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Yan-fei Lu,1,* Ji-min Wu,2,* Hai-yan Lan,2 Qiao-min Xu,2 Shu-qi Shi,2 Gong-chen Duan2 1Center for Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, Lishui People’s Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Lishui Hospital, Lishui, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Gong-chen Duan, Department of Anesthesiology, Lishui People’s Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Lishui Hospital, No. 1188, Liyang Street, Lishui, Zhejiang, 323000, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +8618957093030, Email 981225178@qq.comBackground: Ciprofol is a new intravenous sedative / anesthetic drug. In recent years, many clinical studies have also confirmed the sedative effect of ciprofol. However, more clinical research is still needed on its clinical application characteristics in special populations.Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical effects of ciprofol and propofol in general anesthesia induction of elderly patients.Methods: 60 elderly (aged ≥ 75 years) patients underwent hip fracture surgery were randomly into two groups of a 1:1 ratio. Group C (ciprofol group): 0.3mg/kg ciprofol was infused. Group P (propofol group): 1.5mg/kg propofol was infused. The observation period was from the infusion of test drug to 5 min after endotracheal intubation. The primary outcomes included the incidence of severe hypotension and hypotension during the observation period. The secondary outcomes were as follows: the success rate of general anesthesia induction, the number of additional sedation, the time of loss of consciousness (LOC), Δ MAP, Δ HR, adverse events and the frequency of vasoactive drugs used.Results: Finally, 60 subjects completed the study. Compared with Group P, the incidence of severe hypotension in Group C was lower (26.7% vs 53.3%, P = 0.035), the incidence of hypotension was also lower (36.7% vs 63.3%, P = 0.037), Δ MAP in Group C was significantly lower (31.4 ± 11.4 vs 39.6 ± 15.7, P = 0.025), the frequency of ephedrine used and the incidence of injection pain in Group C were also significantly lower.Conclusion: Ciprofol showed similar efficacy to propofol when used for general anesthesia induction in elderly patients underwent hip fracture surgery and could maintain more stable blood pressure.Keywords: Ciprofol, elderly, Hip fracture surgery, general anesthesia, hypotension

Mei-Xiang Zhan,1,2,* Li Tang,3,* Yun-Fei Lu,4,* Huang-Hui Wu,1,* Zhi-Bin Guo,1 Zhong-Mou Shi,1 Chen-Long Yang,1 Yi-Qing Zou,1,2 Fei Yang,1,2,5 Guo-Zhong Chen1,2 1Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Clinical Medical College, (900 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force), Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350025, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Dongfang Hospital, Xiamen University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350025, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Stomatology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100050, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Anesthesiology, Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100039, People’s Republic of China; 5Laboratory of Pain Research, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350122, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Guo-Zhong Chen; Fei YangDepartment of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, 900 Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force, Fujian Medical University, #156 West 2 nd Ring Road North, Gulou District, Fuzhou, 350025, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail cgzssq2000@sina.com; yangfeimedbrain@outlook.comIntroduction: Ulinastatin, a broad-spectrum serine protease inhibitor, has been widely used to treat various diseases clinically. However, so far, the antinociceptive effect of ulinastatin remains less studied experimentally and the underlying mechanisms of ulinastatin for pain relief remain unclear. This study aimed to find evidence of the analgesic effect of ulinastatin on acute somatic and visceral pain.Methods: The analgesic effect of ulinastatin on acute somatic and visceral pain was evaluated by using formalin and acetic acid-induced writhing test. The analgesic mechanism of ulinastatin was verified by detecting the peripheral inflammatory cell infiltration and spinal glial activation with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemistry staining.Results: We found that both of intraperitoneal (i.p.) pre-administration and post-administration of ulinastatin could reduce the total number of flinching and the licking duration following intraplantar formalin injection in a dose-related manner. However, the inhibitory effect of ulinastatin existed only in the second phase (Phase 2) of formalin-induced spontaneous pain response, with no effect in the first phase (Phase 1). The formalin-induced edema and ulcer were also improved by i.p. administration of ulinastatin. Moreover, i.p. administration of ulinastatin was also able to delay the occurrence of acetic acid-induced writhing and reduced the total number of writhes dose-dependently. We further demonstrated that ulinastatin significantly decreased the local inflammatory cell infiltration in injured paw and peritoneum tissue under formalin and acetic acid test separately. The microglial and astrocytic activation in the spinal dorsal horn induced by intraplantar formalin and i.p. acetic acid injection were also dramatically inhibited by i.p. administration of ulinastatin.Conclusion: Our results for the first time provided a new line of evidence showing that ulinastatin could attenuate acute somatic and visceral pain by inhibiting the peripheral and spinal inflammatory reaction.Keywords: Ulinastatin, formalin, somatic pain, visceral pain, inflammation, antinociception

Feng Gao,2 Peng Jing,2 Jian Liu,2 Yuanfei Lu,1 Peicheng Zhang,2 Wei Han,1 Guoliang Liu,1 Ning Ru,2 Guanghui Cui,2 Chenglin Sun,1 Yebing Che,1 Huaming Zhang,1 Qnglong Hu,3 Huan-you Wang,4 Yingli Wu,2 Changjiang Guan,2 Qiang Fu,1 Zhenlu Ma,2 Baofa Yu1–3 1Jinan Baofa Cancer Hospital, Jinan, People's Republic of China; 2TaiMei Baofa Cancer Hospital, Dongping, People's Republic of China; 3Beijing Baofa Cancer Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China; 4Department of Pathology, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USAPurpose: To compare the therapeutic effects of ultra-minimum incision personalized intratumoral chemoimmunotherapy (UMIPIC) with intratumoral chemotherapy (ITCT) in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinomas and to analyze the effect of hapten as an immune booster.Materials and methods: Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinomas were treated with UMIPIC or ITCT with the same therapeutic procedure; the UMIPIC method had a proprietary regimen including an oxidant, a cytotoxic drug, and hapten, while ITCT delivered the same drug excluding hapten. Of 339 patients in total, 119 of the UMIPIC patients (n=214) had response data and 214 had survival data, and of the ITCT patients (n=125), 61 had response data and 125 had survival data. Tumor response was assessed with a computed tomography scan 6–8 weeks after the initial treatment; the survival rate was evaluated by follow-up visits. Tumor size was classified as small (10 cm); tumor sizes with liver function categorized using Child–Pugh class (A and B) were analyzed by correlation with overall survival.Results: The response rates (complete response + partial response + stable disease) were 78.68% and 81.52% in the UMIPIC and ITCT groups, respectively, with no statistically significant difference; however, the median overall survival was 7 months for UMIPIC (test) and 4 months for ITCT (control), respectively (P

Baofa Yu,1–3 Yuanfei Lu,1 Feng Gao,2 Peng Jing,2 Han Wei,1 Peicheng Zhang,2 Guoliang Liu,1 Ning Ru,2 Guanghui Cui,2 Xinhai Xu,1 Chenglin Sun,1 Changjiang Guan,2 Yebing Che,1 Yingli Wu,2 Zhenlu Ma,2 Qiang Fu,1 Jian Liu,2 Huan-You Wang4 1Jinan Baofa Cancer Hospital, Jinan, 2TaiMei Baofa Cancer Hospital, Dongping, 3Beijing Baofa Cancer Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USAAim: The objective of the study reported here was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of hapten-enhanced chemoimmunotherapy in the treatment of advanced lung cancer by ultra-minimum incision personalized intratumoral chemoimmunotherapy (UMIPIC) and to analyze the effect of this immune booster.Materials and methods: A total of 97 patients with advanced lung cancer were treated with UMIPIC or intratumoral chemotherapy (ITCT). UMIPIC was delivered intratumorally in combination with a proprietary therapeutic regimen composed of three components – an oxidant, a cytotoxic drug, and hapten. ITCT applied using the same procedures and regimen, only without hapten. All data from the two groups were reviewed and analyzed. A total of 55 patients were treated with UMIPIC and 42 with ITCT. Patient responses were assessed with computed tomography scan 4–6 weeks after treatment, and all of the patients were followed until their deaths.Results: Median overall survival was 11.23 months in the UMIPIC (test) group and 5.62 months in the ITCT (control) group (P

18β-Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is an oleane-type pentacyclic triterpene saponin obtained from glycyrrhizic acid by removing 2 glucuronic acid groups. GA and its analogues are active substances of glycyrrhiza aicd, with similar structure and important pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetes, anti-tumor and anti-fibrosis. Although GA combined compounds are in the clinical trial stages, its application potential is severely restricted by its low bioavailability, water solubility and membrane permeability. In this article, synthetic methods and structure-activity relationships (SARs) of GA derivatives from 2018 to present are reviewed based on pharmacological activity. It is hoped that this review can provide reference for the future development of potential GA preclinical candidate compounds, and furnish ideas for the development of pentacyclic triterpenoid lead compounds., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Aim: To propose a modified method for establishing a peri-implantitis murine model, assess the gene expression profile and immune cell infiltration of the gingiva and alveolar bone, and evaluate the transcriptomic similarity between patients with peri-implantitis and the corresponding murine model., Materials and Methods: A ligature-induced peri-implantitis murine model was established using an immediate implant placement approach. RNA sequencing was performed to determine the transcriptomic profiles of peri-implant tissues from mice, patients with peri-implantitis and healthy individuals. Histopathological and bioinformatics analyses were performed to measure immune cell infiltration, bone remodelling, and inflammatory reactions., Results: Mouse gingival tissue showed strong immune and inflammatory responses, especially macrophage functions; these responses were weaker in the alveolar bone. Humans and mice showed similar gene expression patterns in the gingiva, with greater infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils., Conclusions: During peri-implantitis progression, mouse gingival tissue exhibited increased immune-related functions and inflammation compared with the alveolar bone. Patients with peri-implantitis and the murine model displayed transcriptomic similarities within the gingiva. We propose that the modified ligature-induced peri-implantitis murine model is suitable for investigating peri-implantitis pathogenesis, with macrophages and neutrophils potentially being critical in its development., (© 2025 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Some seemingly irrational decision behaviors (anomalies), once seen as flaws in human cognition, have recently received explanations from a rational perspective. The basic idea is that the brain has limited cognitive resources to process the quantities (e.g., value, probability, time, etc.) required for decision making, with specific biases arising as byproducts of the resource allocation that is optimized for the environment. While appealing for providing normative accounts, the existing resource-rational models have limitations such as inconsistent assumptions across models, a focus on optimization for one specific aspect of the environment, and limited coverage of decision anomalies. One challenging anomaly is the peanuts effect, a pervasive phenomenon in decision-making under risk that implies an interdependence between the processing of value and probability. To extend the resource rationality approach to explain the peanuts effect, here we develop a computational framework-the Assemblable Resource-Rational Modules (ARRM)-that integrates ideas from different lines of boundedly-rational decision models as freely assembled modules. The framework can accommodate the joint functioning of multiple environmental factors, and allow new models to be built and tested along with the existing ones, potentially opening a wider range of decision phenomena to bounded rationality modeling. For one new and three published datasets that cover two different task paradigms and both the gain and loss domains, our boundedly-rational models reproduce two characteristic features of the peanuts effect and outperform previous models in fitting human decision behaviors., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Real-time monitoring of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in skeletal muscle provides crucial insights into the cause-and-effect relationships between physical activity and health benefits. However, the dynamic production of exercise-induced RONS remains poorly explored, due to the lack of sensing tools that can conform to soft skeletal muscle while monitor RONS release during exercise. Here we introduce dual flexible sensors via twisting carbon nanotubes into helical bundles of fibers and subsequent assembling electrochemical sensing components. These flexible sensors exhibit low bending stiffness, excellent H 2 O 2 and NO sensing abilities, outstanding biocompatibility and compliance with engineered skeletal muscle tissue. This allows real-time and simultaneous monitoring of H 2 O 2 and NO release from engineered skeletal muscle in response to different exercise-mimicking stretches, which reveals that warm-up activities before high-intensity exercise may enhance adaptive responses by down-regulating H 2 O 2 and up-regulating NO production. The proposed sensing strategy demonstrates great versatility in monitoring multiple biomarkers of soft tissue and organs., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Three meroterpenoids, including one new compound, ranhuadujuanine E ( 1 ), one new natural product, methyl ( E )-3-(3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl)-2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylbenzoate ( 2 ), and one known compound, ranhuadujuanine D ( 3 ), along with two known sesquiterpenoids ( 4 - 5 ) were isolated from Rhododendron racemosum . Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configuration of C-6' in compound 1 was assigned by using Snatzke's method. Compounds 1 - 3 had inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO release in RAW264.7 cells.

Objective: This study aimed to primarily discuss the pathogenesis of hereditary coagulation factor Ⅴ (FⅤ) deficiency in a family with a consanguineous cousin marriage. Methods: The coagulation indices of the pedigree (three generations with seven individuals) and the thrombin levels of the proband and his father were assessed. All exons of the F5 gene were analyzed with Sanger sequencing, and a new mutation was confirmed with reverse sequencing. The corresponding sites of the family members were then determined. A set of online software was utilized to predict the conservation and pathogenicity of the mutation site. The pathogenicity of this mutation site was evaluated according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. Results: The prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) of the proband were 52.2 s and 108.3 s, respectively. FⅤ activity (FⅤ∶ C) and FⅤ antigen (FⅤ∶Ag) were greatly decreased by 2% and 4%, respectively. The problem was diagnosed as type Ⅰ F Ⅴ deficiency. PT and APTT of the proband's father, mother, and grandfather were slightly higher than the upper limit of the reference range, and FⅤ∶C and FⅤ∶Ag were approximately 50% of normal. The thromboplastin generation assay revealed that the amount of thromboplastin produced by the proband and his father was lower than that of the healthy controls and that the proband's ability to produce thromboplastin was more severely impaired. Sequencing analysis revealed that the proband demonstrated a homozygous missense mutation of c.5128T > C (p.Trp1682Arg) in exon 15 of the F5 gene. The grandfather, father, and mother of the proband were all heterozygous for c.5128 T > C. Conservative analysis revealed that p.Trp1682 was a highly conserved site in the homozygous species, and five online software programs, including Mutation Taster, SIFT, REVEL, PolyPhen-2, and CADD, indicated that the mutation was pathogenic. The ACMG guidelines recommend that the new mutation c.5128 T > C is a possible pathogenic mutation (PM2 + PM3 + PP1 + PP3 + PP4). The comparison of the protein models before and after the mutation revealed that the benzene ring and the hydrogen bond were reduced after the mutation, which changed the local structure of the F Ⅴ protein. Conclusion: The missense mutation c.5128T > C (p. Trp1682Arg) in exon 15 of the F5 gene was initially considered the genetic cause of the FⅤ deficiency family. This mutation is the first report globally, which further enriches the gene-phenotype spectrum of FⅤ deficiency.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a critical signaling hub for sustaining cancer survival. Targeting mTOR and inducing autophagic cell death downstream of it represent promising therapeutic strategies for cancer prevention. A US Food and Drug Administration-approved drug library containing 616 small molecules is used to screen anticancer drugs against colorectal cancer (CRC) cells that rely on mTOR. This led to the identification of an antipsychotic drug aripiprazole, which significantly induced mTOR inhibition and autophagic apoptosis in CRC, in vitro and in vivo. The use of drug affinity response target stability identified lysosome-associated membrane protein 2A (LAMP2a) as a direct target of aripiprazole. LAMP2a-deficient CRC cells are refractory to aripiprazole. High LAMP2a expression is associated with poor survival of patients with CRC and negatively correlated with expression of ribonuclease inhibitor 1 (RNH1), which is later confirmed as a novel substrate of LAMP2a. Mechanistically, aripiprazole bound to the Lys401-His404 of LAMP2a and repressed its activity, subsequently inactivating RNH1/miR-99a/mTOR signaling and inducing autophagy-mediated apoptosis, thereby suppressing tumorigenesis. Liposome-mediated delivery of aripiprazole in combination with fluorouracil elicited superior therapeutic benefits in CRC, as compared to single treatments, thereby highlighting that aripiprazole may be repurposed as a novel therapeutic agent for CRC treatment., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Compared with traditional networks, quantum key distribution (QKD) offers the ultimate resources, allowing two remote users to share secret symmetric keys regardless of the capabilities of eavesdroppers. However, the widespread application of commercial QKD is still challenging due to the low photon detection efficiency and the extremely high transmission loss. Here we demonstrate a fully commercial phase-encoding QKD system using a signal extraction model and advantage distillation technology to suppress detector noise and perform real-time pre-error correction. 1.89 × 10 -10 in the asymptotic case and 7.43 × 10 -12 in the nonasymptotic case secret key bits per pulse are achieved with a total loss of 70.05 dB. This method not only increases the transmission loss tolerance but also provides a more realistic deployment of quantum communication.

Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: Chen B, None; Li YT, None; Wu TH, None; Yuan YP, None; Lu YF, None.

Objective To explore the risk factors for the returning of pediatric liver transplant recipients to the intensive care unit (ICU) and provide reference for the clinical decision-making after surgery. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted with the information of all the pediatric patients who underwent liver transplantation in Ren Ji Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and were returned to the ICU from 2019 to 2021.The patients returned to the ICU during hospitalization and the reasons for the return were recorded.Each patient of ICU return was matched with three pediatric patients who did not return to the ICU during hospitalization.The basic information,the vital signs and laboratory indicators on the day of transfer from ICU,immunosuppressants and drug concentrations were compared between the two groups.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the risk factors for the returning of pediatric liver transplant recipients to the ICU. Results The returning rate of pediatric liver transplant recipients to the ICU was 4.36%,and it was 16.00% within 48 h.The main reasons for the return included respiratory complications,abdominal infections,and hepatic vascular occlusion.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that post-operative red blood cell transfusion ( OR =4.554,95% CI =1.743-11.901, P =0.002) and high serum level of uric acid ( OR =1.005,95% CI =1.001-1.009, P =0.014) were the risk factors for returning to the ICU.High diastolic blood pressure ( OR =0.922,95% CI =0.885-0.960, P <0.001) and high total protein level ( OR =0.937,95% CI =0.891-0.986, P =0.012) were the protective factors for returning to the ICU. Conclusion Post-operative red blood cell transfusion and high serum level of uric acid are independent risk factors for the returning of pediatric liver transplant recipients to the ICU.

Purpose: The present longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of modern radiotherapy (RT) techniques on quality of life (QOL) in patients with head and neck (HNC) cancer., Materials and Methods: In this single-center prospective study, participants were asked to complete QOL questionnaires that included the EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-H&N 35 and utility score by time trade-off (TTO) at three time points (2 weeks, 3 months and 6 months) after completion of RT. All patients were treated by modern RT techniques [volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) or helical tomotherapy (HT)]. Patients who developed recurrence or died before the 6-month follow-up were excluded. Linear mixed models with random intercepts for participants and restricted maximum likelihood estimates were used to assess the effect of our study variables (age, sex, primary site, cancer stage, treatment, radiation dose and radiation method). Overall changes in QOL, utility scores and symptom burdens at different time points were tested using paired t tests., Results: A total of 45 patients were recruited from 2022 to 2023. Those who completed the surveys at 2 weeks with at least 1 follow-up (30 patients, 67%) were enrolled in the final analysis. The majority of these 30 patients were men (76.7%), had oral cancer (40%), had stage III or IV disease (60%), received surgical intervention (63%) and were treated with chemoradiation (80%). A curative total dose of 66 to 70 Gy was delivered to 23 (76.7%) patients, half of whom received HT. Patients who received chemotherapy had significantly lower global QoL scales (mean difference, 27.94; 95% CI, 9.33-46.55; p =0.005). Global QOL, physical function, symptoms of sticky saliva, cough, feelings of illness and weight loss improved significantly between 2 weeks and 3 months. There was no significant difference between 3 and 6 months. Interestingly, improvements in social function, social contact, pain and nutrition reached significance at 6 months. Subgroup analysis revealed greater pain relief over time for patients who underwent HT ( p =0.030). Moreover, patients who participated in swallowing rehabilitation programs had a greater decrease in nausea and vomiting ( p =0.036)., Conclusion: HNC patients treated with modern RT techniques experience improved QOL and physical function over time. The most significant improvement occurs between 2 weeks and 3 months, after which the improvement plateaus. However, social function, social contact, pain and nutrition may require longer recovery intervals after treatment. HT with daily image guidance could provide a therapeutic opportunity for improving pain relief in patients with HNC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Chuang, Hou, Shueng, Lo, Lin, Lin, Wu, Jiang, Chung, Hsu, Kuo, Lu, Liao and Hsieh.)

Hypoxia-inducing factor-1α (HIF-1α) is overexpressed in variety of tumor patients and plays an important role in the regulation of hypoxia response in tumor cells. Therefore, its inhibitors have become one of the targets for the treatment of a variety of cancers. Two series of panaxadiol (PD) ester derivatives containing pyrazole (18a-j) and pyrrole (19a-n) moiety were synthesized and their HIF-1α inhibitory activities were evaluated. Among all the target compouds, compounds 18c, 19d, and 19n (IC 50  = 8.70-10.44 μM) showed better HIF-1α inhibitory activity than PD (IC 50  = 13.35 μM). None of these compounds showed cytotoxicity above 100 μM and inhibited HIF-1α transcription in a dose-dependent manner. These compounds showed good antitumor activity and provide lead compounds for further design and activity study of PD ester derivatives., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Breast Cancer Type 1 Susceptibility Protein (BRCA1) is a tumor-suppressor protein that regulates various cellular pathways, including those that are essential for preserving genome stability. One essential mechanism involves a BRCA1-A complex that is recruited to double-strand breaks (DSBs) by RAP80 before initiating DNA damage repair (DDR). How RAP80 itself is recruited to DNA damage sites, however, is unclear. Here, we demonstrate an intrinsic correlation between a methyltransferase DOT1L-mediated RAP80 methylation and BRCA1-A complex chromatin recruitment that occurs during cancer cell radiotherapy resistance. Mechanistically, DOT1L is quickly recruited onto chromatin and methylates RAP80 at multiple lysines in response to DNA damage. Methylated RAP80 is then indispensable for binding to ubiquitinated H2A and subsequently triggering BRCA1-A complex recruitment onto DSBs. Importantly, DOT1L-catalyzed RAP80 methylation and recruitment of BRCA1 have clinical relevance, as inhibition of DOT1L or RAP80 methylation seems to enhance the radiosensitivity of cancer cells both in vivo and in vitro. These data reveal a crucial role for DOT1L in DDR through initiating recruitment of RAP80 and BRCA1 onto chromatin and underscore a therapeutic strategy based on targeting DOT1L to overcome tumor radiotherapy resistance., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

Human fungal pathogens could cause a broad plethora of infections in both the immunocompetent and immunocompromised host. Fungal infections have become important causes of morbidity and mortality in recent years, the current arsenal of anti-fungal therapies was restricted. Ibrexafungerp was a novel, highly bioavailable glucan synthase inhibitor formulated for both intravenous and oral administration being developed by Scynexis; it was also the first novel anti-fungal drug class approved in more than 20 years. Ibrexafungerp was one semi-synthetic derivative of enfumafungin, a natural product isolated from fungi. This review reported the discovery of enfumafungin and ibrexafungerp, their anti-fungal mechanism, summed up 63 fernane-type triterpenoids from natural products, including 49 from plants, 9 from fungi and 5 from lichen. In addition, the review summarized the progress of enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of type II fernane triterpenoid (enfumafungin skeleton) and type I fernane triterpenoid (polytolypin skeleton). The good example kept our confidence up for searching for new leading compounds and discovering drugs from fungi., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Zhang, Liu, Lu, Li and Pei.)

Background: Stroke is a common disabling disease, whether it is ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke, both can result in neuronal damage, leading to various manifestations of neurological dysfunction., Aim: To explore of the application value of swallowing treatment device combined with swallowing rehabilitation training in the treatment of swallowing disorders after stroke., Methods: This study selected 86 patients with swallowing disorders after stroke admitted to our rehabilitation department from February 2022 to December 2023 as research subjects. They were divided into a control group ( n = 43) and an observation group ( n = 43) according to the treatment. The control group received swallowing rehabilitation training, while the observation group received swallowing treatment device in addition to the training. Both groups underwent continuous intervention for two courses of treatment., Results: The total effective rate in the observation group (93.02%) was higher than that in the control group (76.74%) ( P = 0.035). After intervention, the oral transit time, swallowing response time, pharyngeal transit time, and laryngeal closure time decreased in both groups compared to before intervention. In the observation group, the oral transit time, swallowing response time, and pharyngeal transit time were shorter than those in the control group after intervention. However, the laryngeal closure time after intervention in the observation group was compared with that in the control group ( P = 0.142). After intervention, average amplitude value and duration of the genioglossus muscle group during empty swallowing and swallowing 5 mL of water are reduced compared to before intervention in both groups. After intervention, the scores of the chin-tuck swallowing exercise and the Standardized Swallowing Assessment are both reduced compared to pre-intervention levels in both groups. However, the observation group scores lower than the control group after intervention. Additionally, the Functional Oral Intake Scale scores of both groups are increased after intervention compared to pre-intervention levels, with the observation group scoring higher than the control group after intervention ( P < 0.001). The cumulative incidence of complications in the observation group is 9.30%, which is lower than the 27.91% in the control group ( P = 0.027)., Conclusion: The combination of swallowing therapy equipment with swallowing rehabilitation training can improve the muscle movement level of the genioglossus muscle group, enhance swallowing function, and prevent the occurrence of swallowing-related complications after stroke., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: This research is free from any potential conflict of interest., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: There has been extensive debate in the USA as to how laws regulating the carrying of concealed firearms affect crime and public safety. This study examines whether US state laws making it easier for civilians to obtain permits to carry concealed handguns in public increase defensive gun uses against violent threats and attacks in public., Methods: We used National Crime Victimization Survey data from 39 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the USA over a 19-year period (1986-2004) to examine whether laws making it easier for civilians to obtain concealed carry permits are linked to higher levels of defensive gun use against violence in public spaces of metropolitan areas. Bivariate χ 2 tests and multivariate logistic regression models (controlling for actor and situational characteristics) were used with 7196 public incidents to examine whether the likelihood of the victim using a gun against an attacker(s) varied based on the type of concealed carry law in the MSA at the time of the incident., Results: The prevalence of self-defensive gun use in this sample was not clearly related to the passage of permissive gun carrying laws. Although defensive gun use was more common in MSAs with permissive gun carrying laws, this difference was not consistently related in magnitude or statistical significance to the passage of those laws or the length of time they had been in effect., Conclusions: Permissive concealed carry permit laws do not produce evident increases in self-defensive gun uses against crime in public locations., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Suitable biomaterials with seed cells have promising potential to repair bone defects. However, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), one of the most common seed cells used in tissue engineering, cannot differentiate efficiently and accurately into functional osteoblasts. In view of this, a new tissue engineering technique combined with BMSCs and scaffolds is a major task for bone defect repair. Lentiviruses interfering with miR-136-5p or Smurf1 expression were transfected into BMSCs. The effects of miR-136-5p or Smurf1 on the osteogenic differentiation (OD) of BMSCs were evaluated by measuring alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition. Then, the targeting relationship between miR-136-5p and Smurf1 was verified by bioinformatics website analysis and dual luciferase reporter assay. Then, a rabbit femoral condyle bone defect model was established. miR-136-5p/BMSCs/β-TCP scaffold was implanted into the defect, and the repair of the bone defect was detected by Micro-CT and HE staining. Elevating miR-136-5p-3p or suppressing Smurf1 could stimulate OD of BMSCs. miR-136-5p negatively regulated Smurf1 expression. Overexpressing Smurf1 reduced the promoting effect of miR-136-5p on the OD of BMSCs. miR-136-5p/BMSCs/β-TCP could strengthen bone density in the defected area and accelerate bone repair. SmurF1-targeting miR-136-5p-modified BMSCs combined with 3D-printed β-TCP scaffolds can strengthen osteogenic activity and alleviate bone defects., (© 2024 The Author(s). The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Kaohsiung Medical University.)

Objective: Childhood sensory abnormalities experience has a crucial influence on the structure and function of the adult brain. The underlying mechanism of neurological function induced by childhood sensory abnormalities experience is still unclear. Our study was to investigate whether the GABAergic neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) regulate social disorders caused by childhood sensory abnormalities experience., Methods: We used two mouse models, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) injection mice and bilateral whisker trimming (BWT) mice in childhood. We applied immunofluorescence, chemogenetic and optogenetic to study the mechanism of parvalbumin (PV) neurons and somatostatin (SST) neurons in ACC in regulating social disorders induced by sensory abnormalities in childhood., Results: Inflammatory pain in childhood leads to social preference disorders, while BWT in childhood leads to social novelty disorders in adult mice. Inflammatory pain and BWT in childhood caused an increase in the number of PV and SST neurons, respectively, in adult mice ACC. Inhibiting PV neurons in ACC improved social preference disorders in adult mice that experienced inflammatory pain during childhood. Inhibiting SST neurons in ACC improved social novelty disorders in adult mice that experienced BWT in childhood., Conclusions: Our study reveals that PV and SST neurons of the ACC may play a critical role in regulating social disorders induced by sensory abnormalities in childhood., (© 2024 The Author(s). CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

SARS-CoV-2 new waves are primarily caused by changes to the spike protein (S), which can substantially decrease the efficacy of vaccines. Therefore, we tested several multivalent mRNA-LNP vaccines, targeting the full-length S proteins of different variants, and identified an optimal combination for protection against VOCs in BALB/c mice. The tested formulations included trivalent (WT + BA.5 + XBB.1.5), pentavalent (WT + BA.5 + XBB.1.5 + BQ.1.1 + CH.1.1), and octavalent (WT + BA.5 + XBB.1.5 + BQ.1.1 + CH.1.1 + Alpha + Delta + BA.2) vaccines. Among these multivalent vaccines, the pentavalent vaccine showed superior protection for almost all tested variants. Despite this, each multivalent vaccine elicited greater broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies than the previously evaluated bivalent vaccine (WT + BA.5). Subsequently, we redesigned the multivalent vaccine to efficiently generate neutralizing antibodies against recent VOCs, including EG.5.1. Immunization with the redesigned pentavalent vaccine (WT + EG.5.1 + XBB.1.16 + Delta + BA.5) showed moderate levels of protection against recent Omicron VOCs. Results suggest that the neutralization activity of multivalent vaccines is better than those of the tested bivalent vaccines against WT + BA.5 and WT + EG.5.1. Moreover, the pentavalent vaccine we developed may be highly useful for neutralizing new Omicron VOCs.

To elucidate the molecular genetic mechanisms underpinning feather color in Muscovy ducks. A cohort of 100 Muscovy ducks was meticulously selected for this research. Follicular tissues from ducks exhibiting black and white plumage served as the experimental samples. From these tissues, RNA and proteins were extracted for further analysis. The RNA underwent reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction amplification, followed by validation through western blot assays. The data revealed a significant upregulation in the expression of FN domain-containing protein 1 ( FNDC1 ) and ADAMTS12 genes in Muscovy ducks with white plumage traits as opposed to those with black plumage traits. Specifically, individuals with pure white plumage demonstrated a markedly elevated expression of the FNDC1 gene in comparison to their pure black counterparts. Conversely, expression levels of the ADAMTS12 gene were found to be reduced in ducks with pure black plumage relative to those with pure white plumage. Notably, the expression patterns of FNDC1 and ADAMTS12 genes exhibited inconsistencies between mRNA and protein levels. This study offers significant insights into the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying feather color variation in Muscovy ducks. FNDC1 and ADAMTS12 could be considered potential targets for genetic manipulation or selective breeding strategies aimed at achieving specific feather color phenotypes in Muscovy ducks., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

Objective: To investigate the association of urinary cadmium levels with peripheral leukocyte classification counts among middle-aged and older adults aged 40 to 89 years in selected areas of China. Methods: The research was based on the survey of the impact of soil quality of agricultural land on human health in typical areas conducted in 2019-2020. A total of 5 600 middle-aged and older adults aged 40 to 89 years were included by using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method. Baseline characteristics of the subjects were collected and physical examinations were performed. Random midstream urine was collected to measure urinary cadmium and urinary creatinine and fasting venous blood was collected to measure the leukocyte count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, monocyte count and eosinophil count. The linear mixed effect model was used to analyse the association of urinary cadmium levels with leukocyte classification counts, and the dose-response relationship between them was analyzed by using the restricted cubic spline (RCS) function. Results: The age of the subjects was (63.17±12.02) years; 2 851 (50.91%) were males; and the M ( Q 1 , Q 3 ) of urinary creatinine-corrected urinary cadmium levels was 2.69 (1.52, 4.69) μg/g·creatinine. After adjusting for confounding factors, the results of linear mixed effects model analysis showed that for each 1-unit increase in urinary creatinine-corrected urinary cadmium level, the percentage change [% (95% CI )] of leukocyte count and lymphocyte count was -1.70% (-2.61%, -0.79%) and -1.57% (-2.86%, -0.26%), respectively. RCS function showed a negative linear relationship between urinary creatinine-corrected urinary cadmium levels and leukocyte counts and lymphocyte counts, respectively (all P non-linear >0.05). Conclusion: Urinary cadmium levels are negatively associated with leukocyte count and lymphocyte count among middle-aged and older adults aged 40 to 89 years in selected areas of China.

Background: Deep learning-based segmentation algorithms usually required large or multi-institute data sets to improve the performance and ability of generalization. However, protecting patient privacy is a key concern in the multi-institutional studies when conventional centralized learning (CL) is used., Purpose: To explores the feasibility of a proposed lesion delineation for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) scheme for federated learning (FL), which can solve decentralization and privacy protection concerns., Study Type: Retrospective., Subjects: 506 and 118 vestibular schwannoma patients aged 15-88 and 22-85 from two institutes, respectively; 1069 and 256 meningioma patients aged 12-91 and 23-85, respectively; 574 and 705 brain metastasis patients aged 26-92 and 28-89, respectively., Field Strength/sequence: 1.5T, spin-echo, and gradient-echo [Correction added after first online publication on 21 August 2023. Field Strength has been changed to "1.5T" from "5T" in this sentence.]., Assessment: The proposed lesion delineation method was integrated into an FL framework, and CL models were established as the baseline. The effect of image standardization strategies was also explored. The dice coefficient was used to evaluate the segmentation between the predicted delineation and the ground truth, which was manual delineated by neurosurgeons and a neuroradiologist., Statistical Tests: The paired t-test was applied to compare the mean for the evaluated dice scores (p < 0.05)., Results: FL performed the comparable mean dice coefficient to CL for the testing set of Taipei Veterans General Hospital regardless of standardization and parameter; for the Taichung Veterans General Hospital data, CL significantly (p < 0.05) outperformed FL while using bi-parameter, but comparable results while using single-parameter. For the non-SRS data, FL achieved the comparable applicability to CL with mean dice 0.78 versus 0.78 (without standardization), and outperformed to the baseline models of two institutes., Data Conclusion: The proposed lesion delineation successfully implemented into an FL framework. The FL models were applicable on SRS data of each participating institute, and the FL exhibited comparable mean dice coefficient to CL on non-SRS dataset. Standardization strategies would be recommended when FL is used., Level of Evidence: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1., (© 2023 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

Carexduanensis Z.C.Lu, Y.F.Lu & X.F.Jin, a new species in limestone areas of Guangxi, China, was discovered and described. The morphology showed that C.duanensis is similar to C.calcicola , but differs in having culms central, leaf blades 3-5.5 mm wide, bracts longer than spikes, utricles 4-5 mm long, shorter, and nutlets abruptly contracted into an erect beak at apex. SEM microphotographs of utricles and nutlets are provided for the new and related species, C.calcicola ., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Zhao-Cen Lu, Yi-Fei Lu, Shi-Li Chang, Ming-Lin Mo, Xiao-Feng Jin.)

Objectives: With the increasing popularity of CT screening, more cases of early-stage lung cancer are being diagnosed. However, 24.5% of stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients still experience treatment failure post-surgery. Biomarkers to predict lung cancer patients at high risk of recurrence are needed., Materials and Methods: We collected protein mass spectrometry data from the Taiwan Lung Cancer Moonshot Project and performed bioinformatics analysis on proteins with differential expressions between tumor and adjacent normal tissues in 74 stage I lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cases, aiming to explore the tumor microenvironment related prognostic biomarkers. Findings were further validated in 6 external cohorts., Results: The analysis of differentially expressed proteins revealed that the most enriched categories of diseases and biological functions were cellular movement, immune cell trafficking, and cancer. Utilizing proteomic profiling of the tumor microenvironment, we identified five prognostic biomarkers (ADAM10, MIF, TEK, THBS2, MAOA). We then developed a risk score model, which independently predicted recurrence-free survival and overall survival in stage I LUAD. Patients with high risk scores experienced worse recurrence-free survival (adjusted hazard ratio = 8.28, p < 0.001) and overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio = 6.88, p = 0.013). Findings had been also validated in the external cohorts., Conclusion: The risk score model derived from proteomic profiling of tumor microenvironment can be used to predict recurrence risk and prognosis of stage I LUAD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: Li YT, None; Chen B, None; Wu TH, None; Jiang B, None; Lu YF, None.

Carexlinanensis X.D.Qiu & X.F.Jin, a new species in sect. Mitratae of the sedge family (Cyperaceae) from north-western Zhejiang is described and illustrated. We performed a statistical comparison of the new species with other closely-related species from the same section. Carexlinanensis is similar to Carexsachalinensis F.Schmidt, but differs in having leaf blades 1-2 mm wide (vs. 2.5-3.5 mm wide), utricles longer than pistillate glumes, with beak margin smooth (vs. barbate) and peduncles of lateral spikes enclosed in bract sheaths (vs. exserted from bract sheaths)., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Xiang-Dong Qiu, Yi-Fei Lu, Xiao-Feng Jin.)

Background: Our study investigated the role of FAM53B in regulating macrophage M2 polarization and its potential mechanisms in promoting pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) metastasis., Aim: To further investigate the role of FAM53B in regulating macrophage M2 polarization and its potential mechanism in promoting PDAC metastasis. Our goal is to determine how FAM53B affects macrophage M2 polarization and to define its underlying mechanism in PDAC metastasis., Methods: Cell culture and various experiments, including protein analysis, immunohistochemistry, and animal model experiments, were conducted. We compared FAM53B expression between PDAC tissues and healthy tissues and assessed the correlation of FAM53B expression with clinical features. Our study analyzed the role of FAM53B in macrophage M2 polarization in vitro by examining the expression of relevant markers. Finally, we used a murine model to study the role of FAM53B in PDAC metastasis and analyzed the potential underlying mechanisms., Results: Our research showed that there was a significant increase in FAM53B levels in PDAC tissues, which was linked to adverse tumor features. Experimental findings indicated that FAM53B can enhance macrophage M2 polarization, leading to increased anti-inflammatory factor release. The results from the mouse model further supported the role of FAM53B in PDAC metastasis, as blocking FAM53B prevented tumor cell invasion and metastasis., Conclusion: FAM53B promotes PDAC metastasis by regulating macrophage M2 polarization. This discovery could lead to the development of new strategies for treating PDAC. For example, interfering with the FAM53B signaling pathway may prevent cancer spread. Our research findings also provide important information for expanding our understanding of PDAC pathogenesis., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare having no conflicts of interest., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Plumage color, a pivotal attribute delineating diverse Muscovy duck strains, assumes considerable significance within the field of Muscovy duck breeding research. This study extends the existing research by delving into the hereditary aspects of genes associated with plumage coloration in Muscovy ducks. The principal objective is to discern marker genes conducive to targeted breeding strategies based on plumage color, thereby furnishing indispensable technical foundations for the development of novel Muscovy duck varieties. Our investigation focused on scrutinizing the impact of MYOT and MB genes on the genetic expression of plumage color at both the RNA and protein levels in Muscovy ducks. The results elucidate that black Muscovy ducks manifest markedly elevated mRNA and protein expression levels of MYOT and MB genes in comparison to their white counterparts, indicating that both genes may play a constructive regulatory role in the context of plumage coloration in Muscovy ducks. The outcomes of this study delineate a discernible correlation between MYOT and MB genes and the plumage coloration in Muscovy ducks. Employing gene expression analysis, we successfully identified candidate genes that may be intricately linked to the determination of plumage color in these ducks., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter.)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The poor prognosis of this malignancy is attributed mainly to the persistent activation of cancer signaling for metastasis. Here, we showed that protein tyrosine phosphatase-like A domain containing 1 (PTPLAD1) is down-regulated in highly metastatic CRC cells and negatively associated with poor survival of CRC patients. Systematic analysis reveals that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mitochondrial fusion-to-fission (MFT) transition are two critical features for CRC patients with low expression of PTPLAD1. PTPLAD1 overexpression suppresses the metastasis of CRC in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting the Raf/ERK signaling-mediated EMT and mitofission. Mechanically, PTPLAD1 binds with PHB via its middle fragment (141-178 amino acids) and induces dephosphorylation of PHB-Y259 to disrupt the interaction of PHB-Raf, resulting in the inactivation of Raf/ERK signaling. Our results unveil a novel mechanism in which Raf/ERK signaling activated in metastatic CRC induces EMT and mitochondrial fission simultaneously, which can be suppressed by PTPLAD1. This finding may provide a new paradigm for developing more effective treatment strategies for CRC., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

2,5-Dimethylpyrazine (2,5-DMP) is important pharmaceutical raw material and food flavoring agent. Recently, engineering microbes to produce 2,5-DMP has become an attractive alternative to chemical synthesis approach. In this study, metabolic engineering strategies were used to optimize the modified Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) strain for efficient synthesis of 2,5-DMP using L-threonine dehydrogenase (EcTDH) from Escherichia coli BL21, NADH oxidase (EhNOX) from Enterococcus hirae, aminoacetone oxidase (ScAAO) from Streptococcus cristatus and L-threonine transporter protein (EcSstT) from Escherichia coli BL21, respectively. We further optimized the reaction conditions for synthesizing 2,5-DMP. In optimized conditions, the modified strain can convert L-threonine to obtain 2,5-DMP with a yield of 2897.30 mg/L. Therefore, the strategies used in this study contribute to the development of high-level cell factories for 2,5-DMP., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer is not considered immunogenic and, to date, has been proven resistant to immunotherapy. Endocrine therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment for ER+ breast cancers. However, constitutively activating mutations in the estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) gene can emerge during treatment, rendering tumors resistant to endocrine therapy. Although these mutations represent a pathway of resistance, they also represent a potential source of neoepitopes that can be targeted by immunotherapy. In this study, we investigated ESR1 mutations as novel targets for breast cancer immunotherapy. Using machine learning algorithms, we identified ESR1-derived peptides predicted to form stable complexes with HLA-A*0201. We then validated the binding affinity and stability of the top predicted peptides through in vitro binding and dissociation assays and showed that these peptides bind HLA-A*0201 with high affinity and stability. Using tetramer assays, we confirmed the presence and expansion potential of antigen-specific CTLs from healthy female donors. Finally, using in vitro cytotoxicity assays, we showed the lysis of peptide-pulsed targets and breast cancer cells expressing common ESR1 mutations by expanded antigen-specific CTLs. Ultimately, we identified five peptides derived from the three most common ESR1 mutations (D538G, Y537S, and E380Q) and their associated wild-type peptides, which were the most immunogenic. Overall, these data confirm the immunogenicity of epitopes derived from ESR1 and highlight the potential of these peptides to be targeted by novel immunotherapy strategies., Significance: Estrogen receptor (ESR1) mutations have emerged as a key factor in endocrine therapy resistance. We identified and validated five novel, immunogenic ESR1-derived peptides that could be targeted through vaccine-based immunotherapy., (© 2024 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

The genus Erythrobasidium is kind of species-scarce and undersampling basidiomycetes. Currently, only six species have been accepted into the genus and the diversity still remains incompletely understood. In this study, five Erythrobasidium strains were isolated in the surface of plant leaves collected from the Baotianman Nature Reserve, Henan Province, central China. Phylogenetic analyses of the small ribosomal subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene, and the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) gene coupled with morphological studies were employed to characterize and identify these isolates. As a result of these, two new species, namely E. turpiniae sp. nov. and E. nanyangense sp. nov., were delimited and proposed based on morphological and molecular evidence. A detailed description and illustration of both new species, as well as their differences with the close relatives in the genus are provided. An identification key for Erythrobasidium species is also provided. This study provides further insights into our understanding of Erythrobasidium species., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Lu, Chai and Hui.)

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of Marshall ethanol infusion (VOM-Et) in the vein on mitral isthmus (MI) ablation., Methods: Patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) were grouped into vein of VOM-Et combined with radiofrequency (RF) ablation (VOM-Et-RF) and RF groups. The primary outcome was MI block immediate block rate after surgery. Stratified analysis was also performed for factors affecting the outcome measures., Results: A total of 118 consecutive patients underwent AF ablation at Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province from January 2018 to December 2021. Successful bidirectional perimitral block was achieved in 96% of patients in VOM-Et-RF (69 of 72) and in 76% of patients in the RF group (35 of 46) ( P  < 0.01). In the subgroup analysis, male sex, elder than 60 years, Left atrial diameter <55 mm, and AF duration <3 years were associated with the benefits of VOM-Et in AF Patients., Conclusion: The vein of Marshall ethanol infusion for catheter ablation can improve the MI block rate. Male sex, elder age, smaller Left atrial diameter and shorter AF duration may have significant benefits for VOM-Et., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Ge, Lu, Li, Wang, Yin, Li, Jiang, Mi, Tung and Yan.)