•A computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system was proposed to diagnose breast cancer in ultrasound images.•In this study, we propose a CAD system for tumor diagnosis using an image fusion method combined ...with different image content representations and ensemble different CNN architectures on US images.•The results of our CAD system in the SNUH dataset show that the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1 score, and the AUC of the proposed method were 91.10%, 85.14%, 95.77%, 94.03%, 89.36%, and 0.9697, respectively. The results of our CAD system in the open dataset (BUSI) show that the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1 score, and the AUC of the proposed method were 94.62%, 92.31%, 95.60%, 90%, 91.14%, and 0.9711, respectively.
Breast ultrasound and computer aided diagnosis (CAD) has been used to classify tumors into benignancy or malignancy. However, conventional CAD software has some problems (such as handcrafted features are hard to design; conventional CAD systems are difficult to confirm overfitting problems, etc.). In our study, we propose a CAD system for tumor diagnosis using an image fusion method combined with different image content representations and ensemble different CNN architectures on US images. The CNN-based method proposed in this study includes VGGNet, ResNet, and DenseNet. In our private dataset, there was a total of 1687 tumors that including 953 benign and 734 malignant tumors. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1 score and the AUC of the proposed method were 91.10%, 85.14%, 95.77%, 94.03%, 89.36%, and 0.9697 respectively. In the open dataset (BUSI), there was a total of 697 tumors that including 437 benign lesions, 210 malignant tumors, and 133 normal images. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1 score, and the AUC of the proposed method were 94.62%, 92.31%, 95.60%, 90%, 91.14%, and 0.9711. In conclusion, the results indicated different image content representations that affect the prediction performance of the CAD system, more image information improves the prediction performance, and the tumor shape feature can improve the diagnostic effect.
Modulating the microenvironment of single‐atom catalysts (SACs) is critical to optimizing catalytic activity. Herein, we innovatively propose a strategy to improve the local reaction environment of ...Ru single atoms by precisely switching the crystallinity of the support from high crystalline and low crystalline, which significantly improves the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity. The Ru single‐atom catalyst anchored on low‐crystalline nickel hydroxide (Ru−LC−Ni(OH)2) reconstructs the distribution balance of the interfacial ions due to the activation effect of metal dangling bonds on the support. Single‐site Ru with a low oxidation state induces the aggregation of hydronium ions (H3O+), leading to the formation of a local acidic microenvironment in alkaline media, breaking the pH‐dependent HER activity. As a comparison, the Ru single‐atom catalyst anchored on high‐crystalline nickel hydroxide (Ru−HC−Ni(OH)2) exhibits a sluggish Volmer step and a conventional local reaction environment. As expected, Ru−LC−Ni(OH)2 requires low overpotentials of 9 and 136 mV at 10 and 1000 mA cm−2 in alkaline conditions and operates stably at 500 mA cm−2 for 500 h in an alkaline seawater anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer. This study provides a new perspective for constructing highly active single‐atom electrocatalysts.
The local acidic microenvironment of a single‐atom Ru catalyst is modulated by switching the crystallinity of the support, thus breaking the pH‐dependent alkaline HER activity.
Composite films consisting of polypyrrole (PPy) and graphene oxide (GO) were electrochemically synthesized by electrooxidation of 0.1M pyrrole in aqueous solution containing appropriate amounts of ...GO. Simultaneous chronoamperometric growth profiles and frequency changes on a quartz crystal microbalance showed that the anionic GO was incorporated in the growing GO/PPy composite to maintain its electrical neutrality. Subsequently, the GO was reduced electrochemically to form a reduced GO/PPy (RGO/PPy) composite by cyclic voltammetry. Specific capacitances estimated from galvanostatic discharge curves in 1M H2SO4 at a current density of 1Ag−1 indicated that values for the RGO/PPy composite were larger than those of a pristine PPy film and the GO/PPy composite. In the case of 6mgmL−1 GO for the preparation of GO/PPy, a high specific capacitance of 424Fg−1 obtained at the electrochemically prepared RGO/PPy composite indicated its potential for use as an electrode material for supercapacitors.
Travel, especially international travel, has become one of the most popular leisure activities in the world. The risk of accidents and travel-related illnesses, including infectious and ...non-communicable diseases, should not be neglected. To provide a more comprehensive pre-travel consultation to international travelers, this study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of travelers about travel health insurance.
This was a cross-sectional study. Anonymous structured questionnaires were distributed to 1000 visitors to the Taiwan International Travel Fair in May 2019.
The top three important travel health insurances were accidental death and disablement insurance (92%), accidental medical reimbursement (90.4%), and 24-hour emergency assistance (89%). In addition to education level, travel-associated illness, and special activities during travel, a significant association was observed between the willingness to buy various travel health insurances and the willingness of pre-travel consultation.
Most travelers would buy travel health insurance; however, disproportional respondents understood the content of travel health insurance. Most travelers considered travel clinics to be the most reliable information source regarding travel health insurance. Therefore, travel medicine specialists are encouraged to offer more information about travel health insurance during pre-travel consultation.
Coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a great impact on global health, but with relatively few confirmed cases in Taiwan. People in Taiwan showed excellent cooperation with the ...government for disease prevention and faced social and behavioral changes during this period. This study aimed to investigate people's knowledge of COVID-19, attitudes and practices regarding vaccinations for influenza, pneumococcus and COVID-19.
We conducted a community-based, cross-sectional questionnaire survey from September 2020 to October 2020 among adults in northern Taiwan. The four-part questionnaire included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19.
Among a total of 410 respondents, 58.5% were categorized as having "good knowledge" responding to COVID-19. Among the total respondents, 86.6% were willing to receive influenza or pneumococcal vaccines, and 76% of them acted to receive COVID-19 immunization once the vaccine became available. Compared with the respondents with poor knowledge of COVID-19, those with good knowledge had a more positive attitude toward receiving influenza or pneumococcal immunization (OR 3.26, 95% CI = 1.74-6.12).
Participants with good knowledge of COVID-19 had greater intent to receive immunization for influenza or pneumococcal vaccine. The promotion of correct knowledge of both COVID-19 and immunization preparations is necessary.
Chronic inflammation is a pivotal event in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, restenosis, and coronary artery disease. The efficacy of current treatment or ...preventive strategies for such inflammation is still inadequate. Thus, new anti-inflammatory strategies are needed. In this study, based on molecular docking and structural analysis, a potential peptide KCF18 with amphiphilic properties (positively charged and hydrophobic residues) derived from the receptors of proinflammatory cytokines was designed to inhibit cytokine-induced inflammatory response. Simulations suggested that KCF18 could bind to cytokines simultaneously, and electrostatic interactions were dominant. Surface plasmon resonance detection showed that KCF18 bound to both tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6, which is consistent with MM/PBSA binding free energy calculations. The cell experiments showed that KCF18 significantly reduced the binding of proinflammatory cytokines to their cognate receptors, suppressed TNF-α mRNA expression and monocyte binding and transmigration, and alleviated the infiltration of white blood cells in a peritonitis mouse model. The designed peptide KCF18 could remarkably diminish the risk of vascular inflammation by decreasing plasma cytokines release and by directly acting on the vascular endothelium. This study demonstrated that a combination of structure-based in silico design calculations, together with experimental measurements can be used to develop potential anti-inflammatory agents.
An increasing number of enzymes involved in serine biosynthesis have been identified and correlated with malignant evolution in various types of cancer. Here we showed that the overexpression of ...phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1) is widely found in lung cancer tissues compared with nontumor tissues and predicts a poorer prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. PSAT1 expression was examined in a tissue microarray by immunohistochemistry. The data show that the knockdown of PSAT1 dramatically inhibits the in vitro and in vivo metastatic potential of highly metastatic lung cancer cells; conversely, the enforced expression of exogenous PSAT1 predominantly enhances the metastatic potential of lung cancer cells. Importantly, manipulating PSAT1 expression regulates the in vivo tumor metastatic abilities in lung cancer cells. Adjusting the glucose and glutamine concentrations did not alter the PSAT1-driven cell invasion properties, indicating that this process might not rely on the activation of its enzymatic function. RNA microarray analysis of transcriptional profiling from PSAT1 alternation in CL1-5 and CL1-0 cells demonstrated that interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) acts as a crucial regulator of PSAT1-induced gene expression upon metastatic progression. Decreasing the IRF1-IFIH1 axis compromised the PSAT1-prompted transcriptional reprogramming in cancer cells. Our results identify PSAT1 as a key regulator by a novel PSAT1/IRF1 axis in lung cancer progression, which may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for the treatment of lung cancer patients.
Background The benefit of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in chronic kidney disease populations remains unclear. This study evaluated the cardiovascular and renal outcomes in ...patients with stage 3 chronic kidney disease with different LDL-C levels during statin treatment. Methods and Results There were 8500 patients newly diagnosed as having stage 3 chronic kidney disease under statin treatment who were identified from the Chang Gung Research Database and divided into 3 groups according to their first LDL-C level after the index date: <70 mg/dL, 70 to 100 mg/dL, and >100 mg/dL. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was performed to balance baseline characteristics. Compared with the LDL-C ≥100 mg/dL group, the 70≤LDL-C<100 mg/dL group exhibited significantly lower risks of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (6.8% versus 8.8%; subdistribution hazard ratio SHR, 0.76 95% CI, 0.64-0.91), intracerebral hemorrhage (0.23% versus 0.51%; SHR, 0.44 95% CI, 0.25-0.77), and new-onset end-stage renal disease requiring chronic dialysis (7.6% versus 9.1%; SHR, 0.82 95% CI, 0.73-0.91). By contrast, the LDL-C <70 mg/dL group exhibited a marginally lower risk of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (7.3% versus 8.8%; SHR, 0.82 95% CI, 0.65-1.02) and a significantly lower risk of new-onset end-stage renal disease requiring chronic dialysis (7.1% versus 9.1%; SHR, 0.76 95% CI, 0.67-0.85). Conclusions Among patients with stage 3 chronic kidney disease, statin users with 70≤LDL-C<100 mg/dL and with LDL-C <70 mg/dL had similar beneficial effect in the reduction of risks of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events and new-onset end-stage renal disease compared with those with LDL-C >100 mg/dL. Moreover, the 70≤LDL-C<100 mg/dL group seemed to have a lowest risk of intracerebral hemorrhage, although the incidence was low.
Aim
This study determines whether the activation of olfactory calcium‐sensing receptor initiates a sympathetic activation‐dependent neurovascular reflex subsequently contributing to renal hemodynamic ...depression.
Methods
Immunohistochemistry and nose‐loading calcium‐sensitive dye were used to explore the location and function of calcium‐sensing receptor on the olfactory sensory neuron. The renal sympathetic nervous activity, renal hemodynamics and the microcirculation of kidney, liver and intestine were evaluated after liquid‐phase intranasal administrations of saline, lidocaine, calcium‐sensing receptor agonists and antagonist in sham and bilateral renal denervated rats. Real‐time renal glomerular filtration rate was measured by a magnetic resonance renography.
Results
Calcium‐sensing receptors were expressed on the cilia the olfactory sensory neuron and their activation depolarized olfactory sensory neuron and induced the calcium influx in the terminal side on olfactory glomeruli. Activating olfactory calcium‐sensing receptors significantly increased arterial blood pressure and renal sympathetic nervous activities and subsequently decreased renal blood flow, renal, hepatic and enteral microcirculation. Cotreatments with calcium‐sensing receptor antagonist or lidocaine inhibited these physiological alterations. The renal hemodynamic depressions by olfactory calcium‐sensing receptor activation were significantly blocked by bilateral renal denervation. The intranasal manganese administration decreased the glomerular filtration rate.
Conclusion
Calcium‐sensing receptor acts as a functional chemosensory receptor on olfactory sensory neuron, and its activation causes the global sympathetic enhancement contributing to systematic vasoconstriction and subsequently depresses renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate. These data implicate a possibly clinical aspect that several environmental stimuli may activate olfactory calcium‐sensing receptors to evoke a sympathetic nervous system‐mediated neurovascular reflex to depress renal hemodynamics.
Interleukin (IL)-17A is upregulated in several renal diseases and plays a crucial role in renal inflammation. However, it remains unclear how IL-17A contributes to renal fibrosis. Our result ...demonstrated that IL-17A expression was upregulated in the obstructed kidney of unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO) mice when compared to the contralateral control kidney. Inhibition of IL-17A functions by the intravenous administration of an anti-IL-17A receptor antibody (100 μg) 2 h prior to UUO and on post-UUO day 1 and 3 significantly reduced fibronectin expression in the UUO kidney. The addition of IL-17A (25–100 μg) to human renal proximal tubular cells or renal fibroblasts caused an increase in fibronectin production and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 activation, which were reduced upon pretreatment with the ERK inhibitor U0126. The level of phosphorylated (p)-ERK1/2 was increased in the UUO kidney, but reduced by the administration of the anti-IL-17A receptor antibody, verifying the importance of the ERK pathway in vivo. TGF-β1 mRNA expression and protein were increased in the UUO kidney and in IL-17A–stimulated cultured cells. The administration of an anti-TGF-β1 neutralizing antibody or TGF-β1 receptor I inhibitor (SB431542) to cells abrogated the IL-17A–mediated increase of fibronectin production. IL-17A induced an increase in p-Smad2 and p-Smad3 expression at 7.5 min and 24 h and pretreatment with the anti-TGF-β1 neutralizing antibody, and SB431542 reduced the IL-17A–stimulated increase of p-Smad2. Knockdown of Smad2 or Smad3 expression inhibited the IL-17A–enhanced production of fibronectin. These results suggest an essential role for the TGF-β/Smad pathway in the IL-17A–mediated increase of fibronectin production. This study demonstrates that IL-17A contributes to the production of extracellular matrix, and targeting its associated signaling pathways could provide a therapeutic target for preventing renal fibrosis.
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