Different metabolic profiles of K1 serotype and non-serotype K1 and K2 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in oral infection mice model

K1 or K2 serotype Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate caused clinical pyogenic liver abscess (KLA) infection is prevalent in many areas. It has been identified that K1 or K2 serotype K. pneumoniae isolates caused KLA infection in mice by oral inoculation. In our study, K1 serotype K. pneumoniae isolate Kp1002 with hypermucoviscosity (HV)-positive phenotype caused KLA infection in C57BL/6 mice by oral inoculation. Simultaneously, non-serotype K1 and K2 isolate Kp1014 with HV-negative phenotype failed to cause KLA infection in the same manner. It seems that gastrointestinal tract translocation is the pathway by which K1 or K2 serotype K. pneumoniae caused KLA infection. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to further analyze metabolic profile changes in mice with KLA infection. Data showed that after Kp1002 or Kp1014 oral inoculation, serum Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) levels significantly changed in mice. Some PC and LPC molecules showed changes both in the Kp1002 KLA group and the Kp1014 no-KLA group compared with the control group. The level of 18:1/18:2-PC significantly changed in the Kp1002 KLA group compared with the control group, but showed no change between the Kp1014 no-KLA group and the control group. The level of 18:1/18:2-PC might have been particularly affected by KLA infection caused by K1 serotype K. pneumoniae Kp1002. It may be a potential biomarker for KLA infection.     

基于CT容积扫描的时间域最大强度投影评估干细胞移植治疗前后严重下肢缺血患者的小腿血供

目的 分析时间域最大强度投影（time maximum intensity projection,t-MIP）用于定量评估干细胞移植治疗前后严重下肢缺血患者的小腿血流状态的可行性和可重复性。方法 前瞻性纳入了16例拟行单腿干细胞移植治疗的严重下肢缺血患者,行术前单时相计算机断层血管造影（single phase computed tomographic angiography,sCTA）、术前术后两次320排容积CT灌注（CT perfusion,CTP）扫描、踝肱指数（ankle-branchial index,ABI）测量及Wong-Baker FACES疼痛评分。t-MIP图像与sCTA图像上显示的血管质量差异用Mann-Whitney秩和检验分析。两名观察者分别独立测定术前、术后小腿的血管容积,应用组间一致性（intra-class correlation,ICC）分析两者的测定一致性,配对t检验用于检验干细胞移植治疗前后患者小腿的血流状态变化,Pearson相关性分析研究小腿CT血管容积和ABI的相关性。结果 共评价16条小腿。t-MIP图像显示小腿血管的质量明显优于sCTA图像,包括血管CT值、信噪比（signal-to-noise ratio,SNR）、对比噪声比（contrast-to-noise ratio,CNR）（P<0.001）及主观评分（P<0.05）;sCTA图像和t-MIP图像分别显示小腿侧支血管23支及45支,两者之间的差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。术后血管容积较术前增加（P<0.05）,观察者间对术前、术后血管容积评估的一致性好,ICC值分别为0.897和0.906。术后ABI较术前增加（P<0.05）,但术前、术后Wong-Baker FACES评分之间差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。小腿CT血管容积与ABI之间未发现明显相关性（P>0.05）。结论 t-MIP可以提升容积CT图像对血管的显示质量,通过计算小腿血管容积可以定量评估干细胞移植治疗前后严重下肢缺血患者的小腿血流状态。     

Multiscale natural moves refine macromolecules using single-particle electron microscopy projection images

The method presented here refines molecular conformations directly against projections of single particles measured by electron microscopy. By optimizing the orientation of the projection at the same time as the conformation, the method is well-suited to two-dimensional class averages from cryoelectron microscopy. Such direct use of two-dimensional images circumvents the need for a three-dimensional density map, which may be difficult to reconstruct from projections due to structural heterogeneity or preferred orientations of the sample on the grid. Our refinement protocol exploits Natural Move Monte Carlo to model a macromolecule as a small number of segments connected by flexible loops, on multiple scales. After tests on artificial data from lysozyme, we applied the method to the Methonococcus maripaludis chaperonin. We successfully refined its conformation from a closed-state initial model to an open-state final model using just one class-averaged projection. We also used Natural Moves to iteratively refine against heterogeneous projection images of Methonococcus maripaludis chaperonin in a mix of open and closed states. Our results suggest a general method for electron microscopy refinement specially suited to macromolecules with significant conformational flexibility. The algorithm is available in the program Methodologies for Optimization and Sampling In Computational Studies.     

The angel flap for nipple reconstruction

Creation of an aesthetically pleasing nipple plays a significant role in breast reconstruction as a determining factor in patient satisfaction. The goals for nipple reconstruction include minimal donor site morbidity and appropriate, long-lasting projection. Currently, the most popular techniques used are associated with a significant loss of projection postoperatively. Accordingly, the authors introduce the angel flap, which is designed to achieve nipple projection with lasting results. The lateral edges of the flap and the area surrounding the top of the nipple are de-epithelialized and the flaps are wrapped to create a nipple mound composed primarily of dermis. Decreasing the amount of fat within core of the nipple and enhancing dermal content promotes long-lasting projection. Furthermore, the incision pattern fits within a desired areolar size, preventing unnecessary superfluous extension of the incisions. Thus, the technique described herein achieves the goals of nipple reconstruction, including adequate and long-lasting projection, without extension of the lateral limb scars.     

Spatial Resolution of an Eye Containing a Grouped Retina: Ganglion Cell Morphology and Tectal Physiology in the Weakly Electric Fish Gnathonemus petersii

The retina of the weakly electric fish Gnathonemus petersii is a so‐called grouped retina where photoreceptors are bundled. These bundles are regarded as functional units and this type of retinal specialization is uniquely found in teleosts. To understand how this anatomical organization influences visual information processing we investigated the morphology and distribution of retinal ganglion cells (GCs) and the response properties of retinal afferents terminating in the major retinorecipient area, the optic tectum. GCs were classified based on their dendritic morphology (dendritic field diameters <90–100 μm: narrow‐field GCs; 110–280 μm: widefield GCs; >280 μm: giant GCs). Within these classes subtypes were distinguished based on the ramification patterns of the dendrites in the sublaminae of the inner plexiform layer. Properties of presumed optic nerve terminals were investigated in the optic tectum using extracellular recordings. Physiological classes could be observed based on their response to visual stimuli (on; off; on‐off, and fast units). Receptive field sizes and spatiotemporal properties were classified and the topographical representation of the visual space was mapped in the tectum. Gratings of low spatial frequencies were best responded to and followed up to high temporal frequencies (>30 Hz). Most of the recorded units were directionally selective. No evidence of distorted topographies in the tectum was found, i.e., no overrepresentation of the retina was seen in the tectum opticum. The grouped retina of G. petersii seems to be optimized for the detection of large, fast objects in an environment of low optical quality. J. Comp. Neurol. 521:4075–4093, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

肾细胞癌与乏脂肪肾血管平滑肌脂肪瘤的鉴别分类模型：基于随机投影的多分类器分层融合框架

目的 研究基于随机投影的多分类器分层融合的分类模型对良性肾小肿块乏脂肪肾血管平滑肌脂肪瘤（<4 cm）（AMLwvf）和恶性肾小肿块肾细胞癌（RCC）的鉴别能力。方法 回顾性收集163例经病理证实存在肾小肿块的患者,其中118例为肾细胞癌,45例为乏脂肪肾血管平滑肌脂肪瘤,对平扫CT图像中病灶面积最大的代表性切片进行目标感兴趣区域（ROI）勾画,利用放射组学特征构建一个层次型的融合框架。在投影域水平上对同质分类器进行融合,然后在分类器水平上对融合结果进行进一步融合,最终得到基于随机投影的多分类器分层融合的AMLwvf和RCC鉴别分类模型。采用五折交叉验证方法和特异性（SPE）、灵敏度（SEN）、准确率（ACC）、ROC曲线下面积（AUC）评价AMLwvf与RCC鉴别分类模型的性能。将本研究所提模型与使用单一基分类器算法以及几种传统的集成模型对AMLwvf和RCC的鉴别分类能力进行定量比较,验证本研究所提鉴别模型的可行性和有效性。结果 投影数设置为10时,本文提出的分层融合鉴别模型在所有指标上获得最好的结果。基于投影数为10的前提,五折交叉验证结果显示本研究所提出的基于多分类器分层融合的AMLwvf和RCC鉴别分类模型的SPE、SEN、ACC、AUC分别为：0.853、0.693、0.809、0.870。结论 基于随机投影的多分类器集成分类系统构建的AMLwvf和RCC鉴别模型可以很好地对 AMLwvf 和 RCC 进行鉴别分类。同时与基于单一分类器算法以及其他多分类器集成系统构建的AMLwvf和RCC的鉴别模型相比,本文所提出鉴别模型在AMLwvf和RCC的鉴别分类任务中具有较大优势。