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Simple Summary: Chordoma is a rare cancer that often occurs at the base of the skull. Treating skull base chordoma is challenging because the tumor is difficult to completely remove with surgery and has low radiosensitivity. This study compared two types of radiation modality: particle beam therapy (PT) and photon radiotherapy (RT). We found that PT provides better progression-free survival compared to photon RT. However, PT also has a higher risk of causing brain necrosis. Our findings suggest that PT is more effective for controlling skull base chordoma, but careful planning is needed to minimize side effects. [Objective] The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of particle beam therapy (PT) with photon radiotherapy (RT) for treatment of skull base chordoma. [Methods] A systematic review was conducted for skull base chordoma treated with PT or photon RT reported from 1990 to 2022. Data were extracted for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), late adverse events, age, gender, gross total resection (GTR) rates, tumor volume, total irradiation dose, and treatment modality. Random-effects meta-regression analysis with the treatment modality as an explanatory variable was performed for each outcome to compare the modalities. [Results] A meta-analysis of 30 selected articles found 3- and 5-year OS rates for PT vs. photon RT or combined photon RT/proton beam therapy (PBT) of 90.8% (95% CI: 87.4–93.3%) vs. 89.5% (95% CI: 83.0–93.6%), p = 0.6543; 80.0% (95% CI: 75.7–83.6%) vs. 89.5% (95% CI: 83.0–93.6%), p = 0.6787. The 5-year PFS rates for PT vs. photon RT or photon RT/PBT were 67.8% (95% CI: 56.5–76.7%) vs. 40.2% (95% CI: 31.6–48.7%), p = 0.0004. A random-effects model revealed that the treatment modality (PT vs. photon RT or photon RT/PBT) was not a significant factor for 3-year OS (p = 0.42) and 5-year OS (p = 0.11), but was a significant factor for 5-year PFS (p < 0.0001). The rates of brain necrosis were 8–50% after PT and 0–4% after photon RT or photon RT/PBT. [Conclusion] This study shows that PT results in higher PFS compared to photon RT for skull base chordoma, but that there is a tendency for a higher incidence of brain necrosis with PT. Publication and analysis of further studies is needed to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-efficiency sulfur host with bimetallic oxide CuCo2O4 cubes supported on carbon cloth has been designed and used in lithium sulfur batteries, which can suppress the "shuttle effect" and boost the redox reaction kinetics. The unique three-dimensional cube-based structure realized a high sulfur loading of 7.1 mg cm−2, and the corresponding assembled lithium sulfur battery delivered excellent cycling stability over 100 cycles at 0.1C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] This study investigated the differences in fruit quality of Dawuxing loquat from different production regions to provide basis for high-quality production and cultivation of loquat. [Method] Dawuxing loquat from 7 production areas in China was collected, and appearance indicators including fruit weight, fruit shape index and chromatic aberration, main nutritional indicators including total sugar, titratable acid, vitamin C, total flavonoids and total phenols content, as well as soluble sugar components and organic acid components were measured and analyzed. The principal component analysis method was used to comprehensively evaluate fruit quality. [Result] There were significant differences in fruit characters and main components of Dawuxing loquat fruits from different producing areas (P<0.05). The fruit weight was 35.28-57.20 g with the highest in Ankang, Shaanxi, the edible rate was 78.03%-88.69% with the highest in Hechuan, Chongqing, and the fruit hardness was 3.23- 6.62 N with the highest in He-chuan, Chongqing. Chromatic aberration values L and b were the highest in Shaoguan, Guangdong, a was the highest in Mengzi, Yunnan, and the fruit was nearly round. The fruit water content was 85.46%-91.10% with the highest in Shaoguan, Guangdong, the total sugar content was 57.63 -126.27 mg/g with the highest in Mengzi, Yunnan, and the content of soluble solids was 8.79% -13.83% with the highest in Panzhihua, Sichuan. The titratable acid content was 0.20%-1.33% with the highest in Shaoguan, Guangdong, the solid acid ratio was 6.60-66.71 with the highest in Mengzi, Yunnan, and the content of vitamin C was 7.35-14.87 mg/hg with the highest in Mengzi, Yunnan. The carotenoid contents in Chengdu, Sichuan and Ankang, Shaanxi were significantly higher than those in other production areas (P< 0.05). The total flavone content was 26.37-92.43 mg/hg with the highest in Mengzi, Yunnan, and the total phenol content was 8.89-30.93 mg/hg with the highest in Hechuan, Chongqing. The soluble sugar components mainly included glucose, fructose and sucrose, and the main organic acid was malic acid. The comprehensive scores of loquat quality based on main nutritional components were in the decreasing order of Mengzi, Yunnan > Ankang, Shaanxi>Panzhihua, Sichuan> Chengdu, Sichuan> Hechuan, Chongqing>Xianning, Hubei> Shaoguan, Guangdong. [Conclusion] Climatic conditions such as latitude, altitude, light, temperature difference between day and night, rainfall and UV intensity were the key factors affecting loquat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]