Chemo-photothermal therapy of chitosan/gold nanorod clusters for antibacterial treatment against the infection of planktonic and biofilm MRSA.

Bacterial infections trigger inflammation and impede the closure of skin wounds. The misuse of antibiotics exacerbates skin infections by generating multidrug-resistant bacteria. In this study, we developed chemo-photothermal therapy (chemo-PTT) based on near-infrared (NIR)-irradiated chitosan/gold nanorod (GNR) clusters as anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) agents. The nanocomposites exhibited an average size of 223 nm with a surface charge of 36 mV. These plasmonic nanocomposites demonstrated on-demand and rapid hyperthermal action under NIR. The combined effect of positive charge and PTT by NIR-irradiated nanocomposites resulted in a remarkable inhibition rate of 96 % against planktonic MRSA, indicating a synergistic activity compared to chitosan nanoparticles or GNR alone. The nanocomposites easily penetrated the biofilm matrix. The combination of chemical and photothermal treatments by NIR-stimulated clusters significantly damaged the biofilm structure, eradicating MRSA inside the biomass. NIR-irradiated chitosan/GNR clusters increased the skin temperature of mice by 13 °C. The plasmonic nanocomposites induced negligible skin irritation in vivo. In summary, this novel nanosystem demonstrated potent antibacterial effects against planktonic and biofilm MRSA, showcasing the possible efficacy in treating skin infections.

Serum alpha-fetoprotein response as a preoperative prognostic indicator in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma with salvage hepatectomy following conversion therapy: a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: This study evaluates the efficacy of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) response as a surrogate marker for determining recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) who undergo salvage hepatectomy following conversion therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) and anti-PD-1 antibody-based regimen. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 74 patients with uHCC and positive AFP (>20 ng/mL) at diagnosis, who underwent salvage hepatectomy after treatment with TKIs and anti-PD-1 antibody-based regimens. The association between AFP response-defined as a ≥ 80% decrease in final AFP levels before salvage hepatectomy from diagnosis-and RFS post-hepatectomy was investigated. Results: AFP responders demonstrated significantly better postoperative RFS compared to non-responders (P<0.001). The median RFS was not reached for AFP responders, with 1-year and 2-year RFS rates of 81.3% and 70.8%, respectively. In contrast, AFP non-responders had a median RFS of 7.43 months, with 1-year and 2-year RFS rates at 37.1% and 37.1%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified AFP response as an independent predictor of RFS. Integrating AFP response with radiologic tumor response facilitated further stratification of patients into distinct risk categories: those with radiologic remission experienced the most favorable RFS, followed by patients with partial response/stable disease and AFP response, and the least favorable RFS among patients with partial response/stable disease but without AFP response. Sensitivity analyses further confirmed the association between AFP response and improved RFS across various cutoff values and in patients with AFP ≥ 200 ng/mL at diagnosis (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The "20-80" rule based on AFP response could be helpful for clinicians to preoperatively stratify the risk of patients undergoing salvage hepatectomy, enabling identification and management of those unlikely to benefit from this procedure.

Dual deficiency of melatonin and dihydrotestosterone promotes stromal cell damage and mediates prostatitis via the cGAS-STING pathway in sleep-deprived mice.

PURPOSE: Prostatitis is a highly prevalent condition that seriously affects men's physical and mental health. Although epidemiological investigations have provided evidence of a correlation between insufficient sleep and prostatitis, the pathogenesis of prostatitis remains unclear. We sought to identify the underlying mechanism involved and identify a promising therapeutic target. METHODS: Sleep deprivation (SD) was utilized to establish a mouse model of insufficient sleep in a special device. Prostatitis was observed at different time points post-SD. The degree of prostatitis was evaluated by pathological section and behavioural tests. Using immunofluorescence, western blot, and proteomic analyses, the underlying mechanism of SD-related prostatitis was investigated, and the development and therapeutic target of prostatitis were elucidated. RESULTS: SD, as an initial pathological trigger, resulted in a reduction in dihydrotestosterone and melatonin levels. Proteomic analysis revealed that the cGAS-STING pathway may play a significant role in inducing prostatitis. The subsequent results illustrated that the dual reduction in dihydrotestosterone and melatonin led to an accumulation of reactive oxygen species and the release of mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA). The accumulation of mt-DNA activated the cGAS-STING pathway, which recruited inflammatory cells into the prostatic stroma through the secretion of interferon-ß. Consequently, an inflammatory microenvironment was formed, ultimately promoting the development of prostatitis. Notably, mice with SD-induced prostatitis gradually recovered to a normal state within 7 days of recovery sleep. However, after being subjected to SD again, these mice tended to have a more pronounced manifestation of prostatitis within a shorter timeframe, which suggested that prostatitis is prone to relapse. CONCLUSIONS: The cGAS-STING pathway activated by dual deficiency of dihydrotestosterone and melatonin plays a comprehensive inflammatory role in SD-related prostatitis. This research provides valuable insights into the pathogenesis, therapeutic targets, and prevention strategies of prostatitis.

Antibiotic exposure during pregnancy increases risk for childhood atopic diseases: a nationwide cohort study.

PURPOSE: The prevalence of atopic diseases has increased in recent decades. A possible link between antibiotic use during pregnancy and childhood atopic disease has been proposed. The aim of this study is to explore the association of antibiotic exposure during pregnancy with childhood atopic diseases from a nationwide, population-based perspective. METHODS: This was a nationwide population-based cohort study. Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database was the main source of data. The pairing of mothers and children was achieved by linking the NHIRD with the Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database. This study enrolled the first-time pregnancies from 2004 to 2010. Infants of multiple delivery, preterm delivery, and death before 5 years old were excluded. All participants were followed up at least for 5 years. Antenatal antibiotics prescribed to mothers during the pregnancy period were reviewed. Children with more than two outpatient visits, or one admission, with a main diagnosis of asthma, allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis were regarded as having an atopic disease. RESULTS: A total of 900,584 children were enrolled in this study. The adjusted hazard ratios of antibiotic exposure during pregnancy to childhood atopic diseases were 1.12 for atopic dermatitis, 1.06 for asthma, and 1.08 for allergic rhinitis, all of which reached statistical significance. The trimester effect was not significant. There was a trend showing the higher the number of times a child was prenatally exposed to antibiotics, the higher the hazard ratio was for childhood atopic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal antibiotic exposure might increase the risk of childhood atopic diseases in a dose-dependent manner.

The scaffold of neutrophil extracellular traps promotes CCA progression and modulates angiogenesis via ITGAV/NFκB.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have garnered attention for their dual role in host defense and tumor promotion. With their involvement documented across a spectrum of tumors, their influence on the progression of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is of paramount interest. We employed immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence to detect NET deposition in CCA tissues. Through in vitro and in vivo investigation, including CCA organoid and transposon-based models in PAD4 KO mice, we explored the effects of NETs on cell proliferation and metastasis. Molecular insights were gained through RNA sequencing, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Elevated intratumoral NET deposition within CCA tissues was associated with poor survival. The influence of NETs on CCA proliferation, migration and invasion was primarily mediated by NET-DNA. RNA sequencing unveiled the activation of the NFκB signaling pathway due to NET-DNA stimulation. NET-DNA pull-down assay coupled with mass spectrometry revealed the interaction between NET-DNA and αV integrin (ITGAV), culmination in the activation of the NFκB pathway. Furthermore, NET-DNA directly upregulated the expression of VEGF-A in cancer cells. The study unequivocally establishes NETs as facilitators of CCA progression, orchestrating proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis through ITGAV/NFκB pathway activation. This novel insight positions NETs as prospective therapeutic targets for managing CCA patients. By implementing a variety of methodologies and drawing intricate connections between NETs, DNA interactions, and signaling pathways, this research expands our comprehension of the complex interplay between the immune system and cancer progression, offering promising avenues for intervention.

Modulations of ocean-atmosphere interactions on squid abundance over Southwest Atlantic.

Anthropogenic shifts in seas are reshaping fishing trends, with significant implications for aquatic food sources throughout this century. Examining a 21-year abundance dataset of Argentine shortfin squids Illex argentinus paired with a regional oceanic analysis, we noted strong correlations between squid annual abundance and sea surface temperature (SST) in January and February and eddy kinetic energy (EKE) from March to May in the Southwest Atlantic. A deeper analysis revealed combined ocean-atmosphere interactions, pinpointed as the primary mode in a rotated empirical orthogonal function analysis of SST. This pattern produced colder SST and amplified EKE in the surrounding seas, factors crucial for the unique life stages of squids. Future projections from the CMIP6 archive indicated that this ocean-atmosphere pattern, referred to as the Atlantic symmetric pattern, would persist in its cold SST phase, promoting increased squid abundance. However, rising SSTs due to global warming might counteract the abundance gains. Our findings uncover a previously unrecognized link between squids and specific environmental conditions governed by broader ocean-atmosphere interactions in the Southwest Atlantic. Integrating these insights with seasonal and decadal projections can offer invaluable information to stakeholders in squid fisheries and marine conservation under a changing climate.

PD-L1 inhibitor plus gemcitabine and cisplatin therapy followed by conversion surgery for initially unresectable advanced gallbladder cancer.

Advanced gallbladder cancer (GBC) is not amenable to surgical resection. There are limited treatment options and the prognosis is dismal. The role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in conversion therapy remains unclear for initially unresectable advanced GBC. We present a case of a woman in her late 60s diagnosed with stage IV GBC with liver and para-aortic and retroperitoneal lymph node metastases, who achieved a pathological complete response after three cycles of programmed cell death-ligand 1 inhibitor durvalumab combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin regimen and underwent conversion surgery without complication. The patient went on to develop disease progression without adjuvant therapy 6 months after surgery.

A Novel Allogeneic Rituximab-Conjugated Gamma Delta T Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Lymphoma.

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has been applied in the treatment of B-cell lymphoma; however, CAR-T manufacturing requires virus- or non-virus-based genetic modification, which causes high manufacturing costs and potential safety concerns. Antibody-cell conjugation (ACC) technology, which originated from bio-orthogonal click chemistry, provides an efficient approach for arming immune cells with cancer-targeting antibodies without genetic modification. Here, we applied ACC technology in Vγ9Vδ2 T (γδ2 T) cells to generate a novel off-the-shelf CD20-targeting cell therapy ACE1831 (rituximab-conjugated γδ2 T cells) against relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma. ACE1831 exhibited superior cytotoxicity against B-cell lymphoma cells and rituximab-resistant cells compared to γδ2 T cells without rituximab conjugation. The in vivo xenograft study demonstrated that ACE1831 treatment strongly suppressed the aggressive proliferation of B-cell lymphoma and prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice with no observed toxicity. Mass spectrometry analysis indicated that cell activation receptors including the TCR complex, integrins and cytokine receptors were conjugated with rituximab. Intriguingly, the antigen recognition of the ACC-linked antibody/receptor complex stimulated NFAT activation and contributed to ACE1831-mediated cytotoxicity against CD20-expressing cancer cells. This study elucidates the role of the ACC-linked antibody/receptor complex in cytotoxicity and supports the potential of ACE1831 as an off-the-shelf γδ2 cell therapy against relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma.

Bioaerosols are the dominant source of warm-temperature immersion-mode INPs and drive uncertainties in INP predictability.

Ice-nucleating particles (INPs) are rare atmospheric aerosols that initiate primary ice formation, but accurately simulating their concentrations and variability in large-scale climate models remains a challenge. Doing so requires both simulating major particle sources and parameterizing their ice nucleation (IN) efficiency. Validating and improving model predictions of INP concentrations requires measuring their concentrations delineated by particle type. We present a method to speciate INP concentrations into contributions from dust, sea spray aerosol (SSA), and bioaerosol. Field campaign data from Bodega Bay, California, showed that bioaerosols were the primary source of INPs between -12° and -20°C, while dust was a minor source and SSA had little impact. We found that recent parameterizations for dust and SSA accurately predicted ambient INP concentrations. However, the model did not skillfully simulate bioaerosol INPs, suggesting a need for further research to identify major factors controlling their emissions and INP efficiency for improved representation in models.

Deep Learning-Based Automatic Duckweed Counting Using StarDist and Its Application on Measuring Growth Inhibition Potential of Rare Earth Elements as Contaminants of Emerging Concerns.

In recent years, there have been efforts to utilize surface water as a power source, material, and food. However, these efforts are impeded due to the vast amounts of contaminants and emerging contaminants introduced by anthropogenic activities. Herbicides such as Glyphosate and Glufosinate are commonly known to contaminate surface water through agricultural industries. In contrast, some emerging contaminants, such as rare earth elements, have started to enter the surface water from the production and waste of electronic products. Duckweeds are angiosperms from the Lemnaceae family and have been used for toxicity tests in aquatic environments, mainly those from the genus Lemna, and have been approved by OECD. In this study, we used duckweed from the genus Wolffia, which is smaller and considered a good indicator of metal pollutants in the aquatic environment. The growth rate of duckweed is the most common endpoint in observing pollutant toxicity. In order to observe and mark the fronds automatically, we used StarDist, a machine learning-based tool. StarDist is available as a plugin in ImageJ, simplifying and assisting the counting process. Python also helps arrange, manage, and calculate the inhibition percentage after duckweeds are exposed to contaminants. The toxicity test results showed Dysprosium to be the most toxic, with an IC50 value of 14.6 ppm, and Samarium as the least toxic, with an IC50 value of 279.4 ppm. In summary, we can provide a workflow for automatic frond counting using StarDist integrated with ImageJ and Python to simplify the detection, counting, data management, and calculation process.

Digestive system deep infiltrating endometriosis: What do we know.

Digestive system infiltrating endometriosis (DSIE) is an uncommon form of endometriosis in the digestive system. DSIE often occurs in the intestines (especially the sigmoid rectum), liver, gallbladder and pancreas. Clinically, DSIE presents with the same symptoms as endometriosis, including cyclic pain, bleeding and infertility, in addition to specific biliary/intestinal obstruction and gastrointestinal bleeding. Compared to general endometriosis, DSIE has unique biological behaviour and pathophysiological mechanisms. Most DSIEs are deep invasive endometrioses, characterized by metastasis to the lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels, angiogenesis, peripheral nerve recruitment, fibrosis and invasion of surrounding tissues. DSIE-related peripheral angiogenesis is divided into three patterns: angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and inosculation. These patterns are regulated by interactions between multiple hypoxia-hormone cytokines. The nerve growth factors regulate the extensive neurofibril recruitment in DSIE lesions, which accounts for severe symptoms of deep pain. They are also associated with fibrosis and the aggressiveness of DSIE. Cyclic changes in DSIE lesions, recurrent inflammation and oxidative stress promote repeated tissue injury and repair (ReTIAR) mechanisms in the lesions, accelerating fibril formation and cancer-related mutations. Similar to malignant tumours, DSIE can also exhibit aggressiveness derived from collective cell migration mediated by E-cadherin and N-cadherin. This often makes DSIE misdiagnosed as a malignant tumour of the digestive system in clinical practice. In addition to surgery, novel treatments are urgently required to effectively eradicate this lesion.

Development and validation of a prognostic model incorporating tumor thrombus grading for nonmetastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus: A multicohort study.

There is significant variability with respect to the prognosis of nonmetastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients with venous tumor thrombus (VTT). By applying multiregion whole-exome sequencing on normal-tumor-thrombus-metastasis quadruples from 33 ccRCC patients, we showed that metastases were mainly seeded by VTT (81.8%) rather than primary tumors (PTs). A total of 706 nonmetastatic ccRCC patients with VTT from three independent cohorts were included in this study. C-index analysis revealed that pathological grading of VTT outperformed other indicators in risk assessment (OS: 0.663 versus 0.501-0.610, 0.667 versus 0.544-0.651, and 0.719 versus 0.511-0.700 for Training, China-Validation, and Poland-Validation cohorts, respectively). We constructed a risk predicting model, TT-GPS score, based on four independent variables: VTT height, VTT grading, perinephric fat invasion, and sarcomatoid differentiation in PT. The TT-GPS score displayed better discriminatory ability (OS, c-index: 0.706-0.840, AUC: 0.788-0.874; DFS, c-index: 0.691-0.717, AUC: 0.771-0.789) than previously reported models in risk assessment. In conclusion, we identified for the first-time pathological grading of VTT as an unheeded prognostic factor. By incorporating VTT grading, the TT-GPS score is a promising prognostic tool in predicting the survival of nonmetastatic ccRCC patients with VTT.

Genomic profiles of renal cell carcinoma in a small Chinese cohort.

Objectives: Our aim was to describe the molecular characteristics of Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) and develop a small panel of RCC-associated genes from a large panel of cancer-related genes. Materials and methods: Clinical data of 55 patients with RCC diagnosed in four hospitals from September 2021 to August 2022 were collected. Among the 55 patients, 38 were diagnosed with clear cell RCC (ccRCC), and the other 17 were diagnosed with non-clear cell RCC (nccRCC), including 10 cases of papillary renal cell carcinoma, 2 cases of hereditary leiomyomatosis and RCC syndrome (HLRCC), 1 eosinophilic papillary RCC, 1 tubular cystic carcinoma, 1 TFE3 gene fusion RCC, and 2 RCC with sarcomatoid differentiation. For each patient, 1123 cancer-related genes and 79 RCC-associated genes were analyzed. Results: The most frequent mutations in a large panel of 1123 cancer-related genes in the overall population of RCC patients were VHL (51%), PBRM1 (35%), BAP1 (16%), KMT2D (15%), PTPRD (15%), and SETD2 (15%). For ccRCC patients, mutations in VHL, PBRM1, BAP1, and SERD2 can reach 74%, 50%, 24%, and 18%, respectively, while for nccRCC patients, the most frequent mutation was FH (29%), MLH3 (24%), ARID1A (18%), KMT2D (18%), and CREBBP (18%). The germline mutation rate in all 55 patients reached 12.7% (five with FH, one with ATM, and one with RAD50). The small panel containing only 79 RCC-associated genes demonstrated that mutations of VHL, PBRM1, BAP1, and SETD2 in ccRCC patients were 74%, 50%, 24%, and 18% respectively, while for the nccRCC cohort, the most frequent mutations were FH (29%), ARID1A (18%), ATM (12%), MSH6 (12%), BRAF (12%), and KRAS (12%). For ccRCC patients, the spectrum of mutations by large and small panels was almost the same, while for nccRCC patients, the mutation spectrum showed some differences. Even though the most frequent mutations (FH and ARID1A) in nccRCC were both demonstrated by large panels and small panels, other less frequent mutations such as MLH3, KMT2D, and CREBBP were not shown by the small panel. Conclusion: Our study revealed that nccRCC is more heterogeneous than ccRCC. For nccRCC patients, the small panel shows a more clear profile of genetic characteristics by replacing MLH3, KMT2D, and CREBBP with ATM, MSH6, BRAF, and KRAS, which may help predict prognosis and make clinical decisions.

Rectal prolapse in a 30-year-old bladder stone male patient: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Rectal prolapse occurs most commonly in children and middle-aged and elderly women and is relatively rare in young men and is occasionally caused by bladder stones. Severe rectal prolapse, bilateral hydronephrosis, and renal insufficiency caused by bladder stones are rare in a 30-year-old man. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 30-year-old male patient with cerebral palsy who presented with a large bladder stone that resulted in severe rectal prolapse, bilateral hydronephrosis, and renal insufficiency. Following a definitive diagnosis, the bladder stone was successfully removed, and his kidney function returned to normal. We assessed the patient's nutritional status and stone composition and concluded that the main cause was malnutrition. CONCLUSION: Rectal prolapse is a rare clinical manifestation of bladder stones, particularly in young adults. Cerebral palsy patients are a vulnerable group in society because of their intellectual disabilities and communicative impairments. Accordingly, besides taking care of their daily diet, abnormal signs in their bodies should receive the doctors' attention in a timely manner.

Perioperative safety, oncologic outcome, and risk factors of salvage liver resection for initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma converted by transarterial chemoembolization plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor and anti-PD-1 antibody: a retrospective multicenter study of 83 patients.

BACKGROUND: To assess the perioperative safety, oncological outcomes, and determinants influencing the oncological outcomes of salvage liver resection for initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rendered resectable through transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and anti-PD-1 antibodies (α-PD-1). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data from 83 consecutive patients across six tertiary hospitals who underwent salvage liver resection for initially unresectable HCC following conversion by TACE combined with TKIs and α-PD-1, emphasizing perioperative and oncological outcomes. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was employed to discern independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence-free survival (RFS). RESULTS: The median operative duration was 200 min, with a median blood loss of 400 ml. Intraoperative blood transfusions were necessitated for 27 patients. The overall perioperative complication rate was 48.2%, with a major complication rate of 16.9%. One patient died during the perioperative period due to postoperative liver failure. During the median follow-up period of 15.1 months, 24 patients experienced recurrence, with early and intrahepatic recurrence being the most common. Seven patients died during follow-up. Median RFS was 25.4 months, with 1- and 2-year RFS rates of 68.2% and 61.8%, respectively. Median overall survival was not reached, with 1- and 2-year overall survival rates of 92.2% and 87.3%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that pathological complete response (pCR) and intraoperative blood transfusion served as independent prognostic determinants for postoperative RFS. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that salvage liver resection may be an effective and feasible treatment option for patients with unresectable HCC who achieve resectability after conversion therapy with TACE, TKIs, and α-PD-1. The perioperative safety of salvage liver resection for these patients was manageable and acceptable. However, further research, particularly prospective comparative studies, is needed to better evaluate the potential benefits of salvage liver resection in this patient population.

[Platelet Transfusion Strategies for MASPAT-Matched Platelet Transfusion Failed Patient with Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the causes of ineffectiveness of platelet transfusion with monoclonal antibody solid phase platelet antibody test (MASPAT) matching in patients with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and explore the strategies of platelet transfusion. METHODS: A case of donor-specific HLA antibodies (DSA) induced by transfusion which ultimately resulted in transplantation failure and ineffective platelet transfusion with MASPAT matching was selected, and the causes of ineffective platelet transfusion and platelet transfusion strategy were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The 32-year-old female patient was diagnosed as acute myeloid leukemia (high risk) in another hospital with the main symptoms of fever and leukopenia, who should be admitted for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after remission by chemotherapy. In the course of chemotherapy, DSA was generated due to platelet transfusion, and had HLA gene loci incompatible with the donor of the first transplant, leading to the failure of the first transplant. The patient received platelet transfusion for several times before and after transplantation, and the results showed that the effective rate of MASPAT matched platelet transfusion was only 35.3%. Further analysis showed that the reason for the ineffective platelet transfusion was due to the missed detection of antibodies by MASPAT method. During the second hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the DSA-negative donor was selected, and the matching platelets but ineffective transfusion during the primary transplantation were avoided. Finally, the patient was successfully transplanted and discharged from hospital. CONCLUSIONS: DSA can cause graft failure or render the graft ineffective. For the platelet transfusion of patients with DSA, the platelet transfusion strategy with matching type only using MASPAT method will miss the detection of antibodies, resulting in invalid platelet transfusion.

Effects of water and salt stresses on plant growth and xylem hydraulic properties of tomato.

Xylem is the main tissue for water transport in plants, and the changes of hydraulic properties in which would affect plant water relations and fruit water accumulation. It remains unclear regarding the responses of xylem anatomy and hydraulic properties to water and salt stresses in tomato plants and their relationships with plant growth and fruit water content. We conducted a pot experiment in a greenhouse to investigate the responses of plant growth, fruit water content, and xylem hydraulic properties of a cherry tomato (Hong Baoshi) and a medium-fruited tomato (Beifan 501). There were three treatments, control with a soil water content (θ) of 75%-95% of field capacity (FC) and an initial electrical conductivity (EC) of 0.398 dS·m-1; water stress with θ of 75%-95% of FC (before flowering) and 45%-65% of FC (from flowering until maturity) and an EC of 0.398 dS·m-1; and salt stress with θ of 75%-95% of FC and an EC of 1.680 dS·m-1. Results showed that water and salt stresses decreased the cross-sectional stem area and xylem vessel diameter by 22.0%-40.7% and 10.0%-18.3%, respectively, and reduced the specific hydraulic conductivity of stem and the hydraulic conductivity of peduncle by 8.8%-41.1% and 12.9%-28.4%, respectively. Those changes inhibited plant growth and reduced aboveground fresh weight, fruit size, fresh weight and water content, with a more pronounced negative effect in the medium-fruited tomato. More-over, fruit water content was positively correlated with the specific hydraulic conductivity of stem and peduncle. In conclusion, water and salt stresses would inhibit plant growht, fruit fresh weight, and consequently tomato yield, due to their negative effects on xylem hydraulic properties of the tomato plant. Medium-fruited tomatoes are more susceptible to water and salt stresses than cherry tomatoes.

Nondestructive Detection of Moisture Content in Palm Oil by Using Portable Vibrational Spectroscopy and Optimal Prediction Algorithms.

Rapid and nondestructive measurement of moisture content in crude palm oil is essential for promoting the shelf-stability and quality. In this research, micro NIR spectrometer coupled with a multivariate calibration model was used to collect and analyse fingerprinted information from palm oil samples at different moisture contents. Several preprocessing methods such as standard normal variant (SNV), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), Savitzky-Golay first derivative (SGD1), Savitzky-Golay second derivative (SGD2) together with partial least square (PLS) regression techniques, full PLS, interval PLS (iPLS), synergy interval PLS (SiPLS), genetic algorithm PLS (GAPLS), and successive projection algorithm PLS (SPA-PLS) were comparatively employed to construct an optimum quantitative prediction model for moisture content in crude palm oil. The models were evaluated according to the coefficient of determination and root mean square error in calibration (Rc and RMSEC) and prediction (Rp and RMSEC) set, respectively. The model SGD1 + SiPLS was the optimal novel algorithm obtained among the others with the performance of Rc = 0.968 and RMSEC = 0.468 in the calibration set and Rp = 0.956 and RMSEP = 0.361 in the prediction set. The results showed that rapid and nondestructive determination of moisture content in palm oil is feasible and this would go a long way to facilitating quality control of crude palm oil.

Fabrication and application of a wireless high-definition endoscopic system in urological surgeries.

OBJECTIVE: To introduce a wireless high-definition endoscopic system (WHES) and compare it with a Storz high-definition (HD) system for image resolution, colour resolution, weight, and costs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The WHES incorporated a portable light-emitting diode light source and a wireless camera module, which can be compatible with different types of endoscopes. Images were wirelessly transmitted to a monitor or mobile platform such as smartphone through a receiver. The International Standards Organization 12233 resolution chart image was used for the comparison of image resolution and Munsell Colour Checker Chart for colour resolution. In all, 38 endourologists used a Likert questionnaire to blindly evaluate cystoscopic images from a patient with haematuria. The surgical team was asked about the overall performance of the WHES in 20 laparoscopic adrenalectomies using a unvalidated subjective survey. RESULTS: There was no difference in image resolution between the two systems (5.82 vs 5.89 line pairs/mm). Without lens and respective light sources, there were better purple (ΔE = 21.48 vs 28.73), blue (ΔE = 34.88 vs 38.6) and red colour resolution (ΔE = 29.01 vs 35.45) for the WHES camera (P < 0.05), but orange (ΔE = 43.45 vs 36.52) and yellow (ΔE = 52.7 vs 35.93) resolutions were better for the Storz HD camera (P < 0.05). Comparing the WHES to a Storz laparoscopic system, the Storz system still had better resolution of orange and yellow, while the resolution of purple, blue, and red was similar for the two systems. The expert comments on resolution, brightness, and colour for cystoscopy were not statistically different, but the ergonomics score for the WHES was higher (3.7 vs 3.33, P = 0.038). The overall cost of the WHES was $23 000-25 000 compared with $45 000-50 000 for a Storz system. There were 100% general satisfaction for the WHES in the survey. CONCLUSION: We developed a new WHES that provides the same resolution images as a Storz laparoscopic system and acceptable colour resolution with the advantages of wireless connection, small volume, low cost, portability, and high-speed wireless transmission.