Human Bocavirus Circulating in Patients with Acute Gastroenteritis in Taiwan, 2018-2022.

Human bocavirus (HBoV) has been identified as a viral agent with a global presence, especially in young patients with gastrointestinal infections. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the epidemiological patterns of the HBoVs associated with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in Taiwan. A total of 2994 AGE fecal samples from several diarrhea outbreaks from 2018 to 2022 were analyzed. From the samples, 73 positive samples were detected in three different bocaviruses: 30 (41.1%) were from HBoV1; 37 (50.7%) were from HBoV2; and 6 (8.2%) were from HBoV3, revealing the respective prevalences in AGE of 1%, 1.2%, and 0.2%. HBoV1 and HBoV2 were the two major epidemic agents of HBoVs in Taiwan during this study period and have seasonal distinct patterns with an epidemic peak from October to the following March. Phylogeny reconstruction and evaluation were implemented in Mega X; the results revealed that most HBoV1 strains in Taiwan appeared to be closely related to those strains from other Asian countries. The HBoV2 exhibited substantial genetic diversity and the HBoV3 genes showed discordance of groups.

Analysis of optical properties and response mechanism of H2S fluorescent probe based on rhodamine derivatives.

H2S plays a crucial role in numerous physiological and pathological processes. In this project, a new fluorescent probe, SG-H2S, for the detection of H2S, was developed by introducing the recognition group 2,4-dinitrophenyl ether. The combination of rhodamine derivatives can produce both colorimetric reactions and fluorescence reactions. Compared with the current H2S probes, the main advantages of SG-H2S are its wide pH range (5-9), fast response (30 min), and high selectivity in competitive species (including biological mercaptan). The probe SG-H2S has low cytotoxicity and has been successfully applied to imaging in MCF-7 cells, HeLa cells, and BALB/c nude mice. We hope that SG-H2S will provide a vital method for the field of biology.

Treatment options for immune-related adverse events associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The immunotherapy revolution with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) started with the clinical use of the first ICI, ipilimumab, in 2011. Since then, the field of ICI therapy has rapidly expanded - with the FDA approval of 10 different ICI drugs so far and their incorporation into the therapeutic regimens of a range of malignancies. While ICIs have shown high anti-cancer efficacy, they also have characteristic side effects, termed immune-related adverse events (irAEs). These side effects hinder the therapeutic potential of ICIs and, therefore, finding ways to prevent and treat them is of paramount importance. The current protocols to manage irAEs follow an empirical route of steroid administration and, in more severe cases, ICI withdrawal. However, this approach is not optimal in many cases, as there are often steroid-refractory irAEs, and there is a potential for corticosteroid use to promote tumour progression. This review surveys the current alternative approaches to the treatments for irAEs, with the goal of summarizing and highlighting the best attempts to treat irAEs, without compromising anti-tumour immunity and allowing for rechallenge with ICIs after resolution of the irAEs.

Halogen-bonded charge-transfer co-crystal scintillators for high-resolution X-ray imaging.

The development of high-quality organic scintillators encounters challenges primarily associated with the weak X-ray absorption ability resulting from the presence of low atomic number elements. An effective strategy involves the incorporation of halogen-containing molecules into the system through co-crystal engineering. Herein, we synthesized a highly fluorescent dye, 2,5-di(4-pyridyl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (Py2TTz), with a fluorescence quantum yield of 12.09%. Subsequently, Py2TTz was co-crystallized with 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene (I2F4B) and 1,3,5-trifluoro-2,4,6-triiodobenzene (I3F3B) obtaining Py2TTz-I2F4 and Py2TTz-I3F3. Among them, Py2TTz-I2F4 exhibited exceptional scintillation properties, including an ultrafast decay time (1.426 ns), a significant radiation luminescence intensity (146% higher than Bi3Ge4O12), and a low detection limit (70.49 nGy s-1), equivalent to 1/78th of the detection limit for medical applications (5.5 µGy s-1). This outstanding scintillation performance can be attributed to the formation of halogen-bonding between I2F4B and Py2TTz. Theoretical calculations and single-crystal structures demonstrate the formation of halogen-bond-induced rather than π-π-induced charge-transfer cocrystals, which not only enhances the X-ray absorption ability and material conductivity under X-ray exposure, but also constrains molecular vibration and rotation, and thereby reducing non-radiative transition rate and sharply increasing its fluorescence quantum yields. Based on this, the flexible X-ray film prepared based on Py2TTz-I2F4 achieved an ultrahigh spatial resolution of 26.8 lp per mm, underscoring the superiority of this strategy in developing high-performance organic scintillators.

Correction: Halogen-bonded charge-transfer co-crystal scintillators for high-resolution X-ray imaging.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D4SC00735B.].

Monocytes release cystatin F dimer to associate with Aß and aggravate amyloid pathology and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has important clinical implications for guiding therapy. Impaired amyloid beta (Aß) clearance is critical in the pathogenesis of sporadic AD, and blood monocytes play an important role in Aß clearance in the periphery. However, the mechanism underlying the defective phagocytosis of Aß by monocytes in AD remains unclear. METHODS: Initially, we collected whole blood samples from sporadic AD patients and isolated the monocytes for RNA sequencing analysis. By establishing APP/PS1 transgenic model mice with monocyte-specific cystatin F overexpression, we assessed the influence of monocyte-derived cystatin F on AD development. We further used a nondenaturing gel to identify the structure of the secreted cystatin F in plasma. Flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and laser scanning confocal microscopy were used to analyse the internalization of Aß by monocytes. Pull down assays, bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy were used to determine the interactions and potential interactional amino acids between the cystatin F protein and Aß. Finally, the cystatin F protein was purified and injected via the tail vein into 5XFAD mice to assess AD pathology. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that the expression of the cystatin F protein was specifically increased in the monocytes of AD patients. Monocyte-derived cystatin F increased Aß deposition and exacerbated cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice. Furthermore, secreted cystatin F in the plasma of AD patients has a dimeric structure that is closely related to clinical signs of AD. Moreover, we noted that the cystatin F dimer blocks the phagocytosis of Aß by monocytes. Mechanistically, the cystatin F dimer physically interacts with Aß to inhibit its recognition and internalization by monocytes through certain amino acid interactions between the cystatin F dimer and Aß. We found that high levels of the cystatin F dimer protein in blood contributed to amyloid pathology and cognitive deficits as a risk factor in 5XFAD mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight that the cystatin F dimer plays a crucial role in regulating Aß metabolism via its peripheral clearance pathway, providing us with a potential biomarker for diagnosis and potential target for therapeutic intervention.

Endothelial lincRNA-p21 alleviates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption is increasingly recognized as an early contributor to the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, and is also a key event in triggering secondary damage to the central nervous system. Recently, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) have been found to be associated with ischemic stroke. However, the roles of lncRNA in BBB homeostasis remain largely unknown. Here, we report that long intergenic non-coding RNA-p21 (lincRNA-p21) was the most significantly down-regulated lncRNA in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) after oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) treatment among candidate lncRNA, which were both sensitive to hypoxia and involved in atherosclerosis. Exogenous brain-endothelium-specific overexpression of lincRNA-p21 could alleviate BBB disruption, diminish infarction volume and attenuate motor function deficits in middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) mice. Further results showed that lincRNA-p21 was critical to maintain BBB integrity by inhibiting the degradation of junction proteins under MCAO/R and OGD/R conditions. Specifically, lincRNA-p21 could inhibit autophagy-dependent degradation of occludin by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Besides, lincRNA-p21 could inhibit VE-cadherin degradation by binding with miR-101-3p. Together, we identify that lincRNA-p21 is critical for BBB integrity maintenance, and endothelial lincRNA-p21 overexpression could alleviate cerebral I/R injury in mice, pointing to a potential strategy to treat cerebral I/R injury.

Monocytes Release Pro-Cathepsin D to Drive Blood-to-Brain Transcytosis in Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular complications are the major outcome of type 2 diabetes progression, and the underlying mechanism remains to be determined. METHODS: High-throughput RNA sequencing was performed using human monocyte samples from controls and diabetes. The transgenic mice expressing human CTSD (cathepsin D) in the monocytes was constructed using CD68 promoter. In vivo 2-photon imaging, behavioral tests, immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, Western blot analysis, vascular leakage assay, and single-cell RNA sequencing were performed to clarify the phenotype and elucidate the molecular mechanism. RESULTS: Monocytes expressed high-level CTSD in patients with type 2 diabetes. The transgenic mice expressing human CTSD in the monocytes showed increased brain microvascular permeability resembling the diabetic microvascular phenotype, accompanied by cognitive deficit. Mechanistically, the monocytes release nonenzymatic pro-CTSD to upregulate caveolin expression in brain endothelium triggering caveolae-mediated transcytosis, without affecting the paracellular route of brain microvasculature. The circulating pro-CTSD activated the caveolae-mediated transcytosis in brain endothelial cells via its binding with low-density LRP1 (lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1). Importantly, genetic ablation of CTSD in the monocytes exhibited a protective effect against the diabetes-enhanced brain microvascular transcytosis and the diabetes-induced cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: These findings uncover the novel role of circulatory pro-CTSD from monocytes in the pathogenesis of cerebral microvascular lesions in diabetes. The circulatory pro-CTSD is a potential target for the intervention of microvascular complications in diabetes.

VDAC1, as a downstream molecule of MLKL, participates in OGD/R-induced necroptosis by inducing mitochondrial damage.

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury constitutes a significant risk factor for a range of diseases, including ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and trauma. Following the restoration of blood flow post-tissue ischemia, oxidative stress can lead to various forms of cell death, including necrosis, apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis. Recent evidence has highlighted the crucial role of mitochondrial dysfunction in I/R injury. Nevertheless, there remains much to be explored regarding the molecular signaling network governing cell death under conditions of oxidative stress. Voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1), a major component in the outer mitochondrial membrane, is closely involved in the regulation of cell death. In a cellular model of oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R), which effectively simulates I/R injury in vitro, our study reveals that OGD/R induces VDAC1 oligomerization, consequently exacerbating cell death. Furthermore, we have revealed the translocation of mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) to the mitochondria, where it interacts with VDAC1 following OGD/R injury, leading to an increased mitochondrial membrane permeability. Notably, the inhibition of MLKL by necrosulfonamide hinders the binding of MLKL to VDAC1, primarily by affecting the membrane translocation of MLKL, and reduces OGD/R-induced VDAC1 oligomerization. Collectively, our findings provide preliminary evidence of the functional association between MLKL and VDAC1 in the regulation of necroptosis.

Impact of early heparin therapy on outcomes in patients with solid malignancy associated sepsis: a marginal structural model causal analyse.

Background: Previous studies documented that heparin can inhibit the invasion and metastasis of tumors, but its role on outcomes in patients with solid malignancy complicated sepsis remains unclear. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in critically ill patients with solid malignancy associated sepsis from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database. The primary endpoint was intensive care unit (ICU) mortality, secondary outcomes were thrombosis and hospital mortality. Propensity score matching (PSM), marginal structural Cox model (MSCM), cox proportional hazards model, stratification analysis and E-value were used to account for baseline differences, time-varying confounding and unmeasured variables. Results: A total of 1,512 patients with solid malignancy complicated sepsis were enrolled, of which 683 in the heparin group with intensive care unit mortality, thrombosis rate and hospital mortality were 9.7%, 5.4%, 16.1%, and 829 in the non-heparin group with ICU mortality, thrombosis rate and hospital mortality were 14.6%, 12.5%, 22.6%. Similar results were observed on outcomes for patients with PSM (ICU mortality hazard ratio [HR] 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-0.92), thrombosis rate (HR 0.42, 95% confidence interval 0.26-0.68); hospital mortality HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.50-0.99). marginal structural Cox model further reinforced the efficacy of heparin in reducing ICU mortality (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.34-0.68). Logistic regression and Cox regression model showed heparin use also markedly reduced thrombosis (HR 0.42; 95% CI 0.26-0.68; p < 0.001) and hospital mortality (HR 0.70; 95% CI 0.50-0.99; p = 0.043). Stratification analysis with the MSCM showed an effect only those with digestive system cancer (HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.16-0.69). Conclusion: Early heparin therapy improved outcomes in critically ill patients with solid malignancy complicated sepsis. These results are evident especially in those with digestive system cancer. A prospective randomized controlled study should be designed to further assess the relevant findings.

Endothelial depletion of Atg7 triggers astrocyte-microvascular disassociation at blood-brain barrier.

Microvascular basement membrane (BM) plays a pivotal role in the interactions of astrocyte with endothelium to maintain the blood-brain barrier (BBB) homeostasis; however, the significance and precise regulation of the endothelial cell-derived BM component in the BBB remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that conditional knockout of Atg7 in endothelial cells (Atg7-ECKO) leads to astrocyte-microvascular disassociation in the brain. Our results reveal astrocytic endfeet detachment from microvessels and BBB leakage in Atg7-ECKO mice. Furthermore, we find that the absence of endothelial Atg7 downregulates the expression of fibronectin, a major BM component of the BBB, causing significantly reduced coverage of astrocytes along cerebral microvessels. We reveal Atg7 triggers the expression of endothelial fibronectin via regulating PKA activity to affect the phosphorylation of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein. These results suggest that Atg7-regulated endothelial fibronectin production is required for astrocytes adhesion to microvascular wall for maintaining the BBB homeostasis. Thus, endothelial Atg7 plays an essential role in astrocyte-endothelium interactions to maintain the BBB integrity.

Inhibition of mitochondrial VDAC1 oligomerization alleviates apoptosis and necroptosis of retinal neurons following OGD/R injury.

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common pathological mechanism in many retinal diseases, which can lead to cell death via mitochondrial dysfunction. Voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1), which is mainly located in the outer mitochondrial membrane, is the gatekeeper of mitochondria. The permeability of mitochondrial membrane can be regulated by controlling the oligomerization of VDAC1. However, the functional mechanism of VDAC1 in retinal I/R injury was unclear. Our results demonstrate that oxygen-glucose deprivation and re-oxygenation (OGD/R) injury leads to apoptosis, necroptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction of R28 cells. The OGD/R injury increases the levels of VDAC1 oligomerization. Inhibition of VDAC1 oligomerization by VBIT-12 rescued mitochondrial dysfunction by OGD/R and also reduced apoptosis/necroptosis of R28 cells. In vivo, the use of VBIT-12 significantly reduced aHIOP-induced neuronal death (apoptosis/necroptosis) in the rat retina. Our findings indicate that VDAC1 oligomers may open and enlarge mitochondrial membrane pores during OGD/R injury, leading to the release of death-related factors in mitochondria, resulting in apoptosis and necroptosis. This study provides a potential therapeutic strategy against ocular diseases caused by I/R injury.

Lpp of Escherichia coli K1 inhibits host ROS production to counteract neutrophil-mediated elimination.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the most common Gram-negative bacterial organism causing neonatal meningitis. The pathogenesis of E. coli meningitis, especially how E. coli escape the host immune defenses, remains to be clarified. Here we show that deletion of bacterial Lpp encoding lipoprotein significantly reduces the pathogenicity of E. coli K1 to induce high-degree of bacteremia necessary for meningitis. The Lpp-deleted E. coli K1 is found to be susceptible to the intracellular bactericidal activity of neutrophils, without affecting the release of neutrophil extracellular traps. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), representing the primary antimicrobial mechanism in neutrophils, is significantly increased in response to Lpp-deleted E. coli. We find this enhanced ROS response is associated with the membrane translocation of NADPH oxidase p47phox and p67phox in neutrophils. Then we constructed p47phox knockout mice and we found the incidence of bacteremia and meningitis in neonatal mice induced by Lpp-deleted E. coli is significantly recovered by p47phox knockout. Proteomic profile analysis show that Lpp deficiency induces upregulation of flagellar protein FliC in E. coli. We further demonstrate that FliC is required for the ROS induction in neutrophils by Lpp-deleted E. coli. Taken together, these data uncover the novel role of Lpp in facilitating intracellular survival of E. coli K1 within neutrophils. It can be inferred that Lpp of E. coli K1 is able to suppress FliC expression to restrain the activation of NADPH oxidase in neutrophils resulting in diminished bactericidal activity, thus protecting E. coli K1 from the elimination by neutrophils.

Exosome-transported lncRNA H19 regulates insulin-like growth factor-1 via the H19/let-7a/insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor axis in ischemic stroke.

LncRNA (long non-coding RNA) H19 is a transcript of the H19 gene that is expressed during embryogenesis. We previously discovered a role for circular lncRNA H19 in the onset and prognosis of cerebral ischemic stroke. In this study, we used serum from patients with ischemic stroke, and mouse and cell culture models to elucidate the roles of plasma and neuronal exosomes in the regulatory effect of lncRNA H19 on insulin-like growth factor-1 and its mechanism in ischemic stroke, using western blotting, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Plasma exosomal lncRNA H19 was negatively associated with blood levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 in samples from patients with cerebral ischemic stroke. In a mouse model, levels of exosomal lncRNA H19 were positively correlated with plasma and cerebral lncRNA H19. In a cell co-culture model, we confirmed that lncRNA H19 was transported from neurons to astrocytes by exosomes to induce downregulation of insulin-like growth factor-1 through the H19/let-7a/insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor axis. This study provides the first evidence for the transportation of lncRNA H19 by exosomes and the relationship between lncRNA H19 and insulin-like growth factor-1.

Impact of early heparin therapy on mortality in critically ill patients with sepsis associated acute kidney injury: a retrospective study from the MIMIC-IV database.

Background: Inflammatory-coagulation dysfunction plays an increasingly important role in sepsis associated acute kidney injury (SAKI). This study aimed to investigate whether early heparin therapy improves survival in patients with SAKI. Methods: Patients with SAKI were identified from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV database. The patients were divided into two groups: those who received heparin subcutaneously within 48 h after intensive care unit (ICU) admission and the control group, who received no heparin. The primary endpoint was ICU mortality, the secondary outcomes were 7-day, 14-day, 28-day, and hospital mortality. Propensity score matching (PSM), marginal structural Cox model (MSCM), and E-value analyses were performed. Results: The study included 5623 individuals with SAKI, 2410 of whom received heparin and 3213 of whom did not. There were significant effects on ICU and 28-day mortality in the overall population with PSM. MSCM further reinforces the efficacy of heparin administration reduces ICU mortality in the general population. Stratification analysis with MSCM showed that heparin administration was associated with decreased ICU mortality at various AKI stages. Heparin use was also associated with reduced 28-day mortality in patients with only female, age >60 years, and AKI stage 3, with HRs of 0.79, 0.77, and 0.60, respectively (p < 0.05). E-value analysis suggests robustness to unmeasured confounding. Conclusion: Early heparin therapy for patients with SAKI decreased ICU mortality. Further analysis demonstrated that heparin therapy was associated with reduced 28-day mortality rate in patients only among female, age > 60 years and AKI stage 3.

Deep Learning with LPC and Wavelet Algorithms for Driving Fault Diagnosis.

Vehicle fault detection and diagnosis (VFDD) along with predictive maintenance (PdM) are indispensable for early diagnosis in order to prevent severe accidents due to mechanical malfunction in urban environments. This paper proposes an early voiceprint driving fault identification system using machine learning algorithms for classification. Previous studies have examined driving fault identification, but less attention has focused on using voiceprint features to locate corresponding faults. This research uses 43 different common vehicle mechanical malfunction condition voiceprint signals to construct the dataset. These datasets were filtered by linear predictive coefficient (LPC) and wavelet transform(WT). After the original voiceprint fault sounds were filtered and obtained the main fault characteristics, the deep neural network (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), and long short-term memory (LSTM) architectures are used for identification. The experimental results show that the accuracy of the CNN algorithm is the best for the LPC dataset. In addition, for the wavelet dataset, DNN has the best performance in terms of identification performance and training time. After cross-comparison of experimental results, the wavelet algorithm combined with DNN can improve the identification accuracy by up to 16.57% compared with other deep learning algorithms and reduce the model training time by up to 21.5% compared with other algorithms. Realizing the cross-comparison of recognition results through various machine learning methods, it is possible for the vehicle to proactively remind the driver of the real-time potential hazard of vehicle machinery failure.

How to Implement Automotive Fault Diagnosis Using Artificial Intelligence Scheme.

The necessity of vehicle fault detection and diagnosis (VFDD) is one of the main goals and demands of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) in autonomous applications. This paper integrates various machine learning algorithms, which are applied to the failure prediction and warning of various types of vehicles, such as the vehicle transmission system, abnormal engine operation, and tire condition prediction. This paper first discusses the three main AI algorithms, such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning, and compares the advantages and disadvantages of each algorithm in the application of system prediction. In the second part, we summarize which artificial intelligence algorithm architectures are suitable for each system failure condition. According to the fault status of different vehicles, it is necessary to carry out the evaluation of the digital filtering process. At the same time, it is necessary to preconstruct its model analysis and adjust the parameter attributes, types, and number of samples of various vehicle prediction models according to the analysis results, followed by optimization to obtain various vehicle models. Finally, through a cross-comparison and sorting, the artificial intelligence failure prediction models can be obtained, which can correspond to the failure status of a certain car model and a certain system, thereby realizing a most appropriate AI model for a specific application.

An oxygen-adaptive interaction between SNHG12 and occludin maintains blood-brain barrier integrity.

Tight junctions (TJs) of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) play a pivotal role in maintaining the blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity; however, precise regulation of TJs stability in response to physiological and pathological stimuli remains elusive. Here, using RNA immunoprecipitation with next-generation sequencing (RIP-seq) and functional characterization, we identify SNHG12, a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), as being critical for maintaining the BBB integrity by directly interacting with TJ protein occludin. The interaction between SNHG12 and occludin is oxygen adaptive and could block Itch (an E3 ubiquitin ligase)-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of occludin in human BMECs. Genetic ablation of endothelial Snhg12 in mice results in occludin reduction and BBB leakage and significantly aggravates hypoxia-induced BBB disruption. The detrimental effects of hypoxia on BBB could be alleviated by exogenous SNHG12 overexpression in brain endothelium. Together, we identify a direct TJ modulator lncRNA SNHG12 that is critical for the BBB integrity maintenance and oxygen adaption.

Evaluation of a New Norovirus Genogroups GI and GII In Vitro Molecular Diagnostic Assay Using Clinical Specimens Collected from Acute Diarrheal Outbreaks.

Norovirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in Taiwan. To improve diagnosis as part of laboratory surveillance, AGE surveillance was conducted using a new fluorescent probe hydrolysis-based insulated isothermal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, the POCKIT system, and the results were compared with those obtained from conventional methods. A total of 119 clinical stool samples from reported AGE outbreaks were collected for this study. From 83 real-time reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR) norovirus-positive cases, the POCKIT system identified 78 with a sensitivity of 90.3% in GI genogroup and 96.7% in GII genogroup. The specificity for both GI and GII genogroups was 100%. Overall, the POCKIT system is faster and easier to use than the conventional rRT-PCR method, and because of its high sensitivity and specificity, this system is a promising alternative for the detection of norovirus in patients with AGE, and would benefit public health laboratories for near real-time surveillance of AGE epidemic outbreaks.

Reliability and benefits of single-energy projection-based metallic artifact reduction (SEMAR) in the different orthopedic hardware for the hip.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance and reliability of the single-energy metal artifact reduction (SEMAR) algorithm in patients with different orthopedic hardware at the hips. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 153 patients with hip instrumentation who had undergone CT with adaptive iterative dose reduction (AIDR) 3D and SEMAR algorithms between February 2015 and October 2019 were included retrospectively. Patients were divided into 5 groups by the hardware type. Two readers with 21 and 13 years of experience blindly reviewed all image sets and graded the extent of artifacts and imaging quality using 5-point scales. To evaluate reliability, the mean densities and image noises were measured at the urinary bladder, veins, and fat in images with artifacts and the reference images. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the mean densities of the urinary bladder, veins, and fat between the SEMAR images with artifacts (7.57 ± 9.49, 40.29 ± 23.07, 86.78 ± 38.34) and the reference images (7.77 ± 6.2, 40.27 ± 8.66, 89.10 ± 20.70) (P = .860, .994, .392). Image noises of the urinary bladder in the SEMAR images with artifacts (14.25 ± 4.50) and the SEMAR reference images (9.69 ± 1.29) were significantly higher than those in the AIDR 3D reference images (9.11 ± 1.12) (P < .001; P < .001). All AIDR 3D images were non-diagnostic (overall quality ≤ 3) and less than a quarter of the SEMAR images were non-diagnostic (16.7-23.7%), mainly in patients with prostheses [reader 1: 91.7% (22/24); reader 2: 92.6% (25/27)]. CONCLUSION: The SEMAR algorithm significantly reduces metal artifacts in CT images, more in patients with internal fixations than in patients with prostheses, and provides reliable attenuation of soft tissues.