Application of natural language processing to post-structuring of rectal cancer MRI reports.

AIM: To evaluate a natural language processing (NLP) system for extracting structured information from the free-form text of rectal cancer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reports written in Chinese. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A rule-based NLP model that could extract 11 key image features of rectal cancer was constructed using 358 MRI reports of rectal cancer written between 2015 and 2021. Fifty reports written before 2015 and 50 written after 2021 were used as test datasets, and the reference standard was determined by manual extraction of information by two radiologists. The length and reporting rate of image features in pre-2015 and post-2021 datasets, as well as the accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score of feature extraction by the NLP system, were compared. The time required for the NLP to extract data was compared with that required by the radiologists. RESULTS: Reports written after 2021 had longer diagnostic impression sections than reports written before 2015. The reporting rate of key imaging features of rectal cancer was 36.55% before 2015 and 79.82% after 2021. The accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score of NLP for correct extraction of values from reports were 93.82%, 95.63%, 87.06%, and 91.15%, respectively, for pre-2015 reports, and 92.55%, 98.53%, 94.15%, and 96.29%, respectively, for post-2021 reports. NLP generated all the structured information in <1 second. CONCLUSIONS: The NLP system with rule-based pattern matching achieved rapid and accurate structured processing of rectal cancer MRI reports. MRI reports with structured templates are more suitable for NLP-based extraction of information.

Effect of COVID-19 infection on pregnant women in plateau regions.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to explore the effect of COVID-19 infection on pregnant women in plateau regions. STUDY DESIGN: Data from 381 pregnant women infected with COVID-19 who underwent prenatal examination or treatment at Women and Children's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region between January 2020 and December 2022 and 314 pregnant women not infected with COVID-19 were retrospectively collected. METHODS: The study participants were divided into an infected and non-infected group according to whether they were infected with COVID-19. Basic information (ethnicity, age, body mass index and gestational age [GA]), vaccination status, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and delivery outcomes were compared. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse the influencing factors of ICU admission. RESULTS: The results revealed significant differences in the GA, vaccination rate, blood pressure, partial pressure of oxygen, white blood cell (WBC) count, ICU admission rate, preeclampsia rate, forearm presentation rate, thrombocytopenia rate, syphilis infection rate and placental abruption rate between the two groups (P < 0.05). A univariate analysis showed that COVID-19 infection, hepatitis B virus infection, the WBC count and hypoproteinaemia were risk factors for ICU admission. The results of the multivariate analysis of the ICU admission of pregnant women showed that COVID-19 infection (odds ratio [OR] = 4.271, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 3.572-5.820, P < 0.05) was a risk factor for ICU admission and the WBC count (OR = 0.935, 95 % CI: 0.874-0.947, P < 0.05) was a protective factor for ICU admission. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women are vulnerable to the adverse consequences of COVID-19 infection, and public health measures such as vaccination are needed to protect this population subgroup.

Clinical efficacy and safety evaluation of Dermatophagoides farinae drops in the treatment of allergic rhinitis with epistaxis.

Summary: Background. Epistaxis is frequently observed in allergic rhinitis (AR) patients. However, few studies focus on the outcome of epistaxis with treatment of AR patients. This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the efficacy and safety of AR patients with epistaxis treated with sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). Methods. A total of 74 patients aged 4-60 years with house dust mite (HDM)-induced AR accompanied by epistaxis and who completed 1 year of SLIT treatment with standard Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae) drops were enrolled in this study. The symptom scores, total medication scores (TMS), combined symptom and medication score (CSMS), visual analog scales (VAS), and bleeding score (BS) were assessed, as well as the nasal endoscopic examinations were performed to observe nasal signs. Results. The levels of symptom scores, TMS, CSMS, VAS, and BS at 0.5 year and 1 year of SLIT treatment were significantly lower than those at the baseline (all p less than 0.01). Also, statistical differences were seen in CSMS (p less than 0.05) and VAS (p less than 0.01) between 0.5 year and 1 year. As expected, BS was positively correlated with CSMS (r = 0.617, 95% CI 0.517-0.699) and VAS (r = 0.777, 95% CI 0.719-0.822) at all three time points. Conclusions. SLIT with D. farinae drops was effective and safe for AR patients with epistaxis, resulting in improving the symptoms of rhinitis while relieving the symptoms of epistaxis.

[Current status of global colorectal cancer prevalence, prevention and control].

Objective: This paper provides a brief overview of the epidemiology of colorectal cancer in China and around the world, and discusses how to prevent colorectal cancer to reduce its disease burden. Method: Using the official database of GLOBOCAN 2020, the China Cancer Registry Annual Report compiled by the National Cancer Center, and data from CONCORD-3.Data management was performed by Microsoft Excel 2016 and R 4.2.1 Relevant graphs were generated using the ggplot2 package for result visualization. Result: An estimated 1 931 590 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer worldwide in 2020 with an age-standardized incidence rate of 19.5 per 100 000. There were about 935 173 deaths caused by colorectal cancer internationally, with an age-standardized mortality rate of 9.0 per 100 000. Overall, colorectal cancer was the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in 2020. In China, the age-standardized incidence rate and mortality rate of colorectal cancer was 17.3 per 100 000 and 7.8 per 100 000, respectively. Gender differences in trends were observed, with a decreasing trend in incidence and mortality among females and an increasing trend in incidence and mortality among males. The primary risk factors for colorectal cancer include age, genetic factors, gastrointestinal disorders, dietary habits, and lifestyle et al. Conclusions: Colorectal cancer poses a significant burden globally and in China. The occurrence of colorectal cancer is closely related to physiology, genetics, behavioral habits, lifestyle, and disease factors. To better control the colorectal cancer burden with the lowest cost, specific measures should be taken to reduce exposure to established risk factors. By combining the disease prevention and control strategies of tertiary prevention in China with the characteristic factors of colorectal cancer, the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer may be effectively controlled.

[Observation of the consistency between intellectualized and manual-based cognitive assessment tools in the outpatient clinic].

Objective: The intellectualized versions of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) and the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) (i-MoCA/i-MMSE) were developed. The validity of this system was evaluated in a clinical sample through comparing with the manual-based assessments. Methods: A total of 88 patients [aged (66.82±11.37) years, 30 males and 58 females] were enrolled in the outpatient clinic of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University with complaints of cognitive decline, from February to October 2023. All participants completed manual-based and intellectualized assessments in a randomized order, with an interval of 2 weeks to control for the practice effect. The reliability of the intellectualized version of assessments was evaluated based on the manual-based version using the Concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). The difference between the intellectualized and the manual-based assessments was tested by the Repeated ANCOVA with demographic information controlled. The accuracy of evaluation of the i-MoCA and i-MMSE was analyzed by the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: High concordance was observed between the intellectualized version and the manual-based assessments (CCCMoCA=0.87, CCCMMSE=0.83). Controlling for basic demographic information, there was no significant difference in the scores of the intellectualized version and the manual-based assessments (all P>0.05). The accuracy of i-MoCA in screening patients with cognitive impairment was 94.3% (sensitivity=94.6%, specificity=78.1%), while the accuracy of i-MMSE in screening patients with cognitive impairment was 94.9% (sensitivity=94.9%, specificity=77.6%). In addition, the majority of subdomains measured by the cognitive assessments exhibited high consistency across the intellectualized the manual-based versions (CCCMoCA=0.32-0.78; CCCMMSE=0.54-0.79). Conclusion: Both the i-MoCA and i-MMSE showed high consistency and diagnostic accuracy with the manual-based versions in terms of overall cognitive function and subdomains.

[Epidemiological characteristics of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) among acute respiratory infection (ARI) cases in 16 provinces of China from 2009 to 2023].

Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) among acute respiratory infection (ARI) cases in 16 provinces of China from 2009 to 2023. Methods: The data of this study were collected from the ARI surveillance data from 16 provinces in China from 2009 to 2023, with a total of 28 278 ARI cases included in the study. The clinical specimens from ARI cases were screened for HRSV nucleic acid from 2009 to 2023, and differences in virus detection rates among cases of different age groups, regions, and months were analyzed. Results: A total of 28 278 ARI cases were enrolled from January 2009 to September 2023. The age of the cases ranged from<1 month to 112 years, and the age M (Q1, Q3) was 3 years (1 year, 9 years). Among them, 3 062 cases were positive for HRSV nucleic acid, with a total detection rate of 10.83%. From 2009 to 2019, the detection rate of HRSV was 9.33%, and the virus was mainly prevalent in winter and spring. During the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the detection rate of HRSV fluctuated between 6.32% and 18.67%. There was no traditional winter epidemic peak of HRSV from the end of 2022 to the beginning of 2023, and an anti-seasonal epidemic of HRSV occurred from April to May 2023. About 87.95% (2 693/3 062) of positive cases were children under 5 years old, and the difference in the detection rate of HRSV among different age groups was statistically significant (P<0.001), showing a decreasing trend of HRSV detection rate with the increase of age (P<0.001). Among them, the HRSV detection rate (25.69%) was highest in children under 6 months. Compared with 2009-2019, the ranking of HRSV detection rates in different age groups changed from high to low between 2020 and 2023, with the age M (Q1, Q3) of HRSV positive cases increasing from 1 year (6 months, 3 years) to 2 years (11 months, 3 years). Conclusion: Through 15 years of continuous HRSV surveillance analysis, children under 5 years old, especially infants under 6 months old, are the main high-risk population for HRSV infection. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence and patterns of HRSV in China have changed.

[Feasibility and safety of remote programming in postoperative follow-up of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices].

Objective: To explore the feasibility and safety of remote programming technology based on 5G cloud technology support platform in postoperative follow-up of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices(CIED). Methods: This study was a multicenter cross-sectional study. CIED patients from 12 hospitals lacking full-time follow-up specialists in Sichuan Province were enrolled from June 2021 to October 2021. All patients' devices received remote inspecting and programming by the follow-up specialist of the remote follow-up center of the Third People's Hospital of Chengdu through 5G cloud technology support platform. The baseline data, device alarm events, device reprogramming events, adverse reactions and satisfaction questionnaire survey results were collected. Results: A total of 195 CIED implantation patients were included, with an age of (72.5±11.3) years, including 103 males (52.6%). All patients completed remote inspecting and programming successfully, with a duration of (5.8±4.0) min. Ninety-one patients' CIED were reprogrammed, with a total of 104 parameter adjustments. No abnormal communication or adverse events occurred. The satisfaction questionnaire showed that 97.9%(191/195) of the patients trusted or relatively trusted remote follow-up and 86.7%(169/195) of the patients were willing to choose remote follow-up mode for device management. Conclusion: The remote programming based on 5G cloud technology support platform may be feasible and safe for postoperative follow-up of CIED patients.

Redisposition of acremonium-like fungi in Hypocreales.

Acremonium is acknowledged as a highly ubiquitous genus including saprobic, parasitic, or endophytic fungi that inhabit a variety of environments. Species of this genus are extensively exploited in industrial, commercial, pharmaceutical, and biocontrol applications, and proved to be a rich source of novel and bioactive secondary metabolites. Acremonium has been recognised as a taxonomically difficult group of ascomycetes, due to the reduced and high plasticity of morphological characters, wide ecological distribution and substrate range. Recent advances in molecular phylogenies, revealed that Acremonium is highly polyphyletic and members of Acremonium s. lat. belong to at least three distinct orders of Sordariomycetes, of which numerous orders, families and genera with acremonium-like morphs remain undefined. To infer the phylogenetic relationships and establish a natural classification for acremonium-like taxa, systematic analyses were conducted based on a large number of cultures with a global distribution and varied substrates. A total of 633 cultures with acremonium-like morphology, including 261 ex-type cultures from 89 countries and a variety of substrates including soil, plants, fungi, humans, insects, air, and water were examined. An overview phylogenetic tree based on three loci (ITS, LSU, rpb2) was generated to delimit the orders and families. Separate trees based on a combined analysis of four loci (ITS, LSU, rpb2, tef-1α) were used to delimit species at generic and family levels. Combined with the morphological features, host associations and ecological analyses, acremonium-like species evaluated in the present study are currently assigned to 63 genera, and 14 families in Cephalothecales, Glomerellales and Hypocreales, mainly in the families Bionectriaceae, Plectosphaerellaceae and Sarocladiaceae and five new hypocrealean families, namely Chrysonectriaceae, Neoacremoniaceae, Nothoacremoniaceae, Pseudoniessliaceae and Valsonectriaceae. Among them, 17 new genera and 63 new combinations are proposed, with descriptions of 65 new species. Furthermore, one epitype and one neotype are designated to stabilise the taxonomy and use of older names. Results of this study demonstrated that most species of Acremonium s. lat. grouped in genera of Bionectriaceae, including the type A. alternatum. A phylogenetic backbone tree is provided for Bionectriaceae, in which 183 species are recognised and 39 well-supported genera are resolved, including 10 new genera. Additionally, rpb2 and tef-1α are proposed as potential DNA barcodes for the identification of taxa in Bionectriaceae. Taxonomic novelties: New families: Chrysonectriaceae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Neoacremoniaceae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Nothoacremoniaceae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Pseudoniessliaceae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Valsonectriaceae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous. New genera: Bionectriaceae: Alloacremonium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Gossypinidium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Monohydropisphaera L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Musananaesporium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Paragliomastix L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Proliferophialis L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Proxiovicillium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Ramosiphorum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Verruciconidia L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Waltergamsia L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Clavicipitaceae: Subuliphorum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Neoacremoniaceae: Neoacremonium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Nothoacremoniaceae: Nothoacremonium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Plectosphaerellaceae: Allomusicillium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Parafuscohypha L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Pseudoniessliaceae: Pseudoniesslia L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Sarocladiaceae: Polyphialocladium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous. New species: Bionectriaceae: Alloacremonium ferrugineum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Al. humicola L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Acremonium aerium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, A. brunneisporum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, A. chlamydosporium L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, A. ellipsoideum L.W. Hou, Rämä, L. Cai & Crous, A. gamsianum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, A. longiphialidicum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, A. multiramosum L.W. Hou, Rämä, L. Cai & Crous, A. mycoparasiticum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, A. stroudii K. Fletcher, F.C. Küpper & P. van West, A. subulatum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, A. synnematoferum L.W. Hou, Rämä, L. Cai & Crous, Bulbithecium ammophilae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, B. ellipsoideum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, B. truncatum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Emericellopsis brunneiguttula L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Gliomastix musae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Gossypinidium sporodochiale L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Hapsidospora stercoraria L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, H. variabilis L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Mycocitrus odorus L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Nectriopsis ellipsoidea L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Paracylindrocarpon aurantiacum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Pn. foliicola Lechat & J. Fourn., Paragliomastix rosea L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Proliferophialis apiculata L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Protocreopsis finnmarkica L.W. Hou, L. Cai, Rämä & Crous, Proxiovicillium lepidopterorum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Ramosiphorum echinoporiae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, R. polyporicola L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, R. thailandicum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Verruciconidia erythroxyli L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Ve. infuscata L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Ve. quercina L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Ve. siccicapita L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Ve. unguis L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Waltergamsia alkalina L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, W. catenata L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, W. moroccensis L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, W. obpyriformis L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Chrysonectriaceae: Chrysonectria crystallifera L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Nectriaceae: Xenoacremonium allantoideum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Neoacremoniaceae: Neoacremonium distortum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, N. flavum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Nothoacremoniaceae: Nothoacremonium subcylindricum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, No. vesiculophorum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Myrotheciomycetaceae: Trichothecium hongkongense L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Plectosphaerellaceae: Brunneomyces polyphialidus L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Parafuscohypha proliferata L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Sarocladiaceae: Chlamydocillium acaciae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, C. antarcticum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, C. guttulatum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, C. lolii L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, C. soli L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, C. terrestre L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Parasarocladium chondroidum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous,Polyphialocladium fusisporum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Sarocladium agarici L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, S. citri L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, S. ferrugineum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, S. fuscum L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous,S. theobromae L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Valsonectriaceae: Valsonectria crystalligena L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, V. hilaris L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous. New combinations: Bionectriaceae: Acremonium purpurascens (Sukapure & Thirum.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Bulbithecium arxii (Malloch) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Bu. borodinense (Tad. Ito et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Bu. pinkertoniae (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Bu. spinosum (Negroni) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Emericellopsis exuviara (Sigler et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, E. fimetaria (Pers.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, E. fuci (Summerb. et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, E. moniliformis (A. Giraldo et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, E. salmonea (W. Gams & Lodha) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, E. tubakii (Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Fusariella arenula (Berk. & Broome) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Hapsidospora chrysogena (Thirum. & Sukapure) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, H. flava (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, H. globosa (Malloch & Cain) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, H. inversa (Malloch & Cain) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Hydropisphaera aurantiaca (C.A. Jørg.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Lasionectria atrorubra (Lechat & J. Fourn.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, L. bisepta (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, L. castaneicola (Lechat & Gardiennet) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, L. cerealis (P. Karst.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, L. olida (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Lasionectriopsis dentifera (Samuels) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Lasionectriella arenuloides (Samuels) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, La. marigotensis (Lechat & J. Fourn.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Monohydropisphaera fusigera (Berk. & Broome) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Musananaesporium tectonae (R.F. Castañeda) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Mycocitrus zonatus (Sawada) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Nectriopsis microspora (Jaap) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Ovicillium asperulatum (A. Giraldo et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, O. variecolor (A. Giraldo et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Paracylindrocarpon multiloculatum (Samuels) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Pn. multiseptatum (Samuels)L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Paragliomastix chiangraiensis (J.F. Li et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Px. luzulae (Fuckel) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Px. znieffensis (Lechat & J. Fourn.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Protocreopsis rutila (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Proxiovicillium blochii (Matr.)L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Stanjemonium dichromosporum (Gams & Sivasith.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Verruciconidia persicina (Nicot) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Ve. verruculosa (W. Gams & Veenb.-Rijks) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Waltergamsia citrina (A. Giraldo et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai &Crous, W. dimorphospora (A. Giraldo et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, W. epimycota (Samuels) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, W. fusidioides (Nicot) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, W. hennebertii (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, W. parva (A. Giraldo et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, W. pilosa (A. Giraldo et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, W. zeylanica (Petch) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Cephalothecaceae: Phialemonium thermophilum (W. Gams & J. Lacey) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Clavicipitaceae: Subuliphorum camptosporum (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Coniochaetaceae: Coniochaeta psammospora (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Nothoacremoniaceae: Nothoacremonium exiguum (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Neoacremoniaceae: Neoacremonium minutisporum (Sukapure & Thirum.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Ne. taiwanense (K.L. Pang et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Ne. vitellinum (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Plectosphaerellaceae: Allomusicillium domschii (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Brunneomyces pseudozeylanicus (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Pseudoniessliaceae: Pseudoniesslia minutispora (W. Gams et al.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Sarocladiaceae: Chlamydocillium curvulum (W. Gams) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, Parasarocladium funiculosum (Sukapure & Thirum.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous; Valsonectriaceae: Valsonectria inflata (C.H. Dickinson) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous, V. roseola (G. Sm.) L.W. Hou, L. Cai & Crous. Epitype (basionym): Sphaeria violacea J.C. Schmidt ex Fr. Neotype (basionym): Mastigocladium blochii Matr. Citation: Hou LW, Giraldo A, Groenewald JZ, Rämä T, Summerbell RC, Zang P, Cai L, Crous PW (2023). Redisposition of acremonium-like fungi in Hypocreales. Studies in Mycology 105: 23-203. doi: 10.3114/sim.2023.105.02.

Fusarium diversity associated with diseased cereals in China, with an updated phylogenomic assessment of the genus.

Fusarium species are important cereal pathogens that cause severe production losses to major cereal crops such as maize, rice, and wheat. However, the causal agents of Fusarium diseases on cereals have not been well documented because of the difficulty in species identification and the debates surrounding generic and species concepts. In this study, we used a citizen science initiative to investigate diseased cereal crops (maize, rice, wheat) from 250 locations, covering the major cereal-growing regions in China. A total of 2 020 Fusarium strains were isolated from 315 diseased samples. Employing multi-locus phylogeny and morphological features, the above strains were identified to 43 species, including eight novel species that are described in this paper. A world checklist of cereal-associated Fusarium species is provided, with 39 and 52 new records updated for the world and China, respectively. Notably, 56 % of samples collected in this study were observed to have co-infections of more than one Fusarium species, and the detailed associations are discussed. Following Koch's postulates, 18 species were first confirmed as pathogens of maize stalk rot in this study. Furthermore, a high-confidence species tree was constructed in this study based on 1 001 homologous loci of 228 assembled genomes (40 genomes were sequenced and provided in this study), which supported the "narrow" generic concept of Fusarium (= Gibberella). This study represents one of the most comprehensive surveys of cereal Fusarium diseases to date. It significantly improves our understanding of the global diversity and distribution of cereal-associated Fusarium species, as well as largely clarifies the phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Taxonomic novelties: New species: Fusarium erosum S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium fecundum S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium jinanense S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium mianyangense S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium nothincarnatum S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium planum S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium sanyaense S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium weifangense S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai. Citation: Han SL, Wang MM, Ma ZY, Raza M, Zhao P, Liang JM, Gao M, Li YJ, Wang JW, Hu DM, Cai L (2023). Fusarium diversity associated with diseased cereals in China, with an updated phylogenomic assessment of the genus. Studies in Mycology 104: 87-148. doi: 10.3114/sim.2022.104.02.

[The value of DISCO and MUSE-DWI combined with prostate specific antigen density in the diagnosis and risk stratification of prostate cancer].

Objective: To explore the value of differential subsampling with cartesian ordering (DISCO) and multiplexed sensitivity-encoding diffusion weighted-imaging (MUSE-DWI) combined with prostate specific antigen density (PSAD) in the diagnosis and risk stratification of prostate cancer (PCa). Methods: The data of 183 patients [aged from 48 to 86 (68±8) years] with prostate diseases in the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from July 2020 to August 2021 were retrospectively collected. Those patients were divided into non-PCa group (n=115) and PCa group (n=68) based on the disease condition. According to the risk degree, PCa group was subdivided into low risk PCa group (n=14) and medium-to-high risk PCa group (n=54). The differences of volume transfer constant (Ktrans), rate constant (Kep), extracellular volume fraction (Ve), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and PSAD between groups were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis were conducted for evaluating the diagnostic efficacy of quantitative parameters and PSAD in distinguishing non-PCa and PCa, low-risk PCa and medium-high risk PCa. Multivariate logistic regression model was used for screening out the predictors, which was statistically significant differences between non-PCa group and PCa group, for PCa prediction. Results: Ktrans, Kep, Ve and PSAD of PCa group all were higher than those of non-PCa group, and ADC value was lower than that of non-PCa group, and the differences all were statistically significant (all P<0.001). Ktrans, Kep and PSAD of medium-to-high risk PCa group all were higher than those of low risk PCa group, and ADC value was lower than that of low risk PCa group, and the differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.001). When distinguishing non-PCa from PCa, the area under ROC curve (AUC) of the combined model (Ktrans+Kep+Ve+ADC+PSAD) was higher than that of any single index [0.958 (95%CI: 0.918-0.982) vs 0.881 (95%CI: 0.825-0.924), 0.836 (95%CI: 0.775-0.887), 0.672 (95%CI: 0.599-0.740), 0.940(95%CI: 0.895-0.969), 0.816(95%CI:0.752-0.869), all P<0.05]. When distinguishing low-risk PCa and medium-to-high risk PCa, the AUC of the combined model (Ktrans+Kep+ADC+PSAD) were higher than those of Ktrans, Kep and PSAD[0.933 (95%CI: 0.845-0.979) vs 0.846 (95%CI:0.738-0.922), 0.782 (95%CI:0.665-0.873), 0.84 8(95%CI: 0.740-0.923), all P<0.05]. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Ktrans (OR=1.005, 95%CI:1.001-1.010) and ADC values (OR=0.992, 95%CI:0.989-0.995) were predictors of PCa (P<0.05). Conclusions: DISCO and MUSE-DWI combined with PSAD can distinguish benign and malignant prostate lesions. Ktrans and ADC values were predictors of PCa; Ktrans, Kep, ADC values and PSAD are helpful in predicting the biological behavior of PCa.

Allisartan Isoproxil Promotes Uric Acid Excretion by Interacting with Intestinal Urate Transporters in Hyperuricemic Zebrafish (Danio rerio).

To evaluate the urate-lowering effect and potential drug targets of antihypertensive agent allisartan isoproxil (ALI) and its bioactive metabolite EXP3174, we developed an acute hyperuricemic zebrafish model using potassium oxonate and xanthine sodium salt. Losartan potassium served as the positive control (reference drug). In this model, ALI and losartan potassium exerted a greater urate-lowering effect than EXP3174 indicating that the latter is not the critical substance for elimination of uric acid. The quantitative real-time PCR showed that ALI upregulates the expression of intestinal urate transporters genes ABCG2, PDZK1, and SLC2A9 (p<0.01). Thus, we can suggest that this substance promotes uric acid excretion mainly by interacting with intestinal urate transporters.

Updating species diversity of Colletotrichum, with a phylogenomic overview.

The genus Colletotrichum includes important plant pathogens, endophytes, saprobes and human pathogens. Even though the polyphasic approach has facilitated Colletotrichum species identification, knowledge of the overall species diversity and host distribution is largely incomplete. To address this, we examined 952 Colletotrichum strains isolated from plants representing 322 species from 248 genera, or air and soil samples, from 87 locations in China, as well as 56 strains from Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, and the UK. Based on morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses, the strains were assigned to 107 species, including 30 new species described in this paper and 18 new records for China. The currently most comprehensive backbone tree of Colletotrichum, comprising 16 species complexes (including a newly introduced C. bambusicola species complex) and 15 singleton species, is provided. Based on these analyses, 280 species with available molecular data are accepted in this genus, of which 139 have been reported in China, accounting for 49.6 % of the species. Colletotrichum siamense, C. karsti, C. fructicola, C. truncatum, C. fioriniae, and C. gloeosporioides were the most commonly detected species in China, as well as the species with the broadest host range. By contrast, 76 species were currently found to be associated with a single plant species or genus in China. To date, 33 Colletotrichum species have been exclusively reported as endophytes. Furthermore, we generated and assembled whole-genome sequences of the 30 new and a further 18 known species. The most comprehensive genome tree comprising 94 Colletotrichum species based on 1 893 single-copy orthologous genes was hence generated, with all nodes, except four, supported by 100 % bootstrap values. Collectively, this study represents the most comprehensive investigation of Colletotrichum diversity and host occurrence to date, and greatly enhances our understanding of the diversity and phylogenetic relationships in this genus. Taxonomic novelties: New species: Colletotrichum arecacearum F. Liu, Z.Y. Ma & L. Cai, Colletotrichum bicoloratum F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum bromeliacearum F. Liu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum buxi F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum chamaedoreae F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum crousii F. Liu, Z.Y. Ma & L. Cai, Colletotrichum danxiashanense F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum diversisporum F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum diversum F. Liu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum dolichoconidiophori F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum iris F. Liu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum monsterae F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum multiseptatum F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum nageiae F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum obovoides F. Liu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum parabambusicola F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum paraendophytum F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum reniforme F. Liu, Z.Y. Ma & L. Cai, Colletotrichum schimae F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum shivasii F. Liu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum sinuatum F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum subacidae F. Liu, Z.Y. Ma & L. Cai, Colletotrichum subsalicis F. Liu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum subvariabile F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum syngoniicola F. Liu, Z.Y. Ma & L. Cai, Colletotrichum telosmae F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum tibetense F. Liu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum variabile F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum zhaoqingense F. Liu & L. Cai, Colletotrichum zhejiangense F. Liu, W.P. Wu & L. Cai. Citation: Liu F, Ma ZY, Hou LW, Diao YZ, Wu WP, Damm U, Song S, Cai L (2022). Updating species diversity of Colletotrichum, with a phylogenomic overview. Studies in Mycology 101: 1-56. doi: 10.3114/sim.2022.101.01.

Genera of phytopathogenic fungi: GOPHY 4.

This paper is the fourth contribution in the Genera of Phytopathogenic Fungi (GOPHY) series. The series provides morphological descriptions and information about the pathology, distribution, hosts and disease symptoms, as well as DNA barcodes for the taxa covered. Moreover, 12 whole-genome sequences for the type or new species in the treated genera are provided. The fourth paper in the GOPHY series covers 19 genera of phytopathogenic fungi and their relatives, including Ascochyta, Cadophora, Celoporthe, Cercospora, Coleophoma, Cytospora, Dendrostoma, Didymella, Endothia, Heterophaeomoniella, Leptosphaerulina, Melampsora, Nigrospora, Pezicula, Phaeomoniella, Pseudocercospora, Pteridopassalora, Zymoseptoria, and one genus of oomycetes, Phytophthora. This study includes two new genera, 30 new species, five new combinations, and 43 typifications of older names. Taxonomic novelties: New genera: Heterophaeomoniella L. Mostert, C.F.J. Spies, Halleen & Gramaje, Pteridopassalora C. Nakash. & Crous; New species: Ascochyta flava Qian Chen & L. Cai, Cadophora domestica L. Mostert, R. van der Merwe, Halleen & Gramaje, Cadophora rotunda L. Mostert, R. van der Merwe, Halleen & Gramaje, Cadophora vinacea J.R. Úrbez-Torres, D.T. O'Gorman & Gramaje, Cadophora vivarii L. Mostert, Havenga, Halleen & Gramaje, Celoporthe foliorum H. Suzuki, Marinc. & M.J. Wingf., Cercospora alyssopsidis M. Bakhshi, Zare & Crous, Dendrostoma elaeocarpi C.M. Tian & Q. Yang, Didymella chlamydospora Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella gei Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella ligulariae Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella qilianensis Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella uniseptata Qian Chen & L. Cai, Endothia cerciana W. Wang. & S.F. Chen, Leptosphaerulina miscanthi Qian Chen & L. Cai, Nigrospora covidalis M. Raza, Qian Chen & L. Cai, Nigrospora globospora M. Raza, Qian Chen & L. Cai, Nigrospora philosophiae-doctoris M. Raza, Qian Chen & L. Cai, Phytophthora transitoria I. Milenkovic, T. Májek & T. Jung, Phytophthora panamensis T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & I. Milenkovic, Phytophthora variabilis T. Jung, M. Horta Jung & I. Milenkovic, Pseudocercospora delonicicola C. Nakash., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora farfugii C. Nakash., I. Araki, & Ai Ito, Pseudocercospora hardenbergiae Crous & C. Nakash., Pseudocercospora kenyirana C. Nakash., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora perrottetiae Crous, C. Nakash. & C.Y. Chen, Pseudocercospora platyceriicola C. Nakash., Y. Hatt, L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora stemonicola C. Nakash., Y. Hatt., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora terengganuensis C. Nakash., Y. Hatt., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora xenopunicae Crous & C. Nakash.; New combinations: Heterophaeomoniella pinifoliorum (Hyang B. Lee et al.) L. Mostert, C.F.J. Spies, Halleen & Gramaje, Pseudocercospora pruni-grayanae (Sawada) C. Nakash. & Motohashi., Pseudocercospora togashiana (K. Ito & Tak. Kobay.) C. Nakash. & Tak. Kobay., Pteridopassalora nephrolepidicola (Crous & R.G. Shivas) C. Nakash. & Crous, Pteridopassalora lygodii (Goh & W.H. Hsieh) C. Nakash. & Crous; Typification: Epitypification: Botrytis infestans Mont., Cercospora abeliae Katsuki, Cercospora ceratoniae Pat. & Trab., Cercospora cladrastidis Jacz., Cercospora cryptomeriicola Sawada, Cercospora dalbergiae S.H. Sun, Cercospora ebulicola W. Yamam., Cercospora formosana W. Yamam., Cercospora fukuii W. Yamam., Cercospora glochidionis Sawada, Cercospora ixorana J.M. Yen & Lim, Cercospora liquidambaricola J.M. Yen, Cercospora pancratii Ellis & Everh., Cercospora pini-densiflorae Hori & Nambu, Cercospora profusa Syd. & P. Syd., Cercospora pyracanthae Katsuki, Cercospora horiana Togashi & Katsuki, Cercospora tabernaemontanae Syd. & P. Syd., Cercospora trinidadensis F. Stevens & Solheim, Melampsora laricis-urbanianae Tak. Matsumoto, Melampsora salicis-cupularis Wang, Phaeoisariopsis pruni-grayanae Sawada, Pseudocercospora angiopteridis Goh & W.H. Hsieh, Pseudocercospora basitruncata Crous, Pseudocercospora boehmeriigena U. Braun, Pseudocercospora coprosmae U. Braun & C.F. Hill, Pseudocercospora cratevicola C. Nakash. & U. Braun, Pseudocercospora cymbidiicola U. Braun & C.F. Hill, Pseudocercospora dodonaeae Boesew., Pseudocercospora euphorbiacearum U. Braun, Pseudocercospora lygodii Goh & W.H. Hsieh, Pseudocercospora metrosideri U. Braun, Pseudocercospora paraexosporioides C. Nakash. & U. Braun, Pseudocercospora symploci Katsuki & Tak. Kobay. ex U. Braun & Crous, Septogloeum punctatum Wakef.; Neotypification: Cercospora aleuritis I. Miyake; Lectotypification: Cercospora dalbergiae S.H. Sun, Cercospora formosana W. Yamam., Cercospora fukuii W. Yamam., Cercospora glochidionis Sawada, Cercospora profusa Syd. & P. Syd., Melampsora laricis-urbanianae Tak. Matsumoto, Phaeoisariopsis pruni-grayanae Sawada, Pseudocercospora symploci Katsuki & Tak. Kobay. ex U. Braun & Crous. Citation: Chen Q, Bakhshi M, Balci Y, Broders KD, Cheewangkoon R, Chen SF, Fan XL, Gramaje D, Halleen F, Horta Jung M, Jiang N, Jung T, Májek T, Marincowitz S, Milenkovic T, Mostert L, Nakashima C, Nurul Faziha I, Pan M, Raza M, Scanu B, Spies CFJ, Suhaizan L, Suzuki H, Tian CM, Tomsovský M, Úrbez-Torres JR, Wang W, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, Yang Q, Yang X, Zare R, Zhao P, Groenewald JZ, Cai L, Crous PW (2022). Genera of phytopathogenic fungi: GOPHY 4. Studies in Mycology 101: 417-564. doi: 10.3114/sim.2022.101.06.

[Persistent and serious hyperkalemia after surgery of primary aldosteronism: A case report].

Hyperkalemia was one of the complications after primary aldosteronism surgery. Hyperkalemia after primary aldosteronism surgery was uncommon in clinical practice, especially persistent and serious hyperkalemia was rare. This complication was not attached great importance in clinical work. A case about persistent and serious hyperkalemia after primary aldosteronism adrenal adenoma surgery was reported and the patient was followed-up for fourteen months in this study. This patient had a laparoscopic adrenalectomy due to primary aldosteronism. Hyperkalemia was detected one month after surgery of this patient, the highest level of plasma potassium was 7.0 mmol/L. The patient felt skin itchy, nausea, palpitation. Plasma aldosterone concentration fell to 2.12 ng/dL post-operation from 35.69 ng/dL pre-operation, zona glomerulosa insufficiency was confirmed by hormonal tests in this patient after surgery. And levels of 24 hours urinary potassium excretion declined. Decrease of aldosterone levels after surgery might be the cause of hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia lasted for 14 months after surgery and kalemia-lowering drugs were needed. A systemic search with "primary aldosteronism", "hyperkalemia", "surgical treatment" was performed in PubMed and Wanfang Database for articles published between January 2009 and December 2019. Literature review indicated that the incidence of hyperkalemia after primary aldosteronism surgery was 6% to 29%. Most of them was mild to moderator hyperkalemia (plasma potassium 5.5 to 6.0 mmol/L) and transient. 19% to 33% in hyperkalemia patients was persistent hyperkalemia. Previous studies in the levels of plasma potassium reached the level as high as 7 mmol/L in our case were rare. Whether hypoaldosteronemia was the cause of hyperkalemia was not consistent in the published studies. Risk factors of hyperkalemia after primary aldosteronism surgery included kidney dysfunction, old age, long duration of hypertention. This paper aimed to improve doctors' aweareness of hyperkalemia complication after primary aldosteronism surgery. Plasma potassium should be monitored closely after primary aldosteronism surgery, especially in the patients with risk factors. Some patients could have persistent and serious hyperkalemia, and need medicine treatment.

[The value of relaxation time quantitative technique from synthetic magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and invasion assessment of prostate cancer].

Objective: To investigate the application value of relaxation time quantitative technique from synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and invasion assessment of prostate cancer. Methods: A total of 119 patients with prostate diseases [122 regions of interest(ROI)] who underwent routine MRI scan and magnetic resonance image compilation (MAGiC) sequence of prostate from March 2020 to March 2021 in General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University were retrospectively collected, they were divided into prostate cancer group(58 cases, 61 ROI) and non-prostate cancer group(61 cases, 61 ROI) according to the pathological results. In the prostate cancer group, those patients with an age of 48 to 85(69.8±5.9) years, and further divided into two subgroups according to the location of occurrence: peripheral zone cancer group (43 cases, 45 ROI) and transitional zone cancer group (15 cases, 16 ROI). The non-prostate cancer group consisted of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia or complicated with chronic prostatitis, with an age of 41 to 81(68.6±7.0) years, and they were further divided into two subgroups according to the location of occurrence: non-cancerous peripheral zone group (45 cases, 45 ROI) and transitional zone benign prostatic hyperplasia group(16 cases, 16 ROI). Prostate cancer lesions were classified as low risk (Gleason score ≤6) or intermediate/high risk (Gleason score ≥7). After the post-processing of MAGiC images, T1, T2 and proton density(PD) values of prostate cancer group and non-prostate cancer group were obtained. At the same time, relevant software were used for image post-processing to generate apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, the data between the two groups were analyzed by the Independent sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test, and the diagnostic effectiveness of each quantitative parameter in diagnosing prostate cancer and discriminating low risk prostate cancer from intermediate/high risk prostate cancer was analyzed by using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, the correlation between each quantitative parameter and Gleason score were assessed by Spearman correlation analysis. Results: The T1 value and T2 value of the peripheral zone cancer group were lower than those in non-cancerous peripheral zone group [1 201.3 (1 103.5, 1 298.2) ms vs 2 274.0 (1 620.9, 2 776.5) ms; 78.0 (74.0, 83.8) ms vs (160.6±54.9) ms] (all P<0.001), there was no statistically significant in PD value between the two groups (P>0.05). The T1 value and T2 value of the transitional zone cancer group were lower than those in transitional zone benign prostatic hyperplasia group [1 073.3 (1 003.9, 1 164.9) ms vs 1 340.8 (1 208.5, 1 502.8) ms; 76.9 (74.8, 82.8) ms vs 95.1(82.8, 103.4) ms] (all P<0.001), there was no statistically significant in PD value between the two groups (P>0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of T2 value was similar with the ADC value in discriminating peripheral zone cancer group from non-cancerous peripheral zone group(0.963 vs 0.991, P=0.105), while in discriminating transitional zone cancer group from transitional zone benign prostatic hyperplasia group, the AUC of T2 value、T1 value and ADC value were similar(0.867, 0.930 vs 0.938, all P>0.05). ADC value, T2 value all were negatively correlated with Gleason score (r=-0.747,-0.453, all P<0.001). T2 value and ADC value demonstrated equivalent diagnostic performance in discriminating low risk from intermediate/high risk prostate cancer, and there were no statistically significant (AUC: 0.787 vs 0.943, P=0.069). Conclusions: Quantitative relaxation time T1 and T2 values derived from synthetic MRI can discriminate prostate cancer from other benign pathologies, and T2 value have the equivalent diagnostic performance compared to ADC value. Synthetic MRI has high clinical application value, and T2 value can distinguish low risk prostate cancer from intermediate/high risk prostate cancer.

[Comparison and thoughts of the training system for thoracic surgeons].

There is no unified thoracic surgery training system in China, neither in the trainee selection or evaluation, nor in the training curriculum or the graduation requirements. A literature review was performed for available publications regarding international thoracic surgical training. A brief comparison was made regarding the thoracic surgery residency programs in China, Japan, United States and United Kingdom, including training pathway, recruitments, training content, performance assessment and academic experience. In conclusion, there are four key aspects worth noting. Firstly, an effective residency programme is invaluable to specialty training, and effort should be made to create a unified training programme that allows trainee to progress from residency to specialty training smoothly. Secondly, flexibility and personalization should be allowed in higher specialty training, so that trainee can develop their subspecialty interests. Thirdly, a unified clinical curriculum, selection and standardized income should be promoted to minimalize the variation of training outcome between provinces. Fourthly, additional training and time should be allowed for trainee who wants to pursue an academic career, and academic outcomes should be evaluated alongside with the standard clinical training.

[A case report of the first and second branchial arch syndrome with torticollis].

A 54-month-old female patient presented to the department of ophthalmology with abnormal head posture and facial asymmetry for two years. The patient's facial development was asymmetrical, with the middle 1/3 of the left side shorter than the right side. The left ear is less malformed than the right. There was no obvious abnormality in corneal light reflex and eye movement. Head tilt test ( -). So, paralysis of the superior oblique muscle was excluded. In consultation with the department of maxillofacial surgery, the patient was confirmed as the first and second branchial arch syndrome and torticollis.

Fusarium and allied genera from China: species diversity and distribution.

The genus Fusarium includes numerous important plant and human pathogens, as well as many industrially and commercially important species. During our investigation of fungal diversity in China, a total of 356 fusarioid isolates were obtained and identified from diverse diseased and healthy plants, or different environmental habitats, i.e., air, carbonatite, compost, faeces, soil and water, representing hitherto one of the most intensive sampling and identification efforts of fusarioid taxa in China. Combining morphology, multi-locus phylogeny and ecological preference, these isolates were identified as 72 species of Fusarium and allied genera, i.e., Bisifusarium (1), Fusarium (60), and Neocosmospora (11). A seven-locus dataset, comprising the 5.8S nuclear ribosomal RNA gene with the two flanking internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, the intergenic spacer region of the rDNA (IGS), partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), partial calmodulin (cam), partial RNA polymerase largest subunit (rpb1), partial RNA polymerase second largest subunit (rpb2) gene regions, and partial ß-tubulin (tub2), were sequenced and employed in phylogenetic analyses. A genus-level phylogenetic tree was constructed using combined tef1, rpb1, and rpb2 sequences, which confirmed the presence of four fusarioid genera among the isolates studied. Further phylogenetic analyses of two allied genera (Bisifusarium and Neocosmospora) and nine species complexes of Fusarium were separately conducted employing different multi-locus datasets, to determine relationships among closely related species. Twelve novel species were identified and described in this paper. The F. babinda species complex is herein renamed as the F. falsibabinda species complex, including descriptions of new species. Sixteen species were reported as new records from China. Citation: Wang MM, Crous PW, Sandoval-Denis M, et al. 2022. Fusarium and allied genera from China: species diversity and distribution. Persoonia 48: 1-53. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2022.48.01.

Functional assessment of somatic STK11 variants identified in primary human non-small cell lung cancers.

Serine/Threonine Kinase 11 (STK11) encodes an important tumor suppressor that is frequently mutated in lung adenocarcinoma. Clinical studies have shown that mutations in STK11 resulting in loss of function correlate with resistance to anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody therapy in KRAS-driven non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the molecular mechanisms responsible remain unclear. Despite this uncertainty, STK11 functional status is emerging as a reliable biomarker for predicting non-response to anti-PD-1 therapy in NSCLC patients. The clinical utility of this biomarker ultimately depends upon accurate classification of STK11 variants. For nonsense variants occurring early in the STK11 coding region, this assessment is straightforward. However, rigorously demonstrating the functional impact of missense variants remains an unmet challenge. Here we present data characterizing four STK11 splice-site variants by analyzing tumor mRNA, and 28 STK11 missense variants using an in vitro kinase assay combined with a cell-based p53-dependent luciferase reporter assay. The variants we report were identified in primary human NSCLC biopsies in collaboration with the University of Vermont Genomic Medicine group. Additionally, we compare our experimental results with data from 22 in silico predictive algorithms. Our work highlights the power, utility and necessity of functional variant assessment and will aid STK11 variant curation, provide a platform to assess novel STK11 variants and help guide anti-PD-1 therapy utilization in KRAS-driven NSCLCs.

Modular gene analysis reveals distinct molecular signatures for subsets of patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease with clinical sequelae such as itching, dyspigmentation and scarring. OBJECTIVES: We applied a previously described modular analysis approach to assess the molecular heterogeneity of patients with CLE. METHODS: Whole-blood transcriptomes of RNA sequencing data from a racially and ethnically diverse group of patients with CLE (n = 62) were used to calculate gene co-expression module scores. An unsupervised cluster analysis and k-means clustering based on these module scores were then performed. We used Fisher's exact tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests to compare characteristics between patient clusters. RESULTS: Six unique clusters of patients with CLE were identified from the cluster analysis. We observed that seven inflammation modules were elevated in two clusters of patients with CLE. Additionally, these clusters were characterized by interferon, neutrophil and cell-death signatures, suggesting that interferon-related proteins, neutrophils and cell-death processes could be driving the inflammatory response in these subgroups. Three different clusters had a predominant T-cell signature, which were supported by lymphocyte counts. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support a diverse molecular profile in CLE that further adds to the clinical variations of this skin disease, and may affect disease course and treatment selection. Future studies with a larger and diverse cohort of patients with CLE are warranted to confirm these findings.