Impacts of short-term low-level exposure to air pollutants on hospital admissions for pulmonary sepsis in elderly patients.

BACKGROUND: Acute exposures to high levels of air pollutants are thought to be associated with hospitalization of patients with lung infection, while relatively little is known about the association between air pollutants and HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS FOR pulmonary sepsis. OBJECTIVES: To assess the correlation between low-level exposure to air pollutants and the hospitalizations for pulmonary sepsis in elderly patients. METHODS: A total of 249 elderly patients with pulmonary sepsis from January 2018 to December 2020 in Shenzhen people's hospital were included. The data regarding hospitalizations for pulmonary sepsis, meteorological factors, and daily average levels of air pollutants on single-day lags (Lag0 to Lag7) in Shenzhen were collected. Low-level exposure was defined as the annual means of air pollutants below the levels of the Ambient Air Quality Standard (AAQS) in China (NO. GB3095-2012) and/or Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQG). A time-stratified case-crossover study design approach was used to evaluate the associations between exposure to air pollutants and incidence of the disease, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to analyze the association between levels of air pollutants and hospitalizations for pulmonary sepsis in elderly patients. RESULTS: Exposure to PM1(P = 0.007, Lag 2 day; P = 0.038, Lag6 day), PM2.5(P = 0.046, Lag2 day), PM10(P = 0.048, Lag4 day), and O3(P = 0.044, Lag6 day) was positively correlated with elevated risk of hospitalizations for pulmonary sepsis. In addition, logistic regression analysis revealed that exposure to PM1 (OR = 1.833, 95%CI:1.032 ~ 3.256, Lag6 day) and O3 (OR = 2.091, 95%CI:1.019 ~ 4.289, Lag6 day) were the independent risk factors of pulmonary sepsis in elderly patients. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that short-term low-level exposure to PM1 and O3 could elevate the risk of hospitalizations for pulmonary sepsis in elderly patients in Shenzhen, providing evidence for developing early warning and screening systems for pulmonary sepsis.

A rare case of severe leptospirosis infection presenting as septic shock in a non-endemic area: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by spirochete "genus" leptospira. The clinical presentations of leptospirosis range from an influenza-like presentation of fever and myalgia, to severe forms. Leptospirosis can potentially lead to a misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis when clinical similarities exist. CASE PRESENTATION: A 63-year-old man presented with fever, shock and thrombocytopenia followed by diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage. Peripheral blood Metagenomic Next-generation Sequencing (mNGS) reported Leptospira interrogans. The patient was treated with piperacillin-tazobactam (TZP) plus doxycycline and improved dramatically after 7 days. CONCLUSION: We conclude that leptospirosis can potentially lead to a misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis. Correctly evaluation of thrombocytopenia in acute febrile illnesses facilitates the differential diagnosis of leptospirosis. mNGS can accurately detect Leptospira DNA during the early stage of the infection.

Evaluation of qSOFA combined with inflammatory mediators for diagnosing sepsis and predicting mortality among emergency department.

BACKGROUND: There are no guidelines in China or worldwide that clearly recommend indicators for the early diagnosis of sepsis in the emergency department. Simple and unified joint diagnostic criteria are also scarce. We compare the Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score and inflammatory mediator concentrations in patients with normal infection, sepsis, and sepsis death. METHODS: This study used a prospective and consecutive manner, including 79 patients with sepsis in the Emergency Department of Shenzhen People's Hospital from December 2020 to June 2021, and 79 patients with common infections (non-sepsis) matched by age and sex during the same period. The sepsis patients were then divided into a sepsis survival group (n = 67) and a sepsis death group (n = 12) based on whether they survived within 28 days. The baseline characteristics, qSOFA scores, the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1b, IL-8, IL-10, procalcitonin (PCT), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HSCRP) and other indicators were collected in all subjects. RESULTS: PCT and qSOFA were independent risk factors for predicting sepsis in the emergency department. The AUC value of PCT was the largest (0.819) among all diagnostic indicators of sepsis, with a cut-off value of 0.775 ng/ml and sensitivity and specificity of 0.785 and 0.709, respectively. The AUC of qSOFA combined PCT was the largest (0.842) in the combination of the 2 indicators, and the sensitivity and specificity were 0.722 and 0.848, respectively. IL-6 was an independent risk factor for predicting death within 28 days. IL-8 had the largest AUC value (0.826) among all indicators predicting sepsis death, with a cut-off value of 215 pg/ml and sensitivity and specificity of 0.667 and 0.895, respectively. Among the combination of two indicators, qSOFA combined with IL-8 had the largest AUC value (0.782) and sensitivity and specificity of 0.833 and 0.612, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: QSOFA and PCT are independent risk factors for sepsis, and qSOFA combined with PCT may be an ideal combination for early diagnosis of sepsis in the emergency department. IL-6 is an independent risk factor for death within 28 days of sepsis, and qSOFA combined with IL-8 may be an ideal combination for early prediction of death within 28 days in sepsis patients in the emergency department.

[Mean transit time of water bodies in a typical soil-plant-atmosphere continuum of the subtropical monsoon region]. / äºšçƒ­å¸¦å­£é£ŽåŒºå ¸åž‹åœŸå£¤-植物-大气连续体中水体平均滞留时间.

The mean transit time (MTT) is a good indicator of water cycle processes. We know little about the MTT of different water bodies within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) in the subtropical monsoon region. We estimated the MTT of stratified soil water at different depths as well as the xylem water and leaf water in typical Cinnamomum camphora woodland located in Changsha City from March 2017 to October 2019. The main methods used in this study included the stable isotope technology, the linear mixed model and the sine wave fitting method. The results showed that the stable isotopes were more depleted in summer and enriched in winter for different water bodies within the SPAC. The δ2H values of soil water gradually decreased as depth increased. The δ2H values of xylem water closely resembled those of soil water, but the δ2H values of leaf water were more positive and exhibited larger variation. Results of the linear mixed model indicated that the lower MTT values of soil water and plant water occurred between June and September, while the higher values were often observed around January and from April to May. The precipitation replenishment exhibited a significant negative correlation with the MTT. The MTT of soil water generally increased with depth, although preferential flow could enhance the replenishment of deeper soil water and subsequently reduce the MTT. The mean MTT values of xylem water and leaf water were similar. Results of the sine wave fitting method showed that the young water fraction (Fyw) of soil water gradually decreased as depth increased, while the MTT of soil water gradually increased as depth increased. The Fyw and MTT of xylem water were lower and higher than those of leaf water, respectively. Both the mean MTT values of soil water based on the linear mixed model or the sine wave fitting method increased from the surface to the deeper soil layers. The former exhibited a smaller variation range and the latter showed a larger variation range. The mean MTT value of xylem water based on the linear mixed model was 2.4 days less than that of leaf water, while the MTT value of xylem water in the sine wave fitting method was 87.4 days higher than that of leaf water. These differences may be due to the parameterization of "new/young water", the uncertainty of results, and the effect of evaporative fractionation. This study contributes to a better understanding of water transport and consumption processes within the SPAC and provides valuable insights for agricultural production and water resources management in the subtropical monsoon region.

Rich Self-Generated Phase Boundaries of Heterostructured VS4 /Bi2 S3 @C Nanorods for Long Lifespan Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Rationally designing on sundry multiphase compounds has come into the spotlight for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to enhanced structural stability and improved electrochemical performances. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of thorough understanding of the reaction mechanism of high-active phase boundaries existing between multiphase compounds. Here, a VS4 /Bi2 S3 @C composite anode for SIBs with rich phase boundaries in heterostructure is successfully synthesized. In situ X-ray diffraction analyses demonstrate a multistep redox mechanism in the heterostructures and ex situ transmission electron microscopy results confirm that tremendous self-generated phase boundaries are obtained and well-maintained during cycling, dramatically leading to stable reaction interfaces and better structural integrity. Combining experimental and theoretical results, a self-built-in electric field forming between phase boundaries acts as a dominate driving force for Na+ transport kinetics. Benefiting from the fast reaction kinetics of phase boundaries, the heterojunction provides an efficient approach to avoid abnormal voltage failure. As expected, the VS4 /Bi2 S3 @C heterostructure displays superior sodium storage performances, especially an excellent long-term cycling stability (379.0 mAh g-1 after 1800 cycles at a current density up to 2 A g-1 ). This work confirms a critical role of phase boundaries on superior reversibility and structural stability, and provides a strategy for analogous conversion/alloying-type anodes.

Euglena gracilis Promotes Lactobacillus Growth and Antioxidants Accumulation as a Potential Next-Generation Prebiotic.

Euglena gracilis, a single-celled microalga with various trophic growth styles under different cultivation conditions, contains nutrients, such as ß-1,3-glucans, essential amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. It has recently attracted attention as a new health food. Among them, ß-1,3-glucans, paramylon of Euglena, is an insoluble dietary fiber and is well known as an immune booster, attenuator of obesity and diabetes, reducer of acute liver injury, and suppressor of atopic dermatitis, and other chronic inflammatory disorders. Recently, evidence has appeared for the positive health effects of foods, food ingredients, or biochemical compounds derived from several other microalgae, such as Chlorella, Spirulina, Dunaliella, Phaeodactylum, and Pavlova. Until most recently, the prebiotic activity of Euglena and paramylon was reported. Emerging prospects of microalgae as prebiotics were well summarized, but the mechanisms behind the bacterial growth promotion by microalgae are not elucidated yet. Thus, we evaluated the prebiotic prospects of both autotrophic and heterotrophic Euglena on six different Lactobacillus. What's more, the stimulated mechanism was revealed by bacterial culture medium metabolomic analysis. This study could widen the knowledge about the prebiotic activity of Euglena as a next-generation prebiotic and other microalgae-derived compounds as potential health foods.

Responses of Grain Yield and Yield Related Parameters to Post-Heading Low-Temperature Stress in Japonica Rice.

There is unprecedented increase in low-temperature stress (LTS) during post-heading stages in rice as a consequence of the recent climate changes. Quantifying the effect of LTS on yields is key to unraveling the impact of climatic changes on crop production, and therefore developing corresponding mitigation strategies. The present research was conducted to analyze and quantify the effect of post-heading LTS on rice yields as well as yield and grain filling related parameters. A two-year experiment was conducted during rice growing season of 2018 and 2019 using two Japonica cultivars (Huaidao 5 and Nanjing 46) with different low-temperature sensitivities, at four daily minimum/maximum temperature regimes of 21/27 °C (T1), 17/23 °C (T2), 13/19 °C (T3) and 9/15 °C (T4). These temperature treatments were performed for 3 (D1), 6 (D2) or 9 days (D3), at both flowering and grain filling stages. We found LTS for 3 days had no significant effect on grain yield, even when the daily mean temperature was as low as 12 °C. However, LTS of between 6 and 9 days at flowering but not at filling stage significantly reduced grain yield of both cultivars. Comparatively, Huaidao 5 was more cold tolerant than Nanjing 46. LTS at flowering and grain filling stages significantly reduced both maximum and mean grain filling rates. Moreover, LTS prolonged the grain filling duration of both cultivars. Additionally, there was a strong correlation between yield loss and spikelet fertility, spikelet weight at maturity, grain filling duration as well as mean and maximum grain filling rates under post-heading LTS (p < 0.001). Moreover, the effect of post-heading LTS on rice yield can be well quantified by integrating the canopy temperature (CT) based accumulated cold degree days (ACDDCT) with the response surface model. The findings of this research are useful in modeling rice productivity under LTS and for predicting rice productivity under future climates.

Identification of Blood-Based Glycolysis Gene Associated with Alzheimer's Disease by Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of many common neurodegenerative diseases without ideal treatment, but early detection and intervention can prevent the disease progression. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify AD-related glycolysis gene for AD diagnosis and further investigation by integrated bioinformatics analysis. METHODS: 122 subjects were recruited from the affiliated hospitals of Ningbo University between 1 October 2015 and 31 December 2016. Their clinical information and methylation levels of 8 glycolysis genes were assessed. Machine learning algorithms were used to establish an AD prediction model. Receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the model. An AD risk factor model was developed by SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to extract features that had important impacts on AD. Finally, gene expression of AD-related glycolysis genes were validated by AlzData. RESULTS: An AD prediction model was developed using random forest algorithm with the best average ROC_AUC (0.969544). The threshold probability of the model was positive in the range of 0∼0.9875 by DCA. Eight glycolysis genes (GAPDHS, PKLR, PFKFB3, LDHC, DLD, ALDOC, LDHB, HK3) were identified by SHAP. Five of these genes (PFKFB3, DLD, ALDOC, LDHB, LDHC) have significant differences in gene expression between AD and control groups by Alzdata, while three of the genes (HK3, ALDOC, PKLR) are related to the pathogenesis of AD. GAPDHS is involved in the regulatory network of AD risk genes. CONCLUSION: We identified 8 AD-related glycolysis genes (GAPDHS, PFKFB3, LDHC, HK3, ALDOC, LDHB, PKLR, DLD) as promising candidate biomarkers for early diagnosis of AD by integrated bioinformatics analysis. Machine learning has the advantage in identifying genes.

Flexible solid-state supercapacitors based on carbon nanoparticles/MnO2 nanorods hybrid structure.

A highly flexible solid-state supercapacitor was fabricated through a simple flame synthesis method and electrochemical deposition process based on a carbon nanoparticles/MnO(2) nanorods hybrid structure using polyvinyl alcohol/H(3)PO(4) electrolyte. Carbon fabric is used as a current collector and electrode (mechanical support), leading to a simplified, highly flexible, and lightweight architecture. The device exhibited good electrochemical performance with an energy density of 4.8 Wh/kg at a power density of 14 kW/kg, and a demonstration of a practical device is also presented, highlighting the path for its enormous potential in energy management.

Risk of bias tool in systematic reviews/meta-analyses of acupuncture in Chinese journals.

BACKGROUND: Use of a risk of bias (ROB) tool has been encouraged and advocated to reviewers writing systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs). Selective outcome reporting and other sources of bias are included in the Cochrane ROB tool. It is important to know how this specific tool for assessing ROB has been applied since its release. Our objectives were to evaluate whether and to what extent the new Cochrane ROB tool has been used in Chinese journal papers of acupuncture. METHODS: We searched CBM, TCM database, CJFD, CSJD, and the Wanfang Database from inception to March 2011. Two reviewers independently selected SRs that primarily focused on acupuncture and moxibustion, from which the data was extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 836 SRs were identified from the search, of which, 105 were included and four are awaiting assessment. Thirty-six of the 105 SRs were published before release of the Cochrane ROB tool (up to 2009). Most used the Cochrane Handbook 4.2 or Jadad's scale for risk or quality assessment. From 2009 to March 2011 69 SRs were identified. While "risk of bias" was reported for approximately two-thirds of SRs, only two SRs mentioned use of a "risk of bias tool" in their assessment. Only 5.8% (4/69) of reviews reported information on all six domains which are involved in the ROB tool. A risk of bias graph/summary figure was provided in 2.9% (2/69) of reviews. Most SRs gave information about sequence generation, allocation concealment, blindness, and incomplete outcome data, however, few reviews (5.8%; 4/69) described selective reporting or other potential sources of bias. CONCLUSIONS: The Cochrane "risk of bias" tool has not been used in all SRs/MAs of acupuncture published in Chinese Journals after 2008. When the ROB tool was used, reporting of relevant information was often incomplete.

Self-cleaning flexible infrared nanosensor based on carbon nanoparticles.

Highly flexible, robust, and sensitive infrared nanosensors were fabricated based on carbon nanoparticles that were synthesized through a simple and low-cost flame method. The infrared nanosensor devices showed sharp infrared photoresponse with a response time of ∼68 ms and a maximum photocurrent change of ∼52.9%. The devices showed a superhydrophobic property with a contact angle larger than 150° and a sliding angle of ∼4°. The mechanism for the enhanced infrared photoresponse from carbon nanoparticles is discussed.