Activity

  • Jiang Hale posted an update 14 hours, 11 minutes ago

    Cyanobacteria proliferation was also observed in WPL, mostly in the winter. These results indicate a scenario of dysbiosis in WPL-affected M. braziliensis, with the loss of potentially symbiotic bacteria and proliferation of opportunistic microbes after the start of the infection process.The swine pathogen porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) causes significant economic damage worldwide. The PCV2 capsid (CP) residues 169-STIDYFQPNNKR-180 have been identified as a decoy epitope that diverts the host immune response away from protective epitopes. However, the decoy epitope may include important linear or conformational protective epitopes against PCV2. In this study, we used the baculovirus system to express recombinant complete CP (1-233) and mutant CP (Δ169-180), in which the decoy epitope was deleted, and evaluated the immune response to these in mice. Immunization with mutant CP (Δ169-180) protein, which formed very low level of virus-like particles (VLPs), elicited significantly lower levels of PCV2 CP-specific IgG antibodies and a slightly lower neutralizing activity than immunization with the complete CP (1-233) protein. This finding suggests that the complete CP is important for efficient VLP assembly and induction of PCV2-specific IgG antibodies and neutralizing antibodies in mice. This study may provide useful information for next-generation vaccine design for PCV2 control.

    In East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA), district hospitals (DH) are the main source of surgical care for 80% of the population. DHs in Africa must provide basic life-saving procedures, but the extent to which they can offer other general and emergency surgery is debated. Our paper contributes to this debate through analysis and discussion of regional surgical care providers’ perspectives.

    learn more conducted a survey at the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa Conference in Kigali in December 2018. The survey presented the participants with 59 surgical and anaesthesia procedures and asked them if they thought the procedure should be done in a district level hospital in their region. We then measured the level of positive agreement (LPA) for each procedure and conducted sub-analysis by cadre and level of experience.

    We had 100 respondents of which 94 were from ECSA. Eighteen procedures had an LPA of 80% or above, among which appendicectomy (98%), caesarean section (97%) and spinal anaesthesia (97%). Twenty-one procedures had an LPA between 31 and 79%. The surgical procedures that fell in this category were a mix of obstetrics, general surgery and orthopaedics. Twenty procedures had an LPA below 30% among which paediatric anaesthesia and surgery.

    Our study offers the perspectives of almost 100 surgical care providers from ECSA on which surgical and anaesthesia procedures should be provided in district hospitals. This might help in planning surgical care training and delivery in these hospitals.

    Our study offers the perspectives of almost 100 surgical care providers from ECSA on which surgical and anaesthesia procedures should be provided in district hospitals. #link# This might help in planning surgical care training and delivery in these hospitals.

    To compare the accuracy of complete-arch scans and quadrant scans obtained using a direct chairside intraoral scanner.

    Intraoral scans were obtained from 20 adults without missing teeth except for the third molar. Maxillary and mandibular complete-arch scans were carried out, and 4 quadrant scans for each arch were performed to obtain right posterior, right anterior, left anterior, and left posterior quadrant scans. Complete-arch scans and quadrant scans were compared with corresponding model scans using best-fit surface-based registration. Shell/shell deviations were computed for complete-arch scans and quadrant scans and compared between the complete-arch scans and each quadrant scans. In addition, shell/shell deviations were calculated also for each individual tooth in complete-arch scans to evaluate factors which influence the accuracy of intraoral scans.

    Complete-arch scans showed relatively greater errors (0.09 ~ 0.10 mm) when compared to quadrant scans (0.05 ~ 0.06 mm). The errors were greater in the maxillary scans than in the mandibular scans. The evaluation of errors for each tooth showed that the errors were greater in posterior teeth than in anterior teeth. Comparing the right and left errors, the right side posterior teeth showed a more substantial variance than the left side in the mandibular scans.

    The scanning accuracy has a difference between complete-arch scanning and quadrant scanning, particularly in the posterior teeth. Careful consideration is needed to avoid scanning inaccuracy for maxillary or mandibular complete-arch, particularly in the posterior area because a complete-arch scan might have potential error than a quadrant scan.

    The scanning accuracy has a difference between complete-arch scanning and quadrant scanning, particularly in the posterior teeth. Careful consideration is needed to avoid scanning inaccuracy for maxillary or mandibular complete-arch, particularly in the posterior area because a complete-arch scan might have potential error than a quadrant scan.Bacteria are everywhere and pose severe threats to human health and safety. The rapid classification and sensitive detection of bacteria are vital steps of bacterial community research and the treatment of infection. Herein, we developed optical property-superior and heavy metal-free ZnCuInSe quantum dots (QDs) for achieving rapid discrimination of Gram-positive/Gram-negative bacteria by the naked eye; driven by the structural differences of bacteria, ZnCuInSe QDs are effective in binding to Gram-positive bacteria, especially Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), in comparison with Gram-negative bacteria and give discernable color viewed by the naked eye. Meanwhile, based on its distinctive fluorescence response, the accurate quantification of S. aureus was investigated with a photoluminescence system in the concentration ranges of 1 × 103 to 1 × 1011 CFU/mL, with a limit of detection of 1 × 103 CFU/mL. Furthermore, we demonstrated the feasibility of ZnCuInSe QDs as a fluorescence probe for imaging S. aureus. This simple strategy based on ZnCuInSe QDs provides an unprecedented step for rapid and effective bacterial discrimination, detection, and imaging.

    The recent remarkable development of cardiac imaging technology for unroofed coronary sinus syndrome has led to accurate preoperative diagnosis. We report a case of unroofed coronary sinus syndrome repaired via a minimally invasive approach, under the excellent command of three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.

    A 77-year-old woman with hypertension was admitted for aggravation of bilateral leg edema and diagnosed with type III unroofed coronary sinus syndrome with Qp/Qs ratio of 1.61. The unroofed portion was detected at the atrial side between P2 and P3 of posterior mitral leaflet by preoperative three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography. Right minithoracotomy was performed at the fourth intercostal space and cardiopulmonary bypass routinely established. Right atriotomy and left atriotomy incisions were made under antegrade cardioplegic arrest. The unroofed portion was revealed at the same location by preoperative transesophageal echocardiography and was clearly recognized only by endoscopy, not by direct vision. It was repaired by direct running suture under endoscopic visualization. We observed no blood cardioplegia leakage or mitral insufficiency, which was also confirmed by postoperative transesophageal echocardiography. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged home 14days after surgery without any residual shunt.

    Successful repair of unroofed coronary sinus syndrome was safely and effectively achieved by a minimally invasive approach supported by preoperative three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.

    Successful repair of unroofed coronary sinus syndrome was safely and effectively achieved by a minimally invasive approach supported by preoperative three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.

    To predict poor survival and tumor recurrence in patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma using preoperative clinical and CT findings.

    A total of 216 patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma who underwent preoperative CT and surgery were retrospectively included. CT was assessed by two radiologists. Clinical and histopathological characteristics including histologic subtypes were investigated. A Cox proportional hazard model and the Kaplan-Meier method were used to identify disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). A nomogram was created based on the multivariate analysis. The optimal cutoff size of the tumor was evaluated and validated by internal cross validation.

    The median OS was 62.8 ± 37.9, and the median DFS was 54.3 ± 41.2months. For OS, tumor size (hazard ratio [HR] 2.79, p < 0.001), papillary bulging (HR 0.63, p = 0.049), organ invasion on CT (HR 1.92, p = 0.04), male sex (HR 1.59, p = 0.046), elevated CA 19-9 (HR 1.92, p = 0.01), pT stage (HR 2.45, p = 0.001), and pN stage (HR 3.0on CT was of special importance for both poor overall survival and disease-free survival, with optimal cutoff values of 2.65cm and 3.15cm, respectively (p < 0.001).

    • Clinical staging based on preoperative clinical information and CT findings can be useful to predict the prognosis of ampullary adenocarcinoma patients. • In terms of survival, tumor size (HR 2.79), papillary bulging (HR 0.63), organ invasion on CT (HR 1.92), male sex (HR 1.59), and elevated CA 19-9 (HR 1.92) were important clinical predictors of poor survival. • Tumor size on CT was of special importance for both poor overall survival and disease-free survival, with optimal cutoff values of 2.65 cm and 3.15 cm, respectively (p  less then  0.001).

    To analyze missed rib fractures and proper time for evaluation on CT at different ages and to determine factors that favor missed fractures.

    One hundred patients with rib fractures who underwent CT were classified into three groups according to their age young, middle-aged, and elderly. CT was performed within 1 to 6 weeks after trauma. The imaging features and temporal changes of rib fractures were analyzed.

    At the first CT during the initial week, 638 ribs were detected with one or several fractures, overall 838 fractures were confirmed, and 6 were suspected. In the next 2-6 weeks, 47 occult rib fractures were additionally detected. The number of additionally diagnosed fractures was the highest in respectively the 3

    week among younger, 4

    week in the middle-aged, and 6

    week in the elderly groups. The detection of occult rib fractures was significantly delayed in the middle-aged and elderly groups compared with the young group (p < 0.05). The time to form bony callus was also significantly (p &t’s concerns and determine the degree of personal injury for appropriate evaluation.

    To assess the influence of liver and renal function on liver relative enhancement during hepatobiliary phase MRI after Gd-BOPTA administration.

    In this IRB-approved retrospective cohort study, we included 326 patients who underwent Gd-BOPTA-enhanced 1.5T liver MRI, including hepatobiliary phase (HBP) acquired 90-150min after injection, in two centres between Jan 2016 and Dec 2019. Liver signal intensity was measured on native and HBP phases and normalized to paraspinal muscles. Liver normalized relative enhancement (NRE) in HBP was calculated and compared with eGFR, total serum bilirubin and HBP acquisition delay by means of Spearman r correlation test and Mann-Whitney U test.

    221/326 patients received 0.05mmol/Kg Gd-BOPTA (group A), whereas 105/326 received 0.1mmol/Kg (group B). link2 Liver NRE in HBP was significantly higher in group B than in group A (0.55vs.0.33, p < 0.0001). link3 In both groups, liver NRE in HBP had a negative correlation with total serum bilirubin level (r = - 0.32, p < 0.0001, group A; r = - 0.