Accuracy of 10 MHz ultrasonography for evaluation of posterior lens capsule in traumatic cataract

PURPOSE

To investigate the performance of 10 MHz ultrasonography in detecting posterior lens capsule defects before traumatic cataract surgery.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis includes patients with traumatic cataracts who underwent cataract surgery. Preoperative 10 MHz ultrasonography was performed to evaluate whether the posterior lens capsule was defective or intact, and the results were compared to the intraoperative findings. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, and kappa were calculated.

RESULTS

The study included 140 eyes of 140 patients. There were 68 eyes with closed-globe injuries and 72 eyes with open-globe injuries. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy, and kappa of 10 MHz ultrasonography was 86.76%, 90.28%, 89.39%, 87.84%, 88.57% and 0.771, respectively. The accuracy was 86.11% and 91.18% in open-globe and closed-globe injury groups, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The accuracy of 10 MHz ultrasonography in evaluating the posterior lens capsule in traumatic cataracts is high. Preoperative 10 MHz ultrasonography would help to make an appropriate surgical plan.

Efficacy and safety of intrathecal pemetrexed for TKI-failed leptomeningeal metastases from EGFR+ NSCLC: an expanded, single-arm, phase II clinical trial

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intrathecal pemetrexed (IP) for treating patients with leptomeningeal metastases (LM) from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who progressed from epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment in an expanded, prospective, single-arm, phase II clinical study (ChiCTR1800016615).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with confirmed NSCLC-LM who progressed from TKI received IP (50 mg, day 1/day 5 for 1 week, then every 3 weeks for four cycles, and then once monthly) until disease progression or intolerance. Objectives were to assess overall survival (OS), response rate, and safety. Measurable lesions were assessed by investigator according to RECIST version 1.1. LM were assessed according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria.

RESULTS

The study included 132 patients; 68% were female and median age was 52 years (31-74 years). The median OS was 12 months (95% confidence interval 10.4-13.6 months), RANO-assessed response rate was 80.3% (106/132), and the most common adverse event was myelosuppression (n = 42; 31.8%), which reversed after symptomatic treatment. The results of subgroup analysis showed that absence of brain parenchymal metastasis, good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, good response to IP treatment, negative cytology after treatment, and patients without neck/back pain/difficult defecation had longer survival. Gender, age, previous intrathecal methotrexate/cytarabine, and whole-brain radiotherapy had no significant influence on OS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study further showed that IP is an effective and safe treatment method for the EGFR-TKI-failed NSCLC-LM, and should be recommended for these patients in clinical practice and guidelines.

Vitrectomy with Subretinal Injection of Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Submacular Hemorrhage with or without Vitreous Hemorrhage

PURPOSE

To evaluate the outcomes and prognostic factors of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with subretinal injection of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) for submacular hemorrhage (SMH) patients with or without vitreous hemorrhage.

METHODS

Sixty-four eyes of 64 patients with SMH patients underwent PPV with subretinal injection of rt-PA. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), SMH displacement, and postoperative complications were analyzed. Predictive factors of the final BCVA were determined using multivariant linear regression.

RESULTS

There were 26 eyes with VH and 38 without VH BCVA significantly improved in both VH group (from 2.27±0.40 to 1.25±0.70 LogMAR) and non-VH group (from 1.76±0.55 to 0.85±0.65 LogMAR). Completely displacement of SMHs was observed in 47 (73.43%) eyes. Postoperative complications included recurrent SMH (4.69%), recurrent vitreous hemorrhage (10.94%), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (3.13%), and epiretinal membrane (4.68%). Treatment-naive condition, early surgery, and younger age were significantly associated with better final BCVA (B =0.502, 0.303, and 0.021, respectively, with all p <0.05).

CONCLUSION

PPV combined with subretinal rt-PA injection is an effective treatment for SMH patients with and without VH.

Peripheral and posterior pole retinal changes in highly myopic Chinese children and adolescents : Retinal changes in Chinese children and adolescents

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and related factors of peripheral and posterior pole retinal changes in highly myopic Chinese children and adolescents.

METHODS

A hospital-based cross-sectional study was designed. A total of 120 subjects with high myopia were recruited and underwent cycloplegic refraction, dilated fundus examination, and optical coherence tomography. A statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the factors associated with peripheral and posterior pole retinal changes.

RESULTS

The mean spherical equivalent refraction of the subjects was - 8.74 ± 2.86 D, and the mean age was 11.45 ± 3.02 years. Snowflake retinal degeneration (27.5%), white without pressure (27.5%), snail-track degeneration (15%), and lattice degeneration (15%) were the most common peripheral retinal changes, while tessellated fundus (84.17%), optic nerve crescents (78.3%), and posterior staphyloma (11.7%) were the most common posterior changes. Subjects with peripheral changes were significantly older, with thinner choroids (OR = 1.194, 95% CI: 1.045-1.363, p = 0.009; OR = 0.993, 95% CI: 0.987-0.999, p = 0.022, respectively). Optic nerve crescents, tessellated fundus, and posterior scleral staphyloma were all associated with thin choroids (OR = 0.990, 95% CI: 0.983-0.997, p = 0.008; OR = 0.983, 95% CI: 0.974-0.991, p < 0.001; OR = 0.974, 95% CI: 0.960-0.987, p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

A substantial proportion of the subjects had peripheral and posterior retinal changes. An increased risk of retinal changes was associated with high degrees of myopia, long axial lengths, thin choroids, and older ages among 7-16-year-old individuals.

[Clinical and endoscopic characteristics of adult celiac disease]

Objective: The study aimed to analyze the clinical and endoscopic characteristics of adult celiac disease (CD) to provide a scientific basis for more effective CD diagnosis and treatment. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the clinical and endoscopic data of 96 adult CD patients treated in the Department of Gastroenterology of the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from March 2016 to December 2021 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 96 CD patients were diagnosed, including 33 men and 63 women. The average age was 47±14 years (range, 18-81 years). The disease occurred mainly in the age group of 31-60 years. The median course of the disease was 2.0 (0.2-40.0) years. There were 41 (42.7%) classical and 55 (57.3%) non-classical CD patients. All patients with classical CD showed chronic diarrhea, often accompanied by abdominal pain (46.3%, 19/41), abdominal distension (17.1%, 7/41), anemia (65.9%, 27/41), and chronic fatigue (48.8%, 20/41). The main manifestations of non-classical CD were chronic abdominal pain (58.2%, 32/55), abdominal distension (32.7%, 18/55), anemia (40.0%, 22/55), and osteopenia/osteoporosis (38.2%, 21/55). Compared with non-classical CD, anemia developed more frequently in classical CD, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.012). The incidence of complications in CD patients was 36.5% (35/96), and the main complications were thyroid disease (19.8%, 19/96), connective tissue disease (6.2%, 6/96), and kidney disease (6.2%, 6/96). There was no significant difference between classical and non-classical CD (P>0.05). The frequency of endoscopic manifestations in CD patients was 84.4% (81/96). Duodenal bulb endoscopy showed nodular changes (72.9%, 70/96), grooved changes (10.4%, 10/96), and focal villous atrophy (9.4%, 9/96). The main manifestations of descending endoscopy were the decrease, flattening, or disappearance of duodenal folds (43.8%, 42/96), scallop-like changes (38.5%, 37/96), and nodular changes (34.4%, 33/96). Conclusions: Adult CD patients are mostly female. CD occurred mainly in the age group of 31-60 years. The clinical manifestations were mainly those of non-classical CD. Some patients often had other autoimmune diseases. Patients with characteristic endoscopic manifestations should be warned about the possibility of developing CD. Clinicians should strengthen the understanding of CD and reduce the related rates of missed diagnosis.

AB0390 COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF IGURATIMOD IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) BY USING A CLAIMS-BASED ALGORITHM: RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF REAL‑WORLD DATA

Background

Iguratimod (IGU), as one of the conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), has been approved by National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to treat Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Objectives

This study aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of well-established RA therapies using a claims-based algorithm in RA patients.

Methods

An electronic medical record (EMR) database from Zhujiang Hospital was utilized to estimate the cost-effectiveness of medication for RA patients, including IGU with MTX, biological DMARDs (bDMARDs) with MTX, and MTX alone for more than 6 months from 2014 to 2020. Patients who were deemed effective must meet all the following criteria according to the algorithm, high adherence; no bDMARDs or IGU switch or addition; no prescription of new csDMARDs; no increase in dose or frequency of index drug; no new use of chronic glucocorticoids or increase in glucocorticoid dose; and no more than one glucocorticoid injection. Average cost was calculated by summing total cost of effective treatment and dividing by number of patients achieving efficacy in each group.

Results

A total of 263 patients were included in the analysis. Based on a claims-based algorithm, the effective rate was 27.1 % (26/96) for IGU with MTX group, 11.2% (7/62) for bDMARDs with MTX group, and 13.3% (14/105) for MTX alone group, respectively. Average cost of effective treatment was $833.46 for IGU with MTX therapy, $2554.57 for bDMARDs with MTX therapy, and $171.48 for MTX alone (Table 1).

Table 1.

Effectiveness and Cost per Effectively Treated Patient with RA

CriteriaAll patients (n=263)IGU with MTX group(n=96)bDMARDs with MTX group (n=62)MTX (n=105)Effectiveness:no. of patients (%)a47(17.87%)26 (27.1%)7 (11.2/%)14 (13.3%)Cost of all RA-related medication per effectively treated patient(SD)$892.75(911.57)$833.46 (252.67)$2554.5 (1273.13)$171.4 (110.33)Average cost of all RA medications postindex (excluding biologic DMARDs) per patient (SD)b$146.38(114.60)$148.81 (123.12)$86.90 (74.53)$171.4 (110.33)Average cost of only biologicDMARDs postindex per patient (SD)b$746.38(926.35)$684.27(188.67)$2468.67(1285.91)/

a χ2showed significant difference in percentage effectiveness for the original algorithm (p<0.05).

bMedication cost was 2020 U.S. dollars.

Conclusion

IGU with MTX therapy was revealed to be both effective and modestly priced, which seemed to be a cost-effective strategy for RA therapy and warranted further cost-effectiveness investigation.

References

[1](2018) [2018 Chinese guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis]. Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi 57 (4), 242-251. https://doi.org/10.3760/cma.j.issn.0578-1426.2018.04.004

[2]Hitchon, C. A., & El-Gabalawy, H. S. (2011). The synovium in rheumatoid arthritis. The open rheumatology journal, 5, 107–114. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874312901105010107

[3]Smolen, J. S., Landewé, R., Bijlsma, J., Burmester, G. R., Dougados, M., Kerschbaumer, A., McInnes, I. B., Sepriano, A., van Vollenhoven, R. F., de Wit, M., Aletaha, D., Aringer, M., Askling, J., Balsa, A., Boers, M., den Broeder, A. A., Buch, M. H., Buttgereit, F., Caporali, R., Cardiel, M. H., … van der Heijde, D. (2020). EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis with synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: 2019 update. Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 79(6), 685–699. https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-216655

[4]Fraenkel, L., Bathon, J. M., England, B. R., St Clair, E. W., Arayssi, T., Carandang, K., Deane, K. D., Genovese, M., Huston, K. K., Kerr, G., Kremer, J., Nakamura, M. C., Russell, L. A., Singh, J. A., Smith, B. J., Sparks, J. A., Venkatachalam, S., Weinblatt, M. E., Al-Gibbawi, M., Baker, J. F., … Akl, E. A. (2021). 2021 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis care & research, 73(7), 924–939. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.24596

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

METAGENOMIC NEXT-GENERATION SEQUENCING DETECTS PATHOGENS IN ENDOPHTHALMITIS PATIENTS

PURPOSE

To investigate the utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in identifying the pathogens in endophthalmitis.

METHODS

In this prospective study, 36 cases of endophthalmitis were recruited. All patients received surgical treatment and intraocular drug lavage. The samples of vitreous or aqueous humor were extracted for mNGS and microbiological culture. The diagnostic performance of pathogens was compared between mNGS and culture.

RESULTS

The positive rates of mNGS and culture were 88.89% (32/36) and 27.78% (10/36), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between mNGS and culture (Chi-square = 27.657; P < 0.01). Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most pathogenic bacteria in traumatic, postoperative, and endogenous endophthalmitis, respectively. The concordance of pathogen identified by mNGS and culture was 70% for culture-positive cases. Antibiotic resistance genes were identified in 9 cases. There was a marginal correlation between the final visual acuity and the microbial sequence read (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.498; P = 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing has a higher positive rate of identifying pathogens in endophthalmitis than in culture. It can also provide information on antibiotic resistance and visual prognosis. However, caution must be taken when interpreting the results of mNGS because they may not be concordant with culture.

Subfoveal scleral thickness is associated with peripheral retinal changes in high myopia in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

This study aims to identify the risk factors in peripheral retinal changes (PRC) associated with high myopes among children and adolescents.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study on children and adolescents diagnosed with high myopia. The subjects involved underwent a series of ocular examinations, including the dilated fundus examination for PRC and the swept-source optical coherence tomography for foveal retinal, choroidal and scleral thickness measurement. Then, the variables were compared among the eyes with high risk, low risk, and no PRC. Spearman correlation was applied to evaluate the relationship between the parameters and the extent of PRC. Logistic regression was performed to identify the potential risk factors.

RESULTS

A total of 117 eyes from 117 subjects were recruited. The prevalence of PRC was 57.3% (67 eyes), while that of high-risk PRC was 22.2% (26 eyes). Significant differences were found in the mean subfoveal scleral thickness, spherical equivalent refraction, and axial length among the eyes with high-risk, low-risk, and no PRC (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, p = 0.048, respectively). Compared with spherical equivalent (r = 0.32, p < 0.01) and axial length (r = 0.18, p = 0.05), subfoveal scleral thickness exhibited higher correlation coefficient with PRC (r =  - 0.38, p < 0.01). Subfoveal scleral thickness and spherical equivalent refraction were identified as the independent risk factors for PRC and high-risk PRC.

CONCLUSION

It was demonstrated that there was a correlation between subfoveal scleral thickness and PRC. The eyes with thinner subfoveal scleral thickness carried a higher risk of PRC.

Spin-Holstein Models in Trapped-Ion Systems

In this work, we highlight how trapped-ion quantum systems can be used to study generalized Holstein models, and benchmark expensive numerical calculations. We study a particular spin-Holstein model that can be implemented with arrays of ions confined by individual microtraps, and that is closely related to the Holstein model of condensed matter physics, used to describe electron-phonon interactions. In contrast to earlier proposals, we focus on simulating many-electron systems and inspect the competition between charge-density wave order, fermion pairing, and phase separation. In our numerical study, we employ a combination of complementary approaches, based on non-Gaussian variational ansatz states and matrix product states, respectively. We demonstrate that this hybrid approach outperforms standard density-matrix renormalization group calculations.

Investigating the association between COVID-19 vaccination and care home outbreak frequency and duration

OBJECTIVES

At the end of 2020, many countries commenced a vaccination programme against SARS-CoV-2. Public health authorities aim to prevent and interrupt outbreaks of infectious disease in social care settings. We aimed to investigate the association between the introduction of the vaccination programme and the frequency and duration of COVID-19 outbreaks in Northern Ireland (NI).

STUDY DESIGN

We undertook an ecological study using routinely available national data.

METHODS

We used Poisson regression to measure the relationship between the number of RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks in care homes, and as a measure of community COVID-19 prevalence, the Office for National Statistics COVID-19 Infection Survey estimated the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 in NI. We estimated the change in this relationship and estimated the expected number of care home outbreaks in the absence of the vaccination programme. A Cox proportional hazards model estimated the hazard ratio of a confirmed COVID-19 care home outbreak closure.

RESULTS

Care home outbreaks reduced by two-thirds compared to expected following the introduction of the vaccination programme, from a projected 1625 COVID-19 outbreaks (95% prediction interval 1553-1694) between 7 December 2020 and 28 October 2021 to an observed 501. We estimated an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.53 of the outbreak closure assuming a 21-day lag for immunity.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings describe the association of the vaccination with a reduction in outbreak frequency and duration across NI care homes. This indicates probable reduced harm and disruption from COVID-19 in social care settings following vaccination. Future research using individual level data from care home residents will be needed to investigate the effectiveness of the vaccines and the duration of their effects.

Pharmacokinetics of HupA-PLGA-NPs of different sizes in the mouse blood and brain determined by LC-MS/MS

OBJECTIVE

Huperzine A, which was extracted from a Chinese herb, is a reversible and selective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which is used as an anti-Alzheimer's drug that exerts evident pretreatment effects against exposure to organophosphate chemical warfare agents or pesticides. The aims of this study were to establish an LC-MS/MS method for the detection of HupA in biological samples and to investigate the pharmacokinetics of HupA polylactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles (HupA-PLGA-NPs) with different diameters in mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The proposed LC-MS/MS method was established by optimizing the MS conditions and validating the specificity, linear range, lower limit, precision, accuracy, matrix effects, absolute recovery, and sample stability of the method. ICR mice were divided into three treatment groups: the HupA control group, the 46.4-nm HupA-PLGA-NP group and the 208.5-nm HupA-PLGA-NP group. All the mice in the three groups were administered 0.5 mg/kg HupA via the tail vein. The pharmacokinetic parameters in plasma and the brain were detected by LC-MS/MS. Pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed using PKS pharmacokinetic software, and the relative bioavailability and brain-targeted drug targeting efficiency (DTE) were also calculated.

RESULTS

The distributions of HupA-PLGA-NP groups showed marked changes compared with that of HupA in mice in vivo, and the particle size of nanodrugs exerted a significant effect on the pharmacokinetic parameters in mice. The half-life (T1/2) values in plasma of the 46.4- and 208.5-nm HupA-PLGA-NPs were 1.53- and 1.96-fold longer than that of the HupA at the same dose. The bioavailabilities of the two nanoparticles were 1.93- and 2.19-fold higher than that of HupA, respectively. In the brain, the Tmax values of the two HupA-PLGA-NPs of different sizes was 1.25 h, which was clearly longer than that of HupA (0.5 h), and the corresponding T1/2 values were 12.53 h and 8.47 h, which were 1.82- and 1.23-fold higher than that of HupA (6.89 h). In addition, the brain targeting index of the 46.40-nm HupA-PLGA-NPs was 1.48, which revealed an evident brain-targeting effect.

CONCLUSIONS

The LC-MS/MS method has the advantages of good specificity, high sensitivity and needing a low sample amount and is economical and particularly suitable for determining the drug content in plasma and brain samples. The NP size is associated with the distribution patterns of nanodrugs. Therefore, a particular NP size can be selected to maximize the pharmacodynamics effects and control the toxicity of nanodrugs.

[Clinical characteristics and related factors of human respiratory syncytial viruses infection in premature infants within 2 years after birth in Shenzhen Children's Hospital]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and factors associated with human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) infection in preterm infants within the first 2 years of life. Methods: Children with respiratory tract infections admitted to Shenzhen Children's Hospital during the 3-year period from January 2016 to December 2018 who were <2 years old and whose gestational age at birth was <37 weeks were selected, and those who met the diagnostic criteria for RSV infection were categorized as the positive case group, and those who had no detectable influenza virus, parainfluenza virus and adenovirus antigens were categorized as the negative group. The clinical characteristics of the case group were retrospectively analyzed. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to analyze the associated factors. Results: A total of 1, 483 children were included, of whom 149 (10.1%) were HRSV positive (case group) and 447 (30.1%) were in the negative group (control group). In the case group, there were 88 (59.1%) male and 61 (40.1%) female children; 127 children (85.2%) in the mild-to-moderate disease group and 22 children (14.8%) in the severe disease group. The number of cases in the severe disease group was greater than that in the mild-to-moderate disease group [(17 cases, 77.3%) than (59 cases, 46.5%)], with statistical significance (P=0.010). A total of 117 cases (78.5%) had onset from February to July. Multivariable analysis showed that males [OR (95%CI) of 0.105 (0.013-0.112)], age at month [0.045 (0.036-0.112)], congenital heart disease [0.388 (0.206-0.940)] and bronchopulmonary dysplasia [0.622 (0.484-0.927)] were positively associated with HRSV infection in preterm infants. Conclusion: The high prevalence of HRSV infection in preterm infants in Shenzhen is from February to July each year, and male children are more common. Young age, congenital heart disease and bronchopulmonary dysplasia are all independent risk factors for HRSV infection in preterm infants.

Automatic detection of 39 fundus diseases and conditions in retinal photographs using deep neural networks

Retinal fundus diseases can lead to irreversible visual impairment without timely diagnoses and appropriate treatments. Single disease-based deep learning algorithms had been developed for the detection of diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Here, we developed a deep learning platform (DLP) capable of detecting multiple common referable fundus diseases and conditions (39 classes) by using 249,620 fundus images marked with 275,543 labels from heterogenous sources. Our DLP achieved a frequency-weighted average F1 score of 0.923, sensitivity of 0.978, specificity of 0.996 and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.9984 for multi-label classification in the primary test dataset and reached the average level of retina specialists. External multihospital test, public data test and tele-reading application also showed high efficiency for multiple retinal diseases and conditions detection. These results indicate that our DLP can be applied for retinal fundus disease triage, especially in remote areas around the world.

Optimization of the electron beam dump for a GeV-class laser electron accelerator

The advances of laser-driven electron acceleration offer the promise of great reductions in the size of high-energy electron accelerator facilities. Accordingly, it is desirable to design compact radiation shielding for such facilities. A key component of radiation shielding is the high-energy electron beam dump. In an effort to optimize the electron beam dump design, different material combinations have been simulated with the FLUKA Monte Carlo code in the range of 1-40 GeV. The studied beam dump configurations consist of alternating layers of high-Z material (lead or iron) and low-Z material (high-density concrete or borated polyethylene) in either three-layer or five-layer structures. The designs of various beam dump configuration have been compared and it has been found that the iron and concrete stacking in a three-layer structure with a thick iron layer results in the lowest dose at 1, 10, and 40 GeV. The performance of the beam dump exhibits a strong dependence on the selected materials, the stacking method, the beam dump thickness, as well as the electron energy. This parametric study provides general insights that can be used for compact shielding design of future electron accelerator facilities.

Reduced Photoreceptor Outer Segment Layer Thickness and Association with Vision in Amblyopic Children and Adolescents with Unilateral High Myopia

PURPOSE

To quantitatively compare reflectivity and other morphological changes of the photoreceptors of normal eyes with amblyopic eyes using the longitudinal reflectance profile (LRP) on swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) images in children and adolescents with unilateral high myopia. The relationships between OCT parameters and visual acuity were investigated.

METHOD

Twenty-six amblyopes with unilateral high myopia and 34 age-, axial length- and spherical equivalent-matched normal controls were recruited. All participants underwent SS-OCT and detailed ophthalmic investigations. The reflectivity of the outer retinal and photoreceptor outer segment layer thickness were quantified by LRP using ImageJ software. All parameters were measured at three selected regions: at the fovea, 1 mm nasal to the fovea and 1 mm temporal to the fovea. Differences between the groups were evaluated.

RESULTS

The mean choroidal thickness was thinner in amblyopic eyes compared with controls (165.19 ± 59.02 μm vs 214.97 ± 66.41 μm at the fovea; 128.77 ± 57.06 μm vs 161.54 ± 57.37 μm at 1 mm nasal to the fovea; 188.13 ± 59.51 μm vs 219.87 ± 61.78 μm at 1 mm temporal to the fovea, P < .05). The amblyopic eyes had higher reflectivity of the ellipsoid zone at 1 mm nasal to the fovea only (85.41 ± 25.78 vs 70.76 ± 18.69, P = .02). The mean length of the photoreceptor outer segment (OS) layer was significantly greater in the control eyes than in the amblyopic eyes at all three regions (20.19 ± 1.89 vs 18.70 ± 2.23 at the fovea, P = .006; 16.06 ± 1.47 vs 15.07 ± 1.30 at 1 mm nasal to the fovea, P = .008; 15.81 ± 1.58 vs 14.56 ± 1.87 at 1 mm temporal to the fovea, P = .006). The shortened OS length was associated with poorer visual acuity.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study revealed that the amblyopes with unilateral high myopia had thinner choroidal thickness and shortened OS thickness compared to normal controls. The findings indicate that abnormal anatomic changes in the amblyopic children and adolescents with unilateral high myopia were not only due to high myopia but more likely due to a combination of high myopia and amblyopia.

An Iris Tumor Secondary to Talaromyces Marneffei Infection in a Patient with AIDS and Syphilis

Purpose: To report a case of iris tumor secondary to Talaromyces marneffei infection in a patient with AIDS and syphilis.Case report: A 25-year-old man presented with gradual vision decrease in the right eye for 2 months. Ocular examination revealed best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 0.12 and a vascularized and solid tumor at inferotemporal iris base in the right eye. There were some papulonecrotic skin lesions. Both serum treponema pallidum particle agglutination and human immunodeficiency virus antibody were positive. Non-target metagenome next-generation sequencing detected Talaromyces marneffei in the skin lesion and aqueous humor. After 8 weeks of oral voriconazole and fluconazole eyedrop treatment, the iris tumor completely subsided, and the BCVA improved to 1.0.Conclusion: Talaromyces marneffei infection may present as an iris tumor. Metagenome next-generation sequencing is helpful in diagnosis. Oral and topical anti-fungus therapy was sufficient to regress the disease without intraocular injection.

A distinctive release profile of vancomycin and tobramycin from a new and injectable polymeric dicalcium phosphate dehydrate cement (P-DCPD)

A novel injectable polymeric dicalcium phosphate dehydrate (P-DCPD) cement was developed with superior mechanical strength and excellent cohesion. The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro performance of P-DCPD loaded with vancomycin (VAN-P), tobramycin (TOB-P) and combination of both (VAN/TOB-P) (10%, w/w). There is a distinctive release profile between VAN and TOB. VAN-P showed decreased initial burst (<30% within 3 d) and sustained VAN release (76% in 28 d). In the presence of TOB (VAN/TOB-P), >90% of VAN was released within 3 d (p < 0.05). Slow and limited TOB release was observed both in TOB-P (<5%) and in TOB/VAN-P (<1%) over 28 d. Zone of inhibition (ZOI) of Staphylococcus aureus growth showed that eluents collected from VAN-P had stronger and longer ZOI (28 d) than that from TOB-P (14 d, p < 0.05). Direct contact of VAN-P, TOB-P and VAN/TOB-P cements displayed persistent and strong ZOI for >3 weeks. Interestingly, the cement residues (28 d after drug release) still maintained strong ZOI ability. P-DCPD with or without antibiotics loading were nontoxic and had no inferior impacts on the growth of osteoblastic MC3T3 cells. VAN-P and TOB-P were injectable. No significant influence on setting time was observed in both VAN-P (11.7 ± 1.9 min) and VAN/TOB-P (10.8 ± 1.5 min) as compared to control (12.2 ± 2.6 min). We propose that a distinctive release profile of VAN and TOB observed is mainly due to different distribution pattern of VAN and TOB within P-DCPD matrix. A limited release of TOB might be due to the incorporation of TOB inside the crystalline lattice of P-DCPD crystals. Our data supported that the bactericidal efficacy of antibiotics-loaded P-DCPD is not only depend on the amount and velocity of antibiotics released, but also probably more on the direct contact of attached bacteria on the degrading cement surface.

First-dose ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines and thrombocytopenic, thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events in Scotland

Reports of ChAdOx1 vaccine-associated thrombocytopenia and vascular adverse events have led to some countries restricting its use. Using a national prospective cohort, we estimated associations between exposure to first-dose ChAdOx1 or BNT162b2 vaccination and hematological and vascular adverse events using a nested incident-matched case-control study and a confirmatory self-controlled case series (SCCS) analysis. An association was found between ChAdOx1 vaccination and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) (0-27 d after vaccination; adjusted rate ratio (aRR) = 5.77, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.41-13.83), with an estimated incidence of 1.13 (0.62-1.63) cases per 100,000 doses. An SCCS analysis confirmed that this was unlikely due to bias (RR = 1.98 (1.29-3.02)). There was also an increased risk for arterial thromboembolic events (aRR = 1.22, 1.12-1.34) 0-27 d after vaccination, with an SCCS RR of 0.97 (0.93-1.02). For hemorrhagic events 0-27 d after vaccination, the aRR was 1.48 (1.12-1.96), with an SCCS RR of 0.95 (0.82-1.11). A first dose of ChAdOx1 was found to be associated with small increased risks of ITP, with suggestive evidence of an increased risk of arterial thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events. The attenuation of effect found in the SCCS analysis means that there is the potential for overestimation of the reported results, which might indicate the presence of some residual confounding or confounding by indication. Public health authorities should inform their jurisdictions of these relatively small increased risks associated with ChAdOx1. No positive associations were seen between BNT162b2 and thrombocytopenic, thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events.

Can elevated concentrations of ALT and AST predict the risk of 'recurrence' of COVID-19?

'Recurrence' of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has triggered numerous discussions of scholars at home and abroad. A total of 44 recurrent cases of COVID-19 and 32 control cases admitted from 11 February to 29 March 2020 to Guanggu Campus of Tongji Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science and Technology were enrolled in this study. All the 44 recurrent cases were classified as mild to moderate when the patients were admitted for the second time. The gender and mean age in both cases (recurrent and control) were similar. At least one concomitant disease was observed in 52.27% recurrent cases and 34.38% control cases. The most prevalent comorbidity among them was hypertension. Fever and cough being the most prevalent clinical symptoms in both cases. On comparing both the cases, recurrent cases had markedly elevated concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P = 0.020) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P = 0.007). Moreover, subgroup analysis showed mild to moderate abnormal concentrations of ALT and AST in recurrent cases. The elevated concentrations of ALT and AST may be recognised as predictive markers for the risk of 'recurrence' of COVID-19, which may provide insights into the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the future.

LINC00707 promotes cell proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer via miR-206/FMNL2 axis

OBJECTIVE

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been verified to participate in the regulation of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the role of LINC00707 in CRC still remains unknown. Here, we aim to study the role of LINC00707 in CRC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

LINC00707 expression in 97 pairs of CRC tissues and adjacent normal tissues was determined by the quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). LINC00707 overexpression or knockdown in SW620 or HCT116 cells was achieved by lentivirus transfection. The proliferation and cell circle progression of established cells were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Cell invasion and migration abilities were studied by transwell assay. Dual-luciferase assay and Western blot was used to verify the underlying mechanism of LINC00707 in CRC. Nude mice were obtained to identify the in vivo function of LINC00707 in CRC.

RESULTS

LINC00707 was significantly over-expressed in CRC tissues and cell lines. Up-regulation of LINC00707 promoted cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion, and migration of SW620 cells. Conversely, down-regulation of LINC00707 reduced cell growth and metastasis of HCT116 cells. MiR-206 was verified as a direct target of LINC00707, and its function was inhibited by LINC00707. FMNL2 was a target for miR-206 in CRC cells. Meanwhile, LINC00707 promoted tumor growth of CRC in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

LINC00707 was up-regulated in CRC tissues and cells, which promoted cell proliferation and metastasis via sponging miR-206 to increase FMNL2 expression. This might provide a novel target for the biological treatment of CRC.

P2769Racial differences in outcomes among acute pulmonary embolism patients: a nationwide analysis

Background

Limited data is available regarding racial disparities in patients admitted for acute pulmonary embolism.

Purpose

We aimed to examine the impact of racial differences on outcomes in patients admitted for acute pulmonary embolism.

Methods

We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, which represents 20% of community hospital discharges in the US, to identify adult patients who were discharged with the primary diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism in 2016 with ICD-10 codes. Logistic regression analysis and linear regression analysis were used to compare patients with different races. Outcomes were focused on in-hospital mortality, total cost, length of stay and disposition, adjusting gender, age, Charlson comorbid index and socioeconomic variables.

Results

In 2016, 35,526 patients were admitted with a primary diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism. White patients were more likely to be older and with higher income. After adjusting for the above variables, white patients had lower total cost of hospitalization (p<0.0001), shorter length of stay (p<0.0001), lower in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio = 0.79, p=0.001), and more likely to be discharged to rehabilitation facilities compared to being discharged home.

Outcomes in white vs non-white patients

Conclusion

Among acute pulmonary embolism hospitalizations, white patients generally had better outcomes despite being older in age, and were more likely to be transferred to rehabilitation facilities after discharge.

[Effects of Personality and Psychological Acceptance on Medical Workers' Occupational Stress]

Objective: To assess psychological acceptance and occupational stress of medical staff, analyze the relationship among personality, psychological acceptance and occupational stress and discuss the direct or indirect effects of personality to occupational stress. Methods: Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-RSC) , Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-Ⅱ) and Revised Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI-R) were administered to 749 medical staff. Results: The level of occupational stress of medical staff was high, the score of PSY was 26.8±7.13 and the score of PHS was 24.3±6.50. Personality and psychological acceptance can predict occupational stress. Psychological acceptance was a protective factor of occupational stress. Medical staff with personality of introversion, neuroticism and psychoticism suffered higher occupational stress. Personality have both direct and indirect effects on occupational stress. Neuroticism have the strongest effect on occupational stress with effect size of 0.496 (psychological stress) and 0.431 (physical strain) . Conclusion: Medical staff have heavier occupational stress. There is a significant correlation between personality and occupational stress. Measures depending on personality should be taken to deal with this situation.

The signaling axis of microRNA-31/interleukin-25 regulates Th1/Th17-mediated inflammation response in colitis

Interleukin-25 (IL-25) is an important regulatory cytokine that has a key role on mucosal immune tolerance during inflammation response. However, the molecular mechanism that regulates the colonic IL-25 expression in Crohn's disease (CD) remains unclear. In this study, IL-25 level was proved to decrease in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis mice and IL-10 knockout (KO) spontaneous colitis mice. An inverse correlation between IL-25 and miR-31 was discovered in the colons from model mice and CD patients. Furthermore, target validation analysis demonstrated that miR-31 directly regulated IL-25 expression by binding to its messenger RNA 3'-untranslated region. Changing colonic miR-31 level in the colitis mice could affect the mucosal IL-12/23-mediated Th1/Th17 pathway and lead to either amelioration or aggravation of colonic inflammation. In addition, the therapeutic effects of anti-miR-31 in TNBS-induced colitis were abolished by colonic treatment with IL-25 antibody or colonic down-expression of IL-25. Our findings demonstrated that IL-25 could be a crucial anti-inflammatory cytokine in TNBS-induced colitis and the signaling of miR-31 targeting IL-25 might be a possible mechanism that regulates IL-12/23-mediated Th1/Th17 inflammatory responses during colonic inflammation process. Restoring colonic IL-25 expression and blocking Th1/Th17 responses via intracolonic administration of miR-31 inhibitor may represent a promising approach for CD treatment.

[Mediating effect of mental elasticity on occupational stress and depression in female nurses]

Objective: To investigate the interaction between mental elasticityand occupational stress and depressionin female nurses and the mediating effect of mental elasticity, as well as the functioning way of mental elasticity in occupational stress-depression. Methods: From August to October, 2015, cluster sampling was used to select 122 female nurses in a county-level medical institution as study subjects. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) , Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised Edition (OSI-R) , and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to collect the data on mental elasticity, occupational stress, and depression and analyze their correlation and mediating effect. Results: The 122 female nurses had a mean mental elasticity score of 62.4±15.1, which was significantly lower than the Chinese norm (65.4±13.9) (P<0.05) ; the mean depression score was 41.0±7.7, which was significantly higher than the Chinese norm (33.5±8.6) (P<0.01) , and the incidence rate of depression of 52.5%. Mental elasticity was negatively correlated with occupational stress and depression (r=-0.559 and -0.559, both P<0.01) . Occupational stress and the two subscales mental stress reaction and physical stress reaction were positively correlated with depression (r=0.774, 0.734, and 0.725, all P<0.01) . After adjustment for confounding factors, occupational stress had a positive predictive effect on depression (β=0.744, P<0.01) , and mental elasticity had a negative predictive effect on depression (β=-0.221, P<0.01) . The analysis of mediating effect showed a significant direct effect of occupational stress on depression and a significant mediating effect of mental elasticity (a=-0.527, b=-0.227, c=0.744, c'=0.627; all P<0.01) , and the mediating effect of mental elasticity accounted for 16.08% of the total effect. Conclusion: As a partial mediating variable, mental elasticity has an indirect effect on the relationship between occupational stress and depression and can alleviate the adverse effect of occupational stress and reduce the development of depression.

Nonlinear Transition from Mitigation to Suppression of the Edge Localized Mode with Resonant Magnetic Perturbations in the EAST Tokamak

Evidence of a nonlinear transition from mitigation to suppression of the edge localized mode (ELM) by using resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) in the EAST tokamak is presented. This is the first demonstration of ELM suppression with RMPs in slowly rotating plasmas with dominant radio-frequency wave heating. Changes of edge magnetic topology after the transition are indicated by a gradual phase shift in the plasma response field from a linear magneto hydro dynamics modeling result to a vacuum one and a sudden increase of three-dimensional particle flux to the divertor. The transition threshold depends on the spectrum of RMPs and plasma rotation as well as perturbation amplitude. This means that edge topological changes resulting from nonlinear plasma response plays a key role in the suppression of ELM with RMPs.

Active fiber-based retroreflector providing phase-retracing anti-parallel laser beams for precision spectroscopy

We present an active fiber-based retroreflector providing high quality phase-retracing anti-parallel Gaussian laser beams for precision spectroscopy of Doppler sensitive transitions. Our design is well-suited for a number of applications where implementing optical cavities is technically challenging and corner cubes fail to match the demanded requirements, most importantly retracing wavefronts and preservation of the laser polarization. To illustrate the performance of the system, we use it for spectroscopy of the 2S-4P transition in atomic hydrogen and demonstrate an average suppression of the first order Doppler shift to 4 parts in 10⁶ of the full collinear shift. This high degree of cancellation combined with our cryogenic source of hydrogen atoms in the metastable 2S state is sufficient to enable determinations of the Rydberg constant and the proton charge radius with competitive uncertainties. Advantages over the usual Doppler cancellation based on corner cube type retroreflectors are discussed as well as an alternative method using a high finesse cavity.

Study on JNK/AP-1 signaling pathway of airway mucus hypersecretion of severe pneumonia under RSV infection

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the JNK/AP-1 signaling pathway of airway mucus hypersecretion of severe pneumonia under respiratory virus (RSV) infection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Total of 56 severe pneumonia children under RSV infection were selected. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to measure the expression quantity of MUC5B mRNA and MUC5AC mRNA, and ELISA was used to measure the expression quantity of MUC5AC and MUC5B proteins. Following that, the children were divided into airway mucus hypersecretion group (n = 37) and non-hypersecretion group (n = 19). Western blotting was performed to detect the expression levels of JNK1/2, p-JNK1/2 and AP-1 proteins.

RESULTS

Expression of MUC5AC and MUC5B proteins, and MUC5AC mRNA and MUC5B mRNA in the airway mucus hypersecretion group were significantly higher than those in the non-hypersecretion group (p < 0.05). The expression levels of JNK1/2, p-JNK1/2 and AP-1 proteins in airway mucus hypersecretion group were higher than those in the non-hypersecretion group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MUC5AC and MUC5B can be used as marker molecules of airway mucus hypersecretion. Airway mucus hypersecretion of severe pneumonia induced by RSV might be related to the activation of JNK/AP-1 signaling pathway.

Clinical significance of group B streptococcus testing in late pregnancy

PURPOSE

This study aimed to detect the maternal group B streptococcus (GBS) by real-time PCR method, aiming to understand its germ-carrying situations and clinical significance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The secretions of one-third inferior segment of maternal vagina of 1,540 pregnant and postnatal women were collected for GBS detection by real-time PCR method, and the impacts of positive results on the fetus were observed.

RESULTS

The detection rate of GBS was 5.6% (86/1540); the premature birth rate of GBS-positive pregnant women was 29.1% (25/86), the miscarriage rate was 19.8% (17/86), the premature rupture rate was 26.7% (23/86), and the fetal distress rate was 24.4% (21/86).

CONCLUSIONS

The GBS germ-carriers showed increased rates of premature birth, miscarriage, premature rupture, and fetal distress, thus forming adverse effects towards the maternal and infant outcomes.

Efficacy and safety of extended dosing schedules of CC-486 (oral azacitidine) in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes

CC-486, the oral formulation of azacitidine (AZA), is an epigenetic modifier and DNA methyltransferase inhibitor in clinical development for treatment of hematologic malignancies. CC-486 administered for 7 days per 28-day treatment cycle was evaluated in a phase 1 dose-finding study. AZA has a short plasma half-life and DNA incorporation is S-phase-restricted; extending CC-486 exposure may increase the number of AZA-affected diseased target cells and maximize therapeutic effects. Patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) received 300 mg CC-486 once daily for 14 days (n=28) or 21 days (n=27) of repeated 28-day cycles. Median patient age was 72 years (range 31–87) and 75% of patients had International Prognostic Scoring System Intermediate-1 risk MDS. Median number of CC-486 treatment cycles was 7 (range 2–24) for the 14-day dosing schedule and 6 (1–24) for the 21-day schedule. Overall response (complete or partial remission, red blood cell (RBC) or platelet transfusion independence (TI), or hematologic improvement) (International Working Group 2006) was attained by 36% of patients receiving 14-day dosing and 41% receiving 21-day dosing. RBC TI rates were similar with both dosing schedules (31% and 38%, respectively). CC-486 was generally well-tolerated. Extended dosing schedules of oral CC-486 may provide effective long-term treatment for patients with lower-risk MDS.

First Report of Rubber Tree Stem Rot Caused by Fusarium oxysporum in China

Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is an important crop in tropical regions of China. In October 2013, a new stem rot disease was found on cv. Yunyan77-4 at a rubber tree plantation in Hekou, Yunnan Province. There were about 100 plants, and diseased rubber trees accounted for 30% or less. Initially, brown-punctuate secretion appeared on the stem, which was 5 to 6 cm above the ground. Eventually, the secretion became black and no latex produced from the rubber tree bark. After removing the secretion, the diseased bark was brown putrescence, but the circumambient bark was normal. Upon peeling the surface bark, the inner bark and xylem had brown rot and was musty. The junction between health and disease was undulate. On the two most serious plants, parts of leaves on the crown were yellow, and the root near the diseased stem was dry and puce. The pathogen was isolated and designated HbFO01; the pathogenicity was established by following Koch's postulates. The pathogen was cultivated on a potato dextrose agar (PDA) plate at 28°C for 4 days. Ten plants of rubber tree cv. Yunyan77-4 were selected from a disease-free plantation in Haikou, Hainan Province, and the stem diameter was about 7 cm. The bark of five plants was peeled, and one mycelium disk with a diameter of 1 cm was inserted into the cut and covered again with the bark. The other five plants were treated with agar disks as controls. The inoculation site was kept moist for 2 days, and then the mycelium and agar disk were removed. On eighth day, symptoms similar to the original stem lesions were observed on stems of inoculated plants, while only scars formed on stems of control plants. The pathogen was re-isolated from the lesions of inoculated plants. On PDA plates, the pathogen colony was circular and white with tidy edges and rich aerial hyphae. Microscopic examination showed microconidia and chlamydospores were produced abundantly on PDA medium. The falciform macroconidia were only produced on lesions and were slightly curved, with a curved apical cell and foot shaped to pointed basal cell, usually 3-septate, 16.2 to 24.2 × 3.2 to 4.0 μm. Microconidia were produced in false heads, oval, 0-septate, 6.2 to 8.2 × 3.3 to 3.8 μm, and the phialide was cylindrical. Chlamydospores were oval, 6.4 to 7.2 × 3.1 to 3.8 μm, alone produced in hypha. Morphological characteristics of the specimen were similar to the descriptions for Fusarium oxysporum (2). Genomic DNA of this isolate was extracted with a CTAB protocol (4) from mycelium and used as a template for amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA with primer pair ITS1/ITS4 (1). The full length of this sequence is 503 nt (GenBank Accession No. KJ009335), which exactly matched several sequences (e.g., JF807394.1, JX897002.1, and HQ451888.1) of F. oxysporum. Williams and Liu had listed F. oxysporum as the economically important pathogen of Hevea in Asia (3), while this is, to our knowledge, the first report of stem rot caused by F. oxysporum on rubber tree in China. References: (1) D. E. L. Cooke et al. Fungal Genet. Biol. 30:17, 2000. (2) J. F. Leslie and B. A. Summerell. The Fusarium Laboratory Manual, 2006. (3) T. H. Williams and P. S. W. Liu. A host list of plant diseases in Sabah, Malaysia, 1976. (4) J. R. Xu et al. Genetics 143:175, 1996.

Similar blood-borne DNA methylation alterations in cancer and inflammatory diseases determined by subpopulation shifts in peripheral leukocytes

BACKGROUND

Although many DNA methylation (DNAm) alterations observed in peripheral whole blood/leukocytes and serum have been considered as potential diagnostic markers for cancer, their origin and their specificity for cancer (e.g., vs inflammatory diseases) remain unclear.

METHODS

From publicly available datasets, we identified changes in the methylation of blood-borne DNA for multiple cancers and inflammatory diseases. We compared the identified changes with DNAm difference between myeloid and lymphoid cells extracted from two datasets.

RESULTS

At least 94.7% of the differentially methylated DNA loci (DM loci) observed in peripheral whole blood/leukocytes and serum of cancer patients overlapped with DM loci that distinguish between myeloid and lymphoid cells and >99.9% of the overlapped DM loci had consistent alteration states (hyper- or hypomethylation) in cancer samples compared to normal controls with those in myeloid cells compared to lymphoid cells (binomial test, P-value <2.2 × 10(-16)). Similar results were observed for DM loci in peripheral whole blood/leukocytes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel diseases. The direct comparison between DM loci observed in the peripheral whole blood/leukocytes of patients with inflammatory diseases and DM loci observed in the peripheral whole blood of patients with cancer showed that DM loci detected from cancer and inflammatory diseases also had significantly consistent alteration states (binomial test, P-value <2.2 × 10(-16)).

CONCLUSIONS

DNAm changes observed in the peripheral whole blood/leukocytes and serum of cancer patients and in the peripheral whole blood/leukocytes of inflammatory disease patients are predominantly determined by the increase of myeloid cells and the decrease of lymphoid cells under the disease conditions, in the sense that their alteration states in disease samples compared to normal controls mainly reflect the DNAm difference between myeloid and lymphoid cells. These analyses highlight the importance of comparing cancer and inflammatory disease directly for the identification of cancer-specific diagnostic biomarkers.

Transvaginal sonographic features of perineal masses in the female lower urogenital tract: a retrospective study of 71 patients

OBJECTIVES

To assess the transvaginal ultrasonographic features of perineal masses in the lower urogenital tract in a cohort of 71 women.

METHODS

Seventy-one women with perineal masses were referred consecutively for transvaginal ultrasonography. Two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound was used to scan the pelvic floor, including the urethra, vagina and rectum, and identify any possible areas of interest. A static three-dimensional (3D) sonographic reconstruction of the pelvic anatomy was created to further delineate the relation of the lesions with their neighboring structures. Ultrasound results were compared retrospectively with surgical pathology outcome when possible.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine cystic, cystic-solid or solid masses were detected on transvaginal 2D ultrasonography in the 71 women: in 44 patients, 47 anechoic cystic masses were identified and diagnosed as vaginal wall cysts; in 19 patients, 23 hyperechoic cystic masses were diagnosed as vaginal epidermoid cysts; in each of two patients, a hypoechoic cystic-solid mass showing blood-flow signals on color Doppler imaging was diagnosed as urogenital angiomyofibroblastoma; in each of three patients, a hypoechoic cyst was diagnosed as urethral diverticulum; and in three patients with a known history of gynecological malignancy, solid heterogeneous masses with blood flow signals on color Doppler imaging were diagnosed as metastatic cancer. In all patients, 3D ultrasonography delineated the anatomical relationship of these masses to the vagina, urethra and rectum.

CONCLUSIONS

Transvaginal 2D and 3D ultrasonography is an accurate, non-invasive, cost-effective diagnostic modality for the delineation of congenital, septic and neoplastic lower urogenital tract perineal masses in women.

Distribution and pathogen identification of cassava brown leaf spot in China

Cassava brown leaf spot surveys were conducted in the main cassava plantation areas of China between 2007 and 2012 in order to understand the distribution of the disease. Cassava plants were damaged by the disease to different degrees in most of the survey sites. Samples were collected and seven strains were isolated from lesions. The mycelium-breaking plus black light induction method was applied for sporulation. Microconidia were formed by means of fragmentation on artificial medium plates. When the leaf was stabbed and inoculated with conidia solution, similar symptoms were formed 14 days later. Morphological characteristics of the specimens and conidia were similar to descriptions of Passalora henningsii infection. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA were obtained with primer pair ITS1/ITS4 and deposited in GenBank, which differed by three base pairs from that of the P. henningsii isolate (AF284389). The ITS sequences of related species were downloaded from the NCBI database, and phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequences originating from our strains clustered in the same clade as the AF284389 isolate. Biological characteristics were evaluated in two strains from different sites, which indicated that the optimum conditions for mycelia growth were a temperature of 26° to 28°C, carrot agar medium, pH 6, and continuous dark; cassava leaf juice added to malt extract and cassava leaf juice added to potato dextrose agar were the best media for conidia production. The optimal and lethal temperatures for macroconidia germination were 26° to 28°C, and 60°C for 10 min, respectively.

Relapse of hyperthyroidism after hemithyroidectomy in concurrent medullary thyroid cancer and Graves' disease

We present a rare case of concurrent medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and relapse of Graves' disease (GD). A 26-year-old Chinese female suffered from GD for 1 year. Physical examination demonstrated mildly diffuse goiter with a palpable 1.0 cm nodule in the right thyroid lobe and exophthalmos. Before hemithyroidectomy, calcitonin was elevated and thyroglobulin was normal. After surgery, histopathological findings proved coexistence of MTC and GD. 16 months later, GD relapsed and radioactive iodine 131 therapy was given. Meanwhile, postoperative monitoring showed well controlled calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen. Our lesson demonstrates although concomitant of MTC and GD is very rare, yet after hemithyroidectomy for the single nodular MTC lesion, remnant thyroid lobe could be the source of GD relapse very soon. More importantly, the relapse of GD and the following radioiodine therapy and radiation exposure could have been prevented if a better therapy plan of total thyroidectomy was adopted in the first place, instead of hemithyroidectomy (Tab. 1, Fig. 2, Ref. 11).

Ultracold fermi gases with resonant dipole-dipole interaction

The superfluid phases in resonant dipolar Fermi gases are investigated by the standard mean-field theory. In contrast to the crossover from Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) to Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer superfluid in Fermi gases with isotropic interactions, resonant dipolar interaction leads to two completely different BEC phases of the tight-binding Fermi molecules on both sides of the resonance, which are characterized by two order parameters with distinct internal symmetries. We point out that, near the resonances, the two competitive phases can coexist, and an emergent relative phase between the two order parameters spontaneously breaks time-reversal symmetry, which could be observed in momentum resolved rf spectroscopy.