A binary pulsar in a 53-minute orbit.

Spider pulsars are neutron stars that have a companion star in a close orbit. The companion star sheds material to the neutron star, spinning it up to millisecond rotation periods, while the orbit shortens to hours. The companion is eventually ablated and destroyed by the pulsar wind and radiation1,2. Spider pulsars are key for studying the evolutionary link between accreting X-ray pulsars and isolated millisecond pulsars, pulsar irradiation effects and the birth of massive neutron stars3-6. Black widow pulsars in extremely compact orbits (as short as 62 minutes7) have companions with masses much smaller than 0.1 M⊙. They may have evolved from redback pulsars with companion masses of about 0.1-0.4 M⊙ and orbital periods of less than 1 day8. If this is true, then there should be a population of millisecond pulsars with moderate-mass companions and very short orbital periods9, but, hitherto, no such system was known. Here we report radio observations of the binary millisecond pulsar PSR J1953+1844 (M71E) that show it to have an orbital period of 53.3 minutes and a companion with a mass of around 0.07 M⊙. It is a faint X-ray source and located 2.5 arcminutes from the centre of the globular cluster M71.

The asymmetry of antimatter in the proton.

The fundamental building blocks of the proton-quarks and gluons-have been known for decades. However, we still have an incomplete theoretical and experimental understanding of how these particles and their dynamics give rise to the quantum bound state of the proton and its physical properties, such as its spin1. The two up quarks and the single down quark that comprise the proton in the simplest picture account only for a few per cent of the proton mass, the bulk of which is in the form of quark kinetic and potential energy and gluon energy from the strong force2. An essential feature of this force, as described by quantum chromodynamics, is its ability to create matter-antimatter quark pairs inside the proton that exist only for a very short time. Their fleeting existence makes the antimatter quarks within protons difficult to study, but their existence is discernible in reactions in which a matter-antimatter quark pair annihilates. In this picture of quark-antiquark creation by the strong force, the probability distributions as a function of momentum for the presence of up and down antimatter quarks should be nearly identical, given that their masses are very similar and small compared to the mass of the proton3. Here we provide evidence from muon pair production measurements that these distributions are considerably different, with more abundant down antimatter quarks than up antimatter quarks over a wide range of momenta. These results are expected to revive interest in several proposed mechanisms for the origin of this antimatter asymmetry in the proton that had been disfavoured by previous results4, and point to future measurements that can distinguish between these mechanisms.

Relationships between intravoxel incoherent motion parameters and expressions of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in patients with cervical cancer.

AIM: To determine the associations of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) parameters with expression of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), and evaluate the performance of the combined model established based on IVIM and clinicopathological parameters in predicting PD-L1and PD-1 status of cervical cancer (CC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-eight consecutive CC patients were enrolled prospectively and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including IVIM. IVIM quantitative parameters were measured, compared, and correlated with PD-L1 and PD-1 expression. Independent factors related to PD-L1 and PD-1 positivity were identified and were used to establish the combined model. The combined model's diagnostic performance was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) algorithm was used to explain the contribution of each parameter in the combined model. RESULTS: The real diffusion coefficient (D) value was significantly lower in the PD-L1-positive group than in the PD-L1-negative group (0.64 ± 0.12 versus 0.72 ± 0.11, p=0.021). The PD-1-positive and PD-1-negative groups showed similar trends (0.63 ± 0.13 versus 0.73 ± 0.09, p=0.003). Parametrial invasion, lymph node status, pathological grade, FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) staging, and D values were independently associated with PD-L1 and PD-1expression. A combined model incorporating these parameters showed good discrimination with the sensitivity, specificity of 90.9%, 82.6% for PD-L1, and 93.5%, 72% for PD-1. According to the SHAP value, FIGO staging and pathological grade were the most influential features of the prediction model. CONCLUSION: IVIM parameters were found to correlate with PD-L1 and PD-1 expression. The combined model, incorporating parametrial invasion, lymph node status, pathological grade, FIGO staging, and D values, showed good discrimination in predicting PD-L1 and PD-1 status, providing the basis for CC immunotherapy.

Deep learning-based fully automatic screening of carotid artery plaques in computed tomography angiography: a multicenter study.

AIM: To develop and validate a deep learning (DL) algorithm for the automated detection and classification of carotid artery plaques (CAPs) on computed tomography angiography (CTA) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 400 patients (300 in the Center Ⅰ and 100 in Ⅱ). Three radiologists co-labeled CAPs, and their revised calcification status (noncalcified, mixed, and calcified) was regarded as ground truth. Center Ⅰ patients were randomly divided into training and internal validation datasets, while Center Ⅱ patients served as the external validation dataset. Carotid artery regions were segmented using a modified 3D-UNet network, followed by CAPs detection and classification using a ResUNet-based architecture in a two-step DL system. The DL model's detection and classification performance were evaluated on the validation dataset using precision-recall curve, free-response receiver operating characteristic (fROC) curve, Cohen's kappa, and ROC curve analysis. RESULTS: The DL model had achieved 83.4% sensitivity at 3.0 false positives (FPs)/CTA scan in internal validation and 78.9% in external validation. F1-scores were 0.764 and 0.769 at the optimal threshold, and area under fROC curves were 0.756 and 0.738, respectively, indicating good overall accuracy for CAP detection. The DL model also showed good performance for the ternary classification of CAPs, with Cohen's kappa achieved 0.728 and 0.703 in both validation datasets. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the feasibility of using a fully automated DL-based algorithm for the detection and ternary classification of CAPs, which could be helpful for the workloads of radiologists.

Clinical characteristics, outcomes and risk factors for mortality in hospitalized diabetes and chronic kidney disease patients after COVID-19 infection following widespread vaccination.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 poses a significant threat to patients with comorbidities, such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD). China experienced a nationwide COVID-19 endemic from December 2022 to January 2023, which is the first occurrence of such an outbreak following China's widespread administration of COVID-19 vaccinations. METHODS: A total of 338 patients with diabetes and CKD combined with COVID-19 infection between December 7, 2022 and January 31, 2023 were included in this study. The end follow-up date was February 10, 2023. Univariate analysis and multivariate Cox analysis were used to analyze risk factors for death. RESULTS: During the 50-day median follow-up period, 90 patients in the study cohort died, for a mortality rate of 26.63%. The median age of the study cohort was 74 years, with a male predominance of 74%. During hospitalization, 21% of patients had incident AKI, 17% of patients experienced stroke, and 40% of patients experienced respiratory failure. Cox proportional hazard regression showed that older age, a diagnosis of severe or critically severe COVID-19 infection, incident AKI and respiratory failure, higher level of average values of fasting glucose during hospitalization, UA, and total bilirubin were independent risk factors for death in our multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the critical importance of identifying and managing comorbid risk factors for COVID-19, especially among the elderly, in order to optimize clinical outcomes, even after COVID-19 vaccination.

Spatial-temporal trends in leprosy burden and its associations with socioeconomic and physical geographic factors: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to assess the multiscalar changes in leprosy burden and its associated risk factors over the last three decades. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted an in-depth examination of leprosy's spatial-temporal trends at multiple geographical scale (global, regional, and national), utilizing information from Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD 2019). METHODS: Incidence and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) in age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of leprosy were determined, with countries categorized based on leprosy incidence changes. We examined socioeconomic and physical geography influences on leprosy incidence via Spearman correlation analysis, using ternary phase diagrams to reveal the synergetic effects on leprosy occurrence. RESULTS: Globally, incident cases of leprosy decreased by 27.86% from 1990 to 2019, with a reduction in ASIR (EAPC = -2.53), yet trends were not homogeneous across regions. ASIR and EAPC correlated positively with sociodemographic index (SDI), and an ASIR growth appeared in high SDI region (EAPC = 3.07). Leprosy burden was chiefly distributed in Tropical Latin America, Oceania, Central Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia. Negative correlations were detected between the incidence of leprosy and factors of SDI, GDP per capita, urban population to total population, and precipitation, whereas the number of refugee population, temperature, and elevation showed opposite positive results. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a global decline in leprosy over the past three decades, the disparities of disease occurrence at regional and national scales still persisted. Socioeconomic and physical geographic factors posed an obvious influence on the transmission risk of leprosy. The persistence and regional fluctuations of leprosy incidence necessitate the ongoing dynamic and multilayered control strategies worldwide in combating this ancient disease.

Soil nitrous oxide emissions from wheat-based rotations with different types of pulse crops.

Production of agricultural crops with a low greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint is essential to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. The inclusion of pulse crops in cereal-based rotations can enhance environmental quality by providing biologically fixed N and thereby reducing the amount of synthetic N fertilizer required for the crop rotation. The inclusion of pulse crop has the potential to reduce N2O emissions from the agricultural system in both the legume phase and the subsequent wheat phase of the rotation. However, long-term studies are necessary to thoroughly investigate N2O emissions from rotations with pulse crops, particularly in the semiarid region where pulse crops are frequently grown. In the present study, we evaluated cumulative N2O emissions and emission intensity during the rotation cycle. The assessment was conducted over 4 years, during two complete 2-yr cycles of an established rotation (years 9-12), under the climatological conditions of 2018-2021. Four rotations including wheat-wheat, pea-wheat, lentil-wheat, and chickpea-wheat were selected from a trial in Swift Current, Saskatchewan (semiarid prairies/Brown Chernozem). Our experiment was subjected to below normal precipitation, with interannual variations in climate and the last 2 years (2020-21) were drier than the first two years (2018-2019). Under such climate, PW and LW demonstrated to be environmentally sustainable, always exporting the highest N in grains (133 kg N ha-1 averaged across PW and LW and cycles) and consistently achieving the lowest N2O intensity (2.8 g N2O-N per kg exported N averaged across PW and LW and cycles). Continuous wheat presented inconsistent results, with a significant reduction in exported N from years 9-10 to 11-12 (the driest cycle). Because WW also promoted the highest cumulative N2O emissions, N2O intensity over the 2-yr was always the highest for WW. The CW consistently promoted the lowest N exports and was not resilient to dry soil conditions, with 23% lower exported N in years 11-12 than in years 9-10. Hence including pulse crops with pea or lentil in the rotation reduced N2O emissions and enhanced wheat yield resiliency.

[Severe cardiotoxic characteristics associated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation preconditioning in patients with aplastic anemia].

Objective: To delineate the clinical characteristics and outcomes associated with severe cardiac toxicity during the preconditioning phase of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in patients with aplastic anemia (AA). Methods: This retrospective case series study included 31 patients with severe AA who underwent allo-HSCT and were diagnosed with severe cardiac toxicity at the Hematology Department of Peking University People's Hospital from August 2012 to June 2022. The clinical manifestations of severe cardiac toxicity observed during the preconditioning process were assessed. Patient survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: In this cohort of 31 patients, the median follow-up period was 9 days (range: 4-365 days). Severe cardiac toxicity manifested within 6 days after the initial cyclophosphamide (Cy) administration. Twenty patients died within 30 days of initiating Cy preconditioning, of which 16 patients died due to severe cardiac toxicity within 25 days. Patients whose cardiac function improved within 30 days post-preconditioning showed a median survival duration of 222 days (n=11). Troponin I (TNI) levels in patients who died within 30 days of initiating Cy preconditioning began increasing on day 5 post-Cy, peaking sharply by day 9 after a notable rise on day 8. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in patients who died within 30 days of initiating Cy preconditioning started to rise from day 1, stabilized between days 2 and 5, and then doubled daily from days 6 to 8, remaining elevated thereafter. Notably, the initial increases in BNP and TNI correlated with electrocardiogram (ECG) signs of low voltage and T-wave inversion in 83.87% of cases (n=26). Most patients (n=28, 90.32%) were administered corticosteroid therapy. In those with restored cardiac function, the ejection fraction returned to >50% within 30 days of initiating Cy preconditioning. Conclusions: Patients with severe cardiac toxicity during the preconditioning phase of allo-HSCT typically exhibit early, sustained, and marked elevations in myocardial damage markers, including BNP and TNI, accompanied by ECG abnormalities following Cy administration, with BNP often increasing first. These indicators are associated with rapid disease progression and high mortality. Prompt initiation of treatment upon clinical diagnosis is critical for improving survival outcomes.

[Relationship between bioelectrical impedance analysis-derived fluid status and nutritional indicators and the prognosis in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis].

Objective: To explore the relationship between bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived fluid status and nutritional indicators and the prognosis in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinical data of MHD patients in Jiangsu Province Hospital between January 2014 and December 2016 were analyzed. BIA data of healthy volunteers in Gulou District, Nanjing City, collected between April and October 2022, were used to determine the cut-off value of body cell mass index (BCMI). Referring to previous research, using 0.15 as the cut-off value for the ratio of overhydration and extracellular water (OH/ECW). The data were transformed into binary variables based on these cut-off values to categorize patients into different groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to plot survival curves, and the Cox proportional hazards model was performed to analyze risk factors for all-cause mortality. Results: A total of 706 MHD patients (407 males and 299 females) were included, aged (54±15) years. MHD patients were classified into four groups based on whether BCMI was<5.4 kg/m2 and OH/ECW was≥0.15, which included non-overhydration and non-malnutrition group, overhydration group, malnutrition group, and overhydration and malnutrition group, with 269, 186, 151, and 100 patients, respectively. During a median follow-up of [M(Q1, Q3)] 33 (26, 37) months, 162 patients died. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the median survival periods of the four groups were 52 months (95%CI: 41-54 months), 46 months (95%CI: 44-49 months), 37 months (95%CI: 34-40 months), and 34 months (95%CI: 30-38 months), respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). The 1-year survival rates were 95.5%, 93.5%, 92.1%, and 88.0% (P<0.001), respectively, and the 2-year mortality rates were 92.6%, 87.1%, 83.4%, and 77.0% (P<0.001), respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that compared with non-overhydration and non-malnutrition group, the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 1.18 times in the malnutrition group (HR=2.18, 95%CI: 1.29-3.71, P=0.004), and by 1.59 times in the overhydration and malnutrition group (HR=2.59, 95%CI: 1.48-4.54, P=0.001). Conclusions: BIA-derived fluid status and nutritional indicators are associated with the prognosis of MHD patients. Compared with patients without fluid overload and malnutrition, patients with malnutrition and fluid overload have an increased risk of all-cause mortality.

[Effect of sirolimus combined with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody desensitization on the prognosis of patients underwent haploidentical stem cell transplantation].

Objective: To investigate the effects of sirolimus combined with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody desensitization on the prognosis of patients with haploidentical stem cell transplantation (haplo-SCT). Methods: Fifteen consecutive patients who received haplo-SCT and pre-transplant donor specific anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibody (DSA) positive [mean fluorescence intensity (MFI)≥2 000] in the Institute of Hematological Diseases from November 2021 to March 2023 were retrospectively recruited into the desensitized group. There were 4 males and 11 females, with a median age [M(Q1, Q3)] of 48 (37, 59) years. All patients were desensitized with sirolimus combined with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. The non-desensitized group included 29 patients with haplo-SCT who had not received desensitization treatment from August 2012 to June 2016. There were 12 males and 17 females with a median age of 42 (26, 50) years. Up to October 1, 2023, the median follow-up time was 13 (9, 18) months in the study group and 23 (14, 29) months in the control group. The changes of MFI before and after desensitization treatment and the prognosis of patients in the desensitized group were compared, including the incidence of primary implantation failure (pGF), neutrophil implantation time, platelet implantation time, grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and chronic GVHD incidence, non-recurrence related mortality, event-free survival rate, disease-free survival rate and overall survival rate. The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier method, and the survival rate between groups was compared with Log-rank test. Results: After desensitization treatment, the level of DSA MFI in the desensitized group decreased from 8 879 (7 544, 11 495) to 3 781 (1 638, 4 165) after desensitization treatment (P<0.01). All of the patients achieved hematopoietic recovery, and the median time for neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 14 (11, 15) and 20 (18, 25) days, respectively. The incidence of pGF in the desensitized group was 0, which was lower than that in the non-desensitized group (34.5%, 10/29) (P=0.011). The expected 1-year disease-free survival rate and overall survival rate in the desensitized group were 100% (15/15) and 100% (15/15) respectively, while those in the non-desensitized group were 75.9% (22/29) and 75.9% (22/29) respectively, the difference was not statistically significant (both P>0.05). The one-year event-free survival rate in the desensitized group was expected to be 100% (15/15), which was higher than that in the non-desensitized group (51.3%, 15/29) (P=0.002). Conclusion: Sirolimus combined with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody desensitization therapy can reduce the DSA level of haplo-SCT recipients, promote hematopoietic engraftment after transplantation, and avoid the occurrence of pGF after transplantation.

[Oncological outcomes of laparoscopic radical trachelectomy for early stage cervical cancer].

Objective: To analyze and summarize the oncological outcomes after laparoscopic radical trachelectomy (LRT) for early stage cervical cancer. Methods: The clinical data and follow-up results of 148 patients with early stage cervical cancer who underwent LRT in Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University from July 2014 to June 2023 were collected, while tumor outcomes and postoperative pregnancy were analyzed retrospectively. Results: (1) General situation: the median age of 148 patients with LRT was 33 years (range: 19-42 years). Pathological type: 111 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 36 cases of adenocarcinoma, 1 case of adenosquamous carcinoma. International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (2018) stage: 17 cases of stage Ⅰa1 with lympho-vascular space invasion, 25 cases of stage Ⅰa2, 102 cases of stage Ⅰb1, and 4 cases of stage Ⅰb2. (2) Tumor outcomes: 148 patients were followed up regularly after LRT, and the median follow-up time was 59 months (range: 2-104 months). During the follow-up period, 5 cases of tumor recurred (including 1 death), and the median recurrence time was 10 months (range: 4-33 months). Among them, there were 3 cases of pelvic metastasis, 1 case of distant metastasis, and 1 case of both pelvic and distant metastasis. Both 3-year and 5-year disease-free survival rates of 148 patients were 94.5%, and the 5-year overall survival rate was 98.9%. (3) Postoperative pregnancy: among 148 patients with LRT, 67 patients had pregnancy requirements, followed up for 1 year, and 20 of them were pregnant, with a pregnancy rate of 29.9% (20/67). Among the 20 pregnant patients, 2 cases early abortion, 1 case mid-term abortion, and 17 cases gave birth (including 4 cases of premature birth and 13 cases of full-term birth). Conclusion: Under the condition of strict control of surgical indications, guaranteed surgical scope and tumor-free operation, LRT in patients with early cervical cancer has a good outcome.

[The clinical application of targeted next-generation sequencing and metagenomics next-generation sequencing in pathogenic microorganism detection].

Infectious diseases seriously threaten human health. The early detection of the causative organism and antibiotic resistance genes of infection remains a major clinical challenge. Next-generation sequencing has been widely used in diagnosing infectious diseases. Cheaper and faster targeted next-generation sequencing technology is progressively being used in clinical practice. However, the awareness among clinicians about the clinical utility of this technology is limited. The article presents the theoretical background, advantages and disadvantages, clinical applications of targeted next-generation sequencing, and its contrasts with metagenomics next-generation sequencing. It provides a reference for clinicians to select laboratory methods for identifying pathogens in clinical practice.

[Interpretation of the 2023 version of the international consensus guidelines for robotic pancreatic surgery].

With the continuous advancement of robot-assisted surgical system and the continuous accumulation of clinical experience of surgeons, robot-assisted surgical systems are becoming more and more widely used in the field of pancreatic surgery. Several studies have suggested that robot-assisted pancreatic surgery has significant advantages over traditional pancreatic surgery. The "International consensus guidelines on robotic pancreatic surgery in 2023" provides more standardized guidance on the applicability and safety of robotic-assisted pancreatic surgery, and discusses in detail the indications, safety, learning curve, and related issues of robot-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy,and mid pancreatectomy. In addition, the application value of robot-assisted surgical systems in special patients was discussed, as well as the new technology of robot-assisted pancreaticointestinal anastomosis and the new concept of pancreatic duct repair surgery. This article interprets the guidelines based on the recommendations of the guidelines and the practical experience of the authors' team in the field of robotic-assisted pancreatic surgery.

[The clinical characteristics of 497 children with congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia].

Objective: To investigate the clinical and radiologic characteristics of children with congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (CPT) in a single center. Methods: This is a retrospective case series study. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, clinical data of 497 children(507 limbs) with CPT who were treated at Department of Orthopedics, the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University from January 2011 to December 2020 were collected. Baseline data included gender, age at initial visit, age at onset of symptoms, accompanying symptoms, domicile, whether first treated at our hospital, and treatment-related information such as surgical or conservative treatment, surgical complications, etc., were extracted and analyzed using the health information system. Imaging data of the children, including Crawford classification, bilateral leg lengths, presence of fibular pseudarthrosis, and location of pseudarthrosis along the tibia segment, were analyzed using the Picture Archiving and Communication System. Data were compared using independent sample t test or χ2 tests. Results: Among 497 children with CPT, there were 305 males (61.4%) and 192 females (38.6%). The age at initial visit was (3.6±3.2) years (range: 0.1 to 16.2 years). Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) symptoms were positive in 340 children (68.4%), and negative in 157 children (31.6%). Among NF1-positive children, those with symptoms onset before 1 year of age were significantly more than NF1-negative children (74.1%(252/340) vs. 66.2%(104/157);χ2=9.24, P=0.001), and the proportion of fractures (92.9%,316/340) was significantly higher than that in the NF1-negative group (84.7%,133/157) (χ2=8.33, P=0.004). According to imaging data, Crawford type Ⅳ was the most common type, with 321 limbs (63.3%), followed by type Ⅱ in 100 limbs (19.7%), type Ⅲ in 54 limbs (10.7%) and type Ⅰ in 32 limbs (6.3%). Pseudarthrosis occurred in the proximal third of the tibia in 14 limbs (2.8%), in the middle third in 185 limbs (36.5%), and in the distal third in 308 limbs (60.8%). Seventy-four children (14.9 %) had associated fibular pseudarthrosis. The lateral proximal tibial angle was 86.91°±5.21°(range: 72.17° to 102.08°), and the lateral distal tibial angle was 87.27°±10.73°(range: 51.07° to 128.17°). A total of 421 children (84.7%) underwent surgical treatment with (3.1±2.4) surgeries performed per child (range:0 to 12 surgeries); 76 children (15.3%) received conservative treatment. Postoperative complications mainly included ankle valgus (77 cases), leg length discrepancy (71 cases),refracture (48 cases), osteomyelitis (11 cases), and hardware failure (10 cases). NF1-positive children underwent more surgeries than NF1-negative children ((5.1±2.2)times vs.(2.1±1.8)times;t=14.93,P<0.01). Conclusions: Crawford type Ⅳ is the most common type of CPT in children in this study. CPT predominantly occurs in the middle or distal third of the tibia. The majority of children with CPT experienced symptoms and were seen at outpatient clinics before the age of 3 years. The main surgical complications currently associated with CPT treatment are ankle valgus and leg length discrepancy. Compared with CPT without NF1, children with NF1-positive CPT tend to have earlier symptom onset and may require more frequent treatments.

[Comparative study on the immune surveillance injury of blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier induced by exposure to lead acetate and nano-lead sulfide].

Objective: To investigate the differences in terms of blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier immune surveillance injury by lead acetate and nano-lead sulfide exposure in order to provide basis for the study of their mechanism of nerve injury caused by exposure to lead and nano lead. Methods: In June 2015, forty-five SPF SD male rats were randomly divided into control group, lead acetate group (20 mg/kg) and nano-lead sulfide group (20 mg/kg), with 15 rats in each group. The rats were intragastric five times a week, for nine weeks. The numbers of CD4(+) T lymphocytes in blood and cerebrospinal fluid were detected by flow cytometry. The levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were detected by ELISA. The expressions and distribution of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and CD4(+) T lymphocytes in choroid plexus were detected by laser confocal fluorescence immunoassay. The mRNA expression levels of IL-4, IFN-γ and ICAM-1 in the choroid plexus were detected by real-time PCR. Results: Compared with the control group, the proportion of CD4(+) T lymphocytes in blood of rats in lead acetate group was increased, the proportions of CD4(+) T lymphocytes in cerebrospinal fluid of rats in lead acetate group and nano-lead sulfide group were increased, the contents of IL-4 and IFN-γ in serum of rats in lead acetate group and nano-lead sulfide group were increased, the content of IL-4 in cerebrospinal fluid of rats in lead acetate group and the contents of IL-4 and IFN-γ in cerebrospinal fluid of rats in nano-lead sulfide group were increased, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The fluorescence intensity of ICAM-1 and CD4(+) T lymphocytes in choriochoroid plexus of rats in lead acetate group and nano-lead sulfide group were stronger than those in control group, and the fluorescence intensity of CD4(+) T lymphocytes of rats in nano-lead sulfide group was weaker than that in lead acetate group. Compared with the control group, the mRNA expression levels of ICAM-1, IL-4 and IFN-γ in choriochoroids plexus of rats in lead acetate group and nano-lead sulfide group were increased, and the mRNA expression levels of ICAM-1 and IL-4 in nano-lead sulfide group were higher than those in lead acetate group, while the mRNA expression level of IFN-γ in nano-lead sulfide group was lower than that in lead acetate group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Exposure to lead and nano-lead sulfide can cause the increase of CD4(+) T lymphocytes, IL-4, IFN-γ and ICAM-1, which may be related to the damage to the immune surveillance of the blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier. And there is a difference in the injury caused by lead and nano-lead sulfide exposure.

Reproducibility of T1ρ and T2 quantification in a multi-vendor multi-site study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the multi-vendor multi-site reproducibility of two-dimensional (2D) multi-echo spin-echo (MESE) T2 mapping (product sequences); and to evaluate the longitudinal reproducibility of three-dimensional (3D) magnetization-prepared angle-modulated partitioned k-space spoiled gradient echo snapshots (MAPSS) T1ρ and T2 mapping (research sequences), and 2D MESE T2 mapping, separated by 6 months, in a multi-vendor multi-site setting. METHODS: Phantoms and volunteers (n = 5 from each site, n = 20 in total) were scanned on four 3 T magnetic resonance (MR) systems from four sites and three vendors (Siemens, General Electric, and Phillips). Two traveling volunteers (3 knees) scanned at all 4 sites at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Data was transferred to one site for centralized processing. Coefficients of variation (CVs) were calculated to evaluate reproducibility. RESULTS: For baseline 2D MESE T2 measures, average CV were 0.37-2.45% (intra-site) and 5.96% (inter-site) for phantoms, and 3.15-8.49% (intra-site) and 14.16% (inter-site) for volunteers. For longitudinal phantom data, intra-site CVs were 1.42-3.48% for 3D MAPSS T1ρ, 1.77-3.56% for 3D MAPSS T2, and 1.02-2.54% for 2D MESE T2. For the longitudinal volunteer data, the intra-site CVs were 2.60-4.86% for 3D MAPSS T1ρ, 3.33-7.25% for 3D MAPSS T2, and 3.11-8.77% for 2D MESE T2. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated excellent intra-site reproducibility of 2D MESE T2 imaging, while its inter-site variation was slightly higher than 3D MAPSS T2 imaging (10.06% as previously reported). This study also showed excellent reproducibility of longitudinal T1ρ and T2 cartilage quantification, in a multi-vendor multi-site setting for both product 2D MESE T2 and 3D MAPSS T1p/T2 research sequences.

Second Data Release from the European Pulsar Timing Array: Challenging the Ultralight Dark Matter Paradigm.

Pulsar Timing Array experiments probe the presence of possible scalar or pseudoscalar ultralight dark matter particles through decade-long timing of an ensemble of galactic millisecond radio pulsars. With the second data release of the European Pulsar Timing Array, we focus on the most robust scenario, in which dark matter interacts only gravitationally with ordinary baryonic matter. Our results show that ultralight particles with masses 10^{-24.0} eV≲m≲10^{-23.3} eV cannot constitute 100% of the measured local dark matter density, but can have at most local density ρ≲0.3 GeV/cm^{3}.

Correlation between capsule endoscopy classification and CT lymphangiography of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia.

AIM: To investigate the correlation between capsule endoscopy (CE) classification of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) and computed tomography (CT) lymphangiography (CTL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 52 patients with diagnosed PIL were enrolled. All patients were examined using CTL and small intestinal CE before surgery. CE assessments included the morphology, scope, colour, and size of lesions. CTL assessments included intestinal wall, lymphatic vessel dilatation, lymph fluid reflux, and lymphatic fistula. Patients were divided into three groups according to type diagnosed by CE, and the CTL characteristics were analysed among the groups. RESULTS: CE showed 15 patients with type I, 27 with II, and 10 with type III. Intestinal wall thickening was observed in 15 type I, 21 type II, and seven type III. Pericardial effusion was observed in only three type I patients; the difference among types was statistically significant (p=0.02). Abnormal contrast agent distribution in the intestinal wall and mesentery was observed in 15 type II patients, and the difference was significantly greater than that of types I and III (p=0.02). Abnormal contrast agent distribution in the abdominal cavity was observed in 12 type II, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: The CE PIL classification reflects the extent and scope of intestinal mucosa lesions; CTL more systematically demonstrates abnormal lymphatic vessels or reflux, and its manifestations of PIL are related to the CE classification. The combination of CTL with CE is useful for accurately evaluating PIL, and provides guidance for preoperative assessment and treatment management of PIL patients.

A dual-centre study on the radioprotective effect of a novel X-ray protection device during coronary intervention.

AIM: To investigate the shielding efficiency of a novel X-ray protection device (NPD) compared with the traditional lead clothing (TLC) during coronary intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed prospectively in two centres. A total of 200 coronary interventions were included and assigned equally into the NPD or TLC group. The NPD is a floor-standing X-ray protection device, which mainly composes of a barrel-like frame and two layers of lead rubber. Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) were adopted to detect the cumulative absorbed doses, and were attached outside the NPD or TLC or body of the first operator at four different height levels in four directions during the procedure. RESULTS: The cumulative doses outside the NPD were comparable to that of the TLC (2,398.33 ± 2,341.64 versus 1,624.09 ± 1,732.20 µSv, p=0.366), and the cumulative doses inside the NPD were significantly lower than those inside the TLC (40 ± 0 versus 732.28 ± 919.83 µSv, p<0.001). As the TLC did not cover the calf segment of the operator, the area at 50 cm height from the floor in the TLC group was unshielded. The shielding efficiency of NPD was significantly higher than that of the TLC (98.2 ± 0.63% versus 52.11 ± 38.97%, p=0.021). CONCLUSION: The NPD has a significantly higher shielding efficacy than that of the TLC, in particular, it protects the operators' lower limb, liberates their lower body from wearing heavy lead apron, and may consequently reduce the radiation or body-load associated complications.