Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 156
Filter
1.
Clin Lab ; 70(10)2024 Oct 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39382920

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Tuberculous pleurisy (TP) is one of the most common types of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, often secondary to tuberculosis (TB). Clinical and imaging manifestations of non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary diseases (NTM-PD) are usually similar to those of tuberculosis. Because of their similarity and the high incidence of tuberculosis, non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections are often overlooked for a long time. Especially in people without immunodeficiency. METHODS: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in pleural effusion was found by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). During anti-tuberculosis treatment, mNGS of lung tissue by ultrasound-guided percutaneous lung puncture revealed that this patient had combined NTM-PD. RESULTS: Mycobacterium chelonae (M. chelonae) was detected by mNGS, and after anti-NTM treatment, the patient's chest CT showed that the inflammation was absorbed more than before, and the patient's symptoms improved. CONCLUSIONS: When TB is poorly treated with standardized anti-tuberculosis therapy, comorbid non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections may be considered, and mNGS may complement traditional pathogenetic testing.


Subject(s)
Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous , Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Pleural Effusion , Humans , Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous/diagnosis , Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous/microbiology , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/isolation & purification , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics , Pleural Effusion/microbiology , Pleural Effusion/diagnosis , Male , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use , Middle Aged , Female , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods , Tuberculosis, Pleural/diagnosis , Tuberculosis, Pleural/microbiology , Tuberculosis, Pleural/drug therapy
2.
Clin Lab ; 70(8)2024 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39193957

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: As an opportunistic pathogenic fungus, Schizophyllum has been rarely reported to infect humans. By reporting a case of definite diagnosis of Schizophyllum infection, we aim to improve clinicians' understanding of this bacterium. METHODS: By reporting a case with cough and sputum as the main manifestations, after empirical antiinfective chest CT suggesting a more progressive inflammatory lesion and a mass-like lesion in the paratracheal area of the main airways, a diagnosis of Schizophyllum infection was finally made by bronchoscopy with the delivery of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). RESULTS: The patient was finally diagnosed with rare Schizophyllum infection. After antifungal treatment, the symptoms improved, and the patient was discharged. CONCLUSIONS: Although Schizophyllum is a rare fungal infection, it should be taken seriously in patients with diabetes or who are immunocompromised. At the same time, mNGS plays a key role in the detection of rare and emerging pathogens, which is worthy of clinical interest.


Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents , Schizophyllum , Humans , Schizophyllum/isolation & purification , Schizophyllum/genetics , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Eosinophilia/diagnosis , Eosinophilia/microbiology , Male , Bronchoscopy , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Lung Diseases, Fungal/diagnosis , Lung Diseases, Fungal/microbiology , Lung Diseases, Fungal/drug therapy , Middle Aged , Mycoses/diagnosis , Mycoses/microbiology , Mycoses/drug therapy , Mycoses/complications
3.
Clin Lab ; 70(8)2024 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39193952

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that commonly causes symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections in humans, with a clear seasonal trend. However, in immunocompromised and elderly patients, RSV infections still result in high rates of hospitalization and even risk of death. METHODS: We report a case of RSV infection in an adult with immunodeficiency, which initially showed only mild symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection, which did not improve after receiving empirical anti-infective treatment, and the foci of infection in the lungs continued to expand, which led to the aggravation of the disease. The diagnosis of RSV infection was finally confirmed by electron bronchoscopy and pathogenetic examination of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The patient was given intravenous ribavirin treatment for one week. After one week of intravenous ribavirin treatment, the patient's symptoms improved significantly. A repeat chest CT suggested that the lung lesions were smaller than before. In order to improve clinicians' awareness of this disease, we jointly conducted a literature analysis. RESULTS: The final diagnosis of RSV was made by analyzing the patient's history, symptoms, and signs and performing relevant examinations. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with poor results of empirical application of antibiotics, electronic bronchoscopy and pathogenetic examination should be carried out at an early stage to clarify the nature of the lesions and to avoid rapid deterioration of the condition leading to life-threatening conditions in the patients. More consideration should be given to the possibility of disease diagnosis to avoid misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis, and appropriate treatment should be given at an early stage.


Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections , Ribavirin , Humans , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/diagnosis , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/complications , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/drug therapy , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Antiviral Agents/administration & dosage , Ribavirin/therapeutic use , Ribavirin/administration & dosage , Male , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/virology , Immunocompromised Host , Bronchoscopy , Adult , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Middle Aged , Treatment Outcome
4.
Clin Lab ; 70(8)2024 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39193971

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Thymomas are thymic epithelial-derived, most common primary anterior mediastinal masses. Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are species that do not cause leprosy and belong to species outside the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. METHODS: With the clinical application of targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS), we promptly confirmed a case of NTM infection combined with NTM infection after thymoma surgery, and we performed a joint literature analysis of the two diseases to improve clinicians' understanding and recognition of lung infections after thymoma surgery. RESULTS: Chest CT of both lungs showed multiple hyperdense shadows. Sputum bacterial culture and characterization detected Neisseria Dryad and Streptococcus Grass Green. The presence of Mycobacterium abscessus infection was confirmed by alveolar lavage fluid sent for second-generation macro gene sequencing. CONCLUSIONS: The body's immune function decreases after thymoma surgery. When empirical anti-infection treatment for recurrent pneumonia in the lungs is ineffective, we should be alerted to the possibility of the presence of pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection, and next-generation sequencing should be performed promptly to arrive quickly at a diagnosis.


Subject(s)
Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous , Thymoma , Humans , Thymoma/surgery , Thymoma/complications , Thymoma/diagnosis , Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous/diagnosis , Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous/etiology , Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous/microbiology , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Postoperative Complications/diagnosis , Postoperative Complications/microbiology , Thymus Neoplasms/surgery , Thymus Neoplasms/complications , Thymus Neoplasms/diagnosis , Male , Middle Aged , Mycobacterium abscessus/isolation & purification , Female , Tomography, X-Ray Computed
5.
Clin Lab ; 70(8)2024 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39193972

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary mucormycosis is most common in patients with hematologic malignancies and transplant recipients. This article describes a case of mucormycosis in the lungs secondary to a hematologic disorder with suspected lung cancer. METHODS: Rhizopus (Rhizopus microspores) was detected by blood NGS and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid NGS, and pulmonary mucormycosis was confirmed. RESULTS: Secondary to hematologic disease, pulmonary pneumonia, mycosis, and symptoms improved after comprehensive treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical data and radiologic knowledge are combined to diagnose invasive pulmonary mycoses; early empirical medicine is very important.


Subject(s)
Lung Diseases, Fungal , Mucormycosis , Rhizopus , Humans , Mucormycosis/diagnosis , Mucormycosis/complications , Lung Diseases, Fungal/diagnosis , Lung Diseases, Fungal/microbiology , Lung Diseases, Fungal/complications , Rhizopus/isolation & purification , Male , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/microbiology , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Middle Aged , Hematologic Diseases/complications , Hematologic Diseases/diagnosis , Hematologic Diseases/microbiology , Invasive Fungal Infections/diagnosis , Invasive Fungal Infections/microbiology , Invasive Fungal Infections/drug therapy , Invasive Fungal Infections/complications
6.
Clin Lab ; 70(8)2024 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39193969

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis often presents on imaging in the form of a solitary nodule, sometimes accompanied by elevated CEA, which is clinically difficult to differentiate from lung cancer and prone to misdiagnosis. METHODS: Lung tissue taken by lung biopsy and sent for NGS and Xpert MTB/RIF finally led to the definitive diag-nosis of nodular foci in the upper lobe of the left lung caused by tuberculosis. RESULTS: Enhanced CT of the chest showed nodular foci in the upper lobe of the left lung. Initially the nodules were thought to be malignant, but after a series of tests, were finally confirmed to be tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with lung disease, when chest imaging reveals a space-occupying lesion accompanied by an elevated CEA level, a comprehensive analysis of the type of lung disease, the patient's age, and comorbidities should be performed before final diagnosis to avoid misdiagnosis and delay in appropriate treatment.


Subject(s)
Carcinoembryonic Antigen , Diagnostic Errors , Lung Neoplasms , Humans , Carcinoembryonic Antigen/blood , Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis , Male , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/diagnosis , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/blood , Diagnosis, Differential , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Middle Aged , Lung/pathology , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Female
7.
New Phytol ; 2024 Jul 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39044442

ABSTRACT

Plants delicately regulate endogenous auxin levels through the coordination of transport, biosynthesis, and inactivation, which is crucial for growth and development. While it is well-established that the actin cytoskeleton can regulate auxin levels by affecting polar transport, its potential role in auxin biosynthesis has remained largely unexplored. Using LC-MS/MS-based methods combined with fluorescent auxin marker detection, we observed a significant increase in root auxin levels upon deletion of the actin bundling proteins AtFIM4 and AtFIM5. Fluorescent observation, immunoblotting analysis, and biochemical approaches revealed that AtFIM4 and AtFIM5 affect the protein abundance of the key auxin synthesis enzyme YUC8 in roots. AtFIM4 and AtFIM5 regulate the auxin synthesis enzyme YUC8 at the protein level, with its degradation mediated by the 26S proteasome. This regulation modulates auxin synthesis and endogenous auxin levels in roots, consequently impacting root development. Based on these findings, we propose a molecular pathway centered on the 'actin cytoskeleton-26S proteasome-YUC8-auxin' axis that controls auxin levels. Our findings shed light on a new pathway through which plants regulate auxin synthesis. Moreover, this study illuminates a newfound role of the actin cytoskeleton in regulating plant growth and development, particularly through its involvement in maintaining protein homeostasis via the 26S proteasome.

8.
Front Pharmacol ; 15: 1423634, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39055493

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Pueraria lobata is traditionally used in China for treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Puerarin, a functional drug extracted from Pueraria lobata, features a pharmacological activity. The present study aims to investigate the effect of puerarin intervention on NAFLD. Methods: We established an NAFLD mouse model using a high-fat diet with 60% fat and evaluated the impact of puerarin intervention. Results and discussion: Our results demonstrate that puerarin intervention significantly ameliorates lipid accumulation and protects the liver from high-fat-induced damage while reducing oxidative stress levels in the liver. Furthermore, puerarin intervention significantly downregulates the transcription levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1) in the liver. It also upregulates the transcription levels of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ coactivator alpha (PGC1α), which are related to oxidation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO5) was involved in the protective effect of puerarin against NFALD. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the beneficial effect of puerarin on NAFLD and showed that puerarin could prevent liver injury and lipid accumulation caused by NAFLD via activating FMO5. These findings provide a new theoretical basis for applying puerarin as a therapeutic agent for NAFLD.

9.
Clin Lab ; 70(6)2024 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38868875

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a deep fungal infection caused by invasion of Aspergillus mycelium into the lung parenchyma resulting in tissue destruction and necrosis, which occurs more often in im-munosuppressed populations. The severity of the disease and the rapid progression of the lung lesions puts pa¬tients at high risk of death and poor prognosis if the correct therapeutic intervention is not given as early as possible. METHODS: Here we report a case of IPA, which was initially diagnosed as community-acquired pneumonia in a local hospital. The symptoms did not improve after receiving anti-infective treatment. The patient was diagnosed with IPA after completing a chest CT examination and an electronic bronchoscopy, as well as pathogenetic examination of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and pathological examination of the left bronchial mass in the respiratory department of our hospital, which was finally diagnosed as IPA. After one week of administration of voriconazole for anti-fungal infection treatment, the patient's symptoms improved significantly, and a repeat chest CT suggested that the lung lesions were better than before. In order to raise clinicians' awareness of this disease, we also conducted a literature analysis. RESULTS: The final diagnosis of IPA was made by analyzing the patient's history, symptoms, signs, and relevant findings. CONCLUSIONS: When the patient's clinical symptoms and imaging manifestations are consistent with IPA, electronic bronchoscopy and pathogenetic and pathological examinations may be appropriately performed to clarify the na-ture of the lesion. More consideration should be given to the possibility of disease diagnosis to avoid misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. Appropriate treatment should be given at an early stage.


Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents , Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Voriconazole , Humans , Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis/diagnosis , Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis/drug therapy , Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis/microbiology , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Voriconazole/therapeutic use , Bronchoscopy , Male , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/microbiology , Middle Aged , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Lung/microbiology , Lung/pathology
10.
Clin Lab ; 70(6)2024 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38868881

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an immune-mediated systemic inflammatory fibrotic disease, which is a relatively rare and novel disease that can involve multiple organs or tissues, with variable clinical manifestations, and for which pulmonary involvement has been reported relatively infrequently. METHODS: Here we report a case of pulmonary infection that was initially suspected and received anti-inflammatory treatment, but the symptoms did not improve. CT examination indicated progression of the pulmonary lesion, and the nature of the lesion could not be determined by tracheoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage. The diagnosis of IgG4 related lung disease (IgG4-RLD) was confirmed by percutaneous lung biopsy. A joint literature analysis was conducted to improve clinicians' understanding of this disease. RESULTS: The patient's history, symptoms, signs and relevant examination results were analyzed. The final diagnosis was IgG4-RLD. CONCLUSIONS: When the clinical symptoms and imaging manifestations of the patients are consistent with IgG4-RLD, pathological examination can be appropriately performed to clarify the nature of the lesions. More consideration should be given to the possibility of disease diagnosis to avoid misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis, and proper treatment should be given at an early stage.


Subject(s)
Immunoglobulin G4-Related Disease , Immunoglobulin G , Lung Diseases , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Humans , Immunoglobulin G4-Related Disease/diagnosis , Immunoglobulin G4-Related Disease/immunology , Lung Diseases/diagnosis , Lung Diseases/immunology , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Immunoglobulin G/immunology , Male , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Lung/pathology , Lung/immunology , Middle Aged , Biopsy
11.
Clin Lab ; 70(6)2024 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38868879

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2, which is characterized by high infectiousness and diverse clinical manifestations. They are more likely to become critical in people who have underlying diseases or are immunocompromised. In the daunting task of treating patients with COVID-19, those with comorbid fungal infections are susceptible to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis, which can ultimately lead to increased morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. We report a case of intrapulmonary cavitary lesions after COVID-19, which was eventually diagnosed as pulmonary aspergillosis (PA) by metagenomic Next Generation Sequencing (mNGS) to improve our understanding of the disease. METHODS: Appropriate laboratory tests, chest computed tomography (CT), mNGS, and serologic tests were performed for diagnosis. RESULTS: Laboratory tests showed Glactomannan (GM) of 1.41, multiple cavitary lesions in both lungs on chest CT and the presence of aspergillus infection was confirmed by sputum sent for mNGS. CONCLUSIONS: In the case of cavitary lesions after COVID-19, we should be alert to the possibility of combined fungi and should promptly perform mNGS to clarify whether there is a combination of specific pathogenic fungal infections.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pulmonary Aspergillosis , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Humans , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/diagnosis , Pulmonary Aspergillosis/diagnosis , Pulmonary Aspergillosis/complications , Male , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Lung/microbiology , Middle Aged , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Metagenomics/methods , Female
12.
Clin Lab ; 70(6)2024 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38868889

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Reactivation of cytomegalovirus is more common in lymphoma patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, but reactivation of cytomegalovirus due to chemotherapy for lymphoma has rarely been reported. We report a case of a lymphoma patient with secondary pulmonary fungal infection and cytomegalovirus infection after chemotherapy, which ultimately led to organizing pneumonia. METHODS: Percutaneous lung biopsy, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). RESULTS: NGS examination suggestive of cytomegalovirus infection, percutaneous lung biopsy suggests the presence of organizing pneumonia. The patient was discharged after a combination of antifungal and antiviral treatment with posaconazole, ganciclovir, and anti-inflammatory treatment with methylprednisolone. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with lymphoma, one should be alert for fungal and viral infections of the lungs when lung related clinical manifestations occur. Patients with persistent unrelieved symptoms after treatment should undergo lung biopsy or bronchoscopy to obtain pathologic tissue for definitive diagnosis.


Subject(s)
Cytomegalovirus Infections , Lymphoma , Humans , Cytomegalovirus Infections/complications , Cytomegalovirus Infections/diagnosis , Cytomegalovirus Infections/virology , Lymphoma/complications , Male , Lung Diseases, Fungal/diagnosis , Lung Diseases, Fungal/drug therapy , Lung Diseases, Fungal/microbiology , Lung Diseases, Fungal/complications , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Middle Aged , Cytomegalovirus/isolation & purification , Cytomegalovirus/genetics , Lung/pathology , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Biopsy , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Organizing Pneumonia
13.
Clin Lab ; 70(6)2024 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38868891

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary infections (NTM-PD) are becoming increasingly common in clinical practice, and early detection and accurate determination of the infecting pathogen is crucial for subsequent treatment. We report a case of NTM-PD in a healthy middle-aged female with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex group (MAC) infection confirmed by mNGS examination. METHODS: Appropriate laboratory tests, chest CT scan, bronchoscopic alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) examination, and macrogenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) were performed to establish the diagnosis. RESULTS: Chest CT showed multiple inflammatory lesions in the right middle lobe, and BALF sent for mNGS finally confirmed the diagnosis of MAC infection. After symptomatic treatment with azithromycin combined with ethambutol and rifampicin, the patient improved and was discharged from the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with pulmonary infections, pathogens should be clarified early to determine the diagnosis. mNGS of BALF samples have high specificity in detecting pathogens of infectious diseases, especially complex mixed infectious disease pathogens.


Subject(s)
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid , Mycobacterium avium Complex , Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection , Humans , Female , Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection/diagnosis , Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection/microbiology , Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection/drug therapy , Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection/complications , Mycobacterium avium Complex/isolation & purification , Mycobacterium avium Complex/genetics , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/microbiology , Middle Aged , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Pneumonia/microbiology , Pneumonia/diagnosis , Pneumonia/drug therapy , Azithromycin/therapeutic use , Rifampin/therapeutic use
14.
Clin Lab ; 70(5)2024 May 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38747925

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders are characterized by atypical clinical manifestations, high mortality, and missed diagnosis rates. METHODS: We report a case of renal transplantation in a patient with unexplained soft-tissue nodular shadows, and the type of the post-transplant abnormal soft-tissue shadows was clarified by puncture biopsy. RESULTS: The pathologic returns were consistent with the post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, and the immunohistochemical returns supported a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (non-growth center origin). CONCLUSIONS: In organ transplant patients, when unexplained soft tissue nodular shadows are present, the possibility of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders should be considered, and an aggressive puncture biopsy should be performed to clarify the diagnosis.


Subject(s)
Kidney Transplantation , Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse , Humans , Kidney Transplantation/adverse effects , Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/diagnosis , Male , Middle Aged , Biopsy
15.
Clin Lab ; 70(5)2024 May 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38747926

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). With the normalization of COVID-19 globally, it is crucial to construct a prediction model that enables clinicians to identify patients at risk for ProLOS based on demographics and serum inflammatory biomarkers. METHODS: The study included hospitalized patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. These patients were randomly grouped into a training (80%) and a test (20%) cohort. The LASSO regression and ten-fold cross-validation method were applied to filter variables. The training cohort utilized multifactorial logistic regression analyses to identify the independent factors of ProLOS in COVID-19 patients. A 4-variable nomogram was created for clinical use. ROC curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the model's discrimination; calibration analysis was planned to assess the validity of the nomogram, and decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the model. RESULTS: The results showed that among 310 patients with COVID-19, 80 had extended hospitalization (80/310). Four independent risk factors for COVID-19 patients were identified: age, coexisting chronic respiratory diseases, white blood cell count (WBC), and serum albumin (ALB). A nomogram based on these variables was created. The AUC in the training cohort was 0.808 (95% CI: 0.75 - 0.8671), and the AUC in the test cohort was 0.815 (95% CI: 0.7031 - 0.9282). The model demonstrates good calibration and can be used with threshold probabilities ranging from 0% to 100% to obtain clinical net benefits. CONCLUSIONS: A predictive model has been created to accurately predict whether the hospitalization duration of COVID-19 patients will be prolonged. This model incorporates serum WBC, ALB levels, age, and the presence of chronic respiratory system diseases.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Length of Stay , Nomograms , Humans , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/blood , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/complications , Female , Male , Middle Aged , Aged , Length of Stay/statistics & numerical data , Risk Factors , SARS-CoV-2 , Adult , ROC Curve , Hospitalization , Retrospective Studies
16.
Clin Lab ; 70(5)2024 May 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38747927

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Organizing pneumonia (OP) is a pathologic diagnosis with clinical and imaging manifestations that often resemble other diseases, such as infections and cancers, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and inappropriate management of the underlying disease. In this article, we present a case of organized pneumonia that resembles lung cancer. METHODS: We report a case of initial suspicion of pulmonary malignancy, treated with anti-inflammatory medication and then reviewed with CT suggesting no improvement, and finally confirmed to be OP by pathological biopsy taken via transbronchoscopy. A joint literature analysis was performed to raise clinicians' awareness of the diagnosis and treatment of OP. RESULTS: Initially, because of the atypical auxiliary findings, we thought that the disease turned out to be a lung tumor, which was eventually confirmed as OP by pathological diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis and treatment of OP requires a combination of clinical information and radiological expertise, as well as biopsy to obtain histopathological evidence. That is, clinical-imaging-pathological tripartite cooperation and comprehensive analysis.


Subject(s)
Lung Neoplasms , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Lung Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Diagnosis, Differential , Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia/diagnosis , Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia/pathology , Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia/diagnostic imaging , Biopsy , Male , Aged , Middle Aged , Lung/pathology , Lung/diagnostic imaging , Bronchoscopy , Organizing Pneumonia
17.
Food Sci Nutr ; 12(4): 2488-2501, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38628190

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of probiotic yogurt on lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in metabolic-related fatty liver disease (MAFLD) golden hamsters fed on a high-fat diet (HFD). The results demonstrated that probiotic yogurt significantly reversed the adverse effects caused by HFD, such as body and liver weight gain, liver steatosis and damage, sterol deposition, and oxidative stress after 8 weeks of intervention. qRT-PCR analysis showed that golden hamsters fed HFD had upregulated genes related to adipogenesis, increased free fatty acid infiltration, and downregulated genes related to lipolysis and very low-density lipoprotein secretion. Probiotic yogurt supplements significantly inhibited HFD-induced changes in the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the intestinal content microbiota suggested that probiotic yogurt changed the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota in HFD-fed hamsters. Probiotic yogurt decreased the ratio of the phyla Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, the relative abundance of the LPS-producing genus Desulfovibrio, and bacteria involved in lipid metabolism, whereas it increased the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acids producing bacteria in HFD-fed hamsters. Predictive functional analysis of the microbial community showed that probiotic yogurt-modified genes involved in LPS biosynthesis and lipid metabolism. In summary, these findings support the possibility that probiotic yogurt significantly improves HFD-induced metabolic disorders through modulating intestinal microflora and lipid metabolism and effectively regulating the occurrence and development of MAFLD. Therefore, probiotic yogurt supplementation may serve as an effective nutrition strategy for the treatment of patients with MAFLD clinically.

18.
Clin Lab ; 70(3)2024 Mar 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38469771

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is an important infectious disease that threatens the health and life of human beings. In the diagnosis of PTB, imaging plays a dominant role, but due to the increasing drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, atypical clinical manifestations, "different images with the same disease" or "different diseases with the same image" in chest imaging, and the low positivity rate of routine sputum bacteriology, which leads to a high rate of misdiagnosis of PTB. We report a case of pulmonary tuberculosis that was misdiagnosed on imaging. We report a case of pulmonary tuberculosis that resembled sarcoidosis on imaging and was negative for antacid staining on sputum smear and alveolar lavage fluid, and was later diagnosed by microbial next-generation sequencing (NGS). The case was initially misdiagnosed as sarcoidosis. METHODS: Alveolar lavage fluid NGS, chest CT, bronchoscopy. RESULTS: Chest CT showed multiple inflammatory lesions in both lungs, multiple nodular foci in both lungs, and multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the mediastinum and hilar region on both sides. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed in the basal segment of the left lower lobe of the lungs to carry out bronchoalveolar lavage, and the lavage fluid was sent to the NGS test and returned the following results: Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex group detected in the number of sequences of 293. Based on the results of the NGS test, the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis could be confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis cannot be easily excluded in patients with "different images with the same disease" or "different diseases with the same image" on chest imaging without the support of sputum positivity. The goal was to improve the alertness of medical personnel to the misdiagnosis of tuberculosis and the application of NGS technology.


Subject(s)
Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Sarcoidosis , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary , Humans , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/diagnosis , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/microbiology , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/genetics , Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid/microbiology , Sarcoidosis/diagnosis , Sputum/microbiology , Diagnostic Errors , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Sensitivity and Specificity
19.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 1685, 2024 Feb 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38402239

ABSTRACT

The cargo content in small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) changes under pathological conditions. Our data shows that in obesity, extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) protein levels are significantly increased in circulating sEVs, which is dependent on integrin-ß2. Knockdown of integrin-ß2 does not affect cellular ECM1 protein levels but significantly reduces ECM1 protein levels in the sEVs released by these cells. In breast cancer (BC), overexpressing ECM1 increases matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) and S100A/B protein levels. Interestingly, sEVs purified from high-fat diet-induced obesity mice (D-sEVs) deliver more ECM1 protein to BC cells compared to sEVs from control diet-fed mice. Consequently, BC cells secrete more ECM1 protein, which promotes cancer cell invasion and migration. D-sEVs treatment also significantly enhances ECM1-mediated BC metastasis and growth in mouse models, as evidenced by the elevated tumor levels of MMP3 and S100A/B. Our study reveals a mechanism and suggests sEV-based strategies for treating obesity-associated BC.


Subject(s)
Extracellular Vesicles , Neoplasms , Animals , Mice , Extracellular Matrix Proteins/metabolism , Extracellular Vesicles/metabolism , Integrins , Matrix Metalloproteinase 3/genetics , Obesity
20.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 16(8): 10398-10406, 2024 Feb 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38380978

ABSTRACT

The rapid evolution of the Internet of Things has engendered increased requirements for low-cost, self-powered UV photodetectors. Herein, high-performance self-driven UV photodetectors are fabricated by designing asymmetric metal-semiconductor-metal structures on the high-quality large-area CsCu2I3 microwire arrays. The asymmetrical depletion region doubles the photocurrent and response speed compared to the symmetric structure device, leading to a high responsivity of 233 mA/W to 355 nm radiation. Notably, at 0 V bias, the asymmetric device produces an open-circuit voltage of 356 mV and drives to a short-circuit current of 372 pA; meanwhile, the switch ratio (Iph/Idark) reaches up to 103, indicating its excellent potential for detecting weak light. Furthermore, the device maintains stable responses throughout 10000 UV-light switch cycles, with negligible degradation even after 90-day storage in air. Our work establishes that CsCu2I3 is a good candidate for self-powered UV detection and thoroughly demonstrates its potential as a passive device.

SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL