Search

Qingyang Yu,1,2 Yuanyuan Cui,1 Shuwen Dong,1 Yanqing Ma,1 Yi Xiao,1 Li Fan,1 Shiyuan Liu1 1Department of Radiology, Changzheng Hospital, Navy Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Neurosurgery, Changhai Hospital, Navy Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shiyuan Liu, Department of Radiology, Changzheng Hospital, Navy Military Medical University, 415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai, 200003, People’s Republic of China, Fax +86 2181886012, Email radiology_cz@163.comObjective: Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a clinical neurosurgical disease, which brain structural alterations caused by HFS remain a topic of debate. We evaluated changes in brain microstructure associated with HFS and observed their relevance to clinical characteristics.Methods: We enrolled 72 participants. T1-weighted structural and diffusion tensor images were collected from all participants using 3.0T magnetic resonance equipment. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used to identify changes in gray matter volume (GMV) and disruptions in white matter (WM) integrity. The severity of the spasms was graded using the Cohn scale.Results: VBM analysis revealed that the GMV was significantly reduced in the left Thalamus and increased GMV in the right Cerebellum IV-V of the HFS group. TBSS analysis showed that FA in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) of the HFS group was significantly increased. GMV in the thalamus showed a negative correlation with disease duration and Cohn grade, while FA in the left SLF had a positive correlation with both the disease duration and Cohn grade.Conclusion: We identified regions with altered GMV in HFS patients. Additionally, we determined that FA in the left SLF might serve as a significant neural indicator of HFS.Keywords: hemifacial spasm, voxel-based morphometry, diffusion tensor imaging, tract-based spatial statistics, Cohn grading

Weixin Bei,1,2,* Shuhui Dong,1,2,* Guoying Liu,1,3,4,* Lanfeng Lin,2,5,* Yaofei Jiang,1,2 Nian Lu,1,2 Wangzhong Li,1,2 Hu Liang,1,2 Yanqun Xiang,1,2 Weixiong Xia1,2 1Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yanqun Xiang; Weixiong Xia, Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-20-87343643, Fax +86-20-87343392, Email xiangyq@sysucc.org.cn; xiawx@sysucc.org.cnBackground: We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anti-PD1 rechallenge in combination with chemotherapy in patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (mNPC) who have progressed on prior anti-PD1 therapy.Patients and Methods: We enrolled patients with mNPC who received chemotherapy combined with PD-1 immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or chemotherapy alone after prior progression of anti-PD1 therapy. The primary endpoint was progress-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), disease control rate (DCR) and objective response rate (ORR).Results: A total of 96 patients were eligible between January 2015 and December 2020. Thirty-seven (38.5%) were in the PD-1 ICIs re-challenge group, while the remaining 59 patients (61.5%) were in the chemotherapy group. The ORR and DCR of PD-1 ICIs group and chemotherapy group were 37.8% vs 23.7% and 86.5% vs.74.5%, respectively. After a median follow-up period of 21.1 months (IQR 16.1– 28.7), the log-rank analysis demonstrated a significantly improved PFS in the PD-1 ICIs re-challenge group compared to the chemotherapy group (8.4 months [95% CI 4.3– 14.0] vs 5.0 months [95% CI 2.8– 7.2], P = 0.03). However, no significant difference in OS was observed between the two groups (28.3 vs 24.1 months, P = 0.09). The two groups had similar adverse reactions, but the incidence of grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia was significantly higher in the PD-1 ICIs re-challenge group (18.9% vs 3.4%, P = 0.025).Conclusion: mNPC patients who progressed from prior anti-PD1 therapy could benefit from the anti-PD1 rechallenge in combination with chemotherapy. However, further validation is needed.Keywords: metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, chemotherapy, PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors, second-line treatment strategies

Di Wang,1,2 Qiqi Li,1,2 Chunsheng Xiao,2 Hao Wang,2 Shujun Dong1 1The First Outpatient Department, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Tooth Development and Bone Remodeling, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130022, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hao Wang, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 5625 Renmin Street, Chaoyang District, Changchun, 130022, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-431-85262110, Email wangh@ciac.ac.cn Shujun Dong, The First Outpatient Department, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Room 101, Building G5, Phase 3, China Resources Ziyun Mansion, the Intersection of Jinhu Road and Nanhu Middle Street, Nanguan District, Changchun, 130021, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-431-80621155, Email dsj@jlu.edu.cnAbstract: Periodontitis is a disease of inflammation that affects the tissues supporting the periodontium. It is triggered by an immunological reaction of the gums to plaque, which leads to the destruction of periodontal attachment structures. Periodontitis is one of the most commonly recognized dental disorders in the world and a major factor in the loss of adult teeth. Scaling and root planing remain crucial for managing patients with persistent periodontitis. Nevertheless, exclusive reliance on mechanical interventions like periodontal surgery, extractions, and root planning is insufficient to halt the progression of periodontitis. In response to the problem of bacterial resistance, some researchers are committed to finding alternative therapies to antibiotics. In addition, some scholars focus on finding new materials to provide a powerful microenvironment for periodontal tissue regeneration and promote osteogenic repair. Nanoparticles possess distinct therapeutic qualities, including exceptional antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, immunomodulatory capacities, and the promotion of bone regeneration ability, which made them can be used for the treatment of periodontitis. However, there are many problems that limit the clinical translation of nanoparticles, such as toxic accumulation in cells, poor correlation between in vitro and in vivo, and poor animal-to-human transmissibility. In this paper, we review the present researches on nanoparticles in periodontitis treatment from the perspective of three main categories: inorganic nanoparticles, organic nanoparticles, and nanocomposites (including nanofibers, hydrogels, and membranes). The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive and recent update on nanoparticles-based therapies for periodontitis. The conclusion section summarizes the opportunities and challenges in the design and clinical translation of nanoparticles for the treatment of periodontitis. Keywords: anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, guided tissue regeneration, nanofibers, hydrogel, films

Zhenyi Wang, Shimin Dong, Yanjun Qin Department of Emergency, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yanjun Qin; Shimin Dong, Department of Emergency, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 05000, People’s Republic of China, Email qyj778899@163.com; dsm_123@163.comPurpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between ARF and coagulopathy in patients with sepsis and to explore the prognostic value of these conditions.Patients and Methods: The data of 271 patients with sepsis-associated coagulopathy admitted from June 2021 to June 2022 were reviewed. The patients were divided into a survival group and a nonsurviving group according to patient prognosis. Independent sample t tests were utilized to compare laboratory parameters within 24 hours of admission, as well as the APACHE II and SOFA scores, between the two patient groups. According to the sepsis-associated coagulation dysfunction (SAC) grading criteria for grading, Spearman correlation analysis was used to study the relationship between blood creatinine and SAC grading and assignment scores, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Cox’s proportional risk regression model were used to explore the factors affecting the prognosis of SAC patients.Results: Spearman correlation analysis revealed strong associations between serum creatinine (Scr) concentration, SAC classification, and SAC score, with coefficients above 0.7. SAC classification outcomes varied significantly with severity: mild severity had a 77.6% survival rate versus 22.4% mortality; moderate severity had 21.5% survival versus 78.5% mortality; and severe cases had a 0.7% survival rate versus 99.3% mortality (P< 0.01 for all). Multivariate analysis revealed significant predictors of outcome, including multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), with an OR of 2.070 (P=0.019); the SOFA score (OR=1.200, P< 0.01); the international normalized ratio (INR) (OR=0.72, P=0.013); and the Scr level (OR=0.995, P< 0.01). The areas under the ROC curves for the SOFA score, APACHE II score, and SAC classification were > 0.8, all P < 0.05.Conclusion: In patients with sepsis, SAC grade 3 or a SAC score of 4 or higher is associated with poorer prognosis, and the interaction of acute kidney injury exacerbates the degree of SAC, consequently affecting prognosis.Plain Language Summary: To investigate the relationship between acute renal dysfunction and coagulation dysfunction in patients with sepsis and to explore the prognostic value of these conditions. We collected information and laboratory indicators from 271 patients, classified these two groups of patients according to the grading criteria for sepsis-associated coagulation dysfunction (SAC), and compared the differences between them. We utilized Spearman correlation analysis to investigate the relationship between blood creatinine and the severity of sepsis-associated coagulation dysfunction (SAC). Additionally, we employed a Cox proportional hazards regression model to study the factors influencing the prognosis of SAC patients. This study revealed a significant positive correlation between blood creatinine levels and SAC grade. Furthermore, the presence of MODS, INR, blood creatinine, and SOFA score can serve as independent predictive factors for mortality. We can infer that there is a significant correlation between coagulation function parameters and blood creatinine levels, which play a crucial role in the diagnosis and prognostic analysis of sepsis. In patients with sepsis, a higher grade of SAC or an SAC score of 4 or higher indicates a poorer prognosis. Additionally, the interaction with acute kidney injury exacerbates the severity of SAC, thereby impacting patient prognosis.Keywords: sepsis, sepsis shock, acute kidney injury, sepsis-induced coagulopathy, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

Xianmin Zhu,1 Shuang Dong,1 Jing Tang,1 Rong Xie,1 Huijing Wu,1 Jun Guan,2 Sheng Hu1 1Department of Medical Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hematology, Wuhan NO.1 Hospital, Wuhan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Sheng Hu, Department of Medical Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 116 South Road, Wuhan, 430079, People’s Republic of China, Email ehusmn@163.comAbstract: In recent years, there have been limited reports on the efficacy of later-line anti-programmed cell death − 1 (PD-1) therapy in achieving prolonged and complete remission in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Tislelizumab, a humanized anti-PD-1 monoclonal IgG4 antibody, has shown promising results in the treatment of HCC. This report highlights the case of a patient with HCC who experienced the development of lung metastatic lesions following HCC resection and chemotherapy, but achieved a prolonged complete response (CR) after receiving tislelizumab treatment. In April 2017, a 56-year-old male diagnosed with primary HCC underwent hepatectomy and hepatic arterial infusion pump placement. Following the surgery, the patient received adjuvant hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with 4 cycles of cisplatin+5-fluorouracil (PF) regimen starting in June 2017. In May 2018, lung metastatic lesions were detected, and the patient underwent 4 cycles of oxaliplatin+leucovorin+5-fluorouracil (FOLFOX) chemotherapy. However, the disease progressed in August 2018, leading to the administration of arsenic trioxide treatment. Despite this, further progression was observed in October 2018, prompting the patient’s enrollment in a clinical trial for tislelizumab therapy. Initially, the patient achieved a partial response (PR) to tislelizumab, which was followed by a CR that lasted for almost 4 years. Unfortunately, tislelizumab treatment had to be discontinued due to immune-related adverse events (AE). Subsequently, the patient received lenvatinib and maintained a CR until July 2023. Tislelizumab monotherapy, when used as a third-line treatment, has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in facilitating patients with advanced HCC to attain a durable CR.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, complete response, immune checkpoint inhibitor, tislelizumab, chemotherapy failure, metastasis

Ziqin Zhao,1 Shuhui Dong,1 Yong Yang,1 Haibo Yin,1 Guangyi Xiong,1 Jianxiong Ma2 1Department of Pathology, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jianxiong Ma, Institute of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, Email majianxiong_tjh@yeah.netIntroduction: Chondrocyte degeneration and senescence are characteristics of osteoarthritis (OA) and other joint degenerative diseases, and ferroptosis has been observed to regulate the development of OA. However, the role of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in OA ferroptosis remains unclear.Methods: This study performed series of assays to investigate the function of the m6A reader IGF2BP1 in OA ferroptosis, including m6A quantitative analysis, Iron (Fe2+) release analysis, Malondialdehyde (MDA) measurement, lipid peroxidation (ROS) detection and Glutathione (GSH) measurement. The molecular interaction and mechanism analysis was performed by Luciferase reporter assay, mRNA stability analysis and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay.Results: These results indicate that IGF2BP1 is upregulated in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes. Functionally, IGF2BP1 silencing represses ferroptosis, including iron (Fe2+) accumulation, malondialdehyde, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mechanistically, among the potential downstream targets, matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3) was observed to harbor a significant m6A modified site in the 3’-UTR. IGF2BP1 combines with MMP3 through the binding of m6A sites, thereby enhancing MMP3 mRNA stability.Discussion: In conclusion, our findings revealed the functions and mechanisms of m6A regulator IGF2BP1 in OA chondrocyte’s ferroptosis, providing a novel target for OA treatment.Keywords: osteoarthritic cartilage, IGF2BP1, ferroptosis, MMP3

Yuqing Bu,1,&ast; Junye Wen,2,&ast; Fayan Wang,1,3 Shibo Dong,4 Liya He,1 Yang Li,1,5 Jinlong Liang,1,3 Hongzhen Zhang1,3,5 1Department of Oncology, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050051, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050051, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Medicine, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, 075000, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Imaging, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050051, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Medicine, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, Hebei Province, 063210, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hongzhen Zhang, Email hongzhenzhang456@sohu.comAbstract: This study presents a case of dual primary liver cancer involving small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. The 58-year-old Chinese male patient, who has a medical history of viral hepatitis B, presented with right upper abdominal pain persisting for one month. Imaging studies indicated the presence of multiple liver masses in segments V and VII–VIII, as well as a mass in the left lung. Subsequent hepatic biopsy performed on both segments confirmed the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma in segment V and small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma in segment VII–VIII. After undergoing one cycle of chemotherapy, the lung mass exhibited a reduction in size, while the liver masses showed an inadequate response. Subsequently, the patient underwent Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization (TACE) and Hepatic Artery Infusion Chemotherapy (HIAC), resulting in partial remission (PR). However, the patient was diagnosed with brain metastasis and subsequently treated with Sorafenib and Tirelizumab, a Programmed Death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor. The efficacy evaluation indicated stability, and no severe adverse effects were observed at the time of writing. The patient’s survival time was 16 months.Keywords: synchronous tumor, liver tumor, primary tumor, small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma

Yan Ding,1,&ast; Banqin Wang,2,&ast; Yongjun Liu,1 Shengjie Dong,1 Xuri Sun,1 Zhilin Cao,1 Leisheng Wang1 1Department of Orthopedics, Yantaishan Hospital, Yantai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Blood Transfusion, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital Affiliated with Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Leisheng Wang, Department of Orthopedics, Yantaishan Hospital, No. 10087 Keji Road, Yantai, 264003, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13792566016 ; +86-0535-6863898, Email 37724148@qq.comPurpose: Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation is a common minimally invasive treatment for traumatic thoracolumbar and lumbar fractures; however, research on hardware removal after successful healing is limited. We aimed to introduce a rapid, safe, minimally invasive, and cost-effective method for percutaneous pedicle screw removal.Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of demographic (age, sex, body mass index, alcohol use, and current smoking), clinical (hypertension and diabetes mellitus), surgical (affected levels, number of screws, time of surgery, and blood loss), and treatment cost characteristics of 92 patients who had undergone percutaneous pedicle screw removal between May 2016 and February 2023. The first 57 patients underwent the conventional method, and the remaining 35 underwent the modified method. Independent-sample t-tests and chi-square tests were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively, between the two groups.Results: No significant differences were observed in the demographic parameters, complications, or affected levels between the groups. However, the average surgical time (P=0.000) was significantly shorter, and the average blood loss volume (P=0.002) and total cost (P=0.000) were significantly lower in the modified group than in the conventional group.Conclusion: Compared with the conventional method, our modified method can shorten the surgical time, reduce blood loss, and reduce the total cost of treatment. It is a quick and safe minimally invasive method that does not require additional surgical instruments and is suitable for implementation in primary hospitals.Keywords: bone screw, device, Kirschner wire, surgery, control

Juan Wang, Shuangyong Dong, Mengjuan Fang, Zhiyan Fan, Yuansheng Xu Department of Emergency, Affiliated Hangzhou First People`s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yuansheng Xu, Department of Emergency, Affiliated Hangzhou First People`s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, No. 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310006, People’s Republic of China, Email xys0912@163.comBackground: Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) is a pathogen that is seldom implicated in community-acquired pneumonia and is rarely linked to severe pneumonia. Reports of severe C. psittaci pneumonia accompanied by Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) are scarce. Tetracyclines are the preferred therapeutic approach for psittacosis. Omadacycline, a novel tetracycline, demonstrates strong antibacterial efficacy against typical bacteria and atypical pathogens, including C. psittaci. However, its application in the treatment of psittacosis pneumonia remains constrained.Case Presentation: A 77-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital presenting with symptoms of fever, low back pain, and headache. The diagnosis of C. psittaci was established through the utilization of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). Initial administration of moxifloxacin, meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, and doxycycline proved to be ineffective. Subsequent omadacycline leaded to the successful resolution of fever and dyspnea. However, after the endotracheal tube was removed, the patient experienced a rapid decline in symmetrical limb strength, leading to a diagnosis of GBS based on clinical manifestations, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and electromyography. Following a 5-day course of immunoglobulin therapy and nutritional nerve treatment, the patient’s condition ameliorated, culminating in an uncomplicated discharge.Conclusion: This case provides evidence supporting the potential use of omadacycline as a therapeutic option for the treatment of severe C. psittaci pneumonia. The utilization of mNGS technology is of paramount importance in the prompt identification of uncommon pathogens, including C. psittaci. Nevertheless, the occurrence of GBS should be taken into consideration when C. psittaci pneumonia is accompanied by symmetrical limb weakness. These findings have important implications for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with C. psittaci pneumonia.Keywords: Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia, Guillain-Barre syndrome, omadacycline, metagenomic next‑generation sequencing

Abstract Among the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is highly diverse showing a broad phenotypic spectrum. ASD also couples with a broad range of mutations, both de novo and inherited. In this study, we used a proprietary SNP genotyping chip to analyze the genomic DNA of 250 Vietnamese children diagnosed with ASD. Our Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) genotyping chip directly targets more than 800 thousand SNPs in the genome. Our primary focus was to identify pathogenic/likely pathogenic mutations that are potentially linked to more severe symptoms of autism. We identified and validated 23 pathogenic/likely pathogenic mutations in this initial study. The data shows that these mutations were detected in several cases spanning multiple biological pathways. Among the confirmed SNPs, mutations were identified in genes previously known to be strongly associated with ASD such as SLCO1B1, ACADSB, TCF4, HCP5, MOCOS, SRD5A2, MCCC2, DCC, and PRKN while several other mutations are known to associate with autistic traits or other neurodevelopmental disorders. Some mutations were found in multiple patients and some patients carried multiple pathogenic/likely pathogenic mutations. These findings contribute to the identification of potential targets for therapeutic solutions in what is considered a genetically heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder.

Tongguo Miao,1 Xianzhe Lou,2 Shiming Dong,1 Xiaoxiao Zhang,1 Weiwei Guan,1 Ying Zhang,1 Lu Li,1 Xiwei Yuan,1 Dong Ma,2,&ast; Yuemin Nan1,&ast; 1Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Hebei Medical University Third Hospital & Hebei International Joint Research Center for Liver Cancer Molecular Diagnosis, Hebei International Science and Technology Cooperation Base, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050051, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050017, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuemin Nan, Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Hebei Medical University Third Hospital & Hebei International Joint Research Center for Liver Cancer Molecular Diagnosis, Hebei International Science and Technology Cooperation Base, No. 139, Ziqiang Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050051, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 18533112266, Email nanyuemin@163.com Dong Ma, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, No. 361, Zhongshan East Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, 050017, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 15081650349, Email madong119@hebmu.edu.cnPurpose: The incidence of non-B and non-C hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC-HCC) is increasing globally. Metabolically associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has been a contributing factor to this rising trend in NBNC-HCC incidence. The monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio (MHR) is a new prognostic marker that connects systemic inflammation with disorders of lipid metabolism. Therefore, MHR may be a potential prognostic predictor of patients with MAFLD-related HCC (MAFLD-HCC). This study aims to investigate the relationship between the MHR and prognosis of patients with MAFLD-HCC and construct a novel prognostic prediction tool for MAFLD-HCC.Patients and Methods: This retrospective study of patients with MAFLD-HCC included training (n = 112) and internal validation (n = 37) cohorts. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted to identify independent risk factors of survival. A visual nomogram was constructed to assess the performance of the two groups. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves were used to verify the prognostic discriminative ability of this nomogram, even in the MHR, ALBI grade, and MHR–ALBI model.Results: Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that extrahepatic metastases, Vascular invasion, Barcelona staging B, C, D, elevated ALBI Grade 3, C-reactive protein (CRP), and MHR were independent risk factors for the prognosis of MAFLD-HCC. Moreover, calibration plots showed good discrimination and consistency when the significant factors were entered into the nomogram. Meanwhile, the MHR strongly correlated with the prognosis of cancer under a background of MAFLD-HCC, with a sensitivity of 88.89% and a specificity of 79.61%. Importantly, the performance of the MHR alone (AUC = 86.2) was not only superior to the ALBI grade (AUC = 63.8) but was comparable to the combination of MHR and ALBI (AUC = 88.5).Conclusion: The novel nomogram demonstrated good value in predicting the overall survival of patients with MAFLD-HCC. The MHR may be a potential predictor of prognosis.Keywords: lipid metabolism, MAFLD-HCC, prognostic prediction, nomogram, MHR

Kailin Xing,1,&ast; Xinyu Bian,2,&ast; Dongmin Shi,3,&ast; Shuangshuang Dong,1 Hongxin Zhou,1 Shuxiu Xiao,4 Jinjin Bai,4 Weizhong Wu1,4 1Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Shanghai, 200032, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of China; 4Clinical Center for Biotherapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Weizhong Wu, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200032, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-21-60268628, Fax +86-21-64037181, Email wu.weizhong@zs-hospital.sh.cnBackground: MicroRNA-612 (miR-612) has been proven to suppress the formation of invadopodia and inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis by hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase alpha subunit (HADHA)-mediated lipid reprogramming. However, its biological roles in HCC cell ferroptosis remain unclear.Methods and Results: In this study, we found that HCC cells with high metastatic potential were more resistant to ferroptosis, indicating that ferroptosis is related to HCC metastasis. The levels of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) were found to be much lower in HCC cells with high metastatic potential by flow cytometry (FCM). We used HCC cells with miR-612 overexpression/knockout and HADHA overexpression/knockdown to test cell viability after stimulation with RSL3. HCC cells overexpressing miR-612 were more sensitive to ferroptosis, and miR-612 could increase lipid ROS levels. Furthermore, colony formation assays and Transwell assays showed that miR-612 could inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells by promoting ferroptosis. We next confirmed that miR-612 influenced HCC cell ferroptosis by regulating HADHA. HADHA could upregulate the expression of key enzymes in the mevalonate (MVA) pathway. HADHA overexpression upregulated the expression of CoQ10 and decreased polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels and lipid peroxide abundance. miR-612 also suppressed HCC cell proliferation and metastasis by enhancing RSL3- and lovastatin-induced ferroptosis in vivo.Conclusion: Overall, miR-612 promotes ferroptosis in HCC cells and affects HCC proliferation and metastasis by downregulating CoQ10 and increasing cellular PUFA levels and lipid peroxides via the HADHA-mediated MVA pathway.Keywords: HCC, Ferroptosis, miR-612, HADHA, MVA pathway

Gang Xu,1,2 Weiwei Gong,2,3 Shihong Dong,2 Guojiong Hu,2,4 Weizhen Tang,1 Hecheng Yu1 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai First Rehabilitation Hospital, Shanghai, 200090, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, 201619, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Gang Xu, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 21-66306496, Fax +86 21-66301051, Email sykfsci@126.comPurpose: Mechanical allodynia is reportedly common during herpetic neuralgia. The purpose of this study was to establish a risk prediction model to predict the individual risk of allodynia in herpetic neuralgia.Methods: Three hundred and eighty-six patients with trunk herpetic neuralgia were divided into two regions, T2-5 and T6-11. The causality between allodynia and other factors was analyzed by a binary logistic regression model.Results: 42.2% of subjects had allodynia, 137 suffered from dynamic allodynia, and 110 with dynamic allodynia experienced local sweating. The following 5 items as predictors determined this model: local sweating (Odd Ratio = 27.57, P< 0.001), lesion location (Odd Ratio=2.46, P =0.017), pain intensity (Odd Ratio=1.38, P =0.020), pain duration (Odd Ratio=0.94, P =0.006), and local scars (Odd Ratio=0.07, P< 0.001). The presence and development of allodynia are associated with local sweating. The positive proportion of the Iodine-starch test between the T2-5 (50.0%) with the T6-11 (23.7%) had a statistically significant difference (χ2=5.36, P=0.021). 29.5% of patients at the T2-6 had obvious sweating, which was different from only sticky feelings at the T6-11 (70.5%, χ2=10.88, P=0.001). 19.2% of patients with residual scars and allodynia was significantly lower than 48.5% of patients without allodynia (χ2=15.28, P< 0.001).Conclusion: This analysis suggests that local sweating is a concomitant symptom in dynamic allodynia, which imply the sympathetic nerves innervating the sweat glands of the skin were also involved during herpetic neuralgia. This may assist in the evaluation of dynamic allodynia and prove the role of sympathetic nerve intervention for herpetic neuralgia.Keywords: herpetic neuralgia, mechanical dynamic allodynia, sweating, sympathetic nerves, peripheral sensitization

Sandip Patil,1,2 Hongyu Chen,3 Yunsheng Chen,3 Shaowei Dong,2 Huirong Mai,1 Bruno Silvester Lopes,4,5 Sixi Liu,1 Feiqiu Wen1,2 1Department of Haematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Paediatric Research Institute, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK; 5National Horizons Centre, Teesside University, Darlington, UKCorrespondence: Feiqiu Wen; Sixi Liu, Department of Haematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, 7019 Yitian Road, Futian District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-755-83009888, Email fwen62@163.com; tiger647@126.comPurpose: The emergence of multi-drug resistant ESBL-producing E. coli poses a global health problem. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of E. coli infections and their antibiotic susceptibility profiles in paediatric clinical cases in Shenzhen, China from Jan 1, 2014, to Jan 30, 2019, while also determining temporal trends, identifying ESBL-producing strains, and recommending potential empirical antibiotic therapy options.Methods: We isolated a total of 4148 E. coli from different specimens from a single paediatric healthcare centre. Additionally, we obtained relevant demographic data from the hospital’s electronic health records. Subsequently, we performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing for 8 classes of antibiotics and assessed ESBL production.Results: Out of the 4148 isolates, 2645 were from males. The highest burden of E. coli was observed in the age group of 0– 1 years, which gradually declined over the five-year study period. Antimicrobial susceptibility results indicated that 82% of E. coli isolates were highly resistant to ampicillin, followed by 52.36% resistant to cefazolin and 47.46% resistant to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Notably, a high prevalence of ESBL production (49.54%) was observed among the E. coli isolates, with 60% of them displaying a multi-drug resistance phenotype. However, it is worth mentioning that a majority of the isolates remained susceptible to ertapenem and imipenem. Our findings also highlighted a decrease in E. coli infections in Shenzhen, primarily among hospitalized patients in the 0– 1 year age group. However, this decline was accompanied by a considerably high rate of ESBL production and increasing resistance to multiple antibiotics.Conclusion: Our study underscores the urgent need for effective strategies to combat multi-drug resistant ESBL-producing E. coli Infections.Keywords: E. coli infections, antibiotic susceptibilities, young children, MDR

Lu Li,1,&ast; Rong Ai,1,&ast; Xiwei Yuan,1 Shiming Dong,1 Dandan Zhao,1 Xiaoye Sun,2 Tongguo Miao,1 Weiwei Guan,1 Peilin Guo,1 Songhao Yu,1 Yuemin Nan1 1Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University & Hebei Provincial Key Laboratory of Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Liver Diseases, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050051, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Organ Transplant Center, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuemin Nan, Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050051, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 311-66781227, Fax +86 311-87023626, Email nanyuemin@163.comPurpose: As the major subtype of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) suffers from high mortality and is prone to recurrence. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are well characterized to be pivotal players contributing to HCC pathogenesis and progression. Therefore, this study intended to probe the biological functions of LINC00886 in hepatocarcinogenesis.Patients and Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was applied to analysis of LINC00886, microRNA-409-3p (miR-409-3p), microRNA-214-5p (miR-214-5p), RAB10 and E2F2 expression. Subcellular localization of LINC00886 was identified through a fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) kit and a subcellular assay. Additionally, proliferated cells were determined with EdU as well as cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays. Scratch and Transwell assays were applied to detect migratory and invasive cells. Apoptotic cells were measured via TUNEL staining assay. Furthermore, targeted binding between LINC00886 and miR-409-3p or miR-214-5p was validated utilizing dual-luciferase reporter assays. RAB10, E2F2 and NF-κB signaling-associated protein levels were evaluated utilizing Western blot.Results: LINC00886, RAB10 and E2F2 levels were aberrantly increased, with the abnormal expressed decline of miR-409-3p and miR-214-5p, in HCC tissues, cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Silencing LINC00886 attenuated the proliferative, migratory, invasive, and anti-apoptotic potential of HCC cells, while LINC00886 overexpression proceeded in the contrary direction. Mechanistically, miR-409-3p and miR-214-5p were validated as binding targets for LINC00886 and inverted the biological functions of LINC00886 during HCC progression. Furthermore, the LINC00886-miR-409-3p/miR-214-5p axis could regulate RAB10 and E2F2 expression via mediating NF-κB pathway activation in hepatocarcinogenesis.Conclusion: Our findings indicated that LINC00886 facilitated HCC progression via absorbing miR-409-3p or miR-214-5p to upregulate RAB10 and E2F2 through activation of NF-κB pathway, offering a promising novel target for HCC therapy.Graphical Abstract: Keywords: LINC00886, miR-409-3p, miR-214-5p, hepatocellular carcinoma, NF-κB signaling

In 2018 we celebrated 25 years of development of radar altimetry, and the progress achieved by this methodology in the fields of global and coastal oceanography, hydrology, geodesy and cryospheric sciences. Many symbolic major events have celebrated these developments, e.g., in Venice, Italy, the 15th (2006) and 20th (2012) years of progress and more recently, in 2018, in Ponta Delgada, Portugal, 25 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry. On this latter occasion it was decided to collect contributions of scientists, engineers and managers involved in the worldwide altimetry community to depict the state of altimetry and propose recommendations for the altimetry of the future. This paper summarizes contributions and recommendations that were collected and provides guidance for future mission design, research activities, and sustainable operational radar altimetry data exploitation. Recommendations provided are fundamental for optimizing further scientific and operational advances of oceanographic observations by altimetry, including requirements for spatial and temporal resolution of altimetric measurements, their accuracy and continuity. There are also new challenges and new openings mentioned in the paper that are particularly crucial for observations at higher latitudes, for coastal oceanography, for cryospheric studies and for hydrology. The paper starts with a general introduction followed by a section on Earth System Science including Ocean Dynamics, Sea Level, the Coastal Ocean, Hydrology, the Cryosphere and Polar Oceans and the “Green” Ocean, extending the frontier from biogeochemistry to marine ecology. Applications are described in a subsequent section, which covers Operational Oceanography, Weather, Hurricane Wave and Wind Forecasting, Climate projection. Instruments’ development and satellite missions’ evolutions are described in a fourth section. A fifth section covers the key observations that altimeters provide and their potential complements, from other Earth observation measurements to in situ data. Section 6 identifies the data and methods and provides some accuracy and resolution requirements for the wet tropospheric correction, the orbit and other geodetic requirements, the Mean Sea Surface, Geoid and Mean Dynamic Topography, Calibration and Validation, data accuracy, data access and handling (including the DUACS system). Section 7 brings a transversal view on scales, integration, artificial intelligence, and capacity building (education and training). Section 8 reviews the programmatic issues followed by a conclusion.

Gang Xu,1,2 Site Xu,3 Weiwei Gong,2,4 Shihong Dong,2 Hecheng Yu1 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 20072, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, People’s Republic of China; 3Division of Information and Statistics, Affiliated Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai First Rehabilitation Hospital, Shanghai, 200090, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Gang Xu, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 20072, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8621-66306496, Fax +8621-66301051, Email sykfsci@126.comBackground: Herpes zoster (HZ) is a skin disease that can also cause virus-infectious peripheral neuropathies. Despite this, there is limited information on patient preferences for seeking medical attention for HZ and zoster-associated pain (ZAP). Our study aimed to evaluate how frequently patients with ZAP choose to visit neurologists for their symptoms.Methods: This study conducted a retrospective review of electronic health records in three general hospitals from January 2017 to June 2022. Using association rule mining, the study analyzed referral behaviors.Results: We identified 33,633 patients with 111,488 outpatient visits over 5.5 years. The study found that the majority of patients (74.77– 91.22%) visited dermatologists during their first outpatient visit, while only a small percentage (0.86– 1.47%) preferred to consult a neurologist. The proportion of patients referred to a specialist during their medical visit varied significantly between different specialties within the same hospital (p < 0.05) and even within the same specialty (p< 0.05). There was a weak association (Lift:1.00– 1.17) of referral behaviors between dermatology and neurology. Across the three hospitals, the average number of visits to a neurologist for ZAP was 1.42– 2.49, with an average electronic health record duration of 11– 15 days per patient. After consulting with a neurologist, some patients were referred to other specialists.Conclusion: It was observed that patients with HZ and ZAP tended to visit a variety of specialists, with only a small number seeking the assistance of neurologists. However, from the perspective of neuroprotection, it is the duty of neurologists to provide more means.Keywords: herpes zoster, zoster-associated pain, neuropathy, electronic health records, visit preferences

Sandip Patil,1,2 Shaowei Dong,2 Devender Shrama,3,4 Bruno Silvester Lopes,5,6 Alfizah Hanafiah,7 Xiaowen Chen,2 Feiqiu Wen1,2 1Department of Haematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China; 2Paediatric Research Institute, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Microbiology, Himachal Dental College, Sundar Nagar, Himachal Pradesh, India; 4School of Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India; 5School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, TS1 3BA, UK; 6National Horizons Centre, Teesside University, Darlington, DL1 1HG, UK; 7Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaCorrespondence: Feiqiu Wen, Department of Haematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-755-83009888, Email fwen62@163.comAim: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common cause of severe and difficult-to-treat infections in humans and animals. We aimed to identify the predominant lineages of methicillin-resistant S. aureus in Himachal Pradesh, India, to understand the genomic epidemiology along with the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics.Methods: We isolated 250 S. aureus from two district hospitals in Himachal Pradesh, India. Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates were subjected to MLST, SCCmec typing, and resistance as well as virulence determinants were determined by PCR and sequencing. Bio-typing was also performed for source tracking.Results: A 17.6% (44/250) of isolates were classified as MRSA by both the MRSA detection kit and disc diffusion methods. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of MRSA isolates (n = 44) showed high resistance to oxacillin (77.27%), erythromycin (77.27%), tetracycline (75%), cefoxitin (65.9%), and gentamicin (61.36%), while low resistance was observed for teicoplanin (36.36%), vancomycin and levofloxacin (31.81%) and fusidic acid (18.18%). All isolates were sensitive to linezolid, quinupristin-dulfopristin, dalbavancin, and cefazoline. The SCCmec-II was observed in 20.45% of isolates, SCCmec-I in 11.36%, SCCmec-III in 9%, SCCmec-IV in 40.9% and SCCmec-V in 18.18%. The mecA gene was present in all isolates (n = 44) and 50% also had the vanA gene. 35% of isolates had the lukS-PV/lukf-PV toxin gene and 11.36% had the co-existence of mecA, vanA, and lukS-PV/lukf-PV. The major strain was ST398 (39%) followed by ST239 (27%), ST217 (16%), ST121 (11%), and ST338 (7%). The MRSA isolates produced staphylokinase and β-hemolysis but were negative for bovine plasma coagulation tests.In Conclusion: The predominant MRSA clones in Himachal Pradesh, India, were hospital-associated multi-drug resistant-MRSA ST239 with PVL and community-associated MRSA ST398.Keywords: MRSA, molecular epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, SCCmec, vanA, lukS-PV/lukf-PV

Gang Xu,1 Weizhen Tang,1 Chaosheng Zhou,1 Jie Xu,1 Chao Cheng,1 Weiwei Gong,2,3 Shihong Dong,2 Yu Zhang1 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai First Rehabilitation Hospital, Shanghai, 200090, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Gang Xu, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8621-66306496, Fax +8621-66301051, Email sykfsci@126.comPurpose: To evaluate the efficacy and pain fluctuations of methylcobalamin in combination with lidocaine local injection treatment for subacute herpetic neuralgia (SHN).Methods: Seventy-nine women (60.4 ± 2.7 years) with thoracic SHN were enrolled and randomized to receive a combination of methylcobalamin and lidocaine local injection (MI, N=40), or a combination of lidocaine patch 5% and oral methylcobalamin (PO, N=39) for four weeks. Repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to evaluate the effect on pain levels. Generalized estimation equations were used to analyze the cause-effect relationship between pain fluctuations and influencing factors.Results: At the treatment endpoint, the group, treatment time, and group interacted with treatment time effects of the pain scores and area were statistically significant (P< 0.001), The pain scores were 2.9 ± 0.9 (MI) and 4.3 ± 1.5 (PO). 80.00% (MI) or 28.21% (PO) of patients had pain scores ≤ 3, the odds ratio was 2.84 (95% CI: 1.68 to 4.79). The incidence of postherpetic neuralgia was 5.0% (2/40) at 3 months. Pain fluctuated repeatedly during treatment. The pain fluctuation increased from 8.75 log folds in the afternoon, to 79.85 log folds at night. With the ADLs level increasing from 1 to 3, the pain fluctuated from 4.28 to 17.70 log folds. Allodynia, itching, sleep quality, and ADLs were the significant influencing factors (P< 0.05).Conclusion: This study validated the efficacy of methylcobalamin combined with lidocaine for SHN, and confirmed that pain levels in patients with SHN had an obvious circadian rhythm. ADLs were an important cause of pain fluctuations.Keywords: subacute herpetic neuralgia, methylcobalamin, lidocaine, pain fluctuation, activities of daily living

The GRAS (gibberellic acid insensitive, repressor of GAI, and scarecrow) proteins are a family of plant-specific transcription factors that regulate plant growth, development, and stress response. Currently, the role of GRAS transcription factors in various abiotic stress responses has not been systematically studied in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), a popular vegetable crop. Here, we provide a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the 35 GRAS genes identified in the cucumber genome. In this study, cucumber genotypes, i.e., “CG104”, which is stress-tolerant, and genotype “CG37”, which is stress-sensitive, were examined to provide insight on potential differences in the GRAS-regulated abiotic stress pathways. Transcriptional analysis by RNA-seq or qRT-PCR of these two genotypes revealed common and divergent functions of CsGRAS genes regulated by low and high temperatures, salinity, and by exposure to the phytohormones gibberellin (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA). Notably, CsGRAS2 (DELLA) and CsGRAS26 (LISCL) were regulated by all abiotic stresses and hormone treatments, suggesting that they may function in the biological cross-talk between multiple signaling pathways. This study provides candidate genes for improving cucumber tolerance to various environmental stresses.

ABSTRACT M31-LRN-2015 is a likely stellar merger discovered in the Andromeda Galaxy in 2015. We present new optical to mid-infrared photometry and optical spectroscopy for this event. Archival data show that the source started to brighten ∼2 yr before the nova event. During this precursor phase, the source brightened by ∼3 mag. The light curve at 6 and 1.5 months before the main outburst may show periodicity, with periods of 16 ± 0.3 and 28.1 ± 1.4 d, respectively. This complex emission may be explained by runaway mass-loss from the system after the binary undergoes Roche lobe overflow, leading the system to coalesce in tens of orbital periods. While the progenitor spectral energy distribution shows no evidence of pre-existing warm dust in the system, the remnant forms an optically thick dust shell at approximately four months after the outburst peak. The optical depth of the shell increases dramatically after 1.5 yr, suggesting the existence of shocks that enhance the dust formation process. We propose that the merger remnant is likely an inflated giant obscured by a cooling shell of gas with mass ∼0.2 M⊙ ejected at the onset of the common envelope phase.

Yanfang Zhang, Lirong Gong, Yuan Zhang, Shuan Dong, Jia Shi, Xiangyun Li, Yan Guo, Simeng He, Xiaoyang Wu, Shasha Liu, Huayang Liu, Lantian Zhang, Jianbo Yu Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jianbo Yu, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, 6 Changjiang Road, Tianjin, 300100, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-22-23475289, Email 30717008@nankai.edu.cnPurpose: To investigate the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on urinary retention after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elderly patients, and to explore the relationship between TEAS and urinary ATP.Patients and Methods: The TEAS group was administered active TEAS at specific acupuncture points prior to induction of anesthesia and continued for 45 mins after surgery. In the control group, participants received sham stimulus at the same acupoints and no output current was delivered by disconnecting the device’s output line. Urine samples were collected and evaluated in the first spontaneous voiding after surgery. In this study, postoperative urinary retention (POUR) was the primary outcome, which was diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, ultrasound assessments, and the need for bladder catheterization. Secondary outcomes include urinary ATP, postoperative spontaneous urination, urination symptoms, catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD), delirium, duration and hospitalization costs.Results: The study involved 598 patients recruited and randomized between August 2018 and June 2020. Among these patients, 547 (91.5%) completed the study and were analyzed. There were 64 cases of POUR, including 23 (8.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.4– 9.9%) in the TEAS group and 41 (15.0%, 95% CI: 9.3– 13.4%) in the control group (p = 0.017). A significant difference was observed between the TEAS and control groups for urinary ATP concentration in the first spontaneous urine postoperatively (344 nmol/L versus 233 nmol/L, p=0.001). There was a shorter spontaneous voiding recovery time, smaller voiding threshold, less postoperative catheterization, less CRBD, and lower hospitalization costs in TEAS group compared with control group.Conclusion: TEAS reduces the incidence of POUR in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which may be related to an increase in bladder ATP release.Keywords: transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation, urinary retention, ATP, catheterization, laparoscopic surgery, catheter-related bladder discomfort