Causal role of immune cells in inflammatory bowel disease: A Mendelian randomization study.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by an inflammatory response closely related to the immune system, but the relationship between inflammation and IBD remains unclear. We performed a comprehensive 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to determine the causal relationship between immune cell characteristics and IBD. Using publicly available genetic data, we explored the relationship between 731 immune cell characteristics and IBD risk. Inverse-variance weighting was the primary analytical method. To test the robustness of the results, we used the weighted median-based, MR-Egger, simple mode, and mode-based methods. Finally, we performed a reverse MR analysis to assess the possibility of reverse causality. We identified suggestive associations between 2 immune cell traits and IBD risk (P = 4.18 × 10-5 for human leukocyte antigen-DR on CD14+ monocytes, OR: 0.902; 95% CI: 0.859-0.947; for CD39+ CD4+ T cells, P = 6.24 × 10-5; OR: 1.042; 95% CI: 1.021-1.063). Sensitivity analysis results of these immune cell traits were consistent. In reverse MR analysis, we found no statistically significant association between IBD and these 2 cell traits. Our study demonstrates the close connection between immune cells and IBD using MR, providing guidance for future clinical and basic research.

Metal-Free Nitrogen-Doped Mesoporous Carbons for the Mild and Selective Synthesis of Pyrroles from Nitroarenes via Cascade Reaction.

The cascade synthesis of pyrroles from nitroarenes is an attractive alternative strategy. However, metal catalysts and relatively high temperatures cover the existing reported catalytic systems for this strategy. The development of nonmetallic heterogeneous catalytic systems for the one-pot synthesis of pyrrole from nitroarenes under mild conditions is both worthwhile and challenging. Herein, we describe an exceptionally efficient method for the synthesis of N-substituted pyrroles by the reductive coupling of nitroarenes and diketones over heterogeneous metal-free catalysts under mild conditions. Nonmetallic NC-X catalysts with high activity were prepared from the pyrolysis of well-defined ligands via simple sacrificing hard template methods. Hydrazine hydrate, formic acid, and molecular hydrogen can all be used as reducing agents in the hydrogenation/Paal-Knorr reaction sequence to efficiently synthesize various N-substituted pyrroles, including drugs and bioactive molecules. The catalytic system was featured with good tolerance to sensitive functional groups and no side reactions such as dehalogenation and aromatics hydrogenation. Hammett correlation studies have shown that the electron-donating substituents are beneficial for the one-pot synthesis of N-substituted pyrroles. The results established that the outstanding performance of the catalyst is mainly attributed to the contribution of graphitic N in the catalyst as well as the promotion effect of the mesoporous structure on the reaction.

Association between aberrant brain activity and pain in patients with primary osteoporotic pain: aresting-state fMRI study.

Studies have shown that chronic pain is associated with altered brain activity, while the pathological mechanism of Primary osteoporotic pain (POPP) is still unclear. MRI data and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of 15 POPP patients and 16 HCs were collected. MRI data were preprocessed and then regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) values were calculated and compared between groups. Moreover, the correlations between ReHo and ALFF values of impaired brain regions and VAS scores were evaluated. Reduced ReHo values were found in the left medial superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, opercular part of inferior frontal gyrus and right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus of POPP patients. Increased ReHo values were detected in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus and right middle frontal gyrus. Reduced ALFF values were identified in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, medial superior frontal gyrus, orbital part of middle frontal gyrus, opercular part of inferior frontal gyrus and right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus. Increased ALFF values were observed in the right middle frontal gyrus and triangular part of inferior frontal gyrus. Negative correlations were identified between ReHo values of the left middle frontal gyrus and VAS scores in the patient group. In conclusion, the prefrontal dysfunction may be related to the occurrence of POPP. In addition, the left middle frontal gyrus can be used as an indicator to evaluate the severity of pain in patients with POPP.

Mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of Xiaoyaosan in treating hyperplasia of mammary glands based on network pharmacology.

This study utilized network pharmacology to investigate the effects of Xiaoyaosan (XYS) on the intervention of hyperplasia of mammary glands (HMG) by targeting specific genes and signaling pathways. The active ingredients and targets of XYS, which consisted of 8 traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), were identified using TCMSP. The gene targets associated with HMG were obtained from the GeneCards Database, and the intersection data between the 2 was integrated. Cytoscape 3.8.1 software was used to construct a network diagram illustrating the relationship between compounds, drug active ingredients, target proteins, and the disease. The protein-protein interaction network diagram was generated using STRING, and the core targets were analyzed. A total of 133 active ingredients in XYS and 7662 active ingredient targets were identified. Among them, 6088 targets were related to HMG, and 542 were common targets between the active ingredients and the disease. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) core network contained 15 targets, with 5 key targets playing a crucial role. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses have indicated that XYS has the potential to treat HMG by interfering with the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, the MAPK signaling pathway, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Additionally, molecular docking studies have shown excellent binding properties between the drug components and key targets. Thus, this study provides a theoretical foundation for a better understanding of the pharmacological mechanism and clinical application of XYS in the comprehensive treatment of HMG.

Diagnostic procedure for localized constrictive pericarditis leading to bilateral pleural effusion: two case reports.

Constrictive pericarditis is a rare disease. Localized constrictive pericarditis leading to bilateral pleural effusion is more difficult to recognize, and the diagnostic procedure can be ambiguous. Here, we report two patients diagnosed with localized constrictive pericarditis who presented with bilateral pleural effusion. A thorough work-up showed that the pleural effusion was nonspecific, as was the pathology of the pleura. One patient had a history of pericardial effusion 2 years ago, and the other had undergone surgery for an anterior mediastinum teratoma. Pericardial scarring was found on their chest CT scans. The patients underwent pericardiectomy, and localized pericardial thickening was excised. The bilateral pleural effusion was effectively cured, and the patients showed satisfactory recovery on follow-up. Physicians should be aware of localized pericarditis leading to bilateral pleural effusion, and pericardiectomy is an effective diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.

Metal-organic framework integrated hydrogel bioreactor for smart detection of metal ions.

Bioreactors with environment responsiveness for smart detection has attracted widespread interest. Bioreactors that operate in liquid have excellent reaction speed and sensitivity, and those that operate at a solid interface have unique portability and stability. However, bioreactors that can simultaneously take advantage of both properties are still limited. Here, we developed a metal-organic framework (MOF) integrated hydrogel bioreactor that can accommodate both solid and liquid properties by using a hydrogel as a quasi-liquid medium. To enhance the stability and intelligence of the hydrogel bioreactor, we have opted for the utilization of europium metal-organic framework (Eu-MOF) as the optical output to withstand long-term storage challenges, and DNA as the highly programmable substance for intelligent target response. On this basis, smart detection of metal ions and biological micro-molecules have been achieved. Notably, this quasi-liquid hydrogel bioreactor has effectively tackled the intrinsic issues of inadequate dispersion stability of Eu-MOF in liquid systems and poor stability of DNA against environmental interference. Moreover, this MOF integrated hydrogel bioreactor has been applied to the construction of a portable hydrogel bioreactor, which enables platform-free and arrayed target detection via a smartphone, providing a new perspective for further promoting the application of quasi-liquid hydrogel bioreactors and intelligent nanobiological sensors.

High-efficiency extraction of target particles in viscoelastic contraction-expansion microchannels.

The efficient and precise extraction of target particles is a crucial prerequisite for achieving accurate detection and analysis in microfluidic cell analysis. In this study, a symmetrical contraction-expansion microchannel with sheath flow was designed, aiming to extract target larger particles from particles of different sizes within the channel. This paper conducted numerical simulations to investigate the three-dimensional migration mechanisms of particles and performed experimental studies to examine the separation performance of particles with different sizes under varying flow rate ratios and different numbers of contraction-expansion structures. The experimental results indicate that at moderate sample flow rates and higher flow rate ratios, microchannels with fewer contraction-expansion structures are likely to achieve better performance in extracting target particles compared to microchannels with a greater number of these structures. Our work advances the application of viscoelastic contraction-expansion microchannels in particle separation. This device is easy to set up in parallel and significantly enhances throughput, providing an accurate and efficient solution for future particle separation applications.

Reproductive-dependent effects of B vitamin deficiency on lifespan and physiology.

B vitamins constitute essential micronutrients in animal organisms, executing crucial roles in numerous biological processes. B vitamin deficiency can result in severe health consequences, including the impairment of reproductive functions and increased susceptibility to age-related diseases. However, the understanding of how reproduction alters the requirements of each individual B vitamins for healthy aging and lifespan remains limited. Here, utilizing Drosophila as a model organism, we revealed the substantial impacts of deficiencies in specific B vitamins on lifespan and diverse physiological functions, with the effects being significantly shaped by reproductive status. Notably, the dietary absence of VB1, VB3, VB5, VB6, or VB7 significantly decreased the lifespan of wild-type females, yet demonstrated relatively little effect on ovoD1 infertile mutant females' lifespan. B vitamin deficiencies also resulted in distinct impacts on the reproduction, starvation tolerance and fat metabolism of wild-type females, though no apparent effects were observed in the infertile mutant females. Moreover, a deficiency in VB1 reshaped the impacts of macronutrient intervention on the physiology and lifespan of fertile females in a reproductive-dependent manner. Overall, our study unravels that the reproductive status of females serves as a critical modulator of the lifespan and physiological alterations elicited by B-vitamin deficiencies.

Perceptual Pattern of Cleft-Related Speech: A Task-fMRI Study on Typical Mandarin-Speaking Adults.

Congenital cleft lip and palate is one of the common deformities in the craniomaxillofacial region. The current study aimed to explore the perceptual pattern of cleft-related speech produced by Mandarin-speaking patients with repaired cleft palate using the task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (task-fMRI) technique. Three blocks of speech stimuli, including hypernasal speech, the glottal stop, and typical speech, were played to 30 typical adult listeners with no history of cleft palate speech exploration. Using a randomized block design paradigm, the participants were instructed to assess the intelligibility of the stimuli. Simultaneously, fMRI data were collected. Brain activation was compared among the three types of speech stimuli. Results revealed that greater blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) responses to the cleft-related glottal stop than to typical speech were localized in the right fusiform gyrus and the left inferior occipital gyrus. The regions responding to the contrast between the glottal stop and cleft-related hypernasal speech were located in the right fusiform gyrus. More significant BOLD responses to hypernasal speech than to the glottal stop were localized in the left orbital part of the inferior frontal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus. More significant BOLD responses to typical speech than to the glottal stop were localized in the left inferior temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left medial superior frontal gyrus, and right angular gyrus. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between hypernasal speech and typical speech. In conclusion, the typical listener would initiate different neural processes to perceive cleft-related speech. Our findings lay a foundation for exploring the perceptual pattern of patients with repaired cleft palate.

Bioprospecting of Actinobacterial Diversity and Antibacterial Secondary Metabolites from the Sediments of Four Saline Lakes on the Northern Tibetan Plateau.

The Tibetan Plateau, known as the "Roof of the World" and "The Third Pole", harbors numerous saline lakes primarily distributed in the Northern Tibetan Plateau. However, the challenging conditions of high altitude, low oxygen level, and harsh climate have limited investigations into the actinobacteria from these saline lakes. This study focuses on investigating the biodiversity and bioactive secondary metabolites of cultivable actinobacteria isolated from the sediments of four saline lakes on the Northern Tibetan Plateau. A total of 255 actinobacterial strains affiliated with 21 genera in 12 families of 7 orders were recovered by using the pure culture technique and 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis. To facilitate a high-throughput bioactivity evaluation, 192 isolates underwent OSMAC cultivation in a miniaturized 24-well microbioreactor system (MATRIX cultivation). The antibacterial activity of crude extracts was then evaluated in a 96-well plate antibacterial assay. Forty-six strains demonstrated antagonistic effects against at least one tested pathogen, and their underlying antibacterial mechanisms were further investigated through a dual-fluorescent reporter assay (pDualrep2). Two Streptomyces strains (378 and 549) that produce compounds triggering DNA damage were prioritized for subsequent chemical investigations. Metabolomics profiling involving HPLC-UV/vis, UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, and molecular networking identified three types of bioactive metabolites belonging to the aromatic polyketide family, i.e., cosmomycin, kidamycin, and hedamycin. In-depth analysis of the metabolomic data unveiled some potentially novel anthracycline compounds. A genome mining study based on the whole-genome sequences of strains 378 and 549 identified gene clusters potentially responsible for cosmomycin and kidamycin biosynthesis. This work highlights the effectiveness of combining metabolomic and genomic approaches to rapidly identify bioactive chemicals within microbial extracts. The saline lakes on the Northern Tibetan Plateau present prospective sources for discovering novel actinobacteria and biologically active compounds.

Bioprospecting for the soil-derived actinobacteria and bioactive secondary metabolites on the Western Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Introduction: The increase in incidence of multidrug-resistant bacteria and the inadequacy of new antimicrobial drugs have led to a widespread outbreak of bacterial antimicrobial resistance. To discover new antibiotics, biodiversity, and novelty of culturable actinobacteria dwelled in soil of the Western Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were investigated. By integrating antibacterial assay with omics tools, Amycolatopsis sp. A133, a rare actinobacterial strain and its secondary metabolites were further studied. Method: Culture-dependent method was used to obtain actinobacterial strains from two soil samples collected from Ali region in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The cultural extractions of representative strains were assayed against "ESKAPE" pathogens by paper-disk diffusion method and the double fluorescent protein reporter "pDualrep2" system. An Amycolatopsis strain coded as A133 was prioritized and its secondary metabolites were further analyzed and annotated by omics tools including antiSMASH and GNPS (Global Natural Social Molecular Networking). The predicted rifamycin analogs produced by Amycolatopsis sp. A133 were isolated and identified by chromatographic separation, such as Sephadex LH-20 and HPLC, and spectral analysis, such as NMR and UPLC-HRESI-MS/MS, respectively. Results: A total of 406 actinobacteria strains affiliated to 36 genera in 17 families of 9 orders were isolated. Out of 152 representative strains, 63 isolates exhibited antagonistic activity against at least one of the tested pathogens. Among them, 7 positive strains were identified by the "pDualrep2" system as either an inhibitor of protein translation or DNA biosynthesis. The cultural broth of Amycolatopsis sp. A133 exhibited a broader antimicrobial activity and can induce expression of TurboRFP. The secondary metabolites produced by strain A133 was annotated as rifamycins and zampanolides by antiSMASH and GNPS analysis. Five members of rifamycins, including rifamycin W, protorifamycin I, rifamycin W-M1, proansamycin B, and rifamycin S, were purified and identified. Rifamycin W-M1, was found as a new member of the naturally occurring rifamycin group of antibiotics. Discussion: Assisted by omics tools, the successful and highly efficient discovery of rifamycins, a group of clinically used antibiotics from actinobacteria in Ali area encouraged us to devote more energy to explore new antibiotics from the soils on the Western Tibetan Plateau.

Alteration in Microcirculation With Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Study of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is commonly used in clinical practice to detect tumor blood supply, and it has recently been applied to assess skeletal vasculature. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed DCE-MRI data from 37 patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head to evaluate alterations in microvascular circulation of the femoral head. Time-intensity curves (TICs) in the region of interest were classified into different lesion stages. In the greater trochanter area, extracellular space volume per unit volume of tissue was significantly higher in Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) stage III than in ARCO stage II (P<.05 and power ≥ 0.8), while other parameters showed no statistical difference (P>.05 and/or power < 0.8). In the necrotic area, contrast enhancement ratio and maximum slope of increase were significantly lower in ARCO stage III than in ARCO stage II (P<.05 and power ≥ 0.8), while other parameters showed no statistical difference (P>.05 and/or power < 0.8). In the repair reaction area, all parameters were significantly higher in ARCO stage III than in ARCO stage II (P<.05 and power ≥ 0.8). TIC classification showed that the greater trochanter area mainly exhibited type C (plateau type), the necrotic area mainly exhibited type B (out-flow type), and the repair reaction area mainly exhibited type A (inflow type). We believe that the exchange capacity of the vessels has a much greater impact on femoral head necrosis than the number of vessels, while the generation of the repair area greatly affects the prognosis of femoral head necrosis. These findings suggest that DCE-MRI can provide a good assessment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head perfusion and can serve as a new reference for clinical treatment decisions. [Orthopedics. 202x;4x(x):xx-xx.].

Therapeutic Effects of Huazhuojiedu Decoction on Precancerous Lesions of Gastric Cancer by Regulating Mitophagy.

This research aims to explore the therapeutic effect and potential mechanisms of Huazhuojiedu decoction (HZJD) for alleviating precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) both in vivo and in vitro. HZJD is a traditional Chinese herbal formula consisting of 11 herbs. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four subgroups: control group, model group, positive drug group, and HZJD group. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, high iron diamine-alcian blue (HID-AB) staining, alcian blue-periodic acid Schiff (AB-PAS) staining, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, RT-qPCR, and Western blot assays were performed after 10 weeks of HZJD treatment. In vitro, the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays were used to detect cell proliferation. RT-qPCR and Western blot assays were performed to evaluate mitophagy levels. The results indicated that HZJD could retard the pathological progression in PLGC rats and reduce PLGC cell proliferation. Treatment with HZJD significantly increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of Sirt3, Foxo3a, Parkin, and LC3 II/I, while decreasing the mRNA and protein expression levels of p62 and Tomm20. HZJD was found to have the ability to reverse the decline in mitophagy activity both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, the study assessed the impact of HZJD and provided evidence regarding its potential molecular mechanism.

A Faster and Lighter Detection Method for Foreign Objects in Coal Mine Belt Conveyors.

Coal flow in belt conveyors is often mixed with foreign objects, such as anchor rods, angle irons, wooden bars, gangue, and large coal chunks, leading to belt tearing, blockages at transfer points, or even belt breakage. Fast and effective detection of these foreign objects is vital to ensure belt conveyors' safe and smooth operation. This paper proposes an improved YOLOv5-based method for rapid and low-parameter detection and recognition of non-coal foreign objects. Firstly, a new dataset containing foreign objects on conveyor belts is established for training and testing. Considering the high-speed operation of belt conveyors and the increased demands for inspection robot data collection frequency and real-time algorithm processing, this study employs a dark channel dehazing method to preprocess the raw data collected by the inspection robot in harsh mining environments, thus enhancing image clarity. Subsequently, improvements are made to the backbone and neck of YOLOv5 to achieve a deep lightweight object detection network that ensures detection speed and accuracy. The experimental results demonstrate that the improved model achieves a detection accuracy of 94.9% on the proposed foreign object dataset. Compared to YOLOv5s, the model parameters, inference time, and computational load are reduced by 43.1%, 54.1%, and 43.6%, respectively, while the detection accuracy is improved by 2.5%. These findings are significant for enhancing the detection speed of foreign object recognition and facilitating its application in edge computing devices, thus ensuring belt conveyors' safe and efficient operation.

Biodegradable magnesium screw, titanium screw and direct embedding fixation in pedicled vascularized iliac bone graft transfer for osteonecrosis of the femoral head: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The use of degradable magnesium screws to fix the bone flap implanted in the treatment of femoral head necrosis has achieved preliminary good therapeutic results. However, there is no conclusive evidence in the study to demonstrate whether biodegradable magnesium screws promote angiogenesis and no comparison has been made between degradable magnesium screws and traditional screws. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of biodegradable magnesium screws in pedicled vascularized iliac bone graft transfer (PVIBGT) for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of thirty-six patients (37 hips) with ONFH were recruited from March 2020 to July 2022. The study used a single-blind method, and patients who underwent PVIBGT were randomized into three groups: 12 patients (12 hips) were fixed with biodegradable magnesium screws (Group A), 12 patients (13 hips) were fixed with titanium screws (Group B), 12 patients (12 hips) were directly embedded (Group C). The operating time and the length of stay were recorded. Harris scores, radiological examinations (X-ray, CT, DCE-MRI), blood and serum tests were conducted before and after surgery. The gas yield and degradation rates of the magnesium screws were measured at the 3-months and 6-months post-operative follow-ups in Group A. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference among these three groups in terms of types, gender, age, course of disease, surgical side, operation time, the length of stay (P > 0.05). All patients were followed up for 6 months. The mean Harris scores were higher in all groups 6 months after surgery (P < 0.05). The rates of excellent and good outcomes were 66.7%, 46.2%, and 33.3% in Groups A, B, and C, respectively. PVIBGT and magnesium screws can improve the blood supply of the femoral head via DCE-MRI evaluation. Two patients with poor incision healing received prompt treatment and subsequently recovered well. No adverse events, such as hip infection or deep vein thrombosis, were reported in the patients. The patients had good biocompatibility of magnesium screws, and no fracture of the magnesium screws was observed in Group A. Liver and kidney functions (including serum magnesium) were within normal ranges. The area of the intermuscular air space was 0 cm2 in follow-ups. The degradation rate of the biodegradable magnesium screws was approximately 10.32% at the 3-months follow-up and 13.72% at the 6-months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: PVIBGT has a positive effect, especially with regard to improving blood supply of the femoral head. The fixation of biodegradable magnesium screws is reliable and safe in PVIBGT, and promote angiogenesis.

Altered regional brain activity and functional connectivity in resting-state brain networks associated with psychological erectile dysfunction.

Introduction: Erectile dysfunction (ED), especially psychological ED (pED), is usually accompanied with psychological factors, which are related to abnormal activity in brain regions involved in sexual behavior. However, the mechanisms underlying functional changes in the brain of pED are still unclear. The present study aimed to explore the abnormalities of brain function, as well as their relationships with sexual behavior and emotion in pED patients. Materials and methods: Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were collected from 31 pED patients to 31 healthy controls (HCs). The values of amplitude of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and functional connectivity (FC) were calculated and compared between groups. In addition, the associations between abnormal brain regions and clinical features were evaluated by Pearson correlation analyses. Results: Compared to HCs, pED patients demonstrated decreased fALFF values in the left medial superior frontal gyrus (had decreased FC values with the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus), the left lingual gyrus (had decreased FC values with the left parahippocamal gyrus and insula), the left putamen (had decreased FC values with the right caudate) and the right putamen (had decreased FC values with the left putamen and the right caudate). The fALFF values of the left medial superior frontal gyrus were negatively correlated with the fifth item scores of International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). Negative relationships were found between fALFF values of the left putamen and the second item scores of Arizona Sexual Scale (ASEX). FC values between the right putamen and caudate were negatively related to the state scores of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S). Conclusion: Altered brain function were found in the medial superior frontal gyrus and caudate-putamen of pED patients, which were associated with sexual function and psychological condition. These findings provided new insights into the central pathological mechanisms of pED.

Diagnostic performance of texture analysis in the differential diagnosis of perianal fistulising Crohn's disease and glandular anal fistula.

BACKGROUND: Perianal fistulising Crohn's disease (PFCD) and glandular anal fistula have many similarities on conventional magnetic resonance imaging. However, many patients with PFCD show concomitant active proctitis, but only few patients with glandular anal fistula have active proctitis. AIM: To explore the value of differential diagnosis of PFCD and glandular anal fistula by comparing the textural feature parameters of the rectum and anal canal in fat suppression T2-weighted imaging (FS-T2WI). METHODS: Patients with rectal water sac implantation were screened from the first part of this study (48 patients with PFCD and 22 patients with glandular anal fistula). Open-source software ITK-SNAP (Version 3.6.0, http://www.itksnap.org/) was used to delineate the region of interest (ROI) of the entire rectum and anal canal wall on every axial section, and then the ROIs were input in the Analysis Kit software (version V3.0.0.R, GE Healthcare) to calculate the textural feature parameters. Textural feature parameter differences of the rectum and anal canal wall between the PFCD group vs the glandular anal fistula group were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test. The redundant textural parameters were screened by bivariate Spearman correlation analysis, and binary logistic regression analysis was used to establish the model of textural feature parameters. Finally, diagnostic accuracy was assessed by receiver operating characteristic-area under the curve (AUC) analysis. RESULTS: In all, 385 textural parameters were obtained, including 37 parameters with statistically significant differences between the PFCD and glandular anal fistula groups. Then, 16 texture feature parameters remained after bivariate Spearman correlation analysis, including one histogram parameter (Histogram energy); four grey level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) parameters (GLCM energy_all direction_offset1_SD, GLCM entropy_all direction_ offset4_SD, GLCM entropy_all direction_offset7_SD, and Haralick correlation_all direction_ offset7_SD); four texture parameters (Correlation_all direction_offset1_SD, cluster prominence _angle 90_offset4, Inertia_all direction_offset7_SD, and cluster shade_angle 45_offset7); five grey level run-length matrix parameters (grey level nonuniformity_angle 90_offset1, grey level nonuniformity_all direction_offset4_SD, long run high grey level emphasis_all direction_offset1_SD, long run emphasis_all direction_ offset4_ SD, and long run high grey level emphasis_all direction_offset4_SD); and two form factor parameters (surface area and maximum 3D diameter). The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of the model of textural feature parameters were 0.917, 85.42%, and 86.36%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The model of textural feature parameters showed good diagnostic performance for PFCD. The texture feature parameters of the rectum and anal canal in FS-T2WI are helpful to distinguish PFCD from glandular anal fistula.

Protaetiibacter mangrovi sp. nov., isolated from mangrove soil.

A novel Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-flagellated and rod-shaped actinobacterium, designated 10F1B-8-1T, was isolated from mangrove soil sampled at Futian Mangrove Nature Reserve, China. The isolate was able to grow at 10-40 °C (optimum 30-32 °C), at pH 6-8 (optimum 7) and in the presence of 0-6% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 0%). Strain 10F1B-8-1T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Protaetiibacter larvae NBRC 113051T (98.3%), followed by Protaetiibacter intestinalis NBRC 113050T (98.2%). Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and the core proteomes exhibited that strain 10F1B-8-1T formed a new phyletic line in the clade of genus Protaetiibacter, indicating that this strain belonged to the genus Protaetiibacter. Strain 10F1B-8-1T showed low average nucleotide identity (<84%) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values (<27%) with closely related taxa, suggesting that strain 10F1B-8-1T was a hitherto undescribed species of the genus Protaetiibacter. Strain 10F1B-8-1T contained D-2,4-diaminobutyric acid as the diagnostic diamino acid, and the peptidoglycan type was characterized as type B2ß. The major fatty acids were iso-C16:0, anteiso-C15:0 and anteiso-C17:0. The major menaquinones were MK-13 and MK-14. The polar lipid profile included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified glycolipid and five unidentified lipids. Notably, the ethyl acetate extracts of strain 10F1B-8-1T showed effective antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis CPCC 100029 and Escherichia coli △tolC. According to the polyphasic data, strain 10F1B-8-1T should be classified as a novel species of the genus Protaetiibacter, for which the name Protaetiibacter mangrovi sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain 10F1B-8-1T (=JCM 33142T = CPCC 205428T).

Changes in the salivary metabolome in patients with chronic erosive gastritis.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic erosive gastritis (CEG) is closely related to gastric cancer, which requires early diagnosis and intervention. The invasiveness and discomfort of electronic gastroscope have limited its application in the large-scale screening of CEG. Therefore, a simple and noninvasive screening method is needed in the clinic. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to screen potential biomarkers that can identify diseases from the saliva samples of CEG patients using metabolomics. METHODS: Saliva samples from 64 CEG patients and 30 healthy volunteers were collected, and metabolomic analysis was performed using UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS in the positive and negative ion modes. Statistical analysis was performed using both univariate (Student's t-test) and multivariate (orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis) tests. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to determine significant predictors in the saliva of CEG patients. RESULTS: By comparing the saliva samples from CEG patients and healthy volunteers, 45 differentially expressed metabolites were identified, of which 37 were up-regulated and 8 were down-regulated. These differential metabolites were related to amino acid, lipid, phenylalanine metabolism, protein digestion and absorption, and mTOR signaling pathway. In the ROC analysis, the AUC values of 7 metabolites were greater than 0.8, among which the AUC values of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycoro-3-phosphodylcholine and 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycoro-3-phospholine (SOPC) were greater than 0.9. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, a total of 45 metabolites were identified in the saliva of CEG patients. Among them, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycoro-3-phosphorylcholine and 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycoro-3-phosphorine (SOPC) might have potential clinical application value.

Georgenia halotolerans sp. nov., a halotolerant actinobacterium isolated from Taklamakan desert soil.

A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming and rod-shaped actinobacterium, designated strain 10Sc9-8T, was isolated from Taklamakan desert soil sampled in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Strain 10Sc9-8T grew at 8‒37 °C (optimum, 28‒30 °C), pH 6.0‒10.0 (optimum, pH 7.0-8.0) and in the presence of 0‒15 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0-3 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence suggested that strain 10Sc9-8T was affiliated with members of the genus Georgenia and showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Georgenia yuyongxinii Z443T (97.4 %). Phylogenomic analysis based on the whole genome sequences indicated that strain 10Sc9-8T should be assigned into the genus Georgenia. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values calculated from the whole genome sequences indicated that strain 10Sc9-8T was clearly separated from other closely related species of the genus Georgenia with values below the thresholds for species delineation. Chemotaxonomic analyses showed that the cell-wall peptidoglycan was in a variant of A4α type with an interpeptide bridge comprising l-Lys-l-Ala-Gly-l-Asp. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, several unidentified phospholipids, glycolipids and one unidentified lipid. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 1 A and C16 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content was 72.7 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic and phylogenomic data, strain 10Sc9-8T represents a novel species of the genus Georgenia, for which the name Georgenia halotolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 10Sc9-8T (=JCM 33946T=CPCC 206219T).