Correlations between H2 Permeation and Physical/Mechanical Properties in Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Polymers Blended with Carbon Black and Silica Fillers.

H2 permeation in peroxide-crosslinked EPDM blended with carbon black (CB) and silica fillers was studied at pressures ranging from 1.2 MPa to 90 MPa via the volumetric analysis technique. H2 uptake in the CB-filled EPDM revealed dual-sorption behaviors via Henry's law and the Langmuir model, which were attributed to H2 absorption by the polymer chains and H2 adsorption at the filler interfaces, respectively. Additionally, single-sorption mechanisms were observed for neat EPDM and silica-blended EPDM according to Henry's law, indicating H2 absorption by the polymer chain. The linear decreases in the diffusivity with filler content for the silica-blended EPDMs were attributed to increases in the diffusion paths caused by the filler. Exponential decreases in the diffusivity with increasing filler content and in the permeation with the physical/mechanical properties for CB-filled EPDMs were caused by decreases in the fractional free volume due to increased densities for the EPDM composites. Moreover, good filler-dependent correlations between permeability and density, hardness, and tensile strength were demonstrated for EPDMs used as sealing materials for O-rings. From the resulting equation, we predicted the permeation value without further measurements. Thus, we can select EPDM candidates satisfying the permeation guidelines used in hydrogen infrastructure for the future hydrogen economy.

Effects of probiotic and Bidens pilosa on the performance and gut health of chicken during induced Eimeria tenella infection.

AIM: In this study, we have examined the individual and combined protective mechanism of probiotic and Bidens pilosa on the performance and gut health of chickens during Eimeria tenella infection over a 29-day experimental trial. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of one hundred and fifty 1-day-old chickens were equally distributed into five treatment groups with three biological replicates: two groups were allocated as control groups (control group untreated unchallenged, CG and control positive untreated challenged, CPG) and three groups were fed diets with probiotic (PG), B. pilosa (BPG) and probiotic + B. pilosa (PG + BPG) and challenged with E. tenella. Birds of all groups were assessed for pre and post-infection body weights, oocysts shedding, caecal lesion scores and mRNA expression levels of apoptosis related proteins (Bcl-2, Bax and caspase-3), antioxidant enzymes (CAT and SOD 1), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8) and tight junction proteins (CLDN 1 and ZO 1). Our results revealed that during infection (day 21-29), E. tenella challenged chickens significantly decreased the body weight compared with uninfected control chickens; however, there was no significant effect on body weight of chickens fed with probiotic, B. pilosa and probiotic + B. pilosa was observed. Eimeria tenella challenged untreated birds increased (P < 0·05) oocysts shedding, destructive ratio of caeca and mortality as compared to treated challenged birds. CPG group up-regulated the mRNA expression levels of anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-2 while down-regulated the pro-apoptosis protein Bax relative to PG, BPG and PG + BPG groups. Moreover chickens fed probiotic, B. pilosa and probiotic + B. pilosa diets enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes, pro-inflammatory cytokines and tight junction proteins with the comparison of control positive untreated challenged chickens. CONCLUSION: These findings elaborated that feed supplementation of probiotic and B. pilosa (individually or in combination) appeared to be effective in inhibiting the occurrence of disease and decreasing the severity of Eimeria infection in chickens. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study explained the underlying anti-coccidial mechanism in which probiotic and B. pilosa (individually and/or in combination) improve the performance of chicken and protect against gut inflammatory responses caused by E. tenella.

Brain-specific monoallelic expression of bovine UBE3A is associated with genomic position.

Genomic imprinting is a rare epigenetic process in mammalian cells that leads to monoallelic expression of a gene with a parent-specific pattern. The UBE3A (ubiquitin protein ligase E3A) gene is imprinted with maternal allelic expression in the brain but biallelically expressed in all other tissues in humans. The silencing of the paternal UBE3A allele is thought to be caused by the paternally expressed antisense RNA transcript of UBE3A-ATS. The aberrant imprinted expression of the UBE3A is associated with several neurodevelopmental syndromes and psychological disorders. Cattle are a valuable model species in determining the genetic etiology of sporadic human disorder, and maternal expression of UEB3A has been revealed by next-generation sequencing study in the bovine conceptus. In this study, we investigated the allelic expression of UBE3A and UBE3A-ATS in adult bovine somatic tissues. To confirm the splicing pattern of bovine UBE3A, five 5' alternative transcripts (MT210534-MT210538) were first obtained from bovine brain tissue by RT-PCR. Based on 10 SNP genotypes, we found that the brain-specific monoallelic expression of bovine UBE3A did not occur along the entire locus, and there was a shift from biallelic expression to monoallelic expression in exon 14 of the UBE3A gene. However, the brain-specific monoallelic expression of bovine UBE3A-ATS occurred in the entire gene. These observations demonstrated that the monoallelic expression did not occur along the bovine UBE3A entire locus and was associated with the genomic position.

Mesoscopic Limit Cycles in Coupled Nanolasers.

Two coupled nanolasers exhibit a mode switching transition, theoretically described by mode beating limit cycle oscillations. Their decay rate is vanishingly small in the thermodynamic limit, i.e., when the spontaneous emission noise tends to zero. We provide experimental statistical evidence of mesoscopic limit cycles (∼10^{3} intracavity photons). Specifically, we show that the order parameter quantifying the limit cycle amplitude can be reconstructed from the mode intensity statistics. We observe a maximum of the averaged amplitude at the mode switching, accounting for limit cycle oscillations. We finally relate this maximum to a dip of mode cross-correlations, reaching a minimum of g_{ij}^{(2)}=2/3, which we show to be a mesoscopic limit. Coupled nanolasers are thus an appealing test bed for the investigation of spontaneous breaking of time translation symmetry in the presence of strong quantum fluctuations.

Review of Huang-huai sheep, a new multiparous mutton sheep breed first identified in China.

Huang-huai sheep are a new multiparous mutton sheep breed that has been cultivated by domestic scientific research institutes, governments, and sheep farms in China. Huang-huai sheep were bred using Dorper sheep as a sire and Small-tailed Han sheep as a dam. The breeding of Huang-huai sheep started in 2003, and three stages have been carried out: crossbreeding innovation, fixation in a two-way-crossbred closed flock, and herd propagation. A pilot test of Huang-huai sheep was conducted on 6 sheep farms from 2017 to 2018, and hereditary properties and production performance were evaluated in 2019. Huang-huai sheep were identified on site by the National Livestock and Poultry Resources Committee of China in December 2019 and approved as a new multiparous mutton sheep breed in China. The genetic distance showed that Huang-huai sheep are most closely related to Dorper sheep, Luxi black-headed sheep, and Small-tailed Han sheep, but the genetic distances are subspecies (0.02-0.20) each other. The body weights of adult Huang-huai sheep are 98.1 ± 5.2 kg (♂) and 71.7 ± 3.5 kg (♀), and those of 6-month-old Huang-huai sheep are 58.50 ± 6.55 kg (♂) and 52.45 ± 5.67 kg (♀). The slaughter rates of 6-month-old sheep are 56.02 ± 1.25% (♂) and 53.19 ± 1.19% (♀). The estrus cycle of Huang-huai sheep is 19.32 ± 2.8 days, the first estrus cycle occurs at 168 ± 12 days, the annual lambing rate of ewes is 252.82% ± 10.69%, the survival rate of lambs is 95.79 ± 0.95%, and the number of weaned lambs per ewe per year is 2.38 ± 0.14. The growth performance, carcass quality, and reproductive performance of Huang-huai sheep have been improved, resulting in considerable economic and social benefits and broader market prospects. This breed represents a new multiparous mutton sheep breed adapted for industrial sheep farms in China.

Pathologic complete response to chemoembolization improves survival outcomes after curative surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma: predictive factors of response.

BACKGROUND: We identified the predictive factors and prognostic significance of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for achieving pathologic complete response (pCR) before curative surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatitis B-endemic areas. METHODS: Among 753 HCC patients treated with surgery, 124 patients underwent preoperative TACE before liver resection (LR), and 166 before liver transplantation (LT) between 2005 and 2016. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were analyzed. Pathologic response (PR) was defined as the mean percentage of necrotic area, and pCR was defined as the absence of viable tumor. RESULTS: A total of 34 (27%) and 38 (23%) patients had pCR before LR and LT, respectively. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) < 100 ng/mL and single tumor were significant preoperative predictors of pCR. OS and RFS were significantly improved in patients with pCR or a PR ≥ 90%, but not in patients with PR ≥ 50% after LR and LT. On multivariate analyses, PR ≥ 90% remained an independent predictor of better OS and RFS in LR and LT groups. CONCLUSION: Overall, our data clearly demonstrate that pCR predicts favorable prognosis after curative surgery for HCC, and predictors of pCR are AFP <100 ng/mL and single tumor.

[Dedifferentiated liposarcoma with inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor-like features: a clinicopathological analysis of five cases].

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) with inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT)-like features. Methods: Five cases of DDLPS with IMT-like features were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the First People's Hospital of Qinzhou between 2013 and 2018. EnVision method and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were used to detect the immunophenotype of the tumor cells and the profile of MDM2 gene amplification respectively. Results: All five cases were male and the median age was 61 (range 53 to 65) years. The clinical symptoms were mainly related to the space-occupying lesions. The tumors were located in duodenal mesentery (two cases), intestinal wall (one case), retroperitoneum (one case), and spermatic cord (one case). Grossly, the tumors were not well encapsulated, ranging from 3 to 13 cm (median 6.7 cm) in diameter, with tan to gray and firm cut surface. Histologically, the dedifferentiated component closely resembled inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT), with spindle/polygonal/stellate-shaped cells arranged in storiform, sheet-like, or random pattern, with varying degrees of chronic inflammation and fibrosis. All three major patterns seen in IMT (myxoid, cellular and hypocellular fibrous) were observed, the hypocellular fibrous pattern was the most common. Well-differentiated liposarcomatous component was found in the peripheral areas of all the tumors. One case had high grade dedifferentiated component. Four cases were strongly positive for MDM2 and p16. Two cases were positive for SMA, and one case was focally positive for desmin and one for CD34. None of the cases stained for ALK-1. FISH demonstrated MDM2 gene amplification in all five cases. Clinical follow-ups were available in all five cases and the interval ranged from 3 to 66 months (median 23 months). Two patients developed recurrences and one patient had metastasis. The remaining two patients were alive with no evidence of tumor recurrence at 3 and 14 months after surgery respectively. Conclusions: DDLPS with IMT-like features is a more aggressive neoplasm than its histological mimic (IMT), and should not be misdiagnosed as other intermediate or low-grade malignant tumors, such as IMT, sclerosing liposarcoma, inflammatory liposarcoma, aggressive fibromatosis, solitary fibrous tumors, low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma, and low-grade fibrosarcoma.

Development of a multiroute physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for orbifloxacin in rabbits.

To predict the orbifloxacin concentrations in rabbits after multiple routes of administration, a flow-limited multiroute physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed. Three routes of administration (IV, IM, and PO) were incorporated into this model. Physiological parameters including tissue weights and blood flows through different tissues were obtained from the literature. The tissue/plasma partition coefficients (PX s) for noneliminating tissues were calculated according to the area method, while the PX s for kidney and the rest of the body compartment, together with other parameters for absorption and elimination, were optimized based on the published concentrations. The comparisons between predicted and observed orbifloxacin concentrations proved its validity, and the present model predicted available concentration data well, including those in liver, kidney, muscle, lung, heart, and plasma after oral, intravenous, or intramuscular administration. A local sensitivity analysis was also performed, which showed that the parameters for oral absorption were most influential on the orbifloxacin concentrations. This model was used to predict plasma and tissue concentrations after multiple oral or intramuscular administration. This study demonstrated the feasibility of predicting drug residues in minor species after multiple routes of administration in the extra-label manner using the PBPK modeling.

Intra-articular injection of microRNA-140 (miRNA-140) alleviates osteoarthritis (OA) progression by modulating extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Disruptions of extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis are key events in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). MicroRNA-140 (miRNA-140) is expressed specifically in cartilage and regulates ECM-degrading enzymes. Our objective in this study was to determine if intra-articular injection of miRNA-140 can attenuate OA progression in rats. DESIGN: miRNA-140 levels in human normal and OA cartilage derived chondrocytes and synovial fluid were assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). After primary human chondrocytes were transfected with miRNA-140 mimic or inhibitor, PCR and western blotting were performed to quantify Collagen II, MMP-13, and ADAMTS-5 expression. An OA model was induced surgically in rats, and subsequently treated with one single intra-articular injection of miRNA-140 agomir. At 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery, OA progression were evaluated macroscopically, histologically, and immunohistochemically in these rats. RESULTS: miRNA-140 levels were significantly reduced in human OA cartilage derived chondrocytes and synovial fluid compared with normal chondrocytes and synovial fluid. Overexpressing miRNA-140 in primary human chondrocytes promoted Collagen II expression and inhibited MMP-13 and ADAMTS-5 expression. miRNA-140 levels in rat cartilage were significantly higher in the miRNA-140 agomir group than in the control group. Moreover, behavioural scores, chondrocyte numbers, cartilage thickness and Collagen II expression levels in cartilage were significantly higher, while pathological scores and MMP-13 and ADAMTS-5 expression levels were significantly lower in the miRNA-140 agomir group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Intra-articular injection of miRNA-140 can alleviate OA progression by modulating ECM homeostasis in rats, and may have potential as a new therapy for OA.

Frequency and risk factors of colorectal adenoma in patients with early gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The authors aimed to determine the clinical value of colonoscopy by evaluating the frequency of colorectal neoplasm (CRN) detection in patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) as compared with healthy controls and analysed the risk factors of advanced CRN in patients with EGC. METHODS: The medical records of 201 patients diagnosed as EGC and age- and gender-matched healthy controls were retrospectively reviewed. Frequencies and clinical features of colorectal polyps of patients and controls were compared. Risk factors of advanced CRN in patients with EGC were also analysed. RESULTS: Frequencies of CRN in patients and controls were 49.8 and 49.3% respectively (P = 0.90). They were more common in the right colon in patients (P < 0.05). Advanced CRN were found in 10.3% of patients and in 3% of controls (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that old age and smoking history were risk factors of an advanced CRN in patients with EGC. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of a coexisting advanced CRN was higher in EGC patients. The study shows colonoscopy plays an important role with respect to the detection of synchronous advanced CRN in patients with EGC.

Effect of feeding Rumen-protected capsule containing niacin, K2SO4, vitamin C, and gamma-aminobutyric acid on heat stress and performance of dairy cows.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemental rumen-protected capsule (RPC) on animal performance, serological indicators, and serum heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) of lactating Holstein cows under heat stress (HS). During summer months, 30 healthy multiparous lactating Holstein cows with a parity number of 3.1 ± 0.44, 70 ± 15 d in milk, an average body weight of 622 ± 62kg, and an average milk yield of 32.28 ± 0.96kg/d, were used. The cows were randomly allocated to two groups: a control group and an RPC-supplemented group (0.13373kg K2SO4, 0.02488kg vitamin C, 0.021148kg niacin, and 0.044784kggamma-aminobutyric acid per cow). During the 42-d experiment, ambient air temperature and relative humidity inside and outside the barn were recorded hourly every day for the determination of temperature-humidity index (THI). Milk and blood samples were collected every week, and body weight and body condition scoring were measured on day 0. Based on the THI values, the animals had moderate HS. On day 42, the RPC group had lower HSP70, adrenocorticotropic hormone (P = 0.0001), lactate dehydrogenase (P = 0.0338), and IL-6 (P = 0.0724) levels than the control group, with no significant differences in creatine kinase, glucocorticoid, or IL-2 levels. Milk yield, energy-corrected milk, and dry matter intake were higher in RPC than in the control group (P = 0.0196). There were no significant differences in milk fat or daily protein levels between the two groups; however, daily protein and milk fat levels were higher in the RPC group than in the control group (P = 0.0114 and P = 0.0665, respectively). Somatic cell counts were no different between the two groups. In conclusion, RPC may alleviate HS and improve dairy cow performance.

Pharmacokinetics of doxycycline in laying hens after intravenous and oral administration.

The pharmacokinetics of doxycycline in laying hens was investigated after a single intravenous (IV) or an oral (PO) dose at 20 mg/kg body weight. The concentrations of doxycycline in plasma samples were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with an ultraviolet detector, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a compartmental model method. The disposition of doxycycline after one single IV injection was best described by a two-compartment open model and the main pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: volume of distribution (Vd) was 865.15 ± 127.64 ml/kg, distribution rate constant (α) was (2.28 ± 0.38) 1/h, elimination rate constant (ß) was 0.08 ± 0.02 1/h and total body clearance (Cl) was104.11 ± 18.32 ml/h/kg, while after PO administration, the concentration versus time curve was best described by a one-compartment open model and absorption rate constant (Ka), peak concentration (Cmax), time to reach Cmax (tmax) and absolute bioavailability (F) were 2.55 ± 1.40 1/h, 5.88 ± 0.70 µg/ml, 1.73 ± 0.75 h and 52.33%, respectively. The profile of doxycycline exhibited favourable pharmacokinetic characteristics in laying hens, such as quick absorption and slow distribution and elimination, though oral bioavailability was relatively low. A multiple-dosing regimen (a dose of 20 mg/kg/d for 3 consecutive days) of doxycycline was recommended to treat infections in laying hens. But a further study should be conducted to determine the withdrawal time of doxycycline in eggs.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel Y-box gene from Sepiella maindroni.

Y-box proteins are a family of highly conserved nucleic acid binding proteins that interact with genome and transcription product to modulate the transcriptional and translational processes. In the present study, a complete mRNA of Y-box binding protein (designated SmYB) was obtained from Sepiella maindroni by amplification of flanking sequences. The full size of SmYB cDNA was 1502 bp, including 99 bp at the 5ꞌ untranslated region (UTR), a 3ꞌ UTR of 821 bp with a poly (A) tail, and an open reading frame of 582 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 193 amino acids with the predicted molecular weight of 16.48 kDa. The conserved cold-shock domain and two known RNA binding motifs identified in SmYB strongly suggested that SmYB was a new member of Y-box proteins. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to examine the expression of SmYB mRNA in various tissues, embryos, and its temporal expression in liver after cold shock. The mRNA transcript of SmYB was detected in all examined tissues, with the highest expression level in testis and ovary. SmYB was abundant in early developmental stages of S. maindroni embryos but diminished in the late post-embryonic development. In addition, cold-shock treatment upregulated the transcription of SmYB mRNA in liver. These results demonstrated that SmYB is involved in embryonic development of S. maindroni and its tolerance to acute low temperatures.

Development of terpenoid repellents against Aedes albopictus: a combined study of biological activity evaluation and computational modelling.

To explore novel terpenoid repellents, 22 candidate terpenoid derivatives were synthesized and tested for their electroantennogram (EAG) responses and repellent activities against Aedes albopictus. The results from the EAG experiments revealed that 5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl formate (compound 1) induced distinct EAG responses in female Aedes albopictus. At concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 mg/L, the EAG response values for compound 1 were 179.59, 183.99, 190.38, 193.80, and 196.66 mV, demonstrating comparable or superior effectiveness to DEET. Repellent activity analysis indicated significant repellent activity for compound 1, closest to the positive control DEET. The in silico assessment of the ADMET profile of compound 1 indicates that it successfully passed the ADMET evaluation. Molecular docking studies exhibited favourable binding of compound 1 to the active site of the odorant binding protein (OBP) of Aedes albopictus, involving hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bond interactions with residues in the OBP pocket. The QSAR model highlighted the influential role of hydrogen-bonding receptors, positively charged surface area of weighted atoms, polarity parameters of molecules, and maximum nuclear-nuclear repulsion force of carbon-carbon bonds on the relative EAG response values of the tested compounds. This study holds substantial significance for the advancement of new terpenoid repellents.

A Machine Learning Algorithm Facilitates Prognosis Prediction and Treatment Selection for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage C Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Given its heterogeneity and diverse clinical outcomes, precise subclassification of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C (BCLC-C) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is required for appropriately determining patient prognosis and selecting treatment. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We recruited 2,626 patients with BCLC-C HCC from multiple centers, comprising training/test (n = 1,693) and validation cohorts (n = 933). The XGBoost model was chosen for maximum performance among the machine learning (ML) models. Patients were categorized into low-, intermediate-, high-, and very high-risk subgroups based on the estimated prognosis, and this subclassification was named the CLAssification via Machine learning of BCLC-C (CLAM-C). RESULTS: The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the CLAM-C for predicting the 6-, 12-, and 24-month survival of patients with BCLC-C were 0.800, 0.831, and 0.715, respectively-significantly higher than those of the conventional models, which were consistent in the validation cohort. The four subgroups had significantly different median overall survivals, and this difference was maintained among various patient subgroups and treatment modalities. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors and transarterial therapies were associated with significantly better survival than tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in the low- and intermediate-risk subgroups. In cases with first-line systemic therapy, the CLAM-C identified atezolizumab-bevacizumab as the best therapy, particularly in the high-risk group. In cases with later-line systemic therapy, nivolumab had better survival than TKIs in the low-to-intermediate-risk subgroup, whereas TKIs had better survival in the high- to very high-risk subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: ML modeling effectively subclassified patients with BCLC-C HCC, potentially aiding treatment allocation. Our study underscores the potential utilization of ML modeling in terms of prognostication and treatment allocation in patients with BCLC-C HCC.

Single photon counting from individual nanocrystals in the infrared.

Experimental restrictions imposed on the collection and detection of shortwave-infrared photons (SWIR) have impeded single molecule work on a large class of materials whose optical activity lies in the SWIR. Here we report the successful observation of room-temperature single nanocrystal photoluminescence at SWIR wavelengths using a highly efficient multielement superconducting nanowire single photon detector. We confirm that the photoluminescence from single lead sulfide nanocrystals is strongly antibunched, demonstrating the feasibility of performing sophisticated photon correlation experiments on individual weak SWIR emitters, and, more broadly, paving the way for sensitive measurements of spectral observables on infrared quantum systems that are incompatible with current detection techniques.

Melanodevriesia, a new genus of endolichenic oleaginous black yeast recovered from the Inner Mongolia Region of China.

Black yeasts are a phylogenetically diverse group of ascomycetous fungi that may exist in both unicellular and mycelial morphs. This group of fungi contains numerous commercially significant species as well as others whose precise roles are unknown, such as endolichenic species. There is currently a paucity of data about endolichenic black yeast species. To bridge this gap, we surveyed China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in July 2019. Several fungal species associated with diverse lichens were isolated during this survey. Among these were two isolates of a previously unknown species of oleaginous black yeast from Mycosphaerellales. Analyses of morphological and molecular data revealed that these two isolates were closely related to Xenodevriesia strelitziicola (Xenodevriesiaceae), although with significant differences. As a result, we established the genus Melanodevriesia gen. nov. to describe this previously unknown species, Melanodevriesia melanelixiae sp. nov. In addition, we used Transmission Electron Microscopy to visualise the intracellular oil bodies metabolised by this fungus in its unicellular state. The black yeast species identified in this study may have a wide range of commercial applications. More research is needed to determine the chemical composition of the microbial oil synthesized by this fungus and whether it has commercial value. Citation: Chang R, Cao W, Wang Y, Li S, Li X, Bose T, Si HL (2022). Melanodevriesia, a new genus of endolichenic oleaginous black yeast recovered from the Inner Mongolia Region of China. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 9: 1-9. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2022.09.01.

[Current situation on drug resistance and influencing factors of multidrug-resistance in newly treated pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Gansu province].

Objective: In order to provide the precise prevention and control strategy of drug resistance TB in Gansu province, we analyzed the status and risk factors of new drug resistance pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Methods: New pulmonary tuberculosis patients were enrolled from 30 tuberculosis-specialized medical institutions (drug resistance monitoring stations) in Gansu province between first September 2014 to 31th August 2017, and filled in the survey questionnaire. The isolated Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) strains were implemented 10 drugs drug- susceptibility tes, including isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RFP), ethambutol (EMB), streptomycin (Sm), kanamycin (Km), amikacin (Am), ofloxacin (Ofx), capreomycin (Cm), propithio-iso-nicotinamide (Pto).The risk factors were analyzed by logistic regression model. Results: One patient was corresponding one clinical isolates among 1 815 patients. The rate (95%CI) of total drug-resistance, single drugresistance, multiple drug- resistance, multidrug-resistance and extensively drug-resistant were 25.45% (23.45%-27.46%), 11.40% (9.94%-12.87%),6.23% (5.11%-7.34%), 7.82% (6.59%-9.06%) and 0.28% (0.03%-0.52%) respectively. Among 142 multidrug-resistant TB patients, the farmers, young adults aged 20-59 and low-income group were 90.85%, 62.68% and 31.69%, respectively. The results of univariate and multivariate analysis showed that the male, non-Han, treatment less than 1 month group and treatment less than 1 month and withdrawal less than 2 month group were risk factors of new multidrug-resistant pulmonary TB. Conclusions: Compared with the Chinese national baseline level of TB resistance, the total drug resistance rate of new TB patients in Gansu province was low, but the multidrug-resistance rate was high. The health assistance for rural low-income TB patients was still an important strategy to prevent and control multidrug-resistant in Gansu province. And measures must implement to stop irregular treatment and poor compliance, as the risk factors of multidrug-resistance in new PTB patients.

Experimental evaluation and structure-activity relationship analysis of bridged-ring terpenoid derivatives as novel Blattella germanica repellent.

Cockroaches are urban pests that are very difficult to control. Using repellents is a green, safe and effective strategy for their control. In order to find novel cockroach repellents, the repellent activity of 45 bridged-ring terpenoid derivatives synthesized from ß-pinene against Blattella germanica was tested. The relationship between the molecular structure of these bridged-ring terpenoid derivatives and their repellent activity against Blattella germanica was also analysed. The results show that some of the bridged-ring terpenoid derivatives exhibit good repellent activity against Blattella germanica, and six compounds (RR = 60.44-87.32%) show higher repellent activity against Blattella germanica than DEET (RR = 54.77%), making them promising for development as new cockroach repellents. Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis revealed that the HOMO-1 energy, Kier and Hall index (order 2), Balaban index, and relative positive charged surface area of bridged-ring terpenoid derivatives have effects on repellent activity against Blattella germanica. The present study may provide a theoretical basis for the high-value use of ß-pinene and can be helpful to the development of novel repellents against Blattella germanica.

Perioperative anaphylaxis: A five-year review in a tertiary paediatric hospital.

Making a diagnosis of perioperative anaphylaxis and identifying culprit drugs are diagnostic challenges. The aim of this study is to describe the perioperative presentation of anaphylaxis and results of patients who underwent allergy evaluation. This is a retrospective review of perioperative anaphylaxis of severity Grade 2 and above based on the Australian and New Zealand Anaesthetic Allergy Group criteria from 2015 to 2019 in a tertiary paediatric hospital. Data collected were demographics, clinical features, investigations and management. Of the 35,361 cases of paediatric anaesthesia, there were 15 cases of perioperative anaphylaxis, giving an incidence of four in 10,000. The median age was seven years (interquartile range four-15 years) with a male predominance of 86.7% (13/15). The severity of anaphylaxis was Grade 2 in 33.3% (5/15) and Grade 3 in 66.7% (10/15). The commonest presenting feature was hypotension (13/15, 86.7%) while the earliest symptom was respiratory change (9/15, 60.0%). Dynamic tryptase was raised in 75% (6/8) of the patients with adequate tryptase samples. Eight patients (53.3%) completed allergy testing, of whom five patients (62.5%) had IgE-mediated anaphylaxis with skin test positive to cefazolin (n = 3), atracurium (n = 1) and rocuronium (n = 1). Three patients (25.0%) had non-IgE-mediated reactions with negative skin tests. Although only half the patients completed allergy evaluation, a culprit drug could be identified in 62.5%, with antibiotics being the commonest. This emphasises the need for appropriate evaluation in cases of suspected perioperative anaphylaxis.