Co-Infection with Common Respiratory Pathogens and SARS-CoV-2 in Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia and Laboratory Biochemistry Findings: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study of 78 Patients from a Single Center in China.

BACKGROUND This retrospective study aimed to investigate co-infections with common respiratory pathogens and SARS-CoV-2 and laboratory biochemistry findings in patients with COVID-19 in the Zhuzhou area of China, in order to provide a reference for the disease assessment and clinical treatment of COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS The clinical data of COVID-19 patients admitted to the hospital of Zhuzhou City from January 28 to March 15, 2020, as well as laboratory test results for respiratory pathogens and biochemical indicators, were collected to conduct correlation analyses. All patients were diagnosed based on fluorescence-based PCR assay for SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS Eleven of the 78 patients (14.1%) were co-infected with other respiratory pathogens, among which Mycoplasma pneumoniae (n=5, 45.5%) and respiratory syncytial virus (n=4, 36.4%) were the most frequent. There were 8 patients co-infected with 1 other pathogen and 3 patients co-infected with 2 other pathogens. Compared with mono-infected COVID-19 patients, patients with co-infections had significantly higher levels of procalcitonin (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS The findings showed that Mycoplasma pneumonia and respiratory syncytial virus were the most common co-infections in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Increased levels of PCT in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were associated with co-infection.

Hygrophorus subsection Hygrophorus (Hygrophoraceae, Agaricales) in China.

Hygrophorus subsect. Hygrophorus has been relatively well-studied in Europe and North America, but studies on the taxa in Asia, particularly in China, are still limited. In this study, phylogenetic overviews of genus Hygrophorus, based on the nuclear large subunit (LSU) ribosomal RNA gene and of subsect. Hygrophorus, based on the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were generated. Four new species, i.e. H. brunneodiscus, H. fuscopapillatus, H. glutiniceps and H. griseodiscus are described from southern China; and a rarely reported edible species H. hedrychii is described in detail, based upon the materials from north-eastern China. The main characteristics of the species under subsect. Hygrophorus worldwide are summarised in a table.

[Simultaneous separation and detection of principal component isomer and related substances of raw material drug of ammonium glycyrrhizinate by RP-HPLC and structure confirmation].

A simple, fast and sensitive analytical method for the simultaneous separation and detection of 18alpha-glycyrrhizinic acid, 18beta-glycyrrhizinic acid, related substance A and related substance B by RP-HPLC and drug quality standard was established. The structures of principal component isomer and related substances of raw material drug of ammonium glycyrrhizinate have been confirmed. Reference European Pharmacopoeia EP7.0 version, British Pharmacopoeia 2012 version, National Drug Standards of China (WS 1-XG-2002), domestic and international interrelated literature were referred to select the composition of mobile phase. The experimental parameters including salt concentration, pH, addition quantities of organic solvent, column temperature and flow rate were optimized. Finally, the assay was conducted on a Durashell-C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) with 0.01 mol x mL(-1) ammonium perchlorate (add ammonia to adjust the pH value to 8.2) -methanol (48 : 52) as mobile phase at the flow rate of 0.8 mL x min(-1), and the detection wavelength was set at 254 nm. The column temperature was 50 degrees C and the injection volume was 10 microL. The MS, NMR, UV and RP-HPLC were used to confirm the structures of principal component isomer and related substances of raw material drug of ammonium glycyrrhizinate. Under the optimized separation conditions, the calibration curves of 18 alpha-glycyrrhizinic acid, 18beta-glycyrrhizinic acid, related substance A and related substance B showed good linearity within the concentration of 0.50-100 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.999 9). The detection limits for 18alpha-glycyrrhizinic acid, 18beta-glycyrrhizinic acid, related substance A and related substance B were 0.15, 0.10, 0.10, 0.15 microg x mL(-1) respectively. The method is sensitive, reproducible and the results are accurate and reliable. It can be used for chiral resolution of 18alpha-glycyrrhizinic acid, 18Pbeta-glycyrrhizinic acid, and detection content of principal component and related substances of raw material drug of ammonium glycyrrhizinate. It is concluded that the separation of principal component isomer of raw material drug of ammonium glycyrrhizinate and the validity of the substance's structure assignments of retention time being 1.2 in the European pharmacopoeia EP7.0 version, British pharmacopoeia 2012 version remains open to question. It may be of practical value for the quality control of raw material drug, preparation, and Chinese herbal medicine of ammonium glycyrrhizinate.

[Expression and significance of immunoglobulin free light chains in serum and lung tissues from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

OBJECTIVE: To study the association of free immunoglobulin light chain (FLC) with clinical manifestations and lung inflammation in smokers with normal lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with peripheral lung cancer undergoing surgical resection were enrolled from the Department of Thoracic Surgery,Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College. They were divided into non-smoking with normal lung function group (non-smoking group, 10 cases), smoking with normal lung function group (smoking group, 12 cases) and smoking with stable COPD group (COPD group, 10 cases). Their preoperative fasting serum and lung tissues away from cancer were used in the study.Enzyme-linked immunesorbent assays (ELISA) were used to detect the levels of FLC-λ and FLC-κ in serum and lung tissue homogenates. The expression of FLC-λ and FLC-κ in the airway epithelium, alveolar wall and blood vessel wall was detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlation between FLC levels and pulmonary functions were analyzed. RESULTS: The serum levels of FLC-λ and FLC-κ in COPD group and smoking group were (35 ± 11),(38 ± 12) and (26 ± 9),(26 ± 8) mg/L, respectively. They were all significantly increased compared with the non-smoking group [(16 ± 7),(16 ± 5) mg/L]. The differences were all statistically significant (q = 3.590-7.482, P < 0.01), and those of the COPD group were significantly higher than those of the smoking group (q = 3.209-4.198, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). The concentrations of FLC-λ and FLC-κ in lung tissue homogenates of the COPD group and the smoking group were (1.29 ± 0.31),(1.32 ± 0.30) and (0.86 ± 0.42),(0.85 ± 0.37) µg/mg, respectively. They were all significantly increased compared with those of the non-smoking group [(0.45 ± 0.18),(0.42 ± 0.13) µg/mg],(q = 4.178- 9.795, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). The levels of FLC-λ and FLC-κ in the lung tissue homogenates from the COPD group were significantly higher than those from the smoking group (q = 4.269-4.349, all P < 0.05). The expression of FLC-λ and FLC-κ was detected in airway epithelium, alveolar wall and blood vessel wall. The levels of FLC-λ and FLC-κ in serum and lung tissue homogenates showed a negative correlation with FEV1 percentage of predicted value (r = -0.476 to -0.591, all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Expressions of FLC were increased in the serum and the lung tissues of COPD patients and smokers with normal lung function, and closely correlated with airflow limitation. The results suggest that FLC plays a proinflammatory role in the pathogenesis of COPD.