A Case of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) has attracted increasing attention. It usually causes liver abscesses, which spread through the bloodstream to other parts such as the eyes, brain, lungs. 5.5% of all paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity syndrome are associated with infection, hydrocephalus, brain tumors, and some unknown causes. Younger patients with focal lesions of the brain parenchyma are at higher risk of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH). CASE PRESENTATION: This case report details the clinical features of Klebsiella pneumoniae diagnosed in a healthy individual. In addition to liver abscesses, bacteremia, and hyperglycemia, there are also brain abscesses, hernias, and postoperative paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity, an unexpected association between diseases or symptoms. The patient stabilized after comprehensive treatment, including early drainage of abscesses, rapid pathogen diagnosis, and timely and appropriate antibiotics. At a two-month follow-up, no signs of infection recurrence were noted, and the patient regained neurological function and could participate in regular physical activity. DISCUSSION: Symptoms of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection usually appear gradually, and misdiagnosis is common. When young patients suddenly develop high fever and abscess at a particular site, Klebsiella pneumoniae infection should be considered routine. Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity syndrome caused by infection is rare, but a clinical score (PSH assessment measure, PSH-AM score) should be performed when clinical features appear. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve the prognosis.

[Role and mechanism of intestinal-liver interaction in infectious intestinal/liver injury].

Infection is a common medical problem at present. Different pathogens can lead to different infections. Severe infections can ultimately lead to sepsis, resulting in multiple organ dysfunction and the high mortality of patients. Therefore, studying the occurrence and development of severe infections is essential to improve the survival rate of patients. More and more studies have revealed the important role of connection between intestine and liver in infectious diseases. The maintenance of intestinal mechanical barrier and biological barrier function and the regulation of intestinal flora metabolites can reduce infectious liver injury. Bile acids are important metabolites in the liver, which can inhibit the progression of certain infectious intestinal injuries and promote intestinal damage caused by certain pathogens. In this article, the mechanism of action of the intestinal-liver axis in infection was reviewed to find a new target for the treatment of clinical infection.

C/EBPε and its acetylation in PMN enhance the tolerance to trauma.

Severe trauma can lead to numerous serious complications, threating the well-being and vitality of the afflicted. The quantity and functionality of PMNs undergo rapid transformations in response to severe trauma, playing a pivotal role in the trauma response. The absence of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ε (C/EBPε) profoundly impairs the functionality of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), a function of paramount importance in trauma. In this study, by generating mice with C/EBPε knocked out or overexpressed, we substantiate that C/EBPε ensures the restoration of PMN function, enhancing the expression of antimicrobial proteins and thereby promoting trauma recovery. Furthermore, diminished expression of C/EBPε is observed in trauma patients, with levels displaying a negative correlation with ISS and APACHE II scores, suggesting its potential as a prognostic indicator for clinical treatment. Mechanistically, we uncover the upregulation of SIRT1 and the inhibition of P300 participating in the suppression of C/EBPε acetylation, consequently reducing the resilience of mice to trauma. As therapeutic interventions, whether through the sole administration of PMN, NAM treatment, or their combination, all result in an increased survival rate in traumatic mice. In conclusion, our study elucidates the role of C/EBPε in enhancing the resilience to trauma and identifies C/EBPε acetylation as a critical regulatory mechanism, offering potential therapeutic approaches involving PMN transfusion and NAM treatment.

Computer-aided discovery of novel aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands to regulate CYP1A1 expression in inflammatory macrophages.

The environmental factor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a key protein connecting the external environmental signals (e.g., environmental endocrine disruptor TCDD) to internal cellular processes, is involved in the activation of peripheral macrophages and inflammatory response in human body. Thus, there is widespread interest in finding compounds to anti-inflammatory response in macrophages by targeting human AhR. Here, ensemble docking based-virtual screening was first used to screen a library (~200,000 compounds) against human AhR ligand binding domain (LBD) and 25 compounds were identified as potential inhibitors. Then, 9 out of the 25 ligands were found to down-regulate the mRNA expression of CYP1A1 (a downstream gene of AhR signaling) in AhR overexpressing macrophages. The most potent compound AE-411/41415610 was selected for further study and found to reduce both mRNA and protein expressions level of CYP1A1 in mouse peritoneal macrophage. Moreover, protein chip signal pathway analysis indicated that AE-411/41415610 play a role in regulating JAK-STAT and AKT-mTOR pathways. In sum, the discovered hits with novel scaffolds provided a starting point for future design of more effective AhR-targeted lead compounds to regulate CYP1A1 expression of inflammatory peritoneal macrophages.

Punicalagin promotes mincle-mediated phagocytosis of macrophages via the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

Punicalagin (PUN) is a polyphenol derived from the pomegranate peel. It has been reported to have many beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-proliferation. However, the role of PUN in macrophage phagocytosis is currently unknown. In this study, we found that pre-treatment with PUN significantly enhanced phagocytosis by macrophages in a time- and dose-dependent manner in vitro. Moreover, KEGG enrichment analysis by RNA-sequencing showed that differentially expressed genes following PUN treatment were significantly enriched in phagocyte-related receptors, such as the C-type lectin receptor signaling pathway. Among the C-type lectin receptor family, Mincle (Clec4e) significantly increased at the mRNA and protein level after PUN treatment, as shown by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) mediated knockdown of Mincle in macrophages resulted in down regulation of phagocytosis. Furthermore, western blotting showed that PUN treatment enhanced the phosphorylation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in macrophages at the early stage. Mincle-mediated phagocytosis by PUN was inhibited by PDTC (a NF-κB inhibitor) and SB203580 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor). In addition, PUN pre-treatment enhanced phagocytosis by peritoneal and alveolar macrophages in vivo. After intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli (E.coli), the bacterial load of peritoneal lavage fluid and peripheral blood in PUN pre-treated mice decreased significantly. Similarly, the number of bacteria in the lung tissue significantly reduced after intranasal administration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1). Taken together, our results reveal that PUN enhances bacterial clearance in mice by activating the NF-κB and MAPK pathways and upregulating C-type lectin receptor expression to enhance phagocytosis by macrophages.

[Role and mechanism of gut microbiota and its metabolites in host defense against infection].

The interaction of gut microbiota and its metabolites with the host not only plays an important role in maintaining gut homeostasis and host health, but also is a key link in responding to pathogen infections. A thorough understanding of the changes in gut microbiota and its metabolites during infection, as well as their role and mechanism in host defense against infection, is helpful to guide anti-infection treatment. This review focuses on the role of gut microbiota and their metabolites in host defense against bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, and reveals that they can exert anti-infection effects through resistance mechanisms (inducing antimicrobial substances, training immunity, inhibiting pathogen respiration, directly neutralizing pathogens, immune regulation) and tolerance mechanisms (altering energy metabolism patterns of microbiota, cell proliferation and tissue damage repair, maintaining physiological signal transduction in extraintestinal organs, inflammation regulation, maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier), and also summarizes measures to regulate gut microbiota against pathogen infections, in order to provide more ideas for novel anti-infection prevention and treatment strategies targeting gut microbiota and its metabolites.

Vitamin D levels and olfactory dysfunction in multiple sclerosis patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to explore the possible relationship between the serum vitamin D level and olfactory impairment in a population of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Guizhou, China. METHODS: We included 25 patients with MS and 18 healthy controls (HCs) who were recruited from the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from February 2021 to September 2021. The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) was used to test the patients' sense of smell, and the level of serum 25-hydroxyethylene polyprotein D was measured. RESULTS: Serum vitamin D levels and UPSIT scores were significantly different between the MS group and the control group (both p < 0.001). Moreover, a significant positive correlation emerged between vitamin D levels and UPSIT scores in MS patients (r = 0.537, p = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: The serum vitamin D level may be involved in the regulation of olfactory dysfunction in MS patients in Guizhou, China.

Multiple sclerosis is a rare disease in China.Compared with that of healthy controls, the olfactory function of MS patients was severely impaired.Compared with healthy controls, MS patients had low vitamin D levels.A significant positive correlation emerged between vitamin D levels and UPSIT scores in MS patients.The vitamin D levels of MS patients may be associated with olfactory impairment, which may have implications for future mechanistic studies.

The key aroma components of steamed green tea decoded by sensomics and their changes under different withering degree.

Steamed green tea has a long history and unique aroma, but little is known about its key aroma components. In this study, 173 volatiles in steamed green tea were identified using solvent-assisted flavor evaporation and headspace-solid phase microextraction plus two chromatographic columns of different polarities. Aroma extract dilution analysis revealed 48 highly aroma-active compounds with flavor dilution factors 64-1024. Internal standards were used to calculate odorant active value (OAV), and 11 OAV > 1 key aroma compounds were determined. Omission test identified eight substances, including dimethyl sulfide, (E)-ß-ionone, cis-jasmone, linalool, nonanal, heptanal, isovaleraldehyde and (Z)-3-hexenol, as the key aroma active compounds of steamed green tea. With the increase of withering degree, the content of these substances increased first and then decreased except for heptanal and cis-jasmone. Moreover, the water content of 62 % was suggested to be an appropriate withering degree during the processing of steamed green tea.

Mechanism of aroma enhancement methods in accelerating Congou black tea acidification subjected to room temperature storage.

Acidification of aroma-enhanced black tea during storage was studied. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS (Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography and Quadrupole-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer) and HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) analysis of non-volatile substances and organic acids revealed a decrease of soluble sugars and amino acids in aroma-enhanced black tea, while an increase in organic acids such as oxalic acid, malic acid and quinic acid. Further in vitro experiments indicated that the acidification of aroma-enhanced tea during storage can be attributed to decomposition of sugars and amino acids by heating, oxidation of aromatic aldehydes. Meanwhile, the amino acids, catechins, soluble sugars and flavonoids that constitute the taste of black tea are further reduced, changing the taste composition of tea infusion and further increasing its acidity. This study revealed the reasons for black tea acidification during aroma enhancement and storage and provided a theoretical basis for improving black tea quality.

The complete genome sequence of Kineothrix sp. MB12-C1, isolated from the feces of black soldier fly larvae.

Here, we present the complete genome sequence of Kineothrix sp. MB12-C1 (= BCRC 81406), isolated from the feces of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae. The genome of strain MB12-C1 was chosen for further species classification and comparative genomic analysis.

Design and verification of a high-gradient and high-power 2nd harmonic cavity for the China Spallation Neutron Source upgrade project.

Here, we report our recent progress in the design, fluid thermodynamics simulation, and high-power test of the2nd harmonic cavity for the China Spallation Neutron Source Phase II. A high-performance and large-size magnetic alloy (MA) core was developed as the load material for the radiofrequency cavity to achieve a high gradient of 40 kV/m. The water-cooling structure and cooling efficiency were studied and improved through numerical analysis and thermal experiments. The long-term stability of the cavity, especially the waterproofness of the MA cores with high heat load, was verified by high power tests.

A low-frequency normal conducting cavity with higher-order mode damping for fourth-generation synchrotron radiation sources.

The utilization of a low-frequency (<200 MHz) RF system in storage facilitates the attainment of ultra-low emittances in synchrotron light sources through on-axis injection. This paper focuses on the development of a low-frequency normal conducting (NC) cavity with higher-order mode (HOM) damping for fourth-generation synchrotron light sources. We propose a novel approach to achieve efficient HOM damping in a NC cavity by optimizing the lowest frequency HOM and implementing a beam-line absorber. Notably, unlike conventional NC cavities, the presence of a large beam tube for the beam-line absorber does not compromise the accelerating performance in a coaxial resonant cavity, enabling effective HOM damping while maintaining a high shunt impedance. Through simulations, the prototype design of a 166.6 MHz HOM-damped cavity demonstrates a fundamental mode impedance of ∼8 MΩ, with longitudinal and transverse HOM impedances below 2.0 and 50 kΩ/m, respectively.

Diversity and community composition of strictly anaerobic and culturable bacteria from the feces of Styrofoam-fed Tenebrio molitor larvae: a culturomics-based study.

Introduction: In recent years, researchers have been exploring the plastic-degrading abilities of bacteria residing in the guts of Styrofoam-eating Tenebrio molitor larvae. However, none of the reported strains have displayed highly efficient plastic degradation capabilities, and it's noteworthy that none of the existing studies have focused on strictly anaerobic microbes. Methods: In this study, we exclusively fed Styrofoam to T. molitor larvae and examined how this dietary change influence the gut's bacterial community composition, as observed through fecal bacteria using bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and the small-scale culturomics method with 20 types of anaerobic media under four different conditions. Results: The results revealed a significant shift in the dominant phylogroup from Lactococcus (37.8%) to Escherichia-Shigella (54.7%) when comparing the feces of larvae fed with bran and Styrofoam, as analyzing through the bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. For small-scale culturomics method, a total of 226 strains of anaerobic bacteria were isolated and purified using the rolling-tube/strictly anaerobic technique. Among them, 226 strains were classified into 3 phyla, 7 classes, 9 orders, 17 families, 29 genera, 42 known species and 34 potential novel species. Discussion: Interestingly, 24 genera in total, identified through the culturomics method, were not found in the results obtained from amplicon sequencing. Here, we present a collection of culturable anaerobic bacteria from the feces of T. molitor larvae, which might be a promising avenue for investigating the biodegradability of plastics by combining specific strains, either randomly or intentionally, while considering the abundance ratio of the microbial community composition.

The diagnostic value of fluorescence in situ hybridization in secondary electroresection of bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in secondary electroresection of bladder cancer. METHODS: From January 2016 to April 2022, bladder cancer patients who had undergone secondary electroresection in Tongji Hospital and had preoperative urine FISH were recruited, and the positive rate, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, genetic material changes and predictive power on malignancy degree of FISH in the secondary electroresection of bladder cancer were examined. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients with bladder cancer were included in this study, and 8 were confirmed by secondary electroresection, including 6 cases positive for FISH positive and 2 negative for FISH. Besides, among the subjects, 18 were without tumor recurrence, including 1 case with positive FISH results and 17 with negative FISH results. Tumor recurrence was diagnosed in 85.71% (6/7) of FISH-positive patients in secondary electroresection while only 10.53% (2/19) of FISH-negative patients were found to develop tumor recurrence in the secondary electroresection. The sensitivity of FISH for the detection of bladder cancer before secondary electroresection was 75%, with a specificity of 94.44%, and an accuracy of 88.46%. A 6-month follow-up revealed that 2 of the 8 recurrent patients underwent radical resection of bladder cancer, and the remaining 6 patients had no recurrence, as confirmed by regular bladder perfusion and microscopy. In the 18 non-recurrent patients during secondary electroresection, no recurrence developed. CONCLUSIONS: Urine FISH can achieve a high detection rate and specificity for secondary electroresection of bladder cancer. If a bladder cancer patient who are indicated for secondary electroresection is negative for urine FISH, the recurrence rate after secondary electroresection will be low, and the cystoscopy can be performed before deciding whether to perform secondary electroresection.

Development and clinical validation of a microfluidic-based platform for CTC enrichment and downstream molecular analysis.

Background: Although many CTC isolation and detection methods can provide information on cancer cell counts, downstream gene and protein analysis remain incomplete. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a technology that can provide comprehensive information on both the number and profile of CTC. Methods: In this study, we developed a novel microfluidics-based CTC separation and enrichment platform that provided detailed information about CTC. Results: This platform exhibits exceptional functionality, achieving high rates of CTC recovery (87.1%) and purification (∼4 log depletion of WBCs), as well as accurate detection (95.10%), providing intact and viable CTCs for downstream analysis. This platform enables successful separation and enrichment of CTCs from a 4 mL whole-blood sample within 15 minutes. Additionally, CTC subtypes, selected protein expression levels on the CTC surface, and target mutations in selected genes can be directly analyzed for clinical utility using immunofluorescence and real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the detected PD-L1 expression in CTCs is consistent with immunohistochemical assay results. Conclusion: The microfluidic-based CTC enrichment platform and downstream molecular analysis together provide a possible alternative to tissue biopsy for precision cancer management, especially for patients whose tissue biopsies are unavailable.

Complete genome sequence of Proteiniborus sp. MB09-C3, isolated from the feces of the black soldier fly larvae.

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Proteiniborus sp. MB09-C3 (= BCRC 81405), isolated from the feces of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae. The genome of strain MB09-C3 was selected for further species delineation and comparative genomic analysis.

Characterizing and Decoding the Effects of Different Fermentation Levels on Key Aroma Substances of Congou Black Tea by Sensomics.

Fermentation is the key technology for black tea aroma formation. The key aroma substances of black tea at different fermentation stages (unfermented (WDY), underfermented (F1H), fully fermented (F4H), and overfermented (F8H)) were characterized by the methodology of Sensomics. Aroma extract dilution analysis was performed on volatile fractions extracted by using solvent-assisted flavor evaporation and solid-phase microextraction, yielding 93 odor-active areas. Internal standard method plus stable isotope dilution analysis was used for quantitative analysis. The omission experiment identified 23 aroma substances. Further reduction and addition experiments revealed phenylacetaldehyde, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, geraniol, linalool, ß-damascenone, 2-methylbutyraldehyde, dimethyl sulfide, and isovaleraldehyde with odor activity values (OAV) > 100 as the characteristic aroma components of F4H and also as the main contributors to aroma differences between different fermentation degrees. The green odor of (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal was highlighted in WDY and F1H relative to that in F4H due to the lower contribution of phenylacetaldehyde and ß-damascenone in the former two samples. Additionally, excessive OAV increase of fatty aldehydes in F8H masked its similar floral and fruity aroma.

Transmission Line Voltage Measurement Utilizing a Calibrated Suspension Grounding Voltage Sensor.

The accurate voltage measurement of distribution networks is of great significance in power dispatching and fault diagnosis. Voltage sensors based on the spatial electric field effect do not require grounding, which provides the possibility for the distributed measurement of transmission line voltages. However, the divider ratio of suspension grounding voltage sensors is affected by the height between the sensor and the ground, as well as the distance between the sensor and the telegraph pole. In this paper, a self-calibration method based on internal capacitance transformation is proposed to realize the on-line calibration of suspension grounding voltage sensors. The calibration is accomplished by switching different parameters in the conditioning circuit, and the calibration process does not require power failure or known input excitation. In addition, the impact of electric fields in the other two phases of three-phase transmission lines on measurement through simulation research is quantified in this paper. In order to reduce the impact of interference electric fields, an equipotential shielding structure is designed. The circuit topology and probe prototype have been developed and testing has been conducted in laboratory conditions; the experimental results show that the maximum relative error of voltage amplitude is 1.65%, and the phase relative error is 0.94%. The measurement accuracy is not limited by the height to ground or the distance to the telegraph pole. In addition, in the application of an equipotential shielding probe, the maximum deviation of measured voltage is 0.7% with and without interference electric fields.

Complete genome sequence of Proteiniclasticum sp. QWL-01, isolated from sewage sludge.

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Proteiniclasticum sp. QWL-01 (= BCRC 81396), isolated from sewage sludge of the Wastewater Treatment Plant of Sanming Steel Co. Ltd., Fujian, China. The genome of strain QWL-01 was selected for further species delineation and comparative genomic analysis.

The aroma characteristics of oolong tea are jointly determined by processing mode and tea cultivars.

This study delved into the aroma characteristics of "Qingxiang" oolong tea, analyzing six different cultivars and their processing modes. The findings showed that both cultivars and processing modes have a significant impact on the oolong tea aroma system. The study identified 18 terpenoid volatiles (VTs), 11 amino-acid-derived volatiles (AADVs), 15 fatty-acid-derived volatiles (FADVs), 3 carotenoid-derived volatiles (CDVs), and 10 other compounds in oolong tea that differentiate it from green and black tea. The turn-over stage was found to be the primary processing stage for oolong tea aroma formation. Molecular sensory analysis revealed that the "fresh" odor attribute is the basis for its aroma, while "floral and fruity" fragrances are its aroma characteristics. The perception of oolong tea as "fresh" and "floral and fruity" is influenced by the interactions of its aroma components. These findings provide a new basis for breed improvement and process enhancement in oolong tea production.