The spectrum of clinical severity for scrub typhus ranges from inapparent, mild, to severe or fatal. The pathologic changes are focal or disseminated multiorgan vasculitis of the small blood vessels, a fact that helps explain the great diversity of clinical manifestations that can be encountered. We reported a case of scrub typhus with unusual and serious multiorgan involvement, including tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) with acute renal failure (ARF), interstitial pneumonitis with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), liver function impairment, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, prolonged hyperamylasaemia and hyperlipasaemia. Chloramphenicol administration rapidly altered the clinical course, but with sequelae of renal impairment and prolonged hyperamylasaemia and hyperlipasaemia for 10 months.

Ulinastatin (UTI), a serine protease inhibitor, possesses anti-inflammatory properties and has been suggested to modulate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a nuclear DNA-binding protein, plays a key role in the development of ALI. The aim of this study was to investigate whether UTI attenuates ALI through the inhibition of HMGB1 expression and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. ALI was induced in male rats by the intratracheal instillation of LPS (5 mg/kg). UTI was administered intraperitoneally 30 min following exposure to LPS. A549 alveolar epithelial cells were incubated with LPS in the presence or absence of UTI. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the changes in the expression levels of Toll-like receptor 2/4 (TLR2/4) and the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). The results revealed that UTI significantly protected the animals from LPS-induced ALI, as evidenced by the decrease in the lung wet to dry weight ratio, total cells, neutrophils, macrophages and myeloperoxidase activity, associated with reduced lung histological damage. We also found that UTI post-treatment markedly inhibited the release of HMGB1 and other pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, UTI significantly inhibited the LPS-induced increase in TLR2/4 protein expression and NF-κB activation in lung tissues. In vitro, UTI markedly inhibited the expression of TLR2/4 and the activation of NF-κB in LPS-stimulated A549 alveolar epithelial cells. The findings of our study indicate that UTI attenuates LPS-induced ALI through the inhibition of HMGB1 expression in rats. These benefits are associated with the inhibition of the activation of the TLR2/4-NF-κB pathway by UTI.

Crystallographic structures of carbon-encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles, derived from the 15 carbonization of cellulose were investigated. The phase transitions of carbon-encapsulated iron oxide 16 nanoparticles were characterized and analyzed after pyrolysis treatment at four temperatures: 500˚C, 17 800˚C, 1,000˚C and 1,600˚C, respectively. Transmission Electronic Microscope (TEM) and X-ray 18 diffraction (XRD) techniques were employed for the analysis. Samples treated at 500˚C spontaneously 19 combusted immediately after being exposed to the air indicating the existence of α-Fe 2 O 3 particles. 20 Core-shell structures consisting of dark grains and a light matrix with graphitic structure appeared in 21 samples treated at 800˚C. XRD and TEM selected area electron diffraction demonstrated that between 22 800˚C to 1,600˚C, catalytic graphitization occurred, and the iron carbide/iron crystalline phase was 23 developed for the cores. It was found that the phase transition from Fe 3 C to Fe occurred at 1,600˚C.

The layered structured cathode material Li-Ni 0.90 Co 0.07 Al 0.03 O 2 (NCA) has good prospects for its high energy density for the application in electric vehicles (EVs) but suffers from rapid capacity decay at a high working voltage. In this work, Zr-doped LiNi 0.90 Co 0.07 Al 0.03 O 2 (Zr-NCA), with excellent performance at 4.5 V, has been successfully synthesized through a nanomilling-assisted solid-state reaction. The doped material presents an initial capacity of 225.9 mA h•g −1 and a coulombic efficiency of 89.29% at 4.5 V, and an improved capacity retention by 22.84% after 100 cycles at 0.5 C is also observed. Such a big promotion can be ascribed to the fact that the irreversible phase transition from the second hexagonal to third hexagonal (H2−H3) phase is suppressed by strong Zr−O bonds. The substitution of zirconium ions also expands the thickness of the lithium slab, which thereafter causes a rapid Li-ion migration; thus, the doping of Zr 4+ in the NCA cathode also creates a promoted rate behavior with a capacity of 144.7 mA h•g −1 at 5 C. The method of lattice doping to improve electrochemical performance of NCA at 4.5 V has been displayed, showing high potential for the mass production of cathode materials with a high energy density.

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