Genome comparisons reveal accessory genes crucial for the evolution of apple Glomerella leaf spot pathogenicity in Colletotrichum fungi.

Apple Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) is an emerging fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum fructicola and other Colletotrichum species. These species are polyphyletic and it is currently unknown how these pathogens convergently evolved to infect apple. We generated chromosome-level genome assemblies of a GLS-adapted isolate and a non-adapted isolate in C.

[A Brief Analysis of Equivalence Demonstration Techniques for Clinical Evaluation of Medical Devices].

This study overviewed equivalence demonstration, the principles for the selection of comparative devices, the difficulties in equivalence demonstration, and the equivalence demonstration of special medical devices. In addition, the concept of equivalence demonstration was adopted for the products exempted from clinical evaluation, and there were many confusion in actual use. The operation points and difficult points of equivalence demonstration for the products exempted from clinical evaluation were introduced in order to provide reference for medical device colleagues.

Artificial intelligence-assisted ultrasound image analysis to discriminate early breast cancer in Chinese population: a retrospective, multicentre, cohort study.

Background: Early diagnosis of breast cancer has always been a difficult clinical challenge. We developed a deep-learning model EDL-BC to discriminate early breast cancer with ultrasound (US) benign findings. This study aimed to investigate how the EDL-BC model could help radiologists improve the detection rate of early breast cancer while reducing misdiagnosis.

[Effect of continuous blood purification on immunity and endothelial cell function in patients with sepsis].

Objective: To explore the effect of continuous blood purification (CBP) on the immunity and endothelial cell function of patients with sepsis.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted. The patients aged ≥ 18 years old and meeting the diagnostic criteria of sepsis admitted to the department of critical care medicine of Binzhou Medical University Hospital from March 2019 to October 2020 were selected as the research subjects, and the patients were divided into standard treatment group and CBP treatment group according to random number table method.

CD155 Cooperates with PD-1/PD-L1 to Promote Proliferation of Esophageal Squamous Cancer Cells via PI3K/Akt and MAPK Signaling Pathways.

Background: Esophageal cancer is still a leading cause of death among all tumors in males, with unsatisfactory responses to novel immunotherapies such as anti-PD-1 agents. Herein, we explored the role of CD155 in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCA) and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods: Publicly available datasets were used for differential gene expression and immune infiltration analyses, and their correlation with patient survival.

Selective and Chemical-Free Removal of Toxic Heavy Metal Cations from Water Using Shock Ion Extraction.

Electrochemical methods are known to have attractive features and capabilities when used for ion separations and water purification. In this study, we developed a new process called shock ion extraction (shock IX) for selective and chemical-free removal of toxic heavy metals from water. Shock IX is a hybrid process that combines shock electrodialysis (shock ED) and ion exchange using an ion exchange resin wafer (IERW), and this method can be thought of functionally as an electrochemically assisted variation of traditional ion exchange.

[Prognostic value of PCSK9 and blood lipid in patients with sepsis].

Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and blood lipid indexes in patients with sepsis.

Methods: Patients with sepsis or septic shock who were ≥ 18 years old and met the Sepsis-3.0 diagnostic criteria admitted to the department of critical care medicine of Binzhou Medical University Hospital from January to October 2021 were enrolled.

Electrochemical Methods for Water Purification, Ion Separations, and Energy Conversion.

Agricultural development, extensive industrialization, and rapid growth of the global population have inadvertently been accompanied by environmental pollution. Water pollution is exacerbated by the decreasing ability of traditional treatment methods to comply with tightening environmental standards. This review provides a comprehensive description of the principles and applications of electrochemical methods for water purification, ion separations, and energy conversion.

Interfacial Resistive Switching by Multiphase Polarization in Ion-Intercalation Nanofilms.

Nonvolatile resistive-switching (RS) memories promise to revolutionize hardware architectures with in-memory computing. Recently, ion-interclation materials have attracted increasing attention as potential RS materials for their ion-modulated electronic conductivity. In this Letter, we propose RS by multiphase polarization (MP) of ion-intercalated thin films between ion-blocking electrodes, in which interfacial phase separation triggered by an applied voltage switches the electron-transfer resistance.

PD-L1 expression and immune cells infiltration in primary tracheobronchial neoplasm.

Background: Primary tracheobronchial neoplasm is rare yet poses a serious threat to life. Due to its low incidence, the immune microenvironment of such tumors remained unclear. This study aimed to clarify the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and infiltration of immune cells in primary tracheobronchial neoplasm, which might be useful for guiding treatment and evaluating clinical outcome.

Association between plasma glycocalyx component levels and poor prognosis in severe influenza type A (H1N1).

Influenza A virus infection causes a series of diseases, but the factors associated with disease severity are not fully understood. Disruption of the endothelial glycocalyx contributes to acute lung injury in sepsis, but has not been well studied in H1N1 influenza. We aim to determine whether the plasma glycocalyx components levels are predictive of disease severity in H1N1 influenza.

Theory of shock electrodialysis I: Water dissociation and electrosmotic vortices.

Shock electrodialysis (shock ED), an emerging electrokinetic process for water purification, leverages the new physics of deionization shock waves in porous media. In previous work, a simple leaky membrane model with surface conduction can explain the propagation of deionization shocks in a shock ED system, but it cannot quantitatively predict the deionization and conductance (which determines the energy consumption), and it cannot explain the selective removal of ions in experiments. This two-part series of work establishes a more comprehensive model for shock ED, which applies to multicomponent electrolytes and any electrical double layer thickness, captures the phenomena of electroosmosis, diffusioosmosis, and water dissociation, and incorporates more realistic boundary conditions.

Theory of shock electrodialysis II: Mechanisms of selective ion removal.

Shock electrodialysis (shock ED), an emerging nonlinear electrokinetic process for water treatment, has recently showed its capability to selectively remove multivalent cations from electrolyte mixtures. However, the mechanisms have not been understood yet. Based on the depth-averaged model developed in the first-part of the series paper for planer shock ED system, this work focuses on the mechanisms of selective ion removal.

[Significance of high mobility group box 1, von Willebrand factor and other cytokines in the evaluation of severity and prognosis of sepsis patients].

Objective: To explore the value of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), von Willebrand factor (vWF) and other cytokines in predicting the severity and prognosis of sepsis patients.

Methods: Patients with sepsis and septic shock who ≥ 18 years old and met the Sepsis-3 diagnostic criteria admitted to the department of critical care medicine of Binzhou Medical University Hospital from January to June 2019 were taken as the research objects. The healthy individuals for regular health examination in the same period were taken as the control.

GPS2 promotes erythroid differentiation by control of the stability of EKLF protein.

Erythropoiesis is a complex multistage process that involves differentiation of early erythroid progenitors to enucleated mature red blood cells, in which lineage-specific transcription factors play essential roles. Erythroid Krüppel-like factor (EKLF/KLF1) is a pleiotropic erythroid transcription factor that is required for the proper maturation of the erythroid cells, whose expression and activation are tightly controlled in a temporal and differentiation stage-specific manner. Here, we uncover a novel role of G-protein pathway suppressor 2 (GPS2), a subunit of the nuclear receptor corepressor/silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor corepressor complex, in erythrocyte differentiation.

Continuous Separation of Radionuclides from Contaminated Water by Shock Electrodialysis.

The increasing popularity of nuclear energy necessitates development of new methods to treat water that becomes contaminated with radioactive substances. Because this polluted water comprises several dissolved species (not all of which are radioactive), selective accumulation of the radionuclides is desirable to minimize the volume of nuclear waste and to facilitate its containment or disposal. In this article, we use shock electrodialysis to selectively, continuously, and efficiently remove cobalt and cesium from a feed of dissolved lithium, cobalt, cesium, and boric acid.

Evidence of efficacy of acupuncture in the management of low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo- or sham-controlled trials.

Objectives: To assess the evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture for non-specific low back pain (NSLBP), compared with sham or placebo therapies.

Methods: We searched Cochrane CENTRAL to December 2016, and conducted searches from 1980 to December 2016 in PubMed, MEDLINE and Embase. There were no regional restrictions applied.

Comparison of high flow nasal cannula with noninvasive ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with hypercapnia in preventing postextubation respiratory failure: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has been shown to improve extubation outcomes in patients with hypoxemia, but the role of HFNC in weaning patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with hypercapnia from invasive ventilation is unclear. We compared the effects of HFNC to noninvasive ventilation (NIV) on postextubation vital signs and arterial blood gases (ABGs) among patients with COPD. Other outcomes included comfort scores, need for bronchoscopy, use of pulmonary medications, and chest physiotherapy.

Attitude Angle Compensation for a Synchronous Acquisition Method Based on an MEMS Sensor.

As a new type of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) inertial sensor, the Quartz Vibrating Beam Accelerometer (QVBA) is widely used in intelligent sweeping robots, small aircraft, navigation systems, etc. For these applications, correcting and compensating the attitude angle with the result of acceleration plays an important role to improve the measurement accuracy. The synchronization error between the measurement of the accelerometer and gyroscope attitude angle has an adverse impact on the accuracy of the attitude angle.