[Effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme on reproduction of Culex pipiens pallens]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in the reproduction of Culex pipiens pallens, so as to provide insights into selection of targets for controlling mosquito vector populations.

METHODS

Cx. pipiens pallens was collected from Tangkou County, Shandong Province in 2009. Female and male mosquitoes were selected at 72 hours post-eclosion, and quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qPCR) assay was used to detect the expression of ACE gene in the whole body and reproductive tissues of male mosquitoes and fertilized female mosquitoes before (0 h) and after blood meals (24, 48, 72 h), respectively. Then, 150 female and 150 male mosquitoes at 0 to 4 hours post-eclosion were selected and divided into the wild-type group (WT group), small interfering RNA-negative control group (siNC group) and small interfering RNA-ACE group (siACE group), of 50 mosquitoes in each group. Mosquitoes in the WT group were given no treatment, and mosquitoes in the siNC and siACE groups were given microinjection of siNC and siACE into the hemolymph at a dose of 0.3 μg per mosquito. The knockdown efficiency was checked using qPCR assay, and the reproductive phenotype of mosquitoes was observed.

RESULTS

The relative ACE gene expression was higher in the whole body of male mosquitoes (5.467 ± 1.006) relative to females (1.199 ± 0.241) (t = 5.835, P = 0.004) at 72 h post-eclosion, and the highest ACE expression was seen in reproductive tissues of male mosquitoes (199.100 ± 24.429), which was 188.3 times higher than in remaining tissues (1.057 ± 0.340) (t = 6.602, P = 0.002). Blood meal induced high ACE expression in all body tissues of fertilized female mosquitoes, with peak expression at 24 h after blood meals (14.957 ± 2.815), which was 14.8 times higher than that before blood meals (1.009 ± 0.139) (P = 0.002). The transcriptional level of ACEs continued to increase in the ovaries of female mosquitoes after blood meals during the vitellogenesis phase, peaking at 48 h after blood meals (5.500 ± 0.734), which was 5.1 times higher than that before blood meals (1.072 ± 0.178) (P = 0.002). Small RNA interference targeting ACE resulted in a 57.2% reduction in ACE expression in female mosquitoes in the siACE group (0.430 ± 0.070) relative to the siNC group (1.002 ± 0.070) (P = 0.001), and a 41.1% reduction in male mosquitoes in the siACE group (0.588 ± 0.067) relative to the siNC group (1.008 ± 0.131) (P = 0.016). Knockdown of ACE expression resulted in a 48.0% decrease in the number of eggs laid by female mosquitoes in the siACE group [(94.000 ± 27.386) eggs] relative to the siNC group [(180.800 ± 27.386)] (P < 0.001), and a 45.0% decrease in the number of eggs laid by wild female mosquitoes mated with males in the siACE group [(104.500 ± 20.965) eggs] relative to the siNC group [(190.050 ± 10.698) eggs] (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Reduced ACE expression may inhibit the fecundity of male and female mosquitoes, and ACE may be as a potential target for mosquito vector population suppression.

[Prevalence and influencing factors of human soil-transmitted nematode infections in Ningbo City from 2016 to 2021]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of soil-transmitted nematode infections in Ningbo City from 2016 to 2021, so as to provide insights into the development of targeted control measures against soil-transmitted nematodiasis.

METHODS

Permanent residents at ages of 3 years and older were sampled in Ningbo City using a multi-stage sampling method each year during the period from 2016 to 2021. Soil-transmitted nematode eggs were detected in stool samples using a modified Kato-Katz thick smear method (two slides for each stool sample), and Enterobius vermicularis eggs were additionally identified among children at ages of 3 to 12 years using the adhesive cellophane-tape perianal swab method. The time- and regions-specific prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode infections was calculated, and the factors affecting hookworm infections were identified using a multivariate logistic regression model.

RESULTS

A total of 11 573 person-times were detected for soil-transmitted nematode infections in Ningbo City from 2016 to 2021, and 296 egg-positives were detected, with a mean prevalence rate of 2.56% [95% confidential interval (CI): (2.28%, 2.87%)]. Hookworm was the predominant species of soil-transmitted nematode among egg-positives in Ningbo City (98.31%, 291/296), and there was a significant difference in the prevalence of hook-worm infections among years (χ² = 190.27, P < 0.01). The highest prevalence of hook-worm infections was observed in Ninghai County (4.06%), and there was a region-specific prevalence rate of hookworm infection in Ningbo City (χ² = 148.43, P < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that elderly residents at ages of over 60 years [odds ratio (OR)= 1.94, 95% CI: (1.07, 3.54), P < 0.05], males [OR = 2.19, 95% CI: (1.72, 2.80), P < 0.01], farmers [OR = 6.94, 95% CI: (3.37, 14.29), P < 0.01] and residents with a low education level [illiteracy or semi-illiterate: OR = 3.82, 95% CI: (1.56, 9.35), P < 0.05; primary school: OR = 2.70, 95% CI: (1.11, 6.59), P < 0.05] were at a higher risk for hookworm infections.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall prevalence of soil-transmitted nematode infections was low among residents in Ningbo City from 2016 to 2021. The surveillance and health education for human hookworm disease remain to be reinforced among male farmers with a low education level at ages of over 60 years in Ninghai County.

Connexin 43 gap junction affects survival and drug resistance of multiple myeloma side population cells

Drug resistance remains a major challenge for multiple myeloma (MM) treatment, and side population (SP) cells may play a key role in this resistance. The function of connexin 43 (Cx43)-mediated gap junction intercellular communication (GJ-IC) in MM cells is poorly understood. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) from different sources were isolated and cultured. SP cells of MM cell line RPMI 8266 were separated by flow cytometry. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to detect Cx43 mRNA and protein expression in BMSCs, RPMI 8266 and SP cells from different sources. The effects of BMSCs from different sources on SP cell cycle, in vitro colony formation ability, stem cell-related gene expression and drug resistance, and the addition of 18α glycyrrhetinic acid (18αGA) as a pathway inhibitor were observed. Here, we demonstrate that MM cells expressed Cx43 and contained a high percentage of SP cells. We observed an increase in the survival and proliferative capacity of SP cells compared with RPMI 8226 cells, but treatment with 18αGA decreased SP cell survival and proliferation (all P<0.05). MM cells were sensitive to dexamethasone- and bortezomib-induced apoptosis; however, this sensitivity was significantly decreased when MM cells were co-cultured with BMSCs, and 18αGA partly recovered this cytotoxicity (all P<0.05). Collectively, our data suggest that GJ-IC between BMSCs and MM cells is one of the important regulatory mechanisms underlying MM cells survival, proliferation, and drug sensitivity.

Precision Measurement of the Decay Σ^{+}→pγ in the Process J/ψ→Σ^{+}Σ[over ¯]^{-}

Using (10 087±44)×10^{6} J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, the radiative hyperon decay Σ^{+}→pγ is studied at an electron-positron collider experiment for the first time. The absolute branching fraction is measured to be (0.996±0.021_{stat}±0.018_{syst})×10^{-3}, which is lower than its world average value by 4.2 standard deviations. Its decay asymmetry parameter is determined to be -0.652±0.056_{stat}±0.020_{syst}. The branching fraction and decay asymmetry parameter are the most precise to date, and the accuracies are improved by 78% and 34%, respectively.

Observation of Directed Flow of Hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H in sqrt[s_{NN}]=3 GeV Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report here the first observation of directed flow (v_{1}) of the hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H in mid-central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3  GeV at RHIC. These data are taken as part of the beam energy scan program carried out by the STAR experiment. From 165×10^{6} events in 5%-40% centrality, about 8400 _{Λ}^{3}H and 5200 _{Λ}^{4}H candidates are reconstructed through two- and three-body decay channels. We observe that these hypernuclei exhibit significant directed flow. Comparing to that of light nuclei, it is found that the midrapidity v_{1} slopes of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H follow baryon number scaling, implying that the coalescence is the dominant mechanism for these hypernuclei production in the 3 GeV Au+Au collisions.

Clinical outcomes of intra-arterial chemotherapy combined with iodine-125 seed brachytherapy in the treatment of malignant superior vena cava syndrome caused by small cell lung cancer

PURPOSE

Currently there is a lack of effective treatment strategies for malignant superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS). We aim to investigate the therapeutic effect of intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) combined with the Single Needle Cone Puncture method for the ¹²⁵I brachytherapy (SNCP-¹²⁵I) in treating SVCS caused by stage III/IV Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-two patients with SCLC who developed SVCS from January 2014 to October 2020 were investigated in this study. Out of these 62 patients, 32 underwent IAC combined with SNCP-¹²⁵I (Group A) and 30 patients received IAC treatment only (Group B). Clinical symptom remission, response rate, disease control rate, and overall survival of these two groups of patients were analyzed and compared.

RESULTS

The remission rate of symptoms including dyspnea, edema, dysphagia, pectoralgia, and cough of malignant SVCS in Group A was significantly higher than that in Group B (70.5 and 50.53%, P=0.0004, respectively). The disease control rates (DCR, PR+CR+SD) of Group A and B were 87.5 and 66.7%, respectively (P=0.049). Response rates (RR, PR+CR) of Group A and Group B were 71.9 and 40% (P=0.011). The median overall survival (OS) of Group A was significantly longer than that in Group B which was 18 months compared to 11.75 months (P=0.0360).

CONCLUSIONS

IAC treatment effectively treated malignant SVCS in advanced SCLC patients. IAC combined with SNCP-¹²⁵I in the treatment of malignant SVCS caused by SCLC showed improved clinical outcomes including symptom remission and local tumor control rates than IAC treatment only in treating SCLC-induced malignant SVCS.

[Effects and mechanism of annexin A1-overexpressing human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of mice with acute respiratory distress syndrome]

Objective: To explore the effects and mechanism of annexin A1 (ANXA1)-overexpressing human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) in the treatment of mice with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods: The experimental study method was adopted. After the adult AMSCs were identified by flow cytometry, the 3rd passage cells were selected for the follow-up experiments. According to the random number table (the same grouping method below), the cells were divided into ANXA1-overexpressing group transfected with plasmid containing RNA sequences of ANXA1 gene and no-load control group transfected with the corresponding no-load plasmid. The other cells were divided into ANXA1-knockdown group transfected with plasmid containing small interfering RNA sequences of ANXA1 gene and no-load control group transfected with the corresponding no-load plasmid. At post transfection hour (PTH) 72, the fluorescence expression was observed under a fluorescence microscope imaging system, and the protein and mRNA expressions of ANXA1 were detected by Western blotting and real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction respectively (with the sample numbers being 3). Fifty male C57BL/6J mice aged 6-8 weeks were divided into sham injury group, ARDS alone group, normal cell group, ANXA1-overexpressing group, and ANXA1-knockdown group, with 10 mice in each group. Mice in the last 4 groups were treated with endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide to make ARDS lung injury model, and mice in sham injury group were simulated to cause false injury. Immediately after injury, mice in sham injury group and ARDS alone group were injected with normal saline through the tail vein, while mice in normal cell group, ANXA1-overexpressing group, and ANXA1-knockdown group were injected with normal AMSCs, ANXA1-overexpressing AMSCs, and ANXA1-knockdown AMSCs, correspondingly. At post injection hour (PIH) 24, 5 mice in each group were selected, the Evans blue staining was performed to observe the gross staining of the right lung tissue, and the absorbance value of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) supernatant of left lung was detected by microplate reader to evaluate the pulmonary vascular permeability. Three days after injection, the remaining 5 mice in each group were taken, the right lung tissue was collected for hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe the pathological changes and immunohistochemical staining to observe the CD11b and F4/80 positive macrophages, and the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1β in BALF supernatant of left lung were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were statistically analyzed with paired sample t test, one-way analysis of variance, and least significant difference test. Results: At PTH 72, AMSCs in both ANXA1-overexpressing group and ANXA1-knockdown group expressed higher fluorescence intensity than AMSCs in corresponding no-load control group, respectively. At PTH 72, compared with those in corresponding no-load control group, the protein and mRNA expressions of ANXA1 in ANXA1-overexpressing group were significantly increased (wth t values of 249.80 and 6.56, respectively, P<0.05), while the protein and mRNA expressions of ANXA1 in ANXA1-knockdown group were significantly decreased (wth t values of 176.50 and 18.18, respectively, P<0.05). At PIH 24, compared with those in sham injury group (with the absorbance value of BALF supernatant being 0.041±0.009), the lung tissue of mice in ARDS alone group was obviously blue-stained and the absorbance value of BALF supernatant (0.126±0.022) was significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with those in ARDS alone group, the degree of blue-staining in lung tissue of mice was significantly reduced in normal cell group or ANXA1-overexpressing group, and the absorbance values of BALF supernatant (0.095±0.020 and 0.069±0.015) were significantly decreased (P<0.05), but the degree of blue-staining in lung tissue and the absorbance value of BALF supernatant (0.109±0.016, P>0.05) of mice in ANXA1-knockdown group had no significant change. Compared with that in normal cell group, the absorbance value of BALF supernatant of mice in ANXA1-overexpressing group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Three days after injection, the lung tissue structure of mice in ARDS alone group was significantly damaged compared with that in sham injury group. Compared with those in ARDS alone group, hemorrhage, infiltration of inflammatory cells, alveolar collapse, and interstitial widening in the lung tissue of mice were significantly alleviated in normal cell group and ANXA1-overexpressing group, while no significant improvement of above-mentioned lung tissue manifestation was observed in ANXA1-knockdown group. Three days after injection, the numbers of CD11b and F4/80 positive macrophages in the lung tissue of mice in ARDS alone group were significantly increased compared with those in sham injury group. Compared with those in ARDS alone group, the numbers of CD11b and F4/80 positive macrophages in lung tissue of mice in normal cell group, ANXA1-overexpressing group, and ANXA1-knockdown group reduced, with the most significant reduction in ANXA1-overexpressing group. Three days after injection, compared with those in sham injury group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in BALF supernatant of mice in ARDS alone group were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with those in ARDS alone group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in BALF supernatant of mice in normal cell group and ANXA1-overexpressing group, as well as the level of IL-1β in BALF supernatant of mice in ANXA1-knockdown group were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with that in normal cell group, the level of TNF-α in BALF supernatant of mice was significantly decreased in ANXA1-overexpressing group (P<0.05) but significantly increased in ANXA1-knockdown group (P<0.05). Conclusions: Overexpression of ANXA1 can optimize the efficacy of AMSCs in treating ARDS and enhance the effects of these cells in inhibiting inflammatory response and improving pulmonary vascular permeability, thereby alleviating lung injury of mice with ARDS.

Beam Energy Dependence of Triton Production and Yield Ratio (N_{t}×N_{p}/N_{d}^{2}) in Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report the triton (t) production in midrapidity (|y|<0.5) Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=7.7-200  GeV measured by the STAR experiment from the first phase of the beam energy scan at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The nuclear compound yield ratio (N_{t}×N_{p}/N_{d}^{2}), which is predicted to be sensitive to the fluctuation of local neutron density, is observed to decrease monotonically with increasing charged-particle multiplicity (dN_{ch}/dη) and follows a scaling behavior. The dN_{ch}/dη dependence of the yield ratio is compared to calculations from coalescence and thermal models. Enhancements in the yield ratios relative to the coalescence baseline are observed in the 0%-10% most central collisions at 19.6 and 27 GeV, with a significance of 2.3σ and 3.4σ, respectively, giving a combined significance of 4.1σ. The enhancements are not observed in peripheral collisions or model calculations without critical fluctuation, and decreases with a smaller p_{T} acceptance. The physics implications of these results on the QCD phase structure and the production mechanism of light nuclei in heavy-ion collisions are discussed.

[Clinicopathological characteristics of gastric SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated/rhabdoid carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and immunohistochemical phenotypes of gastric SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated carcinoma, and to discuss the daily diagnostics of this entity and analyze its prognosis. Methods: The cases of gastric SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated carcinoma diagnosed at the Department of Pathology, Peking University Cancer Hospital, China from January 2010 to August 2022 were collected. The histological sections were reviewed, the immunohistochemical results and clinicopathological features were analyzed, and relevant literature was reviewed. Results: Pure foci of undifferentiated carcinoma were seen in 7 cases, and 1 case was accompanied by a moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma component. Undifferentiated carcinoma foci showed similar sheet-like or solid diffuse growth pattern, medium-sized tumor cells characterized by 1-2 nucleoli, and abundant cytoplasm and rhabdoid appearance. The average patient age was 65±8 years. Six patients were male and 2 were female. Immunohistochemical staining showed that undifferentiated carcinoma of all 8 tumors were negative for SMARCA4 (BRG1). Among 7 patients who underwent SMARCA2 (BRM) and SMARCB1 (INI1) staining, 4 cases showed loss of BRM expression, 2 cases showed weakly positive staining, and 1 case was diffusely positive, but all 7 cases were diffusely strong positive for INI1. The neuroendocrine marker, synaptophysin, was weakly positive in 5 cases, while CgA and CD56 were negative in 8 cases. Ki-67 index was more than 70%. Two cases were mismatch repair deficient and showed the loss of MLH1/PMS2 expression, while 1 case showed only MSH2 loss. PD-L1 staining showed that combined positive score (CPS)≥1 in 4 cases (CPS ranging from 1 to 55) and CPS<1 in the other 3 cases. Four patients had clinical stage Ⅳ disease. Two of them died within 3 months after diagnosis. Conclusions: Gastric SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated carcinoma/rhabdoid carcinoma is a rare group of highly malignant tumors with a poor prognosis. Loss of the core subunit of SWI/SNF complex may be associated with the development of dedifferentiated histological pattern and aggressive tumor progression, which may be more frequently accompanied with mismatch repair deficiency.

[Tumor cell-based glycolytic metabolism and single-cell sequencing of urinary exfoliated cells for the diagnosis and molecular profiling of urothelial carcinoma]

Objective: To explore the diagnostic values of HK2 testing and single-cell sequencing in the urothelial carcinoma (UC). Methods: The qualified urine specimens of 265 suspected UC patients or postoperative patients from the Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China were collected. Both exfoliative cytology and HK2 testing were performed on clinically suspected UC or postoperative patients. The performance of diagnostic cytology and HK2, including consistency, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value, was evaluated based on histopathological, clinical and imaging diagnosis. Isolated HK2 metabolically abnormal cells were subject to single-cell sequencing to verify the reliability of HK2 detection performance and to explore the molecular characteristics of UC. Results: The concordance rate of HK2 testing and cytology for detecting UC was 90.3% (102/113, Kappa=0.604). Compared with cytology, the sensitivity of HK2 was significantly higher (85.2% versus 75.6%, P=0.024). The detection sensitivity of combined HK2 testing and cytology was increased to 91.1%. HK2 testing was significantly more sensitive than cytology for diagnosing UC in the upper urinary tract (81.8% versus 65.5%, P=0.022). It was also more sensitive than cytology for diagnosing early-stage UC (82.6% versus 69.5%, P=0.375) and low-grade UC (69.6% versus 47.8%, P=0.125). Single-cell sequencing of the ten patients, whose samples were positive for HK2, demonstrated highly concordant copy number variations (CNVs) in tumor cells from the same UC patient, with heterogeneity in CNV profiles among different patients. Deletion of chromosome 8p was found in 3 of the 4 urine samples of renal pelvis UC. The 2 patients with benign lesions had no CNVs in all sequenced cells. Conclusions: The test for abnormal urinary glycolytic HK2 metabolism can assist urine cytology to improve the sensitivity of UC diagnosis, and it provides a novel and reliable approach for early detection of upper urinary tract UC and lower grade UC. Meanwhile, this study has preliminarily revealed the feasibility of single-cell sequencing in urinary samples, which is expected to improve the diagnostic specificity of HK2 testing.

[Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced olfactory neuroblastoma in 25 cases]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in the treatment of locally advanced olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB), and to explore the factors related to the efficacy of NACT. Methods: A total of 25 patients with ONB who underwent NACT in Beijing TongRen Hospital from April 2017 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 16 males and 9 females, with an average age of 44.9 years (ranged 26-72 years). There were 22 cases of Kadish stage C and 3 cases of stage D. After multiple disciplinary team(MDT) discussion, all patients were treated sequentially with NACT-surgery-radiotherapy. Among them, 17 cases were treated with taxol, cis-platinum and etoposide (TEP), 4 cases with taxol, nedaplatin and ifosfamide (TPI), 3 cases with TP, while 1 case with EP. SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis, and survival analyses were calculated based on the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The overall response rate of NACT was 32% (8/25). Subsequently, 21 patients underwent extended endoscopic surgery and 4 patients underwent combined cranial-nasal approach. Three patients with stage D disease underwent cervical lymph node dissection. All patients received postoperative radiotherapy. The mean follow-up time was 44.2 months (ranged 6-67 months). The 5-year overall survival rate was 100.0%, and the 5-year disease-free survival rates was 94.4%. Before NACT, Ki-67 index was 60% (50%, 90%), while Ki-67 index was 20% (3%, 30%) after chemotherapy [M (Q₁, Q₃)]. The change of Ki-67 before and after NACT was statistically significant (Z=-24.24, P<0.05). The effects of age, gender, history of surgery, Hyams grade, Ki-67 index and chemotherapy regimen to NACT were analyzed. Ki-67 index≥25% and high Hyams grade were related to the efficacy of NACT (all P<0.05). Conclusions: NACT could reduce Ki-67 index in ONBs. High Ki-67 index and Hyams grade are clinical indicators sensitive to the efficacy of NACT. NACT-surgery-radiotherapy is effective for patients with locally advanced ONB.

Residual Strain Evolution Induced by Crystallization Kinetics During Anti-Solvent Spin Coating in Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite (OIHP) polycrystalline thin films are attractive due to their outstanding photoelectronic properties. The anti-solvent spin coating method is the most widely used to synthesize these thin films, and the residual strain is inevitably originates and evolves during the process. However, this residual strain evolution induced by crystallization kinetics is still poorly understood. In this work, the in situ and ex situ synchrotron grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) are utilized to characterize the evolution and distribution of the residual strain in the OIHP polycrystalline thin film during the anti-solvent spin coating process. A mechanical model is established and the mechanism of the crystallization kinetics-induced residual strain evolution process is discussed. This work reveals a comprehensive understanding of the residual strain evolution during the anti-solvent spin coating process in the OIHP polycrystalline thin films and provides important guidelines for the residual strain-related strain engineering, morphology control, and performance enhancement.

[Differences in clinicopathological features, gene mutations, and prognosis between primary gastric and intestinal gastrointestinal stromal tumors in 1061 patients]

Objective: To analyze the clinicopathological features and gene mutations of primary gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the stomach and intestine and the prognosis of intermediate- and high-risk GISTs. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Data of patients with GISTs admitted to Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2011 to December 2019 were collected retrospectively. Patients with primary gastric or intestinal disease who had undergone endoscopic or surgical resection of the primary lesion and were confirmed pathologically as GIST were included. Patients treated with targeted therapy preoperatively were excluded. The above criteria were met by 1061 patients with primary GISTs, 794 of whom had gastric GISTs and 267 intestinal GISTs. Genetic testing had been performed in 360 of these patients since implementation of Sanger sequencing in our hospital in October 2014. Gene mutations in KIT exons 9, 11, 13, and 17 and PDGFRA exons 12 and 18 were detected by Sanger sequencing. The factors investigated in this study included: (1) clinicopathological data, such as sex, age, primary tumor location, maximum tumor diameter, histological type, mitotic index (/5 mm²), and risk classification; (2) gene mutation; (3) follow-up, survival, and postoperative treatment; and (4) prognostic factors of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for intermediate- and high-risk GIST. Results: (1) Clinicopathological features: The median ages of patients with primary gastric and intestinal GIST were 61 (8-85) years and 60 (26-80) years, respectively; The median maximum tumor diameters were 4.0 (0.3-32.0) cm and 6.0 (0.3-35.0) cm, respectively; The median mitotic indexes were 3 (0-113)/5 mm² and 3 (0-50)/5 mm², respectively; The median Ki-67 proliferation indexes were 5% (1%-80%) and 5% (1%-50%), respectively. The rates of positivity for CD117, DOG-1, and CD34 were 99.7% (792/794), 99.9% (731/732), 95.6% (753/788), and 100.0% (267/267), 100.0% (238/238), 61.5% (163/265), respectively. There were higher proportions of male patients (χ²=6.390, P=0.011), tumors of maximum diameter > 5.0 cm (χ²=33.593, P<0.001), high-risk (χ²=94.957, P<0.001), and CD34-negativity (χ²=203.138, P<0.001) among patients with intestinal GISTs than among those with gastric GISTs. (2) Gene mutations: Gene mutations were investigated in 286/360 patients (79.4%) with primary gastric GISTs and 74/360 (20.6%) with primary intestinal GISTs. Among the 286 patients with gastric primary GISTs, 79.4% (227/286), 8.4% (24/286), and 12.2% (35/286), had KIT mutations, PDGFRA mutations, and wild-type, respectively. Among the 74 patients with primary intestinal GISTs, 85.1% (63/74) had KIT mutations and 14.9% (11/74) were wild-type. The PDGFRA mutation rate was lower in patients with intestinal GISTs than in those with gastric GISTs[ 0% vs. 8.4%(24/286), χ²=6.770, P=0.034], whereas KIT exon 9 mutations occurred more often in those with intestinal GISTs [22.2% (14/63) vs. 1.8% (4/227), P<0.001]. There were no significant differences between gastric and intestinal GISTs in the rates of KIT exon 11 mutation type and KIT exon 11 deletion mutation type (both P>0.05). (3) Follow-up, survival, and postoperative treatment: After excluding 228 patients with synchronous and metachronous other malignant tumors, the remaining 833 patients were followed up for 6-124 (median 53) months with a follow-up rate of 88.6% (738/833). None of the patients with very low or low-risk gastric (n=239) or intestinal GISTs (n=56) had received targeted therapy postoperatively. Among 179 patients with moderate-risk GISTs, postoperative targeted therapy had been administered to 88/155 with gastric and 11/24 with intestinal GISTs. Among 264 patients with high-risk GISTs, postoperative targeted therapy had been administered to 106/153 with gastric and 62/111 with intestinal GISTs. The 3-, 5-, and 10-year PFS of patients with gastric or intestinal GISTs were 96.5%, 93.8%, and 87.6% and 85.7%, 80.1% and 63.3%, respectively (P<0.001). The 3-, 5-, and 10-year OS were 99.2%, 98.8%, 97.5% and 94.8%, 92.1%, 85.0%, respectively (P<0.001). (4) Analysis of predictors of intermediate- and high-risk GISTs: The 5-year PFS of patients with gastric and intestinal GISTs were 89.5% and 73.2%, respectively (P<0.001); The 5-year OS were 97.9% and 89.3%, respectively (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that high risk (HR=2.918, 95%CI: 1.076-7.911, P=0.035) and Ki-67 proliferation index > 5% (HR=2.778, 95%CI: 1.389-5.558, P=0.004) were independent risk factors for PFS in patients with intermediate- and high-risk GISTs (both P<0.05). Intestinal GISTs (HR=3.485, 95%CI: 1.407-8.634, P=0.007) and high risk (HR=3.753,95%CI:1.079-13.056, P=0.038) were independent risk factors for OS in patients with intermediate- and high-risk GISTs (both P<0.05). Postoperative targeted therapy was independent protective factor for PFS and OS (HR=0.103, 95%CI: 0.049-0.213, P<0.001; HR=0.210, 95%CI:0.078-0.564,P=0.002). Conclusions: Primary intestinal GIST behaves more aggressively than gastric GISTs and more frequently progress after surgery. Moreover, CD34 negativity and KIT exon 9 mutations occur more frequently in patients with intestinal GISTs than in those with gastric GISTs.

Blood eosinophils to direct oral corticosteroid treatment for patients with nasal polyps - an open label, non-inferiority, randomized control trial

BACKGROUND

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a heterogeneous disorder. We aimed to evaluate the value of blood eosinophil count (BEC) for guiding oral corticosteroid therapy for CRSwNP.

METHODS

Subjects with CRSwNP were entered into a 2:1 randomized biomarker-directed corticosteroid versus standard therapy study base on the principle of potential benefits to patients. Subjects in the standard arm received oral prednisone (30mg/day) alone for 7 days, whereas in the biomarker-directed arm, prednisone (30mg/day), or nasal steroid spray (budesonide 256ug/day) was given according to the BEC which was measured to define eosinophil-high and -low CRSwNP (BEC ≥ and &lt; 0.37×109/L, respectively). The primary outcome was the total nasal symptom scores (TNSS) of the two arms with the non-inferiority margin of 1.8. Secondary outcomes included nasal polyp size scores (NPSS) and SNOT-22. Patients were followed up the day after last dose of treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 105 subjects with CRSwNP were randomized into the biomarker-directed therapy group or the standard care group. The biomarker therapy demonstrated non-inferiority compared to standard care. There were no between-group differences for TNSS, NPSS and SNOT-22 improvements after treatment. Comparisons of TNSS, SNOT-22 and NPSS revealed no significant difference in terms of the effectiveness ratios of the biomarker-directed therapy and the standard care.

CONCLUSION

A biomarker-directed strategy using the BEC can be used to direct corticosteroid therapy without increasing treatment failure or worsening of symptoms in patients with CRSwNP.

Measurements of the Electric and Magnetic Form Factors of the Neutron for Timelike Momentum Transfer

We present the first measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron in the timelike (positive q^{2}) region as function of four-momentum transfer. We explored the differential cross sections of the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→n[over ¯]n with data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII accelerator, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 354.6  pb^{-1} in total at twelve center-of-mass energies between sqrt[s]=2.0-2.95  GeV. A relative uncertainty of 18% and 12% for the electric and magnetic form factors, respectively, is achieved at sqrt[s]=2.3935  GeV. Our results are comparable in accuracy to those from electron scattering in the comparable spacelike region of four-momentum transfer. The electromagnetic form factor ratio R_{em}≡|G_{E}|/|G_{M}| is within the uncertainties close to unity. We compare our result on |G_{E}| and |G_{M}| to recent model predictions, and the measurements in the spacelike region to test the analyticity of electromagnetic form factors.

Microplastics in different water samples (seawater, freshwater, and wastewater): Removal efficiency of membrane treatment processes

The distribution and fate of microplastics in different water sources and their treatment plants (seawater, three municipal wastewaters, a pharmaceutical factory wastewater, and three drinking waters) in France were studied. Currently, research in this field is still under exploration since almost no relevant standards or policies have been introduced for the detection, the removal, or the discharge of microplastics. This study used an improved quantitative and qualitative analytical methodology for microplastic detection by μ-FTIR carried out with siMPle analytical software. By investigation, wastewater was determined to contain the most abundant microplastics in quantity (4,203-42,000 MP·L^-1), then followed by surface water/groundwater (153-19,836 MP·L^-1) and seawater (around 420 MP·L^-1). Polyethylene was the dominant material in almost all water types followed by polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate. Almost all treatment technologies could remove microplastics whatever the feed water types and concentration of microplastics, though some treatment processes or transport pipes could cause additional contamination from microplastics. The four WWTPs, three DWTPs, and SWTP in France provided, respectively, 87.8-99.8%, 82.3-99.9%, 69.0-96.0% removal/retention of MPs in quantity, and provided 97.3-100%, 91.9-99.9%, 92.2-98.1% removal/retention of MPs in surface area. Moreover, ultrafiltration was confirmed to be an effective technology for microplastic retention and control of dimensions of microplastics in smaller ranges both in field-scale and lab-scale experiments. The 200 kDa ultrafiltration membrane could retain 70-100% and 80-100% of microplastics in quantity and in surface area, respectively.

Microplastics in different water samples (seawater, freshwater, and wastewater): Methodology approach for characterization using micro-FTIR spectroscopy

Microplastics of millimeter dimensions have been widely investigated in environmental compartments and today, studies are mainly focused on particles of smaller dimensions (< 500 µm). However, as there are no relevant standards or policies for the preparation and analysis of complex water samples containing such particles, the results may be questionable. Therefore, a methodological approach for 10 µm to 500 µm microplastic analysis was developed using μ-FTIR spectroscopy coupled with the siMPle analytical software. This was undertaken on different water samples (sea, fresh, and wastewater) taking into consideration rinsing water, digestion protocols, collection of microplastics, and sample characteristics. Ultrapure water was the optimal rinsing water and ethanol was also proposed with a mandatory previous filtration. Although water quality could give some guidelines for the selection of digestion protocols, it is not the only decisive factor. The methodology approach by μ-FTIR spectroscopy was finally assessed to be effective and reliable. This improved quantitative and qualitative analytical methodology for microplastic detection can then be used to assess the removal efficiency of conventional and membrane treatment processes in different water treatment plants.

[Clinical observation of Qiliqiangxin capsule combined with recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide in patients with acute heart failure]

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of Qiliqiangxin capsule combined with recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide in acute left heart failure patients 7 days after onset as well as the effects of plasma MDA and ET-1. Methods: In total, 240 hospitalized patients with acute left heart failure from October 2017 to May 2021 were selected from the Department of Emergency and Critical Care Center of Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University and the Department of Cardiology of the Jilin Provincial People's Hospital. They were randomly divided into routine treatment group and combined treatment group, with 120 cases in each group. The routine treatment group was treated with vasodilation, diuresis, cardiotonic and recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide. The combined treatment group was treated with Qiliqiangxin capsules based on the routine treatment group. One week later, the changes in clinical efficacy, ejection fraction, left ventricular commoid diameter, and plasma BNP, MDA, and ET-1 were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. SPSS 11.5 statistical software was used. The measurement data was expressed in x¯±s, the independent sample t-test was used for comparison between groups, and the paired t-test was used for comparison before and after treatment within groups. Counting data was expressed as case (%), and the rank sum test was used for inter-group comparison. Result: In terms of clinical efficacy, the total effective rate of the combined treatment group was significantly higher than that of the conventional treatment group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the routine treatment group, the left ventricular ejection fraction in the combined treatment group was significantly increased (P<0.05). The levels of plasma BNP, MDA and ET-1 were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion: Qiliqiangxin capsule combined with rhBNP treatment can effectively improve the clinical symptoms of acute heart failure, as well as reduce the lipid peroxidation product MDA content and endothetin ET-1 level in blood. The clinical application value of the Qiliqiangxin capsule needs to be further confirmed by further trials.

Observation of Three Charmoniumlike States with J^{PC}=1^{--} in e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+}

The Born cross sections of the process e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} at center-of-mass energies from 4.189 to 4.951 GeV are measured for the first time. The data samples used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 17.9  fb^{-1} and were collected by the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. Three enhancements around 4.20, 4.47, and 4.67 GeV are visible. The resonances have masses of 4209.6±4.7±5.9  MeV/c^{2}, 4469.1±26.2±3.6  MeV/c^{2}, and 4675.3±29.5±3.5  MeV/c^{2} and widths of 81.6±17.8±9.0  MeV, 246.3±36.7±9.4  MeV, and 218.3±72.9±9.3  MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The first and third resonances are consistent with the ψ(4230) and ψ(4660) states, respectively, while the second one is compatible with the ψ(4500) observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}J/ψ process. These three charmoniumlike ψ states are observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} process for the first time.

Measurement of Sequential ϒ Suppression in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV with the STAR Experiment

We report on measurements of sequential ϒ suppression in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV with the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) through both the dielectron and dimuon decay channels. In the 0%-60% centrality class, the nuclear modification factors (R_{AA}), which quantify the level of yield suppression in heavy-ion collisions compared to p+p collisions, for ϒ(1S) and ϒ(2S) are 0.40±0.03(stat)±0.03(sys)±0.09(norm) and 0.26±0.08(stat)±0.02(sys)±0.06(norm), respectively, while the upper limit of the ϒ(3S) R_{AA} is 0.17 at a 95% confidence level. This provides experimental evidence that the ϒ(3S) is significantly more suppressed than the ϒ(1S) at RHIC. The level of suppression for ϒ(1S) is comparable to that observed at the much higher collision energy at the Large Hadron Collider. These results point to the creation of a medium at RHIC whose temperature is sufficiently high to strongly suppress excited ϒ states.

[Analysis on infection sources and transmission chains of three outbreaks caused by 2019-nCoV Omicron variant in Beijing, China]

Objective: To investigate the infection sources and the transmission chains of three outbreaks caused by 2019-nCoV Omicron variant possibly spread through cross-border logistics in Beijing. Methods: Epidemiological investigation and big data were used to identify the exposure points of the cases. Close contacts were traced from the exposure points, and the cases' and environmental samples were collected for nucleic acid tests. Positive samples were analyzed by gene sequencing. Results: The Omicron variant causing 3 outbreaks in Beijing from January to April, 2022 belonged to BA.1, BA.1.1 and BA.2. The outbreaks lasted for 8, 12 and 8 days respectively, and 6, 42 and 32 cases infected with 2019-nCoV were reported respectively. International mail might be the infection source for 1 outbreak, and imported clothes might be the infection sources for another 2 outbreaks. The interval between the shipment start time of the imported goods and the infection time of the index case was 3-4 days. The mean incubation period (Q₁, Q₃) was 3 (2,4) days and the mean serial interval (Q₁, Q₃) was 3 (2,4)days. Conclusions: The 3 outbreaks highlighted the risk of infection by Omicron variant from international logistics-related imported goods at normal temperature. Omicron variant has stronger transmissibility, indicating that rapid epidemiological investigation and strict management are needed.