An adaptive cycle resilience perspective to understand the regime shifts of social-ecological system interactions over the past two millennia in the Tarim River Basin.

Socio-ecological systems (SESs) in arid regions have experienced multiple transformations throughout history due to human activities and natural forces. However, few studies have used the resilience cycle model to explain the resilience status and determinants of SESs over the past two millennia. This study proposes the adaptive cycle resilience (ACR) perspective to investigate regime shifts of socio-ecological system interactions in the Tarim River Basin (TRB) over the past two millennia. An ACR framework combining a piecewise linear regression model (PLR), ACR theory, and physical resilience models has been built to assess and quantify socio-ecological system resilience. Key indicators such as climate variability, settlement numbers, war frequency, glacier accumulation, and oasis area changes are identified and quantified to evaluate SESs adaptability and transformability. Glacier accumulation serves as a proxy for long-term climate change, while oasis area changes reflect the direct impact of human activities and environmental feedback on ecosystem productivity. Population and war indicators provide insights into social system stability and the impact of conflicts on SESs dynamics. The findings reveal that the 7th century and 1850s are critical points of regime shifts in the ACR. 200s BC-350s AD and 700s AD-900s AD are in the forward loop (r-K) period of the ACR. 350s AD-700s AD and 900s AD-1850s AD are the adaptive resilience backward loop (Ω-α) phase. Assessing the historical socio-ecological system resilience and identifying key transition points can inform proactive measures to mitigate potential regime shifts. Combining historical data with resilience theory provides a deep understanding of the ACR of SESs and their driving factors. This enriches the theoretical understanding of SESs and offers a robust case study for future resilience assessments and scenario analyses in arid regions.

The hnRNP A2B1 is important for the replication of SFTSV and other RNA viruses.

The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP A2B1) is a key component of the hnRNP complex involving RNA modulation in eukaryotic cells and it has also been reported to be involved in the replication of the hepatitis E virus, influenza A virus, and hepatitis B virus. However, it is not clear whether the role of the hnRNP A2B1 in viral replication is conserved among RNA viruses and what is the mechanism of hnRNP A2B1 in RNA virus replication. In this study, we first used severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), a tick-borne RNA virus that causes a severe viral hemorrhagic fever as well as other RNA viruses including VSV-GFP, SeV, EV71, and ZIKV to demonstrate that knockout hnRNPA2B1 gene inhibited viral RNA replication and overexpression of hnRNP A2B1 could restore the RNA levels of all tested RNA viruses. These results suggest that hnRNPA2B1 upregulation of viral replication is conserved among RNA viruses. Next, we demonstrated that hnRNP A2B1 was translocated from the nucleus to the cytoplasm under RNA virus infection including SFTSV, VSV-GFP, SeV, EV71, and ZIKV, suggesting translocation of hnRNP A2B1 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm is crucial for RNA virus replication. We then used SFTSV as a model to demonstrate the mechanism of hnRNP A2B1 in the promotion of RNA virus replication. We found that overexpression of SFTSV nucleoprotein can also cause hnRNP A2B1 translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and that the SFTSV NP interacted with the RNA recognition motif 1 domain of hnRNP A2B1. We further demonstrated that the hnRNP A2B1 interacted with the 5' UTR of SFTSV RNA. In conclusion, we revealed that the hnRNP A2B1 upregulation of viral RNA replication is conserved among RNA viruses; the mechanism of hnRNP A2B1 in promotion of SFTSV viral RNA replication is that SFTSV NP interacted with the hnRNPA2B1 to retain it in the cytoplasm where the hnRNP A2B1 interacted with the 5' UTR of SFTSV RNA to promote the viral RNA replication.IMPORTANCESevere fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a tick-borne RNA virus with a high mortality rate of up to 30%. In this study, we first used SFTSV as a model to demonstrate that the role of hnRNPA2B1 in viral replication is conserved in SFTSV. Then we used other RNA viruses, including VSV-GFP, SeV, EV71, and ZIKV, to repeat the experiment and demonstrated the same results as SFTSV in all tested RNA viruses. By knocking out the hnRNPA2B1 gene, SFTSV RNA replication was inhibited, and overexpression of hnRNPA2B1 restored RNA levels of SFTSV and other tested RNA viruses. We revealed a novel mechanism where the SFTSV nucleoprotein interacts with hnRNPA2B1, retaining it in the cytoplasm. This interaction promotes viral RNA replication by binding to the 5' UTR of SFTSV RNA. The findings suggest that targeting hnRNPA2B1 could be a potential strategy for developing broad-spectrum antiviral therapies, given its conserved role across different RNA viruses. This research provides significant insights into the replication mechanisms of RNA viruses and highlights potential targets for antiviral interventions.

Annexin A family: A new perspective on the regulation of bone metabolism.

Osteoblast-mediated bone formation and osteoclast-mediated bone resorption are critical processes in bone metabolism. Annexin A, a calcium-phospholipid binding protein, regulates the proliferation and differentiation of bone cells, including bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts, and has gradually become a marker gene for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. As calcium channel proteins, the annexin A family members are closely associated with mechanical stress, which can target annexins A1, A5, and A6 to promote bone cell differentiation. Despite the significant clinical potential of annexin A family members in bone metabolism, few studies have reported on these mechanisms. Therefore, based on a review of relevant literature, this article elaborates on the specific functions and possible mechanisms of annexin A family members in bone metabolism to provide new ideas for their application in the prevention and treatment of bone diseases, such as osteoporosis.

Bunyavirus SFTSV nucleoprotein exploits tufm-mediated mitophagy to impair antiviral innate immunity.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome is an emerging viral hemorrhagic fever caused by a tick-borne bunyavirus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), with a high case fatality. We previously found that SFTSV nucleoprotein (NP) induces macroautophagy/autophagy to facilitate virus replication. However, the role of NP in antagonizing host innate immunity remains unclear. Mitophagy, a selected form of autophagy, eliminates damaged mitochondria to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate that SFTSV NP triggers mitophagy to degrade MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein), thereby blocking MAVS-mediated antiviral signaling to escape the host immune response. Mechanistically, SFTSV NP translocates to mitochondria by interacting with TUFM (Tu translation elongation factor, mitochondrial), and mediates mitochondrial sequestration into phagophores through interacting with LC3, thus inducing mitophagy. Notably, the N-terminal LC3-interacting region (LIR) motif of NP is essential for mitophagy induction. Collectively, our results demonstrated that SFTSV NP serves as a novel virulence factor, inducing TUFM-mediated mitophagy to degrade MAVS and evade the host immune response.

Crop water productivity assessment and planting structure optimization in typical arid irrigation district using dynamic Bayesian network.

Enhancing crop water productivity is crucial for regional water resource management and agricultural sustainability, particularly in arid regions. However, evaluating the spatial heterogeneity and temporal dynamics of crop water productivity in face of data limitations poses a challenge. In this study, we propose a framework that integrates remote sensing data, time series generative adversarial network (TimeGAN), dynamic Bayesian network (DBN), and optimization model to assess crop water productivity and optimize crop planting structure under limited water resources allocation in the Qira oasis. The results demonstrate that the combination of TimeGAN and DBN better improves the accuracy of the model for the dynamic prediction, particularly for short-term predictions with 4 years as the optimal timescale (R2 > 0.8). Based on the spatial distribution of crop suitability analysis, wheat and corn are most suitable for cultivation in the central and eastern parts of Qira oasis while cotton is unsuitable for planting in the western region. The walnuts and Chinese dates are mainly unsuitable in the southeastern part of the oasis. Maximizing crop water productivity while ensuring food security has led to increased acreage for cotton, Chinese dates and walnuts. Under the combined action of the five optimization objectives, the average increase of crop water productivity is 14.97%, and the average increase of ecological benefit is 3.61%, which is much higher than the growth rate of irrigation water consumption of cultivated land. It will produce a planting structure that relatively reduced irrigation water requirement of cultivated land and improved crop water productivity. This proposed framework can serve as an effective reference tool for decision-makers when determining future cropping plans.

Current insights into human pathogenic phenuiviruses and the host immune system.

Phenuiviruses are a class of segmented negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, typically consisting of three RNA segments that encode four distinct proteins. The emergence of pathogenic phenuivirus strains, such as Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV) in sub-Saharan Africa, Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus (SFTSV) in East and Southeast Asia, and Heartland Virus (HRTV) in the United States has presented considerable challenges to global public health in recent years. The innate immune system plays a crucial role as the initial defense mechanism of the host against invading pathogens. In addition to continued research aimed at elucidating the epidemiological characteristics of phenuivirus, significant advancements have been made in investigating its viral virulence factors (glycoprotein, non-structural protein, and nucleoprotein) and potential host-pathogen interactions. Specifically, efforts have focused on understanding mechanisms of viral immune evasion, viral assembly and egress, and host immune networks involving immune cells, programmed cell death, inflammation, nucleic acid receptors, etc. Furthermore, a plethora of technological advancements, including metagenomics, metabolomics, single-cell transcriptomics, proteomics, gene editing, monoclonal antibodies, and vaccines, have been utilized to further our understanding of phenuivirus pathogenesis and host immune responses. Hence, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the mechanisms of host recognition, viral immune evasion, and potential therapeutic approaches during human pathogenic phenuivirus infections focusing particularly on RVFV and SFTSV.

[Applications of native mass spectrometry and ultraviolet photodissociation in protein structure and interaction analysis].

Dynamic changes in the structures and interactions of proteins are closely correlated with their biological functions. However, the precise detection and analysis of these molecules are challenging. Native mass spectrometry (nMS) introduces proteins or protein complexes into the gas phase by electrospray ionization, and then performs MS analysis under near-physiological conditions that preserve the folded state of proteins and their complexes in solution. nMS can provide information on stoichiometry, assembly, and dissociation constants by directly determining the relative molecular masses of protein complexes through high-resolution MS. It can also integrate various MS dissociation technologies, such as collision-induced dissociation (CID), surface-induced dissociation (SID), and ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD), to analyze the conformational changes, binding interfaces, and active sites of protein complexes, thereby revealing the relationship between their interactions and biological functions. UVPD, especially 193 nm excimer laser UVPD, is a rapidly evolving MS dissociation method that can directly dissociate the covalent bonds of protein backbones with a single pulse. It can generate different types of fragment ions, while preserving noncovalent interactions such as hydrogen bonds within these ions, thereby enabling the MS analysis of protein structures with single-amino-acid-site resolution. This review outlines the applications and recent progress of nMS and UVPD in protein dynamic structure and interaction analyses. It covers the nMS techniques used to analyze protein-small-molecule ligand interactions, the structures of membrane proteins and their complexes, and protein-protein interactions. The discussion on UVPD includes the analysis of gas-phase protein structures and interactions, as well as alterations in protein dynamic structures, and interactions resulting from mutations and ligand binding. Finally, this review describes the future development prospects for protein analysis by nMS and new-generation advanced extreme UV light sources with higher brightness and shorter pulses.

Primary hepatic lymphoma presenting as pyogenic liver abscess: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) is a lymphoproliferative disorder confined to the liver without peripheral lymph node involvement and bone marrow invasion. PHL is extremely rare in clinical practice. The etiology and pathogenesis of PHL are largely unknown. There are no common standard protocols or guidelines for the treatment of PHL. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 66-year-old man who presented with fever and abdominal pain for three weeks. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans showed a pyogenic liver abscess. The patient underwent a right posterior hepatectomy. The surgical pathology revealed aggressive B-cell lymphoma, with a primary consideration of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of non-germinal center origin. CONCLUSION: This article reviews the characteristics, mechanism and treatment of PHL and provides insight into the diagnosis of PHL.

Baitouweng decoction suppresses growth of esophageal carcinoma cells through miR-495-3p/BUB1/STAT3 axis.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal carcinoma (EC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in human populations worldwide. Baitouweng decoction is one of the most important Chinese medicine formulas, with the potential to treat cancer. AIM: To investigate the role and mechanism of Baitouweng decoction on EC cells. METHODS: Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in EC tissues and normal tissues were screened by the cDNA microarray technique and by bioinformatics methods. The target genes of microRNAs were predicted based on the TargetScan database and verified by dual luciferase gene reporter assay. We used Baitouweng decoction to intervene EC cells, and detected the activity of EC9706 and KYSE150 cells by the MTT method. Cell cycle and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. The expression of BUB1 mRNA and miR-495-3p was measured by qRT-PCR. The protein levels of BUB1, STAT3, p-STAT3, CCNB1, CDK1, Bax, Caspase3, and Caspase9 were measured by Western blot analysis. The migration and invasion abilities of the cells were measured by wound-healing assay and Transwell invasion assay, respectively. RESULTS: DEGs identified are involved in biological processes, signaling pathways, and network construction, which are mainly related to mitosis. BUB1 was the key hub gene, and it is also a target gene of miR-495-3p. Baitouweng decoction could upregulate miR-495-3p and inhibit BUB1 expression. In vitro experiments showed that Baitouweng decoction significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of EC cells and induced apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest. After treatment with Baitouweng decoction, the expression of Bax, Caspase 3, and Caspase 9 in EC cells increased significantly, while the expression of BUB1, CCNB1, and CDK1 decreased significantly. Moreover, the STAT3 signaling pathway may play an important role in this process. CONCLUSION: Baitouweng decoction has a significant inhibitory effect on EC cell growth. BUB1 is a potential therapeutic target for EC. Further analysis showed that Baitouweng decoction may inhibit the growth of EC cells by upregulating miR-495-3p targeting the BUB1-mediated STAT3 signal pathway.

What Really Matters?: How Insulin Dose, Timing, and Distribution Relate to Meal Composition in Free-Living People with Type 1 Diabetes.

Optimizing postprandial glucose control in persons with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is challenging. We hypothesized that in free-living individuals, meal composition (high and low glycemic index [HGI and LGI], high and low fat [HF and LF]) may impact insulin requirements. Adults (N = 25) with T1D using open-loop insulin and continuous glucose monitoring were provided a meal-tagging app and prepackaged meals with defined macronutrient content. Data from 463 meals were analyzed. LGI meals required significantly more insulin than HGI meals (P = 0.01). Furthermore, the mean (±standard deviation) carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio (CIR) was significantly different overall among the LGI-LF (5.5 ± 3.4), LGI-HF (4.5 ± 3.8), HGI-LF (7.6 ± 5.1), and HGI-HF (8.7 ± 5.8) meals (P = 0.001). The risk of nocturnal hypoglycemia is associated with daytime hypoglycemia and amount of insulin administered prior to the evening and exercise. This exploratory study designed to examine the impact of different meal types on insulin dosing requirements in free-living adults with T1D emphasizes the need for individualized adjustment of the CIR depending on meal composition.

Carboxymethyl chitosan composited poly(ethylene oxide) electrolyte with high ion conductivity and interfacial stability for lithium metal batteries.

Low ionic conductivity and poor interface stability of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) restrict the practical application as polymeric electrolyte films to prepare solid-state lithium (Li) metal batteries. In this work, biomass-based carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) is designed and developed as organic fillers into PEO matrix to form composite electrolytes (PEO@CMCS). Carboxymethyl groups of CMCS fillers can promote the decomposition of Lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonimide) (LiTFSI) to generate more lithium fluoride (LiF) at CMCS/PEO interface, which not only forms ionic conductive network to promote the rapid transfer of Li+ but also effectively enhances the interface stability between polymeric electrolyte and Li metal. The enrichment of carboxyl, hydroxyl, and amidogen functional groups within CMCS fillers can form hydrogen bonds with ethylene oxide (EO) chains to improve the tensile properties of PEO-based electrolyte. In addition, the high hardness of CMCS additives can also strengthen mechanical properties of PEO-based electrolyte to resist penetration of Li dendrites. LiLi symmetric batteries can achieve stable cycle for 2500 h and lithium iron phosphate full batteries can maintain 135.5 mAh g-1 after 400 cycles. This work provides a strategy for the enhancement of ion conductivity and interface stability of PEO-based electrolyte, as well as realizes the resource utilization of biomass-based CMCS.

Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection combined with micro-coils embolization for treatment of thoracoacromial artery pseudoaneurysm.

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Prevalence and genetic diversity of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia in ticks and domesticated animals in Suizhou County, Hubei Province, China.

Anaplasma and Ehrlichia are tick-borne bacterial pathogens that cause anaplasmoses and ehrlichioses in humans and animals. In this study, we examined the prevalence of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species in ticks and domesticated animals in Suizhou County, Hubei Province in the central China. We used PCR amplification and DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA, groEL, and gltA genes to analyze. We collected 1900 ticks, including 1981 Haemaphysalis longicornis and 9 Rhipicephalus microplus, 159 blood samples of goats (n = 152), cattle (n = 4), and dogs (n = 3) from May to August of 2023. PCR products demonstrated that Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma capra, and an Ehrlichia species were detected in the H. longicornis with the minimum infection rates (MIR) of 1.11%, 1.32%, and 0.05%, respectively; A. bovis, A. capra, and unnamed Anaplasma sp. were detected in goats with an infection rate of 26.31%, 1.31% and 1.97%, respectively. Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species were not detected from cattle, dogs and R. microplus ticks. The genetic differences in the groEL gene sequences of the Anaplasma in the current study were large, whereas the 16S rRNA and gltA gene sequences were less disparate. This study shows that ticks and goats in Suizhou County, Hubei Province carry multiple Anaplasma species and an Ehrlichia species, with relatively higher infection rate of A. bovis in goats. Our study indicates that multiple Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species exist in ticks and goats in the central China with potential to cause human infection.

Enabling Visible-Light-Charged Near-Infrared Persistent Luminescence in Organics by Intermolecular Charge Transfer.

Visible light is a universal and user-friendly excitation source; however, its use to generate persistent luminescence (PersL) in materials remains a huge challenge. Herein, the concept of intermolecular charge transfer (xCT) is applied in typical host-guest molecular systems, which allows for a much lower energy requirement for charge separation, thus enabling efficient charging of near-infrared (NIR) PersL in organics by visible light (425-700 nm). Importantly, NIR PersL in organics occurs via the trapping of electrons from charge-transfer aggregates (CTAs) into constructed trap states with trap depths of 0.63-1.17 eV, followed by the detrapping of these electrons by thermal stimulation, resulting in a unique light-storage effect and long-lasting emission up to 4.6 h at room temperature. The xCT absorption range is modulated by changing the electron-donating ability of a series of acenaphtho[1,2-b]pyrazine-8,9-dicarbonitrile-based CTAs, and the organic PersL is tuned from 681 to 722 nm. This study on xCT interaction-induced NIR PersL in organic materials provides a major step forward in understanding the underlying luminescence mechanism of organic semiconductors and these findings are expected to promote their applications in optoelectronics, energy storage, and medical diagnosis.

SFTSV nucleoprotein mediates DNA sensor cGAS degradation to suppress cGAS-dependent antiviral responses.

Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) is an important DNA pattern recognition receptor that senses double-stranded DNA derived from invading pathogens or self DNA in cytoplasm, leading to an antiviral interferon response. A tick-borne Bunyavirus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), is an RNA virus that causes a severe emerging viral hemorrhagic fever in Asia with a high case fatality rate of up to 30%. However, it is unclear whether cGAS interacts with SFTSV infection. In this study, we found that SFTSV infection upregulated cGAS RNA transcription and protein expression, indicating that cGAS is an important innate immune response against SFTSV infection. The mechanism of cGAS recognizing SFTSV is by cGAS interacting with misplaced mitochondrial DNA in the cytoplasm. Depletion of mitochondrial DNA significantly inhibited cGAS activation under SFTSV infection. Strikingly, we found that SFTSV nucleoprotein (N) induced cGAS degradation in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanically, N interacted with the 161-382 domain of cGAS and linked the cGAS to LC3. The cGAS-N-LC3 trimer was targeted to N-induced autophagy, and the cGAS was degraded in autolysosome. Taken together, our study discovered a novel antagonistic mechanism of RNA viruses, SFTSV is able to suppress the cGAS-dependent antiviral innate immune responses through N-hijacking cGAS into N-induced autophagy. Our results indicated that SFTSV N is an important virulence factor of SFTSV in mediating host antiviral immune responses. IMPORTANCE: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a tick-borne RNA virus that is widespread in East and Southeast Asian countries with a high fatality rate of up to 30%. Up to now, many cytoplasmic pattern recognition receptors, such as RIG-I, MDA5, and SAFA, have been reported to recognize SFTSV genomic RNA and trigger interferon-dependent antiviral responses. However, current knowledge is not clear whether SFTSV can be recognized by DNA sensor cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS). Our study demonstrated that cGAS could recognize SFTSV infection via ectopic mitochondrial DNA, and the activated cGAS-stimulator of interferon genes signaling pathway could significantly inhibit SFTSV replication. Importantly, we further uncovered a novel mechanism of SFTSV to inhibit innate immune responses by the degradation of cGAS. cGAS was degraded in N-induced autophagy. Collectively, this study illustrated a novel virulence factor of SFTSV to suppress innate immune responses through autophagy-dependent cGAS degradation.

Balancing the Kinetic and Thermodynamic Synergetic Effect of Doped Carbon Molecular Sieves for Selective Separation of C2H4/C2H6.

Selective separation of ethylene and ethane (C2H4/C2H6) is a formidable challenge due to their close molecular size and boiling point. Compared to industry-used cryogenic distillation, adsorption separation would offer a more energy-efficient solution when an efficient adsorbent is available. Herein, a class of C2H4/C2H6 separation adsorbents, doped carbon molecular sieves (d-CMSs) is reported which are prepared from the polymerization and subsequent carbonization of resorcinol, m-phenylenediamine, and formaldehyde in ethanol solution. The study demonstrated that the polymer precursor themselves can be a versatile platform for modifying the pore structure and surface functional groups of their derived d-CMSs. The high proportion of pores centered at 3.5 Å in d-CMSs contributes significantly to achieving a superior kinetic selectivity of 205 for C2H4/C2H6 separation. The generated pyrrolic-N and pyridinic-N functional sites in d-CMSs contribute to a remarkable elevation of Henry selectivity to 135 due to the enhancement of the surface polarity in d-CMSs. By balancing the synergistic effects of kinetics and thermodynamics, d-CMSs achieve efficient separation of C2H4/C2H6. Polymer-grade C2H4 of 99.71% purity can be achieved with 75% recovery using the devised d-CMSs as reflected in a two-bed vacuum swing adsorption simulation.

Bunyavirus SFTSV NSs utilizes autophagy to escape the antiviral innate immune response.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) nonstructural protein (NSs) is an important viral virulence factor that sequesters multiple antiviral proteins into inclusion bodies to escape the antiviral innate immune response. However, the mechanism of the NSs restricting host innate immunity remains largely elusive. Here, we found that the NSs induced complete macroautophagy/autophagy by interacting with the CCD domain of BECN1, thereby promoting the formation of a BECN1-dependent autophagy initiation complex. Importantly, our data showed that the NSs sequestered antiviral proteins such as TBK1 into autophagic vesicles, and therefore promoted the degradation of TBK1 and other antiviral proteins. In addition, the 8A mutant of NSs reduced the induction of BECN1-dependent autophagy flux and degradation of antiviral immune proteins. In conclusion, our results indicated that SFTSV NSs sequesters antiviral proteins into autophagic vesicles for degradation and to escape antiviral immune responses.

Value of Multimodal Ultrasound Combined with BRAF Gene in Evaluating Cervical Lymph Node Metastasis of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the work described here was to explore the predictive value of multimodal ultrasound combined with the BRAF gene in cervical lymph node metastasis (CLNM) of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). METHODS: One hundred six patients (114 lesions) with PTMC confirmed by surgery and pathology at Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital from July 2021 to August 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. Routine ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, shear wave elastography examination and BRAF V600E gene detection were performed before surgery. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of post-operative pathology: non-metastasis group and metastasis group. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the risk factors of cervical lymph node metastasis in PTMC. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that there were significant differences in gender, high echo in lesions, enhancement level, peak intensity (PI) and average modulus of elasticity (Eavg) between the two groups (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in BRAF gene mutation (p = 0.855). Multivariate analysis revealed that male gender, microcalcification and hyper- or iso-enhancing parametric increased the risk of CLNM in PTMC (p < 0.05), and that sensitivity (92.3%) and accuracy (73.9%) were higher for combined diagnosis than for single diagnosis; the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Male gender, microcalcification and hyper- or iso-enhancing parametrics of CEUS are independent risk factors for CLNM in PTMC patients. Combined diagnosis is more effective.

Mechanisms of acid generation from ionic photoacid generators for extreme ultraviolet and electron beam lithography.

Photoacid generators (PAGs) are important components of chemically amplified resists. The properties of PAGs directly affect the sensitivity of photoresists, line edge roughness, and resolution. Understanding the photoacid generation process in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and electron beam (EB) lithography is helpful for photoresist design. However, the microscopic mechanisms remain largely unclear and the large variety in the molecular structure of PAGs presents a challenge to overcome. In this work, we investigate the microscopic processes of photoacid production of ionic PAGs for EUV and EB lithography. The PAG dissociation pathway is found to depend on the molecular structure and conformations. The processes of photoacid production and by-product generation are also revealed. The results contribute to a better understanding of the photochemical reactions in EUV and EB lithography, providing insights into the molecular design of novel PAGs and photoresists.

A Case Report of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma of Breast with Multiple Gastrointestinal and Cutaneous Metastases.

BACKGROUND: The metastasis of primary breast invasive lobular carcinoma to the gastrointestinal tract and skin is a rare phenomenon, with the simultaneous occurrence of both transfers being more uncommon. CASE PRESENTATION: This article reports a case of a patient with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast invasive lobular carcinoma with gastrointestinal tract and skin metastases. The patient was assessed by a second-look ultrasound and diagnosed by subsequent ultrasound-guided needle biopsy. Following endocrine therapy, a favorable effect was observed, with significant regression of the primary breast lesion, cutaneous metastases, and gastrointestinal metastases. CONCLUSION: Patients with breast invasive lobular carcinoma should be alert to the possibility of breast cancer metastasis, even if there are no obvious symptoms or signs, when they encounter rapidly progressive cutaneous nodules or plaques, or if they possess gastrointestinal abnormalities. For patients with negative breast ultrasonography for the first time, after combining mammography, Contrast-enhanced Spectral Mammography (CESM) or Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examinations, if breast cancer is highly suspected, second-look ultrasound is particularly crucial at this juncture, which is the key prerequisite for breast needle biopsy and obtaining the gold standard of pathology.