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The organic green tea sourced from Weng'an County in Guizhou Province, which meets EU standards, was utilized as the raw material for producing fermented tea through the solid-state fermentation of Eurotium cristatum. The optimization process for the fermented tea was also conducted. Concurrently, volatile compounds in both the raw material and the final product were detected using headspace solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS), followed by an analysis of the characteristic volatile compounds. The sensory quality and functional indicators, including water extracts, tea polyphenols and free amino acids of the fermented tea, were combined to form comprehensive evaluation indices. The optimal preparation conditions for fermented tea were determined through single factor tests and response surface analysis, with the identified processing conditions being temperature at 28 ℃, water content at 40%, inoculation amount at 1‰, and fermentation time at 8 days. The final fermented tea exhibited a mellow taste, bright orange and yellow color, pure aroma, and achieved a comprehensive score of 83.75±2.52. Furthermore, 18 characteristic volatile compounds with OAV>1 were identified in both green tea and the final fermented tea, revealing a strong "golden flower" aroma in the fermented tea, attributed to eight volatile compounds like linalool and methyl salicylate. Physicochemical analysis of the final fermented tea indicated moisture content of 3.9%±0.47%, ash content of 5.92%±0.21%, and water extract content of 43.92%±0.07%, all surpassing the Chinese national standard for Fu Brick Tea (GB/T 32719.5-2018 Dark tea-Part5: Fu tea). This research serves as a theoretical reference for the preparation of fermented tea using the "loose tea blooming" method.

Abstract In this work, an alkali-activated municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash-based filling material was prepared with MSWI fly ash as the raw material and slag as the auxiliary material. The filling body experiences long-term creep, which may have a direct effect on the stability of the overlying strata of the mine goaf. The long-term mechanical properties of the fly ash-based filling materials were tested with a triaxial rheological apparatus. First, uniaxial creep testing was carried out at five levels of axial stress: 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 90% of the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS). Then, triaxial creep testing was carried out by considering the geological environment of the goaf. The creep characteristics of fly ash-based filling materials under a three-dimensional stress state were explored. The results indicate that (1) under different stress levels, the creep curves of fly ash-based filling materials can be divided into three types: decelerated creep‒stable creep, decelerated creep‒constant creep, and decelerated creep‒constant creep‒accelerated creep. (2) The total creep deformation of the fly ash-based filling material is 0.46 ~ 0.78%, which is similar to the creep deformation of soft rock. The instantaneous deformation during loading contributes most of the total deformation. (3) The polymerization products generated in the fly ash-based filling material system can effectively cement the raw material particles, and the presence of gel can effectively delay the accelerating creep process of the material. (4) A nonlinear fractional-order model composed of an Abel dashpot can fully describe the complete process of decelerating creep-constant creep-accelerating creep.

Abstract The typical clinical characteristic of patients with anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies (AIGAs) is primarily associated with infection caused by intracellular pathogens. With continued research, additional clinical characteristics have been gradually uncovered. Here, we present a case of multiple pathogen infections accompanied by ocular pathologies in a patient with high titers of AIGAs. The patient, a 53-year-old female patient, was admitted to our hospital after finding a mass in the right supraclavicular fossa. She was successively diagnosed with Talaromyces marneffei, Aspergillus flavus and Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections. Then, she received a complete course of antifungal agents for nearly 3.5 years and anti-NTM treatment for nearly 3 years, with discontinuation upon symptom improvement. However, there was a rapid recurrence of the infection upon cessation of the drug despite improvement in the patient’s symptoms. Moreover, when the recurrent infection stabilized, the patient exhibited immune conjunctivitis and dry eye, which was successfully treated by tacrolimus eye drops and lubricant. Patients with high-titer AIGAs are more prone to experiencing recurrence and/or persistent infection, as well as immune disorders.

Anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies (AIGAs) syndrome is susceptible to disseminated opportunistic infections due to increased AIGAs, but its clinical immunological characteristics remain unrecognized. We conducted a prospective cohort study between January 2021 and December 2023, recruiting patients with opportunistic infections who were categorized into AIGAs-positive and AIGAs-negative groups. Clinical immunological data and outcomes were documented. A subset of AIGAs-positive patients received glucocorticoid treatment, and its effectiveness was evaluated. A total of 238 patients were enrolled, with 135 AIGAs-positive and 103 AIGAs-negative patients. AIGAs-positive patients showed higher rates of multiple pathogen dissemination, shorter progression-free survival (PFS), and increased exacerbation frequency. They also showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), globulin (GLB), immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgE, and IgG4 levels. Among the 70 AIGAs-positive patients monitored for at least six months, three subtypes were identified: high AIGAs titer with immune damage, high AIGAs titer without immune damage, and low AIGAs titer without immune damage. Of the 55 patients followed for 1 year, decreasing AIGAs titer and immune indices (GLB, IgG, IgE, IgG4) were observed. Among the 31 patients with high AIGAs titer and immune damage treated with low-dose glucocorticoids at the stable phase, reductions were observed in immune indices and AIGAs titer in 67.74% of cases. In summary, AIGAs-positive patients exhibit infectious and immunological characteristics. Elevated AIGAs, IgG, IgG4, and IgE indicate abnormal immune damages. AIGAs titer generally decrease over time. Stable-phase AIGAs-positive patients can be categorized into three subtypes, with those having high AIGAs titer and increased immune indices potentially benefitting from glucocorticoid treatment.

Abstract Background Autoantibodies against interferon-γ (IFN-γ) can inhibit IFN-γ-dependent signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 phosphorylation and thus increase the risk of infection with intracellular pathogens, such as Talaromyces marneffei (TM), nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTMs), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). Here, we report a rare case of triple infection caused by TM, NTM, and TB in a human immunodeficiency virus–negative patient. Case presentation A middle-aged female was admitted to our hospital after experiencing recurrent rash, cough, and expectoration for 4 months. She was successively diagnosed with NTM, TM, and TB infections without conventional immunosuppression-associated factors. However, after effective anti-infective treatment, the patient was confirmed to have allergic conjunctivitis and was successfully treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. The most conspicuous characteristics were recurrent infection and immune disorders. Conclusions High-titer anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies are strongly associated with severe and disseminated infections, such as NTM, TM, and TB. It is characterized by persistently high degree of inflammation and high immunoglobin levels.

Rosa roxburghii (R. roxburghii), native to the southwest provinces of China, is a fruit crop of important economic value in Guizhou Province. However, the changes in fruit quality and flavor during R. roxburghii fruit ripening have remained unknown. Here, this study investigated the changes of seven active components and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the ripening of the R. roxburghii fruit at five different ripening stages including 45, 65, 75, 90, and 105 days after anthesis. The results indicated that during the ripening process, the levels of total acid, vitamin C, and soluble sugar significantly increased (p < 0.05), while the levels of total flavonoids, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and soluble tannin significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Additionally, the content of total phenol exhibited a trend of first decreasing significantly and then increasing significantly (p < 0.05). A total of 145 VOCs were detected by HS-SPME-GC-MS at five mature stages, primarily consisting of aldehydes, alcohols, esters, and alkenes. As R. roxburghii matured, both the diversity and total quantity of VOCs in the fruit increased, with a notable rise in the contents of acids, ketones, and alkenes. By calculating the ROAV values of these VOCs, 53 key substances were identified, which included aromas such as fruit, citrus, green, caramel, grass, flower, sweet, soap, wood, and fat notes. The aromas of citrus, caramel, sweet, and wood were predominantly concentrated in the later stages of R. roxburghii fruit ripening. Cluster heatmap analysis revealed distinct distribution patterns of VOCs across five different maturity stages, serving as characteristic chemical fingerprints for each stage. Notably, stages IV and V were primarily characterized by a dominance of alkenes. OPLS-DA analysis categorized the ripening process of R. roxburghii fruit into three segments: the first segment encompassed the initial three stages (I, II, and III), the second segment corresponded to the fourth stage (IV), and the third segment pertained to the fifth stage (V). Following the variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1 criterion, a total of 30 key differential VOCs were identified across the five stages, predominantly comprising ester compounds, which significantly influenced the aroma profiles of R. roxburghii fruit. By integrating the VIP > 1 and ROAV > 1 criteria, 21 differential VOCs were further identified as key contributors to the aroma changes in R. roxburghii fruit during the ripening process. This study provided data on the changes in quality and aroma of R. roxburghii fruit during ripening and laid the foundation for the investigation of the mechanism of compound accumulation during ripening.

Abstract Introduction Talaromyces marneffei (T. marneffei), a dimorphic fungus, causes local or disseminated infection in humans. We aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and survival outcomes of patients with T. marneffei infection and compare the differences between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative subgroups. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 241 patients with T. marneffei infection at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University between January 2012 and January 2022. The overall population was stratified into HIV-positive (n = 98) and HIV-negative (n = 143) groups according to HIV status. Kaplan–Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression models were used to determine the prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results With a median follow-up time of 58.9 months, 120 patients (49.8%) experienced disease progression and 85 patients (70.8%) died. The 5-year rates of OS and PFS were 61.4% (95% CI 55.0–68.6%) and 47.8% (95% CI 41.5–55.1%), respectively. As an independent factor, patients who were HIV positive had better PFS (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.31–0.82; p

Xanthoceras sorbifolium (yellowhorn) is originated in China and is a unique tree in northern China. Yellowhorn is very popular because of the gradual color change of its flower at different flower developmental stages. During flowering development, the color at the base of yellowhorn flower petals gradually changes from yellow to purple. The mechanism of this miraculous phenomenon is still unclear. Here we show that anthocyanin accumulation during flowering development is the main reason for this color change. RT-PCR results show that the expression level of a variety of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes changes in different flower developmental stages. Realtime results show that the expression changes of these anthocyanin biosynthesis genes are positively regulated by a cluster of R2R3-MYB transcription factor genes, XsMYB113s. Furthermore, the DNA methylation analysis showed that CHH methylation status on the transposon element near the XsMYB113-1 influence its transcript level during flowering development. Our results suggest that dynamic epigenetic regulation of the XsMYB113-1 leads to the accumulation of anthocyanins during yellowhorn flower color change. These findings reemphasize the role of epigenetic regulation in flower development and provide a foundation for further studies of epigenetic regulation in long-lived woody perennials.

Holography can produce the most real three-dimensional (3D) image, and is considered as the ultimate 3D display technology. However, compared with other display technologies, it has not been practically available in video display so far due to low refresh rate. To realize dynamic holographic display, photosensitive material doped liquid crystal (LC) has been discovered and deeply investigated because of superior photorefractive and photoelectric properties. In this work, we present a dynamic holographic display using LC film doped with perovskite (CsPbBr3) nanocrystal (NC) as the photorefractive material. The dependence of diffraction efficiency and response time on doping concentration, recording beam power and applied voltage are investigated. A maximum diffraction efficiency of 18% has been achieved under a low electric field intensity of 0.45 V/μm and the shortest build-up time of grating is 5.5 ms. The system can realize a video display with 60 Hz refresh rate in red, green and blue colors, which demonstrates the feasibility of applying perovskite NC doped LC film in dynamic holographic display.

Abstract Background Patients with lymphoma are at risk for developing pulmonary opportunistic infections due to immunocompromise. However, clinical reports of concurrent lymphoma and opportunistic infection at presentation are rare and often confined to single cases. A delayed diagnosis of either opportunistic infection or lymphoma usually occurs in this complex situation. Here, we report such a case and analyse 18 similar cases searched in the PubMed database to deepen clinicians’ understanding. Case presentation A 48-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of fever, cough and emaciation. High-resolution computed tomography revealed bilateral cavitating lesions of different sizes. Aspergillus fumigatus complex was identified from a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture. However, antifungal treatment combined with multiple rounds of antibacterial therapy was unsuccessful, and the patient’s lung lesions continued to deteriorate. Multiple puncture biopsies finally confirmed the coexistence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Despite the initiation of combination chemotherapy, the patient died of progressive respiratory failure. Conclusions Synchronous pulmonary lymphoma and simultaneous opportunistic infection is rare and usually lacks specific clinical and imaging manifestations. Lymphoma should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of patients with an opportunistic infection when treatment fails or other symptoms are present that could be considered “atypical” for the condition. Tissue biopsy is the gold standard, and multiple biopsies are essential for making the final diagnosis and should be performed upon early suspicion.

Background Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a rare and potentially fatal complication commonly observed after liposuction or fractures. Patients with FES often have an acute onset and a rapid course of disease. However, there is a paucity of research summarizing the clinical features of FES caused by simultaneous fracture or liposuction.Methods A comprehensive analysis was conducted to enhance understanding of patients with FES associated with either fractures or liposuction procedures.Results Nine patients who were diagnosed with FES were included in our study, of whom two were male. Six patients underwent liposuction, while three sustained multiple orthopaedic fractures. Postoperative liposuction complications occurred rapidly (average 1.8 h) after surgery, whereas patients with fractures experienced symptoms approximately 24 h after injury. All patients presented with respiratory insufficiency, six patients had cerebral involvement, and four patients had petechial haemorrhage. Laboratory tests revealed that six patients had leucocytosis, five patients had elevated neutrophil counts and eight patients had increased D-dimer concentrations. Seven patients exhibited decreased partial pressure of oxygen (7/9), six presented with decreased haemoglobin (6/9) and four had thrombocytopenia (4/9). Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed pneumonia with symmetrically diffuse ground glass opacities and patchy exudates in both lungs, which are the most common radiographic findings (8/9). Brain CT of five patients revealed multiple cerebral infarctions, and CT angiograms of the head and neck demonstrated corresponding vessel occlusions in one patient. All patients received supportive care, including six who received noninvasive ventilation and three who received mechanical ventilation. Additionally, seven patients were treated with corticosteroids. Eight patients survived, while one died of sustained cerebral embolism and ischaemia during treatment.Conclusions A patient’s medical history is critical for the diagnosis of FES. Early diagnosis and timely treatment can reduce mortality, while supportive care is important, and corticosteroid therapy may be effective for early treatment.

International counseling students enrolled in American counseling programs have received limited attention. This study examined the lived experiences of five international counseling students in an American counseling program regarding their experience of leadership and advocacy. The study identified fourteen themes under three categories and provided recommendations to counselor educators, administrators, and international counseling students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Impact of Weight on Quality of Life for Kids(IWQOL-Kids) is the first self-report questionnaire for assessing weight-related quality of life for youth. However, there is no Chinese version of IWQOL-Kids. Thus, the objective of this research was to translate IWQOL-Kids into Mandarin and evaluate its psychometric properties in a large school-based sample. Methods The total sample included 2282 participants aged 11 -18 years old, including 1703 non-overweight, 386 overweight and 193 obese students. IWQOL-Kids was translated and culturally adapted by following the international guidelines for instrument linguistic validation procedures. The psychometric evaluation included internal consistency, test-retest reliability, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity and discriminant validity. Results Cronbach's a for the Chinese version of IWQOL-Kids (IWQOL-Kids-C) was 0.956 and ranged from 0.891 to 0.927 for subscales. IWQOL-Kids-C showed a test-retest coefficient of 0.937 after 2 weeks and ranged from 0.847 to 0.903 for subscales. The original four-factor model was reproduced by EFA after seven iterations, accounting for 69.28% of the total variance. CFA demonstrated that the four-factor model had good fit indices with comparative fit index = 0.92, normed fit index = 0.91, goodness of fit index = 0.86, root mean square error of approximation = 0.07 and root mean square residual = 0.03. Convergent validity and discriminant validity were demonstrated with higher correlations between similar constructs and lower correlations between dissimilar constructs of IWQOL-Kids-C and PedsQL™ 4.0. The significant differences were found across the body mass index groups, and IWQOL-Kids-C had higher effect sizes than PedsQL™4.0 when comparing non-overweight and obese groups, supporting the sensitivity of IWQOL-Kids-C. Conclusions IWQOL-Kids-C is a satisfactory, valid and reliable instrument to assess weight-related quality of life for Chinese children and adolescents aged 11-18 years old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

characterized by chronic muscle weakness and myositis with unknown etiology. IIM may affect the function of multiple organs and has a poor prognosis. In the present study, the causes of mortality in patients with IIM admitted to the Xiangya Hospital during the last 14 years were investigated. The investigation included an analysis of frequent causes of IIM, and of infections and associated complications. A cohort study was conducted on 676 patients with IIM that were admitted to Xiangya Hospital from January, 2001 to January, 2015. There were 49 patient mortalities (7.2% of the total cases), of which 34 mortalities were infection-associated and 15 were not infection-associated. The proportion of infection-associated IIM mortalities had increased since 2001. Of the 34 infection-associated mortalities, 31 cases (63.3%) were of fungal and bacterial infections, most frequently infecting the lungs and the blood. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii were the most commonly isolated pathogens, and co-infection with the two pathogens was observed in the majority of cases. In the IIM mortalities not associated with infection, there were 2 acute myocardial infarction cases, 2 acute interstitial lung disease cases, 4 malignancies and 1 case of each of the following: Arrhythmia, pneumothorax, ventilator weakness, pulmonary artery hypertension, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver failure and renal failure. Three mortalities were secondary to viral hepatitis in the present study. Pathogenic infection was the most frequent cause of mortality in patients with IIM. The remaining causes of mortality included secondary to heart failure, lung dysfunction and malignancy. Following the ubiquitous application of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants, the proportion of infection-associated mortalities increased in patients with IIM. Thus, in addition to focusing on the primary disease, infection should receive increased attention during clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]