[Report of six cases with mast cell leukemia and a literature review].

From October 2021 to February 2023, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical and laboratory data of six patients (three male and three female, median age: 54 years, age range: 29-73 years) with mast cell leukemia (MCL) diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University (The Mastocytosis Collaborative Network of China). All patients had acute MCL, with at least one C-finding present. The main clinical presentations were hypoalbuminemia (n=4), fatigue (n=3), fever (n=2), abdominal discomfort (n=2), osteolytic lesions (n=2), dizziness (n=1), skin flushing (n=1), and weight loss (n=1). Splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy were noted in six and three patients, respectively. Six patients were strongly positive for CD117, five were positive for CD30 and CD25, and four were positive for CD2. Four patients had a normal karyotype and two patients had an abnormal karyotype. Gene mutations were detected in 4/6 cases. The median serum tryptase level was 24.9 (range: 20.1-171.9) µg/L. Two patients were treated with venetoclax and azacitidine for induction (one patient achieved partial remission by combination with afatinib, while there was no remission after combination with dasatinib in the other patient). Two patients did not achieve complete remission despite treatment with cladribine and imatinib, respectively. One patient treated with interferon combined with glucocorticoids was lost to follow-up, and one patient abandoned treatment. The follow-up time ranged from 1.1 to 21.7 months. Three patients died and two survived. Overall, MCL is a rare subtype of systemic mastocytosis with heterogeneous clinical course, and these patients have poor outcome. A better understanding of the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of MCL is urgently needed.

[Comparison and analysis of ophthalmic resources and service ability in Shanxi Province in 2014 and 2021].

Objective: To compare and analyze the ophthalmic resources and service ability in Shanxi Province in 2014 and 2021, and to provide reference for the development planning of ophthalmology and eye care. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was conducted among all ophthalmic institutions registered in the health administrative department in 11 cities of Shanxi Province by the end of 2014 and 2021 by using the National Ophthalmology Competency Resource Questionnaire (compiled by the Medical Administration and Hospital Authority of the National Health and Wellness Commission). The basic situations of ophthalmic institutions in 2014 and 2021, as well as the human resources, ophthalmic equipment configuration, technology and medical service capabilities, were recorded and compared. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 270 questionnaires for 2014 were collected from 270 ophthalmic institutions, and 292 questionnaires for 2021 from 292 ophthalmic institutions. The institution categories in 2014 (197 general hospitals, 31 eye hospitals and 42 others) were statistically different from those in 2021 (182 general hospitals, 45 eye hospitals and 65 others) (P<0.05). The proportion of doctors with senior titles in ophthalmic institutions increased from 25.5% (346/1 358) in 2014 to 41.7% (580/1 391) in 2021, the proportion of senior technicians increased from 9.4% (14/148) to 25.3% (110/435), the proportion of doctors with junior titles decreased from 42.1% (572/1 358) to 26.5% (369/1 391), and the proportion of junior technicians decreased from 45.3% (67/148) to 39.1% (170/435). There was a significant difference in the distribution of professional titles between doctors and technicians in ophthalmic institutions (P<0.05). The number of doctors (130 to 28), nurses (152 to 50), technicians (33 to 11) and full-time optometrists (44 to 12) in the first-class ophthalmic institutions decreased, the increase of equipment with the ophthalmic A-ultrasound scan system, fundus camera and coherent optical tomography system (35.1%, 28.9% and 25.4%; P<0.05) ranked the top three, and the increase of performing the phacoemulsification procedure, intraocular lens implantation, intravitreal injection and iris surgery (30.2%, 24.7% and 20.7%; P<0.05) ranked the top three in 2021 as compared to 2014. Conclusions: The resources and service ability of ophthalmology in Shanxi Province developed in 2021 in comparison with 2014. However, there were some problems, such as changes in the type and structure of eye institutions, unreasonable proportions of professional titles, insufficient human resources in primary ophthalmic institutions, and slow improvement in the allocation of ophthalmology equipment and technical capabilities.

Search for Rare Decays of D_{s}

Using 7.33 fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data collected by the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies in the range of sqrt[s]=4.128-4.226 GeV, we search for the rare decays D_{s}^{+}→h^{+}(h^{0})e^{+}e^{-}, where h represents a kaon or pion. By requiring the e^{+}e^{-} invariant mass to be consistent with a ϕ(1020), 0.98

Alda-1 attenuation of binge alcohol-caused atrial arrhythmias through a novel mechanism of suppressed c-Jun N-terminal Kinase-2 activity.

Holiday Heart Syndrome (HHS) is caused by excessive binge alcohol consumption, and atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia among HHS patients. AF is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, making its prevention and treatment of high clinical interest. This study defines the anti-AF action of Alda-1 (an established cardioprotective agent) and the underlying mechanisms of the action in our well-characterized HHS and cellular models. We found that Alda-1 effectively eliminated binge alcohol-evoked Ca2+ triggered activities (Ca2+ waves, prolonged Ca2+ transient diastolic decay) and arrhythmia inducibility in intact mouse atria. We then demonstrated that alcohol impaired human RyR2 channels (isolated from organ donors' hearts). The functional role of alcohol-caused RyR2 channel dysfunction in Ca2+ triggered arrhythmic activities was evidenced in a unique transgenic mouse model with a loss-of-function mutation (RyR2E4872Q+/-). Alda-1 is known to activate aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), a key enzyme in alcohol detoxification. However, we found an increased level of ALDH2 and a preserved normal balance of pro- vs anti-apoptotic signaling in binge alcohol exposed hearts and H9c2 differentiated myocytes, which suggests that the link of alcohol-ALDH2-apoptosis is unlikely to be a key factor leading to binge alcohol-evoked arrhythmogenicity. We have previously reported that binge alcohol-activated stress response kinase JNK2 causatively drives Ca2+-triggered atrial arrhythmogenicity. Here, we found that JNK2-specific inhibition in either isolated human RyR2 channels or intact mouse atria abolished alcohol-evoked RyR2 channel dysfunction and Ca2+ triggered arrhythmic activities, suggesting a strong alcohol-JNK2-RyR2 interaction in atrial arrhythmogenicity. Furthermore, we revealed, for the first time, that Alda-1 suppresses JNK2 (but not JNK1) enzyme activity independently of ALDH2, which in turn alleviates binge alcohol-evoked Ca2+ triggered atrial arrhythmogenesis. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the anti-arrhythmic action of Alda-1 and suggest that Alda-1 represents a potential preventative agent for AF management for HHS patients.

Precise Measurement of Born Cross Sections for e

Using data samples collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider at center-of-mass energies ranging from 3.80 to 4.95 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20 fb^{-1}, a measurement of Born cross sections for the e^{+}e^{-}→D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0} and D^{+}D^{-} processes is presented with unprecedented precision. Many clear peaks in the line shape of e^{+}e^{-}→D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0} and D^{+}D^{-} around the mass range of G(3900), ψ(4040), ψ(4160), Y(4260), and ψ(4415), etc., are foreseen. These results offer crucial experimental insights into the nature of hadron production in the open-charm region.

[Biological role of SPAG5 in the malignant proliferation of gastric cancer cells].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the expression of SPAG5 in gastric cancer tissues and its regulatory roles in gastric cancer cell growth. METHODS: TCGA analysis, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence staining were used to analyze the expression patterns of SPAG5 and MKi67 in gastric cancer and adjacent tissues. In gastric cancer AGS and MGC803 cells, the effects of lentivirus-mediated SPAG5 knockdown on cell growth and apoptosis were evaluated using Celigo, MTT, clone formation assays and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Proteinatlas and TCGA database analysis suggested that SPAG5 was highly expressed in gastric cancer, and Kaplan-Meier analysis and GEPIA analysis showed high expressions of SPAG 5 in lung adenocarcinoma, breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, cervical cancer and bladder carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry revealed that SPAG5 was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues (P < 0.001), and immunofluorescence colocalization analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between SPAG5 and MKI67 (R=0.393, P < 0.001). RT-qPCR and Western blotting showed that SPAG5 was highly expressed in MKN74, BGC823, MGC803, SGC7901 and AGS cells. In AGS and MGC803 cells, SPAG5 knockdown significantly inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: The expressions of SPAG5 and MKi67 are correlated in gastric cancer tissues, and SPAG5 knockdown inhibits the proliferation of gastric cancer cells. SPAG5 is associated with the prognosis of gastric cancer patients and may serve as a promising biomarker for gastric cancer.

[Screening status of warning signs for mental and behavioral development and influencing factors of infants and young children in poverty eliminated regions of Henan province].

Objectives: To investigate the screening status of warning signs for mental and behavioral development (WS) and influencing factors of infants and young children (IYC) in poverty eliminated regions of Henan Province. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study. A total of 15 680 IYC aged 6-23 months from 51 poverty eliminated counties in Henan province from June to September of 2023 were selected through a multi-stage random sampling method. IYC's early warning signs were screened using the WS checklist (WSC). Children's socio-demographic characteristics, maternal information, birth status, and illness conditions such as fever and diarrhea within 2 weeks were measured through a uniformly designed questionnaire. All participants also received the measurement of height, weight, and hemoglobin concentration level. Logistic regression model was used to explore the influencing factors of positive WSC and conducted sensitivity analyses. Results: Among the sample of 15 680 IYC, there were 8 462 boys (53.97%) and 7 218 girls (49.03%), with their age of (15±5) months. A total of 291 (1.86%) IYC were positive in WSC. Parenting risk (OR=5.07, 95%CI 3.93-6.52, P<0.001) and preterm birth (OR=1.63, 95%CI 1.06-2.52, P=0.027) were both positively associated with the odds of WSC's positivity. Being girls (OR=0.66, 95%CI 0.52-0.85, P=0.001), age (12-17 months, OR=0.47, 95%CI 0.35-0.62, P<0.001; 18-23 months, OR=0.40, 95%CI 0.30-0.54, P<0.001), and maternal educational level (junior high school, OR=0.46, 95%CI 0.32-0.66, P<0.001; senior high school or vocational high school, OR=0.35, 95%CI 0.23-0.56, P<0.001; college and above, OR=0.36, 95%CI 0.23-0.57, P<0.001) were all negatively associated with the risk of WSC's positivity. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that, after excluding anemic children, the association between preterm birth and WSC's positivity was not significant (OR=1.54, 95%CI 0.95-2.49, P=0.081). Despite this situation, being girls, age and maternal educational level were still negatively associated with the odds of WSC's positivity (all P<0.05); preterm birth, parenting risk were remained positive associated with the risk of WSC's positivity (all P<0.05) either by excluding children with protein-energy malnutrition or 2-week morbidity, or using prevalence ratio instead of OR. Conclusions: Among the IYC in poverty eliminated regions of Henan Province, the risk of positivity of WSC was higher for those IYC with parenting risk, preterm birth, boys, younger age, and lower maternal education level. These influencing factors, such as gender, age, preterm birth, parenting risk and maternal educational level, were in certain stability across different IYC characteristics and estimation models.

[Associations between hypertensive snowbirds' length of migratory stay and blood pressure control].

Objective: To explore the relationship between the hypertensive snowbirds' length of migratory stay and their blood pressure control and blood pressure levels. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study. A population of snowbirds with hypertension was recruited between October and November 2022, and a structured questionnaire was used to collect their self-measured blood pressure and length of stay in Hainan Province. The blood pressure control status is determined based on self-measured blood pressure. According to the self-measured blood pressure to determine whether the blood pressure was well controlled. The associations between snowbirds' length of stay and their blood pressure control as well as their self-measured blood pressure were analyzed using restricted cubic splines. Results: A total of 362 research subjects were included, 169(46.7%) of whom were male, and their age was (69.7±7.0) years old. The participants' self-measured systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure were (129.1±16.2) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) and (78.9±10.1) mmHg, respectively. Overall, 174 (48.1%) participants attained adequate blood pressure control. The median length of stay in Wuzhishan City was 7(6, 7) months. There was an inverted U-shaped association between snowbirds' length of stay and blood pressure control (overall: P=0.023; nonlinearity: P=0.014), where participants with a length of stay of 7 months had the highest rate of blood pressure control. There is a U-shaped curve relationship between length of stay and systolic blood pressure (overall: P=0.001; nonlinearity: P=0.033), and a linear negative correlation with diastolic blood pressure (ß=-1.19, P=0.003). Conclusions: Compared with hypertensive snowbirds with too long or too short lengths of stay, snowbirds who stayed in Wuzhishan City for seven months have better blood pressure control, and systolic blood pressure is also lower.

Strong and Weak CP Tests in Sequential Decays of Polarized Σ

The J/ψ, ψ(3686)→Σ^{0}Σ[over ¯]^{0} processes and subsequent decays are studied using the world's largest J/ψ and ψ(3686) data samples collected with the BESIII detector. The parity-violating decay parameters of the decays Σ^{0}→Λγ and Σ[over ¯]^{0}→Λ[over ¯]γ, α_{Σ^{0}}=-0.0017±0.0021±0.0018 and α[over ¯]_{Σ^{0}}=0.0021±0.0020±0.0022, are measured for the first time. The strong CP symmetry is tested in the decays of the Σ^{0} hyperons for the first time by measuring the asymmetry A_{CP}^{Σ}=α_{Σ^{0}}+α[over ¯]_{Σ^{0}}=(0.4±2.9±1.3)×10^{-3}. The weak CP test is performed in the subsequent decays of their daughter particles Λ and Λ[over ¯]. Also for the first time, the transverse polarizations of the Σ^{0} hyperons in J/ψ and ψ(3686) decays are observed with opposite directions, and the ratios between the S-wave and D-wave contributions of the J/ψ, ψ(3686)→Σ^{0}Σ[over ¯]^{0} decays are obtained. These results are crucial to understand the decay dynamics of the charmonium states and the production mechanism of the Σ^{0}-Σ[over ¯]^{0} pairs.

[Clinical analysis of maternal autoantibody-mediated complete left bundle branch block in 9 children].

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of children with complete left bundle branch block (CLBBB) mediated by maternal autoantibodies. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on nine children diagnosed with maternal autoantibody-mediated CLBBB, treated at Beijing Anzhen Hospital and Fujian Provincial Hospital from March 2015 to August 2023. Their clinical characteristics, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings before and after treatment were reviewed. Paired sample t-test was used for inter-group comparison. Results: Among the mothers, 6 had positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA), 5 had anti-Sjogren syndrome antigen A antibodies, and 3 had anti-Ro-52 antibodies. The cohort included one female and eight male children, diagnosed with CLBBB at the age of 1 (2, 13) months. The positive autoantibodies in the infants, consisted with maternal antibodies, were detected within the first 3 months of life among 3 cases. Treatments included anti-heart failure therapy, myocardial nutritional support, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and glucocorticoids. Before treatment, the levels of troponin I (0.175 (0.060, 10.270) µg/L) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (420 (327, 12 865) ng/L) were elevated, which normalized in most cases after treatment. Post-treatment, the QRS duration significantly shortened compared to pre-treatment ((137±15) vs.(169±25) ms, t=3.76, P<0.001), and the QTc interval significantly decreased ((433±41) vs. (514±27) ms, t=4.95, P=0.001). Before treatment, varying degrees of mitral and tricuspid regurgitation and marked interventricular septal dyskinesia were observed in echocardiography. After treatment, valve regurgitation and ventricular septum motion significantly improved, with a marked increase in left ventricular ejection fraction ((51±13)% vs. (27±6)%, t=-6.66, P<0.001). Conclusions: Maternal autoantibody-mediated CLBBB in children presents with chronic heart failure in infancy. Early treatment with anti-heart failure medications, IVIG and glucocorticoids can improve clinical symptoms.

The psychology of pandemic policy support: unraveling the complex interplay of personal values and value congruence across 20 European countries.

OBJECTIVES: We explored the roles of personal values and value congruence-the alignment between individual and national values-in predicting public support for pandemic restrictions across 20 European countries. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: We analyzed multinational European survey data (N = 34,356) using Schwartz's values theory and person-environment fit theory. Multilevel polynomial regression was employed to assess the linear and curvilinear effects of personal values on policy support. Multilevel Euclidean similarity analysis and response surface analysis were conducted to evaluate the impact of value congruence and delineate nuanced congruence patterns. RESULTS: Findings revealed that extreme levels of security, conformity, stimulation, hedonism, and achievement values were associated with decreased policy support. Value congruence with security, conformity, and benevolence increased support, while congruence with stimulation, hedonism, and achievement reduced it. High congruence between personal and national social focus values significantly boosted policy support. Extreme mismatches in self-direction values amplified support. Societal power exceeding personal power also increased support. Matched levels of hedonism motivated greater support, while stimulation and achievement value (in)congruence showed little impact. CONCLUSIONS: We highlight the differential effects of personal values and value congruence on public attitudes toward pandemic restrictions. The findings underscore the importance of considering the interplay between individual and societal values when designing and implementing effective pandemic response strategies.

Alignment of behaviour and tDCS stimulation site induces maximum response: evidence from online tDCS and ERP.

tDCS modulates the activity of the neuronal networks to induce the desired behavioural changes. Two factors determine its effectiveness- (1) whether the network being stimulated is relevant to the task, and (2) if there is a scope for improvement in behavioral performance. To explore this, both dorsal (sub-lexical) and ventral (lexical) reading networks were stimulated (20 min, 2 mA) in 25 healthy young volunteers. Participants performed two reading tasks with different levels of lexical involvement: word fragment completion tasks (WCT) and word association tasks (WAT), while event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded simultaneously. The study used a within-subject design over three sessions, comparing various electrode montages targeting the dorsal pathway's left inferior parietal lobule or the ventral reading pathway's left middle temporal lobule, as well as sham stimulation. The impact of tDCS sessions (dorsal, ventral, & sham) and task type (WCT & WAT) on priming effects (primed vs. unprimed) of behavioral performance (accuracy and reaction times), and ERP parameters (N400 amplitudes and latencies) were statistically analyzed.It was found that tDCS modulated the performance of WAT only (a task with a lower priming effect). The failure to modulate WCT (larger priming effect) indicated that tDCS was effective for conditions with room for improvement compared to a task where performance has reached the ceiling. Ventral stimulation enhanced accuracy in the WAT condition and shortened the N400 latency of the priming effect. In contrast, dorsal stimulation delayed the priming effect reaction time in the WAT condition and enhanced the N400 amplitude. To conclude, enhancement in performance due to tDCS occurs when the network (ventral) being stimulated aligns with the cognitive demands of the task and there is a scope for improvement.

Periodontal Ligament Cell Apoptosis Activates Lepr+ Osteoprogenitors in Orthodontics.

Alveolar bone (AB) remodeling, including formation and absorption, is the foundation of orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). However, the sources and mechanisms underlying new bone formation remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to understand the potential mechanism of bone formation during OTM, focusing on the leptin receptor+ (Lepr+) osteogenitors and periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs). We demonstrated that Lepr+ cells activated by force-induced PDLC apoptosis served as distinct osteoprogenitors during orthodontic bone regeneration. We investigated bone formation both in vivo and in vitro. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis and lineage tracing demonstrated that Lepr represents a subcluster of stem cells that are activated and differentiate into osteoblasts during OTM. Targeted ablation of Lepr+ cells in a mouse model disrupted orthodontic force-guided bone regeneration. Furthermore, apoptosis and sequential fluorescent labeling assays revealed that the apoptosis of PDLCs preceded new bone deposition. We found that PDL stem cell-derived apoptotic vesicles activated Lepr+ cells in vitro. Following apoptosis inhibition, orthodontic force-activated osteoprogenitors and osteogenesis were significantly downregulated. Notably, we found that bone formation occurred on the compression side during OTM; this has been first reported here. To conclude, we found a potential mechanism of bone formation during OTM that may provide new insights into AB regeneration.

Cylindrocladiella species from Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation soils in southwestern China.

Species of Cylindrocladiella are saprobic or plant pathogenic, and widely distributed in soil in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Limited information is available about the species diversity and distribution of Cylindrocladiella in China. The aim of this study was to identify the Cylindrocladiella isolates from soils collected in a Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation in the Yunnan Province of southwestern China. Species identification was based on DNA phylogeny of his3, ITS, tef1 and tub2 regions, combined with morphological characteristics. Isolates obtained were identified as Cylindrocladiella longistipitata and a novel species, described here as C. yunnanensis sp. nov. Further studies are required, however, to elucidate the lifestyles of these taxa. Citation: Liu Y, Chen SF (2024). Cylindrocladiella species from Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation soils in southwestern China. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 13: 143-152. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2024.13.08.

Stringent Tests of Lorentz Invariance Violation from LHAASO Observations of GRB 221009A.

On 9 October 2022, the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) reported the observation of the very early TeV afterglow of the brightest-of-all-time gamma-ray burst 221009A, recording the highest photon statistics in the TeV band ever obtained from a gamma-ray burst. We use this unique observation to place stringent constraints on the energy dependence of the speed of light in vacuum, a manifestation of Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) predicted by some quantum gravity (QG) theories. Our results show that the 95% confidence level lower limits on the QG energy scales are E_{QG,1}>10 times the Planck energy E_{Pl} for the linear LIV effect, and E_{QG,2}>6×10^{-8}E_{Pl} for the quadratic LIV effect. Our limits on the quadratic LIV case improve previous best bounds by factors of 5-7.