[Sanguinarine alleviates ulcerative colitis in mice by regulating the Nrf2/NF-κB pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of sanguinarine (SA) for alleviating ulcerative colitis (UC) induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in mice. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mouse models of 3.5% DSS-induced UC were randomized for treatment with 1, 5 and 10 mg/kg SA by gavage, 400 mg/kg sulfasalazine by gavage, or 10 mg/kg SA combined with intraperitoneal injection of 30 mg/kg ML385 (a Nrf2 inhibitor). The changes in intestinal inflammation was assessed by monitoring weight changes, disease activity index (DAI) score, colon length measurement, and HE staining. After the treatments, the colon tissues were collected for detection of malondialdehyde (MDA) content using colorimetry, mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors using RT-qPCR, and the expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, Keap-1, p-p65, p65, occludin, and ZO-1 proteins were detected using Western blotting. RESULTS: SA treatment obviously alleviated weight loss, colon length shortening and DAI score increase and ameliorated structural destruction of the colon glands and colonic crypts in mice with DSSinduced UC. SA intervention significantly decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 mRNA and lowered ROS and MDA levels in the colon tissue of UC mice. The mouse models receiving SA treatment showed significantly increased expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, occludin and ZO-1 and lowered expressions of Keap-1 and P-P65 in the colon tissue without significant changes of p65 expression, and these changes were SA dose-dependent. Treatment with ML385 obviously attenuated the effect of highdose SA for improving UC in the mouse models. CONCLUSION: SA can improve UC-like enteritis in mice possibly by activating the Nrf2 pathway and inhibiting the NF-κB pathway in the colon tissue.

[Sanguinarine induces ferroptosis of colorectal cancer cells by upregulating STUB1 and downregulating GPX4].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of sanguinarine (SAN) on proliferation and ferroptosis of colorectal cancer cells. METHODS: SW620 and HCT-116 cells treated with different concentrations of SAN were examined for cell viability changes using CCK8 assay to determine the IC50 of SAN in the two cells. The inhibitory effects of SAN on proliferation, invasion and migration of the cells were evaluated using colony-forming assay and Transwell assays. ROS production in the treated cells was analyzed with flow cytometry, and lipid peroxide production was assessed by detecting malondialdehyde (MDA) level. Glutathione (GSH) levels in the cells were detected, and Western blotting was used to detect the expressions of ferroptosis-related proteins STUB1 and GPX4. RESULTS: SAN significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of SW620 and HCT-116 cells. SAN treatment significantly promoted ROS production, increased intracellular MDA level, and lowered GSH level in the two cells (P<0.05). Western blotting showed that SAN significantly upregulated the expression of STUB1 and down-regulated the expression of its downstream protein GPX4 (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: SAN induces ferroptosis in colorectal cancer cells by regulating STUB1/GPX4, which may serve as a new therapeutic target for colorectal cancer.

Genetic parameter estimation and genetic evaluation of important economic traits in white and yellow broilers.

1. This study calculated descriptive statistics for the production traits of two broiler populations: 1) the Northeast Agricultural University broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content (NEAUHLF white broilers), including fat and lean lines; and 2) the Guangxi yellow broilers. Their genetic parameters were estimated, including (co)variance components, heritability (h2) and genetic correlations (rg), using the REML method.2. Heritability estimates (h2) for NEAUHLF white broilers ranged from 0.07 to 0.61. Traits with high heritability (h2 >0.3) included body weight at 3, 5 and 7 weeks of age (BW3, BW5, BW7), carcass weight (CW), metatarsal circumference (MeC), liver weight (LW), gizzard weight (GW), spleen weight (SW) and testis weight (TeW), while in Guangxi yellow broilers, heritability estimates ranged from 0.18 to 0.76, with every trait exhibiting high heritability, except for SW (0.18).3. Positive genetic correlations for NEAUHLF were found (rg >0.3, ranging from 0.31 to 0.84) between BW7 and metatarsal length (MeL), MeC, body oblique length (BoL), chest angle (ChA), LW, GW, heart weight (HW) and SW. Genetic correlations between abdominal fat weight (AFW) and BW1, BW3, BW5, CW, MeL, keel length (KeL), BoL and LW were positive (rg >0.3, ranging from 0.31 to 0.58).4. Among the Guangxi population, BW (125 d of age) showed strong positive genetic correlations with all other traits (rg >0.3, ranging from 0.30 to 0.99), while AFW displayed strong positive genetic correlations with leg muscle weight (LeW), CW, BW and thigh diameter (TD) (rg >0.3, ranging from 0.44 to 0.51).5. It was concluded that the characteristics of the two populations were different, which means there is a need to use different strategies when performing the breeding work to improve productivity and efficiency in both broiler populations.

Comparative analysis of imaging features and stroke-related factors between posterior circulation atherosclerosis and intramural hematoma-type dissection.

AIM: To compare the features detected by high resolution magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (HR-VWI) between posterior circulation atherosclerosis and intramural hematoma (IMH)-type dissection, and to identify indicators related to cerebral ischemic events. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical and HR-VWI data of 55 patients with posterior circulation IMH-type dissection and 132 patients with posterior circulation atherosclerosis collected between October 2017 and October 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Two radiologists independently extracted the imaging features. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with stroke. RESULTS: Compared with patients with atherosclerosis, those with IMH-type dissection were younger, with a lower prevalence of diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia, lower hypertension grade, enhanced grade, remodeling index (RI), vertebrobasilar artery/brainstem ratio, and prevalence of nonsmooth surface, and higher prevalence of intraluminal thrombus (ILT), lumen (LA), wall area (WA), and total vessel area (TVA). In patients with stroke, those with IMH-type dissection were younger, with a lower prevalence of diabetes, and degree of hypertension, and higher RI, WA, TVA, and the prevalence of ILT. Multivariable logistic regression showed that RI (odds ratio [OR], 0.37; 95% CI, 0.17-0.77) and normalized wall index (NWI) (OR, 39.02; 95% CI, 2.19-695.35) were risk factors for stroke in patients with dissection, and LA (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.12-2.06) and NWI (OR, 60.84; 95% CI 3.70-998.06) were risk factors for atherosclerotic stroke. CONCLUSION: Patients with posterior circulation IMH-type dissection had greater potential for positive remodeling than those with atherosclerosis. The arterial remodeling capacity was closely related to stroke risk.

[Rituximab based treatment in pediatric Epsstain Bar Virus associated lymphocyte proliferative diseases after aplastic anemia with haplo-identical transplantation:a prospective single centre study].

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are one of the most severe complications after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This study includes 31 cases of aplastic anemia (AA) patients who developed PTLD after haploidentical transplantation, summarizing their clinical characteristics and categorizing them into either rituximab monotherapy group or combination therapy group based on whether their condition improved by 1 log after a single dose of rituximab. The incidence of PTLD after HSCT in children with AA was 10.16%, and the incidence of PTLD in patients with age >10 years was significantly increased (χ(2)=11.336, P=0.010). Of the 31 patients, 27 were clinically diagnosed and 4 were pathologically confirmed. Finally, 15 patients were classified into the rituximab treatment group and 15 patients into the combination treatment groups. Finally three patients died, and the 2-year overall survival rate was (89.7±5.6) %. Standard pre-treatment protocols and EBV reactivation are risk factors affecting the prognosis of PTLD. There was no statistically significant difference in the impact of the two treatment schemes on prognosis.

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome with a bone marrow nucleated erythroid cell proportion of greater than or equal to 50].

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with a bone marrow nucleated erythroid cell proportion of greater than or equal to 50% (MDS-E) . Methods: The clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of patients with MDS-E were retrospectively analyzed by collecting the case data of 1 436 newly treated patients with MDS diagnosed in the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from May 2014 to June 2023. Results: A total of 1 436 newly diagnosed patients with complete data were included in the study, of which 337 (23.5%) patients with MDS-E had a younger age of onset and lower neutrophil and platelet counts compared with those in patients with an erythroid cell proportion of less than 50% (MDS-NE) (all P<0.05). The proportion of MDS cases with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS) was higher in the MDS-E group than in the MDS-NE group, and multi-hit TP53 mutations were more enriched in the MDS-E group than in the MDS-NE group (all P<0.05). Among patients with MDS-RS, the frequency of complex karyotypes and the TP53 mutation rate were significantly lower in the MDS-E group than in the MDS-NE group (0 vs 11.9%, P=0.048 and 2.4% vs 15.1%, P=0.053, respectively). Among patients with TP53 mutations, the frequencies of complex karyotypes and multi-hit TP53 mutations were significantly higher in the MDS-E group than in the MDS-NE group (87.5% vs 64.6%, P=0.003 and 84.0% vs 54.2%, P<0.001, respectively). Survival analysis of patients with MDS-RS found that the overall survival (OS) in the MDS-E group was better than that in the MDS-NE group [not reached vs 63 (95% CI 53.3-72.7) months, P=0.029]. Among patients with TP53 mutations and excess blasts, the OS in the MDS-E group was worse than that in the MDS-NE group [6 (95% CI 2.2-9.8) months vs 12 (95% CI 8.9-15.1) months, P=0.022]. Multivariate analysis showed that age of ≥65 years (HR=2.47, 95% CI 1.43-4.26, P=0.001), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of ≤100 fl (HR=2.62, 95% CI 1.54-4.47, P<0.001), and TP53 mutation (HR=2.31, 95% CI 1.29-4.12, P=0.005) were poor prognostic factors independent of the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) prognosis stratification in patients with MDS-E. Conclusion: Among patients with MDS-RS, MDS-E was strongly associated with a lower proportion of complex karyotypes and TP53 mutations, and the OS in the MDS-E group was longer than that in the MDS-NE group. Among patients with TP53 mutations, MDS-E was strongly associated with complex karyotypes and multi-hit TP53 mutations, and among TP53-mutated patients with excess blasts, the OS in the MDS-E group was shorter than that in the MDS-NE group. Age of ≥65 years, MCV of ≤100 fl, and TP53 mutation were independent adverse prognostic factors affecting OS in patients with MDS-E.

Long-term prognostic value of CT-based high-risk coronary lesion attributes and radiomic features of pericoronary adipose tissue in diabetic patients.

AIMS: To investigate the long-term prognostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-derived high-risk attributes and radiomic features of pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) in diabetic patients for predicting major adverse cardiac event (MACE). METHODS AND RESULTS: Diabetic patients with intermediate pre-test probability of coronary artery disease were prospectively enrolled and referred for CCTA. Three models (model-1 with clinical parameters; model-2 with clinical factors + CCTA imaging parameters; model-3 with the above parameters and PCAT radiomic features) were developed in the training cohort (835 patients) and tested in the independent validation cohort (557 patients). 1392 patients were included and MACEs occurred in 108 patients (7.8%). Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that HbA1c, coronary calcium Agatston score, significant stenosis and high-risk plaque were independent predictors for MACE whereas none of PCAT radiomic features showed predictive value. In the training cohort, model-2 demonstrated higher predictive performance over model-1 (C-index = 0.79 vs. 0.68, p < 0.001) whereas model-3 did not show incremental value over model-2(C-index = 0.79 vs. 0.80, p = 0.408). Similar findings were found in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The combined model (clinical and CCTA high-risk anatomical features) demonstrated high efficacy in predicting MACE in diabetes. PCAT radiomic features failed to show incremental value for risk stratification.

[To construct Chinese hematology community].

The development of hematology in China has gradually begun since the 1950s. After several generations of hard work, it has grown into a young but vibrant discipline. The development of Chinese hematology has experienced rapid rise and steady growth, but there is still a gap with the international level of hematology development. Only by constructing a Chinese community of hematology and forming a joint force to promote the development of hematology can we better realize the Chinese Dream in the field of hematology.

Compound-Nucleus and Doorway-State Decays of ß-Delayed Neutron Emitters

We investigated decays of ^{51,52,53}K at the ISOLDE Decay Station at CERN in order to understand the mechanism of the ß-delayed neutron-emission (ßn) process. The experiment quantified neutron and γ-ray emission paths for each precursor. We used this information to test the hypothesis, first formulated by Bohr in 1939, that neutrons in the ßn process originate from the structureless "compound nucleus." The data are consistent with this postulate for most of the observed decay paths. The agreement, however, is surprising because the compound-nucleus stage should not be achieved in the studied ß decay due to insufficient excitation energy and level densities in the neutron emitter. In the ^{53}K ßn decay, we found a preferential population of the first excited state in ^{52}Ca that contradicted Bohr's hypothesis. The latter was interpreted as evidence for direct neutron emission sensitive to the structure of the neutron-unbound state. We propose that the observed nonstatistical neutron emission proceeds through the coupling with nearby doorway states that have large neutron-emission probabilities. The appearance of "compound-nucleus" decay is caused by the aggregated small contributions of multiple doorway states at higher excitation energy.

Burden of gastrointestinal cancers among people younger than 50 years in China, 1990 to 2019.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the burden of early-onset gastrointestinal (GI) cancers in China over three decades. STUDY DESIGN: A comprehensive analysis was performed using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019. METHODS: Data on early-onset GI cancers in 2020 and from 1990 to 2019 were extracted from GLOBOCAN 2020 database and GBD 2019, respectively. The average annual percent change (AAPC) was calculated to analyze the temporal trends using the Joinpoint Regression Program. The Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was used to predict future trends up to 2030. RESULTS: In China, there were 185,980 incident cases and 119,116 deaths of early-onset GI cancer in 2020, with the highest incidence and mortality observed in liver cancer (new cases: 71,662; deaths: 62,412). The spectrum of early-onset GI cancers in China has transitioned over the last 30 years. The age-standardized rates of incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years for colorectal and pancreatic cancers exhibited rapid increases (AAPC >0, P ≤ 0.001). The fastest-growing incidence rate was found in colorectal cancer (AAPC: 3.06, P < 0.001). Despite the decreases in liver, gastric, and esophageal cancers, these trends have been reversed or flattened in recent years. High body mass index was found to be the fastest-growing risk factor for early-onset GI cancers (estimated annual percentage change: 2.75-4.19, P < 0.05). Projection analyses showed an increasing trend in age-standardized incidence rates for almost all early-onset GI cancers during 2020-2030. CONCLUSIONS: The transitioning pattern of early-onset GI cancers in China emphasizes the urgency of addressing this public health challenge.

[Application value of folate receptor-positive circulating tumor cells in the diagnosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma].

A total of 82 patients and healthy subjects in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from March to August 2023 were recruited. The cohort consisted of 43 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and 39 non-cancer patients or healthy subjects. There were 63 males and 19 females, with a median age of 62 (46, 67) years. The levels of folate receptor-positive circulating tumor cells (FR+CTCs) in the blood of HNSCC patients and non-cancer/healthy subjects were 12.4 (8.5, 17.8) floate unit (FU)/3 ml and 5.0 (3.8, 6.6) FU/3 ml, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for FR+CTCs levels was 0.937 (95%CI: 0.888-0.986, P<0.001), with a cut-off value of 7.4 FU/3 ml determined by the maximum Youden index. At this cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity of FR+CTCs for diagnosing HNSCC were 90.70% and 89.74%, respectively. The current study suggests that FR+CTCs could be used as a liquid biopsy marker for the screening and diagnosis of HNSCC.

The inhibition roles of RAB23 gene in granulosa cell proliferation and progesterone synthesis of hen ovarian prehierarchical follicles.

1. The proliferation of granulosa cells is vital for the development and recruitment of hen ovarian prehierarchical follicles (PF). The RAB23 protein is a member of the Rab family, belonging to the GTPase family. This study studied the regulatory roles of the RAB23 gene in PF.2. The expression of RAB23 was significantly increased in granulosa cells (GC) during PF growth and was highest in GC at 6-8 mm diameter (p < 0.05). The RAB23 protein was mainly expressed in the GC, oocytes (OC) as well as somatic cells (SC) of the PF.3. The mRNA expression of FSHR, CCND1,CYP11A1, StAR and HSD3B1 was significantly increased in the siRNA RAB23 group (p < 0.05). Additionally, protein expression of FSHR, CCND1, CYP11A1, HSD3B1 was significantly increased (p < 0.05) after GC were transfected with RAB23-specific siRNA. Protein expression of StAR in the siRNA RAB23 group was numerically higher than that in the positive control (PC) and negative control (NC) groups. The GC proliferation rate and progesterone synthesis of the prehierarchical follicles in hen ovaries were markedly increased in vitro (p < 0.05).4.This study revealed that RAB23 might play an inhibitory role in GC proliferation and progesterone synthesis during the prehierarchical follicles development in vitro.

[Epidemiological characteristics and drug resistance of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli infection in diarrhea patients in Shanghai, 2016-2022].

Objective: To understand the infection status, epidemiological characteristics and drug resistance of Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) in Shanghai and provide evidence for the disease surveillance. Methods: The epidemiological data of diarrhea cases in Shanghai from 2016 to 2022 were collected from Shanghai Diarrhea Comprehensive Surveillance System, and stool samples were collected from the cases for DEC detection. The drug resistance data was obtained from Chinese Pathogen Identification Network. Statistical analysis was conducted by using χ2 and fisher test. Results: In 24 883 diarrhea cases detected during 2016-2022, the DEC positive rate was 9.13% (2 271/24 883), the single DEC positive rate was 8.83% (2 197/24 883) and the mixed DEC positive rate was 0.30% (74/24 883). The main type of DEC was Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) [4.33% (1 077/24 883)]. The DEC positive rate was highest in people aged ≤5 years 18.48% (22/119). The annual peak of DEC positive rate was observed during July - September [5.91% (1 470/24 883)]. The DEC positive rate were 9.47% (554/5 847) and 9.02% (1 717/19 036) in urban area and in suburbs, respectively, Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) [3.98% (233/5 847)] and ETEC [4.56% (868/19 036)] were mainly detected. From 2016 to 2019, the DEC positive rate was 9.42% (1 821/19 330), while it was 8.10% (450/5 553) from 2020 to 2022, the main DEC types were ETEC (4.87%, 941/19 330) and EAEC (4.70%, 261/5 553). The multi-drug resistance rate was 40.21% (618/1 537). The top three antibiotics with high drug resistance rates were ampicillin [64.74% (995/1 537)], nalidixic acid [58.49% (899/1 537)] and tetracycline [45.09% (693/1 537)]. Conclusions: Compared with 2016- 2019, a decrease in DEC detection rate was observed during 2020-2022, and the main type of DEC detected shifted from ETEC to EAEC. The prevalence of multi-drug resistance was severe. Therefore, it is necessary to further strengthen the surveillance for DEC drug resistance and standardize the use of clinical antibiotics.

[The impact of donor human leukocyte antigen-Bw4 allele on natural killer cell reconstitution and transplant-related mortality in haploidentical transplantation].

Objective: To investigate the impact of donor human leukocyte antigen (HLA) -Bw4 expression on natural killer (NK) cell reconstitution and transplant outcomes in recipients undergoing haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from maternal or related donors without ex vivo T-cell depletion. Methods: This study prospectively enrolled 32 patients who received T-replete haploidentical HSCT from maternal or collateral donors (cohort 1) to evaluate the facilitating effect of donor HLA-Bw4 expression on NK cell reconstitution. Furthermore, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 278 patients who underwent T-replete haploidentical HSCT from maternal or collateral donors (cohort 2) to analyze the impact of donor HLA-Bw4 expression on HSCT outcomes. Thus, a comparison was made between the effects of donor HLA-Bw4 expression on HSCT outcomes in patients receiving or not receiving post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PT-Cy) conditioning. Results: Donors expressing HLA-Bw4 alleles facilitated NK cell reconstitution and functional recovery, which remained unaffected by PT-Cy. Donors with HLA-Bw4 expression were associated with reduced transplant-related mortality (TRM), particularly mortality related to infections. The use of PT-Cy did not impact the ability of donor HLA-Bw4 to decrease TRM. Conclusion: In haploidentical HSCT from maternal or related donors without ex vivo T-cell depletion, the presence of donor HLA-Bw4 expression promotes rapid NK cell reconstitution and functional recovery and is significantly associated with lower TRM, especially infection-related mortality. These findings underscore the clinical significance of donor HLA-Bw4 expression in patients who underwent HSCT. Hence, the consideration of donor HLA-Bw4 in recipient selection and HSCT strategies holds important clinical implications.

Combined radiomics nomogram of different machine learning models for preoperative distinguishing intraspinal schwannomas and meningiomas: a multicenter and comparative study.

AIMS: The objective of our study was to establish and verify a novel combined model based on multiparameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics and clinical features to distinguish intraspinal schwannomas from meningiomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research analyzed the preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) images and clinical characteristics of 209 patients with intraspinal tumors who received tumor resection at three institutions. 159 individuals from institutions 1 and 2 were randomly assigned into a training group (n=111) and a test group (n=48) in a 7-3 ratio. A nomogram was constructed using the training cohort and was internally and externally verified in the test cohort and an independent validation cohort (n=50). Model performance was assessed utilizing the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristics (ROC), decision curve analysis (DCA), and calibration curves. RESULTS: The nomogram exhibited superior predictive efficacy in distinguishing between spinal schwannomas and meningiomas when compared to both the radiomics model and the clinical model. The nomogram yielded AUCs of 0.994, 0.962, and 0.949 in the training, test, and external validation cohorts, respectively, indicating its exceptional differentiating ability. The DCAs demonstrated that the nomogram yielded the best net benefit. The calibration curves indicated that the nomogram got good agreement between the predicted and the actual observation. CONCLUSION: This research suggests that the nomogram incorporating clinical and radiomic features may be an effective auxiliary tool for distinguishing between intraspinal schwannomas and meningiomas, and has important clinical significance for clinical decision-making and prognosis prediction.

Indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence-assisted video endoscopic inguinal lymph node dissection for rectal cancer: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the safety and feasibility of indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence (ICG-NIR) fluorescence-guided video-endoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy (VEIL) for rectal cancer with inguinal lymph node metastasis (ILNM). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 patients with rectal cancer who underwent ICG-NIR fluorescence-guided VEIL, assessing various parameters such as operation time, intraoperative bleeding, number of harvested lymph nodes, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and follow-up. RESULTS: Regarding surgical procedures for ILNM, unilateral surgery was performed in 7 cases (54.5%) and bilateral surgery in 4 cases (45.5%). Among these 15 ICG-NIR-guided VEIL surgeries in 11 patients, positive fluorescence visualization was achieved in 13 operations (86.7%). The median estimated blood loss was 10 ml, and the median operation time was 90 min. One case (6.7%) required conversion to open surgery. The median duration of the drain tube was 12 days, and the median length of postoperative hospital stay was 20 days. Postoperative complications were observed, including incisional infection in 2 cases (18.2%), lymphatic leakage in 5 cases (45.5%), urinary infection in 1 case (9.1%), and pneumonia in 3 cases (27.3%). Complications such as skin necrosis, lower limb venous thrombosis, lower limb swelling, or impaired movement were observed during the postoperative follow-up period. No cases of primary lesion, groin, or pelvic lymph node recurrence were observed. CONCLUSION: ICG-NIR fluorescence-guided VEIL is a safe and feasible surgical treatment for rectal cancer with ILNM. ICG fluorescence guidance holds promise as a more personalized and precise approach for VEIL in rectal cancer surgery.

[Impact of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on the efficacy of CAR-T treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) on the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) with chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy. Methods: A retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of 168 patients with RRMM who underwent CAR-T therapy at the Department of Hematology, Xuzhou Medical University Hospital from 3 January 2020 to 13 September 2022 were analyzed. Patients were classified into a transplantation group (TG; n=47) and non-transplantation group (NTG; n=121) based on whether or not they had undergone ASCT previously. The objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and the levels of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD56 and natural killer (NK) cells before CAR-T infusion were analyzed by χ2 test, Kaplan-Meier method and independent sample t-test. Results: Among 168 patients with RRMM, 98 (58.3%) were male. The median age of onset was 57 (range 30-70) years. After CAR-T therapy, the ORR of patients was 89.3% (92/103) in the NTG and 72.9% (27/73) in the TG. The ORR of the NTG was better than that of the TG (χ2=5.71, P=0.017). After 1 year of CAR-T therapy, the ORR of the NTG was 78.1% (75/96), and that of the TG was 59.4% (19/32). The ORR of the NTG was better than that of the TG (χ2=4.32, P=0.038). The median OS and PFS in the NTG were significantly longer than those in the TG (OS, 30 vs. 20 months; PFS, 26 vs. 12 months; both P<0.05). The CD4 level before CAR-T infusion in the TG was significantly lower than that in the NTG (25.65±13.56 vs. 32.64±17.21; t=-2.15, P=0.034), and there were no significant differences in the counts of CD3, CD8, CD19, CD56, and NK cells between the TG and NTG (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Among patients suffering from RRMM who received CAR-T therapy, patients who did not receive ASCT had significantly better outcomes than those who had received ASCT previously, which may have been related to the CD4 level before receiving CAR-T therapy.

[Association between body composition and coronary artery calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease].

Objective: To investigate the association between body composition and coronary artery calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled patients with CKD hospitalized from May 2019 to April 2022 at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Guangzhou, China. Skeletal muscle mass index and visceral fat area were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Coronary artery calcification was assessed by computed tomography. Patients were divided into coronary artery calcification group and non-coronary artery calcification group according to the incidence of coronary artery calcification. Patients were categorized into tertile groups according to their skeletal muscle mass index and visceral fat area levels ranging from the lowest to the highest levels (T1 to T3). We defined skeletal muscle mass index≤30.4% as low muscle mass and visceral fat area≥80.6 cm2 as high visceral fat based on the results of the restricted cubic spline graph. All individuals were divided into 4 phenotypes: normal body composition, low muscle mass, high visceral fat, and low muscle mass with high visceral fat. Spearman correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to assess the association between skeletal muscle mass index, visceral fat area and coronary artery calcification. Results: A total of 107 patients with CKD were enrolled, with an age of (60.0±14.1) years, including 41 female patients (38.3%). Patients of coronary artery calcification group had lower skeletal muscle mass index ((32.0±4.8) vs. (34.3±4.8), P=0.016) and higher visceral fat area ((70.8±32.6) cm2 vs. (47.9±23.8) cm2, P<0.001) than those of non-coronary artery calcification group. Patients in the T3 group of skeletal muscle mass index had a lower prevalence of coronary artery calcification (17 (48.6%) vs. 28 (77.8%)) and a lower coronary artery calcification score (0.5 (0, 124.0) vs. 12.0 (0.3, 131.0)) than those in the T1 group (P<0.05). Similarly, patients in the T1 group of visceral fat area had a lower prevalence of coronary artery calcification (14 (40.0%) vs. 29 (80.6%)) and a lower coronary artery calcification score (0 (0, 3.0) vs. 37.0 (2.0, 131.0)) than those in the T3 group (P<0.05). Likewise, patients with both low muscle mass and low muscle mass with high visceral fat had a higher prevalence of coronary artery calcification (11(78.6%) vs. 33 (47.8%); 15 (83.3%) vs. 33 (47.8%)) and a higher coronary artery calcification score (31.1 (0.8, 175.8) vs. 0 (0, 16.4); 27.6 (6.4, 211.4) vs. 0 (0, 16.4)) than those with normal body composition (P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that skeletal muscle mass index was inversely correlated with coronary artery calcification score (r=-0.212, P=0.028), and visceral fat area was positively correlated with coronary artery calcification score (r=0.408, P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased skeletal muscle mass index was inversely associated with coronary artery calcification prevalence (T2: OR=0.208, 95%CI: 0.056-0.770, P=0.019; T3: OR=0.195, 95%CI: 0.043-0.887, P=0.034), and reduced visceral fat area was inversely associated with coronary artery calcification prevalence (T1: OR=0.256, 95%CI: 0.071-0.923, P=0.037; T2: OR=0.263, 95%CI: 0.078-0.888, P=0.031). Consistently, both low muscle mass and low muscle mass with high visceral fat were associated with coronary artery calcification prevalence (OR=6.616, 95%CI: 1.383-31.656, P=0.018; OR=5.548, 95%CI: 1.062-28.973, P=0.042). Conclusion: Reduced skeletal muscle mass index and increased visceral fat area are significantly associated with both the prevalence and severity of coronary artery calcification in patients with CKD.

Excited-State Half-Lives in

The known I^{π}=8_{1}^{+}, E_{x}=2129-keV isomer in the semimagic nucleus ^{130}Cd_{82} was populated in the projectile fission of a ^{238}U beam at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. The high counting statistics of the accumulated data allowed us to determine the excitation energy, E_{x}=2001.2(7) keV, and half-life, T_{1/2}=57(3) ns, of the I^{π}=6_{1}^{+} state based on γγ coincidence information. Furthermore, the half-life of the 8_{1}^{+} state, T_{1/2}=224(4) ns, was remeasured with high precision. The new experimental information, combined with available data for ^{134}Sn and large-scale shell model calculations, allowed us to extract proton and neutron effective charges for ^{132}Sn, a doubly magic nucleus far-off stability. A comparison to analogous information for ^{100}Sn provides first reliable information regarding the isospin dependence of the isoscalar and isovector effective charges in heavy nuclei.