AtPCa-Net: anatomical-aware prostate cancer detection network on multi-parametric MRI.

Multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) is widely used for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis. Deep learning models show good performance in detecting PCa on mpMRI, but domain-specific PCa-related anatomical information is sometimes overlooked and not fully explored even by state-of-the-art deep learning models, causing potential suboptimal performances in PCa detection. Symmetric-related anatomical information is commonly used when distinguishing PCa lesions from other visually similar but benign prostate tissue. In addition, different combinations of mpMRI findings are used for evaluating the aggressiveness of PCa for abnormal findings allocated in different prostate zones. In this study, we investigate these domain-specific anatomical properties in PCa diagnosis and how we can adopt them into the deep learning framework to improve the model's detection performance. We propose an anatomical-aware PCa detection Network (AtPCa-Net) for PCa detection on mpMRI. Experiments show that the AtPCa-Net can better utilize the anatomical-related information, and the proposed anatomical-aware designs help improve the overall model performance on both PCa detection and patient-level classification.

Superior acetone sensor based on hetero-interface of SnSe2/SnO2 quasi core shell nanoparticles for previewing diabetes.

To improve gas sensing performance of SnO2 sensor, a heterostructure constructed by SnO2 and SnSe2 is designed and synthesized via hydrothermal method and post thermal oxidation treatment. The obtained SnSe2/SnO2 composite nanoparticles demonstrate a special core-shell structure with SnO2 nanograins distributed in the shell and mixed SnSe2 and SnO2 nanograins in the core. Owning to the promoted charge transfer effect invited by SnSe2, the sensor based on SnSe2/SnO2 composite nanoparticles exhibit expressively enhanced acetone sensing performance compared to the pristine SnO2 sensor. At the working temperature of 300 °C, the SnSe2/SnO2 composite sensor with optimized composition exhibits superior sensing property towards acetone, including high response (10.77-100 ppm), low theoretical limit of detection (0.354 ppm), high selectivity and good reproducibility. Moreover, the sensor shows a satisfactory sensing performance in trace acetone gas detection under high humidity condition (relative humidity: 70-90%), making it a promising candidate to constructing exhaled breath sensors for acetone detection.

Genetic diversity analysis of Penicillium marneffei isolated from AIDS patients in Guangdong, China using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA.

BACKGROUND: Penicillium marneffei (P. marneffei) is an emerging pathogenic fungus that can cause invasive mycosis in patients with AIDS. The epidemiological features of P. marneffei infection in AIDS patients in Guangdong province remain unclear so far. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity within a population of 163 P. marneffei isolates obtained from AIDS patients and search for the dominant clinical strains in Guangdong province. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-three P. marneffei isolates obtained from AIDS patients in Guangdong province during January 2004 and December 2009 were studied by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using two random primers (H2 and H22). The degree of similarity between samples was calculated through similarity coefficients from RAPD fragment data and the dendrogram was assessed using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA). RESULTS: Two primers showed a high degree of discrimination and good stability. Primer H2 yielded eight different patterns (H2-1 to H2-8) among 163 isolates with the discriminatory power being 0.413. Primer H22 identified seven types (H22-1 to H22-7) among 163 isolates with the discriminatory power being 0.467. Genetic similarity coefficients based on RAPD data among 163 P. marneffei isolates ranged from 0.681 to 0.957, 61.96% of which were no less than 0.83. The discriminatory power of the two primers was 0.524. One hundred and sixty-three P. marneffei isolates were clustered into nine distinct groups (groups I to IX) at the similarity coefficient value of 0.83 and group I was the most common, including 101 strains (61.96%). CONCLUSION: The RAPD analyses could provide important information as to the degree of genetic diversity and the relationship among clinical P. marneffei isolates, revealing genetic polymorphism and dominant strains.

Microsatellite analysis of clinical isolates of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Penicillium marneffei from AIDS patients in China.

BACKGROUND: Penicillium marneffei is an opportunistic fungus that may cause fatal disease, and usually infects acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. The molecular epidemiology of this fungus remains enigmatic. METHODS: A multilocus microsatellite typing (MLMT) system based on 11 microsatellite loci was applied to 169 unrelated isolates of P. marneffei obtained from AIDS patients, in order to identify their genetic diversity. These patients came from the provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi, areas endemic for P. marneffei in China. RESULTS: For the overall population, the average number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 8 (mean 5.5), while the discriminatory power (DP) of each locus ranged from 0.235 to 0.651 (mean 0.512). By combining the information generated for 11 loci, MLMT detected 159 different multilocus genotypes (MTs), resulting in a high degree of discrimination (DP = 0.999). One hundred and sixty-nine isolates were further clustered into 9 types (from A to I) at the similarity coefficient of 0.80, with type A (80 isolates) and type B (60 isolates) being the most common types. Within 5 subpopulations from different regions of China, the distribution of MTs of P. marneffei isolates was diverse. Although 169 isolates shared a high genetic similarity (range 0.71-0.933), isolates from Guangxi and Guangdong provinces could be differentiated from each other and clustered into 2 categories by unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) cluster analysis. CONCLUSIONS: By MLMT, the genetic diversity of clinical P. marneffei isolates could be discriminated, the dominant strain of P. marneffei cultured from AIDS patients in China could be identified, and clinical isolates of P. marneffei from Guangxi Province could be differentiated from those from Guangdong Province.

Cloning, characterization, and expression of a novel secretory lipase-like gene from Clonorchis sinensis.

A secretory lipase-like gene was isolated from total cDNA of adult Clonorchis sinensis. The gene has an open reading frame of 1,218 bp long and encodes for a protein of 406 amino acids including a putative signal peptide of 20 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence including signal peptide has 42-45% identity with lipase of other species and two typical enzymic active sites that contain consensus sequence (Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly) of lipase. The cDNA encoding this protein was subcloned into pET-28a (+) expression vector and expressed in Escherichia coli. The expressed fusion protein has a molecular mass of about 45 kDa. Prediction of signal peptide and Western blot analysis indicated that the secretory lipase-like protein is an excretory-secretory product of C. sinensis. Immunostaining revealed that the secretory lipase-like protein was localized in the tegument of the adult worm and metacercaria. These results provide basis for further studies on the nutrition taking and invasion of C. sinensis mediated by the secretory lipase-like protein.