Evidence for Chiral Wobbler in Nuclei.

Three ΔI=1 bands with the πg_{9/2}⊗νg_{9/2} configuration have been identified in _{35}^{74}Br_{39}. Angular distribution, linear polarization, and lifetime measurements were performed to determine the multipolarity, type, mixing ratio, and absolute transition probability of the transitions. By comparing these experimental observations with the corresponding fingerprints and the quantum particle rotor model calculations, the second and third lowest bands are, respectively, suggested as the chiral partner and one-phonon wobbling excitation built on the yrast band. The evidence indicates the first chiral wobbler in nuclei.

Discovery of New Isotopes

Using the fusion-evaporation reaction ^{106}Cd(^{58}Ni,4n)^{160}Os and the gas-filled recoil separator SHANS, two new isotopes _{76}^{160}Os and _{74}^{156}W have been identified. The α decay of ^{160}Os, measured with an α-particle energy of 7080(26) keV and a half-life of 201_{-37}^{+58} µs, is assigned to originate from the ground state. The daughter nucleus ^{156}W is a ß^{+} emitter with a half-life of 291_{-61}^{+86} ms. The newly measured α-decay data allow us to derive α-decay reduced widths (δ^{2}) for the N=84 isotones up to osmium (Z=76), which are found to decrease with increasing atomic number above Z=68. The reduction of δ^{2} is interpreted as evidence for the strengthening of the N=82 shell closure toward the proton drip line, supported by the increase of the neutron-shell gaps predicted in theoretical models.

[Clinical observation of 8 cases with central nervous system anaerobic infection diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid].

The current study summarized the clinical characteristics of 8 patients with central nervous system anaerobic infections who visited the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from June 2019 to June 2021. Among the 8 patients, 7 cases had headache and fever as the first symptoms, and 1 case had left-sided limb weakness as the first symptom. Four patients had a previous history of diabetes (1 patient had a history of tooth extraction before the onset of the disease), 1 patient had a previous history of sinusitis, 1 patient had a history of tooth extraction before the onset of the disease, and 2 patients had chronic extensive periodontitis or periapical periodontitis. Five cases showed abnormal intracranial and/or meningeal enhancement on cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 1 case showed swelling of the whole brain tissue on cranial computed tomography (CT). After treatment, symptoms of 4 cases were improved, symptoms of 1 case were aggravated, and 3 cases died. Anaerobic infections can occur in various parts of the body:the central nervous system, oral cavity, head and neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, skin and soft tissues. It is generally believed that anaerobic bacteria rarely cause central nervous system infection, therefore, anaerobic culture of cerebrospinal fluid is usually not performed. Moreover, anaerobic culture is affected by many factors, and thus it is difficult to obtain positive results. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing can identify multiple pathogens (viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic) from samples based on DNA and/or RNA sequences and has advantages in diagnosing anaerobic infections of the central nervous system. Prompt empirical antimicrobial therapy is essential for the prognosis of the patients.

[Morvan syndrome with positive anti LGI1/CASPR2 antibodies in serum/cerebrospinal fluid:a case report and literature review].

To report a typical case of Morvan syndrome with positive anti-leucine rich glioma-inactivated 1(LGI1) and contactin-associated protein 2 (CASPR2) antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. A 39-years-old female initially presented weakness of extremeties. The main symptoms included paroxysmal limb pain, wheezing, itching, muscle twitching, epilepsy, hypomnesia, dysphoria, apathy, intractable insomnia, salivation and sweating. Tests of electrolytes found hypokalemia (2.7-3.1 mmol/L) and hyponatremia (130-136 mmol/L). Arterial blood gas analysis showed hypoxemia (oxygen saturation 50%-70%). Total thyroxine (TT4) was elevated to 207 nmol/L with positive thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) and thyroglobulin antibody (TG-Ab). LGI1and CASPR2 antibodies (CBA method) were positive in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid, and the remaining antibodies related to autoimmune encephalitis and paraneoplastic syndrome were negative. Head MRI was almost normal, while mild abnormalities were found in electroencephalogram. Electromyography showed slightly increased voltage of left quadriceps motor unit potential. After treated with corticosteroids, IVIG and mycophenolate mofetil, the patient completely improved. Cognitive function scores recovered from MoCA/MMSE (16/24) to MoCA/MMSE (26/29). Positivity of LGI1/CASPR2 antibodies both in serum/cerebrospinal fluid are rarely seen in patients with Morvan syndrome. Steroids and immunosuppressants are suggested for treatment as early as possible.

LncRNA MIF-AS1 aggravates the progression of ovarian cancer by sponging miRNA-31-5p.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to uncover the role of lncRNA MIF-AS1 in influencing the biological phenotypes of ovarian cancer (OC) and the underlying mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: OC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected from 50 OC patients. The expression level of lncRNA MIF-AS1 in OC tissues and cells was determined by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The prognostic potential of MIF-AS1 in OC patients was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Subsequently, the regulatory effects of MIF-AS1 on proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of ES-2 and HO-8910 cells were evaluated by a series of functional experiments. Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay, qRT-PCR, and Western blot were further conducted to verify the interaction in the regulatory loop MIF-AS1/miRNA-31-5p/PLCB1. RESULTS: MIF-AS1 was significantly upregulated in OC tissues and cell lines (p<0.05). Higher level of MIF-AS1 predicted significantly worse prognosis of OC patients (p<0.05). The knockdown of MIF-AS1 markedly attenuated the proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of ES-2 and HO-8910 cells (p<0.05). Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay verified that MIF-AS1 competed with PLCB1 to bind miRNA-31-5p. In addition, MIF-AS1 negatively regulated miRNA-31-5p expression cells, and miRNA-31-5p negatively regulated PLCB1 expression in OC. CONCLUSIONS: MIF-AS1 was significantly upregulated in OC, which accelerated the proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities of OC cells. Furthermore, the regulatory loop MIF-AS1/miRNA-31-5p/PLCB1 could be utilized as a therapeutic target for OC.

[Clinical, neuroimaging and genetic features of two Chinese families with fatal familial insomnia].

Objective: To examine clinical, neuroimaging and genetic features of two Chinese families with fatal familial insomnia (FFI). Methods: The clinical data, including case history, physical examination, biochemical analysis of blood and neuroimaging of two pedigrees with FFI who admitted to the Navy General Hospital in 2014 and 2017 were collected. The D178N prion protein (PRNP) mutation were determined by DNA sequencing among the proband and family members. Results: There were 6 patients in 2 families, 5 male and 1 female. The onset age of disease in family 1 was 47 and 60 years old respectively, and 46, 58, 58, 60 years old respectively in family 2. In terms of disease course, patients in family 1 had a rapid disease course and died half year after onset while patients in family 2 had a relatively slow disease course and survived more than 1 year after onset.The induced factors of the patients in the family 1 were fright, followed by abnormal behaviors and sleep disorders accompanied by autonomic nervous dysfunction; the clinical features of the pedigree 2 were memory loss, decreased sleep and motor disorder without obvious inducement, and the autonomic nervous dysfunction was not significant. The neuroimaging examination of 2 probands showed a mild atrophy of the whole brain and no ribbon sign. The electroencephalography (EEG) did not show typical triphasic waves. Both cases had a positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 14-3-3 protein and PrP D178N /Met-129 mutation.All patients were given traditional sedatives or anti-anxiety and depression drugs which were with poor efficacy. Conclusions: The major clinical manifestations of FFI are sleep disorders accompanied by mental disorders. The clinical manifestations are similar among different individuals within one family, however, there is obvious clinical variability among different families. The neuroimaging examination shows a mild atrophy of the whole brain and no ribbon sign. There are no typical triphasic waves in EEG. Positive CSF 14-3-3 protein and PrP D178N /Met-129 mutation are common in FFI. Traditional sedatives or anti-anxiety and depression drugs may have poor efficacy.

Anti-proliferative effect of digoxin on breast cancer cells via inducing apoptosis.

OBJECTIVE: Digoxin is a kind of plant-derived cardiac glycoside that is mainly used to treat heart diseases, especially in congestive heart failure or arrhythmia. However, its potentiality presented in anti-tumor remains unexplored. The purpose of this study was designed to investigate the beneficial pharmacological activity of digoxin on breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231, MM231). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was utilized to detect the proliferation of the breast cancer MM231. The apoptotic cell numbers were determined by the flow cytometry analysis. The expressions of Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2) and Bax (Bcl2-associated X protein) were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Digoxin dose-dependently blocked the cell growth of the breast cancer MM231 through MTT assay, whereas the apoptotic numbers were significantly elevated as reflected in acridine orange staining and flow cytometry analysis. In addition, findings from Western blotting method indicated that digoxin intervention showed reduced Bcl-2 expression and elevated Bax level in MM231 cells, characterized by increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Digoxin plays a potential anti-tumor role in breast cancer in vitro, possibly by inducing mitochondria-dependent apoptosis.

The effect of low dosage of procaine on lung cancer cell proliferation.

OBJECTIVE: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of human lung cancer leading cause of cancer death worldwide. However, first-line drugs such as gefitinib and erlotinib showed great drug resistance in the clinical. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay; gene expression was detected by qPCR assay. The protein expression was analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Our results showed that in mouse models of lung cancer by A549 or NCI-H1975 xenograft, the local anesthetic drug Procaine (PCA) with 50 mg/kg specifically attenuated tumors compared with the vehicle-treated group. In vitro, PCA suppressed both two human NSCLC cell lines A549 and NCI-H1975 proliferation in a lower dose (at nM grade). The cell proliferation marker PCNA was also downregulated after PCA treatment in vivo. Furthermore, low-dose of PCA could inhibit the mRNA expression of the key NSCLC target EGFR selectively in the A549 cells, however, it was not observed in another cell line NCI-H1975, implying a specific signaling by PCA in the cell type. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data indicate that PCA treatment leads to suppression of tumor growth and proliferation in A549 and NCI-H1975, and there is an EGFR transcription pathway by PCA in A549 cells.

Porocarcinoma coexisting at a site of Bowen disease in a 63-year-old woman.

Porocarcinoma is an unusual, locally aggressive and potentially fatal neoplasm. Several cutaneous malignancies have been described in association with porocarcinoma, including squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and tricholemmal carcinoma. Previous reports have indicated that the occurrence of malignant tumours in combination with porocarcinoma is extremely rare, in particular with regard to Bowen disease (BD). We report an uncommon case of porocarcinoma occurring synchronously in a single BD lesion in a 63-year-old woman with multiple BD lesions. The clinical and histological findings confirmed this diagnosis.

Expression of BTG1 in hepatocellular carcinoma and its correlation with cell cycles, cell apoptosis, and cell metastasis.

This study aimed to analyze the expression, clinical significance of B cell translocation gene 1 (BTG1) in hepatocellular carcinoma, and the biological effect in its cell line by BTG1 overexpression. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to analyze BTG1 protein expression in 70 cases of hepatocellular cancer and 32 cases of normal tissues to study the relationship between BTG1 expression and clinical factors. Recombinant lentiviral vector was constructed to overexpress BTG1 and then infect hepatocellular cancer HepG2 cell line. The level of BTG1 protein expression was found to be significantly lower in hepatocellular cancer tissue than normal tissues (P < 0.05). Decreased expression of BTG1 was significantly correlated with tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, clinic stage, and histological grade of patients with hepatocellular cancer (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, loss of BTG1 expression correlated significantly with poor overall survival time by Kaplan-Meier analysis (P < 0.05). The result of biological function has shown that HepG2 cell-transfected BTG1 had a lower survival fraction; higher percentage of the G0/G1 phases; higher cell apoptosis; significant decrease in migration and invasion; and lower Cyclin D1 (CND1), B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-9 protein expression compared with HepG2 cell-untransfected BTG1 (P < 0.05). BTG1 expression decreased in hepatocellular cancer and correlated significantly with lymph node metastasis, clinic stage, histological grade, poor overall survival, proliferation, and metastasis in hepatocellular cancer cell by regulating CND1, Bcl-2, and MMP-9 protein expression, suggesting that BTG1 may play important roles as a negative regulator to hepatocellular cancer cell.

Intussusception anastomosis of the esophagus: a new method of anastomosis after resection of esophageal or cardiac carcinoma.

A new method of anastomosis after resection of esophageal or cardiac carcinoma was carried out in 141 patients in Anyang Cancer Hospital from February 1983 to September 1985. After resection of the tumor, the proximal end of the esophagus was intussuscepted into the stomach lumen and extroversion sutures were applied on the esophageal mucosa to prevent bleeding and stenosis. In this series, the operative mortality was 0.7% (1/141) and no anastomotic leakage was found. We consider that this modified operative procedure is fairly easy, simple, and beneficial in reducing surgical complications.

Relationship between Raman spectroscopic lines and growth of Rhizobium japonicum.

The Raman spectroscopic lines of liquid cultures of Rhizobium japonicum have been compared with electron microscopic examinations and growth measurements of these cells. The results showed that the significant Raman lines are related to the reproduction activities of the procaryotic cells.

[Invagination anastomosis of the esophagus--a new method of anastomosing after resection of esophageal or cardial carcinoma].

A new method of anastomosis after resection of esophageal or cardial carcinoma was carried out in 141 patients in our hospital from Feb. 1983 to Sept. 1985. After resection of the tumor, the proximal end of esophagus was invaginated into the stomach lumen and a tight suture was applied between the outer wall of esophagus and stomach. Extroversion suture of the mucosa in the esophageal end, being free in the stomach lumen, was made to prevent bleeding and stenosis. The operative mortality was 0.7% (1/141) and no anastomotic leak was found. Our experiences indicate that this operative procedure is easy, simple and obviously reduces the complication in the anastomotic region.