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Background: Organizing pneumonia (OP) is a rare interstitial lung disease. Secondary organizing pneumonia (SOP) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is extremely rare. Migratory MTB-associated SOP is more deceptive and dangerous. When insidious tuberculosis (TB) is not recognized, SOP would be misdiagnosed as cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP). Use of steroid hormone alone leads to the progression of TB foci or even death. Clues of distinguishing atypical TB at the background of OP is urgently needed. Case presentation: A 56-year-old female patient was hospitalized into the local hospital because of cough and expectoration for more than half a month. Her medical history and family history showed no relation to TB or other lung diseases. Community-acquired pneumonia was diagnosed and anti-infection therapy was initialized but invalid. The patient suffered from continuous weigh loss. More puzzling, the lesions were migratory based on the chest computed tomography (CT) images. The patient was then transferred to our hospital. The immunological indexes of infection in blood and pathogenic tests in sputum and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were negative. The percutaneous lung puncture biopsy and pathological observation confirmed OP, but without granulomatous lesions. Additionally, pathogen detection of the punctured lung tissues by metagenomics next generation sequencing test (mNGS) were all negative. COP was highly suspected. Fortunately, the targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) detected MTB in the punctured lung tissues and MTB-associated SOP was definitely diagnosed. The combined therapy of anti-TB and prednisone was administrated. After treatment for 10 days, the partial lesions were significantly resorbed and the patient was discharged. In the follow-up of half a year, the patient was healthy. Conclusions: It is difficult to distinguish SOP from COP in clinical practice. Diagnosis of COP must be very cautious. Transient small nodules and cavities in the early lung image are a clue to consider TB, even though all pathogen tests are negative. tNGS is also a powerful tool to detect pathogen, ensuring prompt diagnosis of TB-related SOP. For clinicians in TB high burden countries, we encourage them to keep TB in mind before making a final diagnosis of COP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to review patient characteristics and evaluate the potential factors affecting prognosis in cases of brain metastasis (BM) from colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 93 cases of BM from CRC in our hospital. Patient demographics, neurologic symptoms, and location and number of BMs were recorded. Factors analyzed included: age; sex; Karnofsky performance score; number of BMs; presence of extracranial metastases; dimensions; location of tumors; treatment modalities.Results: The overall 1- and 2-year survival rates were 27.7 and 9.9%. On multivariate analysis, the number of BMs, extracranial metastases and the initial treatment modalities were found to be independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Patients treated with surgical resection followed by WBRT or SRS had an improved prognosis relative to those treated with surgery alone (P=0.02 and P=0.02, respectively). No significance difference in survival rate was found between patients treated with SRS alone or SRS plus WBRT (P=0.11).Conclusions: Surgical resection of BMs from CRC in selected patients may help prolong survival. Additional radiotherapy following surgery is valuable in improving prognosis. Extracranial metastasis, multiple BM lesions and initial non operation can be considered as independent factors associated with poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the underdeveloped multi-ethnic regions of China, high tuberculosis (TB) burden and regional inequity in access to healthcare service increase the challenge of achieving the End TB goals. Among all the provinces, the highest TB burden is reported in Xinjiang, where ethnic minorities and older people have suffered most. However, current case-finding strategy is inadequate given the complex social determinants and suboptimal case detection rates. Thus, we developed an integrated TB control program to improve case detection and conducted a pilot in Xinjiang from 2014 to 2015. In this case study, we summarized the activities and key findings. We also shared the experiences and challenges of implementing interventions and provided recommendations to inform the TB control program in the future., Case Presentation: The pilot interventions were implemented in one selected town in Yining based on local TB control programs. By applying tailor-made educational materials, outreach TB educational activities were conducted in diverse ways. In 22 Masjids, the trained imams promoted TB education to the Muslims, covering 20,440 person-times in 88 delivered preaching sessions. In seven schools, 1944 students were educated by the teachers and contributed to educating 6929 family members. In the village communities, 13,073 residents participated in household education and screening. Among them, 12,292 people aged under 65 years were investigated for suspicious pulmonary TB symptoms, where six TB patients were diagnosed out of 89 TB suspects; 781 older people were mobilized for screening directly by chest X-ray, where 10 patients were diagnosed out of 692 participants. Supportive healthcare system, multi-sectoral cooperation and multi-channel financing mechanism were the successful experiences of implementation. The interventions were proved to be more effective than the previous performance: the number of TB suspects consulting doctors and patients detected increased by 50% and 26%, respectively. The potential challenges, implications and recommendations should been taken into account for further program improvement., Conclusions: In underdeveloped multi-ethnic regions with high TB burden, improving case detection is necessary and the interventions can be feasible and effective within a supportive system. More intensive educational and training approaches, a high index of TB suspicion and prioritization of older people in screening are recommended. To sustain and scale up the program, the impacts, cost-effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of interventions warrant further research and evaluation in each specific context.

Background: Psoroptic mange is a chronic, refractory, contagious and infectious disease mainly caused by the mange mite Psoroptes ovis, which can infect horses, sheep, buffaloes, rabbits, other domestic animals, deer, wild camels, foxes, minks, lemurs, alpacas, elks and other wild animals. Features of the disease include intense pruritus and dermatitis, depilation and hyperkeratosis, which ultimately result in emaciation or death caused by secondary bacterial infections. The infestation is usually transmitted by close contact between animals. Psoroptic mange is widespread in the world. In this paper, the transcriptome of P. ovis is described following sequencing and analysis of transcripts from samples of larvae (i.e. the Pso_L group) and nymphs and adults (i.e. the Pso_N_A group). The study describes differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and genes encoding allergens, which help understanding the biology of P. ovis and lay foundations for the development of vaccine antigens and drug target screening., Methods: The transcriptome of P. ovis was assembled and analyzed using bioinformatic tools. The unigenes of P. ovis from each developmental stage and the unigenes differentially between developmental stages were compared with allergen protein sequences contained in the allergen database website to predict potential allergens., Results: We identified 38,836 unigenes, whose mean length was 825 bp. On the basis of sequence similarity with seven databases, a total of 17,366 unigenes were annotated. A total of 1,316 DEGs were identified, including 496 upregulated and 820 downregulated in the Pso_L group compared with the Pso_N_A group. We predicted 205 allergens genes in the two developmental stages similar to genes from other mites and ticks, of these, 14 were among the upregulated DEGs and 26 among the downregulated DEGs., Conclusion: This study provides a reference transcriptome of P. ovis in absence of a reference genome. The analysis of DEGs and putative allergen genes may lay the foundation for studies of functional genomics, immunity and gene expression profiles of this parasitic mite species.

Background: The purpose of this study was to review patient characteristics and evaluate the potential factors affecting prognosis in cases of brain metastasis (BM) from colorectal cancer (CRC)., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 93 cases of BM from CRC in our hospital. Patient demographics, neurologic symptoms, and location and number of BMs were recorded. Factors analyzed included: age; sex; Karnofsky performance score; number of BMs; presence of extracranial metastases; dimensions; location of tumors; treatment modalities., Results: The overall 1- and 2-year survival rates were 27.7 and 9.9%. On multivariate analysis, the number of BMs, extracranial metastases and the initial treatment modalities were found to be independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Patients treated with surgical resection followed by WBRT or SRS had an improved prognosis relative to those treated with surgery alone (P=0.02 and P=0.02, respectively). No significance difference in survival rate was found between patients treated with SRS alone or SRS plus WBRT (P=0.11)., Conclusions: Surgical resection of BMs from CRC in selected patients may help prolong survival. Additional radiotherapy following surgery is valuable in improving prognosis. Extracranial metastasis, multiple BM lesions and initial non operation can be considered as independent factors associated with poor prognosis.

Background: Bacterial infection of the lower respiratory tract is believed to play a major role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). This study investigates the potential relationship between AECOPD and the load of six common bacterial pathogens in the lower respiratory tract using real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in COPD patients., Methods: Protected specimen brush (PSB) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from the lower respiratory tract of 66 COPD patients and 33 healthy subjects were collected by bronchoscopy. The load of Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonos aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenzeae, and Moraxella catarrhalis were detected by RT-qPCR., Results: High Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonos aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenzeae and Moraxella catarrhalis burden were detected by RT-qPCR in both PSB and BALF samples obtained from stable COPD and AECOPD patients compared with healthy subjects. The load of the above four pathogenic strains in PSB and BALF samples obtained from AECOPD patients were significantly higher compared with stable COPD patients. Finally, positive correlations between bacterial loads and inflammatory mediators such as neutrophil count and cytokine levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8, as well as negative correlations between bacterial loads and the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) % predicted, forced vital capacity (FVC) % predicted, and FEV1/FVC ratio, were detected., Conclusions: These findings suggest that increased bacterial loads mediated inflammatory response in the lower respiratory tract and were associated with AECOPD. In addition, these results provide guidance for antibiotic therapy of AECOPD patients.

Background: Limited available sequence information has greatly impeded population genetics, phylogenetics and systematics studies in the subclass Acari (mites and ticks). Mitochondrial (mt) DNA is well known to provide genetic markers for investigations in these areas, but complete mt genomic data have been lacking for many Acari species. Herein, we present the complete mt genome of the scab mite Psoroptes cuniculi., Methods: P. cuniculi was collected from a naturally infected New Zealand white rabbit from China and identified by morphological criteria. The complete mt genome of P. cuniculi was amplified by PCR and then sequenced. The relationships of this scab mite with selected members of the Acari were assessed by phylogenetic analysis of concatenated amino acid sequence datasets by Bayesian inference (BI), maximum likelihood (ML) and maximum parsimony (MP)., Results: This mt genome (14,247 bp) is circular and consists of 37 genes, including 13 genes for proteins, 22 genes for tRNA, 2 genes for rRNA. The gene arrangement in mt genome of P. cuniculi is the same as those of Dermatophagoides farinae (Pyroglyphidae) and Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Acaridae), but distinct from those of Steganacarus magnus (Steganacaridae) and Panonychus citri (Tetranychidae). Phylogenetic analyses using concatenated amino acid sequences of 12 protein-coding genes, with three different computational algorithms (BI, ML and MP), showed the division of subclass Acari into two superorders, supported the monophylies of the both superorders Parasitiformes and Acariformes; and the three orders Ixodida and Mesostigmata and Astigmata, but rejected the monophyly of the order Prostigmata., Conclusions: The mt genome of P. cuniculi represents the first mt genome of any member of the family Psoroptidae. Analysis of mt genome sequences in the present study has provided new insights into the phylogenetic relationships among several major lineages of Acari species.

Background: The bamboo Bambusa edulis has a long juvenile phase in situ, but can be induced to flower during in vitro tissue culture, providing a readily available source of material for studies on reproductive biology and flowering. In this report, in vitro-derived reproductive and vegetative materials of B. edulis were harvested and used to generate transcriptome databases by use of two sequencing platforms: Illumina and 454. Combination of the two datasets resulted in high transcriptome quality and increased length of the sequence reads. In plants, many MADS genes control flower development, and the ABCDE model has been developed to explain how the genes function together to create the different whorls within a flower., Results: As a case study, published floral development-related OsMADS proteins from rice were used to search the B. edulis transcriptome datasets, identifying 16 B. edulis MADS (BeMADS). The BeMADS gene expression levels were determined qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization. Most BeMADS genes were highly expressed in flowers, with the exception of BeMADS34. The expression patterns of these genes were most similar to the rice homologs, except BeMADS18 and BeMADS34, and were highly similar to the floral development ABCDE model in rice. Transient expression of MADS-GFP proteins showed that only BeMADS1 entered leaf nucleus. BeMADS18, BeMADS4, and BeMADS1 were located in the lemma nucleus. When co-transformed with BeMADS1, BeMADS15, 16, 13, 21, 6, and 7 translocated to nucleus in lemmas, indicating that BeMADS1 is a key factor for subcellular localization of other BeMADS., Conclusion: Our study provides abundant B. edulis transcriptome data and offers comprehensive sequence resources. The results, molecular materials and overall strategy reported here can be used for future gene identification and for further reproductive studies in the economically important crop of bamboo.

Background: Baylisascaris schroederi is one of the most common nematodes of the giant panda, and can cause severe baylisascarosis in both wild and captive giant pandas. Previous studies of the giant pandas indicated that this population is genetically distinct, implying the presence of a new subspecies. Based on the co-evolution between the parasite and the host, the aim of this study was to investigate the genetic differentiation in the B. schroederi population collected from giant pandas inhabiting different mountain ranges, and further to identify whether the evolution of this parasite correlates with the evolution of giant pandas., Methods: In this study, 48 B. schroederi were collected from 28 wild giant pandas inhabiting the Qinling, Minshan and Qionglai mountain ranges in China. The complete sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (mtCytb) gene was amplified by PCR, and the corresponding population genetic diversity of the three mountain populations was determined. In addition, we discussed the evolutionary relationship between B. schroederi and its host giant panda., Results: For the DNA dataset, insignificant Fst values and a significant, high level of gene flow were detected among the three mountain populations of B. schroederi, and high genetic variation within populations and a low genetic distance were observed. Both phylogenetic analyses and network mapping of the 16 haplotypes revealed a dispersed pattern and an absence of branches strictly corresponding to the three mountain range sampling sites. Neutrality tests and mismatch analysis indicated that B. schroederi experienced a population expansion in the past., Conclusions: Taken together, the dispersed haplotype map, extremely high gene flow among the three populations of B. schroederi, low genetic structure and rapid evolutionary rate suggest that the B. schroederi populations did not follow a pattern of isolation by distance, indicating the existence of physical connections before these populations became geographically separated.