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The relationship between antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and acute viral infection, such as SARS-CoV-2, is unclear. This study aims to assess symptoms, antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) fluctuations, and complication risks in APS patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. APS patients from Peking Union Medical College Hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak (October–December 2022) were included. Age- and gender-matched APS patients without infection served as controls. Data on demographics, symptoms, treatments, and serum aPL levels were analyzed. Of 234 APS patients, 107 (45.7%) were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Typical symptoms included high fever (81.3%), cough/expectoration (70.1%), and pharyngalgia (52.3%). Age- and gender-based matching selected 97 patients in either infected or uninfected group. After infection, anti-β-2-glycoprotein I-IgG (aβ2GP1-IgG) increased from 4.14 to 4.18 AU/ml, aβ2GP1-IgM decreased from 9.85 to 7.38 AU/ml, and anticardiolipin-IgA (aCL-IgA) significantly increased with a median remaining at 2.50 APLU/ml. Lupus anticoagulants and other aPLs remained stable. Arterial thrombosis incidence increased from 18 (18.6%) to 21 (21.6%), while venous thrombosis incidence did not change. Additionally, 7 (6.5%) patients presented either new-onset or worsening thrombocytopenia, characterized by a significant decline in platelet count (no less than 10 × 109/L) within two weeks of SARS-CoV-2 infection, all of which recovered within 2 weeks. Acute SARS-CoV-2 infection may induce or worsen thrombocytopenia but does not substantially increase thrombotic events in APS. The process of SARS-CoV-2 infection was related to mild titer fluctuation of aβ2GP1-IgG, aβ2GP1-IgM and aCL-IgA in APS patients, necessitating careful monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Microvascular manifestations constitute a subtype of antiphospholipid syndrome, and those patients have relatively poor prognoses, so it is important to find markers for microvascular manifestations. This study was conducted to explore whether serum calprotectin could be a predictor of microvascular manifestations in antiphospholipid antibody (aPL)-positive patients. Methods: Consecutive patients with persistent aPL positivity referred to Peking Union Medical College Hospital and age- and sex-matched health controls (HCs) were included. Microvascular manifestations included antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) nephropathy, livedo reticularis, valvular lesions, non-stroke central nervous system manifestations, myocarditis, catastrophic APS, and other microvascular manifestations confirmed by pathology, imaging, or clinical diagnosis. Calprotectin was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cutoff value was defined as mean + 2 standard deviations of HCs. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze risk factors. Pearson correlation analysis was used to detect the correlation between calprotectin and other laboratory data. Results: Of the 466 patients included in the study, 281 (60.3%) patients met the 2006 Sydney Revised Classification Criteria; among the latter, 77.2% were patients with primary APS. The mean age was 39.10 ± 13.05 years old, and 77.0% were female. Thirty-eight age- and sex-matched HCs were included in the study. Serum calprotectin levels were increased in aPL-positive patients compared with HCs (649.66 ± 240.79 vs 484.62 ± 149.37 ng/ml, p < 0.001), and were increased in patients with microvascular manifestations compared with patients without (693.03 ± 271.90 vs 639.43 ± 232.06 ng/ml, p = 0.044). The cutoff value was 783.36 ng/ml. Ninety-three patients (20.0%) were positive for calprotectin. Calprotectin positivity was independently associated with microvascular manifestations (odds ratio [OR] 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07–3.36) and platelet count (PLT) < 100 (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.08–3.88). Age (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96–1.00), systemic lupus erythematosus (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.15–3.75), calprotectin positivity (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.02–3.26), hypertension (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.36–5.45), hemolytic anemia (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.13–6.23), and anti-β2GPI antibodies (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.11–3.83) could independently predict microvascular manifestations in aPL-positive patients. Serum calprotectin negatively correlated with PLT (R = − 0.101, p = 0.031). Conclusion: Serum calprotectin levels are increased in aPL-positive patients and could be a potential predictor of microvascular manifestations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant leaf litter decomposition provides a source of energy and nutrients in forest ecosystems. In addition to traditional environmental factors, the degradation process of litter is also affected by plant functional traits and litter quality. However, at the community level, it is still unclear whether the relative importance of plant traits and litter quality on the litter decomposition rate is consistent. A year-long mixed leaf litter decomposition experiment in a similar environment was implemented by using the litterbag method in seven typical forest types in Dongling Mountain, Beijing, North China, including six monodominant communities dominated by Juglans mandshurica , Populus cathayana , Betula dahurica , Betula platyphylla , Pinus tabuliformis and Larix gmelinii var. principis-rupprechtii and one codominant community dominated by Fraxinus rhynchophylla , Quercus mongolica and Tilia mongolica. The results showed that there were considerable differences in the litter decomposition rate (k -rate) among the different forest types. The community weighted mean (CWM) traits of green leaves and litter quality explained 35.60% and 9.05% of the k -rate variations, respectively, and the interpretation rate of their interaction was 23.37%, indicating that the CWM traits and their interaction with litter quality are the main factors affecting the k-rate variations. In the recommended daily allowance, leaf nitrogen content, leaf dry matter content, leaf tannin content and specific leaf area were the main factors affecting the k -rate variations. Therefore, we suggest that future studies should focus on the effects of the CWM traits of green leaves on litter decomposition at the community level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have a higher risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) which is life-threatening, but there has been no research focusing on the prognosis of SLE patients with PE. This study was conducted to explore the prognostic factors of mortality in SLE patients with PE. Methods: In this observational cohort study, SLE inpatients with PE treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2010 and December 2020 were included and age, gender, smoking history, the onset of SLE and PE, organ involvement, SLE disease activity index-2000 (SLEDAI-2K), severity of PE, and treatment regimen were collected. Kaplan–Meier survival curve and univariate and multivariate COX regression analysis were used to explore the prognostic factors of SLE patients with PE. Results: A total of 86 SLE patients with PE were enrolled, with the age of 37.72±15.79 years old and the average lupus duration of 46.5 months. 17 patients (19.77%) died. 1- and 3-year survival rates were 83.40% and 79.40%. Thrombocytopenia (log-rank p = 0.004) and lymphocytopenia (log-rank p = 0.030) were predictors of mortality, and effective anticoagulation (log-rank p = 0.032), hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) (log-rank p = 0.021) were protective factors of mortality in SLE patients with PE. Effective anticoagulation was an independent protective factor of mortality in SLE patients with PE (HR = 0.14, p = 0.006). Conclusions: Patients with thrombocytopenia and lymphocytopenia are more likely to develop a poor prognosis. Effective anticoagulation and HCQ could improve the prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and the pattern of long-term changes of fasting plasma C-peptide in patients with mitochondrial diabetes (MD), and to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of MD. Methods: We retrieved MD patients with long-term follow-up at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2005 to July 2021 through the medical record retrieval system and retrospectively analyzed their clinical data, biochemical parameters, fasting plasma C-peptide, glycosylated hemoglobin and treatment regimens. Non-parametric receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the relationship between exercise test-related plasma lactate levels and suffering from MD. Results: A total of 12 MD patients were included, with clinical characteristics of early-onset, normal or low body weight, hearing loss, maternal inheritance, and negative islet-related autoantibodies. In addition, patients with MD exhibited significantly higher mean plasma lactate levels immediately after exercise compared to patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) (8.39 ± 2.75 vs. 3.53 ± 1.47 mmol/L, p=0.003) and delayed recovery time after exercise (6.02 ± 2.65 vs. 2.17 ± 1.27 mmol/L, p=0.011). The optimal cut-off points identified were 5.5 and 3.4 mmol/L for plasma lactate levels immediately after and 30 minutes after exercise, respectively. The fasting plasma C-peptide levels decreased as a negative exponential function with disease progression (Y= 1.343*e-0.07776X, R2 = 0.4154). Treatment regimens in MD patients were varied, with no metformin users and a weak correlation between insulin dosage and body weight. Conclusions: The increased level of plasma lactate during exercise or its delayed recovery after exercise would contribute to the diagnosis of MD. Changes of fasting plasma C-peptide in MD patients over the course of the disease indicated a rapid decline in the early stages, followed by a gradual slowing rate of decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The secondary circulation (SC) plays a vital role in the vertical exchange of meteorological variables and aerosol particles between the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and the free atmosphere. We show that, under favorable synoptic‐scale weather conditions aggravating PM2.5 pollution, heavy particle contaminations reduce wind speed in the low ABL via an aerosol feedback mechanism that perturbs the SCs. We examine the aerosol feedback impact on the reinforcement of SCs subject to heavy PM2.5 pollution occurring in Beijing and its surroundings in China. Results reveal that episodic and composite heavy PM2.5 events simulated by the aerosol feedback model runs reduce the ABL wind speeds and enhance the SC. We identify the SC signals by the differences of resultant wind speeds and PM2.5 concentrations between "feedback" and "nonfeedback" simulations under the presence of a hill topographic forcing, which is conducive to the vertical exchange of PM2.5 between the ABL and free atmosphere. Plain Language Summary: Vertical exchange of an air pollutant between the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and free atmosphere has been a major concern for the transfer of the pollutant out of the ABL. The secondary circulation (SC) provides one of the pathways for the vertical mixing of air pollutants. Following the classical SC formation mechanism in the ABL, in the present study, we demonstrate that heavy PM2.5 pollution reduces the wind speed and temperature near the surface via an aerosol feedback mechanism, which reinforces the SC. We carried out extensive model simulations of heavy PM2.5 pollution cases in Beijing and surrounding regions in China, subject to feedback and nonfeedback modeling scenarios. The differences between the feedback and nonfeedback model runs revealed enhanced SCs associated with heavy PM2.5 contamination. The reinforced SCs could also be discerned in the presence of hill topography. The results fill our knowledge gaps in the understanding of how and to what extent the aerosol feedback could contribute to the change in SCs, in addition to meteorological factors. Key Points: PM2.5 pollution tends to decrease near surface wind speed and temperature via an aerosol feedback mechanismDeclining wind speed near the surface over heavily polluted areas reinforces the secondary circulation (SC) in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL)Reinforced SC enhances PM2.5 vertical mixing between the ABL and free atmosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper studied the effects of lime treatment on the pre-dewatered sludge from a wastewater treatment plant in Beijing. The moisture, leaching solution''s pH, heavy metals and organic matter content have been analyzed before and after lime treatment on the sludge. The results showed that: the moisture of the original sludge significantly impacted by the lime treatment. 25% of lime dosage by weight was needed in the process of treating sludge moisture from 86.60% to 60%, while only 20% is needed in the process from 80.62% to 60%; The mixed materials’ pH has no significant difference after dosing more than 10% lime, all samples’ pH values were around 13 after lime treated 30min, the pH trend basic on 120d monitoring shows the pH was slightly declined but still above 12; Lime treatment on sludge has effects on immobilization of heavy metals. After dosing 10% of lime, the leaching solution''s Ni, Cu, Zn contents dropped from 0.55mg/L, 2.42mg/L and 1.09mg/L to 0.13mg/L, 1.54mg/L and 0.01mg/L; Lime treatment on sludge has a promoted stabilization of organic matter. After dosing 10% and 20% of lime, the mixtures leaching solution''s COD reduces sharply, from 1950mg/L to 298mg/L and 152mg/L respectively. These indicate that lime treatment has obvious effect on sewage sludge stabilization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]