Epigallocatechin gallate modulates ferroptosis through downregulation of tsRNA-13502 in non-small cell lung cancer.

Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent regulated cell death mechanism, holds significant promise as a therapeutic strategy in oncology. In the current study, we explored the regulatory effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a prominent polyphenol in green tea, on ferroptosis and its potential therapeutic implications for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Treatment of NSCLC cell lines with varying concentrations of EGCG resulted in a notable suppression of cell proliferation, as evidenced by a reduction in Ki67 immunofluorescence staining. Western blot analyses demonstrated that EGCG treatment led to a decrease in the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) while increasing the levels of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4). These molecular changes were accompanied by an increase in intracellular iron, malondialdehyde (MDA), and reactive oxygen species (ROS), alongside ultrastructural alterations characteristic of ferroptosis. Through small RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR, transfer RNA-derived small RNA 13502 (tsRNA-13502) was identified as a significant target of EGCG action, with its expression being upregulated in NSCLC tissues compared to adjacent non-tumorous tissues. EGCG was found to modulate the ferroptosis pathway by downregulating tsRNA-13502 and altering the expression of key ferroptosis regulators (GPX4/SLC7A11 and ACSL4), thereby promoting the accumulation of iron, MDA, and ROS, and ultimately inducing ferroptosis in NSCLC cells. This study elucidates EGCG's multifaceted mechanisms of action, underscoring the modulation of ferroptosis as a viable therapeutic approach for enhancing NSCLC treatment outcomes.

Mach-Zehnder interferometer based integrated-photonic acetone sensor approaching the sub-ppm level detection limit.

The detection of acetone in the gaseous form in exhaled breath using an integrated sensor can provide an effective tool for disease diagnostics as acetone is a marker for monitoring human metabolism. An on-chip acetone gas sensor based on the principle of Mach-Zehnder interferometer is proposed and demonstrated. The sensing arm of the device is activated with a composite film of polyethyleneimine and amido-graphene oxide as the gas-sensitive adsorption layer. The composite film demonstrates good selectivity to acetone gas, can be used repeatedly, and is stable in long-term use. Room temperature operation has been demonstrated for the sensor with high sensitivity under a 20 ppm acetone environment. The detection limit can reach 0.76 ppm, making it feasible to be used for the clinical diagnosis of diabetes and the prognosis of heart failure.

The Relationships among "STAY-GREEN" Trait, Post-Anthesis Assimilate Remobilization, and Grain Yield in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

The mobilization and translocation of carbohydrates and mineral nutrients from vegetative plant parts to grains are pivotal for grain filling, often involving a whole plant senescence process. Loss of greenness is a hallmark of leaf senescence. However, the relationship between crop yield and senescence has been controversial for many years. Here, in this study, the overexpression and RNA interference lines of gene of OsNYC3 (Non-Yellow Coloring 3), a chlorophyll catabolism gene, were investigated. Furthermore, exogenous phytohormones were applied, and a treatment of alternate wetting and moderate drying (AWMD) was introduced to regulate the processes of leaf senescence. The results indicated that the delayed senescence of the "STAY-GREEN" trait of rice is undesirable for the process of grain filling, and it would cause a lower ratio of grain filling and lower grain weight of inferior grains, because of unused assimilates in the stems and leaves. Through the overexpression of OsNYC3, application of exogenous chemicals of abscisic acid (ABA), and water management of AWMD, leaf photosynthesis was less influenced, a high ratio of carbohydrate assimilates was partitioned to grains other than leaves and stems as labeled by 13C, grain filling was improved, especially for inferior spikelets, and activities of starch-synthesizing enzymes were enhanced. However, application of ethephon not only accelerated leaf senescence, but also caused seed abortion and grain weight reduction. Thus, plant senescence needs to be finely adjusted in order to make a contribution to crop productivity.

Combined effects of water stress and salinity on growth, physiological, and biochemical traits in two walnut genotypes.

Due to its great economic value, walnut (Juglans regia L.) has received increasing attention during recent years. However, water stress and salinity limit walnut growth, production, and quality. We employed two walnut genotypes, precocious walnut, and late-bearing walnut, to investigate their growth, photosynthetic capacity, non-structural carbohydrate contents, Cl- allocation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and osmotic regulation under water stress, salinity, and their combination. We found that late-bearing walnut showed higher total biomass and net photosynthetic rate, higher activities of antioxidant enzymes, higher osmoregulation, and lower ROS accumulation than precocious walnut under stressful conditions. In addition, late-bearing walnut restricted salt transport and allocated more Cl- into roots, whereas precocious walnut allocated more Cl- into leaves when exposed to salinity stress. These data collectively demonstrated that late-bearing walnut possesses better stress tolerance under water stress, salinity, and especially under their combination. Such knowledge of genotype-specific responses and tolerances to water stress and salinity is important for walnut plantation management under increasing drought and aggravated soil salinization occurring with climate change.

Nitrogen utilization characteristics and early storage root development in nitrogen-tolerant and nitrogen-susceptible sweet potato.

In recent years, sweet potato has been cultivated not only in marginal lands but also in fertile plains in northern China. The fertile nitrogen (N)-rich soil may inhibit storage root formation. Cultivars with different N tolerances and split application of reduced N rates should be considered. To investigate the effects of N on the N utilization, root differentiation, and storage root formation of cultivars with different N tolerances, the cultivars Jishu26 (J26) and Xushu32 (X32) were treated with three N levels supplied by urea: 0 (N0), 200 (N1) and 400 mg kg-1 (N2). With increasing N rates, "X32" absorbed less N in plants and distributed more N to developing storage roots than "J26." The storage root development of "J26" was sensitive to both N1 and N2, while that of "X32" was only sensitive to N2. High N nutrition upregulated the expression of certain genes during storage root formation, such as PAL, CHI, F3H, C4 H, 4CL, CAD, α-amylase, and ß-amylase. Under N1 and N2, "X32" led to an increased sugar supply in sink organs and downregulated the expression of genes related to lignin and flavonoid synthesis, which promoted the C flux toward starch metabolism, thus reducing lignification and promoting starch accumulation during storage root formation. These results provide evidence for the effects of N on the C distribution in different metabolic pathways by regulating the expression of related key genes. N-tolerant cultivars are suitable in fertile plain areas because of the earlier formation of storage roots under high N conditions.

Prevalence and relationship of malnutrition and distress in patients with Cancer using questionnaires.

BACKGROUND: Negative feelings, such as anxiety and depression, are common in patients with cancer. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition and distress in cancer patients and to examine the relationship between them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We did a cross-sectional study in West China hospital, China, using adapted questionnaires derived from Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002) and Distress Thermometer (DT). We also focused on the factors associated with distress. RESULTS: We found that psychological distress in cancer patients was common, with 39.5% patients suffering from distress. The mean score of PG-SGA was 3.37 (0-6), and 39.1% patients had malnutrition when using 4 as a cut-off value. Meanwhile, the mean score of NRS2002 was 1.91 (0-11), and 25.8% patients presented with malnutrition when using 3 as the cut-off value. Higher scores of nutritional risks confirmed by PG-SGA (r = 0.148, p < 0.001) and NRS2002 (r = 0.142, p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with higher levels of psychological stress. CONCLUSION: Malnutrition was correlated with psychological stress in cancer patients. Early intervention in the mental problems and nutrition was meaningful, which could improve the psychological statuses of cancer patients.

Impact of energy taxation on economy, environmental and public health quality.

This paper argues computable general equilibrium model and assess impact of energy taxation on economy, environmental and public health quality in Tianjin. In order to investigate different energy taxation based on medical cost and labor loss, the computable general equilibrium model integrating with input-output table and social accounting matrix (SAM) was constructed. The medical expense caused by air pollution of Tianjin in 2007 is 396 million yuan and death for 18104 people, which accounted for the total GDP and population 0.754‰ and 1.6‰, respectively. The results show that the enery taxes levy can improve the GDP, but it is only slightly. The energy taxes have adverse impact on energy sector because that the energy cost is increased. The scale of production is reduced, and the capital and labor resources are transferred to low energy consumption low emissions sector. The energy tax levy can reduce air pollutants concentration and improve air environmental quality. The PM10, SO2 and NO2 concentration in the energy taxes 5%-30% was reduced by 0.24%-0.24%, 0.09-0.52% and 0.29%-0.52% respectively. The medical expense has little impact on GDP, but labor loss has a certain effect on GDP. For higher energy taxes rate, the health effects on GDP can reach 0.06%-0.16%. This simultaneous economic and environmental improvement and health effect would thus have positive implications regarding energy taxes of the country.

Application of tegafur gimer, docetaxel and carboplatin in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma therapy.

Squamous cell carcinoma, in the clinical manifestation, is a form of cancer derived from lesions of keratinocytes of epidermis or accessories such as sebaceous ducts, hair follicles, sweat glands, etc. The disease is more common in older men, with prone locations at patients' scalp, face, neck and arms and other exposed parts. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) causes a serious impact on patients' daily life, making patients suffer from double blow in mental and physical aspects and reducing patients' life quality. To find effective treatment method for HNSCC, our hospital studies clinical effects of combination therapy of tegafur gimer, docetaxel and carboplatin for the disease. By way of grouping research, therapeutic effect of such treatment and adverse reactions were assessed and analyzed. The study clearly and fully confirms effectiveness of combination therapy of tegafur gimer, docetaxel and carboplatin for HNSCC.

[Therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Opuntia dillenii Haw on atherosclerosis of rats].

The research aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Opuntia dillenii Haw polysaccharide (OPS) on atherosclerosis of rats. First atherosclerotic rat models were established by high-fat and high-calcium diet. Thirty days later, the rats were treated with low dosage of OPS (0.2 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) or high dosage of OPS (0.4 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) by intraperitoneal injection for 60 days continuously. At the end of treatment, thoracic aorta rings were prepared and vasorelaxation of rat thoracic aorta in different experiment groups were determined by using 620M multi wire myograph system in vitro. Blood and livers of rats were collected. Then plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) of rats were separately determined using whole automatic biochemical analyzer; protein level of hepatic apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and that of hepatic diglyceride acyltransferase (Dgat1) were measured by Western Blot technique. Results showed that the ability of rat thoracic aorta to relax decreased markedly in the model group compared with that in the normal group, and significant differences existed in vasorelaxation ratios induced by different concentrations of carbamylcholine chloride (Carb) between these two groups (P < 0.01). After OPS treatment, the ability of rat thoracic aorta to relax improved markedly, the vasorelaxation ratios induced by Carb at 5 and 10 µmol x L(-1) were respectively 0.34 ± 0.08 and 0.62 ± 0.15 in the group treated with low dosage of OPS, while the ratios induced by Carb at 1 and 5 µmol x L(-1) were respectively 0.54 ± 0.08 and 0.98 ± 0.02 in the group treated with high dosage of OPS, which were all significantly different with those in the model group (P < 0.01). Plasma contents of TC, TG and LDL reduced significantly by the treatments both with low and high dosages of OPS compared with those in the model group (P < 0.01). Protein level of hepatic ApoB and that of hepatic Dgat1 decreased significantly after the treatment with high dosage of OPS compared with those in the model group (P < 0.01). These results indicate that OPS can markedly improve the vasorelaxation of thoracic aorta of atherosclerotic rats and has significant anti-atherosclerotic effect; inhibiting the expression of ApoB and Dgat1 and thus decreasing the amounts of TC, LDL and TG serving as one of the molecular mechanisms of its antiatherosclerosis effect.

Foritinib in advanced ROS1-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer in China: a multicentre, open-label, single-arm, phase 2 study.

BACKGROUND: Currently approved targeted treatment for ROS1-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has either inadequate intracranial activity or CNS-related toxicities. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of foritinib, a novel ALK and ROS1 inhibitor, in patients with advanced ROS1-rearranged NSCLC. METHODS: This two-part (phase 2a and 2b), multicentre, single-arm, open-label, phase 2 study was done in 29 centres in China. Eligible participants were adults (aged ≥18 years) with histologically or cytologically confirmed ROS1-rearranged, locally advanced or metastatic stage IIIB-IV NSCLC, with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2 or less. Patients who had previously received no or one ROS1 inhibitor were enrolled into phase 2a, and patients who were naive to ROS1 inhibitor therapy were enrolled into phase 2b cohort 1. Participants in phase 2a received 80, 120, 160, or 210 mg foritinib succinate (foritinib) orally once daily over 21-day cycles; patients in phase 2b received the recommended phase 2 dose of 160 mg. The primary endpoint was objective response rate, assessed by the independent review committee in the full analysis set (ie, all participants who received at least one dose of study treatment). The safety analysis set included all participants who received at least one dose of study treatment and had available safety assessments. This study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04237805. FINDINGS: Between March 26, 2020, and Dec 29, 2022, 104 patients were enrolled and treated. Six patients who had previously received more than one ROS1 inhibitor were enrolled in phase 2a before a protocol amendment stating that patients in this phase should have received no more than one ROS1 inhibitor; these patients were included in the safety analysis but excluded from the efficacy analysis of the ROS1-inhibitor-pretreated cohort. Therefore, the efficacy analysis set (n=98) included 42 patients from phase 2a (17 who were ROS1 inhibitor naive and 25 who had previously received ROS1 inhibitor) and 56 patients from phase 2b cohort 1. In phase 2a, the objective response rate was 94% (95% CI 71-100; 16 of 17 patients) in patients who were ROS1 inhibitor naive and 40% (21-61; ten of 25) in patients who had previously received ROS1 inhibitor. In phase 2b cohort 1, the objective response rate was 88% (95% CI 76-95; 49 of 56 patients). In a prespecified exploratory analysis in 41 patients with CNS metastases at baseline, the objective response rate was 100% (95% CI 48-100; five of five patients) in patients in phase 2a who were ROS1 inhibitor naive, 40% (16-68; six of 15) in patients in phase 2a who had previously received ROS1 inhibitor, and 90% (70-99; 19 of 21) in patients in phase 2b cohort 1. Grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 33 (32%) of 104 patients; the most common were hyperglycaemia (12 [12%] patients) and electrocardiogram prolonged QT interval (six [6%]). Serious treatment-related adverse events occurred in 11 (11%) patients, with hyperglycaemia (six [6%]) being most common. No treatment-related adverse events led to death. INTERPRETATION: Foritinib showed systemic and intracranial antitumour activity and good tolerability in ROS1-inhibitor-naive patients with ROS1-rearranged NSCLC. Foritinib represents a promising treatment for these patients, especially in those with CNS metastases. FUNDING: Fosun Pharma, Wanbang Biopharmaceuticals, and Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Translational Medicine in Lung Cancer.

[Port-owned Mobile Source Air Pollutant Emission Inventory].

Based on the comprehensive development of the emission inventory of air pollution sources, the emission inventory of self-owned mobile sources of Tianjin coastal ports was researched and formulated. In this study, a gridded emission inventory with a resolution of 3 km×3 km was established for six types of air pollutants from road and non-road mobile sources. The spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of pollutant emissions were analyzed, and the uncertainty of the inventory was analyzed using the Monte Carlo method. The results showed that in 2020, the self-owned mobile sources of coastal ports emitted 148.22 t PM10, 135.34 t PM2.5, 1061.04 t SO2, 4027.16 t NOx, 756.60 t CO, and 237.07 t VOCs, of which the total emissions of road and non-road mobile sources accounted for 6.66% and 93.34% of the mobile source emissions, respectively. The main contributors to motor vehicle pollutant emissions from road mobile sources in the whole port area were small, medium, and large passenger vehicles (gasoline) and heavy trucks (diesel). The main contributors to the pollutants emitted by non-road mobile sources were ships and construction machinery. Uncertainty analysis results showed that the overall uncertainty of mobile sources ranged from -13.3% to 16.53%.

A meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of first-line chemotherapeutic agents for osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma is a pleomorphic cancer that frequently affects children and teenagers. Although several chemotherapy regimens have been utilized for many years, the best therapeutic option for the treatment of osteosarcoma has not yet been determined. OBJECTIVES: This meta-analysis was designed to assess the clinical efficacy of a high-dose methotrexate, doxorubicin and cisplatin (MAP) regimen and compare its survival outcomes with those of other chemotherapy strategies in patients diagnosed with osteosarcoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We systematically searched databases, namely Embase, the Cochrane Library and PubMed, up to August 2022, for relevant studies investigating the impact of the MAP chemotherapy protocol on survival among patients with osteosarcoma. The odds ratio (OR) pooled estimates and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Twelve studies including 4102 patients were eligible for analysis in this study. The estimated pooled ORs of the 3-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were OR = 1.08 (95% CI: 0.72-1.62, p = 0.70) and OR = 1.04 (95% CI: 0.81-1.32, p = 0.78, respectively). The 5-year OS and EFS were OR = 0.87 (95% CI: 0.62-1.23, p = 0.42) and OR = 1.13 (95% CI: 0.76-1.68, p = 0.54), respectively, with no statistical differences. The subgroup analysis of MAP compared to a 2-drug regimen (doxorubicin and cisplatin) revealed a significant difference between the 2 chemotherapy strategy groups in 3-year OS rates (OR = 0.72 (95% CI: 0.56-0.92, p = 0.009)) and 5-year EFS rates (OR = 0.57 (95% CI: 0.43-0.76, p < 0.001)). CONCLUSION: The MAP chemotherapy strategy for osteosarcoma showed superiority over other regimens, especially over the 2-drug regimen (doxorubicin/cisplatin), in terms of better prognosis and safety.

Spatial localization ability of planarians identified through a light maze paradigm.

Spatial localization ability is crucial for free-living animals to fit the environment. As shown by previous studies, planarians can be conditioned to discriminate directions. However, due to their simplicity and primitiveness, they had never been considered to have true spatial localization ability to retrieve locations of objects and places in the environment. Here, we introduce a light maze training paradigm to demonstrate that a planarian worm can navigate to a former recognized place from the start point, even if the worm is transferred into a newly produced maze. This finding identifies the spatial localization ability of planarians for the first time, which provides clues for the evolution of spatial learning. Since the planarians have a primitive brain with simple structures, this paradigm can also provide a simplified model for a detailed investigation of spatial learning.

[Efficacy of compound Xuanju Capsule combined with apomorphine hydrochloride on erectile dysfunction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of Compound Xuanju Capsule combined with apomorphine hydrochloride on penile erectile dysfunction (ED). METHODS: We treated 115 ED patients with Compound Xuanju Capsule plus apomorphine hydrochlorid (trial group), and another 111 with apomorphine hydrochloride alone (control group), both for two months. Then we compared the IIEF-5 scores between the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the IIEF-5 scores were 17.85 +/- 2.68 and 13.96 +/- 3.25 in the trial and control group, respectively, significantly higher than 11.42 +/- 2.68 and 13.96 +/- 3.25 before treatment (P < 0.01). There were statistically significant differences between the two groups either in post-treatment IIEF-5 scores (P < 0.01) or in the rates of obvious effectiveness, effectiveness and total effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Compound Xuanju Capsule combined with apomorphine hydrochloride has a good curative effect on ED, and deserves general clinical application.

The diagnostic challenge of small cell lung cancer with anti-gamma-aminobutyric-acid B receptor encephalitis: a case report.

Background: Anti-gamma-aminobutyric-acid B receptor (anti-GABABR) encephalitis is a rare type of encephalitis, with an incidence of only 5% in all autoimmune encephalitis (AE). A third of patients had pathologically confirmed small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Early identification and treatment of tumors can improve the poor prognosis. Most patients attend hospital for the treatment of neurological disorders and rarely present with any respiratory symptoms, but suffer from an underlying tumor. Thus, early proper diagnosis is very important. In this article, we report a special case of a patient with anti-GABABR encephalitis with delayed SCLC pulmonary behavior, whose diagnosis prosses was tortuous and complicated. Case Description: A 62-year-old man with a history of anti-GABABR encephalitis presented with respiratory symptoms. His chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed significant progression of right superior lobe consolidation. A bronchoscopy was performed with no histopathological result, but the microbiological examination of the bronchial lavage fluid showed Aspergillus niger infection. With antifungal therapy, the patient's respiratory symptoms were significantly relieved. Given the close relationship between SCLC and anti-GABABR encephalitis, we insisted to clarify the pulmonary lesions. The other three biopsies were performed successively, including lung biopsy, endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS), and transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA). SCLC was finally proven by pathology, and the patient received systemic chemotherapy. Conclusions: SCLC is the most common pulmonary neuroendocrine tumor. It secretes onconeural antibodies and is closely associated with paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes (PNSs). Lung tumors, especially SCLC, should be a concern in patients presenting with AE or neurological symptoms, even if they have not any abnormal sign in respiratory system. The early diagnosis and intervention for underlying tumors will improve the clinical outcomes of patients significantly. Thus, the close follow-up is helpful and it is imperative to select and combine the most appropriate examinations for proper diagnosis.

Angiotensin-(1-7) alleviates acute lung injury by activating the Mas receptor in neutrophil.

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the clinic. None of the current pharmacological interventions has achieved a detectable benefit. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a complex humoral system essentially involved in the regulation of ALI. In the RAS family, angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) was found to provide protection by counteracting the effects of Ang II in various cardiopulmonary disease models. The downstream receptor of Ang-(1-7) is the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) Mas. We hypothesize that the Ang-(1-7)-Mas pathway would protect patients from ALI. Methods: To establish a 2-hit ALI model, the mice underwent intratracheal instillation of hydrochloric acid followed by ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). ALI was evaluated based on lung edema, histology, myeloperoxidase activity, and proinflammatory cytokine production. The effects of the infusion or inhalation of Ang-(1-7) and Mas receptor blocker A779 were examined. The human neutrophils were isolated, and Mas receptor expression was examined. The neutrophil responses to platelet-activating factor (PAF) stimulation were tested by measuring the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), neutrophil adhesion, and chemotaxis. Next, in the mouse model, the neutrophils were depleted using an anti-ly6G antibody. Results: The infusion or inhalation of Ang-(1-7) protected mice from ALI as evidenced by decreases in lung edema, the histological lung injury score, myeloperoxidase activity, and proinflammatory cytokine production. Such effects were largely blocked by the Mas receptor blocker A779. Mas receptor expression in the neutrophils was identified at both the messenger ribonucleic acid and protein levels. Ang-(1-7) prevented neutrophil responses to PAF stimulation, including the formation of ROS, neutrophil adhesion, and chemotaxis, while A779 alleviated these effects. The importance of neutrophils in ALI was further confirmed by neutrophil depletion using the anti-ly6G antibody; however, A779 partially reversed the protective role of neutrophil depletion in ALI, indicating the critical role of Ang-(1-7)-Mas signaling in other pulmonary cells. Conclusions: Ang-(1-7)/Mas receptor attenuates the key features of ALI by regulating neutrophil activation. Our study provides new evidence of their role in the pathogenesis of ALI and may lead to the development of a promising therapeutic strategy.

Empyema caused by Eikenella halliae diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) after pulmonary surgery: A case report.

Background: Empyema is one of the complications of pulmonary surgery for lung cancer, the incidence of which is not very high, but in severe cases, it can even lead to death, and it is always difficult to diagnose the cause by conventional methods. Case presentation: In this study, we report a clinical case of empyema caused by Eikenella halliae after pulmonary surgery in a 55-year-old man. He had a fever, cough, and expectoration for 3 days and was diagnosed with right hydropneumothorax and empyema, pneumonia, postoperative malignant tumor of the right lower lobe (adenocarcinoma), and hypertension. The microbiology laboratory reported Gram-negative bacteria in pleural effusion, which was preliminarily considered as Eikenella based on culture and 16S rRNA sequencing. Furthermore, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of sputum samples was performed two times and reported negative results and the presence of E. halliae, respectively. The pathogen was finally confirmed as E. halliae by whole genome sequencing, suggesting the high-resolution ability of mNGS in the clinical diagnosis of this case. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first case report of E. halliae infection in China, indicating increased pathogenicity of Eikenella sp. in immunocompromised patients, especially after invasive operations. Our findings emphasize that mNGS allows bacterial diagnosis of empyema and can significantly improve the accuracy of the diagnosis.

The carbon components in indoor and outdoor PM2.5 in winter of Tianjin.

To study the carbon components in indoor and outdoor PM2.5, the samples of PM2.5 were collected from Nankai University in December 2015. The contents of eight carbon components were analyzed to use the thermo-optical reflection method. The results indicated that organic carbon (OC) mass concentration was 17.01, 19.48 and 18.92 µg/m3 in outdoor, dormitory and laboratory; elemental carbon (EC) mass concentration was 7.97, 3.56 and 3.53 µg/m3 in outdoor, dormitory and laboratory; and the total carbon aerosol was the proportion of more than 23% of PM2.5 samples. Lower wind speed and higher relative humidity were helpful to the accumulation of PM2.5. The ratio of OC/EC was > 2, and the SOC/OC ratio was > 30%, indicating that SOC was a crucial component indoors and outdoors. About 72% and 85% of the outdoor OC entering dormitory and laboratory environment, and about 59% and 71% of the outdoor EC entering dormitory and laboratory environment. Factor analysis of the eight carbon fractions indicated that the sources of OC and EC in outdoor, dormitory and laboratory is different.

[The characteristics of CT imaging and diagnosis of pulmonary cryptococcosis in 42 cases with non-acquired immune deficiency syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To further elucidate the CT characteristics and diagnostic approaches to non-acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis. METHODS: The histories of forty-two pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) patients diagnosed in Zhongshan Hospital from 2003-2008 were collected and analyzed for demography data, underlying conditions, clinical symptoms, chest CT and diagnostic studies. RESULTS: None of the 42 PC patients had avian or its feces contacting history, and 71.4% (30/42) of them were immunocompetent. The most frequent CT lesions were multiple nodules (67.9%) with peripheral predominance (67.9%), and cavitations (50%) often presented within them. Masses/consolidation (31.4%) and patching lesions (2.9%) could exist occasionally. Positive detection rates of non-aggressive examinations including sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and bronchofibroscopy aspiration were 4.3%, 8.3% and 6.3% respectively, while those of aggressive approaches including transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB), thin needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB) and pneumonectomy by surgery were 64.7%, 64.3% and 100% respectively. Non-aggressive serum cryptococcus antigen test was performed in 14 patients who had been diagnosed by histopathology or pathogen culture, and all of them were positive. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that PC is common in immunocompetent population. Avian or its feces contacting is not so important as used opinion to PC differential diagnosis. CT characteristics of PC are diversiform and always change very slowly. Besides the most frequent multiple nodules with subpleural predominance, pulmonary lesions can present as masses, consolidation or patching. Aggressive techniques such as TBLB and TNAB are benefit to clinical diagnosis of PC, and non-aggressive serum cryptococcus antigen test may be promising for its early diagnosis as well as clinical course follow-up and therapeutic effect evaluation.

Impacts of nitrogen fertilization rate on the root yield, starch yield and starch physicochemical properties of the sweet potato cultivar Jishu 25.

In recent years, the sweet potato cultivar Jishu 25 has exhibited good characteristics for starch processing in northern China. The storage root dry matter yields of this cultivar can exceed one ton per mu (1/15 of a hectare) at nitrogen (N) rates of 60-90 kg ha-1 based on soil nutrient content. However, the effect of N fertilizer on the physicochemical properties of starches isolated from this cultivar has not been reported. In order to evaluate these effects, three different N rates, 0 (control, N0), 75 (N1), and 150 kg ha-1 (N2), were selected for a field experiment in 2017. The results showed that N1 exhibited the highest storage root yield and starch yield. Compared to the control group, N fertilizer significantly increased the total starch content while no significant difference was found in these between the N1 and N2 groups. The amylose (AM) content was highest in the N2 group and lowest in the N0 group. In addition, N fertilizer exhibited no significant effects on the values of [D(v, 0.9)], D [4, 3] and D [3, 2]. Compared to the control group, N1 demonstrated significantly higher setback viscosity (SV), while N2 showed significantly higher peak viscosity (PV), cold paste viscosity (CPV) and SV. However, there were no significant differences in the hot paste viscosity (HPV), peak time and pasting temperature between the N1 and N2 groups. For the thermal properties of starch, there were no significant differences in peak temperature (Tp), conclusion temperature (Tc) or gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) between the N1 and N2 groups. Overall, for the starch samples of cultivar Jishu 25, N fertilizer exerts significant effects on the starch content, AM content and viscosity properties but little effect on the particle size distribution and ΔH. 75 kg N ha-1 can easily lead to substantial planting benefits from the high storage root yield, dry matter yield and total starch content of this cultivar.