Laser interstitial thermal therapy for recurrent glioblastomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

We aim to investigate the efficacy and safety of laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) in treating recurrent glioblastomas (rGBMs). A comprehensive search was conducted in four databases to identify studies published between January 2001 and June 2022 that reported prognosis information of rGBM patients treated with LITT as the primary therapy. The primary outcomes of interest were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) at 6 and 12 months after LITT intervention. Adverse events and complications were also evaluated. Eight eligible non-comparative studies comprising 128 patients were included in the analysis. Seven studies involving 120 patients provided data for the analysis of PFS. The pooled PFS rate at 6 months after LITT was 25% (95% CI 15-37%, I2 = 53%), and at 12 months, it was 9% (95% CI 4-15%, I2 = 24%). OS analysis was performed on 54 patients from six studies, with an OS rate of 92% (95% CI 84-100%, I2 = 0%) at 6 months and 42% (95% CI 13-73%, I2 = 67%) at 12 months after LITT. LITT demonstrates a favorable safety profile with low complication rates and promising tumor control and overall survival rates in patients with rGBMs. Tumor volume and performance status are important factors that may influence the effectiveness of LITT in selected patients. Additionally, the combination of LITT with immune-based therapy holds promise. Further well-designed clinical trials are needed to expand the application of LITT in glioma treatment.

Characterization and clinical implications of different malignant transformation patterns in diffuse low-grade gliomas.

Malignant transformation (MT) of low-grade gliomas (LGGs) to a higher-grade variant seems inevitable, yet it remains unclear which LGG patients will progress to grade 3 or even directly to grade 4 after receiving a long course of treatment. To elucidate this, we conducted a retrospective cohort study based on 229 adults with recurrent LGG. Our study aimed to disclose the characteristics of different MT patterns and to build predictive models for patients with LGG. Patients were allocated into group 2-2 (n = 81, 35.4%), group 2-3 (n = 91, 39.7%), and group 2-4 (n = 57, 24.9%), based on their MT patterns. Patients who underwent MT showed lower Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) scores, larger tumor sizes, smaller extents of resection (EOR), higher Ki-67 indices, lower rates of 1p/19q codeletion, but higher rates of subventricular involvement, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, astrocytoma, and post-progression enhancement (PPE) compared with those in group 2-2 (p < 0.01). On multivariate logistic regression, 1p/19q codeletion, Ki-67 index, radiotherapy, EOR, and KPS score were independently associated with MT (p < 0.05). Survival analyses demonstrated that patients in group 2-2 had the longest survival, followed by group 2-3 and then group 2-4 (p < 0.0001). Based on these independent parameters, we constructed a nomogram model that exhibited superior potential (sensitivity: 0.864, specificity: 0.814, and accuracy: 0.843) compared with PPE in early prediction of MT. Combining the factors of 1p/19q codeletion, Ki-67 index, radiotherapy, EOR, and KPS score that were presented at initial diagnosis could precisely forecast the subsequent MT patterns of patients with LGG.

The sinuous, wave-like intratumoral-wall sign is a sensitive and specific radiological biomarker for oligodendrogliomas.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical utility of the sinuous, wave-like intratumoral-wall (SWITW) sign on T2WI in diagnosing isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutant and 1p/19q codeleted (IDHmut-Codel) oligodendrogliomas, for which a relatively conservative resection strategy might be sufficient due to a better response to chemoradiotherapy and favorable prognosis. METHODS: Imaging data from consecutive adult patients with diffuse lower-grade gliomas (LGGs, histological grades 2-3) in Beijing Tiantan Hospital (December 1, 2013, to October 31, 2021, BTH set, n = 711) and the Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) LGGs set (n = 117) were used to develop and validate our findings. Two independent observers assessed the SWITW sign and some well-reported discriminative radiological features to establish a practical diagnostic strategy. RESULTS: The SWITW sign showed satisfying sensitivity (0.684 and 0.722 for BTH and TCIA sets) and specificity (0.938 and 0.914 for BTH and TCIA sets) in defining IDHmut-Codels, and the interobserver agreement was substantial (κ 0.718 and 0.756 for BTH and TCIA sets). Compared to calcification, the SWITW sign improved the sensitivity by 0.28 (0.404 to 0.684) in the BTH set, and 81.0% (277/342) of IDHmut-Codel cases demonstrated SWITW and/ or calcification positivity. Combining the SWITW sign, calcification, low ADC values, and other discriminative features, we established a concise and reliable diagnostic protocol for IDHmut-Codels. CONCLUSIONS: The SWITW sign was a sensitive and specific imaging biomarker for IDHmut-Codels. The integrated protocol provided an explicable, efficient, and reproducible method for precise preoperative diagnosis, which was essential to guide individualized surgical plan-making. KEY POINTS: • The SWITW sign was a sensitive and specific imaging biomarker for IDHmut-Codel oligodendrogliomas. • The SWITW sign was more sensitive than calcification and an integrated strategy could improve diagnostic sensitivity for IDHmut-Codel oligodendrogliomas. • Combining SWITW, calcification, low ADC values, and other discriminative features could make a precise preoperative diagnosis for IDHmut-Codel oligodendrogliomas.

Assessing the effectiveness of protected areas for panda conservation under future climate and land use change scenarios.

While the relatively stable land use and land cover (LULC) patterns is an important feature of protected areas (PAs), the influence of this feature on future species distribution and the effectiveness of the PAs has rarely been explored. Here, we assessed the role of land use patterns within PAs on the projected range of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) by comparing projections inside and outside of PAs for four model configurations: (1) only climate covariates, (2) climate and dynamic land use covariates, (3) climate and static land use covariates and (4) climate and hybrid dynamic-static land use covariates. Our objectives were twofold: to understand the role of protected status on projected panda habitat suitability and evaluate the relative efficacy of different climate modeling approaches. The climate and land use change scenarios used in the models include two shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) scenarios: SSP126 [an optimistic scenario] and SSP585 [a pessimistic scenario]. We found that models including land-use covariates performed significantly better than climate-only models and that these projected more suitable habitat than climate-only models. Static land-use models projected more suitable habitat than both the dynamic and hybrid models under SSP126, while these models did not differ under SSP585. China's panda reserve system was projected to effectively maintain suitable habitat inside PAs. Panda dispersal ability also significantly impacted outcomes, with most models assuming unlimited dispersal forecasting range expansion and models assuming zero dispersal consistently forecasting range contraction. Our findings highlight that policies targeting improved land-use practices should be an effective means for offsetting some of the negative effects of climate change on pandas. As the effectiveness of PAs is projected to be maintained, we recommend the judicious management and expansion of the PA system to ensure the resilience of panda populations into the future.

Nonhematogenic circulating aneuploid cells confer inferior prognosis and therapeutic resistance in gliomas.

Aneuploidy is the hallmark of malignancy. Our previous study successfully detected nonhematogenic circulating aneuploidy cells (CACs) in types of gliomas. The current prospective clinical study aims to further precisely subcategorize aneuploid CACs, including CD31- circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and CD31+ circulating tumor endothelial cells, and thoroughly investigate the clinical utilities of these different subtypes of cells. Co-detection and analysis of CTCs and circulating tumor-derived endothelial cells (CTECs) expressing CD133, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), or epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFR vIII) were performed by integrated subtraction enrichment and immunostaining fluorescence in situ hybridization (SE-iFISH) in 111 preoperative primary diffuse glioma patients. Aneuploid CACs could be detected in most de novo glioma patients. Among detected CACs, 45.6% were CD31- /CD45- aneuploid CTCs and the remaining 54.4% were CD31+ /CD45- aneuploid CTECs. Positive detection of CTECs significantly correlated with disruption of the blood-brain barrier. The median number of large CTCs (L CTCs, >5 µm, 2) in low-grade glioma (WHO grade 2) was less than high-grade glioma (WHO grades 3 and 4) (3, p = 0.044), but this difference was not observed in small CTCs (S CTCs, ≤5 µm), CTECs or CACs (CTCs + CTECs). The numbers of CTCs, CTECs, or CACs in patients with contrast-enhancing (CE) lesions considerably exceeded that of non-CE lesions (p < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated that CD31+ CTECs, especially L CTECs, exhibited a close positive relationship with CE lesions. Survival analysis revealed that the high number of CD31- CTCs could be an adverse factor for compromised progression-free survival and overall survival. Longitudinal surveillance of CD31- CTCs was suitable for evaluating the therapeutic response and for monitoring potential emerging treatment resistance.

Combining hyperintense FLAIR rim and radiological features in identifying IDH mutant 1p/19q non-codeleted lower-grade glioma.

OBJECTIVES: Even very small residual tumors of IDH mutant 1p/19q non-codeleted (IDHmut-Noncodel) astrocytoma could have a significantly negative impact on survival; thus, accurate preoperative diagnosis is of utmost importance to guide aggressive tumor resection strategy for this subtype. This study aimed to diagnose IDHmut-Noncodel from IDH mutant 1p/19q codeleted (IDHmut-Codel) and IDH wild-type gliomas by preoperative MRI and CT to guide surgical plan-making. METHODS: Consecutive adult patients diagnosed with diffuse lower-grade glioma (LGG, histological grade 2-3) from December 1, 2013 to December 31, 2020, were retrospectively included in this study. Clinical and radiological features were recorded and analyzed. Patients were divided into cohort A and cohort B for training and validation based on the operation date (2:1). RESULTS: A total of 585 patients were included in this study (cohort A, 390; cohort B, 195). The hyperintense FLAIR rim with hypointense core (hyperFLAIRrim) was a more sensitive sign than T2-FLAIR mismatch (T2FM) in defining IDHmut-Noncodel astrocytoma (sensitivity in cohort A: 0.713, 0.539, respectively; in cohort B: 0.713, 0.489, respectively) without compromised specificity (all 1.00). The hyperFLAIRrim, higher rADC, homogenous pattern on T2WI, non-calcification, and younger age were the most important factors associated with IDHmut-Noncodel astrocytoma. Combining these factors, the random forest model showed the best predictive ability. CONCLUSION: The hyperFLAIRrim sign was a specific and more sensitive sign in diagnosing IDHmut-Noncodel astrocytoma. Combining hyperFLAIRrim, higher rADC, homogenous pattern, non-calcification, and younger age could precisely predict glioma subtype for subsequent surgical plan-making. KEY POINTS: • A single hyperintense FLAIR rim (hyperFLAIRrim) sign with a hypointense core, regardless of T2 appearance, was more sensitive than T2FM in diagnosing IDHmut-Noncodel astrocytoma with high specificity. • The higher rADC value, homogenous pattern on T2WI, non-calcification, and younger age have a close relationship with IDHmut-Noncodel astrocytoma. • Neurosurgeons should perform a more aggressive resection strategy to prolong survival for radiologically indicated IDHmut-Noncodel astrocytoma. Our study provided a usable, practicable, and reliable protocol for neurosurgeons to make an individualized surgical strategy.

Combining MGMT promoter pyrosequencing and protein expression to optimize prognosis stratification in glioblastoma.

Pyrosequencing (PSQ) represents the golden standard for MGMT promoter status determination. Binary interpretation of results based on the threshold from the average of several CpGs tested would neglect the existence of the "gray zone". How to define the gray zone and reclassify patients in this subgroup remains to be elucidated. A consecutive cohort of 312 primary glioblastoma patients were enrolled. CpGs 74-81 in the promoter region of MGMT were tested by PSQ and the protein expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to calculate the area under the curves (AUC). Kaplan-Meier plots were used to estimate the survival rate of patients compared by the log-rank test. The optimal threshold of each individual CpG differed from 5% to 11%. Patients could be separated into the hypomethylated subgroup (all CpGs tested below the corresponding optimal thresholds, n = 126, 40.4%), hypermethylated subgroup (all CpGs tested above the corresponding optimal thresholds, n = 108, 34.6%), and the gray zone subgroup (remaining patients, n = 78, 25.0%). Patients in the gray zone harbored an intermediate prognosis. The IHC score instead of the average methylation levels could successfully predict the prognosis for the gray zone (AUC for overall survival, 0.653 and 0.519, respectively). Combining PSQ and IHC significantly improved the efficiency of survival prediction (AUC: 0.662, 0.648, and 0.720 for PSQ, IHC, and combined, respectively). Immunohistochemistry is a robust method to predict prognosis for patients in the gray zone defined by PSQ. Combining PSQ and IHC could significantly improve the predictive ability for clinical outcomes.

Labor force transfer, vegetation restoration and ecosystem service in the Qilian Mountains.

Forest ecosystem conservation practice frequently sacrifices human livelihood, since there exists a structural conflict between both aspects in the degraded forest ecosystem. To reconcile the conflict has been widely viewed as a core issue, in which the payment of ecosystem service (PES) may play a critical role in solving this issue. In order to better understand the practical effectiveness of PES and explore the solution to reconcile the contradiction between conservation and livelihood, we investigated the decadal changes in the Sloping Land Conversion Program as a PES strategy in the Qilian Mountains, a degraded forest ecosystem of northwest China, and its effects on natural and social systems across the 10-year implementation period (2001-2011). The regional NDVI of study site was promoted from 46.24% to 61.28%, showing that vegetation cover had a massive increase during the whole implementation period. Also, the PES strategy had impelled more labor forces as migrant workers into the non-agricultural industries or urban areas. The migration dynamics in three industries demonstrated that the population of primary industry followed a gradually declining trend, and its percentage in total population was lowered from 33.44% to 19.82%. According to our household survey, local farmers reduced the economic investment in agriculture, and this enabled more labor forces to be released from agricultural industry. Interestingly, the attitudes towards the PES program for local inhabitants were gradually shifted from negative at initial stage to acceptable at middle stage, and finally to positive at late stage, as a consequence of PES application. In such case, the PES-led vegetation restoration strategy has been effectively implemented, which can reconcile the contradiction between conservation and livelihood, and ultimately achieve a win-win consequence. Our study provided a successful practical paradigm of coupled human and natural system (CHANS) in forest ecosystem restoration.

Climate change and landscape-use patterns influence recent past distribution of giant pandas.

Climate change is one of the most pervasive threats to biodiversity globally, yet the influence of climate relative to other drivers of species depletion and range contraction remain difficult to disentangle. Here, we examine climatic and non-climatic correlates of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) distribution using a large-scale 30 year dataset to evaluate whether a changing climate has already influenced panda distribution. We document several climatic patterns, including increasing temperatures, and alterations to seasonal temperature and precipitation. We found that while climatic factors were the most influential predictors of panda distribution, their importance diminished over time, while landscape variables have become relatively more influential. We conclude that the panda's distribution has been influenced by changing climate, but conservation intervention to manage habitat is working to increasingly offset these negative consequences.

Switchable and Tunable Radiative Cooling: Mechanisms, Applications, and Perspectives.

The cost of annual energy consumption in buildings in the United States exceeds 430 billion dollars ( Science 2019, 364 (6442), 760-763), of which about 48% is used for space thermal management (https://www.iea.org/reports/global-status-report-for-buildings-and-construction-2019), revealing the urgent need for efficient thermal management of buildings and dwellings. Radiative cooling technologies, combined with the booming photonic and microfabrication technologies ( Nature 2014, 515 (7528), 540-544), enable energy-free cooling by radiative heat transfer to outer space through the atmospheric transparent window ( Nat. Commun. 2024, 15 (1), 815). To pursue all-season energy savings in climates with large temperature variations, switchable and tunable radiative coolers (STRC) have emerged in recent years and quickly gained broad attention. This Perspective introduces the existing STRC technologies and analyzes their benefits and challenges in future large-scale applications, suggesting ways for the development of future STRCs.

Subventricular zone-associated classification in isocitrate dehydrogenase-wildtype glioblastomas: improved prognostic value through integration of FLAIR with contrast-enhanced imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Controversy surrounds the prognostic value of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (T1CE) imaging-based subventricular zone (SVZ) classification in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wildtype glioblastomas (GBMs). In this study, the authors aimed to assess the potential of incorporating FLAIR imaging into T1CE imaging-based classification for improving prognostic accuracy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 281 patients with IDH-wildtype GBM. T1CE imaging-based classification was performed, and T2-weighted/FLAIR imaging was integrated to evaluate its prognostic estimation ability. Based on the relationship between the tumors and SVZ, patients were categorized into SVZ+ and SVZ- cohorts based on T1CE and T2-weighted/FLAIR imaging findings. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to assess progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), respectively. Patients were then categorized into three subgroups based on their combined classifications: group 1 (SVZ+ on T1CE and T2-weighted/FLAIR imaging), group 2 (SVZ- on T1CE but SVZ+ on T2-weighted/FLAIR imaging), and group 3 (SVZ- on T1CE and T2-weighted/FLAIR imaging). Subgroup analysis was used to evaluate differences in clinical and molecular factors as well as in prognoses. RESULTS: The T1CE imaging-based classification failed to stratify OS between SVZ+ and SVZ- cohorts (16.0 vs 20.0 months, p = 0.36). Survival analysis revealed similar prognoses for patients in groups 1 and 2, and patients in group 2 exhibited worse OS compared with those in group 3 (19.0 vs 23.5 months, p = 0.024). Logistic regression identified lower Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) (p = 0.011), tumor diameter (p = 0.002), and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation (p = 0.003) to be associated with a higher incidence of group 2 GBMs. Additionally, T2-weighted/FLAIR imaging-based classification provided significant prognostic value (17.0 vs 23.5 months p = 0.021) and was found to be an independent prognostic factor in the Cox multivariate analysis (HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.08-2.96; p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the limitations of T1CE imaging-based SVZ-associated classification in predicting prognosis for IDH-wildtype GBMs. The authors therefore propose an integrated approach that involves T2-weighted/FLAIR imaging that can provide improved prognostic ability. Notably, the presence of TERT promoter mutation was identified as a critical factor in nonenhancing tumor infiltration into the SVZ. Further validation through extensive cohort studies is recommended to confirm these findings.

Influence of different grinding degrees of fly ash on properties and reaction degrees of geopolymers.

This study reports the preparation of geopolymers with a mechanical performance similar to that of cement at room temperature by ground fly ash mixed with a small amount of cement. The grinding time of fly ash raw materials was 0,20,40 and 60 min, respectively. The influence of the grinding degree of the fly ash on the properties and the reaction degree of the geopolymer were investigated by XRD, SEM, EDS, and mercury compression tests. The reaction degree of the fly ash geopolymer was quantified by the selective dissolution method. Increasing the grinding degree of fly ash significantly increased the compressive strength of the geopolymer and the density of the microstructure of materials also increased. Furthermore, porosity and the average pore size decreased and the proportion of small holes in the pores gradually increased. The calculation results were in coincidence with the compressive strength test and the micro-performance test of the material, thus indicating that the selective dissolution method can reflect the influence of the grinding degree on the reaction degree of the geopolymer. Furthermore, the reaction degree of the geopolymer increased as the grinding degree of the fly ash increased. However, the growth rate of the reaction degree for the geopolymer slowed down when the fly ash was ground for more than 40 min.

Farmers' participation into the recovery of waste agricultural plastic film: An application of the Theory of Planned Behavior.

This study aims to address the lack of relevant researches in the field of waste recycling using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A village-scale social survey was conducted to investigate the degree of farmers' participation in a waste plastic film program, i.e. Old for New in northwest China. The program required farmers to recycle plastic film residues in exchange for new films. Survey results showed that 67.5% of farmers accepted the program, yet only 14.5% of them actually participated. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze questionnaire data and identify the factors that significantly affected farmers' recycling behavior. Principal component and weight analysis further showed that farmers' participation was mainly influenced by their attitudes (p < 0.01), with a relative weight (RW) of 46.3%. Yet, subjective norms (p < 0.1) and perceived behavior control (p < 0.1) had less effect on the degree of participation, and their RWs were 4.2% and 4.1% only, respectively. Moreover, the RW of plastic film usage characteristics and household characteristics reached up to 13.2% and 6.4%, respectively. Interestingly, environmental awareness (ß = 0.083) and compulsory environmental education (ß = 0.130) as surface factors strongly affected the farmers' adoption and response, with the RW of 25.7%. As such, the extended TPB model was established to analyze the participation behavior of farmers for stronger explanatory power. This study highlighted a promising strategy based on TPB for waste plastic film recycling and similar environmental management practices.

Priming effects of nZVI on carbon sequestration and iron uptake are positively mediated by AM fungus in semiarid agricultural soils.

We investigated the priming effect of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) on carbon sink and iron uptake, and the possible mediation by AMF (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Funneliformis mosseae) in semiarid agricultural soils. Maize seed dressings comprised of three nZVI concentrations of 0, 1, 2 g·kg-1 and was tested with and without AMF inoculation under high and low soil moistures, respectively. The ICP-OES observations indicated that both low dose of nZVI (1 g·kg-1) and high dose of nZVI (2 g·kg-1) significantly increased the iron concentrations in roots (L: 54.5-109.8 %; H: 119.1-245.4 %) and shoots (L: 40.8-78.9 %; H: 81.1-99.4 %). Importantly, the absorption and translocation rate of iron were substantially improved by AMF inoculation under the low-dose nZVI. Yet, the excess nanoparticles as a stress were efficiently relieved by rhizosphere hyphae, and the iron concentration in leaves and stems can maintain as high as about 300 mg·kg-1 while the iron translocation efficiency was reduced. Moreover, next-generation sequencing confirmed that appropriate amount of nZVI clearly improved the rhizosphere colonization of Funneliformis mosseae (p < 0.001) and the development of soil fungal community. Soil observations further showed that the hyphae development and GRSP (glomalin-related soil protein) secretion were significantly promoted (p < 0.05), with the increased R0.25 (< 0.25 mm) by 35.97-41.16 %. As a return, AMF and host plant turned to input more organic matter into soils for microbial growth and Fe uptake, and such interactions became more pronounced under drought stress. In contrast, high dose of nZVI (2 g·kg-1) tended to agglomerate on the surface of hyphae and spores, causing severe deformation and inactivation of AMF symbionts. Therefore, the priming effects of nZVI on carbon sequestration and Fe uptake in agricultural soils were positively mediated by AMF via the feedback loop of the plant-soil-microbe system for enhanced adaptation to global climate change.

Forecasting the combined effects of future climate and land use change on the suitable habitat of Davidia involucrata Baill.

Accurately predicting the future distribution of species is crucial for understanding how species will response to global environmental change and for evaluating the effectiveness of current protected areas (PAs). Here, we assessed the effect of climate and land use change on the projected suitable habitats of Davidia involucrata Baill under different future scenarios using the following two types of models: (a) only climate covariates (climate SDMs) and (b) climate and land use covariates (full SDMs). We found that full SDMs perform significantly better than climate SDMs in terms of both AUC (p < .001) and TSS (p < .001) and also projected more suitable habitat than climate SDMs both in the whole study area and in its current suitable range, although D. involucrate is predicted to loss at least 26.96% of its suitable area under all future scenarios. Similarly, we found that these range contractions projected by climate SDMs would negate the effectiveness of current PAs to a greater extent relative to full SDMs. These results suggest that although D. involucrate is extremely vulnerability to future climate change, conservation intervention to manage habitat may be an effective option to offset some of the negative effects of a changing climate on D. involucrate and can improve the effectiveness of current PAs. Overall, this study highlights the necessity of integrating climate and land use change to project the future distribution of species.

Large variability in response to future climate and land-use changes among Chinese Theaceae species.

Theaceae is an important family in the phylogeny of angiosperm in China, which are potentially threatened by future changes in climatic and land use conditions. Therefore, understanding and predicting the isolated and combined effects of these two global change factors on Theaceae species is crucial for biodiversity conservation. Here, we assessed the isolated and combined effects of climate and land use change on the distribution shifts of 95 Theaceae species under different future scenarios by comparing projections of three model configurations: (1) dynamics climate and constant land use variables; (2) constant climate and dynamics land use variables; and (3) dynamics climate and dynamics land use variables. We find that all the three types of models predicted range contractions for most of the 95 Theaceae species under all future scenarios. Moreover, we find that climate change has rather strong effect for most species while land use change has nonsignificant or weak effect on future species distributions, although both of these two isolated effects are highly variable across individual species. Finally, the combined effect of these two factors reveals that the land use change may amplify or buffer distribution shifts expected from climate change impact depending on species. These findings emphasize the importance of taking into account the large variability in response to land use change among Theaceae species when developing land-based conservation strategies in a changing climate.

Extraventricular neurocytoma at the sellar region: Report of 8 cases and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Extraventricular neurocytoma at the sellar region (EVNSR) is an exceedingly rare tumor. Given the paucity of specificity and its peculiar nature, our study aimed to characterize the clinical, imaging, and pathological features, including treatment and clinical outcomes of this tumor. METHOD: Eight patients with pathologically confirmed EVNSR at Beijing Tiantan Hospital from 2012 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Additionally, 7 cases from the prior detailed literature were also retrieved. FINDINGS: Among the 8 patients from Beijing Tiantan Hospital, 2 males and 6 females with an average age of 45.3 (range, 8-61). Vision impairment and headache were the most common complaints at presentation. Preoperative diagnoses were pituitary adenoma (n = 6), meningioma (n = 1), and oligodendroglioma (n = 1). Treatment included subtotal tumor resection (n = 3), partial resection (n = 5), adjuvant therapy covered radiotherapy (n = 2), and gamma knife surgery (n = 3). The clinical outcomes of these 8 cases were stable (n = 5), survival after progression (n = 1), and death after recurrence (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS: EVNSRs are extremely rare tumors, and most have benign prognoses after appropriate treatment. Due to the unique location, total removal of the tumor is challenging; And adjuvant radiation therapy for eligible patients is recommended. Regular imaging review is also advised. Future studies with more patients are needed to elucidate the biological nature of EVNSRs.

Predicting range shifts of the giant pandas under future climate and land use scenarios.

Understanding and predicting how species will respond to global environmental change (i.e., climate and land use change) is essential to efficiently inform conservation and management strategies for authorities and managers. Here, we assessed the combined effect of future climate and land use change on the potential range shifts of the giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in Sichuan Province, China. We used species distribution models (SDMs) to forecast range shifts of the giant pandas by the 2050s and 2070s under four combined climate and land use change scenarios. We also compared the differences in distributional changes of giant pandas among the five mountains in the study area. Our SDMs exhibited good model performance and were not overfitted, with a mean Boyce index of 0.960 ± 0.015 and a mean omission rate of 0.002 ± 0.003, and suggested that precipitation seasonality, annual mean temperature, the proportion of forest cover, and total annual precipitation are the most important factors in shaping the current distribution pattern of the giant pandas. Our projections of future species distribution also suggested a range expansion under an optimistic greenhouse gas emission, while suggesting a range contraction under a pessimistic greenhouse gas emission. Moreover, we found that there is considerable variation in the projected range change patterns among the five mountains in the study area. Especially, the suitable habitat of the giant panda is predicted to increase under all scenarios in the Minshan mountains, while is predicted to decrease under all scenarios in Daxiangling and Liangshan mountains, indicating the vulnerability of the giant pandas at low latitudes. Our findings highlight the importance of an integrated approach that combines climate and land use change to predict the future species distribution and the need for a spatial explicit consideration of the projected range change patterns of target species for guiding conservation and management strategies.

A prognostic estimation model based on mRNA-sequence data for patients with oligodendroglioma.

Background: The diagnosis of oligodendroglioma based on the latest World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System (WHO CNS 5) criteria requires the codeletion of chromosome arms 1p and 19q and isocitrate dehydrogenase gene (IDH) mutation (mut). Previously identified prognostic indicators may not be completely suitable for patients with oligodendroglioma based on the new diagnostic criteria. To find potential prognostic indicators for oligodendroglioma, we analyzed the expression of mRNAs of oligodendrogliomas in Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA). Methods: We collected 165 CGGA oligodendroglioma mRNA-sequence datasets and divided them into two cohorts. Patients in the two cohorts were further classified into long-survival and short-survival subgroups. The most predictive mRNAs were filtered out of differentially expressed mRNAs (DE mRNAs) between long-survival and short-survival patients in the training cohort by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and risk scores of patients were calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to screen factors associated with survival and establish the prognostic model. qRT-PCR was used to validate the expression differences of mRNAs. Results: A total of 88 DE mRNAs were identified between the long-survival and the short-survival groups in the training cohort. Seven RNAs were selected to calculate risk scores. Univariate analysis showed that risk level, age, and primary-or-recurrent status (PRS) type were statistically correlated with survival and were used as factors to establish a prognostic model for patients with oligodendroglioma. The model showed an optimal predictive accuracy with a C-index of 0.912 (95% CI, 0.679-0.981) and harbored a good agreement between the predictions and observations in both training and validation cohorts. Conclusion: We established a prognostic model based on mRNA-sequence data for patients with oligodendroglioma. The predictive ability of this model was validated in a validation cohort, which demonstrated optimal accuracy. The 7 mRNAs included in the model would help predict the prognosis of patients and guide personalized treatment.

Orelabrutinib Combined With Lenalidomide and Immunochemotherapy for Relapsed/Refractory Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: A Retrospective Analysis of Case Series.

Background: Relapsed/refractory (r/r) primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an intractable situation without sound treatment. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) represents an attractive drug target in PCNSL. Orelabrutinib is a new-generation BTK inhibitor with high cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of orelabrutinib-containing combination therapy in patients with r/r PCNSL. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed r/r PCNSL patients who received combination therapy with rituximab, high-dose methotrexate, temozolomide, orelabrutinib and lenalidomide, and further explored the relationship between the efficacy and genetic characteristics. Results: A total of fifteen patients were included in this retrospective study. The overall response rate (ORR) was 86.7%, the complete remission (CR) rate was 73.3% and the disease control rate (DCR) was 93.3%. Among 13 responders, 9 patients are still receiving oral orelabrutinib and lenalidomide. The most common adverse event (AEs) was transaminase increase (66.7%). No grade 4 AE or drug-related death was reported. Genomic sequencing showed that patients who responded to orelabrutinib had abnormal NF-κB activation, while those who had no response were mainly enriched with transcriptional misregulation. Patients who had mutations in TLR, BCR, or NF-κB pathway achieved complete or partial response to the orelabrutinib-containing therapy. Moreover, the blood and cerebrospinal fluid circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) were closely associated with tumor recurrence and treatment response and sustained tumor responses correlated with the clearance of ctDNA. Conclusion: Orelabrutinib-containing regimen was effective and well-tolerated in patients with r/r PCNSL. Genome sequencing of tumor samples could help to screen patients who may respond to the orelabrutinib-containing regimen, and liquid biopsy may contribute to tracing tumor burden and monitoring treatment response.