Netrin-1 Promotes M2 Type Activation and Inhibits Pyroptosis of Microglial Cells by Depressing RAC1/Nf-?B Pathway to Alleviate Inflammatory Pain

Netrin-1 (NTN-1) plays a vital role in the progress of nervous system development and inflammatory diseases. However, the role and underlying mechanism of NTN-1 in inflammatory pain (IP) are unclear. BV2 microglia were treated with LPS to mimic the cell status under IP. Adeno-associated virus carrying the NTN-1 gene (AAV-NTN-1) was used to overexpress NTN-1. Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-induced mouse was recruited as an in vivo model. MTT and commercial kits were utilized to evaluate cell viability and cell death of BV2 cells. The mRNA expressions and secretions of cytokines were measured using the ELISA method. Also, the pyroptosis and activation of BV2 cells were investigated based on western blotting. To verify the role of Rac1/NF-kappaB signaling, isochamaejasmin (ISO) and AAV-Rac1 were presented. The results showed that NTN-1 expression was decreased in LPS-treated BV2 microglia and spinal cord tissues of CFA-injected mice. Overexpressing NTN-1 dramatically reversed cell viability and decreased cell death rate of BV2 microglia under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, while the level of pyroptosis was inhibited. Besides, AAV-NTN-1 rescued the activation of microglia and inflammatory injury induced by LPS, decreasing IBA-1 expression, as well as iNOS, IL-1beta and IL-6 secretions. Meanwhile AAV-NTN-1 promoted the anti-inflammation response, including increases in Arg-1, IL-4 and IL-10 levels. In addition, the LPS-induced activation of Rac1/NF-kappaB signaling was depressed by NTN-1 overexpression. The same results were verified in a CFA-induced mouse model. In conclusion, NTN-1 alleviated IP by suppressing pyroptosis and promoting M2 type activation of microglia via inhibiting Rac1/NF-?B signaling, suggesting the protective role of NTN-1 in IP. Keywords: Netrin-1, Inflammatory pain, Pyroptosis, Microglia M2 activation, Rac1/NF-kappaB.

Diverse high-pressure chemistry in Y-NH3BH3 and Y-paraffin oil systems

The yttrium-hydrogen system has gained attention because of near-ambient temperature superconductivity reports in yttrium hydrides at high pressures. We conducted a study using synchrotron single-crystal x-ray diffraction (SCXRD) at 87 to 171 GPa, resulting in the discovery of known (two YH3 phases) and five previously unknown yttrium hydrides. These were synthesized in diamond anvil cells by laser heating yttrium with hydrogen-rich precursors-ammonia borane or paraffin oil. The arrangements of yttrium atoms in the crystal structures of new phases were determined on the basis of SCXRD, and the hydrogen content estimations based on empirical relations and ab initio calculations revealed the following compounds: Y3H11, Y2H9, Y4H23, Y13H75, and Y4H25. The study also uncovered a carbide (YC2) and two yttrium allotropes. Complex phase diversity, variable hydrogen content in yttrium hydrides, and their metallic nature, as revealed by ab initio calculations, underline the challenges in identifying superconducting phases and understanding electronic transitions in high-pressure synthesized materials.

AZGP1 Aggravates Macrophage M1 Polarization and Pyroptosis in Periodontitis

Periodontal tissue destruction in periodontitis is a consequence of the host inflammatory response to periodontal pathogens, which could be aggravated in the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Accumulating evidence highlights the intricate involvement of macrophage-mediated inflammation in the pathogenesis of periodontitis under both normal and T2DM conditions. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Alpha-2-glycoprotein 1 (AZGP1), a glycoprotein featuring an MHC-I domain, has been implicated in both inflammation and metabolic disorders. In this study, we found that AZGP1 was primarily colocalized with macrophages in periodontitis tissues. AZGP1 was increased in periodontitis compared with controls, which was further elevated when accompanied by T2DM. Adeno-associated virus-mediated overexpression of Azgp1 in the periodontium significantly enhanced periodontal inflammation and alveolar bone loss, accompanied by elevated M1 macrophages and pyroptosis in murine models of periodontitis and T2DM-associated periodontitis, while Azgp1-/- mice exhibited opposite effects. In primary bone marrow-derived macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or LPS and palmitic acid (PA), overexpression or knockout of Azgp1 markedly upregulated or suppressed, respectively, the expression of macrophage M1 markers and key components of the NLR Family Pyrin Domain Containing 3 (NLRP3)/caspase-1 signaling. Moreover, conditioned medium from Azgp1-overexpressed macrophages under LPS or LPS+PA stimulation induced higher inflammatory activation and lower osteogenic differentiation in human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs). Furthermore, elevated M1 polarization and pyroptosis in macrophages and associated detrimental effects on hPDLSCs induced by Azgp1 overexpression could be rescued by NLRP3 or caspase-1 inhibition. Collectively, our study elucidated that AZGP1 could aggravate periodontitis by promoting macrophage M1 polarization and pyroptosis through the NLRP3/casapse-1 pathway, which was accentuated in T2DM-associated periodontitis. This finding deepens the understanding of AZGP1 in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and suggests AZGP1 as a crucial link mediating the adverse effects of diabetes on periodontal inflammation.

Stabilization of N6 and N8 anionic units and 2D polynitrogen layers in high-pressure scandium polynitrides

Nitrogen catenation under high pressure leads to the formation of polynitrogen compounds with potentially unique properties. The exploration of the entire spectrum of poly- and oligo-nitrogen moieties is still in its earliest stages. Here, we report on four novel scandium nitrides, Sc2N6, Sc2N8, ScN5, and Sc4N3, synthesized by direct reaction between yttrium and nitrogen at 78-125 GPa and 2500 K in laser-heated diamond anvil cells. High-pressure synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that in the crystal structures of the nitrogen-rich Sc2N6, Sc2N8, and ScN5 phases nitrogen is catenated forming previously unknown N66- and N86- units and ∞ 2 ( N 5 3 - ) anionic corrugated 2D-polynitrogen layers consisting of fused N12 rings. Density functional theory calculations, confirming the dynamical stability of the synthesized compounds, show that Sc2N6 and Sc2N8 possess an anion-driven metallicity, while ScN5 is an indirect semiconductor. Sc2N6, Sc2N8, and ScN5 solids are promising high-energy-density materials with calculated volumetric energy density, detonation velocity, and detonation pressure higher than those of TNT.

Synthesis of Ultra-Incompressible and Recoverable Carbon Nitrides Featuring CN4 Tetrahedra

Carbon nitrides featuring three-dimensional frameworks of CN4 tetrahedra are one of the great aspirations of materials science, expected to have a hardness greater than or comparable to diamond. After more than three decades of efforts to synthesize them, no unambiguous evidence of their existence has been delivered. Here, the high-pressure high-temperature synthesis of three carbon-nitrogen compounds, tI14-C3 N4 , hP126-C3 N4 , and tI24-CN2 , in laser-heated diamond anvil cells, is reported. Their structures are solved and refined using synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Physical properties investigations show that these strongly covalently bonded materials, ultra-incompressible and superhard, also possess high energy density, piezoelectric, and photoluminescence properties. The novel carbon nitrides are unique among high-pressure materials, as being produced above 100 GPa they are recoverable in air at ambient conditions.

Onion cryptochrome 1 (AcCRY1) regulates photomorphogenesis and photoperiod flowering in Arabidopsis and exploration of its functional mechanisms under blue light

Cryptochromes (CRYs), as blue-light photoreceptors, play a crucial role in regulating flowering time and hypocotyl and cotyledon development. Their physiological functions have been extensively studied in various plant species. However, research on onions remains limited. In this study, we identified AcCRY1 and conducted preliminary investigations into its function. Our results demonstrate that AcCRY1 possesses a conserved domain typical of cryptochromes with high homology to those found in monocots. Furthermore, we examined the expression level of AcCRY1 in onion. The green tissues is significantly higher compared to non-green tissues, and it exhibits a significant response to blue-light induction. AcCRY1 demonstrates cytoplasmic localization under blue-light conditions, while it localizes in the nucleus during darkness, indicating a strong dependence on blue-light for its subcellular distribution. In comparison to cry1, overexpression of AcCRY1 leads to a significant shorten in seedling hypocotyl length, notable expansion of cotyledons, and acceleration of flowering time. The yeast two-hybrid experiment demonstrated the in vitro interaction between AcCRY1, AcCOP1, and AcSPA1. Additionally, BIFC analysis confirmed their interaction in Onion epidermis. Notably, under blue-light conditions, a significantly enhanced binding activity was observed compared to dark conditions. These findings establish a functional foundation for the regulatory role of AcCRY1 in important physiological processes of onion and provide initial insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Potential role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by periodontal pathogens in oral cancer

With the increasing incidence of oral cancer in the world, it has become a hotspot to explore the pathogenesis and prevention of oral cancer. It has been proved there is a strong link between periodontal pathogens and oral cancer. However, the specific molecular and cellular pathogenic mechanisms remain to be further elucidated. Emerging evidence suggests that periodontal pathogens-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is closely related to the progression of oral cancer. Cells undergoing EMT showed increased motility, aggressiveness and stemness, which provide a pro-tumour environment and promote malignant metastasis of oral cancer. Plenty of studies proposed periodontal pathogens promote carcinogenesis via EMT. In the current review, we discussed the association between the development of oral cancer and periodontal pathogens, and summarized various mechanisms of EMT caused by periodontal pathogens, which are supposed to play an important role in oral cancer, to provide targets for future research in the fight against oral cancer.

[Analysis of the maternal and fetal adverse outcomes of 154 pregnant women with cesarean section in the second stage of labor]

Objective: To investigate the perinatal maternal and fetal adverse outcomes of cesarean section in the different duration of the second stage of labor. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on the clinical data of 154 pregnant women with singleton head pregnancy who underwent cesarean section at different times of the second stage of labor due to maternal and fetal factors in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. According to the duration of the second stage of labor, they were divided into <2 h group (54 cases), 2-<3 h group (61 cases), and ≥3 h group (39 cases). The general data of pregnant women and neonates, preoperative maternal and neonatal conditions related to labor stages, surgical indications, surgical procedures, and perioperative maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes were compared among the three groups. Results: (1) General Information: there were no significant differences in maternal age, gravidity and parity, proportion of primipara, gestational age at delivery, body mass index before delivery, pregnancy complications, labor analgesia rate and the duration of the first stage of labor among the three groups (all P>0.05). The differences of the gender composition, birth weight and incidence of macrosomia of the three groups were also not statistically significant (all P>0.05). (2) Maternal and fetal status and surgical indications: the incidence of intrapartum fever and type Ⅱ and Ⅲ fetal heart rate monitoring in the <2 h group were higher than those in the 2-<3 h group and the ≥3 h group, and the preoperative fetal head position in the ≥3 h group was lower than that in the 2-<3 h group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). The proportion of cesarean section due to "fetal distress" was 40.7% (22/54) in the <2 h group, which was higher than that in the 2-<3 h group (4.9%, 3/61) and the ≥3 h group (2.6%, 1/39). The proportions of surgical indication of "relative cephalo-pelvic disproportion" were 98.4% (60/61) and 94.9% (37/39) in the 2-<3 h group and ≥3 h group, respectively, and the surgical indication of "fetal head descent arrest" were 41.0% (25/61) and 59.0% (23/39), respectively. Compared with <2 h group [63.0% (34/54), 13.0% (7/54)], the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There were no significant difference in surgical indications between 2-<3 h group and ≥3 h group (all P>0.05). (3) Intraoperative conditions and perioperative complications of cesarean section: the puerperal morbidity rate of <2 h group was 37.0% (20/54), which was higher than those of 2-<3 h group (18.0%, 11/61) and ≥3 h group (7.7%, 3/39), the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, incidence of fetal head inlay, uterine incision tear, modified B-Lynch suture for uterine atony, postpartum hemorrhage, perioperative blood transfusion, preoperative hemoglobin (Hb) level, perioperative Hb change, and postoperative hospital stay among the three groups (all P>0.05). (4) Adverse neonatal outcomes: non-hemolytic neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in ≥3 h group was 35.9% (14/39), which was significantly higher than that in <2 h group (13.0%, 7/54; P<0.05). Among the neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within 1 week after birth, the proportion of neonates admitted to NICU due to neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in ≥3 h group (15/19) was significantly higher than that in <2 h group (9/17) and 2-<3 h group (10/19), and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the <2 h group and the 2-<3 h group (P>0.05). There was no perinatal death in the three groups. Conclusions: The rate of puerperal morbidity is higher in patients who were transferred to cesarean section within 2 hours of the second stage of labor. In the early stage of the second stage of labor, the monitoring of fetal heart rate and amniotic fluid characteristics should be strengthened, especially the presence or absence of prenatal fever. In good maternal and neonatal conditions, conversion to cesarean section after 2 hours of the second stage of labor does not significantly increase the incidence of serious adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. For the second stage of labor more than 3 hours before cesarean section, it is necessary to strengthen the monitoring of neonatal bilirubin.

Expression of water-soluble nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 and analysis of its immunogenicity

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to be a major public health concern. Nucleocapsid (N) protein is the most abundant structural protein on SARS-CoV-2 virions and induces the production of antibodies at the early stage of infection. Large-scale preparation of N protein is essential for the development of immunoassays to detect antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and the control of virus transmission. In this study, expression of water-soluble N protein was achieved through inducing protein expression at 25°C with 0.5 mM IPTG for 12 h. Western blot and ELISA showed that recombinant N protein could be recognized by sera collected from subjects immunized with Sinovac inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Four monoclonal antibodies namely 2B1B1, 4D3A3, 5G1F8, and 7C6F5 were produced using hybridoma technology. Titers of all four monoclonal antibodies in ELISA reached more than 1.28×10 6.0. Moreover, all monoclonal antibodies could react specifically with N protein expressed by transfection of pcDNA3.1-N into BHK-21 cells in IPMA and IFA. These results indicated that water-soluble N protein retained high immunogenicity and possessed the same epitopes as that of native N protein on virions. In addition, the preparation of water-soluble N protein and its monoclonal antibodies laid the basis for the development of immunoassays for COVID-19 detection.

Stabilization Of The CN3 5- Anion In Recoverable High-pressure Ln3 O2 (CN3 ) (Ln=La, Eu, Gd, Tb, Ho, Yb) Oxoguanidinates

A series of isostructural Ln3 O2 (CN3 ) (Ln=La, Eu, Gd, Tb, Ho, Yb) oxoguanidinates was synthesized under high-pressure (25-54 GPa) high-temperature (2000-3000 K) conditions in laser-heated diamond anvil cells. The crystal structure of this novel class of compounds was determined via synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) as well as corroborated by X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The Ln3 O2 (CN3 ) solids are composed of the hitherto unknown CN3 5- guanidinate anion-deprotonated guanidine. Changes in unit cell volumes and compressibility of Ln3 O2 (CN3 ) (Ln=La, Eu, Gd, Tb, Ho, Yb) compounds are found to be dictated by the lanthanide contraction phenomenon. Decompression experiments show that Ln3 O2 (CN3 ) compounds are recoverable to ambient conditions. The stabilization of the CN3 5- guanidinate anion at ambient conditions provides new opportunities in inorganic and organic synthetic chemistry.

Occlusal Force Maintains Alveolar Bone Homeostasis via Type H Angiogenesis

Physiologically, teeth and periodontal tissues are exposed to occlusal forces throughout their lifetime. Following occlusal unloading, unbalanced bone remodeling manifests as a net alveolar bone (AB) loss. This phenomenon is termed alveolar bone disuse osteoporosis (ABDO), the underlying mechanism of which remains unclear. Type H vessels, a novel capillary subtype tightly coupled with osteogenesis, reportedly have a role in skeletal remodeling; however, their role in ABDO is not well studied. In the present study, we aimed to explore the pathogenesis of and therapies for ABDO. The study revealed that type H endothelium highly positive for CD31 and endomucin was identified in the periodontal ligament (PDL) but rarely in the AB of the mice. In hypofunctional PDL, the density of type H vasculature and coupled osterix+ (OSX+) osteoprogenitors declined significantly. In addition, the angiogenic factor Slit guidance ligand 3 (SLIT3) was downregulated in the disused PDL, and periodontal injection of the recombinant SLIT3 protein partially ameliorated type H vessel dysfunction and AB loss in ABDO mice. With regard to the molecular mechanism, a mechanosensory signaling circuit, PIEZO1/Ca2+/HIF-1α/SLIT3, was validated by applying cyclic compression to 3-dimensional-cultured PDL cells using the Flexcell FX-5000 compression system. In summary, PDL plays a pivotal role in mechanotransduction by translating physical forces into the intracellular signaling axis PIEZO1/Ca2+/HIF-1α/SLIT3, which promotes type H angiogenesis and OSX+ cell-related osteogenensis, thereby contributing to AB homeostasis. Our findings advance the understanding of PDL in AB disorders. Further therapies targeting SLIT3 may provide new insights into preventing bone loss in ABDO.

[Research and reflection on the diversified method system of multi-stages and multi-scenarios surveillance and early warning of infectious diseases]

With the outbreak of infectious diseases, more and more attention has been paid to surveillance and early warning work. Timely and accurate monitoring data is the basis of infectious diseases prevention and control. Effective early warning methods for infectious diseases can improve the timeliness and sensitivity of early warning work. This paper briefly introduces the intelligent early warning model of infectious diseases, summarizes the emerging surveillance and early warning methods of infectious diseases, and seeks the possibility of diversified surveillance and early warning in different epidemic stages and different outbreak scenarios of infectious diseases. This paper puts forward the idea of constructing a diversified method system of infectious diseases surveillance and early warning based on multi-stages and multi-scenarios and discusses the future development trend of infectious diseases surveillance and early warning, in order to provide reference for improving the construction level of infectious diseases surveillance and early warning system in China.

The economic burden of coronary heart disease in mainland China

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the current economic burden of coronary heart disease (CHD) in mainland China and provide a reference for the formulation of policies to reduce the economic burden of CHD.

STUDY DESIGN

A systematic literature review was conducted of empirical studies on the economic burden of CHD over the past 20 years.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database and the WANFANG database were comprehensively searched for relevant articles published between 1 January 2000 and 22 December 2021. Content analysis was used to extract the data, and Stata 17.0 software was used for analysis. The median values were used to describe trends.

RESULTS

A total of 35 studies were included in this review. The annual median per-capita hospitalisation expense and the average expense per hospitalisation were $3544.40 ($891.64-$18,371.46) and $5407.34 ($1139.93-$8277.55), respectively. The median ratio on medical consumables expenses, drug expenses, medical examination expenses and treatment expenses were 41.59% (12.40%-63.73%), 26.90% (7.30%-60.00%), 9.45% (1.65%-33.40%) and 10.10% (2.36%-66.00%), respectively. The median per-capita hospitalisation expense in the eastern, central and western regions were $9374.45 ($2056.13-$18,371.46), $4751.5 ($2951.95-$8768.93) and $3251.25 ($891.64-$13,986.38), respectively. The median average expense per hospitalisation in the eastern and central regions were $6177.15 ($1679.15-$8277.55) and $1285.49 ($1239.93-$2197.36), respectively. The median average length of stay in the eastern, central and western regions were 9.3 days, 15.2 days and 16.1 days, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The economic burden of CHD is more severe in mainland China than in developed countries, especially in terms of the direct economic burden. In terms of the types of direct medical expenses, a proportion of medical examination expenses, treatment expenses and drug expenses were lowest in the eastern region, but medical consumables expenses were the highest in this region. This study provides guidance for the formulation of policies to reduce the economic burden of CHD in mainland China.

A Retrospective Analysis of Immediate Postoperative Electron Radiotherapy for Keloids

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The increasing incidence of keloid has seriously affected people's physical and mental health, and the postoperative recurrence rate is as high as 50-80%. Postoperative radiotherapy has been shown to significantly reduce the recurrence of keloid. Given the different treatment patterns in different institutions, we tried to analyze the data of patients in our center.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 455 patients with 498 keloids treated in our institution from 2010 to 2017. All patients received a four-fraction electron radiotherapy with single dose of 4 Gy within 24 hours of surgery. The recurrence and adverse reaction of immediate adjuvant radiotherapy in these patients was evaluated.

RESULTS

At the last follow-up date, 130 (26.5%) keloids had recurred after a middle follow-up of 68.1 months (42.6-129.9 months). The recurrence rates of 1 year, 3 years and 5 years were respectively14.5%, 18.7% and 21%. Recurrence rates vary depending on the keloid location. Among them, the recurrence rate of ear was low with 14% (43/298). Face, head neck and limbs was moderate with 38.8% (17/44) and 33.3% (8/24). Chest and Suprapubic region had a high recurrence rate of 50.8% (32/64) and 47.8% (33/69). Among the patients with recurrence, 16.9% (22/130) felt that their symptoms were better than before treatment, and 37.7% (49/130) were not worsen, which was acceptable. Multivariate analysis showed that age and duration of postoperative pruritus pain were correlated with recurrence (P = 0.036; P = 0.02). Radiotherapy combined with steroid and silicone reduced the recurrence rate compared with radiotherapy alone (P = 0.015). During treatment and follow-up, Infection occurred in 2 patients and cutaneous fibroblastoma in 1 patient.

CONCLUSION

Our radiotherapy regimen can effectively reduce the recurrence rate and improve the symptoms of patients with keloids, especially ear keloids. High recurrence sites need further improvement of radiotherapy dose and fraction. Combination of multiple treatments is better than single treatment.

Potential Predictive Value of Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Magnetic Resonance for Xerostomia of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Xerostomia, caused by radiation-induced parotid damage, is the most commonly reported complications of radiotherapy (RT) to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study aimed to evaluate the value of IVIM MR in monitoring radiation parotid gland damage and predicting the risk of xerostomia.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 54 patients were enrolled and underwent IVIM MR scans at before RT, after the fifth fraction, halfway through the course of RT, and at the end of radiotherapy. The parameters of IVIM MR include pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f), and pure diffusion coefficient (D). The degree of xerostomia in NPC patients was assessed before each MR examination using the acute radiation morbidity scoring criteria proposed by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). Concurrently, the time when the patient first reported suffering from xerostomia was recorded. The IVIM parameters trend throughout the RT, and the relationships between IVIM parameters and xerostomia, were analyzed.

RESULTS

All of the IVIM parameters increased from pre-RT to post-RT significantly (all p < 0.001). The increase rate of D from pre-RT to halfway through the RT was 32.61%, which was significantly higher than 15.64% from halfway to post-RT (p<0.001), indicating that cell necrosis in the first half of treatment is significantly higher than that in the second half. Both D* and F had significantly increased from pre-RT to halfway through the radiotherapy (p<0.001), with an increase rate of 19.58% and 29.38%, respectively. However, no significant increase was observed from Halfway to post-RT (p>0.05), with an increase rate of 4.10% and 8.30%, respectively. This may be due to radiation-induced vasculitic dilation that is significant in the first half of the radiotherapy but plateaus in the second half. Pre-D (OR = 23.85; 95% CI = 2.39, 237.82; p = .007) and pre-D* (OR = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.63, 0.91; p = 0.003) are independent influencing factors for xerostomia at 3 months after the completion of RT. D and F were significantly higher after the fifth fraction compared with Pre-RT (both p<0.05), respectively increased 31.25% and 25.16%. D* increase by 15% (p = 0.081). IVIM scans can assess parotid gland damage early. And the average time of parotid damage underwent IVIM scan was 5.99 ± 0.84 (day), much earlier than 11.84 ± 2.74 (day) according to RTOG.

CONCLUSION

Our study indicates that IVIM MR can dynamically monitor radiotherapy-induced parotid gland damage, and much earlier and objectively than RTOG.

Long-Term Results of Induction Chemotherapy for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This study aimed to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes and toxicities of induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) versus CCRT alone in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

MATERIALS/METHODS

Between 2008 and 2022, 271 ESCC patients who received definitive CCRT (IC followed by CCRT, n = 72; CCRT alone, n = 199) were enrolled. Radiotherapy technique included intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Through a propensity score matched (PSM) method, 71 patients receiving IC and CCRT were matched 1:1 to patients who received CCRT alone, according to age, gender, performance status, tumor length, and pre-treatment TN stage. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model were applied to analyze survival and prognosis.

RESULTS

The IC + CCRT group had no improvement in 5-year overall survival (OS) rate (39.0% vs 29.3%, p = 0.360), recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate (39.0% vs 26.9%, p = 0.142), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rate (33.6% vs 27.2%, p = 0.515) compared with the CCRT group. The overall clinical response rate was 45.1% after IC in the IC + CCRT group. The IC responders (CR + PR + SD) group showed more favorable 5-year OS (41.7% vs. 14.3% vs. 29.3%, p < 0.001), RFS (41.7% vs. 14.3% vs. 26.9%, p < 0.001) and DMFS (37.3% vs. 0% vs. 27.2%, p < 0.001) compared with the IC non-responders (PD) group and the CCRT group. Besides, the 5-year OS rate (65.6% vs. 17.6% vs. 29.3%, p < 0.001), RFS rate (65.6% vs. 17.6% vs. 26.9%, p < 0.001), and DMFS rate (62.5% vs. 10.3% vs. 27.2%, p < 0.001) of the IC good responders (CR + PR) were significantly higher than that of the IC poor responders (SD + PD) and CCRT group. Multivariate analysis revealed that total radiotherapy time (≥ 49 days) and AJCC stage (Ⅲ/Ⅳ) were independent predictive factors of OS, RFS and DMFS. Besides, age was an independent predictive factor of DMFS. No significant difference was observed in the rates of grades 3-4 toxicities between both groups.

CONCLUSION

Our results showed the addition of IC to CCRT was not superior to CCRT in unselected ESCC patients, while IC responders could benefit from this regime without increase in toxicities.

Inter-fractional Assessment during MR-guided Online Adaptive Radiotherapy for Glioblastoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) guided radiation therapy has the potential to improve outcomes for glioblastoma by adapting to tumor changes during radiation therapy. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and potential benefits of MR-guided online adaptive radiotherapy (MRgOART) for patients with glioblastoma.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Twenty consecutive patients with glioblastoma were treated with MRgOART of 60 Gy in 30 fractions by the 1.5 T MR-Linac. The MRgOART fractions employed daily MR scans and the contours were utilized to create each adapted plan. The gross tumor volume (GTV) and clinical target volume (CTV) were delineated on MRI of pre-treatment simulation (Fx0) and all fractions (Fx1, Fx2, Fx3 ... Fx30) to evaluate the inter-fractional changes. These changes were quantified using absolute/relative volume (∆V), Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff distance (HD) metrics. The reference treatment plans were generated using step-and-shoot IMRT and utilized 7-9 beam groups on original CT. Before the treatment, a synthetic CT (sCT) quality assurance (QA) process was performed to assess the dose accuracy of bulk relative electron density (rED) assignment for online MRI based treatment plan in terms of gamma analysis, point dose comparison and dose volume histogram (DVH) parameters. Then, the online adaptative treatment plans were obtained by re-optimizing based on the contours on daily pre-treatment MRI by "adapt to shape" workflow. Non-adaptive plans for each patient were generated by recalculating the dose from the reference plans on daily online MRI by "adapt to position" workflow. GTV and CTV coverage and organ at risk (OAR) constraints were used to compare non-adaptive and adaptive plans.

RESULTS

For both criteria, the 1%/1mm (98.58%±0.15%) and 2%/2mm (99.88%±0.18%) gamma passing rate results were always clinically acceptable in sCT QA process. The differences on point dose and DVH parameters between the plans based on sCT and original CT were less than 1%. A total of 20 patients with 600 fractions were evaluated. The results showed that large inter-fractional changes for GTV limited the efficacy of radiation therapy (DSC: 0.78±0.08, HD: 20.94±3.64mm, ∆V: 2.92%±6.36%). The inter-fractional CTV changes were smaller (DSC: 0.91±0.04, HD: 15.31±3.09mm, ∆V: 1.41%±1.29%). GTV coverage of non-adaptive plans was below the prescribed coverage in 228/600 fractions (38%), with 90 (15%) failing by more than 10%. For CTV coverage of non-adaptive plans, the changes were less than 5%. Online adaptative plans improved GTV and CTV coverage significantly (p<0.001) to 99%. The adaptive plans also had lower dose to whole brain than non-adaptive plans (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Significant inter-fractional tumor changes could be found during radiotherapy in patients with glioblastoma treated by the 1.5 T MR-Linac. Daily MR-guided re-optimization of treatment plans corrected for day-to-day anatomical variations and resulted in adequate target coverage in all fractions.

Investigating Incidence of Nausea and Vomiting in Patients Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy: A Real-World Cohort Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Vomiting and nausea (VN) caused by anticancer agents and/or radiation therapy (RT) can significantly affect a patient's quality of life, leading to poor compliance with further anticancer agents and/or RT. Few studies pay attention to synergistic effect of RT and concurrent highly emetogenic chemotherapy for inducing vomiting and nausea. The aim of this real-world study is to investigate the incidence of VN in patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

MATERIALS/METHODS

From June 2022 to December 2022, patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy in our center were consecutively enrolled in this study. Patients received moderate and low emetic agents were excluded. The antiemesis regimens were NK1 receptor antagonist plus 5-HT3 antagonist and dexamethasone (NHD) with or without olanzapine, which were recommended by guideline of National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Acute and delayed VN were analyzed in the following stratification factors: tumor site and antiemesis regimen. Acute VN usually occurred after administration of anticancer agents and commonly resolves within the first 24 hours. Delayed VN develops in patients more than 24 hours after anticancer agent administration. The grade of VN was evaluated according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 312 patients were enrolled for analysis. During the CCRT period, the incidence rate of acute VN in all patients was 28.2%, the delayed VN occurred in 139 of 312 patients (44.6%). The incidence rate of acute nausea in head and neck, thorax and abdomen were 33.8%, 28.9% and 25.2%, respectively. The incidence rate of acute vomiting in head and neck, thorax and abdomen were 7.0%, 3.9% and 5.2%, respectively. The incidence rate of delayed nausea in head and neck, thorax and abdomen were 51.1%, 35.5% and 45.9%, respectively. The incidence rate of delayed vomiting in head and neck, thorax and abdomen were 14.0%, 5.3% and 9.6%, respectively. There were not significant differences between NHD regimen and NHD plus olanzapine in VN (acute nausea, 25.5% vs. 30.3%, P = 0.356; acute vomiting, 4.4% vs. 6.8%, P = 0.352; delayed nausea, 40.1% vs. 48%, P = 0.166; delayed vomiting, 8.0% vs. 10.8%, P = 0.4). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed age <50 years (P = 0.030. HR, 95% CI: 1.893, 1.062-3.374) and history of vomiting = 0.017, HR, 95% CI: 2.249, 1.154-4.384) were risk factor for acute nausea; female (P = 0.026, HR, 95% CI: 4.254, 1.192-15.186) and sleeping time <7 hours (p = 0.049, HR, 95% CI: 3.373, 1.003-11.344) were risk factors for acute vomiting; pregnancy (P = 0.011, HR, 95% CI: 2.424, 1.228-4.783) was risk factor for delayed nausea; pregnancy = 0.013, HR, 95% CI: 3.060, 1.269-7.380) and history of vomiting = 0.020, HR, 95% CI: 2.845, 1.182-6.844) were risk factors for delayed vomiting in patients receiving CCRT.

CONCLUSION

CCRT still contributed high incidence of delayed nausea in patients receiving standard antiemesis regimen.

CT vs. MRI: Which is More Accurate in Grading Rectal Wall Infiltration after Hydrogel Spacer Placement for Prostate Cancer Patients?

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and severity of rectal wall infiltration (RWI) in prostate cancer patients after rectal hydrogel spacer implantation, a commonly used procedure to minimize rectal radiation exposure during prostate radiotherapy. The study aimed to determine correlation of RWI using computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in order to determine the optimal post-placement imaging modality.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted on 370 patients diagnosed with localized prostate cancer who underwent rectal hydrogel spacer placement from 2020 to 2022. CT scans were performed on all patients, with a smaller subset also undergoing MRI scans. The images were independently evaluated by three radiation oncologists to grade RWI levels using a standardized scoring system based on CT and MRI images after hydrogel placement. The levels were categorized as 0 (no RWI), 1 (focal RWI), 2 (moderate RWI), and 3 (significant RWI).

RESULTS

Any grade of RWI was identified in 79.8% of men with the majority (41%) being RWI grade 1. The median time for CT scans was 9 days after hydrogel spacer placement and 14.5 days for MRI scans. For the subset of patients with both CT and MRI scans after spacer (mostly SpaceOAR Vue), RWI was detected in 58.33% of patients based on CT and 61.11% of patients based on MRI. Table 1 shows the mean percentage of patients with each score of RWI for each imaging modality. MRI was more likely to lead to a designation of RWI of any grade compared to CT and more often led to detection of RWI grades 2-3.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that the incidence and severity of RWI may be higher than previously reported in clinical trials and that MRI may be a more sensitive imaging modality. Caution is needed in the utilization of rectal spacer gels given the potential for complications with misplacement prior to radiation therapy. Further study is warranted to determine the potential impact of low-grade RWI on the safety of subsequent treatment.

Low-Dose Fractionated Radiotherapy Combined with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for T3-4 Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients: The Preliminary Results of a Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Over 70% of NPC patients were local advanced NPC (LANPC). The 5-year local recurrence-free survival rate is only 70% in T3-4 patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) was recommended for LANPC patients. Low-dose fractionated radiotherapy (LDFRT), which is <100cGy, induces enhanced cell killing by the hyper-radiation sensitivity phenomenon and potentiates effects of chemotherapy. The synergy of LDFRT and NACT has not been used in the clinical practice and few studies focused on it. A single arm study found the ORR of primary site was improved to 90% for head and neck squamous carcinoma patients treated with LDFRT and NACT. Our previous study found the ORR of lymph nodes was higher in LDFRT group for high-risk LANPC patients. However, another study showed there was no significant difference between LDFRT and control group for LANPC patients. So, we aimed to investigate the potential efficacy of this novel neoadjuvant therapy for T3-4 NPC patients.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 60 pathological confirmed T3-4 (UICC/AJCC8th) NPC patients were prospectively enrolled in our study. They were randomly assigned to two groups. For the LDFRT group, the patients received 3 cycles of NACT (docetaxel 75mg/m2 D1, cisplatin 80mg/m2 D1) with LDFRT, and followed with CCRT. LDFRT was delivered as 50cGy per fraction twice a day to primary site on D1,2 for each cycle of NACT. The patients in the control group only received NACT and followed with CCRT. All the patients underwent IGRT. RECIST criteria and CTCAE 5.0 was used to evaluate the ORR and toxicity at post-NACT and the completion of CCRT.

RESULTS

From February 2022 to December 2022, 60 T3-4 NPC patients were included, and 30 patients for each group. For the primary site, the median volume reduction rate and the ORR after NACT was significantly improved in LDFRT group (69.27% vs 40.10%, p<0.001;93.33% vs 73.33%, p = 0.038). For the median volume reduction rate of primary site and lymph node, it was also obviously improved in LDFRT group (86.59% vs 55.43%, p<0.001). Though there was a tendency of ORR improvement in LDFRT group, but no significant difference (96.67% vs 83.33%, p = 0.195). After the completion of CCRT, the median volume reduction rate of primary site had an increased tendency in LDFRT group (96.16% vs 88.3%, p = 0.065), but the ORR had no statistical significance (LDFRT group: CR 45.8%, PR 54.2%; control group: CR 37.5%, PR 62.5%). For the toxicity, the incidence of grade 3-4 adverse events had no difference between two groups (p = 0.786). No grade 5 adverse events occurred.

CONCLUSION

LDFRT combined with NACT could obviously improve the median volume reduction rate and ORR of primary tumor for T3-4 NPC patients, and the toxicity was similar and tolerable. This novel treatment could be a promising strategy to improve treatment response and needed to be confirmed further.

Long-Term Survival Outcome for Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients Receiving Radiation to Primary and Metastatic Sites with Palliative Chemotherapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

A total of 6% - 8% of NPC patients were initial diagnosed as distant metastatic disease. The median overall survival (OS) is only 10-15 months with palliative chemotherapy for these patients. A phase III study showed that palliative chemotherapy combined with radical radiotherapy to primary site could be a newly effective treatment method for metastatic NPC. Another phase 2, RCT found that the patients who had the solid tumors with 1-5 metastases received standard palliative care plus stereotactic body radiation therapy (SABR), and the 5-year OS were improved to 42.3%. Nevertheless, there was few studies focus on the radiation to both primary site and metastatic lesions. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the potential clinical benefits for initial diagnosed metastatic NPC patients with radiation to both primary site and distant metastatic lesions plus palliative chemotherapy.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Metastatic NPC patients treated with radiation to both primary site and distant metastatic lesions plus palliative chemotherapy were retrospectively collected in our hospital from May 2008 to May 2022. For treatment group, all patients underwent IGRT according to ICRU reports 50 and 62. The prescribed dose for primary site: GTVT: ≥66Gy, GTVn: ≥66Gy, CTV1: 60-66Gy, CTV2 54-60Gy, CTVln 50-54Gy. And the prescribed dose for distant metastatic lesions was more than 30Gy. For the control group, the patients treated with palliative chemotherapy were selected by propensity score matching from our hospital. The regimen for palliative chemotherapy was cisplatin-based chemotherapy every three weeks (100mg/m2 D1) for both groups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the OS. Cox regression model was used for multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 54 metastatic NPC patients with radiation to both primary site and distant metastatic lesions were retrospectively included in the treatment group, and another 54 patients were selected as the control group. The median follow-up time was 52 months. In the treatment group, the median age was 52 years (37-82), male (68%), female (32%), the main metastatic sites were bone (36 cases, 66%), lung (18 cases, 33%) and liver (10 cases, 18%). There were 23 oligometastasis cases and 31 cases. 3-year and 5-year OS in the treatment group were both dramatically improved than control group (63.2% vs 50.6%, p<0.05; 49.6% vs 38.9%, p<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that T stage, liver metastatic lesion and oligometastases were the independent prognostic factors for them.

CONCLUSION

Palliative chemotherapy combined with radiation to primary sites and distant metastatic lesions might improve the OS for initial diagnosed distant metastatic NPC patients. More prospective clinical trials were needed to confirm it further.

Association between the presence and genotype of Helicobacter pylori and periodontitis

Whether Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is associated with periodontitis has been contested for decades. The relationship between H. pylori genotypes and periodontitis has not been clarified either. The present study provides a novel perspective to better understand the role of H. pylori in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. A total of 53 volunteers were recruited and divided into 3 groups in this cross-sectional study, namely the periodontally healthy group (15 participants), the stage I/II periodontitis group (20 participants) and the stage III/IV periodontitis group (18 participants). DNA from the subgingival plaque of all participants was extracted and PCR was performed using specific primers for the urease C gene and cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA)/vacuolating cytotoxin gene A (vacA) to detect the presence and genotype of H. pylori. A χ2 test and one-way ANOVA were performed on the data. There was no significant difference in sex, age or body mass index between the groups. The detection rate of H. pylori was 39.62% in the total population and increased with the deepening of probing depth and clinical attachment loss. There were significant differences in the detection rate of H. pylori among the three groups, with 13.33, 40.00 and 61.11% in the periodontally healthy, stage I/II periodontitis and stage III/IV periodontitis groups, respectively (χ2=8.760, P<0.001). The cagA-/vacAs2m2 genotype was most commonly detected in the periodontally healthy group (100%). In the periodontitis group, cagA+/vacAs1m2 was the most commonly detected genotype in the stage I/II periodontitis group (37.5%) and cagA+/vacAs1m1 in the stage III/IV periodontitis group (36.3%). The results of the present study suggest that the detection rates and genotypes of H. pylori in the subgingival plaque are associated with the status of periodontitis. cagA+/vacAs1m1 and cagA+/vacAs1m2 may be considered virulence markers of periodontitis. However, given the small sample size and lack of correlation analysis of the study, further larger scale and high-quality clinical trials are required to confirm these findings.

Treatment Response Prediction Using a Combination of Hematological Biomarkers and CT Deep Learning Radiomics in Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To assess the complementary value of hematological biomarkers to deep learning-radiomic models for assessing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), which will help to provide a reference for the following clinical study of esophageal preservation.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A total of 157 patients with ESCC were enrolled and divided into a training cohort (n = 111) and a validation cohort (n = 47). Computed tomography (CT) was performed for all patients 2 weeks before and 6 weeks after nCRT. In addition, clinicopathological factors and hematological parameters before nCRT were collected. Deep learning and handcrafted radiomic features were extracted from segmented regions of interest (ROIs) from pretreatment (ROI1) and posttreatment (ROI2) CT, which represented the features of the pre- and posttreatment tumors, respectively. The minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithms were used for feature selection, and logistic regression (LR) was used as the classifier. The deep learning radiomic nomogram (DLRN) was then developed based on the rad-scores and independent clinicopathological risk factors. The model was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, calibration curve analysis and decision curve analysis and verified with both 10-fold cross-validation and internal validation using bootstrap resampling with 1000 replicates.

RESULTS

Rad-scores were constructed with 8 features, which were finally selected as the most predictive features from ROI 1 and ROI 2. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), albumin and rad-scores were incorporated into the DLRN, which achieved good prediction performance, with areas under the ROC curve of 0.888 (95% CI, 0.824-0.951, p <0.05) for the training cohort and 0.873 (95% CI, 0.772-0.974, p <0.05) for the validation cohort. On the training set, the DLRN achieved an AUC of 0.882 in 10-fold cross-validation, and after internal validation, the area under the ROC curve still reached 0.884. The DLRN performed significantly better than the clinical model and radiomics models (p<0.05). IDI and continuous NRI showed significant improvement for the DLRN when incorporating radiomics features and hematological parameters (IDI = 0.3399, P <0.001; continuous NRI = 1.141, P <0.001; categorical NRI = 0.3836, P <0.001). Calibration curves (p > 0.05) and DCA demonstrated that the DLRN was useful for pCR prediction and produced a greater net benefit than the clinical model and radiomics models.

CONCLUSION

Incorporation of radiomics features and hematological parameters into the DLRN improved pCR prediction after nCRT in ESCC. Enhanced pCR predictability may improve patient selection before surgery, providing clinical application value for the use of active surveillance.

Verification and Mechanism Exploration of CDK4 Alterations on Influencing Radiotherapy Sensitivity in Small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

In this study, we aimed to explore the changes of functional phenotype before and after radiotherapy through vitro and vivo experiments. The potential pathway was preliminarily clarified.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Firstly, the relationships between the prognosis and the expression of CDK4 protein in SCLC patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy were explored. Then the stable overexpressed/knockdown CDK4 and negative control transfecting SCLC cell lines were established to monitor the changes of cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and cell cycle after increasing radiation doses according to a cell counting kit assay, transwell cell migration and invasion assay, apoptosis cell cycle assay and BALB/c mouse model of subcutaneously transplanted tumor. The potential signal pathways were confirmed via KEGG pathway enrichment analysis and western blot.

RESULTS

Compared with patients with lower CDK4 protein expression, prognosis of those with high CDK4 protein expression was decreased significantly (p < 0.05). The cell activity, migration and invasion ability of overexpression/knockdown CDK4 and negative control group were all decreased with increasing radiation doses, but the activity, migration and invasion ability of cells with overexpression CDK4 was stronger after same dose X-ray irradiation (p<0.01). For group with knockdown CDK4, it showed lower cell activity, migration and invasion than negative control group. After X-ray irradiation, the apoptotic ratio of all groups increased. And cells with overexpressed CDK4 displayed significantly reduced apoptosis, less G0/G1 phase cells, and improved M phase cells than the control group. In addition, compared with negative control group, gross tumor volume of overexpression CDK4 group decreased much smaller after X-ray irradiation. H1339 cells with overexpression CDK4 and negative control group were sequenced by transcriptomic sequencing before and after radiotherapy. Taken together, differential genes were consistently enriched in MAPK pathway. Western blot showed that, compared with the negative control group, overexpression CDK4 group of H1339 and SW1271 cells after radiotherapy all showed significant changes on pERK proteins in the ERK pathway increased significantly (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

In this study, the overexpression/knockdown CDK4 and negative control group were successfully constructed in H1339 and SW1271 cells, revealing the radiotherapy resistance of CDK4 alterations in vitro and in vivo experiment. And CDK4 alterations was shown to promote radiotherapy resistance through phosphorylation of MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in SCLC.

[Clinical features of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension in patients with common variable immunodeficiency]

We wished to summarize the clinical features of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) complicated by non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPH) and to deepen our understanding of it. The case data of CVID complicated with NCPH admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1983 to May 2021 were analyzed retrospectively to summarize their clinical characteristics. Six patients with CVID combined with NCPH (three of each sex; 16-45 years) were assessed. Four patients had portal hypertension. All patients had anemia, splenomegaly, a normal serum level of albumin and transaminases, and possibly increased levels of alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Two patients were diagnosed with esophagogastric fundic varices by gastroscopy. Two patients underwent splenectomy (which improved hematologic abnormalities partially). Four patients had autoimmune disease. Two cases were diagnosed with nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) upon liver biopsy. Six patients were administered intravenous immunoglobulin-G (0.4-0.6 g/kg bodyweight) once every 3-4 weeks as basic therapy. Often, CVID complicated with NCPH has: (1) The manifestations of portal hypertension as the primary symptom. (2) Autoimmune-related manifestations. Imaging can provide important diagnostic clues. The etiology may be related to hepatic NRH and splenomegaly due to recurrent infections.

New Earwigs from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Northeastern China (Dermaptera)

Two new genera and species of Dermaptera are described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China: Applanatiforceps angustus gen. et sp. nov. in the archidermapteran family Protodiplatyidae, and Ekpagloderma gracilentum gen et sp. nov. in the eodermapteran family Semenoviolidae. Applanatiforceps shares the typical characters of the extinct suborder Archidermaptera (e.g., pentamerous meta tarsi, filiform and multimerous cerci) and externalized ovipositor. The family identity of the Protodiplatyidae can be further distinguished by comparing this new genus with other genera of the Protodiplatyidae. As a result of its large compound eyes, tegmina without venation, body sparsely setose, legs rather short and slender, and shape of the veinless tegmina, Ekpagloderma is classified in the subfamily Aglyptodermatinae. Ekpagloderma not only has the typical features of the Aglyptodermatinae, but also exhibits a more primitive slender segmented cerci, which is different from all other genera of Eodermaptera. In fact, the diversity of Eodermaptera as known today indicates some of the challenges in understanding the suborder and whether or not it is monophyletic as historically construed, or if the separation of Turanodermaptera is justified.

Unraveling the Bonding Complexity of Polyhalogen Anions: High-Pressure Synthesis of Unpredicted Sodium Chlorides Na2Cl3 and Na4Cl5 and Bromide Na4Br5

The field of polyhalogen chemistry, specifically polyhalogen anions (polyhalides), is rapidly evolving. Here, we present the synthesis of three sodium halides with unpredicted chemical compositions and structures (tP10-Na₂Cl₃, hP18-Na₄Cl₅, and hP18-Na₄Br₅), a series of isostructural cubic cP8-AX₃ halides (NaCl₃, KCl₃, NaBr₃, and KBr₃), and a trigonal potassium chloride (hP24-KCl₃). The high-pressure syntheses were realized at 41-80 GPa in diamond anvil cells laser-heated at about 2000 K. Single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) provided the first accurate structural data for the symmetric trichloride Cl₃^- anion in hP24-KCl₃ and revealed the existence of two different types of infinite linear polyhalogen chains, [Cl]_∞^n- and [Br]_∞^n-, in the structures of cP8-AX₃ compounds and in hP18-Na₄Cl₅ and hP18-Na₄Br₅. In Na₄Cl₅ and Na₄Br₅, we found unusually short, likely pressure-stabilized, contacts between sodium cations. Ab initio calculations support the analysis of structures, bonding, and properties of the studied halogenides.

High-pressure synthesis of dysprosium carbides

Chemical reactions between dysprosium and carbon were studied in laser-heated diamond anvil cells at pressures of 19, 55, and 58 GPa and temperatures of ∼2500 K. In situ single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis of the reaction products revealed the formation of novel dysprosium carbides, Dy₄C₃ and Dy₃C₂, and dysprosium sesquicarbide Dy₂C₃ previously known only at ambient conditions. The structure of Dy₄C₃ was found to be closely related to that of dysprosium sesquicarbide Dy₂C₃ with the Pu₂C₃-type structure. Ab initio calculations reproduce well crystal structures of all synthesized phases and predict their compressional behavior in agreement with our experimental data. Our work gives evidence that high-pressure synthesis conditions enrich the chemistry of rare earth metal carbides.

RhoA/ROCK1 regulates the mitochondrial dysfunction through Drp1 induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis in endothelial cells

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a pivotal pathogen of periodontitis. Our previous studies have confirmed that mitochondrial dysfunction in the endothelial cells caused by P. gingivalis was dependent on Drp1, which may be the mechanism of P. gingivalis causing endothelial dysfunction. Nevertheless, the signalling pathway induced the mitochondrial dysfunction remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway in regulating mitochondrial dysfunction caused by P. gingivalis. P. gingivalis was used to infect EA.hy926 cells (endothelial cells). The expression and activation of RhoA and ROCK1 were assessed by western blotting and pull-down assay. The morphology of mitochondria was observed by mitochondrial staining and transmission electron microscopy. Mitochondrial function was measured by ATP content, mitochondrial DNA and mitochondrial permeability transition pore openness. The phosphorylation and translocation of Drp1 were evaluated using western blotting and immunofluorescence. The role of the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway in mitochondrial dysfunction was investigated using RhoA and ROCK1 inhibitors. The activation of RhoA/ROCK1 pathway and mitochondrial dysfunction were observed in P. gingivalis-infected endothelial cells. Furthermore, RhoA or ROCK1 inhibitors partly prevented mitochondrial dysfunction caused by P. gingivalis. The increased phosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of Drp1 induced by P. gingivalis were both blocked by RhoA and ROCK1 inhibitors. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway was involved in mitochondrial dysfunction caused by P. gingivalis by regulating the phosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of Drp1. Our research illuminated a possible new mechanism by which P. gingivalis promotes endothelial dysfunction.

Predictive value of DEEPVESSEL-fractional flow reserve and quantitative plaque analysis based on coronary CT angiography for major adverse cardiac events

AIM

To investigate the predictive value of the combination of DEEPVESSEL-fractional flow reserve (DVFFR) and quantitative plaque analysis using coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) for major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

METHOD

In this retrospective study, data from 69 vessels from 58 consecutive patients were collected. These patients who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) with DVFFR were divided into MACE-positive and MACE-negative groups. DVFFR measurements were obtained from CCTA images acquired before CAG, and an FFR or DVFFR value ≤ 0.80 was considered haemodynamically significant. CCTA images were analysed quantitatively using automated software to obtain the following indices: total plaque volume (TPV) and burden (TPB), calcified plaque volume (CPV) and burden (CPB), non-calcified plaque volume (NCPV) and burden (NCPB), low-attenuation plaque (LAP), minimum lumen area (MLA), stenosis grade (SG) and lesion length (LL). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression, correlation, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

DVFFR was highly correlated with invasive FFR (R=0.728), and the Bland-Altman plot showed good agreement between DVFFR and FFR (95% CI: -0.109-0.087) on a per-vessel level. DVFFR showed a high diagnostic performance in identifying abnormal haemodynamic vessels, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.984. In multivariate analysis, the following biomarkers were predictors of MACE: DVFFR ≤ 0.8, SG, TPB, NCPB, and LL values. The combination of the above independent risk factors yielded the most valuable prediction for MACE (AUC:0.888).

CONCLUSIONS

DVFFR was highly correlated with FFR with satisfactory diagnostic accuracy. DVFFR, together with plaque analysis indices, yielded valuable predictions for MACE.

[Progress in research of relationship between metal or metalloid and persistent organic pollutants exposures and cardiovascular disease]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and healthy life expectancy loss, ranking first in causing the global burden of disease. In addition to the traditional CVD risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, environmental chemical pollutants may also play a role in the development of CVD. This paper summarizes the evidence regarding the relation of exposures to metal or metalloid and persistent organic pollutants with risk for CVD and introduces the research progress in the relation between the exposures to two environmental chemical pollutants and CVD risk. The study aims to provide scientific evidence for the effective prevention of CVD through the management of chemical pollutants in environment.

Growth of nanostructured Cu3Al alloy films by magnetron sputtering for non-enzymatic glucose-sensing applications

Enzymatic glucose sensors usually exhibit excellent sensitivity and selectivity but suffer from poor stability due to the negative influence of temperature and humidity on enzyme molecules. As compared to enzymatic glucose sensors, non-enzymatic counterparts are generally more stable but are facing challenges in concurrently improving both sensitivity and selectivity of a trace amount of glucose molecules in physiological samples such as saliva and sweat. Here, a novel non-enzymatic glucose sensor based on nanostructured Cu₃Al alloy films has been fabricated by a facile magnetron-sputtering followed by controllable electrochemical etching approach. Since the metal Al is more reductive than Cu, by selectively etching aluminum in the Cu₃Al alloys, nanostructured alloy films were obtained with increased surface contact area and electrocatalytic active sites which resulted in enhanced glucose-sensing performance. Thus, non-enzymatic glucose sensors based on nanostructured Cu₃Al alloy films not only exhibited a high sensitivity of 1680 μA mM^-1 cm^-2 but also achieved a reliable selectivity to glucose without interference by other species in physiological samples. Consequently, this study sparked the potential for the development of non-enzymatic biosensors for the continuous monitoring of blood glucose levels with high sensitivity and impressive selectivity for glucose molecules.

[Thinking about development of multi-channel surveillance and multi-dimensional early warning system of emerging respiratory communicable diseases]

The world has paid a heavy price for the pandemic of the emerging respiratory communicable disease, so more concern about communicable disease surveillance and early warning has been aroused. This paper briefly reviews the establishment of the surveillance and early warning system of respiratory communicable diseases in China, discusses its future development and introduces the novel surveillance methods and early warning models for the purpose of establishment of a multi-channel surveillance and multi-dimensional early warning system of communicable diseases in the future and the improvement of the prevention and control of emerging respiratory communicable diseases in China.

Braille recognition by E-skin system based on binary memristive neural network

Braille system is widely used worldwide for communication by visually impaired people. However, there are still some visually impaired people who are unable to learn Braille system due to various factors, such as the age (too young or too old), brain damage, etc. A wearable and low-cost Braille recognition system may substantially help these people recognize Braille or assist them in Braille learning. In this work, we fabricated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based flexible pressure sensors to construct an electronic skin (E-skin) for the application of Braille recognition. The E-skin mimics human touch sensing function for collecting Braille information. Braille recognition is realized with a neural network based on memristors. We utilize a binary neural network algorithm with only two bias layers and three fully connected layers. Such neural network design remarkably reduces the calculation burden and, thus, the system cost. Experiments show that the system can achieve a recognition accuracy of up to 91.25%. This work demonstrates the possibility of realizing a wearable and low-cost Braille recognition system and a Braille learning-assistance system.

Aromatic hexazine [N6]4- anion featured in the complex structure of the high-pressure potassium nitrogen compound K9N56

The recent high-pressure synthesis of pentazolates and the subsequent stabilization of the aromatic [N₅]^- anion at atmospheric pressure have had an immense impact on nitrogen chemistry. Other aromatic nitrogen species have also been actively sought, including the hexaazabenzene N₆ ring. Although a variety of configurations and geometries have been proposed based on ab initio calculations, one that stands out as a likely candidate is the aromatic hexazine anion [N₆]^4-. Here we present the synthesis of this species, realized in the high-pressure potassium nitrogen compound K₉N₅₆ formed at high pressures (46 and 61 GPa) and high temperature (estimated to be above 2,000 K) by direct reaction between nitrogen and KN₃ in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell. The complex structure of K₉N₅₆-composed of 520 atoms per unit cell-was solved based on synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction and corroborated by density functional theory calculations. The observed hexazine anion [N₆]^4- is planar and proposed to be aromatic.

Analysis of the Safety and Pregnancy Outcomes of Fertility-sparing Surgery in Ovarian Malignant Sex Cord-stromal Tumours: A Multicentre Retrospective Study

AIMS

To assess the difference in survival between fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) and radical surgery and explore pregnancy outcomes after FSS in stage I malignant sex cord-stromal tumours (MSCSTs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We carried out a multicentre retrospective cohort study on patients who were diagnosed with MSCSTs and the tumour was confined to one ovary. The patients were divided into FSS and radical surgery groups. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to balance variables between the two groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the difference in disease-free survival (DFS). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to find risk factors of DFS. Univariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess risk factors of pregnancy.

RESULTS

In total, 107 patients were included, of whom 54 (50.5%) women underwent FSS and 53 (49.5%) received radical surgery. After IPTW, a pseudo-population of 208 was determined and all of the covariates were well balanced. After a median follow-up time of 50 months (range 7-156 months), 10 patients experienced recurrence and two died. There was no significant difference in DFS between the two groups, both in unweighted (P = 0.969) or weighted cohorts (P = 0.792). In the weighted cohort, stage IC (P = 0.014), tumour diameter >8 cm (P = 0.003), incomplete staging surgery (P = 0.003) and no adjuvant chemotherapy (P < 0.001) were the four high-risk factors associated with a shorter DFS. Among 14 patients who had pregnancy desire, 11 (78.6%) women conceived successfully; the live birth rate was 76.9%. In univariate analysis, only adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.009) was associated with infertility.

CONCLUSIONS

On the premise of complete staging surgery, FSS is safe and feasible in early stage MSCSTs with satisfactory reproductive outcomes.

Aging-induced down-regulation of Pka/Bkca pathway in rat cerebral arteries

The incidence of cerebrovascular diseases increases significantly with aging. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that aging may influence the protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent vasodilation via RyR/BKCa pathway in the middle cerebral arteries (MCA). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control (4-6 month-old) and aged (24-month-old) groups. The functions of MCA and ion channel activities in smooth muscle cells were examined using myograph system and patch-clamp. Aging decreased the isoproterenol/forskolin-induced relaxation in the MCA. Large-conductance Ca2+-activated-K+ (BKCa) channel inhibitor, iberiotoxin, significantly attenuated the forskolin-induced vasodilatation and hyperpolarization in the young group, but not in the aged group. The amplitude and frequency of spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs) were significantly decreased in the aged group. Single channel recording revealed that the mean open time of BKCa channels were decreased, while an increased mean closed time of BKCa channels were found in the aged group. The Ca2+/voltage sensitivity of the channels was decreased accompanied by reduced BKCa α and β1-subunit, the expression of RyR2, PKA-Cα and PKA-Cβ subunits were also declined in the aged group. Aging induced down-regulation of PKA/BKCa pathway in cerebral artery in rats. The results provides new information on further understanding in cerebrovascular diseases resulted from age-related cerebral vascular dysfunction.

Revealing Phosphorus Nitrides up to the Megabar Regime: Synthesis of α'-P3 N5, δ-P3 N5 and PN2

Non-metal nitrides are an exciting field of chemistry, featuring a significant number of compounds that can possess outstanding material properties. These properties mainly rely on maximizing the number of strong covalent bonds, with crosslinked XN₆ octahedra frameworks being particularly attractive. In this study, the phosphorus-nitrogen system was studied up to 137 GPa in laser-heated diamond anvil cells, and three previously unobserved phases were synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations. δ-P₃ N₅ and PN₂ were found to form at 72 and 134 GPa, respectively, and both feature dense 3D networks of the so far elusive PN₆ units. The two compounds are ultra-incompressible, having a bulk modulus of K₀ =322 GPa for δ-P₃ N₅ and 339 GPa for PN₂ . Upon decompression below 7 GPa, δ-P₃ N₅ undergoes a transformation into a novel α'-P₃ N₅ solid, stable at ambient conditions, that has a unique structure type based on PN₄ tetrahedra. The formation of α'-P₃ N₅ underlines that a phase space otherwise inaccessible can be explored through materials formed under high pressure.