Artificial Intelligence-Empowered Multistep Integrated Radiation Therapy Workflow for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Purpose: To establish an artificial intelligence (AI)-empowered multistep integrated (MSI) radiation therapy (RT) workflow for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and evaluate its feasibility and clinical performance.

Methods And Materials: Patients with NPC scheduled for MSI RT workflow were prospectively enrolled. This workflow integrates RT procedures from computed tomography (CT) scan to beam delivery, all performed with the patient on the treatment couch.

An amplification-free CRISPR-Cas12a assay for titer determination and composition analysis of the rAAV genome.

The viral genome titer is a crucial indicator for the clinical dosing, manufacturing, and analytical testing of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) gene therapy products. Although quantitative PCR and digital PCR are the common methods used for quantifying the rAAV genome titer, they are limited by inadequate accuracy and robustness. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-Cas12a biosensor is being increasingly used in virus detection; however, there is currently no report on its application in the titer determination of gene therapy products.

Prognostic model incorporating immune checkpoint genes to predict the immunotherapy efficacy for lung adenocarcinoma: a cohort study integrating machine learning algorithms.

This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram based on immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) for predicting prognosis and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) efficacy in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients. A total of 385 LUAD patients from the TCGA database and 269 LUAD patients in the combined dataset (GSE41272 + GSE50081) were divided into training and validation cohorts, respectively. Three different machine learning algorithms including random forest (RF), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression analysis, and support vector machine (SVM) were employed to select the predictive markers from 82 ICGs to construct the prognostic nomogram.

Predictive Model to Identify the Long Time Survivor in Patients with Glioblastoma: A Cohort Study Integrating Machine Learning Algorithms.

We aimed to develop and validate a predictive model for identifying long-term survivors (LTS) among glioblastoma (GB) patients, defined as those with an overall survival (OS) of more than 3 years. A total of 293 GB patients from CGGA and 169 from TCGA database were assigned to training and validation cohort, respectively. The differences in expression of immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) and immune infiltration landscape were compared between LTS and short time survivor (STS) (OS<1.

Preoperative glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts survival in cancer.

Background: Systemic inflammation and glucose metabolism have been closely related to the survival of cancer patients. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether preoperative glucose-to-lymphocyte ratio (GLR) can be used to predict the survival of cancer patients.

Methods: We retrospectively examined 2172 cancer patients who underwent surgery from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016.

Dynamics of Benthic Nitrate Reduction Pathways and Associated Microbial Communities Responding to the Development of Seasonal Deoxygenation in a Coastal Mariculture Zone.

Intensive mariculture activities result in eutrophication and enhance coastal deoxygenation. Deoxygenation profoundly influences nitrate reduction processes and further the fate of nitrogen (N) in coastal systems. Herein, N isotope labeling, real-time PCR, and high-throughput sequencing techniques were jointly used to investigate the participation and seasonal dynamics of sediment nitrate reduction pathways and the succession of functional microbial communities during the development of seasonal deoxygenation in a coastal aquaculture zone.

Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in the Wanquan River estuary, Hainan Island.

As the nexus where rivers and oceans meet, estuaries are vulnerable to microplastic (MP) pollution derived from rivers. However, few studies have focused on the pollution status of MPs in small estuarine areas. Here, the abundance and characteristics of MPs in surface water and sediment samples from a small estuary, the Wanquan River estuary, were studied.

Antimicrobial Biosynthetic Potential and Phylogenetic Analysis of Culturable Bacteria Associated with the Sponge sp. from the Yellow Sea, China.

Sponge-derived bacteria are considered to be a promising source of novel drugs, owing to their abundant secondary metabolites that have diverse biological activities. In this study, we explored the antimicrobial biosynthetic potential and phylogenetics of culturable bacteria associated with the sponge sp. from the Yellow Sea, China.

Clinical performance evaluation of O-Ring Halcyon Linac: A real-world study.

Background: Radiation therapy, especially the development of linear accelerators, plays a key role in cancer management. The fast-rotating coplanar O-ring Halcyon Linac has demonstrated many advantages. The previous literature has mainly focused on the machine parameters and plan quality of Halcyon, with a lack of relevant research on its clinical application.

Association between c-type lectin-like receptor 2 and microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer: a cross-sectional study.

Background: As a transmembrane protein, C-type lectin-like receptor 2 (CLEC-2) is mainly expressed on platelets and released into plasma after platelet activation. Activated platelets participate in the regulation of innate immune cells. Patients with different microsatellite statuses have distinct immune profiles.

Preoperative PDW levels predict pulmonary metastasis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), pulmonary metastasis (PM) after hepatectomy is associated with poor clinical outcomes. The crucial phases of tumour cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis all entail platelet activation. In HCC, platelet distribution width (PDW) suggests platelet size changes and predicts a worse prognosis.

[Applicability of mixed effect model in the prediction of forest fire].

Fire is an important influencing factor in forest ecosystems. Establishing an accurate forest fire forecasting model is important for forest fire management. We used different meteorological factors as predictors to construct a forest fire prediction model in Fujian Province, based on Logistic regression and generalized linear mixed effect model.

CapsNet-COVID19: Lung CT image classification method based on CapsNet model.

The outbreak of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a serious threat to human health and life around the world. As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase, many countries are facing problems such as errors in nucleic acid testing (RT-PCR), shortage of testing reagents, and lack of testing personnel. In order to solve such problems, it is necessary to propose a more accurate and efficient method as a supplement to the detection and diagnosis of COVID-19.

Culturable Microorganisms Associated with Sea Cucumbers and Microbial Natural Products.

Sea cucumbers are a class of marine invertebrates and a source of food and drug. Numerous microorganisms are associated with sea cucumbers. Seventy-eight genera of bacteria belonging to 47 families in four phyla, and 29 genera of fungi belonging to 24 families in the phylum Ascomycota have been cultured from sea cucumbers.

COVSeg-NET: A deep convolution neural network for COVID-19 lung CT image segmentation.

COVID-19 is a new type of respiratory infectious disease that poses a serious threat to the survival of human beings all over the world. Using artificial intelligence technology to analyze lung images of COVID-19 patients can achieve rapid and effective detection. This study proposes a COVSeg-NET model that can accurately segment ground glass opaque lesions in COVID-19 lung CT images.

Structures of the glucocorticoid-bound adhesion receptor GPR97-G complex.

Adhesion G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a major family of GPCRs, but limited knowledge of their ligand regulation or structure is available. Here we report that glucocorticoid stress hormones activate adhesion G-protein-coupled receptor G3 (ADGRG3; also known as GPR97), a prototypical adhesion GPCR. The cryo-electron microscopy structures of GPR97-G complexes bound to the anti-inflammatory drug beclomethasone or the steroid hormone cortisol revealed that glucocorticoids bind to a pocket within the transmembrane domain.

Metformin protects high glucose‑cultured cardiomyocytes from oxidative stress by promoting NDUFA13 expression and mitochondrial biogenesis via the AMPK signaling pathway.

Tissue damage in diabetes is at least partly due to elevated reactive oxygen species production by the mitochondrial respiratory chain during hyperglycemia. Sustained hyperglycemia results in mitochondrial dysfunction and the abnormal expression of mitochondrial genes, such as NADH: Ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit A13 (NDUFA13). Metformin, an AMP‑activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, protects cardiomyocytes from oxidative stress by improving mitochondrial function; however, the exact underlying mechanisms are not completely understood.

Phylogenetic Analysis and Screening of Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Activities of Culturable Bacteria Associated with the Ascidian from the Yellow Sea, China.

Over 1,000 compounds, including ecteinascidin-743 and didemnin B, have been isolated from ascidians, with most having bioactive properties such as antimicrobial, antitumor, and enzyme-inhibiting activities. In recent years, direct and indirect evidence has shown that some bioactive compounds isolated from ascidians are not produced by ascidians themselves but by their symbiotic microorganisms. Isolated culturable bacteria associated with ascidians and investigating their potential bioactivity are an important approach for discovering novel compounds.

Marinilabilia rubra sp. nov., isolated from a marine solar saltern.

A novel cherry-red-pigmented, Gram-stain-negative, gliding, facultatively anaerobic and rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain WTE16, was isolated from a sediment sample taken from a marine solar saltern of Wendeng, China (36° 59' 56.49'' N 122° 1' 38.84'' E).

Theoretical and experimental research on self-assembly system of molecularly imprinted polymers formed via chloramphenicol and methacrylic acid.

Chloramphenicol was chosen as the imprinting molecule and the methacrylic acid was chosen as the functional monomer to prepare molecularly imprinted polymers. Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, pentaerythritol triacrylate, and trimethylolpropane trimethylacrylate were used as the cross-linking agents, respectively. The interaction processes between chloramphenicol and methacrylic acid were simulated by using the ωB97XD/6-31G (d,p) method.

Biological and Chemical Diversity of Ascidian-Associated Microorganisms.

Ascidians are a class of sessile filter-feeding invertebrates, that provide unique and fertile niches harboring various microorganisms, such as bacteria, actinobacteria, cyanobacteria and fungi. Over 1000 natural products, including alkaloids, cyclic peptides, and polyketides, have been isolated from them, which display diverse properties, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activities. Strikingly, direct evidence has confirmed that ~8% of natural products from ascidians are actually produced by symbiotic microorganisms.

Mammillary body regulates state-dependent fear by alternating cortical oscillations.

State-dependent memory describes a phenomenon that memory will be efficiently retrieved only when the brain state during retrieval matches the state during encoding. While a variety of psychoactive drugs, such as ethanol, cocaine, morphine and NMDA receptor antagonists, are able to induce state-dependent memory, the biological hallmark of brain state and neural mechanism of its regulation are still unknown. In this study, we found that MK-801 enhanced delta oscillations in awake mice, representing a drug-induced brain state, in which fear memory could only be successfully retrieved when the same drug condition was presented.

Integrated bioinformatic analysis unveils significant genes and pathways in the pathogenesis of supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore significant genes and pathways involved in the pathogenesis of supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (sPNET).

Materials And Methods: Gene expression profile of GSE14295 was downloaded from publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened out in primary sPNET samples compared with normal fetal and adult brain reference samples (sPNET vs fetal brain and sPNET vs adult brain).

Ascidiaceibacter salegens gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from an ascidian.

An aerobic, Gram-stain negative, rod-shaped, non-motile bacterium, designated as strain HQA918, was isolated from an ascidian, Botryllus schlosseri, which was collected from the coast of Weihai in the north of the Yellow Sea, in China. The strain grew optimally at 28-30 °C, at pH values 7.0-8.