Clinical analysis of 10 cases with subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma and tissue AURKA expression.

BACKGROUND: Due to its rarity, subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is often misdiagnosed as benign panniculitis, and there are no standardized treatment guidelines for SPTCL. Aurora kinase A (AURKA) plays a regulatory role in both mitosis and meiosis. Cells treated with an AURKA inhibitor showed severe mitotic delay, which triggered apoptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten cases of SPTCL were collected in this study, and immunohistochemistry was performed to detect AURKA expression in the skin tissues of these cases. Control groups were set as follows: 1) 10 cases of inflammatory panniculitis; 2) 9 healthy individuals. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the positive rates of AURKA among various groups. RESULTS: An average onset age of 27.3 years was found in 10 SPTCL cases. Clinically, these patients primarily presented with multiple subcutaneous nodules on the trunk and lower extremities, accompanied by intermittent high fever. One case showed lymph node metastasis, while no other distant organ metastasis being observed in any case. Pathologically, there was an infiltration of a large number of atypical lymphocytes within the fat lobules, characterized as a cytotoxic type. AURKA stanning was positive in 6 out of 10 SPTCL cases, while no positive cases were found in the control groups. CONCLUSION: 1) SPTCL predominantly affects young individuals and can be identified by nodular erythema on the trunk, intermittent high fever, and infiltration of atypical cytotoxic lymphocytes within fat lobules. 2) For early-stage cases without metastasis, monotherapy with glucocorticoids or immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine can be considered. 3) High expression of AURKA in SPTCL tissues suggests that AURKA could be a potential biomarker for disease diagnosis, providing a theoretical basis for further targeted therapy.

Ultrasonic treatment can improve maize seed germination and abiotic stress resistance.

Constant-frequency ultrasonic treatment helped to improve seed germination. However, variable-frequency ultrasonic treatment on maize seed germination were rarely reported. In this study, maize seeds were exposed to 20-40 kHz ultrasonic for 40 s. The germination percentage and radicle length of maize seeds increased by 10.4% and 230.5%. Ultrasonic treatment also significantly increased the acid protease, α-amylase, and ß-amylase contents by 96.4%, 73.8%, and 49.1%, respectively. Transcriptome analysis showed that 11,475 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found in the ultrasonic treatment and control groups, including 5,695 upregulated and 5,780 downregulated. Metabolic pathways and transcription factors (TFs) were significantly enriched among DEGs after ultrasonic treatment. This included metabolism and genetic information processing, that is, ribosome, proteasome, and pyruvate metabolism, sesquiterpenoid, triterpenoid, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and oxidative phosphorylation, as well as transcription factors in the NAC, MYB, bHLH, WRKY, AP2, bZIP, and ARF families. Variable-frequency ultrasonic treatment increased auxin, gibberellin, and salicylic acid by 5.5%, 37.3%, and 28.9%, respectively. Abscisic acid significantly decreased by 33.2%. The related DEGs were upregulated and downregulated to varying degrees. Seed germination under the abiotic stress conditions of salt stress (NaCl solution), drought (PEG solution), and waterlogging (water-saturated sand bed) under ultrasonic treatment were promoted, radicle length was significantly increased by 30.2%, 30.5%, and 27.3%, respectively; and germination percentage by 14.8%, 20.1%, and 21.6%, respectively. These findings provide new insight into the mechanisms through ultrasonic to promote maize seed germination.

Determining the optimum high-flow nasal cannula flow rate to achieve the desired fraction of inspired oxygen: A bench study.

BACKGROUND: Purpose: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has many benefits in various clinical conditions. The original hypothesis suggests that the high and constant fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) is one of the main physiological effects. However, increasing evidence shows that there is a gap between the actual FiO2 and administered FiO2. We aimed to determine the actual FiO2 under different respiratory conditions and develop a regression model using a spontaneous breathing lung model. METHODS: A spontaneous breathing simulation model was built using an airway manikin and a model lung. The FiO2 was measured under different respiratory conditions with varying tidal volumes and respiratory and HFNC flow rates. The relationships between the respiratory parameters and actual FiO2 were determined and used to build the predictive model. RESULTS: The actual FiO2 was negatively correlated with respiratory rate and tidal volume and positively correlated with HFNC flow. The regression model could not be developed using simple respiratory parameters. Therefore, we introduced a new variable, defined as flow ratio, which equaled the HFNC flow divided by inspiratory flow. Our equation demonstrated that the actual FiO2 was mainly determined by the flow ratio in a non-linear relationship. Accordingly, a flow ratio greater than 1 did not ensure a constant high FiO2, whereas a flow ratio >1.435 could produce FiO2 >0.9. CONCLUSION: The FiO2 during HFNC was not constant even at sufficiently high oxygen flow compared with inspiratory flow. The predictive model showed that the actual FiO2 was mainly determined by the flow ratio.

Assessing the Efficacy of the Spectrum-Aided Vision Enhancer (SAVE) to Detect Acral Lentiginous Melanoma, Melanoma In Situ, Nodular Melanoma, and Superficial Spreading Melanoma.

Skin cancer is the predominant form of cancer worldwide, including 75% of all cancer cases. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the spectrum-aided visual enhancer (SAVE) in detecting skin cancer. This paper presents the development of a novel algorithm for snapshot hyperspectral conversion, capable of converting RGB images into hyperspectral images (HSI). The integration of band selection with HSI has facilitated the identification of a set of narrow band images (NBI) from the RGB images. This study utilizes various iterations of the You Only Look Once (YOLO) machine learning (ML) framework to assess the precision, recall, and mean average precision in the detection of skin cancer. YOLO is commonly preferred in medical diagnostics due to its real-time processing speed and accuracy, which are essential for delivering effective and efficient patient care. The precision, recall, and mean average precision (mAP) of the SAVE images show a notable enhancement in comparison to the RGB images. This work has the potential to greatly enhance the efficiency of skin cancer detection, as well as improve early detection rates and diagnostic accuracy. Consequently, it may lead to a reduction in both morbidity and mortality rates.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment and Hypertensive Adverse Outcomes in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Pregnancy may contribute to the development or exacerbation of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and increase the risk of gestational complications. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line and criterion standard treatment for OSA and is regarded as the most feasible choice during pregnancy. However, the association between CPAP therapy in pregnant women with OSA and reduced gestational complications remains inconclusive. Objective: To investigate the association between CPAP therapy in pregnant women with OSA and the reduction of adverse hypertensive outcomes during gestation. Data Sources: Keyword searches of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Clinical Trials were conducted from inception to November 5, 2023. Study Selection: Original studies reporting the treatment effect of CPAP use on lowering hypertension and preeclampsia risks in pregnant women with OSA were selected. Data Extraction and Synthesis: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed in the reporting of reviews. Data were independently extracted by 2 authors. Random-effects model meta-analyses were performed and risk ratios (RRs) reported. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression based on age and body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), and publication bias assessment were also conducted. Main Outcome and Measures: The primary outcome was the RR of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia between pregnant women with OSA receiving CPAP treatment and those who did not receive CPAP treatment. Results: Six original studies in 809 participants (mean age, 31.4 years; mean BMI, 34.0) were identified and systematically reviewed for meta-analysis. The pooled results showed significant differences between the intervention (CPAP use) and the control (non-CPAP use) groups in reducing the risk of gestational hypertension (RR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.47-0.89; P = .008) and preeclampsia (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.50-0.98; P = .04). Meta-regression revealed that patients' age (coefficient, -0.0190; P = .83) and BMI (coefficient, -0.0042; P = .87) were not correlated with reduction of risk of hypertension and preeclampsia. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that implementing CPAP treatment in pregnant women with OSA may reduce the risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of children with COVID-19 in pediatric intensive care units during the Omicron wave in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Since April 2022, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has caused a notable increase in pediatric COVID-19 cases in Taiwan. During the acute phase of infection, some children required admissions to pediatric intensive care units (PICU). This study aimed to analyze their clinical presentations and outcomes while exploring associated factors. METHODS: Medical records were retrospectively collected from patients with COVID-19 (aged <18 years) admitted to our PICU from April 2022-March 2023. Early stage is defined as the period without adequate vaccination and treatment guidelines for children from April-June 2022, and the remaining months are referred to as late stage. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between patients in early and late stages. RESULTS: We enrolled 78 children with COVID-19, with a median length of stay (LOS) in PICU of 3 days and a 5% mortality rate. Patients admitted during the early stage had lower vaccination rates (7% vs. 50%), higher pediatric logistic organ dysfunction scores (2 vs. 0.1), and longer LOS in the PICU (6 vs. 2 days) than those admitted during the late stage. Multivariate analysis identified admission during the early stage as a risk factor for prolonged LOS (>7 days) in the PICU (odds ratio: 3.65, p = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Without available vaccinations and suitable treatment guidelines, children with COVID-19 tended to have more severe illness and prolonged LOS in the PICU. These observations highlight the importance of vaccinations and familiarity of medical providers with adequate management of this newly-emerging infectious disease.

Norwegian scabies presenting as erythroderma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Norwegian scabies (NS) is a serious parasitic skin condition. Although NS is one of the causes of erythroderma, it is frequently overlooked. Therefore, it is essential to raise awareness regarding NS presenting as erythroderma. CASE SUMMARY: We present a case of NS that persisted for more than 3 years. After following nonstandard treatment, the patient's rash worsened and gradually progressed into erythroderma. Finally, NS was diagnosed by skin microscopy and pathology. CONCLUSION: When patients with pruritic dermatosis have high-risk factors such as prolonged bed rest and immunodeficiency, clinicians need to enhance their awareness of NS and ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Desertibaculum subflavum gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel member of the family Sneathiellaceae isolated from the Kumtag Desert soil.

A novel rod-shaped bacterium, designated as strain SYSU D60015T that formed yellowish colonies was isolated from a sandy soil collected from the Kumtag Desert in Xinjiang, China. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, oxidase-positive, catalase-negative and motile with a single polar flagellum. Growth optimum occurred between 28 and 37 °C, pH 7.0 and with 0-0.5% (W/V) NaCl. The predominant cellular fatty acids (> 5%) were summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c), C19:0 cyclo ω8c, C18:1 ω7c 11-methyl and C16:0. The polar lipid profile contained one phosphatidylethanolamine, one diphosphatidylglycerol, one phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified phospholipid, three unidentified aminolipids, two unidentified aminophospholipids and seven unidentified lipids. The only respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogenetic analysis, strain SYSU D60015T was found to form a distinct linage within the family Sneathiellaceae, and had 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 90.8% to Taonella mepensis H1T, and 90.2% to Ferrovibrio denitrificans S3T. The genome of SYSU D60015T was 5.66 Mb in size with 68.2% of DNA G + C content. The low digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH, 18.0%), average nucleotide identity (ANI, 77.5%) and amino acid identity (AAI, 56.0%) values between SYSU D60015T and Ferrovibrio terrae K5T indicated that SYSU D60015T might represent a distinct genus. Based on the phylogenetic, phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genomic data, we propose Desertibaculum subflavum gen. nov., sp. nov. as a novel species of a new genus within the family Sneathiellaceae. The type strain is SYSU D60015T (= NBRC 112952T = CGMCC 1.16256T).

Integrating network pharmacology and experimental verification to explore the pharmacological mechanisms of phlorizin against osteoarthritis.

To study the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of phlorizin in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) through network pharmacological analysis, molecular docking, and experimental validation. First, we screened out the relevant targets related to phlorizin and OA from the public database. The key targets, biological processes, and signaling pathways of phlorizin against OA were identified by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO), and Encyclopedia of Kyoto Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Subsequently, molecular docking was performed to predict the binding activity between phlorizin and key targets. Finally, we evaluated the effects of phlorizin on hydrogen peroxide-induced OA in rats and validated its possible mechanism of action based on the findings of the network pharmacology analysis. Network pharmacology revealed a total of 235 cross-targets involved in the treatment of OA. Phlorizin's anti-OA effect was found to be primarily mediated through oxidoreductase activity, with JAK-STAT and NF-κB signaling pathways playing a regulating role, according to pathway enrichment analysis. Phlorizin demonstrated a strong affinity for NF-κB1 targets through molecular docking. Moreover, in vitro experiments demonstrated that phlorizin could enhance intracellular antioxidant enzyme activities with good ROS scavenging ability and significantly reduce the expression of NF-κB1 and inflammatory cytokines. Phlorizin can inhibit the progression of OA. The potential underlying mechanism involves inhibiting the NF-κB pathway to reduce inflammation and promote intracellular antioxidant action.

Corrigendum: Prescription pattern and effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs in patients with aortic dissection who underwent surgery.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1291900.].

Clinical Characteristics and Disease Burden of Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Generalized Pustular Psoriasis Flares in Taiwan.

INTRODUCTION: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare and severe psoriasis subtype characterized by the rapid onset of coalescing sterile pustules over broad body areas and systemic inflammation. Data on its clinical course and outcomes in Taiwan are limited. We evaluated the clinical profile and outcomes of patients with GPP flares in Taiwan. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included adult patients with moderate-to-severe GPP flares occurring in January 2008-December 2021. Data were extracted from medical charts and electronic health records in the Chang Gung Research Database. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS for Windows (version 9.4). Multivariate Poisson regression models were built to investigate different predictors of GPP flare rate. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients with 81 moderate-to-severe GPP flares were identified. Of the 14 patients undergoing genetic analysis, 10 (71.4%) had an IL36RN mutation. Patients' mean age at the index GPP flare was 47.1 ± 16.5 years; 58.0% of the flares were severe, while 42.0% were moderate. Overall, 96.3% of GPP flares were treated with at least one systemic therapy, acitretin being the most prescribed (85.2%), followed by cyclosporine (45.7%) and methotrexate (18.5%). After treatment, the proportion of flares responding positively increased from 0% on day 2 to 6.2% by week 12. Patients were newly diagnosed with psoriasis (23.5%), hypertension (20.6%), diabetes mellitus (14.7%), psoriatic arthritis (2.9%), malignant tumor (8.8%), and depression/anxiety (2.9%) after enrollment. Complications occurring within 12 weeks of GPP flares included arthritis (25.9% of the flares), skin infection (8.6%), and other infections (2.5%). No fatalities were reported. In the multivariate model, former smokers, patients with hepatic disease, and patients with psoriatic arthritis had an increased GPP rate ratio (RR) of 13.33 (95% confidence interval, CI, 2.87-61.78), 14.08 (95% CI 3.04-65.29), and 34.84 (95% CI 4.77- 254.42), respectively. Contrarily, obese and rheumatoid arthritis patients had a lower GPP rate ratio of 0.21 (95% CI 0.08-0.54) and 0.07 (95% CI 0.006-0.78), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the complexity of GPP flare presentations and the need for individualized, patient-centered management approaches and continued research to improve affected individuals' care and outcomes.

Atrial flutter/fibrillation in adult congenital heart disease: Insights from a large Asian cohort.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (AF/AFL) in general population is lower in Asia compared to Western countries. It is unclear whether a similar trend exists among adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). We determine the profile, risk factors, and impact of AF/AFL in an Asian ACHD cohort. METHODS: We included all ACHD patients diagnosed in an Asia tertiary care center between 2007 and 2018, analyzing AF (sustained and paroxysmal AF) and AFL, collectively./Purpose. RESULTS: The study encompassed 4391 patients (55.9% women), with 81% having simple, 16.3% moderate and 2.8% severe CHD. AF/AFL was observed in 6.7% of the patients, with 54.6% having paroxysmal AF, 27.3% sustained AF, and 18.1% AFL. Incidence of AF/AFL increased with age and was higher in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), severe CHD, and metabolic syndrome. We found a progressive trend in the onset age of arrhythmia: AFL at a younger age, followed by paroxysmal and sustained AF. Risk factors for AF/AFL included severe and moderate CHD, PH, previous interventions, and male sex (odds ratio 11.2 and 3.15, 2.03, 1.75, and 1.71, respectively). When stratifying by CHD severity, PH and male sex were significant risk factors in simple CHD, while only PH in severe CHD. Patients with AF/AFL had a significantly lower major adverse cardiovascular events-free survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: This large ACHD cohort from Asia exhibited a high incidence of AF/AFL, similar to Western reports. The risk of AF/AFL was primarily associated with hemodynamic factors such as PH and CHD severity.

Taklimakanibacter deserti gen. nov., sp. nov. and Taklimakanibacter lacteus sp. nov., isolated from desert soil.

Two Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, milk-white coloured, non-motile, short rod-shaped bacteria, designated as strains SYSU D60010T and SYSU D60012T, were isolated from sand samples collected from the Taklimakan Desert of Xinjiang Province in China. Both strains were positive for oxidase, catalase and nitrate reduction, but negative for amylase, H2S production, hydrolysis of gelatin and cellulase. Strains SYSU D60010T and SYSU D60012T grew well at 28 °C, at pH 7 and had the same NaCl tolerance range of 0-1 % (w/v). The major fatty acids (>5 %) of strains SYSU D60010T and SYSU D60012T were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c), iso-C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c, C16 : 0 and iso-C18 : 1 2-OH. Q-10 was the only respiratory ubiquinone. Strains SYSU D60010T and SYSU D60012T showed high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to Aestuariivirga litoralis SYSU M10001T (94.2 and 94.1 %), Rhodoligotrophos jinshengii BUT-3T (92.0 and 91.9 %) and Rhodoligotrophos appendicifer 120-1T (91.8 and 91.7 %), and the genomes were 7.4 and 5.8 Mbp in size with DNA G+C contents of 62.8 and 63.0 mol%, respectively. Phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics indicated that these two strains represent a novel genus and two novel species within the family Aestuariivirgaceae. We propose the name Taklimakanibacter deserti gen. nov., sp. nov. for strain SYSU D60010T, representing the type strain of this species (=KCTC 52783T =NBRC 113344T) and Taklimakanibacter lacteus gen. nov., sp. nov. for strain SYSU D60012T, representing the type strain of this species (=KCTC 52785T=NBRC 113128T).

Multicenter registry of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Paired comparison with Kawasaki disease.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics to differentiate multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD) in Taiwan, an island with a delayed cluster of MIS-C and a high incidence of KD. Additionally, we studied risk factors for developing severe complications in patients with MIS-C. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, multicenter, cohort, and observational study that linked data on patients with MIS-C between May and December 2022 and patients with KD between 2019 and 2021 from 12 medical centers. Hemodynamic compromise, defined as the need for inotropic support or fluid challenge, was recorded in patients with MIS-C. We also evaluated maximal coronary Z-scores before treatment and one month after disease onset. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients with MIS-C and 466 patients with KD were recruited. A 1:1 age and gender-matched comparison of 68 MIS-C and KD pairs showed that MIS-C patients had a lower percentage of positive BCG red halos, lower leukocyte/platelet counts, more gastrointestinal symptoms, and a higher risk of hemodynamic compromise. In Taiwan, 38.6% of MIS-C patients experienced hemodynamic compromise, with presence of conjunctivitis and elevated levels of procalcitonin (>1.62 ng/mL) identified as independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: We identified two independent risk factors associated with hemodynamic compromise in MIS-C patients. The comparison between matched MIS-C and KD patients highlighted significant differences in clinical presentations, like BCG red halos, which may aid in the differential diagnosis of the two disease entities, especially in regions with a high incidence rate of KD.

Excellent capacitive storage performance of N-doped porous carbon derived from the orientation-guidance coupled with in-situ activation methodology.

The orientation-guidance coupled with in-situ activation methodology is developed to synthesize the N-doped porous carbon (NPC) with well-developed porosity and high specific surface area, using coal pitch as a carbon precursor. The orientation-guidance and activation are dedicated to generating microporous and mesoporous channels, respectively. The in-situ N incorporation into the carbon skeleton is realized along with the formation of porous carbon (PC), ensuring the uniformity of N doping. As an electrode material of supercapacitor, benefiting from the robust hexagon-like building block decorated with micro-mesoporous channels and N doping, NPC electrode affords a significant improvement in capacitive energy-storage performance, achieving a specific capacitance of up to 333F g-1 at 1 A/g, which far exceeds those of PC and activated carbon. Notably, even under high mass loading of 10 mg cm-2, the NPC maintains a satisfactory capacitance of 258F g-1 at 1 A/g. When employed as the anode in Li-ion capacitor (LIC), apart from exhibiting enhanced anode behavior compared to graphite anode, NPC also delivers exceptional cyclability. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations have validated the enhanced electrical conductivity and Li storage ability contributed by N doping, providing a theoretical foundation for the observed improvements in electrochemical performance. A full LIC configured with NPC anode delivers extraordinary Ragone performance and outstanding cyclability. This work also proposes a feasible way to realize the oriented conversion of coal pitch into high-performance electrode materials for electrochemical energy-storage devices.

Liver fibrosis detected by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and its functional correlates in Fontan patients.

OBJECTIVES: The evaluation of Fontan-associated liver disease is often challenging. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging can detect hepatic fibrosis from capillary perfusion and diffusion abnormalities from extracellular matrix accumulation. This study investigated its role in the evaluation of liver disease in Fontan patients and explored possible diagnostic methods for early detection of advanced liver fibrosis. METHODS: Stable adult Fontan patients who could safely be examined with magnetic resonance imaging were enrolled, and blood biomarkers, transient elastography were also examined. RESULTS: Forty-six patients received diffusion-weighted imaging; and 58.7% were diagnosed with advanced liver fibrosis (severe liver fibrosis, 37.0%, and cirrhosis 21.7%). Two parameters of hepatic dysfunction, platelet counts (Spearman's ρ: -0.456, P = 0.001) and cholesterol levels (Spearman's ρ: -0.383, P = 0.009), decreased with increasing severity of fibrosis. Using transient elastography, a cut-off value of 14.2 kPa predicted the presence of advanced liver fibrosis, but with a low positive predictive value. When we included platelet count, cholesterol, post-Fontan years and transient elastography values as a composite, the capability of predicting advanced liver fibrosis was the most satisfactory (C statistic 0.817 ± 0.071, P < 0.001). A cut-off value of 5.0 revealed a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 82%. CONCLUSIONS: In Fontan patients, diffusion-weighted imaging was helpful in detecting liver fibrosis that was correlated with hepatic dysfunction. A simple score was proposed for long-term surveillance and early detection of advanced liver disease in adult Fontan patients. For adult Fontan patients with a calculated score > 5.0, we may consider timely diffusion-weight imaging and early management for liver complications.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of severe human parainfluenza virus infection in hospitalized children.

BACKGROUND: Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) commonly cause childhood respiratory illness requiring hospitalization in Taiwan. This study aimed to investigate clinical severity and identify risk factors predisposing to severe disease in hospitalized children with HPIV infection. METHODS: We included hospitalized patients with lab-confirmed HPIV infection from 2007 to 2018 and collected their demographic and clinical characteristics. Patients with ventilator support, intravenous inotropic agents, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were defined as severe cases. RESULTS: There were 554 children hospitalized for HPIV infection. The median age was 1.2 years; 518 patients had non-severe HPIV infection, whereas 36 patients (6.5%) had severe HPIV infection. 266 (48%) patients had underlying diseases, and 190 patients (34.3%) had bacterial co-detection. Children with severe HPIV infection were more likely to have bacterial co-detection than those without (52.8% vs 33.0%, p = 0.02). Patients with lung patch or consolidation had more invasive bacterial co-infection or co-detection than those without patch or consolidation (43% vs 33%, p = 0.06). Patients with neurological disease (adjusted OR 4.77, 95% CI 1.94-11.68), lung consolidation/patch (adjusted OR 6.64, 95% CI 2.80-15.75), and effusion (adjusted OR 11.59, 95% CI 1.52-88.36) had significantly higher risk to have severe HPIV infection. CONCLUSION: Neurological disease and lung consolidation/patch or effusion were the most significant predictors of severe HPIV infection.

Lactylation of NAT10 promotes N4-acetylcytidine modification on tRNASer-CGA-1-1 to boost oncogenic DNA virus KSHV reactivation.

N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C), a conserved but recently rediscovered RNA modification on tRNAs, rRNAs and mRNAs, is catalyzed by N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10). Lysine acylation is a ubiquitous protein modification that controls protein functions. Our latest study demonstrates a NAT10-dependent ac4C modification, which occurs on the polyadenylated nuclear RNA (PAN) encoded by oncogenic DNA virus Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), can induce KSHV reactivation from latency and activate inflammasome. However, it remains unclear whether a novel lysine acylation occurs in NAT10 during KSHV reactivation and how this acylation of NAT10 regulates tRNAs ac4C modification. Here, we showed that NAT10 was lactylated by α-tubulin acetyltransferase 1 (ATAT1), as a writer at the critical domain, to exert RNA acetyltransferase function and thus increase the ac4C level of tRNASer-CGA-1-1. Mutagenesis at the ac4C site in tRNASer-CGA-1-1 inhibited its ac4C modifications, translation efficiency of viral lytic genes, and virion production. Mechanistically, KSHV PAN orchestrated NAT10 and ATAT1 to enhance NAT10 lactylation, resulting in tRNASer-CGA-1-1 ac4C modification, eventually boosting KSHV reactivation. Our findings reveal a novel post-translational modification in NAT10, as well as expand the understanding about tRNA-related ac4C modification during KSHV replication, which may be exploited to design therapeutic strategies for KSHV-related diseases.

Actinotalea lenta sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from tidal flat sediment.

Two Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, oxidase- and catalase-negative, non-motile, and short rod-shaped actinomycetes, named SYSU T00b441T and SYSU T00b490, were isolated from tidal flat sediment located in Guangdong province, PR China. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between SYSU T00b441T and SYSU T00b490 were 99.3, 99.5 and 97.1 %, respectively. Strains SYSU T00b441T and SYSU T00b490 exhibited the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to Actinotalea ferrariae CF 5-4T (97.1 %/98.2 %), with ANI values of 74.01/73.88 % and dDDH values of 20.5/20.4 %. In the phylogenomic tree, the two isolates were affiliated with the genus Actinotalea. The genomes of strains SYSU T00b441T and SYSU T00b490 were 3.31 and 3.34 Mb, and both had DNA G+C contents of 72.8 mol%, coding 3077 and 3085 CDSs, three and three rRNA genes, and 53 and 51 tRNAs, respectively. Growth occurred at 15-40 °C (optimum, 28-30 °C), pH 4.0-10.0 (optimum, 7.0) and in the presence of 0-7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 3 %). The major fatty acids (>10  %) of strains SYSU T00b441T and SYSU T00b490 were anteiso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0. The major respiratory quinone was identified as MK-10(H4). The polar lipids of strains SYSU T00b441T and SYSU T00b490 were diphosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphoglycolipid, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, two phosphatidylinositol mannosides, two glycolipids and two phospholipids. Based on these data, the two strains (SYSU T00b441T and SYSU T00b490) represent a novel species of the genus Actinotalea, for which the name Actinotalea lenta sp. nov is proposed. The type strain is SYSU T00b441T (=GDMCC 1.3827T=KCTC 49943T).