Mass, Spectroscopy, and Two-Neutron Decay of ^{16}Be

The structure and decay of the most neutron-rich beryllium isotope, ^{16}Be, has been investigated following proton knockout from a high-energy ^{17}B beam. Two relatively narrow resonances were observed for the first time, with energies of 0.84(3) and 2.15(5) MeV above the two-neutron decay threshold and widths of 0.32(8) and 0.95(15) MeV, respectively. These were assigned to be the ground (J^{π}=0^{+}) and first excited (2^{+}) state, with E_{x}=1.31(6)  MeV. The mass excess of ^{16}Be was thus deduced to be 56.93(13) MeV, some 0.5 MeV more bound than the only previous measurement. Both states were observed to decay by direct two-neutron emission. Calculations incorporating the evolution of the wave function during the decay as a genuine three-body process reproduced the principal characteristics of the neutron-neutron energy spectra for both levels, indicating that the ground state exhibits a strong spatially compact dineutron component, while the 2^{+} level presents a far more diffuse neutron-neutron distribution.

[Clinical study of the efficacies of ruxolitinib plus low-dose PTCY for acute GVHD prevention after haploidentical transplantation in malignant hematological diseases]

Objective: To investigate and verify a novel acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) prevention protocol in the context of haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) . Methods: Patients who underwent haplo-HSCT in our center between January 2022 and December 2022 were included. All patients received reduced doses of cyclophosphamide, Rabbit anti-human tymoglobulin, ruxolitinib, methotrexate, cyclosporine, and MMF to prevent aGVHD. The transplantation outcomes, complications, and survival rate of all patients were investigated. Results: A total of 52 patients with haplo-HSCT were enrolled, 29 (55.8%) male and 23 (44.2%) female, with a median age of 28 (5-59) years. There were 25 cases of acute myeloid leukemia, 17 cases of acute lymphocyte leukemia, 6 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome, 2 cases of chronic myeloid leukemia and 2 cases of myeloproliferative neoplasms. 98.1% of patients had successful engraftment. The incidence of Ⅱ-Ⅳ aGVHD and Ⅲ-Ⅳ aGVHD was 19.2% (95% CI 8.2% -30.3% ) and 7.7% (95% CI 0.2% -15.2% ), respectively. No patients experienced severe gastrointestinal mucositis. The Epstein-Barr virus and CMV reactivation rates were 40.4% and 21.3%, respectively. 9.6% of patients relapsed during followup, with 1-year overall survival, progression-free survival, and non-relapse mortality rates of 86.5% (95% CI 76.9% -96.1% ), 78.8% (95% CI 67.4% -90.3% ) and 11.5% (95% CI 2.6% -20.5% ), respectively. Conclusion: Ruxolitinib combined with a low dose of PTCY is a safe and effective first-line aGVHD prevention strategy.

[Determination of Perchloroethylene in blood by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry]

Objective: To establish a method for determination of Perchloroethylene (PCE) in blood by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS/GC-MS) . Methods: From Dctober to December 2021, A total of 3 mL blood samples were taken into a 10 mL headspace bottle, after heated at 60 ℃ for 30 mins, PCE in the top air was separated by VF-WAXms capillary column and detected by GC-MS. The retention time and external standard method were used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of PCE in samples, respectively. Results: There was good linear relationship in the range of 5.09-200.17 μg/L. The linear correlation coefficient was 0.9993.The detection limit was 0.21 μg/L and the lower limit of quantitation was 0.70 μg/L. The recovery rates of samples with different concentrations were 95.3%-103.8%. The intra-batch relative standard deviations (RSD) were 3.2%-4.6%, and inter-batch RSD was 4.0%-6.1%. The samples can be stored at 4 ℃ for three days and at -20 ℃ for seven days. Conclusion: This method is proved to be simple, practical and highly sensitive, which is suitable for the determination of PCE in blood.

Ginsenoside Rg1 attenuates dextran sodium sulfate-induced ulcerative colitis in mice

Ulceration colitis (UC) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disorder in the gastro-intestinal tract. The purpose of our study is to explore the potential mechanisms of ginsenoside Rg1 (GS Rg1) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Acute colitis was induced in male C57BL/6 mice. In vitro model of LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells to simulate enteritis model. The disease activity index (DAI), colon length, body weight and histopathological analysis were performed in vivo. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and markers for oxidative and anti-oxidative stress, MPO level were measured in vivo and in vitro. Nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and NF-?B p65 protein levels were analyzed using western blotting. Our results indicated that the UC models were established successfully by drinking DSS water. GS Rg1 significantly attenuated UC-related symptoms, including preventing weight loss, decreasing DAI scores, and increasing colon length. GS Rg1 ameliorated the DSS-induced oxidative stress. IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha levels were significantly increased in serum and cell supernatant effectively, while treatment with the GS Rg1 significantly reduced these factors. GS Rg1 reduced MPO content in the colon. GS Rg1 treatment increased SOD and decreased MDA levels in the serum, colon, and cell supernatant. GS Rg1 restored the Nrf-2/HO-1/NF-?B pathway in RAW 264.7 cells and UC mice, and these changes were blocked by Nrf-2 siRNA. Overall, GS Rg1 ameliorated inflammation and oxidative stress in colitis via Nrf-2/HO-1/NF-kappaB pathway. Thus, GS Rg1 could serve as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of UC.

Temporal Structures in Positron Spectra and Charge-Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic positron fluxes in the rigidity range from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 3.4×10^{6} positrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The positron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the electron fluxes at short and long timescales. A hysteresis between the electron fluxes and the positron fluxes is observed with a significance greater than 5σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. On the contrary, the positron fluxes and the proton fluxes show similar time variation. Remarkably, we found that positron fluxes are modulated more than proton fluxes with a significance greater than 5σ for rigidities below 7 GV. These continuous daily positron fluxes, together with AMS daily electron, proton, and helium fluxes over an 11-year solar cycle, provide unique input to the understanding of both the charge-sign and mass dependencies of cosmic rays in the heliosphere.

Erratum: Search for Cosmic-Ray Boosted Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using Recoil Protons at Super-Kamiokande [Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 031802 (2023)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.031802.

[Plurihormonal PIT1-lineage pituitary neuroendocrine tumors: a clinicopathological study]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of plurihormonal PIT1-lineage pituitary neuroendocrine tumors. Methods: Forty-eight plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumors were collected between January 2018 and April 2022 from the pathological database of Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University. The related clinical and imaging data were retrieved. H&E, immunohistochemical and special stains were performed. Results: Out of the 48 plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumors included, 13 cases were mature PIT1-lineage tumors and 35 cases were immature PIT1-lineage tumors. There were some obvious clinicopathological differences between the two groups. Clinically, the mature plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumor mostly had endocrine symptoms due to increased hormone production, while a small number of immature PIT1-lineage tumors had endocrine symptoms accompanied by low-level increased serum pituitary hormone; patients with the immature PIT1-lineage tumors were younger than the mature PIT1-lineage tumors; the immature PIT1-lineage tumors were larger in size and more likely invasive in imaging. Histopathologically, the mature PIT1-lineage tumors were composed of large eosinophilic cells with high proportion of growth hormone expression, while the immature PIT1-lineage tumors consisted of chromophobe cells with a relatively higher expression of prolactin; the mature PIT1-lineage tumors had consistently diffuse cytoplasmic positive staining for keratin, while the immature PIT1-lineage tumors had various expression for keratin; the immature PIT1-lineage tumors showed more mitotic figures and higher Ki-67 proliferation index; in addition, 25.0% (12/48) of PIT1-positive plurihormonal tumors showed abnormal positive staining for gonadotropin hormones. There was no significant difference in the progression-free survival between the two groups (P=0.648) by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Conclusions: Plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumor belongs to a rare type of PIT1-lineage pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, most of which are of immature lineage. Clinically increased symptoms owing to pituitary hormone secretion, histopathologically increased number of eosinophilic tumor cells with high proportion of growth hormone expression, diffusely cytoplasmic keratin staining and low proliferative activity can help differentiate the mature plurihormonal PIT1-lineage tumors from the immature PIT1-lineage tumors. The immature PIT1-lineage tumors have more complicated clinicopathological characteristics.

High Risk Prognostic Factors Predictive of Outcome Following Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for Early-Stage Lung Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

High risk prognostic factors for outcomes following SBRT for early-stage lung cancer per SWOG/NRG 1914 include: tumor size > 2cm; moderately/poorly/undifferentiated histology; or high metabolic activity on PET/CT defined as SUV > 6.2. The purpose of this IRB approved retrospective study is to assess outcome for stage I lung cancer and to validate SWOG risk stratification in a single community-based radiation department.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 132 patients with 139 tumors treated with SBRT between 2014 and 2019 were stratified by SWOG risk group (high vs. low). To assess differences by risk group in estimated overall survival (OS) at the patient level, as well as Freedom from Local Failure (FFLF), Freedom from Regional Failure (FFRF) and Freedom from Distant Failure (FFDF) at the tumor level, Kaplan-Meier methodology and Cox proportional hazards (PH) modeling for correlated data were used. Statistical significance was concluded at the 0.05 level.

RESULTS

Median follow-up for the entire group is 56 months. 77% of patients had high risk tumors. The median patient age was 75 years with 57% female. Patients with high-risk tumors were older (p = 0.023) compared to patients with low-risk tumors. At the tumor level, high risk tumors were more likely to have biopsies performed (91% vs 57% p = 0.002) and more likely to experience regional failure (28% vs 7% p = 0.005). High risk tumors were more likely to experience local failure (8% vs 0% p = NS) and distant failure (27% vs 14% p = NS). Median survival was 49 months for the whole group (46.0 months high risk, 65.1 months low risk). Actuarial OS at 5 years is 38% (35% high risk, 51% low risk). Actuarial FFLF at 5 years is 94% (93% high risk, 100% low risk). Actuarial FFRF at 5 years is 77% (72% high risk, 93% low risk). Actuarial FFDF at 5 years is 74% (70% high risk, 88% low risk). Cox PH models revealed no statistically significant differences in FFRF by risk group (p = 0.08).

CONCLUSION

Excellent local control but higher regional and distant failure was demonstrated for high-risk lung tumors as defined by SWOG/NRG 1914. Clinically important decrement in outcomes were consistently noted for high-risk tumors in this sample which did not demonstrate statistical significance due to lack of events and statistical power. However, our data supports the prognostic importance of tumor size/grade and SUV for identifying patients at high risk. Further validation with larger sample sizes would contribute to our knowledge regarding risk stratification for early-stage lung cancer treated with SBRT.

Synergism between CMG helicase and leading strand DNA polymerase at replication fork

The replisome that replicates the eukaryotic genome consists of at least three engines: the Cdc45-MCM-GINS (CMG) helicase that separates duplex DNA at the replication fork and two DNA polymerases, one on each strand, that replicate the unwound DNA. Here, we determined a series of cryo-electron microscopy structures of a yeast replisome comprising CMG, leading-strand polymerase Polε and three accessory factors on a forked DNA. In these structures, Polε engages or disengages with the motor domains of the CMG by occupying two alternative positions, which closely correlate with the rotational movement of the single-stranded DNA around the MCM pore. During this process, the polymerase remains stably coupled to the helicase using Psf1 as a hinge. This synergism is modulated by a concerted rearrangement of ATPase sites to drive DNA translocation. The Polε-MCM coupling is not only required for CMG formation to initiate DNA replication but also facilitates the leading-strand DNA synthesis mediated by Polε. Our study elucidates a mechanism intrinsic to the replisome that coordinates the activities of CMG and Polε to negotiate any roadblocks, DNA damage, and epigenetic marks encountered during translocation along replication forks.

A patient with spinal cavernous vascular malformation: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Spinal cavernous vascular malformation (SCM) is a rare type of spinal vascular malformation that can be easily misdiagnosed and overlooked, accounting for 5%-12% of all spinal vascular malformations. To date, surgical resection has been the gold standard for treating SCM, particularly in symptomatic patients. The risk of secondary hemorrhage in SCM is as high as 66%. Therefore, early, timely, and accurate diagnosis is crucial for patients with SCM.

CASE REPORT

In this report, we describe a 50-year-old female patient who was admitted to the hospital with recurrent bilateral lower extremity pain and numbness for 10 years, with recurring symptoms for 4 months. The patient's symptoms initially improved after conservative treatment but then worsened again. An MRI revealed a spinal cord hemorrhage, and after surgical treatment, the patient's symptoms improved significantly. A postoperative pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of SCM.

CONCLUSIONS

This case, along with a review of the literature, suggests that for SCM, early surgery using techniques such as microsurgery and intraoperative evoked potential monitoring may result in better outcomes for the patient.

Properties of Cosmic-Ray Sulfur and Determination of the Composition of Primary Cosmic-Ray Carbon, Neon, Magnesium, and Sulfur: Ten-Year Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the properties of primary cosmic-ray sulfur (S) in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.38×10^{6} sulfur nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment (AMS). We observed that above 90 GV the rigidity dependence of the S flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of Ne-Mg-Si fluxes, which is different from the rigidity dependence of the He-C-O-Fe fluxes. We found that, similar to N, Na, and Al cosmic rays, over the entire rigidity range, the traditional primary cosmic rays S, Ne, Mg, and C all have sizeable secondary components, and the S, Ne, and Mg fluxes are well described by the weighted sum of the primary silicon flux and the secondary fluorine flux, and the C flux is well described by the weighted sum of the primary oxygen flux and the secondary boron flux. The primary and secondary contributions of the traditional primary cosmic-ray fluxes of C, Ne, Mg, and S (even Z elements) are distinctly different from the primary and secondary contributions of the N, Na, and Al (odd Z elements) fluxes. The abundance ratio at the source for S/Si is 0.167±0.006, for Ne/Si is 0.833±0.025, for Mg/Si is 0.994±0.029, and for C/O is 0.836±0.025. These values are determined independent of cosmic-ray propagation.

Nitric oxide modulates folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism and mitochondrial energy levels of peaches during cold storage

Folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) is closely associated with postharvest preservation. This study investigated the effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on FOCM, storage quality, energy metabolism, and mitochondrial membrane integrity in cold-storage peach fruit. In this experiment, peaches were soaked with 1.5 mmol L^-1S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) as NO donor, and the negative treatment (NT) solution containing 5 μmol L^-1 carboxy-PTIO (c-PTIO, NO scavenger), 200 μmol L^-1 N^G-Nitro-_L-arginine methyl ester (_L-NAME, NO synthase-like enzyme inhibitor), and 200 μmol L^-1 sodium tungstate dihydrate (nitrate reductase inhibitor) and stored at 0°C. The results showed that NO decreased the activity of S-adenosylmethionine synthase and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and increased the activity of methionine sulfoxide reductase A, as well as the content of N5-methyl-THF, the ratio of tetrahydrofolate (THF), homocysteine, methionine, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), and SAM to S-adenosylhomocysteine compared with the control, indicating that NO effectively increased FOCM flux by affecting the activity of FOCM enzymes. Meanwhile, NO increased the activities of H⁺-ATPase, Ca²⁺-ATPase, cytochrome c oxidase, succinate dehydrogenase, and the contents of adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate, and maintained high energy charge in peaches during storage. NO retarded the increase in mitochondrial permeability transition, reactive oxygen species content, and the decrease in mitochondrial membrane fluidity, membrane potential, and swelling. NT treatment exhibited the opposite results. In conclusion, these results suggested that NO could induce the accumulation of folate and FOCM flux and maintain mitochondrial energy levels, which might be responsible for maintaining the quality of peaches during cold storage.

Temporal Structures in Electron Spectra and Charge Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic electron fluxes in the rigidity interval from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 2.0×10^{8} electrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The electron fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. Recurrent electron flux variations with periods of 27 days, 13.5 days, and 9 days are observed. We find that the electron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the proton fluxes. Remarkably, a hysteresis between the electron flux and the proton flux is observed with a significance of greater than 6σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. Furthermore, significant structures in the electron-proton hysteresis are observed corresponding to sharp structures in both fluxes. This continuous daily electron data provide unique input to the understanding of the charge sign dependence of cosmic rays over an 11-year solar cycle.

[Enhanced endoplasmic reticulum RyR1 receptor phosphorylation leads to diaphragmatic dysfunction in septic rats]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of endoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1) expression and phosphorylation in sepsis- induced diaphragm dysfunction.

METHODS

Thirty SPF male SD rats were randomized equally into 5 groups, including a sham-operated group, 3 sepsis model groups observed at 6, 12, or 24 h following cecal ligation and perforation (CLP; CLP-6h, CLP-12h, and CLP-24h groups, respectively), and a CLP-24h group with a single intraperitoneal injection of KN- 93 immediately after the operation (CLP-24h+KN-93 group). At the indicated time points, diaphragm samples were collected for measurement of compound muscle action potential (CMAP), fatigue index of the isolated diaphragm and fitted frequencycontraction curves. The protein expression levels of CaMK Ⅱ, RyR1 and P-RyR1 in the diaphragm were detected using Western blotting.

RESULTS

In the rat models of sepsis, the amplitude of diaphragm CMAP decreased and its duration increased with time following CLP, and the changes were the most obvious at 24 h and significantly attenuated by KN-93 treatment (P < 0.05). The diaphragm fatigue index increased progressively following CLP (P < 0.05) irrespective of KN- 93 treatment (P>0.05). The frequency-contraction curve of the diaphragm muscle decreased progressively following CLP, and was significantly lower in CLP-24 h group than in CLP-24 h+KN-93 group (P < 0.05). Compared with that in the sham-operated group, RyR1 expression level in the diaphragm was significantly lowered at 24 h (P < 0.05) but not at 6 or 12 following CLP, irrespective of KN-93 treatment; The expression level of P-RyR1 increased gradually with time after CLP, and was significantly lowered by KN-93 treatment at 24 h following CLP (P < 0.05). The expression level of CaMKⅡ increased significantly at 24 h following CLP, and was obviously lowered by KN-93 treatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Sepsis causes diaphragmatic dysfunction by enhancing CaMK Ⅱ expression and RyR1 receptor phosphorylation in the endoplasmic reticulum of the diaphragm.

[Reverse partial pulmonary resection: a new surgical approach for pediatric pulmonary cysts]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of reverse partial lung resection for treatment of pediatric pulmonary cysts combined with lung abscesses or thoracic abscess.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of children undergoing reverse partial lung resection for complex pulmonary cysts in our hospital between June, 2020 and June, 2021.During the surgery, the patients lay in a lateral position, and a 3-5 cm intercostal incision was made at the center of the lesion, through which the pleura was incised and the fluid or necrotic tissues were removed.The anesthesiologist was instructed to aspirate the sputum in the trachea to prevent entry of the necrotic tissues in the trachea.The cystic lung tissue was separated till reaching normal lung tissue on the hilar side.The proximal end of the striated tissue in the lesion was first double ligated with No.4 silk thread, the distal end was disconnected, and the proximal end was reinforced with continuous sutures with 4-0 Prolene thread.The compromised lung tissues were separated, and the thoracic cavity was thoroughly flushed followed by pulmonary inflation, air leakage management and incision suture.

RESULTS

Sixteen children aged from 3 day to 2 years underwent the surgery, including 3 with simple pulmonary cysts, 11 with pulmonary cysts combined with pulmonary or thoracic abscess, 1 with pulmonary cysts combined with tension pneumothorax and left upper lung bronchial defect, and 1 with pulmonary herpes combined with brain tissue heterotaxy.All the operations were completed smoothly, with a mean operation time of 129 min, an mean hospital stay of 11 days, and a mean drainage removal time of 7 days.All the children recovered well after the operation, and 11 of them had mild air leakage.None of the children had serious complications or residual lesions or experienced recurrence of infection after the operation.

CONCLUSION

Reverse partial lung resection is safe and less invasive for treatment of complex pediatric pulmonary cysts complicated by infections.

Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering data for Ruddlesden-Popper and reduced Ruddlesden-Popper nickelates

Ruddlesden-Popper and reduced Ruddlesden-Popper nickelates are intriguing candidates for mimicking the properties of high-temperature superconducting cuprates. The degree of similarity between these nickelates and cuprates has been the subject of considerable debate. Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) has played an important role in exploring their electronic and magnetic excitations, but these efforts have been stymied by inconsistencies between different samples and the lack of publicly available data for detailed comparison. To address this issue, we present open RIXS data on La₄Ni₃O₁₀ and La₄Ni₃O₈.

Mapping amorphous SiO2 in Devonian shales and the possible link to marine productivity during incipient forest diversification

Silica cycling in the world's oceans is not straightforward to evaluate on a geological time scale. With the rise of radiolarians and sponges from the early Cambrian onward, silica can have two depositional origins, continental weathering, and biogenic silica. It is critical to have a reliable method of differentiating amorphous silica and crystalline silica to truly understand biogeochemical and inorganic silica cycling. In this study, opal-A is mapped across the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in the Late Devonian Duvernay Formation shales using longwave hyperspectral imaging alongside geochemical proxies that differentiate between crystalline and amorphous SiO₂, during the expansion of the world's early forests. Signaled by several carbon isotope excursions in the Frasnian, the punctata Event corresponds to the expansion of forests when vascular land plants develop seeds and deeper root networks, likely resulting in increased pedogenesis. Nutrients from thicker soil horizons entering the marine realm are linked to higher levels of primary productivity in oceans and subsequent oxygen starvation in deeper waters at this time. The results of this study reveal, for the first time, the spatial distribution of amorphous SiO₂ across a sedimentary basin during this major shift in the terrestrial realm when forests expand and develop deeper root networks.

Search for Cosmic-Ray Boosted Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using Recoil Protons at Super-Kamiokande

We report a search for cosmic-ray boosted dark matter with protons using the 0.37  megaton×years data collected at Super-Kamiokande experiment during the 1996-2018 period (SKI-IV phase). We searched for an excess of proton recoils above the atmospheric neutrino background from the vicinity of the Galactic Center. No such excess is observed, and limits are calculated for two reference models of dark matter with either a constant interaction cross section or through a scalar mediator. This is the first experimental search for boosted dark matter with hadrons using directional information. The results present the most stringent limits on cosmic-ray boosted dark matter and exclude the dark matter-nucleon elastic scattering cross section between 10^{-33}cm^{2} and 10^{-27}cm^{2} for dark matter mass from 1  MeV/c^{2} to 300  MeV/c^{2}.

Transcriptome Analysis of the Effects of Grafting Interstocks on Apple Rootstocks and Scions

Apples are a major horticultural crop worldwide. Grafting techniques are widely utilized in apple production to keep the varieties pure. Interstocks are frequently used in Northern China to achieve intensive apple dwarfing cultivation. High-throughput sequencing was used to investigate differentially expressed genes in the phloem tissues of two different xenograft systems, M ('Gala'/'Mac 9'/Malus baccata (L.) Borkh.) and B ('Gala'/Malus baccata (L.) Borkh.). The results showed that dwarfing interstocks could significantly reduce the height and diameters of apple trees while have few effects on the growth of annual branches. The interstocks were found to regulate the expression of genes related to hormone metabolism and tree body control (GH3.9, PIN1, CKI1, ARP1, GA2ox1 and GA20ox1), these effects may attribute the dwarf characters for apple trees with interstocks. Besides, the interstocks reduce photosynthesis-related genes (MADH-ME4 and GAPC), promote carbon (C) metabolism gene expression (AATP1, GDH and PFK3), promote the expression of nitrogen (N)-metabolism-related genes (NRT2.7, NADH and GDH) in rootstocks, and improve the expression of genes related to secondary metabolism in scions (DX5, FPS1, TPS21 and SRG1). We also concluded that the interstocks acquired early blooming traits due to promotion of the expression of flowering genes in the scion (MOF1, FTIP7, AGL12 and AGL24). This study is a valuable resource regarding the molecular mechanisms of dwarf interstocks' influence on various biological processes and transplantation systems in both scions and rootstocks.

Biological Functions of Hydrogen Sulfide in Plants

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), which is a gasotransmitter, can be biosynthesized and participates in various physiological and biochemical processes in plants. H₂S also positively affects plants' adaptation to abiotic stresses. Here, we summarize the specific ways in which H₂S is endogenously synthesized and metabolized in plants, along with the agents and methods used for H₂S research, and outline the progress of research on the regulation of H₂S on plant metabolism and morphogenesis, abiotic stress tolerance, and the series of different post-translational modifications (PTMs) in which H₂S is involved, to provide a reference for future research on the mechanism of H₂S action.

[Clinicopathological characteristics of H3K27-altered diffuse midline glioma and evaluation of NTRK as its therapeutic target]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of H3K27-altered diffuse midline glioma (DMG), and to analyze DMG's prognostic factors, and subsequently, to study the possibility of using NTRK as a therapeutic target for DMG. Methods: A total of 232 DMG diagnosed at the Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China from July 2016 to March 2021 were collected. Their clinical, radiological and pathological features, the ratio of MGMT promoter methylation, expression of NTRK, and characteristics of NTRK gene fusion were analyzed. The prognostic values of different factors were also studied, including age, tumor location, histological grade, gene and protein expression of NTRK, and postoperative adjuvant therapy. Results: Among the 232 DMG cases, there were 8 patients with both primary and relapse tumors on the record. Thus, a total of 224 patients were analyzed, including 118 males and 106 females. There were 126 adults (>18 years of age) and 98 children (≤18 years of age). Notably, the most frequent location was thalamus (41/126, 32.5%) in adults, but brainstem (59/96, 60.2%) in children. The lesions showed T1 hypointensity or isointensity, and T2 hyperintensity. However, contrast enhancement patterns of the tumors varied, with many tumors lacking contrast-enhancing. The histological grades included grade 2 (9/224, 4.0%), grade 3 (41/224, 18.3%) and grade 4 (174/224, 77.7%). Two hundred and twenty-four DMGs were diffusely positive for H3K27M and negative for H3K27me3. The ratio of MGMT promoter methylation was low (1/45, 2.2%). One hundred and seventy-seven of the 224 cases (177/224, 79.0%) were positive for NTRK. Fifty cases were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Among them, five DMGs (positive rate, 10.0%) were NTRK fusion positive. This study showed that there were no differences between adult and pediatric DMGs in histological grading, expression of NTRK, and NTRK gene fusion. One hundred and fifty-nine patients were included in the follow-up analysis (P>0.05). During the follow-up period, 109/159 patients (69.6%) died of the disease, with a median survival time of 12 months (range 1 to 55 months). Univariate log-rank analysis showed that age, location, surgical procedure and postoperative adjuvant therapy were associated with overall survivals of the DMG patients (P<0.05). Conclusions: The prognosis of DMG is poor overall. There are differences between adult and pediatric DMGs in anatomic location and prognosis, but not in other features. NTRK1 gene fusion is detected in 10.0% of the tumors. It suggests that TRK inhibitor might be a choice for treating DMG.

Proteome Analysis of Temporomandibular Joint with Disc Displacement

Disc displacement without reduction is a common disorder of the temporomandibular joint, causing clinical symptoms and sometimes condylar degeneration. In some cases, bone regeneration is detected following disc-repositioning procedures. Until now, however, systems-wide knowledge of the protein levels for condylar outcome with disc position is still lacking. Here, we performed comprehensive expression profiling of synovial fluid from 109 patients with disc displacement without reduction using high-resolution data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry and characterized differences in 1,714 proteins. Based on magnetic resonance imaging, samples were divided into groups with versus without condylar absorption and subgroups with versus without new bone. For the proteomic analysis, 32 proteins in groups presented with statistical significance (>2-fold, P < 0.05). Pathways such as response to inorganic substances, blood coagulation, and estrogen signaling were significantly expressed in the group with bone absorption as compared with pathways such as regulation of body fluid levels, vesicle-mediated transport, and focal adhesion, which were enriched in the group without bone absorption. In subgroup analysis, 45 proteins of significant importance (>2-fold, P < 0.05) were associated with pathways including would healing, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, and amino acid metabolism. Combined with clinical examination, molecules such as acetyl-CoA carboxylase beta (ACACB) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) were related to features such as visual analog scale and maximum interincisal opening (P < 0.05). In addition, 7 proteins were examined by Western blotting, including progesterone immunomodulatory binding factor 1 (PIBF1), histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG), and protein kinase C and casein kinase substrate in neurons 2 (PACSIN2). In conclusion, this study provides the first proteome analysis of condylar absorption at disc displacement without reduction and postoperative new bone formation after disc reposition. Integrated with clinical data, this analysis provides an important insight into the proteomics of condylar modification at disc position.

[Prognostic value of translocation t(11;14) in primary light-chain amyloidosis treated with bortezomib-based regimen]

Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of translocation t(11;14) in newly-diagnosed primary light-chain (AL) amyloidosis patients treated with bortezomib-based regimen. Method: Clinical information of newly-diagnosed AL amyloidosis patients in Peking Union Medical College Hospital who had baseline t(11;14) data and accepted bortezomib-combined therapies from September, 2015 to September, 2021 was collected. The relationships between t(11;14) status and baseline characteristics, hematological response, organ response and prognosis were analyzed. Results: A total of 152 patients were included, aged (59.5±9.1) years and 93 cases were male (61.2%). Forty-six patients carried t(11;14) (30.3%). There was no statistical difference in the proportion of organ involved, distribution of Mayo 2004 and 2012 stages and laboratory indexes between patients with and without t(11;14) (all P>0.05). For hematological response, the difference in the rates of ≥very good partial response (VGPR) between those with t(11;14) and without after the first cycle [28.2%(11/39) vs 37.4%(34/91), P>0.05] was not statistically significant. After 3 cycles, the difference in the rates of ≥VGPR between two groups was not statistically significant [35.9%(14/39) vs 51.1%(46/90), P>0.05]. The difference in the ratio of the best hematological response reaching ≥VGPR between two groups during the first-line treatment was not statistically significant [52.2%(24/46) vs 64.2%(68/106), P>0.05]. But patients with t(11;14) had lower cardiac response rate at 3 months [15.2%(5/33) vs 34.6%(28/81), P=0.038] and 6 months [19.4%(6/31) vs 50.6%(42/83),P=0.003] than those without, but the difference in cardiac response rates at 12 months was not statistically significant [41.7%(10/24) vs 53.5%(38/71),P>0.05]. For survival, the differences in overall survival (not reached vs 50.1 months, P>0.05) and hematological event-free survival (36.2 months vs 39.9 months, P>0.05) between patients carrying t(11;14) and those without were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Patients with t(11;14) had lower cardiac response rate than those without, but their hematological response and survival are not significantly different from those free from t(11;14).

[Finite element analysis and biomimetic optimal design of full-crown restoration]

Objective: To improve the mechanical properties of full-crown restorations and illuminate the optimal elastic modulus distribution through bionic optimization design and finite element analysis (FEA). Methods: Seven 3D models of mandibular first premolars with different full-crown restorations were constructed: (A) zirconia monolithic crown, (B) lithium disilicate monolithic crown, (C) zirconia bilayer crown, (D) lithium disilicate bilayer crown, (E) 8-layer crown referred to the elastic modulus distribution of human enamel, (F) and (G) were 8-layer crowns with elastic modulus distribution calculated by a genetic algorithm (GA) to minimize the tensile stresses in the crown and the shear stresses at the cementing line, respectively. Results in the crowns and cementing lines were obtained with maximum principal stress after applying a static load of 600 N. Results: The principal tensile stresses in the full-crown restorations were mainly concentrated in the cervical margins and the crown-cementing interface. Among them, G exhibited a peak tensile stress of 25.79 MPa, which decreased to 17.72 MPa in E and 16.25 MPa in F; The principal shear stresses in cementing lines were concentrated along the margins and low on the axial wall. The peak shear stress of the cementing line of E and F was 11.81 MPa and 11.79 MPa, respectively. While G was found to has the lowest peak shear stress of 6.14 MPa. Conclusion: The elastic modulus distribution optimized by GA to reduce the peak shear stress of the cementing line can better improve the mechanical properties of the full-crown restoration.

Incidence and risk factors for deep infection after primary shoulder arthroplasty: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Many risk factors associated with deep infections after primary shoulder arthroplasty remain controversial and have not yet been summarized. As such, the aim of the present study was to quantitatively summarize the risk factors associated with deep infections after primary shoulder arthroplasty.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Computerized and additional manual searches on the Medline, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Cochrane central database for potential studies, published from inception to March 2022, were performed. All studies that assessed risk factors for deep infection after primary shoulder arthroplasty were selected without language restrictions. Eligible studies were required to fulfill quality assessment criteria from the Consort statement and to evaluate risk factors for deep infection after primary shoulder arthroplasty. Two reviewers independently extracted the relevant data, with disagreements resolved by consensus. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata version 11.0 (Statacorp LLC, College Station, TX, USA).

RESULTS

Seven studies including 493,148 patients who underwent primary shoulder arthroplasty, among whom 1,314 experienced infection (0.3%), were eligible and included in this meta-analysis. Meta-analysis revealed that significantly increased risk factors for infection after primary shoulder arthroplasty included male sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.79 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-2.60]), avascular necrosis (OR 2.64 [95% CI 1.61-4.34]), rotator cuff arthropathy (OR 2.14 [95% CI 1.55-2.95]), proximal humerus fracture (OR 2.68 [95% CI 1.93-3.73]), and non-union of humerus fracture (OR 5.32 [95% CI 3.52-8.02]). In contrast, advanced age was associated with a decreased likelihood for development of infection (OR 0.97 [95% CI 0.94-1]).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgeons should devote close attention to the above-mentioned medical conditions to reduce deep infection after primary shoulder arthroplasty.

Properties of Daily Helium Fluxes

We present the precision measurement of 2824 daily helium fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 in the rigidity interval from 1.71 to 100 GV based on 7.6×10^{8} helium nuclei collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The helium flux and the helium to proton flux ratio exhibit variations on multiple timescales. In nearly all the time intervals from 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent helium flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. In the entire time period, we found that below ∼7  GV the helium flux exhibits larger time variations than the proton flux, and above ∼7  GV the helium to proton flux ratio is time independent. Remarkably, below 2.4 GV a hysteresis between the helium to proton flux ratio and the helium flux was observed at greater than the 7σ level. This shows that at low rigidity the modulation of the helium to proton flux ratio is different before and after the solar maximum in 2014.

Outcomes of adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

INTRODUCTION

Compared with young children who have acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), adolescents with ALL have unfavourable disease profiles and worse survival. However, limited data are available regarding the characteristics and outcomes of adolescents with ALL who underwent treatment in clinical trials. The aim of this study was to investigate the causes of treatment failure in adolescents with ALL.

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed the outcomes of 711 children with ALL, aged 1-18 years, who were enrolled in five clinical trials of paediatric ALL treatment between 1993 and 2015.

RESULTS

Among the 711 children with ALL, 530 were young children (1-9 years at diagnosis) and 181 were adolescents (including 136 younger adolescents [10-14 years] and 45 older adolescents [15-18 years]). Compared with young children who had ALL, adolescents with ALL were less likely to have favourable genetic features and more likely to demonstrate poor early response to treatment. The 10-year overall survival and event-free survival rates were significantly lower among adolescents than among young children (77.9% vs 87.6%, P=0.0003; 69.7% vs 76.5%, P=0.0117). There were no significant differences in the 10-year cumulative incidence of relapse, but the 10-year cumulative incidence of treatment-related death (TRD) was significantly greater among adolescents (7.2%) than among young children (2.3%; P=0.002). Multivariable analysis showed that both younger and older adolescents (vs young children) had worse survival and greater incidence of TRD.

CONCLUSION

Adolescents with ALL had worse survival because they experienced a greater incidence of TRD. There is a need to investigate optimal treatment adjustments and novel targeted agents to achieve better survival rates (without excessive toxicity) among adolescents with ALL.

Inhibiting Hh Signaling in Gli1+ Osteogenic Progenitors Alleviates TMJOA

The increased prevalence of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) in children and adolescents has drawn considerable attention as it may interfere with mandibular condyle growth, resulting in dento-maxillofacial deformities. However, treatments for osteoarthritis have been ineffective at restoring the damaged bone and cartilage structures due to poor understanding of the underlying degenerative mechanism. In this study, we demonstrate that Gli1+ cells residing in the subchondral bone contribute to bone formation and homeostasis in the mandibular condyle, identifying them as osteogenic progenitors in vivo. Furthermore, we show that, in a TMJOA mouse model, derivatives of Gli1+ cells undergo excessive expansion along with increased but uneven distribution of osteogenic differentiation in the subchondral bone, which leads to abnormal subchondral bone remodeling via Hedgehog (Hh) signaling activation and to the development of TMJOA. The selective pharmacological inhibition and specific genetic inhibition of Hh signaling in Gli1+ osteogenic progenitors result in improved subchondral bone microstructure, attenuated local immune inflammatory response in the subchondral bone, and reduced degeneration of the articular cartilage, providing in vivo functional evidence that targeting Hh signaling in Gli1+ osteogenic progenitors can modulate bone homeostasis in osteoarthritis and provide a potential approach for treating TMJOA.

Biochemical and structural characterization of the cyanophage-encoded phosphate binding protein: implications for enhanced phosphate uptake of infected cyanobacteria

To acquire phosphorus, cyanobacteria use the typical bacterial ABC-type phosphate transporter, which is composed of a periplasmic high-affinity phosphate-binding protein PstS and a channel formed by two transmembrane proteins PstC and PstA. A putative pstS gene was identified in the genomes of cyanophages that infect the unicellular marine cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus. However, it has not been determined whether the cyanophage PstS protein is functional during infection to enhance the phosphate uptake rate of host cells. Here we showed that the cyanophage P-SSM2 PstS protein was abundant in the infected Prochlorococcus NATL2A cells and the host phosphate uptake rate was enhanced after infection. This is consistent with our biochemical and structural analyses showing that the phage PstS protein is indeed a high-affinity phosphate-binding protein. We further modeled the complex structure of phage PstS with host PstCA and revealed three putative interfaces that may facilitate the formation of a chimeric ABC transporter. Our results provide insights into the molecular mechanism by which cyanophages enhance the phosphate uptake rate of cyanobacteria. Phosphate acquisition by infected bacteria can increase the phosphorus contents of released cellular debris and virus particles, which together constitute a significant proportion of the marine dissolved organic phosphorus pool. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[Diffuse midline gliomas with H3K27 alteration in children: a clinicopathological analysis of forty-one cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features of pediatric diffuse midline glioma with H3K27 alteration and to analyze their relationship with prognosis. Methods: Forty-one cases of childhood diffuse midline glioma with H3K27 alteration were collected at Children's Hospital of Fudan University (39 cases) and Xi'an Children's Hospital (2 cases), from July 2016 to July 2020. The clinical manifestations, imaging data, histopathology, immunohistochemical phenotype and molecular genetics features, tumor size, site and histological grading were evaluated. Results: Among the 41 cases, 21 were males and 20 females, the age of onset was 3-14 years, the average and median age was 7.6 years and 7.0 years, respectively. The tumor sites were brain stem (n=36) and other locations (n=5). The clinical manifestations were dizziness, gait disturbance, and limb weakness, etc. The MRI features were variable. The histology varied from low-grade to high-grade glioma with neuron differentiation. Immunohistochemistry showed that the tumor cells expressed H3K27M, GFAP, and Olig2. Genetic study showed that 76% (16/21) of tumors had H3F3A gene mutation, mostly accompanied by TP53 (62%, 13/21) missense mutation; five tumors (24%, 5/21) had HIST1H3B gene mutation, accompanied by missense mutations in ACVR1 and PI3K pathway-related gene PIK3CA (4/5) and PIK3R1 (1/5) mutations. The prognosis was dismal with only one alive and others died. The average and median overall survival time was 7 months and 4 months, respectively. Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that age, tumor location, radiologically maximum tumor diameter, histologic grading, and surgical methods were not significantly associated with overall survival rate (P>0.05). Conclusions: Pediatric diffuse midline gliomas with H3K27 alteration have unique clinicopathological and genetic characteristics. The prognosis is poor. The tumor location and histopathologic grading are not related to prognosis. New specific drugs and comprehensive treatment are needed to improve the prognosis.

Use of real-time artificial intelligence in detection of abnormal image patterns in standard sonographic reference planes in screening for fetal intracranial malformations

OBJECTIVES

To develop and validate an artificial intelligence system, the Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis Artificial Intelligence Conduct System (PAICS), to detect different patterns of fetal intracranial abnormality in standard sonographic reference planes for screening for congenital central nervous system (CNS) malformations.

METHODS

Neurosonographic images from normal fetuses and fetuses with CNS malformations at 18-40 gestational weeks were retrieved from the databases of two tertiary hospitals in China and assigned randomly (ratio, 8:1:1) to training, fine-tuning and internal validation datasets to develop and evaluate the PAICS. The system was built based on a real-time convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm, You Only Look Once, version 3 (YOLOv3). An image dataset from a third tertiary hospital was used to further validate, externally, the performance of the PAICS and to compare its performance with that of sonologists with different levels of expertise. Furthermore, a prospective video dataset was employed to evaluate the performance of the PAICS in a real-time scan scenario. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve (AUC) were calculated to assess the performance of the PAICS and to compare this with the performance of sonologists with different levels of experience.

RESULTS

In total, 43 890 images from 16 297 pregnancies and 169 videos from 166 pregnancies were used to develop and validate the PAICS. The system achieved excellent performance in identifying 10 types of intracranial image pattern, with macro- and microaverage AUCs, respectively, of 0.933 (95% CI, 0.798-1.000) and 0.977 (95% CI, 0.970-0.985) for the internal validation image dataset, 0.902 (95% CI, 0.816-0.989) and 0.898 (95% CI, 0.885-0.911) for the external validation image dataset and 0.969 (95% CI, 0.886-1.000) and 0.981 (95% CI, 0.974-0.988) in the real-time scan setting. The performance of the PAICS was comparable to that of expert sonologists in terms of macro- and microaverage accuracy (P = 0.863 and P = 0.775, respectively), sensitivity (P = 0.883, P = 0.846) and AUC (P = 0.891, P = 0.788), but required significantly less time (0.025 s per image for PAICS vs 4.4 s for experts, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Both in the image dataset and in the real-time scan setting, the PAICS achieved excellent diagnostic performance for various fetal CNS abnormalities. Its performance was comparable to that of experts, but it required less time. A CNN algorithm can be trained to detect fetal CNS abnormalities. The PAICS has the potential to be an effective and efficient tool in screening for fetal CNS malformations in clinical practice. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Neurotoxic 18-kDa apolipoprotein E fragment production contributes to anesthetic sevoflurane-induced tau phosphorylation and neuroinflammation in vitro

Anesthesia may induce neuronal tau phosphorylation and neurotoxicity in the developing brain. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) may play a protective role in neuronal activity and injury repair, whereas its 18-kDa fragments are reported to induce neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease patients. We aimed to test the hypothesis that differences in 18-kDa ApoE fragment levels, but not full-length ApoE, in primary neurons contribute to differences in tau phosphorylation and neuroinflammation with or without sevoflurane administration. Neurons extracted from wild-type (WT), ApoE knockout (ApoE-KO), and ApoE ε3-and ε2-targeted replacement (ApoE ε3, ApoE ε2) mice were divided into control and sevoflurane groups. Neurons in the sevoflurane group were treated with 21% O₂, 5% CO₂, and 4.1% sevoflurane, whereas those in the control group were treated with 21% O₂ and 5% CO₂ only on day 5 of neuronal culture. ApoE mRNA, full-length ApoE, 18-kDa ApoE fragments, Tau-PS202/PT205 (AT8), Tau-PSer396/404 (PHF1), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β levels were measured. The data showed that sevoflurane-induced AT8 and PHF1 increases, and TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β increases in WT or ApoE ε3 neurons (both expressing full-length and 18-kDa fragmented ApoE) could be mitigated in ApoE ε2 (only expressing full-length ApoE), but not in ApoE-KO neurons, indicating that differences in 18-kDa ApoE fragments, but not full-length ApoE, in primary mouse neurons contributed to differences in tau phosphorylation and neuroinflammation with or without 4.1% sevoflurane administration.

Periodicities in the Daily Proton Fluxes from 2011 to 2019 Measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station from 1 to 100 GV

We present the precision measurement of the daily proton fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 (a total of 2824 days or 114 Bartels rotations) in the rigidity interval from 1 to 100 GV based on 5.5×10^{9} protons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer aboard the International Space Station. The proton fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. From 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. The rigidity dependence of the 27-day periodicity is different from the rigidity dependences of 9-day and 13.5-day periods. Unexpectedly, the strength of 9-day and 13.5-day periodicities increases with increasing rigidities up to ∼10  GV and ∼20  GV, respectively. Then the strength of the periodicities decreases with increasing rigidity up to 100 GV.