Efficacy and safety of Oral LL-37 against the Omicron BA.5.1.3 variant of SARS-COV-2: A randomized trial.

Recombinant LL-37 Lactococcus lactis (Oral LL-37) was designed to prevent progression of COVID-19 by targeting virus envelope, however, effectiveness and safety of Oral LL-37 in clinical application was unclear. A total of 238 adult inpatients, open-labelled, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-center study was conducted to investigate the primary end points, including negative conversion time (NCT) of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and adverse events (AEs). As early as intervened on 6th day of case confirmed, Oral LL-37 could significantly shorten NCT (LL-37 9.80 ± 2.67 vs. placebo 14.04 ± 5.89, p < 0.01). For Oral LL-37, as early as treated in 6 days, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for a primary event of nucleic acid negative outcome was 6.27-fold higher than 7-day-later (HR: 6.276, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.631-10.848, p < 0.0001), and the adjusted HR of Oral LL-37 within 6 days is higher than placebo (HR: 2.427 95% CI: 1.239-4.751, p = 0.0097). No severe AEs were observed during hospitalization and follow-up investigation. This study shows that early intervention of Oral LL-37 incredibly reduces NCT implying a potential for clearance of Omicron BA.5.1.3 without evident safety concerns.

The Effect of Air Pollution Control Auditing on Reducing Carbon Emissions: Evidence from China.

Analyzing the carbon-emission-reduction mechanism from the perspective of air pollution control auditing is of great practical significance for China to implement the dual-carbon strategy. Based on the panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2004 to 2018, we examine whether and how the auditing of air pollution control has an impact on carbon emission reduction by using multiple regression method and the mediating analysis. Our analyses show that air pollution control auditing can significantly restrain carbon emissions but has no impact on carbon emission intensity. Further research suggests that (1) the bottom-up audit represented by local audit institutions is more effective than the top-down audit represented by the National Audit Office; (2) air pollution control auditing follows a simple and direct method to curb carbon emissions by output reduction, regulation, and shutdown, rather than promoting technological progress and green transformation of enterprises in a high-quality development mode. Those findings provide an improvement direction for air pollution control auditing to contribute to carbon emission reduction and supply relevant policy references for implementing the dual carbon strategy.

Fluconazole for Hypercortisolism in Cushing's Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: Cushing's disease is associated with an increased risk of pulmonary fungal infection, which could be a relative contraindication for pituitary adenoma excision surgery. Case: We report a case of a patient with Cushing's disease and pulmonary Cryptococcus neoformans. A 48-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of moon face and edema. Laboratory and radiological findings suggested a diagnosis of Cushing's disease and pulmonary cryptococcus infection. Fluconazole 400 mg per day was administered intravenously and continued orally for 3 months. Both cryptococcus infection and hypercortisolism relieved and transsphenoidal resection was performed. Conclusion: Cushing's disease can be effectively treated with fluconazole to normalize cortisol concentration prior to pituitary surgery. Fluconazole is an alternative treatment especially in Cushing's disease patients with cryptococcal pneumonia.

Drip fertigation significantly reduces nitrogen leaching in solar greenhouse vegetable production system.

Vegetable production in solar greenhouses in northern China results in the excessive use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers and water via flooding irrigation. Both factors result in low N use efficiency and high environmental costs because groundwater becomes contaminated with nitrate (NO3-). Four consecutive tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) cropping seasons were tested whether drip fertigation and/or the incorporation of maize straw (S) may significantly reduce NO3- and dissolved organic N (DON) leaching while increasing the water-use efficiency (WUE) and partial factor productivity of applied N (PFPN) of the tomatoes. The following treatments were used: ① conventional flooding irrigation with overfertilization (CIF, 900 kg N ha-1 season-1), ② CIF + S, ③ drip irrigation with optimized fertilization (DIF, 400 kg N ha-1 season-1), ④ DIF + S. We found that (1) DIF significantly increases the PFPN and WUE by 262% and 73% without compromising the yield compared with CIF, respectively. (2) For CIF, approximately 50% of the total N input was leached at a NO3-/DON ratio of approximately 2:1. (3) Compared with CIF, DIF reduced NO3- and DON leaching by 88% and 90%, respectively. Water percolation was positively correlated with N leaching (p < 0.001). (4) Straw application only reduced NO3- leaching losses in the first year and did not affect DON leaching overall, although DON leaching was increased in DIF in the first growing season. In conclusion, DIF significantly reduces NO3- and DON leaching losses by approximately 90% compared with the current farmer practice (CIF). Considering the significant DON leaching losses, which have been overlooked because previous measurements focused on NO3-, DON should be considered as a primary factor of environmental pollution in conventional solar greenhouse vegetable production systems.

[Measurement of personal noise exposure in a cold rolling mill].

OBJECTIVE: To measure and evaluate the personal noise exposure of cold rolling mill workers by using noise dosimeter. METHODS: According to job category and work type, all workers were divided into 11 groups. 3 to 5 day shift (8:00 to 16:00) workers from each group were selected as subjects for personal noise exposure measurement. SH-126 dosimeters were worn by each subject and collect noise data by a phone fix at collar. All subjects were asked to take notes about their working activities when they were wearing SH-126 dosimeters. Each worker's L(A)(eq) of 8 hours, geometric mean and range of each group were computed. RESULTS: There were many noise sources in the workshop. Recorded data showed that noise exposure of cold rolling mill was unstable. The varieties of personal noise levels were quite large. Among 53 workers, the highest noise exposure level was 100.0 dB (A), the lowest was 81.2 dB (A); the highest work type was of the foreside welders [94.20 dB (A)], and the lowest was of the straight-cutters [89.02 dB (A)]; quality checkers had the biggest rang [16.3 dB (A)], and primary rolling workers had the lest [2.3 dB (A)]. CONCLUSION: Noise exposure of all the 11 groups were more than 85 dB (A). Noise protection of these workers should be improved. It suggested that measuring personal noise exposure individually with dosimeters might obtain the noise exposure level more integrally in the complicated environment.

Effect of the China-America Union Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Training Program on the emergency knowledge and skills of Chinese paramedics.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the China-America Union Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Training Program (PHEC) on the emergency medical knowledge and skills of Chinese paramedics. METHODS: This study was conducted at the Emergency Command Center of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China from June to December 2011. The experimental group of 113 trainees, and the control group of 85 trainees received training in pre-hospital emergency care (PHEC) theory and practice. They were given pre- and post- tests to evaluate their knowledge and skill levels. The training content was the same and the teaching methods, materials and training team in the 2 groups were different. All trainees were tested for emergency knowledge and skills, before and immediately following the training, and also a survey was conducted regarding the effectiveness of the training. T-test was used to measure the difference between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The post-test scores for both groups in knowledge and skills were higher than that of the pre-test (p<0.001). The value of difference between the post-test scores of each group in bleeding control, wound care, fracture care and stabilization, and transportation (BWFT) (p<0.001), and intubation (p<0.001) was significantly higher in the experimental group except emergency knowledge, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and arrhythmia treatment (p<0.001). In the survey, 95.6% of the trainees in the experimental group considered the Union Training Program a more effective way to help paramedics learn emergency medical knowledge and skills. CONCLUSION: The use of the American standard of PHEC can improve the emergency skills of Chinese paramedics, especially in the areas of BWFT and intubation, and support its use province-wide in an effort to standardize the PHEC medical procedure in China.