Human infection with a reassortment avian influenza A H3N8 virus: an epidemiological investigation study.

A four-year-old boy developed recurrent fever and severe pneumonia in April, 2022. High-throughput sequencing revealed a reassortant avian influenza A-H3N8 virus (A/Henan/ZMD-22-2/2022(H3N8) with avian-origin HA and NA genes. The six internal genes were acquired from Eurasian lineage H9N2 viruses. Molecular substitutions analysis revealed the haemagglutin retained avian-like receptor binding specificity but that PB2 genes possessed sequence changes (E627K) associated with increased virulence and transmissibility in mammalian animal models. The patient developed respiratory failure, liver, renal, coagulation dysfunction and sepsis. Endotracheal intubation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were administered. H3N8 RNA was detected from nasopharyngeal swab of a dog, anal swab of a cat, and environmental samples collected in the patient's house. The full-length HA sequences from the dog and cat were identical to the sequence from the patient. No influenza-like illness was developed and no H3N8 RNA was identified in family members. Serological testing revealed neutralizing antibody response against ZMD-22-2 virus in the patient and three family members. Our results suggest that a triple reassortant H3N8 caused severe human disease. There is some evidence of mammalian adaptation, possible via an intermediary mammalian species, but no evidence of person-to-person transmission. The potential threat from avian influenza viruses warrants continuous evaluation and mitigation.

Associations between UASMS2 polymorphism in leptin gene and growth, carcass and meat quality traits of cattle: a meta-analysis.

Although numerous studies investigated the effect of UASMS2 polymorphism in leptin gene on cattle production, a consensus has not yet been reached. Therefore, we reviewed and meta-analyzed the effects of UASMS2 on cattle. We searched potentially relevant studies from seven databases (to December 25, 2019). Standard mean difference along with 95% confidence intervals was calculated to assess the strength of association through the random-effects model. Six published articles containing 1378 cattle samples were included in our meta-analysis. We found UASMS2 was not related to carcass weight, dressing percentage and loin muscle area in the recessive genetic model, but there was a significant association between UASMS2 and average daily weight gain, dry matter intake, body weight, marbling score, and backfat thickness. This meta-analysis indicated that UASMS2 was associated with growth and meat quality traits of cattle, implying that this SNP can be used reliably in beef cattle breeding. This study may provide valuable information on improving beef yield and quality in cattle production.

The Effect of FATP1 on Adipocyte Differentiation in Qinchuan Beef Cattle.

FATP1 plays an important role in the regulation of fatty acid metabolism and lipid accumulation. In this study, we investigated the patterns of FATP1 expression in various tissues obtained from calf and adult Qinchuan cattle, and in differentiating adipocytes. Next, we investigated the effect of FATP1 expression on preadipocyte differentiation in Qinchuan cattle using overexpression and interference assays. We also identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pathways associated with FATP1 overexpression/interference. Our results reveal that FATP1 was broadly expressed in heart, kidney, muscle, small intestine, large intestine, and perirenal fat tissues. While FATP1 overexpression promoted preadipocyte differentiation, fat deposition, and the expression of several genes involved in fat metabolism, FATP1 interference had the opposite effects on adipocyte differentiation. Following FATP1 overexpression and FATP1 interference in adipocytes, RNA-seq analysis was performed to identify DEGs related to fat metabolism. The DEGs identified include SLPI, STC1, SEMA6A, TNFRSF19, SLN, PTGS2, ADCYP1, FADS2, and SCD. Pathway analysis revealed that the DEGs were enriched in the PPAR signaling pathway, AMPK signal pathway, and Insulin signaling pathway. Our results provide an in-depth understanding of the function and regulation mechanism of FAPT1 in fat metabolism.

Molecular Characterization of bla IMP - 4 -Carrying Enterobacterales in Henan Province of China.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) pose a serious threat to clinical management and public health. We investigated the molecular characteristics of 12 IMP-4 metallo-ß-lactamase-producing strains, namely, 5 Enterobacter cloacae, 3 Escherichia coli, 2 Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 2 Citrobacter freundii. These strains were collected from a tertiary teaching hospital in Zhengzhou from 2013 to 2015. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results showed that each bla IMP - 4-positive isolate was multidrug-resistant (MDR) but susceptible to colistin. All of the E. coli belonged to ST167, two C. freundii isolates belonged to ST396, and diverse ST types were identified in E. cloacae and K. pneumoniae. S1-PFGE, Southern blotting, and PCR-based replicon typing assays showed that the bla IMP - 4-carrying plasmids ranged from ∼52 to ∼360 kb and belonged to FII, FIB, HI2/HI2A, and N types. N plasmids were the predominant type (8/12, 66.7%). Plasmid stability testing indicated that the bla IMP - 4-carrying N-type plasmid is more stable than the other types of plasmids. Conjugative assays revealed that three of the bla IMP - 4-carrying N plasmids were transferrable. Complete sequence analysis of a representative N type (pIMP-ECL14-57) revealed that it was nearly identical to pIMP-FJ1503 (KU051710) (99% nucleotide identity and query coverage), an N-type bla IMP - 4-carrying epidemic plasmid in a C. freundii strain. PCR mapping indicated that a transposon-like structure [IS6100-mobC-intron (K1.pn.I3)-bla IMP - 4 -IntI1-IS26] was highly conserved in all of the N plasmids. IS26 involved recombination events that resulted in variable structures of this transposon-like module in FII and FIB plasmids. The bla IMP - 4 gene was captured by a sul1-type integron In1589 on HI2/HI2A plasmid pIMP-ECL-13-46.

Report on a lactating patient with COVID-19.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in a lactating patient in Chizhou, Anhui Province, China. The lactating patient presented with intermittent fever for 16 days and cough for 10 days. Given her travel history to the epidemic area and the chest CT scan results, the patient was immediately admitted to the isolation ward of the Infectious Disease Department and breastfeeding was discontinued. Pharyngeal swab specimens tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, previously known as 2019-nCoV) in nucleic acid testing. During hospitalization, she also experienced bilateral breast tenderness. After active treatment, the patient ultimately achieved remission and was discharged from the hospital. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted mainly through respiratory droplets and patient contact, rendering the general population to a high risk of infection. The management of mother-child interactions and breastfeeding in women with COVID-19 is a difficult problem. The purpose of this case report is to help clinicians by improving the understanding of COVID-19, particularly in lactating patients.

Genetic variants in MYF5 affected growth traits and beef quality traits in Chinese Qinchuan cattle.

Myogenic factor 5 plays actively roles in the regulation of myogenesis. The aims of this study are to identify the evolution information of MYF5 protein among 10 domestic and mammalian animals, to uncover the expression patterns of MYF5 gene in calves and adults of Qinchuan cattle, and to expose the genetic variants of the MYF5 gene and explore its effect on cattle growth traits and beef quality traits in Qinchuan cattle. The bioinformatics results showed that the MYF5 proteins highly conserved in different mammalian or domestic animals apart from chicken. The expression level of MYF5 gene in the heart, muscle, lung, large intestine and liver was greater than that of other tissues. PCR amplicons sequencing identified four novel SNPs at g.5738A>G, g.5785C>T and g.5816A>G in the 3rd exon region and g.6535A>G in the 3' UTR. Genotypic frequencies of g.5785C>T was harshly deviated from the HWE (P < .05). Genetic diversity was low or intermediate for the four SNPs and those SNPs were in the weak linkage disequilibrium. Association analysis results indicated g.5785C>T, g.5816A>G and g.6535A>G significant effect on growth performance and beef quality traits of Qinchuan cattle. H1H3 diplotype had greater body size and better beef quality. All the results implicate that the MYF5 gene might be applied as a promising candidate gene in Qinchuan cattle breeding.

Pleural effusion resulting from bronchial tuberculosis: A case report.

RATIONALE: The clinical manifestations in patients with bronchial tuberculosis (BTB) are nonspecific and may pose a great diagnostic challenge. PATIENT CONCERNS: Here we describe the case of a 57-year-old man presented with right chest pain, chest tightness, and discomfort for 2 days. DIAGNOSIS: Bronchoscopic biopsy was performed which revealed subepithelial and epithelioid cell granuloma of Langerhans cell structure. The definitive diagnosis was BTB with pleural effusion. INTERVENTIONS: Treatment with a quadruple combinational antituberculous therapy was initiated. OUTCOMES: Two months later, the patient's chest distress and discomfort significantly decreased. Repeat chest radiograph revealed that the pleural fluid had been absorbed. The patient recovered after 15 months of antituberculosis treatment. LESSONS: The patient exemplifies the difficulty of diagnosing BTB, particularly the low reliability of imaging modalities. The diagnosis of BTB currently relies on bronchoscopy as well as bacteriological or pathological evidence. This report will help to lower the incidences of misdiagnosis of this disease.

Report of a rare case of histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis with bilateral pleural effusion diagnosed via cervical lymph node biopsy

ABSTRACT CONTEXT: Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL) is a rare disorder that is often benign and self-limiting. There have been reports of co-occurrence of HNL with other diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, hemophagocytic syndrome and antiphospholipid syndrome. CASE REPORT: Here, we report a case in which a patient experienced unexplained fever, swelling of the cervical lymph node and bilateral pleural effusion and was ultimately diagnosed with HNL based on results from a lymph node biopsy. After treatment with glucocorticoid, the patient regained normal body temperature, the swelling of the lymph nodes disappeared and the pleural effusion was reabsorbed. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis of HNL remains unclear, and pleural effusion is rarely reported in HNL patients. We presented this case to improve diagnostic awareness of this condition among clinicians and help reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosis.

A case of pulmonary cryptococcosis with large pericardial effusion diagnosed using cervical lymph node biopsy.

Pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) is a relatively rare infectious disease. It mainly involves the lungs; however, in some patients, the infection could spread to other parts of the body. PC mostly occurs in patients with immune deficiencies. However, PC infections have been reported in non-immunocompromised patients. The diagnosis of PC is challenging in patients without immune deficiencies. Here, the case of a 27-year-old immunocompetent woman who was diagnosed with PC was report. She had unexplained fever and a history of close contact with poultry feathers. Lesions were observed in the lungs, pleural cavity, pericardium, and cervical lymph nodes. Biopsy of the cervical lymph nodes helped in the pathological diagnosis of PC. She was treated with fluconazole, and the lesions disappeared. They present this case to encourage detailed inquiry of medical history in such patients, improve the diagnostic awareness of clinicians, and help reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosis.

Report of a rare case of histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis with bilateral pleural effusion diagnosed via cervical lymph node biopsy.

CONTEXT: Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL) is a rare disorder that is often benign and self-limiting. There have been reports of co-occurrence of HNL with other diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, hemophagocytic syndrome and antiphospholipid syndrome. CASE REPORT: Here, we report a case in which a patient experienced unexplained fever, swelling of the cervical lymph node and bilateral pleural effusion and was ultimately diagnosed with HNL based on results from a lymph node biopsy. After treatment with glucocorticoid, the patient regained normal body temperature, the swelling of the lymph nodes disappeared and the pleural effusion was reabsorbed. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis of HNL remains unclear, and pleural effusion is rarely reported in HNL patients. We presented this case to improve diagnostic awareness of this condition among clinicians and help reduce the likelihood of misdiagnosis.

Shikonin enhances Adriamycin antitumor effects by inhibiting efflux pumps in A549 cells.

Shikonin (SHK) is a natural naphthoquinone pigment isolated from Lithospermum erythrorhizon, that has been reported to suppress the growth of a number of cancer cell types. Adriamycin (AD) is typically used as an effective anticancer agent; however, it has the propensity to induce drug resistance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of SHK alone and in combination with AD on lung adenocarcinoma cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms of their effects. Colony formation, MTT and propidium iodide staining assays demonstrated that the co-treatment of A549 cells with SHK and AD significantly decreased cell viability and potently induced apoptosis. The mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed using 5,5', 6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-benzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide staining and fluorescence microscopy. Cells co-treated with SHK and AD exhibited marked mitochondrial membrane damage. In addition, co-treatment with SHK and AD significantly reduced ATP levels in A549 cells compared with the control. Western blot analysis revealed that SHK enhanced the antitumor effects of AD by inhibiting the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporters. These results suggest that the inhibition of glycolysis could be an effective approach for lung cancer treatment. Therefore, SHK has the potential to be used as an anticancer agent in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma, and thus warrants further investigation and development.

New Delhi Metallo-ß-Lactamase 1(NDM-1), the Dominant Carbapenemase Detected in Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacter cloacae from Henan Province, China.

The emergence of New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase 1 (NDM-1) has become established as a major public health threat and represents a new challenge in the treatment of infectious diseases. In this study, we report a high incidence and endemic spread of NDM-1-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae isolates in Henan province, China. Eight (72.7%) out of eleven non-duplicated carbapenem-resistant E. cloacae isolates collected between June 2011 and May 2013 were identified as NDM-1 positive. The blaNDM-1 gene surrounded by an entire ISAba125 element and a bleomycin resistance gene bleMBL in these isolates were carried by diverse conjugatable plasmids (IncA/C, IncN, IncHI2 and untypeable) ranging from ~55 to ~360 kb. Molecular epidemiology analysis revealed that three NDM-1-producing E. cloacae belonged to the same multilocus sequence type (ST), ST120, two of which were classified as extensively drug-resistant (XDR) isolates susceptible only to tigecycline and colistin. The two XDR ST120 E. cloacae isolates co-harbored blaNDM-1, armA and fosA3 genes and could transfer resistance to carbapenems, fosfomycin and aminoglycosides simultaneously via a conjugation experiment. Our study demonstrated NDM-1 was the most prevalent metallo-ß-lactamase (MBL) among carbapenem-resistant E.cloacae isolates and identified a potential endemic clone of ST120 in Henan province. These findings highlight the need for enhanced efforts to monitor the further spread of NDM-1 and XDR ST120 E. cloacae in this region.

Phenylethyl cinnamides as potential alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from the roots of Solanum melongena.

Bioassay-guided fractionation against alpha-glucosidase resulted in isolation and identification of six phenolic compounds (1-6) from the 70% EtOH extract of the roots of Solanum melongena L. (Solanaceae). Of these, three phenylethyl cinnamides, N-trans-feruloyl tyramine (1), N-trans-p-coumaroyl tyramine (2) and N-cis-p-coumaroyl tyramine (3) possessed inhibitory activity against alpha-glucosidase with IC50 values of 500.6, 5.3 and 46.3 microM, respectively. Mechanism analysis revealed these phenylethyl cinnamides were non-competitive inhibitors. This is the first study of the alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the roots of S. melongena, and this preliminary observation suggested potential medicinal use of this herb.