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Cynanchum pingtaoi S.Jin Zeng, G.D.Tang & Miao Liao, sp. nov. (Apocynaceae) from Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular evidence. Its deeply cordate to reniform leaves and campanulate, large flowers show that it is a member of former Raphistemma Wall., which has been included in Cynanchum L.. It is different from all former Raphistemma species by the broadly ovate corolla lobes, purple-red corolla and connivent corona tip slightly exceeding the corolla throat. Meanwhile, Cynanchum longhushanense G.D.Tang & Miao Liao, nom. nov. is proposed as replacement name for Raphistemma brevipedunculatum Y.Wan, which was considered a synonym of Cynanchum hooperianum (Blume) Liede & Khanum but is here reinstated as a distinct species because of significant morphological differences.

IntroductionAeromonas spp. are ubiquitous inhabitants of ecosystems, and many species are opportunistically pathogenic to humans and animals. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Aeromonas species have been widely detected in hospitals, urban rivers, livestock, and aquatic animals.ResultsIn this study, we identified two Aeromonas isolates, namely Aeromonas veronii 0728Q8Av and Aeromonas caviae 1029Y16Ac, from coastal waters in Zhejiang, China. Both isolates exhibited typical biochemical characteristics and conferred MDR to 11 kinds of antibiotics, remaining susceptible to ceftazidime. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that both isolates harbored multiple antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and several mobile genetic elements (MGEs) on the chromosomes, each containing a resistance genomic island (GI), a typical class 1 integron, a transposon, and various insertion sequences (ISs). Most ARGs were situated within the multiple resistance GI, which contained a class 1 integron and a transposon in both Aeromonas isolates. Furthermore, a chromosomal mcr-3.16 gene was identified in A. veronii 0728Q8Av, while a chromosomal mcr-3.3 was found in A. caviae 1029Y16Ac. Both mcr-3 variants were not located within but were distanced from the multidrug resistance GI on the chromosome, flanking by multiple ISs. In addition, a mcr-3-like was found adjacent to mcr-3.16 to form a tandem mcr-3.16-mcr-3-like-dgkA structure; yet, Escherichia coli carrying the recombinants of mcr-3-like did not exhibit resistance to colistin. And an incomplete mcr-3-like was found adjacent to mcr-3.3 in A. caviae 1029Y16Ac, suggesting the possibility that mcr-3 variants originated from Aeromonas species. In vivo bacterial pathogenicity test indicated that A. veronii 0728Q8Av exhibited moderate pathogenicity towards infected ayu, while A. caviae 1029Y16Ac was non-virulent.DiscussionThus, both Aeromonas species deserve further attention regarding their antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in China. Most HCC patients have the complications of chronic liver disease and need overall consideration and whole-course management, including diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. To develop a reasonable, long-term, and complete management plan, multiple factors need to be considered, including the patient’s general condition, basic liver diseases, tumor stage, tumor biological characteristics, treatment requirements, and economic cost. Summary: To better guide the whole-course management of HCC patients, the Chinese Association of Liver Cancer and the Chinese Medical Doctor Association has gathered multidisciplinary experts and scholars in relevant fields to formulate the “Chinese Expert Consensus on The Whole-Course Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (2023).” Key Messages: This expert consensus, based on the current clinical evidence and experience, proposes surgical and nonsurgical HCC management pathways and involves 18 recommendations, including perioperative treatment, systematic treatment combined with local treatment, conversion treatment, special population management, symptomatic support treatment, and follow-up management.

BackgroundPortal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) seriously affects the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, whether bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) significantly affects the prognosis of HCC as much as PVTT remains unclear. We aimed to compare the long-term surgical outcomes of HCC with macroscopic PVTT (macro-PVTT) and macroscopic BDTT (macro-BDTT).MethodsThe data of HCC patients with macro-BDTT or macro-PVTT who underwent hemihepatectomy were retrospectively reviewed. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the baseline imbalance. The recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were compared between the cohorts.ResultsBefore PSM, the PVTT group had worse RFS and OS rates than the BDTT group (P = 0.043 and P = 0.008, respectively). Multivariate analyses identified PVTT (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.835, P = 0.016) and large HCC (HR = 1.553, P = 0.039) as independent risk factors for poor OS and RFS, respectively. After PSM, the PVTT group had worse RFS and OS rates than the BDTT group (P = 0.037 and P = 0.004, respectively). The 3- and 5-year OS rates were significantly higher in the BDTT group (59.5% and 52.1%, respectively) than in the PVTT group (33.3% and 20.2%, respectively).ConclusionAggressive hemihepatectomy provides an acceptable prognosis for HCC patients with macro-BDTT. Furthermore, the long-term surgical outcomes of HCC patients with macro-BDTT were significantly better than those of HCC patients with macro-PVTT.

Summary: Background: The synergistic effect of locoregional therapy in combination with systemic therapy as a conversion therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) is unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation (TACE) combined with lenvatinib and camrelizumab (TACE + LEN + CAM) as conversion therapy for uHCC. Methods: This single-arm, multicentre, prospective study was conducted at nine hospitals in China. Patients (aged 18–75 years) diagnosed with uHCC, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score (ECOG-PS) of 0–1 and Child-Pugh class A received camrelizumab (200 mg, every 3 weeks) and lenvatinib (bodyweight ≥60 kg: 12 mg/day;

BackgroundThe long-term prognosis after surgery of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and extrahepatic bile duct tumor thrombus (Ex-BDTT) remains unknown. We aimed to identify the surgical outcomes of patients with HCC and Ex-BDTT.MethodsA total of 138 patients with Ex-BDTT who underwent hepatectomy with preservation of the extrahepatic bile duct from five large hospitals in China between January 2009 and December 2017 were included. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS).ResultsWith a median follow-up of 60 months (range, 1–127.8 months), the median OS and RFS of the patients were 28.6 and 8.9 months, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates of HCC patients with Ex-BDTT were 71.7%, 41.2%, and 33.5%, respectively, and the corresponding RFS rates were 43.5%, 21.7%, and 20.0%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified that major hepatectomy, R0 resection, and major vascular invasion were independent prognostic factors for OS and RFS. In addition, preoperative serum total bilirubin ≥ 4.2 mg/dL was an independent prognostic factor for RFS.ConclusionMajor hepatectomy with preservation of the extrahepatic bile duct can provide favorable long-term survival for HCC patients with Ex-BDTT.

The nature of the Pc(4312), Pc(4440) and Pc(4457) pentaquarks is a fascinating theoretical question. Within the molecular picture their more usual interpretation is that of I=12 D¯Σc and D¯⁎Σc bound states. Here we argue in favor of interpreting the Pc(4457) pentaquark as a I=32 D¯⁎Σc bound state (with spin J=12) instead. Owing to isospin symmetry breaking effects, with this identification the partial decay width of the Pc(4457)+ into J/ψp will be of the same order of magnitude as the Pc(4312)+ and Pc(4440)+, in contrast with the considerably larger partial decay width in the I=12 scenario. In turn, this leads to a different hidden-charm molecular pentaquark spectrum, in which there are only four or five PψN bound states instead of the usual seven, which might explain why the predicted J=12 and 32 (I=12) D¯⁎Σc⁎ molecular partners of the Pc(4312) and Pc(4440) have not been observed.

There are some shortcomings for Xinjiang Naan prepared by traditional process. In this paper, Naan was prepared by oven. The amino acid composition, flavor substances and infrared spectra of self- made electric oven Naan were investigated, and compared to the commercial Naan. The experimental results showed that there were 17 kinds of amino acids in all samples, and the total amino acid content of self-made Naan was higher than that of commercial naan (P

Introduction: Transarterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitor (triple therapy) has displayed encouraging clinical outcomes for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). We aimed to explore the prognostic value of pathological response (PR) in patients with initially uHCC who underwent conversion surgery following triple therapy and identify predictors of major pathological response (MPR). Methods: A total of 76 patients with initially uHCC who underwent conversion surgery following triple therapy were retrospectively analyzed. PR was calculated as the proportion of nonviable tumor cell surface area of the whole tumor bed surface area. MPR was identified when PR was ≥90%. Pathological complete response (pCR) was defined as the absence of viable tumor cells. Results: MPR and pCR were identified in 53 (69.7%) and 25 (32.9%) patients, respectively. The 1- and 2-year overall survival in patients with MPR were significantly higher than in those without MPR (100.0% and 91.3% vs. 67.7% and 19.4%; p < 0.001). The corresponding recurrence-free survival was also improved in patients with MPR compared to those without (75.9% and 50.8% vs. 22.3% and 11.2%; p < 0.001). Similar results were observed among patients with pCR and those without. Patients who achieved MPR without pCR exhibited survival rates comparable to those of patients who achieved pCR. Baseline neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio ≥2.6 (p = 0.016) and preoperative alpha-fetoprotein level ≥400 ng/mL (p = 0.015) were independent predictors of MPR. Conclusion: The presence of MPR or pCR could improve prognosis in patients with initially uHCC who underwent conversion surgery following triple therapy. The PR may become a surrogate marker for predicting the prognosis of these patients.

Abstract Recently the LHCb Collaboration has observed a new pentaquark state, the $$P_c(4337)^+$$ P c ( 4337 ) + . Owing to its proximity to the $$\chi _{c0}(1S) p$$ χ c 0 ( 1 S ) p , $${\bar{D}}^* \varLambda _c$$ D ¯ ∗ Λ c , $${\bar{D}} \varSigma _c$$ D ¯ Σ c and $${\bar{D}} \varSigma _c^*$$ D ¯ Σ c ∗ thresholds, this new pentaquark might very well be a meson–baryon bound state. However its spin and parity have not been determined yet and none of the previous possibilities can be ruled out.We briefly explore a few of these options and the consequences they entail in the present manuscript: (i) the $$P_c(4337)^+$$ P c ( 4337 ) + might be a $$\chi _{c0}(1S) p$$ χ c 0 ( 1 S ) p bound state, (ii) the $$P_c(4312)^+$$ P c ( 4312 ) + and $$P_c(4337)^+$$ P c ( 4337 ) + might be $${\bar{D}}^* \varLambda _c$$ D ¯ ∗ Λ c and $${\bar{D}} \varSigma _c$$ D ¯ Σ c states close to threshold, respectively, where the Breit–Wigner mass might not correspond to the location of the poles, (iii) the locations of the $$P_c(4312)^+$$ P c ( 4312 ) + and $$P_c(4337)^+$$ P c ( 4337 ) + might be explained in terms of the $${\bar{D}}^* \varLambda _c$$ D ¯ ∗ Λ c - $${\bar{D}} \varSigma _c$$ D ¯ Σ c and $${\bar{D}}^* \varLambda _c$$ D ¯ ∗ Λ c - $${\bar{D}} \varSigma _c^*$$ D ¯ Σ c ∗ coupled channel dynamics. This last option, though not the most probable explanation, is still potentially compatible with the double peak solution of the $$P_{cs}(4459)^0$$ P cs ( 4459 ) 0 and with what we know of the $$P_c(4312)^+$$ P c ( 4312 ) + . As a byproduct of the previous explorations, we conjecture the existence of a series of anticharmed meson – antitriplet charmed baryon bound states and calculate their masses.

BackgroundThe effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has not been reported. This study aimed to explore the relationship between preoperative T2DM and long-term prognosis in HCC patients undergoing LLR.MethodsHCC patients receiving LLR as initial treatment at four cancer centers were retrospectively included in this study. Clinicopathological factors associated with the prognosis of HCC patients were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) curves between different cohorts of patients were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test.ResultsOf 402 HCC patients included, 62 patients had T2DM and 340 patients did not have T2DM. The OS and RFS of patients with T2DM were significantly worse compared to those without T2DM (P = 0.001 and 0.032, respectively). In Cox multivariate analysis, T2DM was identified as an independent risk factors for OS (HR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.38–3.85, P = 0.001) and RFS (HR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.08–2.55, P = 0.020).ConclusionsFollowing laparoscopic surgical approach, HCC patients with T2DM had poorer prognoses than those without T2DM. Preoperative T2DM was an independent risk factor for HCC patients. Thus, patients with concurrent HCC and T2DM should be closely monitored after LLR.

Objective To investigate the role of Rer1 in hERG potassium channel protein transport,and to study the medicine Baf A1 that may restore abnormal hERG transport. Methods HEK293T cells were transiently transfected with constructed A561V mutant and WT plasmids, the wild-type,mutant and mixed transfection cell models were established.The expressions of hERG and Rer1 were detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot.siRNA was used to knockdown the expression of Rer1 and detect the expression of hERG;Bafilomycin A1,a V-ATPase inhibitor was incubated with 1 mmol/L for 6 hours.Western blot was used to detect the changes of hERG protein before and after the incubation.Patch clamp was used to measure the current of potential functional in mixed transfection cells. Results Compared with the WT group,A561V-mutation could cause trafficking deficient of hERG protein.The PM expression of hERG in mutant group was significantly reduced(P＜0.01).The expression of Rer1 in mutation and mixed transfection groups decreased significantly(P＜0.01).Knockdown of Rer1 promoted the forward transport of mature hERG.Besides,after incubation with Baf A1,the mature hERG protein in WT and mutant groups increased significantly(P＜0.05),while the immature hERG in the mixed transformation group was significantly increased(P＜0.05).Relative density of tail current was elevated following incubation with Baf A1 compared with control. Conclusions Rer1 is involved in the transport of hERG potassium channel and inhibits the forward transport of some abnormal hERG.Baf A1 significantly enhances the tail current density of mixed transfection cells.

BackgroundEarly recurrence is common after surgical resection (SR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with high risk of recurrence and is associated with poor prognosis. The combinations of lenvatinib (LEN), anti-PD-1 antibodies (PD-1) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) (triple therapy) has shown better trend in tumor response and survival outcomes on unresectable HCC. It is unknown whether triple therapy for neoadjuvant treatment of resectable HCC with high risk of recurrence is effective. This article aimed to compare the outcomes of surgery alone and neoadjuvant combination treatment with triple therapy before SR in patients with HCC with high risk of recurrence.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with HCC with high risk of recurrence who received treatment with or without triple therapy. The records of 24 patients in the triple therapy group and 76 patients in the surgery-alone group were analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to minimize the influence of potential confounders.ResultsOne hundred patients were enrolled. In the triple therapy group, 8 (33.3%) and 12 (50.0%) patients had complete and partial responses, respectively, as assessed by an investigator. Before PSM, the overall survival (OS) rates for the triple therapy group at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months were 100.0%, 100.0%, 100.0%, and 85.7%, respectively, compared with corresponding 92.1%, 73.7%, 53.9%, and 48.7% for the surgery-alone group (P

Abstract The observation of the $$P_{cs}(4459)$$ P cs ( 4459 ) by the LHCb collaboration adds a new member to the set of known hidden-charm pentaquarks, which includes the $$P_c(4312)$$ P c ( 4312 ) , $$P_c(4440)$$ P c ( 4440 ) and $$P_c(4457)$$ P c ( 4457 ) . The $$P_{cs}(4459)$$ P cs ( 4459 ) is expected to have the light-quark content of a $$\Lambda $$ Λ baryon ( $$I=0$$ I = 0 , $$S=-1$$ S = - 1 ), but its spin is unknown. Its closeness to the $${\bar{D}}^* \Xi _c$$ D ¯ ∗ Ξ c threshold – $$4478\,{\mathrm{MeV}}$$ 4478 MeV in the isospin-symmetric limit – suggests the molecular hypothesis as a plausible explanation for the $$P_{cs}(4459)$$ P cs ( 4459 ) . While in the absence of coupled-channel dynamics heavy-quark spin symmetry predicts the two spin-states of the $${\bar{D}}^* \Xi _c$$ D ¯ ∗ Ξ c to be degenerate, power counting arguments indicate that the coupling with the nearby $${\bar{D}} \Xi _c'$$ D ¯ Ξ c ′ and $${\bar{D}} \Xi _c^*$$ D ¯ Ξ c ∗ channels might be a leading order effect. This generates a hyperfine splitting in which the $$J=\tfrac{3}{2}$$ J = 3 2 $${\bar{D}}^* \Xi _c$$ D ¯ ∗ Ξ c pentaquark will be lighter than the $$J=\tfrac{1}{2}$$ J = 1 2 configuration, which we estimate to be of the order of $$5-15\,{\mathrm{MeV}}$$ 5 - 15 MeV . We also point out an accidental symmetry between the $$P_{cs}(4459)$$ P cs ( 4459 ) and $$P_c(4440/4457)$$ P c ( 4440 / 4457 ) potentials. Finally, we argue that the spectroscopy and the $$J/\psi \Lambda $$ J / ψ Λ decays of the $$P_{cs}(4459)$$ P cs ( 4459 ) might suggest a marginal preference for $$J = \tfrac{3}{2}$$ J = 3 2 over $$J = \tfrac{1}{2}$$ J = 1 2 .

Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) is one of the most prevalent crustacean species, understanding the metabolomics during gonad maturation in female L. vannamei is important to understand the regulatory mechanism of reproductive process. LC-MS-based untargeted metabolomics was used to identify the metabolite profile in the hepatopancreas and ovary during ovarian maturation in L. vannamei in this study. A total of 452 and 3887 differential metabolites were identified in the hepatopancreas and ovary, respectively. The most enriched pathways of differential metabolites in hepatopancreas were metabolic pathway, linoleic acid metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and steroid biosynthesis, and the most enriched pathways identified in the ovary were metabolic pathway, arachidonic acid metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, tryptophan metabolism, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and steroid biosynthesis. Among these significant differential metabolites, unsaturated fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (ARA), decreased significantly in the maturing ovary. Prostaglandins E2 and F2α, the metabolites of ARA, decreased > 50% in the maturing ovary. The contents of vitamin D3 and vitamin E increased more than five-fold at maturing stages, while vitamin A decreased significantly during ovarian maturation. 3-hydroxy-L-kynurenine (3OHKyn), the metabolite of tryptophan and the precursor of ommochrome, accumulated in the maturing ovary. The content of cholesterol and sn-glycerol-3-phosphate also increased in the mature ovary. Furthermore, the expression profiles of genes involved in total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TAG) synthesis were determined to reveal the molecular mechanism of these biosynthesis processes in L. vannamei. The current study revealed the metabolomics profile and found some new metabolites that were critical for ovary development in L. vannamei.

Abstract Background Bile duct invasion is a relatively rare event and is not well characterised in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It remains very difficult to diagnose HCC with bile duct tumour thrombus (BDTT) before surgery. Increasing evidence has revealed that inflammation plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. This study aimed to develop nomograms based on systemic and hepatic inflammation markers to predict microscopic BDTT (micro-BDTT) before surgery in HCC. Methods A total of 723 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy as initial therapy between January 2012 and June 2020 were included in the study. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for micro-BDTT. The nomograms were constructed using significant predictors, including α-fetoprotein (AFP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), direct bilirubin (DB), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The prediction accuracies of the nomograms were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results AFP, ALP, DB, PNI, and γ-GT/ALT were independent risk factors for predicting micro-BDTT (P = 0.036, P = 0.004, P = 0.013, P = 0.012, and P = 0.006, respectively), which were assembled into the nomograms. The area under the ROC curve of the nomograms combining PNI and γ-GT/ALT for predicting micro-BDTT was 0.804 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.730–0.878). The sensitivity and specificity values when used in predicting micro-BDTT before surgery were 0.739 (95% CI: 0.612–0.866) and 0.781 (95% CI: 0.750–0.813), respectively. Conclusions The nomogram based on combining systemic and hepatic inflammation markers is suitable for predicting micro-BDTT before surgery in HCC patients, leading to a rational therapeutic choice for HCC.

Purpose. To observe the relationship between myopia progression and changes in retinal thickness during one year of follow‐up among primary school children. Methods. The study included 1161 eyes of 708 myopic children, with 616 (53.06%) right eyes and 545 (46.94%) left eyes. The participants underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including visual acuity, axial length (AL), autorefraction, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination in 2016 and in 2017. An analysis was conducted on the differences in retinal thickness between different genders and between high myopia and nonhigh myopia. Furthermore, the study delved into the correlation between the progression of myopia and the changes of retinal thickness. Results. The average diopter was −1.83 ± 1.29D, average AL was 23.78 ± 0.94 mm, and average foveal thickness was 228.02 ± 23.00 μm. For the inner retina, the median value [the lower quartile value, the upper quartile value] of the foveal thickness was thicker in the high myopia group than the nonhigh myopia group (67 [64; 74] μm vs. 63 [56; 70] μm), while the parafoveal region and perifoveal region were thinner in the high myopia group than the nonhigh myopia group (106 [100; 123] μm vs. 124 [117; 130] μm; 95.0 [93; 102] μm vs. 104 [100; 108] μm). Among all the children with myopia, 67.53% (784/1161) of them have a diopter progression within one year. The AL progression was 95.43% (1108/1161). The retinal thickness of all children has slightly increased in various regions. As the AL of the eye increased and the diopter decreased, the progression degree of inner retinal thickness and full retinal thickness (exclusive of full fovea) decreased. Conclusion. For the school‐age myopic children, the inner foveal retinal thickness were thicker in highly myopic students than in the nonhighly myopic students, while the parafoveal and perifoveal retina were thinner in highly myopic students. The inner and full retinal thicknesses of male students were thicker than that of females. The progression of myopia mainly affected the changes of the inner retinal thickness in the one‐year follow‐up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The LHCb collaboration recently reported the observation of a narrow peak in the $$D^- K^+$$ D - K + invariant mass distributions from the $$B^+\rightarrow D^+ D^- K^+$$ B + → D + D - K + decay. The peak is parameterized in terms of two resonances $$X_0(2900)$$ X 0 ( 2900 ) and $$X_1(2900)$$ X 1 ( 2900 ) with the quark contents $${\bar{c}}{\bar{s}}ud$$ c ¯ s ¯ u d , and their spin-parity quantum numbers are $$0^+$$ 0 + and $$1^-$$ 1 - , respectively. We investigate the rescattering processes which may contribute to the $$B^+\rightarrow D^+ D^- K^+$$ B + → D + D - K + decays. It is shown that the $$D^{*-}K^{*+}$$ D ∗ - K ∗ + rescattering via the $$\chi _{c1}K^{*+}D^{*-}$$ χ c 1 K ∗ + D ∗ - loop and the $${\bar{D}}_{1}^{0}K^{0}$$ D ¯ 1 0 K 0 rescattering via the $$D_{sJ}^{+}{\bar{D}}_{1}^{0}K^{0}$$ D sJ + D ¯ 1 0 K 0 loop can simulate the $$X_0(2900)$$ X 0 ( 2900 ) and $$X_1(2900)$$ X 1 ( 2900 ) with consistent quantum numbers. Such phenomena are due to the analytical property of the scattering amplitudes with the triangle singularities located to the vicinity of the physical boundary.

In this work, we interpret the newly observed η1(1855) resonance with exotic JPC=1−+ quantum numbers in the I=0 sector, reported by the BESIII Collaboration, as a dynamically generated state from the interaction between the lightest pseudoscalar mesons and axial-vector mesons. The interaction is derived from the lowest order chiral Lagrangian from which the Weinberg–Tomozawa term is obtained, describing the transition amplitudes among the relevant channels, which are then unitarized using the Bethe–Salpeter equation, according to the chiral unitary approach. We evaluate the η1(1855) decays into the ηη′ and KK¯*π channels and find that the latter has a larger branching fraction. We also investigate its SU(3) partners, and according to our findings, the π1(1400) and π1(1600) structures may correspond to dynamically generated states, with the former one coupled mostly to the b1π component and the latter one coupled to the K1(1270)K¯ channel. In particular, our result for the ratio Γ(π1(1600)→f1(1285)π)/Γ(π1(1600)→η′π) is consistent with the measured value, which supports our interpretation for the higher π1 state. We also report two poles with a mass about 1.7 GeV in the I=1/2 sector, which may be responsible for the K*(1680). We suggest searching for two additional η1 exotic mesons with masses around 1.4 and 1.7 GeV. In particular, the predicted η1(1700) is expected to have a width around 0.1 GeV and can decay easily into KK¯ππ.

ObjectivesThere are still challenging problems in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) before operation. This study aimed to analyze the imaging features of HCC with B1–B3 BDTT.Materials and MethodsThe clinicopathological data and imaging findings of 30 HCC patients with B1–B3 BDTT from three high-volume institutions were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 631 patients without BDTT who were randomly collected from each of the enrolled centers were recorded as the control group to analyze the differences in clinicopathological characteristics and imaging features between the two groups. A total of 453 HCC patients who underwent surgical treatment in the three institutions from January 2020 to December 2020 were collected for a blinded reading test as the validation group.ResultsHCC patients with B1–B3 BDTT had more advanced tumor stages and adverse clinicopathological features. HCC lesions were detected in all patients, and intrahepatic bile duct dilation was observed in 28 (93.3%) patients with B1–B3 BDTT and 9 (1.43%) patients in HCC without BDTT. The intrahepatic bile duct dilation showed no enhancement at hepatic arterial phase (HAP) and no progressively delayed enhancement at portal venous phase (PVP), but it was more obvious at PVP on CT. In the reports of the 30 HCC patients with B1–B3 BDTT generated for the image when the scan was done, BDTT was observed in all 13 B3 patients and 3 of 12 B2 patients, but none of the 5 B1 patients. Fourteen patients were misdiagnosed before surgery. However, when using intrahepatic bile duct dilation in HCC patients as a potential biomarker for BDTT diagnosis, the sensitivity and specificity for BDTT diagnosis were 93.33% and 98.57%, respectively. The blinded reading test showed that intrahepatic bile duct dilation in CT and MRI scans could be for separating HCC patients with B1–B3 BDTT from HCC patients without BDTT.ConclusionsThe HCC lesions and intrahepatic bile duct dilation on CT or MRI scans are imaging features of HCC with BDTT, which might facilitate the early diagnosis of B1–B3 BDTT.

Introduction. The actual rate of conversion surgery and its prognostic advantages remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the outcomes of salvage surgery after conversion therapy with triple therapy (transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with lenvatinib plus anti-PD-1 antibodies) in patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). Methods. Patients with initially uHCC who received at least one cycle of first-line triple therapy and salvage surgery at five major cancer centers in China were included. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates after salvage surgery. The secondary endpoints were perioperative complications, 90-day mortality, and pathological tumor response. Results. Between June 2018 and December 2021, 70 patients diagnosed with uHCC who underwent triple therapy and salvage surgery were analyzed: 39 with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C, 22 with BCLC stage B, and 9 with BCLC stage A disease. The median interval between the start of triple therapy and salvage surgery was 4.3 months (range, 1.7–14.2 months). Pathological complete response and major pathological response were observed in 29 (41.4%) and 59 (84.3%) patients, respectively. There were two cases of perioperative mortality (4.3%) and five cases of severe perioperative complications (7.1%). With a median follow-up of 12.9 months after surgery (range, 0.3–36.8 months), the median OS and RFS were not reached. The 1- and 2-year OS rates were 97.1% and 94.4%, respectively, and the corresponding RFS rates were 68.9% and 54.4%, respectively. Conclusion. First-line combination of TACE, lenvatinib, and anti-PD-1 antibodies provides a better chance of conversion therapy in patients with initially uHCC. Furthermore, salvage surgery after conversion therapy is effective and safe and has the potential to provide excellent long-term survival benefits.

By distinguishing between ingroup versus outgroup conspiracy theories, this research seeks to explain a paradox in conspiracy theory research, namely, that conspiracy beliefs are associated with both derogation and justification of the social system. Study 1 (N = 1,481) was a survey in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic in China, and the results revealed a negative correlation between belief in ingroup conspiracy theories and system‐justifying beliefs. In Study 2 (N = 195), exposure to outgroup conspiracy theories positively predicted system‐justifying beliefs, a finding that was serially mediated by external attributions and collective narcissism. In Study 3 (N = 256), exposure to ingroup conspiracy theories negatively predicted system‐justifying beliefs, a result that was serially mediated by internal attributions and anomie. In Study 4 (N = 616), exposure to a conspiracy theory about the US government increased system‐justifying beliefs among Chinese participants and decreased them among US participants. The distinction between ingroup versus outgroup conspiracy theories hence implies two different processes through which conspiracy theories affect system‐justifying beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the age-related changes of the mandibular third molar root pulp visibility in individuals in East China, and to explore the feasibility of applying this method to determine whether an individual is 18 years or older. Methods A total of 1 280 oral panoramic images were collected from the 15-30 years old East China population, and the mandibular third molar root pulp visibility in all oral panoramic images was evaluated using OLZE 0-3 four-stage method, and the age distribution of the samples at each stage was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Stages 0, 1, 2 and 3 first appeared in 16.88, 19.18, 21.91 and 25.44 years for males and in 17.47, 20.91, 22.01 and 26.01 years for females. In all samples, individuals at stages 1 to 3 were over 18 years old. Conclusion It is feasible to determine whether an individual in East China is 18 years or older based on the mandibular third molar root pulp visibility on oral panoramic images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conspiracy theories tend to be prevalent, particularly in societies with high economic inequality. However, few studies have examined the relationship between economic inequality and belief in conspiracy theories. We propose that economic inequality leads people to believe conspiracy theories about economically advantaged groups (i.e., upwards conspiracy theories) and that moral evaluations of those groups mediate this relationship. Study 1 (N = 300) found support for these ideas in a survey among Chinese residents. Study 2 (N = 160) manipulated participants' perceptions of economic inequality in a virtual society. The manipulation shaped moral evaluations of economically advantaged groups, and conspiracy beliefs, in the predicted manner. In Study 3 (N = 191) and Study 4 (N = 210), we experimentally manipulated participants' perceptions of economic inequality in real Chinese society and replicated the results of Study 2. In addition, in Study 4, we find that economic inequality predicts belief in conspiracy theories about economically disadvantaged groups (i.e., downward conspiracy theories), which was mediated by anomie. We conclude that perceived economic inequality predicts conspiracy theories about economically advantaged groups and that moral evaluations account for this effect. Also, upward and downward conspiracy theory beliefs are associated with different psychological processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]