Evaluation of an Automated Tissue Sectioning Machine for Digital Pathology

Background: Automation and digital pathology are the trends for future anatomic pathology with the increasing workload in histology laboratories. While tissue process, embedding, staining and coverslipping, and digitizing have been available for automated use, tissue sectioning appears to be the biggest roadblock to a fully automated histology process. In this study we were aimed to investigate a tissue automated sectioning machine for both clinical and research use. Methods: Totally 77 surgical resection blocks of various organs embedded with clinical standard paraffin were sectioned automatically using AS-410 (Dainippon Seiki Co. LTD., Japan) at 5 μm thickness with the default setting (Setting A). 10 slides per block were sectioned and the last 5 slides were stained with H&E. All stained slides were digitized with whole-slide imaging scanner, and then evaluated by the image scientist and the pathologist. The image scientist scored the images base on the extent of imperfection (Evaluation I), while the pathologist scored the images based on the clinical diagnosis purpose (Evaluation II). Both scoring systems were scored from 1 to 5, with 1 the worst quality and 5 the highest quality. Tissues with unsatisfied score were sectioned with modified setting (Setting B), and evaluated again by the same image scientist and pathologist using the same scoring systems. And the scores from the two different settings were compared. Auto-trimming and barcode reading and printing of AS-410 were also evaluated. Results: The AS-410 provided auto-trimming function to detect exposed tissue for cutting, accomplished by the installed camera and calculation software. It read sample information and printed barcode as well as input text and automatically generated slide order information. It produced good quality of sections for most cases with median score more than 4 in both Evaluation I and Evaluation II using setting A. The scores of the unsatisfied blocks sectioned with setting A improved significantly when those blocks were sectioned with setting B. Conclusion: The AS-410 tissue sectioning machine produces high-quality sections with clinical standard paraffin tissue blocks of a variety of organs with proper settings. It promises high automation with sound sectioning quality in the era of digital pathology for both clinical and research use.    Lung Breast Prostat

Seaweed polysaccharide relieves hexavalent chromium-induced gut microbial homeostasis

Heavy metals released in the environment pose a huge threat to soil and water quality, food safety and public health. Additionally, humans and other mammals may also be directly exposed to heavy metals or exposed to heavy metals through the food chain, which seriously threatens the health of animals and humans. Chromium, especially hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)], as a common heavy metal, has been shown to cause serious environmental pollution as well as intestinal damage. Thus, increasing research is devoted to finding drugs to mitigate the negative health effects of hexavalent chromium exposure. Seaweed polysaccharides have been demonstrated to have many pharmacological effects, but whether it can alleviate gut microbial dysbiosis caused by hexavalent chromium exposure has not been well characterized. Here, we hypothesized that seaweed polysaccharides could alleviate hexavalent chromium exposure-induced poor health in mice. Mice in Cr and seaweed polysaccharide treatment group was compulsively receive K2Cr2O7. At the end of the experiment, all mice were euthanized, and colon contents were collected for DNA sequencing analysis. Results showed that seaweed polysaccharide administration can restore the gut microbial dysbiosis and the reduction of gut microbial diversity caused by hexavalent chromium exposure in mice. Hexavalent chromium exposure also caused significant changes in the gut microbial composition of mice, including an increase in some pathogenic bacteria and a decrease in beneficial bacteria. However, seaweed polysaccharides administration could ameliorate the composition of gut microbiota. In conclusion, this study showed that seaweed polysaccharides can restore the negative effects of hexavalent chromium exposure in mice, including gut microbial dysbiosis. Meanwhile, this research also lays the foundation for the application of seaweed polysaccharides

Analysis on contamination of Bacillus cereus in foodstuff in Jilin Province from 2011 to 2019

Objective To understand the contamination of Bacillus cereus in foodstuff of Jilin Province from 2011 to 2019, and to provide theoretical basis for food safety monitoring and prevention of foodborne diseases. Methods Totally 3 173 samples were collected from the catering service and circulation of nine prefecture (city) levels in Jilin Province from 2011 to 2019. Bacillus cereus in food was detected according to the method of GB 4789.14-2014 national food safety standard microbiological examination of food. The detection rate was analyzed by rate, composition ratio and χ2 test. Results Among 3 173 food samples from 2011 to 2019 in Jilin Province, the total detection rate of Bacillus cereus was 23.6% (750/3 173), the highest was in 2015 (38.5%, 62/161), and the lowest was in 2017 (11.8%, 20/170). Baishan City had the highest detection rate (35.8%, 139/388), followed by Yanbian Prefecture (31.4%, 97/309), and Siping City had the lowest detection rate (15.3%, 76/496). The detection rate of egg and egg products was the highest (60.0%, 3/5), followed by milk and dairy products (39.3%, 114/290) and infant food (31.1%, 185/595). Contamination of Bacillus cereus was the highest in department stores (32.4%, 22/68), followed by snack bars and beverage stores (30.9%, 43/139), and fast food stores (29.1%, 25/86). The median (interquartile interval) of the detection result of Bacillus cereus by colony forming units method was 5.8 (2.9, 8.7) CFU/g (mL), and the median (interquartile interval) of that by most probable number method was 6.4 (3.2, 9.6) MPN/g (mL). Conclusion There were different degrees of Bacillus cereus contamination in foodstuff in Jilin Province. Among the different cities, foodstuff samples collected from Baishan City was much more serious. Eggs and egg products, milk and dairy products were the main contaminated food. Safety monitoring and management of the snack bar, beverage shop and places in department store should be strengthen

Detector-Free Photothermal Bar-Chart Microfluidic Chips (PT-Chips) for Visual Quantitative Detection of Biomarkers

The volumetric bar-chart microfluidic chips (V-Chips) driven by chemical reaction-generated gas provide a promising platform for point-of-care (POC) visual biomarker quantitation. However, multiple limitations are encountered in conventional V-Chips, such as costly and complex chip fabrication, complicated assembly, and imprecise controllability of gas production. Herein, we introduced nanomaterial-mediated photothermal effects to V-Chips, and for the first time developed a new type of V-Chip, photothermal bar-chart microfluidic chip (PT-Chip), for visual quantitative detection of biochemicals without any bulky and costly analytical instruments. Immunosensing signals were converted to visual readout signals via photothermal effects, the on-chip bar-chart movements, enabling quantitative biomarker detection on a low-cost polymer hybrid PT-Chip with on-chip scale rulers. Four different human serum samples containing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a model analyte were detected simultaneously using the PT-Chip, with the limit of detection of 2.1 ng/mL, meeting clinical diagnostic requirements. Although no conventional signal detectors were used, it achieved comparable detection sensitivity to absorbance measurements with a microplate reader. The PT-Chip was further validated by testing human whole blood without the color interference problem, demonstrating good analytical performance of our method even in complex matrixes and thus the potential to fill a gap in current clinical diagnostics that is incapable of testing whole blood. This new PT-Chip driven by nanomaterial-mediated photothermal effects opens a new horizon of microfluidic platforms for instrument-free diagnostics at the point of care.</p

Advances in the treatment of traumatic scars with laser, intense pulsed light, radiofrequency, and ultrasound

Abstract Traumatic scarring is one of the most common complications after soft tissue injury caused by burns and trauma, which affects tens of millions of people worldwide every year. Traumatic scars diminish the quality of life due to disfigurement, symptoms of pain and itch, and restricted motion. The pathogenesis and pathophysiology of traumatic scar remain elusive. The management for traumatic scars is comprised of surgical and non-surgical interventions such as pressure therapy, silicone, corticosteroid, and radiotherapy, which are chosen by clinicians based on the physical examinations of scars. Recently, great progress in treating traumatic scars has been achieved by the development of novel technologies including laser, intense pulsed light (IPL), radiofrequency, and ultrasound. The aim of this review article was to summarize the advances of these technologies for traumatic scars intervention

Abdominoplasty for Patients Who Underwent Surgical Weight Loss: Differences between the Asian and Western Populations and the Associated Controversies

SUMMARY: Abdominal contour deformities pose an aesthetic challenge to patients with massive weight loss. This article reviews the similarities and differences in obesity between the Asian and Western populations. A comprehensive classification system combining the objective description of structural deformities with patients’ discomfort or physical function is required to classify the abdominal contour deformities. The authors also proposed several controversial issues, including the classification of abdominal deformities, surgical techniques, and complications, providing an evidence-based review for selecting the appropriate surgical method for Asian patients to achieve satisfying clinical outcomes and avoid complications

Ensemble Learning-Enabled Security Anomaly Identification for IoT Cyber–Physical Power Systems

The public network access to smart grids has a great impact on the system‘s safe operation. With the rapid increase in Internet of Things (IoT) applications, cyber-attacks caused by multiple sources and flexible loads continue to rise, which results in equipment maloperation and security hazard problems. In this paper, a novel ensemble learning algorithm (ELA)-enabled security anomaly identification technique is proposed. Firstly, the propagation process of typical cyber-attacks was analyzed to illustrate the impact on message transmission and power operation. Then, a feature matching identification method was designed according to the sequence sets under different situations. The classification rate of these abnormal attack behaviors was acquired thereafter, which could aid in the listing of the ranking of the consequences of abnormal attack behaviors. Moreover, the weights of training samples can be further updated according to the performance of weak learning error rates. Through a joint hardware platform, numerical results show that the proposed technique is effective and performs well in terms of situation anomaly identification

Printability during projection-based 3D bioprinting

Since projection-based 3D bioprinting (PBP) could provide high resolution, it is well suited for printing delicate structures for tissue regeneration. However, the low crosslinking density and low photo-crosslinking rate of photocurable bioink make it difficult to print fine structures. Currently, an in-depth understanding of the is lacking. Here, a research framework is established for the analysis of printability during PBP. The gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)-based bioink is used as an example, and the printability is systematically investigated. We analyze the photo-crosslinking reactions during the PBP process and summarize the specific requirements of bioinks for PBP. Two standard quantized models are established to evaluate 2D and 3D printing errors. Finally, the better strategies for bioprinting five typical structures, including solid organs, vascular structures, nerve conduits, thin-wall scaffolds, and micro needles, are presented