308 nm excimer laser and tacrolimus ointment in the treatment of facial vitiligo: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to investigate the effects and safety of 308 nm excimer laser (308 nm EL) and tacrolimus ointment (TO) in the treatment of facial vitiligo (FV). We searched Cochrane Library, PUBMED, EMBASE, CNKI, and WANGFANG from inception to June 1, 2023. Outcomes included overall response rate (ORR), total adverse reaction rate (TARR), recurrence rate at 3-month (RR-3) and recurrence rate at 6-month (RR-6). The outcome data were presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The risk of bias was assessed by Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and data analysis was performed by RevMan 5.4 software. This study included a total of 19 trials involving 2085 patients. When comparing 308 nm EL monotherapy with 308 nm EL plus TO, significant differences in the ORR (OR = 4.29, 95% CI [2.97, 6.19], I2 = 0%, P < 0.001), RR-3 (OR = 0.18, 95% CI [0.05, 0.69], I2 = 0%, P = 0.01), and RR-6 (OR = 0.38, 95% CI [0.14, 1.03], I2 = 39%, P = 0.06) were found between the two managements. When comparing TO monotherapy with TO plus 308 nm EL, its results showed significant differences in the ORR (OR = 4.21, 95% CI [2.90, 6.11], I2 = 0%, P < 0.001), TARR (OR = 0.42, 95% CI [0.22, 0.81], I2 = 4%, P = 0.009), and RR-3 (OR = 0.32, 95% CI [0.01, 8.03], P = 0.49) between the two modalities. The results of this study suggest that the combination of 308 nm EL and TO is more effective than either treatment alone for the treatment of FV.

An Accuracy-Aware Energy-Efficient Multipath Routing Algorithm for WSNs.

In the fields of industrial production or safety monitoring, wireless sensor networks are often content with unreliable and time-varying channels that are susceptible to interference. Consequently, ensuring both transmission reliability and data accuracy has garnered substantial attention in recent years. Although multipath routing-based schemes can provide transmission reliability for wireless sensor networks, achieving high data accuracy simultaneously remains challenging. To address this issue, an Energy-efficient Multipath Routing algorithm balancing data Accuracy and transmission Reliability (EMRAR) is proposed to balance the reliability and accuracy of data transmission. The multipath routing problem is formulated into a multi-objective programming problem aimed at optimizing both reliability and power consumption while adhering to data accuracy constraints. To obtain the solution of the multi-objective programming, an adaptive artificial immune algorithm is employed, in which the antibody initialization method, antibody incentive calculation method, and immune operation are improved, especially for the multipath routing scheme. Simulation results show that the EMRAR algorithm effectively balances data accuracy and transmission reliability while also saving energy when compared to existing algorithms.

Risk factors and predictive model of cerebral edema after road traffic accidents-related traumatic brain injury.

PURPOSE: Cerebral edema (CE) is the main secondary injury following traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by road traffic accidents (RTAs). It is challenging to be predicted timely. In this study, we aimed to develop a prediction model for CE by identifying its risk factors and comparing the timing of edema occurrence in TBI patients with varying levels of injuries. METHODS: This case-control study included 218 patients with TBI caused by RTAs. The cohort was divided into CE and non-CE groups, according to CT results within 7 days. Demographic data, imaging data, and clinical data were collected and analyzed. Quantitative variables that follow normal distribution were presented as mean ± standard deviation, those that do not follow normal distribution were presented as median (Q1, Q3). Categorical variables were expressed as percentages. The Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to identify risk factors for CE. Logistic curve fitting was performed to predict the time to secondary CE in TBI patients with different levels of injuries. The efficacy of the model was evaluated using the receiver operator characteristic curve. RESULTS: According to the study, almost half (47.3%) of the patients were found to have CE. The risk factors associated with CE were bilateral frontal lobe contusion, unilateral frontal lobe contusion, cerebral contusion, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and abbreviated injury scale (AIS). The odds ratio values for these factors were 7.27 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.08 - 25.42, p = 0.002), 2.85 (95% CI: 1.11 - 7.31, p = 0.030), 2.62 (95% CI: 1.12 - 6.13, p = 0.027), 2.44 (95% CI: 1.25 - 4.76, p = 0.009), and 1.5 (95% CI: 1.10 - 2.04, p = 0.009), respectively. We also observed that patients with mild/moderate TBI (AIS ≤ 3) had a 50% probability of developing CE 19.7 h after injury (χ2 = 13.82, adjusted R2 = 0.51), while patients with severe TBI (AIS > 3) developed CE after 12.5 h (χ2 = 18.48, adjusted R2 = 0.54). Finally, we conducted a receiver operator characteristic curve analysis of CE time, which showed an area under the curve of 0.744 and 0.672 for severe and mild/moderate TBI, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study found that the onset of CE in individuals with TBI resulting from RTAs was correlated with the severity of the injury. Specifically, those with more severe injuries experienced an earlier onset of CE. These findings suggest that there is a critical time window for clinical intervention in cases of CE secondary to TBI.

Regulator of G-protein signaling 14 protects the liver from ischemia-reperfusion injury by suppressing TGF-ß-activated kinase 1 activation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common complication of hepatectomy and liver transplantation. However, the mechanisms underlying hepatic IRI have not been fully elucidated. Regulator of G-protein signaling 14 (RGS14) is a multifunctional scaffolding protein that integrates the G-protein and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. However, the role of RGS14 in hepatic IRI remains unclear. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We found that RGS14 expression increased in mice subjected to hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) surgery and during hypoxia reoxygenation in hepatocytes. We constructed global RGS14 knockout (RGS14-KO) and hepatocyte-specific RGS14 transgenic (RGS14-TG) mice to establish 70% hepatic IRI models. Histological hematoxylin and eosin staining, levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, expression of inflammatory factors, and apoptosis were used to assess liver damage and function in these models. We found that RGS14 deficiency significantly aggravated IR-induced liver injury and activated hepatic inflammatory responses and apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Conversely, RGS14 overexpression exerted the opposite effect of the RGS14-deficient models. Phosphorylation of TGF-ß-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) and its downstream effectors c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 increased in the liver tissues of RGS14-KO mice but was repressed in those of RGS14-TG mice. Furthermore, inhibition of TAK1 phosphorylation rescued the effect of RGS14 deficiency on JNK and p38 activation, thus blocking the inflammatory responses and apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: RGS14 plays a protective role in hepatic IR by inhibiting activation of the TAK1-JNK/p38 signaling pathway. This may be a potential therapeutic strategy for reducing incidences of hepatic IRI in the future.

E3 ubiquitin ligase ring finger protein 5 protects against hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury by mediating phosphoglycerate mutase family member 5 ubiquitination.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (HIR) injury, a common clinical complication of liver transplantation and resection, affects patient prognosis. Ring finger protein 5 (RNF5) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that plays important roles in endoplasmic reticulum stress, unfolded protein reactions, and inflammatory responses; however, its role in HIR is unclear. APPROACH AND RESULTS: RNF5 expression was significantly down-regulated during HIR in mice and hepatocytes. Subsequently, RNF5 knockdown and overexpression of cell lines were subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation challenge. Results showed that RNF5 knockdown significantly increased hepatocyte inflammation and apoptosis, whereas RNF5 overexpression had the opposite effect. Furthermore, hepatocyte-specific RNF5 knockout and transgenic mice were established and subjected to HIR, and RNF5 deficiency markedly aggravated liver damage and cell apoptosis and activated hepatic inflammatory responses, whereas hepatic RNF5 transgenic mice had the opposite effect compared with RNF5 knockout mice. Mechanistically, RNF5 interacted with phosphoglycerate mutase family member 5 (PGAM5) and mediated the degradation of PGAM5 through K48-linked ubiquitination, thereby inhibiting the activation of apoptosis-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and its downstream c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/p38. This eventually suppresses the inflammatory response and cell apoptosis in HIR. CONCLUSIONS: We revealed that RNF5 protected against HIR through its interaction with PGAM5 to inhibit the activation of ASK1 and the downstream JNK/p38 signaling cascade. Our findings indicate that the RNF5-PGAM5 axis may be a promising therapeutic target for HIR.

Biomass-assisted fabrication of rGO-AuNPs as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates for in-situ monitoring methylene blue degradation.

Reduced graphene oxide-gold nanoparticles nanocomposites (rGO-AuNPs) with high surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity was created by biomass-assisted green synthesis with Lilium casa blanca petals biomass for the first time, and its application for methylene blue (MB) degradation was explored through in-situ monitoring. Lilium casa blanca petals biomass was used as a reducing agent to reduce GO and chloroauric acid successively when carrying out rGO-AuNPs in-situ synthesis while it also acted as a capping agent. The produced rGO had oxygen-containing functional groups which had an outstanding performance in enhancing the SERS effect. Characterization results confirmed that the AuNPs were grafted onto the rGO sheet, and the mechanism study showed that total flavonoids in Lilium casa blanca petals biomass were the main biological compounds involved in the reduction. rGO-AuNPs had a high Raman enhancement factor (EF) which could reach 3.88 × 107. The synthesized nanocomposite also had a good catalytic activity that could be employed as catalyst in MB degradation, and it could complete degradation within 15min. The reaction rate increased linearly with the amount of rGO-AuNPs, and the degradation could be in-situ monitored both by UV and SERS.

Endoscopic mucosal resection of gastrointestinal polyps with a novel low-temperature plasma radio frequency generator: a non-inferiority multi-center randomized control study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of novel plasma radio frequency generator and its single-use polypectomy snares for endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) of gastrointestinal (GI) polyps. METHODS: A total of 217 patients with 413 GI polyps were recruited from four centers in China. Patients were assigned to experimental or control groups using a central randomization method. The experimental group used the novel plasma radio frequency generator and its matched single-use polypectomy snares (Neowing, Shanghai), while the control group used the high-frequency electrosurgical unit (Erbe, Germany) and disposable electrosurgical snares (Olympus, Japan). The primary endpoint was the en bloc resection rate, and the non-inferiority margin was set at 10%. Secondary endpoint included operation time, coagulation success rate, intraoperative and postoperative bleeding rate, and perforation rate. RESULTS: The en bloc resection rate was 97.20% (104/107) in the experimental group and 95.45% (105/110) in the control group (P = 0.496). The operation time was 29.14 ± 20.21 min in the experimental group and 30.26 ± 18.74 min in the control group (P = 0.671). The average removal time of a single polyp in the experimental group was 7.52 ± 4.45 min, which was slightly shorter than that in the control group 8.90 ± 6.67 min, with no statistical difference (P = 0.076). The intraoperative bleeding rates of the experimental group and control group were 8.41% (9/107) and 10.00% (11/110), respectively (P = 0.686). No intraoperative perforation occurred in either group. The postoperative bleeding rates of the experimental group and the control group were 1.87% (2/107) and 4.55% (5/110), respectively (P = 0.465). No postoperative perforation occurred in the experimental group (0/107), while one case of delayed perforation occurred in the control group (1/110, 0.91%). There was no statistical difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic mucosal resection of GI polyps with the novel plasma radio frequency generator is safe and effective, and non-inferior to the conventional high-frequency electrosurgical system.

Discovery of novel arylamide derivatives containing piperazine moiety as inhibitors of tubulin polymerisation with potent liver cancer inhibitory activity.

In this work, a series of novel arylamide derivatives containing piperazine moiety were designed and synthesised as tubulin polymerisation inhibitors. Among 25 target compounds, compound 16f (MY-1121) exhibited low nanomolar IC50 values ranging from 0.089 to 0.238 µM against nine human cancer cells. Its inhibitory effects on liver cancer cells were particularly evident with IC50 values of 89.42 and 91.62 nM for SMMC-7721 and HuH-7 cells, respectively. Further mechanism studies demonstrated that compound 16f (MY-1121) could bind to the colchicine binding site of ß-tubulin and directly act on ß-tubulin, thus inhibiting tubulin polymerisation. Additionally, compound 16f (MY-1121) could inhibit colony forming ability, cause morphological changes, block cell cycle arrest at the G2 phase, induce cell apoptosis, and regulate the expression of cell cycle and cell apoptosis related proteins in liver cancer cells. Overall, the promising bioactivities of compound 16f (MY-1121) make the novel arylamide derivatives have the value for further development as tubulin polymerisation inhibitors with potent anticancer activities.

Comparison of the efficacy and safety of total laparoscopic hysterectomy without and with uterine manipulator combined with pelvic lymphadenectomy for early cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Some studies have reported that the prognosis of total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) for early-stage cervical cancer (CC) is worse than that of open surgery. And this was associated with the use of uterine manipulator or not. Therefore, this study retrospectively analyzes the efficacy and safety of TLH without uterine manipulator combined with pelvic lymphadenectomy for early-stage CC. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with CC (stage IB1-IIA1) who received radical hysterectomy from September 2019 to January 2020 were divided into no uterine manipulator (n = 26) and uterine manipulator group (n = 32). Then, clinical characteristics were collected and intraoperative/postoperative related indicators were compared. RESULTS: Patients in the no uterine manipulator group had significantly higher operation time and blood loss than in the uterine manipulator group. Notably, there was no significant difference in hemoglobin change, blood transfusion rate, number of pelvic nodules, anal exhaust time, complications and recurrence rate between the two groups. Additionally, patients in the uterine manipulator group were prone to urinary retention (15.6%) and lymphocyst (12.5%), while the no uterine manipulator group exhibited high probability of bladder dysfunction (23.1%) and urinary retention (15.4%). Furthermore, the 1-year disease-free survival rate and the 1-year overall survival rate were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in the efficacy and safety of TLH with or without uterine manipulator combined with pelvic lymphadenectomy in the treatment of patients with early-stage CC. However, the latter requires consideration of the negative effects of high operation time and blood loss.

64-Pixel Mo80Si20 superconducting nanowire single-photon imager with a saturated internal quantum efficiency at 1.5 µm.

A superconducting nanowire single-photon imager (SNSPI) uses a time-multiplexing method to reduce the readout complexity. However, due to the serial connection, the nanowire should be uniform so that a common bias can set all segments of the nanowire to their maximum detection efficiency, which becomes more challenging as the scalability (i.e., the length of the nanowire) increases. Here, we have developed a 64-pixel SNSPI based on amorphous Mo80Si20 film, which yielded a uniform nanowire and slow transmission line. Adjacent detectors were separated by delay lines, giving an imaging field of 270 µm × 240 µm. Benefiting from the high kinetic inductance of Mo80Si20 films, the delay line gave a phase velocity as low as 4.6 µm/ps. The positions of all pixels can be read out with a negligible electrical cross talk of 0.02% by using cryogenic amplifiers. The timing jitter was 100.8 ps. Saturated internal quantum efficiency was observed at a wavelength of 1550 nm. These results demonstrate that amorphous film is a promising material for achieving SNSPIs with large scalability and high efficiency.

NecroX-5 ameliorates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis via inhibiting NLRP3-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and usually lethal pulmonary disease. Despite considerable research efforts, no effective therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis has been developed. NecroX-5 has been reported to possess anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-tumor activities. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether NecroX-5 exhibits antifibrotic property in bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis. RESULTS: We found that pre-treatment with NecroX-5 alleviated inflammatory response, reduced oxidative stress, inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and ameliorated pulmonary fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. Our data further indicated that NecroX-5 substantially reduced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and TGF-ß1/Smad2/3 signaling in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, NLRP3 overexpression significantly reversed the protective effects of NecroX-5 in lung epithelial cells exposed to BLM. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results demonstrate the potent antifibrotic properties of NecroX-5 and its therapeutic potential for pulmonary fibrosis.

Optimization of a laparoscopic procedure for advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma based on the concept of "waiting time": a preliminary report.

INTRODUCTION: Clinicians increasingly perform laparoscopic surgery for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, this surgery can be difficult in patients with advanced-stage ICC because of the complicated procedures and difficulty in achieving high-quality results. We compared the effects of a three-step optimized procedure with a traditional procedure for patients with advanced-stage ICC. METHODS: Forty-two patients with advanced-stage ICC who received optimized laparoscopic hemihepatectomy with lymph node dissection (LND, optimized group) and 84 propensity score-matched patients who received traditional laparoscopic hemihepatectomy plus LND (traditional group) were analyzed. Surgical quality, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared. RESULTS: The optimized group had a lower surgical bleeding score (P = 0.038) and a higher surgeon satisfaction score (P = 0.001). Blood loss during hepatectomy was less in the optimized group (190 vs. 295 mL, P < 0.001). The optimized group had more harvested LNs (12.0 vs. 8.0, P < 0.001) and more positive LNs (8.0 vs. 5.0, P < 0.001), and a similar rate of adequate LND (88.1% vs. 77.4%, P = 0.149). The optimized group had longer median DFS (9.0 vs. 7.0 months, P = 0.018) and median OS (15.0 vs. 13.0 months, P = 0.046). In addition, the optimized group also had a shorter total operation time (P = 0.001), shorter liver resection time (P = 0.001), shorter LND time (P < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (P < 0.001), and lower incidence of total morbidities (14.3% vs. 36.9%, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Our optimization of a three-step laparoscopic procedure for advanced ICC was feasible, improved the quality of liver resection and LND, prolonged survival, and led to better intraoperative and postoperative outcomes.

Submucosal tunneling endoscopic septum division for esophageal diverticulum with a median follow-up of 39 months: a multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Submucosal tunneling endoscopic septum division (STESD) is an endoscopic minimally invasive technique for treating esophageal diverticulum. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of STESD and its impact on patients' quality of life. METHODS: This study included consecutive patients who underwent STESD for esophageal diverticulum from April 2016 to August 2020 in 2 centers (Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University and Tianjin First Central Hospital). Esophagogram and endoscopic examination were performed before STESD and 30 days after STESD. Patients completed the 36-item Short Form survey (SF-36) before STESD and 1 year after surgery. Clinical symptoms were assessed via telehealth every 6 months until August 2021. Costamagna and Eckardt scores were used to evaluate changes in symptoms. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were included. Mucosal injury 1 to 2 cm below the septum occurred in 2 patients. No severe surgical adverse events were observed. Median duration of follow-up was 39 months (range, 12-63). Total SF-36 scores increased from 118.7 ± 18.6 before STESD to 132.4 ± 9.1 at 1 year after the procedure (P = .007). SF-36 subscales of general health (P = .002), vitality (P = .004), social functioning (P = .030), and mental health (P = .020) improved significantly after STESD. The mean Costamagna score decreased from 3.83 ± 1.33 to 1.67 ± 1.51 (P = .010), whereas the mean Eckardt score decreased from 3.50 ± .90 to 1.25 ± 1.76 (P = .002). One patient developed symptom recurrence at 10 months after STESD. CONCLUSIONS: STESD is a safe and valid endoscopic minimally invasive surgery for esophageal diverticulum, which can reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Application of the Modified Basic Life Support Training Model in Improving Community Residents' Rescue Willingness in Nantong City in China.

Objective: This study explores the application and effect of the modified basic life support training in improving the first-aid level and rescue willingness of community residents in China. Methods: A total of 94 residents of a community in Nantong city were selected as the subjects by cluster sampling to receive the modified basic life support (BLS) training. The BLS knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of all recruited subjects were evaluated by a questionnaire before and after training. A skill operation assessment was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the modified BLS training. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the BLS rescue willingness, theory, and skill scores before and after the training (P < 0.01). A total of 93.62% of the residents considered the modified BLS training model easier to learn and acceptable than the traditional model, and 92.55% of them thought the training content and teaching arrangement were reasonable. Conclusion: The modified BLS training model could improve the community residents' rescue willingness and skill mastery rates, enhance their first-aid skills and awareness, reduce the risk of disease transmission to a certain extent, and improve the success rate of prehospital first aid to ensure the safety of rescuers and patients.

Modeling Full-Field Transient Flexural Waves on Damaged Plates with Arbitrary Excitations Using Temporal Vibration Characteristics.

We propose an efficient semi-analytical method capable of modeling the propagation of flexural waves on cracked plate structures with any forms of excitations, based on the same group of vibration characteristics and validated by a non-contact scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) system. The proposed modeling method is based on the superposition of the vibrational normal modes of the detected structure, which can be applied to analyze long-time and full-field transient wave propagations. By connecting the vibration-based transient model to a power flow analysis technique, we further analyze the transient waves on a cracked plate subjected to different excitation sources and show the influence of the damage event on the path of the propagating waves. The experimental results indicate that the proposed semi-analytical method can model the flexural waves, and through that, the crack information can be revealed.

Fungal diversity notes 1512-1610: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungal taxa.

This article is the 14th in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein we report 98 taxa distributed in two phyla, seven classes, 26 orders and 50 families which are described and illustrated. Taxa in this study were collected from Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, French Guiana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. There are 59 new taxa, 39 new hosts and new geographical distributions with one new combination. The 59 new species comprise Angustimassarina kunmingense, Asterina lopi, Asterina brigadeirensis, Bartalinia bidenticola, Bartalinia caryotae, Buellia pruinocalcarea, Coltricia insularis, Colletotrichum flexuosum, Colletotrichum thasutense, Coniochaeta caraganae, Coniothyrium yuccicola, Dematipyriforma aquatic, Dematipyriforma globispora, Dematipyriforma nilotica, Distoseptispora bambusicola, Fulvifomes jawadhuvensis, Fulvifomes malaiyanurensis, Fulvifomes thiruvannamalaiensis, Fusarium purpurea, Gerronema atrovirens, Gerronema flavum, Gerronema keralense, Gerronema kuruvense, Grammothele taiwanensis, Hongkongmyces changchunensis, Hypoxylon inaequale, Kirschsteiniothelia acutisporum, Kirschsteiniothelia crustaceum, Kirschsteiniothelia extensum, Kirschsteiniothelia septemseptatum, Kirschsteiniothelia spatiosum, Lecanora immersocalcarea, Lepiota subthailandica, Lindgomyces guizhouensis, Marthe asmius pallidoaurantiacus, Marasmius tangerinus, Neovaginatispora mangiferae, Pararamichloridium aquisubtropicum, Pestalotiopsis piraubensis, Phacidium chinaum, Phaeoisaria goiasensis, Phaeoseptum thailandicum, Pleurothecium aquisubtropicum, Pseudocercospora vernoniae, Pyrenophora verruculosa, Rhachomyces cruralis, Rhachomyces hyperommae, Rhachomyces magrinii, Rhachomyces platyprosophi, Rhizomarasmius cunninghamietorum, Skeletocutis cangshanensis, Skeletocutis subchrysella, Sporisorium anadelphiae-leptocomae, Tetraploa dashaoensis, Tomentella exiguelata, Tomentella fuscoaraneosa, Tricholomopsis lechatii, Vaginatispora flavispora and Wetmoreana blastidiocalcarea. The new combination is Torula sundara. The 39 new records on hosts and geographical distribution comprise Apiospora guiyangensis, Aplosporella artocarpi, Ascochyta medicaginicola, Astrocystis bambusicola, Athelia rolfsii, Bambusicola bambusae, Bipolaris luttrellii, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Chlorophyllum squamulosum, Colletotrichum aeschynomenes, Colletotrichum pandanicola, Coprinopsis cinerea, Corylicola italica, Curvularia alcornii, Curvularia senegalensis, Diaporthe foeniculina, Diaporthe longicolla, Diaporthe phaseolorum, Diatrypella quercina, Fusarium brachygibbosum, Helicoma aquaticum, Lepiota metulispora, Lepiota pongduadensis, Lepiota subvenenata, Melanconiella meridionalis, Monotosporella erecta, Nodulosphaeria digitalis, Palmiascoma gregariascomum, Periconia byssoides, Periconia cortaderiae, Pleopunctum ellipsoideum, Psilocybe keralensis, Scedosporium apiospermum, Scedosporium dehoogii, Scedosporium marina, Spegazzinia deightonii, Torula fici, Wiesneriomyces laurinus and Xylaria venosula. All these taxa are supported by morphological and multigene phylogenetic analyses. This article allows the researchers to publish fungal collections which are important for future studies. An updated, accurate and timely report of fungus-host and fungus-geography is important. We also provide an updated list of fungal taxa published in the previous fungal diversity notes. In this list, erroneous taxa and synonyms are marked and corrected accordingly.

[The Association between the Level of Plasma D-dimer and Disease Severity and Prognosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia in Children].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between the levels of plasma D-dimer and the disease severity and prognosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) in children. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of pediatric MPP patients who were admitted in our hospital between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2018. According to the peak value of D-dimer, patients were divided into the normal group (D-dimer<0.55 mg/L) and the elevated group (D-dimer≥0.55 mg/L). Information regarding the demographics, clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations and treatments of patients in the two groups was compared. RESULTS: Of the 231 MPP patients included in the study, 70 were in the normal group and 161 were in the elevated group. The age of patients in the D-dimer elevated group was significantly higher than that of the normal group ( P<0.01). Compared with the normal group, the elevated group had longer lengths of fever, hospital stay and antibiotic therapy, and more severe radiographic manifestations (all P<0.01). In addition, the incidence of extrapulmonary complications, refractory MPP and severe MPP in the elevated group were significantly higher than those in the normal group ( P<0.01). As for the laboratory data, we found that neutrophils, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, interleukin-6, interleukin-10 and interferon-γ were significantly higher in the elevated group than those in the normal group ( P<0.05). After treatments, all patients showed improvement and were discharged, but the proportions of patients requiring glucocorticoids, bronchoscopy, thoracentesis were significantly higher in the elevated group than those in the normal group ( P<0.05). Follow-up findings showed that the absorption rate of lung lesions 4 weeks after admission was significantly higher, the time needed for lung lesions absorption was significantly shorter, and the incidence of pulmonary sequelae was significantly lower in the normal group than those in the elevated group (all P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that D-dimer level was positively correlated with the severity of pneumonia ( r=0.272, P=0.000) and the incidence of pulmonary sequelae ( r=0.235, P=0.000). CONCLUSION: Pediatric patients of MPP who had elevated plasma D-dimer had clinical manifestations that were more severe, required longer duration of treatment and longer recovery time for lung lesions, and were more likely to have pulmonary sequelae.

Value of Xpert MTB/RIF Using Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The performance of Xpert MTB/RIF using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains unclear. Therefore, a systematic review/meta-analysis was conducted. Studies published before 31 December 2019 were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases using the keywords "pulmonary tuberculosis," "Xpert MTB/RIF," and "BAL." Two independent evaluators extracted the data and assessed the bias risk of the included studies. A random-effects model was used to calculate the overall sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios (PLR and NLR, respectively), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and the area under the curve (AUC), as well as the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Nineteen trials involving 3,019 participants met the inclusion criteria. Compared to the culture method, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, DOR, and the AUC with 95% CIs of Xpert MTB/RIF were 0.87 (0.84 to 0.90), 0.92 (0.91 to 0.93), 10.21 (5.78 to 18.02), 0.16 (0.12 to 0.22), 78.95 (38.59 to 161.53), and 0.9467 (0.9462 to 0.9472), respectively. Relative to the composite reference standard, the observed values were 0.69 (0.65 to 0.72), 0.98 (0.98 to 0.99), 37.50 (18.59 to 75.62), 0.30 (0.21 to 0.43), 171.98 (80.82 to 365.96), and 0.9691 (0.9683 to 0.9699), respectively. All subgroups, except children, showed high sensitivity and specificity. In conclusion, the use of Xpert MTB/RIF in the context of BAL samples has a high diagnostic performance for PTB (except for children) and may serve as an alternative rapid diagnostic tool.

Ruania rhizosphaerae sp. nov., a novel actinobacterium isolated from rhizosphere of Suaeda aralocaspica.

A Gram-stain-positive, non-motile and short rod-shaped actinobacterium, designated strain LNNU 22110T, was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of the halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica (Bunge) Freitag and Schütze, which collected in Xinjiang, north-west China. Growth occurred at 10-45 °C, pH 6.0-10.0 and in the presence of 0-11 % NaCl (w/v). Based on the results of 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogenetic analyses, strain LNNU 22110T belonged to the genus Ruania and had 97.5 and 95.5 % sequence similarity to Ruania alba KCTC 19413T and Ruania albidiflava CGMCC 4.3142T, respectively. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization relatedness values between strain LNNU 22110T and R. alba KCTC 19413T and R. albidiflava CGMCC 4.3142T were 23.2 and 19.9 %, respectively. The highest average nucleotide identity value between strain LNNU 22110T and its closest related strain (R. alba KCTC 19413T) was 80.2 %, much lower than the species delineation threshold of 95-96 %. The genome of strain LNNU 22110T was 4.4 Mb, with a genomic DNA G+C content of 68.4 mol%. The diagnostic diamino acids in the peptidoglycan layer of strain LNNU 22110T were lysine, alanine, glycine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The major fatty acid (>10 %) was anteiso-C15 : 0. The polar lipid profile of strain LNNU 22110T included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, diacylated phosphatidyl dimannoside, one unidentified glycolipid and two unidentified phospholipids. According to the phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic results, strain LNNU 22110T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Ruania, for which the name Ruania rhizosphaerae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LNNU 22110T (=KCTC 39807T=CGMCC 1.17105T).

Hoyosella suaedae sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from rhizosphere soil of Suaeda aralocaspica (Bunge) Freitag & Schütze.

A Gram-stain-positive, non-motile and coccus-shaped bacterium, designated strain LNNU 331112T, was isolated from the composite rhizosphere soil of the halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica (Bunge) Freitag and Schütze, which was collected in Xinjiang, north-west China. Growth occurred at 10-45 °C, pH 6.0-11.0 and in the presence of 0-10 % NaCl (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence suggested that strain LNNU 331112T belonged to the genus Hoyosella and showed 95.6, 95.5 and 95.4 % sequence similarities to Hoyosella altamirensis DSM 45258T, Hoyosella subflava CGMCC 4.3532T and Hoyosella rhizosphaerae CGMCC 1.15478T, respectively. The estimated digital DNA-DNA hybridization relatedness values between strain LNNU 331112T and the type strains of H. altamirensis DSM 45258T, H. subflava CGMCC 4.3532T and H. rhizosphaerae CGMCC 1.15478T were 18.9, 19.3 and 18.3 %, respectively. The average nucleotide identity values between strain LNNU 331112T and H. altamirensis DSM 45258T, H. subflava CGMCC 4.3532T and H. rhizosphaerae CGMCC 1.15478T were 72.6, 72.7 and 72.3 %, respectively. The genome sequence of strain LNNU 331112T showed 69.0-72.3 % average amino acid identity values in comparison with the related genome sequences of three validly published Hoyosella species. The genome of strain LNNU 331112T was 3.47 Mb, with a DNA G+C content of 68.4 mol%. A total of 3182 genes were identified as protein-coding in strain LNNU 331112T. Genomic analysis revealed that a number of genes involved in osmotic pressure regulation, intracellular pH homeostasis and potassium (K+) uptake protein were found in strain LNNU 331112T. The predominant menaquinones were MK-8 (44.6 %) and MK-7 (55.4 %), which differentiated strain LNNU 331112T from other three recognized Hoyosella species. Major fatty acids (>10 %) were C17 : 1 ω8c (33.8 %), C16 : 0 (23.3 %), C17 : 0 (12.8 %) and summed feature 3 (12.9 %), which also clearly separated strain LNNU 331112T from three recognized Hoyosella species. The polar lipid profile of strain LNNU 331112T included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, one unidentified glycolipid, one unidentified phospholipid and two unidentified lipids. According to the results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, strain LNNU 331112T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Hoyosella, for which the name Hoyosella suaedae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LNNU 331112T (=KCTC 39808T=CGMCC 1.17107T=DSM 103463T).