Single-shot quantitative differential phase contrast imaging combined with programmable polarization multiplexing illumination

We propose a single-shot quantitative differential phase contrast (DPC) method with polarization multiplexing illumination. In the illumination module of our system, the programmable LED array is divided into four quadrants and covered with polarizing films of four different polarization angles. We use a polarization camera with polarizers before the pixels in the imaging module. By matching the polarization angle between the polarizing films over the custom LED array and the polarizers in the camera, two sets of asymmetric illumination acquisition images can be calculated from a single-shot acquisition image. Combined with the phase transfer function, we can calculate the quantitative phase of the sample. We present the design, implementation, and experimental image data demonstrating the ability of our method to obtain quantitative phase images of the phase resolution target, as well as Hela cells.Comment: 5 pages,4figure

A Novel Strategy of US3 Codon De-Optimization for Construction of an Attenuated Pseudorabies Virus against High Virulent Chinese Pseudorabies Virus Variant

In this study, we applied bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) technology with PRVΔTK/gE/gI as the base material to replace the first, central, and terminal segments of the US3 gene with codon-deoptimized fragments via two-step Red-mediated recombination in E. coli GS1783 cells. The three constructed BACs were co-transfected with gI and part of gE fragments carrying homologous sequences (gI+gE’), respectively, in swine testicular cells. These three recombinant viruses with US3 codon de-optimization ((PRVΔTK&gE-US3deop−1, PRVΔTK&gE-US3deop−2, and PRVΔTK&gE-US3deop−3) were obtained and purified. These three recombinant viruses exhibited similar growth kinetics to the parental AH02LA strain, stably retained the deletion of TK and gE gene fragments, and stably inherited the recoded US3. Mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with the three recombinant viruses or control virus PRVΔTK&gEAH02 at a 107.0 TCID50 dose. Mice immunized with PRVΔTK&gE-US3deop−1 did not develop clinical signs and had a decreased virus load and attenuated pathological changes in the lungs and brain compared to the control group. Moreover, immunized mice were challenged with 100 LD50 of the AH02LA strain, and PRVΔTK&gE-US3deop−1 provided similar protection to that of the control virus PRVΔTK&gEAH02. Finally, PRVΔTK&gE-US3deop−1 was injected intramuscularly into 1-day-old PRV-negative piglets at a dose of 106.0 TCID50. Immunized piglets showed only slight temperature reactions and mild clinical signs. However, high levels of seroneutralizing antibody were produced at 14 and 21 days post-immunization. In addition, the immunization of PRVΔTK&gE-US3deop−1 at a dose of 105.0 TCID50 provided complete clinical protection and prevented virus shedding in piglets challenged by 106.5 TCID50 of the PRV AH02LA variant at 1 week post immunization. Together, these findings suggest that PRVΔTK&gE-US3deop−1 displays great potential as a vaccine candidate

Add-On Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine Bath to Phototherapy for Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Systematic Review

Psoriasis vulgaris is the most common form of psoriasis. Phototherapy has been proven effective for psoriasis, but side effects have become a concern. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) bath combined with phototherapy has been used in clinical settings, but the additional benefit requires evaluation. This review aims to evaluate the additional benefit and safety of adding CHM bath to phototherapy for psoriasis vulgaris. Cochrane library, PubMed, Embase, CNKI, and CQVIP were searched from their inceptions to 6 August 2012. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CHM bath plus phototherapy to phototherapy alone for psoriasis vulgaris were included. Data was analyzed using Review Manager 5.1.0. Thirteen RCTs were included in the review, and eight were included in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis showed higher efficacy of CHM bath plus phototherapy when compared with phototherapy alone in terms of PASI 60 (RR 1.25; 95% CI: 1.18–1.32). Mild adverse events were reported in ten studies, but these could be alleviated by reducing UV dosage or applying emollient. In conclusion, CHM bath appears to be a beneficial and safe adjunctive therapy to phototherapy for psoriasis vulgaris. However, these results should be interpreted with caution due to the low methodological quality of the included studies

Feasibility analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer with axilla negative evaluation by physical examination but suspicious lymph nodes finding on preoperative imaging and metastasis confirmed with biopsy

Background and purpose: With the increasing sensitivity of axillary imaging and ultrasound guided biopsy, some clinically axillary negative patients were upstaged to axillary positive (cN1) and received axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). This study aimed to assess the feasibility of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy (SLNB) in patients with axilla negative evaluation by physical examination but suspicious lymph nodes finding on preoperative imaging and metastasis confirmed with a fine-needle aspiration cytology/core-needle biopsy pathology (FNAC/CNBP). Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with early breast cancer who had axilla negative evaluation by physical examination but suspicious lymph nodes finding on preoperative imaging and metastasis confirmed with a FNAC/CNBP from October 2015 to December 2022 in the Breast Cancer Centre of Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute. All patients received ALND. The data were analyzed by using SPSS version 27.0 statistical software, and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 158 patients were identified to have axilla negative evaluation by physical examination but one to two suspicious lymph nodes finding on preoperative imaging and metastasis confirmed with FNAC/CNBP, 43.7% (69/158) of them had only one ALN metastasis after ALND, 15.2% (24/158) had only two ALNs metastases after ALND, and 41.1% (65/158) had more than two ALNs metastases after ALND. Among these cases, 65 patients received SLNB followed by ALND, and the false negative rate of SLNB was 0%. Positive non-SLN metastasis rate was 0 in the 61.5% (40/65) patients with 1-2 positive SLNs metastasis. One, two, three and more than three non-SLN metastasis rates were 10.8% (7/65), 4.6% (3/65), 6.2% (4/65) and 16.9% (11/65), respectively (P=0.042). Conclusion: SLNB was safe and feasible in patients with axilla negative evaluation by physical examination but one to two suspicious lymph nodes finding on preoperative imaging and metastasis confirmed with a FNAC/CNBP. In these patients, the axillary lymph node tumor burden was high, and exhaustive radiotherapy and systematic treatment were needed to control reginal disease