[Characteristics and impact factors of SARS-CoV-2 infection in adult patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma receiving chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy]

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and treatment of COVID-19 infection in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma before and after receiving chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, and study the influencing factors of severe COVID-19 infection in these patients. Methods: The data of 59 patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma who received chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy at the Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Department of Hematology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University between December 2017 and February 2023, and who were infected with novel coronavirus between December 2022 and February 2023 were retrospectively studied. Patients were divided into light, medium, severe, and critical groups, and the differences between the groups were analyzed using the chi-square test. A univariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the contribution of each variable and its relationship with severe infection. The chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to analyze the differences between the B-cell aplasia and B-cell recovery (BCR) groups. Results: Of the 59 pre- and post-infusion infections, 39 (66.1%) led to mild COVID-19, 9 (15.3%) resulted in moderate COVID-19, 10 (16.9%) resulted in severe COVID-19, and 1 (1.7%) led to critical COVID-19. Moroever, age greater than 55 years, having received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, progressive disease status, and B-cell aplasia at the time of diagnosis of COVID-19 infection are factors affecting severe infection. Patients with B-cell aplasia had a more severe infection with COVID-19 (P<0.001), a longer duration (P=0.015), a longer antiviral therapy course (P<0.001), and a higher hospitalization rate (P<0.001) than the BCR group. Conclusion: Active prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection remains a crucial issue requiring urgent attention in managing patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.

Nanometer flat blazed x-ray gratings using ion beam figure correction

With the development of nanometer accuracy stitching interferometry, ion beam figuring (IBF) of x-ray mirrors can now be achieved with unprecedented performance. However, the process of producing x-ray diffraction gratings on these surfaces may degrade the figure quality due to process errors introduced during the ruling of the grating grooves. To address this challenge, we have investigated the post-production correction of gratings using IBF, where stitching interferometry is used to provide in-process feedback. A concern with ion beam correction in this case is that ions will induce enough surface mobility of atoms to cause smoothing of the grating structure and degradation of diffraction efficiency. In this study we found however that it is possible to achieve a nanometer-level planarity of the global grating surface with IBF, while preserving the grating structure. The preservation was so good, that we could not detect a change in the diffraction efficiency after ion beam correction. This is of major importance in achieving ultra-high spectral resolution, and the preservation of brightness for coherent x-ray beams.

Investigation of the Degradation Mechanism of the Tensile Mechanical Properties of Sandstone under the Corrosion of Various pH Solutions

The research aimed to examine the impact of different pH solutions on the tensile mechanical properties of saturated and natural sandstone specimens. The study utilized the WHY-300/10 microcomputer-controlled pressure testing machine to conduct Brazil splitting tests and employed acoustic emission and local dynamic strain testing techniques. The results indicated the tensile strength and split tensile modulus of the sandstone specimens gradually decreased with the polarisation of the solution pH, and the acoustic emission signal ring number monitoring values showed an increasing trend. The pH of the soaking solution followed an exponential decay pattern over time, eventually tending towards weak alkalinity. A new damage variable based on the cumulative ring count after chemical corrosion was defined to indirectly analyze the degree of corrosion degradation. It was discovered that in acidic or alkaline environments, the internal crystals of the rock are dissolved, weakening the mineral interconnections and causing a deterioration in tensile stress and strength. These findings can provide valuable insights for ensuring the safety and stability of the Denglou Mountain Tunnel in Yunnan Province.

Potential Predictive Value of Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Magnetic Resonance for Xerostomia of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Xerostomia, caused by radiation-induced parotid damage, is the most commonly reported complications of radiotherapy (RT) to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study aimed to evaluate the value of IVIM MR in monitoring radiation parotid gland damage and predicting the risk of xerostomia.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 54 patients were enrolled and underwent IVIM MR scans at before RT, after the fifth fraction, halfway through the course of RT, and at the end of radiotherapy. The parameters of IVIM MR include pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f), and pure diffusion coefficient (D). The degree of xerostomia in NPC patients was assessed before each MR examination using the acute radiation morbidity scoring criteria proposed by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). Concurrently, the time when the patient first reported suffering from xerostomia was recorded. The IVIM parameters trend throughout the RT, and the relationships between IVIM parameters and xerostomia, were analyzed.

RESULTS

All of the IVIM parameters increased from pre-RT to post-RT significantly (all p < 0.001). The increase rate of D from pre-RT to halfway through the RT was 32.61%, which was significantly higher than 15.64% from halfway to post-RT (p<0.001), indicating that cell necrosis in the first half of treatment is significantly higher than that in the second half. Both D* and F had significantly increased from pre-RT to halfway through the radiotherapy (p<0.001), with an increase rate of 19.58% and 29.38%, respectively. However, no significant increase was observed from Halfway to post-RT (p>0.05), with an increase rate of 4.10% and 8.30%, respectively. This may be due to radiation-induced vasculitic dilation that is significant in the first half of the radiotherapy but plateaus in the second half. Pre-D (OR = 23.85; 95% CI = 2.39, 237.82; p = .007) and pre-D* (OR = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.63, 0.91; p = 0.003) are independent influencing factors for xerostomia at 3 months after the completion of RT. D and F were significantly higher after the fifth fraction compared with Pre-RT (both p<0.05), respectively increased 31.25% and 25.16%. D* increase by 15% (p = 0.081). IVIM scans can assess parotid gland damage early. And the average time of parotid damage underwent IVIM scan was 5.99 ± 0.84 (day), much earlier than 11.84 ± 2.74 (day) according to RTOG.

CONCLUSION

Our study indicates that IVIM MR can dynamically monitor radiotherapy-induced parotid gland damage, and much earlier and objectively than RTOG.

[Impact of different diagnostic criteria for assessing mild micro-hepatic encephalopathy in liver cirrhosis: an analysis based on a prospective, multicenter, real-world study]

Objective: To compare the differences in the prevalence of mild micro-hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) among patients with cirrhosis by using the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) and the Stroop smartphone application (Encephal App) test. Methods: This prospective, multi-center, real-world study was initiated by the National Clinical Medical Research Center for Infectious Diseases and the Portal Hypertension Alliance and registered with International ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05140837). 354 cases of cirrhosis were enrolled in 19 hospitals across the country. PHES (including digital connection tests A and B, digital symbol tests, trajectory drawing tests, and serial management tests) and the Stroop test were conducted in all of them. PHES was differentiated using standard diagnostic criteria established by the two studies in China and South Korea. The Stroop test was evaluated based on the criteria of the research and development team. The impact of different diagnostic standards or methods on the incidence of MHE in patients with cirrhosis was analyzed. Data between groups were differentiated using the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ (2) test. A kappa test was used to compare the consistency between groups. Results: After PHES, the prevalence of MHE among 354 cases of cirrhosis was 78.53% and 15.25%, respectively, based on Chinese research standards and Korean research normal value standards. However, the prevalence of MHE was 56.78% based on the Stroop test, and the differences in pairwise comparisons among the three groups were statistically significant (kappa = -0.064, P < 0.001). Stratified analysis revealed that the MHE prevalence in three groups of patients with Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C was 74.14%, 83.33%, and 88.24%, respectively, according to the normal value standards of Chinese researchers, while the MHE prevalence rates in three groups of patients with Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C were 8.29%, 23.53%, and 38.24%, respectively, according to the normal value standards of Korean researchers. Furthermore, the prevalence rates of MHE in the three groups of patients with Child-Pugh grades A, B, and C were 52.68%, 58.82%, and 73.53%, respectively, according to the Stroop test standard. However, among the results of each diagnostic standard, the prevalence of MHE showed an increasing trend with an increasing Child-Pugh grade. Further comparison demonstrated that the scores obtained by the number connection test A and the number symbol test were consistent according to the normal value standards of the two studies in China and South Korea (Z = -0.982, -1.702; P = 0.326, 0.089), while the other three sub-tests had significant differences (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence rate of MHE in the cirrhotic population is high, but the prevalence of MHE obtained by using different diagnostic criteria or methods varies greatly. Therefore, in line with the current changes in demographics and disease spectrum, it is necessary to enroll a larger sample size of a healthy population as a control. Moreover, the establishment of more reliable diagnostic scoring criteria will serve as a basis for obtaining accurate MHE incidence and formulating diagnosis and treatment strategies in cirrhotic populations.

Analysis of the value of echocardiographic parameters in the early diagnosis of preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of echocardiographic parameters in diagnosing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Ninety preterm infants with a gestational age of less than 32 weeks and a weight less than 1.5 kg, admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of the hospital between January 2020 and January 2021, were selected for the study. The study subjects were divided into two groups: a BPD group (54 cases, observation group) and a non-BPD group (36 cases, control group). The correlation between tricuspid regurgitation (TR) velocity and BPD was investigated by detecting the cardiac function of preterm infants in both groups using a color Doppler ultrasound diagnostic instrument and analyzing the cardiac ultrasound results. The early prediction efficiency of TR velocity (m/s) for BPD was evaluated using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

The incidence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The levels of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular shorting fraction (LVFS) were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The incidence of patent foramen ovale (PFO), atrial septal defect (ASD), and ventricular septal defect (VSD) in the observation group were not significantly different from the control group (p > 0.05). The proportion of tricuspid regurgitation in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the TR velocity was significantly higher than that in the control group. The Spearman correlation analysis showed that TR velocity (m/s) was positively correlated to BPD severity (r = 0.379, p < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting BPD with TR velocity was 0.735. The sensitivity and specificity were 88.0% and 62.6%, respectively, when the TR velocity was 1.45 m/s.

CONCLUSIONS

Echocardiography is useful for understanding the degree of impaired cardiac function in preterm infants and for early detection of PH, which may reduce the mortality rate to a certain extent. The risk of BPD is significantly increased when TR velocity is higher than 1.45 m/s.

Identification of a diketopiperazine-based O-GlcNAc transferase inhibitor sensitizing hepatocellular carcinoma to CDK9 inhibition

O-GlcNAcylation (O-linked β-N-acetylglucosaminylation) is an important post-translational and metabolic process in cells that is implicated in a wide range of physiological processes. O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) is ubiquitously present in cells and is the only enzyme that catalyses the transfer of O-GlcNAc to nucleocytoplasmic proteins. Aberrant glycosylation by OGT has been linked to a variety of diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and diabetes. Previously, we and others demonstrated that O-GlcNAcylation is notably elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The overexpression of O-GlcNAcylation promotes cancer progression and metastasis. Here, we report the identification of HLY838, a novel diketopiperazine-based OGT inhibitor with the ability to induce a global decrease in cellular O-GlcNAc. HLY838 enhances the in vitro and in vivo anti-HCC activity of CDK9 inhibitor by downregulating c-Myc and downstream E2F1 expression. Mechanistically, c-Myc is regulated by the CDK9 at the transcript level, and stabilized by OGT at the protein level. This work therefore demonstrates that HLY838 potentiates the antitumor responses of CDK9 inhibitor, providing an experimental rationale for developing OGT inhibitor as a sensitizing agent in cancer therapeutics.

[Association between volatile organic compounds and mortality risk of stroke]

Objective: To investigate the effect of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exposure in the atmosphere on the risk of daily death from stroke in Guangzhou. Methods: Daily average concentrations of twelve atmospheric VOCs, meteorological factors, and daily deaths for stroke and its subtypes (including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke) in Guangzhou from 2020 to 2021 were collected. The time-series Poisson generalized additive model was established to analyze the relationship between daily average concentrations of atmospheric VOCs and daily mortality from a stroke on different lag days. The season, gender, and age group further performed stratification analysis. Results: Toluene and n-pentane were associated with a higher mortality risk from stroke and its subtypes. For each interquartile range (IQR) increment in toluene concentration at lag0- 1 days, the RRs for mortality from stroke and hemorrhagic stroke were 1.060 (95%CI: 1.036-1.085) and 1.071 (95%CI: 1.030-1.113), respectively. For each IQR increment in n-pentane concentration, the RR for mortality from ischemic stroke was 1.064 (95%CI: 1.030-1.099). The effect estimates of VOCs may be higher during the cold season and among women and people aged ≥75 years. For each IQR increment in toluene concentration, the RRs for mortality risk of stroke in the cold season and women were 1.099 (95%CI: 1.056-1.143) and 1.085 (95%CI: 1.050-1.120), respectively. For n-pentane, the RR for death risk of stroke in people aged ≥75 years old was 1.072 (95%CI: 1.036-1.109). Results of sensitivity analysis showed that the effect estimates fluctuated less when PM2.5 and O3 were separately introduced for the two-pollutant model, as well as changing the degrees of freedom for covariates. Conclusions: This study suggests that VOCs may be an independent risk factor for daily mortality from stroke. Moreover, Toluene presented the most significant health impact.

[Application of triangle stability mechanical model in the layer separation of transanal total mesorectal excision]

Transanal total mesorectal resection (taTME) has come a long way since it was first used in the clinic in 2010.The learning curve of this procedure is long due to different surgical approaches, different perspectives and different anatomical positions. Many surgeons experience complications during this procedure. Although the advantages and problems of this procedure have been reported in much literature, the anatomy and operation methods of taTME introduced in literatures and training centers are too complicated, which makes many surgeons encounter difficulties in carrying out taTME surgery. According to the author's experience in learning and carrying out this operation, spatial expansion process of ultralow rectal cancer was divided into three stages. At each stage, according to different pulling forces, three different schemes of triangular stability mechanics model were adopted for separation. From point to line, from line to plane, the model can protect the safety of peripheral blood vessels and nerves while ensuring total mesorectal excision . This model simplifies the complex surgical process and is convenient for beginners to master taTME surgical separation skills.

B-Cell-Activating Factor Contributes to Elevation of the Content of Regulatory B Cells in Neonatal Sepsis

We studied the role of B cell-activating factor (BAFF) in PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in promoting proliferation and maintaining survival of regulatory B lymphocytes (Breg) in newborns with sepsis. The peripheral blood samples were collected from preterm neonates (n=40) diagnosed with sepsis on the day of diagnosis and on days 7, 14, and 21 after diagnosis, as well as from the matched preterm neonates without sepsis (n=40; control group). The peripheral blood mononuclear cells and B cells were isolated, cultured, and stimulated with LPS and immunostimulant CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN). Proliferation and differentiation of B-cells into CD19⁺CD24^hiCD38^hi Breg cells and the role of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in these processes were studied by flow cytometry, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting. BAFF levels in the peripheral blood of neonates with sepsis were significantly increased at one week after diagnosis in parallel with increasing trend of expression of BAFF receptor. When applied with LPS and CpG-ODN, BAFF promoted differentiation of B cells into CD19⁺CD24^hiCD38^hi Breg cells. Phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 factor and 70S6K kinase located downstream in PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was significantly up-regulated when stimulated with BAFF in combination with LPS and CpG-ODN. Thus, increased level of BAFF activates PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and induces in vitro differentiation of peripheral blood B cells into CD19⁺CD24^hiCD38^hi Breg cells.

PLEKHG5 is stabilized by HDAC2-related deacetylation and confers sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma

Sorafenib is the first FDA-approved first-line targeted drug for advanced HCC. However, resistance to sorafenib is frequently observed in clinical practice, and the molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we found that PLEKHG5 (pleckstrin homology and RhoGEF domain containing G5), a RhoGEF, was highly upregulated in sorafenib-resistant cells. PLEKHG5 overexpression activated Rac1/AKT/NF-κB signaling and reduced sensitivity to sorafenib in HCC cells, while knockdown of PLEKHG5 increased sorafenib sensitivity. The increased PLEKHG5 was related to its acetylation level and protein stability. Histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) was found to directly interact with PLEKHG5 to deacetylate its lysine sites within the PH domain and consequently maintain its stability. Moreover, knockout of HDAC2 (HDAC2 KO) or selective HDAC2 inhibition reduced PLEKHG5 protein levels and thereby enhanced the sensitivity of HCC to sorafenib in vitro and in vivo, while overexpression of PLEKHG5 in HDAC2 KO cells reduced the sensitivity to sorafenib. Our work showed a novel mechanism: HDAC2-mediated PLEKHG5 posttranslational modification maintains sorafenib resistance. This is a proof-of-concept study on targeting HDAC2 and PLEKHG5 in sorafenib-treated HCC patients as a new pharmaceutical intervention for advanced HCC.

[Current status of diagnosis and treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in China: A national multicenter survey research]

Objective: To understand the current status of diagnosis and treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) /small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) among hematologists, oncologists, and lymphoma physicians from hospitals of different levels in China. Methods: This multicenter questionnaire survey was conducted from March 2021 to July 2021 and included 1,000 eligible physicians. A combination of face-to-face interviews and online questionnaire surveys was used. A standardized questionnaire regarding the composition of patients treated for CLL/SLL, disease diagnosis and prognosis evaluation, concomitant diseases, organ function evaluation, treatment selection, and Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor was used. Results: ①The interviewed physicians stated that the proportion of male patients treated for CLL/SLL is higher than that of females, and the age is mainly concentrated in 61-70 years old. ②Most of the interviewed physicians conducted tests, such as bone marrow biopsies and immunohistochemistry, for patient diagnosis, in addition to the blood test. ③Only 13.7% of the interviewed physicians fully grasped the initial treatment indications recommended by the existing guidelines. ④In terms of cognition of high-risk prognostic factors, physicians' knowledge of unmutated immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable and 11q- is far inferior to that of TP53 mutation and complex karyotype, which are two high-risk prognostic factors, and only 17.1% of the interviewed physicians fully mastered CLL International Prognostic Index scoring system. ⑤Among the first-line treatment strategy, BTK inhibitors are used for different types of patients, and physicians have formed a certain understanding that BTK inhibitors should be preferentially used in patients with high-risk factors and elderly patients, but the actual use of BTK inhibitors in different types of patients is not high (31.6%-46.0%). ⑥BTK inhibitors at a reduced dose in actual clinical treatment were used by 69.0% of the physicians, and 66.8% of the physicians had interrupted the BTK inhibitor for >12 days in actual clinical treatment. The use of BTK inhibitors is reduced or interrupted mainly because of adverse reactions, such as atrial fibrillation, severe bone marrow suppression, hemorrhage, and pulmonary infection, as well as patients' payment capacity and effective disease progression control. ⑦Some differences were found in the perceptions and behaviors of hematologists and oncologists regarding the prognostic assessment of CLL/SLL, the choice of treatment options, the clinical use of BTK inhibitors, etc. Conclusion: At present, a gap remains between the diagnosis and treatment of CLL/SLL among Chinese physicians compared with the recommendations in the guidelines regarding the diagnostic criteria, treatment indications, prognosis assessment, accompanying disease assessment, treatment strategy selection, and rational BTK inhibitor use, especially the proportion of dose reduction or BTK inhibitor discontinuation due to high adverse events.

[Identification and verification of α-11 giardin-interacting protein]

OBJECTIVE

To identify and verify the interacting protein of α-11 giardin, so as provide the experimental evidence for studies on the α-11 giardin function.

METHODS

The yeast two-hybrid cDNA library of the Giardia lambia C2 strain and the bait plasmid of α-11 giardin were constructed. All proteins interacting with α-11 giardin were screened using the yeast two-hybrid system. α-11 giardin and all screened potential interacting protein genes were constructed into pBiFc-Vc-155 and pBiFc-Vn-173 plasmids, and co-transfected into the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. The interactions between α-11 giardin and interacting proteins were verified using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC).

RESULTS

The yeast two-hybrid G. lambia cDNA library which was quantified at 2.715 × 10⁷ colony-forming units (CFU) and the bait plasmid containing α-11 giardin gene without an autoactivation activity were constructed. Following two-round positive screening with the yeast two-hybrid system, two potential proteins interacting with α-11 giardin were screened, including eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (EIF5A), calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CAMKL) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-specific glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP-GDH), hypothetical protein 1 (GL50803_95880), hypothetical protein 2 (GL50803_87261) and a protein from Giardia canis virus. The α-11 giardin and EIF5A genes were transfected into the pBiFc-Vc-155 and pBiFc-Vn-173 plasmids using BiFC, and the recombinant plasmids pBiFc-Vc-155-α-11 and pBiFc-Vn-173-EIF5A were co-tranfected into MDA-MB-231 cells, which displayed green fluorescence under a microscope, indicating the interaction between α-11 giardin and EIF5A protein in cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The yeast two-hybrid cDNA library of the G. lambia C2 strain has been successfully constructed, and six potential protein interacting with α-11 giardin have been identified, including EIF5A that interacts with α-11 giardin in cells.

The Mechanism of the Anti-Cardiac Hypertrophy Effect of Glycyrrhizic Acid Is Related to Reducing STIM1-Dependent Store-Operated Calcium Entry

We explored the anti-cardiac hypertrophy mechanism of glycyrrhizic acid from the perspective of calcium regulation under pathological conditions. For this purpose, we used a rat model of myocardial hypertrophy induced by pressure overload. The effect of glycyrrhizic acid on BP was measured non-invasively with a sphygmomanometer and recorded in PC. In rats with modeled cardiac hypertrophy, the effect of GA on expression of type 1 matrix interaction molecules was determined in horizontal tissues and cultured cardiomyocytes of the left ventricle. The laser confocal microscopy and calcium ion probe Fluo-4 AM were used to assess the effect of glycyrrhizic acid on stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1)-dependent store-operated calcium entry in cultured cardiomyocytes derived from the hypertrophic myocardium. Glycyrrhizic acid exerted the anti-hypertrophic effect in rats with hypertrophic myocardium by down-regulating STIM1 protein expression and reducing the intensity of STIM1-dependent store-operated calcium entry.

[Intelligent identification of livestock, a source of Schistosoma japonicum infection, based on deep learning of unmanned aerial vehicle images]

OBJECTIVE

To develop an intelligent recognition model based on deep learning algorithms of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images, and to preliminarily explore the value of this model for remote identification, monitoring and management of cattle, a source of Schistosoma japonicum infection.

METHODS

Oncomelania hupensis snail-infested marshlands around the Poyang Lake area were selected as the study area. Image datasets of the study area were captured by aerial photography with UAV and subjected to augmentation. Cattle in the sample database were annotated with the annotation software VGG Image Annotator to create the morphological recognition labels for cattle. A model was created for intelligent recognition of livestock based on deep learning-based Mask R-convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithms. The performance of the model for cattle recognition was evaluated with accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score and mean precision.

RESULTS

A total of 200 original UAV images were obtained, and 410 images were yielded following data augmentation. A total of 2 860 training samples of cattle recognition were labeled. The created deep learning-based Mask R-CNN model converged following 200 iterations, with an accuracy of 88.01%, precision of 92.33%, recall of 94.06%, F1 score of 93.19%, and mean precision of 92.27%, and the model was effective to detect and segment the morphological features of cattle.

CONCLUSIONS

The deep learning-based Mask R-CNN model is highly accurate for recognition of cattle based on UAV images, which is feasible for remote intelligent recognition, monitoring, and management of the source of S. japonicum infection.

Ternary GePdS3: 1D van der Waals Nanowires for Integration of High-Performance Flexible Photodetectors

One-dimensional (1D) van der Waals (vdW) materials are anticipated to leverage for high-performance, giant polarized, and hybrid-dimension photodetection owing to their dangling-bond free surface, intrinsic crystal structure, and weak vdW interaction. However, only a few related explorations have been conducted, especially in the field of flexible and integrated applications. Here, high-quality 1D vdW GePdS₃ nanowires were synthesized and proven to be an n-type semiconductor. The Raman vibration and band gap (1.37-1.68 eV, varying from bulk to single chain) of GePdS₃ were systemically studied by experimental and theoretical methods. The photodetector based on a single GePdS₃ nanowire possesses fast photoresponse at a broadband spectrum of 254-1550 nm. The highest responsivity and detectivity reach up to ∼219 A/W and ∼2.7 × 10¹⁰ Jones (under 254 nm light illumination), respectively. Furthermore, an image sensor with 6 × 6 pixels based on GePdS₃ nanowires is integrated on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate and exhibits sensitive and homogeneous detection at 808 nm light. These results indicate that the ternary noble metal chalcogenides show great potential in flexible and broadband optoelectronics applications.

[Overexpression of miR-431-5p impairs mitochondrial function and induces apoptosis in gastric cancer cells via the Bax/Bcl-2/caspase3 pathway]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of microRNA miR-431-5p in gastric cancer (GC) tissues and its effects on apoptosis and mitochondrial function in GC cells.

METHODS

The expression level of miR-431-5p in 50 clinical samples of GC tissues and paired adjacent tissues was detected using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and its correlation with the clinicopathological features of the patients was analyzed. A cultured human GC cell line (MKN-45 cells) were transfected with a miR-431-5p mimic or a negative control sequence, and the cell proliferation, apoptosis, mitochondrial number, mitochondrial potential, mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content were detected using CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, fluorescent probe label, or ATP detection kit. The changes in the expression levels of the apoptotic proteins in the cells were detected with Western blotting.

RESULTS

The expression level of miR-431-5p was significantly lower in GC tissues than in the adjacent tissues (P < 0.001) and was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation (P=0.0227), T stage (P=0.0184), N stage (P=0.0005), TNM stage (P=0.0414) and vascular invasion (P=0.0107). In MKN-45 cells, overexpression of miR-431-5p obviously inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis, causing also mitochondrial function impairment as shown by reduced mitochondrial number, lowered mitochondrial potential, increased mPTP opening, increased ROS production and reduced ATP content. Overexpression of miR-431-5p significantly downregulated the expression of Bcl-2 and increased the expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins p53, Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3 protein.

CONCLUSION

The expression of miR-431-5p is down-regulated in GC, which results in mitochondrial function impairment and promotes cell apoptosis by activating the Bax/Bcl-2/caspase3 signaling pathway, suggesting the potential role of miR-431-5p in targeted therapy for GC.

Synthesis and evaluation of N-sulfonylpiperidine-3-carboxamide derivatives as capsid assembly modulators inhibiting HBV in vitro and in HBV-transgenic mice

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid assembly modulators (CAMs) have been developed as effective anti-HBV agents in the treatment of chronic HBV infection by targeting the HBV core protein and inducing the formation of aberrant or morphologically normal capsid. However, some CAMs have been observed adverse events such as ALT flares and rash. Therefore, finding new CAMs is of great importance. In this report, we synthesized N-sulfonylpiperidine-3-carboxamides (SPCs) derivatives and evaluated their anti-HBV activities. Among the SPC derivatives, compound C-49 notably suppressed HBV replication in HepAD38, HepG2-HBV1.3 and HepG2-NTCP cells. Moreover, treatment with C-49 for 12 days exhibited potent anti-HBV activity (100 mg/kg; 2.42 log reduction of serum HBV DNA) in HBV-transgenic mice without apparent hepatotoxicity. Our findings provided a new SPC derivative as HBV capsid assembly modulator for developing safe and efficient anti-HBV therapy.