist of cadavers was 35.67% (370/1037), which was higher than those in the funeral workers in other positions, such as cremators, pick-up and administrative workers, whose ratios were 24.42% (95/389), 22.41% (52/232) and 10.40% (12/125), respectively (χ(2) were 13.682, 10.967 and 32.263, respectively; P values were all < 0.05). And the isolated ratios of pathogens and conditional pathogens in cremators and pick-up workers were significantly higher than that in administrative workers (χ(2) were 11.206 and 7.873, respectively; P values were all < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Lots of bacteria were found in the samples from hands of funeral staffs. The isolated ratio of pathogens and conditional pathogens was different between the funeral staffs in different positions; while the highest was from embalmed/cosmetologist of cadavers and the lowest was from administrators.

[L-arginine suppresses ischemia/reperfusion induced up-regulation of endothelin-1 production in a rat model of acute myocardial injury].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the level of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in serum and its expression in myocardium tissue during the development of acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat and the effects of L-arginine (L-Arg) administration on these indexes. METHODS: One hundred and ten Wistar rats were randomly divided into nine groups to receive: (1) sham surgery, (2)ischemia (I, by ligation of anterior descending coronary artery for 30 minutes), (3) I+reperfusion (R, by the removal of the ligature) for 0.5 hour, (4) I+R for 1 hour, (5) I+R for 2 hours; group (6) ~ (9) also received I/R treatment as in group 2 ~ 5 respectively but with L-Arg pretreatment. Blood and myocardium tissue samples were collected by the end of the experiment for the analysis of: serum level of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase [LDH, by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)], ET-1 (radioimmunoassay), and the tissue content of ET-1 mRNA/peptide [by reverse-transcription polymerase chain-reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting]. RESULTS: In comparison with the sham treated control animals, the serum levels of CK, LDH, and ET-1 were all significantly higher in the groups treated with I/R (particularly those exposed to reperfusion). The myocardial tissue content of ET-1 mRNA/peptide were also significantly increased in I/R treated groups (particularly the I+R 2 hours group) as compared to control (ET-1 mRNA: 0.775 ± 0.029 vs. 0.310 ± 0.076; ET-1 peptide: 0.773 ± 0.055 vs. 0.340 ± 0.099, both P < 0.05). The i.v. administration of L-Arg significantly suppressed the up-regulation of tissue content of ET-1 mRNA /peptide in I/R treated animals (ET-1 mRNA: 0.340 ± 0.049 vs. 0.775 ± 0.029; ET-1 peptide: 0.390 ± 0.094 vs. 0.773 ± 0.055, both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: L-Arg may be tested during certain stage of I/R injury as a therapeutic intervention for the suppression of ET-1 up-regulation.

[Application of nano-sized TiO2 photocatalysis to air purification and sterilization].

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate the efficiency of air purification and sterilization instrument based on nano-sized TiO(2) photocatalytic technique. METHODS: The nano-sized TiO(2) photocatalytic air purification and sterilization instrument was designed and a sample had been prepared. The sterilization efficiencies for E.coli and Klebsiella by the nano-sized TiO(2) photocatalytic instrument and ultraviolet (UV) were measured in closed labs. The on-site efficiency of the instrument was evaluated, too. RESULTS: The nano-sized TiO(2) photocatalytic air purification and sterilization instrument was composed of five units: rough filter, nano-sized TiO(2) photocatalytic unit, activated carbon fiber filter, negative ion generator, and programmed control unit. The E.coli killing rates by the nano-sized TiO(2) photocatalytic instrument were 76.0%, 81.8%, 77.5%, and 80.7% at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes, respectively. There was no significant difference between the E.coli killing rates of the instrument and UV (P > 0.05), except the 120 minutes timepoint. The Klebsiella killing rates by the instrument were 78.4%, 79.5%, 67.3%, and 58.5% at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes, respectively. The Klebsiella killing efficiencies of the instrument at 30 and 60 minutes were better than that of UV (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the Klebsiella killing efficiencies of the instrument and UV (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The air sterilization efficiency of the nano-sized TiO(2) photocatalytic instrument should be equivalent or better as compared with the UV. This instrument might be used for the air purification and sterilization of the public locations.