Abstract Background The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is currently a worldwide pandemic. There are limited available treatments for severe COVID-19 patients. However, some evidence suggests that intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) provides clinical benefits for these patients. Methods We administered IVIg to 23 severe COVID-19 patients, and all of them survived. Four related coronaviruses can cause the common cold. We speculated that cross-reactivity of SARS-CoV-2 and...

Abstract Background Effective team leadership and good activation criteria can effectively initiate rapid response system (RRS) to reduce hospital mortality and improve quality of life. The first reaction time of nurses plays an important role in the rescue process. To construct a nurse-led (nurse-led RRS) and activation criteria and then to conduct a pragmatic evaluation of the nurse-led RRS. Methods We used literature review and the Delphi method to construct a nurse-led RRS and activation...

Abstract Background Though the association between air pollution and incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been well documented, evidence on the association with development of subsequent diabetes complications and post-diabetes mortality is scarce. We investigate whether air pollution is associated with different progressions and outcomes of T2D. Methods Based on the UK Biobank, 398,993 participants free of diabetes and diabetes-related events at recruitment were included in this analysis. Exposures to particulate matter with a diameter...

Abstract Background Understanding the mechanism of antimicrobial action is critical for improving antibiotic therapy. For the first time, we integrated correlative metabolomics and transcriptomics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to elucidate the mechanism of synergistic killing of polymyxin–rifampicin combination. Methods Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and RNA-seq analyses were conducted to identify the significant changes in the metabolome and transcriptome of P. aeruginosa PAO1 after exposure to polymyxin B (1 mg/L) and rifampicin (2 mg/L) alone, or in combination...

Abstract Background Understanding the mechanism of antimicrobial action is critical for improving antibiotic therapy. For the first time, we integrated correlative metabolomics and transcriptomics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to elucidate the mechanism of synergistic killing of polymyxin–rifampicin combination. Methods Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and RNA-seq analyses were conducted to identify the significant changes in the metabolome and transcriptome of P. aeruginosa PAO1 after exposure to polymyxin B (1 mg/L) and rifampicin (2 mg/L) alone, or in combination...

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed human malignancies. Ribosomal protein L31 (RPL31, aka eL31) is a component of the 60S large ribosomal subunit, and its expression pattern and functional role in CRC have not been reported. Methods Herein, we identified that eL31 protein level was dramatically increased in CRC tissues through using IHC analysis. More notably, elevated eL31 was associated with larger tumor size and shorter overall survival. Besides,...

Objectives: Sinonasal inverted papilloma (SNIP) is one of the most common benign tumors of the nasal cavity and sinuses and is at risk for recurrence and malignant transformation. It is crucial to precisely predict SNIP before surgery to determine the optimal surgical technique and prevent SNIP recurrence. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of computed tomography (CT) features and SNIP clinical characteristics and to develop and validate a clinically effective nomogram. Methods: Here,...

Transpulmonary thermodilution is often used to measure extravascular lung water during liver transplantation. Here, the case of new onset atrial fibrillation during orthotopic liver transplantation, which may have been induced by iced saline injection for transpulmonary thermodilution measurement, is described. A 52-year-old male patient underwent orthotopic liver transplantation due to alcoholic cirrhosis combined with portal hypertension. During dissection of the recipient liver, transpulmonary thermodilution was performed. At 3 minutes following iced saline injected, atrial fibrillation...

The diffraction limit is a physical barrier for optical microscopy. In the past decade, microsphere-assisted nanoscopy has been developed rapidly to break through this limitation for the super-resolution imaging. This technology has great application potential due to its sample label-free, simple working principle, and easy integration with conventional optical microscopes. However, due to the tiny size and high surface curvature of microspheres, the magnified imaging cannot avoid the limited view scope, imaging distortion, and low...

Background:The influence of the number of removed lymph nodes (RLNs) on patients with early-stage cervical cancer (ESCC) is still questionable. The objective of this study was to explore the prognostic value of RLNs on ESCC patients.Methods:A retrospective study was performed including all ESCC patients who underwent radical surgery from January 2016 to December 2018. Cox regression analysis was performed to verify the correlation between the number of RLNs and the prognosis (recurrence-free survival [RFS], disease-specific...

Virtual reality (VR) technologies, as new forms of planning support systems (PSSs), are becoming increasingly vital to planning. However, there is a lack of empirical research on factors influencing VR’s supportive role from a user perspective, thus producing barriers to VR’s advancement in planning practices. This neglect motivates the focus of this study, in which we adapt relevant PSS theory to build a conceptual framework that examines factors influencing VR performance in an experience-based environment....

Virtual reality (VR) technologies, as new forms of planning support systems (PSSs), are becoming increasingly vital to planning. However, there is a lack of empirical research on factors influencing VR’s supportive role from a user perspective, thus producing barriers to VR’s advancement in planning practices. This neglect motivates the focus of this study, in which we adapt relevant PSS theory to build a conceptual framework that examines factors influencing VR performance in an experience-based environment....

Abstract Background Sexual stage surface antigens are potential targets of transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs). The gametocyte and gamete surface antigen P230, a leading TBV candidate, is critical for red blood cell binding during exflagellation and subsequent oocyst development. Here, the genetic diversity of Pvs230 was studied in Plasmodium vivax parasite isolates from the China–Myanmar border (CMB) and central Myanmar. Methods Plasmodium vivax isolates were collected in clinics from malaria-endemic areas of the CMB (143 samples) and...

Abstract Background Krüppel Associated Box-containing Zinc Finger Proteins (KRAB-ZFPs), representing the largest superfamily of transcription factors in mammals, are predicted to primarily target and repress transposable elements (TEs). It is challenging to dissect the distinct functions of these transcription regulators due to their sequence similarity and diversity, and also the complicated repetitiveness of their targeting TE sequences. Results Mouse KRAB-Zfps are mainly organized into clusters genomewide. In this study, we revealed that the intra-cluster members...

Abstract Background Insulin resistance is an important cause of cardiovascular events and cerebral infarction development. We aimed to investigate the association of the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index with atherosclerotic burden and plaques in coronary, intra- and extracranial arteries in participants with non-diabetes, and compared the results with that of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Methods Participants without diabetes in the PolyvasculaR Evaluation for Cognitive Impairment and vaScular Events (PRECISE) study were included....

Abstract Background The mental health of students is affected by COVID-19. We aim to evaluate the anxiety and depression symptoms among college students during COVID-19 pandemic, analyze the influence factors that contribute to college students’ anxiety and depression symptoms, and provide some suggestions for improving the mental health of college students. Methods With 179 college students participating, an online questionnaire consisting of a general questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was...

Abstract Background Brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an important cause of hemorrhagic stroke in young adults, which can lead to severe neurological impairment. The registry of Multimodality treatment for brain ArTeriovenous malformation in mainland CHina (MATCH) is a national prospective registry to identify the natural history of AVMs in Asian population; to investigate traditional and emerging hemorrhagic predictors; and to explore the superiority of the multidisciplinary assessment in improving the long-term outcomes. Methods Consecutive AVM...

Abstract Background Elucidating the phylogenetic relationships within species-rich genera is essential but challenging, especially when lineages are assumed to have been going through radiation events. Mahonia Nutt. (Berberidaceae) is a genus with cosmopolitan distribution, comprising approximately 100 species, two of which are known as Caulis Mahoniae (M. bealei and M. fortunei) with crucial pharmacological significance in Chinese herbal medicine. Mahonia is a taxonomically challenging genus, and intrageneric phylogenetic relationships still need to be explored using...

Abstract Heat-imposed crop failure is often attributed to reduced thermotolerance of floral tissues; however, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that m6A RNA methylation increases in Arabidopsis flowers and negatively regulates gene expression variability. Stochastic gene expression provides flexibility to cope with environmental stresses. We find that reduced transcriptional fluctuation is associated with compromised activation of heat-responsive genes. Moreover, disruption of an RNA demethylase AtALKBH10B leads to lower gene expression variability, suppression of...

Abstract Background At present, chronic respiratory diseases are a major burden in terms of morbidity and mortality and are of increasing public health concern in China. Meanwhile, the prevalence of diabetes has increased by more than 10 times over the last 40 years. While a few studies have investigated the association between chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes mellitus, the association is not clear. This study aimed to explore this association and provide evidence. Methods In...

Abstract Purpose To investigate the factors influencing and long-term effects of manual myotomy (MM) occurring during physiotherapy for congenital muscular torticollis (CMT). Methods We retrospectively collected the clinical data of children with CMT receiving physiotherapy between 2008 and 2018. The children were divided into manual myotomy (MM) and non-manual myotomy (NMM) groups according to whether MM occurred during treatment. We assessed physiotherapy outcomes in children with CMT using craniofacial asymmetry parameters and the Cheng–Tang rating...

Optical projection tomography captures 2-D projections of rotating biological samples and computationally reconstructs 3-D structures from these projections, where hundreds of views with an angular range of π radian is desired for a reliable reconstruction. Limited-angle tomography tries to recover the structures of the sample using fewer angles of projections. However, the result is far from satisfactory due to the missing of wedge information. Here we introduce a novel view prediction technique, which is able...

In sparse penalized regressions, candidate covariates of different units need to be standardized beforehand so that the coefficient sizes are directly comparable and reflect their relative impacts, which leads to fairer variable selection. However, when covariates of mixed data types (e.g. continuous, binary or categorical) exist in the same dataset, the commonly used standardization methods may lead to different selection probabilities even when the covariates have the same impact on or level of association with...

In sparse penalized regressions, candidate covariates of different units need to be standardized beforehand so that the coefficient sizes are directly comparable and reflect their relative impacts, which leads to fairer variable selection. However, when covariates of mixed data types (e.g. continuous, binary or categorical) exist in the same dataset, the commonly used standardization methods may lead to different selection probabilities even when the covariates have the same impact on or level of association with...

Abstract No fully validated risk-stratification strategies have been established in China where colonoscopies resources are limited. We aimed to develop and validate a fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-based risk-stratification model for colorectal neoplasia (CN); 10,164 individuals were recruited from 175 centers nationwide and were randomly allocated to the derivation (n = 6776) or validation cohort (n = 3388). Multivariate logistic analyses were performed to develop the National Colorectal Polyp Care (NCPC) score, which formed the risk-stratification...