CT whole lung radiomic nomogram: a potential biomarker for lung function evaluation and identification of COPD.

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT) plays a great role in characterizing and quantifying changes in lung structure and function of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to explore the performance of CT-based whole lung radiomic in discriminating COPD patients and non-COPD patients. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed on 2785 patients who underwent pulmonary function examination in 5 hospitals and were divided into non-COPD group and COPD group. The radiomic features of the whole lung volume were extracted. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression was applied for feature selection and radiomic signature construction. A radiomic nomogram was established by combining the radiomic score and clinical factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the predictive performance of the radiomic nomogram in the training, internal validation, and independent external validation cohorts. RESULTS: Eighteen radiomic features were collected from the whole lung volume to construct a radiomic model. The area under the curve (AUC) of the radiomic model in the training, internal, and independent external validation cohorts were 0.888 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.869-0.906], 0.874 (95%CI 0.844-0.904) and 0.846 (95%CI 0.822-0.870), respectively. All were higher than the clinical model (AUC were 0.732, 0.714, and 0.777, respectively, P < 0.001). DCA demonstrated that the nomogram constructed by combining radiomic score, age, sex, height, and smoking status was superior to the clinical factor model. CONCLUSIONS: The intuitive nomogram constructed by CT-based whole-lung radiomic has shown good performance and high accuracy in identifying COPD in this multicenter study.

Relationship between COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and willingness to pay for the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine of oncology patients in Taizhou, China.

OBJECTIVE: This population-based study aimed to determine the hesitancy and willingness to pay (WTP) for the booster dose of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine among patients with cancer in Taizhou, China. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A self-administered online questionnaire was administered to patients with cancer in Taizhou, China. The chi-square test, binary logistic regression model were used to evaluate the WTP for the booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The minimum sample size was 218, determined by G*Power software (latest ver. 3.1.9.7). A total of 354 patients received the survey, and 256 (72.3%) patients responded. RESULTS: Overall, 69.9% (179/256) of respondents were willing to pay for the booster dose, and 78.8% (141/179) of these patients were willing to pay 1-99 CNY. Furthermore, 50.4% (129/256) of respondents were hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Being unhesitant was significantly associated with WTP for the booster dose (aOR: 3.040; 95% CI: 1.669-5.540). CONCLUSION: Hesitant patients with cancer had a lower WTP for the booster dose against COVID-19 than non-hesitant participants. These results imply that further health education programmes are essential to decrease the hesitancy of patients with cancer and enhance booster dose vaccination rates for public health improvements.KEY MESSAGESOur research showed that 70% of patients with cancer are willing to pay for the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and most are willing to pay less than 100 CNY, and this result reflects the economic value and affordability of the third dose of vaccination.COVID-19 vaccine-hesitant patients with cancer had a lower willingness to pay for a booster dose against COVID-19 than non-hesitant participants and few patients are still unwilling to pay among patients do not hesitate to receive the third dose.Therefore, promoting willingness to pay among oncology patients and addressing vaccine hesitancy remains key.

Willingness of Older Adults with Chronic Diseases to Receive a Booster Dose of Inactivated Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine: A Cross-Sectional Study in Taizhou, China.

Vaccination is an important measure to control the spread of COVID-19 among elderly high-risk groups; however, the propensity to receive COVID-19 vaccine boosters has not been evaluated in these populations. Here, we aimed to investigate the willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster among the elderly chronic disease population in Taizhou, China. A cross-sectional, hospital-based survey was conducted in the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital between 6 July and 11 August 2021 in Taizhou, China, and the data were uploaded to Wen-Juan-Xing, one of the largest online platforms used to collect survey data in China. The targeted population was non-oncology chronic disease patients aged 60 years and above. The minimum sample size was 229, determined by the G*Power software (v3.1.9.2, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany). A total of 254 patients with valid data were enrolled in this study, with a response rate of 82.5% (254/308). Chi-square tests and one-way binary regression were used to compare the proportions and the degree of influence of categorical factors. The magnitude of the effect for the comparisons was measured by Gramer's V. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was used to correct for confounders and to identify factors. All data were analyzed using SPSS v24.0 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). A total of 198 respondents (77.9%) were willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose, and 77.6% of respondents were willing to receive the primary dose. Age < 70 years (OR 2.82), stable disease control (OR 2.79), confidence in the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine (OR 3.11), and vaccine recipient (OR 5.02) were significantly associated with the willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. Promoting primary dose vaccination is essential for advancing booster vaccination, and it is important to focus on elderly patients' confidence in the vaccine, in addition to strengthening health management and promoting disease stability. Follow-up studies should focus on elderly patients who belong to specific disease groups.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Healthcare of Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comparison Between Epicenter vs. Non-epicenter Areas.

Background and Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic poses a great challenge to healthcare. We aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in epicenter and non-epicenter areas. Methods: Patients with IBD from Hubei province (the epicenter of COVID-19) and Guangdong province (a non-epicenter area), China were surveyed during the pandemic. The questionnaire included change of medications (steroids, immunomodulators, and biologics), procedures (lab tests, endoscopy, and elective surgery), and healthcare mode (standard healthcare vs. telemedicine) during 1 month before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. Results: In total, 324 IBD patients from Guangdong province (non-epicenter) and 149 from Hubei province (epicenter) completed the questionnaire with comparable demographic characteristics. Compared to patients in Guangdong province (non-epicenter), significantly more patients in Hubei (epicenter) had delayed lab tests/endoscopy procedures [61.1% (91/149) vs. 25.3% (82/324), p < 0.001], drug withdrawal [28.6% (43/149) vs. 9.3% (30/324), p < 0.001], delayed biologics infusions [60.4% (90/149) vs. 19.1% (62/324), p < 0.001], and postponed elective surgery [16.1% (24/149) vs. 3.7% (12/324), p < 0.001]. There was an increased use of telemedicine after the outbreak compared to before the outbreak in Hubei province [38.9% (58/149) vs. 15.4% (23/149), p < 0.001], while such a significant increase was not observed in Guangdong province [21.9% (71/324) vs. 18.8% (61/324), p = 0.38]. Approximately two-thirds of IBD patients from both sites agreed that telemedicine should be increasingly used in future medical care. Conclusions: Our patient-based survey study in a real-world setting showed that COVID-19 resulted in a great impact on the healthcare of patients with IBD, and such an impact was more obvious in the epicenter compared to the non-epicenter area of COVID-19. Telemedicine offers a good solution to counteract the challenges in an unprecedented situation such as COVID-19.

Combined "de novo" and "ex novo" lipid fermentation in a mix-medium of corncob acid hydrolysate and soybean oil by Trichosporon dermatis.

BACKGROUND: Microbial oil is one important bio-product for its important function in energy, chemical, and food industry. Finding suitable substrates is one key issue for its industrial application. Both hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates can be utilized by oleaginous microorganisms with two different bio-pathways ("de novo" lipid fermentation and "ex novo" lipid fermentation). To date, most of the research on lipid fermentation has focused mainly on only one fermentation pathway and little work was carried out on both "de novo" and "ex novo" lipid fermentation simultaneously; thus, the advantages of both lipid fermentation cannot be fulfilled comprehensively. RESULTS: In this study, corncob acid hydrolysate with soybean oil was used as a mix-medium for combined "de novo" and "ex novo" lipid fermentation by oleaginous yeast Trichosporon dermatis. Both hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates (sugars and soybean oil) in the medium can be utilized simultaneously and efficiently by T. dermatis. Different fermentation modes were compared and the batch mode was the most suitable for the combined fermentation. The influence of soybean oil concentration, inoculum size, and initial pH on the lipid fermentation was evaluated and 20 g/L soybean oil, 5% inoculum size, and initial pH 6.0 were suitable for this bioprocess. By this technology, the lipid composition of extracellular hydrophobic substrate (soybean oil) can be modified. Although adding emulsifier showed little beneficial effect on lipid production, it can modify the intracellular lipid composition of T. dermatis. CONCLUSIONS: The present study proves the potential and possibility of combined "de novo" and "ex novo" lipid fermentation. This technology can use hydrophilic and hydrophobic sustainable bio-resources to generate lipid feedstock for the production of biodiesel or other lipid-based chemical compounds and to treat some special wastes such as oil-containing wastewater.

Semi-pilot Scale Microbial Oil Production by Trichosporon cutaneum Using Medium Containing Corncob Acid Hydrolysate.

In this study, semi-pilot scale microbial oil production by Trichosporon cutaneum using medium containing corncob acid hydrolysate was carried out in a 50-L fermentor. Scale up showed no negative influence on lipid fermentation that no obvious lag phase was observed. Both glucose and xylose could be utilized simultaneously by T. cutaneum, but the utilization rate of xylose was much slower than that of glucose. After 7.6 days of fermentation, the biomass, lipid content, and lipid yield were 21.8 g/L, 53.7 %, and 11.7 g/L, respectively. Also, a high lipid coefficient (lipid yield on sugars consumption) of 26.3 was obtained. Besides microbial oil, polysaccharide was another main product of lipid fermentation that the remaining biomass residue full of polysaccharides after lipid extraction could be one important by-product in future. Overall, this study showed the great potential of industrialization for lipid production by T. cutaneum on low-cost substrates especially for lignocellulosic hydrolysates.

Use of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) acid hydrolysate for microbial oil production by Trichosporon cutaneum.

Elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) dilute acid hydrolysate contains 34.6 g/L total sugars. The potential of lipid production by oleaginous yeast Trichosporon cutaneum grown on elephant grass acid hydrolysate was investigated for the first time. During the fermentation process on the elephant grass acid hydrolysate, glucose, xylose, and arabinose could be well utilized as carbon sources by T. cutaneum. Interestingly, xylose was almost no use before glucose was consumed completely. This illustrated that simultaneous saccharification of xylose and glucose by T. cutaneum did not occur on elephant grass acid hydrolysate. The highest biomass, lipid content, lipid yield, and lipid coefficient of T. cutaneum were measured after the sixth day of fermentation and were 22.76 g/L, 24.0%, 5.46 g/L, and 16.1%, respectively. Therefore, elephant grass is a promising raw material for microbial oil production by T. cutaneum.

Platinum nanoparticles/graphene-oxide hybrid with excellent peroxidase-like activity and its application for cysteine detection.

A facile approach is proposed for the growth of platinum nanoparticles on graphene oxide (PtNPs/GO). The resulting PtNPs/GO hybrid has been proved to function as peroxidase mimics that can catalyze the oxidation of peroxidase substrates in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Kinetic studies indicate that the PtNPs/GO nanocomposite has a considerably higher affinity for both 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and H2O2 than those of other platinum-based peroxidase mimics. Furthermore, colorimetric recognition and sensing of L-cysteine with high sensitivity and selectivity is presented based on target-induced shielding against the peroxidase-like activity of PtNPs/GO. We envision that this material will be an ideal candidate for a wide range of potential applications in the fields of biomedicine and environmental chemistry.

Bioconversion of corncob acid hydrolysate into microbial oil by the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi.

For the first time, corncob acid hydrolysate was used for microbial oil production by the oleaginous yeast Lipomyces starkeyi. After hydrolysis by dilute sulfuric acid, corncob could turn into an acid hydrolysate with a sugar concentration of about 42.3 g/L. Detoxified by overliming and absorption with activated carbon, the corncob hydrolysate could be used by L. starkeyi efficiently that a total biomass of 17.2 g/L with a lipid content of 47.0 % (corresponding to a lipid yield of 8.1 g/L) and a lipid coefficient of 20.9 could be obtained after cultivation on the corncob hydrolysate for 8 days. Therefore, L. starkeyi is a promising strain for microbial oil production from lignocellulosic biomass. Glucose and xylose were used by L. starkeyi simultaneously during lipid fermentation while arabinose could not be utilized by it. Besides, the lipid composition of L. starkeyi was similar to that of vegetable oils; thus, it is a promising feedstock for biodiesel production.