T cell-related ubiquitination genes as prognostic indicators in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: T lymphocytes, integral to the adaptive immune system, wield pivotal influence in bolstering anti-tumor responses, and are strictly regulated by ubiquitination modification. The objective of this investigation was to devise a novel prognostic and immunotherapeutic efficacy predictor for hepatocellular carcinoma patients utilizing T cell-related ubiquitination genes (TCRUG). Method: The single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data and bulk RNA data of HCC patients are derived from the GEO database and TCGA database. Based on the processing of scRNA-seq, T cell marker genes are obtained and TCRUG is obtained. Further combined with WGCNA, differential analysis, univariate Cox regression analysis, LASSO analysis, and multivariate Cox regression analysis to filter and screen TCRUG. Finally construct a riskscore for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients, the predictive effect of which is validated in the GEO dataset. In addition, we also studied the correlation between riskscore and immunotherapy efficacy. Finally, the oncogenic role of UBE2E1 in HCC was explored through various in vitro experiments. Result: Based on patients' scRNA-seq data, we finally obtained 3050 T cell marker genes. Combined with bulk RNA data and clinical data from the TCGA database, we constructed a riskscore that accurately predicts the prognosis of HCC patients. This riskscore is an independent prognostic factor for HCC and is used to construct a convenient column chart. In addition, we found that the high-risk group is more suitable for immunotherapy. Finally, the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of HCC cells significantly decreased after UBE2E1 expression reduction. Conclusion: This study developed a riskscore based on TCRUG that can accurately and stably predict the prognosis of HCC patients. This riskscore is also effective in predicting the immune therapy response of HCC patients.

The association of maternal smoking around birth with chronic respiratory diseases in adult offspring: A Mendelian randomization study.

INTRODUCTION: Maternal smoking during pregnancy disturbs fetal lung development, and induces in their offspring childhood respiratory diseases. Whether it has a continued impact on offspring adult lung health and exerts a casual effect of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs), remains uncertain. We seek to determine the causal relationships between maternal smoking around birth and offspring adult CRDs, using summary data from previously described cohorts. METHODS: Mendelian randomization (MR) study was used to analyze the genome-wide associations of maternal smoking around birth and offspring adult CRDs, including respiratory insufficiency, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), related respiratory insufficiency, emphysema, COPD, COPD hospital admissions, early onset of COPD, later onset of COPD, asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), lung cancer (LC), small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). RESULTS: After removing single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with smoking by the offspring, maternal smoking around birth was associated with increased risk of offspring adult respiratory diseases (OR=1.14; 95% CI: 1.013-1.284; p=0.030), respiratory insufficiency (OR=2.413; 95% CI: 1.039-5.603; p=0.040), COPD (OR=1.14; 95% CI: 1.013-1.284; p=0.003), and asthma (OR=1.336; 95% CI: 1.161-1.538; p<0.001). Besides, maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with a greater risk of LUSC (OR=1.229; 95% CI: 0.992-1.523; p=0.059) than the risk of IPF (OR=1.001; 95% CI: 0.999-1.003; p=0.224), LC (OR=1.203; 95% CI: 0.964-1.501; p=0.103), or SCLC (OR=1.11; 95% CI: 0.77-1.601; p=0.577). CONCLUSIONS: In this MR analysis, maternal smoking around birth caused a strong risk factor for the offspring to develop lung problems and CRDs in adulthood. The policy related to smoking cessation for mothers during pregnancy should be encouraged.

Significance of Ribonucleoside-diphosphate Reductase Subunit M2 in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: The Ribonucleoside-diphosphate Reductase subunit M2 (RRM2) is known to be overexpressed in various cancers, though its specific functional implications remain unclear. This aims to elucidate the role of RRM2 in the progression of Lung Adenocarcinoma (LUAD) by exploring its involvement and potential impact. METHODS: RRM2 data were sourced from multiple databases to assess its diagnostic and prognostic significance in LUAD. We evaluated the association between RRM2 expression and immune cell infiltration, analyzed its function, and explored the effects of modulating RRM2 expression on LUAD cell characteristics through laboratory experiments. RESULTS: RRM2 was significantly upregulated in LUAD tissues and cells compared to normal counterparts (p<0.05), with rare genetic alterations noted (approximately 2%). This overexpression clearly distinguished LUAD from normal tissue (area under the curve (AUC): 0.963, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.946-0.981). Elevated RRM2 expression was significantly associated with adverse clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis in LUAD patients. Furthermore, a positive association was observed between RRM2 expression and immune cell infiltration. Pathway analysis revealed a critical connection between RRM2 and the cell cycle signaling pathway within LUAD. Targeting RRM2 inhibition effectively suppressed LUAD cell proliferation, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis. This intervention also modified the expression of several crucial proteins, including the downregulation of CDC25A, CDC25C, RAD1, Bcl-2, and PPM1D and the upregulation of TP53 and Bax (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the potential utility of RRM2 expression as a biomarker for diagnosing and predicting prognosis in LUAD, shedding new light on the role of RRM2 in this malignancy.

A case study on soil slope landslide failure and parameter analysis of influencing factors for safety factor based on strength reduction method and orthogonal experimental design.

In civil engineering, stability analysis of slope is one of the main content of design. By using the finite element limit analysis software OptumG2, a landslide geological model is established to simulate the failure process of the landslide in Huadu District, Guangzhou City, China. The analysis focused on the deformation and failure characteristics, as well as the mechanical mechanism of landslide; the landslide mode of homogeneous soil is circular sliding. Additionally, investigating the influencing factors affecting slope stability is crucial in engineering implementation; in which the five influencing factors are considered as follow: slope height, slope gradient, soil cohesion, soil internal friction angle, and soil unit weight, respectively. A stability calculation model for a soil slope is established under 25 working conditions based on strength reduction method and orthogonal experimental design, in which the relationship between the safety factor and slope height, slope gradient, soil cohesion, soil internal friction angle, and soil unit weight is obtained. As the slope height increases from 5m to 45m, the safety factor of soil slope gradually decreases from 2.21 to 0.94; As the slope gradient increases from 20° to 60°, the safety factor of soil slope decreases approximately linearly from 1.80 to 0.95; As the cohesion of soil increases from 10kpa to 30kpa, the safety factor of soil slope increases approximately linearly from 1.04 to 1.60; As the internal friction angle of soil increases from 10° to 30°, the safety factor of soil slope increases approximately linearly from 1.00 to 1.81; As the unit weight of soil increases from 13kN/m3 to 21kN/m3, the safety factor of soil slope decreases approximately linearly from 1.50 to 1.21. The influencing factors affecting the safety factor of soil slope in descending order are slope height, slope angle, soil internal friction angle, soil cohesion, and soil unit weight. The research has reference significance for studying the stability and failure laws of soil slopes and conducting landslide control on soil slopes.

Irradiated microparticles suppress prostate cancer by tumor microenvironment reprogramming and ferroptosis.

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) plays a crucial role in triggering the antitumor immune response in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recently, considerable attention has been dedicated to ferroptosis, a type of ICD that is induced by intracellular iron and has been demonstrated to change the immune desert status of the TME. However, among cancers that are characterized by an immune desert, such as prostate cancer, strategies for inducing high levels of ferroptosis remain limited. Radiated tumor cell-derived microparticles (RMPs) are radiotherapy mimetics that have been shown to activate the cGAS-STING pathway, induce tumor cell ferroptosis, and inhibit M2 macrophage polarization. RMPs can also act as carriers of agents with biocompatibility. In the present study, we designed a therapeutic system wherein the ferroptosis inducer RSL-3 was loaded into RMPs, which were tested in in vitro and in vivo prostate carcinoma models established using RM-1 cells. The apoptosis inducer CT20 peptide (CT20p) was also added to the RMPs to aggravate ferroptosis. Our results showed that RSL-3- and CT20p-loaded RMPs (RC@RMPs) led to ferroptosis and apoptosis of RM-1 cells. Moreover, CT20p had a synergistic effect on ferroptosis by promoting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid hydroperoxide production, and mitochondrial instability. RC@RMPs elevated dendritic cell (DC) expression of MHCII, CD80, and CD86 and facilitated M1 macrophage polarization. In a subcutaneously transplanted RM-1 tumor model in mice, RC@RMPs inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival time via DC activation, macrophage reprogramming, enhancement of CD8+ T cell infiltration, and proinflammatory cytokine production in the tumor. Moreover, combination treatment with anti-PD-1 improved RM-1 tumor inhibition. This study provides a strategy for the synergistic enhancement of ferroptosis for prostate cancer immunotherapies.

Advantages of robot-assisted resection of large mediastinal tumors: a single-center preliminary study.

Current study aims to assess the safety and efficacy of robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) for sizable mediastinal masses with a minimum diameter ≥6 cm, compared with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and open surgery. This study enrolled 130 patients with mediastinal tumors with no less than 6 cm diameter in Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, including 33 patients who underwent RATS, 52 patients who underwent VATS and 45 patients who underwent open surgery. After classifying based on mass size and whether it has invaded or not, we compared their clinical characteristics and perioperative outcomes. There was no significant difference in age, gender, mass size, myasthenia gravis, mass location, pathological types (p > 0.05) in three groups. Patients undergoing open surgery typically presenting at a more advanced stage (p < 0.05). No obvious difference was discovered in the average postoperative length of stay, operation duration, chest tube duration and average postoperative day 1 drainage output between RATS group and VATS group (p > 0.05), while intraoperative blood loss in RATS group was significantly lower than VATS group (p = 0.046). Moreover, the postoperative length of stay, operation duration, chest tube duration and intraoperative blood loss in RATS group were significantly lower than open surgery group (p < 0.001). RATS is a secure and efficient approach for removing large mediastinal masses at early postoperative period. In comparison with VATS, RATS is associated with lower intraoperative blood loss. Compared with open surgery, RATS is also associated with shorter postoperative length of stay, operation duration, chest tube duration and intraoperative blood loss.

18F-FDG PET/CT characterization and response evaluation in a case of lymphomatoid granulomatosis involving the main pulmonary artery.

Main pulmonary artery (MPA) involvement of lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG) is extremely rare. We described fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) findings in a case with LYG originated from the MPA. Fluorine-18-FDG PET/CT demonstrated nodular hypermetabolic foci in the MPA, corresponding well to the intraluminal filling defects on CT pulmonary angiography, and the secondary right heart dysfunction was observed. Final diagnosis was made after transcatheter MPA biopsies and multi-disciplinary consultation. The patient recovered completely following the steroid therapy and MPA stenting, which was illustrated on the second 18F-FDG PET/CT.

Molecular and metabolic responses to immune stress in the jejunum of broiler chickens: transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis.

In the large poultry industry, where farmed chickens are fed at high density, the prevalence of pathogens and repeated vaccinations induce immune stress, which can significantly decrease the production performance and increase the mortality. This study was designed to shed light on the molecular mechanisms and metabolic pathways involved in immune stress through an in-depth analysis of transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in jejunum samples from the broilers. Two groups were established for the experiment: a control group and an LPS group. LPS group received an intraperitoneal injection of LPS solution at a dose of 250 µg per kg at 12, 14, 33, and 35 d of age, whereas the control group received a sterile saline injection. The severity of immune stress was assessed using the Disease Activity Index. A jejunal section was collected to measure the intestinal villus structure (villus length and crypt depth). RNA sequencing and metabolomics data analysis were conducted to reveal differentially expressed genes and metabolites. The results showed that the DAI index was increased and jejunal villus height/crypt depth was decreased in the LPS group. A total of 96 differentially expressed genes and 672 differentially accumulating metabolites were detected in the jejunum by LPS group compared to the control group. The comprehensive analysis of metabolomic and transcriptomic data showed that 23 pathways were enriched in the jejunum and that appetite, nutrient absorption, energy and substance metabolism disorders and ferroptosis play an important role in immune stress in broilers. Our findings provide a deeper understanding of the molecular and metabolic responses in broilers to LPS-induced immune stress, suggesting potential targets for therapeutic strategies to improve the production performance of broiler chickens.

Study on the failure characteristics of sliding surface and stability analysis of inverted t-type retaining wall in active limit state.

This paper investigates the sliding surface failure characteristics, earth pressure distribution law and stability safety factor of inverted T-type retaining wall by using the finite element limit analysis software OptumG2, the effects of width of wall heel plate, width of wall toe plate, thickness of bottom plate, soil-wall interface friction angle, soil cohesion and soil internal friction angle of filling on the failure characteristics of sliding surface, the earth pressure distribution law and stability safety factor of retaining walls are analyzed, The stability safety factor of the retaining wall showed a gradually increasing trend as the width of wall heel plate and wall toe plate increased; as the bottom plate thickness increases, the stability safety factor of the retaining wall gradually increases; as the soil-wall interface element reduction coefficient rises, that is, the internal friction angle of the soil-wall gradually increases to the soil internal friction angle, the stability safety factor of the retaining wall gradually increases; as the soil cohesion and internal friction angle increase, the stability safety factor of the retaining wall progressively increases. The safety factor of retaining wall increases by 0.45 for every 0.5m increase in the width of the wall heel plate; the safety factor of the retaining wall increases by 0.29 when the width of the wall toe plate increases by 0.5m; for every 0.5m increase in the width of wall plate thickness, the safety factor of the retaining wall is increased by 0.62; for every 0.25 increase in soil-wall interface element reduction coefficient, the safety factor of the retaining wall increases by 0.29; for every increase of 5KPa in soil cohesion, the safety factor of the retaining wall increased by 1.16; for every 5° increases in soil internal friction angle, the safety factor of retaining wall increases by 0.6. The research is significant for studying the failure laws and stability of retaining walls and providing references for retaining wall design.

Targeting PRMT9-mediated arginine methylation suppresses cancer stem cell maintenance and elicits cGAS-mediated anticancer immunity.

Current anticancer therapies cannot eliminate all cancer cells, which hijack normal arginine methylation as a means to promote their maintenance via unknown mechanisms. Here we show that targeting protein arginine N-methyltransferase 9 (PRMT9), whose activities are elevated in blasts and leukemia stem cells (LSCs) from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), eliminates disease via cancer-intrinsic mechanisms and cancer-extrinsic type I interferon (IFN)-associated immunity. PRMT9 ablation in AML cells decreased the arginine methylation of regulators of RNA translation and the DNA damage response, suppressing cell survival. Notably, PRMT9 inhibition promoted DNA damage and activated cyclic GMP-AMP synthase, which underlies the type I IFN response. Genetically activating cyclic GMP-AMP synthase in AML cells blocked leukemogenesis. We also report synergy of a PRMT9 inhibitor with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 in eradicating AML. Overall, we conclude that PRMT9 functions in survival and immune evasion of both LSCs and non-LSCs; targeting PRMT9 may represent a potential anticancer strategy.

Immunomodulatory effect of Atractylodis macrocephala Koidz. polysaccharides in vitro.

Vaccination is still the main method of preventing most infectious diseases, but there are inefficiencies and inaccuracies in immunization. Studies have reported that Atractylodis macrocephalae Koidz. polysaccharides (RAMP) have immunomodulatory effects, but the mechanisms involved in whether they can modulate the immune response in chickens are not yet clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of RAMP on lymphocytes functions by analyzing cell proliferation, cell cycle, mRNA expression of cytokines and CD4 +/CD8 + ratio. To identify potential molecules involved in immune regulation, we performed a comprehensive transcriptome profiling of chicken lymphocytes. In addition, the adjuvant effect of RAMP was evaluated by detecting indicators of hemagglutination inhibition. When lymphocytes were cultured with RAMP in vitro, the proliferation rate of lymphocytes was increased (P < 0.01), more cells in S phase and G2/M phase (P < 0.01) and the mRNA expression of IFN-γ was upregulated (P < 0.05), while the mRNA expression of TGF-ß (P < 0.01) and IL-4 (P < 0.05) was downregulated and the CD4 +/CD8 + ratio was increased (P < 0.05). Transcriptomic results showed that RAMP increased the expression of HIST1H46 (P < 0.05) and CENPP (P < 0.05). Validation of qPCR showed that RAMP may play an important role in regulating cellular immunity by downregulating the Notch pathway. The results also showed that RAMP could increase the serum Newcastle disease virus antibody levels in chickens. These data suggest that RAMP could enhance immune function of lymphocytes and was a candidate vaccine adjuvant in chickens.

Neoadjuvant Lorlatinib Induces Pathological Complete Response in Advanced ALK-Positive Lung Cancer: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Chemotherapy has been the conventional treatment method for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nevertheless, the identification and comprehension of oncogenic driver alterations have paved the way for targeted therapies, significantly enhancing patient outcomes. The management of locally advanced NSCLC that is positive for ALK presents a challenge due to the lack of reported randomized controlled trials. The efficacy of neoadjuvant and adjuvant targeted therapy in this context remains uncertain. CASE REPORT A 54-year-old man was diagnosed with stage IIIB (pT1N3M0) upper right lung adenocarcinoma carrying the EML4-ALK fusion gene. Clinically, the patient had multiple enlarged lymph nodes in the right hilum and mediastinum, with the largest measuring approximately 28×19 mm by CT scan and we found that the L4 lymph node was invaded by metastasis. Then, the patient received 1 cycle of chemotherapy with paclitaxel in combination with nedaplatin and subsequently received maintenance treatment involving lorlatinib. Two months later, clinical evaluations revealed progressive reduction of the lesions, especially the reduced size of the mediastinal lymph nodes. Therefore, the patient underwent thoracoscopic partial lobectomy and lymphadenectomy and achieved pathological complete response (pCR). After 3 months, a follow-up CT scan was similar to the first postoperative CT scan and no tumor was found. CONCLUSIONS This case demonstrates the potential advantage of lorlatinib as a neoadjuvant therapy in advanced ALK-positive NSCLC. It emphasizes the importance of identifying new therapeutic targets by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and implementing precise treatment strategies in clinical practice.

Developing a human iPSC-derived three-dimensional myelin spheroid platform for modeling myelin diseases.

Myelin defects cause a collection of myelin disorders in the brain. The lack of human models has limited us from better understanding pathological mechanisms of myelin diseases. While human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived spheroids or organoids have been used to study brain development and disorders, it has been difficult to recapitulate mature myelination in these structures. Here, we have developed a method to generate three-dimensional (3D) myelin spheroids from hiPSCs in a robust and reproducible manner. Using this method, we generated myelin spheroids from patient iPSCs to model Canavan disease (CD), a demyelinating disorder. By using CD patient iPSC-derived myelin spheroids treated with N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), we were able to recapitulate key pathological features of the disease and show that high-level NAA is sufficient to induce toxicity on myelin sheaths. Our study has established a 3D human cellular platform to model human myelin diseases for mechanistic studies and drug discovery.

170†GHz quasi-optical sub-harmonic mixer with a back-to-back lenses packaging based on HDI.

The paper presents a 170 GHz quasi-optical sub-harmonic mixer with a 3D-printed back-to-back lenses packaging. The quasi-optical mixer is comprised by a pair of antiparallel GaAs Schottky diodes, a patch antenna for receiving local oscillator (LO) pump signal, a symmetric-slit patch antenna for receiving radio frequency (RF) signal, dual 3D-printed lenses and a matching network. The quasi-optical mixer with a pair of antiparallel GaAs Schottky diodes is designed on a multilayer build-up printed circuit board (PCB) utilizing commercially low-cost and high-density interconnect (HDI) technology. The LO and RF antennas are placed on the front and back of the multilayer build-up substrate, respectively, thus significantly simplifying the quasi-optical design. Furthermore, dual 3D-printed lenses placed back-to-back are proposed for LO and RF antennas radiation gain enhancement and mechanical robustness. Additionally, the buried planar reflectors in the substrate maintain effective radiation isolation between the antennas. For facilitating coupling efficiency of signal power into the Schottky diodes and signal isolation between the LO pump signal and RF signal, a compact matching network with low-loss quasi-coaxial via transition structure is integrated in the mixer circuit. The measured single-sideband conversion loss is from 11.3 to 15.4 dB in an operation range of 160 to 180 GHz. The measured radiation patterns agree well with the simulated results.

Biomarkers of oxidative stress in broiler chickens attacked by lipopolysaccharide: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Oxidative stress (OS) constitutes a pivotal factor in the initiation and progression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenges in broiler chickens. Increasing studies have demonstrated that Alleviation of oxidative stress seems to be a reasonable strategy to alleviate LPS-mediated afflictions in broilers. Nonetheless, the relationship between OS-related indicators and exposure to LPS remains a topic of debate. The aim of this investigation was to precisely and holistically evaluate the effect of LPS exposure on OS-associated markers. We conducted a systematic search of four electronic databases-PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane for relevant studies, and a total of 31 studies were included. The overall results showed that the LPS treatment significantly increased the levels of oxygen radicals and their products, such as malondialdehydes (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), while significantly reduced the levels of antioxidants, such as total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione (GSH), in the chickens. Intriguingly, though the observed trends in alterations were not strictly correlated with LPS concentrations, the enzyme activity levels were indeed influenced by the concentration of LPS. This observation highlights the complex relationship between LPS exposure and the body's antioxidant response. Despite some limitations, all the included studies were deemed credible. Subgroup evaluations revealed that the jejunum and duodenum has demonstrated stronger antioxidant capability compared to other tissues. Overall, our study presents compelling evidence that exposure to LPS induces significant OS in chickens. And we also found that the extent of OS was related to LPS doses, target tissues, and dietary ingredients.

Prognostic significance of serum globulin in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We investigated the association between serum globulin levels upon hospital admission and in-hospital short-term outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. METHODS: A total of 3,127 AIS patients enrolled from December 2013 to May 2014 across 22 hospitals in Suzhou city were included in the present study. We divided patients into 4 groups according to their level of admission serum globulin: Q1 (<23.5 g/L), Q2 (23.5-26.4 g/L), Q3 (26.4-29.9 g/L), and Q4 (≥29.9 g/L). Logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect of serum globulin on the short-term outcomes, including all cause in-hospital mortality, poor outcome upon discharge (modified Rankin Scale score ≥3) and in-hospital pneumonia in AIS patients. RESULTS: The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 4.0 (IQR, 2.0-7.0). The risk of in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients with highest serum globulin level (Q4) compared to those with lowest (Q1) (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-4.70; P-trend =0.026). The highest serum globulin level (Q4) was associated with a 1.32-fold and 1.62-fold increase in the risk of poor outcome upon discharge (adjusted OR 1.32; 95% CI, 1.00-1.75; P-trend = 0.070) and in-hospital pneumonia (adjusted OR 1.62; 95% CI, 1.18-2.23; P-trend = 0.001) in comparison to Q1 after adjustment for potential covariates. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of serum globulin upon hospital admission was independently associated with all cause in-hospital mortality, poor outcome upon discharge and in-hospital pneumonia in relative mild AIS patients.

BATF2 inhibits PD-L1 expression and regulates CD8+ T-cell infiltration in non-small cell lung cancer.

Immune checkpoint blockades have made huge breakthrough among some cancer types including lung cancer. However, only a small proportion of patients will benefit from immune checkpoint blockades; other patients have no or minor response to immunotherapy. The underlying mechanisms and efficient biomarkers to predict immunotherapy resistances remain unclear and lacking. In this study, BATF2 knockout mice, human xenograft mice, were used for in vivo studies. Relevant RNA and protein levels were analyzed by RT-quantitative PCR and Western blotting. As a result, we found that the expression of BATF2 is negatively correlated with expression of programmed death-ligand 1 in the plasma of patients. Mechanically, we showed that BATF2 inhibits programmed death-ligand 1 expression in cancer cells by inhibiting the PI3K-AKT pathway where ZEB2 plays an important role in this process. Based on bioinformatics analysis, we found that the function of BATF2 in promoting antitumor immune response in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, which is mediated by BATF2, enhances CD8+ T-cell infiltration as well as activation. The expression of BATF2 from circulating tumor cells and tissues can be serve as an efficient biomarker to predict diagnosis, prognosis, and immunotherapy efficacy.

Image restoration algorithm for terahertz FMCW radar imaging.

The terahertz frequency modulation continuous-wave (THz FMCW) imaging technology has been widely used in non-destructive testing applications. However, THz FMCW real-aperture radar usually has a small depth of field and poor lateral resolution, thus restricting the high-precision imaging application. This paper proposes a 150-220 GHz FMCW Bessel beam imaging system, effectively doubling the depth of field and unifying the lateral resolution compared to the Gaussian beam quasi-optical system. Moreover, a THz image restoration algorithm based on local gradients and convolution kernel priors is proposed to eliminate further the convolution effect introduced by the Bessel beam, thereby enhancing the lateral resolution to 2 mm. It effectively improves the image under-restoration or over-restoration caused by the mismatch between the ideal and actual point spread function. The imaging results of the resolution test target and semiconductor device verify the advantages of the proposed system and algorithm.

A Retrospective Study on the Three-Port Technique of Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration for the Management of Cholelithiasis and Choledocholithiasis.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) with laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) is convenient in treating cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis due to its advantage of accelerated recovery. This retrospective study aimed to summarize the experience of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis treatment via three-port approach of LCBDE in Eastern China. Methods: Patients diagnosed with cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis between July 2019 and October 2021 were included. Patients who received LC+LCBDE+primary suturing of the common bile duct (CBD) via a three-port approach were assigned to the LCBDE-P group, and those who received LC+LCBDE+T-tube drainage of CBD comprised the LCBDE-T group. The measurement data were compared between the two groups. P-values <0.05 indicated statistical significance. Results: A total of 88 patients were divided into two groups: LCBDE-P (n=50) and LCBDE-T (n=38). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that LCBDE-P is associated with a shorter length of stay (OR=0.115, 95% CI: 0.040-0.329, P<0.001) and lower hospitalization costs (OR=0.120, 95% CI: 0.041-0.357, P<0.001). No significant differences between the two groups were detected in the operation time, intraoperative hemorrhage, clearance rate of CBD stones, postoperative liver function, and postoperative complications (P>0.05). Conclusion: The three-port approach of LCBDE is a safe and feasible strategy for managing cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis. Compared to LCBDE-T, LCBDE-P reduces the length of hospital stay and medical costs during hospitalization.

Overlapping Epstein-Barr virus encephalitis and autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytopathy.

We describe three cases of overlapping Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) Encephalitis and Autoimmune Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Astrocytopathy (GFAP-A). The three cases all presented with initial symptoms of fever, headache, coma, and posture tremor of the upper limbs, then followed by limb weakness and dysuria. All of the three cases were on ventilators. Case 1 and 2 improved dramatically after intravenous methylprednisoloneand immunoglobulin treatment. However, case 3 presented dyspneic, and died from gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The GFAP-A triggered by EBV intracranial infection could initially masquerade as EBV encephalitis only, and the detection of GFAP antibody is essential for differentiation.