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Objective This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of serum S100 calcium-binding protein A12 (S100A12) concentrations in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methods This was a case–control study. We selected 120 patients with CAP treated in Xichang People’s Hospital from January to June 2022 as the case group. Sixty healthy adults without a history of basic diseases were selected as the control group. The patients in the case group were divided into the low S100A12 and high S100A12 subgroups. Serum S100A12, C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) concentrations, the leukocyte count, and other study parameters were compared. Results Serum S100A12, CRP, and PCT concentrations and the leukocyte count were higher in the case group than in the control group. The baseline confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and age ≥ 65 score, baseline pneumonia severity index score, and 30-day mortality rate were higher in the high S100A12 subgroup than in the low S100A12 subgroup. Serum CRP and PCT concentrations and the leukocyte count were higher in the high S100A12 subgroup than in the low S100A12 subgroup. Conclusion Patients with high serum S100A12 concentrations have more severe CAP, a more serious inflammatory reaction, and higher 30-day mortality.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure and brain function. Therefore, we studied the dynamic changes in the RAAS in the blood, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus and the effects of RAAS inhibitors on spatial learning and memory and hippocampal apoptosis in a rat model of chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) established by bilateral ligation of the common carotid arteries of rats. The levels of renin, angiotensin II (Ang II), and aldosterone (ALD) in the plasma, and the homogenates of the left side of cerebral cortex and whole hippocampus of rats were detected on day 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 30 by radioimmunoassay. Spatial learning and memory and hippocampal apoptosis were evaluated on day 30 by Morris water maze test (navigation and space exploration tests) and terminal dexynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, respectively, after rats were orally administered with distilled water (DW), renin inhibitor aliskiren (30 mg/kg), Ang converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril (4 mg/kg), or Ang II receptor antagonist candesartan (2 mg/kg) daily for 30 days. The results showed that the levels of renin and Ang II were significantly higher but ALD fluctuated in the blood, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus in CCI rats compared to normal rats. However, aliskiren and enalapril could significantly decrease (p < 0.05) the levels of renin, Ang II and ALD in the blood, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus compared to DW treatment; while candesartan had similar effect on renin and ALD but no effect on Ang II in CCI rats. Furthermore, spatial learning and memory were significantly decreased but apoptosis in the hippocampus was obviously increased in CCI rats compared to normal rats (p < 0.05). However, aliskiren, enalapril, and candesartan were equally effective to improve spatial learning and memory and decrease apoptosis in the hippocampus. Therefore, RAAS plays an important role in the development of cerebral ischemia and RAAS inhibitors aliskiren, enalapril, and candesartan improve spatial learning and memory and protect brain injury by inhibiting hippocampal apoptosis in CCI rats.

Far-infrared radiation is known as the ''light of life''. To investigate if it has positive effects on tomatoes and the proper location and time period of the far-infrared treatment. This study adopted tomato 'Taiji No.1′ as the plant material with 8 μm-14 μm far-infrared treatments. The results found that far-infrared radiation can significantly increase antioxidant capacity of senescent leaves. The proper location of the far-infrared lines was placed at the root and growth layer of the plant, which enhanced the net photosynthetic rate of plants by 44.01 % compared with the CK (no far-infrared treatment). It also promoted fruit ripening and increased the yield by 20.25 % compared with the CK. For the time period, far-infrared treatment during the periods of 6:00–9:00 am (gradual increase in photosynthesis) and 15:00–18:00 pm (gradual decrease in photosynthesis) (DT6) showed the optimum effect, which even surpassed 24 h and 16 h far-infrared treatments. The net photosynthetic rate of DT6 increased by 31.05 % compared with the CK (no far-infrared treatment). Among all the treatments, DT6 had the highest soluble sugar, fructose, and glucose contents. Among the common aroma compounds of tomato, sweet-related compounds were higher in the far-infrared treatment group than in the CK. DT6 treatment also had the highest yield and profit margin.