Outstanding Articles
ICG clearance test based on photoacoustic imaging for assessment of human liver function reserve: An initial clinical study

Liver function reserve (LFR) plays an extensive and important role in patients with liver disease. Indocyanine green (ICG) clearance test is the standard diagnostic approach for LFR evaluation which was performed by spectrophotometry or pulse dye densitometry (PDD). Spectrophotometry is the gold standard, it's invasive and not real-time. PDD is non-invasive, but accuracy of PDD is controversial. Taken spectrophotometry as the reference standard, this study investigated the accuracy of photoacoustic imaging (PAI) method for LFR assessment and compared to PDD in healthy volunteers. The results demonstrated a strong correlation between PAI method and spectrophotometry (r = 0.9649, p < 0.0001). No significant difference was shown in ICG clearance between PAI and spectrophotometry method (rate constant k1 vs. k2, 0.001158 +−0.00042 vs. 0.001491 +- 0.00045, p = 0.0727; half-life t1 vs. t2, 601.2 s vs. 474.4 s, p = 0.1450). These results indicated that PAI may be valuable as a noninvasive, accurate diagnostic tool for LFR assessment in human.

2023-05-31

Photoacoustics

West China Hospital, Sichuan University

Structural basis of BAM-mediated outer membrane β-barrel protein assembly

The outer membrane structure is common in Gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria and chloroplasts, and contains outer membrane β-barrel proteins (OMPs) that are essential interchange portals of materials1,2,3. All known OMPs share the antiparallel β-strand topology4, implicating a common evolutionary origin and conserved folding mechanism. Models have been proposed for bacterial β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) to initiate OMP folding5,6; however, mechanisms by which BAM proceeds to complete OMP assembly remain unclear. Here we report intermediate structures of BAM assembling an OMP substrate, EspP, demonstrating sequential conformational dynamics of BAM during the late stages of OMP assembly, which is further supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Mutagenic in vitro and in vivo assembly assays reveal functional residues of BamA and EspP for barrel hybridization, closure and release. Our work provides novel insights into the common mechanism of OMP assembly.

2023-04-30

Nature

West China Hospital, Sichuan University

More+
News

Co-establishment of China-Japan Advanced Medical Cooperation Demonstration Area in Chengdu!

2021-04-12

Open the phone and scan

(I) Accelerating the construction of industrial development policy system.

We will strengthen our efforts for project support from higher authorities, deeply implement the Opinions on Supporting Chengdu Eastern New Area to Build a Town of Future Embodying the New Development Concept, and actively strive for the introduction of special policies by the provincial and municipal governments to support the industrial development of the New Area. Relying on the official operation of Tianfu International Airport, we will seek the introduction of special support policies by the municipal government to accelerate the development of air cargo in Tianfu International Airport and quickly promote a cluster of modern productive logistics businesses.


A test flight at Tianfu International Airport

Focusing on the development path of leading industries, we will study and formulate a full-cycle industrial policy support system covering “project implementation, completion & operation, design capacity & efficiency, and development & quality improvement” that fits the realities of the New Area, so as to foster an industrial development policy environment with unique competitive advantages. 

(II) Speeding up the creation of industrial development support carriers.

Taking the industrial functional area as the core, we will accelerate the construction of industrial carriers such as incubators, standardized factories and science & technology innovation spaces, manage the new economy industrial park and intelligent manufacturing industrial park in a professional manner, gather a number of “small-but-excellent” professional enterprises, and ensure the completion of all six high-quality science and technology innovation spaces before the “1st May”. 


Planning area of the future medical town

We will start the construction of the core area of the future medical town, quickly improve the industrial functions and supporting facilities, and form the bearing capacity of medical and health industry. We will strengthen the support of major functional platforms, and actively strive for the national-level organizations to set up their sub-branches in the Eastern New Area, such as the sub-branch of Center For Drug Evaluation of NMPA, the(western)sub-branch of Center For Medical Device Evaluation of NMPA, the sub-branch of Aviation Accessories Airworthiness Review Center and the sub-center of China Insurance Research Institute of Automobile Technology, with a view of concentrating high-end resources and businesses of the whole industry.

(III) Moving faster to form a healthy ecology of industrial interaction

Learning from the experience of Shanghai G60 Science and Technology Innovation Corridor, we will drill down the layout of industrial clusters, strengthen infrastructure interconnection and interoperability, promote collaborative innovation and in-depth cooperation of industrial functional areas, and push for interconnected development between Shanghai and Chengdu, synergy between Chengdu an Chongqing, as well as urban agglomeration development among Chengdu, Deyang, Meishan and Ziyang.


Urban agglomeration development among Chengdu, Deyang, Meishan and Ziyang

We will deepen the exchange and cooperation with BGI and industrial pioneer areas including Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone and Shanghai Oriental Beauty Valley, and strive to reach an agreement with Japan's KOBE Biomedical Innovation Cluster (KBIC) to jointly build China-Japan Advanced Medical Cooperation Demonstration Zone in the Eastern New Area.


The design sketch of the light college

We will vigorously develop advanced manufacturing and productive service industries, further the construction of "two districts and one town" with Tianfu New Area and High-tech Zone to jointly promote the application and transformation of scientific research achievements and the synergistic cooperation of industrial chains, and continuously enhance the competitiveness and driving force of regional industries.