DBDNMF: A Dual Branch Deep Neural Matrix Factorization method for drug response prediction.

Anti-cancer response of cell lines to drugs is in urgent need for individualized precision medical decision-making in the era of precision medicine. Measurements with wet-experiments is time-consuming and expensive and it is almost impossible for wide ranges of application. The design of computational models that can precisely predict the responses between drugs and cell lines could provide a credible reference for further research. Existing methods of response prediction based on matrix factorization or neural networks have revealed that both linear or nonlinear latent characteristics are applicable and effective for the precise prediction of drug responses. However, the majority of them consider only linear or nonlinear relationships for drug response prediction. Herein, we propose a Dual Branch Deep Neural Matrix Factorization (DBDNMF) method to address the above-mentioned issues. DBDNMF learns the latent representation of drugs and cell lines through flexible inputs and reconstructs the partially observed matrix through a series of hidden neural network layers. Experimental results on the datasets of Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) and Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) show that the accuracy of drug prediction exceeds state-of-the-art drug response prediction algorithms, demonstrating its reliability and stability. The hierarchical clustering results show that drugs with similar response levels tend to target similar signaling pathway, and cell lines coming from the same tissue subtype tend to share the same pattern of response, which are consistent with previously published studies.

Revealing the Mechano-Electrochemical Coupling Behavior and Discharge Mechanism of Fluorinated Carbon Cathodes toward High-Power Lithium Primary Batteries.

Unclear reaction mechanisms and unsatisfactory power performance hinder the further development of advanced lithium/fluorinated carbon (Li/CFx ) batteries. Herein, the mechano-electrochemical coupling behavior of a CFx cathode is investigated by in situ monitoring strain/stress using digital image correlation (DIC) techniques, electrochemical methods, and theoretical equations. The DIC monitoring results present the distribution and dynamic evolution of the plane strain and indicate strong dependence toward the material structure and discharge rate. The average plane principal strain of fully discharged 2D fluorinated graphene nanosheets (FGNSs) at 0.5 C is 0.50%, which is only 38.5% that of conventional bulk-structure CFx . Furthermore, the superior structural stability of the FGNSs is demonstrated by the microstructure and component characterization before and after discharge. The plane stress evolution is calculated based on theoretical equations, and the contributions of electrochemical and mechanical factors are examined and discussed. Subsequently, a structure-dependent three-region discharge mechanism for CFx electrodes is proposed from a mechanical perspective. Additionally, the surface deformation of Li/FGNSs pouch cells formed during the discharge process is monitored using in situ DIC. This study reveals the discharge mechanism of Li/CFx batteries and facilitates the design of advanced CFx materials.

Prediction of the Structural, Mechanical, and Physical Properties of GaC: As a Potential Third-Generation Semiconductor Material.

Similar to GaN and SiC semiconductors, GaC may be a potential semiconductor because of the mixed elemental features of Ga and C. Unfortunately, the phase stability and mechanical and physical properties of GaC are unknown. To search for novel third-generation semiconductors, the present study delves into an in-depth analysis of the structural stability and electronic and optical properties of GaC by DFT calculations. Similar to GaN, three GaC phases are discussed. It is found that three GaC phases (two cubic phases and one hexagonal phase) are first predicted. The band gaps of Fm3̅m, F4̅3m, and hexagonal GaC are 0.449, 2.733, and 3.340 eV, respectively. In particular, the band gap of F4̅3m GaC and hexagonal GaC is bigger than that of GaN. Compared to GaN semiconductors, the C-2p state is in the valence band region across the Fermi level, which is beneficial to electronic mobility and electronic transport capacity near the Fermi level. In addition, three GaC phases exhibit ultraviolet properties. The first peak of three GaC phases produces the right migration compared to the GaN semiconductor. Therefore, the author predicts that GaC is a potential third-generation semiconductor material which is potentially used in future third-generation semiconductor industries.

Is atezolizumab plus bevacizumab as first-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma superior to lenvatinib? a systematic review and meta­analysis.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis was dedicated to evaluating the effectiveness and safety of Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) and Lenvatinib (LEN) as first-line systematic therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC). METHODS: The prospective protocol for this study was registered with the PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD42022356874). Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE database Cochrane Library, and Web Science to determine all clinical controlled studies that reported Atez/Bev and LEN for treating u-HCC. We. evaluated as primary end-point overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), as well as other outcomes such as tumor response and adverse events (AEs).Quality assessment and data extraction of studies were conducted independently by three reviewers. Mean difference (MD) and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a fixed-effects or random-effects model. The meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: 12 retrospective cohort studies (RCSs) involving a total of 4948 patients were finally included. The results showed that compared with LEN, Atez/Bev can improve the patient's PFS (HR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.72 ~ 0.88; p < 0.0001) and reduce the rate of overall AEs (OR = 0.46 95% CI: 0.38 ~ 0.55, p < 0.00001) and grade ≥ 3 AEs (OR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.36 ~ 0.51, p < 0.00001), while there is no difference between OS and treatment responses rate (objective response rate, disease control rate, complete response, partial response, progressive disease, and stable disease) between two groups. In addition, the subgroup analysis shows that Atez/Bev can promote the OS of patients with viral hepatitis. (HR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.67 ~ 0.95; p = 0.01), while LEN has an advantage in improving OS in patients with Child-Pugh grade B liver function (HR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.50 ~ 2.63; p < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: Current evidence shows that compared with LEN, Atez/Bev has more advantages in PFS and safety in treating u-HCC and can improve the OS of patients with viral. LEN has advantages in improving the OS of patients with grade B liver function. However, more multicenter randomized controlled experiments are needed in the future to verify our results.

Intestinal epithelial Krüppel-like factor 4 alleviates endotoxemia and atherosclerosis through improving NF-κB/miR-34a-mediated intestinal permeability.

Maintenance of intestinal barrier function contributes to gastrointestinal homeostasis and therefore cardiovascular diseases. A number of studies show that intestinal permeability is affected by excessive inflammatory responses. Krüppel-like factor (KLF) 4 is one of the critical transcriptional factors, which controls multiple immune responses. In this study we investigated the role of KLF4 in regulating intestinal inflammation and permeability during the atherosclerotic process. Atherosclerotic model was established in ApoE-/- mice by feeding a high fat high cholesterol (HFHC) diet. We showed that colon expression levels of KLF4 and tight junction proteins were significantly decreased whereas inflammatory responses increased in atherosclerotic mice. Overexpression of colon epithelial Klf4 decreased atherosclerotic plaque formation and vascular inflammation in atherosclerotic mice, accompanied by remarkable suppression of intestinal NF-κB activation. We found that overexpression of epithelial Klf4 in atherosclerotic mice significantly increased intestinal tight junction expression and ameliorated endotoxemia, whereas replenishment of LPS abolished these benefits. Overexpression of Klf4 reversed LPS-induced permeability and downregulation of ZO-1 and Occludin in Caco-2 cells in vitro. HFHC diet stimulated the expression of epithelial microRNA-34a, whereas silence of epithelial Klf4 abolished the benefits of microRNA-34a sponge, a specific miR-34a inhibitor, on intestinal permeability and atherosclerotic development. A clinical cohort of 24 atherosclerotic patients supported colon KLF4/NF-κB/tight junction protein axis mediated intestine/cardiovascular interaction in patients with atherosclerosis. Taken together, intestinal epithelial KLF4 protects against intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction, ameliorating atherosclerotic plaque formation.

[BMP]+[BF4]--Modified CsPbI1.2Br1.8 Solar Cells with Improved Efficiency and Suppressed Photoinduced Phase Segregation.

With the rapid progress in a power conversion efficiency reaching up to 26.1%, which is among the highest efficiency for single-junction solar cells, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells have become a research focus in photovoltaic technology all over the world, while the instability of these perovskite solar cells, due to the decomposition of its unstable organic components, has restricted the development of all-inorganic perovskite solar cells. In recent years, Br-mixed halogen all-inorganic perovskites (CsPbI3-xBrx) have aroused great interests due to their ability to balance the band gap and phase stability of pure CsPbX3. However, the photoinduced phase segregation in lead mixed halide perovskites is still a big burden on their practical industrial production and commercialization. Here, we demonstrate inhibited photoinduced phase segregation all-inorganic CsPbI1.2Br1.8 films and their corresponding perovskite solar cells by incorporating a 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium tetrafluoroborate ([BMP]+[BF4]-) compound into the CsPbI1.2Br1.8 films. Then, its effect on the perovskite films and the corresponding hole transport layer-free CsPbI1.2Br1.8 solar cells with carbon electrodes under light is investigated. With a prolonged time added to the reduced phase segregation terminal, this additive shows an inhibitory effect on the photoinduced phase segregation phenomenon for perovskite films and devices with enhanced cell efficiency. Our study reveals an efficient and simple route that suppresses photoinduced phase segregation in cesium lead mixed halide perovskite solar cells with enhanced efficiency.

Transplantation of Cold-Stimulated Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Improves Fat Retention and Recipient Metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Induction of beige fat for grafting is an emerging transplantation strategy. However, safety concerns associated with pharmaceutical interventions limit its wider application. Moreover, because beige fat is a special type of fat with strong metabolic functions, its effect on the metabolism of recipients after grafting has not been explored in the plastic surgery domain. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore whether cold-induced inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) transplantation has a higher retention rate and beneficial effects on recipient metabolism. METHODS: C57/BL6 mice were subjected to cold stimulation for 48 hours to induce the browning of iWAT and harvested immediately. Subsequently, each mouse received a transplant of 0.2 mL cold-induced iWAT or normal iWAT. Fat grafts and recipients' iWAT, epididymal adipose tissue, and brown adipose tissue were harvested at 8 weeks after operation. Immunofluorescence staining, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blot were used for histological and molecular analysis. RESULTS: Cold-induced iWAT grafting had a higher mean [standard error of the mean] retention rate (67.33% [1.74%] vs 55.83% [2.94%], P < .01) and more satisfactory structural integrity than normal iWAT. Histological changes identified improved adipose tissue homeostasis after cold challenge, including abundant smaller adipocytes, higher levels of adipogenesis, angiogenesis, and proliferation, but lower levels of fibrosis. More importantly, cold-induced iWAT grafting suppressed the inflammation of epididymal adipose tissue caused by conventional fat grafting, and activated the glucose metabolism and thermogenic activity of recipients' adipose tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Cold-induced iWAT grafting is an effective nonpharmacological intervention strategy to improve the retention rate and homeostasis of grafts. Furthermore, it improves the adverse effects caused by traditional fat grafting, while also conferring metabolic benefits.

Single-Atom Iron Catalyst as an Advanced Redox Mediator for Anodic Oxidation of Organic Electrosynthesis.

Homogeneous electrocatalysts can indirect oxidate the high overpotential substrates through single-electron transfer on the electrode surface, enabling efficient operation of organic electrosynthesis catalytic cycles. However, the problems of this chemistry still exist such as high dosage, difficult recovery, and low catalytic efficiency. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit high atom utilization and excellent catalytic activity, hold great promise in addressing the limitations of homogeneous catalysts. In view of this, we have employed Fe-SA@NC as an advanced redox mediator to try to change this situation. Fe-SA@NC was synthesized using an encapsulation-pyrolysis method, and it demonstrated remarkable performance as a redox mediator in a range of reported organic electrosynthesis reactions, and enabling the construction of various C-C/C-X bonds. Moreover, Fe-SA@NC demonstrated a great potential in exploring new synthetic method for organic electrosynthesis. We employed it to develop a new electro-oxidative ring-opening transformation of cyclopropyl amides. In this new reaction system, Fe-SA@NC showed good tolerance to drug molecules with complex structures, as well as enabling flow electrochemical syntheses and gram-scale transformations. This work highlights the great potential of SACs in organic electrosynthesis, thereby opening a new avenue in synthetic chemistry.

Combining a machine-learning derived 4-lncRNA signature with AFP and TNM stages in predicting early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Near 70% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence is early recurrence within 2-year post surgery. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are intensively involved in HCC progression and serve as biomarkers for HCC prognosis. The aim of this study is to construct a lncRNA-based signature for predicting HCC early recurrence. METHODS: Data of RNA expression and associated clinical information were accessed from The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) database. Recurrence associated differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELncs) were determined by three DEG methods and two survival analyses methods. DELncs involved in the signature were selected by three machine learning methods and multivariate Cox analysis. Additionally, the signature was validated in a cohort of HCC patients from an external source. In order to gain insight into the biological functions of this signature, gene sets enrichment analyses, immune infiltration analyses, as well as immune and drug therapy prediction analyses were conducted. RESULTS: A 4-lncRNA signature consisting of AC108463.1, AF131217.1, CMB9-22P13.1, TMCC1-AS1 was constructed. Patients in the high-risk group showed significantly higher early recurrence rate compared to those in the low-risk group. Combination of the signature, AFP and TNM further improved the early HCC recurrence predictive performance. Several molecular pathways and gene sets associated with HCC pathogenesis are enriched in the high-risk group. Antitumor immune cells, such as activated B cell, type 1 T helper cell, natural killer cell and effective memory CD8 T cell are enriched in patients with low-risk HCCs. HCC patients in the low- and high-risk group had differential sensitivities to various antitumor drugs. Finally, predictive performance of this signature was validated in an external cohort of patients with HCC. CONCLUSION: Combined with TNM and AFP, the 4-lncRNA signature presents excellent predictability of HCC early recurrence.

Organ distribution of Nano-WC particles after repeated intratracheal instillation into the lungs of SD rats and subsequent organ injury.

Nano-tungsten carbide (nano-WC) is widely used in composite materials due to its special physical and chemical properties. Owing to their small size, nano-WC nanoparticles easily enter organisms through the respiratory tract, which may cause health hazards. However, only a few studies have reported the toxicity of nano-WC. In this study, a 10 mg/kg nano-WC suspension and 0.9% normal saline were quantitatively perfused into the lungs of two groups of healthy male SD rats by tracheal instillation, and the in vivo pulmonary toxic effects were systematically evaluated. Additionally, as multiple organs and tissues are involved, systemic effects were observed throughout the body and mainly manifested as inflammatory damage. The concentrations of tungsten ions in various organs and alveolar lavage fluid were measured by ICP-MS, and the results showed that the lung was the target organ, as it had the highest concentration of ions. In addition, the abnormal increases in the tungsten ion concentrations in the liver and kidney may be closely related to the immune damage we observed. This study provides a theoretical basis and data support for the systematic evaluation of the health hazards of nano-WC and a reference for the safe use of nanomaterials.

Photovoltaic amorphous feroxyhyte nanostructures synthesized by atmospheric AC microplasma.

Feroxyhite (δ-FeOOH) nanomaterials were successfully synthesized through the atmospheric AC microplasma method at room temperature from ferrous sulfate aqueous solutions. Various syntheses conditions, including electric voltage, electric field strength, ferrous concentration, hydrogen peroxide concentration, and reaction duration, were systematically investigated. The synthesized products were characterized through x-ray diffraction, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, infra-red spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The bandgap of the produced materials were strongly dependent of the ferrous concentration while the product ratio was dependent on all experimental conditions. The synthesis mechanism was thoroughly discussed. The synthesized nanomaterials were amorphous nanospheres, showing superparamagnetic properties at room temperature. The synthesized oxyhydroxide is a potential photovoltaic material besides its reported applications in photocatalysts and supercapacitors. The application of this synthesis technique could be extended to synthesize other oxy-hydroxide nanomaterials for renewable energy applications facilely, scalablely, cost-effectively, and environmentally.

Theoretical prediction of the structure and hardness of TiB4 tetraborides from first-principles calculations.

To search for a novel transition metal boride superhard material, the structural configuration, hardness and bonding state of the boron rich TiB4 tetraborides are studied using the first-principles method. Similar to the TMB4 tetraboride, four tetraborides, orthorhombic (Immm), orthorhombic (Cmcm), tetragonal (P4/mbm) and hexagonal (P63/mmc) phases, are predicted based on the phonon dispersion and thermodynamic model. The stable TiB4 with orthorhombic (Immm and Cmcm) is first predicted. In particular, the theoretical hardness of Cmcm and Immm TiB4 is 53.3 GPa and 35.6 GPa, respectively. We predict that orthorhombic (Cmcm) TiB4 is a potential superhard material. Here, the calculated lattice parameters of the Cmcm TiB4 are a = 5.2230 Å, b = 3.0627 Å and c = 9.8026 Å. The calculated lattice parameters of the Immm TiB4 are a = 5.0374 Å, b = 5.6542 Å and c = 3.0069 Å. Naturally, the high hardness of Cmcm TiB4 is related to the octagon B-B cage structure, which is composed of three different B-B covalent bonds. Although the B-B cage structure is formed in Immm TiB4, the hard discrepancy is that the bond strength of the B-B covalent bond in Immm TiB4 is weaker than the bond strength of the B-B covalent bond in Cmcm TiB4. In addition, the Debye temperature of the Cmcm TiB4 is higher than those of the other three TiB4 tetraborides. The high-temperature thermodynamic properties of TiB4 tetraboride are determined by the vibration in the B atom and B-B covalent bond. Therefore, our study indicates that a novel orthorhombic (Cmcm) TiB4 superhard material is found.

Update on the genetic diversity and population structure of Echinococcus granulosus in Gansu Province, Tibet Autonomous Region, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Western China, inferred from mitochondrial cox1, nad1, and nad5 sequences.

The identification of additional Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) complex species/genotypes in recent years raises the possibility that there might be more variation among this species in China than is currently understood. The aim of this study was to explore intra- and inter-species variation and population structure of Echinococcus species isolated from sheep in three areas of Western China. Of the isolates, 317, 322, and 326 were successfully amplified and sequenced for cox1, nad1, and nad5 genes, respectively. BLAST analysis revealed that the majority of the isolates were E. granulosus s.s., and using the cox1, nad1, and nad5 genes, respectively, 17, 14, and 11 isolates corresponded to Elodea canadensis (genotype G6/G7). In the three study areas, G1 genotypes were the most prevalent. There were 233 mutation sites along with 129 parsimony informative sites. A transition/transversion ratio of 7.5, 8, and 3.25, respectively, for cox1, nad1, and nad5 genes was obtained. Every mitochondrial gene had intraspecific variations, which were represented in a star-like network with a major haplotype with observable mutations from other distant and minor haplotypes. The Tajima's D value was significantly negative in all populations, indicating a substantial divergence from neutrality and supporting the demographic expansion of E. granulosus s.s. in the study areas. The phylogeny inferred by the maximum likelihood (ML) method using nucleotide sequences of cox1-nad1-nad5 further confirmed their identity. The nodes assigned to the G1, G3, and G6 clades as well as the reference sequences utilized had maximal posterior probability values (1.00). In conclusion, our study confirms the existence of a significant major haplotype of E. granulosus s.s. where G1 is the predominant genotype causing of CE in both livestock and humans in China.

[Myrislignan Induces Apoptosis in Gastric Cancer Cell Line Through PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway].

Objective: To investigate the effect of myrislignan (MYR) on the apoptosis of gastric cancer cell line and its relationship with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway. Methods: The gastric cells (SGC-7901) were treated with MYR at different concentrations, i.e., 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 µmol/L, for 48 h and 72 h and the effect of MYR on the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells was measured by CCK-8 assay. Then, SGC-7901 cells were treated with different concentrations of MYR at 50, 100, and 200 µmol/L for 48 h. Meanwhile, a normal control group and a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent control group (0.1% DMSO) were established. Flow cytometry was used to determine the apoptosis rate of SGC-7901 cells. The protein expression levels of PI3K, AKT, Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX), cysteine-dependent aspartate-specifc protease-3 (Caspase-3), and Caspase-9 were determined by Western blot. Then, PI3K activator (20 µmol/mL) was used to treat SGC-7901 cells for 48 h in 4 groups, the control group, 0.1% DMSO group, MYR group, and MYR+PI3K activator group, and the effect on MYR's induction of apoptosis and regulation of the protein expression levels of PI3K, AKT, BAX, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 in SGC-7901 cells. Results: Compared with the control group, MYR at 50, 100 and 200 µmol/L inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells, increased the apoptosis rate, down-regulated the protein expression levels of PI3K and AKT, and up-regulated the protein expression levels of BAX, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 in a dose-dependent manner ( P<0.05). However, PI3K activator attenuated MYR-induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells and MYR's regulation of PI3K, AKT, BAX, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 protein expression ( P<0.05). Conclusion: MYR induces the expression of BAX, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 proteins by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby promoting the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells.

Measurement of circular intensity differential scattering (CIDS) from single airborne aerosol particles for bioaerosol detection and identification.

The circular intensity differential scattering (CIDS), i.e. the normalized Mueller matrix element -S14/S11, can be used to detect the helical structures of DNA molecules in biological systems, however, no CIDS measurement from single particles has been reported to date. We report an innovative method for measuring CIDS phase functions from single particles individually flowing through a scattering laser beam. CIDS signals were obtained from polystyrene latex (PSL) microspheres with or without coating of DNA molecules, tryptophan particles, and aggregates of B. subtilis spores, at the size of 3 µm in diameter. Preliminary results show that this method is able to measure CIDS phase function in tens of microseconds from single particles, and has the ability to identify particles containing biological molecules.

Assessing the utility of the Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampin assay for analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: There is limited research assessing the utility of the Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/rifampin (MTB/RIF) assay for the analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in Chinese patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Thus, our objective was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay and evaluate its utility for the determination of rifampicin resistance. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed BALF from 214 patients with suspected PTB between January 2018 and March 2019. Using mycobacterial culture or final clinical diagnosis as the reference standard, the diagnostic accuracy of the smear microscopy (SM), tuberculosis bacillus DNA (TB-DNA), Xpert MTB/RIF assay, and the determination of rifampicin resistance based on the Xpert MTB/RIF assay were compared. RESULTS: As compared to mycobacterial culture, the sensitivity of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, SM, and TB-DNA were 85.5% (74.2%-93.1%), 38.7% (26.6%-51.9%), and 67.7% (54.7%-79.1%), respectively. As compared to the final diagnosis, the specificity of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, SM, and TB-DNA were 100.0% (95.9%-100.0%), 94.3% (87.1%-98.1%), and 98.9% (93.8%-100.0%), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the rifampicin resistance detection using the Xpert MTB/RIF assay were 100% and 98.0%, respectively, with liquid culture as the reference. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the analysis of BALF with the Xpert MTB/RIF assay provides a rapid and accurate tool for the early diagnosis of PTB. The accuracy of diagnosis was superior compared with the SM and TB-DNA. Moreover, Xpert is a quick and accurate method for the diagnosis of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis and can also provide more effective guidance for the treatment of PTB or multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

Audiological characteristics and effect of endoscopic surgery for simple congenital malformation of ossicular chain.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the audiological characteristics and surgical results in patients undergoing surgery for simple congenital ossicular chain malformation, and the effect of endoscopic surgery. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on 86 patients who underwent surgery for the congenital malformation of the ossicular chain. Clinical characteristics and audiometric data were analyzed. Fifty-eight patients had detailed postoperative data, and the preoperative and postoperative audiometric results were compared. The subjects were further divided into endoscopic and microscopic groups, and their surgical effects were examined. RESULTS: The preoperative audiometry results in the low-frequency group were worse than those in the high-frequency group (P < 0.05). A postoperative air-bone gap closure to 20 dB or less was achieved in 73.33% of the 60 ears of patients postoperatively. The postoperative air conduction and air-bone gap were significantly better than the preoperative ones (P < 0.05), and the improvement effect was the best in class III patients (P < 0.05). Postoperative hearing had no significant differences between the endoscopic and microscopic groups. However, endoscopic surgery also was more advantageous in terms of operating time (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative pure tone audiometric results showed moderate or moderate-severe hearing loss, especially in the low-frequency area. The reconstruction of the auditory ossicle chain can achieve satisfactory results, especially in class III patients. Endoscopic and microscopic surgery in the treatment of simple congenital ossicular chain malformations can effectively improve postoperative hearing.

Comparison between cystic biliary atresia and choledochal cyst: a clinical controlled study.

PURPOSE: It is difficult to distinguish cystic biliary atresia (CBA) from choledochal cyst (CC) before intraoperative cholangiography in neonates or young infants because of the similar ultrasonographic patterns and clinical manifestations. This study is to investigate the difference of clinical parameters between CBA and CC. METHODS: 96 patients with cyst at hepatic hilum whose ages were less than 120 days during the period from Jan'2013 to Nov'2015 were retrospectively studied, they were divided into CBA group and CC group by intraoperative cholangiography, there were 29 cases of CBA and 67 cases of CC. It was compared and analyzed on laboratory data, preoperative ultrasonographic features, intraoperative cholangiography and histopathological results between the two groups. Data were quoted as means ± standard deviation (SD) or median (range), Student's t test, non-parametric test and χ2 test were used as appropriate. P < 0.05 was considered as significant statistical difference. RESULTS: CBA group and CC group were comparable for the operative age (51.76 ± 23.99 days vs. 50.03 ± 26.38 days, P = 0.76), weight (4.60 ± 0.75 kg vs. 4.44 ± 1.03 kg, P = 0.46) and sex proportion (M/F: 9/20 vs. 20/47, P = 0.91). there were significant differences (CBA vs. CC) in ALT [59(3-375) vs. 30 (6-247) IU/L, P < 0.001], AST [140(30-694) vs. 44(18-410) IU/L, P < 0.001], T-Bil [190 (107-326) vs.87(5-310) µmol/L, P < 0.001], D-Bil [85 (31-174) vs.14(1-122) µmol/L, P < 0.001] and TBA [112 (23-269) vs.9(1-337) µmol/L, P < 0.001]. There was insignificant statistical difference in GGT [332(112-2154) vs. 226(21-1810) IU/L, P = 0.099] between CBA group and CC group. The cyst size in CBA group was obviously smaller than CC group (the maximum longitudinal diameter: 2.52 ± 1.16 cm vs. 4.71 ± 2.23 cm, P < 0.001; the maximum transverse diameter: 1.64 ± 0.75 cm vs. 3.41 ± 1.79 cm, P < 0.001). Significant differences presented in preoperative ultrasonographic features and histopathological results between the two groups. CONCLUSION: CBA should be suspected if ultrasonography indicates small cyst with characteristic manifestations of BA and elevated laboratory data. GGT was an insensitive indicator in distinguishing CBA from CC. Cholangiography should be done for the suspected CBA patients as soon as possible to confirm the diagnosis and have surgical intervention timely.

Long Non-Coding RNAs: New Players in Plants.

During the process of growth and development, plants are prone to various biotic and abiotic stresses. They have evolved a variety of strategies to resist the adverse effects of these stresses. lncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs) are a type of less conserved RNA molecules of more than 200 nt (nucleotides) in length. lncRNAs do not code for any protein, but interact with DNA, RNA, and protein to affect transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic modulation events. As a new regulatory element, lncRNAs play a critical role in coping with environmental pressure during plant growth and development. This article presents a comprehensive review on the types of plant lncRNAs, the role and mechanism of lncRNAs at different molecular levels, the coordination between lncRNA and miRNA (microRNA) in plant immune responses, the latest research progress of lncRNAs in plant growth and development, and their response to biotic and abiotic stresses. We conclude with a discussion on future direction for the elaboration of the function and mechanism of lncRNAs.

WGCNA Identifies a Comprehensive and Dynamic Gene Co-Expression Network That Associates with Smut Resistance in Sugarcane.

Sugarcane smut is a major fungal disease caused by Sporisorium scitamineum, which seriously reduces the yield and quality of sugarcane. In this study, 36 transcriptome data were collected from two sugarcane genotypes, YT93-159 (resistant) and ROC22 (susceptible) upon S. scitamineum infection. Data analysis revealed 20,273 (12,659 up-regulated and 7614 down-regulated) and 11,897 (7806 up-regulated and 4091 down-regulated) differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in YT93-159 and ROC22, respectively. A co-expression network was then constructed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), which identified 5010 DEGs in 15 co-expressed gene modules. Four of the 15 modules, namely, Skyblue, Salmon, Darkorange, and Grey60, were significantly associated with smut resistance. The GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that the DEGs involving in these four modules could be enriched in stress-related metabolic pathways, such as MAPK and hormone signal transduction, plant-pathogen interaction, amino acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and flavonoid, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. In total, 38 hub genes, including six from the Skyblue module, four from the Salmon module, 12 from the Darkorange module, and 16 from the Grey60 module, were screened as candidate hub genes by calculating gene connectivity in the corresponding network. Only 30 hub genes were amplifiable with RT-qPCR, of which 27 were up-regulated upon S. scitamineum infection. The results were consistent with the trend of gene expression in RNA-Seq, suggesting their positive roles in smut resistance. Interestingly, the expression levels of AOX, Cyb5, and LAC were higher in ROC22 than in YT93-159, indicating these three genes may act as negative regulators in response to S. scitamineum infection. This study revealed the transcriptome dynamics in sugarcane challenged by S. scitamineum infection and provided gene targets for smut resistance breeding in sugarcane.