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Background The incidence of local recurrence remains noteworthy among lung cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). The aim of the study is to identify the risk factors and develop a nomogram for local control (LC) prediction. Methods One hundred fifty-eight primary or metastatic lung cancer patients treated with SBRT were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical, dosimetric and inflammation-related parameters were collected. The Cox regression analysis was performed to determine the independent prognostic factors. A nomogram based on the prognostic factors was established and internally validated using a bootstrap resampling method. Results The median follow-up time for the whole cohort was 40 months (95% CI: 34–46) and 35.4% of the patients (56/158) experienced local recurrence. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year LC rates were 97.4%, 85.8% and 76.1%. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that six independent factors were associated with LC, including age, clinical stage, planning target volume (PTV) volume, BED of the prescription dose (BEDPD), lymphocyte count, and neutrocyte count. The bootstrap-corrected C-index of the developed nomogram was 0.745 (95% CI, 0.663–0.793). The time-dependent AUC indicated the nomogram exhibited strong discriminatory capability. Calibration curves demonstrated a good concordance between the predicted and the observed probabilities. The results of decision curve analysis highlighted the clinical utility of the model. Additionally, the high- and low-risk patients were stratified based on the cut-off point from the nomogram ( P  < 0.0001). Conclusions A nomogram based on the clinical, dosimetric, and inflammation-related predictors is developed for LC prediction in lung cancer patients treated with SBRT. External validation is required for further confirm its validity.

Bartonella species are emerging human pathogens. Bats are known to carry diverse Bartonella species, some of which are capable of infecting humans. However, as the second largest mammalian group by a number of species, the role of bats as the reservoirs of Bartonella species is not fully explored, in term of their species diversity and worldwide distribution. China, especially Northern China, harbors a number of endemic insectivorous bat species; however, to our knowledge, there are not yet studies about Bartonella in bats in China. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella species in bats in Northern China. Bartonella species were detected by PCR amplification of gltA gene in 25.2% (27/107) bats in Mengyin County, Shandong Province of China, including 1/3 Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, 2/10 Rhinolophus pusillus, 9/16 Myotis fimbriatus, 1/5 Myotis ricketti, 14/58 Myotis pequinius. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Bartonella species detected in bats in this study clustered into ten groups, and some might be novel Bartonella species. An association between Bartonella species and bat species was demonstrated and co-infection with different Bartonella species in a single bat was also observed. Our findings expanded our knowledge on the genetic diversity of Bartonella in bats, and shed light on the ecology of bat-borne Bartonella species.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) was a novel tick-borne bunyavirus that caused hemorrhagic fever with a high fatality rate in East Asia. In this study we analyzed the complete genome sequences of 122 SFTSV strains to determine the phylogeny, evolution and reassortment of the virus. We revealed that the evolutionary rate of three genome segments were different, with highest in the S segment and lowest in the L segment. The SFTSV strains were phylogenetically classified into 5 lineages (A, B, C, D and E) with each genome segment. SFTSV strains from China were classified in all 5 lineages, strains from South Korea were classified into 3 lineages (A, D, and E), and all strains from Japan were classified in only linage E. Using the average evolutionary rate of the three genome segments, we found that the extant SFTSV originated 20-87 years ago in the Dabie Mountain area in central China. The viruses were then transmitted to other areas of China, Japan and South Korea. We also found that six SFTSV strains were reassortants. Selection pressure analysis suggested that SFTSV was under purifying selection according to the four genes (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, glycoprotein, nucleocapsid protein, non-structural protein), and two sites (37, 1033) of glycoproteins were identified as being under strong positive selection. We concluded that SFTSV originated in central China and spread to other places recently and the virus was under purifying selection with high frequency of reassortment.

PurposeThe study aims to investigate whether including the inflammation-related parameters would enhance the accuracy of a nomogram for local control (LC) prediction in lung cancer patients undergoing stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).Methods158 primary or metastatic lung cancer patients treated with SBRT were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical, dosimetric and inflammation-related parameters were collected for the Cox regression analysis. The ACPB model was constructed by employing the clinical and dosimetric factors. And the ACPBLN model was established by adding the inflammation-related factors to the ACPB model. The two models were compared in terms of ROC, Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), C-index, time-dependent AUC, continuous net reclassification index (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), calibration plots and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsMultivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that six prognostic factors were independently associated with LC, including age, clinical stage, planning target volume (PTV) volume, BED of the prescribed dose (BEDPD), the lymphocyte count and neutrocyte count. The ACPBLN model performed better in AIC, bootstrap-corrected C-index, time-dependent AUC, NRI and IDI than the ACPB model. The calibration plots showed good consistency between the probabilities and observed values in the two models. The DCA curves showed that the ACPBLN nomogram had higher overall net benefit than the ACPB model across a majority of threshold probabilities.ConclusionThe inflammation-related parameters were associated with LC for lung cancer patients treated with SBRT. The inclusion of the inflammation-related parameters improved the predictive performance of the nomogram for LC prediction.

Apparently these Anaplasma species should be a single species according to the criterion that a bacterial species must have at least 99% 16S rRNA gene homology,2 and the natural hosts of the novel Anaplasma species include goat, cattle, deer, and serow.3,4 Li and colleagues isolated \"A capra\" from human beings and goats living in a forest area in the northeast China.

Background Quorum Sensing (QS) systems influence biofilm formation, an important virulence factor related to the bacterial survival and antibiotic resistance. In Acinetobacter baumannii , biofilm formation depends on pili biosynthesis, structures assembled via the csuA/BABCDE chaperone-usher secretion system. QS signaling molecules are hypothesized to affect pili formation; however, the mechanism behind this remains unclear. This study aimed to demonstrate the possible role of QS signaling molecules in regulating pili formation and mediating the ability to form biofilms on abiotic surfaces. Results Real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed the expression of the csuA/BABCDE genes distinctly increased when co-cultured with C6-HSL ( P  < 0.05). Under the same experimental conditions, expression of BfmS and BfmR was significantly higher than the control strain ( P  < 0.05). A subsurface twitching assay showed a switch from a small to a large and structured clone that may result from enhanced twitching motility ( P  < 0.05). Transmission electron microscopy analysis of cells lifted from a MH broth co-cultured with C6-HSL showed more abundant pili-like structures than the control strain. We then tested the idea that the addition of a QS signal, and therefore induction of chaperone-usher secretion system genes, provides a greater benefit at higher biofilm densities. An assay for the total fluorescence intensity of the biofilm using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy revealed an obvious increase. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that, increased transcription of the BfmS and BfmR genes, QS signaling molecules enhance the expression of the chaperone-usher secretion system, and this expression is required for twitching motility in A. baumannii . The concomitant pili expression and strain twitching allowed A. baumannii to attach easily to abiotic surfaces and form biofilms at an earlier timepoint.

Background： Although many previous studies have confirmed that perioperative blood transfusion is associated with poor outcomes after liver transplantation （LT）, few studies described the influence of single-donor platelet apheresis transfusion in living donor LT （LDLT）. This study aimed to assess the effect of blood products on outcomes for LDLT recipients, focusing on apheresis platelets. Methods： This retrospective study included 126 recipients who underwent their first adult-to-adult LDLT. Twenty-four variables including consumption of blood products of 126 LDLT recipients were assessed for their link to short-term outcomes and overall survival. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and the log-rank test were used for recipient survival analysis. A multivariate Cox proportional-hazard model and a propensity score analysis were applied to adjust confounders after potential risk factors were identified by a univariate Cox analysis. Results： Patients who received apheresis platelet transfusion had a lower 90-day cumulative survival （78.9% vs. 94.2%, P = 0.009）, but had no significant difference in overall survival in the Cox model, compared with those without apheresis platelet transfusion. Units of apheresis platelet transfusion（hazard ratio[HR]=3.103,95% confidence interval[CI]：1.720–5.600,P〈0.001）and preoperative platelet count（HR=0.170,95% CI：0.040–0.730,P=0.017）impacted 90-day survival independently.Multivariate Cox regression analysis also found that units of red blood cell（RBC）transfusion（HR=1.036,95% CI：1.006–1.067,P=0.018）,recipient＇s age（HR=1.045,95% CI：1.005–1.086,P=0.025）,and ABO blood group comparison（HR=2.990,95% CI：1.341–6.669,P=0.007）were independent risk factors for overall survival after LDLT. Conclusions： This study suggested that apheresis platelets were only associated with early mortality but had no impact on overall survival in LDLT. Units of RBC, recipient＇s age, and ABO group comparison were independent predictors of long-term outcomes.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) was a novel tick-borne bunyavirus that caused hemorrhagic fever with a high fatality rate in East Asia. In this study we analyzed the complete genome sequences of 122 SFTSV strains to determine the phylogeny, evolution and reassortment of the virus. We revealed that the evolutionary rate of three genome segments were different, with highest in the S segment and lowest in the L segment. The SFTSV strains were phylogenetically classified into 5 lineages (A, B, C, D and E) with each genome segment. SFTSV strains from China were classified in all 5 lineages, strains from South Korea were classified into 3 lineages (A, D, and E), and all strains from Japan were classified in only linage E. Using the average evolutionary rate of the three genome segments, we found that the extant SFTSV originated 20-87 years ago in the Dabie Mountain area in central China. The viruses were then transmitted to other areas of China, Japan and South Korea. We also found that six SFTSV strains were reassortants. Selection pressure analysis suggested that SFTSV was under purifying selection according to the four genes (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, glycoprotein, nucleocapsid protein, non-structural protein), and two sites (37, 1033) of glycoproteins were identified as being under strong positive selection. We concluded that SFTSV originated in central China and spread to other places recently and the virus was under purifying selection with high frequency of reassortment.

The effects of siderite on reverse flotation of hematite were investigated using micro flotation, adsorption tests, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The flotation results show that interactions between siderite and quartz are the main reasons that siderite significantly influences the floatability. The interactions are attributed to dissolved siderite species and fine siderite particles. The interaction due to the dissolved species is, however, dominant. Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek（DLVO） theoretical calculations reveal that adhesion on quartz increases when the siderite particle size decreases and that fine particles partly influence quartz floatability. Chemical solution calculations indicate that the dissolved species of siderite might convert the surface of active quartz to CaCO_3 precipitates that can be depressed by starch. The theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the results of adsorption tests and FTIR spectroscopy and explain the reasons why siderite significantly influences reverse flotation of hematite.

The Zoige wetland is the biggest alpine wetland in the world,and an important water resource of the Yellow River.Due to natural and human factors,the Zoige wetland has been seriously degraded.Existing studies on the Zoige wetland mainly focus on the macro features of the wetland,while the influence of the surrounding faults on the Zoige wetland degradation is rarely studied.This study uses terrain data to analyze the cover change and the water loss caused by the Wqie-Seji fault based on the distributed hydrological model.The simulated water loss demonstrates that the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index（NDVI） is the most important factor for inducing water loss.The fault is also a factor that cannot be neglected,which has caused 33% of the wetland water loss.Therefore,it is of importance to study the influence of the fault on the wetland degradation.