CenterNet-Saccade: Enhancing Sonar Object Detection with Lightweight Global Feature Extraction.

Sonar imaging technology is widely used in the field of marine and underwater monitoring because sound waves can be transmitted in elastic media, such as the atmosphere and seawater, without much interference. In underwater object detection, due to the unique characteristics of the monitored sonar image, and since the target in an image is often accompanied by its own shadow, we can use the relative relationship between the shadow and the target for detection. To make use of shadow-information-aided detection and realize accurate real-time detection in sonar images, we put forward a network based on a lightweight module. By using the attention mechanism with a global receptive field, the network can make the target pay attention to the shadow information in the global environment, and because of its exquisite design, the computational time of the network is greatly reduced. Specifically, we design a ShuffleBlock model adapted to Hourglass to make the backbone network lighter. The concept of CNN dimension reduction is applied to MHSA to make it more efficient while paying attention to global features. Finally, CenterNet's unreasonable distribution method of positive and negative samples is improved. Simulation experiments were carried out using the proposed sonar object detection dataset. The experimental results further verify that our improved model has obvious advantages over many existing conventional deep learning models. Moreover, the real-time monitoring performance of our proposed model is more conducive to the implementation in the field of ocean monitoring.

Interaction of PALE CRESS with PAP2/pTAC2 and PAP3/pTAC10 affects the accumulation of plastid-encoded RNA polymerase complexes in Arabidopsis.

The transcription of photosynthesis genes in chloroplasts is largely mediated by the plastid-encoded RNA polymerase (PEP), which resembles prokaryotic-type RNA polymerases, but with plant-specific accessory subunits known as plastid transcriptionally active chromosome proteins (pTACs) or PEP-associated proteins (PAPs). However, whether additional factors are involved in the biogenesis of PEP complexes remains unknown. Here, we investigated the function of an essential gene, PALE CRESS (PAC), in the accumulation of PEP complexes in chloroplasts. We established that an Arabidopsis leaf variegation mutant, variegated 6-1 (var6-1), is a hypomorphic allele of PAC. Unexpectedly, we revealed that a fraction of VAR6/PAC is associated with thylakoid membranes, where it interacts with PEP complexes. The accumulation of PEP complexes is defective in both var6-1 and the null allele var6-2. Further protein interaction assays confirmed that VAR6/PAC interacts directly with the PAP2/pTAC2 and PAP3/pTAC10 subunits of PEP complexes. Moreover, we generated viable hypomorphic alleles of the essential gene PAP2/pTAC2, and revealed a genetic interaction between PAC and PAP2/pTAC2 in photosynthesis gene expression and PEP complex accumulation. Our findings establish that VAR6/PAC affects PEP complex accumulation through interactions with PAP2/pTAC2 and PAP3/pTAC10, and provide new insights into the accumulation of PEP and chloroplast development.

Ca3(TeO3)2(MO4) (M = Mo, W): Mid-Infrared Nonlinear Optical Tellurates with Ultrawide Transparency Ranges and Superhigh Laser-Induced Damage Thresholds.

Intense interests in mid-infrared (MIR) nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals have erupted in recent years due to the development of optoelectronic applications ranging from remote monitoring to molecular spectroscopy. Here, two polar crystals Ca3(TeO3)2(MO4) (M = Mo, W) were grown from TeO2-MO3 flux by high-temperature solution methods. Ca3(TeO3)2(MoO4) and Ca3(TeO3)2(WO4) are isostructural, which feature novel structures consisting of asymmetric MO4 tetrahedra and TeO3 trigonal pyramids. Optical characterizations show that both crystals display ultrawide transparency ranges (279 nm to 5.78 µm and 290 nm to 5.62 µm), especially high optical transmittance over 80% in the important atmospheric transparent window of 3-5 µm, and superhigh laser damage thresholds (1.63 GW/cm2 and 1.50 GW/cm2), 54.3 and 50 times larger than that of state-of-the-art MIR NLO AgGaS2, respectively. Notably, they exhibit the widest band gaps and the loftiest laser-induced threshold damages among the reported tellurates so far. Moreover, Ca3(TeO3)2(MO4) exhibit type I phase matching at two working wavelengths owing to their large birefringence and strong second-harmonic generation responses from the distorted anions, as further elucidated by the first-principles calculations. The above characteristics indicate that Ca3(TeO3)2(MO4) crystals are high-performance MIR NLO materials, especially applying in high-power MIR laser operations.

Overlapped differentially expressed genes between acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia revealed potential key genes and pathways involved in leukemia.

Common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) might play critical roles in the pathogenesis and process of leukemia. We collected RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data of human CLL, ALL samples, and normal peripheral blood CD19+ B cells as well as thymus samples, and analyzed similarities and differences between their transcriptomes using Cuffdiff2, DESeq, and edgeR. Compared with the RNA-seq data of normal peripheral blood CD19+ B cells and thymus samples, there were a large number of DEGs in ALL and CLL. DEGs in ALL and CLL not only have their distinguished features but also have a similar pattern. To figure out the common DEGs between CLL and ALL, we further identified 26 overlapped genes between CLL and ALL, among which 10 genes showed similar expression variation profiles whereas 16 genes showed opposite variation. The expression levels of 10 genes (SCML4, TNF-α, CD1C, FGFR1, MYO7B, DUSP1, PAP1GAP, MAN1C1, SLFN5, and CD8A) among the 26 genes were further confirmed by experiments, which was consistent with the results obtained by analyzing the RNA-seq data. The current study contributes to better understanding the pathophysiology of leukemia and unearthing novel potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets of leukemia.

Establishing and evaluating an auto-verification system of thalassemia gene detection results.

The manual verification of gene tests is time-consuming and error prone. In this study, we try to explore a high-efficiency, clinically useful auto-verification system for gene detection of thalassemia. A series of verification elements were rooted in the auto-verification system. Consistency check was applied initially as one of the essential elements in our study. One hundred twenty-four archived cases were used to choose the consistency-check rules' indices from routine blood examination and hemoglobin electrophoresis by the receiver operating characteristic curves. Rule 1 and rule 2 established by the chosen indices were compared by their passing rate, consistency with manual validation, and error rate. Finally, 748 cases were used for verifying the system's feasibility by evaluating the passing rate, turn-around time (TAT), and error rate. The rule 2 had a higher passing rate (67.7% vs. 50.8%) and consistency (0.623 vs. 0.364) than the rule 1 with an error rate of zero. In a "live" valuation, the auto-verification system can reduce the TAT and error rate of verification by 51.5% and 0.13%, respectively, with a high passing rate of 82.8%. The auto-verification system for gene detection of thalassemia in this study can shorten the validation time, reduce errors, and enhance efficiency.

Serum and exosomal miR-122 and miR-199a as a biomarker to predict therapeutic efficacy of hepatitis C patients.

MicroRNA (miRNA), which has been shown to correlate with liver functions, has been proposed as a new biomarker reflecting liver injury. The aim of the study was to investigate miRNA-122 (miR-122) and mir-RNA-199a (miR-199a) as a biomarker for predicting therapeutic efficacy in hepatitis C (HepC) patients. A total of 47 HepC 1b patients and 16 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. Serum and exosomal mir-RNAs and other conventional biomarkers reflecting liver function were evaluated. The miR-122 levels in serum (miR-122ser ) and exosomes (miR-122exo ) were significantly lower in the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b patients than in the normal controls, but these levels were higher compared to the non-genotype 1b group. The mean miR-122ser level in the sustained virological response (SVR) group was significantly higher than that in the non-response (NR) group (P < 0.01), and the miR-122exo level in the SVR group was also higher than that in the NR group (P > 0.05), although this difference was not significant. miR-199a levels showed similar trends with the miR-122 levels in serum and exosomes. HCV RNAser was negatively correlated with the miR-122ser (r = -0.473, P = 0.004) and miR-122exo (r = -0.424, P = 0.009) levels. miR-122ser levels were positively associated with miR-199aser levels (r = 0.453, P = 0.002). Univariate and multivariate regression analyses reveal that the miR-122ser levels and ALT/AST ratio demonstrated a predictive value in evaluating patient outcomes. Serum miR-122 and miR-199a are potential biomarkers that reflect therapeutic efficacy.

Circulating microRNAs as a biomarker to predict therapy efficacy in hepatitis C patients with different genotypes.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype exerts a major influence on therapeutic response; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of the study is to investigate the circulating microRNAs as the biomarkers to predict the response to therapy in chronic hepatitisC patients (HepC) with different genotypes. METHODS: HepC patients were separated into 4 groups by genotype, healthy individuals were enrolled as the control. microRNA-122 (miR-122), microRNA-155 (miR-155) and HCV RNA in serum and exosome were measured, associations between microRNAs, viral load and other conventional biomarkers were analyzed. RESULTS: Serum and exosomal HCV RNA in genotype 6a group was highest, followed by genotype 3a/2a, and in genotype 1b were the lowest. The significant correlations existed between exosomal HCV RNA and serum HCVRNA. MiR-122, both in serum (miR-122ser) and in exosome (miR-122exo), was higher in normal control than in HCV group. Specifically, miR-122exo were significantly higher in genotype 1b than other genotype groups (p < 0.05). On the contrary, miR-155exowas significantly lower in genotype 1b than in other groups (p < 0.05 for both). A strongly positive association was found between miR-122/155 and HCV viral load in patients with various genotypes. Higher miR-122ser at the start of therapy predicts a better outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of miR-122/155 differ in each genotypes, miR-122ser could be independent factor affecting the therapy efficacy, which had higher diagnostic value in predicting HCV outcome.

Residual Negative Pressure in Vacuum Tubes Might Increase the Risk of Spurious Hemolysis.

BACKGROUND: We planned a study to establish whether spurious hemolysis may occur when negative pressure remains in vacuum tubes. METHODS: Four tubes with different vacuum levels (-54, -65, -74, and -86 kPa) were used to examine blood drawn from one healthy volunteer; the tubes were allowed to stand for different times (1, 2, 3, and 4 hours). The plasma was separated and immediately tested for free hemoglobin (FHb). Thirty patients were enrolled in a verification experiment. RESULTS: The degree of hemolysis observed was greater when the remaining negative pressure was higher. Significant differences were recorded in the verification experiment. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that residual negative pressure might increase the risk of spurious hemolysis.

Model Prediction and Experimental Validation of Transverse Permeability of Large-Tow Carbon Fiber Composites.

Large-tow carbon fiber (LCF) meets the low-cost requirements of modern industry. However, due to the large and dense number of monofilaments, there are problems with uneven and insufficient infiltration during material preparation. The permeability of large-tow carbon fibers can be used as a two-scale expression of resin flow during infiltration, making it an important factor to consider. This paper provides support for the study of pore formation. A two-dimensional model of randomly bundled large-filament carbon fibers is generated based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) maps. Microstructure size parameters are obtained, and a semi-analytical model of the transverse permeability of large-filament-bundled carbon fibers is established. Permeability values are then obtained. The analysis shows that the monofilaments in the tow are arranged randomly, and their periodic arrangement cannot be used to calculate permeability. Additionally, the number of monofilaments in a carbon fiber tow of the same volume fraction affects the permeability of the tow. Therefore, the permeability model of large-tow carbon fibers is reliable.

Combining Machine Learning and Molecular Dynamics to Predict Mechanical Properties and Microstructural Evolution of FeNiCrCoCu High-Entropy Alloys.

Compared with traditional alloys, high-entropy alloys have better mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, their mechanical properties and microstructural evolution behavior are unclear due to their complex composition. Machine learning has powerful data processing and analysis capabilities, that provides technical advantages for in-depth study of the mechanical properties of high-entropy alloys. Thus, we combined machine learning and molecular dynamics to predict the mechanical properties of FeNiCrCoCu high-entropy alloys. The optimal multiple linear regression machine learning algorithm predicts that the optimal composition is Fe33Ni32Cr11Co11Cu13 high-entropy alloy, with a tensile strength of 28.25 GPa. Furthermore, molecular dynamics is used to verify the predicted mechanical properties of high-entropy alloys, and it is found that the error between the tensile strength predicted by machine learning and the tensile strength obtained by molecular dynamics simulation is within 0.5%. Moreover, the tensile-compression asymmetry of Fe33Ni32Cr11Co11Cu13 high-entropy alloy increased with the increase of temperature and Cu content and the decrease of Fe content. This is due to the increase in stress caused by twinning during compression and the decrease in stress due to dislocation slip during stretching. Interestingly, high-entropy alloy coatings reduce the tensile-compression asymmetry of nickel; this is attributed to the reduced influence of dislocations and twinning at the interface between the high-entropy alloy and the nickel matrix.

Metagenomic evidence for antibiotics-driven co-evolution of microbial community, resistome and mobilome in hospital sewage.

Overconsumption of antibiotics is an immediate cause for the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), though its environmental impact remains inadequately clarified. There is an urgent need to dissect the complex links underpinning the dynamic co-evolution of ARB and their resistome and mobilome in hospital sewage. Metagenomic and bioinformatic methods were employed to analyze the microbial community, resistome and mobilome in hospital sewage, in relation to data on clinical antibiotic use collected from a tertiary-care hospital. In this study, resistome (1,568 antibiotic resistance genes, ARGs, corresponding to 29 antibiotic types/subtypes) and mobilome (247 types of mobile genetic elements, MGEs) were identified. Networks connecting co-occurring ARGs with MGEs encompass 176 nodes and 578 edges, in which over 19 types of ARGs had significant correlations with MGEs. Prescribed dosage and time-dependent antibiotic consumption were associated with the abundance and distributions of ARGs, and conjugative transfer of ARGs via MGEs. Variation partitioning analyses show that effects of conjugative transfer were most likely the main contributors to transient propagation and persistence of AMR. We have presented the first evidence supporting idea that use of clinical antibiotics is a potent driving force for the development of co-evolving resistome and mobilome, which in turn supports the growth and evolution of ARB in hospital sewage. The use of clinical antibiotics calls for greater attention in antibiotic stewardship and management.

Effect of Hydrophobic Nano-SiO2 Particle Concentration on Wetting Properties of Superhydrophobic Surfaces.

As a unique surface wettability, superhydrophobicity has great application value. A variety of preparation methods for superhydrophobic surfaces have been reported, which have the disadvantages of high cost and complicated process. In order to design a method that is easy to operate, low-cost, and suitable for large-scale preparation of superhydrophobic surfaces, in this paper, hydrophobic nano-SiO2 particles are used as spray fillers, and superhydrophobic surfaces are successfully obtained by the spraying process. According to the classical Cassie and Wenzel theory, the influence of the concentration change of hydrophobic nano-SiO2 particles on their wettability is explained, and the appropriate spray concentration parameters are obtained. The results show that the proportion of hydrophobic nano-SiO2 particles is lower than 0.05 g/mL, which will lead to insufficient microstructure on the surface of the coating, and cannot support the droplets to form the air bottom layer. However, an excessively high proportion of hydrophobic nano-SiO2 particles will reduce the connection effect of the silicone resin and affect the durability of the surface. Through theoretical analysis, there are Wenzel state, tiled Cassie state, and stacked Cassie state in the spraying process. When the substrate surface enters the Cassie state, the lower limit of the contact angle is 149°. This study has far-reaching implications for advancing the practical application of superhydrophobic surfaces.

Hybridly double-crosslinked carbon nanotube networks with combined strength and toughness via cooperative energy dissipation.

Although chemical crosslinking has been extensively explored to enhance the mechanical properties of network-type materials for structural and energy (electrochemical, thermal, etc.) applications, loading-induced energy dissipations usually occur through a single channel that either leads to network brittleness or low strength/stiffness. In this work, we apply coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to explore the potential of hybridly double-crosslinked carbon nanotube (CNT) networks as a light weight functional material with combined strength and toughness. While increasing the crosslinking density or strong crosslink composition may, in general, enhance the strength and toughness, further increasing the two parameters would surprisingly lead to deteriorated strength and toughness. We find that double-crosslinked networks can nicely achieve cooperative energy dissipation with minimal structural damage. In particular, the weak crosslinks serve as "sacrificial bonds" to dissipate elastic energies from external loading, while the strong crosslinks act as "structure holders" and break at a much later stage during the tensile test. Therefore, the combination of more than one type of crosslinking with hybrid potential energy landscapes and breaking time scales can prevent premature simultaneous breaking of multiple strong crosslinks. By deploying intermediate amounts of weak and strong crosslinks, we observe an outstanding density-normalized strength of 227-2130 kPa m3 kg-1 as compared to many structural materials and advanced nanocomposites. The crosslinking strategies developed here would pave new avenues for the rational design of functional network materials beyond CNTs, such as hydrogels, nanofibers, and nanocomposites.

Metallization on Sapphire and Low-Temperature Joining with Metal Substrates.

To meet the packaging requirements of sapphire in special electronic components, there is an urgent need for a joining process that can realize a good connection between sapphire and dissimilar metals at a low temperature. In this work, the surface of a sapphire substrate was successfully catalytically activated and metallized by an electroless nickel plating process. Moreover, the solderability and interconnection of metallized sapphire with Sn-based solders were evaluated and investigated at 250 °C, and the wetting angle of the Sn-based solders on sapphire on sapphire without and with metallization was 125° and 51°, respectively. The interfacial microscopic morphology and element distribution in the Cu/Sn-Ag solder/sapphire solder joints were analyzed. It was found that the middle solder layer has diffused during the reflow process, inferring good adhesion between sapphire and Cu substrate with the aid of the Ni-P deposition. Thus, a sapphire welding method with a simple process suitable for practical applications is demonstrated.

The aberrant expression of CD45 isoforms and levels of sex hormones in systemic lupus erythematosus.

INTRODUCTION: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a common autoimmune disease with significant gender bias in women, and sex hormones are considered to play an important role in the regulation of immune activity. The CD45 isoforms generated through alternative splicing of mRNA identify different functional status of lymphocytes and also are suggested as a biomarker for assessing the progression of SLE, while the modulation of CD45 expression in SLE patients is not clear. METHODS: In this study, the peripheral blood sera of 46 SLE patients and 15 health individuals were collected for detecting the levels of sex hormones and immune associated factors. The expression of CD45 isoforms and the status of CD45 DNA methylation of the peripheral mononuclear blood cells were detected by flow cytometry and bisulfite sequencing PCR, respectively. RESULTS: The levels of complement C3 and IgA decreased, especially decline of the serum IgA to the level of selective immunoglobulin A deficiency, and the C-reactive protein increased in SLE patients when compared with healthy controls, which manifested the abnormal immune activity of the SLE patients. Sex hormones detection showed a decreased testosterone and increased prolactin in SLE. An accelerated expression of CD45RO, reduced CD45RA and CD45RB, and a relative hypermethylation of CD45 DNA in SLE were also identified that provided a clue to explain the possible regulatory mechanism for the immune function in SLE. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the aberrant CD45 isoforms, DNA methylation and hormone levels might be correlated with the imbalanced immune activity of SLE patients. Key Points • Selective immunoglobulin A deficiency was significantly higher in SLE than in healthy individuals. • SLE patients had decreased testosterone and increased prolactin in the sera. • An aberrant expression of CD45 isoforms and CD45 DNA methylation were identified in SLE.

Clinical Significance of Fusobacterium nucleatum and Microsatellite Instability in Evaluating Colorectal Cancer Prognosis.

Objective: Both genetic and microbial factors play important roles in colorectal cancer (CRC) development. The effects of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) and microsatellite instability (MSI) on CRC prognosis require more clinical evidence. We aimed to investigate the role of F. nucleatum and MSI as biomarkers in predicting the prognosis of CRC. Methods: CRC patients in various TNM stages were enrolled. MSI status and F. nucleatum were detected by immunohistochemical staining of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens. The associations between MSI status and F. nucleatum and clinical parameters were analyzed. Results: MSI tumors were more frequently observed in the colon than in the rectum. Cancerous tissues had higher levels of F. nucleatum than adjacent noncancerous tissues. There were no significant differences in F. nucleatum abundance in different age, sex, tumor stage, location, and tumor marker groups. MSI status was associated with tumor location and stage. Survival analyses revealed that disease-free survival (DFS) was significantly longer in the F. nucleatum-negative, younger age, and TNM stage I-II groups (p< 0.05), and age, advanced TNM stage (III and IV), and F. nucleatum status were independent factors for poor prognosis. Multivariate Cox regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses showed that conventional tumor biomarkers of CRC had more prognostic value than F. nucleatum and MSI. Conclusion: Age, advanced TNM stage, and F. nucleatum positivity were independent factors of poor prognosis, suggesting that F. nucleatum and MSI may contribute to the identification of new strategies for the prevention and treatment of CRC.

Roles of vaginal flora in human papillomavirus infection, virus persistence and clearance.

Vaginal flora plays a vital role in human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and progression to cancer. To reveal a role of the vaginal flora in HPV persistence and clearance, 90 patients with HPV infection and 45 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study and their vaginal flora were analyzed. Women with HPV infection were treated with Lactobacillus in the vaginal environment as a supplement to interferon therapy. Our results indicated that patients with high risk HPV (Hr-HPV) 16/18 infection had a significantly higher alpha diversity compared with the healthy control (p < 0.01), while there was no significant difference between the non-Hr-HPV16/18 group and the controls (p > 0.05). Patients with multiple HPV infection had insignificantly higher alpha diversity compared with single HPV infection (p > 0.05). The vaginal flora of patients with HPV infection exhibited different compositions when compared to the healthy controls. The dominant bacteria with the highest prevalence in HPV-positive group were Lactobacillus iners (n = 49, 54.44%), and the top 3 dominant bacteria in the HPV-persistent group were Lactobacillus iners (n = 34, 53.13%), Sneathia amnii (n = 9, 14.06%), and Lactobacillus delbrueckii (n = 3, 4.69%). Patients with HPV clearance had significantly lower alpha diversity, and the flora pattern was also different between groups displaying HPV clearance vs. persistence. The patients with persistent HPV infection had significantly higher levels of Bacteroidaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Helicobacteraceae, Neisseriaceae, Streptococcaceae (family level), and Fusobacterium, Bacteroides, Neisseria, and Helicobacter (genus level) than patients who had cleared HPV (p < 0.05). Importance: Our study revealed differences in vaginal flora patterns are associated with HPV persistence and its clearance. Interferon plus probiotics can greatly improve virus clearance in some patients. Distinguishing bacterial features associated with HPV clearance in patients would be helpful for early intervention and reverse persistent infection.

Identification and Analysis of Potential Key Genes Associated With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Integrated Bioinformatics Methods.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of primary liver tumor with poor prognosis and high mortality, and its molecular mechanism remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to use bioinformatics technology to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HCC pathogenesis, hoping to identify novel biomarkers or potential therapeutic targets for HCC research. METHODS: The bioinformatics analysis of our research mostly involved the following two datasets: Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). First, we screened DEGs based on the R packages (limma and edgeR). Using the DAVID database, the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of DEGs were carried out. Next, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of the DEGs was built in the STRING database. Then, hub genes were screened through the cytoHubba plug-in, followed by verification using the GEPIA and Oncomine databases. We demonstrated differences in levels of the protein in hub genes using the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. Finally, the hub genes prognostic values were analyzed by the GEPIA database. Additionally, using the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD), we constructed the drug-gene interaction network. RESULTS: We ended up with 763 DEGs, including 247 upregulated and 516 downregulated DEGs, that were mainly enriched in the epoxygenase P450 pathway, oxidation-reduction process, and metabolism-related pathways. Through the constructed PPI network, it can be concluded that the P53 signaling pathway and the cell cycle are the most obvious in module analysis. From the PPI, we filtered out eight hub genes, and these genes were significantly upregulated in HCC samples, findings consistent with the expression validation results. Additionally, survival analysis showed that high level gene expression of CDC20, CDK1, MAD2L1, BUB1, BUB1B, CCNB1, and CCNA2 were connected with the poor overall survival of HCC patients. Toxicogenomics analysis showed that only topotecan, oxaliplatin, and azathioprine could reduce the gene expression levels of all seven hub genes. CONCLUSION: The present study screened out the key genes and pathways that were related to HCC pathogenesis, which could provide new insight for the future molecularly targeted therapy and prognosis evaluation of HCC.

Prognostic Model for Predicting Overall and Cancer-Specific Survival Among Patients With Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A SEER Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is the most common histological subtype of cervical cancer. The purpose of this study was to assess prognostic factors and establish personalized risk assessment nomograms to predict overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in CSCC patients. METHODS: CSCC patients diagnosed between 1988 and 2015 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were applied to select meaningful independent predictors and construct predictive nomogram models for OS and CSS. The concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to determine the predictive accuracy and discriminability of the nomogram. RESULTS: A total cohort (n=17962) was randomly divided into a training cohort (n=11974) and a validation cohort (n=5988). Age, race, histologic grade, clinical stage, tumor size, chemotherapy and historic stage were assessed as common independent predictors of OS and CSS. The C-index value of the nomograms for predicting OS and CSS was 0.771 (95% confidence interval 0.762-0.780) and 0.786 (95% confidence interval 0.777-0.795), respectively. Calibration curves of the nomograms indicated satisfactory consistency between nomogram prediction and actual survival for both 3-year and 5-year OS and CSS. CONCLUSION: We constructed nomograms that could predict 3- and 5-year OS and CSS of CSCC patients. These nomograms showed good performance in prognostic prediction and can be used as an effective tool to evaluate the prognosis of CSCC patients, thus contributing to clinical decision making and individualized treatment planning.

Antimicrobial resistance bacteria and genes detected in hospital sewage provide valuable information in predicting clinical antimicrobial resistance.

Extensive use of antibiotics is significantly associated with development of antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria. However, their causal relationships have not been adequately investigated, especially in human population and hospitals. Our aims were to understand clinical AR through revealing co-occurrence patterns between antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes (ARB and ARGs), and their association with antibiotic use, and to consider impact of ARB and ARGs on environmental and human health. Antibiotic usage was calculated based on the actual consumption in our target hospital. ARB was identified by culture. In isolates collected from hospital sewage, bacterial-specific DNA sequences and ARGs were determined using metagenomics. Our data revealed that the use of culture-based single-indicator-strain approaches only captured ARB in 16.17% of the infectious samples. On the other hand, 1573 bacterial species and 885 types of ARGs were detected in the sewage. Furthermore, hospital use of antibiotics influenced the resistance profiles, but the strength varied among bacteria. From our metagenomics analyses, ARGs for aminoglycosides were the most common, followed by sulfonamide, tetracycline, phenicol, macrolides, and quinolones, comprising 82.6% of all ARGs. Association analyses indicated that 519 pairs of ARGs were significantly correlated with ARB species (r > 0.8). The co-occurrence patterns of bacteria-ARGs mirrored the AR in the clinic. In conclusion, our systematic investigation further emphasized that antibiotic usage in hospital significantly influenced the abundance and types of ARB and ARGs in dose- and time-dependent manners which, in turn, mirrored clinical AR. In addition, our data provide novel information on development of certain ARB with multiple antibiotic resistance. These ARB and ARGs from sewage can also be disseminated into the environment and communities to create health problems. Therefore, it would be helpful to use such data to develop improved predictive risk model of AR, to enhance effective use of antibiotics, and to reduce environmental pollution.