Table_1_Explore the changes of intestinal flora in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 based on bioinformatics.docx

BackgroundStudies have revealed that there were significant changes in intestinal flora composition in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) compared to non-COVID-19 patients, regardless of whether they were treated with medication. Therefore, a comprehensive study of the intestinal flora of COVID-19 patients is needed to further understand the mechanisms of COVID-19 development.MethodsIn total, 20 healthy samples and 20 COVID-19 samples were collected in this study. Firstly, alpha diversity and beta diversity were analyzed to assess whether there were difference in species richness and diversity as well as species composition between COVID-19 and control groups. The observed features index, Evenness index, PD index, and Shannon index were utilized to measure alpha diversity. The principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) were performed to analyzed beta diversity. Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) was utilized to analyze the variability in the abundance of bacterial taxa from different classification levels. The random forest (RF), Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and univariate logistic regression were utilized to identify key Amplicon Sequence Variant (ASVs). Finally, the relevant networks of bacterial taxa were created in COVID-19 and control groups, separately.ResultsThere were more species in the control group than in COVID-19 group. The observed features index, Shannon index, and Evenness index in the control groups were markedly higher than in the COVID-19 group. Therefore, there were marked variations in bacterial taxa composition between the COVID-19 and control groups. The nine bacterial taxa were significantly more abundant in the COVID-19 group, such as g-Streptococcus, f-Streptococcaceae, o-Lactobacillales, c-Bacilli and so on. In the control group, 26 bacterial taxa were significantly more abundant, such as c-Clostrjdia, o-Oscillospirales, f-Ruminococcaceae, etc. The 5 key ASVs were obtained through taking the intersection of the characteristic ASVs obtained by the three algorithms, namely ASV6, ASV53, ASV92, ASV96, and ASV105, which had diagnostic value for COVID-19. The relevance network in the control group was more complex compared to the COVID-19 group.ConclusionOur findings provide five key ASVs for diagnosis of COVID-19, providing a scientific reference for further studies of COVID-19.</p

Early Assessment of Right Ventricular Function in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients using Strain and Strain Rate Imaging

<div><p>Abstract Background: Right ventricular function is a crucial factor of the prognosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Objectives: To evaluate the right ventricular function in SLE patients with different degrees of pulmonary hypertension (PH) by strain and strain rate imaging. Methods: A total of 102 SLE patients and 30 healthy volunteers were studied between October 2015 and May 2016. Patients were divided into three groups according to pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) estimated by echocardiography: group control (A); PASP ≤ 30 mmHg (group B, n = 37); PASP 30-50 mmHg (mild PH; group C, n = 34); and PASP ≥ 50 mmHg (moderate-to-severe PH; group D, n = 31). Longitudinal peak systolic strain (ε) and strain rate (SR), including systolic strain rate (SRs), early diastolic strain rate (SRe) and late diastolic strain rate (SRa) were measured in the basal, middle and apical segments of the right ventricular free wall in participants by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) from the apical four-chamber view. A p < 0.05 was set for statistical significance. Results: The parameters of ε, SRs, SRe, and SRa were significantly decreased in groups C and D compared with groups A and B. The ε of each segments was significantly lower in group D than in group C, while there were no differences in SRs, SRe and SRa between groups C and D. Conclusions: Strain and strain rate imaging could early detect the right ventricular dysfunction in SLE patients with PH, and provide important value for clinical therapy and prognosis of these patients. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2018; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)</p></div

The contrast agent distribution patterns of the adnexal masses on CEUS.

<p>The contrast agent distribution patterns of the adnexal masses on CEUS.</p

The diagnostic capability of CEUS in differential diagnosis of adnexal masses.

<p>A Earlier or simultaneous beginning of enhancement; B Hyper- or iso-enhancment; C Heterogeneous enhancement.</p

NMR Study of the Hydrolysis and Dehydration of Inulin in Water: Comparison of the Catalytic Effect of Lewis Acid SnCl₄ and Brønsted Acid HCl

Various NMR techniques were employed to study the catalytic performance of the Lewis acid SnCl₄ and the Brønsted acid HCl in the conversion of inulin to value-added compounds by hydrolysis and subsequent dehydration. The hydrolysis of inulin was examined to reveal the catalytic abilities of SnCl₄ besides its intrinsic acidity by in situ ¹H and ¹³C NMR at 25 °C. The dehydration reaction of inulin with SnCl₄ as catalyst was followed by high temperature in situ ¹H NMR at 80 °C. The fructose moieties were dehydrated to 5-(hydroxy­methly)­furfural (5-HMF), but the glucose fragment of inulin was inactive for dehydration reaction under this condition. The formation of 5-HMF and its transformation into formic acid and levulinic acid through a rehydration reaction could be monitored by in situ NMR spectroscopy. Moreover, diffusion ordered spectroscopy NMR revealed that the Lewis acid ion, Sn⁴⁺ interacts with the inulin model compounds, i.e., sucrose and fructose. The synergistic effects of complexation and acidity from the hydrolysis of SnCl₄ results in a higher catalytic ability of this Lewis acid catalyst compared with a Brønsted acid

The dynamic changes of enhancement of the adnexal masses on CEUS.

<p>The dynamic changes of enhancement of the adnexal masses on CEUS.</p

The initial enhancement time of adnexal masses compared with myometrium on CEUS.

<p>The initial enhancement time of adnexal masses compared with myometrium on CEUS.</p

The enhancement degree of the adnexal masses on CEUS.

<p>The enhancement degree of the adnexal masses on CEUS.</p

A 22-year-old woman with serous cystadenocarcinoma.

<p>A: Gray-scale sonogram shows an 5.2-cm echogenic mass (arrow) with solid projection at the left of uterus. B: Color Doppler shows minimal-moderate vascularization. C: CEUS scan at 12 s shows earlier enhancement (arrow) in comparison with myometrium. D: CEUS scan at 15 s shows inhomogeneous hyper-enhancement with agent perfusion inside (arrow).</p

Additional file 1 of Silicon supply promotes differences in growth and C:N:P stoichiometry between bamboo and tree saplings

Additional file 1: Table S1. The concentrations of Si, C, N, and P in different tissues of P. pubescens, P. bournei, S. superba, and C. lanceolata under three Si supply levels (n = 8)