简介：AbstractSevere fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) was first detected in China in 2009. The incidence of SFTS increases year by year, and there is no effective treatment. Considering that the reported prevalence of SFTSV infection varies from region to region, we aimed to quantitatively evaluate the epidemic characteristics of SFTSV infection in China from 2010 to 2020, including the distribution differences in infectious season, sex, age, occupation, and region. A meta-analysis framework was used to search for the related published data with keywords in electronic databases (CNKI, WanFang, CBM, and PubMed). According to the PRISMA statement, the studies that included SFTS diagnosed in China were analyzed. Furthermore, we used Revman and Stata to merge statistical effects, and used I2 and P-values for heterogeneity test and quality assessment. Eleven studies containing 4,932 cases confirmed by SFTSV infection were included in this meta-analysis. The ratio of male-to-female is 1.04 to 1. Cases were concentrated between 40 and 80 years of age (MD = 92%, 95%CI: 91%-93%). Farmers are at the highest risk of SFTSV infection (MD = 84%, 95%CI: 77%-90%). The risk of infection for consecutive period of April-August was significantly higher than the sum of the remaining months (MD = 82%, 95%CI: 78%-85%). In addition, the patient has an extensive history of exposure, including living in the mountains, exposure to ticks, livestock, mouse and the patient. We came to the conclusion that SFTSV is transmitted primarily through tick bites in China, so middle-aged and older adults living in mountains regions are at the highest risk for SFTSV infection in April through August each year.

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简介：AbstractBackground:Due to development of magnetic resonance-based functional imaging, it is easier to detect micro-structural alterations of tumor tissues. The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the correlation of non-Gaussian diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) parameters with expression of molecular markers (epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR]; anaplastic lymphoma kinase [ALK]; Ki-67 protein) in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma, using routine diffusion-weighted imaging as the reference standard.Methods:Data from patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed at Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CHCAMS) from 2016 to 2019 were collected for retrospective analysis. The pathologic and magnetic resonance imaging data of 96 patients who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. Specifically, the Kapp and Dapp parameters measured from the DKI model; apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value from the diffusion-weighted imaging model; and the EGFR, ALK, and Ki-67 biomarkers detected by immunohistochemistry and/or molecular biology techniques after biopsy or surgery were evaluated. The relations between quantitative parameters (ADC, Kapp, Dapp) and pathologic outcomes (EGFR, ALK, and Ki-67 expression) were analyzed by Spearman correlation test.Results:Of the 96 lung adenocarcinoma lesions (from 96 patients), the number of EGFR- and ALK-positive and high Ki-67 expressing lesions were 53, 12, and 83, respectively. The Kapp values were significantly higher among patients with EGFR-positive mutations (0.81 ± 0.12 vs. 0.66 ± 0.10, t = 6.41, P < 0.001), ALK rearrangement-negative (0.76 ± 0.12 vs. 0.60 ± 0.15, t = 4.09, P < 0.001), and high Ki-67 proliferative index (PI) (0.76 ± 0.12 vs. 0.58 ± 0.13, t = 4.88, P < 0.001). The Dapp values were significantly lower among patients with high Ki-67 PI (3.19 ± 0.69 μm2/ms vs. 4.20 ± 0.83 μm2/ms, t = 4.80, P < 0.001) and EGFR-positive mutations (3.11 ± 0.73 μm2/ms vs. 3.59 ± 0.77 μm2/ms, t = 3.12, P = 0.002). The differences in mean Dapp (3.73 ± 1.26 μm2/ms vs. 3.26 ± 0.68 μm2/ms, t = 1.96, P = 0.053) or ADC values ([1.34 ± 0.81] × 10-3 mm2/s vs. [1.33 ± 0.41] × 10-3 mm2/s, t = 0.07, P = 0.941) between the groups with or without ALK rearrangements were not statistically significant. The ADC values were significantly lower among patients with EGFR-positive mutation ([1.19 ± 0.37] × 10-3 mm2/s vs. [1.50 ± 0.53] × 10-3 mm2/s, t = 3.38, P = 0.001) and high Ki-67 PI ([1.28 ± 0.39] × 10-3 mm2/s vs. [1.67 ± 0.77] × 10-3 mm2/s, t = 2.88, P = 0.005). Kapp was strongly positively correlated with EGFR mutations (r = 0.844, P = 0.008), strongly positively correlated with Ki-67 PI (r = 0.882, P = 0.001), and strongly negatively correlated with ALK rearrangements (r = -0.772, P = 0.001). Dapp was moderately correlated with EGFR mutations (r = -0.650, P = 0.024) or Ki-67 PI (r = -0.734, P = 0.012). ADC was moderately correlated with Ki-67 PI (r = -0.679, P = 0.033).Conclusions:The Kapp value of DKI parameters was strongly correlated with different expression of EGFR, ALK, and Ki-67 in advanced lung adenocarcinoma. The results potentially indicate a surrogate measure of the status of different molecular markers assessed by non-invasive imaging tools.

简介：AbstractAround 450 million people are affected by pneumonia every year, which results in 2.5 million deaths. Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has also affected 181 million people, which led to 3.92 million casualties. The chances of death in both of these diseases can be significantly reduced if they are diagnosed early. However, the current methods of diagnosing pneumonia (complaints + chest X-ray) and Covid-19 (real-time polymerase chain reaction) require the presence of expert radiologists and time, respectively. With the help of deep learning models, pneumonia and Covid-19 can be detected instantly from chest X-rays or computerized tomography (CT) scans. The process of diagnosing pneumonia/Covid-19 can become faster and more widespread. In this paper, we aimed to elicit, explain, and evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively all advancements in deep learning methods aimed at detecting community-acquired pneumonia, viral pneumonia, and Covid-19 from images of chest X-rays and CT scans. Being a systematic review, the focus of this paper lies in explaining various deep learning model architectures, which have either been modified or created from scratch for the task at hand. For each model, this paper answers the question of why the model is designed the way it is, the challenges that a particular model overcomes, and the tradeoffs that come with modifying a model to the required specifications. A grouped quantitative analysis of all models described in the paper is also provided to quantify the effectiveness of different models with a similar goal. Some tradeoffs cannot be quantified and, hence, they are mentioned explicitly in the qualitative analysis, which is done throughout the paper. By compiling and analyzing a large quantum of research details in one place with all the data sets, model architectures, and results, we aimed to provide a one-stop solution to beginners and current researchers interested in this field.

简介：AbstractThe pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to unprecedented social and economic disruption. Many nucleic acid testing (NAT) laboratories in China have been established to control the epidemic better. This proficiency testing (PT) aims to evaluate the participants’ performance in qualitative and quantitative SARS-CoV-2 NAT and to explore the factors that contribute to differences in detection capabilities. Two different concentrations of RNA samples (A, B) were used for quantitative PT. Pseudovirus samples D, E (different concentrations) and negative sample (F) were used for qualitative PT. 50 data sets were reported for qualitative PT, of which 74.00% were entirely correct for all samples. Forty-two laboratories participated in the quantitative PT. 37 submitted all gene results, of which only 56.76% were satisfactory. For qualitative detection, it is suggested that laboratories should strengthen personnel training, select qualified detection kits, and reduce cross-contamination to improve detection accuracy. For quantitative detection, the results of the reverse transcription digital PCR (RT-dPCR) method were more comparable and reliable than those of reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The copy number concentration of ORF1ab and N in samples A and B scattered in 85, 223, 50, and 106 folds, respectively. The differences in the quantitative result of RT-qPCR was mainly caused by the non-standard use of reference materials and the lack of personnel operating skills. Comparing the satisfaction of participants participating in both quantitative and qualitative proficiency testing, 95.65% of the laboratories with satisfactory quantitative results also judged the qualitative results correctly, while 85.71% of the laboratories with unsatisfactory quantitative results were also unsatisfied with their qualitative judgments. Therefore, the quantitative ability is the basis of qualitative judgment. Overall, participants from hospitals reported more satisfactory results than those from enterprises and universities. Therefore, surveillance, daily qualitiy control and standardized operating procedures should be strengthened to improve the capability of SARS-CoV-2 NAT.

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简介：AbstractObjective:Optimal reference genes are critical for accurate normalization and reliable interpretation of gene expression quantification data. Recently, several strategies have been utilized for validating reference genes in different human tissues. However, no universal reference genes have been described that accurately summarize transcriptional activity in human spermatozoa.Methods:Using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), we evaluated ten commonly used candidate reference genes between two groups of human cryopreserved donor sperm with different pregnancy rates. We assessed the stability of reference genes using three different algorithms, namely geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper. We then identified the most stable reference genes.Results:Male-enhanced antigen 1 (MEA1) was identified as the most stably expressed reference gene, followed by testis-enhanced gene transcript (TEGT).Conclusions:We comprehensively identified MEA1 and TEGT as the most stably expressed reference genes for the normalization of gene expression data in human spermatozoa.

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简介：AbstractBackground:Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is an extremely lethal malignancy. Identification of the functional genes and genetic variants related to PAAD prognosis is important and challenging. Previously identified prognostic genes from several expression profile analyses were inconsistent. The regulatory genetic variants that affect PAAD prognosis were largely unknown.Methods:Firstly, a meta-analysis was performed with seven published datasets to systematically explore the candidate prognostic genes for PAAD. Next, to identify the regulatory variants for those candidate genes, expression quantitative trait loci analysis was implemented with PAAD data resources from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Then, a two-stage association study in a total of 893 PAAD patients was conducted to interrogate the regulatory variants and find the prognostic locus. Finally, a series of biochemical experiments and phenotype assays were carried out to demonstrate the biological function of variation and genes in PAAD progression process.Results:A total of 128 genes were identified associated with the PAAD prognosis in the meta-analysis. Fourteen regulatory loci in 12 of the 128 genes were discovered, among which, only rs4887783, the functional variant in the promoter of Ring Finger and WD Repeat Domain 3 (RFWD3), presented significant association with PAAD prognosis in both stages of the population study. Dual-luciferase reporter and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that rs4887783-G allele, which predicts the worse prognosis, enhanced the binding of transcript factor REST, thus elevating RFWD3 expression. Further phenotypic assays revealed that excess expression of RFWD3 promoted tumor cell migration without affecting their proliferation rate. RFWD3 was highly expressed in PAAD and might orchestrate the genes in the DNA repair process.Conclusions:RFWD3 and its regulatory variant are novel genetic factors for PAAD prognosis.

简介：AbstractBackground:Fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) are the most widely used non-invasive tests in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. However, evidence about the direct comparison of the test performance of the self-administered qualitative a laboratory-based quantitative FITs in a CRC screening setting is sparse.Methods:Based on a CRC screening trial (TARGET-C), we included 3144 pre-colonoscopy fecal samples, including 24 CRCs, 230 advanced adenomas, 622 non-advanced adenomas, and 2268 participants without significant findings at colonoscopy. Three self-administered qualitative FITs (Pupu tube) with positivity thresholds of 8.0, 14.4, or 20.8 μg hemoglobin (Hb)/g preset by the manufacturer and one laboratory-based quantitative FIT (OC-Sensor) with a positivity threshold of 20 μg Hb/g recommended by the manufacturer were tested by trained staff in the central laboratory. The diagnostic performance of the FITs for detecting colorectal neoplasms was compared in the different scenarios using the preset and adjusted thresholds (for the quantitative FIT).Results:At the thresholds preset by the manufacturers, apart from the qualitative FIT-3, significantly higher sensitivities for detecting advanced adenoma were observed for the qualitative FIT-1 (33.9% [95% CI: 28.7-39.4%]) and qualitative FIT-2 (22.2% [95% CI: 17.7-27.2%]) compared to the quantitative FIT (11.7% [95% CI: 8.4-15.8%]), while at a cost of significantly lower specificities. However, such difference was not observed for detecting CRC. For scenarios of adjusting the positivity thresholds of the quantitative FIT to yield comparable specificity or comparable positivity rate to the three qualitative FITs accordingly, there were no significant differences in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive/negative predictive values and positive/negative likelihood ratios for detecting CRC or advanced adenoma between the two types of FITs, which was further evidenced in ROC analysis.Conclusions:Although the self-administered qualitative and the laboratory-based quantitative FITs had varied test performance at the positivity thresholds preset by the manufacturer, such heterogeneity could be overcome by adjusting thresholds to yield comparable specificities or positivity rates. Future CRC screening programs should select appropriate types of FITs and define the thresholds based on the targeted specificities and manageable positivity rates.

简介：AbstractBackground:Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) have emerged as potential alternatives to drug-eluting stents in specific lesion subsets for de novo coronary lesions. Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a method based on the three-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography and contrast flow velocity during coronary angiography (CAG), obviating the need for an invasive fractional flow reserve procedural. This study aimed to assess the serial angiographic changes of de novo lesions post-DCB therapy and further explore the cut-off values of lesion and vessel QFR, which predict vessel restenosis (diameter stenosis [DS] ≥50%) at mid-term follow-up.Methods:The data of patients who underwent DCB therapy between January 2014 and December 2019 from the multicenter hospital were retrospectively collected for QFR analysis. From their QFR performances, which were analyzed by CAG images at follow-up, we divided them into two groups: group A, showing target vessel DS ≥50%, and group B, showing target vessel DS <50%. The median follow-up time was 287 days in group A and 227 days in group B. We compared the clinical characteristics, parameters during DCB therapy, and QFR performances, which were analyzed by CAG images between the two groups, in need to explore the cut-off value of lesion/vessel QFR which can predict vessel restenosis. Student’s t test was used for the comparison of normally distributed continuous data, Mann-Whitney U test for the comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the evaluation of QFR performance which can predict vessel restenosis (DS ≥50%) at mid-term follow-up using the area under the curve (AUC).Results:A total of 112 patients with 112 target vessels were enrolled in this study. Group A had 41 patients, while group B had 71. Vessel QFR and lesion QFR were lower in group A than in group B post-DCB therapy, and the cut-off values of lesion QFR and vessel QFR in the ROC analysis to predict target vessel DS ≥50% post-DCB therapy were 0.905 (AUC, 0.741 [95% confidence interval, CI: 0.645, 0.837]; sensitivity, 0.817; specificity, 0.561; P < 0.001) and 0.890 (AUC, 0.796 [95% CI: 0.709, 0.882]; sensitivity, 0.746; specificity, 0.780; P < 0.001).Conclusions:The cut-off values of lesion QFR and vessel QFR can assist in predicting the angiographic changes post-DCB therapy. When lesion/vessel QFR values are <0.905/0.890 post-DCB therapy, a higher risk of vessel restenosis is potentially predicted at follow-up.