Underwater single photon 3D imaging with millimeter depth accuracy and reduced blind range

Mono-static system benefits from its more flexible field of view and simplified structure, however, the backreflection photons from mono-static system lead to count loss for target detection. Counting loss engender range-blind, impeding the accurate acquisition of target depth. In this paper, count loss is reduced by introducing a polarization-based underwater mono-static single-photon imaging method, and hence reduced blind range. The proposed method exploits the polarization characteristic of light to effectively reduce the count loss of the target, thus improving the target detection efficiency. Experiments demonstrate that the target profile can be visually identified under our method, while the unpolarization system can not. Moreover, the ranging precision of system reaches millimeter-level. Finally, the target profile is reconstructed using non-local pixel correlations algorithm.

Lycopene improves autophagy and attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats

AIM

To evaluate the effect of lycopene on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic fibrosis and elucidate the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

Male rats were randomly assigned to the control group, CCl4 group, and lycopene group. The CCl4 group was intraperitoneally injected with CCl4 twice per week for 12 weeks to induce hepatic fibrosis. The control group was intraperitoneally injected with olive oil. Lycopene was orally administered during CCl4 treatment. Body weight and liver weight were recorded. Liver function was assessed. Biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammatory factors were measured. Histological changes and collagen expression were evaluated. The expression of TGF-β1, α-SMA, HO-1, SIRT 1, REDD1, SHP2, P62, and LC3 in the liver was determined, as well as the levels of phosphorylated NF-κB and IκB α.

RESULTS

Lycopene significantly reduced the liver/body weight ratio, and AST (P=0.001) and ALT levels (P=0.009). It also significantly increased CAT and SOD activities (P<0.001) and decreased MDA content (P<0.001), IL-6 (P<0.001), and TNF-α (P=0.001). Histological analysis demonstrated that lycopene improved lobular architecture and decreased collagen expression. It also decreased the expression of TGF-β1, α-SMA, P62, and SHP2, and increased the ratio of LC3 II/I, as well as Beclin 1 and REDD1 expression. In addition, it reduced NF-κB and IκB-α phosphorylation, and elevated the levels of HO-1, SIRT 1, and PGC 1α.

CONCLUSION

Lycopene attenuates CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis because of its effect on autophagy by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

Associations of phthalates, phthalate replacements, and their mixtures with eicosanoid biomarkers during pregnancy

Humans are exposed to complex mixtures of phthalates. Gestational exposure to phthalates has been linked to preeclampsia and preterm birth through potential pathways such as endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Eicosanoids are bioactive signaling lipids that are related to a variety of homeostatic and inflammatory processes. We investigated associations between urinary phthalates and their mixtures with plasma eicosanoid levels during pregnancy using the PROTECT cohort in Puerto Rico (N = 655). After adjusting for covariates, we estimated pair-wise associations between the geometric mean of individual phthalate metabolite concentrations across pregnancy and eicosanoid biomarkers using multivariable linear regression. We used bootstrapping of adaptive elastic net regression (adENET) to evaluate phthalate mixtures associated with eicosanoids and subsequently create environmental risk scores (ERS) to represent weighted sums of phthalate exposure for each individual. After adjusting for false-discovery, in single-pollutant analysis, 14 of 20 phthalate metabolites or parent compound indices showed significant and primarily negative associations with multiple eicosanoids. In our mixture analysis, associations with several metabolites of low molecular weight phthalates - DEP, DBP, and DIBP - became prominent. Additionally, MEHHTP and MECPTP, metabolites of a new phthalate replacement, DEHTP, were selected as important predictors for determining the concentrations of multiple eicosanoids from different pathway groups. A unit increase in phthalate ERS derived from bootstrapping of adENET was positively associated with several eicosanoids mainly from Cytochrome P450 pathway. For example, an increase in ERS was associated with 11(S)-HETE (β = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.020, 3.180), (±)11,12-DHET (β = 2.045, 95% CI: 0.250, 3.840), 20(S)-HETE (β = 0.813, 95% CI: 0.147, 1.479), and 9 s-HODE (β = 2.381, 95% CI: 0.657, 4.104). Gestational exposure to phthalates and phthalate mixtures were associated with eicosanoid levels during pregnancy. Results from the mixture analyses underscore the complexity of physiological impacts of phthalate exposure and call for further in-depth studies to examine these relationships.

Structural and biochemical characterization of Schlafen11 N-terminal domain

Schlafen11 (SLFN11) is one of the most studied Schlafen proteins that plays vital roles in cancer therapy and virus-host interactions. Herein, we determined the crystal structure of the Sus scrofa SLFN11 N-terminal domain (NTD) to 2.69 Å resolution. sSLFN11-NTD is a pincer-shaped molecule that shares an overall fold with other SLFN-NTDs but exhibits distinct biochemical characteristics. sSLFN11-NTD is a potent RNase cleaving type I and II tRNAs and rRNAs, and with preference to type II tRNAs. Consistent with the codon usage-based translation suppression activity of SLFN11, sSLFN11-NTD cleaves synonymous serine and leucine tRNAs with different efficiencies in vitro. Mutational analysis revealed key determinates of sSLFN11-NTD nucleolytic activity, including the Connection-loop, active site, and key residues essential for substrate recognition, among which E42 constrains sSLFN11-NTD RNase activity, and all nonconservative mutations of E42 stimulated RNase activities. sSLFN11 inhibited the translation of proteins with a low codon adaptation index in cells, which mainly dependent on the RNase activity of the NTD because E42A enhanced the inhibitory effect, but E209A abolished inhibition. Our findings provide structural characterization of an important SLFN11 protein and expand our understanding of the Schlafen family.

Inverse relationship between femoral lateralization and neck-shaft angle is a joint event after intramedullary nailing of per trochanteric fractures

This study explored the relationship between femoral lateralization and femoral neck-shaft angle after intramedullary nail (IM) fixation for per trochanteric fractures. 70 patients (AO/OTA 31A1-2) were investigated. Anteroposterior (AP) and lateral X-ray views pre- and post-operation were recorded. Patients were classified into three groups according to the position of the medial cortex of the head-neck fragment to that of the femoral shaft: being slightly superomedial (positive medial cortex support, PMCS), being smoothly contacted (neutral position, NP) or being displaced laterally (negative medial cortex support, NMCS). Patient demographics, femoral lateralization, and neck-shaft angle were measured and statistically analyzed pre- and post-operation. Functional recovery was evaluated by Harris score 3- and 6- months post-operation. All cases ultimately demonstrated radiographic fracture union. There was a tendency to have an increased neck-shaft angle (valgus alignment) in the PMCS group and increased femoral lateralization in the NP group (p < 0.05). Among those three groups, the change in femoral lateralization and neck-shaft angle was statistically different (p < 0.05). An inverse relationship between femoral lateralization and femoral neck-shaft angle was observed. Femoral lateralization increased correspondingly when the neck-shaft angle continuously decreased from the PMCS group to the NP group and then to the NMCS group, and patients in the PMCS group had better functional recovery than the other two groups (p < 0.05). Femoral lateralization was commonly produced after IM fixation for per trochanteric fractures. The fracture fixed in PMCS mode possesses the slightest change in femoral lateralization while maintaining valgus alignment of the femoral neck-shaft angle and good functional outcome, which is superior to NP or NMCS mode.

The differential diagnosis value of radiomics-based machine learning in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

In recent years, radiomics has been increasingly utilized for the differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the application of radiomics in PD diagnosis still lacks sufficient evidence-based support. To address this gap, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic value of radiomics-based machine learning (ML) for PD.

Methods

We systematically searched Embase, Cochrane, PubMed, and Web of Science databases as of November 14, 2022. The radiomics quality assessment scale (RQS) was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. The outcome measures were the c-index, which reflects the overall accuracy of the model, as well as sensitivity and specificity. During this meta-analysis, we discussed the differential diagnostic value of radiomics-based ML for Parkinson's disease and various atypical parkinsonism syndromes (APS).

Results

Twenty-eight articles with a total of 6,057 participants were included. The mean RQS score for all included articles was 10.64, with a relative score of 29.56%. The pooled c-index, sensitivity, and specificity of radiomics for predicting PD were 0.862 (95% CI: 0.833-0.891), 0.91 (95% CI: 0.86-0.94), and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87-0.96) in the training set, and 0.871 (95% CI: 0.853-0.890), 0.86 (95% CI: 0.81-0.89), and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.83-0.91) in the validation set, respectively. Additionally, the pooled c-index, sensitivity, and specificity of radiomics for differentiating PD from APS were 0.866 (95% CI: 0.843-0.889), 0.86 (95% CI: 0.84-0.88), and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.75-0.84) in the training set, and 0.879 (95% CI: 0.854-0.903), 0.87 (95% CI: 0.85-0.89), and 0.82 (95% CI: 0.77-0.86) in the validation set, respectively.

Conclusion

Radiomics-based ML can serve as a potential tool for PD diagnosis. Moreover, it has an excellent performance in distinguishing Parkinson's disease from APS. The support vector machine (SVM) model exhibits excellent robustness when the number of samples is relatively abundant. However, due to the diverse implementation process of radiomics, it is expected that more large-scale, multi-class image data can be included to develop radiomics intelligent tools with broader applicability, promoting the application and development of radiomics in the diagnosis and prediction of Parkinson's disease and related fields.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=383197, identifier ID: CRD42022383197.

Nomophobia, attitude and mobile phone use while riding an E-bike: Testing a dual-process model of self-control

Using a mobile phone while participating in traffic is a growing safety concern all over the world. However, mobile phone use (MPU) while riding an e-bike has not yet been given enough attention by researchers and practitioners. To fill this gap, this study conducted a preliminary online interview and a questionnaire-based survey in China to study what kinds of MPU behaviors e-bikers commonly engaged in and the prevalence of these behaviors. A conceptual dual-process framework consisting of e-bikers' demographics, e-bike usage pattern, nomophobia, attitude and self-control was also proposed to analyze the psychological mechanism underlying this phenomenon. The preliminary online interview revealed 7 typical types of MPU behaviors performed by e-bikers on the road. Results of the questionnaire survey showed that though the overall frequencies of MPU behaviors were low, nearly 60% of the respondents reported a history of mobile phone use during riding in the last three months. E-bikers' MPU frequencies were significantly impacted by e-bikers' gender, attitude, self-control and information-related nomophobia. Besides, self-control also significantly moderated the predictive effects of information-related nomophobia and attitude on MPU frequencies while ring an e-bike. Fears of being unable to access information on the mobile phone only contributed to MPU at low levels of self-control. In contrast, the protective effect of unfavorable attitude against engagement in the behavior became stronger at high self-control levels. The results not only offer deeper insights into the current situation of MPU among e-bikers in China, but also could facilitate the development of intervention and safety promotion strategies targeting this specific road user group.

Emerging patterns of substance abuse and related treatment in China

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The situation of China drug use has seen dramatic changes in recent years. The aim of this review is to give a perspective of the current situation of drug abuse, the problems associated with it, and the strategy to control it in China.

RECENT FINDINGS

The number of registered drug users and newly discovered drug users had declined for 5 consecutive years, Moreover, the scaling down of drug trafficking and drug-related crimes had been seen for recent years. There are four main drug treatment modalities in China. The drug abuse and its related problems in China face new challenges, including the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the role of compulsory treatment is overemphasized, the voluntary treatment facilities and community treatment cannot meet the requirements of Chinese society, and the coordination among government departments in drug control and treatment in China need to improved.

SUMMARY

With years of the joint efforts, the overall drug situation kept improving. The drug abuse and its related problems in China still is a problem, and require effective and immediate interventions.

miR-96-5p is involved in alcohol-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells via negatively regulating TAp73

OBJECTIVE

The present study opted for the adrenal phaeochromocytoma (PC12) cell line to frame a neuronal injury model induced by alcohol exposure in vitro, aiming to probe whether TAp73 and miR-96-5p are involved in the neuronal injury process induced by alcohol and elucidate the regulatory relationship between miR-96-5p and TAp73.

METHODS

Immunofluorescence staining was used to observe the structural features of PC12 cells after culturing in medium with nerve growth factor (NGF). After different doses and different durations of alcohol treatment, CCK-8 assay was performed to detect the viability of PC12 cells, flow cytometry assay was carried out to detect the apoptosis rate of PC12 cells, dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to definitude the regulatory relationship between miR-96-5p and Tp73, and western blot was used to detect the protein expression of TAp73.

RESULTS

The result of immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that PC12 cells abundantly expressed Map2, CCK-8 assay illustrated alcohol exposure significantly downregulated the cell viability of PC12 cells, Treatment with miR-96-5p inhibitor induced apoptosis and upregulated the expression of TAp73 in PC12 cells. Contrastingly, miR-96-5p mimic reversed the above effects and downregulation of TAp73 inhibited the apoptosis of PC12 cells.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated that miR-96-5p participates in alcohol-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells via negatively regulating TAp73.

Effect of Temperature and Load on Tribological Behavior in Laser-Cladded FeCrSiNiCoC Coatings

The FeCrSiNiCoC coatings with fine macroscopic morphology and uniform microstructure were made on 1Cr11Ni heat resistant steel substrate by a laser-based cladding technique. The coating consists of dendritic γ-Fe and eutectic Fe-Cr intermetallic with an average microhardness of 467 HV_0.5 ± 22.6 HV_0.5. At the load of 200 N, the average friction coefficient of the coating dropped as temperature increased, while the wear rate decreased and then increased. The wear mechanism of the coating changed from abrasive wear, adhesive wear and oxidative wear to oxidative wear and three-body wear. Apart from an elevation in wear rate with increasing load, the mean friction coefficient of the coating hardly changed at 500 °C. Due to the coating's transition from adhesive wear and oxidative wear to three-body wear and abrasive wear, the underlying wear mechanism also shifted.

Role of ionizing radiation activated NRF2 in lung cancer radioresistance

Radiotherapies are commonly used to target remaining tumor niches after surgery of solid tumors but are restricted due to therapeutic resistance. Several pathways of radioresistance have been reported in various cancers. This study investigates the pivotal role of Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) in the activation of DNA damage repair in lung cancer cells after x-rays exposure. To explore the NRF2 activation after ionizing irradiations, this study uses a knockdown of NRF2, which shows potential DNA damage after x-rays irradiation in lung cancers. This work further shows that NRF2 knockdown disrupts damaged DNA repair by inhibiting DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit. At the same time, NRF2 knockdown by shRNA considerably disparate homologous recombination by interfering with Rad51 expression. Further investigation of the associated pathway reveals that NRF2 activation mediates DNA damage response via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway as the knockout of NRF2 directly enhances intracellular MAPK phosphorylation. Similarly, both NAC and constitutive knockout of NRF2 disrupt DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit, while NRF2 knockout failed to upregulate Rad51 expression after irradiation in-vivo. Taken together, these findings advocate NRF2 plays a critical role in the development of radioresistance by upregulating DNA damage response via the MAPK pathway, which can be of great significance.

Root Absorption and Limited Mobility of Mandipropamid as Compared to Oxathiapiprolin and Mefenoxam After Soil Treatment of Citrus Plants for Managing Phytophthora Root Rot

Phytophthora root rot can greatly impact citrus production worldwide, especially in newly established orchards by reducing crop yield and increasing the cost of disease management. Mandipropamid is an Oomycota fungicide that is currently registered as a soil treatment for citrus nursery container plants to manage Phytophthora root rot. In this study, we investigated the uptake of mandipropamid into citrus roots and its translocation to stems and leaves after soil application and evaluated its mobility in roots as compared to oxathiapiprolin and mefenoxam using split-root potted plants and trees in the field. A bioassay and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were used to detect and quantify fungicides in citrus tissues, and overall, similar results were obtained using the two methods. When applied to the soil of potted, 6- to 7-month-old citrus plants using labeled rates, the majority of mandipropamid was found in root tissues (4.9 to 18.1 μg/g), but small amounts were also present in stems (0.18 to 0.32 μg/g) and leaves (0.03 to 0.22 μg/g). There was no significant increase in concentrations in all three tissues between 1 and 4 weeks after application. Concentrations in all tissues exceeded established EC₅₀ values for mycelial growth inhibition of P. citrophthora and P. nicotianae, the main citrus root rot pathogens in California. In a split-root study where the root systems of single plants were separated, no basipetal phloem-based mobility of mandipropamid or oxathiapiprolin was observed, but relative uptake into roots was higher for mandipropamid. In contrast, low amounts of mefenoxam were also present in roots in the untreated soil. Similar results were obtained in a field study where part of the root system was treated, and fungicides were extracted from nontreated roots. All three fungicides persisted inside roots over the 8-week period of this study. Uptake and persistence inside roots, as well as the previously reported high efficacy against citrus root rot in greenhouse and field studies support the use of mandipropamid in citrus nurseries and potentially in the orchard.

Conventional Chondrosarcoma of the Rib Cage and Sternum: Clinicopathological and Molecular Analysis of 27 Patients Treated at a Single Institution

Conventional chondrosarcoma of the chest wall is rare, accounting for 15% of cases. Our purpose was to document clinicopathological, imaging and outcome results from a novel set of chest wall chondrosarcomas, and to analyze for <I>IDH</I> mutations and novel molecular alterations. Gross and microscopic pathology, imaging and clinical charts were reviewed. Targeted next-generation sequencing was performed to identify somatic mutations and copy number alterations. The cohort consisted of 27 patients: 16 men and 11 women (mean age 51 years; range 23-76). Palpable mass was the most common presentation. Five were discovered incidentally. Among 20 tumors with complete imaging, 15 arose from a rib and 5 from the sternum. Seven rib tumors were central/intramedullary, 5 were periosteal, 2 were secondary peripheral chondrosarcomas, and one was indeterminate. Among sternal tumors, 4 were central/intramedullary and one was periosteal. Half the periosteal tumors arose from the costochondral junctional cartilage (CCJ). Periosteal chondrosarcomas were sometimes mistaken for extraskeletal masses on initial clinical or radiological examinations. Fifty-nine percent of all tumors were grade 1 and 41% were grade 2. None were dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas. Heterozygous <I>IDH1</I> mutation was detected in one tumor and heterozygous <I>RAD50</I> mutation in another. Local recurrence(s) happened in 41% and metastasis in 41%. Grade had strong association with local recurrence (25% grade 1 vs. 64% grade 2 [p=0.0447]), metastatic recurrence (19% grade 1 vs. 73% grade 2 [p=0.0058]), and survival. Although chest wall chondrosarcomas share morphologic and molecular features with other chondrosarcomas, there is a much higher incidence of periosteal chondrosarcomas. <I>IDH</I> mutant tumors are uncommon. Early diagnosis and margin-negative resection is treatment of choice since chondrosarcomas are chemo- and radioresistant.

Anti-Penetration Performance of Composite Structures with Metal-Packaged Ceramic Interlayer and UHMWPE Laminate

The impact response of a composite structure consisting of a metal-packaged ceramic interlayer and an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) laminate has been studied through a ballistic test and numerical simulation. The studied structure exhibits 50% higher anti-penetration performance than the traditional ceramic/metal structure with the same areal density. The metal-packaged ceramic interlayer and the UHMWPE laminate are key components in resisting the penetration. By using a metal frame to impose three-dimensional constraints on ceramic tiles, the metal-packaged ceramic interlayer can limit the crushing of the ceramic and contain the broken ceramic fragment to improve the erosion of the projectile. The large deformation of UHMWPE laminate absorbs a large amount of energy from the projectile. By decreasing the amplitude of the shock wave and changing the distribution of the impact load in the structure, the projectile has longer residence time on the interlayer. The anti-penetration performance shows within 10% variation when the impact position is varied. Due to the asymmetric deformation and high elastic recovery ability of the UHMWPE laminate, the projectile trajectory deflection is increased, and the broken ceramic fragments are restrained, thereby mitigating after-effect damage caused by the projectile after penetrating the structure.

Genome-Wide Identification and Evolutionary Analysis of Gossypium YTH Domain-Containing RNA-Binding Protein Family and the Role of GhYTH8 in Response to Drought Stress

YTH domain-containing proteins are one kind of RNA-binding protein involved in post-transcriptional regulation and play multiple roles in regulating the growth, development, and abiotic stress responses of plants. However, the YTH domain-containing RNA-binding protein family has not been previously studied in cotton. In this study, a total of 10, 11, 22, and 21 YTH genes were identified in Gossypium arboreum, Gossypium raimondii, Gossypium barbadense, and Gossypium hirsutum, respectively. These Gossypium YTH genes were categorized into three subgroups by phylogenetic analysis. The chromosomal distribution, synteny analysis, structures of Gossypium YTH genes, and the motifs of YTH proteins were analyzed. Furthermore, the cis-element of GhYTH genes promoter, miRNA targets of GhYTH genes, and subcellular localization of GhYTH8 and GhYTH16 were characterized. Expression patterns of GhYTH genes in different tissues, organs, and in response to different stresses were also analyzed. Moreover, functional verifications revealed that silencing GhYTH8 attenuated the drought tolerance in the upland cotton TM-1 line. These findings provide useful clues for the functional and evolutionary analysis of YTH genes in cotton.

BiOI@CeO2@Ti3C2 MXene composite S-scheme photocatalyst with excellent bacteriostatic properties

As an influential antifouling material, photocatalytic materials have drawn attention increasingly over recent years owing to their potential bacteriostatic property in the domain of marine antifouling. Herein, a flower-like BiOI@CeO2@Ti3C2 S-scheme photocatalyst was contrived and prepared by hydrothermal method. The innovative combination of Ti3C2 and narrow band gap semiconductor BiOI was implemented to modify CeO2 and the photocatalytic bacteriostatic mechanism of BiOI@CeO2@Ti3C2 was elucidated. Schottky junction was formed between CeO2 and Ti3C2, and a p-n junction was formed between CeO2 and BiOI. By photoelectrochemical characterization, BCT-10 exhibits the best photoelectrochemical performance of which photogenerated carrier transport can be performed more readily at 10 % CeO2@Ti3C2 addition. 99.76 % and 99.89 % of photocatalytic bacteriostatic efficiency of BCT-10 against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were implemented respectively, which were 2.98 and 3.07 times higher than that of pure CeO2. The ternary heterojunction can suppress photogenerated electron-hole complexes more effectively and enhance the photocatalytic bacteriostatic effect of CeO2, which also provided a new concept to the further broadened application of CeO2 in the marine bacteriostatic and antifouling field.

Identification and characterization of two long-type peptidoglycan recognition proteins, PGRP-L1 and PGRP-L2, in the orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) play an important role in innate immunity by recognizing components of pathogenic bacteria (such as peptidoglycan, PGN) and are evolutionarily conserved pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in both invertebrates and vertebrates. In the present study, two long-type PGRPs (designed as Eco-PGRP-L1 and Eco-PGRP-L2) were identified in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), which is a major economic species cultured in Asia. The predicted protein sequences of both Eco-PGRP-L1 and Eco-PGRP-L2 contain a typical PGRP domain. Eco-PGRP-L1 and Eco-PGRP-L2 exhibited organ/tissue-specific expression patterns. An abundant expression of Eco-PGRP-L1 was observed in pyloric caecum, stomach and gill, whereas a highest expression level of Eco-PGRP-L2 was found in head kidney, spleen, skin and heart. In addition, Eco-PGRP-L1 is distributed in the cytoplasm and nucleus, while Eco-PGRP-L2 is mainly localized in cytoplasm. Both Eco-PGRP-L1 and Eco-PGRP-L2 were induced following the stimulation of PGN and have PGN binding activity. In addition, functional analysis revealed that Eco-PGRP-L1 and Eco-PGRP-L2 possess antibacterial activity against Edwardsiella tarda. These results may contribute to understand the innate immune system of orange-spotted grouper.

Methods for large-scale single mediator hypothesis testing: Possible choices and comparisons

Mediation hypothesis testing for a large number of mediators is challenging due to the composite structure of the null hypothesis,H 0 : α β = 0 ${H}_{0}:\alpha \beta =0$ (α $\alpha $ : effect of the exposure on the mediator after adjusting for confounders;β $\beta $ : effect of the mediator on the outcome after adjusting for exposure and confounders). In this paper, we reviewed three classes of methods for large-scale one at a time mediation hypothesis testing. These methods are commonly used for continuous outcomes and continuous mediators assuming there is no exposure-mediator interaction so that the productα β $\alpha \beta $ has a causal interpretation as the indirect effect. The first class of methods ignores the impact of different structures under the composite null hypothesis, namely, (1)α = 0 , β ≠ 0 $\alpha =0,\beta \ne 0$ ; (2)α ≠ 0 , β = 0 $\alpha \ne 0,\beta =0$ ; and (3)α = β = 0 $\alpha =\beta =0$ . The second class of methods weights the reference distribution under each case of the null to form a mixture reference distribution. The third class constructs a composite test statistic using the three p values obtained under each case of the null so that the reference distribution of the composite statistic is approximatelyU ( 0 , 1 ) $U(0,1)$ . In addition to these existing methods, we developed the Sobel-comp method belonging to the second class, which uses a corrected mixture reference distribution for Sobel's test statistic. We performed extensive simulation studies to compare all six methods belonging to these three classes in terms of the false positive rates (FPRs) under the null hypothesis and the true positive rates under the alternative hypothesis. We found that the second class of methods which uses a mixture reference distribution could best maintain the FPRs at the nominal level under the null hypothesis and had the greatest true positive rates under the alternative hypothesis. We applied all methods to study the mediation mechanism of DNA methylation sites in the pathway from adult socioeconomic status to glycated hemoglobin level using data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). We provide guidelines for choosing the optimal mediation hypothesis testing method in practice and develop an R package medScan available on the CRAN for implementing all the six methods.

BiOCl Heterojunction photocatalyst: Construction, photocatalytic performance, and applications

BiOCl semiconductors have attracted extensive amounts of attention and have substantial potential in alleviating energy shortages, improving sterilization performance, and solving environmental issues. To improve the optical quantum efficiency of layered BiOCl, the lifetimes of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and BiOCl reduction capacity. During the past decade, researchers have designed many effective methods to weaken the effects of these limitations, and heterojunction construction is regarded as one of the most promising strategies. In this paper, BiOCl heterojunction photocatalysts designed and synthesized by various research groups in recent years were reviewed, and their photocatalytic properties were tested. Among them, direct Z-scheme and S-scheme photocatalysts have high redox potentials and intense redox capabilities. Hence, they exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the applications of BiOCl heterojunctions for pollutant degradation, CO₂ reduction, water splitting, N₂ fixation, organic synthesis, and tumor ablation are also reviewed. Finally, we summarize research on the BiOCl heterojunctions and put forth new insights on overcoming their present limitations.

Antifungal antibodies present in intravenous immunoglobulin derived from China

Fungal infections usually occur in immunocompromised patients. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been used as therapeutic interventions for many infectious diseases, but seldom applied in mycosis due to unknown antifungal specificity. This study aims to determine the presence of antifungal antibodies in IVIG. Binding reactivity of IVIG with crude and recombinant antigens of Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans and Talaromyces marneffei were observed in a dose-dependent manner, similar with mixed normal human sera. The antifungal specificity was further confirmed by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) inhibited by rabbit specific antifungal polyclonal antibodies (PAbs) and homogenous crude antigens with inhibitions of 65.5-87.2% and 73.1-94.2%, respectively. Moreover, IVIG also reacted with fungal glycoproteins (Csa2, Cpl1 and Mp1p) in a dose-dependent way, which was inhibited by specific rabbit PAbs and homogenous antigens with different inhibitions and pulled down 72.8-83.8% of specific antibodies if preabsorption IVIG with Dynabeads® coupled with homogenous glycoproteins. These results furthermore verified the antifungal specificity of IVIG. Among four brands of IVIG, there was different antifungal IgG against C. albicans (P < 0.05) and C. neoformans (P < 0.05), while no difference for A. fumigatus (P = 0.086) and T. marneffei (P = 0.057). IVIG contained a significantly higher level of specific IgG for C. albicans than other three fungi (P <0.001). In conclusion, we proved antifungal IgG against C. albicans, A. fumigatus, C. neoformans and T. marneffei present in IVIG, which might be expected to provide a possible immunoregulation choice for mycosis and an evaluation to humoral immunity against fungi.

Ultrasound assessment of gastric contents and volume in patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery: a prospective observational study

Intraoperative ingestion of blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and irrigation fluid can lead to an increase in gastric volume, resulting in the potential risk of aspiration in patients after endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS). In this prospective observational study, we aimed to assess the volume of gastric contents in patients undergoing this neurosurgical procedure using ultrasound, and to determine the factors associated with volume change. Eighty-two patients diagnosed with pituitary adenoma were recruited consecutively. Semi-quantitative (Perlas scores: 0, 1 and 2) and quantitative (cross-sectional area, CSA) ultrasound assessments of the gastric antrum were performed immediately before and after surgery in the semi-recumbent and semi-recumbent right-lateral positions. Seven (8.5%) patients had antrum scores from preoperative grade 0 to postoperative grade 2; nine (11%) patients had antrum scores from preoperative grade 0 to postoperative grade 1. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of increased gastric volume was 71.0 ± 33.1 mL and 236.5 ± 32.4 mL in postoperative grade 1 and 2 groups, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that 11 (13.4%) patients (4 in grade 1 and all in grade 2) had postoperative estimated gastric volume > 1.5 mL kg^-1 (mean ± SD 3.08 ± 1.67, range 1.51-5.01 mL kg^-1). Logistic regression analysis revealed that older age, diabetes mellitus, and long surgical duration were independent risk factors for significant volume change (all P < 0.05). Our results showed a significant increase in gastric volume in some patients who underwent EETS. Bedside ultrasound measurements of gastric volume can be used to assess the postoperative aspiration risk, particularly in older diabetic patients with a longer surgical duration.

Lung Ultrasound in the Evaluation of Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of bedside lung ultrasound (LUS) and LUS scores in the evaluating and grading of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS).

METHODS

We performed a prospective study on 80 children with suspected NRDS. Infants with a PaO2 -to-FiO2 ratio of <200, 200-300, and >300 mmHg were categorized as the "severe-NRDS group," "mild-NRDS group," and "non-NRDS group," respectively. Left and right lungs were divided into six areas, respectively. For each lung area, a 0- to 3-point score was given.

RESULTS

The most common ultrasonic signs of NRDS include bilateral coalescent B-lines, thickened pleural line, and white lung without spared areas. Moreover, different LUS scores among non-NRDS, mild-NRDS, and severe-NRDS groups were identified (6.00 ± 4.033, 25.82 ± 3.778 and 27.90 ± 4.071, respectively; P < .05). When the cutoff value of LUS score was selected as 13 for the differentiation of non-NRDS from NRDS, the sensitivity and specificity were 96.9% and 93.3%, respectively, and the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristics (ROC) was 0.938 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84-1.00). With a cutoff value of 26.5 for the differentiation between mild- and severe-ARDS, the AUC of ROC curve of the LUS score was 0.707 (95% CI, 0.58-0.83). Similar results were revealed as those with chest X-ray.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that LUS and LUS scores complement each other, and are highly reliable and efficient in bedside radiological diagnostic investigations in newborns with NRDS.

Mycotoxin Occurrence in Feeds and Raw Materials in China: A Five-Year Investigation

Mycotoxins are ubiquitously present in feeds and raw materials and can exert toxicity on animals and humans. Therefore, mycotoxin occurrence should be monitored. We report here a multi-mycotoxin survey of feed samples in China from 2017 to 2021. Concentrations of aflatoxins, trichothecenes type B, fumonisins, and zearalenone were determined in a total of 9392 samples collected throughout China. Regional differences and year-to-year variation of mycotoxin occurrence were also assessed in new-season corn. Generally, Fusarium mycotoxins were prevalent, while mycotoxin contamination in each feed commodity showed a distinct pattern, e.g., wheat and bran were typically affected by trichothecenes type B, peanut meals were highly susceptible to aflatoxins, and finished feeds exhibited a comparatively high prevalence of all mycotoxins. In new-season corn, trichothecenes type B and fumonisins were most prevalent, with positive rates of 84.04% and 87.16%, respectively. Regions exhibited different patterns of mycotoxin occurrence. The Anhui and Jiangsu provinces of East China exhibited a high prevalence and concentrations of aflatoxins with a positive rate and a positive average of 82.61% and 103.08 μg/kg, respectively. Central China obtained high fumonisins levels of 4707.84 μg/kg. Trichothecenes type B and zearalenone occurred more frequently in temperate regions of Northeast China, and their positive rates reached 94.99% and 55.67%, respectively. In these regions, mycotoxin concentrations in new-season corn exhibited pronounced year-to-year variations and this could be due to the unusual changes of rainfall or temperature during sensitive periods of corn growing. A large fraction of new-season corn samples contained multiple mycotoxins with two to three classes (75.42%), and the most frequently observed co-contaminants were the combination of trichothecenes type B and fumonisins (73.52%). Trichothecenes type B and zearalenone concentrations were highly positively correlated with a coefficient of 0.775. In conclusion, mycotoxins contamination and co-contamination of feeds are common. Mycotoxin contamination in new-season corn exhibited regional patterns and year-to-year variations, with climate and weather conditions as determinant factors.

Age-adjusted D-Dimer Thresholds Combined with the Modified Wells Score as a Predictor of Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis

BACKGROUND

Neurosurgical patients are at an increased risk of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), which, if not properly managed, can lead to pulmonary embolism. This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of age-adjusted D-dimer thresholds combined with the modified Wells score as a predictor for lower extremity DVT diagnosis.

METHODS

We conducted a study among patients aged >50 years with suspected lower extremity DVT in the neurosurgery intensive care unit between December 2019 and December 2020. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to examine the diagnostic capacity of age-adjusted D-dimer combined with the modified Wells score.

RESULTS

A total of 233 participants, with an average age of 71.81 ± 12.59 years, were enrolled in the study. The mean D-dimer levels were 0.73 ± 0.39 mg/L. Among the participants, 57 (57.9%, 33 males) were diagnosed with DVT. The age-adjusted D-dimer combined with the modified Wells score had the highest area under the curve for diagnosing lower extremity DVT compared to D-dimer and age-adjusted D-dimer alone, with an AUC of 0.858. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the age-adjusted D-dimer combined with the modified Wells score for DVT diagnosis were 78.95%, 80.68%, 57%, 92.2%, and 80.26%, respectively. When analyzing subgroups, the accuracy was 79.55% for participants with cerebral hemorrhage, 81.69% for those with craniocerebral injury, 74.99% for participants with intracranial infection, and 88.89% for those with craniocerebral tumor.

CONCLUSION

The combination of the age-adjusted D-dimer thresholds with the modified Wells score might effectively predict lower extremity DVT.