[Effects of biologics on psychological status and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a multicenter study]

Objective: To investigate the effects of biologics on psychological status and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 42 hospitals in 22 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) from September 2021 to May 2022. General clinical information and the use of biologics were obtained from adult patients diagnosed with IBD who voluntarily participated in the study. Psychological status was evaluated using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) assessment tools. Counts were analyzed via the Chi-square test, and datasets that were not normally distributed were analyzed via nonparametric tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 2 478 valid questionnaires were collected. The GAD-7 score of the biologics group was significantly lower than that of the non-use group [6 (2, 9) vs. 7 (3, 10), Z=-3.49, P<0.001]. IBDQ scores [183 (158, 204) vs. 178 (152, 198), Z=-4.11, P<0.001], intestinal symptom scores [61 (52, 67) vs. 58 (49, 65), Z=-5.41, P<0.001], systemic symptom scores [28 (24, 32) vs. 27 (23, 31), Z=-2.37, P=0.018], emotional ability scores [69 (58, 77) vs. 67 (56, 75), Z=-3.58, P<0.001] and social ability scores [26 (22, 29) vs. 25 (22, 29), Z=-2.52, P=0.012] in the biologics group were significantly higher than in the non-use group. GAD-7 scores [5 (2, 9) vs. 6 (3, 10), Z=-3.50, P<0.001] and PSQI scores [6 (4, 9) vs. 6 (4, 9), Z=-2.55, P=0.011] were significantly lower in the group using infliximab than in the group not using it. IBDQ scores were significantly higher in patients using vedolizumab than in those not using it [186 (159, 205) vs. 181 (155, 201), Z=-2.32, P=0.021] and were also significantly higher in the group treated with adalimumab than in the group not treated with adalimumab [187 (159, 209) vs. 181 (155, 201), Z=-2.16, P=0.030]. However, ustekinumab had no significant effect on any of the scores. Conclusion: The use of biologics is strongly associated with improvements in anxiety status and quality of life in IBD patients.

Search for Nonresonant Pair Production of Highly Energetic Higgs Bosons Decaying to Bottom Quarks

A search for nonresonant Higgs boson (H) pair production via gluon and vector boson (V) fusion is performed in the four-bottom-quark final state, using proton-proton collision data at 13 TeV corresponding to 138  fb^{-1} collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analysis targets Lorentz-boosted H pairs identified using a graph neural network. It constrains the strengths relative to the standard model of the H self-coupling and the quartic VVHH couplings, κ_{2V}, excluding κ_{2V}=0 for the first time, with a significance of 6.3 standard deviations when other H couplings are fixed to their standard model values.

Search for Higgs Boson and Observation of Z Boson through Their Decay into a Charm Quark-Antiquark Pair in Boosted Topologies in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson (H) produced with transverse momentum (p_{T}) greater than 450 GeV and decaying to a charm quark-antiquark (cc[over ¯]) pair is presented. The search is performed using proton-proton collision data collected at sqrt[s]=13  TeV by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. Boosted H→cc[over ¯] decay products are reconstructed as a single large-radius jet and identified using a deep neural network charm tagging technique. The method is validated by measuring the Z→cc[over ¯] decay process, which is observed in association with jets at high p_{T} for the first time with a signal strength of 1.00_{-0.14}^{+0.17}(syst)±0.08(theo)±0.06(stat), defined as the ratio of the observed process rate to the SM expectation. The observed (expected) upper limit on σ(H)B(H→cc[over ¯]) is set at 47 (39) times the SM prediction at 95% confidence level.

First Report of Penicillium subrubescens Causing Root Rot of Knoxia roxburghii in China

Knoxia roxburghii (syn. Knoxia valerianoides), locally known as 'Zi Daji', is a perennial herb that belongs to the Rubiaceae family, cultivated in different areas of China and recognized for its medicinal properties in traditional Chinese medicine (Chen et al. 2022). In 2021, root rot was observed during summer on K. roxburghii in Xiangyun and Dali, Yunnan Province (25°25'N, 100°40'E), China. Root rots were characterized by dark brown tissue from stem base to root, loss of vitality in tender leaves and wither. Three symptomatic root samples of K. roxburghii collected from different fields were rinsed with running water, and 0.5-1 cm2 fragments of diseased tissues were cut and surface-disinfested with 75% ethanol for 30 s, and 1% NaClO for 180 s. The fragments were then washed with sterile water, transferred to potato dextrose agar (PDA, 4.6%) and incubated at 28℃ in the dark for 3 days. A total of 13 isolates with consistent appearances were obtained by single spore isolation. These colonies on PDA showed gray and light brown obverse, and light green reverse after 10 days. The average growth rate was 3 mm per day. Conidia were nearly spherical or broadly elliptic, greyish-green, and 1.4-2.4×1.3-2.2 μm in size (n=50). The conidiophore has symmetrical or asymmetrical broom branches from the tip, with 2-4 small stems. The conidiophore branching patterns were predominantly biverticillate; stipes coarsely roughened, 80-210×2.6-3.0 μm; metulae were usually appressed verticils of 3-6, 6.4-12.5×1.6-3.0 μm; phialides were short and wide neck, 3.8-4.8×1.1-1.8 μm (n=30). The morphological characteristics of the fungus were identical to Penicillium (Mansouri et al. 2013). To further identify the isolate, one isolate (ByF10) was randomly selected for identification. DNA was extracted from mycelia using a simplified CTAB method. Primer pairs, ITS1/ITS4 and Bt2a/Bt2b were used to amplify the partial regions of rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and β-tubulin (TUB), respectively (White et al. 1990; Glass and Donaldson 1999). Blast searches showed that the sequences of ITS (OQ954757) and TUB (OQ970059) of isolate ByF10 were 99% (MH865456) and 100% (KC797611) identical with P. subrubescens CBS 130205 and CBS 129617, respectively. A concatenated phylogenetic tree (ITS+TUB) constructed using the maximum likelihood method showed that ByF10 was closely grouped next to isolates of P. subrubescens. Pathogenicity test was carried out using 1-year-old healthy seedlings of K. roxburghii cv. Yunji-1 growing on autoclaved soil (n=10). Ten plants were inoculated with mycelial blocks (5 mm2), which were taken from the colony margins of a 10-day-old culture (PDA) colony, and placed on the roots near the soil. Five control plants were inoculated with non-colonized PDA plugs. The pathogenicity test was repeated three times. All plants were kept at 25℃, 70% relative air humidity, and 12 h light/12 h regime dark for 35 days. After that period 95% of inoculated plants showed typical symptoms of root browning. P. subrubescens was only re-isolated from the inoculated plants, and identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. No symptoms were observed in the controls. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. subrubescens causing root rot on K. roxburghii in China and the world.

Measurements of the Higgs boson production cross section and couplings in the W boson pair decay channel in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

Production cross sections of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a pair of W bosons are measured in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . The analysis targets Higgs bosons produced via gluon fusion, vector boson fusion, and in association with a W or Z boson. Candidate events are required to have at least two charged leptons and moderate missing transverse momentum, targeting events with at least one leptonically decaying W boson originating from the Higgs boson. Results are presented in the form of inclusive and differential cross sections in the simplified template cross section framework, as well as couplings of the Higgs boson to vector bosons and fermions. The data set collected by the CMS detector during 2016-2018 is used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The signal strength modifier μ , defined as the ratio of the observed production rate in a given decay channel to the standard model expectation, is measured to be μ = 0 . 95 - 0.09 + 0.10 . All results are found to be compatible with the standard model within the uncertainties.

Measurement of the mass dependence of the transverse momentum of lepton pairs in Drell-Yan production in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The double differential cross sections of the Drell-Yan lepton pair (ℓ + ℓ - , dielectron or dimuon) production are measured as functions of the invariant mass m ℓ ℓ , transverse momentum p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , and φ η ∗ . The φ η ∗ observable, derived from angular measurements of the leptons and highly correlated with p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , is used to probe the low-p T ( ℓ ℓ ) region in a complementary way. Dilepton masses up to 1Te V are investigated. Additionally, a measurement is performed requiring at least one jet in the final state. To benefit from partial cancellation of the systematic uncertainty, the ratios of the differential cross sections for various m ℓ ℓ ranges to those in the Z mass peak interval are presented. The collected data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.3fb - 1 of proton-proton collisions recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Measurements are compared with predictions based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics, including soft-gluon resummation.

[Efficacy and safety of bendamustine-rituximab combination therapy for newly diagnosed indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and elderly mantle cell lymphoma: a multi-center prospective phase II clinical trial in China]

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of bendamustine in combination with rituximab (BR regimen) for the treatment of newly diagnosed indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-iNHL) and elderly mantle cell lymphoma (eMCL) . Methods: From December 1, 2020 to September 10, 2022, a multi-center prospective study was conducted across ten Grade A tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province, China. The BR regimen was administered to evaluate its efficacy and safety in newly diagnosed B-iNHL and eMCL patients, and all completed at least four cycles of induction therapy. Results: The 72 enrolled patients with B-iNHL or MCL were aged 24-74 years, with a median age of 55 years. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status scores of 0-1 were observed in 76.4% of patients, while 23.6% had scores of 2. Disease distribution included follicular lymphoma (FL) (51.4% ), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) (33.3% ), eMCL (11.1% ), and the unknown subtype (4.2% ). According to the Ann Arbor staging system, 16.7% and 65.3% of patients were diagnosed with stage Ⅲ and stage Ⅳ lymphomas, respectively. Following four cycles of BR induction therapy, the overall response rate was 98.6%, with a complete response (CR) rate of 83.3% and a partial response (PR) rate of 15.3%. Only one eMCL patient experienced disease progression during treatment, and only one FL patient experienced a relapse. Even when evaluated using CT alone, the CR rate was 63.9%, considering the differences between PET/CT and CT assessments. The median follow-up duration was 11 months (range: 4-22), with a PFS rate of 96.8% and an OS rate of 100.0%. The main hematologic adverse reactions included grade 3-4 leukopenia (27.8%, with febrile neutropenia observed in 8.3% of patients), grade 3-4 lymphopenia (23.6% ), grade 3-4 anemia (5.6% ), and grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (4.2% ). The main non-hematologic adverse reactions such as fatigue, nausea/vomiting, rash, and infections occurred in less than 20.0% of patients. Conclusion: Within the scope of this clinical trial conducted in China, the BR regimen demonstrated efficacy and safety in treating newly diagnosed B-iNHL and eMCL patients.

CMS pythia 8 colour reconnection tunes based on underlying-event data

New sets of parameter tunes for two of the colour reconnection models, quantum chromodynamics-inspired and gluon-move, implemented in the pythia  8 event generator, are obtained based on the default CMS pythia  8 underlying-event tune, CP5. Measurements sensitive to the underlying event performed by the CMS experiment at centre-of-mass energies s = 7 and 13Te V , and by the CDF experiment at 1.96Te V are used to constrain the parameters of colour reconnection models and multiple-parton interactions simultaneously. The new colour reconnection tunes are compared with various measurements at 1.96, 7, 8, and 13Te V including measurements of the underlying-event, strange-particle multiplicities, jet substructure observables, jet shapes, and colour flow in top quark pair (t t ¯ ) events. The new tunes are also used to estimate the uncertainty related to colour reconnection modelling in the top quark mass measurement using the decay products of t t ¯ events in the semileptonic channel at 13Te V .

Probing Heavy Majorana Neutrinos and the Weinberg Operator through Vector Boson Fusion Processes in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search exploiting the vector boson fusion process to probe heavy Majorana neutrinos and the Weinberg operator at the LHC is presented. The search is performed in the same-sign dimuon final state using a proton-proton collision dataset recorded at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, collected with the CMS detector and corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The results are found to agree with the predictions of the standard model. For heavy Majorana neutrinos, constraints on the squared mixing element between the muon and the heavy neutrino are derived in the heavy neutrino mass range 50 GeV-25 TeV; for masses above 650 GeV these are the most stringent constraints from searches at the LHC to date. A first test of the Weinberg operator at colliders provides an observed upper limit at 95% confidence level on the effective μμ Majorana neutrino mass of 10.8 GeV.

Search for light Higgs bosons from supersymmetric cascade decays in pp collisions at s=13TeV

A search is reported for pairs of light Higgs bosons (H 1 ) produced in supersymmetric cascade decays in final states with small missing transverse momentum. A data set of LHC pp collisions collected with the CMS detector at s = 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 is used. The search targets events where both H 1 bosons decay into pairs that are reconstructed as large-radius jets using substructure techniques. No evidence is found for an excess of events beyond the background expectations of the standard model (SM). Results from the search are interpreted in the next-to-minimal supersymmetric extension of the SM, where a "singlino" of small mass leads to squark and gluino cascade decays that can predominantly end in a highly Lorentz-boosted singlet-like H 1 and a singlino-like neutralino of small transverse momentum. Upper limits are set on the product of the squark or gluino pair production cross section and the square of the branching fraction of the H 1 in a benchmark model containing almost mass-degenerate gluinos and light-flavour squarks. Under the assumption of an SM-like branching fraction, H 1 bosons with masses in the range 40-120GeV arising from the decays of squarks or gluinos with a mass of 1200-2500GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level.

Measurement of the differential tt¯ production cross section as a function of the jet mass and extraction of the top quark mass in hadronic decays of boosted top quarks

A measurement of the jet mass distribution in hadronic decays of Lorentz-boosted top quarks is presented. The measurement is performed in the lepton + jets channel of top quark pair production (t t ¯ ) events, where the lepton is an electron or muon. The products of the hadronic top quark decay are reconstructed using a single large-radius jet with transverse momentum greater than 400Ge V . The data were collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The differential t t ¯ production cross section as a function of the jet mass is unfolded to the particle level and is used to extract the top quark mass. The jet mass scale is calibrated using the hadronic W boson decay within the large-radius jet. The uncertainties in the modelling of the final state radiation are reduced by studying angular correlations in the jet substructure. These developments lead to a significant increase in precision, and a top quark mass of 173.06 ± 0.84 Ge V .

Sexual dimorphism in Louisiana pine snakes (Pituophis ruthveni)

The Louisiana pine snake, Pituophis ruthveni, is a cryptic, federally threatened snake species with several fragmented populations in Louisiana and Texas, USA. There are currently four captive breeding populations in zoos in the USA; however, little scientific data exists on their life history and anatomy. Accurate sex determination and identification of normal reproductive anatomy are an essential part of a veterinary exam and conservation programs. The authors had encountered various cases of sex misidentification in this species that were attributed to lack of lubrication of the sexing probes and enlarged musk glands. Anecdotal observation led to a hypothesis of sexual dimorphism based on body and tail shape. To test this hypothesis, we measured body length, tail length and width, and body to tail taper angle in 15 P. ruthveni (9 males and 6 females). We also obtained tail radiographs of all animals to document the presence of mineralized hemipenes. Significant dimorphism was identified in relative tail length, width, and taper angle; females consistently exhibited a more acute taper angle. Contrary to previous studies in other Pituophis species, a male-biased sexual size dimorphism was not identified. Mineralized hemipenes were confirmed in all males (a newly described trait in this species), and we found that the lateral view was consistently more reliable for identification of hemipenes compared to the ventrodorsal view. This information contributes to the scientific community's understanding of this species and is of use to biologists and veterinarians working toward conservation of this threatened species.

Edible gum addition improves the quality of freeze-dried restructured strawberry blocks

Freeze-dried restructured strawberry blocks (FRSB) have become an increasingly popular product. In this study, the effects of six edible gums (guar gum, gelatin, xanthan gum, pectin, konjac gum, and carrageenan) on the FRSB quality were investigated. For FRSBs, compared with those in untreated samples, the 0.6 % guar gum addition increased texture profile analysis (TPA) hardness, chewiness, and puncture hardness by 29.59%, 174.86%, and 25.34%, respectively; after the 0.6% gelatin addition, the sensory evaluation sourness was reduced by 8.58%, whereas yield, TPA chewiness, and puncture hardness were increased by 3.40%, 28.62%, and 92.12%, respectively; with the 0.9% gelatin addition, the sensory evaluation sourness was reduced by 8.58%; with the 0.9% pectin addition, the yield, TPA hardness, chewiness, and puncture hardness were increased by 4.55%, 5.94%, 77.49%, and 103.62%, respectively. In summary, 0.6-0.9% pectin, gelatin, and guar gum addition are recommended to improve the main qualities of FRSBs.

A novel triplex real-time PCR assay for the differentiation of lumpy skin disease virus, goatpox virus, and sheeppox virus

Introduction

Three members of Capripoxvirus (CaPV) genus, including lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), goatpox virus (GTPV), and sheeppox virus (SPPV), are mentioned as notifiable forms by World Organization for Animal Health. These viruses have negatively impacted ruminant farming industry worldwide, causing great economic losses. Although SPPV and GTPV cause more severe clinical disease in only one animal species, they can transfer between sheep and goats. Both homologous and heterologous immunization strategies are used to protect animals against CaPVs. However, development of accurate and rapid methods to distinguish these three viruses is helpful for the early detection, disease surveillance, and control of CaPV infection. Therefore, we developed a novel triplex real-time PCR (qPCR) for the differentiation of LSDV, GTPV, and SPPV.

Methods

Universal primers were designed to detect pan-CaPV sequences. Species-specific minor groove binder (MGB)-based probes were designed, which were labeled with FAM for LSDV, HEX for GTPV, and ROX for SPPV. The sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and ability of detecting mixed infections were evaluated for the triplex qPCR. Further, 226 clinical samples of the infection and negative controls were subjected to the triplex qPCR, and the results were verified using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing methods for PRO30 gene.

Results

The triplex qPCR could successfully distinguish LSDV, GTPV, and SPPV in one reaction, and the assay sensitivity was 5.41, 27.70, and 17.28 copies/μL, respectively. No cross-reactivity was observed with other viruses causing common ruminant diseases, including des petits ruminants virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus, bluetongue virus, ovine contagious pustular dermatitis virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, and bovine viral diarrhea-mucosal disease virus. Inter-and intra-assay variabilities were < 2.5%. The results indicated that the triplex qPCR was highly specific, sensitive, and reproducible. Simulation experiments revealed that this assay could successfully distinguish two or three viruses in case of mixed infections without any cross-reaction. For clinical samples, the results were completely consistent with the results of PCR-RFLP and sequencing. This demonstrated that the assay was reliable for clinical application.

Discussion

The triplex qPCR is a robust, rapid, and simple tool for identifying various types of CaPV as it can successfully distinguish LSDV, GTPV, and SPPV in one reaction. Furthermore, the assay can facilitate more accurate disease diagnosis and surveillance for better control of CaPV infection.

First Study of Reaction Ξ^{0}n→Ξ^{-}p Using Ξ^{0}-Nucleus Scattering at an Electron-Positron Collider

Using (1.0087±0.0044)×10^{10}  J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII storage ring, the process Ξ^{0}n→Ξ^{-}p is studied, where the Ξ^{0} baryon is produced in the process J/ψ→Ξ^{0}Ξ[over ¯]^{0} and the neutron is a component of the ^{9}Be, ^{12}C, and ^{197}Au nuclei in the beam pipe. A clear signal is observed with a statistical significance of 7.1σ. The cross section of the reaction Ξ^{0}+^{9}Be→Ξ^{-}+p+^{8}Be is determined to be σ(Ξ^{0}+^{9}Be→Ξ^{-}+p+^{8}Be)=(22.1±5.3_{stat}±4.5_{sys})  mb at the Ξ^{0} momentum of 0.818  GeV/c, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. No significant H-dibaryon signal is observed in the Ξ^{-}p final state. This is the first study of hyperon-nucleon interactions in electron-positron collisions and opens up a new direction for such research.

Measurements of the Elliptic and Triangular Azimuthal Anisotropies in Central ^{3}He+Au, d+Au and p+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

The elliptic (v_{2}) and triangular (v_{3}) azimuthal anisotropy coefficients in central ^{3}He+Au, d+Au, and p+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV are measured as a function of transverse momentum (p_{T}) at midrapidity (|η|<0.9), via the azimuthal angular correlation between two particles both at |η|<0.9. While the v_{2}(p_{T}) values depend on the colliding systems, the v_{3}(p_{T}) values are system independent within the uncertainties, suggesting an influence on eccentricity from subnucleonic fluctuations in these small-sized systems. These results also provide stringent constraints for the hydrodynamic modeling of these systems.

Measurements of Normalized Differential Cross Sections of Inclusive π^{0} and K_{S}^{0} Production in e^{+}e^{-} Annihilation at Energies from 2.2324 to 3.6710 GeV

Based on electron positron collision data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage rings, the differential cross sections of inclusive π^{0} and K_{S}^{0} production as a function of hadron momentum, normalized by the total cross section of the e^{+}e^{-}→hadrons process, are measured at six center-of-mass energies from 2.2324 to 3.6710 GeV. Our results, which cover a relative hadron energy range from 0.1 to 0.9, significantly deviate from several theoretical calculations based on existing fragmentation functions.

A tera-electron volt afterglow from a narrow jet in an extremely bright gamma-ray burst

Some gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have a tera-electron volt (TeV) afterglow, but the early onset of this has not been observed. We report observations with the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory of the bright GRB 221009A, which serendipitously occurred within the instrument field of view. More than 64,000 photons >0.2 TeV were detected within the first 3000 seconds. The TeV flux began several minutes after the GRB trigger, then rose to a peak about 10 seconds later. This was followed by a decay phase, which became more rapid ~650 seconds after the peak. We interpret the emission using a model of a relativistic jet with half-opening angle ~0.8°. This is consistent with the core of a structured jet and could explain the high isotropic energy of this GRB.

Partial cellular reprogramming stably restores the stemness of senescent epidermal stem cells

OBJECTIVE

Adult stem cell senescence and exhaustion are important drivers of organismal age. Restored stem cell self-renewal has revealed novel therapeutic targets for decreasing the incidence of age-associated diseases (AADs) and prolonging the human health span. Transient ectopic expression of the reprogramming factors Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc (collectively known as OSKM) in somatic cells can induce partial cellular reprogramming and effectively ameliorate their age-associated hallmarks. However, how this form of rejuvenation is applied to senescent stem cells remains unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Integrin-α6highCD71high epidermal stem cells (ESCs) with low self-renewal ability were sorted by flow cytometry and then treated by the interrupted reprogramming induced by transient expression of OSKM. The ability of secondary clones' generation and self-proliferation in vitro, as well as stem cell marker p63, were detected to determine their self-renewal ability. Besides, gene and protein of epidermal cell markers were detected to determine whether their cell identities were retained. Finally, DNA methylation age (eAge) and DNA dehydroxymethylase/methyltransferase were analyzed to explore the alternation of their global DNA methylation pattern during this rejuvenation.

RESULTS

The partial reprogramming restored the youthful self-renewal and proliferation in senescent ESCs, including larger secondary clone generation, higher expression of stem cell marker p63 and proliferation marker Ki67, and faster proliferation speed, in each case without abolishing epithelial cellular identity. Moreover, the rejuvenation of adult stem cells could be maintained for 2 weeks after reprogramming factor withdrawal, which was more stable than that of differentiated somatic cells. Additionally, we found that partial reprogramming counteracted the acceleration of eAge in senescent epidermal stem cells and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) may play a crucial role in this process.

CONCLUSIONS

Partial reprogramming has high therapeutic potential for reversing adult stem cell age, providing an advanced way to treat AADs.

MRI manifestations of central nervous system leukaemia and cytological analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid

AIM

To investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and explore the value of MRI in the diagnosis of central nervous system leukaemia (CNSL).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study was performed in 68 patients with leukaemia who underwent cranial MRI between January 2020 and June 2022 at Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital.

RESULTS

A total of 33 patients fulfilled the requirements for inclusion. The findings showed that 87.9% patients exhibited neurological symptoms, and 23 patients showed abnormal MRI findings. No differences were observed between the MRI+ and MRI- groups in terms of age, sex, neurological symptoms, glucose in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), chloride in the CSF, abnormal cells detected using conventional cytology (CC), bone marrow status at the diagnosis of CNSL, signal intensity ratio, and mortality, except for protein concentration and the number of leukaemic cells detected using flow cytometry (FCM) in the CSF. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis in patients with leukaemia revealed no statistical differences in the median survival times between the MRI+ group and MRI- group. Cox regression analysis and multivariate analysis showed no significant difference in survival rate between the MRI+ and MRI- groups. Kappa consistency test shows weak diagnostic consistency between MRI and CC, and weak diagnostic inconsistency between MRI and FCM.

CONCLUSION

MRI could serve as an important complementary tool to CC and FCM in the diagnosis of CNSL, especially in patients without leptomeningeal involvement.

Precision Measurement of the Decay Σ^{+}→pγ in the Process J/ψ→Σ^{+}Σ[over ¯]^{-}

Using (10 087±44)×10^{6} J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, the radiative hyperon decay Σ^{+}→pγ is studied at an electron-positron collider experiment for the first time. The absolute branching fraction is measured to be (0.996±0.021_{stat}±0.018_{syst})×10^{-3}, which is lower than its world average value by 4.2 standard deviations. Its decay asymmetry parameter is determined to be -0.652±0.056_{stat}±0.020_{syst}. The branching fraction and decay asymmetry parameter are the most precise to date, and the accuracies are improved by 78% and 34%, respectively.

Observation of Directed Flow of Hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H in sqrt[s_{NN}]=3 GeV Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report here the first observation of directed flow (v_{1}) of the hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H in mid-central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3  GeV at RHIC. These data are taken as part of the beam energy scan program carried out by the STAR experiment. From 165×10^{6} events in 5%-40% centrality, about 8400 _{Λ}^{3}H and 5200 _{Λ}^{4}H candidates are reconstructed through two- and three-body decay channels. We observe that these hypernuclei exhibit significant directed flow. Comparing to that of light nuclei, it is found that the midrapidity v_{1} slopes of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H follow baryon number scaling, implying that the coalescence is the dominant mechanism for these hypernuclei production in the 3 GeV Au+Au collisions.

[Prophylactic vaccines for hepatitis type E]

Over the past few years, hepatitis type E has been increasingly recognized as an underestimated global disease burden. Populations with severe infection-related injuries or deaths include pregnant women, patients with underlying liver disease, and the elderly. Vaccines are the most effective means to prevent hepatitis type E virus (HEV) infection. However, the development of inactivated or attenuated vaccines is not feasible due to the lack of an efficient HEV cell culture system, so researchers have conducted in-depth research on recombinant vaccines. The capsid protein (pORF2), which the virion's open reading frame 2 encodes, contains almost exclusively the HEV neutralization site. Several candidate vaccines based on pORF2 have demonstrated potential for primate protection, with two being well tolerated and highly effective in preventing hepatitis type E in adults. Hecolin® (HEV 239 vaccine), the world's first hepatitis type E vaccine, was approved for marketing in China in 2012.

Beam Energy Dependence of Triton Production and Yield Ratio (N_{t}×N_{p}/N_{d}^{2}) in Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report the triton (t) production in midrapidity (|y|<0.5) Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=7.7-200  GeV measured by the STAR experiment from the first phase of the beam energy scan at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The nuclear compound yield ratio (N_{t}×N_{p}/N_{d}^{2}), which is predicted to be sensitive to the fluctuation of local neutron density, is observed to decrease monotonically with increasing charged-particle multiplicity (dN_{ch}/dη) and follows a scaling behavior. The dN_{ch}/dη dependence of the yield ratio is compared to calculations from coalescence and thermal models. Enhancements in the yield ratios relative to the coalescence baseline are observed in the 0%-10% most central collisions at 19.6 and 27 GeV, with a significance of 2.3σ and 3.4σ, respectively, giving a combined significance of 4.1σ. The enhancements are not observed in peripheral collisions or model calculations without critical fluctuation, and decreases with a smaller p_{T} acceptance. The physics implications of these results on the QCD phase structure and the production mechanism of light nuclei in heavy-ion collisions are discussed.

[Efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical decortication for stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema]

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy, safety and feasibility of "double-portal" video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical(VATS) decortication among patients with stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema, and then to evaluate the recovery of chest deformity. Method: This study was a single center retrospective study. A total of 49 patients with stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema who underwent VATS pleural decortication at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu between June 2017 and April 2021 were enrolled, including 38 males, and 11 females, aged 13-60 (27.5±10.4) years. The safety and feasibility of VATS were further evaluated. The inner circumference of the chest on sternal and xiphoid planes on chest CT scans before and 1, 3, 6, 12months after decortication were collected through the measuring software of the CT. The samples in-pair test was used to compare the changes in the chest to reflect the recovery of the chest deformity. Results: In the 49 patients, The surgical time was (186±61) min, and the volume of blood loss was (366±267) ml. There were 8 cases (16.33%) with postoperative complications during the perioperative period. Constant air leak and pneumonia were the main postoperative complications. No relapse of empyema or dissemination of tuberculosis occured during the period of follow-up. Before surgery, the inner thoracic circumference of the thorax at the level of the carina plane was (655±54) mm, and the inner thoracic circumference of the thorax at the level of the xiphoid plane was (720±69) mm. Patients were followed for 12-36 months. The inner thoracic circumference of the thoracic cavity at the level of carina was (666±51), (667±47) and (671±47) mm at the 3rd, 6th and 12th months after operation, which were significantly larger than that at the level of carina before operation (all P<0.05). The inner thoracic circumference diameter of the thoracic cavity measured at the xiphoid level at the 3rd, 6th and 12th months after the operation was (730±65), (733±63) and (735±63) mm respectively(all P<0.05).The inner thoracic circumference of the thoracic cavity increased significantly than that before surgery (P<0.05). At 6 months after operation, there was significant difference in the improvement of the inner thoracic circumference of the carina plane in patients with age less than 20 years and FEV₁% less than 80% (P=0.015, P=0.003). The improvement in the inner thoracic circumference of the carina plane in patients with pleural thickening≥8 mm compared with those with less than 8 mm was not statistically different(P=0.070). Conclusions: For some patients with stage Ⅲ tuberculous empyema, pleural decortication under thoracoscopy is safe and feasible, and can significantly restore the inner thoracic circumference of the patient's chest, improve the collapse of the patient's chest, and have significant clinical effect. The "double-portal VATS" surgical technology has the advantage of less trauma, wide operation field, large operation space and is easy to master, which is worth further exploring for clinical application.

Development and validation of a survival prediction model and risk stratification for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms

PURPOSE

We explored risk variables associated with cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs) and created a network dynamic nomogram model to predict patient survival time.

METHODS

A total of 7750 patients with PNENs were included in this analysis, including 134 with functional PNENs and 7616 with nonfunctional PNENs. Clinical feature and prognosis differences between functional and nonfunctional PNENs were compared. Independent prognostic factors affecting CSS were analyzed by univariate and multifactorial Cox regression. Nomogram and web-based prognosis prediction of PNENs were developed and validated by C indices, decision curve analysis, and calibration plots.

RESULTS

Patients with functional PNENs were younger at diagnosis than those with nonfunctional PNENs. Functional PNENs had better prognoses than nonfunctional PNENs (5-year survival rates: 78.55% and 71.10%, respectively). Univariate and multifactorial Cox regression analyses showed that tumor infiltration (T), nodal metastasis (N), metastasis (M), tumor site, differentiation grade, age, marital status, and surgical treatment were independent prognostic risk factors for CSS, which were included in the prognostic nomogram and web-based prognosis calculator. The calibration plots and decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram had excellent prediction and clinical practical ability. The C indices for CSS in the training and validation cohorts were 0.848 (95% CI 0.838-0.8578) and 0.823 (95% CI 0.807-0.839), respectively. We scored all patients according to the nomogram and divided patients into three different risk groups. The prognosis of the low-risk population was significantly better than those of the middle- and high-risk populations based on Kaplan-Meier survival curve.

CONCLUSION

We analyzed the clinical features of PNENs and developed a convenient and web dynamic nomogram to predict CSS.

DWI-Based Radiomics Predicts the Functional Outcome of Endovascular Treatment in Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Endovascular treatment is a reference treatment for acute basilar artery occlusion (ABAO). However, no established and specific methods are available for the preoperative screening of patients with ABAO suitable for endovascular treatment. This study explores the potential value of DWI-based radiomics in predicting the functional outcomes of endovascular treatment in ABAO.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with ABAO treated with endovascular treatment from the BASILAR registry (91 patients in the training cohort) and the hospitals in the Northwest of China (31 patients for the external testing cohort) were included in this study. The Mann-Whitney U test, random forests algorithm, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were used to reduce the feature dimension. A machine learning model was developed on the basis of the training cohort to predict the prognosis of endovascular treatment. The performance of the model was evaluated on the independent external testing cohort.

RESULTS

A subset of radiomics features (n = 6) was used to predict the functional outcomes in patients with ABAO. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the radiomics model were 0.870 and 0.781 in the training cohort and testing cohort, respectively. The accuracy of the radiomics model was 77.4%, with a sensitivity of 78.9%, specificity of 75%, positive predictive value of 83.3%, and negative predictive value of 69.2% in the testing cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

DWI-based radiomics can predict the prognosis of endovascular treatment in patients with ABAO, hence allowing a potentially better selection of patients who are most likely to benefit from this treatment.

[Prognostic value of perioperative change of neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase in coronary circulation on perioperative myocardial injury and clinical outcome of patients underwent surgical valve replacement]

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of observing perioperative changes of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neutrophil elastase (NE) in coronary artery circulation in patients underwent valve replacement surgery. Methods: This perspective cohort study was performed in patients who underwent valvular surgery in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital and Fuwai Hospital from June 2021 to June 2022. Patients were divided into perioperative myocardial injury group and age-, sex- and type of cardiac procedure-matched non-perioperative myocardial injury control group in the ratio of 1∶1. Perioperative myocardial injury was defined as cardiac troponin T (cTnT)>0.8 μg/L on the first postoperative day (POD), and the cTnT level on the second POD increased by more than 10% compared with the cTnT level on the first POD. During the operation, blood samples were collected from the coronary sinus before clamping ascending aorta, and within 5 minutes after de-clamping ascending aorta. Then, the levels of MPO and NE on coronary sinus were continuously measured. The death, severe ventricular arrhythmia, pneumonia, re-intubation, repeat cardiac surgery, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), mechanical ventilation time and the duration of intensive care unit (ICU) were recorded. The levels of MPO and NE and the incidence of clinical outcomes were compared between the myocardial injury group and the control group. The independent risk factors of myocardial injury were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Results: A total of 130 patients were enrolled, aged (60.6±7.6) years old, with 59 males (45.4%). There were 65 patients in the myocardial injury group and 65 patients in the control group. During hospitalization, there was no death, ECMO, IABP and CRRT cases in both groups. Compared with the control group, the incidence of severe ventricular arrhythmia (13.8%(9/65) vs. 3.1%(2/65), P=0.03), pneumonia (20.0%(13/65) vs. 3.1%(2/65), P=0.03), re-intubation (6.2%(4/65) vs. 0, P=0.04) was significantly higher in myocardial injury group. The mechanical ventilation time (16.8(10.7, 101.7) h vs. 7.5(4.7, 15.1) h, P<0.01), and the duration of ICU (3.7(2.7, 18.9) vs. 2.7(1.8, 6.9)d, P<0.01) were significantly longer in myocardial injury group compared with the control group. There was no significant difference in the levels of MPO and NE in coronary sinus blood between the two groups before aortic clamping (all P>0.05). However, MPO ((551.3±124.2) μg/L vs. (447.2±135.9) μg/L, P<0.01) and NE ((417.0±83.1)μg/L vs. (341.0±68.3)μg/L, P<0.01) after 5 min aortic de-clamping were significantly higher in myocardial injury group than in the control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the levels of NE (OR=1.02, 95%CI: 1.01-1.02, P<0.01), MPO (OR=1.00, 95%CI: 1.00-1.01, P=0.02) and mechanical ventilation time (OR=1.03, 95%CI: 1.01-1.06, P=0.02) were independent risk factors of myocardial injury in patients after surgical valvular replacement. Conclusion: Perioperative myocardial injury is related poor clinical outcomes, perioperative NE and MPO in coronary artery circulation are independent risk factors of perioperative myocardial injury in patients undergoing valve replacement surgery.

[Associations of all-cause mortality with admission blood pressure variability during multiple hospitalizations in acute decompensated heart failure]

Objective: To investigate whether admission blood pressure (BP) variability during multiple hospitalizations is associated with all-cause mortality independent of baseline BP in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Methods: Patients with ADHF admitted to the Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from September 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively enrolled. The risk of all-cause mortality associated with indices of BP variability, including mean admission BPs, standard deviation of BP and coefficient of variation of BP during multiple hospitalizations was assessed, using Cox regression model. Results: A total of 1 006 ADHF patients (mean aged (69.3±13.5) years; 411 (40.8%) female; 670 (66.6%) with preserved ejection fraction) were enrolled. During a median follow-up of 1.54 years, 47.0% of patients died. In all ADHF patients, after adjusting for confounding factors, for every 1-standard deviation (SD) increase in SD and coefficient of variation (CV) of systolic BP, the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 10% and 11%, respectively (SD: HR, 1.10, 95%CI, 1.01-1.21, P=0.029, CV: HR, 1.11, 95%CI, 1.02-1.21, P=0.017); for every 1-SD increase in the mean of diastolic BP, the risk of all cause mortality decreased by 25% (HR, 0.75; 95%CI, 0.65-0.87; P<0.001). In ADHF patients with preserved ejection fraction, after accounted for potential confounders, higher SD and CV of admitted systolic and diastolic BP were significantly associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality, regardless of whether confounding factors were adjusted (P≤0.049); After adjusting for confounding factors, the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 18% and 19% for every 1-SD increase in SD and CV of systolic BP, while the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 11% and 15% for every 1-SD increase in SD and CV of diastolic BP. In ADHF patients with reduced ejection fraction, after adjusting for confounding factors, the higher the mean admission systolic BP during multiple hospitalizations, the lower the risk of total mortality (HR, 0.68; 95%CI, 0.47-1.00; P=0.049). Conclusions: In patients with ADHF, independent of baseline BP, BP variability during multiple hospitalizations was strong predictor of all-cause mortality.

Measurements of the Electric and Magnetic Form Factors of the Neutron for Timelike Momentum Transfer

We present the first measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron in the timelike (positive q^{2}) region as function of four-momentum transfer. We explored the differential cross sections of the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→n[over ¯]n with data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII accelerator, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 354.6  pb^{-1} in total at twelve center-of-mass energies between sqrt[s]=2.0-2.95  GeV. A relative uncertainty of 18% and 12% for the electric and magnetic form factors, respectively, is achieved at sqrt[s]=2.3935  GeV. Our results are comparable in accuracy to those from electron scattering in the comparable spacelike region of four-momentum transfer. The electromagnetic form factor ratio R_{em}≡|G_{E}|/|G_{M}| is within the uncertainties close to unity. We compare our result on |G_{E}| and |G_{M}| to recent model predictions, and the measurements in the spacelike region to test the analyticity of electromagnetic form factors.

Observation of a New X(3872) Production Process e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872)

Using 4.7  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data at center-of-mass energies from 4.661 to 4.951 GeV collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we observe the X(3872) production process e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872) for the first time. The significance is 7.8σ, including both the statistical and systematic uncertainties. The e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872) Born cross section and the corresponding upper limit at 90% confidence level at each energy point are reported. The line shape of the cross section indicates that the ωX(3872) signals may be from the decays of some nontrivial structures.

[Clinical features and ocular manifestations of monkeypox virus infection]

Monkeypox is the most important orthopoxvirus infectious disease in humans after the extinction of smallpox. Recent outbreaks of monkeypox in several countries show obvious human-to-human transmission, which has aroused great concern around the world. Monkeypox infection can also affect the eyes. This article reviews the clinical features and ocular manifestations of monkeypox virus infection in order to attract the attention of ophthalmologists.

[Diffuse midline glioma with H3K27 alteration in adults: a clinicopathological analysis]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, pathological diagnosis and prognosis of diffuse midline glioma (DMG) with H3K27 alteration in adults. Methods: Twenty cases of H3K27-altered adult DMG diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were enrolled from 2017 to 2022. All cases were evaluated by clinical and imaging presentations, HE, immunohistochemical staining and molecular genetics; and the relevant literature was reviewed. Results: The ratio of male to female was 1∶1, and the median age was 53 years (range from 25 to 74 years); the tumors were located in the brainstem (3/20, 15%) and non-brainstem (17/20, 85%; three in thoracolumbar spinal cord and one in pineal region). The clinical manifestations were non-specific, mostly dizziness, headache, blurred vision, memory loss, low back pain, limb sensation and/or movement disorders, etc. Microscopically, the tumors showed infiltrative growth, with WHO grade 2 (3 cases), grade 3 (12 cases), and grade 4 (5 cases). The tumors showed astrocytoma-like and oligdendroglioma-like, pilocytic astrocytoma-like and epithelioid-like patterns. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for GFAP, Olig2 and H3K27M, and H3K27me3 expression was variably lost. ATRX expression was lost in four cases, p53 was strongly positive in 11 cases. Ki-67 index was about 5%-70%. Molecular genetics showed p. k27m mutation in exon 1 of H3F3A gene in 20 cases; BRAF mutation in two cases: V600E and L597Q mutation in one case each. Follow up intervals ranged from 1 to 58 months, and the survival time for brainstem (6.0 months) and non-brainstem (30.4 months) tumors was significantly different (P<0.05). Conclusions: DMG with H3K27 alteration is uncommonly found in adults, mostly occurs in non-brainstem, and can present in adults of all ages. Owing to the wide histomorphologic features, mainly astrocytic differentiation, routine detection of H3K27me3 in midline glioma is recommended. Molecular testing should be performed on any suspected cases to avoid missed diagnosis. Concomitant BRAF L597Q mutation and PPM1D mutation are novel findings. The overall prognosis of this tumor is poor, with tumors located in the brainstem showing worse outcome.

Evaluating the Use of CT-Derived Lung Volumes in Donor-Recipient Lung Size Matching for Lung Transplantation in Patients With Interstitial Lung Disease and/or Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

PURPOSE

This study aims to assess the efficacy of current measurement strategies for lung sizing and the feasibility of future use of computed tomography (CT)-derived lung volumes to predict a donor-recipient lung size match during bilateral lung transplants.

METHODS

We reviewed the data of 62 patients who underwent bilateral lung transplantation for interstitial lung disease and/or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis from 2018 to 2019. Data for recipients was retrieved from the department's transplant database and medical records, and the donor's data was retrieved from the DonorNet. The data included demographic data, lung heights, measured total lung capacity (TLC) from plethysmography for recipients and estimated TLC for donors, clinical data, and CT-derived lung volumes in both pre- and post-transplant recipients. The post-transplant CT-derived lung volume in recipients was used as a surrogate for donor lung CT volumes due to inadequate or poor donor CT data. Computed tomography-derived lung volumes were calculated using thresholding, region growing, and cutting techniques on Computer-Aided Design and Mimics (Materialise NV, Leuven, Belgium) programs. Preoperative CT-derived lung volumes in recipients were compared with the plethysmography TLC, Frustum Model, and donor-predicted TLC. The ratio of the recipient's pre-and postoperative CT-derived volumes, the ratio of preoperative CT-derived lung volume, and donor-estimated TLC were studied to detect a correlation with 1-year outcomes.

RESULTS

The recipient preoperative CT-derived volume correlated with the recipient preoperative plethysmography TLC (Pearson correlation coefficient [PCC] of 0.688) and with the recipient Frustum model volume (PCC of 0.593). The recipient postoperative CT-derived volume correlated with the recipient's postoperative plethysmography TLC (PCC of 0.651). There was no statistically significant correlation between recipients' CT-derived pre- or postoperative volume with donor-estimated TLC. The ratio of preoperative CT-derived volume to donor-estimated TLC correlated inversely with the length of ventilation (P value = .0031). The ratio of postoperative CT-derived volume to preoperative CT-derived volume correlated inversely with delayed sternal closure (P = .0039). No statistically significant correlations were found in evaluating outcomes related to lung oversizing in the recipient (defined as a postoperative to preoperative CT-derived lung volume ratio of >1.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Generating CT-derived lung volumes is a valid and convenient method for evaluating lung volumes for transplantation in patients with ILD and/or IPF. Donor-estimated TLC should be interpreted carefully. Further studies should derive donor lung volumes from CT scans for a more accurate evaluation of lung size matching.

Functions and interaction of plant lipid signalling under abiotic stresses

Lipids are the primary form of energy storage and a major component of plasma membranes, which form the interface between the cell and the extracellular environment. Several lipids - including phosphoinositide, phosphatidic acid, sphingolipids, lysophospholipids, oxylipins, and free fatty acids - also serve as substrates for the generation of signalling molecules. Abiotic stresses, such as drought and temperature stress, are known to affect plant growth. In addition, abiotic stresses can activate certain lipid-dependent signalling pathways that control the expression of stress-responsive genes and contribute to plant stress adaptation. Many studies have focused either on the enzymatic production and metabolism of lipids, or on the mechanisms of abiotic stress response. However, there is little information regarding the roles of plant lipids in plant responses to abiotic stress. In this review, we describe the metabolism of plant lipids and discuss their involvement in plant responses to abiotic stress. As such, this review provides crucial background for further research on the interactions between plant lipids and abiotic stress.

Modified transcrestal sinus floor elevation with concomitant implant placement in edentulous posterior maxillae with residual bone height of 5 mm or less: a non-controlled prospective study

The aim of this study was to describe a modified transcrestal sinus floor elevation (mTSFE) technique and to evaluate its clinical effectiveness and reliability when residual bone height is severely reduced. Forty-three maxillary edentulous patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled. All patients underwent the mTSFE technique; 66 dental implants were inserted simultaneously. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed 2 weeks after surgery. Prosthetic crowns were placed 6 months after surgery. Radiographic analyses and clinical analyses were conducted to assess the clinical effectiveness and feasibility of mTSFE during a follow-up period of 2-8 years. The mean vertical bone increase after surgery was 8.09 mm, and it decreased to 6.56 mm at 6 months after surgery. Two cases of membrane perforation occurred during surgery and one implant was lost in the third year after surgery; the survival rate at the implant level was 98.48%. No severe postoperative complication was reported and the subjective feeling of patients was acceptable. This mTSFE technique could simplify the operative procedure and might be helpful to reduce intraoperative trauma, as well as to alleviate postoperative discomfort.

A clinical study of ultrasonic localization-assisted combined transplantation of a bilateral anterolateral thigh perforator flap for the repair of large-area skin and soft tissue defects of the extremities

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of the combined transplantation of a bilateral anterolateral thigh perforator (ALTP) flap for the repair of large-area skin and soft tissue defects of the extremities.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twelve patients who had received bilateral ALTP flap reconstructions for large-area skin and soft tissue defects of the extremities were retrospectively analyzed. The areas of the skin and soft tissue defects were measured preoperatively (18.0×11.0 ‒ 38.0×15.0 cm2). The wounds were on the forearm, elbow, upper arm, foot, and lower leg. Color Duplex Sonography (CDS) was used to localize the site where the perforator artery of the bilateral thighs penetrated the deep fascia. The selected area was evaluated according to the number of perforating branches and the range of supply. The flap areas and repairable range were further evaluated according to the number of perforating branches detected during the operation to determine whether to retain the deep fascia. It is important to design and adjust the anastomosis of the vascular pedicle according to the specific situation on transfer of the flap to the recipient site. The donor sites of all the patients in the study were closed in the first stage. The amount of bleeding and the blood supply to the flap after vascular anastomosis were evaluated during the operation. The postoperative survival of the flap and complications, such as bleeding, infection, and arteriovenous crisis, were closely monitored. All patients were followed-up at one, three, and six months after surgery to assess their satisfaction with the appearance of the flap transplantation and the recovery of limb function.

RESULTS

The bilateral ATLP flaps survived successfully in all 12 cases and all donor sites were closed in the first stage. No post-surgery complications, including hematoma, wound dehiscence, and infection, were observed at the donor sites, resulting in high patient satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Combined transplantation of bilateral ALTP flaps can repair large-area skin and soft tissue defects in one stage, which not only reduces the number of operations and hospitalization costs but also reduces the damage to the limbs caused by the cutting of large-area flaps from only one side. The accuracy of the surgery was improved by ultrasound-assisted localization. In summary, combined transplantation of bilateral ALTP is a rational yet effective way to repair large-area skin and soft tissue defects of the extremities.

Tracing the Origin of Genotype II African Swine Fever Virus in China by Genomic Epidemiology Analysis

The pandemic spread of African swine fever (ASF) has caused serious effects on the global pig industry. Virus genome sequencing and genomic epidemiology analysis play an important role in tracking the outbreaks of the disease and tracing the transmission of the virus. Here we obtained the full-length genome sequence of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in the first outbreak of ASF in China on August 3rd, 2018 and compared it with other published genotype II ASFV genomes including 9 genomes collected in China from September 2018 to October 2020. Phylogenetic analysis on genomic sequences revealed that genotype II ASFV has evolved into different genetic clusters with temporal and spatial correlation since being introduced into Europe and then Asia. There was a strong support for the monophyletic grouping of all the ASFV genome sequences from China and other Asian countries, which shared a common ancestor with those from the Central or Eastern Europe. An evolutionary rate of 1.312 × 10−5 nucleotide substitutions per site per year was estimated for genotype II ASFV genomes. Eight single nucleotide variations which located in MGF110-1L, MGF110-7L, MGF360-10L, MGF505-5R, MGF505-9R, K145R, NP419L, and I267L were identified as anchor mutations that defined genetic clusters of genotype II ASFV in Europe and Asia. This study expanded our knowledge of the molecular epidemiology of ASFV and provided valuable information for effective control of the disease.

[Surgical treatment for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma:a single-center experience]

Objective: To investigate surgical strategies and the corresponding benefits for patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma(pCCA). Methods: A total of 81 patients with pCCA who underwent radical excision in the Department of Biliary and Pancreatic Surgery of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital between January 2014 and December 2021 were retrospectively collected.The cohort consisted of 50 male and 31 female patients,with an age of (62.5±11.5)years(range:26 to 83 years).Seventy-five cases were diagnosed with jaundice,60 of whom received preoperative biliary drainage,while 20 patients received portal vein embolization.Their serum bilirubin level within one week before the operation(M(IQR)) was 44.3 (41.9) μmol/L(range:8.0 to 344.2 μmol/L).Preoperative imaging examinations were performed to evaluate the Bismuth-Corlette type of pCCA,showing 3,6,21,27,and 24 cases of Bismuth-Corlette type Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲa,Ⅲb,and Ⅳ,respectively.The primary outcome was overall survival (OS),and the secondary outcomes were relapse-free survival (RFS),90-day postoperative morbidity and 90-day postoperative mortality.OS and RFS were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the Log-rank test.Significant prognostic factors were determined using univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analyses. Results: In the cohort of 81 pCCA patients,67 cases(82.7%) underwent major hepatectomy while 3 cases received major hepatectomy combined with pancreaticoduodenectomy.Thirty-four patients underwent hepatectomy combined with vascular resection and reconstruction(18 cases of portal vein resection and reconstruction alone;9 cases of hepatic artery resection and reconstruction alone;7 cases of combination of portal vein and hepatic artery resection and reconstruction).Margin negative(R0 excision) were achieved in 53.1%(43/81) of these patients.The operation duration was (627±136)minutes(range:565 to 940 minutes),and the intraoperative blood loss was 400(455)ml(range:200 to 2 800 ml).The 90-day postoperative mortality was 3.7%(3/81).Grade 3-4 postoperative morbidity was 23.4% (19/81) according to the Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications.Up to the last follow-up at September 2022,the follow-up time was 34.0(24.2)months (range:0.4 to 103.6 months).Three patients who died within 90 days after surgery were excluded from the survival analysis.The median OS was 36.10 months (95%CI:18.23 to 42.97 months) and the 1-,3-and 5-year OS rates were 85.3%,46.8% and 27.3%,respectively.The median OS of 41 patients with negative margins was 47.83 months(95%CI:36.90 to 58.80 months) and that of 37 patients with positive margins was 20.47 months(95%CI:10.52 to 30.58 months).The median RFS of 70 patients with R0 and R1 resection was 24.50 months(95%CI:12.15 to 31.85 months)and the 1-,3-and 5-year RFS rates were 65.2%,45.7% and 29.9%,respectively.The median RFS of 41 patients with R0 resection was 38.57 months(95%CI:21.50 to 55.63 months) and that of 29 patients with R1 resection was 10.83 months(95%CI:2.82 to 19.86 months). Conclusions: The primary therapy for pCCA is radical surgical resection.A precise preoperative evaluation and sufficient preparation can reduce postoperative morbidity.Surgical treatment can achieve a better survival outcome by increasing the radical resection rate.

[Use of indocyanine green fluorescence navigation in laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy]

Objective: To examine the clinical value of fluorescence-guided indocyanine green (ICG) laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy in the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: Data from patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma and who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy with ICG fluorescence navigation in the Department of Liver Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center of West China Hospital between September 2020 and May 2022 were retrospectively collected. There were 53 males and 19 females, with an age of (55.5±12.9)years(range:42.6 to 68.4 years). Among them, 13 of the cases underwent laparoscopic anatomical liver resection(LALR) guided by tans-arterial ICG,43 of the cases received LAIR guided by portal vein negative ICG, and 16 of the cases received LALR positive by portal vein. Comparison among the three groups was performed by one-way ANOVA; and the rank sum test was used for comparison between groups. The counting data was expressed as percentage,and the χ² test or Fisher's exact probability method was used for comparison between groups. Results: (1) Postoperative pathology: Resection R0 was achieved in all operations. The maximum tumor diameter of the patients in the arterial staining group, the reverse staining group, and the positive staining group(M (IQR)) was 2.5 (2.4) cm, 3.0 (2.5) cm and 3.0(2.4) cm,respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in the maximum tumor diameter between the three groups (P=0.364). The minimum tumor margin was 1.1 (1.1) cm, 1.0 (1.0) cm, 1.1 (1.6) cm in the the arterial staining group, reverse staining group and the positive staining group, respectively. There was no significant difference in the margin among the three groups (P=0.878). (2) Operation conditions: the operation time of the arterial staining group, the negative staining group, and the positive portal staining group was (348±93)minutes,(277±112)minutes,and (295±116)minutes,respectively. There were no significant differences in operation time among the three groups (P=0.134). The intraoperative blood loss of the three groups was 80(150)ml,200(350)ml,and 100(150)ml,respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in intraoperative bleeding volume between the three groups(P=0.743). All cases were not transfused during the operation and were not converted to laparotomy. ALT in the arterial staining group was higher than in the negative staining group in the first two days after the operation ((559±398)IU/L307(257) IU/L, q=235.5,P=0.004;(611±389)IU/L(331±242) IU/L, q=265.2, P=0.002). There was only one case of a grade III complication (Clavien-Dindo grading system) postoperative complication in the negative and positive staining group of the portal vein, respectively. Tumor markers in all patients decreased to the normal range after 2 months of operation. Conclusion: Laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy guided by ICG fluorescence through arterial staining and portal vein staining is safe and feasible for primary hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Observation of Three Charmoniumlike States with J^{PC}=1^{--} in e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+}

The Born cross sections of the process e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} at center-of-mass energies from 4.189 to 4.951 GeV are measured for the first time. The data samples used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 17.9  fb^{-1} and were collected by the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. Three enhancements around 4.20, 4.47, and 4.67 GeV are visible. The resonances have masses of 4209.6±4.7±5.9  MeV/c^{2}, 4469.1±26.2±3.6  MeV/c^{2}, and 4675.3±29.5±3.5  MeV/c^{2} and widths of 81.6±17.8±9.0  MeV, 246.3±36.7±9.4  MeV, and 218.3±72.9±9.3  MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The first and third resonances are consistent with the ψ(4230) and ψ(4660) states, respectively, while the second one is compatible with the ψ(4500) observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}J/ψ process. These three charmoniumlike ψ states are observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} process for the first time.

[Chemical reprogramming of human embryonic fibroblasts into neural progenitor cells in vitro]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a protocol for reprogramming human embryonic fibroblasts (HEFs) into chemically induced neural progenitor cells (ciNPCs).

METHODS

In the two-staged reprogramming of HEFs, the intermediate compact cell colonies were first chemically induced in KSR medium containing small-molecule compounds (VCR) for 15 days in normoxia, followed by the lineage-specific induction stage, in which the compact cell colonies were digested with 0.25% trypsin and the cells were cultured in low adhesion plates. After formation of a large number of free-floating neurospheres 2 days later, the ciNPCs were labeled with CM-DiI and transplanted into rat models of Parkinson's disease (PD)to observe the survival, migration and differentiation of the cells in PD brain.

RESULTS

After induction with VCR for 10 days under normoxic condition, compact cell colonies occurred in HEF cultures (approximately 40 colonies in each well containing 1×10⁵ HEFs), and most of the colonies expressed high levels of alkaline phosphatase. A large number of free-floating neurospheres formed 2 days after passage and were defined as P1 ciNPCs. These ciNPCs exhibited typical neurosphere-like structures and expressed NPC-specific markers (nestin, Sox2, and Pax6). Under neuronal or glial differentiation condition, the ciNPCs expressed the neuron-specific marker Tuj1 and the astrocyte-specific marker GFAP. These ciNPCs could differentiate into Tuj1⁺, GFAP⁺, TH⁺ and GABA⁺ cells 4 weeks after transplantation into the brain of PD rats.

CONCLUSION

HEFs can be directly reprogrammed into ciNPCs using smallmolecule compounds without the need of introducing exogenous genes. This success may provide a solution to the shortage of donor materials for neuroscience research and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Measurement of Sequential ϒ Suppression in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV with the STAR Experiment

We report on measurements of sequential ϒ suppression in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV with the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) through both the dielectron and dimuon decay channels. In the 0%-60% centrality class, the nuclear modification factors (R_{AA}), which quantify the level of yield suppression in heavy-ion collisions compared to p+p collisions, for ϒ(1S) and ϒ(2S) are 0.40±0.03(stat)±0.03(sys)±0.09(norm) and 0.26±0.08(stat)±0.02(sys)±0.06(norm), respectively, while the upper limit of the ϒ(3S) R_{AA} is 0.17 at a 95% confidence level. This provides experimental evidence that the ϒ(3S) is significantly more suppressed than the ϒ(1S) at RHIC. The level of suppression for ϒ(1S) is comparable to that observed at the much higher collision energy at the Large Hadron Collider. These results point to the creation of a medium at RHIC whose temperature is sufficiently high to strongly suppress excited ϒ states.