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Objective: To investigate the anti-tumor effects of Pien Tze Huang (PZH) in mouse models of B16–F10 melanoma, MC38 colorectal cancer, Hep1-6 hepatocellular carcinoma and chemically induced hepatocellular carcinoma model. Methods: Various tumor models, including B16–F10, MC38 and Hep1-6 tumor hypodermic inoculation models, B16–F10 and Hep1-6 pulmonary metastasis models, Hep1-6 orthotopic implantation model, and chemically induced hepatocellular carcinoma model, were utilized to evaluate the anti-tumor function of PZH. Tumor growth was assessed by measuring tumor size and weight of solid tumors isolated from C57BL/6 mice. For cell proliferation and death of tumor cells in vitro, as well as T cell activation markers, cytokine production and immune checkpoints analysis, single-cell suspensions were prepared from mouse spleen, lymph nodes, and tumors after PZH treatment. Results: PZH demonstrated significant therapeutic efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth (P<0.01). Treatment with PZH resulted in a reduction in tumor size in subcutaneous MC38 colon adenocarcinoma and B16–F10 melanoma models, and decreased pulmonary metastasis of B16–F10 melanoma and Hep1-6 hepatoma (P<0.01). However, in vitro experiments showed that PZH only had slight impact on the cell proliferation and survival of tumor cells (P>0.05). Nevertheless, PZH exhibited a remarkable ability to enhance T cell activation and the production of interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin 2 in CD4+ T cells in vitro (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Importantly, PZH substantially inhibited T cell exhaustion and boosted cytokine production by tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Conclusion: This study has confirmed a novel immunomodulatory function of PZH in T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity, indicating that PZH holds promise as a potential therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the current surgery strategies for bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), as well as the surgical outcomes of patients with bilateral PDR who underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). Materials: Patients undergoing bilateral vitrectomy for PDR from January 2019 to December 2020 at The Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were enrolled. Clinical data were collected from the electronic medical records. Factors associated with the time interval between the surgeries on two eyes and postoperative visual outcomes were analyzed. Results: In total, 152 patients with bilateral PDR who underwent bilateral PPV were included in this analysis. Mean age was 53.7 ± 11.4 years. Compared with second-surgery eyes, 60.5% of first-surgery eyes had worse preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). The overall PPV time (median, quartile range) between first and second surgeries eye was 1.40 (0.70, 3.15) months. Multivariate analysis showed that the preoperative BCVA of the second-surgery eye had a significant effect on the inter-surgery time interval (P = 0.048). First-surgery eyes had greater vision improvement than second-surgery eyes (Difference of the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution [LogMAR] BCVA: − 1.00 [− 1.48, − 0.12] versus 0.00 [− 1.30, 0.00], respectively, P < 0.001), especially when eyes with poorer BCVA underwent PPV first (− 1.15 [− 1.87, − 0.54] versus 0.00 [− 0.70, 0.00], respectively, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Visual acuity is a significant factor that influences surgical strategies, including both surgery order and interval, for patients with bilateral PDR. The eyes operated upon first show more vision improvement due to prompt surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a blockchain-based system, the lack of centralized control requires active participation and cooperative behaviors of system entities to ensure system security and sustainability. However, dynamic environments and unpredictable entity behaviors challenge the performances of such systems in practice. Therefore, designing a feasible incentive mechanism to regulate entity behaviors becomes essential to improve blockchain system performance. The prosperous characteristics of blockchain can also contribute to an effective incentive mechanism. Unfortunately, current literature still lacks a thorough survey on incentive mechanisms related to the blockchain to understand how incentive mechanisms and blockchain make each other better. To this end, we propose evaluation requirements in terms of the properties and costs of incentive mechanisms. On the one hand, we provide a taxonomy of the incentive mechanisms of blockchain systems according to blockchain versions, incentive forms, and incentive goals. On the other hand, we categorize blockchain-based incentive mechanisms according to application scenarios and incentive goals. During the review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of state-of-the-art incentive mechanisms based on the proposed evaluation requirements. Through careful review,we present howincentive mechanisms and blockchain benefitwith each other, discover a number of unresolved issues, and point out corresponding potential directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risky decision-making is critical to survival and development, which has been compromised in elderly populations. However, the neural substrates of altered financial risk-taking behavior in aging are still under-investigated. Here we examined the intrinsic putamen network in modulating risk-taking behaviors of Balloon Analogue Risk Task in healthy young and older adults using resting-state fMRI. Compared with the young group, the elderly group showed significantly different task performance. Based on the task performance, older adults were further subdivided into two subgroups, showing young-like and over-conservative risk behaviors, regardless of cognitive decline. Compared with young adults, the intrinsic pattern of putamen connectivity was significantly different in over-conservative older adults, but not in young-like older adults. Notably, age-effects on risk behaviors were mediated via the putamen functional connectivity. In addition, the putamen gray matter volume showed significantly different relationships with risk behaviors and functional connectivity in over-conservative older adults. Our findings suggest that reward-based risky behaviors might be a sensitive indicator of brain aging, highlighting the critical role of the putamen network in maintaining optimal risky decision-making in age-related cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sarcopenia is an aging syndrome that increases the risks of various adverse outcomes, including falls, fractures, physical disability, and death. Sarcopenia can be diagnosed through medical images-based body part analysis, which requires laborious and time-consuming outlining of irregular contours of abdominal body parts. Therefore, it is critical to develop an efficient computational method for automatically segmenting body parts and predicting diseases. Methods: In this study, we designed an Artificial Intelligence Body Part Measure System (AIBMS) based on deep learning to automate body parts segmentation from abdominal CT scans and quantification of body part areas and volumes. The system was developed using three network models, including SEG-NET, U-NET, and Attention U-NET, and trained on abdominal CT plain scan data. Results: This segmentation model was evaluated using multi-device developmental and independent test datasets and demonstrated a high level of accuracy with over 0.9 DSC score in segment body parts. Based on the characteristics of the three network models, we gave recommendations for the appropriate model selection in various clinical scenarios. Weconstructed a sarcopenia classification model based on cutoff values (Auto SMI model), which demonstrated high accuracy in predicting sarcopenia with an AUC of 0.874. We used Youden index to optimize the Auto SMI model and found a better threshold of 40.69. Conclusion: We developed an AI system to segment body parts in abdominal CT images and constructed a model based on cutoff value to achieve the prediction of sarcopenia with high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chromatin remodeler CHD8 represents a high-confidence risk factor in autism, a multistage progressive neurologic disorder, however the underlying stage-specific functions remain elusive. In this study, by analyzing Chd8 conditional knock-out mice (male and female), we find that CHD8 controls cortical neural stem/progenitor cell (NSC) proliferation and survival in a stage-dependent manner. Strikingly, inducible genetic deletion reveals that CHD8 is required for the production and fitness of transit-amplifying intermediate progenitors (IPCs) essential for upper-layer neuron expansion in the embryonic cortex. p53 loss of function partially rescues apoptosis and neurogenesis defects in the Chd8-deficient brain. Further, transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling indicates that CHD8 regulates the chromatin accessibility landscape to activate neurogenesis-promoting factors including TBR2, a key regulator of IPC neurogenesis, while repressing DNA damage- and p53-induced apoptotic programs. In the adult brain, CHD8 depletion impairs forebrain neurogenesis by impeding IPC differentiation from NSCs in both subventricular and subgranular zones; however, unlike in embryos, it does not affect NSC proliferation and survival. Treatment with an antidepressant approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), fluoxetine, partially restores adult hippocampal neurogenesis in Chd8-ablated mice. Together, our multistage functional studies identify temporally specific roles for CHD8 in developmental and adult neurogenesis, pointing to a potential strategy to enhance neurogenesis in the CHD8-deficient brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Several reports have shown that there is a coincidence relationship between perforators and acupoints. However, objective experimental methods are still lacking and more systematic studies are needed. Objective: We designed a preliminary study to analyze the coincidence rate of acupoints with perforators. Methods: Healthy volunteers were recruited with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Three TCM clinical physicians determined acupoints in areas of the lower limb of participants. Two microsurgeons sketched corresponding regions on the body surface based on the most common skin flap operation sites, located bone markers, and drew the skin flap axis. Doppler ultrasound was used to mark the perforator point, and the distances measured for both points. Results: The distance between 23 acupoints and perforator points measured was less than 5 mm for the majority of acupoints. Among them, the coincidence rate of Futu (ST32) and the near perforator is the highest, reaching up to 98% and only four acupoints are lower than 60%. There are 651 acupoint location data that are overlayed, which refers to their distance less than 5 mm from perforator. Conclusion: The location of acupoints and perforator points have high overlapping rates within the range of 5 mm in the flap area of lower limbs. There is always a consistent perforator around the acupuncture point chosen by the Chinese medicine practitioner through this experiment. We identified high relevance of situation between acupoints and perforating vessels, which may give some hints for further TCM acupoint elucidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vacuole is an important organelle with multiple functions in plants, and the tonoplast that wraps the vacuole also plays essential roles in intracellular trafficking and ion homeostasis. Previous studies found that tonoplast proton pumps regulate embryo development and morphogenesis through their effects on vacuole biogenesis and distribution, as well as polar auxin transport and concomitant auxin gradient. However, the precise roles of the tonoplast proton pumps in gametophyte development remain unclear. Here we demonstrated that the lack of two types of tonoplast proton pumps or the absence of V-ATPase alone leads to abnormal development and nuclear localization of female gametophyte (FG), and slowed endosperm nuclei division after fertilization of the central cell. We further revealed that V-ATPase regulates auxin levels in ovules through coordinating the content and localization of PIN-FORMED 1 (PIN1) protein, hence influencing nuclear spacing between centra cell and egg cell, and subsequent endosperm development. Collectively, our findings revealed a crucial role of V-ATPase in auxin-mediated FG development in Arabidopsis and expanded our understanding of the functions of tonoplast proton pumps in seed plants reproductive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CFRP/Ti laminates are widely used in critical parts such as aircraft skin and wings because of their excellent material properties. However, the common problem of the two materials is that they are difficult to process and the surface quality of the parts is poor. In this paper, the experimental study of milling CFRP/Ti laminate with diamond coated element edge tool was carried out. By combining theoretical analysis with experimental method, the variation law of cutting force and surface morphology of CFRP/Ti laminate under different cutting parameters was obtained. The results show that the cutting force decreases with the increase of spindle speed and the decrease of feed speed; With the milling process, the maximum increase rate of cutting force reaches 160%, the minimum increase rate is 20%, and the cutting force fluctuates greatly. Large areas of resin coating and groove area appear in CFRP processing area, while obvious vibration marks and scratches appear in titanium alloy processing area, and the surface quality has gradually deteriorated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychiatric-onset dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) might include symptoms of depression, hallucinations, anxiety, and apathy. Here, we report a patient with DLB with recurrent panic attacks as her first symptom 5 years before a biological-based diagnosis of probable DLB. We provide an extended description of the clinical presentation and course from psychiatric-onset DLB to dementia in an 83-year-old woman. This case illustrates the common misdiagnosis of DLB and the delay of having a detailed clinical and biomarker assessment for structured diagnosis. With a detailed description of the clinical presentation of this case, the empirical treatment strategies, and the patient perspectives, we aim to make clinicians aware of panic attacks within the psychiatric-onset DLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovule initiation determines the maximum ovule number and has great impact on seed number and yield. However, the regulation of ovule initiation remains largely elusive. We previously reported that most of the ovule primordia initiate asynchronously at floral stage 9 and PINFORMED1 (PIN1) polarization and auxin distribution contributed to this process. Here, we further demonstrate that a small amount of ovule primordia initiate at floral stage 10 when the existing ovules initiated at floral stage 9 start to differentiate. Genetic analysis revealed that the absence of PIN3 function leads to the reduction in pistil size and the lack of late-initiated ovules, suggesting PIN3 promotes the late ovule initiation process and pistil growth. Physiological analysis illustrated that, unlike picloram, exogenous application of NAA can't restore these defective phenotypes, implying that PIN3-mediated polar auxin transport is required for the late ovule initiation and pistil length. qRT-PCR results indicated that the expression of SEEDSTICK (STK) is up-regulated under auxin analogues treatment while is down-regulated in pin3 mutants. Meanwhile, overexpressing STK rescues pin3 phenotypes, suggesting STK participates in PIN3-mediated late ovule initiation possibly by promoting pistil growth. Furthermore, brassinosteroid influences the late ovule initiation through positively regulating PIN3 expression. Collectively, this study demonstrates that PIN3 promotes the late ovule initiation and contributes to the extra ovule number. Our results give important clues for increasing seed number and yield of cruciferous and leguminous crops. Author summary: Ovule is the precursor of seed. Ovule initiation determines maximum ovule number and has great impact on seed number and yield. Understanding the process and regulation of ovule initiation has both scientific significance and potential application. Although the process and its related genes have been reported, the underling mechanisms remains elusive. We previously reported the asynchronous ovule initiation and the hormones integration in regulating ovule initiation. In this study, we found there is late ovule initiation at floral stage 10 in the wild-type Arabidopsis when the existing ovules initiated at floral stage 9 start to differentiate, which contributes to around 10% extra ovule number. We identified pin3 mutants lacking late-initiated ovules, indicating PIN3 facilitates the late ovule initiation. Exogenous application of auxin analogues revealed that polar auxin transport mediated by PIN3 is essential for the late ovule initiation. STK, the positive regulator of ovule initiation, involves in PIN3-mediated late ovule initiation. BR influences the late ovule initiation through positively regulating PIN3 expression. Taken together, we describe the intact process of ovule initiation and demonstrate the late ovule initiation contributes to the extra ovule number, which provides promising strategies for yield improvement of cruciferous and leguminous crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the best treatments, about 20% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) receiving drugs and psychological intervention show little or no improvement. There is no trial comparing different treatment methods in patients with anxiety/somatic subtype MDD. Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of various treatments in patients with anxiety/somatic subtype MDD. Methods: This was a preliminary multicenter randomized controlled trial at eight participating hospitals in China (09/2016-06/2019) (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT03219008). The patients were randomized to mirtazapine/SNRIs, mirtazapine/SNRIs+cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mirtazapine+SNRIs, or mirtazapine+SNRIs+physical therapies (modified electroconvulsive treatment or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation). The primary endpoint was the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17). The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report (QIDS-SR) and Quality of Life (QOL)-6 were the secondary endpoints. The adverse events (AEs) were monitored. The patients were assessed at baseline (0 weeks), and at the end of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 12th week during treatment. Results: Finally, 107 patients were included: mirtazapine/SNRIs (n=36), mirtazapine/SNRIs+CBT (n=28), mirtazapine+SNRIs (n=29), and mirtazapine+SNRIs+physical therapies (n=14). The 17-HDRS and QIDS-SR scores decreased in all four groups, and the QOL-6 scores increased. There were no differences in the 17-HDRS (P=0.099), QIDS-SR (P=0.407), and QOL-6 (P=0.485) scores among the four groups. There were no differences in the occurrence of AEs among the four groups (P=0.942). Conclusion: This preliminary trial suggests that all four interventions (mirtazapine/SNRIs, mirtazapine/SNRIs+CBT, mirtazapine+SNRIs, or mirtazapine+SNRIs+physical therapies) achieved similar response and remission rates in patients with anxiety/somatic subtype MDD. The safety profile was manageable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) serves critical functions in maintaining retinal homeostasis. An important function of RPE is to degrade the photoreceptor outer segment fragments daily to maintain photoreceptor function and longevity throughout life. An impairment of RPE functions such as metabolic regulation leads to the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and inherited retinal degenerative diseases. As substrate recognition subunit of a ubiquitin ligase complex, suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2) specifically binds to the substrates for ubiquitination and negatively regulates growth hormone signaling. Herein, we explore the role of SOCS2 in the metabolic regulation of autophagy in the RPE cells. SOCS2 knockout mice exhibited the irregular morphological deposits between the RPE and Bruch's membrane. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that RPE cells lacking SOCS2 displayed impaired autophagy, which could be recovered by re-expressing SOCS2. SOCS2 recognizes the ubiquitylated proteins and participates in the formation of autolysosome by binding with autophagy receptors and lysosome-associated membrane protein2 (LAMP-2), thereby regulating the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) during the autophagy process. Our results imply that SOCS2 participates in ubiquitin-autophagy-lysosomal pathway and enhances autophagy by regulating GSK3β and mTOR. This study provides a potential therapeutic target for AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fluoxetine, bupropion, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and physical therapies (modified electroconvulsive treatment or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation) can be used to manage melancholic depression. Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of various treatments in patients with melancholic depression. Methods: This was a preliminary multicenter randomized controlled trial that included patients with depression in their first or recurrent acute episode between September 2016 and June 2019, and randomized to fluoxetine, fluoxetine+CBT, fluoxetine+bupropion, and fluoxetine+bupropion+brain stimulation. The primary endpoint was the decrease in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (17-HDRS). The secondary endpoint included the scores from the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR), QOL-6, and safety. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored. The follow-ups were performed at the end of the 0th, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 12th weeks of treatment. Results: Finally, 113 patients were included in the analyses: fluoxetine (n=37), fluoxetine+CBT (n=27), fluoxetine+bupropion (n=34), and fluoxetine+bupropion+brain stimulation (n=15). The 17-HDRS and QIDS-SR scores decreased in all four groups (all P< 0.05). There were no differences in the 17-HDRS scores among the four groups at the end of treatment (P=0.779), except for fluoxetine alone showing a better response regarding self-consciousness than fluoxetine+bupropion. The QOL-6 scores increased in all four groups. The occurrence of AEs among the four groups showed no significant difference (P=0.053). Conclusion: This preliminary trial suggests that all four interventions (fluoxetine, fluoxetine+CBT, fluoxetine+bupropion, and fluoxetine+bupropion+brain stimulation) achieved similar response and remission rates in patients with melancholic depression, but that fluoxetine had a better effect on self-consciousness than fluoxetine+bupropion. The safety profile was manageable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer is a common malignancy in the alimentary system. The laminin subunit gamma 1 (LAMC1) is an important oncogene in human cancers. However, how and whether LAMC1 takes part in gastric cancer progression is largely uncertain. This study analyzed the association between clinical factors of patients and LAMC1 expression and explored the influence of LAMC1 silencing on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, the Warburg effect, protein kinase B (AKT) pathway, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) pathway in gastric cancer cells. Our results showed LAMC1 abundance was enhanced in gastric cancer samples and cells. LAMC1 was related to the clinical stage, tumor depth, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis of patients. LAMC1 silencing inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Moreover, LAMC1 knockdown suppressed the Warburg effect via decreasing lactate production, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and glucose uptake. LAMC1 interference blocked the activation of the AKT and MEK/ERK signaling. Collectively, LAMC1 knockdown constrained cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and the Warburg effect in gastric cancer cells via inactivating the AKT and MEK/ERK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The microbiota–gut–brain axis, especially the microbial tryptophan (Trp) biosynthesis and metabolism pathway (MiTBamp), may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, studies on the MiTBamp in MDD are lacking. The aim of the present study was to analyze the gut microbiota composition and the MiTBamp in MDD patients. Methods: We performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing of stool samples from 26 MDD patients and 29 healthy controls (HCs). In addition to the microbiota community and the MiTBamp analyses, we also built a classification based on the Random Forests (RF) and Boruta algorithm to identify the gut microbiota as biomarkers for MDD. Results: The Bacteroidetes abundance was strongly reduced whereas that of Actinobacteria was significantly increased in the MDD patients compared with the abundance in the HCs. Most noteworthy, the MDD patients had increased levels of Bifidobacterium, which is commonly used as a probiotic. Four Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) orthologies (KOs) (K01817, K11358, K01626, K01667) abundances in the MiTBamp were significantly lower in the MDD group. Furthermore, we found a negative correlation between the K01626 abundance and the HAMD scores in the MDD group. Finally, RF classification at the genus level can achieve an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.890. Conclusions: The present findings enabled a better understanding of the changes in gut microbiota and the related Trp pathway in MDD. Alterations of the gut microbiota may have the potential as biomarkers for distinguishing MDD patients form HCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a heterogeneous mental disease that encompasses different subtypes and specifiers. Clinically targeted treatments have not been identified yet, although standardized strategies are recommended by several clinical guidelines. The main aim of this study is to respectively identify the precise treatment for three different subtypes of MDD (ie, melancholic, atypical, and anxious). Methods: An 8-to-12-week, multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a parallel group design will be conducted to determine the most effective and appropriate treatment. A total of 750 adults diagnosed with MDD will be recruited, categorized into melancholic, atypical or anxious type based on the assessment of the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS30) and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and 1:1 randomly assigned to different intervention groups. Blood draw, EEG test, and MRI scan will be performed at baseline and endpoint. Clinical symptom and side-effects will be evaluated at critical decision points (CDP) including weeks two, four, six, eight, and 12 after treatment. The primary outcome is total score and reduction rate of the 17-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (17-HDRS). The secondary outcomes include the scores of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-self-report (QIDS-SR), IDS30, HAMA and the Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS). All the data will be analyzed by SAS software. Discussion: The study commenced recruitment in August 2017 and is currently ongoing. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03219008 (July 17, 2017). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To suppress airfoil flutter, a lot of control methods have been proposed, such as classical control methods and optimal control methods. However, these methods did not consider the influence of actuator faults and control delay. This paper proposes a new finite-time H ∞ adaptive fault-tolerant flutter controller by radial basis function neural network technology and adaptive fault-tolerant control method, taking into account actuator faults, control delay, modeling uncertainties, and external disturbances. The theoretic section of this paper is about airfoil flutter dynamic modeling and adaptive fault-tolerant controller design. Lyapunov function and linear matrix inequality are employed to prove the stability of the proposed control method of this paper. The numeral simulation section further proves the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed control algorithm of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the association of YKL-40 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) with airway damage in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). Methods A total of 60 children with MPP who were admitted to the hospital were enrolled as the MPP group, and 12 children with bronchial foreign bodies were enrolled as the control group. According to the imaging findings, the MPP group was further divided into 3 subgroups: pulmonary patchy shadow (n=34), pulmonary consolidation (n=19) and pulmonary ground-glass opacity (n=7). According to the bronchoscopic findings, the MPP group was further divided into 3 subgroups: mucosal congestion/ edema (n=38), mucous secretion (n=18) and plastic bronchitis (n=4). The clinical manifestations and laboratory characteristics of the children with MPP were analyzed, the expression of YKL-40 in BALF was measured. Results The MPP group had significantly higher levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase and BALF YKL-40 than the control group (P<0.05). The pulmonary consolidation subgroup had significantly higher levels of serum C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase than the pulmonary patchy shadow subgroup (P<0.05), and the pulmonary consolidation and pulmonary ground-glass opacity subgroups had a significantly higher level of BALF YKL-40 than the pulmonary patchy shadow subgroup (P<0.05). The plastic bronchitis subgroup had a significantly higher level of BALF YKL-40 than the mucous secretion and mucosal congestion/edema subgroups (P<0.05). The mucous secretion and plastic bronchitis subgroups had a significantly higher proportion of children with shortness of breath than the mucosal congestion/edema subgroup (P<0.05). The plastic bronchitis subgroup had significantly higher serum levels of C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase than the mucosal congestion/edema subgroup (P<0.05). Conclusions The level of BALF YKL-40 is associated with airway damage and disease severity in children with MPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a major mental health condition and is expected be the most debilitating and widespread health disorder by 2030. Tuberculosis (TB) is also a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and interestingly, is a common comorbidity of depression. As such, much attention has been paid to the association between these 2 pathologies. Based on clinical reports, the association between TB and depression seems to be bidirectional, with a substantial overlap in symptoms between the 2 conditions. TB infection or reactivation may precipitate depression, likely as a consequence of the host's inflammatory response and/or dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. Nevertheless, few studies have considered whether patients with depression are at a higher risk for TB. In this review, we discuss the hypotheses on the association between depression and TB, highlighting the immuno‐inflammatory response and lipid metabolism as potential mechanisms. Improving our understanding of the interplay between these 2 disorders should help guide TB clinical care and prevention both in patients with comorbid depression and in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In recent years, evidence has accumulated to suggest that patients with bipolar disorder show altered processing of emotionally relevant information. However, only a few studies have examined manic patients' eye movements when processing facial expressions. Method: A free viewing task and anti-saccade task were used separately to investigate attentional bias and response inhibition while processing emotional stimuli. Data were drawn from matched samples of manic patients (n = 25) and healthy controls (n = 20). Results: The analyses of eye-movement data revealed that there was a significant difference between manic patients and healthy controls in the total duration of fixations but not in the orientation or duration of the first fixation. However, no significant differences between manic patients and healthy controls in response inhibition were detected. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that compared to healthy controls, manic patients show a deficiency in processing speed. The patients showed no attentional vigilance to happy or sad expressions but did showed avoidance of the sad expression and focused more on the happy expression in later emotion processing. There were no impairments of response inhibition detected in manic patients. Abnormal processing of emotional information and having aberrant inner-experiences of emotion is a feature of bipolar disorders. Processing speed is slow in manic patients versus healthy controls. Manic patients focused lesser on sad expression than healthy controls, which suggesting an avoidance of sad expressions. The findings show that psychotherapies like CBT may be applicable to manic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To report a new technique for sutureless intrascleral fixation of three-piece foldable intraocular lenses (IOLs) using 25-gauge trocars. Methods. We performed this technique on patients with insufficient posterior capsule support. Seventeen eyes from 15 patients with aphakia, dislocated IOL, or subluxated crystalline lens undergoing posterior chamber sutureless implantation of an IOL were studied. The haptics of the IOL were externalized using two 25-gauge forceps. The haptics were bended back (hook-like) into the vitreous cavity through a scleral incision made by using a 25-gauge trocar. And, IOL tilt was determined by using a slit lamp and UBM, and complications were recorded. Results. The IOLs were fixed with exact centration and axial stability. No wound leakage was reported even without the use of sutures. The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.82 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) units preoperatively, and the mean BCVA was 0.44 logMAR units at the 6-month follow-up visit. No postoperative retinal detachment, endophthalmitis, IOL tilt or dislocation, or vitreous hemorrhage was noted. Conclusion. Sutureless intrascleral haptic-hook posterior chamber IOL implantation using 25-gauge trocars provides good IOL fixation with reliable wound closure without the use of sutures. This trial is registered with ChiCTR1800017436. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that analyzed the optical confinement factor in semiconductor lasers. Optical confinement factor for TE modes; Optical confinement factor for TM modes; Optical confinement factor for vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers.

In order to develop a novel biofungicide, the antifungal activity and action mode of cuminic acid from the seed of Cuminum cyminum L. against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (FON) on watermelon was determined systematically. In this study, the median effective concentration (EC50) value for cuminic acid in inhibiting mycelial growth of FON was 22.53 μg/mL. After treatment with cuminic acid, the mycelial morphology was seriously influenced; cell membrane permeability and glycerol content were increased markedly, but pigment and mycotoxin (mainly fusaric acid) were significantly decreased. Synthesis genes of bikaverin (Bike1, Bike2 and Bike3) and fusaric acid (FUB1, FUB2, FUB3 and FUB4) both were downregulated compared with the control, as confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. In greenhouse experiments, cuminic acid at all concentrations displayed significant bioactivities against FON. Importantly, significant enhancement of activities of SOD, POD, CAT and decrease of MDA content were observed after in vivo cuminic acid treatment on watermelon leaves. These indicated that cuminic acid not only showed high antifungal activity, but also could enhance the self-defense system of the host plant. Above all, cuminic acid showed the potential as a biofungicide to control FON. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To report the surgical outcomes of 27-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for symptomatic vitreous floaters. Methods. 47 eyes of 47 patients (39 males, 83.0%) with symptomatic vitreous floaters who underwent 27-gauge PPV and followed up for more than 6 months were included. The mean age was 34.7 ± 13.5 years. Results. No operative complication occurred. At first day postoperatively, the intraocular pressure (IOP) was significantly lower than that at other time points (8.6 ± 2.7 mmHg, p<0.001). 28 (59.6%) eyes had transient hypotony (IOP < 8 mmHg). All were recovered within 1 week postoperatively. The BCVA of 41 eyes (41/47, 87.2%) remained unchanged or improved. Postoperative complications occurred in two eyes: one (2.1%) had endophthalmitis and one (2.1%) had retinal detachment. No clinical significant cataract was observed in the 42 postoperative phakic eyes. 91.5% of the patients were satisfied with the surgery outcome. Besides, 91.3% of the patients felt that the floaters were removed completely or only had an acceptable residual. Conclusion. Visual acuity of most patients remained unchanged or improved following 27-gague pars plana vitrectomy for symptomatic vitreous floaters, resulting in high patient satisfaction. However, this treatment should be performed with great caution since severe postoperative complications may still occur. This trial is registered with NCT03049163. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaplasma marginale is an important tick-transmitted rickettsial pathogen of cattle, with worldwide distribution and an important economic impact. The genetic diversity of A. marginale strains has been extensively characterized in different geographical regions throughout the world, while information is limited on studies in China. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and genetic diversity of A. marginale strains in cattle from ten provinces of China. Methods: A total of 557 blood samples from cattle were collected and screened for the occurrence of A. marginale by PCR based on the msp4 gene. The partial msp1a gene containing tandem repeat sequences was further amplified from msp4 positive samples. The Msp1a amino acid repeats were identified and genetic variation of A. marginale strains was characterized based on the variation in the repeated portion of Msp1a. Results: Our results showed that 31.6% of 557 cattle were positive for A. marginale. The infection rates of A. marginale varied considerably from 0 to 96.9% in different sampling regions. Sequence analysis revealed that two msp4 sequence variants of A. marginale exist in cattle. One hundred and three msp1a sequences were obtained and permitted to identify 42 Msp1a tandem repeats, 21 of which were not previously published for A. marginale. Moreover, 61 A. marginale genotypes were identified based on the structure of Msp1a tandem repeats. Conclusions: Anaplasma marginale is widely distributed in China and a high prevalence of infection was observed in cattle. The geographical strains of A. marginale were molecularly characterized based on the structure of Msp1a tandem repeats. Forty-two Msp1a tandem repeats and 61 genotypes of A. marginale were identified. This study, for the first time, revealed the genetic diversity of A. marginale strains in cattle in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaplasma ovis is one of the tick-transmitted pathogens of small ruminants. It causes ovine anaplasmosis and widely distributed in the world. In contrast to extensive worldwide genetic diversity of A. marginale and A. phagocytophilum, there are few reports on the classification of A. ovis strains. This study was conducted to investigate the occurrence and characterize A. ovis strains from goats and sheep from 12 provinces in China. Methods: The occurrence of A. ovis DNA was tested in 552 goats and sheep, by PCR based on the msp4 gene. Positive samples were used for the amplification of the msp1a gene of A. ovis. The Msp1a amino acid repeats were further identified and used for the characterization of A. ovis strains. Results: The results showed that 79 (14.3%) goats and sheep were positive for A. ovis. The infection rates of A. ovis among different study sites ranged from 0 to 100%, and were significantly higher in sheep (26. 6%, 45/169) than in goats (8.9%, 34/383) (X2 = 21.403, df = 1, P < 0.001). The msp4 gene sequences of these isolates were 99.8-100% identical to each other, and they represented two sequence types. Forty-four partial msp1a gene sequences containing the repeat sequences were obtained from A. ovis-positive samples. After translation to amino acid sequences, 24 Msp1a repeats with 33 to 47 amino acids, which corresponded to 19 genotypes of A. ovis, were recognized in goats and sheep in China. Conclusions: Anaplasma ovis is widely distributed in the investigated geographical regions. The msp4 gene of A. ovis had high sequence identity and was unable to be used to discriminate different strains. The Msp1a could be used as a genetic marker for characterizing A. ovis, and 19 genotypes of A. ovis were recognized in domestic small ruminants in China. The present study revealed, for the first time, the genetic diversity of A. ovis based on the analyses of Msp1a amino acid repeats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Tick-borne diseases currently represent an important issue for global health. A number of emerging tick-transmitted microbes continue to be discovered, and some of these are already identified as the cause of human infections. Over the past two decades, Anaplasma phagocytophilum is considered to be mainly responsible for human anaplasmosis. However, a novel zoonotic pathogen provisionally named "Anaplasma capra" has recently been identified in China. In this study, we did an active surveillance of A. capra in goats and sheep in different geographical regions of China. Methods: The presence of A. capra was determined by nested PCR in 547 blood samples collected from goats and sheep from 24 counties distributed in 12 provinces in China. The molecular characterization of A. capra isolates in sheep and goats was achieved based on four conventional genetic markers (16S rRNA, gltA, groEL and msp4 genes). Results: Anaplasma capra was identified in 75 of 547 animals, with an overall prevalence of 13.7%. The infection rates in the survey sites ranged from 0 to 78.6%, and were significantly different (P < 0.01). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolates obtained from goats, sheep, Ixodes persulcatus ticks and humans create a separate clade within the genus Anaplasma and distinct from other recognized Anaplasma species. These findings indicated that these A. capra isolates possess the same molecular characteristics, suggesting that this organism could be a substantial health threat to both animals and humans. Conclusions: Anaplasma capra is an emerging tick-transmitted zoonotic pathogen. This novel Anaplasna species is widespread across China with an overall prevalence of 13.7% in goats and sheep with isolates indistinguishable from those found in humans. These findings warrant increased public health awareness for human anaplasmosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to explore use of the acridine orange fluorescence (AO-F) staining method for screening of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. The AO-F positive staining rate of live and dead tumor cells was calculated. The positive staining rate in the live group was 93.4±3.0%, while the dead group failed to emit specific fluorescence. A known number of tumor cells were added to peripheral blood, and the detection sensitivity of the four groups (50, 100, 200 and 500 cells/tube) was 10.2±3.8, 9.2±2.3, 10.8±2.6 and 10.5±1.9%, respectively. The average detection sensitivity of the four groups was 10.16±2.73%. There was a positive correlation between the number of cells that was positively stained with AO-F and the total number cells in the system (χ2=0.959; P<0.001). Subsequently, the AO-F staining method was used to detect positive staining cells in 8 healthy volunteers (control group), and 112 non-metastatic and 27 metastatic RCC patients. The positive staining rate was 13.67% (19/139) in RCC patients, while none of the control group was positive. The AO-F positive staining rate was not significantly different between the metastatic and non-metastatic patients according to age, gender, the pathological pattern, T2/3 (according to the Tumor-Node-Metastasis classification) or Fuhrman grade, while there was a significant difference according to T1. The positive staining rate was 8.93% (10/112) for non-metastatic patients and 33.33% (9/27) for metastatic patients, which showed a significant difference (P<0.05). In 112 non-metastatic and 27 metastatic patients, the positive staining rate was not significantly associated with gender, age, tumor size, the pathological pattern, T classification, Fuhrman grade, the presence of a lesion or metastasis to the lungs. The present study demonstrated that the method of CTC staining with AO-F, which has high reproducibility and specificity, was feasible for identifying CTCs and warrants further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To report the safety and efficacy of adjustable postoperative position for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods. Retrospective review of 536 consecutive RRD eyes that underwent vitrectomy surgery for retina repair from year 2008 to 2014. The retinal breaks were divided into superior, lateral (nasal, temporal, and macular), and inferior locations, according to the clock of breaks. Patients with superior and lateral break location were allowed to have facedown position or lateral decubitus position postoperatively, while patients with inferior break location were allowed to have facedown position. Results. 403 eyes of 400 patients were included. The mean follow-up interval was 22.7 ± 21.3 months. The overall primary retinal reattachment rate was 93.3%. There were 24 (6.0%), 273 (67.7%), and 106 (26.3%) patients with superior, lateral, and inferior break location, respectively. The primary reattachment rate was 95.8%, 92.3%, and 95.3% accordingly. After further divided the break location into subgroups as a function of duration of symptom, postoperative lens situation, number of retinal breaks, and different vitreous tamponade, the primary reattachment rates were all higher than 82%. Conclusion. Adjustable postoperative positioning is effective and safe for RRD repair with different break locations. Choosing postoperative position appropriately according to retinal break locations could be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To investigate the effect of menstrual cycle on perioperative bleeding of primary vitreoretinal surgery. Methods. Data on female patients who had vitrectomy surgery was retrospectively collected. Exclusion criteria were history of trauma, vitreous hemorrhage, previous vitreoretinal surgery, diabetic retinopathy, endophthalmitis, acute retinal necrosis, single vitreous opacity, and use of antiplatelet agents. Perioperative bleeding was defined as hemorrhage in the iris, vitreous, choroidal, retina, or subretina during surgery or up to one day postoperatively. 69 patients had surgery during the perimenstrual phase (group M, days 1–7 and days 21–28) and 86 during periovulatory phase (group O, days 8–20) were enrolled. Results. The proportion of operative bleeding in group M (14.5%) and group O (10.5%) was not found to be significantly different (p=0.45). No postoperative bleeding was recorded in both groups. The univariate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of perimenstrual phase for operative bleeding were 0.69 (0.26–1.81). After adjusting for patients’ age, vitreoretinal diseases, and surgeons, the multivariate OR and 95% CI were 0.71 (0.27–1.86). Conclusion. This study suggests that the timing of the menstrual period does not affect perioperative bleeding for primary vitreoretinal surgery. Menstruation appears not to be a contraindication for vitreoretinal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Traditionally acceptable methods of anesthesia for vitrectomy surgery are quite varied. However, each of these methods has its own potential for complications that can range from minor to severe. The surgery procedure of vitrectomy for symptomatic vitreous floaters is much simpler, mainly reflecting in the nonuse of sclera indentation, photocoagulation, and the apparently short surgery duration. The use of 27-gauge cannulae makes the puncture of the sclera minimally invasive. Hence, retrobulbar anesthesia, due to its rare but severe complications, seemed excessive for this kind of surgery. Method: Three cases of 27-gauge, sutureless pars plana vitrectomy for symptomatic vitreous floaters with topical anesthesia are reported. Results: The vitrectomy surgeries were successfully performed with topical anesthesia (proparacaine, 0.5%) without operative or postoperative complications. Furthermore, none of the patients experienced apparent pain during or after the surgery. Conclusion: Topical anesthesia can be considered for 27-guage vitrectomy in patients with symptomatic vitreous floaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In April 2020, a leaf blotch disease was observed on Mahonia bealei in Nanjing, China, with an infection rate of ca. 81%. It leads to early defoliation in severe cases and affected the exploitation of its ornamental and medicinal values. Symptomatic leaves were collected from infected plants. After isolating the fungi, their pathogenicity were tested to satisfy Koch's postulate, and based on the multigene phylogeny (ITS, LSU, SSU, TEF1-α and β-tub) and morphology, the two isolates we obtained (SD3-6 and SD3-8) were identified as Botryosphaeria dothidea. This is the first report of B. dothidea causing leaf blotch of M. bealei in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaplasma spp. are tick-transmitted bacteria that infect a wide variety of wild and domestic animals. These pathogens exhibit a high degree of biological diversity, broad geographical distribution, and represent a serious threat to veterinary and public health worldwide. Results: A novel Anaplasma species was identified in Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis (Ixodidae) in northwestern China and was molecularly characterized by comparison of 16S rRNA, gltA, and groEL gene sequences. Of the 414 samples tested, 24 (5.8%) were positive for this Anaplasma species. On the basis of the 16S rRNA gene, this organism has been found to be closely related to and exhibit the highest sequence similarity with A. capra (99.8-99.9%) that was identified in goats and humans in northern China, but was distinct from other known Anaplasma species. Sequence analysis of the gltA and groEL genes revealed that this Anaplasma species was distinct from A. capra considering the lower sequence identity (88.6-88.7% for gltA and 90.6-91.0% for groEL) and a divergent phylogenetic position. Therefore, we described this Anaplasma species as A. capra-like bacteria. Conclusions: The present study reports a potential novel Anaplasma species closely related to A. capra in H. qinghaiensis in northwestern China. The zoonotic potential of A. capra-like bacteria needs to be further determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaplasma phagocytophilum is wide spread throughout the world and impacts both human and animal health. Several distinct ecological clusters and ecotypes of the agent have been established on the basis of various genetic loci. However, information on the genetic variability of A. phagocytophilum isolates in China represents a gap in knowledge. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and genetic characterization of A. phagocytophilum in small ruminants in central and southeastern China. Methods: The presence of A. phagocytophilum was determined in 421 blood samples collected from small ruminants by PCR. Positive samples were genetically characterized based on 16S rRNA and groEL genes. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify ecotypes of A. phagocytophilum strains, to assess their host range and zoonotic potential. Results: Out of 421 sampled small ruminants, 106 (25.2%) were positive for A. phagocytophilum. The positive rate was higher in sheep (35.1%, 40/114) than in goats (26.4%, 66/307) (P < 0.05). Sequence analyses revealed that the isolates identified in this study were placed on two separate clades, indicating that two 16S rRNA variants of A. phagocytophilum were circulating in small ruminants in China. However, analysis using obtained groEL sequences in this study formed one cluster, which was separate from other known ecotypes reported in Europe. In addition, a novel Anaplasma sp. was identified and closely related to an isolate previously reported in Hyalomma asiaticum, which clustered independently from all recognized Anaplasma species. Conclusions: A molecular survey of A. phagocytophilum was conducted in sheep and goats from ten provinces in central and southeastern China. Two 16S rRNA variants and a new ecotype of A. phagocytophilum were identified in small ruminants in China. Moreover, a potential novel Anaplasma species was reported in goats. Our findings provide additional information on the complexity of A. phagocytophilum in terms of genetic diversity in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Many studies have suggested that individual susceptibility to age-related cataract (ARC) may be associated with DNA sequence polymorphisms affecting gene regulation. As DNA repair is implicated in ARC pathogenesis and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 3′-terminal untranslated region (3′-UTR) targeted by microRNAs (miRNAs) can alter the gene function, we hypothesize that the miRNA-binding SNPs (miRSNPs) in DNA double-strand break repair (DSBR) and nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathways might associate with ARC risk. We genotyped nine miRSNPs of eight genes in DSBR and NER pathways in Chinese population and found that ZNF350- rs2278414:G>A was significantly associated with ARC risk. Even though the Comet assay of cellular DNA damage indicated that all the subtypes of ARC patients had more DNA breaks in peripheral lymphocytes than the controls independent of rs2278414 genotypes, individuals carrying the variant A allele (AA and AG) had lower ZNF350 mRNA levels compared with individuals with GG genotype. Moreover, the in vitro experiment indicated that miR-21-3p and miR-150-5p specifically downregulated luciferase reporter expression in the cell lines transfected with rs2278414 A allele compared with rs2278414 G. These results suggested that the association of SNP rs2278414 with ARC might involve an altered miRNA regulation of ZNF350. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report a case of Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis following 27-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for symptomatic vitreous floaters. Methods: The clinical course and imaging findings, including fundus optomap, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography of a 24-year-old male patient were documented. Results: The patient, with a preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 1.0, developed endophthalmitis following 27-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for symptomatic vitreous floaters. After a series of treatments, including emergent vitreous tap and silicone oil injection, antibiotic treatment, and silicone oil removal, the patient regained a BCVA of 0.6. Conclusion: Although rare, the potential risk of endophthalmitis should be explicitly discussed with patients considering surgical intervention for vitreous floaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]