Observation of the Singly Cabibbo Suppressed Decay Λ_{c}^{+}→nπ^{+}

The singly Cabibbo-suppressed decay Λ_{c}^{+}→nπ^{+} is observed for the first time with a statistical significance of 7.3σ by using 3.9  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.612 and 4.699 GeV with the BESIII detector at BEPCII. The branching fraction of Λ_{c}^{+}→nπ^{+} is measured to be (6.6±1.2_{stat}±0.4_{syst})×10^{-4}. By taking the upper limit of branching fractions of Λ_{c}^{+}→pπ^{0} from the Belle experiment, the ratio of branching fractions between Λ_{c}^{+}→nπ^{+} and Λ_{c}^{+}→pπ^{0} is calculated to be larger than 7.2 at the 90% confidence level, which disagrees with most predictions of the available phenomenological models. In addition, the branching fractions of the Cabibbo-favored decays Λ_{c}^{+}→Λπ^{+} and Λ_{c}^{+}→Σ^{0}π^{+} are measured to be (1.31±0.08_{stat}±0.05_{syst})×10^{-2} and (1.22±0.08_{stat}±0.07_{syst})×10^{-2}, respectively, which are consistent with previous results.

[A nested case-control study on the relationship between red blood cell folate and the prognosis of low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia]

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between red blood cell folate (RBC folate) and the prognosis of low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 1). Methods: In the married women cohort established in 2014, 564 women with CIN 1 diagnosed by pathology were recruited. The demographic characteristics and factors of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia were collected. Meanwhile, the infection status of human papillomavirus (HPV) was detected by molecular diversion hybridization, and the level of RBC folate was measured by chemical photoimmunoassay. After 24 months of follow-up, pathological examination was performed again to observe the prognosis of participants. The women with reversal were taken as the control group,and those with continuous and progressive CIN 1 were taken as the case group respectively. The relationship between RBC folate and CIN 1 outcome was evaluated by logistic regression model. Results: 453 women completed the follow-up, aged (49.72±6.84) years old. CIN 1 was reversed in 342 women, continued in 58 cases and progressed in 53 cases. The RBC folate level M (Q_1,Q₃) were 399.01 (307.10, 538.97) ng/ml, 316.98 (184.74, 428.49) ng/ml and 247.14 (170.54, 348.97) ng/ml, respectively. With the decrease of RBC folate, the risk of continuous and progressive CIN 1 increased (all P<0.001), while the risk of reversal CIN 1 decreased gradually (P<0.001). Combined with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection status, low level of RBC folate could increase the risk of CIN 1 progression regardless of HR-HPV infection (HR-HPV infection: OR=21.34, 95%CI: 3.98-114.54; HR-HPV uninfection: OR=11.15, 95%CI: 2.34-53.13). Conclusion: Low level of RBC folate could increase the risk of CIN 1 persistence and progression regardless of HR-HPV infection.

Measurement of the Cross Section for e^{+}e^{-}→Hadrons at Energies from 2.2324 to 3.6710 GeV

Based on electron-positron collision data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider II storage rings, the value of R≡σ(e^{+}e^{-}→hadrons)/σ(e^{+}e^{-}→μ^{+}μ^{-}) is measured at 14 center-of-mass energies from 2.2324 to 3.6710 GeV. The resulting uncertainties are less than 3.0% and are dominated by systematic uncertainties.

First Measurement of Polarizations in the Decay D^{0}→ωφ

Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93  fb^{-1} collected at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=3.773  GeV by the BESIII detector, the decay D^{0}→ωϕ is observed for the first time. The branching fraction is measured to be (6.48±0.96±0.40)×10^{-4} with a significance of 6.3σ, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. An angular analysis reveals that the ϕ and ω mesons from the D^{0}→ωϕ decay are transversely polarized. The 95% confidence level upper limit on longitudinal polarization fraction is set to be less than 0.24, which is inconsistent with current theoretical expectations and challenges our understanding of the underlying dynamics in charm meson decays.

Measurement of the Absolute Branching Fraction of D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ} via τ^{+}→e^{+}ν_{e}ν[over ¯]_{τ}

Using a dataset of 6.32  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} annihilation data collected with the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies between 4178 and 4226 MeV, we have measured the absolute branching fraction of the leptonic decay D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ} via τ^{+}→e^{+}ν_{e}ν[over ¯]_{τ}, and find B_{D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ}}=(5.27±0.10±0.12)×10^{-2}, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The precision is improved by a factor of 2 compared to the previous best measurement. Combining with f_{D_{s}^{+}} from lattice quantum chromodynamics calculations or the |V_{cs}| from the CKMfitter group, we extract |V_{cs}|=0.978±0.009±0.012 and f_{D_{s}^{+}}=(251.1±2.4±3.0)  MeV, respectively. Combining our result with the world averages of B_{D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ}} and B_{D_{s}^{+}→μ^{+}ν_{μ}}, we obtain the ratio of the branching fractions B_{D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ}}/B_{D_{s}^{+}→μ^{+}ν_{μ}}=9.72±0.37, which is consistent with the standard model prediction of lepton flavor universality.

P90 ribosomal S6 kinase confers cancer cell survival by mediating checkpoint kinase 1 degradation in response to glucose stress

In solid tumors, cancer cells have devised multiple approaches to survival and proliferate in response to glucose starvation that is often observed in solid tumor microenvironments. However, the precise mechanisms are far less known. Herein, we report that glucose deprivation activates 90‐kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p90 RSK), a highly conserved Ser/Thr kinase, and activated p90 RSK promotes cancer cell survival. Mechanistically, activated p90 RSK by glucose deprivation phosphorylates checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1), a key transducer in checkpoint signaling pathways, at Ser280 and triggers CHK1 ubiquitination mediated by SCF^β‐TrCP ubiquitin ligase and proteasomal degradation, subsequently suppressing cancer cell apoptosis induced by glucose deprivation. Importantly, we identified an inverse correlation between p90 RSK activity and CHK1 levels within the solid tumor mass, with lower levels of CHK1 and higher activity of p90 RSK in the center of the tumor where low glucose concentrations are often observed. Thus, our study indicates that p90 RSK promotes CHK1 phosphorylation at Ser280 and its subsequent degradation, which allows cancer cells to escape from checkpoint signals under the stress of glucose deprivation, leading to cell survival and thus contributing to tumorigenesis.

Observation of D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e}

Using 2.93  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data taken with the BESIII detector at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV, the observation of the D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e} semileptonic decay is presented. The statistical significance of the decay D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e} is greater than 10σ. The branching fraction of D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e} is measured to be (1.09±0.13_{-0.16}^{+0.09}±0.12)×10^{-3}. Here, the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third originates from the assumed branching fraction of K_{1}(1270)^{-}→K^{-}π^{+}π^{-}. The fraction of longitudinal polarization in D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e} is determined for the first time to be 0.50±0.19_{stat}±0.08_{syst}.

First Measurement of the Absolute Branching Fraction of Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ}

The absolute branching fraction of Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ} is reported for the first time based on an e^{+}e^{-} annihilation sample of 10×10^{9}  J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector at sqrt[s]=3.097  GeV. The branching fraction is determined to be B(Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ})=[1.48±0.21(stat)±0.08(syst)]×10^{-4}, which is improved by about 30% in precision over the previous indirect measurements. Combining this result with the world average of B(Λ→pe^{-}ν[over ¯]_{e}), we obtain the ratio {[Γ(Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ})]/[Γ(Λ→pe^{-}ν[over ¯]_{e})]} to be 0.178±0.028, which agrees with the standard model prediction assuming lepton flavor universality. The asymmetry of the branching fractions of Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ} and Λ[over ¯]→p[over ¯]μ^{+}ν_{μ} is also determined, and no evidence for CP violation is found.

Direct Measurement of the Branching Fractions B(ψ(3686)→J/ψX) and B(ψ(3770)→J/ψX), and Observation of the State R(3760) in e^{+}e^{-}→J/ψX

We report a measurement of the observed cross sections of e^{+}e^{-}→J/ψX based on 3.21  fb^{-1} of data accumulated at energies from 3.645 to 3.891 GeV with the BESIII detector operated at the BEPCII collider. In analysis of the cross sections, we measured the decay branching fractions of B(ψ(3686)→J/ψX)=(64.4±0.6±1.6)% and B(ψ(3770)→J/ψX)=(0.5±0.2±0.1)% for the first time. The energy-dependent line shape of these cross sections cannot be well described by two Breit-Wigner (BW) amplitudes of the expected decays ψ(3686)→J/ψX and ψ(3770)→J/ψX. Instead, it can be better described with one more BW amplitude of the decay R(3760)→J/ψX. Under this assumption, we extracted the R(3760) mass M_{R(3760)}=3766.2±3.8±0.4  MeV/c^{2} , total width Γ_{R(3760)}^{tot}=22.2±5.9±1.4  MeV, and product of leptonic width and decay branching fraction Γ_{R(3760)}^{ee}B[R(3760)→J/ψX]=(79.4±85.5±11.7)  eV. The significance of the R(3760) is 5.3σ. The first uncertainties of these measured quantities are from fits to the cross sections and second systematic.

DEPTOR inhibits lung tumorigenesis by inactivating the EGFR-mTOR signals

DEPTOR plays vital roles in the regulation of cell proliferation and survival by directly modulating the activity of mTORC1/2. However, the physiological role of DEPTOR in lung tumorigenesis, as well as its clinical significance, remains elusive. In this study, we revealed that decreased DEPTOR expression correlated with increased tumor size, poor differentiation, and worse survival in patients with lung cancer. DEPTOR depletion promoted cell proliferation, survival, migration, and invasion in human lung cancer cells. Mechanistically, DEPTOR bound to the kinase domain of EGFR via its PDZ domain to inactivate EGFR signal. Thus, DEPTOR depletion not only directly activated mTORC1/2, but also relieved the inhibition of EGFR to subsequently activate mTOR signals, leading to the induction of cell proliferation and survival. Additionally, activated EGFR-mTOR signals upregulated the expression of ZEB1 and SLUG to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition, resulting in enhanced migration and invasion. Importantly, Deptor deletion accelerated Kras^G12D;p53^fl/fl-induced lung tumorigenesis and shortened mouse life span via the activation of EGFR-mTOR signals. Collectively, our study demonstrated that DEPTOR acts as a tumor suppressor in lung tumorigenesis, and its reduction may advance the progression of human lung cancer.

AB0927-PARE WORK PRODUCTIVITY AND ACTIVITY IMPAIRMENT IN PATIENTS WITH SAPHO SYNDROME

Background:

Synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome is a rare disease, characterized by osteoarticular and cutaneous manifestations. Osteitis and hyperostosis are regarded as the core pathophysiological changes of SAPHO syndrome [1], which may lead to bone pain and loss of motor function. The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire is an instrument to measure the impact of the disease on work productivity and activity, subsequently adapted for ankylosing spondylitis [2], rheumatoid arthritis [3], irritable bowel syndrome [4], and other chronic diseases [5]. However, no study has investigated the work productivity of patients with SAPHO syndrome.

Objectives:

The purpose of this study is to give an overview of work productivity loss in SAPHO patients through the work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI) questionnaire and investigate the relationship between the WPAI and other disease-related indicators.

Methods:

Patients for this cross-sectional study were recruited from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Beijing, China). The questionnaires incorporating the WPAI were administered, along with demographic data, disease-specific measures, and general health variables. The construct validity of WPAI was evaluated by the correlations between WPAI outcomes and other measures. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for comparison of WPAI outcomes between known-groups.

Results:

A total of 376 patients were included and 201 patients (53.5%) were employed. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) of absenteeism, presenteeism, work productivity loss and activity impairment were 0% (0-13%), 20% (0-40%), 20% (0-52%) and 30% (0-50%), respectively. All WPAI outcomes showed moderate to strong correlations to other generic and disease-specific measures (|r| =0.43-0.75), except for absenteeism. Increasing disease activity and worse health status are significantly associated with higher impairment of work productivity and activity.

Conclusion:

This study highlights the negative effects of SAPHO syndrome on patients’ work productivity and activity, indicating a good construct validity and discriminative ability of WPAI. For reducing the economic burden, it is important to improve the patients’ work productivity and daily activity with active intervention.

References:

[1]Liu S, Tang M, Cao Y, Li C. Synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis syndrome: review and update. Therapeutic advances in musculoskeletal disease. 2020;12:1759720x20912865.

[2]Reilly MC, Gooch KL, Wong RL, Kupper H, van der Heijde D. Validity, reliability and responsiveness of the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire in ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatology (Oxford, England). 2010;49(4):812-819.

[3]Zhang W, Bansback N, Boonen A, Young A, Singh A, Anis AH. Validity of the work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire--general health version in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis research & therapy. 2010;12(5):R177.

[4]Frandemark A, Tornblom H, Jakobsson S, Simren M. Work Productivity and Activity Impairment in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): A Multifaceted Problem. The American journal of gastroenterology. 2018;113(10):1540-1549.

[5]Enns MW, Bernstein CN, Kroeker K, Graff L, Walker JR, Lix LM, et al. The association of fatigue, pain, depression and anxiety with work and activity impairment in immune mediated inflammatory diseases. PloS one. 2018;13(6):e0198975.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

POS0664 A MULTICENTER RANDOMIZED STUDY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TO COMPARE IGURATIMOD, METHOTREXATE, OR COMBINATION: 52 WEEK EFFICACY AND SAFETY RESULTS OF THE SMILE TRIAL

Background:

Iguratimod (IGU) has demonstrated efficacy and safety for active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in double-blind clinical trials in China and Japan as a new disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD). There are no studies evaluating the radiographic progression of structural joint damage of IGU for the treatment of RA using the mTSS as the primary endpoint.

Objectives:

Our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IGU monotherapy and IGU combined methotrexate (MTX) compared with MTX monotherapy, including the inhibitory effects of joint destruction.

Methods:

This randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled, multicenter study in patients with active RA who have not previously used MTX and biological DMARDs (bDMARDs) (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01548001) was carried out in China. Patients were randomized 1:1:1 to receive IGU 25 mg twice a day (bid), MTX 10mg once a week(qw) for the first 4 weeks and 15 mg once a week(qw) for week 5 to 52, or IGU combined MTX (IGU+MTX) for 52 weeks. The primary endpoints were to assess and compare American College of Rheumatology 20% (ACR20) response and the change of modified total Sharp scoring (mTSS) score over 52 weeks (Intention-to-treat, ITT analysis). The non-inferiority test was used to analyze the difference of ACR20 response at 52 weeks between the IGU monotherapy and the MTX monotherapy arms, and the non-inferiority limit value was 10%. The difference test was used for the comparison between the IGU+MTX and MTX monotherapy arms. Two-way ANOVA was used to analyze the difference of the changes of mTSS score of each arm compared with baseline value (0 week).

Results:

A total of 895 patients were randomized to IGU 25mg bid (n =297), MTX 10-15mg qw(n=293), and IGU+MTX (n=305). Baseline characteristics were comparable between the arms (Table 1).

Table 1.

Demographic and Other Baseline Characteristics (SAS)

IGUMTXIGU+MTXNumber of Subjects297293305Age, mean (SD) years46.87(10.67)47.63(10.70)48.37(10.69)Female/male, %77.44/22.5679.18/20.8278.03/21.97Duration of RA, mean(SD) years11.67±7.1611.60±7.9811.67±7.27CRP, mean(SD) mg/L222.32±35.4720.67±26.6119.74±31.38Tender joint count, mean (SD)14.59±9.1614.83±9.3014.93±9.88Swollen joint count, mean (SD)9.81±6.639.73±7.209.51±6.22DAS28-CRP, mean (SD)5.084±0.9945.102±0.9795.103±0.956HAQ score, mean (SD)15.82±11.2515.24±10.9316.06±10.92

SAS: Safety Analysis Set; CRP: C-reactive protein;

DAS28: disease activity score; HAQ: Health Assessment Questionnaire

The study met its primary endpoints. More concretely, IGU monotherapy and IGU+MTX were found to be superior to MTX at week 52 with a higher ACR20 response of 77.44%(230/297, P=0.0019) and 77.05%(235/305, P=0.0028) versus 65.87%(193/293) (fig 1). As shown in fig 1, the structural remission (ΔmTSS≤0.5) was statistically significant for IGU monotherapy (57.4%, P=0.0308) but not for IGU+MTX arm (55%) versus MTX monotherapy (47.8%).

Overall incidence of the adverse events (AEs) leading to study discontinuation were reported in 13.8% (41/297) in IGU monotherapy arm, 11.26% (33/293) in MTX monotherapy arm and 11.51% (35/305) patients in IGU+MTX arm. The incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADR) leading to study discontinuation were 11.45% (34/297), 8.53% (25/293) and 9.21% (28/305), respectively. There was no one death and no significant difference in all the safety indicators among the three arms.

Conclusion:

Iguratimod alone or in combination with MTX demonstrated superior efficacy with acceptable safety compared to MTX for patients with active RA who have not previously used MTX bDMARDs.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Evolution of AITR family genes in cotton and their functions in abiotic stress tolerance

Abiotic stresses are major environmental factors inhibiting plant growth and development. AITRs (ABA-induced transcription repressors) are a novel family of transcription factors regulating ABA (abscisic acid) signalling and plant responses to abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis. However, the composition and evolution history of AITRs and their roles in the cotton genus are largely unknown. A total of 12 putative AITRs genes were identified in cultivated tetraploid cotton, Gossypium hirsutum. Phylogenetic analysis of GhAITRs in these tetraploid cottons and their closely related species implicate ancient genome-wide duplication occurring after speciation of Gossypium, and Theobroma could generate duplicates of GhAITRs. Duplicated GhAITRs were stably inherited following diploid speciation and further allotetraploidy in Gossypium. Homologous GhAITRs shared common expression patterns in response to ABA, drought and salinity treatments, and drought tolerance induced in transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing GhAITR-A1. Together, our findings reveal that duplicates in the GhAITRs gene family were achieved by whole genome duplication rather than three individual duplication events, and that GhAITRs function as transcription repressors and are involved in the regulation of plant responses to ABA and drought stress. These results provide insights towards the improvement of abiotic stress tolerance in cotton using GhAITRs.

DEPTOR stabilizes ErbB2 to promote the proliferation and survival of ErbB2-positive breast cancer cells

Rationale: Dysregulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway occurs frequently in cancers, providing an attractive therapeutic target for anticancer treatments. DEPTOR plays essential roles in regulation of cell proliferation and survival by directly modulating mTOR activity. However, whether DEPTOR regulates the growth of ErbB2-positive breast cancer cells remains unknown.

Methods: DEPTOR expression was determined by TCGA data analysis and immunohistochemistry of human breast tissue microarrays. The membrane localization of DEPTOR was demonstrated by immunofluorescence and subcellular fractionation. The interaction of DEPTOR with ErbB2 was determined by immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, the biological significance of this interaction was assessed by ATPlite cell growth, clonogenic survival, and flow cytometry-based apoptosis assays.

Results: DEPTOR promoted the proliferation and survival of ErbB2-positive breast cancer cells by directly interacting with and stabilizing ErbB2. Specifically, DEPTOR translocates to cell membrane and interacts with ErbB2 to disrupt ErbB2 polyubiquitination and degradation promoted by β-TrCP, an E3 ubiquitin ligase. DEPTOR knockdown destabilizes ErbB2 by shortening its protein half-life to inactivate ErbB2-PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling, leading to the suppression of cell proliferation and survival by inducing apoptosis. Ectopic expression of a constitutively active ErbB2 mutant completely rescued the reduction in cell proliferation and survival by DEPTOR knockdown. Importantly, DEPTOR expression is increased in human breast cancer tissues and its overexpression correlates with poor patient survival. Moreover, DEPTOR is located on the cell membrane in ErbB2-positive breast cancer tissues, but not in tumor-adjacent normal tissues, indicating that DEPTOR may contribute to the oncogenic characteristics of ErbB2.

Conclusions: Our study reveals a novel mechanism by which DEPTOR promotes breast cancer cell proliferation and survival by stabilizing ErbB2.

Defining the temporal evolution of gut dysbiosis and inflammatory responses leading to hepatocellular carcinoma in Mdr2 -/- mouse model

BACKGROUND

Emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiome in liver inflammation and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. We aimed to characterize the temporal evolution of gut dysbiosis, in relation to the phenotype of systemic and hepatic inflammatory responses leading to HCC development. In the present study, Mdr2 -/- mice were used as a model of inflammation-based HCC. Gut microbiome composition and function, in addition to serum LPS, serum cytokines/chemokines and intrahepatic inflammatory genes were measured throughout the course of liver injury until HCC development.

RESULTS

Early stages of liver injury, inflammation and cirrhosis, were characterized by dysbiosis. Microbiome functional pathways pertaining to gut barrier dysfunction were enriched during the initial phase of liver inflammation and cirrhosis, whilst those supporting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis increased as cirrhosis and HCC ensued. In parallel, serum LPS progressively increased during the course of liver injury, corresponding to a shift towards a systemic Th1/Th17 proinflammatory phenotype. Alongside, the intrahepatic inflammatory gene profile transitioned from a proinflammatory phenotype in the initial phases of liver injury to an immunosuppressed one in HCC. In established HCC, a switch in microbiome function from carbohydrate to amino acid metabolism occurred.

CONCLUSION

In Mdr2 -/- mice, dysbiosis precedes HCC development, with temporal evolution of microbiome function to support gut barrier dysfunction, LPS biosynthesis, and redirection of energy source utilization. A corresponding shift in systemic and intrahepatic inflammatory responses occurred supporting HCC development. These findings support the notion that gut based therapeutic interventions could be beneficial early in the course of liver disease to halt HCC development.

Nuclear ErbB2 represses DEPTOR transcription to inhibit autophagy in breast cancer cells

ErbB2, a classical receptor tyrosine kinase, is frequently overexpressed in breast cancer cells. Although the role of ErbB2 in the transmission of extracellular signals to intracellular matrix has been widely studied, the functions of nuclear ErbB2 remain largely elusive. Here, we report a novel function of nuclear ErbB2 in repressing the transcription of DEPTOR, a direct inhibitor of mTOR. Nuclear ErbB2 directly binds to the consensus binding sequence in the DEPTOR promoter to repress its transcription. The kinase activity of ErbB2 is required for its nuclear translocation and transcriptional repression of DEPTOR. Moreover, the repressed DEPTOR by nuclear ErbB2 inhibits the induction of autophagy by activating mTORC1. Thus, our study reveals a novel mechanism for autophagy regulation by functional ErbB2, which translocates to the nucleus and acts as a transcriptional regulator to suppress DEPTOR transcription, leading to activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway to inhibit autophagy.

Identification of a large dataset of SNPs in hair-fin anchovy (Setipinna tenuifilis) based on RAD-seq

Hair-fin anchovy (Setipinna tenuifilis) is an economically important fish distributed in the West Indian Ocean and the Northwest Pacific Ocean. In this study, 154 individuals in eight populations of S. tenuifilis were sequenced and 850 million raw reads were obtained using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq). First, we identified 14 012 044 hypothetical SNP markers. A dataset of 199 903 high-quality SNPs was collected after further screening. These SNPs have a strong ability to test the genetic diversity between the eight populations. The differentiation and genetic law between samples were explored based on SNPs in populations of S. tenuifilis. The results of this study will provide data for protecting the genetic resources of the species.

Observation of a Near-Threshold Structure in the K^{+} Recoil-Mass Spectra in e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}(D_{s}^{-}D^{*0}+D_{s}^{*-}D^{0})

We report a study of the processes of e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}D_{s}^{-}D^{*0} and K^{+}D_{s}^{*-}D^{0} based on e^{+}e^{-} annihilation samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at BEPCII at five center-of-mass energies ranging from 4.628 to 4.698 GeV with a total integrated luminosity of 3.7  fb^{-1}. An excess of events over the known contributions of the conventional charmed mesons is observed near the D_{s}^{-}D^{*0} and D_{s}^{*-}D^{0} mass thresholds in the K^{+} recoil-mass spectrum for events collected at sqrt[s]=4.681  GeV. The structure matches a mass-dependent-width Breit-Wigner line shape, whose pole mass and width are determined as (3982.5_{-2.6}^{+1.8}±2.1)  MeV/c^{2} and (12.8_{-4.4}^{+5.3}±3.0)  MeV, respectively. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. The significance of the resonance hypothesis is estimated to be 5.3  σ over the contributions only from the conventional charmed mesons. This is the first candidate for a charged hidden-charm tetraquark with strangeness, decaying into D_{s}^{-}D^{*0} and D_{s}^{*-}D^{0}. However, the properties of the excess need further exploration with more statistics.

Model-Independent Determination of the Spin of the Ω^{-} and Its Polarization Alignment in ψ(3686)→Ω^{-}Ω[over ¯]^{+}

We present an analysis of the process ψ(3686)→Ω^{-}Ω[over ¯]^{+} (Ω^{-}→K^{-}Λ, Ω[over ¯]^{+}→K^{+}Λ[over ¯], Λ→pπ^{-}, Λ[over ¯]→p[over ¯]π^{+}) based on a dataset of 448×10^{6}  ψ(3686) decays collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII electron-positron collider. The helicity amplitudes for the process ψ(3686)→Ω^{-}Ω[over ¯]^{+} and the decay parameters of the subsequent decay Ω^{-}→K^{-}Λ (Ω[over ¯]^{+}→K^{+}Λ[over ¯]) are measured for the first time by a fit to the angular distribution of the complete decay chain, and the spin of the Ω^{-} is determined to be 3/2 for the first time since its discovery more than 50 years ago.

Pharmacogenetic information in Swiss drug labels - a systematic analysis

Implementation of pharmacogenetics (PGx) and individualization of drug therapy is supposed to obviate adverse drug reactions or therapy failure. Health care professionals (HCPs) use drug labels (DLs) as reliable information about drugs. We analyzed the Swiss DLs to give an overview on the currently available PGx instructions. We screened 4306 DLs applying natural language processing focusing on drug metabolism (pharmacokinetics) and we assigned PGx levels following the classification system of PharmGKB. From 5979 hits, 2564 were classified as PGx-relevant affecting 167 substances. 55% (n = 93) were classified as "actionable PGx". Frequently, PGx information appeared in the pharmacokinetics section and in DLs of the anatomic group "nervous system". Unstandardized wording, appearance of PGx information in different sections and unclear instructions challenge HCPs to identify and interpret PGx information and translate it into practice. HCPs need harmonization and standardization of PGx information in DLs to personalize drug therapies and tailor pharmaceutical care.

Focus on autonomic dysfunctions in anti-NMDAR encephalitis: a case report

OBJECTIVE

We hope it will provide a reference for early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment of atypical Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis with non-typical autonomic dysfunctions as the first symptom.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We present a 15-year-old girl with the repetition of conscious disturbance at different levels, but no abnormal movements. Initially, there were no positive findings on routine electroencephalography (EEG) and dynamic video-electroencephalography (V-EEG), but the head-up tilt test (HTT) suggested neurocardiogenic syncope (vascular rejection type), which seemed to be the final diagnosis. However, the patient later experienced several episodes of disturbance of consciousness with unexplained abdominal pain. Abnormalities were discovered on EEG, which indicated the possibility of "epileptic seizures with autonomic-gastrointestinal features". Based on these findings, we finally tested the autoimmune encephalitis-related antibodies for the patient after the literature search and review.

RESULTS

The patient was finally diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Her symptoms were fully controlled after glucocorticoid and gamma globulin treatment, and she left the hospital with complete recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

Although autonomic nervous dysfunction occurred in our patient, her prognosis was good because she did not have respiratory or (and) circulatory failure. Exclusive diagnosis and early treatment are important in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Abdominal pain with positive HTT may be a manifestation of autonomic dysfunction in this disease.

DEPTOR is a direct p53 target that suppresses cell growth and chemosensitivity

DEP-domain containing mTOR-interacting protein (DEPTOR), a natural mTOR inhibitor, has essential roles in several processes, including cell growth, metabolism, apoptosis, and immunity. DEPTOR expression has been shown to be diversely controlled at transcriptional levels in cell- and context-specific manners. However, whether there is a general mechanism for the regulation of DEPTOR expression remains largely unknown. Here, we report that DEPTOR is a downstream target of the tumor suppressor, p53, whose activity is positively correlated with DEPTOR expression both in vitro in cell cultures and in vivo in mouse tissues. Mechanistically, p53 directly binds to the DEPTOR promoter and transactivates its expression. Depletion of the p53-binding site on the DEPTOR promoter by CRISPR-Cas9 technology decreases DEPTOR expression and promotes cell proliferation and survival by activating AKT signaling. Importantly, inhibition of AKT by small molecular inhibitors or genetic knockdown abrogates the induction of cell growth and survival induced by deletion of the p53-binding region on the DEPTOR promoter. Furthermore, p53, upon activation by the genotoxic agent doxorubicin, induces DEPTOR expression, leading to cancer cell resistance to doxorubicin. Together, DEPTOR is a direct p53 downstream target and contributes to p53-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation, survival, and chemosensitivity.

Observation of the Doubly Cabibbo-Suppressed Decay D^{+}→K^{+}π^{+}π^{-}π^{0} and Evidence for D^{+}→K^{+}ω

Using 2.93  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data collected at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector, the first observation of the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decay D^{+}→K^{+}π^{+}π^{-}π^{0} is reported. After removing decays that contain narrow intermediate resonances, including D^{+}→K^{+}η, D^{+}→K^{+}ω, and D^{+}→K^{+}ϕ, the branching fraction of the decay D^{+}→K^{+}π^{+}π^{-}π^{0} is measured to be (1.13±0.08_{stat}±0.03_{syst})×10^{-3}. The ratio of branching fractions of D^{+}→K^{+}π^{+}π^{-}π^{0} over D^{+}→K^{-}π^{+}π^{+}π^{0} is found to be (1.81±0.15)%, which corresponds to (6.28±0.52)tan^{4}θ_{C}, where θ_{C} is the Cabibbo mixing angle. This ratio is significantly larger than the corresponding ratios for other doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decays. The asymmetry of the branching fractions of charge-conjugated decays D^{±}→K^{±}π^{±}π^{∓}π^{0} is also determined, and no evidence for CP violation is found. In addition, the first evidence for the D^{+}→K^{+}ω decay, with a statistical significance of 3.3σ, is presented and the branching fraction is measured to be B(D^{+}→K^{+}ω)=(5.7_{-2.1}^{+2.5}_{stat}±0.2_{syst})×10^{-5}.

[Epidemiological analysis on 1 052 cases of COVID-19 in epidemic clusters]

Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics of the cases of COVID-19 epidemic clusters, and explore the influence of family factors and social factors such as group activities on the spread of the disease. Methods: The data of cases of COVID-19 epidemic clusters from 19 January, 2020 to 25 February, 2020 were collected from the official platforms of 36 cities in 6 provinces in China. Descriptive statistical methods, χ(2) test and curve fitting were used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of the clustered cases. Results: By 25 February, 2020, the data of 1 052 cases in 366 epidemic clusters were collected. In these clustered cases, 86.9%(914/1 050) occurred in families. Among the 1 046 cases with gender information, 513 were males (49.0%) and 533 were females (51.0%). The cases were mainly young adults between 18 and 59 years old, accounting for 68.5% (711/1 038). In the 366 epidemic clusters , the clusters in which the first confirmed cases with the history of sojourn in Wuhan or Hubei accounted for 47.0%(172/366). From 19 January to 3 February, 2020, the first confirmed cases with Wuhan or Hubei sojourn history accounted for 66.5%. From 4 to 25 February, the first confirmed cases who had Wuhan or Hubei sojourn history accounted for only 18.2%. The median of interval between the first generation case onset and the second generation case onset was 5 (2-8) days. The median of onset- diagnosis interval of the initial cases was 6 (3-9) days, and the median of onset-diagnosis interval of the secondary cases was 5 (3-8) days. Conclusions: Epidemic clusters of COVID-19 were common in many cities outside Wuhan and Hubei. Close contact in family was one of the main causes for the spread of household transmission of the virus. After 4 February, the epidemic clusters were mainly caused by the first generation or second generation cases in local areas, and the time for diagnosis became shorter.

Σ^{+} and Σ[over ¯]^{-} Polarization in the J/ψ and ψ(3686) Decays

From 1310.6×10^{6}  J/ψ and 448.1×10^{6}  ψ(3686) events collected with the BESIII experiment, we report the first observation of Σ^{+} and Σ[over ¯]^{-} spin polarization in e^{+}e^{-}→J/ψ[ψ(3686)]→Σ^{+}Σ[over ¯]^{-} decays. The relative phases of the form factors ΔΦ have been measured to be (-15.5±0.7±0.5)° and (21.7±4.0±0.8)° with J/ψ and ψ(3686) data, respectively. The nonzero value of ΔΦ allows for a direct and simultaneous measurement of the decay asymmetry parameters of Σ^{+}→pπ^{0}(α_{0}=-0.998±0.037±0.009) and Σ[over ¯]^{-}→p[over ¯]π^{0}(α[over ¯]_{0}=0.990±0.037±0.011), the latter value being determined for the first time. The average decay asymmetry, (α_{0}-α[over ¯]_{0})/2, is calculated to be -0.994±0.004±0.002. The CP asymmetry A_{CP,Σ}=(α_{0}+α[over ¯]_{0})/(α_{0}-α[over ¯]_{0})=-0.004±0.037±0.010 is extracted for the first time, and is found to be consistent with CP conservation.

Isothermal Crystallization Behavior of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Based Membrane with Graphene Oxide

Graphene oxide (GO) sheets were obtained via an improved Hummer's method, and the Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/GO membranes employing GO as nucleating agent were prepared by solution casting. The crystalline behaviors and the crystallization kinetics of PVDF/GO membranes with varying GO concentration were investigated after isothermal crystallization at different temperatures. The results showed that the addition of GO induced the β-phase formation of PVDF. The spherulite diameter reached the peak value when the content of GO was 0.1 wt%, then reduced to the minimum value at 1 wt% GO within the tested temperature range of isothermal crystallization. It is worth mentioning that the relative fraction of β phase F(β) was dramatically improved to 0.85 for the PVDF/GO membrane with 0.5 wt% GO at 155°C. Furthermore, an enhancement of the crystallization rate was observed as the contents of GO increased in the system.

Emerging role of FBXO22 in carcinogenesis

The F-box protein 22 (FBXO22), one of F-box proteins, has been identified to be critically involved in carcinogenesis. FBXO22 promotes proliferation in breast cancer and lung cancer, but suppresses migration and metastasis. FBXO22 exerts oncogenetic functions via promoting the ubiquitination and degradation of its substrates, including KDM4A, KDM4B, methylated p53, p21, KLF4, LKB1, Snail, CD147, Bach1, PTEN, and HDM2. FBXO22 is also regulated by several regulatory factors such as p53, miR-155, SNHG14, and circ_0006282. In this review, we summarize the regulatory factors and downstream targets of FBXO22 in cancers, discuss its functions in tumorigenesis, and further highlight the alteration of FBXO22 expression in a variety of human malignancies. Finally, we provide novel insights for future perspectives on targeting FBXO22 as a promising strategy for cancer therapy.

[Anti-PD-1 therapy in advanced malignant liver tumor-induced type-1 diabetes mellitus: a case report]

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) has been emerged as a major breakthrough in tumor immunotherapy, but its unique mechanism of action has also led to a number of immune-related adverse events (irAE). Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the rarest irAEs. This paper reports a case of advanced malignant liver tumor-induced T1DM who received second-line anti-PD-1 therapy and showed initial symptoms of hyperosmolar coma and hyperglycemia. In addition, the relevant literature at home and abroad was collected and reviewed, and the clinical characteristics of T1DM induced by anti-PD-1 therapy were summarized with a view to achieve early detection, diagnosis and treatment.

Study of Open-Charm Decays and Radiative Transitions of the X(3872)

The processes X(3872)→D^{*0}D[over ¯]^{0}+c.c.,γJ/ψ,γψ(2S), and γD^{+}D^{-} are searched for in a 9.0  fb^{-1} data sample collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.178 and 4.278 GeV with the BESIII detector. We observe X(3872)→D^{*0}D^{0}[over ¯]+c.c. and find evidence for X(3872)→γJ/ψ with statistical significances of 7.4σ and 3.5σ, respectively. No evident signals for X(3872)→γψ(2S) and γD^{+}D^{-} are found, and the upper limit on the relative branching ratio R_{γψ}≡{B[X(3872)→γψ(2S)]}/{B[X(3872)→γJ/ψ]}<0.59 is set at 90% confidence level. Measurements of branching ratios relative to decay X(3872)→π^{+}π^{-}J/ψ are also reported for decays X(3872)→D^{*0}D^{0}[over ¯]+c.c.,γψ(2S),γJ/ψ, and γD^{+}D^{-}, as well as the non-D^{*0}D^{0}[over ¯] three-body decays π^{0}D^{0}D^{0}[over ¯] and γD^{0}D^{0}[over ¯].

Measurements of Absolute Branching Fractions of Fourteen Exclusive Hadronic D Decays to η

Using 2.93  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data taken at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector, we report the first measurements of the absolute branching fractions of 14 hadronic D^{0(+)} decays to exclusive final states with an η, e.g., D^{0}→K^{-}π^{+}η, K_{S}^{0}π^{0}η, K^{+}K^{-}η, K_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}η, K^{-}π^{+}π^{0}η, K_{S}^{0}π^{+}π^{-}η, K_{S}^{0}π^{0}π^{0}η, and π^{+}π^{-}π^{0}η; D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}η, K_{S}^{0}K^{+}η, K^{-}π^{+}π^{+}η, K_{S}^{0}π^{+}π^{0}η, π^{+}π^{+}π^{-}η, and π^{+}π^{0}π^{0}η. Among these decays, the D^{0}→K^{-}π^{+}η and D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}η decays have the largest branching fractions, which are B(D^{0}→K^{-}π^{+}η)=(1.853±0.025_{stat}±0.031_{syst})% and B(D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}η)=(1.309±0.037_{stat}±0.031_{syst})%, respectively. The charge-parity asymmetries for the six decays with highest event yields are determined, and no statistically significant charge-parity violation is found.

Determination of Strong-Phase Parameters in D→K_{S,L}^{0}π^{+}π^{-}

We report the most precise measurements to date of the strong-phase parameters between D^{0} and D[over ¯]^{0} decays to K_{S,L}^{0}π^{+}π^{-} using a sample of 2.93  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} annihilation data collected at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. Our results provide the key inputs for a binned model-independent determination of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa angle γ/ϕ_{3} with B decays. Using our results, the decay model sensitivity to the γ/ϕ_{3} measurement is expected to be between 0.7° and 1.2°, approximately a factor of three smaller than that achievable with previous measurements, based on the studies of the simulated data. The improved precision of this work ensures that measurements of γ/ϕ_{3} will not be limited by knowledge of strong phases for the next decade. Furthermore, our results provide critical input for other flavor-physics investigations, including charm mixing, other measurements of CP violation, and the measurement of strong-phase parameters for other D-decay modes.

First Observation of D^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ} and Measurement of Its Decay Dynamics

By analyzing a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93  fb^{-1} collected at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector, we measure for the first time the absolute branching fraction of the D^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ} decay to be B_{D^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ}}=(10.4±1.0_{stat}±0.5_{syst})×10^{-4}. Using the world averaged value of B_{D^{+}→ηe^{+}ν_{e}}, the ratio of the two branching fractions is determined to be B_{D^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ}}/B_{D^{+}→ηe^{+}ν_{e}}=0.91±0.13_{(stat+syst)}, which agrees with the theoretical expectation of lepton flavor universality within uncertainty. By studying the differential decay rates in five four-momentum transfer intervals, we obtain the product of the hadronic form factor f_{+}^{η}(0) and the c→d Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V_{cd}| to be f_{+}^{η}(0)|V_{cd}|=0.087±0.008_{stat}±0.002_{syst}. Taking the input of |V_{cd}| from the global fit in the standard model, we determine f_{+}^{η}(0)=0.39±0.04_{stat}±0.01_{syst}. On the other hand, using the value of f_{+}^{η}(0) calculated in theory, we find |V_{cd}|=0.242±0.022_{stat}±0.006_{syst}±0.033_{theory}.

First Observation of D^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ} and Measurement of Its Decay Dynamics

By analyzing a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93  fb^{-1} collected at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector, we measure for the first time the absolute branching fraction of the D^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ} decay to be B_{D^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ}}=(10.4±1.0_{stat}±0.5_{syst})×10^{-4}. Using the world averaged value of B_{D^{+}→ηe^{+}ν_{e}}, the ratio of the two branching fractions is determined to be B_{D^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ}}/B_{D^{+}→ηe^{+}ν_{e}}=0.91±0.13_{(stat+syst)}, which agrees with the theoretical expectation of lepton flavor universality within uncertainty. By studying the differential decay rates in five four-momentum transfer intervals, we obtain the product of the hadronic form factor f_{+}^{η}(0) and the c→d Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V_{cd}| to be f_{+}^{η}(0)|V_{cd}|=0.087±0.008_{stat}±0.002_{syst}. Taking the input of |V_{cd}| from the global fit in the standard model, we determine f_{+}^{η}(0)=0.39±0.04_{stat}±0.01_{syst}. On the other hand, using the value of f_{+}^{η}(0) calculated in theory, we find |V_{cd}|=0.242±0.022_{stat}±0.006_{syst}±0.033_{theory}.

[Analysis on epidemic situation and spatiotemporal changes of COVID-19 in Anhui]

We used the epidemic data of COVID-19 published on the official website of the municipal health commissions in Anhui province to map the spatiotemporal changes of confirmed cases, fit the epidemic situation by the population growth curve at different stages and analyze the epidemic situation in Anhui Province. It was found that the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was 156/100 000 by February 18, 2020 and the trend of COVID-19 epidemic declined after February 7 with a change from J-shaped curve to S-shaped curve. As the reporting time of cases might be 3-5 days later than the actual onset time, the number of new cases in Anhui province actually began to decline around February 2 to February 4, 2020.

SKA2 promotes proliferation and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via activating the β-catenin signaling pathway

Spindle and kinetochore associated complex subunit 2 (SKA2) is a part of the spindle and kinetochore associated (SKA) complex, which has been reported in various cancers, including the breast cancer, lung cancer, and glioma. However, its role remains unclear in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our study found that SKA2 mRNA levels and immunohistochemistry staining were significantly increased in HCC tissues compared with normal tissues. The role of SKA2 in cell proliferation and invasion was also determined. Overexpression of SKA2 significantly promoted cell proliferation and invasion, while knocking down of SKA2 expression inhibited the growth and invasion of HCC cells. In experiments investigating the underlying mechanism, overexpression of SKA2 may increase the expression levels of total β-catenin, and knockdown of SKA2 may decrease the expression levels of total β-catenin. Our studies thus suggest that SKA2 may promote proliferation and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by activating the β-catenin signaling pathway, which can serve as a potential target in the diagnosis and/or treatment of HCC.

Observation of a Resonant Structure in e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}π^{0}π^{0}

A partial-wave analysis is performed for the process e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}π^{0}π^{0} at the center-of-mass energies ranging from 2.000 to 2.644 GeV. The data samples of e^{+}e^{-} collisions, collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider with a total integrated luminosity of 300  pb^{-1}, are analyzed. The total Born cross sections for the process e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}π^{0}π^{0}, as well as the Born cross sections for the subprocesses e^{+}e^{-}→ϕπ^{0}π^{0}, K^{+}(1460)K^{-}, K_{1}^{+}(1400)K^{-}, K_{1}^{+}(1270)K^{-}, and K^{*+}(892)K^{*-}(892), are measured versus the center-of-mass energy. The corresponding results for e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}π^{0}π^{0} and ϕπ^{0}π^{0} are consistent with those of BABAR with better precision. By analyzing the cross sections for the four subprocesses, K^{+}(1460)K^{-}, K_{1}^{+}(1400)K^{-}, K_{1}^{+}(1270)K^{-}, and K^{*+}(892)K^{*-}(892), a structure with mass M=(2126.5±16.8±12.4)  MeV/c^{2} and width Γ=(106.9±32.1±28.1)  MeV is observed with an overall statistical significance of 6.3σ, although with very limited significance in the subprocesses e^{+}e^{-}→K_{1}^{+}(1270)K^{-} and K^{*+}(892)K^{*-}(892). The resonant parameters of the observed structure suggest it can be identified with the ϕ(2170), thus the results provide valuable input to the internal nature of the ϕ(2170).