A 0.6 Mpc H I structure associated with Stephan's Quintet.

Stephan's Quintet (SQ, co-moving radial distance = 85 ± 6 Mpc, taken from the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED)1) is unique among compact groups of galaxies2-12. Observations have previously shown that interactions between multiple members, including a high-speed intruder galaxy currently colliding into the intragroup medium, have probably generated tidal debris in the form of multiple gaseous and stellar filaments6,8,13, the formation of tidal dwarfs7,14,15 and intragroup-medium starbursts16, as well as widespread intergalactic shocked gas5,10,11,17. The details and timing of the interactions and collisions remain poorly understood because of their multiple nature18,19. Here we report atomic hydrogen (H I) observations in the vicinity of SQ with a smoothed sensitivity of 1σ = 4.2 × 1016 cm-2 per channel (velocity bin-width Δv = 20 km s-1; angular resolution = 4'), which are about two orders of magnitude deeper than previous observations8,13,20,21. The data show a large H I structure (with linear scale of around 0.6 Mpc) encompassing an extended source of size approximately 0.4 Mpc associated with the debris field and a curved diffuse feature of length around 0.5 Mpc attached to the south edge of the extended source. The diffuse feature was probably produced by tidal interactions in early stages of the formation of SQ (>1 Gyr ago), although it is not clear how the low-density H I gas (NH i ≲ 1018 cm-2) can survive the ionization by the intergalactic ultraviolet background on such a long time scale. Our observations require a rethinking of properties of gas in outer parts of galaxy groups and demand complex modelling of different phases of the intragroup medium in simulations of group formation.

[Analysis of hemoglobin variants in Tianjin City and neighboring areas].

To determine the types and proportion of common hemoglobin variants in Tianjin and surrounding areas, to analyze the recognition ability and the effects of hemoglobin variants on experimental results in two commonly used glycated hemoglobin systems, so as to provide data support for the consistency of HbA1c detection in Tianjin City. A case-control study was used for retrospective analysis,156 specimens with abnormal electrophoretic peaks in the detection of glycated hemoglobin were collected from more than 50 000 specimens of patients in Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital of Tianjin Medical University between June 2020 and December 2020. Determined their hemoglobin mutation sites by DNA sequencing, and compared the values of hemoglobin variants on glycated hemoglobin detection values by high performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. SPSS 23 was used to calculate the blood routine results of the variant specimens, and compared with the normal reference interval. The results showed that DNA sequencing identified 21 hemoglobin variants, of which 11 were α strand variants and 10 were ß strand variants. In addition, an unreported hemoglobin variant was identified, Hb Headington (HBB: c.217A>C). The HbA1c of 11 variants including Hb G-Honolulu, Hb Queens, Hb Q-Thailand, Hb J-Broussais, Hb O-Indonesia, Hb G-Coushatta, Hb G-Taipei, Hb E, Hb Headington, Hb New York and Hb D-Los Angeles were shifted by more than 7% when measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Patients with the Hb Q-Thailand and Hb E cause reduced MCV and MCH. In conclusion, an unreported hemoglobin variant was found from Tianjin and neighboring areas. Patients with the Hb Q-Thailand and Hb E cause reduced MCV and MCH. 11 of these hemoglobin variants interfered with the detection of glycated hemoglobin using high-performance liquid chromatography, resulting in inaccurate results.

Dermatomyositis is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events: a Taiwanese population-based longitudinal follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: While the chronic inflammation related to autoimmune diseases is known to be associated with an increased cardiovascular risk, much less is known about cerebrovascular risks. OBJECTIVES: The present population-based, age- and sex-matched follow-up study was undertaken to investigate the risks of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischaemic stroke in patients with dermatomyositis (DMS). METHODS: In total 907 patients with DMS were enrolled and compared with a non-DMS control group consisting of 4535 age- and sex-matched, randomly sampled subjects without DMS. The AMI-free and ischaemic stroke-free survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate the DMS-associated risks of AMI and ischaemic stroke. RESULTS: During the 2-year follow-up period, 14 patients with DMS (1.5%) and 18 patients in the non-DMS control group (0.4%) suffered AMIs. The crude hazard ratio (HR) for suffering an AMI in patients with DMS compared with subjects in the non-DMS group was 3.96 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.97-7.96, P = 0.0001], while the adjusted HR was 3.37 (95% CI 1.67-6.80, P = 0.0007), after taking into account demographic characteristics and cardiovascular comorbidities. During the same follow-up period, 46 patients (5.1%) and 133 subjects in the control group (2.9%) developed ischaemic strokes. The crude HR for developing an ischaemic stroke in patients with DMS compared with subjects in the non-DMS group was 1.78 (95% CI 1.27-2.49, P = 0.0007), and the adjusted HR was 1.67 (95% CI, 1.19-2.34, P = 0.0028). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that DMS is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Allergens in atopic dermatitis.

Allergens play an essential role in atopic dermatitis, either intrinsic or extrinsic. They provoke cutaneous inflammation via IgE-dependent and cell-mediated immune reactions. Food allergens have a well-known contribution to disease activity of atopic dermatitis, especially in infants and young children. However, the importance of inhaled allergens is still under investigation. For clinical implication, identification of individualized allergens is an ideal strategy for better control of atopic dermatitis and avoidance of atopic march. The aim of this article is to discuss the common allergens in atopic dermatitis (AD), the specificity and sensitivity of laboratory tests for allergens, and the clinical effect of various preventions.

The transcription factor GATA4 is activated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1- and 2-mediated phosphorylation of serine 105 in cardiomyocytes.

The zinc finger-containing transcription factor GATA4 has been implicated as a critical regulator of multiple cardiac-expressed genes as well as a regulator of inducible gene expression in response to hypertrophic stimulation. Here we demonstrate that GATA4 is itself regulated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade through direct phosphorylation. Site-directed mutagenesis and phospho-specific GATA4 antiserum revealed serine 105 as the primary site involved in agonist-induced phosphorylation of GATA4. Infection of cultured cardiomyocytes with an activated MEK1-expressing adenovirus induced robust phosphorylation of serine 105 in GATA4, while a dominant-negative MEK1-expressing adenovirus blocked agonist-induced phosphorylation of serine 105, implicating extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) as a GATA4 kinase. Indeed, bacterially purified ERK2 protein directly phosphorylated purified GATA4 at serine 105 in vitro. Phosphorylation of serine 105 enhanced the transcriptional potency of GATA4, which was sensitive to U0126 (MEK1 inhibitor) but not SB202190 (p38 inhibitor). Phosphorylation of serine 105 also modestly enhanced the DNA binding activity of bacterially purified GATA4. Finally, induction of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy with an activated MEK1-expressing adenovirus was blocked with a dominant-negative GATA4-engrailed-expressing adenovirus. These results suggest a molecular pathway whereby MEK1-ERK1/2 signaling regulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophic growth through the transcription factor GATA4 by direct phosphorylation of serine 105, which enhances DNA binding and transcriptional activation.

Evidence against a role for a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein in Ca2+ mobilization in rat parotid acinar cells.

Hormone-induced Ca2+ mobilization in rat parotid acinar cells is reportedly mediated via an as yet uncharacterized G protein. We have studied the sensitivity to pertussis toxin (PTx) of this signal transduction mechanism. When rats were treated with Ptx (1.3-1.5 micrograms per animal) for 72 h, a 41 kDa membrane protein was ADP-ribosylated. This PTx treatment regimen, also, resulted in a more than 80% block of the ability of the muscarinic agonist carbachol to inhibit beta-adrenergic receptor-stimulated parotid adenylyl cyclase activity. However, cytosolic Ca2+ levels, in response to either carbachol or AIF-4, were comparable in cells prepared from both untreated or PTx-treated rats, when incubated either in the absence or presence of extracellular Ca2+. Further, both the sensitivity of the Ca2+ response to carbachol and the ability of the agonist-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ stores to be refilled by extracellular Ca2+ were unaffected by PTx treatment. Parotid membranes also contained three low-molecular-weight GTP-binding proteins (25, 22 and 18 kDa) which were unaffected by PTx. These results show that there is only one detectable substrate in parotid membranes for a PTx-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation and that hormone-induced Ca2+ mobilization events in parotid acinar cells are not mediated via PTx-sensitive components.

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, bullous morphea, and systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report.

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) rarely coexists with morphea, especially when bullae occur in lesions of morphea. Here we report the case of a 15-year-old girl with this condition, who also fulfilled four out of 11 diagnostic criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Tissue biopsy of different skin lesions showed LSA in the regions of bullous morphea, that has rarely been reported in the literature.

Systemic Penicillium marneffei infection in a child with common variable immunodeficiency.

Penicillium marneffei is rarely pathogenic in humans. Most previously reported cases of P. marneffei infection were from Southeast Asia where patients were usually in an immunocompromised state due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The majority of the patients reported in Western countries were immunocompromised by malignancy, especially Hodgkin's lymphoma. In Taiwan, the first case of P. marneffei infection was reported in 1994 and involved an adult with HIV infection. We report a case of systemic P. marneffei infection in a child with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). The patient, a 4-year, 5-month-old boy, had a 1-year history of oligoarthritis resembling juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). He developed a low grade fever (38 degrees C) and hepatosplenomegaly 1 month before admission to the hospital. Although cultures of synovial fluid obtained at the time of onset of oligoarthritis did not grow any organisms, cultures of blood, bone marrow, synovial fluid, and lymph node biopsy samples taken during this admission were positive for P. marneffei. Further immunologic studies revealed a profile characteristic of CVID. The fungal infection was finally eradicated by combined therapy with amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, and regular immunoglobulin replacement. This case reminds us that JRA or JRA-like arthritis should be differentiated from septic arthritis caused by rare pathogens in immunocompromised patients.

[The operational control studies of smear positive tuberculosis cases with short-course chemotherapy under the full-course management and supervision].

Two groups of smear positive ambulatory tuberculous patients were treated with the regimen of 2H2R3E3Z3/4H3R, 189 and 192 cases received full-management and full-course supervision respectively and the smear conversion rates at the completion of treatment are 98.9% and 96.9%. This suggests that it can get equal rate of successful chemotherapy with the standard full-course management compared with the full-course supervision.

Search for the invisible decay of J/psi in psi(2S) --> pi(+)pi(-) J/psi.

Using psi(2S) --> pi(+)pi(-) J/psi events in a sample of 14.0 x 10(6) psi(2S) decays collected with the BES-II detector, a search for the decay of the J/psi to invisible final states is performed. No signal is found, and an upper limit at the 90% confidence level is determined to be 1.2 x 10(-2) for the ratio B(J/psi --> invisible)/B(J/psi-->mu(+)mu(-)). This is the first search for J/psi decays to invisible final states.

Observation of Y(2175) in J/psi --> etaphif0 (980).

The decays of J/psi --> etaphif(0)(980)[eta --> gammagamma, phi --> K(+) K(-), f(0)(980) --> pi(+)pi(-)] are analyzed using a sample of 5.8 x 10(7) J/psi events collected with the BESII detector at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider. A structure at around 2.18 GeV/c(2) with about 5 sigma significance is observed in the phif(0)(980) invariant mass spectrum. A fit with a Breit-Wigner function gives the peak mass and width of m = 2.186+/-0.010(stat)+/-0.006(syst) GeV/c(2) and Gamma = 0.065+/-0.023(stat)+/-0.017(syst) GeV/c(2), respectively, which are consistent with those of Y(2175), observed by the BABAR Collaboration in the initial-state radiation process e(+)e(-) --> gamma(ISR) phif(0)(980). The production branching ratio is determined to be Br(J/psi --> etaY(2175))Br(Y(2175)- -> phif(0)(980))Br(f(0)(980) --> pi(+)pi(-)) = [3.23+/-0.75(stat)+/-0.73(syst)] x 10(-4), assuming that the Y(2175) is a 1(--) state.

Anomalous line shape of the cross section for e{+}e{-}--> hadrons in the center-of-mass energy region between 3.650 and 3.872 GeV.

We observe an obvious anomalous line shape of the e;{+}e;{-}--> hadrons total cross sections in the energy region between 3.700 and 3.872 GeV. It is inconsistent with the explanation for only one simple psi(3770) resonance with a statistical significance of 7sigma. The anomalous line shape may be explained by two possible enhancements of the inclusive hadron production near the center-of-mass energies of 3.764 and 3.779 GeV, indicating that either there is likely a new structure in addition to the psi(3770) resonance around 3.773 GeV, or there are some physics effects reflecting the DD[over ] production dynamics.

Measurement of psi2S radiative decays.

Using 14 x 10(6) psi(2S) events accumulated at the BESII detector, we report first measurements of branching fractions or upper limits for psi(2S) decays into gammapp, gamma2(pi+pi-), gammaKS0K+pi-+c.c., gammaK+K-pi+pi-, gammaK*0K-pi++c.c., gammaK*0K*0, gammapi+pi-pp, gamma2(K+K-), gamma3(pi+pi-), and gamma2(pi+pi-)K+K- with the invariant mass of hadrons below 2.9 GeV/c2. We also report branching fractions of psi(2S) decays into 2(pi+pi-)pi0, omegapi+pi-, omegaf2(1270), b1+/-pi-/+, and pi02(pi+pi-)K+K-.

Observation of a broad 1-- resonant structure around 1.5 GeV/c2 in the K+K- mass spectrum in J/psi-->K+K-pi0.

A broad peak is observed at low K+K- invariant mass in J/psi-->K+K-pi(0) decays found in a sample of 5.8x10(7) J/psi events collected with the BESII detector. The statistical significance of the broad resonance is much larger than 5sigma. A partial wave analysis shows that the J;{PC} of this structure is 1--. Its pole position is determined to be [1576(-55)(+49)(stat)-91+98(syst)] MeV/c(2)-i/2[818(-23)(+22)(stat)-133+64(syst)] MeV/c(2). These parameters are not compatible with any known meson resonances.

Search for invisible decays of eta and eta' in J/psi --> phi eta and phi eta'.

Using a data sample of 58 x 10(6) J/psi decays collected with the Beijing Spectrometer II detector at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider, searches for invisible decays of eta and eta' in J/psi to phi eta and phi eta' are performed. The phi signals, which are reconstructed in K+K- final states, are used to tag the eta and eta' decays. No signals are found for the invisible decays of either eta or eta', and upper limits at the 90% confidence level are determined to be 1.65 x 10(-3) for the ratio B(eta-->invisible)/B(eta --> gamma gamma) and 6.69 x 10(-2) for B(eta' --> invisible)/B(eta' --> gammagamma). These are the first searches for eta and eta' decays into invisible final states.

Measurements of the branching fractions for psi(3770)-->D(0)D[over ](0), D+D-, DD[over ], and the resonance parameters of psi(3770) and psi(2S).

We measure the branching fractions for psi(3770)-->D(0)D[over ](0), D+D-, DD[over ], and non-DD[over ] to be (46.7+/-4.7+/-2.3)%, (36.9+/-3.7+/-2.8)%, (83.6+/-7.3+/-4.2)%, and (16.4+/-7.3+/-4.2)%, respectively. The resonance parameters of psi(3770) and psi(2S) are measured to be M_(psi(3770))=3772.2+/-0.7+/-0.3 MeV, Gamma_(psi(3770))(tot)=26.9+/-2.4+/-0.3 MeV, and Gamma_(psi(3770))(ee)=251+/-26+/-11 eV; M_(psi(2S))=3685.5+/-0.0+/-0.3 MeV, Gamma_(psi(2S))(tot)=331+/-58+/-2 keV, and Gamma_(psi(2S))(ee)=2.330+/-0.036+/-0.110 keV. We also measure the light hadron R value to be R(uds)=2.262+/-0.054+/-0.109 in the energy region from 3.660 to 3.872 GeV.