Cryoablation for intrapulmonary bronchial cyst: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Bronchial cysts are congenital malformations usually located in the mediastinum, and intrapulmonary localization is very rare. Cryoablation is a novel therapeutic approach that promotes tumor necrosis and stimulates anti-tumor immune responses. CASE SUMMARY: This article reports a case of a 68-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with an intrapulmonary bronchogenic cyst by computed tomography examination and pathology, and the patient subsequently underwent cryoablation therapy and achieved complete response with after 3 months of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Intrapulmonary bronchogenic cysts are very rare, cryoablation therapy is feasible, safe, and effective for intrapulmonary bronchial cysts.

Formal Transformation of Benzylic Carboxylic Acids to Phenols.

Phenols play a crucial role as core structural motifs in natural products and also serve as fundamental building blocks in synthetic chemistry. Apart from the known protocols for the conversion of aryl precursors to phenols (i.e., decarboxylative oxygenation), we report here the efficient synthesis of phenols from the stable and readily available benzylic carboxylic acids under mild reaction conditions. The photocatalytic conversion of carboxylic acids to peroxides is a crucial step in this strategy, allowing the subsequent C-O bond formation via Hock rearrangement.

Isolation and purification of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts based on a multi-channel magnetic flow device and rapid qualitative and quantitative detection.

Rapid isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts during fermentation is of great significance for quality control and regulation of fermented foods. In this study, we prepared a multi-channel magnetic flow device for rapid separation and purification of lactic acid bacteria and yeast, and based on SERS spectrum, we made rapid qualitative and quantitative analysis of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactococcus lactis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results showed that the synthesized Synthesized Fe3O4-Van antibiotic magnetic beads are paramagnetic; Fe3O4-Van antibiotic magnetic beads achieved capture efficiencies of more than 98.5 % for both L. plantarum and L. lactis at 102-104 CFU/mL, respectively. Separation and purification efficiency of single S. cerevisiae, L. plantarum and L. lactis by multi-channel magnetic flow device all reached more than 98 % with good isolation and purification results. The SERS spectra of the three microorganisms were classified and analyzed using linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and the accuracy of the established LDA model was 100 %, which completely differentiated the SERS spectra of the three microorganisms,and realized the qualitative identification of L. plantarum, L. lactis, and S. cerevisiae, and finally, quantitative model was established with the logarithmic values (lg C) of different concentrations of L. plantarum, L. lactis, and S. cerevisiae as the horizontal coordinates, and the Raman intensities at their strongest characteristic peaks of 512 cm-1, 1669 cm-1, and 1125 cm-1, respectively, were used as vertical coordinates to establish a quantitative model, with the lowest detection limit of 10 CFU/mL, and the digital quantification of lactic acid bacteria and yeast were achieved. It provided an effective means for real-time monitoring and tracking of the dynamics of lactic acid bacteria and yeast in the fermentation process and the quality control of fermented foods.

Identifying subtypes of type 2 diabetes mellitus based on real-world electronic medical record data in China.

AIMS: To replicate the European subtypes of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the Chinese diabetes population and investigate the risk of complications in different subtypes. METHODS: A diabetes cohort using real-world patient data was constructed, and clustering was employed to subgroup the T2DM patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Cox models were used to analyze the association between diabetes subtypes and the risk of complications. RESULTS: A total of 2,652 T2DM patients with complete clustering data were extracted. Among them, 466 (17.57 %) were classified as severe insulin-deficient diabetes (SIDD), 502 (18.93 %) as severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD), 672 (25.34 %) as mild obesity-related diabetes (MOD), and 1,012 (38.16 %) as mild age-related diabetes (MARD). The risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) were different in the four subtypes. Compared with MARD, SIRD had a higher risk of CKD (HR 2.40 [1.16, 4.96]), and SIDD had a higher risk of DR (HR 2.16 [1.11, 4.20]). The risk of stroke and coronary events had no difference. CONCLUSIONS: The European T2DM subtypes can be replicated in the Chinese diabetes population. The risk of CKD and DR varied among different subtypes, indicating that proper interventions can be taken to prevent specific complications in different subtypes.

Bladder cancer: non-coding RNAs and exosomal non-coding RNAs.

Bladder cancer (BCa) is a highly prevalent type of cancer worldwide, and it is responsible for numerous deaths and cases of disease. Due to the diverse nature of this disease, it is necessary to conduct significant research that delves deeper into the molecular aspects, to potentially discover novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Lately, there has been a significant increase in the focus on non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), due to their growing recognition for their involvement in the progression and manifestation of BCa. The interest in exosomes has greatly grown due to their potential for transporting a diverse array of active substances, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. The combination of these components differs based on the specific cell and its condition. Research indicates that using exosomes could have considerable advantages in identifying and forecasting BCa, offering a less invasive alternative. The distinctive arrangement of the lipid bilayer membrane found in exosomes is what makes them particularly effective for administering treatments aimed at managing cancer. In this review, we have tried to summarize different ncRNAs that are involved in BCa pathogenesis. Moreover, we highlighted the role of exosomal ncRNAs in BCa.

Analysis of structural composition and antioxidant activity of traditional fermented sour meat peptides.

Chinese traditional fermented sour meat has a unique flavor and nutritional value. The antioxidant activity of sour meat peptides is related to their molecular weights, amino acid compositions, and structural characteristics. Therefore, this study explores the relationships between them. The results indicate that sour meat peptides with molecular weights <1 kDa exhibit significant antioxidant properties both in vitro and in vivo. The smaller the molecular weights, the higher the content of typical amino acids with antioxidant activity (p <0.05), and the characteristic peaks of ultraviolet absorption decrease. The absorption peak at 284.5 nm blue-shifted, and the polarity of the microenvironment increased. The peak intensity and peak area of the Raman characteristic peaks of tyrosine residues and aliphatic amino acids were enhanced. In the secondary structure, there is a high content of ß-turns and a low content of α-helix, which are closely related to the enhancement of antioxidant activity.

Enhanced Soil Fertility and Carbon Sequestration in Urban Green Spaces through the Application of Fe-Modified Biochar Combined with Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria.

The soil of urban green spaces is severely degraded due to human activities during urbanization, and it is crucial to investigate effective measures that can restore the ecological functions of the soil. This study investigated the effects of plant growth promoting bacteria (Bacillus clausii) and Fe-modified biochar on soil fertility increases and mechanisms of carbon sequestration. Additionally, the effects on C-cycling-related enzyme activity and the bacterial community were also explored. Six treatments included no biochar or Bacillus clausii suspension added (CK), only Bacillus clausii suspension (BC), only biochar (B), only Fe-modified biochar (FeB), biochar combined with Bacillus clausii (BBC), and Fe-modified biochar combined with Bacillus clausii (FeBBC). Compared with other treatments, the FeBBC treatment significantly decreased soil pH, alleviated soil alkalization, and increased the alkali-hydro nitrogen content in the soil. Compared to the individual application of FeB and BC, the FeBBC treatment significantly improved aggregates' stability and positively improved soil fertility and ecological function. Additionally, compared to the individual application of FeB and BC, the soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and soil inorganic carbon (SIC) contents for the FeBBC-treated soil increased by 28.46~113.52%, 66.99~434.72%, and 7.34~10.04%, respectively. In the FeBBC treatment, FeB can improve soil physicochemical properties and provide bacterial attachment sites, increase the abundance and diversity of bacterial communities, and promote the uniform distribution of carbon-related bacteria in the soil. Compared to a single ecological restoration method, FeBBC treatment can improve soil fertility and carbon sequestration, providing important reference values for urban green space soil ecological restoration.

Clinicopathological Features of Pediatric Insulinoma: A Single-Centre Study.

Aims/Background: Insulinoma is an extremely rare condition in pediatric patients. This study aims to examine the pathological and clinical characteristics of pediatric insulinoma. Methods: A retrospective, single-center study was conducted involving five pediatric patients diagnosed with insulinoma. The study involved evaluating the postoperative status of the patients during follow-up and analyzing their clinical manifestations, diagnostic work-up, pathological findings, and therapeutic approaches. Results: The study cohort comprised four males and one female, aged between 4 and 9 years. Common symptoms included dizziness and fatigue. The insulinomas were located in various parts of the pancreas: two in the head, one in the neck, one in the body, and one in the tail. After undergoing subtotal pancreatectomy, four patients experienced no side effects during a follow-up period of 41 to 153 months. One patient, who underwent an incomplete pancreatic resection, required ongoing postoperative treatment with 150 mg Creon due to pancreatic enzyme deficiency. Postoperative pathological results indicated that all cases were low-grade neuroendocrine tumours, classified as grade 1 (G1) or grade 2 (G2). Two cases exhibited capsule invasion, and one case showed microvascular invasion. Despite these invasions, no recurrences or metastases have been observed to date. Conclusion: Surgical resection is a viable treatment option for pediatric insulinoma, yielding a favorable prognosis. The presence of capsular and microvascular invasions does not seem to affect the overall prognosis in these cases.

Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of non-malignant pleural effusions in hospitalised patients: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Non-malignant pleural effusions (NMPE) are common in hospitalised patients. Data on NMPE inpatients are scarce and the factors influencing the prognosis are unknown. DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We conducted a retrospective cohort of inpatients (n=86 645) admitted to the Chinese PLA General Hospital from 2018 to 2021, based on electronic medical records. The observations of 4934 subjects with effusions confirmed by chest radiological tests (CT or X-ray) without a diagnosis of malignancy were followed during admission. Logistic regression was used to analyse organ damage and other factors associated with in-hospital death. Patients were clustered according to their laboratory indicators, and the association between the clustering results and outcomes was studied. OUTCOME: The outcome of this study was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Among 4934 patients, heart failure + pneumonia + renal dysfunction was the most common (15.12%) among 100 different diagnostic groups. 318 (6.4%) patients died during hospitalisation. Lung (OR 3.70, 95% CI 2.42 to 5.89), kidney (OR 2.88, 95% CI 2.14 to 3.90) and heart (1.80, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.55) damage were associated with in-hospital mortality. Hierarchical clustering of laboratory indicators (estimated glomerular filtration rate, white blood cell count, platelet count, haemoglobin, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, serum albumin) demonstrated the ability to discriminate patients at high risk of in-hospital death. CONCLUSION: Comorbidities and multiorgan failure are the prominent characteristics of NMPE patients, which increase the risk of in-hospital mortality, and comprehensive intervention for specific comorbidity patterns is suggested.

Valorization of Corn Straw for Production of Glucose by Two-Step Depolymerization.

Depolymerization of the cellulose part in lignocellulose to glucose is a significant step for lignocellulose valorization. As one of the main by-products of agricultural biomass in crop-producing filed, valorization of corn straw has attracted considerable attention. In this study, a two-step depolymerizing strategy of high-pressure CO2-H2O pretreatment and oxidation-hydrolysis was applied for selective depolymerization of the cellulose component of corn straw to glucose production. Most part of the hemicellulose component could be removed through high-pressure CO2-H2O pretreatment in the presence of low concentration of acetic acid, and then as high as 32.2 % yield of glucose was achieved in water at 170 °C for 6 h without additional catalyst. The active acid sites generated during the partial oxidation of hydroxymethyl groups to carboxyl groups on glucose units of cellulose was shown to be crucial for the efficient valorization of corn straw for glucose production.

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease and connective tissue disorder successfully treated by siltuximab: a pediatric case report.

Background: Castleman disease (CD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disease. Idiopathic multicentric CD (iMCD), representing a distinct entity in CD, is partly attributed to autoimmune abnormalities and the hyperplastic process in iMCD involving the immune system. Consequently, iMCD presents a range of overlapping manifestations with connective tissue disorder (CTD), resulting in an inability to tell whether they coexist or imitate each other. Reports of CD combined with CTD are rare, more cases are needed to be summarized and analyzed to improve the efficiency of diagnosis and accelerate the development of novel treatments. Case Description: A male pediatric patient was diagnosed with CTD in October 2019 and had been receiving regular treatment with tocilizumab and glucocorticoid or methotrexate since April 2020. He was further diagnosed with iMCD of the hyaline vascular subtype according to biopsy-proven histopathological features and imaging-proven multiple involvement in August 2021. He received 4 doses of rituximab and then a combination of thalidomide and dexamethasone for about 1 year. His clinical symptoms were well controlled throughout the disease for a long period, but inflammatory markers were repeatedly elevated, which eventually turned normal after switching to siltuximab from July 2023, although a significant elevation of interleukin-6 occurred. Conclusions: We reported a pediatric case diagnosed as CTD and iMCD, whose inflammation finally be well controlled by siltuximab. Hopefully, our work will add insight into such rare situations and it is undoubtedly that the pathophysiological mechanism of CD and CTD coexistence and prediction models of treatment response remains to be explored to facilitate the clinical management and optimal treatment.

Probiotic Bacillus as fermentation agents: Status, potential insights, and future perspectives.

Probiotic Bacillus strains can solve the problems of single flavor and long fermentation time of fermented products caused by the lack of certain functional genes and insufficient metabolism ability of fermenter strains (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) at the present stage. There is a lack of systematic evaluation and review of probiotic Bacillus as food fermentation agents. In this paper, it is observed that probiotic Bacillus strains are involved to varying degrees in liquid-state, semi-solid state, and solid-state fermentation and are widely present in solid-state fermented foods. Probiotic Bacillus strains not only produce abundant proteases and lipases, but also effective antifungal lipopeptides and extracellular polymers, thus enhancing the flavor, nutritional value and safety of fermented foods. Bacillus with probiotic qualities is an underutilized group of probiotic food fermentation agents, which give a potential for the development of fermentation technology in the food business and the integration of ancient traditional fermentation techniques.

Characteristic substance analysis and rapid detection of bacteria spores in cooked meat products by surface enhanced Raman scattering based on Ag@AuNP array substrate.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial spores are the main potential hazard in medium- and high-temperature sterilized meat products, and their germination and subsequent reproduction and metabolism can lead to food spoilage. Moreover, the spores of some species pose a health and safety threat to consumers. The rapid detection, prevention, and control of bacterial spores has always been a scientific problem and a major challenge for the medium and high-temperature meat industry. Early and sensitive identification of spores in meat products is a decisive factor in contributing to consumer health and safety. RESULTS: In this study, we developed a novel and stable Ag@AuNP array substrate by using a two-step synthesis approach and a liquid-interface self-assembly method that can directly detect bacterial spores in actual meat product samples without the need for additional in vitro bacterial culture. The results indicate that the Ag@AuNP array substrate exhibits high reproducibility and Raman enhancement effects (1.35 × 105). The differentiation in the Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of five bacterial spores primarily arises from proteins in the spore coat and inner membrane, peptidoglycan of cortex, and Ca2⁺-DPA within the spore core. The correct recognition rate of linear discriminant analysis for spores in the meat product matrix can reach 100 %. The average recovery accuracy of the SERS quantitative model was at around 101.77 %, and the limit of detection can reach below 10 CFU/mL. SIGNIFICANCE: It provides a promising technological strategy for the characteristic substance analysis and timely monitoring of spores in meat products.

[A case of neonatal liver failure]. / 新生儿肝衰竭1例.

The patient was a male infant, born full-term, admitted to the hospital at 28 days of age due to jaundice for 20 days and abdominal distension for 15 days. The patient developed symptoms of jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, massive ascites, and progressively worsening liver function leading to liver failure, severe coagulation disorders, and thrombocytopenia one week after birth. Various treatments were administered, including anti-infection therapy, fluid restriction, use of diuretics, use of hepatoprotective and choleretic agents, intermittent paracentesis, blood exchange, and intravenous immunoglobulin, albumin, and plasma transfusions. However, the patient's condition did not improve, and on the 24th day of hospitalization, the family decided to discontinue treatment and provide palliative care. Sequencing of the patient's liver tissue and parental blood samples using whole-exome sequencing did not identify any pathogenic variants that could explain the liver failure. However, postmortem liver tissue pathology suggested congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF). Given the rarity of CHF causing neonatal liver failure, further studies on the prognosis and pathogenic genes of CHF cases are needed in the future. This article provides a comprehensive description of the differential diagnosis of neonatal liver failure and introduces a multidisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic approach to neonatal liver failure.