[Dyspnea with multiple bilateral lung opacities on CT scan].

A 58-year-old man was admitted with a typical presentation of acute left heart failure. However, the patient showed a partial response to the anti-heart failure therapy. Following admission, a continuous fever was monitored, and a CT scan revealed that multiple opacities on bilateral lungs had progressed. Bronchoscopy was performed, and Coxiella burnetii was detected by Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF), and transbronchial lung biopsy showed organizing pneumonia. Considering that the patient had a history of rabbit breeding and delivery, with some newborn rabbits dying before he became ill, organizing pneumonia secondary to Q fever pneumonia was diagnosed. Anti-Q fever treatment was initiated and the patient's temperature returned to normal. Glucocorticoid was administered after adequate treatment for Q fever. The patient's symptom of dyspnea relieved soon and opacities on CT scan were absorbed remarkably. The final diagnosis was organizing pneumonia secondary to Q fever pneumonia accompanied with left heart failure.

[Effect of enhanced recovery after surgery for elderly patients with hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of femoral neck fracture].

Objective: To explore the clinical effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) for the elderly patients with femoral neck fracture. Methods: A total of 92 elderly patients with femoral neck fracture who received hemiarthroplasty from July 2018 to December 2018 in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital were enrolled in this study. The average age of the participants was (75±6) years, including 31 males and 61 females, and 72(78.3%) of the patients complicated with comorbidity. According to the perioperative management method, the patients were divided into the observational group (47 cases with ERAS) and the control group (45 cases with normal management). The data related to operation, hospitalization, complication and nursing satisfaction were compared between the 2 groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used for pain evaluation. The Harris scores for hip joint and EQ-5D index scores were applied to evaluate the clinical outcomes. The follow-up were performed periodically for 3 months. The measurement data in accordance with normal distribution and homogeneity of variance were compared with t test. Results: All the surgeries completed successfully and no patient died during perioperative period. Compared with the control group, the operation rate in 48 hours (χ(2)=17.781, P<0.01), bed days (Z=-4.987, P<0.01), and medical costs (Z=-4.315, P<0.01) favored that in the observational group. The incidence of complication and nursing satisfaction showed no significant difference between the two groups (31.1% vs 14.9%, 86.7% vs 95.7%, χ(2)=3.432, 1.380, both P>0.05). The perioperative VAS score was lower in the observational group. The Harris scores were higher in the observational group after 1 months (t=4.458, P<0.01), however the quality of life for 2 groups was similar at all time points (t=1.293, 1.227, both P>0.05). Conclusion: ERAS can improve hip function and reduce the hospital stays and medical costs for patients underwent HA operation.

Development of polymorphic microsatellite markers based on expressed sequence tags in Populus cathayana (Salicaceae).

Populus cathayana occupies a large area within the northern, central, and southwestern regions of China, and is considered to be an important reforestation species in western China. In order to investigate the population genetic structure of this species, 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci were identified based on expressed sequence tags from de novo sequencing on the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. All microsatellite primers were tested on 48 P. cathayana individuals from four locations on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.000 to 1.000, and the null-allele frequency ranged from 0.000 to 0.904. These microsatellite markers may be a useful tool in genetic studies on P. cathayana and closely related species.

Constructing gene network based on biclusters of expression data.

Two genes can be co-regulated and possibly have the similar function if they are similarly expressed, which provides a theoretical basis for construction of gene regulatory networks using gene expression data. Herein, a new method of gene regulatory network was constructed based on biclusters in this paper. Given a bicluster, this paper analyzes the correlation between genes in the clusters and then constructs the gene regulatory network by selecting genes with a correlation coefficient.

Genetic variability of genes involved in DNA repair influence treatment outcome in osteosarcoma.

We conducted a perspective study to investigate the role of ERCC1 (rs11615), ERCC2 (rs13181 and rs1799793), ERCC4 (rs1800067), and ERCC5 (rs17655) in NER pathway in the prognosis of osteosarcoma patients. In total, 146 osteosarcoma patients were recruited between 2008 and 2013. ERCC1 rs11615, ERCC2 rs13181 and rs1799793, ERCC4 rs1800067, and ERCC5 rs17655 gene polymorphisms were assessed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. By multivariate Cox proportional hazards models, we found that carriers of ERCC1 rs11615 TT genotype showed significantly favorable survival compared to wide-type CC genotype, and the adjusted OR (95%CI) was 0.24 (0.08-0.96). Moreover, we found that subjects with ERCC2 rs1799793 AA genotype were associated with decreased hazards of death in multivariate analysis (HR = 0.22, 95%CI = 0.12-0.93). In conclusion, our results suggest that ERCC1 rs11615 and ERCC2 rs1799793 may be useful genetic prognostic markers for osteosarcoma in a Chinese population.

Results of carbon ion radiotherapy for skin carcinomas in 45 patients.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND; Heavy ions represent the best tool for external radiotherapy (RT) of inoperable tumours. Heavy ion RT has been used in the treatment of various tumours, especially for radioresistant tumours mediated by hypoxia, localized near organs at risk. Most of these treatments are concentrated in deep-seated tumours such as those of the brain, head, lung, liver, rectum and urogenital organs, and treatment of skin carcinomas is limited. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the outcome and toxicity after carbon ion RT for skin carcinomas at the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou, China. METHODS: Between November 2006 and March 2009, 45 patients with skin carcinoma [squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (n = 16), basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (n = 12), malignant melanoma (MM) (n = 7), Bowen disease (n = 8) and Paget disease (n = 2)] were treated with carbon ion RT within a clinical Phase I trial. Patients received total doses of 60-70 GyE for SCC and BCC, 61-75 GyE for MM, 60 GyE for Bowen disease and 42·5 GyE for Paget disease, administered in 6-11 fractions over 6-11 days, with a fraction dose of 7-10 GyE. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 24 months, range 12-36 months. The actuarial local control rates at 1 and 3 years were 90·9% and 65·5% for SCC, 91·7% and 80·2% for BCC, 85·7% and 42·9% for MM, 90% and 90% for Bowen and Paget diseases, respectively. The actuarial 1- and 3-year overall survival rates for 45 patients were 88·9% and 86%, respectively. No severe side-effects greater than Common Toxicity Criteria grade 3 have been observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that heavy ion RT offers high local tumour control and progression-free survival rates without significant radiation-induced toxicity for patients with skin carcinomas.

[Determination of impurities in electrolytic manganese by atomic absorption spectrometry].

The content of K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe in electrolytic manganese are determined by FAAS, and content of Cu, Cr, Co, Ni determined by GFAAS after sample is dissolved by HCl (aq). The best condition for determination is investigated, including method of dissolving and acidity, and influence of coexist elements and exclusion of these influences. The methods prove to be rapid, accurate and convenient. The recoveries of method are 88.9%-108.7%, the relative standard deviations are 0.6%-6.7%. The results obtained by calibration curve method are in good conformity with the standard addition method and results measured by ICP. The method can be utilized in analysis of impurities in electrolytic manganese.