Revealing new insights: Two-center evidence of microplastics in human vitreous humor and their implications for ocular health

Microplastics (MPs), an emerging environmental contaminant, have raised growing health apprehension due to their detection in various human biospecimens. Despite extensive research into their prevalence in the environment and the human body, the ramifications of their existence within the enclosed confines of the human eye remain largely unexplored. Herein, we assembled a cohort of 49 patients with four ocular diseases (macular hole, macular epiretinal membrane, retinopathy and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment) from two medical centers. After processing the samples with an optimized method, we utilized Laser Direct Infrared (LD-IR) spectroscopy and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) to analyze 49 vitreous samples, evaluating the characteristics of MPs within the internal environment of the human eye. Our results showed that LD-IR scanned a total of 8543 particles in the composite sample from 49 individual vitreous humor samples, identifying 1745 as plastic particles, predominantly below 50 μm. Concurrently, Py-GC/MS analysis of the 49 individual samples corroborated these findings, with nylon 66 exhibiting the highest content, followed by polyvinyl chloride, and detection of polystyrene. Notably, correlations were observed between MP levels and key ocular health parameters, particularly intraocular pressure and the presence of aqueous humor opacities. Intriguingly, individuals afflicted with retinopathy demonstrated heightened ocular health risks associated with MPs. In summary, this research provides significant insights into infiltration of MP pollutants within the human eye, shedding light on their potential implications for ocular health and advocating for further exploration of this emerging health risk.

Designing Efficient Nitrate Reduction Electrocatalysts by Identifying and Optimizing Active Sites of Co-Based Spinels

Cobalt-based spinel oxides (i.e., Co3O4) are emerging as low-cost and selective electrocatalysts for the electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3-RR) to ammonia (NH3), although their activity is still unsatisfactory and the genuine active site is unclear. Here, we discover that the NO3-RR activity of Co3O4 is highly dependent on the geometric location of the Co site, and the NO3-RR prefers to occur at octahedral Co (CoOh) rather than tetrahedral Co (CoTd) sites. Moreover, CoOhO6 is electrochemically transformed to CoOhO5 along with the formation of O vacancies (Ov) during the process of NO3-RR. Both experimental and theoretic results reveal that in situ generated CoOhO5-Ov configuration is the genuine active site for the NO3-RR. To further enhance the activity of CoOh sites, we replace inert CoTd with different contents of Cu2+ cations, and a volcano-shape correlation between NO3-RR activity and electronic structures of CoOh is observed. Impressively, in 1.0 M KOH, (Cu0.6Co0.4)Co2O4 with optimized CoOh sites achieves a maximum NH3 Faradaic efficiency of 96.5% with an ultrahigh NH3 rate of 1.09 mmol h-1 cm-2 at -0.45 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode, outperforming most of other reported nonprecious metal-based electrocatalysts. Clearly, this work paves new pathways for boosting the NO3-RR activity of Co-based spinels by tuning local electronic structures of CoOh sites.

Research hotspots and trends in retinopathy of prematurity from 2003 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis

Background

In order to understand the research hotspots and trends in the field of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), our study analyzed the relevant publications from 2003 to 2022 by using bibliometric analysis.

Methods

The Citespace 6.2.R3 system was used to analyze the publications collected from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database.

Results

In total, 4,957 publications were included in this study. From 2003 to 2022, the number of publications gradually increased and peaked in 2022. The United States was the country with the most publications, while Harvard University was the most productive institution. The top co-cited journal PEDIATRICS is published by the United States. Author analysis showed that Hellström A was the author with the most publications, while Good WV was the top co-cited author. The co-citation analysis of references showed seven major clusters: genetic polymorphism, neurodevelopmental outcome, threshold retinopathy, oxygen-induced retinopathy, low birth weight infant, prematurity diagnosis cluster and artificial intelligence (AI). For the citation burst analysis, there remained seven keywords in their burst phases until 2022, including ranibizumab, validation, trends, type 1 retinopathy, preterm, deep learning and artificial intelligence.

Conclusion

Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy and AI-assisted clinical decision-making were two major topics of ROP research, which may still be the research trends in the coming years.

Unlocking the Transition of Electrochemical Water Oxidation Mechanism Induced by Heteroatom Doping

Heteroatom doping has emerged as a highly effective strategy to enhance the activity of metal-based electrocatalysts toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). It is widely accepted that the doping does not switch the OER mechanism from the adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM) to the lattice-oxygen-mediated mechanism (LOM), and the enhanced activity is attributed to the optimized binding energies toward oxygen intermediates. However, this seems inconsistent with the fact that the overpotential of doped OER electrocatalysts (<300 mV) is considerably smaller than the limit of AEM (>370 mV). To determine the origin of this inconsistency, we select phosphorus (P)-doped nickel-iron mixed oxides as the model electrocatalysts and observe that the doping enhances the covalency of the metal-oxygen bonds to drive the OER pathway transition from the AEM to the LOM, thereby breaking the adsorption linear relation between *OH and *OOH in the AEM. Consequently, the obtained P-doped oxides display a small overpotential of 237 mV at 10 mA cm-2 . Beyond P, the similar pathway transition is also observed on the sulfur doping. These findings offer new insights into the substantially enhanced OER activity originating from heteroatom doping.

Lattice Strain Engineering of Ni2 P Enables Efficient Catalytic Hydrazine Oxidation-Assisted Hydrogen Production

Hydrazine-assisted water electrolysis provides new opportunities to enable energy-saving hydrogen production while solving the issue of hydrazine pollution. Here, the synthesis of compressively strained Ni2 P as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for boosting both the anodic hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is reported. Different from a multistep synthetic method that induces lattice strain by creating core-shell structures, a facile strategy is developed to tune the strain of Ni2 P via dual-cation co-doping. The obtained Ni2 P with a compressive strain of -3.62% exhibits significantly enhanced activity for both the HzOR and HER than counterparts with tensile strain and without strain. Consequently, the optimized Ni2 P delivers current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm-2 at small cell voltages of 0.16 and 0.39 V for hydrazine-assisted water electrolysis, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the compressive strain promotes water dissociation and concurrently tunes the adsorption strength of hydrogen intermediates, thereby facilitating the HER process on Ni2 P. As for the HzOR, the compressive strain reduces the energy barrier of the potential-determining step for the dehydrogenation of *N2 H4 to *N2 H3 . Clearly, this work paves a facile pathway to the synthesis of lattice-strained electrocatalysts via the dual-cation co-doping.

[Retracted] IL‑33 attenuates cardiac remodeling following myocardial infarction via inhibition of the p38 MAPK and NF‑κB pathways

An interested reader of an article published in the journal Circulation Research [Krishnamurthy P, Rajasingh J, Lambers E, Qin G, Losordo DW and Kishore R: L‑10 inhibits inflammation and attenuates left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction via activation of STAT3 and suppression of HuR. Circ Res 104: e9‑18, 2008] drew to our attention that data featured in their paper had appeared subsequently in the abovementioned article by Yin et al in Molecular Medicine Reports in 2014. Specifically, Fig. 1 in the Mol Med Rep paper included the same histograms as those featured in Fig. 2 in the Circ Res paper; Fig. 2 in the Mol Med Rep paper contained data derived from Fig. 1 in the Circ Res paper; and Figs. 3‑5 in both papers shared a substantial amount of the same data. Following an internal investigation, the Journal was able to confirm that this accusation of plagiarism was well‑founded. On those grounds, the Editor of Molecular Medicine Reports has decided to retract this paper. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive a reply. The Editor deeply regrets the grievance that this matter has caused to the authors of the previously published article, and also any inconvenience caused to the readership of the Journal.

[Association between the awareness of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior among residents]

Objective: To explore the association between the cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior among residents in six provinces in China. Methods: Using a multi-stage sampling method, 3 002 adults aged 18-70 were selected from the western region (Sichuan), eastern region (Guangdong, Jiangsu, Beijing), central region (Henan), and northeastern region (Heilongjiang) of China from July 2020 to March 2021. Socio-demographic characteristics of participants and their cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior were collected through questionnaire. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior. Results: The age of 3 002 subjects was (42.3±13.4) years, among which 63.8% (1 914) were female, 66.7% knew the Nutrition Facts Panel, 49.8% would read it when purchasing, 30.7% could understand it, and 56.6% (1 699) bought prepackaged food more than once a week. The results of multivariate analysis showed that after adjusting for relevant confounding factors, compared with the participants knowing but not reading the Nutrition Facts Panel, the group knowing and reading was more likely to buy 11 types of prepackaged food at least once a week (all P<0.05). Compared with the participants reading but not understanding the Nutrition Facts Panel, the group reading and understanding was less likely to buy 11 types of prepackaged food at least once a week (all P<0.05). Conclusion: There was a correlation between cognition of Nutrition Facts Panel and prepackaged food purchase behavior among residents.

Study protocol for feasibility and safety of adopting early oral feeding in post total laparoscopic total gastrectomy (overlap esophagojejunostomy): A multicentre randomized controlled trial

Background

Total laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) for gastric cancer, especially with overlap esophagojejunostomy, has been verified that it has advantages of minimally invasion, less intraoperative bleeding, and faster recovery. Meanwhile, early oral feeding (EOF) after the operation has been demonstrated to significantly promote early rehabilitation in patients, particularly with distal gastrectomy. However, due to the limited application of TLTG, there is few related research proving whether it is credible or safe to adopt EOF after TLTG (overlap esophagojejunostomy). So, it is urgent to start a prospective, multicenter, randomized clinical trials to supply high level evidence.

Methods/design

This study is a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial with 200 patients (100 in each group). These eligible participants are randomly allocated into two different groups, including EOF group and delay oral feeding (DOF) group after TLTG (overlap esophagojejunostomy). Anastomotic leakage will be carefully observed and recorded as the primary endpoints; the period of the first defecation and exhaust, postoperative length of stay and hospitalization expenses will be recorded as secondary endpoints to ascertain the feasibility and safety of adopting EOF after TLTG (overlap esophagojejunostomy).

Discussion

Recently, the adoption of TLTG was limited due to its difficult anastomotic procedure, especially in vivo esophagojejunostomy. With the innovation and improvement of operating techniques, overlap esophagojejunostomy with linear staplers simplified the anastomotic steps and reduced operational difficulties after TLTG. Meanwhile, EOF had received increasing attention from surgical clinicians as a nutrition part of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), which had shown better results in patients after distal gastrectomy. Considering the above factors, we implemented EOF protocol to evaluate the feasibility and safety of adopting EOF after TLTG (overlap esophagojejunostomy), which provided additional evidence for the development of clinical nutrition guidelines.

Clinical trial registration

[www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiECRCT20200440 and ChiCTR2000040692].

Expression of HIF-1α, ANXA3, CD133 and their associations with clinicopathological parameters in human colon carcinoma

Background

Our previous study found an association between the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) and annexin A3 (ANXA3) in colon cancer. ANXA3 correlated with expansion of CD133⁺ tumor cells in hepatocellular carcinoma cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), for which CD133 has been recognized as a typical marker in many cancer cells, including: gastric cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. But the expression and association of HIF-1α, ANXA3 and CD133 in colon cancer has not been reported. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the correlation among the expression of HIF-1α, ANXA3 and CD133 in human colon cancer and to investigate its clinicopathological parameters.

Methods

The data for 35 patients diagnosed with colon adenocarcinoma in The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and who had undergone colectomy, tumor and adjacent normal colon tissues were collected. The expressions of HIF-1α, ANXA3, and CD133 were measured by immunohistochemistry in colon cancer and surrounding non-tumor tissues and measured by using a semiquantitative score system. Finally, relationships between HIF-1α, ANXA3, and CD133 immunohistochemical staining and clinicopathologic variables were analyzed using the Fisher’s exact probability test. Associations between the expression levels of HIF-1α, ANXA3, and CD133 were analyzed by the Spearman’s rank correlation.

Results

The positive rate of expression of HIF-1α in colon cancer and normal colon tissue was 80% (28/35) and 14% (5/35), 77% (27/35) and 20% (7/35) for ANXA3, and 71% (25/35) and 23% (8/35) for CD133, respectively. The coefficient of correlation for the association among HIF-1α, ANXA3 and CD133 showed that the expression of HIF-1α was positively related with ANXA3 and CD133 in colon cancer tissues (r₁=0.408, P₁=0.015, r₂=0.474, P2=0.004) and a positive correlation was observed between the expression of ANXA3 and CD133 (r₃=0.409, P₃=0.015). Expression of HIF-1α, ANXA3 and CD133 were associated with tumor size, lymphatic metastasis and clinic stage of colon cancer (all P<0.05).

Conclusions

HIF-1α, ANXA3 and CD133 were overexpressed in human colon cancer and showed positive correlations among themselves. The expression of HIF-1α, ANXA3 and CD133 were closely related to the size of the tumor, lymphatic metastasis and clinical stage of colon cancer, which indicated that they could be promising biomarkers for the study of colon CSCs and treatment of colon carcinoma.

An open-label, non-randomized, multi-center phase I study evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of bi-ligand-drug conjugate CBP-1018 in patients with advanced solid tumors

TPS2694

Background: Folate-receptor 1 (FOLR1) and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) are overexpressed on tumor and angiogenic endothelial cells in solid tumors, including prostate cancer, renal cell cancer and lung cancer. CBP-1018 is a first-in-class bi-ligand drug conjugate targeting to both FOLR1 and PSMA, with a tubulin inhibitor payload, monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE). We herein introduce its first-in-human study which is designed based on the significant anti-tumor potency and acceptable safety profile in nonclinical studies. Methods: This study is a phase Ⅰa/Ⅰb, multicenter, open-label study enrolling patients with advanced solid tumor relapsed after previous standard therapies. The primary objective is to assess CBP-1018 safety, tolerability, dose limiting toxicity and maximum tolerated dose. Preliminary efficacy including objective response rate, duration of response and progression-free survival will be observed. Pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity and biomarkers will be also evaluated. This study includes 2 parts: Ⅰa (Dose Escalation) and Ⅰb (Dose Expansion). CBP-1018 is administrated iv Q2W (4 weeks/cycle) in Ⅰa, with accelerated titration at lower doses (0.03 mg/kg and 0.06 mg/kg) and an i3+3 design at following doses (0.08 mg/kg, 0.10 mg/kg, 0.12 mg/kg and 0.14mg/kg, etc.). Subjects will be enrolled in 4 cohorts in Ⅰb: metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer, advanced renal cell cancer, advanced lung squamous cell cancer, and other advanced solid tumors. Efficacy will be assessed every 8 weeks (±7days) according to RECIST 1.1, PCWG3 and PSA assessment (only for prostate cancer). Treatment will be continued untill disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Enrollment has been started in Nov. 2021 and is ongoing. Clinical trial information: NCT04928612.

Sodium MRI at 7T for Early Response Evaluation of Intracranial Tumors following Stereotactic Radiotherapy Using the CyberKnife

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Conventionally, early treatment response to stereotactic radiotherapy in intracranial tumors is often determined by structural MR imaging. Tissue sodium concentration is altered by cellular integrity and energy status in cells. In this study, we aimed to investigate the feasibility of sodium MR imaging at 7T for the preliminary evaluation of radiotherapeutic efficacy for intracranial tumors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data were collected from 16 patients (12 men and 4 women, 24-75 years of age) with 22 intracranial tumors who were treated with stereotactic radiation therapy using CyberKnife at our institution between December 1, 2016, and August 15, 2019. Sodium MR imaging was performed at 7T before and 48 hours, 1 week, and 1 month after CyberKnife radiation therapy. Tissue sodium concentration (TSC) was calculated and analyzed based on manually labeled regions of tumors.

RESULTS

Ultra-high-field sodium MR imaging clearly showed the intratumoral signal, which is significantly higher than that of normal tissue (t = 5.250, P <.001)., but the edema zone has some influence. The average TSC ratios of tumor to CSF in the 22 tumors, contralateral normal tissues, edema zones, frontal cortex, and frontal white matter were 0.66 (range, 0.23-1.5), 0.30 (range, 0.15-0.43), 0.58 (range, 0.25-1.21), 0.25 (range, 0.17-0.42), and 0.30 (range, 0.19-0.49), respectively. A total of 12 tumors in 8 patients were scanned at 48 hours, 1 week, and 1 month after treatment. The average TSC at 48 hours after treatment was 0.06 higher than that before treatment and began to decrease at 1 week. The TSC ratios of 10 continued to decline and 2 tumors increased at 1 month, respectively. Tumor volume decreased by 2.4%-99% after 3 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in the TSC can be quantified by sodium MR imaging at 7T and used to detect radiobiologic alterations in intracranial tumors at early time points after CyberKnife radiation therapy.

A Multiscale Strategy to Construct Cobalt Nanoparticles Confined within Hierarchical Carbon Nanofibers for Efficient CO2 Electroreduction

The efficiency of CO₂ electroreduction has been largely limited by the activity of the catalysts as well as the three-phase interface. Herein, a multiscale strategy is proposed to synthesize hierarchical nanofibers covered by carbon nanotubes and embedded with cobalt nanoparticles (Co/CNT/HCNF). The confinement effect of carbon nanotubes can restrict the diameter of the cobalt particles down to several nanometers and prevent the easy corrosion of these nanoparticles. The three-dimensional carbon nanofibers, in size range of several hundred nanometers, improve the electrochemically active surface area, facilitate electron transfer, and accelerate CO₂ transportation. These cross-linked carbon nanofibers eventually form a freestanding Co/CNT/HCNF membrane of dozens of square centimeters. Consequently, Co/CNT/HCNF produces CO with 97% faradaic efficiency at only -0.4 V_RHE cathode potential in an H-type cell. From the regulation of catalyst nanostructure to the design of macrography devices, Co/CNT/HCNF membrane can be directly used as the gas-diffusion compartment in a flow cell device. Co/CNT/HCNF membrane generates CO with faradaic efficiencies higher than 90% and partial current densities greater than 300 mA cm^-2 for at least 100-h stability. This strategy provides a successful example of efficient catalysts for CO₂ electroreduction and also has the feasibility in other self-standing energy conversion devices.

A Phase II Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Sunitinib Malate in Combination With Weekly Paclitaxel Followed by Doxorubicin and Daily Oral Cyclophosphamide Plus G-CSF as Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced or Inflammatory Breast Cancer

INTRODUCTION

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is standard treatment for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) or inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). We hypothesized that adding sunitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with antitumor and antiangiogenic activity, to an anthracycline and taxane regimen would improve pathologic complete response (pCR) rates to a prespecified endpoint of 45% in patients with HER2-negative LABC or IBC.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter, phase II trial of neoadjuvant sunitinib with paclitaxel (S+T) followed by doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide plus G-CSF for patients with HER2-negative LABC or IBC. Patients received sunitinib 25 mg PO daily with paclitaxel 80 mg/m² IV weekly ×12 followed by doxorubicin 24 mg/m² IV weekly + cyclophosphamide 60 mg/m² PO daily with G-CSF support. Response was evaluated using pCR in the breast and the CPS + EG score (clinical-pathologic scoring + estrogen receptor [ER] and grade).

RESULTS

Seventy patients enrolled, and 66 were evaluable for efficacy. Eighteen patients (27%) had pCR in the breast (10 had ER⁺ disease and 8 had triple-negative disease). When defining response as pCR and/or CPS + EG score ≤2, 31 (47%) were responders. In pateints with ER positive disease, 23 (64%) were responders. The most common toxicities were cytopenias and fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant S+T followed by AC+G-CSF was safe and tolerable in LABC and IBC. The study did not meet the prespecified endpoint for pCR; however, 47% were responders using pCR and/or CPS + EG score ≤2. ER positive patients had the highest response rate (64%). The addition of sunitinib to neoadjuvant chemotherapy may provide promising incremental benefit for patients with ER positive LABC.

Inhibition of acrylamide toxicity in vivo by arginine-glucose maillard reaction products

Acrylamide has a variety of toxicities, including carcinogenicity, and can be present in food via the Maillard reaction in processing of certain foods. Previous studies have demonstrated that co-existing Maillard reaction products (MRPs) ameliorated acrylamide-induced abnormal physiological status in mice. This study is focused on the effects on hematological parameters, erythrocyte osmotic fragility, oxidative stress in plasma and liver, and contents of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in mice exposed to acrylamide and to acrylamide and MRPs derived from arginine and glucose. Acrylamide alone caused significant increases in liver indexes, erythrocyte osmotic fragility, malonaldehyde level in liver and 8-OHdG level in testis, and significant decreases in weight gain, hematological parameters, levels of glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase in plasma. Whether MRPs and acrylamide were physically mixed or when the solution is prepared from heating the mixture of arginine, glucose and acrylamide, the presence of MRPs effectively reduced the adverse changes caused by acrylamide. These results suggest that the toxicity of acrylamide to mice can be ameliorated by MRPs, the common compositions simultaneously generated with acrylamide in food matrix.

Iron deficiency plays essential roles in the trigger, treatment, and prognosis of autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets

By analyzing iron status of 14 ADHR patients, we found that iron deficiency was an important trigger of ADHR. Correcting iron deficiency significantly improved patients' symptoms. Meanwhile, patients' serum phosphate showed positive correlations with iron metabolism parameters and hemoglobin-related parameters, suggesting the necessity of monitoring and correcting the iron status in ADHR.

INTRODUCTION

Autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR) is unique for its incomplete penetrance, variety of disease onsets, and waxing and waning phenotypes. Iron deficiency is a trigger of ADHR. This study aimed to clarify the role of iron deficiency in ADHR.

METHODS

Data of clinical manifestations and laboratory examinations were collected from patients among eight kindreds with ADHR. Multiple regression and Pearson's correlation tests were performed to test the relationships of serum phosphate levels and other laboratory variables during the patients' follow-ups.

RESULTS

Among 23 ADHR patients with fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) mutations, 14 patients presented with obvious symptoms. Ten patients had iron deficiency at the onset of ADHR, coinciding with menarche, menorrhagia, pregnancy, and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding. Two patients who did not have their iron status tested presented with symptoms after abortion and pregnancy in one patient each, which suggested that they also had iron deficiency at onset. Patients were treated with ferrous succinate tablets, vitamin C, and neutral phosphate and calcitriol. With correction of the iron status, the patients' symptoms showed notable improvement, with increased serum phosphate levels. Two patients' FGF23 levels also declined to the normal range. There were strong correlations between serum phosphate and serum iron levels (r = 0.7689, p < 0.0001), serum ferritin levels (r = 0.5312, p = 0.002), iron saturation (r = 0.7907, p < 0.0001), and transferrin saturation (r = 0.7875, p < 0.001). We also examined the relationships between serum phosphate levels and hemoglobin-related indices, which were significant (hemoglobin: r = 0.71, p < 0.0001; MCV: r = 0.7589, p < 0.0001; MCH: r = 0.8218, p < 0.0001; and MCHC: r = 0.7751, p < 0.0001). Longitudinal data of six patients' follow-up also showed synchronous changes in serum phosphate with serum iron levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Iron deficiency plays an important role in triggering ADHR. Monitoring and correcting the iron status are helpful for diagnosing and treating ADHR. Iron metabolism parameters and hemoglobin-related parameters are positively correlated with serum phosphate levels in patients with ADHR and iron deficiency, and these might serve as good indicators of prognosis of ADHR.

Involvement of soluble proteins in growth and metabolic adjustments of drought-stressed Calligonum mongolicum seedlings under nitrogen addition

The planting of seedlings is the most effective measure for vegetation restoration. However, this practice is challenging in desert ecosystems where water and nutrients are scarce. Calligonum mongolicum is a sand-fixing pioneer shrub species, and its adaptive strategy for nitrogen (N) deposition and drought is poorly understood. Thus, in a pot experiment, we studied the impacts of four N levels (0, 3, 6, 9 gN·m^-2 ·year^-1 ) under drought or a well-watered regime on multiple eco-physiological responses of 1-year-old C. mongolicum seedlings. Compared to well-watered conditions, drought considerably influenced seedling growth by impairing photosynthesis, osmolyte accumulation and activity of superoxide dismutase and enzymes related to N metabolism. Nitrogen addition improved the productivity of drought-stressed seedlings, as revealed by increased water use efficiency, enhanced superoxide dismutase and nitrite reductase activity and elevated N and phosphorus (P) levels in seedlings. Nevertheless, the addition of moderate to high levels of N (6-9 gN·m^-2 ·year^-1 ) impaired net photosynthesis, osmolyte accumulation and nitrate reductase activity. N addition and water regimes did not markedly change the N:P ratios of aboveground parts; while more biomass and nutrients were allocated to fine roots to assimilate the insufficient resources. Soluble protein in assimilating shoots might play a vital role in adaptation to the desert environment. The response of C. mongolicum seedlings to N addtion and drought involved an interdependency between soluble protein and morphological, physiological and biochemical processes. These findings provide an important reference for vegetation restoration in arid lands under global change.

Spatial variation of the soil bacterial community in major apple producing regions of China

AIMS

In China, apple production areas are largely from the coastal to inland areas and across varied climate zones. However, the relationship among soil micro-organisms, environmental factors and fruit quality has not been clearly confirmed in orchards. Here we attempted to identify the variation of soil bacteria in the main apple producing regions and reveal the relationship among climatic factor, soil properties, soil bacterial community and fruit quality.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Sixty soil samples were collected from six main apple producing areas in China. We examined the soil bacteria using bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiling. The results show that the soil bacterial diversity of apple orchards varied from the Bohai Bay Region to the Loess Plateau Region. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria were the predominant taxa at the phylum level for all six areas. In the Bohai Bay and the Loess Plateau region, which are the two largest apple producing areas, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria had the highest relative abundance, respectively. Furthermore, soil bacterial diversity showed positive correlation with the mean annual temperature (MAT), soil organic matter (SOM) and pH. Excluding a direct effect on the apple fruit quality, MAT exerted an indirect influence through soil SOM and pH to alter the relative abundance of dominant taxa and shift the bacterial diversity, which affects the apple fruit titratable acids and soluble solids.

CONCLUSIONS

Geographic variables underlie apple orchard soil bacterial communities vary according to spatial scale. Environmental factors exert an indirect effect on apple fruit quality via shaping soil bacterial community.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study provides a list of bacteria associated with environmental factors and the ecological attributes of their interactions in apple orchards, which will improve our ability to promote soil bacterial functional capabilities in order to reduce the fertilizer input and enhance the fruit quality.

Magnetic Solitons in a Spin-1 Bose-Einstein Condensate

Vector solitons are a type of solitary or nonspreading wave packet occurring in a nonlinear medium composed of multiple components. As such, a variety of synthetic systems can be constructed to explore their properties, from nonlinear optics to ultracold atoms, and even in metamaterials. Bose-Einstein condensates have a rich panoply of internal hyperfine levels, or spin components, which make them a unique platform for exploring these solitary waves. However, existing experimental work has focused largely on binary systems confined to the Manakov limit of the nonlinear equations governing the soliton behavior, where quantum magnetism plays no role. Here we observe, using a "magnetic shadowing" technique, a new type of soliton in a spinor Bose-Einstein condensate, one that exists only when the underlying interactions are antiferromagnetic and which is deeply embedded within a full spin-1 quantum system. Our approach opens up a vista for future studies of "solitonic matter" whereby multiple solitons interact with one another at deterministic locations.

A HCBP1 peptide conjugated ruthenium complex for targeted therapy of hepatoma

An HCBP1 peptide-ruthenium conjugate (Ru-β-Ala-FQHPSFI) as a potential candidate for targeted therapy of hepatoma was synthesized. Ru-β-Ala-FQHPSFI shows drastically enhanced cytotoxicity and high selectivity for hepatoma cells versus noncancer liver cells. Raman imaging shows that this peptide-based drug can be taken up well by the hepatoma cells compared with the bare ruthenium complex (Ru) and the opposite sequence peptide-ruthenium conjugate (Ru-β-Ala-IFSPHQF). This study presents a new strategy for the construction of tumor-targeting metal-based anticancer therapeutics.

Hypereosinophilia (HE) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with normal karyotype: A report of two cases

We present two rare cases of hypereosinophilia (HE) in acute myeloid leukemia with normal karyotype (NK-AML) at diagnosis. The first case is a 29-year-old female who presented with HE. On evaluation, she was found to have NK-AML. She failed to achieve complete remission (CR) after the first induction therapy with standard idarubicin and cytarabine (IA). She achieved CR after two cycles of reinduction chemotherapy with cytarabine, aclarubicin, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (CAG) but had early relapsed. Reinduction chemotherapy with fludarabine, Ara-C, and G-CSF (FLAG) led to her second remission, followed by unrelated umbilical cord hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Unfortunately, she died of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The second case is a 23-year-old male who was diagnosed as NK-AML with HE. IA regimen was successively used in two cycles treatment achieving CR. He underwent haploidentical HSCT but had a relapse after 17 months of sustained remission and died 4 months later. The presence of HE may be a poor prognostic feature in NK-AML.

Apple rootstocks with different phosphorus efficiency exhibit alterations in rhizosphere bacterial structure

AIMS

The purpose of this study was to select phosphorus-efficient apple rootstocks under phosphorus deficiency and to reveal the effects of different apple rootstocks on the rhizosphere bacterial community.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used 83 hybrid lines of Malus robusta Rehd. × Malling 9 (M.9) to investigate their physiological traits and the phosphorus deficiency phenotypes of leaves in response to phosphorus deficiency (0·1 mmol l^-1 PO₄ ^3- ). All the plants were cultivated in pots in the greenhouse and watered using drip irrigation. In accordance with the results of investigation, we selected the phosphorus-efficient hybrid lines (PE) and the phosphorus-inefficient hybrid lines (PI) to research their root morphology and root hairs (RH). In addition, we used Illumina MiSeq sequencing to determine the bacterial community of the rhizosphere from different rootstocks. The results showed that the PE plants had better growth characteristics and stronger root plasticity than that of the PI plants, and phosphorus deficiency can stimulate the RH growth of PE plants. There was no significant difference in the rhizosphere bacterial diversity, but we found that the bacterial community structure was significantly different at the genus levels; in addition, 89 genera were found to have significant differences between PE and PI plants, especially Bacillus. The PE rhizosphere had more abundant Bacillus compared to the PI. High positive Pearson correlations with the phosphorus concentration in the plantlets of apple rootstocks were detected for the bacterial genera Bacillus (r: 0·776).

CONCLUSIONS

The phosphorus-efficient apple rootstocks adapted to phosphorus deficiency by shaping the root morphology. Notably, different apple rootstocks showed alteration of the microbes in rhizosphere.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study can provide the materials for exploring the mechanism of apple rootstock phosphorus absorption. In accordance with the different bacterial community compositions, we can develop the inoculants to promote nutrient uptake.

let-7i inhibits proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells by targeting HMGA1

Background

Let-7 is one of the earliest discovered microRNAs(miRNAs) and has been reported to be down-regulated in multiple malignant tumors. The effects and molecular mechanisms of let-7i in bladder cancer are still unclear. This study was to investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of let-7i on bladder cancer cells.

Methods

Total RNA was extracted from bladder cancer cell lines. The expression levels of let-7i and HMGA1 were examined by quantitative real-time PCR. Cell viability was detected using the CCK-8 and colony formation assays, while transwell and wound healing assays were used to evaluate migration ability. Luciferase reporter assay and western blot were used to confirm the target gene of let-7i.

Results

Compared with the SV-40 immortalized human uroepithelial cell line (SV-HUC-1), bladder cancer cell lines T24 and 5637 had low levels of let-7i expression, but high levels of high mobility group protein A1 (HMGA1) expression. Transfection of cell lines T24 and 5637 with let-7i mimic suppressed cell proliferation and migration. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed HMGA1 may be one of the target genes of let-7i-5p. Protein and mRNA expression of HMGA1 was significantly downregulated in let-7i mimic transfected cell lines T24 and 5637.

Conclusions

Up-regulation of let-7i suppressed proliferation and migration of the human bladder cancer cell lines T24 and 5637 by targeting HMGA1. These findings suggest that let-7i might be considered as a novel therapeutic target for bladder cancer.

Superhydrophilic Phytic-Acid-Doped Conductive Hydrogels as Metal-Free and Binder-Free Electrocatalysts for Efficient Water Oxidation

Recently, metal‐free, heteroatom‐doped carbon nanomaterials have emerged as promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), but their synthesis is a tedious process involving energy‐wasting calcination. Molecular electrocatalysts offer attractive catalysts for the OER. Here, phytic acid (PA) was selected to investigate the OER activity of carbons in organic molecules by DFT calculations and experiments. Positively charged carbons on PA were very active towards the OER. The PA molecules were fixed into a porous, conductive hydrogel with a superhydrophilic surface. This outperformed most metal‐free electrocatalysts. Besides the active sites on PA, the high OER activity was also related to the porous and conductive networks on the hydrogel, which allowed fast charge and mass transport during the OER. Therefore, this work provides a metal‐free, organic‐molecule‐based electrocatalyst to replace carbon nanomaterials for efficient OER.

Apple rootstocks of different nitrogen tolerance affect the rhizosphere bacterial community composition

AIMS

To select apple rootstocks that are tolerant to low nitrogen and reveal the relationship between the rhizosphere bacterial communities and the low nitrogen tolerance of the apple rootstock.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In total, 235 lines of hybrids of Malus robusta Rehd. × M.9 with low nitrogen stress were cultivated in pots in a greenhouse equipped with a drip irrigation system, and growth characteristics, photosynthesis traits and mineral elements were monitored. The bacterial community structure of the rhizosphere from different rootstocks was determined via Illumina MiSeq sequencing. This study selected three low nitrogen-tolerant (NT) lines that had higher nitrogen concentration, and higher photosynthesis rate than the three low nitrogen-sensitive (NS) lines. The bacterial community structure significantly differed (P ≤ 0·001) among the rootstocks. The bacterial phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the dominant groups in the rhizosphere and presented higher abundance in the NT rhizosphere. The N concentration in the apple rootstocks exhibited highly positive Pearson correlations with the bacterial genera Sphingomonas, Pseudoxanthomonas, Bacillus and Acinetobacter, and negative correlations with the bacterial genera Pseudarthrobacter and Bradyrhizobium.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that investigated rootstocks achieved increased nitrogen concentration by enhancing their photosynthetic production capacity and shaping their rhizobacteria community structure.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The findings provide a basis for studying the mechanisms of resistance to low nitrogen stress in apple rootstocks. Based on these beneficial bacteria, microbial inoculants can be developed for use in sustainable agricultural and horticultural production.

Observation of crossover from intraband to interband nonlinear terahertz optics

In this Letter, we investigate the nonlinear effects of extremely intense few-cycle terahertz (THz) pulses (generated from the organic crystal 4-NN, NN-dimethylamino-4^'4^'-N^'N^'-methyl-stilbazolium 2, 4, 6 trimethylbenzenesulfonate, with peak electrical fields of a few MV/cm) on the carrier dynamics in n-doped semiconductor thin film In_0.53Ga_0.47As. By performing open-aperture Z-scan measurements and recording the transmitted THz energy through semiconductor sample, we observed a strong THz absorption bleaching effect at high fields, followed by an absorption enhancement at even higher fields. We attribute our observations to a crossover from pure intraband carrier dynamics to an interplay between intraband carrier heating and interband carrier generations.

Boosting Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution of Porous Metal Phosphides Nanosheets by Coating Defective TiO2 Overlayers

Nonprecious transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have emerged as robust electrocalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, the TMPs suffer from low activity for water dissociation, which greatly limits the efficiency for alkaline HER. Here, a facile yet robust strategy is reported to boost the HER of metal phosphides by coating defective TiO₂ overlayers. The oxygen vacancies (O_v ) on defective TiO₂ overlayers are found to possess high activity for adsorption and dissociation of water, thereby significantly promoting the initial Volmer step of HER to generate the reactive hydrogen atoms. Moreover, the porous (Co, Ni)₂ P (i.e., Co₂ P and Ni₂ P) nanosheets provide enough active sites for adsorption and recombination of reactive hydrogen atoms to produce hydrogen gas. The catalytic synergy of (Co, Ni)₂ P and O_v coupled with the hierarchically porous structure renders the porous (Co, Ni)₂ P@0.1TiO₂ nanosheet arrays excellent electrocatalysts for HER, showing a small overpotential (92 mV) to yield a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 , a small Tafel slope (49 mV dec^-1 ), and an outstanding stability. This work demonstrates a surface decoration route for enhancing the activity of nonprecious metal-based electrocatalysts for HER.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy combined with concomitant temozolomide for brain metastases from lung adenocarcinoma

Short-term efficacy, adverse effects and the impact on quality of life (QoL) of a concomitant treatment with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and temozolomide (TMZ) in patients with brain metastases (BMs) from lung adenocarcinoma were evaluated. This study sought to confirm the benefit of adding TMZ to IMRT in patients with BMs from lung adenocarcinoma. Nine patients were enrolled and received a dose of 30 Gy in 10 daily fractions to clinical tumor volume (CTV) according to IMRT, then additional dose of 9 Gy in 3 fractions of IMRT was delivered to gross tumor volume (GTV) only with concomitant TMZ (75 mg/m²/day) orally during RT for 3 weeks. One patient achieved complete response (CR) (11.1%), 6 patients obtained partial response (PR) (66.7%), and there were no patients in progression. Therefore, objective response (OR) reached 77.8%. The main adverse effects included neutropenia, anemia, vomiting, fatigue and dizziness. Grade ≥3 of hematologic toxicities did not occur. However, the other 9 patients who received only intensity-modulated radiation had much worse results. The CR was 0, PR rate was 44.4%, OR rate was 44.4%. The results indicated that the benefit of adding TMZ to IMRT was confirmed in patients with BMs from lung adenocarcinoma. The treatment was active, a significant OR was observed, and achieved an improvement in QoL demonstrated by QoL grade (p<0.05).

Giant self-induced transparency of intense few-cycle terahertz pulses in n-doped silicon

The results of high-field terahertz transmission experiments on n-doped silicon (carrier concentration of 8.7×10¹⁶  cm^-3) are presented. We use terahertz pulses with electric field strengths up to 3.1  MV cm^-1 and a pulse duration of 700 fs. A huge transmittance enhancement of ∼90 times is observed with increasing of the terahertz electric field strengths within the range of 1.5-3.1  MV cm^-1.

HLA-A*24:388N: a novel HLA-A*24 allele identified by sequence-based typing

The novel allele, A*24:388N, was identified by sequence-based typing in a Chinese individual.

A Tremella-Like Nanostructure of Silicon@void@graphene-Like Nanosheets Composite as an Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Graphene coating is receiving discernable attention to overcome the significant challenges associated with large volume changes and poor conductivity of silicon nanoparticles as anodes for lithium-ion batteries. In this work, a tremella-like nanostructure of silicon@void@graphene-like nanosheets (Si@void@G) composite was successfully synthesized and employed as a high-performance anode material with high capacity, cycling stability, and rate capacity. The Si nanoparticles were first coated with a sacrificial SiO2 layer; then, the nitrogen-doped (N-doped) graphene-like nanosheets were formed on the surface of Si@SiO2 through a one-step carbon-thermal method, and the SiO2 layer was removed subsequently to obtain the Si@void@G composite. The performance improvement is mainly attributed to the good conductivity of N-doped graphene-like nanosheets and the unique design of tremella nanostructure, which provides a void space to allow for the Si nanoparticles expanding upon lithiation. The resulting electrode delivers a capacity of 1497.3 mAh g(-1) at the current density of 0.2 A g(-1) after 100 cycles.

Abstract P5-01-02: Multimodality molecular imaging with dynamic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) and MRI to evaluate response and resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC)

Background: Using quantitative FDG PET to measure glucose metabolism and perfusion, and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI to measure perfusion, we previously identified a metabolic signature for breast cancer resistant to NAC. This imaging signature is (1) persistent or increased tumor perfusion despite treatment, (2) an altered pattern of glucose kinetics in response to therapy, and (3) pre-therapy mismatch between tumor metabolism (MRFDG) and glucose delivery (K1) (high ratio of MRFDG/K1). These patterns predict poor response, early relapse and death independent of established prognostic factors, including pathologic response. Identification of factors associated with resistance or response to therapy is the translational goal of "Quantitative Dynamic PET and MRI in Breast Cancer Therapy," part of the Seattle Breast SPORE (1P50CA138293).

Methods: Patients (Pts) undergoing NAC for histologically confirmed breast cancer (stage II-III) were approached for this trial (CCIRB# 7587). FDG PET and DCE-MRI were obtained pre-therapy, 2-12 weeks after start of NAC (mid-therapy) and after completion of NAC. Breast biopsies were obtained pre-therapy and post-NAC. FDG PET included a dynamic scan with kinetic analysis. PET measures included SUVmax, MRFDG, K1, Ki, and Patlak. 3T DCE-MRI measurements included semi-quantitative vascular parameters of peak enhancement (PE), signal enhancement ratio (SER), washout fraction, functional tumor volume, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI). Breast biopsies were assayed by immunohistochemistry and gene expression profiling. NAC was per physician's choice with most pts receiving weekly paclitaxel (with trastuzumab if HER2+) followed by doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide.

Results: 32 pts have completed the study. Pathologic complete response (pCR), defined as absence of invasive cancer in the breast, was observed in 9 (28%); near pCR defined as only microscopic residual invasive cancer in 3 (9%) more pts. Mid-therapy decline in SUVmax and K1 was associated with near pCR; (p-value 0.06, 0.04, respectively). Pre-therapy PET measures of MRFDG and K1 were not predictive of pCR. On MRI, pre-therapy PE (p=0.009), SER (p=0.01), washout fraction (p=0.02), ADC (p=0.08, trend) and mid-therapy change in volume (p=0.05) were each predictive of pCR. Gene profiling of pre-therapy biopsies showed correlation between high MRFDG/K1 ratio in basal and luminal B tumors.

Conclusions: Assessment of serial changes in tumor metabolism and perfusion by FDG PET and DCE-MRI is feasible in the clinic. Mid-therapy decline in metabolism and glucose delivery was predictive of pCR; consistent with prior retrospective series. Baseline DCE-MRI and DWI measures show promise to predict response, and associations of mid-therapy change in MR functional tumor volume with pCR agree with findings of another multisite clinical trial (ISPY). These imaging parameters may serve as useful biomarkers to inform future neoadjuvant trials. Integration of imaging data with gene expression profiling revealed that the pattern of metabolism in luminal B tumors was closer to that of the basal subtype compared to other ER-positive tumors.

Citation Format: Specht JM, Partridge S, Chai X, Novakova A, Peterson L, Shields A, Guenthoer J, Linden HM, Gralow JR, Gadi V, Korde L, Hills D, Hsu L, Hockenbery DM, Kinahan P, Mankoff DA, Porter PL. Multimodality molecular imaging with dynamic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) and MRI to evaluate response and resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-01-02.

Oral chronic GVHD outcomes and resource utilization: a subanalysis from the chronic GVHD consortium

OBJECTIVES

This study evaluated the extent to which oral chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) consensus assessments are predictive of management across institutions with and without oral medicine (OM) centers, and whether ancillary care guidelines are followed within clinical practice.

METHODS

Longitudinal oral cGVHD data were abstracted from the cGVHD Consortium, and additional mouth-specific management data were analyzed across five transplant centers.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine patients with 656 visits were observed for a median of 7.1 months with one visit per follow-up month. Ancillary therapies for oral cGVHD were prescribed for 67% of patients for a median of 0.46 months (per follow-up month) at OM centers and 0.78 months at non-OM centers. Patients treated with ancillary therapy were more likely to have an National Institutes of Health (NIH) mouth score of ≥1 (P < 0.001, odds ratio: 5.1) and mouth pain (P = 0.01, odds ratio: 2.6). The odds ratios of receiving ancillary therapy from OM experts were higher than transplant physicians (53%; P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Oral cGVHD consensus assessments corresponding with ancillary therapy use were mouth pain and NIH mouth score, with higher odds ratios of receiving therapy from OM experts. Ancillary care guidelines for oral cGVHD are reflected in academic clinical practice with respect to utilization of recommended prescriptions.