Lagerstroemiastenophylla (Lythraceae), a new species from China.

Lagerstroemiastenophylla, a new species from southeastern Shaanxi Province and northwestern Hubei Province of China is described. Morphologically, L.stenophylla resembles L.subcostata, but it differs in having 4-angular, subalate branchlets, elliptic-lanceolate, or narrowly elliptic leaves, and relatively larger flowers.

Multicenter analysis and a rapid screening model to predict early novel coronavirus pneumonia using a random forest algorithm.

ABSTRACT: Early determination of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia from numerous suspected cases is critical for the early isolation and treatment of patients.The purpose of the study was to develop and validate a rapid screening model to predict early COVID-19 pneumonia from suspected cases using a random forest algorithm in China.A total of 914 initially suspected COVID-19 pneumonia in multiple centers were prospectively included. The computer-assisted embedding method was used to screen the variables. The random forest algorithm was adopted to build a rapid screening model based on the training set. The screening model was evaluated by the confusion matrix and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis in the validation.The rapid screening model was set up based on 4 epidemiological features, 3 clinical manifestations, decreased white blood cell count and lymphocytes, and imaging changes on chest X-ray or computed tomography. The area under the ROC curve was 0.956, and the model had a sensitivity of 83.82% and a specificity of 89.57%. The confusion matrix revealed that the prospective screening model had an accuracy of 87.0% for predicting early COVID-19 pneumonia.Here, we developed and validated a rapid screening model that could predict early COVID-19 pneumonia with high sensitivity and specificity. The use of this model to screen for COVID-19 pneumonia have epidemiological and clinical significance.

A rapid screening model for early predicting novel coronavirus pneumonia in Zhejiang Province of China: a multicenter study.

Novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) has been widely spread in China and several other countries. Early finding of this pneumonia from huge numbers of suspects gives clinicians a big challenge. The aim of the study was to develop a rapid screening model for early predicting NCP in a Zhejiang population, as well as its utility in other areas. A total of 880 participants who were initially suspected of NCP from January 17 to February 19 were included. Potential predictors were selected via stepwise logistic regression analysis. The model was established based on epidemiological features, clinical manifestations, white blood cell count, and pulmonary imaging changes, with the area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of 0.920. At a cut-off value of 1.0, the model could determine NCP with a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 82.3%. We further developed a simplified model by combining the geographical regions and rounding the coefficients, with the AUROC of 0.909, as well as a model without epidemiological factors with the AUROC of 0.859. The study demonstrated that the screening model was a helpful and cost-effective tool for early predicting NCP and had great clinical significance given the high activity of NCP.

Begonia guangdongensis, a new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from Guangdong, China.

A new species of Begonia section Coelocentrum, B. guangdongensis W.H. Tu, B.M. Wang & Y.L. Li from Guangdong Province, China, is described and illustrated here. Morphologically, the new species is most similar to B. biflora T. C. Ku and B. longistyla Y. M. Shui & W. H. Chen, but differs from B. biflora by its rugose leaves and glabrous capsules and from B. longistyla by its glabrous stipules without ciliate margin, densely hirsute-pilose leaves and obtuse apex of bracts. Additionally, it is also somewhat similar to B. chongzuoensis Yan Liu, S. M. Ku & C.-I Peng, but there are significant distinctions in their stipules, leaves and bracts. The conservation status of B. guangdongensis is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR), according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Analysis of SmartPlug Insertion-Related Complications.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the complications and the treatment results of SmartPlug-related complications. METHODS: Retrospective review of all patients from a single medical hospital who received SmartPlug (Medennium, Inc., Irvine, CA) insertions from October 2007 to February 2014. All patients who developed SmartPlug-related canaliculitis and pyogenic granuloma were analyzed. Lacrimal irrigation with antibiotics was performed in most patients. RESULTS: Six hundred thirty-one eyes received SmartPlug insertion and 18 eyes developed SmartPlug-related complications (14 canaliculitis and 4 pyogenic granuloma). The mean time interval from insertion to development of the complications is 3.0 (0.5-6.9) years. Sixteen eyes received lacrimal irrigation with antibiotics, and all the eyes showed improvement without recurrence. The other two eyes had recurrence of granuloma pyogenica only after surgical excision. CONCLUSIONS: SmartPlug-related complications, including canaliculitis and granuloma pyogenica, required long-term follow-up. Most of the complications can be cured by lacrimal irrigation of antibiotics.

The corneal epitheliotrophic abilities of lyophilized powder form human platelet lysates.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether lyophilized human platelet lysate (HPL) powder can preserve the growth factor concentrations and epitheliotrophic properties of liquid HPL, and potentially be used as a clinically-friendly treatment option. METHODS: Two commercialized liquid HPLs, UltraGRO TM (Helios, Atlanta, GA) and PLTMax (Mill Creek, Rochester, MI), were obtained and converted to lyophilized powder. After redissolution, lyophilized powder HPLs were compared with liquid HPLs, as well as human peripheral serum (HPS) and fetal bovine serum (FBS) in liquid or redissolved lyophilized powder forms. Concentrations of epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), platelet-derived growth factor-AB (PDGF-AB) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Human corneal epithelial cell line was incubated with the blood derivatives and evaluated for cell migration with scratch-induced directional wounding and proliferation with MTS assays. Cell differentiation was examined by transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER). Fluorescein staining and in vivo confocal microscopy were used to evaluate in vivo corneal epithelial wound healing in Sprague-Dawley rats that underwent corneal debridement and topical application of liquid and redissolved powder HPLs. RESULTS: Liquid form and redissolved lyophilized powder form HPLs had similar concentrations of EGF, TGF-ß1, PDGF-AB and PDGF-BB. In vitro experiments on cell migration, proliferation and differentiation and rat models on wound healing demonstrated no significant difference between the liquid and redissolved lyophilized powder forms for HPLs, HPS and FBS. In vivo confocal microscopy revealed similar wound healing process at different layers of cornea after corneal epithelial debridement between liquid form and redissolved lyophilized power form of HPLs. CONCLUSIONS: The redissolved lyophilized powder form of both commercialized HPLs showed similar growth factor concentrations and corneal epitheliotrophic abilities compared to the liquid form. Results suggest that the properties of liquid HPLs can be retained despite lyophilization and that lyophilized HPLs can be a treatment option for corneal epithelial disorders.

Serum components and clinical efficacies of autologous serum eye drops in dry eye patients with active and inactive Sjogren syndrome.

PURPOSE: Autologous serum eye drops are considered safe and efficient for the treatment of various ocular surface disorders, including dry eye diseases (DED) caused by the primary and secondary Sjogren syndrome (SS). However, the serum components in patients of SS may be different from those of normal patients and can thus lead to unpredictable therapeutic effects. This study divided the SS patients into active and inactive types based on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the presence or absence of active rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: We compared the serum components of these two groups with standard and multiplex enzyme linked immunosorbent assay arrays and predicted the therapeutic effects of topical autologous serum for the treatment of DED with ocular surface disease index (OSDI) and Oxford Schema scale (OSS). RESULTS: Hyaluronic acid and transforming growth factor b1 levels were significantly higher in the active SS group compared to the inactive SS group (P < 0.01), whereas epidermal growth factors, insulin growth factor 1, and fibroblast growth factor b had no significant differences between these two groups. Active SS group had significantly higher expressions of interleukin (IL) 1 beta, IL 6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha compared to inactive SS patients (P < 0.05). There were no statistical differences in therapeutic effects between these two groups, as measured with the OSDI or OSS. CONCLUSION: Dividing the Sjogren dry eye patients into active and inactive groups may appear as a reasonable method to predict the quality of autologous serum eye drops, but there seems to be no significant predictability to the therapeutic effects.

Precore/basal core promoter mutants quantification throughout phases of hepatitis B virus infection by Simpleprobe.

AIM: To investigate precore/basal core promoter (PC/BCP) mutants throughout hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and to determine their relationship to hepatitis B early antigen (HBeAg) titers. METHODS: We enrolled 191 patients in various stages of HBV infection at the Huashan Hospital and the Taizhou Municipal Hospital from 2010 to 2012. None of the patients received antiviral therapy. HBV DNA from serum, was quantified by real-time PCR. The HBV genotype was determined by direct sequencing of the S gene. We used the Simpleprobe ultrasensitive quantitative method to detect PC/BCP mutants in each patient. We compared the strain number, percentage, and the changes in PC/BCP mutants in different phases, and analyzed the relationship between PC/BCP mutants and HBeAg by multiple linear regression and logistic regression. RESULTS: Patients with HBV infection (n = 191) were assigned to groups by phase: Immune tolerance (IT) = 55, Immune clearance (IC) = 67, Low-replicative (LR) = 49, and HBeAg-negative hepatitis (ENH) = 20. Of the patients (male, 112; female, 79) enrolled, 122 were HBeAg-positive and 69 were HBeAg-negative. The median age was 33 years (range: 18-78 years). PC and BCP mutation detection rates were 84.82% (162/191) and 96.86% (185/191), respectively. In five HBeAg-negative cases, we detected double mutation G1896A/G1899A. The logarithm value of PC mutant quantities (log10 PC) significantly differed in IT, IC, and LR phases, as well as in the ENH phase (F = 49.350, P < 0.001). The logarithm value of BCP mutant quantities (log10 BCP) also differed during the four phases (F = 25.530, P < 0.001). Log10 PC and log10 BCP values were high in the IT and IC phases, decreased in the LR phase, and increased in the ENH phase, although the absolute value at this point remained lower than that in the IT and IC phases. PC mutant quantity per total viral load (PC%) and BCP mutant quantity per total viral load (BCP%) differed between phases (F = 20.040, P < 0.001; F = 10.830, P < 0.001), with PC% and BCP% gradually increasing in successive phases. HBeAg titers negatively correlated with PC% (Spearman's rho = -0.354, P < 0.001) and BCP% (Spearman's rho = -0.395, P < 0.001). The negative correlation between PC% and HBeAg status was significant (B = -5.281, P = 0.001), but there was no such correlation between BCP% and HBeAg status (B = -0.523, P = 0.552). CONCLUSION: PC/BCP mutants become predominant in a dynamic and continuous process. Log10 PC, log10 BCP, PC% and BCP% might be combined to evaluate disease progression. PC% determines HBeAg status.