Observation of a Strongly Isospin-Mixed Doublet in

ß decay of proton-rich nuclei plays an important role in exploring isospin mixing. The ß decay of ^{26}P at the proton drip line is studied using double-sided silicon strip detectors operating in conjunction with high-purity germanium detectors. The T=2 isobaric analog state (IAS) at 13 055 keV and two new high-lying states at 13 380 and 11 912 keV in ^{26}Si are unambiguously identified through ß-delayed two-proton emission (ß2p). Angular correlations of two protons emitted from ^{26}Si excited states populated by ^{26}P ß decay are measured, which suggests that the two protons are emitted mainly sequentially. We report the first observation of a strongly isospin-mixed doublet that deexcites mainly via two-proton decay. The isospin mixing matrix element between the ^{26}Si IAS and the nearby 13 380-keV state is determined to be 130(21) keV, and this result represents the strongest mixing, highest excitation energy, and largest level spacing of a doublet ever observed in ß-decay experiments.

[Two-dimensional equivalent mechanical modeling and finite element analysis of normal female pelvic floor system].

Objective: To construct the geometric model of the pelvic floor by a two-dimensional equivalent mechanics method, and to explore the effect of the shape and position of pelvic floor organs and tissues on the biomechanical properties of the pelvic floor under different abdominal pressure. Methods: A 28-year-old healthy and symmetrical married infertile female volunteer was included. The pelvic floor tissue was scanned in the supine position using a 3.0T magnetic resonance scanner (Philips Company, Holland). Based on the method of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) two-dimensional parameter measurement and computer aided design, the geometric model and finite element model of the female pelvic floor were established, and the biomechanical characteristics of the pelvic floor support system under different abdominal pressure were analyzed. Results: In this study, four different working conditions of the pelvic floor force were simulated under 60, 99, 168, and 208 cmH2O (1 cmH2O=0.098 kPa) abdominal pressure loads. The trend was as follows: under the abdominal pressure load, the retrograde flexion of the uterus occurred, the cervical, the middle and upper vaginal segment and the levator anus muscle had the characteristic change of mechanical axial direction pointing to the sacrum and coccyx, and the deformation of the levator anus muscle in the horizontal direction was greater than that in the vertical direction. With the increase of the abdominal pressure, the maximum stress values of the pelvic floor whole system of healthy subjects under four different working conditions were 0.194 3, 0.389 6, 0.557 1, and 0.627 5 MPa, respectively, and the maximum displacement values were 10, 14, 21 and 25 mm, respectively. The maximum stress values of the cervical and vaginal middle and upper segment were 0.111 7, 0.161 8, 0.250 6, and 0.304 1 MPa, respectively, and the maximum displacement values were 3, 6, 9, and 11 mm, respectively. The maximum stress of the perineal body was 0.063 4, 0.119 6, 0.235 2, and 0.288 0 MPa, and the maximum displacement was 1, 2, 4, and 5 mm. The maximum stress values of the levator anus muscle were 0.194 3, 0.389 6, 0.557 1, and 0.627 5 MPa, and the maximum displacement values were 2, 4, 7, and 8 mm, respectively. The maximum stress and maximum displacement of pelvic organs increased with the increase of the abdominal pressure under different working conditions. The stress axial relationship of normal female pelvic floor was that the middle and upper segment of uterus and vagina mainly acted on the sacrococcyx and the levator anus muscle, and the lower vaginal segment acts on the perineal body. Conclusions: The two-dimensional equivalent mechanical modeling and finite element analysis of the female pelvic floor system can accurately reflect the biomechanical characteristics of the female pelvic floor, and the resultant stress direction of the pelvic organs points to the sacrum and coccyx. The sacrum and coccyx, levator anus and perineal body play important stress supporting roles in the pelvic floor system.

[Association of hyperuricemia-induced renal damage with sirtuin 1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase in rats].

Objective: To investigate the association of hyperuricemia-induced renal damage with sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in rats. Methods: Using the random number table method, 32 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, model A group (the model was generated using oxonic acid potassium salt alone), model B group (hyperuricemia model was generated using oxonic acid potassium salt combined with uric acid) and resveratrol group, with 8 rats in each group. The experiment lasted 12 weeks. Serum uric acid and cystatin C levels were monitored regularly. In week 12, serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels were measured, and the kidneys were extracted. The expression of SIRT1 and eNOS in renal tissues was measured and determined by immunohistochemistry, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. Immunohistochemistry of alpha-smooth muscle actin combined with Masson staining was employed to evaluate the degree of renal fibrosis, and pathological changes were observed based on hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: In week 12, the uric acid levels in both the model A and model B groups were higher than those in the control group [(316±43) µmol/L, (297±40) µmol/L vs (118±44) µmol/L, both P<0.05]. The levels of cystatin C in the model A, model B, and resveratrol groups were all higher than those in the control group [(156±20) ng/ml, (143±29) ng/ml, (128±26) ng/ml vs (62±18) ng/ml, all P<0.05]. Creatinine levels were higher in the model A and model B groups than those in the control group [(68.5±10.3) µmol/L, (64.5±13.9) µmol/L vs (43.2±10.6) µmol/L, both P<0.05]. The levels of uric acid, cystatin C and creatinine in the resveratrol group were lower than those in the model A group (all P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting for renal SIRT1 and eNOS showed that the expression in the model A and model B groups was inhibited, while the expression in the resveratrol group was not significantly inhibited, compared with that in the control group. Microscopically, obvious abnormalities were not found in the renal tissue of the control group. Renal inflammatory cell aggregation and edema occurred, and interstitial fibrosis was obvious in both the model A and model B groups, while these lesions in the resveratrol group were significantly improved. Conclusions: Hyperuricemia may cause renal injury by inhibiting the expression of SIRT1 and eNOS.

Positive-Parity Linear-Chain Molecular Band in

An inelastic excitation and cluster-decay experiment ^{2}H(^{16}C,^{4}He+^{12}Be or ^{6}He+^{10}Be)^{2}H was carried out to investigate the linear-chain clustering structure in neutron-rich ^{16}C. For the first time, decay paths from the ^{16}C resonances to various states of the final nuclei were determined, thanks to the well-resolved Q-value spectra obtained from the threefold coincident measurement. The close-threshold resonance at 16.5 MeV is assigned as the J^{π}=0^{+} band head of the predicted positive-parity linear-chain molecular band with (3/2_{π}^{-})^{2}(1/2_{σ}^{-})^{2} configuration, according to the associated angular correlation and decay analysis. Other members of this band were found at 17.3, 19.4, and 21.6 MeV based on their selective decay properties, being consistent with the theoretical predictions. Another intriguing high-lying state was observed at 27.2 MeV which decays almost exclusively to ^{6}He+^{10}Be(∼6 MeV) final channel, corresponding well to another predicted linear-chain structure with the pure σ-bond configuration.

Development, characterization, and annotation of potential simple sequence repeats by transcriptome sequencing in pears (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai).

Simple sequence repeats (SSRs), one of the most powerful molecular markers, can be used for DNA fingerprinting, variety identification, genetic mapping, and marker-assisted selection. Using the pear's (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) 75,764 unigenes (55,676,271 bp) obtained by deep transcriptome sequencing, a total of 10,622 novel SSRs were identified in 9154 unigenes, accounting for 14.02% of all unigenes. The average length and distribution of these SSRs was about 16 bp and 5.24 kb, respectively. Dinucleotide repeat motifs were the main type, with a frequency of 55.87%, followed by trinucleotides (24.45%). There were 159 kinds of repeat motifs existing in the pear transcriptome. AG/CT was the most frequent motif, accounting for 49.64%. All 9154 SSR-containing unigenes were functionally annotated using Nr (NCBI non-redundant protein database), Nt (NCBI non-redundant nucleotide database), and the Swiss-Prot database, and were classified further by Gene Ontology and Clusters of Orthologous Groups. In addition, a total of 4300 primer pairs were designed from all SSR loci obtained. Of these, 40 primers were randomly selected for PCR amplification and polyacrylamide gel (PAGE) analysis. Among the 40 primer pairs, 31 were successfully separated via PAGE. These findings also confirm that mining SSRs using next-generating sequencing technologies is a fast, effective, and reliable approach.

Transcriptome analysis of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) during the late stage of fruit ripening.

Fruit ripening is a complex developmental process, the details of which remain largely unknown in fleshy fruits. In this paper, the fruit flesh of two peach varieties, "Zhongyou9" (a nectarine; Prunus persica L. Batsch) and its mutant "Hongyu", was analyzed by RNA-seq technology during two stages of ripening at 20-day intervals. One hundred and eighty significant upregulated and two hundred and thirty-five downregulated genes were identified in the experiment. Many of these genes were related to plant hormones, chlorophyll breakdown, accumulation of aroma and flavor volatiles, and stress. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first transcriptome analysis of peach ripening, and our data will be useful for further studies of the molecular basis of fruit ripening.

[Analysis of early failure of the PHILOS in proximal humerus fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the reasons of early failure of the PHILOS in proximal humerus fractures. METHODS: From Nov. 2010 to Nov. 2014, there were 117 patients with humerus fractures treated with PHILOS locking plate in Department of Orthopaedics, Xuanwu Hospital. All of the patients were treated with the plate by open reduction internal fixation, and we analyzed these cases retrospectively. After the operation, we removed the drainage tube within 48 h, and the patients were allowed to do the passive motion 3 days after the surgery if the X-Ray showed the plate and screws were reliable. Eight cases failed within 4 weeks after the operation. We analyzed the reasons of the failure. RESULTS: The rate of the failed cases was 6.83%(8/117). The average age was 72.4(66-82) years. In the 8 failed cases, 3 were on the right side, and the other 5 on the left side. As for the reason of the fractures, 2 cases were because of car accidents, and the other 6 because of daily life injury. According to the Neer classification, 3 cases were 2-part fractures, and the other 5 3-part fractures. Three cases were total failure, and the other 5 partial failure. All the 8 failed cases failed within 4 weeks after the operation, of which 1 was on the sixth day after surgery, the other 7 2 to 4 weeks after the surgery.The 3 totally failed cases were treated by removing the screws and plates, the other 5 by conservative methods. All of the cases were malunion at the end. CONCLUSION: The early failure of the PHILOS locking plate in proximal humerus fractures is related to the bad reduction during the operation, the loss of medial cortex support, the limitation of screw length, the osteoporosis and the improper rehabilitation after operation.It is very important to do good preoperative plan for a surgeon. During the operation, we should try our best in the fracture reduction, use the appropriate plate and screws, and then pay attention to the rehabilitation after the operation. After all of this, the rate of failure may be decreased.

[Analysis of early failure of the PHILOS in proximal humerus fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the reasons of early failure of the PHILOS in proximal humerus fractures. METHODS: From Nov. 2010 to Nov. 2014, there were 117 patients with humerus fractures treated with PHILOS locking plate in Department of Orthopaedics, Xuanwu Hospital. All of the patients were treated with the plate by open reduction internal fixation, and we analyzed these cases retrospectively. After the operation, we removed the drainage tube within 48 h, and the patients were allowed to do the passive motion 3 days after the surgery if the X-Ray showed the plate and screws were reliable. Eight cases failed within 4 weeks after the operation. We analyzed the reasons of the failure. RESULTS: The rate of the failed cases was 6.83%(8/117). The average age was 72.4(66-82) years. In the 8 failed cases, 3 were on the right side, and the other 5 on the left side. As for the reason of the fractures, 2 cases were because of car accidents, and the other 6 because of daily life injury. According to the Neer classification, 3 cases were 2-part fractures, and the other 5 3-part fractures. Three cases were total failure, and the other 5 partial failure. All the 8 failed cases failed within 4 weeks after the operation, of which 1 was on the sixth day after surgery, the other 7 2 to 4 weeks after the surgery.The 3 totally failed cases were treated by removing the screws and plates, the other 5 by conservative methods. All of the cases were malunion at the end. CONCLUSION: The early failure of the PHILOS locking plate in proximal humerus fractures is related to the bad reduction during the operation, the loss of medial cortex support, the limitation of screw length, the osteoporosis and the improper rehabilitation after operation.It is very important to do good preoperative plan for a surgeon. During the operation, we should try our best in the fracture reduction, use the appropriate plate and screws, and then pay attention to the rehabilitation after the operation. After all of this, the rate of failure may be decreased.

[Expression of Jagged1 mRNA in human epithelial ovarian carcinoma tissues and effect of RNA interference of Jagged1 on growth of xenograft in nude mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of Jagged1 in human epithelial ovarian carcinoma tissues and the effect of Jagged1 on growth of xenograft in nude mice. METHODS: (1) Forty-eight cases of ovarian cancer and 30 cases of patients with benign epithelial ovarian tumor in the Henan Province Xinxiang Central Hospital during Feb. 2011 to Mar. 2014 were enrolled in this study. The mRNA expression of Jagged1, Notch1 and the downstream target genes Hes1, Hey1 were analyzed by using realtime PCR method. (2) The ovarian cancer xenograft models in nude mice were constructed by injecting SKOV3 cells in axillary subcutaneouswere. The nude mice were randomly divided into Jagged1 interference group, blank plasmid group and control group. Each group had 10 mice. They were transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)-siRNA-Jagged1, blank plasmid pDC3.1 and phosphate buffer, respectively. The tumor volumes and tumor masses were measured 14 days after transfection and the inhibition rate was calculated. The relative mRNA expression of Jagged1, Notch1, Hes1 and Hey1 in xenograft tissues after transfection in each group was detected by using realtime PCR technique and the relative protein expression of Jagged1, Notch1, Hes1 and Hey1 in xenograft tissues was detected by utilizing western blot method. RESULTS: (1) The relative mRNA expression of Jagged1, Notch1, Hes1 and Hey1 in ovarian cancer tissues were higher than benign ovarian tumor tissues, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). (2) The tumor volume was (491± 68) mm(3) and tumor mass was (2.6±0.4) g in Jagged1 interference group, which were significantly lower than that in the blank plasmid group [(842±88) mm(3) and (4.4±0.8) g, respectively] and that in the control group [(851±90) mm(3) and (4.5±0.9) g, respectively; P<0.05], the tumor inhibition rate was 42.2% in Jagged1 interference group, which was significantly higher than that in the blank plasmid group and that in the control group (2.2% and 0, respectively), the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The relative mRNA and protein expression of Jagged1, Hes1 and Hey1 in xenograft tissues of nude micein Jagged1 interference group were lower than that in the other two groups, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). There were no differences of relative mRNA and protein expression of Notch1 in xenograft tissues of nude mice among the three groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Jagged1 is highly expressed in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Jagged1 gene interference in xenograft tumor can inhibit ovarian cancer cell growth and improve tumor suppressor rate, which probably play roles by inhibiting Notch1 signaling pathway.

Identification of differentially expressed genes associated with flower color in peach using genome-wide transcriptional analysis.

Flower color is an important trait of the ornamental peach (Prunus persica L.). However, the mechanism responsible for the different colors that appear in the same genotype remains unclear. In this study, red samples showed higher anthocyanins content (0.122 ± 0.009 mg/g), which was significantly different from that in white samples (0.066 ± 0.010 mg/g). Similarly to carotenoids content, red extract (0.058 ± 0.004 mg/L) was significantly higher in white extract (0.015 ± 0.004 mg/L). We estimated gene expression using Illumina sequencing technology in libraries from white and red flower buds. A total of 3,599,960 and 3,464,141 tags were sequenced from the 2 libraries, respectively. Moreover, we identified 106 significantly differentially expressed genes between the 2 libraries. Among these, 78 and 28 represented transcripts with a higher or lower abundance of more than 2-fold than in the white flower library, respectively. GO annotation indicated that highly ranked genes were involved in the pigment biosynthetic process. Expression patterns of 11 genes were verified using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays. The results suggest that hydroxycinnamoyl-coenzyme A shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyltransferase, 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, isoflavone reductase, riboflavin kinase, zeta-carotene desaturase, and ATP binding cassette transporter may be associated with the flower color formation. Our results may be useful for scientists focusing on Prunus persica floral development and biotechnology.

Identification of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae strains causing bacterial canker of kiwifruit in the Anhui Province of China, and determination of their streptomycin sensitivities.

Bacterial canker, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, is one of the most severe diseases of kiwifruit. It has become an international pandemic and threatens the sustainable development of kiwifruit production in all main kiwi-growing regions worldwide. Streptomycin has been the major bactericide for the control of kiwifruit canker, especially in Anhui Province, one of the main kiwifruit production regions in China. However, until now, no studies on the baseline sensitivity to streptomycin of field isolates of P. syringae pv. actinidiae from China have been available. During 2012-2013, a total of 102 single-colony P. syringae pv. actinidiae strains were isolated: 36, 12, 13, 26, and 15 strains from Yuexi, Jinzhai, Huoshan, Qianshan, and Taihu counties, respectively. All strains were confirmed by production of a 280-bp fragment using the specific primers PsaF1/R2 upon polymerase chain reaction amplification, followed by an assay for confirmation of pathogenicity to fulfill Koch's postulates. In this study, the streptomycin sensitivity of the 102 isolated strains was determined. The half-maximal effective concentration values for inhibition of growth by streptomycin were 0.03-0.42 µg/mL (average 0.12 ± 0.06 µg/mL). The baseline sensitivity curve was unimodal, representing range-of-variation factors of 14.0. No resistant subpopulation was identified among the strains used in the study. Thus, these sensitivity data could be used as a baseline for monitoring the shift in sensitivity of P. syringae pv. actinidiae populations to streptomycin in Anhui Province. Continuous resistance monitoring should be carried out, as streptomycin is an at-risk bactericide agent.

Establishing a clinic-based pancreatic cancer and periampullary tumour research registry in Quebec.

BACKGROUND: Enrolling patients in studies of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (pdac) is challenging because of the high fatality of the disease. We hypothesized that a prospective clinic-based study with rapid ascertainment would result in high participation rates. Using that strategy, we established the Quebec Pancreas Cancer Study (qpcs) to investigate the genetics and causes of pdac and other periampullary tumours (pats) that are also rare and underrepresented in research studies. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with pdac or pat were introduced to the study at their initial clinical encounter, with a strategy to enrol participants within 2 weeks of diagnosis. Patient self-referrals and referrals of unaffected individuals with an increased risk of pdac were also accepted. Family histories, epidemiologic and clinical data, and biospecimens were collected. Additional relatives were enrolled in families at increased genetic risk. RESULTS: The first 346 completed referrals led to 306 probands being enrolled, including 190 probands affected with pdac, who represent the population focus of the qpcs. Participation rates were 88.4% for all referrals and 89.2% for pdac referrals. Family history, epidemiologic and clinical data, and biospecimens were ascertained from 91.9%, 54.6%, and 97.5% respectively of patients with pdac. Although demographics and trends in risk factors in our patients were consistent with published statistics for patients with pdac, the qpcs is enriched for families with French-Canadian ancestry (37.4%), a population with recurrent germ-line mutations in hereditary diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Using rapid ascertainment, a pdac and pat research registry with high participation rates can be established. The qpcs is a valuable research resource and its enrichment with patients of French-Canadian ancestry provides a unique opportunity for studies of heredity in these diseases.

Morphological characteristics and developmental changes of the ovary in the tick Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann.

Haemaphysalis longicornis (Ixodida: Ixodidae) is an important vector of transovarially transmitted parasites of the genus Babesia (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae). In the present study, we investigated the morphological characteristics and developmental changes of the ovary of H. longicornis. We show that the ovary of H. longicornis has a single tubular structure and is surrounded by a tunica propria. There is a longitudinal groove along one side of the ovary. During feeding and after engorgement, great changes can be observed in the ovary of H. longicornis and two rapid growth phases can be detected. The number of major protein bands of the ovary is significantly increased from day 3 of feeding and reaches a maximum on the day of engorgement. Therefore, the great diversity of proteins in the ovaries of H. longicornis can facilitate the identification of new targets for vaccine development.

Comparison of urinary incontinence following three different prostate apex disconnection techniques in transurethral thulium laser prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the incidence of urinary incontinence following transurethral thulium laser prostatectomy with three different prostate apex disconnection techniques: semi-separation, pre-separation, and post-separation. The findings aim to provide references for clinical treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 74 patients treated with transurethral thulium laser prostatectomy for prostatic hyperplasia from April 2022 to March 2023. Complete clinical and follow-up data were available for 52 patients. Clinical and follow-up data were collected for these patients. A comparison was made of urinary incontinence following the three different types of prostate apex disconnection in transurethral thulium laser prostatectomy. RESULTS: In this study, the immediate postoperative urinary incontinence rate for transurethral thulium laser prostatectomy was 9.62% (5/52), the short-term incontinence rate was 11.54% (5/52), and the long-term incontinence rate was 9.62% (5/52). The immediate postoperative incontinence rates for semi-separation, pre-separation, and post- separation were 8.33% (1/12), 8.33% (2/24), and 12.5% (2/16), respectively. The short-term incontinence rates for semi-separation, pre-separation, and post-separation were 8.33% (1/12), 8.33% (2/24), and 18.75% (3/16), respectively. The long-term incontinence rates for semi-separation, pre-separation, and post-separation were 8.33% (1/12), 8.33% (2/24), and 12.5% (2/16), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of urinary incontinence following transurethral thulium laser prostatectomy was lower with semi-separation and pre-separation compared to post-separation.

Isolation and identification of new pollen-specific SFB genes in Japanese apricot (Prunus mume).

SFB, a candidate gene for the pollen S gene, has been identified in several species of Prunus (Rosaceae). We isolated 5 new SFB alleles from 6 Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) lines using a specific Prunus SFB primer pair (SFB-C1F and Pm-Vb), which was designed from conserved regions of Prunus SFB. The nucleotide sequences of these SFB genes were submitted to the GenBank database. The 5 new SFB alleles share typical structural features with SFB alleles from other Prunus species and were found to be polymorphic, with 67.08 to 96.91% amino acid identity. These new SFB alleles were specifically expressed in the pollen. We conclude that the PmSFB alleles that we identified are the pollen S determinants of Japanese apricot; they have potential as a tool for studies of the mechanisms of pollen self-incompatibility.

The Benefits of Physical Activity and Positive Mental Health for Reducing the Burden of COVID-19: Validation from a Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Investigation in China and Germany.

Many people experience high burden by the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its consequences for health and everyday life. The present cross-national study investigated potential factors that can reduce the burden by COVID-19 in China and Germany. Cross-sectional and longitudinal (China: N = 474, baseline, BL: 2015, follow-up, FU: 2020; Germany: N = 359, BL: 2019, FU: 2020) data on physical activity (e.g., jogging) (BL/FU), positive mental health (PMH) (BL/FU), and burden by COVID-19 (FU) were collected via online surveys. In both countries, physical activity was positively associated with PMH, and both variables were negatively related to burden by COVID-19. Furthermore, PMH mediated the link between physical activity and burden. The mediation model was significant when physical activity and PMH were assessed at the BL, while burden was measured at the FU; and it was also significant when all variables were assessed at the FU. The present findings reveal that physical activity in combination with PMH can reduce the experience of burden by COVID-19. Conscious fostering of physical activity and PMH is supported as an effective strategy to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic outbreak on mental and physical health. Additional benefits such as increased adherence to governmental measures around COVID-19 are discussed.

Analysis of risk factors for stone remnants and recurrence after lateral decubitus percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the risk factors for stone remnants and recurrence after lateral decubitus percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), providing insights to enhance the stone-free rate and reduce the stone recurrence rate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 356 patients with renal or upper ureteral stones who underwent lateral decubitus PCNL from January 2015 to August 2022. Among them, 271 patients had complete clinical and follow-up data. General clinical information, perioperative data, and follow-up data were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for stone remnants and recurrence after lateral decubitus PCNL. RESULTS: The stone-free rate after lateral decubitus PCNL was 88.6% (195/271), and the stone recurrence rate within three years was 28.1% (76/271). Stone size (p<0.001) and stone co-infection (p=0.047) were identified as independent risk factors for stone remnants after lateral decubitus PCNL. Multiple stones (p=0.003) were an independent risk factor for stone recurrence after lateral decubitus PCNL. CONCLUSIONS: Stone size and stone co-infection are independent risk factors for stone remnants after lateral decubitus PCNL. Multiple stones are an independent risk factor for stone recurrence after lateral decubitus PCNL.

[Prognostic value of the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index in patients over 60 years old with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma].

Objective: To evaluate the value of the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity Index (ACCI) in predicting the prognosis and guiding the clinical treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) in patients over 60 years old. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 249 cases of LSCC in Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital and First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from 2008 to 2015 was performed. There were 234 males and 15 females, aged from 60 to 88 years. The clinical characteristics, treatment information and follow-up data were collected. ACCI was used to score the comorbidities of the patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn and the patients were divided into high ACCI group and low ACCI group according to the cut-off value of ACCI. Prognostic factors were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, rank sum test was used for comparison between groups, χ2 test was used for enumeration data. Results: Overall survival (OS) was 54.6%, progression-free survival (PFS) was 59.4%, and cancer-specific survival (CSS) was 58.6%. Both the median survival time and PFS time were 60 months. The best cutoff point of the ACCI group was 5. Cox multivariate analysis showed that ACCI was an independent risk factor for OS, PFS and CSS (OR=1.553, 1.499 and 1.534,respectively, all P<0.05). In the high ACCI group, OS (χ2=4.120 and 4.115,P<0.05) and CSS (χ2=4.510 and 5.009,P<0.05) of patients treated with surgery plus radiotherapy and patients with radiotherapy alone were better than those of patients with surgery alone (P<0.05). But in the low ACCI group, there was no significant difference in prognosis among the three treatment regimens (P>0.05). Conclusion: High ACCI offors important prognostic information for LSCC in patients over 60 years old, and can guide clinical treatment options.

Dendritic cells transfected with lentiviral vector-encoding human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor augment anti-tumour T-cell response in vitro.

Dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen-presenting cells that can actively taken up and present tumour-derived proteins to induce a tumour-specific immune response. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) plays a pivotal role in the generation, sensitization, maturation and survival of DC. We charged the peripheral blood monocyte cell-derived DC with tumour lysate, and then transfected the DC with lentiviral vector-encoding human GM-CSF (hGM-CSF). The antigen-presenting capacity of the hGM-CSF-transfected DC was tested by means of the mixed lymphocyte reaction and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte assay using wild-type DC as the control. The Lenti-hGM-CSF-transfected DC was able to stimulate the proliferation of naive allogeneic T lymphocytes and to generate tumour-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes more efficiently than the wild-type DC. This data indicates that Lenti-hGM-CSF-transfected DC could potentially be used as an effective clinical approach for cancer immunotherapy.

First Report of Alternaria Leaf Blight on Bupleurum chinense Caused by Alternaria alternata in China.

Bupleurum chinense DC. (family Umbelliferae) is an important medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine and is cultivated as an economically important plant in China (2). From 2006 to 2009, severe foliar disease was observed on B. chinense in Haidian, Changping, and Shunyi districts, Beijing, China. Approximately 75 to 85% of fields were affected with disease incidence ranging from 65 to 90%. Distribution of the disease in affected B. chinense fields was generally associated with high soil moisture, often corresponding to poor drainage. Initial symptoms first appeared on older leaves as irregularly shaped, minute, dark brown-to-black spots, with yellow borders on the edge of the affected leaflet blade. As the disease progressed, the lesions expanded, causing the leaflets to turn brown, shrivel, and die. Isolations performed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) initially resulted in white colonies. After 7 days of incubation at 25°C, the colonies turned gray or brown. Conidia varied in size from 10 × 6 to 40 × 12 µm, appeared brown to dark brown or olive-brown, were short beaked and borne in long chains, oval and bean-shaped with one to six transverse septa and zero to three longitudinal septa. Sequences of the rDNA from the internal transcribed spacer regions 1 and 2 and the 5.8S gene were amplified using primers ITS1 and ITS4, were obtained from three isolates, and comparisons with GenBank showed 100% similarity with A. alternata (Genbank Accession No. AB470912.1). For pathogenicity tests, three isolates were grown on PDA for 14 days. Inoculations were performed on detached, surface-sterilized, and healthy B. chinense leaflets following the method of Belisario (1). A 5-µl drop of conidial suspension containing 1 × 105 CFU/ml was placed on each leaflet and 12 leaves per isolate were used. Leaves were incubated in a growth chamber (80 to 90% relative humidity; 50 to 60 klx/m2 light intensity with a 12-h photoperiod). After 5 days, leaf spots similar to the original symptoms developed on all inoculated leaves and A. alternata was consistently reisolated from symptomatic leaf tissues on PDA. Control leaflets inoculated with sterile water remained asymptomatic. The experiment was performed three times. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. alternata on B. chinense from China. References: (1) A. Belisario et al. Plant Dis. 83:696, 1999. (2) C. Sui et al. Plant Dis. 93:844, 2009.