Early Prediction of the Need for Orthognathic Surgery in Patients With Repaired Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Using Machine Learning and Longitudinal Lateral Cephalometric Analysis Data.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the cephalometric predictors of the future need for orthognathic surgery in patients with repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) using machine learning. This study included 56 Korean patients with UCLP, who were treated by a single surgeon and a single orthodontist with the same treatment protocol. Lateral cephalograms were obtained before the commencement of orthodontic/orthopedic treatment (T0; mean age, 6.3 years) and at at least of 15 years of age (T1; mean age, 16.7 years). 38 cephalometric variables were measured. At T1 stage, 3 cephalometric criteria (ANB ≤ -3°; Wits appraisal ≤ -5 mm; Harvold unit difference ≥34 mm for surgery group) were used to classify the subjects into the surgery group (n = 10, 17.9%) and non-surgery group (n = 46, 82.1%). Independent t-test was used for statistical analyses. The Boruta method and XGBoost algorithm were used to determine the cephalometric variables for the prediction model. At T0 stage, 2 variables exhibited a significant intergroup difference (ANB and facial convexity angle [FCA], all P < 0.05). However, 18 cephalometric variables at the T1 stage and 14 variables in the amount of change (ΔT1-T0) exhibited significant intergroup differences (all, more significant than P < 0.05). At T0 stage, the ANB, PP-FH, combination factor, and FCA were selected as predictive parameters with a cross-validation accuracy of 87.4%. It was possible to predict the future need for surgery to correct sagittal skeletal discrepancy in UCLP patients at the age of 6 years.

Phosphoproteomic analysis reveals the effects of PilF phosphorylation on type IV pilus and biofilm formation in Thermus thermophilus HB27.

Thermus thermophilus HB27 is an extremely thermophilic eubacteria with a high frequency of natural competence. This organism is therefore often used as a thermophilic model to investigate the molecular basis of type IV pili-mediated functions, such as the uptake of free DNA, adhesion, twitching motility, and biofilm formation, in hot environments. In this study, the phosphoproteome of T. thermophilus HB27 was analyzed via a shotgun approach and high-accuracy mass spectrometry. Ninety-three unique phosphopeptides, including 67 in vivo phosphorylated sites on 53 phosphoproteins, were identified. The distribution of Ser/Thr/Tyr phosphorylation sites was 57%/36%/7%. The phosphoproteins were mostly involved in central metabolic pathways and protein/cell envelope biosynthesis. According to this analysis, the ATPase motor PilF, a type IV pili-related component, was first found to be phosphorylated on Thr-368 and Ser-372. Through the point mutation of PilF, mimic phosphorylated mutants T368D and S372E resulted in nonpiliated and nontwitching phenotypes, whereas nonphosphorylated mutants T368V and S372A displayed piliation and twitching motility. In addition, mimic phosphorylated mutants showed elevated biofilm-forming abilities with a higher initial attachment rate, caused by increasing exopolysaccharide production. In summary, the phosphorylation of PilF might regulate the pili and biofilm formation associated with exopolysaccharide production.

Construction and application of biotin-poloxamer conjugate micelles for chemotherapeutics.

Biotin was conjugated on poloxamer to prepare biotin-poloxamer (BP) conjugate micelles for chemotherapeutics. Epirubicin (EPI) was encapsulated in BP micelles. The EPI-loaded BP micelles were characterized in terms of size, ζ-potential, morphology, drug loading, drug encapsulation and drug release. Marrow leukemic HL-60 cells were used for evaluating the in vitro cytotoxicity of EPI-loaded BP micelles. Nude mice were axillainoculated subcutaneously HL-60 cells to establish tumour model for investigating the inhibition effects of EPI-loaded BP micelles. From the results, the sizes of these nanoparticles were about 100 nm. Fluorescence microscope observation supported the enhanced cellular uptake of the micelles. The order of the inhibition on tumour volume growth was: EPI-loaded BP micelles >EPI-loaded MATP micelles >EPI-loaded poloxamer micelles >EPI. BP micelles showed significant antitumour activity and low toxicity, compared with the non-targeted micelles. With the advantage of EPR effect and tumour-targeting potential, BP conjugate micelles might be developed as a new system for chemotherapeutics.

Synthesis of azo-linked covalent organic polymers for pipette tip solid-phase extraction of sedative residues from animal tissues samples.

Azo-linked covalent organic polymers (ACOPs) were synthesized by a simple azo reaction, with 2,2'-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine and 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene as the monomers. The preparation process was mild, green, and environmental-friendly, avoiding the use of high temperature, metal catalysis, and harmful organic reagent. The obtained ACOPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller. With the prepared ACOPs as adsorbent, a method of pipette tip solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection (PTSPE-LC-MS/MS) was proposed for the analysis of target sedatives in animal tissues. Furthermore, the parameters for the extraction of five sedatives, including the amount of adsorbent, pH value, ion strength, elution solvent and volume, were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the linear dynamic range was found from 0.1 to 10.0 µg kg-1, and the limits of detection were ranged from 0.02 to 0.1 µg kg-1. The method was assessed by the analysis of target sedatives in animal tissues, and the recoveries for the spiked pork muscle and pork liver samples were 84-102% and 83-101%, respectively. The results show that the developed method of PTSPE-LC-MS/MS with ACOPs as adsorbent is efficient for the analysis of trace sedatives in animal tissues.

Simultaneous determination of Se, trace elements and major elements in Se-rich rice by dynamic reaction cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (DRC-ICP-MS) after microwave digestion.

A quick and accurate method was devised to determine Se, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn in Se-rich rice samples by microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Spectral interferences on Se were eliminated using methane as a reaction gas in the dynamic reaction cell (DRC). Rhodium was used as an internal standard to compensate for sample matrix effects. A rice-certified reference material (CRM) (GBW 10010) was used to verify the accuracy of the method. The method detection limits were 0.001-0.03 mg/kg, analyte recoveries were 85-108% and precisions (RSDs) ranged from 2.1% to 5.8%. Correlation analysis showed that the Se concentrations in the Se-rich rice samples correlated well with the Cu concentrations (r=0.53, p<0.05).

[Monitoring of viral pathogens in pediatric intensive care unit and analysis of clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of viral spectrum and clinical features of children in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). METHOD: Nasopharyngeal aspirate specimens (NPA) from 349 patients(1 from each) and 130 cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) specimens were collected from children who were admitted to the PICU of Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College. Additional 87 NPA specimens were collected from healthy children for routine examination on the physical examination center, and the clinical data were collected. Multiplex PCR was applied to detect 16 kinds of viruses from NPA and CSF. Fluorescence quantitative PCR was applied to detect 13 viruses from CSF and to analyze the clinical data of positive cases. RESULT: There were 209 samples (59.9%) of the 349 NPA specimens were positive for viruses, which included 117 cases positive for human rhinovirus (HRV), 60 for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), 20 for influenza virus A (Inf A), 10 for adenovirus (ADV), 6 for parainfluenza virus type 3(PIV-3), 6 for human Boca virus (HBoV), 5 for influenza virus C(Inf C), 4 for parainfluenza virus type 4(PIV-4), 4 for human coronavirus-HKU1/OC43, 3 for influenza virus B (Inf B), 3 for WU Polyomavirus (WUPyV), 2 parainfluenza virus type 1(PIV-1), 2 human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and 1 human coronavirus-NL63/229E. But none from 87 healthy controls were positive for any respiratory virus. Among the 130 CSF specimens, in 58 cases the diagnosis was viral encephalitis. There were 22 samples (37.9%) among the 58 CSF specimens positive for viruses, which included 14 enterovirus (EV), 3 human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), 2 mumps virus, 1 coxsackie virus A16 (Cox-A16), 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV) and 1 human rhinovirus (HRV). The total positive rate was 63.3% (221/349) . Co-infection by at least 2 viral pathogens under study was observed in 45 of the 349 patients (12.9% of the total number of cases, 20.4% of the positives cases). The commonest pathogens in co-infected samples were WUPyV (100%) and HMPV(100%). The positive rate of virus peaked in the first 6 months of life, the rate in boys were higher than in girls and the peak season was summer. The numbers of none serious cases in the virus positive group were less than those in the virus negative group while the numbers of extremely serious cases in the virus positive group were higher than in the virus negative group. CONCLUSION: Viral pathogen is a major cause of infectious disease in pediatric critical illnesses and virus infection may lead to severe illness.