Low toxicity contributes to Sporothrix globosa invade the skin of patients in low-epidemic areas of China.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the clinical characteristics of sporotrichosis in low-endemic areas of China, including the prevalence geography, genotypic traits of patients, clinical manifestations, and strain virulence and drug sensitivities. The objective is to improve the currently used clinical management strategies for sporotrichosis. METHODS: Retrospective data were collected from patients diagnosed with sporotrichosis through fungal culture identification. The isolates from purified cultures underwent identification using CAL (Calmodulin) gene sequencing. Virulence of each strain was assessed using a Galleria mellonella (G. mellonella) larvae infection model. In vitro susceptibility testing against commonly used clinical antifungal agents for sporotrichosis was conducted following CLSI criteria. RESULTS: In our low-endemic region for sporotrichosis, the majority of cases (23) were observed in middle-aged and elderly women with a history of trauma, with a higher incidence during winter and spring. All clinical isolates were identified as Sporothrix globosa (S. globosa). The G. mellonella larvae infection model indicated independent and dose-dependent virulence among strains, with varying toxicity levels demonstrated by the degree of melanization of the G. mellonella. Surprisingly, lymphocutaneous types caused by S. globosa exhibited lower in vitro virulence but were more common in affected skin. In addition, all S.globosa strains displayed high resistances to fluconazole, while remaining highly susceptible to terbinafine, itraconazole and amphotericin B. CONCLUSION: Given the predominance of elderly women engaged in agricultural labour in our region, which is a low-epidemic areas, they should be considered as crucial targets for sporotrichosis monitoring. S. globosa appears to be the sole causative agent locally. However, varying degrees of melanization in larvae were observed among these isolates, indicating a divergence in their virulence. Itraconazole, terbinafine and amphotericin B remain viable first-line antifungal options for treating S.globosa infection.

The Composite Immune Risk Score predicts overall survival after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A retrospective analysis of 1838 cases.

There has been little consensus on how to quantitatively assess immune reconstitution after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as part of the standard of care. We retrospectively analyzed 11 150 post-transplant immune profiles of 1945 patients who underwent HSCT between 2012 and 2020. 1838 (94.5%) of the cases were allogeneic HSCT. Using the training set of patients (n = 729), we identified a composite immune signature (integrating neutrophil, total lymphocyte, natural killer, total T, CD4+ T, and B cell counts in the peripheral blood) during days 91-180 after allogeneic HSCT that was predictive of early mortality and moreover simplified it into a formula for a Composite Immune Risk Score. When we verified the Composite Immune Risk Score in the validation (n = 284) and test (n = 391) sets of patients, a high score value was found to be associated with hazard ratios (HR) of 3.64 (95% C.I. 1.55-8.51; p = .0014) and 2.44 (95% C.I., 1.22-4.87; p = .0087), respectively, for early mortality. In multivariate analysis, a high Composite Immune Risk Score during days 91-180 remained an independent risk factor for early mortality after allogeneic HSCT (HR, 1.80; 95% C.I., 1.28-2.55; p = .00085). In conclusion, the Composite Immune Risk Score is easy to compute and could identify the high-risk patients of allogeneic HSCT who require targeted effort for prevention and control of infection.

Fault Diagnosis of Rolling Bearings in Primary Mine Fans under Sample Imbalance Conditions.

Rolling bearings are crucial parts of primary mine fans. In order to guarantee the safety of coal mine production, primary mine fans commonly work during regular operation and are immediately shut down for repair in case of failure. This causes the sample imbalance phenomenon in fault diagnosis (FD), i.e., there are many more normal state samples than faulty ones, seriously affecting the precision of FD. Therefore, the current study presents an FD approach for the rolling bearings of primary mine fans under sample imbalance conditions via symmetrized dot pattern (SDP) images, denoising diffusion probabilistic models (DDPMs), the image generation method, and a convolutional neural network (CNN). First, the 1D bearing vibration signal was transformed into an SDP image with significant characteristics, and the DDPM was employed to create a generated image with similar feature distributions to the real fault image of the minority class. Then, the generated images were supplemented into the imbalanced dataset for data augmentation to balance the minority class samples with the majority ones. Finally, a CNN was utilized as a fault diagnosis model to identify and detect the rolling bearings' operating conditions. In order to assess the efficiency of the presented method, experiments were performed using the regular rolling bearing dataset and primary mine fan rolling bearing data under actual operating situations. The experimental results indicate that the presented method can more efficiently fit the real image samples' feature distribution and generate image samples with higher similarity than other commonly used methods. Moreover, the diagnostic precision of the FD model can be effectively enhanced by gradually expanding and enhancing the unbalanced dataset.

Investigation of optimal gestational weight gain based on the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes for Chinese women: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate recommendations for appropriate gestational weight gain (GWG) of Chinese females. METHODS: In total of 3,172 eligible women in the first trimester were recruited into the Chinese Pregnant Women Cohort Study (CPWCS) project. Pregnancy complications and outcomes were collated using the hospital medical records system. The method of occurrence of participants with adverse pregnancy outcomes (Occurrence Method) was conducted to calculate the recommended total GWG for each participant's pre-pregnancy BMI. Occurrence Method data were judged against the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Japanese recommended criteria in terms of the total occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes of pregnant women with appropriate weight gain. RESULTS: The most frequent GWG was ≥ 14 kg and < 16 kg (19.4%), followed by ≥ 10 kg and < 12 kg (15.5%) and ≥ 12 kg and < 14 kg (15.2%). The most frequently occurring adverse pregnancy outcomes were cesarean sections for underweight (30.0%), normal weight (40.4%), overweight (53.6%) and obese (53.7%) women. A large for gestational age (LGA) accounted for 18.0% of the overweight and 20.9% of the obesity group. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) occurred in 16.9% of overweight and 23.1% of obese women. The recommended total GWG in a Chinese women population is ≥ 8 and < 12 kg if underweight, ≥ 12 and < 14 kg for normal weight, ≥ 8.0 and < 10.0 kg if overweight, and < 8 kg for women with obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Current Chinese recommendations provide the optimal ranges of GWG to minimize the occurrence of undesirable pregnancy outcomes for each group of pre-pregnancy BMIs in a Chinese population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered with ClinicalTrials ( NCT03403543 ).

Changes in physical activity across pregnancy among Chinese women: a longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Sufficient physical activity (PA) during pregnancy is beneficial for a woman's health; however, the PA levels of Chinese women at different pregnancy stages are not clear. The aim of our study was to investigate PA changes during pregnancy and the association of population characteristics with PA change among Chinese women. METHODS: Data were obtained from 2485 participants who were enrolled in the multicentre prospective Chinese Pregnant Women Cohort Study. PA level was assessed in early pregnancy (mean = 10, 5-13 weeks of gestation) and again in mid-to-late pregnancy (mean = 32, 24-30 weeks of gestation) using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF). Sufficient PA (≥ 600 MET min/week) in early pregnancy and insufficient PA in mid-to-late pregnancy indicated decreasing PA. Insufficient PA in early pregnancy and sufficient PA in mid-to-late pregnancy indicated increasing PA. The associations between demographic, pregnancy and health characteristics and PA changes were examined by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Total energy expenditure for PA increased significantly from early (median = 396 MET min/week) to mid-to-late pregnancy (median = 813 MET min/week) (P < 0.001), and 55.25% of the participants eventually had sufficient PA. Walking was the dominant form of PA. Women with sufficient PA levels in early pregnancy were more likely to have sufficient PA in mid-to-late pregnancy (OR 1.897, 95% CI 1.583-2.274). Women in West China and those in Central China were most and least likely, respectively, to have increasing PA (OR 1.387, 95% CI 1.078-1.783 vs. OR 0.721, 95% CI 0.562-0.925). Smoking was inversely associated with increasing PA (OR 0.480, 95% CI 0.242-0.955). Women with higher educational levels were less likely to have decreasing PA (OR 0.662, 95% CI 0.442-0.991). CONCLUSIONS: PA increased as pregnancy progressed, and walking was the dominant form of PA among Chinese women. Further research is needed to better understand correlates of PA change.

Association among pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain and neonatal birth weight: a prospective cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the relationships between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), rate of GWG during the second and third trimesters (GWGrate) and birth weight among Chinese women. METHODS: Women were enrolled by 24 hospitals in 15 different provinces in mainland China from July 25th, 2017 to 26 November 2018. Pre-pregnancy BMI, GWG and GWGrate were calculated and divided in to different groups. The multinomial logistic regression model and restrictive cubic spline model were used to explore the relationships. RESULTS: Of the 3585 participants, women who were underweight, had insufficient GWG or GWGrate had 1.853-, 1850- or 1.524-fold higher risks for delivering small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant compared with women who had normal BMI, sufficient GWG or GWGrate. Women who were overweight/obese, had excessive GWG or GWGrate had 1.996-, 1676- or 1.673-fold higher risks for delivering large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infant. The effects of GWG and GWGrate on birth weight varied by pre-pregnancy BMI statuses. Dose-response analysis demonstrated L-shaped and S-shaped relationships between pre-pregnancy BMI, GWG, GWGrate and neonatal birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-pregnancy BMI, GWG or GWGrate were associated with neonatal birth weight among Chinese women. Both body weight before and during pregnancy should be maintained within the recommendations to prevent abnormal birth weight.

Effects of pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain on maternal and infant complications.

BACKGROUND: The potential effects of pre-pregnancy body mass (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) on pregnancy outcomes remain unclear. Thus, we investigated socio-demographic characteristics that affect pre-pregnancy BMIs and GWG and the effects of pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG on Chinese maternal and infant complications. METHODS: 3172 women were enrolled in the Chinese Pregnant Women Cohort Study-Peking Union Medical College from July 25, 2017 to July 24, 2018, whose babies were delivered before December 31, 2018. Regression analysis was employed to evaluate the socio-demographic characteristics affecting pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG values and their effects on adverse maternal and infant complications. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age groups < 20 years (OR: 1.97), 25-30 years (OR: 1.66), 30-35 years (OR: 2.24), 35-40 years (OR: 3.90) and ≥ 40 years (OR: 3.33) as well as elementary school or education below (OR: 3.53), middle school (OR: 1.53), high school (OR: 1.40), and living in the north (OR: 1.37) were risk factors in maintaining a normal pre-pregnancy BMI. An age range of 30-35 years (OR: 0.76), living in the north (OR: 1.32) and race of ethnic minorities (OR: 1.51) were factors affecting GWG. Overweight (OR: 2.01) and inadequate GWG (OR: 1.60) were risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Overweight (OR: 2.80) and obesity (OR: 5.42) were risk factors for gestational hypertension (GHp). Overweight (OR: 1.92), obesity (OR: 2.48) and excessive GWG (OR: 1.95) were risk factors for macrosomia. Overweight and excessive GWG were risk factors for a large gestational age (LGA) and inadequate GWG was a risk factor for low birth weights. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obesity before pregnancy and an excessive GWG are associated with a greater risk of developing GDM, GHp, macrosomia and LGA. The control of body weight before and during the course of pregnancy is recommended to decrease adverse pregnancy outcomes, especially in pregnant women aged < 20 or > 25 years old educated below university and college levels, for ethnic minorities and those women who live in the north of China. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at Clinical Trials ( NCT03403543 ), September 29, 2017.

Dietary patterns in relation to gestational depression and sleep disturbance in Chinese pregnant women.

AIM: To investigate the association of dietary patterns with gestational depression and sleep disturbance. METHODS: Women in early pregnancy were recruited from the Chinese Pregnant Women Cohort Study (CPWCS) through July 25th, 2017 to November 26th, 2018, and eventually 7615 participants were included in this study. The qualitative food frequency questionnaire (Q-FFQ), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to assess dietary, depression and sleep quality during pregnancy, respectively. Dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of each outcome according to quartiles of each dietary pattern. RESULTS: Five dietary patterns were identified. Participants with the highest quartile in plant-based pattern had a significantly lower likelihood of mental problems (OR: 95% CI for depression: 0.66, 0.55-0.79; sleep disturbance: 0.80, 0.68-0.93); Similar results were observed in vitamin-rich pattern (OR: 95% CI for depression: 0.46, 0.38-0.55; sleep disturbance: 0.76, 0.65-0.89); However, contrary results were found in high-fat pattern (OR: 95% CI for depression: 2.15, 1.25-1.85; sleep disturbance: 1.43, 1.22-1.67); In animal protein-rich pattern, participants with the highest quartile had a decreased likelihood of depression (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67-0.96). As for bean products pattern, participants with the highest quartile had an increased risk of depression (OR: 1.28, 95% CI:1.06-1.53). Interactions of dietary patterns and lifestyles on mental disorders were observed. CONCLUSION: Dietary patterns were associated with gestational depression and sleep disturbance. Relevant departments and maternal and child health personnel should conduct health education for pregnant women and guide them to eat properly.

Two Cases of Superficial Fungal Infection Caused by Non-Albicans Candida Species Manifest Greenish-black Discoloration.

The clinical manifestation of superficial candidiasis varies depending on the infectious sites and causative Candida species that brings a great challenge to diagnose or treat without mycological or pathological evidence in clinical settings. Oral mucosal candidiasis and onychomycosis are most common types of superficial candidiasis. Typically, oral mucosal candidiasis manifests as white or erythematous thrush coated on the tongue and other interior oral cavity; and onychomycosis caused by Candida spp. presents with thick, fragile, or cracked fingernails or toenails in yellow or white discoloration. Here, we report one case of patient with a black hairy tongue caused by Candida tropicalis and one case of greenish discolored onychomycosis caused by Candida parapsilosis. The cases of superficial candidiasis with the same discolored lesions were searched in literature and compared with our cases in clinical manifestation, causative pathogen and treatment. These cases highlight the importance of mycological diagnosis for identifying non-Candida albicans Candida species (NCAC) in superficial infections to guide an effective therapy.

A Rapid PCR-Based Diagnostic Method for Skin Infection with Mycobacterium marinum.

Objective: The increasing incidence of chronic skin infections caused by Mycobacterium marinum, coupled with the time-consuming and low detection rates nature of traditional culture and histological-based diagnostic methods, underscores the need for an expedited approach. The study aims to develop a rapid and efficient method for detecting M. marinum with PCR technology. Methods: We designed four pairs of primers based on DNA sequences from GeneBank and prior studies, we utilized both PCR and Real-time PCR to identify M. marinum. Specificity and sensitivity assessments were conducted in vitro by DNAs extracted from M. marinum and other bacterial or fungal cultures. Further validation was performed through the implementation of a mouse skin infection model to optimize and confirm the efficacy of the detection method in both fresh and paraffin-embedded skin tissues. The same PCR testing system was further confirmed with paraffin-embedded skin tissues samples from patients as well. Results: The results of the study indicate promising outcomes for the four-pair primers system. It demonstrated 100% sensitivity in detecting M. marinum from purified cultures, including typical strains and nine clinical isolates, while achieving a specificity of 100%. This specificity was evidenced by the absence of PCR products from 12 bacterial species, 12 fungi species, and six other non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) species. In the animal model, the PCR assay exhibited high detection efficacy for both infected fresh tissues and paraffin-embedded tissues, with a slight superiority observed in fresh tissues. However, the PCR assay exhibited high detection efficacy for clinical paraffin-embedded tissues. These findings collectively underscore the robust detection capabilities of our four-pair primers in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Conclusion: A sensitive and highly specific rapid detection system has been successfully developed that can be used to detect M. marinum in both infected fresh tissues and paraffin-embedded tissues.

Tetrahydrobiopterin metabolism attenuates ROS generation and radiosensitivity through LDHA S-nitrosylation: novel insight into radiogenic lung injury.

Genotoxic therapy triggers reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative tissue injury. S-nitrosylation is a selective and reversible posttranslational modification of protein thiols by nitric oxide (NO), and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an essential cofactor for NO synthesis. However, the mechanism by which BH4 affects protein S-nitrosylation and ROS generation has not been determined. Here, we showed that ionizing radiation disrupted the structural integrity of BH4 and downregulated GTP cyclohydrolase I (GCH1), which is the rate-limiting enzyme in BH4 biosynthesis, resulting in deficiency in overall protein S-nitrosylation. GCH1-mediated BH4 synthesis significantly reduced radiation-induced ROS production and fueled the global protein S-nitrosylation that was disrupted by radiation. Likewise, GCH1 overexpression or the administration of exogenous BH4 protected against radiation-induced oxidative injury in vitro and in vivo. Conditional pulmonary Gch1 knockout in mice (Gch1fl/fl; Sftpa1-Cre+/- mice) aggravated lung injury following irradiation, whereas Gch1 knock-in mice (Gch1lsl/lsl; Sftpa1-Cre+/- mice) exhibited attenuated radiation-induced pulmonary toxicity. Mechanistically, lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA) mediated ROS generation downstream of the BH4/NO axis, as determined by iodoacetyl tandem mass tag (iodoTMT)-based protein quantification. Notably, S-nitrosylation of LDHA at Cys163 and Cys293 was regulated by BH4 availability and could restrict ROS generation. The loss of S-nitrosylation in LDHA after irradiation increased radiosensitivity. Overall, the results of the present study showed that GCH1-mediated BH4 biosynthesis played a key role in the ROS cascade and radiosensitivity through LDHA S-nitrosylation, identifying novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of radiation-induced lung injury.

Gene expression prognostic of early relapse risk in low-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children.

ETV6::RUNX1 is the most common fusion gene in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and is associated with favorable outcomes, especially in low-risk children. However, as many as 10% of children relapse within 3 years, and such early relapses have poor survival. Identifying children at risk for early relapse is an important challenge. We interrogated data from 87 children with low-risk ETV6::RUNX1-positive B-cell ALL and with available preserved bone marrow samples (discovery cohort). We profiled somatic point mutations in a panel of 559 genes and genome-wide transcriptome and single-nucleotide variants. We found high TIMD4 expression (> 85th-percentile value) at diagnosis was the most important independent prognostic factor of early relapse (hazard ratio [HR] = 5.07 [1.76, 14.62]; p = 0.03). In an independent validation cohort of low-risk ETV6::RUNX1-positive B-cell ALL (N = 68) high TIMD4 expression at diagnosis had an HR = 4.78 [1.07, 21.36] (p = 0.04) for early relapse. In another validation cohort including 78 children with low-risk ETV6::RUNX1-negative B-cell ALL, high TIMD4 expression at diagnosis had an HR = 3.93 [1.31, 11.79] (p = 0.01). Our results suggest high TIMD4 expression at diagnosis in low-risk B-cell ALL in children might be associated with high risk for early relapse.

Scalp Infection Caused by Mycobacterium abscessus Manifested as Patchy Alopecia in an Immunocompetent Female.

Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) is a fast-growing, non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) that can cause human infections varying from superficial infection to pulmonary or even systemic infections. The latter is more commonly appeared in immunocompromised patients. The skin infection caused by M. abscessus often appears after trauma or surgical procedure. It is often manifested by subcutaneous nodules, papules, erythema, tender erythematous or violaceous plaques, cellulitis, abscesses, ulcerations, and draining sinuses. Herein, we present a non-typical cutaneous manifestation of M. abscessus infection in a 46-year-old woman who presented with alopecia on the scalp with no itching or pain. The pathogen was isolated and identified as M. abscessus by morphology and DNA sequencing. To our best knowledge, there was no report that this organism could cause skin lesions mimicking patchy alopecia. After 3 months of antibacterial treatment, the cutaneous lesion disappeared, and new growth of hair occurred in this patient.

Successful application of photodynamic therapy for skin infection caused by Corynespora cassiicola in an immunosuppressed patient and literature review.

Corynespora cassiicola (C. cassiicola) is a common plant pathogen but occasionally causes infections in human skin. Poor outcome and death in such cases were then often reported even after a long course of antifungal treatment. In the present case, the patient was a 54-year-old farmer who presented with a ten-month history of an ulcerative lesion in the right lower extremity after a minor skin trauma. The patient had been undergoing immunosuppressive treatment for nephrotic syndrome for 2 months before the onset of the skin lesion. The fungal isolate from the lesion was identified as C. cassiicola by morphology and molecular sequencing. The patient was treated with ALA-PDT 5 times at 10 days intervals. The lesion disappeared and has not recurred in the 8-month follow-up. To our knowledge, it is the first time ALA-PDT has been used for treatment of a skin lesion caused by C. cassiicola. A retrospective analysis of the literature found 9 cases of C. cassiicola infection. All 9 patients had a history of immunodeficient conditions and had experienced a long course of antifungal therapy. Despite the rigorous antifungal treatment, 2 patients with CARD9 gene deficiency ultimately died. Our case suggests that photodynamic therapy is a potentially beneficial approach for treatment of fungal infection in immunosuppressed patients who failed to respond to antifungal agents.

Surgery plus photodynamic therapy for a diabetic patient with cutaneous infectious granuloma caused by Curvularia lunata.

Curvularia lunata (C. lunata) can be easily found in environment and plants and rarely causes human infections. Antifungal agents have been the primary approach to treat such infections; however, adverse hepatotoxic reactions may require discontinuation of the long-term use of antifungal agents in patients with pre-existing liver diseases. New therapeutic approaches are thus needed to cope with these circumstances. Here, we report a 66-year-old diabetic female patient, suffering from a rapidly growing lesion on the nose for 2 months. The patient was diagnosed with cutaneous fungal infection caused by C. lunata, which was based on mycological study and ITS sequencing. The lesion was completely disappeared after a combination of surgery and 3 times of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) at 9- day intervals. The patient did not receive any antifungal agents during the treatment. There was no recurrence at 6-month fellow-up. In the following in vitro study, C. Lunata growth was significantly inhibited by ALA-PDT treatment. Therapeutic success in this patent suggests that the ALA-PDT method could be a promising treatment for cutaneous fungal infection caused by C. Lunata and others.

Construction of an immune-related lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in radiation-induced esophageal injury in rats.

Radiation-induced esophageal injury (RIEI) is an adverse reaction of radiation therapy in patients with esophageal cancer, lung cancer and other malignant tumors. Competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network is known to play a significant role in the onset and progression of many diseases, but the exact mechanism of ceRNA in RIEI has not been fully elucidated. In this study, rat esophaguses were obtained after conducting irradiation under different doses (0 Gy, 25 Gy, 35 Gy). Total RNA was extracted and mRNA, lncRNA, circRNA, and miRNA sequencing was performed. Multiple dose-dependent differentially expressed RNAs (dd-DERs), including 870 lncRNAs, 82 miRNAs, 2478 mRNAs, were obtained through the integration of differential expression analysis and dose-dependent screening (35 Gy ≥ 25 Gy > 0 Gy, or 35 Gy ≤ 25 Gy < 0 Gy). Co-expression analysis and prediction of the binding site in dd-DER were conducted and 27 lncRNAs, 20 miRNAs, and 168 mRNAs were selected to construct a ceRNA network. As the immune microenvironment is crucial for RIEI progression, we constructed an immune-related ceRNA network consisting of 11 lncRNAs, 9 miRNAs, and 9 mRNAs. The expression levels of these immune-related RNAs were verified by RT-qPCR. Immune infiltration analysis showed that the RNAs in the immune-related ceRNA network were mainly associated with the proportion of monocytes, M2 macrophages, activated NK cells, and activated CD4+ memory T cells. Drug sensitivity analysis was conducted based on the expression levels of mRNAs in the immune-related ceRNA network, and small molecule drugs with preventive and therapeutic effects on RIEI were identified. In summary, an immune-related ceRNA network associated with RIEI progression was constructed in this study. The findings provide useful information on new potential targets for the prevention and treatment of RIEI.

Refining eligibility criteria of unit selection for myeloablative cord blood transplantation in acute leukemia: Real-world experience of a referral center.

The algorithm for cord blood (CB) unit selection is still somewhat ambiguous. We retrospectively analyzed 620 cases of acute leukemia between 2015 and 2020, who were treated with myeloablative single-unit umbilical CB transplantation (UCBT). We found that, when human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatch was ≤3/10, CD34+ cell dosage <0.83 × 105/kg-considerably lower than prevalent guidelines-was permissible without affecting survival. Moreover, synergy between donor killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) haplotypes-B and donor-recipient HLA-C mismatch protected against relapse-related mortality. We submit that minimum required CD34+ cell dosage can possibly be relaxed to broaden access to UCBT, and donor KIR genotyping should be considered during unit selection.

Comparison of frequency-resolved optical polarization gating induced by molecular alignment and Kerr effects.

We experimentally demonstrated that both the electronic Kerr effect and the molecular alignment in gaseous molecules could be applied as transient gates to diagnose 400 nm target pulses. Their birefringence dissimilarity was clearly visualized by the measured spectrogram and retrieved gate function. In the atomic gas argon, a relatively weak and instantaneous cross phase modulation within the pulse duration was observed, while in the molecular gas N(2), the delayed rotational Raman excitation played a dominative role.

Direct retrieval of Kerr and plasma effects from alignment-induced spatiotemporal modulation.

We developed a direct measurement method for comprehensive analyses of Kerr and plasma effects that cooperated or competed with molecular alignment-induced spatiotemporal modulation for intense aligning and weak probing pulses around zero time delay. The mixed influences were revealed by time-resolving the combined spatial focusing or defocusing dynamics under different molecular alignment directions and degrees. The nonlinear refractive index and plasma density were extracted straightforwardly, facilitating accurate explorations on multiphoton ionization and nonlinear optical Kerr effects of aligned molecular gases.

Case Report and Literature Review of Impetigo-Like Tinea Faciei.

Impetigo, commonly caused by bacteria, is characterized by lesions of pustules, bullae or golden yellow crusts; it is seldom caused by fungi. Here, we report one case of a 17-year-old female patient with a 1-month history of erythematous pustules on her left cheek. She was clinically diagnosed with "impetigo", but did not respond to 1 week of treatment with topical mupirocin cream (antibacterial agent). We then saw that a fungal colony grew on the culture, which was identified as T. mentagrophytes based on the morphological and molecular characteristics. The patient was then diagnosed with tinea faciei and was topically treated with 0.2% ketoconazole cream twice per day for 7 days. Through a literature review, we found another 18 cases of impetigo-like tinea faciei with similar clinical manifestations and pathogenic characteristics. Among these, the most common causative agent was T. mentagrophytes complex, which frequently occurs in children and adolescents and exhibits no gender preferences. Systemic and topical antifungals such as terbinafine or itraconazole are effective for impetigo-like tinea faciei caused by T. mentagrophytes complex. However, prolonged course of impetigo in more than 50% cases highlights the importance of mycological examination when dealing with apparent antibiotic-resistant impetigo cases in clinical settings.