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Multi-modal imaging based on multifunctional nanoparticles provides deep, non-invasive and highly sensitive imaging and is a promising alternative approach that can improve the sensitivity of early cancer diagnosis. In this study, two nanoparticles, TbPO4:Ce3+ and TbPO4:Ce3+@TbPO4:Gd3+, were synthesized via the citric-acid-mediated hydrothermal route, and then systematically characterized by means of microstructure, photoluminescence, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), biocompatibility, and bioimaging. The results of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) line scans indicated that TbPO4:Gd3+ nanoshells about 5 nm in thickness were successfully coated on the TbPO4:Ce3+ nanocores. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transforms of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images indicated that the core-shell nanocomposites had a single crystal structure. The photoluminescence of the TbPO4:Ce3+@TbPO4:Gd3+ and TbPO4:Ce3+ nanoparticles was greatly intensified by 200 times and 100 times, respectively, compared with pure TbPO4 nanoparticles. In vitro cytotoxicity tests based on the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay demonstrated that the monodispersed nanoparticles of TbPO4:Ce3+@TbPO4:Gd3+ had low toxicity. The intracellular luminescence of the nanoparticles after being internalized by HeLa cells was also observed using confocal fluorescence microscopes. MRI showed that the nanoshells of Gd-doped TbPO4 possessed a longitudinal relaxivity of 4.067 s-1 mM-1, which is comparable to that of the commercial MRI contrast Gd-TDPA. As a result, the core-shell structured TbPO4:Ce3+@TbPO4:Gd3+ nanoparticles can potentially serve as multifunctional nanoprobes for both optical biolabels and MRI contrast agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACTInfectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) causes infectious hematopoietic necrosis and severe economic losses to salmon and trout aquaculture worldwide. Currently, the only commercial vaccine against IHNV is a DNA vaccine with some biosafety concerns. Hence, more effective vaccines and antiviral drugs are needed to prevent IHNV infection. In this study, 1,483 compounds were screened from a traditional Chinese medicine monomer library, and bufalin showed potential antiviral activity against IHNV. The 50% cytotoxic concentration of bufalin was >20 µM, and the 50% inhibitory concentration was 0.1223 µΜ against IHNV. Bufalin showed the inhibition of diverse IHNV strains in vitro, which confirmed that it had an inhibitory effect against all IHNV strains, rather than random activity against a single strain. The bufalin-mediated block of IHNV infection occurred at the viral attachment and RNA replication stages, but not internalization. Bufalin also inhibited IHNV infection in vivo and significantly increased the survival of rainbow trout compared with the mock drug-treated group, and this was confirmed by in vivo viral load monitoring. Our data showed that the anti-IHNV activity of bufalin was proportional to extracellular Na+ concentration and inversely proportional to extracellular K+ concentration, and bufalin may inhibit IHNV infection by targeting Na+/K+-ATPase. The in vitro and in vivo studies showed that bufalin significantly inhibited IHNV infection and may be a promising candidate drug against the disease in rainbow trout.IMPORTANCEInfectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is the pathogen of infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) which outbreak often causes huge economic losses and hampers the healthy development of salmon and trout farming. Currently, there is only one approved DNA vaccine for IHN worldwide, but it faces some biosafety problems. Hence, more effective vaccines and antiviral drugs are needed to prevent IHNV infection. In this study, we report that bufalin, a traditional Chinese medicine, shows potential antiviral activity against IHNV both in vitro and in vivo. The bufalin-mediated block of IHNV infection occurred at the viral attachment and RNA replication stages, but not internalization, and bufalin inhibited IHNV infection by targeting Na+/K+-ATPase. The in vitro and in vivo studies showed that bufalin significantly inhibited IHNV infection and may be a promising candidate drug against the disease in rainbow trout.

Abstract The present study aimed to explore the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) methodology based on magnetic resonance (MR) images to aid in the management of prostate cancer (PCa). To this end, we reviewed and summarized the studies comparing the diagnostic and predictive performance for PCa between AI and common clinical assessment methods based on MR images and/or clinical characteristics, thereby investigating whether AI methods are generally superior to common clinical assessment methods for the diagnosis and prediction fields of PCa. First, we found that, in the included studies of the present study, AI methods were generally equal to or better than the clinical assessment methods for the risk assessment of PCa, such as risk stratification of prostate lesions and the prediction of therapeutic outcomes or PCa progression. In particular, for the diagnosis of clinically significant PCa, the AI methods achieved a higher summary receiver operator characteristic curve (SROC-AUC) than that of the clinical assessment methods (0.87 vs. 0.82). For the prediction of adverse pathology, the AI methods also achieved a higher SROC-AUC than that of the clinical assessment methods (0.86 vs. 0.75). Second, as revealed by the radiomics quality score (RQS), the studies included in the present study presented a relatively high total average RQS of 15.2 (11.0–20.0). Further, the scores of the individual RQS elements implied that the AI models in these studies were constructed with relatively perfect and standard radiomics processes, but the exact generalizability and clinical practicality of the AI models should be further validated using higher levels of evidence, such as prospective studies and open-testing datasets.

During the storage and transportation of the mango fruit, the major source of disease is anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. The objective of this study is to find an appropriate method that not only reduces mango decay but also maintains its postharvest quality. The effects of chemicals, the use of the yeast species Metschnikowia pulcherrima and their combination on storage quality, focusing on the enzyme activity related to disease of Tainong mangos was studied. By immersing the mangoes in M. pulcherrima suspension (1.0×108 cfu mL−1), salicylic acid (SA) solution (50 mg L−1) or calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution (1.0 g L−1), the lesion expansion and decay of the mango fruit caused by C. gloeosporioides could be significantly delayed. These treatments also delayed the changes in quality traits (a* value, firmness, contents of total soluble solids (TSS) and vitamin C (Vc), while the activities of anti-disease enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), chitinase (CHT) and β-1,3-glucanase (GUN) were enhanced as compared to the control treatment. Furthermore, the combination of SA solution, CaCl2 solution and M. pulcherrima suspension presented an additive effect, increasing the efficacy in controlling the disease and maintaining the storage quality of mango fruits. Taken together, our data suggest that the integration of chemical treatments combined with M. pulcherrima could be an alternative to the use of fungicides in postharvest treatment of the mango fruit, specifically for improving storage quality as well as the control of the anthracnose.

AIM: To study the potential role of fasudil as a treatment for posterior capsular opacification (PCO) of the human crystalline lens. METHODS: Human lens epithelial cells (HLECs; line SRA01/04) was exposed to transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) to induce the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Fasudil was applied to the cell samples. Its effect on overall HLECs proliferation and migration was studied, as was its influence on EMT induction by TGF-β2 using cell migration assay, MTT colorimetric assay and Western blot assay. RESULTS: Fasudil inhibited the proliferation of SRA01/04. Its effect was time- and concentration-dependent. The migration of SRA01/04 cells was significantly reduced 24-72h after fasudil treatment, and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 22.37 μmol/mL at 72h. Reversal of the elongated, fibroblast-like shape changes induced by TGF-β2 in SRA01/04 cells was observed. Fasudil up-regulated the expression of Connexin43 protein and down-regulated the expression of α-SMA protein compared with the cells treated with TGF-β2. Furthermore, when exposed to fasudil, the phosphorylation of Rho-associated protein kinase (Rock) and myosin light chain (MLC) could not be activated in the cell preparations. CONCLUSION: Fasudil suppresses the proliferation and migration of SRA01/04 cells, and inhibits the process of EMT induced by TGF-β2. These results suggest that fasudil may serve as a therapeutic agent for PCO.

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the Bactrocera rubigina (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) was sequenced and annotated. The mitochondrial genome was 15,285 bp (GenBank No. MN714223), containing 73.1% of A + T with A 39.3%; C 16.9%; G10.1% and T 33.8%, respectively, which is the classical structure for insect mitogenome. All PCGs started with ATN and stopped with TAD. The phylogenetic tree in the current study confirms that B. rubigina clustered with other Bactrocera species, and this study would enrich the mitogenomes of the fruit flies.

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Bactrocera proprediaphora (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) was sequenced and annotated. The mitochondrial genome is 15,829 bp (GenBank No. MN688227) long, containing 73.9% A + T (A 39.5%, C 16.3%, G 9.8%, and T 34.3%), which is the classical structure for insect mitogenome. All PCGs were started with ATN, except ND1 which started with TTG, and 13 PCGs were stopped using TAR (TAA/TAG) as the stop codon. Additionally, the phylogenetic tree confirmed that B. proprediaphora was closely related to B. diaphorus. The current study will enrich the mitogenomes of the fruit flies.

Objective: To explore the effect of fixation of Kirschner needle and thread cancellous bone screw through the sinus tarsi interstice for the treatment of calcaneal fractures., Methods: From January 2009 to December 2012,20 patients with calcaneal fracture were treated by minimally invasive Kirschner wire and threaded cancellous bone screw fixation and bone graft,including 12 males and 8 females with an average age of 39 years old ranging from 21 to 65. Among them, 8 cases were left foot, 12 were right foot. According to Sanders's classification, 8 cases were type II, 10 cases were type III, 2 cases were type IV., Results: All patients were followed up from 6 to 16 months with an average of 12 months. The incision were healed. Böhler angle were increased from preoperative (17.75 +/- 4.22) degrees to postoperative (26.85 +/- 7.37) degrees (t = 4.308, P = 0.000). Gissane angle were reduced from preoperative (137.05 +/- 24.91) degrees to postoperative (113.75 +/- 13.17) degrees (t = 7.083, P = 0.000). At 3 months after operation, the scores of AOFAS were 85.50 +/- 7.99; the results were excellent in 5 feet and good in 11 feet, fair in 3 feet, and poor in 1 foot., Conclusion: Minimally invasive fixation of Kirschner needle and thread cancellous bone screw fixation is a simple operation, it can get reliable fixation, easy to remove, low cost, less postoperative complications, and it is a good treatment of calcaneal fracture.

Objective: To study the clinicopathologic features of inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell tumor of spleen., Methods: One case of inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell tumor of spleen was examined macroscopically and microscopically. Immunohistochemical study for CD21, CD23, CD35, clusterin, S-100 protein, vimentin, smooth muscle actin, CD1a, CD68, ALK protein, CD30, CD31, CD34, CD3 and CD20 was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections by standard EnVision method. In-situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded RNA was also carried out., Results: Macroscopically, inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell tumor was large in size, tan-colored, soft to rubbery in consistance and associated with central hemorrhage and necrosis. Histological examination showed scattered follicular dendritic cells admixed with abundant lymphocytes and plasma cells in the background, simulating inflammatory pseudotumor. On high-power magnification, the follicular dendritic cells possessed a moderate amount of pale to lightly eosinophilic cytoplasm, with indistinct cell borders. The nuclei were ovoid or spindly, with vesicular or stippled chromatin and small distinct, often centrally located, nucleoli. Some of the tumor cells showed nuclear pleomorphism and contained irregular foldings of nuclear membrane, coarse chromatin and prominent eosinophilic nucleoli. Mitotic figures were rarely identified. Immunohistochemical study showed that the tumor cells were positive for vimentin, clusterin, smooth muscle actin and CD68. They were weakly and focally positive for CD35 and S-100 protein, but negative for CD21, CD23, CD1a, ALK protein, CD30, CD31 and CD34. Most of the background lymphocytes were of T-lineage (CD3-positive) ,some were CD20 (B-cell marker)-positive. EBV RNA was demonstrated in the tumor cells by in-situ hybridization analysis., Conclusions: Inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell tumor is a rarely encountered low-grade malignancy with distinctive morphologic pattern. It is associated with EBV infection.

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of early stage thrombolytic therapy with venous urokinase for acute myocardial infarction (AMI)., Method: The clinic data of 24 patients treated with early stage thrombolytic therapy with venous urokinase and 18 conventional therapy were reviewed, and the repatency of the coronary artery and T-wave inversion within 24 h after the treatment were evaluated., Result: The repatency rate of urokinase group and conventional therapy group was 62.5% and 15.0%, respectively, showing significant difference (P<0.05). Shorter delay of administration of thrombolytic therapy after infarction onset resulted in higher rate of repatency., Conclusion: Early stage thrombolytic therapy with venous urokinase can improve the therapeutic effect and reduce the mortality rate of AMI, and is therefore recommended for clinical application.