[Use of the ETV6/RUNX1 probe to verify the performance of the fluorescence in situ hybridization probe before clinical detection]

Objective: To explore the standardized performance of a FISH probe before clinical detection. Methods: The probe sensitivity and specificity of ETV6/RUNX1 were analyzed via interphase and metaphase FISH in 20 discarded healthy bone marrow samples. The threshold system of the probe was established using an inverse beta distribution, and an interpretation standard was established. Finally, a parallel-controlled polymerase chain reaction detection study was conducted on 286 bone marrow samples from patients at our hospital. The clinical sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic coincidence rate of ETV6/RUNX1 FISH detection were analyzed, and the diagnostic consistency of the two methods was analyzed by the kappa test. Results: The probe sensitivity and specificity of the ETV6/RUNX1 probe were 98.47% and 100%, respectively. When 50, 100, and 200 cells were counted, the typical positive signal pattern cutoffs were 5.81%, 2.95%, and 1.49%, respectively, and the atypical positive signal pattern cutoffs were 13.98%, 9.75%, and 6.26%, respectively. The clinical sensitivity of FISH was 96.1%, clinical specificity was 99.6%, diagnostic coincidence rate was 99.00%, diagnostic consistency test kappa value was 0.964, and P value was <0.001. Conclusion: For FISH probes without a national medical device registration certificate, standardized performance verification and methodology performance verification can be performed using laboratory developed test verification standards to ensure a reliable and accurate reference basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Extracts and Scirpusin B from Recycled Seeds and Rinds of Passion Fruits (Passiflora edulis var. Tainung No. 1) Exhibit Improved Functions in Scopolamine-Induced Impaired-Memory ICR Mice

In this paper, the seeds and rinds of passion fruit, which are the agricultural waste of juice processing, were recycled to investigate their biological activities for sustainable use. De-oiled seed powders (S) were successively extracted by refluxing 95% ethanol (95E), 50E, and hot water (HW), respectively, to obtain S-95EE, S-50EE, and S-HWE. Dried rind powders were successively extracted by refluxing HW and 95E to obtain rind-HWE and rind-95EE, respectively. S-50EE and S-95EE showed the most potent extracts, such as anti-amyloid-β1-42 aggregations and anti-acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, and they exhibited neuroprotective activities against amyloid-β25-35-treated or H2O2-treated SH-SY5Y cells. Scirpusin B and piceatannol were identified in S-95EE, S-50EE, and rind-HWE, and they showed anti-acetylcholinesterase activity at 50% inhibitory concentrations of 62.9 and 258.9 μM, respectively. Daily pretreatments of de-oiled seed powders and rind-HWE (600 mg/kg), S-95EE, and S-50EE (250 mg/kg) or scirpusin B (40 mg/kg) for 7 days resulted in improved learning behavior in passive avoidance tests and had significant differences (p < 0.05) compared with those of the control in scopolamine-induced ICR mice. The seeds and rinds of passion fruit will be recycled as materials for the development of functional foods, promoting neuroprotection and delaying the onset of cognitive dysfunctions.

[Clinical efficacy and safety analysis of 125I seed implantation in the treatment of mediastinal lymph node metastasis of lung cancer]

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of ¹²⁵I seed implantation in the treatment of mediastinal lymph node metastasis of lung cancer. Methods: Clinical data of 36 patients who underwent CT-guided ¹²⁵I seed implantation for mediastinal lymph node metastasis of lung cancer from August 2013 to April 2020 in three hospitals of the Northern radioactive particle implantation treatment collaboration group were retrospectively collected, including 24 males and 12 females, aged 46 to 84 years. Cox regression model was used to analyze the relationship between local control rate, survival rate and tumor stage, pathological type, postoperative D90, postoperative D100 and other variables, and to analyze the occurrence of complications. Results: The objective response rate of CT-guided ¹²⁵I seed implantation in the treatment of mediastinal lymph node metastasis of lung cancer was 75% (27/36), the median control time was 12 months, the 1-year local control rate was 47.2% (17/36), and the median survival time was 17 months. The 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 61.1% (22/36) and 22.2% (8/36) respectively. Univariate analysis showed that in the treatment of mediastinal lymph node metastasis with CT-guided ¹²⁵I implantation, factors related to local control included tumor stage (HR=5.246, 95%CI: 2.243-12.268, P<0.001), postoperative D90 (HR=0.191, 95%CI: 0.085-0.431, P<0.001), postoperative D100 (HR=0.240, 95%CI: 0.108-0.533, P<0.001); The factors affecting survival were tumor stage (HR=2.712, 95%CI: 1.356-5.425, P=0.005), postoperative D90 (HR=0.110, 95%CI: 0.041-0.294, P<0.001), postoperative D100 (HR=0.212, 95%CI: 0.092-0.489, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that tumor stage (HR=5.305, 95%CI: 2.187-12.872, P<0.001) and postoperative D100 (HR=0.237, 95%CI: 0.099-0.568, P<0.001) were correlated with local control rate. Tumor stage (HR=2.347, 95%CI: 1.095-5.032, P=0.028) and postoperative D90 (HR=0.144, 95%CI: 0.051-0.410, P<0.001) were correlated with survival. In terms of complications, 9 of the 36 patients had pneumothorax, and 1 of them was cured by closed thoracic drainage for severe pneumothorax; 5 cases developed pulmonary hemorrhage and 5 cases developed hemoptysis, which recovered after hemostasis treatment. One case developed pulmonary infection and recovered after anti-inflammatory treatment. No radiation esophagitis and radiation pneumonia occurred; No grade 3 or higher complications occurred. Conclusion: ¹²⁵I seed implantation in the treatment of lung cancer mediastinal lymph node metastasis has a high local control rate and controllable adverse effects.

[Molecular features of 109 patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia in a single center]

Objective: To explore the molecular features of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) . Methods: According to 2022 World Health Organization (WHO 2022) classification, 113 CMML patients and 840 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients from March 2016 to October 2021 were reclassified, and the clinical and molecular features of CMML patients were analyzed. Results: Among 113 CMML patients, 23 (20.4%) were re-diagnosed as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including 18 AML with NPM1 mutation, 3 AML with KMT2A rearrangement, and 2 AML with MECOM rearrangement. The remaining 90 patients met the WHO 2022 CMML criteria. In addition, 19 of 840 (2.3%) MDS patients met the WHO 2022 CMML criteria. At least one gene mutation was detected in 99% of CMML patients, and the median number of mutations was 4. The genes with mutation frequency ≥ 10% were: ASXL1 (48%), NRAS (34%), RUNX1 (33%), TET2 (28%), U2AF1 (23%), SRSF2 (21.1%), SETBP1 (20%), KRAS (17%), CBL (15.6%) and DNMT3A (11%). Paired analysis showed that SRSF2 was frequently co-mutated with ASXL1 (OR=4.129, 95% CI 1.481-11.510, Q=0.007) and TET2 (OR=5.276, 95% CI 1.979-14.065, Q=0.001). SRSF2 and TET2 frequently occurred in elderly (≥60 years) patients with myeloproliferative CMML (MP-CMML). U2AF1 mutations were often mutually exclusive with TET2 (OR=0.174, 95% CI 0.038-0.791, Q=0.024), and were common in younger (<60 years) patients with myelodysplastic CMML (MD-CMML). Compared with patients with absolute monocyte count (AMoC) ≥1×10(9)/L and <1×10(9)/L, the former had a higher median age of onset (60 years old vs 47 years old, P<0.001), white blood cell count (15.9×10(9)/L vs 4.4×10(9)/L, P<0.001), proportion of monocytes (21.5% vs 15%, P=0.001), and hemoglobin level (86 g/L vs 74 g/L, P=0.014). TET2 mutations (P=0.021) and SRSF2 mutations (P=0.011) were more common in patients with AMoC≥1×10(9)/L, whereas U2AF1 mutations (P<0.001) were more common in patients with AMoC<1×10(9)/L. There was no significant difference in the frequency of other gene mutations between the two groups. Conclusion: According to WHO 2022 classification, nearly 20% of CMML patients had AMoC<1×10(9)/L at the time of diagnosis, and MD-CMML and MP-CMML had different molecular features.

[Clinical characteristics of 11 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia with t (14;19) (q32;q13)]

Objective: To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of 11 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with t (14;19) (q32;q13) . Methods: The case data of 11 patients with CLL with t (14;19) (q32;q13) in the chromosome karyotype analysis results of the Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January 1, 2018, to July 30, 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: In all 11 patients, t (14;19) (q32;q13) involved IGH::BCL3 gene rearrangement, and most of them were accompanied by +12 or complex karyotype. An immunophenotypic score of 4-5 was found in 7 patients and 3 in 4 cases. We demonstrated that CLLs with t (14;19) (q32;q13) had a mutational pattern with recurrent mutations in NOTCH1 (3/7), FBXW7 (3/7), and KMT2D (2/7). The very-high-risk, high-risk, intermediate-risk, and low-risk groups consisted of 1, 1, 6, and 3 cases, respectively. Two patients died, 8 survived, and 2 were lost in follow-up. Four patients had disease progression or relapse during treatment. The median time to the first therapy was 1 month. Conclusion: t (14;19) (q32;q13), involving IGH::BCL3 gene rearrangement, is a rare recurrent cytogenetic abnormality in CLL, which is associated with a poor prognosis.

Post-yield softening of bending-dominated metal metamaterials

Post-yield softening (PYS) plays an important role in guiding the design of high-performance energy-absorbing lattice materials. PYS is usually restricted to lattice materials that are stretching-dominated according to the Gibson-Ashby model. Contrary to this long-held assumption, this work shows that PYS can also occur in various bending-dominated Ti-6Al-4 V lattices with increasing relative density. The underlying mechanism for this unusual property is elucidated using the Timoshenko-beam theory. It is attributed to the increase in stretching and shear deformation with increasing relative density, thereby increasing the tendency towards PYS. The finding of this work extends perspectives on PYS for the design of high-performance energy-absorbing lattice materials.

Post-yield softening of bending-dominated metal metamaterials

Post-yield softening (PYS) plays an important role in guiding the design of high-performance energy-absorbing lattice materials. PYS is usually restricted to lattice materials that are stretching-dominated according to the Gibson-Ashby model. Contrary to this long-held assumption, this work shows that PYS can also occur in various bending-dominated Ti-6Al-4V lattices with increasing relative density. The underlying mechanism for this unusual property is elucidated using the Timoshenko-beam theory. It is attributed to the increase in stretching and shear deformation with increasing relative density, thereby increasing the tendency towards PYS. The finding of this work extends perspectives on PYS for the design of high-performance energy-absorbing lattice materials.

Synthesis of selenophene-based chalcone analogs and assessment of their biological activity as anticancer agents

Selenium is an essential micronutrient that is beneficial to human health. Selenium-containing drugs have been developed as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer agents. However, the synthesis of selenium-containing chalcones has not been fully explored. Therefore, we report the synthesis of novel selenophene-based chalcone analogs and reveal their biological activities as anticancer agents. Among the seven synthesized molecules, compounds 6, 8, and 10 exhibited anticancer activity with IC₅₀ values of 19.98 ± 3.38, 38.23 ± 3.30, and 46.95 ± 5.68 μM, respectively, against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cells. Clonogenic assays and Western blot analysis tests further confirmed that compound 6 effectively induced apoptosis in HT-29 cells through mitochondrial- and caspase-3-dependent pathways.

Multi-extreme conditions at the Second Target Station

Three concepts for the application of multi-extreme conditions under in situ neutron scattering are described here. The first concept is a neutron diamond anvil cell made from a non-magnetic alloy. It is shrunk in size to fit existing magnets and future magnet designs and is designed for best pressure stability upon cooling. This will allow for maximum pressures above 10 GPa to be applied simultaneously with (steady-state) high magnetic field and (ultra-)low temperature. Additionally, an implementation of miniature coils for neutron diamond cells is presented for pulsed-field applications. The second concept presents a set-up for laser-heating a neutron diamond cell using a defocused CO₂ laser. Cell, anvil, and gasket stability will be achieved through stroboscopic measurements and maximum temperatures of 1500 K are anticipated at pressures to the megabar. The third concept presents a hybrid levitator to enable measurements of solids and liquids at temperatures in excess of 4000 K. This will be accomplished by a combination of bulk induction and surface laser heating and hyperbaric conditions to reduce evaporation rates. The potential for deployment of these multi-extreme environments within this first instrument suite of the Second Target Station is described with a special focus on VERDI, PIONEER, CENTAUR, and CHESS. Furthermore, considerations for deployment on future instruments, such as the one proposed as TITAN, are discussed. Overall, the development of these multi-extremes at the Second Target Station, but also beyond, will be highly advantageous for future experimentation and will give access to parameter space previously not possible for neutron scattering.

Synthesis of cinnamils and quinoxalines and their biological evaluation as anticancer agents

We synthesized multiple cinnamils and quinoxalines to evaluate their anticancer activity. Cinnamils were used as precursors for quinoxalines via condensation with 1,2-diaminobenzene. Among the 26 synthesized compounds reported in this article, we found that cinnamil 3l exhibited its inhibitory effect with an IC50 value of 1.45 ± 0.98 μM, significantly higher than doxorubicin (8.5 ± 0.85 μM) against pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1). Additionally, cinnamil 3l (IC50 10.98 ± 3.63 μM) showed less cytotoxicity than doxorubicin to Hs68 cells (0.92 ± 1.11 μM). The colony formation assay demonstrated that 3l obviously decreased the PANC-1 cell viability, and Western blot assays confirmed that 3l markedly induced apoptosis of PANC-1 cells through Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase 3 signaling cascades. These results demonstrate that cinnamil 3l has great potential to be further developed as a promising chemotherapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer.

Improved Synthesis of Asymmetric Curcuminoids and Their Assessment as Antioxidants

In this paper, the syntheses of twelve asymmetric curcumin analogs using Pabon's method are reported. Generally, the previously reported yields of asymmetric curcuminoids, such as 9a (53%), 9c (38%), and 9k (38%), have been moderate or low. Herein, we propose that the low yields were due to the presence of water and n-BuNH₂ in the reaction media. To prove this formulated hypothesis, we have demonstrated that the yields can be improved by adding molecular sieves (MS) (4 Å) to the reaction mixture, thus reducing the interference of water. Therefore, improved yields (41-76%) were obtained, except for 9b (36.7%), 9g (34%), and 9l (39.5%). Furthermore, compounds 9b, 9d, 9e, 9f, 9g, 9h, 9i, 9j, and 9l are reported herein for the first time. The structures of these synthetic compounds were determined by spectroscopic and mass spectrometry analyses. The free radical scavenging ability of these synthetic asymmetric curcuminoids was evaluated and compared to that of the positive control butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Among the synthesized asymmetric curcuminoids, compounds 9a (IC₅₀ = 37.57 ± 0.89 μM) and 9e (IC₅₀ = 37.17 ± 1.76 μM) possessed effective 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging abilities, and compounds 9h (IC₅₀ = 11.36 ± 0.65 μM) and 9i (IC₅₀ = 10.91 ± 0.77 μM) displayed potent 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) radical scavenging abilities comparable to that of curcumin (IC₅₀ = 10.14 ± 1.04 μM). Furthermore, all the synthetic asymmetric curcuminoids were more active than BHT.

Exploring the Biological and Molecular Characteristics of Resistance to Fludioxonil in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum From Soybean in China

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is one of the most damaging and economically important necrotrophic plant pathogens, infecting more than 400 plant species globally. Although the phenylpyrrole fungicide fludioxonil has high activity against S. sclerotiorum, reports indicate that there is also substantial potential for the development of fungicide resistance. However, the current study investigating five fludioxonil-resistant laboratory mutants found a significant fitness cost associated with fludioxonil resistance resulting in significantly (P < 0.05) reduced mycelial growth and sclerotia formation on potato dextrose agar as well as significantly (P < 0.05) lower pathogenicity on detached tomato leaves, with one mutant, LK-1R, completely losing the capacity to cause infection. In addition, all of the fludioxonil-resistant mutants had significantly (P < 0.05) increased sensitivity to osmotic stress (0.5 M of potassium chloride and 1.0 M of glucose), which is consistent with the proposed fludioxonil target sites within the high osmolarity glycerol stress response mitogen-activated protein kinase (HOG1-MAPK) signaling transduction pathway. Sequence analysis of six genes from this two-component pathway, including SsHk, SsYpd, SsSk1, SsSk2, SsPbs, and SsHog, revealed several mutations that may be associated with fludioxonil resistance. For example, six separate point mutations were found in SsHk that led to changes in the predicted amino acid sequence, including A136G, F249V, G353A, E560K, M610K, and K727R. Similarly, SsPbs had three mutations (D34G, S46L, and L337E), SsSk1 and SsYpd had two (S53G and A795V for SsSk1, and E67G and Y141H for SsYpd), and SsHog and SsSk2 had one each (V220A and S763P, respectively). To our knowledge, these constitute the first reports of amino acid changes in proteins of the HOG1-MAPK pathway being associated with fludioxonil resistance in S. sclerotiorum. This study also showed a positive cross-resistance between fludioxonil and dimethachlone and procymidone, but none with tebuconazole or carbendazim, indicating that the inclusion of tebuconazole within an integrated pest management program could reduce the risk of fludioxonil resistance developing in field populations of S. sclerotiorum and ensure the sustainable production of soybeans in China into the future.

[The immunoregulatory functions of exosome derived from mesenchymal stem cells that are genetically modified by adeno-associated virus]

Objectives: To verify the effects and mechanisms of natural MSC-exosome in treating acute GVHD in mice, explore and establish a method for targeted modification of MSC-exosome, and verify the functions of the modified MSC-exosome. Methods: In different doses of MSC-exosome groups and MSC group, weight loss in acute GVHD mice was observed; then the proliferation levels of activated T cells were measured through T cell activation experiment in vitro and OVA antigen-specific T cell activation experiment in vivo. AAV2YF3 mutants carrying PD-L1 and PD-L1-ITGB1 were obtained after the construction of recombinant expression vectors and were then applied to infect human MSC to modify their exosome. The immunoregulatory functions of the modified MSC-exosome were measured with the abovementioned methods. Results: ①Mouse MSC-exosome (300 μg×3 times) and MSC (1×10(6)×3 times) effectively alleviated the weight loss in acute GVHD mice. ②Compared with IL-2, 10, 25 and 50 μg human MSC-exosome inhibited the proliferation of activated T cells in vitro, respectively, 86.0% (IL-2) , 40.0%, 39.6%, and 42.8%; compared with PBS, 50, 100 and 200 μg mouse MSC-exosome inhibited the proliferation of antigen-specific activated OT-1 cells in vivo, respectively, 42.6%, 33.1%, 14.2%, and 10.6%. ③After the infection of AAV2YF3 mutant carrying PD-L1 or PD-L1-ITGB1, the positive proportion of MSC-exosome exceeds 40% and 60%, respectively. ④Compared with the natural state, MSC-exosome modified by PD-L1 or PD-L1-ITGB1 showed better proliferation inhibitory effect in vivo and increased the proportion of Treg cells in vitro. Conclusions: MSC-exosome exhibited similar immunomodulatory effects with MSC. MSC-exosome after PD-L1 and PD-L1-ITGB1-targeted modification effectively inhibited the proliferation of activated T cells and increased the proportion of Treg cells.

[Evaluation of the single stage treatment of intracranial or extracranial artery stenosis combined with intracranial aneurysm:experience from a single center]

Objective: To investigate the strategy and the clinical effect of single stage treatment for intracranial or extracranial artery stenosis with intracranial aneurysm. Methods: The clinical data of 15 patients with intracranial aneurysms and extracranial or intracranial artery stenosis treated by one-stage endovascular therapy at Department of Neurosurgery of Peking University First Hospital from April 2013 to September 2018 were analyzed,respectively.There were 6 males and 9 females,aged (63.9±9.1)years (range:43 to 79 years).Fifteen arterial stenosis were found, including 8 in anterior circulatiion and 7 in posterior circulation, and the stenosis rates ranged from 75% to 95%. There were 17 aneurysms, among which 11 in the anterior circulation and 6 in the posterior.The maximal diameter was (5.3±1.2)mm (range:3 to 7 mm).All patients were treated with stenting and embolization at one stage. The operation choices, perioperative and postoperative symptoms,imaging data and complications were recorded. Results: Stents were successfully implanted into arterial stenosis of 15 cases, reducing the stenosis rates to less than 30%.Among the 17 aneurysms,10 cases were treated by coil embolization alone,7 cases by stenting and coil embolization. Eventually all the 17 aneurysms reached complete embolization.One patient had mild symptoms of the cerebral infarction during the perioperative period,and the rest had not shown surgical complications.The follow-up time was (43.8±8.2)months (range:24 to 85 months). All the patients underwent digital subtraction angiography 6 to 12 months after operation.Among them,2 cases had asymptomatic in-stent restenosis,and no recurrence was found in aneurysms.Up to the last follow-up,no patients had showed new symptoms or signs of intracranial hemorrhage or ischemic stroke. Conclusions: For patients suffered from both stenosis and aneurysms,individualized treatment should be made based on the location and severity of the vascular stenosis and aneurysms.With careful preoperative evaluation and surgical planning,the single stage endovascular treatment for intracranial or extracranial artery stenosis combined with intracranial aneurysm is safe,feasible and effective for selected patients.

[Evaluation of intravascular therapy for cerebral ischemic tandem stenosis]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and the safety of intravascular therapy for cerebrovascular ischemic tandem stenosis. Methods: Clinical data of 35 patients with symptomatic anterior circulation and posterior circulation tandem stenosis who received intravascular therapy for two sites of stenosis at the same time at Department of Neurosurgery of Peking University First Hospital from January 2013 to December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 27 males and 8 females,aged (65.6±9.4)years (range:47 to 81 years).There were 14 cases of anterior circulation tandem stenosis and 21 of posterior circulation tandem stenosis.The medical records were collected with emphasis on postoperative symptoms,imaging manifestations and modified Rankin scale(mRS) scores. Results: Sixty-eight stents were implants in to 35 patients,including 49 extracranial implants and 19 intracranial implants.The surgical success rate was 100%.The perioperative death rate was 0,and 1 patient(1/35,2.9%) had cerebral hemorrhage.All patients were followed up for 18 months.During 3 to 12 months after the intervention,1 case(1/35,2.9%) had stent restenosis,and 4 cases(4/35,11.4%) had persisted symptoms such as dizziness and weakness in limbs.All patients'mRS scores were ≤2. No new stroke occurred. During 12 to 18 months after the intervention,3 cases had in-stent restenosis,increasing the rate to 11.4% (4/35). The mRS scores of 32 patients(32/35,91.4%) were ≤2. Conclusion: Intravascular therapy for patients with symptomatic tandem stenosis is a feasible and safe procedure with good short-term outcomes.

[Exploration on endovascular treatment for symptomatic occlusion of the intracranial vertebral arteries in early non-acute stage]

Objective: To examine the clinical efficacy of endovascular treatment on symptomatic occlusion of intracranial vertebral artery (ICVA) in early non-acute stage. Methods: Nine consecutive patients who presented with aggressive ischemic events in the early non-acute stage of ICVA occlusion from January 2014 to December 2019 and received endovascular treatment at Department of Neurosurgery, Peking University First Hospital were retrospectively reviewed.There were 7 males and 2 females, aged 63.4 years old(range: 52 to 72 years).The average preoperative modified Rankin scale(mRS) was 4.3(range: 4 to 5), the National Institute of Health stroke scale(NIHSS) was 12.3(range: 8 to 18). Among them, 2 patients received a single stage endovascular treatment, and the other 7 patients received staged endovascular treatment.The strategy of staged treatment was as follows: firstly, the occlusion part was passed through by a micro-guidewire and dilated with balloons to maintain the blood flow above Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction grade 2b. Then, the intravascular large load thrombus was eliminated by the fibrinolytic system and strengthened antiplatelet drugs. After that, a second stage of angioplasty with stenting was performed on the severe residual stenosis part.The complications and the recanalization rate were collected, and the National NIHSS and mRS after endovascular treatment and in follow-up period were recorded. Results: In the 2 cases received single stage endovascular treatment, although revascularization was achieved lastly, one patient suffered embolus translocation and the other suffered re-occlusion after mechanical thrombectomy during the operation, respectively.Technical success was achieved in 6 of the 7 patients received staged endovascular treatment.On discharge, the average NIHSS scores was 5.7(range: 3 to 4) of the patients. Three months after operation,the average mRS was 1.6(range:0 to 3) and it was 0.9(range: 0 to 2) at the latest follow-up, which were better than preoperative status. Conclusions: Staged endovascular treatment might be a safe, efficient, viable option in carefully selected patients with symptomatic ICVA occlusion in early non-acute stage. It needs to be confirmed by further investigation, preferably in a large controlled setting.

Evaluation of Antioxidant and Anti-α-glucosidase Activities of Various Solvent Extracts and Major Bioactive Components from the Seeds of Myristica fragrans

Myristica fragrans is a well-known species for flavoring many food products and for formulation of perfume and medicated balm. It is also used to treat indigestion, stomach ulcers, liver disorders, and, as emmenagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, nervine, and aphrodisiac. We examined antioxidant properties and bioactive compounds in various solvent extracts from the seeds of M. fragrans. Methanol, ethanol, and acetone extracts exhibited relatively strong antioxidant activities by 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), superoxide radical, and hydroxyl radical scavenging tests. Furthermore, methanol extracts also displayed significant anti-α-glucosidase activity. Examined and compared to the various solvent extracts for their chemical compositions using HPLC analysis, we isolated the ten higher content compounds and analyzed antioxidant and anti-α-glucosidase activities. Among the isolates, dehydrodiisoeugenol, malabaricone B and malabaricone C were main antioxidant components in seeds of M. fragrans. Malabaricone C exhibited stronger antioxidant capacities than others based on lower half inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays, and it also showed significant inhibition of α-glucosidase. These results shown that methanol was found to be the most efficient solvent for extracting the active components from the seeds of M. fragrans, and this material is a potential good source of natural antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitor.

Biological Characteristics and Molecular Mechanisms of Fludioxonil Resistance in Fusarium graminearum in China

Fusarium graminearum is the primary causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat. The phenylpyrrole fungicide fludioxonil is not currently registered for the management of FHB in China. The current study assessed the fludioxonil sensitivity of a total of 53 F. graminearum isolates collected from the six most important wheat-growing provinces of China during 2018 and 2019. The baseline fludioxonil sensitivity distribution indicated that all of the isolates were sensitive, exhibiting a unimodal cure with a mean effective concentration for 50% inhibition value of 0.13 ± 0.12 μg/ml (standard deviation). Five fludioxonil-resistant mutants were subsequently induced by exposure to fludioxonil under laboratory conditions. Ten successive rounds of subculture in the absence of the selection pressure indicated that the mutation was stably inherited. However, the fludioxonil-resistant mutants were found to have reduced pathogenicity, higher glycerol accumulation, and higher osmotic sensitivity than the parental wild-type isolates, indicating that there was a fitness cost associated with fludioxonil resistance. In addition, the study also found a positive cross resistance between fludioxonil, procymidone, and iprodione, but not with other fungicides such as boscalid, carbendazim, tebuconazole, and fluazinam. Sequence analysis of four candidate target genes (FgOs1, FgOs2, FgOs4, and FgOs5) revealed that the HBXT2R mutant contained two point mutations that resulted in amino acid changes at K223T and K415R in its FgOs1 protein, and one point mutation at residue 520 of its FgOs5 protein that resulted in a premature stop codon. Similarly, the three other mutants contained point mutations that resulted in changes at the K192R, K293R, and K411R residues of the FgOs5 protein but none in the FgOs2 and FgOs4 genes. However, it is important to point out that the FgOs2 and FgOs4 expression of all the fludioxonil-resistant mutants was significantly (P < 0.05) downregulated compared with the sensitive isolates (except for the SQ1-2 isolate). It was also found that one of the resistant mutants did not have changes in any of the sequenced target genes, indicating that an alternative mechanism could also lead to fludioxonil resistance.

[Rituximab combined with short-course and intensive regimen for Burkitt leukemia: efficacy and safety analysis]

目的

探讨利妥昔单抗联合短疗程、高强度方案治疗成人Burkitt白血病患者的疗效和安全性。

方法

收集2006年1月30日至2018年9月12日中国医学科学院血液病医院收治的11例Burkitt白血病患者病例资料，分析统计患者的临床特征、完全缓解（CR）率、总生存率、无复发生存率及不良事件。

结果

11例患者中位年龄34（15~54）岁，其中男6例，女5例。发病时中位WBC 12.28（2.21~48.46）×10⁹/L，HGB 113（74~147）g/L，PLT 35（13~172）×10⁹/L，乳酸脱氢酶2 721（803~17 370）U/L，外周血中位原始细胞比例0.40（0.03~0.76），骨髓中位原始细胞比例0.840（0.295~0.945）。10例患者接受利妥昔单抗联合短疗程、高强度化疗，其中2例患者巩固化疗后行自体造血干细胞移植。所有治疗患者1个疗程CR率为100%，4年总生存率为90%，4年无复发生存率为90%。所有治疗患者中，只有1例患者在诱导化疗中出现肿瘤溶解综合征，经血液透析等治疗后肾功能恢复。无治疗相关性死亡病例。

结论

利妥昔单抗联合短疗程、高强度方案治疗成人Burkitt白血病疗效及安全性均较为理想。

[Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms after successful treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia: a report of four cases and literature review]

目的

探讨急性早幼粒细胞白血病（APL）患者继发治疗相关性髓系肿瘤（t-MN）的临床特点、诊断、治疗及预后。

方法

回顾性分析中国医学科学院血液病医院2012年10月至2019年1月收治的4例APL继发t-MN患者的临床资料，并进行相关文献复习。

结果

4例APL继发t-MN患者均为女性，中位年龄42（40~53）岁，3例接受了以维甲酸（ATRA）+亚砷酸（ATO）为基础联合蒽环/蒽醌类药物±阿糖胞苷的前期诱导缓解及巩固治疗方案，1例采用了ATRA联合蒽环/蒽醌类药物±阿糖胞苷的治疗方案，均没有使用烷化剂。在APL获得完全缓解（CR）后40~43个月出现t-MN，其中治疗相关性骨髓增生异常综合征（t-MDS）1例，治疗相关性急性髓系白血病（t-AML）3例，出现t-MN时PML-RARα融合基因均为阴性。3例t-AML患者接受了2~4个疗程再诱导治疗，其中有1例t-AML患者在获得CR后行异基因造血干细胞移植（allo-HSCT），1例t-MDS患者接受了去甲基化治疗。中位随访54.5（48~62）个月，2例t-AML患者死亡，出现t-MN后中位生存期为12（5~18）个月。1989至2018年文献共报道63例APL继发t-MN病例，与本次报道的4例汇总分析，67例患者中男27例，女40例；中位年龄为52.5（15~76）岁；中位潜伏期39（12~168）个月，确诊t-MN后中位生存时间为10（1~39）个月。

结论

APL继发t-MN较为少见，目前缺乏有效的防治措施，预后不佳，在随访过程中（尤其是获得CR后39个月左右）若出现病情变化，应警惕t-MN的发生，对此类患者应尽快明确疾病的变化，给予合理的治疗。

Cell-derived matrices (CDM)-Methods, challenges and applications

Extracellular matrix (ECM) provides both physical support and bioactive signals such as growth factors and cytokines to cells at their microenvironment or niche. Engineering the matrix niche becomes an important approach to study or manipulate cellular fate. This work presents an overview on the reconstitution of the ECM niche through a wide range of approaches ranging from coating culture dish with ECM molecules to decellularization of native tissues. In particular, we focused on reconstituting the complex ECM niche through cell-derived matrix (CDM) by reviewing the methodological approaches used in our group to derive ECM from mature cells such as chondrocytes and nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), undifferentiated stem cells such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as well as MSCs undergoing chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation, in 2D or 3D models. Specific attention has also been given to key factors that should be considered in various applications and challenges in relation to the CDM. Last but not the least, a few future perspectives and their significance have been proposed.

A prospective study examining the impact of uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery on the short-term quality of life in patients with lung cancer

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of uniportal and three‐portal VATS in lung cancer patients on the postoperative short‐term quality of life (QOL).

Methods

A single‐center, prospective, nonrandomized study was performed on patients who underwent uniportal or three‐portal video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy and systemic mediastinal lymph node dissection. QOL was measured before surgery at baseline and at one, two, four, and eight weeks after the operation. The measured data of normal distribution were indicated by the mean ± standard deviation, the independent sample t‐test was used among the groups, and the χ2 test was used to compare the counting. Non‐normal distribution of the measurement data was carried out using the Mann‐Whitney test.

Results

Preoperative functional areas, symptom areas and overall health scores were similar in the two groups. The physical, role, emotional and social functions and overall health status of the uniportal group were significantly higher than those of the three‐portal group in postoperative time. The score of symptom field was higher in one week after operation, the score of two, four and eight weeks decreased gradually, but it was still above the preoperative level, and the fatigue and pain of the uniportal group were significantly lower than that of the three‐portal group.

Conclusion

The advantages of uniportal VATS include a shorter hospital stay, more rapid recovery and superior cosmetic results compared to three‐portal VATS. Additionally, uniportal VATS is superior to three‐portal thoracoscopic surgery in terms of the immediate postoperative short‐term QOL.

[Analysis of clinical characteristics, treatment response rate and survival of 77 myelodysplastic syndrome patients with del (5q) syndrome]

目的

探讨符合WHO（2016）诊断分型标准的骨髓增生异常综合征（MDS）5q−综合征患者的临床特征、来那度胺（LEN）疗效和生存情况。

方法

回顾性分析2008年1月至2018年4月于中国医学科学院血液病医院就诊的77例符合WHO（2016）诊断分型标准的MDS 5q−综合征患者临床资料，比较单纯5q−与5q−伴1个非−7/7q−的其他染色体异常（ACA）患者临床特征、疗效及生存情况，并比较LEN与非LEN药物治疗的疗效与生存情况。

结果

77例患者中，单纯5q−者64例，5q−伴ACA者13例，确诊时5q−伴ACA患者的中位年龄显著低于单纯5q−患者[58（29~64）岁对63（31~82）岁，z=2.164，P=0.030]。5q−伴ACA患者CD41免疫组化染色小巨核细胞（直径≤40 µm）检出率（91.7%，11/12）显著高于单纯5q−患者（60.0%，33/55）（P=0.046）。可评估LEN疗效的29例患者中，单纯5q−患者（19例）与5q−伴ACA患者（10例）血液学总反应率（78.9%对80.0%）、血液学完全缓解（CR）率（57.9%对60.0%）、细胞遗传学反应（CyR）率[69.2%（9/13）对66.7%（4/6）]、完全细胞遗传学反应（CCyR）率[61.5%（8/13）对33.3%（2/6）]相当。单纯5q−与5q−伴ACA患者中位总生存（OS）时间差异无统计学意义（62个月对78个月，P=0.313）。29例LEN组患者的血液学总反应率（79.3%对36.0%）、CR率（58.6%对8.0%）、CyR率[68.4%（13/19）对11.1%（1/9）]、CCyR率[52.6%（10/19）对0（0/9）]均高于非LEN组患者（25例），但两组患者中位OS时间差异无统计学意义（78个月对62个月，P=0.297）。

结论

单纯5q−与5q−伴ACA患者临床特征大体相似，两组患者LEN疗效、中位OS时间无明显差异。LEN治疗5q−综合征患者的疗效肯定，优于非LEN药物。

[Cytogenetic test and clinical study on cryptic acute promyelocytic leukemia with ins (15; 17)]

Objective: To investigate the genetic screening methods for cryptic acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) to further explore its clinical prognosis. Methods: From June 2016 to November 2018, we collected 373 newly diagnosed APL cases. The patients were retrospected by the results of PML-RARα detections both by RT-PCR and i-FISH, those who harbored positive PML-RARα detection by RT-PCR and negative by i-FISH were chosen. Metaphase FISH and Sanger sequencing were further performed to verify these results. Results: A total of 7 cryptic APL cases were discovered. These cases had tiny fragment of RARα inserted into PML in chromosome 15, formed ins (15;17) . The 7 cryptic APL cases had no PML-RARα gene subtype specificity, involving 5 cases in L subtype, 1 case in S subtype and 1 case in V subtype respectively. After the treatment of retinoic acid and arsenic or anthracyclines, 6 cases achieved complete remission, 1 case died of intracranial hemorrhage on the 6th day of therapy. Conclusion: The size and covering position of PML-RARα probe should be taken into account when PML-RARα was performed by FISH on APL patients. Furthermore, combination with Metaphase FISH could improve the recognition of cryptic APL. There were no differences between the cryptic and common APL patients in terms of clinical features and treatment choices. Cryptic APL patients also had a good response to the therapy of retinoic acid and arsenic or anthracyclines.

Systematic mediastinal lymph node dissection outcomes and conversion rates of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the systematic mediastinal lymph node (LN) dissection outcomes and conversion rates of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (UVATS).

METHODS

Patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and systematic mediastinal LN dissection between January 2015 and January 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. We categorized the patients into two groups according to the different surgical approaches. Patients' clinical data were collected and compared. The index of estimated benefit from LN dissection was used to evaluate the therapeutic value of LN dissection for each station.

RESULTS

A total of 453 patients underwent VATS, including 197 patients in the UVATS group and 256 patients in the triportal VATS (TVATS) group. There were no significant differences in the 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates of these two groups (P > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the operative time, numbers and stations of LNs, numbers and stations of N2 LNs, conversion rate or postoperative complications. The UVATS group had less intraoperative blood loss, a shorter duration of hospital stay, less chest tube drainage and a shorter duration of chest tube drainage than the TVATS group (P < 0.05). The conversion rates in the UVATS and TVATS groups were 5.1% and 4.3%, respectively, and the difference was not significant. The same degree of LN sampling was achieved in both groups.

CONCLUSION

UVATS permits the same degree of LN sampling as TVATS without a difference in the conversion rate.

Correlation of pulmonary venous circulating tumor cells with clinicopathological parameters in patients with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

[Application of immunophenotypic analysis and molecular genetics in the diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia]

目的

研究免疫表型分析及分子遗传学在急性早幼粒细胞白血病（APL）诊断中的应用价值。

方法

对2012年5月–2017年12月门诊或住院的798例APL患者的流式细胞术（FCM）免疫分型、染色体核型及染色体荧光原位杂交（FISH）进行回顾性分析，并深入研究FCM免疫表型及分子遗传学在APL诊断中的应用价值。

结果

FCM诊断APL敏感性为91.9%，特异性为98.7%。APL具有独特免疫表型特点：典型APL的表型为侧向（SSC）偏大，CD34和HLA-DR表达缺失，表达或强表达CD33，均一表达CD13、CD9、CD123，可伴有CD56、CD7、CD2的表达。约10%的患者为非典型APL表型，一般伴有CD34和（或）HLA-DR表达，SSC减小，经常伴有CD2表达，而FCM免疫分型很难明确诊断为APL，需要依赖遗传学或者分子生物学检查结果。约1/3的患者除存在t（15;17）（q22;q21）外，还存在额外染色体异常；伴有t（15；17）的复杂核型、变异易位或者t（11;17）、t（5;17）等变异型的APL，FCM表型与单纯t（15；17）APL差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。

结论

FCM能够快速诊断APL，伴有额外染色体异常患者和单纯t（15；17）患者FCM免疫表型没有明显差异。遗传学是诊断APL的金标准，免疫分型中约10%的患者依赖于分子遗传学来确诊。

[Microsurgical treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms]

Objective: To explore the microsurgical treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms and evaluate its safety and efficacy. Methods: The data of 21 patients with 22 paraclinoid aneurysms receiving craniotomy between Jan. 2010 and Dec. 2017 in Peking University First Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. According to the Barami K classification, 2 aneurysms were type Ⅰa, 6 type Ⅰb,7 typeⅡ,6 type Ⅲa,1 type Ⅳ. Out of the 17 cases of saccular aneurysms, 16 aneurysms were clipped and one aneurysm was trapped following high-flow EC-IC bypass. Out of the 5 cases of blood blister like aneurysms, 2 aneurysms were wrap-clipped, 2 aneurysms were trapped following high-flow EC-IC bypass and 1 aneurysm was trapped following STA-MCA bypass. The patients were reexamined with CT angiography (CTA) or digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and followed up in outpatient or by phone call. Results: Seventeen patients with 18 paraclinoid aneurysms had received aneurysm clipping. Aneurysmal neck remnant was found in 2 cases, parent artery stenosis was found in 2 cases. In all of the four bypass cases, graft artery patency was confirmed and no recurrence of aneurysm was observed. The obliteration rate of the paraclinoid aneurysm was 91%(20/22). Eight cases with preoperative vision defect had recovered to some extent. New vision defect occurred in two cases. At discharge, 12 patients scored with Glasgow outcome scale 5, 6 patients scored 4, 2 patients scored 3, and one patient scored 1. Conclusion: Microsurgical treatment for paraclinoid aneurysm is a safe and effective method with high aneurysm obliteration rate and low aneurysm recurrence rate, and is thus a reasonable and effective complementary method for endovascular treatment.

[Learning curve of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy for the treatment of resectable lung cancer]

Objective: To analyze the learning curve of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy for the treatment of resectable lung cancer. Methods: The clinical data of 160 patients with resectable lung cancer who underwent uniportal VATS lobectomy by a single surgical team between May 2016 and April 2017 at Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China were analyzed retrospectively. The study group consisted of 90 male and 70 female patients with age of 28 to 84 years (median: 62 years). The patients were divided into four groups from group A to D according to chronological order. The operation time, incision length, intraoperative blood loss, number of dissected lymph nodes and nodal stations, the proportion of changes in operation mode, postoperative complications, chest drainage duration and hospitalization time were individually compared among the four groups by variance analysis and χ(2) test. Results: The 4 groups were similar in terms of incision length, chest drainage duration, number of dissected lymph nodes and nodal stations and postoperative hospitalization time (P>0.05). The difference of the operation time ((185.9±17.9) minutes vs. (139.9±10.7) minutes vs.(128.7±7.8) minutes vs.(124.0±9.3) minutes, F=219.605, P=0.000), intraoperative blood loss ((233.9±135.8) ml vs. (126.8±18.1) ml vs. (116.4±22.6) ml vs.(112.8±25.3) ml, F=26.942, P=0.000), the proportion of changes in operation mode (17.5% vs.7.5% vs. 5.0% vs. 5.0%, χ(2)=8.300, P=0.040), and the incidence of postoperative complications (27.5% vs. 10.0% vs. 10.0% vs. 7.5%, χ(2)=8.643, P=0.034) among the 4 groups was statistically significant. Conclusions: Uniportal VATS lobectomy can be safely and feasibly performed for resectable lung cancer, learning curve for uniportal VATS lobectomy is approximately 40 cases. Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications and the proportion of changes in operation mode can be used as the main measures during surgery.

[Clinical observation of Weisu granules in treating laryngopharyngeal reflux]

Objective:To observe the clinical effect of Weisu granules in treating laryngopharyngeal reflux.Method:One hundred and eighty patients were divided into three groups in random. Sixty patients in experimental group combined of Lanqin oral solution and Weisu granules. Sixty patients in control group A using Lanqin oral solution. Sixty patients in control group B using Esomeprazole Magnesium Entericcoated Tablets and Lanqin oral solution. The treatment course ranges from 4 weeks.Result:Four weeks after treatment,clinical symptoms of all the three groups improved significantly. The effective curative rate in experimental group was 91.7% which better than that of the control group A 73.3%(P<0.05). After treatment, the symptoms and signs of the experimental group were significantly different from those in the control group A(P<0.05). There were no significant difference in the experimental group and the control group B(P>0.05).Conclusion:The therapeutic method of Weisu granules using in laryngopharyngeal reflux has obvious effects.

Nuclear quantum effect with pure anharmonicity and the anomalous thermal expansion of silicon

Despite the widespread use of silicon in modern technology, its peculiar thermal expansion is not well understood. Adapting harmonic phonons to the specific volume at temperature, the quasiharmonic approximation, has become accepted for simulating the thermal expansion, but has given ambiguous interpretations for microscopic mechanisms. To test atomistic mechanisms, we performed inelastic neutron scattering experiments from 100 K to 1,500 K on a single crystal of silicon to measure the changes in phonon frequencies. Our state-of-the-art ab initio calculations, which fully account for phonon anharmonicity and nuclear quantum effects, reproduced the measured shifts of individual phonons with temperature, whereas quasiharmonic shifts were mostly of the wrong sign. Surprisingly, the accepted quasiharmonic model was found to predict the thermal expansion owing to a large cancellation of contributions from individual phonons.

[Characteristics and prognosis in adult acute myeloid leukemia patients with MLL gene rearrangements]

Objective: To analyze the clinical and laboratory characteristics, and prognosis of adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with MLL gene rearrangements. Methods: The medical records of 92 adult AML patients with MLL gene rearrangements from January 2010 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: 92 cases (6.5%) with MLL gene rearrangements were identified in 1 417 adult AML (Non-M(3)) patients, the median age of the patients was 35.5 years (15 to 64 years old) with an equal sex ratio, the median WBC were 21.00(0.42-404.76)×10(9)/L, and 78 patients (84.8%) were acute monoblastic leukemia according to FAB classification. Eleven common partner genes were detected in 32 patients, 9 cases (28.1%) were MLL/AF9(+), 5 cases (15.6%) were MLL/AF6(+), 5 cases (15.6%) were MLL/ELL(+), 2 cases (6.3%) were MLL/AF10(+), 1 case (3.1%) was MLL/SETP6(+), and the remaining 10 patients' partner genes weren't identified. Of 92 patients, 83 cases with a median follow-up of 10.3 (0.3-74.0) months were included for the prognosis analysis, the complete remission (CR) rate was 85.5% (71/83), the median overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS) were 15.4 and 13.1 months, respectively. Two-year OS and RFS were 36.6% and 29.5%, respectively. Of 31 patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), two-year OS and RFS for patients received and non-received allo-HSCT were 57.9% and 21.4%, 52.7% and 14.9%, respectively (P<0.001). Among patients with partner genes tested, 9 of 32 cases (28.1%) were MLL/AF9(+), the median follow-up was 6.0(4.1-20.7) months. 3 patients with MLL/AF9 underwent allo-HSCT. 23 cases (71.9%) were non- MLL/AF9(+), the median follow-up was 7.8 (0.3-26.6) months. 14 patients (60.1%) with non-MLL/AF9 underwent allo-HSCT. One-year OS for patients with MLL/AF9 and non-MLL/AF9 were 38.1% and 55.5%, respectively (P=0.688). Multivariate analysis revealed that high WBC (RR=1.825, 95% CI 1.022-3.259, P=0.042), one cycle to achieve CR (RR=0.130, 95% CI 0.063-0.267, P<0.001), post-remission treatment with allo-HSCT (RR=0.169, 95% CI 0.079-0.362, P<0.001) were independent prognostic factors affecting OS. Conclusions: AML with MLL gene rearrangements was closely associated with monocytic differentiation, and MLL/AF9 was the most frequent partner gene. Conventional chemotherapy produced a high response rate, but likely to relapse, allo-HSCT may have the potential to further improve the prognosis of this group of patients.

Corticosteroid-induced leukocytosis in pregnancy: A prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

In the course of managing preterm labour, increasing trends of total white cell count raises concern for the obstetrician, suggesting a possible underlying infectious aetiology. Although mild leukocytosis is expected in pregnancy, the patterns of increment after corticosteroid administration are not well described beyond animal models and in a small number of human studies.

METHODS

Seventy-three consecutive patients who required antenatal corticosteroids for either preterm labour or prelabour caesarean section were recruited and given a standard course of 12mg dexamethasone phosphate, twelve hours apart. Venous blood samples were taken before administration, at six hours and 36 hours after the first dose of dexamethasone.

RESULTS

The total white count trend was 10.31±2.62 at baseline, 11.44±3.05 at six hours and 12.20±3.49 at 36 hours. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was 3.60±1.31, 8.73±3.63 and 3.24±1.49 respectively, reflecting relative neutrophilia and lymphopenia which normalised by 36 hours.

CONCLUSION

In contrast to previous studies, we found only a slight increment in total white cell count of about 10%. The marginal changes described in our study would not normally raise any clinical concern, although vigilance should be exercised if higher levels were observed.

Effect of electroacupuncture on the cervicospinal P2X7 receptor/fractalkine/CX3CR1 signaling pathway in a rat neck-incision pain model

Increasing evidence supports that acupuncture intervention is an effective approach for intraoperative and postoperative pain. Neuron-microglia crosstalk, mediated by the purinergic P2X7 receptor (R)/fractalkine/CX3CR1 cascade in the spinal cord dorsal horn, plays a pivotal role in pain processing. However, its involvement in the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture (EA) remains unclear. In this study, a rat neck-incision pain model was established by making a longitudinal incision along the midline of the neck and subsequent repeated mechanical stimulation. EA stimulation was applied to bilateral LI18, LI4-PC6, or ST36-GB34. The thermal pain threshold, cervicospinal ATP concentration, expression levels of purinergic P2XR and P2YR subunits mRNAs, and fractalkine, CX3CR1 and p38 MAPK proteins, were detected separately. The neck incision induced strong thermal hyperalgesia and upregulation of spinal ATP within 48 h. No significant change was found in thermal hyperalgesia after a single session of EA intervention. However, a single session of EA dramatically enhanced the neck incision-induced upregulation of ATP and upregulated the expression of P2X7R, which was reversed by two sessions of EA. Two sessions of EA at bilateral LI18 or LI4-PC6 attenuated hyperalgesia significantly, accompanied with downregulation of P2X7R/fractalkine/ CX3CR1 signaling after three sessions of EA. EA stimulation of LI18 or LI4-PC6 alleviates thermal hyperalgesia in neck-incision pain rats, which may be associated with its effects in regulating the neck incision-induced increase of ATP and P2X7R and subsequently suppressing fractalkine/CX3CR1 signaling in the cervical spinal cord.

Fine structure characterization of martensite/austenite constituent in low-carbon low-alloy steel by transmission electron forward scatter diffraction

Transmission electron forward scatter diffraction and other characterization techniques were used to investigate the fine structure and the variant relationship of the martensite/austenite (M/A) constituent of the granular bainite in low-carbon low-alloy steel. The results demonstrated that the M/A constituents were distributed in clusters throughout the bainitic ferrite. Lath martensite was the main component of the M/A constituent, where the relationship between the martensite variants was consistent with the Nishiyama-Wassermann orientation relationship and only three variants were found in the M/A constituent, suggesting that the variants had formed in the M/A constituent according to a specific mechanism. Furthermore, the Σ3 boundaries in the M/A constituent were much longer than their counterparts in the bainitic ferrite region. The results indicate that transmission electron forward scatter diffraction is an effective method of crystallographic analysis for nanolaths in M/A constituents.

Racial differences of endothelial function and plasma endothelin 1 level in preclinical Tibetan and Han male population

OBJECTIVE

The differences in endothelial function between Tibetan and Han nationality population have not been fully investigated. The aim of this work is to investigate the differences in endothelial function and plasma endothelin 1 (ET-1) concentration between Tibetan and Han male population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Totally 272 Tibetan male subjects aged 42.9 ± 9.4 years were enrolled in this study to stand for Tibetan population. All of them were native residents in Lhasa City. And 580 Qinghai-Tibet Railway constructors with Han nationality aged 41.8 ± 11.1 years were enrolled in this study to stand for Han nationality population. All of them were male subjects and lived in Lhasa City for at least 1 year. All subjects lived in the same high-altitude area (the altitude of Lhasa is 3658 m). Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure were evaluated. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured in the fasting state using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. Computer-assisted analysis software was used to calculate brachial artery diameters. Venous blood was sampled for the measurement of total cholesterol (CH), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and HbA1c. Plasma ET-1 was quantitated using a commercially available ELISA kits.

RESULTS

Totally 272 Tibetan subjects and 580 Han nationality subjects were enrolled in this study. BMI and waist-hip ratio in Tibetan subjects were much higher than those in Han subjects (p < 0.01). LDL cholesterol level and plasma ET-1 concentration in Tibetan subjects were significantly higher than Han subjects (p < 0.01). The baseline brachial artery diameter in Tibetan group was much higher than that of Han group (p < 0.01). The absolute and percent changes in brachial artery diameter were lower in Tibetan population compared with Han population (p < 0.01). The linear regression analysis showed that LDL cholesterol, and plasma ET-1 were correlated with FMD (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Endothelial function and plasma ET-1 concentration were different between Tibetan and Han male populations.

Construction of a Hep-2 cell line stably transfected with Livin shRNA

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to construct a eukaryotic expression plasmid with a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting Livin in order to obtain a stably transfected Hep-2 cell line with a reduced expression of Livin.

METHODS

The shRNA targeting Livin mRNA was designed, and a shRNA plasmid and a negative control plasmid were constructed. After amplification in E. coli, restriction endonuclease digestion and sequence confirmation, the plasmids were transfected into Hep-2 cells using Lipofectamine 2000. The stably transfected cell line was screened using G418, and inhibition of Livin mRNA and protein levels were detected using real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively.

RESULTS

pGenesil-Livin-shRNA eukaryotic expression plasmid was successfully constructed and identified by sequencing. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression was observed in Hep-2 cells transfected with shRNA plasmids by fluorescence microscopy. The expression levels of Livin mRNA and protein decreased significantly in Hep-2 cells transfected with the shRNA recombinant plasmid. The mRNA level was reduced by 47.17 %, and the protein level was reduced by 34.25 %.

CONCLUSION

The shRNA eukaryotic expression plasmid targeting Livin was successfully constructed, which could significantly inhibit the expression of Livin in laryngeal cancer Hep-2 cells. This provides a basis for future research on the function of Livin in Hep-2 cells, and gene therapy for laryngeal cancer.

Weak cation magnetic separation technology and MALDI-TOF-MS in screening serum protein markers in primary type I osteoporosis

We investigated weak cation magnetic separation technology and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) in screening serum protein markers of primary type I osteoporosis. We selected 16 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and nine postmenopausal women as controls to find a new method for screening biomarkers and establishing a diagnostic model for primary type I osteoporosis. Serum samples were obtained from controls and patients. Serum protein was extracted with the WCX protein chip system; protein fingerprints were examined using MALDI-TOF-MS. The preprocessed and model construction data were handled by the ProteinChip system. The diagnostic models were established using a genetic arithmetic model combined with a support vector machine (SVM). The SVM model with the highest Youden index was selected. Combinations with the highest accuracy in distinguishing different groups of data were selected as potential biomarkers. From the two groups of serum proteins, 123 cumulative MS protein peaks were selected. Significant intensity differences in the protein peaks of 16 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were screened. The difference in Youden index between the four groups of protein peaks showed that the highest peaks had mass-to-charge ratios of 8909.047, 8690.658, 13745.48, and 15114.52. A diagnosis model was established with these four markers as the candidates, and the model specificity and sensitivity were found to be 100%. Two groups of specimens in the SVM results on the scatterplot were distinguishable. We established a diagnosis model, and provided a new serological method for screening and diagnosis of osteoporosis with high sensitivity and specificity.

Opg/Rankl mRNA dynamic expression in the bone tissue of ovariectomized rats with osteoporosis

We established animal models of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats to detect osteoprogerin (Opg)/receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (Rankl) mRNA expression levels in the tibias and serum estradiol concentrations at different time points. Sixty Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomly selected and divided into an ovariectomized (OVX) group and sham-operated (SHAM) group. In the SHAM group, only a small amount of abdominal fat and tissues was removed from the rats. Ten rats in each group were sacrificed at 0, 6, and 12 months after establishing the animal models (12 weeks). Opg mRNA expression and serum estradiol concentration in the OVX group were significantly lower than those in the SHAM group (P < 0.05). In contrast, Rankl mRNA expression in the OVX group was significantly higher than that in the SHAM group (P < 0.05). In the OVX group, Opg mRNA expression and serum estradiol concentrations decreased significantly from 0 to 12 months (P < 0.05), whereas Rankl mRNA expression increased significantly (P < 0.05). Opg mRNA expression and serum estradiol concentrations in the OVX group continually decreased, whereas Rankl mRNA expression continually increased. The Opg/Rankl ratio showed a decrease. The OPG/RANKL ratio may be a key factor affecting the osteoblast-mediated reaction.

First Report of Powdery Mildew Caused by Erysiphe betae on Swiss Chard in China

Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. cicla) is a widely planted vegetable in China. From May to June 2013, an outbreak of powdery mildew on Swiss chard cultivar Fangzheng was observed in the commercial fields in Zhoukou city of Henan Province, located in central China. More than 80% of the plants exhibited symptoms of the disease. At the beginning of infection, circular, white, dust-like colonies of powdery mildew occurred mainly on adaxial surfaces of leaves. As the disease progressed, white mycelia covered the foliar parts of plant. No cleistothecia were found on or in collected samples. Upon microscopic evaluation, conidiophores were unbranched with the length of 63 to 126 and width of 7 to 10 μm (n = 50), produced conidia singly, and composed of a cylindrical foot cell followed by one to three short cells. Conidia were colorless, hyaline, ovoid, measured 29 to 40 × 12 to 18 μm (n = 100), lacked fibrosin bodies, and produced germ tubes on the ends of the conidia. The fungus was identified as Erysiphe betae according to the morphological features (1). To verify the identity, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified with the universal primers ITS1 and ITS4 (2) and sequenced. The ITS sequence obtained was assigned as Accession No. KF268348 in GenBank, which showed 100% homogeneity with two ITS sequences of E. betae isolates from UK (DQ164432 and DQ164436). Koch's postulates were conducted by inoculating 15 healthy 5-week-old plants (cv. Fangzheng) with detached infected leaves, which grew in a growth chamber under 22/16°C (day/night), 50% relative humidity, 120 μmol/m²/s light and a 16-h photoperiod. Fifteen non-inoculated plants grew in another growth chamber with the same conditions as control. Symptoms consistent with the infected field plants were observed on the inoculated plants, while no symptoms were found on the control plants. Microscopic observation revealed that the pathogen growing on the inoculated plants was consistent with the morphology of the original fungus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. betae infection on Swiss chard in China (3). References: (1) S. Francis. Mol. Plant Pathol. 3:119, 2002. (2) T. J. White et al. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. M. A. Innis et al., eds. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1990. (3) R. Y. Zheng et al. Page 63 in: Flora Fungorum Sinicorum, Vol. 1, Erysiphales. Science Press, Beijing, 1987.

Drynaria total flavonoids decrease cathepsin K expression in ovariectomized rats

This study investigated the effects of Drynaria total flavonoids on cathepsin K serum concentrations and gene expression, biomechanics and bone mineral density (BMD) of the tibial shaft in ovariectomized rat models of osteoporosis, and mechanism in the prevention and cure of osteoporosis. Seventy-two female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups. The rats in each group were subjected to gastric lavage after the model was established. The tibial shaft of the right hindlimb was obtained to measure the BMD. Serum cathepsin K concentrations were determined. The cathepsin K mRNA expression was also determined using fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The three-point bending method was performed to measure the maximum bending load of the tibial shaft. The total flavonoid and normal groups had significant differences in serum cathepsin K concentrations compared with that in the estrogen group (P<0.05). The total flavonoid and sham-operated groups also showed significant differences in cathepsin K mRNA expression compared with that in the normal group (P<0.01). The maximum bending load of the rats in the total flavonoid group was significantly different from that in the estrogen group (P<0.05) and the sham-operated and normal groups (P<0.01). The high-dose total flavonoid group elicited a better effect on BMD than that by the medium- and low-dose groups (P<0.05). Thus, Drynaria total flavonoids inhibited the serum cathepsin K concentration and increased the maximum bending load of the tibial shaft in ovariectomized rats.

Phonon self-energy and origin of anomalous neutron scattering spectra in SnTe and PbTe thermoelectrics

The anharmonic lattice dynamics of rock-salt thermoelectric compounds SnTe and PbTe are investigated with inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and first-principles calculations. The experiments show that, surprisingly, although SnTe is closer to the ferroelectric instability, phonon spectra in PbTe exhibit a more anharmonic character. This behavior is reproduced in first-principles calculations of the temperature-dependent phonon self-energy. Our simulations reveal how the nesting of phonon dispersions induces prominent features in the self-energy, which account for the measured INS spectra and their temperature dependence. We establish that the phase space for three-phonon scattering processes, combined with the proximity to the lattice instability, is the mechanism determining the complex spectrum of the transverse-optic ferroelectric mode.