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Sonographic features are associated with pathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). To predict the biological property of TNBC, the performance using quantitative high-throughput sonographic feature analysis was compared with that using qualitative feature assessment. We retrospectively reviewed ultrasound images, clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemical (IHC) data of 252 female TNBC patients. All patients were subgrouped according to the histological grade, Ki67 expression level, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) score. Qualitative sonographic feature assessment included shape, margin, posterior acoustic pattern, and calcification referring to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS). Quantitative sonographic features were acquired based on the computer-aided radiomics analysis. Breast cancer masses were manually segmented from the surrounding breast tissues. For each ultrasound image, 1688 radiomics features of 7 feature classes were extracted. The principal component analysis (PCA), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and support vector machine (SVM) were used to determine the high-throughput radiomics features that were highly correlated to biological properties. The performance using both quantitative and qualitative sonographic features to predict biological properties of TNBC was represented by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). In the qualitative assessment, regular tumor shape, no angular or spiculated margin, posterior acoustic enhancement, and no calcification were used as the independent sonographic features for TNBC. Using the combination of these four features to predict the histological grade, Ki67, HER2, axillary lymph node metastasis (ALNM), and lymphovascular invasion (LVI), the AUC was 0.673, 0.680, 0.651, 0.587, and 0.566, respectively. The number of high-throughput features that closely correlated with biological properties was 34 for histological grade (AUC 0.942), 27 for Ki67 (AUC 0.732), 25 for HER2 (AUC 0.730), 34 for ALNM (AUC 0.804), and 34 for LVI (AUC 0.795). High-throughput quantitative sonographic features are superior to traditional qualitative ultrasound features in predicting the biological behavior of TNBC. • Sonographic appearances of TNBCs showed a great variety in accordance with its biological and clinical characteristics. • Both qualitative and quantitative sonographic features of TNBCs are associated with tumor biological characteristics. • The quantitative high-throughput feature analysis is superior to two-dimensional sonographic feature assessment in predicting tumor biological property.

The dominant microalgal species, quantity of heterotrophic bacteria and Vibrio in the intestines and gills of Litopenaeus vannamei (Pacific white shrimp), positive detection rate of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), and water quality indices were investigated at the final culture stage (88th day in culture season). Correlation of microalgal community, bacteria quantity, and shrimp production were analyzed by statistical analysis methods. Every 10 days, probiotics were used in groups A, B, and C, consisting of Bacillus, photosynthetic bacteria (PSB), and equal parts Bacillus and PSB, respectively. The results showed that production (25597.33 ± 928.46 kg ha−1) and survival rate (77.06 ± 9.00 %) was the highest in group C, but positive detection rate of WSSV was the lowest. The microalgal community of group C was significantly dominated by Chlorella pyrenoidosa, with an average density and dominance of (289.52 ± 142.10) × 107 cells L−1 and 0.878 ± 0.161, respectively. The correlation analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between Cyanophyta dominance and shrimp production (P 0.05). Accordingly, microalgal dominant species should be controlled as a key factor in the shrimp culture season; in particular, the dominance of Cyanophyta should be restricted to a low level. Meanwhile, the combined use of Bacillus and PSB probiotics was considered an effective solution to optimize microalgal communities and controlling the cell density of Cyanophyta.

In South China, certain problems exist in some of aquaculture pond ecosystems, where the concentrations of total phosphorus are high in the sediment but the concentrations of phosphate are low in the overlying water. It is very important and necessary to isolate and screen some phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) that can adapt to the pond environment for enhancing the utilization of phosphorus in the aquaculture systems. To reach the objective, one PSB, named g6, was isolated using modified Pikovskaya and Pikovskaya medium. By 16S rDNA sequencing analysis and BIOLOG auto-identification system, this strain was identified as Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii. After 144 h strains cultivation in liquid National Botanical Research Institute’s phosphate growth medium, its activity resulted in accumulations of soluble phosphate 543 mg l−1. Based on the aquaculture pond ecosystems in South China, effects of temperature, salinity, and pH on g6’s growth were also conducted under indoor culture conditions. Results indicated that Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii g6 could tolerate wide range of temperature 15–35°C, salinity 5–35‰, and initial pH 6–10. The results showed that g6 had high solubilization efficiency in vitro and could be expected to adapt well to different aquaculture pond environments, based on culture results.

A 4-factorial (water temperature, salinity, nitrogen, and phosphorus) experiment was designed to study the niche characteristics of four common microalgae communities in prawn-aquaculture pond. The results showed that the niche breadth was the greatest for Cryptomonas erosa in temperature and salinity resources (0.980 and 0.988, respectively) and for Niztzschia closterium in nitrogen and phosphorus resources (0.990), but the smallest for Chlorella pyrenoidosa in all test resources, with an average value of 0.926. As for niche overlap, it was the smallest for C. erosa and C. pyrenoidosa in temperature and salinity resources (0.809 and 0.702, respectively) and for C. erosa and N. closterium in nitrogen and phosphorus resources (0.829), but the greatest for C. pyrenoidosa and Nannichloropsis oculata in temperature, salinity, and nitrogen and phosphorus resources, with the values being 0.986, 0.974 and 0.989, respectively. All of these suggested that in prawn-aquaculture pond, C. erosa could be bred with any other three of the microalgae communities, while N. oculata and C. pyrenoidosa should not be bred together for their obvious competition