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AIM: To explore the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment experience and the distribution characteristics of pathogenic microorganisms of primary canaliculitis, and provide reference for its diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: Retrospective clinical study. A total of 119 cases(120 eyes)diagnosed as primary canaliculitis in the department of ophthalmology of Wuxi No.2 People's Hospital from June 2019 to February 2023 were included. The treatment methods were mainly divided into conservative treatment(removing canaliculus stones through lacrimal punctum combined with injecting antibiotic eye ointment into the tube)and surgical treatment. The inspection methods of pathogenic microorganisms included secretion smear microscopy and microbial culture.RESULTS: Primary canaliculitis was more common in middle-aged and older female, mainly manifested by long-term red eye and increased secretion; however, the majority was not accompanied by tearing. Totally, 118 cases(99.2%)had monocular disease, while 63 cases(63 eyes; 52.5%)had inferior lacrimal canaliculus disease. Laboratory examination: Among 119 cases(120 eyes), 4 cases(4 eyes)did not undergo laboratory examination, and the other 115 cases(116 eyes)were as follows: Gram staining microscopy of secretion smear showed that Actinomyces were detected in 102 cases(103 eyes; 88.8%), while no fungus was detected; Microbial culture: 85 cases(86 eyes; 74.1%)were positive for bacterial culture. A total of 111 bacterial strains were cultured, which contained 26 types of bacteria. Among them, 32 strains were aerobic(28.8%); 26 strains were anaerobic(23.4%); and 53 strains were facultative anaerobic(47.7%). The most common bacteria were streptococcus(20 strains), staphylococcus(13 strains), Propionibacterium(10 strains), and capnocytophaga(10 strains). Only 4 cases(4 eyes; 3.4%)of microbial cultures were positive for Actinomyces. Fungus was negative in all microbial cultures. Treatment: Of the 119 cases(120 eyes), 114 cases(115 eyes; 95.8%)were cured by conservative treatment of removing lacrimal canaliculus stones through lacrimal punctum and intracanalicular ointment infiltration(IOI), while 5 cases(5 eyes)were not effective in conservative treatment; however, all of them were cured after surgical treatment, and the cure rate for primary canaliculitis was 100.0%.CONCLUSION: The incidence of primary canaliculitis is low, and it is prevalent in middle-aged and older female. Single lacrimal canaliculus is more common, which could be missed and misdiagnosed in clinic. Actinomyces is the major pathogen observed mostly in mixed infections, with heterogeneous strains, mainly anaerobic or facultative anaerobic bacteria. Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are the most common whereas fungal canaliculitis is rare. The cure rate of primary canaliculitis is high after diagnosis, and IOI method is recommended as the initial treatment of canaliculitis.

Background: Limited studies have explored the association between clinical symptoms and titers of SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies. Study Design and Methods: In this cross‐sectional study, whole‐blood donors who had experienced a confirmed or suspected COVID‐19 infection completed questionnaires at the time of blood donation. Plasma SARS‐CoV‐2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers were measured using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for high‐titer COVID‐19 convalescent plasma (CCP) for each variable. Results: Among the total 386 donors, 120 (31%) donors with IgG titers ≥1:160 were classified as high‐titer donors. The multivariable ORs (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for high titers were 2.33 (1.45–3.75), 2.11 (1.29–3.43), 1.10 (1.01–1.21), 1.19 (1.00–1.43), and 1.97 (1.05–3.71) for sore throat, cough, symptom count, fever duration, and low fever (compared with non‐fever), respectively. No significant association was observed between other symptoms and medical visits and the odds of high‐titer CCP. The association between high‐titer CCP and fever duration was restricted to confirmed COVID‐19‐infected donors, while associations with sore throat and cough remained significant in suspected infected donors. In addition, medical visit was positively associated with high‐titer CCP in suspected donors, but not in confirmed donors. In bootstrapped logistic regression models, the associations remained significant and reproducible for medical visit in suspected donors and for sore throat and cough in both suspected donors and total donors. Discussion: Experiencing a sore throat and cough were associated with high‐titer CCP in overall donors. We also identified sore throat, cough, and medical visits as potential predictors of high‐titer CCP for suspected donors during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of low accuracy of two-dimensional gait recognition at present, a gait feature recognition method based on multisource sensing information is proposed. The multisource sensing information is combined to collect the athlete's gait characteristics, collect the single frame gait image sequence of the human lower limbs during the movement, and extract the human body's three-dimensional feature data during human walking by using the body structure and multisource sensing information, so as to realize the separation of the athlete's gait image background. Finally, it is confirmed by experiments that the recognition rate of athlete gait feature recognition method based on multisource sensing information is significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape volatile compounds directly determine the aroma quality of wines. Although the aroma profile of grapes evolved greatly at different maturity stages, there were less considerations for aroma status when determining grape harvest time. In the present study, several maturation indicators, namely, sugars/acids ratio, free volatile compounds, bound volatile compounds and IBMP (3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine) content were monitored in four red wine grape varieties (Vitis vinifera L. cv Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Gernischet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot) near harvest time (42 days) in Ningxia, China. The results showed that the highest sugars/acids ratio was reached on day 21 and day 28 for Merlot and the other three varieties, respectively. For both free and bound volatile compounds, the content of carbonyl compounds decreased continuously in the process of ripening. The contents of free alcohols, esters and terpenes increased in the ripening stage and decreased in the stage of over-ripening. The accumulation of favorable bound aroma compounds peaked at day 35. The content of IBMP presenting a green smell in all four varieties descended continuously and kept steady from day 28. Therefore, the present findings revealed that the best aroma maturity time of four studied grape varieties was later than the sugars/acids ratio in Ningxia region. Aroma maturity should be taken into account during harvest time determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to address the contradiction between maize production and soil nutrient shortages to achieve efficient maize production with minimum fertilizer, labor and environmental costs. Determination of rational Nitrogen (N) application patterns is the key to solving this problem. N application is an effective strategy to improve maize N uptake (NU), yield and water use efficiency (WUE). However, the effects of different N application patterns on maize NU, yield and WUE vary greatly, and it is difficult to determine the great-yield and high-efficiency N application pattern for maize in the Loess Plateau region according to a single experimental study. We synthesized 102 studies (102 sites) in the Loess Plateau region of China to evaluate the effects of different N application patterns (BU: basal urea; TU: basal and topdressing urea; S/C: slow/controlled release urea; S/CU: slow/controlled release urea mixed with normal urea) on maize NU, yield, WUE, and N use efficiency (NUE), and explored their responses to different climates, soil physicochemical properties, and field management practices. N application significantly increased the maize NU, yield and WUE. S/CU pattern significantly improved maize NU, yield and WUE the most with 110.74 %, 83.13 % and 86.21 %, respectively, compared to non-N application. S/C pattern showed the greatest increase in NUE of maize (3.47 %). Random forest analysis showed that growing season precipitation (GSP) was the most important determinant of the impact of N fertilizer application on maize NU, yield and WUE, while soil total nitrogen (TN) content was the most important determinant of maize NUE. The greatest increase in S/CU pattern yield and WUE enhanced when GSP and MAT were 200–400 mm and ≤ 10 °C, respectively. N application was more effective in increasing maize yield and WUE when the soil texture was clay loam and SOM < 10 g kg−1. Film mulching also further increased maize NU, yield, and WUE. In addition, variety of "Xianyu 335" had higher effect sizes for NU, yield and WUE than "Zhengdan 958". S/CU pattern obtained greater maize yield and WUE with lower fertilizer and labor costs, the suitable rate of nitrogen application was determined to be 165.20 kg ha−1 and the urea mix ratio was 65 %. The results would provide theoretical support and technical guidance for great-yield and high-efficiency green production of maize in the Loess Plateau of China. ● Slow/controlled release urea mixed with normal urea (S/CU) improved maize yield. ● S/CU was the most effective in improving maize water use efficiency (WUE). ● S/CU was more effective in fields with poor soil and medium and low fertility. ● S/CU reduced fertilizer and labor costs while increasing maize yield and WUE. ● The optimum N application pattern was S/CU with 165.2 kg N ha−1 at 65 % urea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]