Bacterial interactome disturbance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease clinical stability and exacerbations.

Rationale: Our understanding of airway dysbiosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains incomplete, which may be improved by unraveling the complexity in microbial interactome.

Objectives: To characterize reproducible features of airway bacterial interactome in COPD at clinical stability and during exacerbation, and evaluate their associations with disease phenotypes.

Methods: We performed weighted ensemble-based co-occurrence network analysis of 1742 sputum microbiomes from published and new microbiome datasets, comprising two case-control studies of stable COPD versus healthy control, two studies of COPD stability versus exacerbation, and one study with exacerbation-recovery time series data.

A versatile multi-tone laser system for manipulating atomic qubits based on a fiber Mach-Zehnder modulator and second harmonic generation.

Stimulated Raman transition is a fundamental method to coherently manipulate quantum states in different physical systems. Phase-coherent dichromatic radiation fields matching the energy level splitting are the key to realizing stimulated Raman transition. Here we demonstrate a flexible-tuning, spectrum-clean and fiber-compatible method to generate a highly phase-coherent and high-power multi-tone laser.

Prompt successful response to a COVID-19 outbreak: Performance of community-based rapid screening station.

An outbreak occurred in Wanhua District of Taipei City. It was traced to a cluster infection originating from a teahouse. To prevent further large-scaled community spread, the Taipei City Government established the first community rapid test screening station.

Management and outcomes of surgical patients with intestinal Behçet's disease and Crohn's disease in southwest China.

Background: Gastrointestinal involvement in Behçet's disease (GIBD) and Crohn's disease (CD) are inflammatory diseases sharing a considerable number of similarities. However, different from CD, the operative and postoperative management of GIBD remains largely empirical because of the lack of comprehensive treatment guidelines.

Aim: To compare surgical patients with GIBD and those with CD in a medical center and identify notable clinical features and effective postoperative treatment for surgical patients with GIBD.

Risk factors for overt hepatic encephalopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the risk factors and establish a risk score for post-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE).

Methods: Altogether 299 and 62 cirrhotic patients receiving TIPS from January 2015 to March 2018 were divided into the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. The data of the derivation cohort were analyzed for risk factors of post-TIPS OHE.

Traceability of Geographical Origin in by UPLC-Q Exactive Mass and Multivariate Analyses.

The root of Maxim. (Gentianaceae), is officially listed as "Qin-Jiao" in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia for the treatment of rheumatic arthritis, icteric hepatitis, constipation, pain, and hypertension. To establish the geographical origin traceability in , its chemical profiles were determined by a UPLC-Q exactive mass spectrometer, from which 43 compounds were identified by comparing retention times and mass spectrometry.

Lamiophlomis rotata Identification via ITS2 Barcode and Quality Evaluation by UPLC-QTOF-MS Couple with Multivariate Analyses.

(), is known as "Daba" in the Tibetan region, and have also been utilized as substitutes for "Daba", however, only has been officially listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia for hemostasis preparations. To safely apply the traditional uses of the herb, internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) DNA barcodes were employed to discriminate from its adulterants. For further evaluation of the quality of different originating habitats, the chemical profiles of 25 samples were determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) coupled with multivariate analyses.

[Assessing abundance and specificity of different types of sgRNA targeting miRNA precursors].

CRISPR/Cas technology enables efficient and specific editing the genome. Since different bacterial sources or artificially modified Cas9, as well as Cpf1 and other nucleases, recognize different PAMs (protospacer adjacent motifs), different gene editing nucleases may use different types of sgRNAs (small guide RNA). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of regulatory small non-coding RNAs.

[Studies on difference of chemical compositions in plant species of Tripterygium genus].

We studied the content of chemical compositions and correlation among species of Tripterygium genus by principal component analysis(PCA) and variance analysis(ANOVA), and we also studied the difference among the 3 species.Using [BMIm]PF6 ionic liquid-based ultrasonic-assisted extraction, we determined the contents of 11 compounds including wilforgine, wilforzine, triptophenolide, wilforine, triptoquinone A, triptolide, tripterin, egallocatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin, and epicatechin in 28 batches of the Tripterygium species by HPLC and PCA. Partial least squares analysis (PLS) and ANOVA were also performed to verify the results.

[Evaluation of genetic diversity and population structure of genus Tripterygium based on SSR markers].

The genus Tripterygium is an immune suppressor in the Chinese traditional medicines. Due to the habitat destruction and anthropogenic over-exploitation, the wild genus Tripterygium plants have decreased dramatically in recent years or even been endangered. It is critical to evaluate and protect genus Tripterygium wild resource.

[The species traceability of the ultrafine powder and the cell wall-broken powder of herbal medicine based on DNA barcoding].

Ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder of herbal medicine lack of the morphological characters and microscopic identification features. This makes it hard to identify herb's authenticity with traditional methods. We tested ITS2 sequence as DNA barcode in identification of herbal medicine in ultrafine powder and cell wall-broken powder in this study.

[Simultaneous determination of 5 compounds in Tripterygium hypoglaucum based on ultrasound-assisted ionic liquid coupled with HPLC].

Using six kinds of ionic liquids as extractants, ultrasonic-assisted extraction coupled with HPLC method was developed for the simultaneous determination of wilforgine, wiforizine, triptophenolide, wilforine and triptoquinone A in Tripterygium hypoglaucum. The separation was performed on an Inertsil ODS-4 column with the mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid in gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.

[Studies on dosage-efficacy/toxicity relationship of anti-hypoxia effects and quality standard of Tibetan medicine Brassicea Radix extract].

To evaluate the efficacy and safety associated with anti-hypoxia effect and establish the quality standard for Brassicea Radix extract, the investigations of acute toxicity and subacute toxicity were carried out to preliminarily appraise the toxicity, and the models of normal pressure hypoxia, acute cerebral ischemia and sodium nitrite poisoning in mice were used to evaluate the effect of enhancing anoxia endurance. Then according to the methods described in the Appendix of Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition), the sulfuric acid-phenol method was applied to determine the content of polysaccharide, and the water, ash and insoluble matter in water inspections were carried out and the control medicinal herb was identified with the samples by qualitative TLC. The results indicated that ① the toxic effects (LD₅₀) of mice was 56.

[Identification of Tibetan medicine "Dida" of Gentianaceae using DNA barcoding].

The ITS2 barcode was used toidentify Tibetan medicine "Dida", and tosecure its quality and safety in medication. A total of 13 species, 151 experimental samples for the study from the Tibetan Plateau, including Gentianaceae Swertia, Halenia, Gentianopsis, Comastoma, Lomatogonium ITS2 sequences were amplified, and purified PCR products were sequenced. Sequence assembly and consensus sequence generation were performed using the CodonCode Aligner V3.

Effect of different radial hole designs on pullout and structural strength of cannulated pedicle screws.

Cannulated pedicle screws are designed for bone cement injection to enhance fixation strength in severely osteoporotic spines. However, the screws commonly fracture during insertion. This study aims to evaluate how different positions/designs of radial holes may affect the pullout and structural strength of cannulated pedicle screws using finite element analysis.

Transcalvarial brain herniation volume after decompressive craniectomy is the difference between two spherical caps.

Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a surgical procedure used to relieve severely increased intracranial pressure (ICP) by removing a portion of the skull. Following DC, the brain expands through the skull defect created by DC, resulting in transcalvarial herniation (TCH). Traditionally, people measure only changes in the ICP but not in the intracranial volume (ICV), which is equivalent to the volume of TCH (V(TCH)), in patients undergoing DC.

Biomechanical study of expandable pedicle screw fixation in severe osteoporotic bone comparing with conventional and cement-augmented pedicle screws.

Pedicle screws are widely utilized to treat the unstable thoracolumbar spine. The superior biomechanical strength of pedicle screws could increase fusion rates and provide accurate corrections of complex deformities. However, osteoporosis and revision cases of pedicle screw substantially reduce screw holding strength and cause loosening.

The effect of different humeral prosthesis fin designs on shoulder stability: a computational model.

Humeral prostheses commonly use a fin structure as an attachment point for the supraspinatus muscle in total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), but these fins may cause injury to the muscle during implantation, inadvertently influencing stability. In order to prevent supraspinatus injury, the effect of different humeral prostheses on shoulder joint stability needs to be investigated. A commercially available prosthesis and two modified humeral prostheses that substituted the fin structure for 2 (2H) or 3 holes (3H) were evaluated using computational models.

Intracranial metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma: review of 45 cases.

Background: Although extrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not uncommon, intracranial metastasis is relatively rare.

Methods: We reviewed HCC cases admitted in our hospital in the past 16 years, and there were only 45 cases with clinically diagnosed intracranial metastasis. Their age ranged from 14 to 82 years with the peak in the 3rd and 4th decades, which is much younger than the average age of the HCC patients.