High Sensitivity Rate Research Articles

Update on Urinary Tract Infection Antibiotic Resistance-A Retrospective Study in Females in Conjunction with Clinical Data.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a frequent pathology among the female population that has become more and more difficult to treat in the past decade, considering the increase in antibiotic resistance-a serious global public health problem. A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted for six months to report an update regarding the rates of resistance and susceptibility of uropathogens necessary for optimal treatment. A total of 5487 patients were screened, of which 524 (9.54%) were female patients who met the criteria for inclusion in the study. Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen, representing 290 cases (55.34%), followed by Enterococcus spp. 82 (15.64%). Escherichia coli presented the highest resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (R = 33.1%), followed by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (R = 32.41%) and levofloxacin (R = 32.06%). The highest sensitivity rates were observed for fosfomycin (S = 96.55%), followed by imipenem (S = 93.1%). Enterococcus spp. showed the highest resistance to levofloxacin (R = 50.0%), followed by penicillin (R = 39.02%). The highest sensitivity was observed for fosfomycin (S = 90.24%), linezolid (S = 89.02%), and nitrofurantoin (S = 86.58%). The second most frequent Gram-negative uropathogen was represented by Klebsiella spp., which had the highest resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (R = 35.89%), followed by levofloxacin (R = 25.64) and trimethoprim-suflamethoxazole (R = 24.35%). The most frequently associated pathology was an episode of UTI in the previous year, followed by diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Antibiotic resistance is a serious problem for all clinicians who treat UTIs. An up-to-date knowledge of antibiotic resistance rates is a major necessity to stop its evolution. Overall, the highest resistance rates were observed for aminopenicillins, fluoroquinolones, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The best susceptibility rates were observed for fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, and carbapenems. Our report aims to guide clinicians whenever they are forced to prescribe antibiotics empirically.

Utility of 99mTc-Sestamibi Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)/CT Single Imaging Strategy in the Preoperative Localization of Parathyroid Adenoma.

Background Primary hyperparathyroidism is an endocrinopathy associated with dysregulated calcium homeostasis. The most common etiology is a parathyroid adenoma most definitely managed via a parathyroidectomy. The two main surgical approaches include a minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) and open four-gland exploration (4-GE). MIP is the preferred operative strategy since it is associated with less postoperative complications. Accurate preoperative imaging is essential in informing the optimal approach to surgery. MIP is only considered if adenoma is able to be localized precisely. The most commonly used imaging modality includes ultrasound and sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT, either as a singleor combination strategy. Other options include MRI, PET, and 4D CT. There is no universally accepted preoperative imaging strategy. The literature is discordant and recommendations proposed by existing guidelines are incongruous. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate currently utilized preoperative parathyroid imaging modalities at our institution and correlate them with surgical and histological findings to determine the most efficient imaging strategy to detect adenomas for our patient cohort. This will ultimately guide the best surgical approach for patients receiving parathyroidectomies. Methods This is a retrospective observational study of all patients undergoing first-time surgery for biochemically proven primary hyperparathyroidism at our institution over the past five years. Multiple data points were collected including modality of preoperative disease localization, operation type, final histopathology, biochemical investigations, and cure rate. Patients were categorized into one of three groups based on the method of disease localization. Results A total of 244 patients had parathyroidectomies performed at our institution in the past five years from January 2018 to December 2022. Ninety-six percent (n=235) of all patients received dual imaging preoperatively with SPECT/CT and ultrasound performed on the same day and therefore included in this study. A total of 64.3% (n=151) underwent MIP. Eighty percent (n=188) of all histopathology revealed adenomas and 26.8% (n=63) of patients had adenoma localized on SPECT/CT only (sensitivity: 58.1%, specificity: 71%, and positive predictive value {PPV}: 85.7%). A total of 9.8% (n=23) had adenoma localized on ultrasound only (sensitivity: 15.6%, specificity: 73.3%, and PPV: 65.2%). A total of 45.1% (n=106) were dual localized on both SPECT/CT and ultrasound (sensitivity: 75.6%, specificity: 46.6%, and PPV: 84.9%). The cure rate was 91.5% in the dual-localized group, 86% in the dual-unlocalized group, and 96.5% when localized with SPECT/CT alone. Conclusion A dual-imaging modality with SPECT/CT and ultrasound should remain the first-line imaging strategy. This approach has higher sensitivity rates and poses no inherent patient or surgical-related risks. Patients with disease unlocalized on SPECT/CT alone had a positive predictive value, specificity, and likelihood ratio for adenoma detection comparable to dual-localized patients. Therefore, SPECT/CT alone is sufficient for directing MIP in the presence of a negative ultrasound.

Vinegar Activity against Clinically Isolated Escherichia Coli

Abstract Background: Antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli (E. coli) has become a worrying issue been increasingly observed worldwide in recent decades. E. coli intrinsically has a great capacity to accumulate resistance, making them difficult to treat with standard therapies. So, using alternative strategies to treat it is urgent. Material and Methods: The bacteria were isolated from urinary tracts and wounds, and then cultured in three media (blood agar, MacConkey agar, and eosin methylene blue agar). They were incubated for 24 h at a temperature of 37oC to grow. The well diffusion method was used to evaluate the activity of vinegar, and the disk diffusion method was used for antibiotic sensitivity test of gentamicin as a control agent after overnight incubation. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS 26 software. Results: Out of the 24 participants in the study, 66.6% were women, while 33.4% were men with significant differences (P < 0.05). Isolated E. coli (75%) were sensitive to vinegar, while 70.80% of isolates were sensitive to gentamycin. The mean inhibition zone for vinegar was 13 ± 6.04 mm compared to 15 ± 6.43 mm for gentamicin with no significant differences (P = 0.27). Conclusions: Vinegar shows 75% sensitivity to clinically isolated E. coli, and thus it can be a promising treatment option. Gentamicin with high rate of sensitivity can be used as an empirical treatment for E. coli infections. Vinegar has similar activity to gentamicin (P > 0.05).

Свойства бактерий, вызывающих инфекции мочевыводящих путей у пациентов в медицинских учреждениях Болгарии

Pathogenic microorganisms of urinary tract infections are mainly representatives of different bacterial species with a wide variety of virulence factors and multi-drug resistant strains. In connection with determining the empirical therapy of urinary tract infections, it is necessary to know the prevalence and incidence of uropathogens in the region. Objective. To determine the etiological structure of urinary tract infections among Bulgarian patients in the outpatient healthcare setting and their antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance. Patients and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 763 outpatients. There were applied microbiological procedures – urine sample culture and antimicrobial susceptibility test. The principles of the Disc Diffusion Method were applied in determining the sensitivity of microorganisms to antimicrobial chemotherapeutics. Results. The leading contingent were mostly women (75.6%). Predominant working diagnoses as the reason for microbiological analysis were cystitis or tubulointestinal nephritis. A positive urine culture was reported in a significant part of the respondents (46.26%) referred by specialists from primary and secondary health care. Among the isolated strains, Escherichia coli was identified in more than half of the examined individuals (53.3%), with high rates of sensitivity to most antibiotics used in medical practice. 17% and 12.2% were the representations of Enterococcus faecalis and Klebsiella pneumonia in the sample, in which increasing levels of resistance and respectively disturbingly high ones to some of the widely applied antimicrobial agents were measured. Conclusion. E. coli is the most common gram-negative bacteria causing urinary tract infections in the outpatient medical care. An alarming trend of high levels of resistance was reported in E. faecalis, which was the second most common uropathogen of urinary tract infections in the sample. There was a tendency towards significantly increased rates of resistance in less frequently isolated uropathogens in outpatient medical care. Referring to the obtained results of the study, the authors emphasize the need to grade various antimicrobial resistance bacterial profiles in the outpatient healthcare setting. Key words: urinary tract infections, etiology, antibiotic susceptibility

Thermal and Moisture Managing E-Textiles Enabled by Janus Hierarchical Gradient Honeycombs.

Moisture and thermal comfort are critical for long-term wear. In recent years, there has been rapidly growing attention on the importance of the comfortability in wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles), particularly in fields such as health monitoring, sports training, medical diagnosis and treatment, where long-term comfort is crucial. Nonetheless, simultaneously regulating thermal and moisture comfort for the human body without compromising electronic performance remains a significant challenge to date. Herein, a thermal and moisture managing e-textile (TMME-textile) that integrates unidirectional water transport and daytime radiative cooling properties with highly sensitive sensing performance is developed. The TMME-textile is made by patterning sensing electrodes on rationally designed Janus hierarchical gradient honeycombs that offer wetting gradient and optical management. The TMME-textile can unidirectionally pump excessive sweat, providing a dry and comfortable microenvironment for users. Moreover, it possesses high solar reflectivity (98.3%) and mid-infrared emissivity (89.2%), which reduce skin temperature by ≈7.0°C under a solar intensity of 1kWm-2. The TMME-textile-based strain sensor displays high sensitivity (0.1749kPa-1) and rapid response rate (170ms), effectively enabling smooth long-term monitoring, especially during high-intensity outdoor sports where thermal and moisture stresses are prominent challenges to conventional e-textiles.

Comparision of pap stained smears by using auto fluorescence method with ziehl-neelsen method for detection of acid fast bacilli (AFB)

The Ziehl-Neelsen staining method though it plays an important role in detecting acid fast bacilli (AFB) by direct microscopy its low sensitivity makes to look for the other alternatives. : This study was undertaken to evaluate the utility of auto fluorescence method on Papanicolaou stain (Pap) in comparison tothe traditional Ziehl-Neelsen stain (ZN) method in detection of AFB from lymph node aspirates. Fine needle aspirations (FNAs) were done in 153 patients with clinical suspicion of tubercular lymphadenitis. Smears from aspirate were processed for routine cytology for Hematoxyllin & Eosin (H&E), Giemsa, Pap, Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) and Auramine (AR) staining. Pap stained smears were examined for AFB for their autofluorescence under fluorescent microscope using the blue excitation filter. ZN stained smears are examined for AFB under oil immersion of compound microscope. The efficacy of the autofluorescence method by Pap in detection of acid fast bacilli (AFB) over the conventional Ziehl-Neelsen stain was analyzed by taking AR as a standard control for AFB.Tuberculous lymphadenitis was diagnosed in 36 cases out of 153 clinicall suspected cases by cytology, culture and microscopyThe sensitivity of ZN was 57.14% and specificity was 99.15% while the sensitivity of AF was 96.5% and the specificity was 91.8%. : It was a novel method of detection of AFB, cheaper, easily available and less time consuming than other methods. AR also had high sensitivity rates as AF.

The role of digital mammographic surveillance for detection of asymptomatic recurrence in autologous flap reconstructions

ObjectiveTo evaluate the utility of digital mammography in detecting asymptomatic malignancy in autologous flap reconstructions after mastectomy. MethodsA retrospective database review identified all mammograms performed on asymptomatic patients with flap reconstructions over a 9-year period (1/1/2009 to 12/31/2017). A negative examination was defined as BI-RADS 1 or 2 and a positive examination was defined as BI-RADS 0, 4, or 5 assigned to the mastectomy side. Malignant outcomes were determined by pathology results. Interval cancers, or false negatives, were defined as locoregional malignant diagnosis within one year of a negative mammogram. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, abnormal interpretation rate, and cancer detection rate were calculated. Results626 mammograms of asymptomatic flap reconstructions were performed in 183 patients. The most common flap type was TRAM (83.5 %, 523/626) and DIEP (13.4 %, 84/626). Most exams (98.2 %, 615/626) were negative, assessed as BI-RADS 1 or 2, with no interval cancers at follow-up. Eleven exams (1.8 %, 11/626) were positive, assessed as BI-RADS 0, 4, or 5. After diagnostic work-up of all BI-RADS 0 exams, 9 cases had a final recommendation for biopsy of which 3 were malignant. Mammography yielded a cancer detection rate of 0.5 % (3/626), abnormal interpretation rate of 1.8 % (11/626), NPV of 100 % (615/615), overall PPV of 27.3 % (3/11), PPV2 (positive predictive value of a biopsy recommendation) of 33.3 % (3/9), sensitivity of 100 % (3/3), and specificity of 98.7 % (615/623). ConclusionDigital mammography of asymptomatic autologous flap reconstructions after mastectomy demonstrated high sensitivity and low abnormal interpretation rate. Cancer detection rate was comparable to current national benchmarks for mammographic screening in the general U.S. population without mastectomy.

Multipartite patella: A review of diagnostic techniques and management of the symptomatic patient.

Multipartite patella is an anatomical variant classified by the fragmentation of the main patellar body. The cause of this variant is due to failure in fusion of the patellar ossification centers. It is commonly misdiagnosed as a fracture of the patella in clinical practice, leading to unnecessary treatment measures. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the development and classification of this variation, diagnostic imaging techniques, and assess the optimal management technique for the symptomatic patient. Multiple radiographic methods are used to identify this variant, with recent studies highlighting high sensitivity rates for nonradiative methods (ultrasound). In terms of symptomatic management, accessory fragment excision and vastus lateralis release provide the greatest alleviation of symptoms, with screw fixation being less favorable.

Using Multistage Energy Barrier of Heterojunctions in Improving Cr(VI) Detection.

Detecting heavy metals in seawater is challenging due to the high salinity and complex composition, which cause strong interference. To address this issue, we propose using a multistage energy barrier as an electrochemical driver to generate electrochemical responses that can resist interference. The Ni-based heterojunction foams with different types of barriers were fabricated to detect Cr(VI), and the effects of the energy barriers on the electrochemical response were studied. The single-stage barrier can effectively drive the electrochemical response, and the multistage barrier is even more powerful in improving sensing performance. A prototype Ni/NiO/CeO2/Au/PANI foam with multistage barriers achieved a high sensitivity and recovery rate (93.63-104.79%) in detecting seawater while resisting interference. The use of multistage barriers as a driver to resist electrochemical interference is a promising approach.

Dust mite component Analysis: Identifying key allergens components for effective immunotherapy in allergic rhinitis

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to examine the frequency of sensitization to house dust mite (HDM) components among allergic rhinitis patients receiving subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), and to assess the correlation between SCIT efficacy and specific IgE (sIgE) levels for allergenic HDM components. MethodsSerum samples and clinical data were collected from 38 allergic rhinitis patients receiving HDM-SCIT at baseline and after 1 year of treatment. Effective treatment was defined as a therapeutic index (TI) of at least 50% after 1 year. Cytokine levels were analyzed using commercial ELISA kits, while serum total and specific IgE levels were determined by the fluoroenzymeimmunoassay technique. The ALLEOS 2000 magnetic particle chemiluminescence system was used to measure sIgE levels for Der f, Der p 1, Der p 2, Der p 10, and Der p 23. ResultsAllergic rhinitis patients undergoing HDM-SCIT had a high rate of allergic sensitization to the HDM major allergens Der p (100%), Der f (100%), Der p 1 (94.74%), Der p 2 (94.74%), and Der p 23 (36.84%). Patients who responded to SCIT had higher levels of IgE for HDM components at baseline, while those with ineffective treatment showed an opposite performance, particularly for Der p 1 (P＜0.05). After 1 year of treatment, effective and ineffective patients showed opposite trends in sIgE for dust mite components (decreased in effective patients, increased in ineffective patients). HDM-SCIT led to a significant reduction in IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and EOS% (P＜0.05). IgE for Der p, Der f, Der p 1, Der p 2, and HDM sIgE were significantly positively correlated (P < 0.001). The correlation heatmap analysis based on changes in values reveals a negative correlation between CSMS score changes and sIgE for Der f and Der p 1, and a positive correlation with IL-2, IL-10, and TNF (P < 0.05). ConclusionsThe molecular sensitization profiles during HDM-SCIT are variable and relate to treatment efficacy. Molecular diagnosis can assist allergists in identifying patients eligible for HDM-SCIT, thereby enhancing the treatment's clinical efficacy. Serum cytokine levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6，and EOS% may serve as useful biomarkers for monitoring HDM-SCIT efficacy.

Statistical Assessment of Drug Synergy from In Vivo Combination Studies using Mouse Tumor Models.

Drug combination therapy is a promising strategy for treating cancer, however, its efficacy and synergy require rigorous evaluation in preclinical studies before going to clinical trials. Existing methods have limited power to detect synergy in animal studies. Here, we introduce a novel approach to assess in vivo drug synergy with high sensitivity and low false discovery rate. It can accurately estimate combination index and synergy score under the Bliss independence model and the highest single agent (HSA) model without any assumption on tumor growth kinetics, study duration, data completeness and balance for tumor volume measurement. We show that our method can effectively validate in vitro drug synergy discovered from cell line assays in in vivo xenograft experiments, and can help to elucidate the mechanism of action for immune checkpoint inhibitors in syngeneic mouse models by combining an anti-PD-1 antibody and several tumor-infiltrating leukocytes depletion treatments. We provide a unified view of in vitro and in vivo synergy by presenting a parallelism between the fixed-dose in vitro and the 4-group in vivo combination studies, so they can be better designed, analyzed and compared. We emphasize that combination index, when defined here via relative survival of tumor cells, is both dose and time dependent, and give guidelines on designing informative in vivo combination studies. We explain how to interpret and apply Bliss and HSA synergies. Finally, we provide an open-source software package named invivoSyn that enables automated analysis of in vivo synergy using our method and several other existing methods.

Integration of phenotypic, qPCR and genome sequencing methodologies for the detection of antimicrobial resistance and virulence in clinical isolates of a tertiary hospital, India.

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence in clinical isolates is a significant public health concern. The rapid and accurate detection of these traits in clinical isolates is essential for effective infection control and treatment. We demonstrated the integration of multiple detection methodologies, including phenotypic testing, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and genome sequencing, to detect AMR and virulence in clinical isolates. One hundred sixty-two gram-negative bacterial clinical isolates were selected for this study from the Shri Vinoba Bhave Civil Hospital, Silvassa, a tertiary government hospital. Antimicrobial susceptibility was detected by determining the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) using Vitek-2, whereas the combined disk (CD) method was used for phenotypic detection of carbapenemase activity. The highest sensitivity rates were obtained for antibiotics colistin 87.93%, amikacin 67.52%, tigecycline 63.39%, nitrofurantoin 60.87%, and gentamycin 56.08%. The most resistant antibiotics were ceftazidime (71.93%), ciprofloxacin (67.95%) and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (65.56%). Approximately 46.91% (76) of all the isolates were MBL isolates. The qPCR results confirmed the presence of blaNDM-1 in 29.01% of the isolates. The blaNDM-1 harbouring isolates in descending order, were Acinetobacter, Enterobacter cloacae, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Klebsiella and Acinetobacter isolates were extensively drug-resistant. Whole genome sequencing performed on one of the Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates revealed the presence of many virulence factors, which increased the pathogenicity of the clinical isolates. The results showed that antimicrobial resistance, including carbapenem resistance, blaNDM-1, and virulence factors, was highly prevalent among isolates from tertiary clinical hospitals. The integration of multiple detection methodologies can potentially improve the detection of AMR and virulence in clinical isolates, leading to better patient outcomes and a reduced spread of these essential traits.

Study of the prevalence and antibiotics susceptibility patterns in clinically significant isolates among urine sample in a tertiary care centre

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are prevalent bacterial infections. Gram-negative bacilli are frequently isolated as the causative pathogens in UTIs, and antibiotics are commonly used to treat them. However, the overuse of antibiotics has led to the development of resistance in some uropathogens. : To find the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in clinically significant isolates among urine sample in a tertiary care centre.: Fresh mid-stream urine samples were collected aseptically in sterile containers. The samples were inoculated on 5% sheep blood agar and MacConkey agar. The isolates were identified to the species level using biochemical tests/Vitek 2 compact.: A total of 5847 specimens were examined for significant bacteriuria, out of which 1160 showed bacterial growth in urine cultures. The most commonly isolated pathogens were (57.67%) and (18.63%). The antibiotics aminoglycosides (84%), carbapenems (79%), and nitrofurantoin (63%) displayed a high rate of sensitivity against these pathogens.: Due to the variability of drug sensitivity among bacterial pathogens over time, regular surveillance and monitoring are essential to provide physicians with updated information for the most effective empirical treatment of UTIs.

Clinical characteristics in Japanese patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery

ObjectiveThere is heterogeneity in the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Obtaining a detailed understanding of patient profiles in specific regions can provide valuable information not only for clinical practice but also future research plans. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of patients who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for CRS. MethodsThis retrospective, single-center study examined the features of 453 patients with CRS who underwent ESS in the Tokyo area of Japan. The study evaluated various factors in patients with CRS including sex and age, the Japanese Epidemiological Survey of Refractory Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis (JESREC) score, the recurrence rate of CRS, comorbidities of asthma and/or allergic diseases, and IgE sensitization to 12 inhaled allergens. ResultsAge-related declines in the sensitization rate to inhaled allergens were observed, and the most notable age-related decrease in specific IgE antibodies was observed for house dust mites (HDM) (p = 8.3 × 10−7). Sensitization to HDM, cat dander, and various types of fungi, including Aspergillus, was frequently observed in the CRS with asthma group, with rates of 54%, 17%, and 17%, respectively. We found that 23% of the patients had recurrence. In the recurrence group, the positive rates of specific IgE antibodies for birch and cat dander were significantly higher than in the no recurrence group. Bronchial asthma was identified as an important factor for recurrence. Among male patients, the recurrence group was younger than the no-recurrence group (p = 0.0032). Severe eosinophilic CRS (ECRS) showed early recurrence after surgery, with over the half of the patients experiencing at least one recurrence within 2 years post-surgery. Among patients with ECRS, the recurrence rate for females was 1.92 times higher than for males. ConclusionOur study revealed the influences of age and sex on various clinical phenotypes of CRS patients undergoing ESS. There was a high sensitization rate to cat dander in both the recurrence and asthma groups. Further research on diverse disease etiologies is necessary to improve therapeutic strategies for patients with CRS.

Early diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: the role of biomarkers and complex indices of non-alcoholic fatty liver steatosis

Metabolic syndrome is a series of pathologies united by a similar pathogenesis, the end of which, most often, is cardiovascular accidents, which are leaders among the causes of death in the population around the world. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic equivalent of the metabolic syndrome, registered earlier than all other equivalents, on the rights of the liver as a first-line energy depot. At the same time, according to multicenter studies, 95% of people with NAFLD (any stage) are not diagnosed with the disease. Clarification of additional risk factors for NAFLD and the presence of a specific biomarker of non-alcoholic liver steatosis would make it possible to stop the vicious cascade of metabolic processes, which in the future can lead to a significant increase in the life expectancy of the population. The potentially high role of Secreted Frizzled Related Protein-4 (SFRP4) adipokine in the early diagnosis of NAFLD is known. The aim of the study was to optimize the early diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using modern indices and biomarkers. Materials and methods. The work was carried out at the Department of Faculty and Hospital Therapy of the Chuvash State University named after I. N. Ulyanov” in the period from 2016 to 2020. This study included several stages: first of all, a retrospective analysis of 1150 outpatient records of patients from several medical organizations of the Chuvash Republic for the period 2016-2018 was carried out. to form two study groups: experimental and control. At the second stage, as a result of applying the exclusion criteria, 162 people remained in the experiment: 110 from the experimental group, 52 from the control group. The subjects of both groups were compared by gender and age, the age range of the subjects varied from 18 to 80 years old with an average value of 48.3 years. Further, the patients undergo a detailed examination, according to the presented plan: Collection of complaints, medical history, objective examination. Laboratory studies (general and biochemical blood tests, lipidogram, assessment of the level of serum adipokine SFRP4). Instrumental studies (ultrasound of the OBP, TE (SAR), ESP with elastometry). Evaluation of the most informative complex indices for the early diagnosis of NAFLD: MI, IVO indices, HSI, FLD-I. Further, all the necessary statistical processing and analysis of the obtained data were performed (Microsoft Office Excel 2016, StatTech v. 2.8.8 (developer - Stattech LLC, Russia)). Results. Accessible (not requiring the use of additional time and material costs) NAFLD indices with the highest sensitivity rates (99.1% and 98.2%, respectively) were MI and IVO. A noticeable direct correlation was traced between MI (p=0.640), moderate - between the IVO (p=0.398) and the elastographically determined index of non-alcoholic liver steatosis. High sensitivity and specificity of skin manifestations (xanthoma, xanthelasma - 69.6% and 89.7% and seborrheic dermatitis - 82.0% and 71.4%) were found in relation to early manifestations of NAFLD. From anthropometric indicators: the CW/CF index has a pronounced (ρ=0.643), CW - moderate (ρ=0.238), and BMI - a weak direct (ρ=0.223) correlation with the elastographically determined index of non-alcoholic liver steatosis. Adipokine SFRP4 correlates (ρ=0.841) with early manifestations of hepatic steatosis in patients, as determined by TE in CAP mode.

Photoelectric performance of InSe vdW semi-floating gate p–n junction transistor

Semi-floating gate transistors based on vdW materials are often used in memory and programmable logic applications. In this paper, we propose a semi-floating gate photoelectric p–n junction transistor structure which is stacked by InSe/h-BN/Gr. By modulating gate voltage, InSe can be presented as N-type and P-type respectively on different substrates, and then combined into p–n junction. Moreover, InSe/h-BN/Gr device can be switched freely between N-type resistance and p–n junction. The resistance value of InSe resistor and the photoelectric properties of the p–n junction are also sensitively modulated by laser. Under dark conditions, the rectification ratio of p–n junction can be as high as 107. After laser modulation, the device has a response up to 1.154 × 104 A W−1, a detection rate up to 5.238 × 1012 Jones, an external quantum efficiency of 5.435 × 106%, and a noise equivalent power as low as 1.262 × 10−16 W/Hz1/2. It lays a foundation for the development of high sensitivity and fast response rate tunable photoelectric p–n junction transistor.

Anxiety-related constructs and smoking outcome expectancies among Latinx smokers.

Hispanic/Latinx (hereafter Latinx) smokers in the United States (US) experience unique smoking cessation-related challenges. Smoking outcome expectancies (i.e., positive and negative beliefs about the consequences of smoking behavior) have been linked to the maintenance of smoking and comorbidity with negative emotional states such as anxiety among Latinx smokers. However, past work has not characterized rates of probable anxiety disorder and elevated levels of anxiety sensitivity among English-speaking daily Latinx smokers from the United States or concurrently evaluated the explanatory relevance of anxiety symptoms and anxiety sensitivity for negative and positive smoking outcome expectancies. The present investigation sought to (a) determine the base rate of probable anxiety disorder and elevated anxiety sensitivity and (b) explore the unique roles of anxiety symptoms and anxiety sensitivity in relation to negative and positive smoking outcome expectancies. Participants included 338 English-speaking Latinx adult daily cigarette smokers from the United States (Mage = 35.53 years; SD = 8.65; age range 18-61; 37.3% female). Findings revealed high rates of probable anxiety disorder (50.9%) and elevated anxiety sensitivity (73.4%) among English-speaking Latinx smokers from the United States. Anxiety sensitivity, but not anxiety symptoms or disorders, was significantly related to negative consequences, negative reinforcement, positive reinforcement, and appetite/weight control smoking outcome expectancies. Overall, anxiety experiences were common among Latinx smokers, and anxiety sensitivity was a relatively more consistent and robust predictor of negative and positive outcome expectancies relative to anxiety symptoms and probable anxiety disorder. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Changes in Sensitization Rate to Inhalation Allergy in Busan Area Over Past 40 Years

Background and Objectives This study analyzed skin prick tests conducted on respiratory allergy patients in the Busan area for a 40-year period and estimated future changes in inhaled allergens.Subjects and Method This study conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent skin prick tests for respiratory allergies at two hospitals. We analyzed 5942 test results out of the total tests of 6174 recorded from 1982 to 2021.Results For over 40 years, the main inhalant allergens in the Busan area, including house dust mites (HDM), pollen, have been found to be similar to those in other regions. The sensitization rate of HDM was very high, around 50%-60%, in the early 1990s and the early 2010s, and it showed a gradual increase over time. The sensitization rate of pollen were high at 10- year cycles. The sensitization rate of tree pollens showed a decreasing trend after reaching its peak in the late 1980s, but has been steadily increasing since the 2010s, with a sharp rise (over 25%) observed in 2019-2020. The sensitivity to weed and grass pollens was relatively high in the late 1990s and late 2000s, and exhibited a declining trend since. Among the animal allergens, the sensitization rate of cat allergen was the highest (45%).Conclusion We identified high rates of sensitization to house dust mites and tree pollens, and age-related changes over time. With the increasing prevalence of pet ownership, further research is necessary to monitor sensitization changes. Additionally, due to climate change, continuous monitoring of allergen sensitization rates to pollens and molds is called for.

HMDB: A curated database of genes involved in hydrocarbon monooxygenation reaction with homologous genes as background

The investigation of hydrocarbon degradation potential of environmental microorganisms is an important research topic, whether for the global carbon cycle or oil pollution remediation. Under aerobic conditions, the microorganisms employ a range of monooxygenases to use hydrocarbons substrates as a source of carbon and energy. With the explosion of sequencing data, mining genes in genomes or metagenomes has become computationally expensive and time-consuming. We proposed the HMDB, which is a professional gene database of hydrocarbon monooxygenases. HMDB contains 38 genes, which encode 11 monooxygenases responsible for the hydroxylation of 8 hydrocarbons. To reduce false positives, the strategy of using homologous genes as background noise was applied for HMDB. We added 10,095 gene sequences of homologous enzymes which took non-hydrocarbons as substrates to HMDB. The classic BLAST method and best-hit strategy were recommended for HMDB usage, but not limited. The performance of HMDB was validated using 264,402 prokaryote genomes from RefSeq and 51 metagenomes from SRA. The results showed that HMDB database had high sensitivity and low false positive rate. We release the HMDB database here, hoping to speed up the process for investigation of hydrocarbon monooxygenases in massive metagenomic data. HMDB is freely available at http://www.orgene.net/HMDB/.

Microbiology proficiency testing in fish and fishery products: detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp.

This paper presents the results of two proficiency testing (PT) rounds conducted by the Export Inspection Agency (EIA) Chennai laboratory in 2021 for food testing laboratories in India. The PT program was designed in accordance with ISO/TS 22117, a standard for proficiency testing in food microbiology, and targeted Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp as the organisms of focus. The samples were found to be stable and recoverable during the analysis, and all PT sample packages were delivered to participant laboratories in good condition. The participant laboratories reported high sensitivity rates of 100% for PT round 061021M and 96.49% for PT round 050721M. The accuracy rate in PT round 061021M was 91.89% and 92.10% in case of PT round 050721M. However, there were some false positive and false negative results reported by some participant laboratories in both PT rounds, which may have been caused by operational errors or inconsistencies in analysis. During the PT round 061021M, out of a total of 38 participant laboratories, five laboratories reported false positive results and one laboratory reported a false negative result. Similarly, during the PT round 050721M, six laboratories reported false positive results which resulted in their results being deemed unsatisfactory.