Potential habitat areas and priority protected areas of Tilia amurensis Rupr in China under the context of climate change.

Introduction: Tilia amurensis Rupr (T. amurensis) is one endangered and national class II key protected wild plant in China. It has ornamental, material, economic, edible and medicinal values. At present, the resources of T. amurensis are decreasing, and the prediction of the distribution of its potential habitat in China can provide a theoretical basis for the cultivation and rational management of this species. Methods: In this study, the R language was used to evaluate 358 distribution records and 38 environment variables. The MaxEnt model was used to predict the potential distribution areas of T. amurensis under the current and future climate scenarios. The dominant environmental factors affecting the distribution of T. amurensis were analyzed and the Marxan model was used to plan the priority protected areas of this species. Results: The results showed that Bio18, Slope, Elev, Bio1, Bio9 and Bio2 were the dominant environmental factors affecting the distribution of T. amurensis. Under the future climatic scenarios, the potential suitable areas for T. amurensis will mainly distribute in the Northeast China, the total suitable area will reduce compared with the current climate scenarios, and the general trend of the centroid of suitable habitat will be towards higher latitudes. The SPF value of the best plan obtained from the priority conservation area planning was 1.1, the BLM value was 127,616, and the priority conservation area was about 57.61×104 km2. The results suggested that climate, soil and topographic factors jointly affected the potential geographical distribution of T. amurensis, and climate and topographic factors had greater influence than soil factors. Discussion: The total suitable area of T. amurensis in China under different climate scenarios in the future will decrease, so more effective protection should be actively adopted.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided lauromacrogol injection for treatment of colorectal cavernous hemangioma: Two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cavernous hemangioma is a rare vascular malformation resulting in recurrent lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and can be misinterpreted as colitis. Surgical resection is currently the mainstay of treatment, with an emphasis on sphincter preservation. CASE SUMMARY: We present details of two young patients with a history of persistent hematochezia diagnosed with colorectal cavernous hemangioma by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Cavernous hemangioma was relieved by several EUS-guided lauromacrogol injections and the patients achieved favorable clinical prognosis. CONCLUSION: Multiple sequential EUS-guided injections of lauromacrogol is a safe, effective, cost-efficient, and minimally invasive alternative for colorectal cavernous hemangioma.

In vitro and in vivo degradation, biocompatibility and bone repair performance of strontium-doped montmorillonite coating on Mg-Ca alloy.

Poor bone growth remains a challenge for degradable bone implants. Montmorillonite and strontium were selected as the carrier and bone growth promoting elements to prepare strontium-doped montmorillonite coating on Mg-Ca alloy. The surface morphology and composition were characterized by SEM, EDS, XPS, FT-IR and XRD. The hydrogen evolution experiment and electrochemical test results showed that the Mg-Ca alloy coated with Sr-MMT coating possessed optimal corrosion resistance performance. Furthermore, in vitro studies on cell activity, ALP activity, and cell morphology confirmed that Sr-MMT coating had satisfactory biocompatibility, which can significantly avail the proliferation, differentiation, and adhesion of osteoblasts. Moreover, the results of the 90-day implantation experiment in rats indicated that, the preparation of Sr-MMT coating effectively advanced the biocompatibility and bone repair performance of Mg-Ca alloy. In addition, The Osteogenic ability of Sr-MMT coating may be due to the combined effect of the precipitation of Si4+ and Sr2+ in Sr-MMT coating and the dissolution of Mg2+ and Ca2+ during the degradation of Mg-Ca alloy. By using coating technology, this study provides a late-model strategy for biodegradable Mg alloys with good corrosion resistance, biocompatibility. This new material will bring more possibilities in bone repair.

Variation in Nutritional Components and Antioxidant Capacity of Different Cultivars and Organs of Basella alba.

Basella alba is a frequently consumed leafy vegetable. However, research on its nutritional components is limited. This study aimed to explore the variation in the nutritional components and antioxidant capacity of different cultivars and organs of Basella alba. Here, we primarily chose classical spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to characterize the variation in nutritional components and antioxidant capacity among different organs (inflorescences, green fruits, black fruits, leaves, and stems) of eight typical cultivars of Basella alba. The determination indices (and methods) included the total soluble sugar (anthrone colorimetry), total soluble protein (the Bradford method), total chlorophyll (the ethanol-extracting method), total carotenoids (the ethanol-extracting method), total ascorbic acid (the HPLC method), total proanthocyanidins (the p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde method), total flavonoids (AlCl3 colorimetry), total phenolics (the Folin method), and antioxidant capacity (the FRAP and ABTS methods). The results indicated that M5 and M6 exhibited advantages in their nutrient contents and antioxidant capacities. Additionally, the inflorescences demonstrated the highest total ascorbic acid and total phenolic contents, while the green and black fruits exhibited relatively high levels of total proanthocyanidins and antioxidant capacity. In a comparison between the green and black fruits, the green fruits showed higher levels of total chlorophyll (0.77-1.85 mg g-1 DW), total proanthocyanidins (0.62-2.34 mg g-1 DW), total phenolics (15.28-27.35 mg g-1 DW), and ABTS (43.39-59.16%), while the black fruits exhibited higher levels of total soluble protein (65.45-89.48 mg g-1 DW) and total soluble sugar (56.40-207.62 mg g-1 DW) in most cultivars. Chlorophyll, carotenoids, and flavonoids were predominantly found in the leaves of most cultivars, whereas the total soluble sugar contents were highest in the stems of most cultivars. Overall, our findings underscore the significant influence of the cultivars on the nutritional composition of Basella alba. Moreover, we observed notable variations in the nutrient contents among the different organs of the eight cultivars, and proanthocyanidins may contribute significantly to the antioxidant activity of the fruits. On the whole, this study provides a theoretical basis for the genetic breeding of Basella alba and dietary nutrition and serves as a reference for the comprehensive utilization of this vegetable.

Case report: Mutation evolution in a patient with TdT positive high grade B cell lymphoma with MYC and BCL2 rearrangements following the treatment of concurrent follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Concurrent follicular lymphoma (FL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)was reported in some studies, while the diagnosis of TdT (terminal deoxynucleotydil transferase) positive high grade B cell lymphoma (HGBL) with MYC and BCL2 rearrangements ("double hit") transformed from FL/DLBCL has been rarely reported. Herein, we described the clinical features and mutation profiles of a case diagnosed with TdT positive "double hit" HGBL following the treatment of FL/DLBCL. CASE PRESENTATION: This is a 43-year-old Chinese man who was diagnosed with low grade FL (account for 80%) combined with DLBCL (20%) at a stage of IVB. The patient presented with BCL2/IGH translocation without MYC rearrangement, as well as the expressions of CD20, CD19, CD10 and BCL2 at the initial diagnosis of FL/DLBCL. MYC rearrangement and TdT expression occurred after the treatment. The targeted sequencing revealed mutations in KMT2D, FOXO1, CREBBP, ATM, STAT6, BCL7A, DDX3X, MUC4, FGFR3, ARID5B, DDX11 and PRKCSH genes were the co-mutations shared by the FL/DLBCL and TdT positive "double hit" HGBL, while CCND3, BIRC6, ROBO1 and CHEK2 mutations specifically occurred after the treatment. The overall survival time was 37.8 and 17.8 months after the initial diagnosis of FL/DLBCL and TdT positive "double hit" HGBL, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study reports a rare case of TdT positive "double hit" HGBL following the treatment of concurrent FL/DLBCL and highlights the mutation characteristics. Collectively, this study will help enrich the knowledge of TdT positive "double hit" HGBL transformed from FL/DLBCL.

In Situ Fabrication of Silver Nanoparticle-Decorated Polymeric Vesicles for Antibacterial Applications.

Silver/polymeric vesicle composite nanoparticles with good antibacterial properties were fabricated in this study. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared in situ on cross-linked vesicle membranes through the reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO3) using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) via coordination bonding between the Ag+ ions and the nitrogen atoms on the vesicles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses confirmed the formation of AgNPs on the vesicles. The antibacterial test demonstrated good antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) for the produced AgNP-decorated vesicles. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the AgNP-decorated vesicles for E. coli and S. aureus were 8.4 and 9.6 µg/mL, respectively. Cell viability analysis on the A549 cells indicated that the toxicity was low when the AgNP concentrations did not exceed the MIC values, and the wound healing test confirmed the good antibacterial properties of the AgNP-decorated vesicles.

Directed Assembly of Ordered Mixed-Spacer Quasi-2D Halide Perovskites through Homomeric Chains of Intermolecular Bonds.

Two-dimensional (2D) halide perovskites (HPs) are of significant interest to researchers because of their natural structural frameworks and intriguing optoelectronic properties. However, the direct fabrication of ordered mixed-spacer quasi-2D HPs remains challenging. Herein, a synthetic strategy inspired by the principle of supramolecular synthons is employed for the self-assembly of a series of ordered mixed-spacer bilayered HPs. The key innovation involves the introduction of intermolecular hydrogen bonds using a bifunctional 3-aminopropionitrile cation. Three homogeneous n = 2 structures are obtained, with a subtly ordered perovskite connected by two distinct types of organic cation layers, resulting in a recurrent ABAB' stacking sequence. These three compounds exhibit attractive semiconducting properties. Moderate bandgaps in the range of 2.70 to 2.76 eV with an absorption wavelength range of 448-459 nm exhibit excellent photoelectric response. Moreover, the ordered structures facilitate excellent polarization-sensitive photodetection, with an impressive on/off ratio of 103. The response speed ranged from 298 to 381 µs, and the out-of-plane polarization-related dichroism ratio is determined to be 1.19. Such ordered mixed-spacer bilayered perovskites have not been reported. These results enrich the HPs system and play a significant role in the direct assembly of novel perovskites with ordered structures.

Prediction of potential suitable habitats in the 21st century and GAP analysis of priority conservation areas of Chionanthus retusus based on the MaxEnt and Marxan models.

Chionanthus retusus (C. retusus) has a high economic and medicinal value, but in recent years it has been included in the list of China's major protected plants and China's Red List of Biodiversity due to the serious destruction of its wild germplasm resources. Based on 131 sample points of C. retusus, this study simulated potential habitats and spatial changes of C. retusus in the 21st century using the Maxent model combined with the geographic information system ArcGIS, predicted prioritized protected areas by the Marxan model, and assessed current conservation status through GAP analysis. The results showed that (1) when the regularization multiplier was 1.5 and the feature combinations were linear, quadratic, and fragmented, the area under the curve of the subjects in the training and test sets were both above 0.9, the true skill statistic value was 0.80, and the maximum Kappa value was 0.62, meaning that the model had high accuracy; (2) Temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, min temperature for coldest month, and precipitation of wettest month had relatively strong influences on species' ranges. (3) The moderately and optimally suitable habitats of C. retusus were primly located in the areas of southwestern Shanxi, central Hebei, western Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi, Anhui and Hubei; (4) Under different future climate scenarios, the area of each class of suitable habitat will increase for varied amounts compared to the current period, with a general trend of expansion to the south; (5) The C. retusus priority protected areas were mainly located in most of Shandong, southern Liaoning, southwestern Shanxi, western Henan, and central Hebei, and its conservation vacancy area was relatively large compared to its protected area. These results will provide scientific strategies for implementing long-term conservation of C. retusus in China and similar regions under warming conditions in the 21st century.

Boosting Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity of BiOCl Nanosheets via Synergetic Effect of Oxygen Vacancy Engineering and Graphene Quantum Dots-Sensitization.

In recent years, oxygen vacancy (VO) engineering has become a research hotspot in the field of photocatalysis. Herein, an efficient GQDs/BiOCl-VO heterojunction photocatalyst was fabricated by loading graphene quantum dots (GQDs) onto BiOCl nanosheets containing oxygen vacancies. ESR and XPS characterizations confirmed the formation of oxygen vacancy. Combining experimental analysis and DFT calculations, it was found that oxygen vacancy promoted the chemical adsorption of O2, while GQDs accelerated electron transfer. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of oxygen vacancy, GQDs, and dye sensitization, the as-prepared GQDs/BiOCl-VO sample exhibited improved efficiency for RhB degradation under visible-light irradiation. A 2 wt% GQDs/BiOCl-VO composite effectively degraded 98% of RhB within 20 min. The main active species were proven to be hole (h+) and superoxide radical (·O2-) via ESR analysis and radical trapping experiments. This study provided new insights into the effective removal of organic pollutants from water by combining defect engineering and quantum dot doping techniques in heterojunction catalysts.

Effects of glycated serum protein, homocysteine, and cystatin-C levels on pregnancy outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To explore the effects of serum glycated serum protein (GSP), homocysteine (Hcy) and cystatin-C (Cys-C) levels on pregnancy outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: Retrospective selection of 247 pregnant women who underwent normal prenatal examinations in The Yan'an People's Hospital from January 2020 to May 2022 were included in this retrospective study. Among them, 119 were pregnant women with diabetes (GDM-group) and 128 were pregnant women with normal blood glucose (Normal-group). The levels of serum GSP, HCY, CYS-C, and incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups. The clinical value of levels of serum GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. Results: Compared with the Normal-group, the overall incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, serum GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C levels in the GDM-group were significantly higher (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the levels of GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C were independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in the GDM-group (p<0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for diagnosing adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with GDM using serum GSP, Hcy, and CysC levels alone were 0.817, 0.843, and 0.775, respectively. The AUC of the three indicators combined was 0.921, indicating that this combination has a good predictive value for diagnosing adverse outcomes in GDM-complicated pregnancies. Conclusions: GDM is associated with a high risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Levels of serum GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C are higher in patients with GDM. The higher the levels of GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C, the greater the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Combining these three indicators can effectively predict maternal pregnancy outcomes.

Comparative metabolomics reveals complex metabolic shifts associated with nitrogen-induced color development in mature pepper fruit.

Pigments derived from red pepper fruits are widely used in food and cosmetics as natural colorants. Nitrogen (N) is a key nutrient affecting plant growth and metabolism; however, its regulation of color-related metabolites in pepper fruit has not been fully elucidated. This study analyzed the effects of N supply (0, 250, and 400 kg N ha-1) on the growth, fruit skin color, and targeted and non-target secondary metabolites of field-grown pepper fruits at the mature red stage. Overall, 16 carotenoids were detected, of which capsanthin, zeaxanthin, and capsorubin were the dominant ones. N application at 250 kg ha-1 dramatically increased contents of red pigment capsanthin, yellow-orange zeaxanthin and ß-carotene, with optimum fruit yield. A total of 290 secondary metabolites were detected and identified. The relative content of most flavonoids and phenolic acids was decreased with increasing N supply. Correlation analysis showed that color parameters were highly correlated with N application rates, carotenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, and coumarins. Collectively, N promoted carotenoid biosynthesis but downregulated phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis, which together determined the spectrum of red color expression in pepper fruit. Our results provide a better understanding of the impact of N nutrition on pepper fruit color formation and related physiology, and identification of target metabolites for enhancement of nutritional quality and consumer appeal.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Mechanism by Which Exogenous Melatonin Treatment Delays Leaf Senescence of Postharvest Chinese Kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra).

Melatonin, a pleiotropic small molecule, is employed in horticultural crops to delay senescence and preserve postharvest quality. In this study, 100 µM melatonin treatment delayed a decline in the color difference index h* and a*, maintaining the content of chlorophyll and carotenoids, thereby delaying the yellowing and senescence of Chinese kale. Transcriptome analysis unequivocally validates melatonin's efficacy in delaying leaf senescence in postharvest Chinese kale stored at 20 °C. Following a three-day storage period, the melatonin treatment group exhibited 1637 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) compared to the control group. DEG analysis elucidated that melatonin-induced antisenescence primarily governs phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, lipid metabolism, plant signal transduction, and calcium signal transduction. Melatonin treatment up-regulated core enzyme genes associated with general phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and the α-linolenic acid biosynthesis pathway. It influenced the redirection of lignin metabolic flux, suppressed jasmonic acid and abscisic acid signal transduction, and concurrently stimulated auxin signal transduction. Additionally, melatonin treatment down-regulated RBOH expression and up-regulated genes encoding CaM, thereby influencing calcium signal transduction. This study underscores melatonin as a promising approach for delaying leaf senescence and provides insights into the mechanism of melatonin-mediated antisenescence in postharvest Chinese kale.

Preparation of a novel polypyrrole/dolomite composite adsorbent for efficient removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution.

A novel adsorbent, deposited PPy on the DMI (PPy/DMI) composite, was successfully synthesized for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution. PPy/DMI composite was characterized by BET, SEM, TEM, XRD, and XPS. The SEM and TEM analyses revealed that DMI can greatly reduce the aggregation of PPy and significantly enhance its adsorption performance. The Cr(VI) removal was highly pH dependent. The high selectivity of PPy/DMI composite for Cr(VI) removal was found even in the presence of co-existing ions. The adsorption kinetic process followed the pseudo-second-order equation, demonstrating that the Cr(VI) adsorption behavior onto PPy/DMI is chemisorption. Furthermore, the intra-particle diffusion model implied that the adsorption was controlled by both liquid membrane diffusion and internal diffusion. The adsorption isotherm data fitted well with the Langmuir model with the maximum adsorption capacity (406.50 mg/g at 323 K) which was considerably higher than that of other PPy-based adsorbents. The Cr(VI) adsorption onto PPy/DMI composite was endothermic. The main mechanisms of Cr(VI) removal are involved in adsorption through electrostatic attractions, ion exchange, and in situ reduction. The results suggested that PPy/DMI composite could be a promising candidate for efficient Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solution.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Mechanism of Exogenous Selenium in Alleviating Cadmium Stress in Purple Flowering Stalks (Brassica campestris var. purpuraria).

In China, cadmium (Cd) stress has a significant role in limiting the development and productivity of purple flowering stalks (Brassica campestris var. purpuraria). Exogenous selenium supplementation has been demonstrated in earlier research to mitigate the effects of Cd stress in a range of plant species; nevertheless, the physiological and molecular processes by which exogenous selenium increases vegetable shoots' resistance to Cd stress remain unclear. Purple flowering stalks (Brassica campestris var. purpuraria) were chosen as the study subject to examine the effects of treatment with sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) on the physiology and transcriptome alterations of cadmium stress. Purple flowering stalk leaves treated with exogenous selenium had higher glutathione content, photosynthetic capacity, and antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the leaves treated with Cd stress alone. Conversely, the contents of proline, soluble proteins, soluble sugars, malondialdehyde, and intercellular CO2 concentration tended to decrease. Transcriptome analysis revealed that 2643 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were implicated in the response of exogenous selenium treatment to Cd stress. The metabolic pathways associated with flavonoid production, carotenoid synthesis, glutathione metabolism, and glucosinolate biosynthesis were among those enriched in these differentially expressed genes. Furthermore, we discovered DEGs connected to the production route of glucosinolates. This work sheds fresh light on how purple flowering stalks' tolerance to cadmium stress is improved by exogenous selenium.

The 90-Day Survival Threshold: A Pivotal Determinant of Long-Term Prognosis in HBV-ACLF Patients - Insights from a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study.

This work aims to explore the long-term prognosis of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). In this prospective study, eligible inpatients with HBV-ACLF are enrolled and followed up from December 2012 to February 2023, for clinical events, laboratory tests at least every 6 months. Overall, the survival rates at 28 days, 90 days, 1 year, 5 years, and 8 years are 64.7%, 48.8%, 46.1%, 43.8%, and 42.2%, respectively. Among the 8-year mortality and liver transplant cases, ACLF survivors (who survived over 90 days) accounted for 7.8% (9/115). Among 101 patients who survived for more than 90 days, 97.9% of patients achieve virologic response at 1 year. For HBeAg-positive patients, the HBeAg seroconversion are 25.5%, 63.6%, and 76.9% at 1, 5, and 8 years, respectively. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, INR, white blood cell count, and albumin levels gradually improve within the first year. Fibrosis biomarkers APRI, FIB-4 and Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) levels decreases within the first 5 years. The Cox proportional hazards regression reveal that high total bilirubin (HR = 1.008, p = 0.021) is the independent risk factor for 8-year survival of ALCF survivors. The 90-day period following of HBV-ACLF represented a critical juncture for long-term prognosis, revealing favorable outcomes beyond this timeframe.

The gut ileal mucosal virome is disturbed in patients with Crohn's disease and exacerbates intestinal inflammation in mice.

Gut bacteriome dysbiosis is known to be implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohn's disease (CD) is an IBD subtype with extensive mucosal inflammation, yet the mucosal virome, an empirical modulator of the bacteriome and mucosal immunity, remains largely unclear regarding its composition and role. Here, we exploited trans-cohort CD patients and healthy individuals to compositionally and functionally investigate the small bowel (terminal ileum) virome and bacteriome. The CD ileal virome was characterised by an under-representation of both lytic and temperate bacteriophages (especially those targeting bacterial pathogens), particularly in patients with flare-up. Meanwhile, the virome-bacteriome ecology in CD ileal mucosa was featured by a lack of Bifidobacterium- and Lachnospiraceae-led mutualistic interactions between bacteria and bacteriophages; surprisingly it was more pronounced in CD remission than flare-up, underlining the refractory and recurrent nature of mucosal inflammation in CD. Lastly, we substantiated that ileal virions from CD patients causally exacerbated intestinal inflammation in IBD mouse models, by reshaping a gut virome-bacteriome ecology preceding intestinal inflammation (microbial trigger) and augmenting microbial sensing/defence pathways in the intestine cells (host response). Altogether, our results highlight the significance of mucosal virome in CD pathogenesis and importance of mucosal virome restoration in CD therapeutics.

Adult rhabdomyosarcoma combined with acute myeloid leukemia: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Rhabdomyosarcoma is a tumor of mesenchymal origin. Secondary leukemia is a complication of previous transformation to other hematologic disorders or is a treatment-related acute myeloid leukemia secondary to cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiation therapy for other malignancies. CASE SUMMARY: We present the case of a 36-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma and acute myeloid leukemia. Further disease progression was observed after multiline chemotherapy. Eventually, the patient suffered cerebral hemorrhage, which resulted in death. CONCLUSION: The incidence of rhabdomyosarcoma in adults is extremely low, and secondary leukemia caused by rhabdomyosarcoma is even rarer. Secondary leukemia has a very poor prognosis and a low overall survival rate.

Monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma with bone marrow involved: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Monomorphic epithelial intestinal T-cell lymphoma (MEITL) is a rare type of peripheral T-cell lymphoma. The clinical manifestations are diarrhea, abdominal pain, perforation and an abdominal mass. CASE SUMMARY: We present a 52-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with MEITL. Further disease progression was observed after multiline chemotherapy. Eventually, the patient died of a severe infection. CONCLUSION: MEITL is a rare intestinal primary T-cell lymphoma with aggressive behavior, a high risk of severe life-threatening complications, and a poor prognosis.

Response of tree growth to drought variability in arid areas: Local hydroclimate and large-scale precipitation.

The impact of drought on terrestrial ecosystems is increasing, and the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of drought changes exacerbates the difficulty of determining ecosystem responses, especially in arid regions far from oceans. Tree rings have been widely used to understand how forest ecosystems respond to drought. However, the link between local hydroclimate variations related to tree rings and large-scale climate changes is not clear in the Qilian Mountains. Here, we used the tree ring width index to analyze the trend of Picea crassifolia growth and its relationship with climate in the middle Qilian Mountains. The results showed that the radial growth trend of Picea crassifolia is synchronized in the middle Qilian Mountains by calculating the Gleichläufigkeit index (GLK). Our analyses indicated that tree radial growth is positively correlated with drought during the growing season. Tree growth responds stably to drought (scPDSI and SPEI) and precipitation but unstably to temperature during 1950-2019. We further traced the meteorological factors that cause regional drought changes associated with radial growth. An increased total precipitation and decreased evaporation contribute to drought alleviation, favoring an increased tree radial growth. The increased total precipitation is mainly due to increased large-scale precipitation, which is related to water vapor transport changes. This study attempts to explore the influence of large-scale meteorology on regional drought change and its related tree radial growth response, which helps us to better understand the changes in forest ecosystems under climate change.

Atypical brain lateralization for speech processing at the sublexical level in autistic children revealed by fNIRS.

Autistic children often exhibit atypical brain lateralization of language processing, but it is unclear what aspects of language contribute to this phenomenon. This study employed functional near-infrared spectroscopy to measure hemispheric lateralization by estimating hemodynamic responses associated with processing linguistic and non-linguistic auditory stimuli. The study involved a group of autistic children (N = 20, mean age = 5.8 years) and a comparison group of nonautistic peers (N = 20, mean age = 6.5 years). The children were presented with stimuli with systematically decreasing linguistic relevance: naturalistic native speech, meaningless native speech with scrambled word order, nonnative speech, and music. The results revealed that both groups showed left lateralization in the temporal lobe when listening to naturalistic native speech. However, the distinction emerged between autism and nonautistic in terms of processing the linguistic hierarchy. Specifically, the nonautistic comparison group demonstrated a systematic reduction in left lateralization as linguistic relevance decreased. In contrast, the autism group displayed no such pattern and showed no lateralization when listening to scrambled native speech accompanied by enhanced response in the right hemisphere. These results provide evidence of atypical neural specialization for spoken language in preschool- and school-age autistic children and shed new light on the underlying linguistic correlates contributing to such atypicality at the sublexical level.