OBJECTIVETo study the status of Th1/Th2 immune response and the value of the detection of cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) by examining the levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in BALF and serum in children with severe Mycoplasma pneumonia (MPP).

METHODSThe levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in BALF and serum were measured using ELISA in 25 children with severe MPP, 25 children with mild MPP and 25 children with foreign body in bronchus.

RESULTSThe levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in BALF in children with severe MPP were significantly higher than those in children with foreign body in bronchus (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The serum levels of IL-4 and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in children with severe MPP were significantly higher than those in children with foreign body in bronchus (P<0.01) or with mild MPP (P<0.05). The levels of IL-4 and the IL-4/IFN-γ ratio in BALF were significantly higher than in serum (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe data suggest that the imbalance of Th1/Th2 exists in children with severe MPP and it seems to represent a predominant Th2-like cytokine response. The detection of cytokines in BALF appears to be more sensitive than in serum and may be of value in the diagnosis and therapy of MPP.

Adolescent ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Male ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; immunology ; Th1 Cells ; immunology ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; therapy ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ; Humans ; Knowledge ; Noninvasive Ventilation ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; therapy

Purpose: By utilizing both protein and mRNA expression patterns, we can identify more detailed and diverse immune cells, providing insights into understanding the complex immune landscape in cancer ecosystems. Materials and Methods: This study was performed by obtaining publicly available Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by Sequencing (CITE-seq) data of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. A total of 94674 total cells were analyzed, of which 32412 were T cells. There were 228 protein features and 16262 mRNA features in the data.The Seurat package was used for quality control and preprocessing, principal component analysis was performed, and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection was used to visualize the clusters. Protein and mRNA levels in the CITE-seq were analyzed. Results: We observed that a subset of T cells in the clusters generated at the protein level divided better. By identifying mRNA markers that were highly correlated with the CD4 and CD8 proteins and cross-validating CD26 and CD99 markers using flow cytometry, we found that CD4 + and CD8+ T cells were better discriminated in PBMCs. Weighted Nearest Neighbor clustering results identified a previously unobserved T cell subset. Conclusion In this study, we used CITE-seq data to confirm that protein expression patterns could be used to identify cells more precisely. These findings will improve our understanding of the heterogeneity of immune cells in the future and provide valuable insights into the complexity of the immune response in health and disease.

Purpose: By utilizing both protein and mRNA expression patterns, we can identify more detailed and diverse immune cells, providing insights into understanding the complex immune landscape in cancer ecosystems. Materials and Methods: This study was performed by obtaining publicly available Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by Sequencing (CITE-seq) data of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. A total of 94674 total cells were analyzed, of which 32412 were T cells. There were 228 protein features and 16262 mRNA features in the data.The Seurat package was used for quality control and preprocessing, principal component analysis was performed, and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection was used to visualize the clusters. Protein and mRNA levels in the CITE-seq were analyzed. Results: We observed that a subset of T cells in the clusters generated at the protein level divided better. By identifying mRNA markers that were highly correlated with the CD4 and CD8 proteins and cross-validating CD26 and CD99 markers using flow cytometry, we found that CD4 + and CD8+ T cells were better discriminated in PBMCs. Weighted Nearest Neighbor clustering results identified a previously unobserved T cell subset. Conclusion In this study, we used CITE-seq data to confirm that protein expression patterns could be used to identify cells more precisely. These findings will improve our understanding of the heterogeneity of immune cells in the future and provide valuable insights into the complexity of the immune response in health and disease.

Purpose: By utilizing both protein and mRNA expression patterns, we can identify more detailed and diverse immune cells, providing insights into understanding the complex immune landscape in cancer ecosystems. Materials and Methods: This study was performed by obtaining publicly available Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by Sequencing (CITE-seq) data of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. A total of 94674 total cells were analyzed, of which 32412 were T cells. There were 228 protein features and 16262 mRNA features in the data.The Seurat package was used for quality control and preprocessing, principal component analysis was performed, and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection was used to visualize the clusters. Protein and mRNA levels in the CITE-seq were analyzed. Results: We observed that a subset of T cells in the clusters generated at the protein level divided better. By identifying mRNA markers that were highly correlated with the CD4 and CD8 proteins and cross-validating CD26 and CD99 markers using flow cytometry, we found that CD4 + and CD8+ T cells were better discriminated in PBMCs. Weighted Nearest Neighbor clustering results identified a previously unobserved T cell subset. Conclusion In this study, we used CITE-seq data to confirm that protein expression patterns could be used to identify cells more precisely. These findings will improve our understanding of the heterogeneity of immune cells in the future and provide valuable insights into the complexity of the immune response in health and disease.

Purpose: By utilizing both protein and mRNA expression patterns, we can identify more detailed and diverse immune cells, providing insights into understanding the complex immune landscape in cancer ecosystems. Materials and Methods: This study was performed by obtaining publicly available Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by Sequencing (CITE-seq) data of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. A total of 94674 total cells were analyzed, of which 32412 were T cells. There were 228 protein features and 16262 mRNA features in the data.The Seurat package was used for quality control and preprocessing, principal component analysis was performed, and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection was used to visualize the clusters. Protein and mRNA levels in the CITE-seq were analyzed. Results: We observed that a subset of T cells in the clusters generated at the protein level divided better. By identifying mRNA markers that were highly correlated with the CD4 and CD8 proteins and cross-validating CD26 and CD99 markers using flow cytometry, we found that CD4 + and CD8+ T cells were better discriminated in PBMCs. Weighted Nearest Neighbor clustering results identified a previously unobserved T cell subset. Conclusion In this study, we used CITE-seq data to confirm that protein expression patterns could be used to identify cells more precisely. These findings will improve our understanding of the heterogeneity of immune cells in the future and provide valuable insights into the complexity of the immune response in health and disease.

BACKGROUNDFew studies have addressed whether abnormalities in the lenticular nucleus (LN) are characteristic transcranial sonography (TCS) echo features in patients with primary dystonia. This study aimed to explore alterations in the basal ganglia in different forms of primary focal dystonia.

METHODScross-sectional observational study was performed between December 2013 and December 2014 in 80 patients with different forms of primary focal dystonia and 55 neurologically normal control subjects. TCS was performed in patients and control subjects. Multiple comparisons of multiple rates were used to compare LN hyperechogenicity ratios between control and patient groups.

RESULTSThirteen individuals were excluded due to poor temporal bone windows, and two subjects were excluded due to disagreement in evaluation by sonologists. Totally, 70 patients (cervical dystonia, n = 30; blepharospasm, n = 30; oromandibular dystonia, n = 10) and 50 normal controls were included in the final analysis. LN hyperechogenicity was observed in 51% (36/70) of patients with primary focal dystonia, compared with 12% (6/50) of controls (P < 0.001). Substantia nigra hyperechogenicity did not differ between the two groups. LN hyperechogenicity was observed in 73% (22/30) of patients with cervical dystonia, a greater prevalence than in patients with blepharospasm (33%, 10/30, P = 0.002) and oromandibular dystonia (40%, 4/10, P = 0.126). LN hyperechogenicity was more frequently observed in patients with cervical dystonia compared with controls (73% vs. 12%, P < 0.001); however, no significant difference was detected in patients with blepharospasm (33% vs. 12%, P = 0.021) or oromandibular dystonia (40% vs. 12%, P = 0.088).

CONCLUSIONSLN hyperechogenicity is more frequently observed in patients with primary focal dystonia than in controls. It does not appear to be a characteristic TCS echo feature in patients with blepharospasm or oromandibular dystonia.

Adult ; Aged ; Blepharospasm ; diagnostic imaging ; Corpus Striatum ; diagnostic imaging ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dystonic Disorders ; diagnostic imaging ; Echoencephalography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety, immunogenicity and fit dosage of Healive inactivated hepatitis A vaccine (HAV) in children.

METHODSA total of 85 susceptible aged 4 - 10 years with HAV seronegative children, had been enrolled from two adjacent villages in a county. The volunteers were randomized allocated into two groups and to receive a priming dose of 250 U/0.5 ml/dose or 500 U/1.0 ml/dose of Healive vaccine, produced by Sinovac Biotech Co, Ltd. A booster of the same dose was given at 12th month. Local and systemic side effects were examined and seroconversion rate as well as geometric mean titers of anti-HAV antibody were tested at 3-week, 12-month after the primary dose and at 1 month after the booster dose.

RESULTSThe vaccine was well tolerated in both groups. At 21 days after the primary dose, the seroconversion rates were 94.4%, 100.0% and geometric mean titers (GMT) were 195 mIU/ml and 370 mIU/ml in 250 U and 500 U groups respectively. At 12 months after the primary dose, the seroconversion rate of anti-HAV was 100.0%, and GMT raised to 361 mIU/ml, 456 mIU/ml (P > 0.05) respectively. One month after the booster dose, GMT raised to 14 893 mIU/ml, 21 696 mIU/ml.

CONCLUSIONGMT of the 0, 12 month schedule was higher than other schedule after the booster vaccination. The Healive inactivated vaccine can be used for emergency vaccination. The Healive inactivated vaccine produced by Sinovac Company Ltd was safe and highly immunogenic. Two hundred and fifty U/dose was considered appropriate for children.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Hepatitis A ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Hepatitis A Antibodies ; analysis ; Hepatitis A Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; immunology ; Humans ; Vaccines, Inactivated ; administration & dosage ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of artificial liver support system (ALSS) in the treatment of liver failure patients.

METHODSThis is a prospective, multi-center, controlled, large sample clinic trial. 518 patients with liver failure from 5 hospitals were studied and followed. All the patients received similar pharmacological manipulation according to one and the same protocol but were divided into an ALSS treatment group and a control group without ALSS treatment. The ALSS treatment procedures included plasma exchange, molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS), plasma exchange plus hemofiltration and other combined nonbioartificial methods. The analysis of survival time was computed using the Kaplain-Maier method, and comparison among groups was done using Log-Rank, Breslow and/or the Tarone-Ware test.

RESULTSSurvival time of acute liver failure patients was prolonged from 4.0+/-0.2 days to 8.0+/-0.4 days (P=0.004). ALSS was shown to be two times more effective. ALSS increased the survival time of acute on chronic (A on C) liver failure patients from 27.0+/-1.6 days to 39.0+/-4.0 days (P less than 0.01). In addition, it increased the survival time of the patients in the middle and end stage of subacute liver failure and A on C liver failure, but had no significant effects on early stage patients. The survival time of middle stage patients was 38.0+/-17.5 days in the control group vs 66.0+/-18.6 days in the ALSS group (P less than 0.05). The survival time of end stage patients of the control group and the ALSS group was 18.0+/-4.0 days vs 26.0+/-2.5 days (P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSMulti ALSS treatment is more effective than the standard medicinal liver care treatment. Multi-ALSS treatment could increase survival time of patients suffering from acute liver failure or A on C liver failure, especially in their middle and end stages. It is important and necessary to treat these patients with ALSS.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Failure, Acute ; mortality ; therapy ; Liver, Artificial ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Young Adult

Objective To analyze the resistance proifle of bacterial strains isolated from geriatric patients in 17 hospitals across China from 2005 to 2014.Methods A total of 17 representative general hospitals were involved in this program. Bacterial susceptibility testing was carried out by means of a uniifed protocol using Kirby-Bauer method and MIC determination. The results were analyzed according to CLSI 2014 breakpoints.Results The proportion of the strains isolated from geriatric patients among all the clinical isolates increased with time from 30.0% in 2005 to 32.7% in 2014. A total of 159 888 clinical isolates were collected from geriatric patient during the period from 2005 to 2014, about 33.1% of the whole patient population. Gram negative organisms and gram positive cocci accounted for 77.1% (123 229/159 888) and 22.9% (36 659/159 888), respectively. Majority (92.8%, 148 376/159 888) of the isolates were from inpatients and more than half (55.2%, 88 201/159 888) of the isolates were from sputum or other respiratory tract specimens. Methicillin-resistant strains inS. aureus (MRSA) and coagulase negativeStaphylococcus (MRCNS) accounted for an average of 67.1% and 75.9%, respectively. The resistance rates of methicillin-resistant strains to β-lactams and other antimicrobial agents were much higher than those of methicillin-susceptible strains. No staphylococcal strains were found resistant to vancomycin, teicoplanin or linezolid. Some strains ofE. faecalis (0.4%) andE. faecium (4.6%) were resistant to vancomycin, which was higher than average national level (0.3%, 3.2%). Vancomycin-resistant strains ofE. faecalisandE. faecium were mainly VanA type and VanB type based on their phenotype. The prevalence of penicillin-susceptibleS. pneumoniae strains was 78.2%, slightly lower than the 95.0% in Chinese adults in year 2014. The prevalence of ESBLs-producing strains was 67.5% inE. coli, 40.4% inKlebsiella (K. pneumoniae andK. oxytoca) and 34.3% inProteus mirabilis isolates on average. The strains ofEnterobacteriaceae were still highly susceptible to carbapenems (<10% resistant), followed by amikacin and the beta-lactam and beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations. Overall, 35.9% and 33.0% of theP. aeruginosa strains were resistant to imipenem and meropenem. More than 50% of theA. baumannii strains were resistant to imipenem and meropenem. The prevalence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR)P. aeruginosa (4.0%-1.8%) was higher than the average national level (2.1%-1.6%). The prevalence of XDR A. baumannii (19.2%-15.5%) and XDREnterobacteriaceae (0.1%-1.0%) was lower than the average national level (21.4%-19.7% and 0.3%-3.2%).Conclusions The proportion of clinical isolates from geriatric patients is different from average national level at the same period. The isolates from geriatric patients are more likely from inpatients, respiratory tract specimens and more likely non-fermentative gram-negative bacilli compared to average national level. The proportion of fastidious bacteria andEnterobacteriaceae species is generally lower than average national level. MRSA, VRE, ESBLs-producing strains and XDRP. aeruginosa are more prevalent in geriatric patients than in general Chinese patient population. This study suggests that surveillance of antimicrobial resistance for the clinical isolates from geriatric patients is very important for rational antimicrobial therapy.