A multiscale analysis of coralline algae Lithophylloideae (Corallinophycidae, Rhodophyta) shedding new light on understanding cryptic diversity.

Cryptic diversity abounds in many biological species, posing challenges to our understanding of biological diversity, conservation and management. Taking the common coralline algae, the subfamily Lithophylloideae as an illustration, this study delved into the implications of cryptic diversity through global-level phylogenetic and geographical analysis based upon Lithophylloideae molecular data worldwide, as well as a multi-locus time-calibrated phylogeny to elucidate their possible evolutionary process. The multiscale analysis revealed the polyphyly in current concept of the genus Lithophyllum. Geographic isolation resulting from the Tethys terminal event (TTE) has led to two distinct distribution regions for this so-called cosmopolitan genus: one regionally distributed along European coasts/Mediterranean that should include the taxonomical Lithophyllum; others widely distributed, particularly among pan-tropic waters, suggesting at least five groups to be rediscovered within the subfamily Lithophylloideae. Meanwhile, the cryptic genus Titanoderma, lacking morphological identification features with Lithophyllum, exhibited differences in distribution and evolutionary patterns consistent with their ecological habits, thus supporting their separation. This study provided useful hints for cryptic diversity, which advocated an integrative thinking to investigating global cryptic diversity and exploring the broad linkages between phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary origin, biogeography, morphological and ecological traits to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of biodiversity.

Nano-based drug delivery systems for active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine: Harnessing the power of nanotechnology.

Introduction: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining worldwide popularity as a complementary and alternative medicine. The isolation and characterization of active ingredients from TCM has become optional strategies for drug development. In order to overcome the inherent limitations of these natural products such as poor water solubility and low bioavailability, the combination of nanotechnology with TCM has been explored. Taking advantage of the benefits offered by the nanoscale, various drug delivery systems have been designed to enhance the efficacy of TCM in the treatment and prevention of diseases. Methods: The manuscript aims to present years of research dedicated to the application of nanotechnology in the field of TCM. Results: The manuscript discusses the formulation, characteristics and therapeutic effects of nano-TCM. Additionally, the formation of carrier-free nanomedicines through self-assembly between active ingredients of TCM is summarized. Finally, the paper discusses the safety behind the application of nano-TCM and proposes potential research directions. Discussion: Despite some achievements, the safety of nano-TCM still need special attention. Furthermore, exploring the substance basis of TCM formulas from the perspective of nanotechnology may provide direction for elucidating the scientific intension of TCM formulas.

Analysis of risk factors for fatty liver disease in children with Wilson's disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Many children with Wilson's disease are complicated with dyslipidemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for the development of fatty liver disease (FLD) in children with Wilson's disease. METHODS: We evaluated sex, age, weight, the disease course, treatment course, clinical classification, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, total biliary acid, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, homocysteine, uric acid, fibrinogen (FBG), creatinine, procollagen III N-terminal propeptide, laminin, hyaluronic acid, type IV collagen, and performed receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to investigate the forecast value of individual biochemical predictors and combined predictive indicators to evaluate FLD in Wilson's disease. RESULTS: The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that ALT [odds ratio (OR), 1.011; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.004-1.02; P  = 0.006], uric acid (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.002-1.018; P  = 0.017), FBG (OR, 3.668; 95% CI, 1.145-13.71; P  = 0.037), creatinine (OR, 0.872; 95% CI, 0.81-0.925; P  < 0.001), and laminin (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.002-1.018; P  = 0.017) acted as independent risk factors in Wilson's disease complicated with FLD. The receiver operating characteristic curves for combined predictive indicators demonstrated an area under the curve values of 0.872, which was found to be a significant predictors for FLD in Wilson's disease. CONCLUSIONS: We screened out the most important risk factors, namely ALT, uric acid, creatinine, FBG, and laminin for Wilson's disease complicated with FLD. The joint prediction achieved is crucial for identifying children with Wilson's disease complicated with FLD.

Plastic bronchitis associated with human bocavirus 1 infection in children.

BACKGROUND: Plastic bronchitis (PB) is a clinical-pathological syndrome characterized by the abnormal accumulation of endogenous substances in the bronchial airways, causing partial or complete obstruction and resulting in impaired lung ventilation. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, we aim to summarize the clinical manifestations, imaging characteristics, diagnostic methods, and treatment approaches to enhance clinicians' ability to detect children who are infected with human bocavirus 1 (hBoV 1) and develop PB. RESULTS: In the period from January 2021 to January 2024, a total of six hBoV 1 infection children were diagnosed with PB through bronchoscopy. The onset of the condition was mainly concentrated between June and December. The detection methods used included metagenomic next-generation sequencing for pathogen identification (three cases) and respiratory pathogen nucleic acid 13-plex detection (oropharyngeal swab) (three cases), both of which confirmed the presence of hBoV 1. Out of the six children with PB, two were girls and four were boys. Their ages ranged from 10 months to 4 years old. Common symptoms reported by all patients included fever, cough, and wheezing. Chest high-resolution computed tomography scans revealed atelectasis in six cases, in addition to pneumonia. After the removal of the plastic bronchi via bronchoscopy, the airway obstruction symptoms in the children were relieved, and no recurrence was observed during the follow-up period. Pathological findings indicated cellulose exudation and inflammatory cell infiltration, consistent with nonlymphatic PB. CONCLUSION: When children infected with hBoV 1 exhibit persistent or worsening symptoms such as cough, fever, and wheezing despite treatment, clinicians should remain highly vigilant for the potential occurrence of PB. Bronchoscopy plays a crucial role not only in diagnosing the presence of a plastic bronchus but also in effectively treating PB.

Association between central serous chorioretinopathy and Helicobacter pylori infection: a systematic review and Meta-analysis.

AIM: To investigate the association between central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) by summarizing all available evidence. METHODS: The Scopus, Embase, EBSCO, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for all relevant studies published from inception to October 2022 were searched, and manually searched for relevant reference lists as a supplement. Studies investigating the association between CSC and Hp infection were included. Finally, 8 case-control studies were included in the Meta-analysis after study selection. RESULTS: The results showed no significant correlation between Hp infection and CSC [odds ratio (OR) 1.89, 95% confidential interval (CI) 0.58-6.15, I 2=96%, P=0.29]. After subgroup analysis based on the degree of development of the study (developing/developed countries), it was found that the results of the two subgroups were the same as the whole, and no significant difference between the two subgroups existed. Meta-regression showed that the effect of sample size on heterogeneity among studies was more prominent (P<0.01, adjusted R 2=89.72%), which can explain 89.72% of the sources of heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: This Meta-analysis reveals no significant correlation between Hp infection and CSC, which still warrants further well-designed extensive sample studies to reach a more reliable conclusion and promote a better understanding of the treatment of CSC.

The emerging and legacy persistent organic contaminants in corals of the South China Sea.

Seawater warming, ocean acidification and chemical pollution are the main threats to coral growth and even survival. The legacy persistent organic contaminants (POCs), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and the emerging contaminants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), dechlorane plus (DPs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) were studied in corals from Luhuitou fringing reef in Sanya Bay and Yongle atoll in Xisha Islands, the South China Sea (SCS). Total average concentrations of ∑16PAHs, ∑23OCPs, ∑34PCBs, ∑8PBDEs, ∑2DPs and ∑5NBFRs in 20 coral species (43 samples) from the SCS were 40.7 ± 34.6, 5.20 ± 5.10, 0.197 ± 0.159, 3.30 ± 3.70, 0.041 ± 0.042 and 36.4 ± 112 ng g-1 dw, respectively. PAHs and NBFRs were the most abundant compounds and they are likely to be dangerous pollutants for future coral growth. Compared to those found in other coral reef regions, these pollutants concentrations in corals were at low to median levels. Except for PBDEs, POCs in massive Porites were significantly higher than those in branch Acropora and Pocillopora (p < 0.01), as large, closely packed corals may be beneficial for retaining more pollutant. The current study contributes valuable data on POCs, particularly for halogenated flame retardants (HFRs, including PBDEs, DPs and NBFRs), in corals from the SCS, and will improve our knowledge of the occurrence and fate of these pollutants in coral reef ecosystems.

Multimodal phototherapy agents target lipid droplets for near-infrared imaging-guided type I photodynamic/photothermal therapy.

The construction and optimization of a single phototherapeutic agent with photoluminescence, type I photodynamic therapy (PDT), and photothermal therapy (PTT) functions remain challenging. In this study, we aimed to design and synthesize four donor-acceptor (D-A) type aggregation-induced emission molecules: PSI, TPSI, PSSI, and TPSSI. We employed phenothiazine as an electron donor and 1,3-bis(dicyanomethylidene)indan as a strong electron acceptor in the synthesis process. Among them, TPSSI exhibited efficient type I reactive oxygen species generation, high photothermal conversion efficiency (45.44 %), and near-infrared emission. These observations can be attributed to the introduction of a triphenylamine electron donor group and a thiophene unit, which resulted in increased D-A strengths, a reduced singlet-triplet energy gap, and increased free intramolecular motion. TPSSI was loaded into bovine serum albumin to prepare biocompatible TPSSI nanoparticles (NPs). Our results have indicated that TPSSI NPs can target lipid droplets with negligible dark toxicity and can efficiently generate O2•- in hypoxic tumor environments. Moreover, TPSSI NPs selectively targeted 4T1 tumor tissues and exhibited a good PDT-PTT synergistic effect in vitro and in vivo. We believe that the successful preparation of multifunctional phototherapeutic agents will promote the development of efficient tumor diagnosis and treatment technologies. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The construction of a single phototherapeutic agent with photoluminescence, type I photodynamic therapy, and photothermal therapy functions, and its optimization remain challenging. In this study, we construct four donor-acceptor aggregation-induced emission molecules using phenothiazine as an electron donor and 1,3-Bis(dicyanomethylidene)indan as a strong electron acceptor. By optimizing the molecular structure, an integrated phototherapy agent with fluorescence imaging ability and high photodynamic / photothermal therapy performance was prepared. We believe that the successful preparation of multifunctional phototherapeutic agents will promote the development of efficient tumor diagnosis and treatment technology.

Enhancing biomass production and biochemical compositions of Spirodela polyrhiza through superhydrophobic cultivation platforms at low light intensity.

Duckweed, a floating macrophyte, has attracted interest in various fields such as animal feedstocks and bioenergy productions. Its enriched nutritional content and rapid growth rate make it particularly promising. However, common laboratory cultures of duckweed often experience fronds layering, diminishing the efficiency of sunlight capturing due to limited surface area on conventional cultivation platforms. In this work, we aimed to address the issue of fronds layering by introducing a novel cultivation platform - a superhydrophobic coated acrylic sheet. The sheet was prepared by spray-coating a suspension of beeswax and ethanol, and its effectiveness was evaluated by comparing the growth performance of giant duckweed, Spirodela polyrhiza, on this platform with that on a modified version. The superhydrophobic coated acrylic sheet (SHPA) and its variant with a metal mesh added (SHPAM) were employed as growing platforms, with a glass jar serving as the control. The plantlets were grown for 7 days with similar growth conditions under low light stress (25 µmol/m2/s). SHPAM demonstrated superior growth performance, achieving a mass gain of 102.12 ± 17.18 %, surpassing both SHPA (89.67 ± 14.97 %) and the control (39.26 ± 8.94 %). For biochemical compositions, SHPAM outperformed in chlorophyll content, protein content and lipid content. The values obtained were 1.021 ± 0.076 mg/g FW, 14.59 ± 0.58 % DW and 6.21 ± 0.75 % DW respectively. Therefore, this work proved that incorporation of superhydrophobic coatings on a novel cultivation platform significantly enhanced the biomass production of S. polyrhiza. Simultaneously, the biochemical compositions of the duckweeds were well-maintained, showcasing the potential of this approach for optimized duckweed cultivation.

An Exploratory Pilot Study on the Application of Radiofrequency Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Guided by Computed Tomography-Based 3D Printing Technology.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the treatment of choice for atrial fibrillation (AF). Additionally, the utilization of 3D printing for cardiac models offers an in-depth insight into cardiac anatomy and cardiovascular diseases. The study aims to evaluate the clinical utility and outcomes of RFA following in vitro visualization of the left atrium (LA) and pulmonary vein (PV) structures via 3D printing (3DP). Between November 2017 and April 2021, patients who underwent RFA at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University were consecutively enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups: the 3DP group and the control group, in a 1:1 ratio. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was employed to capture the morphology and diameter of the LA and PV, which facilitated the construction of a 3D entity model. Additionally, surgical procedures were simulated using the 3D model. Parameters such as the duration of the procedure, complications, and rates of RFA recurrence were meticulously documented. Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test or Mann-Whitney U test to evaluate the differences between the groups, with a P-value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. In this study, a total of 122 patients were included, with 53 allocated to the 3DP group and 69 to the control group. The analysis of the morphological measurements of the LA and PV taken from the workstation or direct entity measurement showed no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, patients in the 3DP group experienced significantly shorter RFA times (97.03 ± 28.39 compared to 120.51 ± 44.76 min, t = 3.05, P = 0.003), reduced duration of radiation exposure (2.55 [interquartile range 2.01, 3.24] versus 3.20 [2.28, 3.91] min, Z = 3.23, P < 0.001), and shorter modeling times (7.68 ± 1.03 compared to 8.89 ± 1.45 min, t = 5.38, P < 0.001). 3DP technology has the potential to enhance standard RFA practices by reducing the time required for intraoperative interventions and exposure to radiation.

Long noncoding RNA LRG modulates Drosophila locomotion by sequestering Synaptotagmin 1 protein.

Apparently, the genomes of many organisms are pervasively transcribed, and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) make up the majority of cellular transcripts. LncRNAs have been reported to play important roles in many biological processes; however, their effects on locomotion are poorly understood. Here, we presented a novel lncRNA, Locomotion Regulatory Gene (LRG), which participates in locomotion by sequestering Synaptotagmin 1 (SYT1). LRG deficiency resulted in higher locomotion speed which could be rescued by pan-neuronal overexpression but not by limited ellipsoid body, motoneuron or muscle-expression of LRG. At the molecular level, the synaptic vesicles (SVs) release and movement-related SYT1 protein was recognized as LRG-interacting protein candidate. Furthermore, LRG had no effects on SYT1 expression. Genetically, the behavioral defects in LRG mutant could be rescued by pan-neuronal knock-down of Syt1. Taken together, all the results suggested LRG exerts regulatory effects on locomotion via sequestering SYT1 thereby blocking its function without affecting its expression. Our work displays a new function of lncRNA and provides insights for revealing the pathogenesis of neurological diseases with motor disorders.

Engineering of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry2Ab toxin for improved insecticidal activity.

Bacillus thuringiensis Cry2Ab toxin was a widely used bioinsecticide to control lepidopteran pests all over the world. In the present study, engineering of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry2Ab toxin was performed for improved insecticidal activity using site-specific saturation mutation. Variants L183I were screened with lower LC50 (0.129 µg/cm2) against P. xylostella when compared to wild-type Cry2Ab (0.267 µg/cm2). To investigate the molecular mechanism behind the enhanced activity of variant L183I, the activation, oligomerization and pore-formation activities of L183I were evaluated, using wild-type Cry2Ab as a control. The results demonstrated that the proteolytic activation of L183I was the same as that of wild-type Cry2Ab. However, variant L183I displayed higher oligomerization and pore-formation activities, which was consistence with its increased insecticidal activity. The current study demonstrated that the insecticidal activity of Cry2Ab toxin could be assessed using oligomerization and pore-formation activities, and the screened variant L183I with improved activity might contribute to Cry2Ab toxin's future application.

Applications of deep learning for detecting ophthalmic diseases with ultrawide-field fundus images.

AIM: To summarize the application of deep learning in detecting ophthalmic disease with ultrawide-field fundus images and analyze the advantages, limitations, and possible solutions common to all tasks. METHODS: We searched three academic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Ovid, with the date of August 2022. We matched and screened according to the target keywords and publication year and retrieved a total of 4358 research papers according to the keywords, of which 23 studies were retrieved on applying deep learning in diagnosing ophthalmic disease with ultrawide-field images. RESULTS: Deep learning in ultrawide-field images can detect various ophthalmic diseases and achieve great performance, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusions, retinal detachment, and other peripheral retinal diseases. Compared to fundus images, the ultrawide-field fundus scanning laser ophthalmoscopy enables the capture of the ocular fundus up to 200° in a single exposure, which can observe more areas of the retina. CONCLUSION: The combination of ultrawide-field fundus images and artificial intelligence will achieve great performance in diagnosing multiple ophthalmic diseases in the future.

Genetic architecture of ecological divergence between Oryza rufipogon and Oryza nivara.

Ecological divergence due to habitat difference plays a prominent role in the formation of new species, but the genetic architecture during ecological speciation and the mechanism underlying phenotypic divergence remain less understood. Two wild ancestors of rice (Oryza rufipogon and Oryza nivara) are a progenitor-derivative species pair with ecological divergence and provide a unique system for studying ecological adaptation/speciation. Here, we constructed a high-resolution linkage map and conducted a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of 19 phenotypic traits using an F2 population generated from a cross between the two Oryza species. We identified 113 QTLs associated with interspecific divergence of 16 quantitative traits, with effect sizes ranging from 1.61% to 34.1% in terms of the percentage of variation explained (PVE). The distribution of effect sizes of QTLs followed a negative exponential, suggesting that a few genes of large effect and many genes of small effect were responsible for the phenotypic divergence. We observed 18 clusters of QTLs (QTL hotspots) on 11 chromosomes, significantly more than that expected by chance, demonstrating the importance of coinheritance of loci/genes in ecological adaptation/speciation. Analysis of effect direction and v-test statistics revealed that interspecific differentiation of most traits was driven by divergent natural selection, supporting the argument that ecological adaptation/speciation would proceed rapidly under coordinated selection on multiple traits. Our findings provide new insights into the understanding of genetic architecture of ecological adaptation and speciation in plants and help effective manipulation of specific genes or gene cluster in rice breeding.

Associations of unintended pregnancy with autism spectrum disorders and the modification of folic acid supplements.

There is limited evidence on the associations of unintended pregnancy with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study aimed to examine this relationship and the modification of pre-conceptional and prenatal folic acid supplements. Six thousand and five toddlers aged 16 to 30 months from seven cities of six provinces in China were eligible for participation. Information on unintended pregnancy and folic acid supplements was obtained via questionnaires from caregivers of toddlers. The diagnosis of ASD was based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and the Chinese version of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Of the 6005 toddlers in the study (3337 boys and 2668 girls), 71 (1.18%) received the diagnosis of ASD. Generalized linear models with a logit link function showed unintended pregnancy was positively associated with ASD (odds ratios [OR] = 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-2.79). Stratified estimates indicated that the association remained stable among toddlers of mothers without pre-conceptional and prenatal folic acid supplements (OR = 2.75, 95% CI, 1.04-7.27; n = 1243, 20.70%). Unintended pregnancy was associated with higher odds of ASD in 16-30 months of toddlers, and the association was consistent among toddlers of mothers without prenatal folic acid supplements. Our findings emphasize the need to raise awareness of the risk of unintended pregnancy and the benefits of folic acid supplements among Chinese women.

Effectiveness of toric soft contact lenses for vision correction in patients with different degrees of astigmatism: a real-world study.

AIM: To assess the visual correction of patients with different degrees of astigmatism with toric soft contact lenses (TSC). METHODS: It was a real-world study with prospective and single-arm design. A total of 384 patients with astigmatism who came for TSC fitting and alignment from November 2022 to January 2023 were included. According to the difference in astigmatism, patients were divided into groups A (cylinder degree: -0.75 to -0.50 D), B (cylinder degree: -1.75 to -1.00 D) and C (cylinder degree ≤ -2.00 D), and followed up on the day of wear, 1wk, 1 and 3mo, mainly to observe visual acuity, refraction, lens fit, visual quality and comfort at 1wk after wear. The visual acuity success rate and the overall success rate of the fitting were evaluation indicators (taking into account the four dimensions of visual acuity, fitting, quality of vision and comfort). The visual acuity success rate was calculated by taking "corrected visual acuity with contact lenses is no less than 1 line or better than best spectacle-corrected visual acuity" (i.e. corrected visual acuity with contact lenses is 1 line below, equal to, one line above or more than best spectacle-corrected visual acuity) as the criterion for visual success, and the the overall success rate of the fitting was calculated by using the comprehensive indicators (visual acuity, fit, visual quality, comfort) to meet certain conditions as the judgment criteria for successful fitting. RESULTS: After 1wk of wearing TSC, the visual acuity success rates of patients were 100% (207/207), 98.58% (139/141) and 97.22% (35/36) in the three groups, respectively, with residual cylinder closed to 0. The acceptability of the lens fitting was over 95%; the incidence of adverse visual symptoms was within 10% and the comfort acceptability was over 97%. The overall success rate of fitting for patients with high, medium and low astigmatism was 93.72% (194/207), 90.78% (128/141) and 88.89% (32/36), respectively. CONCLUSION: TSC (model: G&G POP·CT) are effective in correcting astigmatism in patients with different degrees of astigmatism.

Specific brain imaging alterations underlying autistic traits in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

BACKGROUND: Autistic traits (ATs) are frequently reported in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to examine ATs in children with ADHD from both behavioral and neuroimaging perspectives. METHODS: We used the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) to assess and define subjects with and without ATs. For behavioral analyses, 67 children with ADHD and ATs (ADHD + ATs), 105 children with ADHD but without ATs (ADHD - ATs), and 44 typically developing healthy controls without ATs (HC - ATs) were recruited. We collected resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data and analyzed the mean amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (mALFF) values (an approach used to depict different spontaneous brain activities) in a sub-sample. The imaging features that were shared between ATs and ADHD symptoms or that were unique to one or the other set of symptoms were illustrated as a way to explore the "brain-behavior" relationship. RESULTS: Compared to ADHD-ATs, the ADHD + ATs group showed more global impairment in all aspects of autistic symptoms and higher hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI). Partial-correlation analysis indicated that HI was significantly positively correlated with all aspects of ATs in ADHD. Imaging analyses indicated that mALFF values in the left middle occipital gyrus (MOG), left parietal lobe (PL)/precuneus, and left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) might be specifically related to ADHD, while those in the right MTG might be more closely associated with ATs. Furthermore, altered mALFF in the right PL/precuneus correlated with both ADHD and ATs, albeit in diverse directions. CONCLUSIONS: The co-occurrence of ATs in children with ADHD manifested as different behavioral characteristics and specific brain functional alterations. Assessing ATs in children with ADHD could help us understand the heterogeneity of ADHD, further explore its pathogenesis, and promote clinical interventions.

Diagnostic role of transient elastography in patients with autoimmune liver diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive methods have been developed to detect fibrosis in many liver diseases due to the limits of liver biopsy. However, previous studies have focused primarily on chronic viral hepatitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The diagnostic value of transient elastography for autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) is worth studying. AIM: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of imaging techniques with serum biomarkers of fibrosis in AILD. METHODS: The PubMed, Cochrane Library and EMBASE databases were searched. Studies evaluating the efficacy of noninvasive methods in the diagnosis of AILDs [autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)] were included. The summary area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), diagnostic odds ratio, sensitivity and specificity were used to assess the accuracy of these noninvasive methods for staging fibrosis. RESULTS: A total of 60 articles were included in this study, and the number of patients with AIH, PBC and PSC was 1594, 3126 and 501, respectively. The summary AUROC of transient elastography in the diagnosis of significant fibrosis, advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with AIH were 0.84, 0.88 and 0.90, respectively, while those in patients with PBC were 0.93, 0.93 and 0.91, respectively. The AUROC of cirrhosis for patients with PSC was 0.95. However, other noninvasive indices (aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio, fibrosis-4 index) had corresponding AUROCs less than 0.80. CONCLUSION: Transient elastography exerts better diagnostic accuracy in AILD patients, especially in PBC patients. The appropriate cutoff values for staging advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis ranged from 9.6 to 10.7 and 14.4 to 16.9 KPa for PBC patients.

Prediction of refractive error and its progression: a machine learning-based algorithm.

OBJECTIVE: Myopia is the refractive error that shows the highest prevalence for younger ages in Southeast Asia and its projection over the next decades indicates that this situation will worsen. Nowadays, several management solutions are being applied to help fight its onset and development, nonetheless, the applications of these techniques depend on a clear and reliable assessment of risk to develop myopia. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this study, population-based data of Chinese children were used to develop a machine learning-based algorithm that enables the risk assessment of myopia's onset and development. Cross-sectional data of 12 780 kids together with longitudinal data of 226 kids containing age, gender, biometry and refractive parameters were used for the development of the models. RESULTS: A combination of support vector regression and Gaussian process regression resulted in the best performing algorithm. The Pearson correlation coefficient between prediction and measured data was 0.77, whereas the bias was -0.05 D and the limits of agreement was 0.85 D (95% CI: -0.91 to 0.80D). DISCUSSION: The developed algorithm uses accessible inputs to provide an estimate of refractive development and may serve as guide for the eye care professional to help determine the individual best strategy for management of myopia.

Correlation analysis of obesity phenotypes with leptin and adiponectin.

Obesity can be categorized as metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO). However, individuals with MHO are characterized by the absence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and appear to have lower inflammation levels compared to MUO. This study aimed to investigate the association of obesity phenotypes with leptin (LEP) and adiponectin (ADP). According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we selected 178 subjects from the previous cross-sectional survey. Based on the body mass index (BMI) and diagnostic criteria of MS, we divided the individuals into three groups, including healthy control group (HC group), metabolically healthy obesity group (MHO group) and metabolically unhealthy obesity group (MUO group). The concentrations of LEP and ADP in serum were measured, and the association of these two cytokines with different obesity phenotypes were subsequently analyzed. Compared to both the HC and MHO groups, the MUO group showed significantly higher BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (Homa-IR) and blood pressure (P < 0.05). In contrast, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was notably lower in the MUO group (P < 0.05). ADP was found to have a positive correlation with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and a negative correlation with FPG in the MHO group. In the MUO group, LEP demonstrated a positive correlation with fasting insulin (FINS) and Homa-IR, while ADP showed a positive correlation with TC and SBP. Linear regression analysis further indicated that SBP (ß = 0.234, P = 0.043), TG (ß = - 0.292, P = 0.001) and LDL-C (ß = 0.626, P = 0.000) were independently correlated with ADP, and BMI (ß = 0.398, P = 0.002) was independently correlated with LEP in obese individuals. In conclusion, ADP and LEP were closely related with glucose and lipid metabolism in obese individuals, these two cytokines might play critical roles in obesity-associated metabolic disorders.

Bioaccumulation, tissue distributions, and maternal transfer of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) in laying hens.

Laying hens were exposed to feeds spiked with a series of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) ranging from perfluorobutanoic acid (C4) to perfluorooctadecanoic acid (C18) to investigate their bioaccumulation, tissue distribution, and maternal transfer. We found that PFCAs with longer carbon chains (>8) were more efficiently absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract than those with shorter chains (≤8), and that the rate of depuration varied inversely with the carbon chain length in a U-shaped pattern. Moreover, bioaccumulation potential increased with increasing carbon-chain length, except for C4. Distinct affinities were observed for specific carbon-chain PFCAs across various tissues, evident from their differential accumulation during both uptake and depuration phases. Specifically, C9 showed a higher affinity for serum and liver, C12 was more prevalent in yolk, C14 was notably abundant in the brain, and C18 was predominant in other tissues. Furthermore, the egg-maternal ratio (EMR) increased with increasing carbon-chain length from C7 to C11 and reached a plateau phase for C12 to C18. Our study also confirmed the key role of phospholipids in the tissue distribution and maternal transfer of long-chain PFCAs. This study sheds light on the interaction between PFCAs and biological tissues and reveals the toxicokinetic factors that influence the bioaccumulation of PFCAs. Further research is needed to identify the specific proteins or components that mediate the tissue-specific affinity for different carbon-chain lengths of PFCAs.