Acute Pulmonary Actinomycosis Induced by Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy Used for SCLC Treatment: A Case Report and Literature Review.

A 66-year-old male patient diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer received chemotherapy and immunotherapy, resulting in successful tumor control. However, the patient subsequently experienced a fever and rapid progression of the pulmonary cavity. Despite sampling bronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS), the cause remained unidentified. Adding bronchoalveolar lavage fluid to sense metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) confirmed the infection caused by actinomycetes. The patient's condition improved after active anti-infection treatment. This case was further analyzed and discussed through a comprehensive literature review, focusing on molecular microbiological diagnosis and treatment processes. The points outlined were as follows: the advancement of molecular microbiology has gradually reduced the challenges associated with diagnosing rare infectious diseases such as pulmonary actinomycosis. Additionally, in immunodeficient individuals, certain infectious diseases with a chronic course may exhibit acute and aggressive characteristics, which is of concern to all colleagues. Currently, tNGS and mNGS are widely employed in clinical settings as practical tools for diagnosing infectious diseases. Notably, these two methods are not substitutes for each other but complement each other.

Responsivity and detectivity enhancements by graphene overlay on normal-incident multicolor quantum grid infrared photodetectors.

An efficient and effective method to achieve high responsivity and specific detectivity, particularly for normal-incident quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs), is proposed in this study. By combining superlattice (SL) structure, grating structures, and graphene monolayer onto traditional QWIP designs, a graphene-covered multicolor quantum grid infrared photodetector (QGIP) with improved optoelectrical properties is developed. The enhancements of the device's responsivity and specific detectivity are about 7-fold and 20-fold, respectively, which resulted from an increase in the charge depletion region and the generation of extra photoelectrons due to graphene-semiconductor heterojunction. This method provides a potential candidate for future high-performance photodetectors.

[Sodium Ferulate Attenuates Oxidative Stress Induced Inflammation via Suppressing NALP3 Inflammasome and p38 MAPK Signal Pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of NACHT-PYD-containing protein 3(NALP3) inflammasome and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MARK),and the interventional mechanism of sodium ferulate (SF) in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH-3T3 cells) under oxidative stress. METHODS: NIH-3T3 cells cultured in vitro were divided into 6 groups,including control group,H2O2 stress group (H2O2 200 µmol/L),SF group (SF 400 µg/mL),antioxidant group (H2O2 200 µmol/L+NAC 5 mmol/L),p38 MAPK blockers group (H2O2 200 µmol/L+SB203580 5 µmol/L),H2O2+SF group (H2O2 200 µmol/L+SF 400 µg/mL). The mRNA expression levels of NALP3, Caspase-1 and p38α were evaluated by fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) at 24 h after cell culture; Western blot was performed to detect the expressions of NALP3,p-p38 to p38 protein (the activation of p38 MAPK signaling pathway expressed by the ratio of p-p38 to p38) at 48 h after cell culture; The levels of interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß) in different groups were detected by ELISA at 2 h after cell culture. RESULTS: Compared with control group,H2O2 could not only increase the expression levels of NALP3, Caspase-1,p38α mRNAs and NALP3,p-p38/p38 proteins but also the secretion of IL-1ß in NIH-3T3 cells when compared with the control group (P<0.05); Antioxidant NAC,p38 MAPK blockers and H2O2+SF group could partly resisted the effects of H2O2 on NIH-3T3 cells,that decreased the level of mRNA expressions of NALP3, Caspase-1,p38α and protein expressions of NALP3 and p-p38/p38,and reduced the secretion of IL-1ß when compared to the H2O2 stress group (P<0.05); However,H2O2+NAC group,SB203580 group and H2O2+SF group showed no statistical difference of those indicators (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The mechanism of sodium ferulate attenuated oxidative stress induced inflammation may be through blunting p38 MAPK signal pathway,the expression of NALP3 inflammasome,Caspase-1 and the secretion of IL-1ß are reduced.

The NALP3 inflammasome is required for collagen synthesis via the NF­κB pathway.

The NALP3 inflammasome interacts with various immune and cell metabolic pathways and may participate in pulmonary fibrosis. However, little is known on its regulatory mechanism with respect to collagen synthesis. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether NALP3 inflammasome activation is involved in H2O2­mediated collagen synthesis, in addition to examining the possible cell signaling mechanisms underlying this effect. It was demonstrated that the NF­κB signaling pathway was activated under conditions of H2O2­mediated oxidative stress in NIH­3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts. H2O2­exposed fibroblasts exhibited activated NALP3 inflammasomes via increased NALP3, apoptosis­associated Speck­like protein and caspase­1 expression and the secretion of interleukin­1ß. H2O2 also elevated α­SMA and type I collagen expression. In vitro silencing of NALP3 attenuated the degradation of IκBα and decreased the synthesis of type I collagen. Furthermore, the NALP3 inflammasome was found to be activated in bleomycin­induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice, and this activation was relieved by a nuclear factor (NF)­κB inhibitor. Taken together, these findings indicate that the NALP3 inflammasome is involved in H2O2­induced type I collagen synthesis, which is mediated by the NF­κB signaling pathway. Additionally, the NALP3 inflammasome contributes to the development of bleomycin­induced pulmonary fibrosis.

[The Effect of Sodium Ferulate in Experimental Pulmonary Fibrosis via NALP3 Inflammasome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the activation of NALP3 inflammasome in the process of experimental pulmonary fibrosis (PF), and evaluate the effect of sodium ferulate (SF) in the relationship of NALP3 and PF. METHODS: Establishing PF experimental model via bleomycin (BLM) intratracheal injection (BLM group, SF group), treated with SF daily (SF group) or PBS [BLM group, control (CON) group] and mice were executed on day 21. Ashcroft score was used to assess lung fibrosis in mice PF model. The content of hydroxyproline (HYP) in lung tissue was determined by alkaline hydrolysis. Fibroblast NIH-3T3 was treated with H2O2 to trigger cell oxidative stress in vitroexperiments (H2O2group). Cell was pre-administrated with SF 2 h before H2O2 stimulation in H2O2+SF group. Blank group without any treatments, was set as control. Real time-PCR was used to investigate the expressions of three elements of inflammasome[NALP3, caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC)], collagen-1 and α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) mRNA in both lung tissue and fibroblast. Western blot was used to detect protein level of NALP3 in mice lung tissue and collagen-1, α-SMA in fibroblast as well. Meanwhile, IL-1ß content in lung tissue and cell supernatant was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: in vitro experiment, SF treated mice showed lower Ashcroft score and HYP content and decreased NALP3, ASC, caspase-1 mRNA expressions and IL-1ß production, NALP3 protein level compared with BLM group (P<0.05). in vitroexperiment, H2O2 increased NALP3 (P<0.05), ASC (P<0.01), caspase-1 (P<0.05) expressions and IL-1ß releasing (P<0.05)and promoted the expressions of collagen-1 and α-SMA in both gene and protein levels (P<0.05) in NIH-3T3. NALP3 activation was partly inhibited in H2O2+SF group (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of collagen-1 and α-SMA were reduced in H2O2+SF group (P<0.05) and the protein expressions of α-SMA and collagen-1 were decreased (P<0.05) compared with those of H2O2 group. CONCLUSION: Sodium ferulate may suppress oxidative stress mediated NALP3 activation to inhibit fibroblast activation in the anti-fibrosis effect.

[Probe excavations about using gene chip to identify original plants in Chinese pharmacopoeia based on NCBI sequence database].

OBJECTIVE: Based on the DNA fragments of medicinal plants of NCBJ database, the DNA Probe,which can be used to identify original plants in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition), was got. METHODS: First of all, get the Latin name of the original plants by collating the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Next,download the medicinal plants' DNA fragments from the NCBI database, including ITS, matK, rbcL, psbK-psbI and trnH-psbA, then design probe by using Array Designer 4. 2. Finally, analyze each probe's versatility in the same kind of original plant and conservatism in different kinds of original plants by using Matlab, then determine the specificity of the probe. RESULTS: Regarding the Latin name of 586 original plants in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition) and the above five gene fragments as retrieval condition, 7 613 sequences were downloaded from NCBI, then 315 436 probes were got in total by analyzing. What's more, after analyzing versatility and conservatism of the probes,13 814 specific probes were got. Furthermore,in theory, 376 kinds of original plants could be detected. Because there existed the lack of related gene fragments in the NCBI database,or the sequences were short of specificity,210 species of original plants which were involved in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia didn't receive the corresponding probe. CONCLUSION: The results of the study can provide the further development of medicinal plants' identification chip with vital information support,and the excavation methods of probe can be widely used. Furthermore,the results of the study indicate the original plants which need sequencing importantly in the future.