Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and pathogen spectrum of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients complicated with pulmonary filamentous fungal infection in Guangdong Province, so as to provide evidences for improving the diagnosis and treatment.Methods:A total of 143 AIDS patients with pulmonary filamentous fungal infection hospitalized in Guangzhou Eighth People′s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University from January 2016 to December 2018 were included. The filamentous fungi cultured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of these patients were identified with morphological and molecular biological methods. And their clinical characteristics were analyzed. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis H test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results:Among the 143 patients, 116(81.1%) had fever, 104(72.7%) had cough, 83(58.0%) had expectoration, and 59(41.3%) had anhelation. The CD4 + T lymphocyte count was 22.0(9.3, 60.8) cells/μL and 118(82.5%) cases were below 100.0 cells/μL. The white blood cell counts decreased in 52(36.4%) cases and increased in 18(12.6%) cases, anemia was found in 109(76.2%) cases, platelet count decreased in 29(20.3%) cases. Sixty-four (44.8%) cases were positive for galactomannan test. Chest computed tomography showed diffuse infection of both lungs in 114(79.7%) cases, miliary changes in 12(8.4%) cases, pleural effusion in 44(30.8%) cases, and enlargement of pleural and (or) mediastinal lymph nodes in 45(31.5%) cases. After receiving antifungal therapy, 124 (86.7%) cases were cured or improved, and 19 (13.3%) cases were discharged automatically or died of disease deterioration. Among the 143 strains of filamentous fungi, there were 56 strains of Aspergillus species pluralis (39.2%, including 24 strains of Aspergillus fumigatus), 37 strains of Talaromyces marneffei ( T. marneffei) (25.9%), 22 strains of Penicilium species pluralis (15.4%), and 28 strains of other genera of filamentous fungi (19.6%). The median CD4 + T lymphocyte counts in patients infected with Aspergillus species pluralis, T. marneffei, Penicilium species pluralis and other genera were 24.5, 15.0, 53.5 and 22.0 cells/μL, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( H=11.282, P=0.010). The proportions of AIDS patients with different pulmonary filamentous fungal infection of CD4 + T lymphocyte count ≤50.0 cells/μL in descending order were T. marneffei group (89.2%(33/37)), Aspergillus species pluralis group and other genera group (67.9%(38/56), 67.9%(19/28)), and Penicillium species pluralis group (54.5%(12/22)), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=9.296, P=0.026). Conclusions:The clinical manifestations of pulmonary filamentous fungal infection in AIDS patients in Guangdong Province are not specific. The pathogenic spectrum contains various genera, and T. marneffei and Aspergillus fumigatus are dominant, which could be correlated with CD4 + T lymphocyte count.

The imaging field of view ( FOV) used for most oncological 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/ CT studies, from skull to mid-thigh, is typically a limited whole-body (LWB). This methodol-ogy has been suggested by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging and European Association of Nuclear Medicine guidelines. Using routine FOV for LWB may underestimate the true tumor extent because malignancy beyond the FOV might be missed. This review summarizes the optimum scan FOV for different types of tumors. For some tumors (such as lung cancer) that commonly spread to the brain, brain and (or) head should be included in the FOV. For lymphoma, especially pediatric lymphoma, which commonly in-volves lower extremities, true whole-body (TWB) scan should be used for cancer staging and follow up. LWB scan is optimal for melanoma which confined in the field of LWB.

The aim of this study is to analyze the concordance between EDV, ESV and LVEF values derived from 18F-FDG PET, GSPECT and ECHO in patients with myocardial infarction. Sixty-four patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction were enrolled in the study. Each patient underwent at least two of the above mentioned studies within 2 weeks. LVEF, EDV and ESV values were analyzed with dedicated software. Statistical evaluation of correlation and agreement was carried out EDV was overestimated by 18F-FDG PET compared with GSPECT [(137.98 ± 61.71) mL and (125.35 ± 59.34) mL]; ESV was overestimated by 18F-FDG PET (85.89 ± 55.21) mL and GSPECT (82.39 ± 55.56) mL compared with ECHO (68.22 ± 41.37) mL; EF was overestimated by 18F-FDG PET (41.96% ± 15.08%) and ECHO (52.18% ± 13.87%) compared with GSPECT (39.75% ± 15.64%), and EF was also overestimated by 18F-FDG PET compared with GSPECT. The results of linear regression analysis showed good correlation between EDV, ESV and LVEF values derived from 18F-FDG PET, GSPECT and ECHO (r = 0.643-0.873, P = 0.000). Bland-Altman analysis indicated that 18F-FDG PET correlated well with ECHO in the Left ventricular function parameters. While GSPECT correlated well with 18F-FDG PET in ESV, GSPECT had good correlation with Echo in respect of EDV and EF; whereas GSPECT had poor correlation with PET/ECHO in the remaining left ventricular function parameters. Therefore, the clinical physicians should decide whether they would use the method according to the patients' situation and diagnostic requirements.
Coronary Artery Disease ; Echocardiography ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnosis ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Regression Analysis ; Stroke Volume ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Ventricular Function, Left

To detect cadmium ions, we constructed a specific microbial sensor and screened detecting cassettes and different fluorescence proteins. Blue fluorescence protein mTagBFP2 was selected as a reporter and a double-promoters model was used in the construction of the fusion reporter vector Pmer::merR-m-Pmer::mTagBFP2-pMD19-T. The reporter vector was then transformed into Escherichia coli MC4100 wild type strain. The medium, incubation time, initial density for induction, and the optimal detection range were determined. The specificity of the biosensor was also checked. The biosensor responded specifically to cadmium irons with low background, and the linear concentration range detection ranged from 0.1 to 75 μmol/L at the initial OD600 = 0.1 with 2 h incubation in IHMM medium. Thus we successfully constructed a specific biosensor to detect cadmium irons and provided useful strategies for development and optimization of microbial sensors to detect heavy metals.
Biosensing Techniques ; Cadmium ; analysis ; Escherichia coli ; Genetic Vectors ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

9α-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione (9-OH-AD) is an important intermediate in the steroidal drugs production. 3-ketosteroid-9α-hydroxylase (KSH), a two protein system of KshA and KshB, is a key-enzyme in the microbial steroid ring B-opening pathway. KSH catalyzes the transformation of 4-androstene-3,17-dione (AD) into 9-OH-AD specifically. In the present study, the putative KshA and KshB genes were cloned from Mycobacterium smegmatis mc(2)155 and Gordonia neofelifaecis NRRL B-59395 respectively, and were inserted into the expression vector pNIT, the co-expression plasmids of kshA-kshB were obtained and electroporated into Mycobacterium sp. NRRL B-3805 cells. The recombinants were used to transform steroids, the main product was characterized as 9α-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione (9-OH-AD), showing that kshA and kshB were expressed successfully. Different from the original strain Mycobacterium sp. NRRL B-3805 that accumulates 4-androstene-3,17-dione, the recombinants accumulates 9α-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione as the main product. This results indicates that the putative genes kshA, kshB encode active KshA and KshB, respectively. The process of biotransformation was investigated and the results show that phytosterol is the most suitable substrate for biotransformation, kshA and kshB from M. smegmatis mc(2)155 seemed to exhibit high activity, because the resultant recombinant of them catalyzed the biotransformation of phytosterol to 9-OH-AD in a percent conversion of 90%, which was much higher than that of G. neofelifaecis NRRL B-59395. This study on the manipulation of the ksh genes in Mycobacterium sp. NRRL B-3805 provides a new pathway for producing steroid medicines.
Androstenedione ; analogs & derivatives ; biosynthesis ; Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Biotransformation ; Ketosteroids ; Mixed Function Oxygenases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mycobacterium ; metabolism ; Mycobacterium smegmatis ; enzymology ; Plasmids

Objective To assess risk factors in NSCLC with N2 metastasis.Methods A total of 177 NSCLC patients (109 males,68 females; age:(60.1 ± 10.6) years) who underwent both 18F-FDG PET/CT scan and surgery were enrolled.They were divided into two groups.One was with N2 metastasis (N2+) and the other was without (non-N2+).The gender,age,location,size,primary tumor SUVmax,histopathologic type and differentiation grade between N2+ group and non-N2+ group were compared with x2 test and two-sample t test.After assignment of significant factors and groups,correlations between each factor and group were analyzed with uni-and multivariate analyses,and then the risk factors were identified finally with logistic regression analysis.Results Significant difference among factors of tumor size ((36.1±19.7) mm vs (49.3±24.4) mm),SUVmax(8.81±6.23 vs 11.21±4.43) and differentiation grades (high:3 vs 0; moderate:74 vs 11; poor:65 vs 24) were observed between non-N2+ group and N2+ group (t =-2.969,-2.633,x2 =6.143,all P＜0.05).Besides,the univariate analysis showed significant correlations between tumor size,SUVmax,differentiation grade and N2 status (r=0.201,0.245,0.185,all P＜0.05).However,multivariate logistic regression revealed that only SUVmax had a predictive value (β=0.546,P＜0.01).The incidence of N2 metastasis went up along with the increase of SUVmax.There was no N2 metastasis in the patients with SUVmax ≤2.5,and the incidence rate of metastasis increased to 0.29 in those with SUVmax＞7.5.Conclusion SUVmax may be an independent risk factor to predict N2 metastasis in NSCLC patients.

BACKGROUND: Reported about passive smoking on development of nervous system are rare and it is lack of preventive and therapeutic measures.Previous animal experiments proved that passive smoking at pregrancy could decrease content of Nerve growth factor (NGF) in hippocampal tissue and eliminate abilities of learning of fetal rats. Cerebellar cortex contain high levels of NGF at embryonic phase. Passive smoking decrease content of NGF in cerebellar cortex. Brain of mammalis animal is full of taurine which is released by neuron and neuroglia cell to maintain normal activities in cerebral tissue. Inhibitory synthesis and ingestion of taurine can cause disfunction.Therefore, a certain level of taurine is possibly correlated with expression of NGF gene in embryoids. However, the decrease of NGF content in cerebellar cortex may be one of factors for brain injury of fetal rats.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of brain injury induced by passive smoking in fetal rats and the interventional effect of taurine.DESIGN: Randomized controlled animal study.SETTING: Fenyang College of Shanxi Medical University.MATERIALS:Twenty-one 2-month-old female Wistar rats,weighing 150-210 g, were randomly divided into 3 group with 7 rats in each group,including passive smoking group, passive smoking+taurine group and normal control group. All rats in the three groups were treated till naturalpartrition from the second day of cyesis. Rats in the passive smoking group were suffered from successively experimental smoking after intragastrical administration with 0.65 mL/ampoule saline; rats in the passive smoking+taurine group were intragastrically administrated with 500 mg/kg taurine before smoking rats in the normal contrl group did not smoke and were intragastrically administrated with 0.65 mL/ampoule saline every day.METHODS: Newborn rats were weighed and then their heads were cut off. Rapidly, brains were separated,weighed,boiled in boiling saline for 5 minuters. Then, cerebellum was separated. Content of NGF in cerebellar tissue of fetal rats were measured with immune-radio technique. Changes of NGF protein in cerebellar cortex were regarded as the indexes to analyze the effect of passive smoking and taunine on them.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparisons of body mass, cerebral mass and the contents of NGF protein.RESULTS: A total of 147 fetal rats were involved in the final analysis,Levels of body mass, cerebral mass and the contents of NGF protein were markedly lower in passive smoking group than those in normal control group and passive smoking + taurine group (P ＜ 0.001). There was no significant difference of the three indexes between passive smoking + taurine group and normal control group (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION: Passive smoking is a possible factor for decreasing level of NGF in cerebellar cortex of fetal rats, and taurine may protect brain injury induced by passive smoking.

AIM: To investigate the influence of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb761) on c-jun expressions and motoneurons survival following root avulsion. METHODS: One hundred and eighty adult Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into control and EGb761 groups. Immediately after avulsion of C5-T1 nerve roots, the rats were injected ip with either 1 mL of EGb761 25 mg?kg~(-1)?d~(-1) or the same volume of normal saline, and the treatment repeated everyday. At 4 h to 6 weeks following avulsion, the C7 spinal segments of all rats were collected and prepared for c-jun immunocytochemistry and neutral red stain. The numbers of (c-jun) positive and survival motoneurons were counted and compared between two groups at each time point. RESULTS: In control rats following avulsion, c-jun positive motoneurons appeared at 4 h, reached its maximum at 1 d and declined to 2 weeks. Avulsion-induced motoneurons death started at 2 weeks, climbed to its maximum at 4 weeks-6 weeks. In EGb761 treated rats, both numbers of c-jun positive and survival motoneurons were more than that in control group at each time point. CONCLUSION: EGb761 attenuates avulsion-induced motoneurons death, and this effect may be related to up-regulation of c-jun gene in avulsed motoneurons. [

Objective To compare the effect of natural antioxidants TA9001 and EGb761 on c-jun, NOS expression and survival of spinal motoneurons following brachial roots avulsion. Methods One hundred and eighty adult Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly divided into TA9001, ECb761 and control groups. The right C 5～T 1 nerve roots were avulsed and then the introperitoneal injection of 1ml of 0.5% TA9001, 0.5% EGb761 or normal saline was given immediately and once daily to the rats, respectively. The rats were killed after survival for 4 h, 12 h 1 d,3 d,5 d,and 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks. The cryostat sections of C 7 segment were prepared and carried with c-jun immunocytochemistry, NADPH-d histochemistry and neutral red counter stain. Results The c-jun and nNOS gene expression was only appeared in injured motoneurons. c-jun was first appeared at 4 h, reached its maximum at 1 d, and grandually decreased till 2 weeks. NOS was first checked at 5 d, mostly at 2 weeks and decreased until 6 weeks. Avulsed motoneuron death started at 2 weeks, reached its peak at 4～6 weeks. Both TA9001 and EGb761 can cause c-jun up-regulation, nNOS down-regulation and more motoneuron survival as compared to control. Furthermore, EGb761 had more power to enhance c-jun expression than TA9901 at each time point. Conclusion It seems that nNOS is more important in motoneuron death mechanism than c-jun. Treatment of either TA9901 or EGb761 can protect the injured motoneurons following root avulsion.

AIM: To investigate the influence of EGb761 on NOS expression and survival of motoneurons after spinal root avulsion.METHODS: Eighty adult SD female rats were randomly divided into control and EGb761 groups. The C5-T1 nerve roots of right brachial plexus were avulsed and injection of 1 mL of either EGb761 25 mg?kg -1 ?d -1 or normal saline (ip) was performed everyday. The treated rats were killed 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks following avulsion. The cryostat sections of C7 segment of every rat were collected and carried with NADPH-d histochemistry plus neutral red counterstain. The difference of the numbers of both NOS-positive and survival motoneurons were quantitatively studied. RESULTS: Following avulsion, NOS was expressed in avulsed motoneurons at 1 week, reached to its maximum at 2 weeks and then decreased gradually from 4 weeks to 6 weeks. Motoneurons died from 4 weeks to 6 weeks. With EGb761 treatment, the number of NOS-positive motoneurons were decreased at each time point and the number of survival motoneurons was increased at each time point compared to control rats.CONCLUSIONS: EGb761 protected the spinal cord motoneurons from avulsion injury. This effect may be related to inhibition of NOS expression.