[Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of large B-cell lymphoma with IRF4 rearrangement].

Objective: To analyze the clinicopathological features and differential diagnosis of large B-cell lymphoma with IRF4 rearrangement, aiming enhance its recognition and prevent misdiagnosis. Methods: The clinicopathological features, immunophenotype, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) results of six cases diagnosed with IRF4 rearrangement-positive B-cell lymphoma at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from 2015 to 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Additionally, a comprehensive review of the literature was conducted. Results: Six patients with IRF4 rearrangement-positive large B-cell lymphoma were included. Patients 1 to 5 included three males and two females with a median age of 19 years ranging from 11 to 34 years. Four patients presented with head and neck lesions, while the other one had a breast nodule; all were in clinical Ann Arbor stages I to Ⅱ. Morphologically, entirely diffuse pattern was present in two cases, purely follicular pattern in one case, and diffuse and follicular patterns in other two cases. The tumor cells, predominantly centroblasts mixed with some irregular centrocytes, were of medium to large size, with a starry sky appearance observed in two cases. Immunophenotyping revealed all cases were positive for bcl-6 and MUM1, with a Ki-67 index ranging from 70% to 90%, and CD10 was positive in two cases. IRF4 rearrangement was confirmed in all cases by FISH analysis, with dual IRF4/bcl-6 rearrangements identified in two cases, leading to a diagnosis of LBCL-IRF4. Case 6, a 39-year-old female with a tonsillar mass and classified as clinical Ann Arbor stage Ⅳ, displayed predominantly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) morphology with 20% high-grade follicular lymphoma characteristics. Immunohistochemistry showed negative CD10 and positive bcl-6/MUM1, with a Ki-67 index of approximately 80%. Triple rearrangements of IRF4/bcl-2/bcl-6 were identified by FISH, leading to a diagnosis of DLBCL with 20% follicular lymphoma (FL). All six patients achieved complete remission after treatment, with no progression or relapse during a follow-up period of 31-100 months. Conclusions: Large B-cell lymphoma with IRF4 rearrangement is a rare entity with pathological features that overlap with those of FL and DLBCL. While IRF4 rearrangement is necessary for diagnosing LBCL-IRF4, it is not specific and requires differentiation from other aggressive B-cell lymphomas with IRF4 rearrangement.

In situ growth of carbon nanotubes on Ni/MgO: a facile preparation of efficient catalysts for the production of synthetic natural gas from syngas.

Ni/MgO-CNTs catalysts are prepared by in situ chemical vapor deposition growth of CNTs on Ni/MgO. These catalysts exhibit an improved performance for the production of synthetic natural gas from syngas, which is attributed to the formation of highly catalytic active interfaces among Ni, CNTs and MgO.

Antibiotic resistance of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Chinese yogurts.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of 43 strains of lactic acid bacteria, isolated from Chinese yogurts made in different geographical areas, to 11 antibiotics (ampicillin, penicillin G, roxithromycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, chlortetracycline, lincomycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, neomycin, and gentamycin). The 43 isolates (18 Lactobacillus bulgaricus and 25 Streptococcus thermophilus) were identified at species level and were typed by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. Thirty-five genotypically different strains were detected and their antimicrobial resistance to 11 antibiotics was determined using the agar dilution method. Widespread resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, chlortetracycline, tetracyclines, lincomycin, streptomycin, neomycin, and gentamycin was found among the 35 strains tested. All of the Strep. thermophilus strains tested were susceptible to penicillin G and roxithromycin, whereas 23.5 and 64.7% of Lb. bulgaricus strains, respectively, were resistant. All of the Strep. thermophilus and Lb. bulgaricus strains were found to be resistant to kanamycin. The presence of the corresponding resistance genes in the resistant isolates was investigated through PCR, with the following genes detected: tet(M) in 1 Lb. bulgaricus and 2 Strep. thermophilus isolates, ant(6) in 2 Lb. bulgaricus and 2 Strep. thermophilus isolates, and aph(3')-IIIa in 5 Lb. bulgaricus and 2 Strep. thermophilus isolates. The main threat associated with these bacteria is that they may transfer resistance genes to pathogenic bacteria, which has been a major cause of concern to human and animal health. To our knowledge, the aph(3')-IIIa and ant(6) genes were found in Lb. bulgaricus and Strep. thermophilus for the first time. Further investigations are required to analyze whether the genes identified in Lb. bulgaricus and Strep. thermophilus isolates might be horizontally transferred to other species.