Comparison of different preoperative objective nutritional indices for evaluating 30-d mortality and complications after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND The nutritional status is closely related to the prognosis of liver transplant re-cipients,but few studies have reported the role of preoperative objective nutri-tional indices in predicting liver transplant outcomes.AIM To compare the predictive value of various preoperative objective nutritional indicators for determining 30-d mortality and complications following liver transplantation(LT).METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 162 recipients who underwent LT at our institution from December 2019 to June 2022.RESULTS This study identified several independent risk factors associated with 30-d mor-tality,including blood loss,the prognostic nutritional index(PNI),the nutritional risk index(NRI),and the control nutritional status.The 30-d mortality rate was 8.6%.Blood loss,the NRI,and the PNI were found to be independent risk factors for the occurrence of severe postoperative complications.The NRI achieved the highest prediction values for 30-d mortality[area under the curve(AUC)=0.861,P<0.001]and severe complications(AUC=0.643,P=0.011).Compared to those in the high NRI group,the low patients in the NRI group had lower preoperative body mass index and prealbumin and albumin levels,as well as higher alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin levels,Model for End-stage Liver Disease scores and prothrombin time(P<0.05).Furthermore,the group with a low NRI exhibited significantly greater incidences of intraabdominal bleeding,primary graft nonfunction,and mortality.CONCLUSION The NRI has good predictive value for 30-d mortality and severe complications following LT.The NRI could be an effective tool for transplant surgeons to evaluate perioperative nutritional risk and develop relevant nutritional therapy.

Analysis of infections in the first 3-month after living donor liver transplantation

AIM:To identify factors related to serious postoperative bacterial and fungal infections in the first 3 mo after living donor liver transplantation(LDLT).METHODS:In the present study,the data of 207 patients from 2004 to 2011 were reviewed.The pre-,intra-and post-operative factors were statistically analyzed.All transplantations were approved by the ethics committee of West China Hospital,Sichuan University.Patients with definitely preoperative infections and infections within 48 h after transplantation were excluded from current study.All potential risk factors were analyzed using univariate analyses.Factors significant at a P < 0.10 in the univariate analyses were involved in the multivariate analyses.The diagnostic accuracy of the identified risk factors was evaluated using receiver operating curve.RESULTS:The serious bacterial and fungal infection rates were 14.01% and 4.35% respectively.Enterococcus faecium was the predominant bacterial pathogen,whereas Candida albicans was the most common fungal pathogen.Lung was the most common infection site for both bacterial and fungal infections.Recipient age older than 45 years,preoperative hyponatremia,intensive care unit stay longer than 9 d,postoperative bile leak and severe hyperglycemia were independent risk factors for postoperative bacterial infection.Massive red blood cells transfusion and postoperative bacterial infection may be related to postoperative fungal infection.CONCLUSION:Predictive risk factors for bacterial and fungal infections were indentified in current study.Pre-,intra-and post-operative factors can cause postoperative bacterial and fungal infections after LDLT.

Automatic data archiving and visualization at HLS-Ⅱ

The control system of Hefei Light Source II(HLS-Ⅱ) is a distributed system based on the experimental physics and industrial control system(EPICS). It is necessary to maintain the central configuration files for the existing archiving system. When the process variables in the control system are added, removed, or updated, the configuration files must be manually modified to maintain consistency with the control system. This paper presents a new method for data archiving, which realizes the automatic configuration of the archiving parameters. The system uses microservice architecture to integrate the EPICS Archiver Appliance and Rec Sync. In this way, the system can collect all the archived meta-configuration from the distributed input/output controllers and enter them into the EPICS Archiver Appliance automatically. Furthermore, we also developed a web-based GUI to provide automatic visualization of real-time and historical data. At present,this system is under commissioning at HLS-Ⅱ. The results indicate that the new archiving system is reliable and convenient to operate. The operation mode without maintenance is valuable for large-scale scientific facilities.

Novel assays for quality evaluation of XueBiJing:Quality variability of a Chinese herbal injection for sepsis management

XueBiJing is an intravenous five-herb injection used to treat sepsis in China.The study aimed to develop a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS)-or liquid chromatography-ultraviolet(LC-UV)-based assay for quality evaluation of XueBiJing.Assay development involved identifying marker constituents to make the assay therapeutically relevant and building a reliable one-point calibrator for monitoring the various analytes in parallel.Nine marker constituents from the five herbs were selected based on XueBiJing's chemical composition,pharmacokinetics,and pharmacodynamics.A selectivity test(for“similarity of response”)was developed to identify and minimize interference by nontarget constituents.Then,an intercept test was developed to fulfill“linearity through zero”for each analyte(absolute ratio of intercept to C response,<2%).Using the newly developed assays,we analyzed samples from 33 batches of XueBiJing,manufactured over three years,and found small batch-to-batch variability in contents of the marker constituents(4.1%-14.8%),except for senkyunolide I(26.5%).

High-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma in the liver: A case report

Only two cases of myofibroblastic sarcoma in the liver have been reported in the literature. Here, we report the case of a male patient with high-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma mimicking echinococcosis in the liver. The 25-year-old male patient complained of right upper quadrant swelling pain for one week and was initially diagnosed with echinococcosis. He was then scheduled for an exploratory laparotomy. During the operation, a huge mass exceeding 16 cm in diameter was found to occupy nearly the entire right trisegment of the liver, with a clear boundary and a round shape, and the mass was resected by right hepatic trisegmentectomy. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the tumor tissue was positive for desmin, alpha-smooth muscle actin, CD56, and vimentin and negative for ALK-1, myogenin, calponin, beta-catenin, S100, and glypican-3, with a Ki-67 (MIB-1) index of approximately 20%. Based on the histological manifestations and immunohistochemical staining, a diagnosis of myofibroblastic sarcoma was established. The postoperative recovery was uneventful. There was no evidence of recurrence or metastasis through the last follow-up, 6 mo after surgery, despite a lack of postoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy. To the best of our knowledge, the present case is the first reported case of high-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma in the liver, and it is also the first reported case in a male patient.

Commissioning the photocathode radio frequency gun:a candidate electron source for Hefei Advanced Light Facility

The Hefei Advanced Light Facility(HALF)proposed by the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory(NSRL)is a diffraction-limited storage ring(DLSR),which plans to use a full energy linac as the injector.To ensure injection efficiency,the injection beam needs to have low emittance.Therefore,a photocathode radio frequency(RF)gun was developed in the HALF R&D project.The gun is designed to deliver high-quality electron bunches with a typically 0.5 nC charge and~4.5 MeV energy with low emittance.The initial system commission with an electron beam was completed at the end of 2020,and a stable 1.2–1.4 mm.mrad emittance with a bunch charge of 500 pC was demonstrated.In this paper,we report the experimental results and experience obtained during the commission,including the RF gun,drive laser system,and beam diagnostics.

Clinical value of regional lymph node sorting in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Increasing evidence have shown that regional lymph node metastasis is a critical prognostic factor in gastric cancer(GC).In addition,lymph node dissection is a key factor in determining the appropriate treatment for GC.However,the association between the number of positive lymph nodes and area of lymph node metastasis in GC remains unclear.AIM To investigate the clinical value of regional lymph node sorting after radical gastrectomy for GC.METHODS This study included 661 patients with GC who underwent radical gastrectomy at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital between January 2012 and June 2020.The patients were divided into regional sorting and non-sorting groups.Clinicopathological data were collected and retrospectively reviewed to determine the differences in the total number of lymph nodes and number of positive lymph nodes between the groups.Independent sample t-tests were used for intergroup comparisons.Continuous variables that did not conform to a normal distribution were expressed as median(interquartile range),and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for inter-group comparisons.RESULTS There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of the surgical method,tumor site,immersion depth,and degree of differentiation.The total number of lymph nodes was significantly higher in the regional sorting group(n=324)than in the non-sorting group(n=337)(32.5 vs 21.2,P<0.001).There was no significant difference in the number of positive lymph nodes between the two groups.A total of 212 patients with GC had lymph node metastasis in the lymph node regional sorting group,including 89(41.98%)cases in the first dissection station and 123(58.02%)cases in the second dissection station.Binary and multivariate logistic regression results showed that the number of positive lymph nodes(P<0.001)was an independent risk factor for lymph node metastases at the second dissection station.CONCLUSION Regional sorting of lymph nodes after radical gastrectomy may increase the number of detected lymph nodes,thereby improving the reliability and accuracy of lymph node staging in clinical practice.

Correlation analysis of collagen proportionate area in Budd-Chiari syndrome: A preliminary clinicopathological study

BACKGROUND Collagen proportionate area(CPA) is an important index for assessing the severity of liver fibrosis. Budd-Chiari syndrome can frequently progress to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. CPA might play an important role in the pathological progress of Budd-Chiari syndrome.AIM To explore the role of CPA in predicting the outcomes of patients with BuddChiari syndrome.METHODS Nine patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome undergoing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS) were included. The median CPA level and correlation of CPA and prognosis of TIPS were determined.RESULTS Median CPA was 23.07%(range: 0%-40.20%). Pearson's χ2 test demonstrated a significant correlation of CPA with history of gastrointestinal bleeding(Pearson's coefficient: 0.832, P = 0.005), alanine aminotransferase(Pearson's coefficient:-0.694, P = 0.038), and prothrombin time(Pearson's coefficient: 0.68, P = 0.044).Although CPA was not significantly correlated with shunt dysfunction or hepatic encephalopathy after TIPS, the absolute CPA was relatively larger in patients who developed shunt dysfunction or hepatic encephalopathy after TIPS.CONCLUSION This preliminary clinicopathological study found a marginal effect of CPA on the outcomes of Budd-Chiari syndrome patients treated with TIPS.

Correction to:Research on tune feedback of the Hefei Light Source Ⅱ based on machine learning

In the paragraph 3 of Section 5.1 of the oniginal article,an effect digit number is missed in the last line of the listed situation(D),ie,line 15 of upper left column of type-setting in Page 5.The original text"(0.4448±0.0005,0359±0.00009)(see Fig.7)."

Novel design of a personnel safety system for Hefei Light Source-Ⅱ

The Hefei Light Source-Ⅱ(HLS-Ⅱ) is a vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron light source. The personnel safety system (PSS), which is a personnel access control system, is a crucial part of the HLS-Ⅱ, as it protects the staff and users at HLS-Ⅱfrom radiation damages. The prior version of HLS-Ⅱ PSS was based on an access control system called SiPass. This lacked the personnel management function. Meanwhile, as the prior PSS is a turn-key system, it was not effective for sharing information. To overcome these drawbacks, the novel design of PSS for HLS-Ⅱ is proposed based on the Siemens redundant programmable logic controller under the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System. The proposed PSS consists of a safety interlock system, access control system, and a radiation monitoring system. The safety interlock system is used to define the interlock logic. The access control system is designed to restrict the access of staff and users at HLS-Ⅱ, and to provide a personnel management function. The radiation monitoring system is used to monitor the radiation dose rate in both the light source and the surrounding areas. This paper details the architecture and the specific design of the novel PSS. The off-line test results demonstrate that the proposed system has achieved the design objectives.

Assay development for determination of DZ2002, a new reversible SAHH inhibitor, and its acid metabolite DZA in blood and application to rat pharmacokinetic study

Methyl(S)-4-(6-amino-9 H-purin-9-yl)-2-hydroxybutanoate(DZ2002) is a potent reversible inhibitor of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase(SAHH). Due to its ester structure, DZ2002 is rapidly hydrolyzed in rat blood to 4-(6-amino-9 H-purin-9-yl)-2-hydroxybutyric acid(DZA) during and after blood sampling from rats; this hampers accurate determination of the circulating DZ2002 and its acid metabolite DZA in rats. To this end, a method for determining the blood concentrations of DZ2002 and DZA in rats was developed by using methanol to immediately deactivate blood carboxylesterases during sampling. The newly developed bioanalytical assay possessed favorable accuracy and precision with lower limit of quantification of 31 nM for DZ2002 and DZA. This validated assay was applied to a rat pharmacokinetic study of DZ2002. After oral administration, DZ2002 was found to be extensively converted into DZA. The level of systemic exposure to DZ2002 was significantly lower than that of DZA. The apparent oral bioavailability of DZ2002 was 90%–159%. The mean terminal half-lives of DZ2002 and DZA were 0.3–0.9 and 1.3–5.1 h, respectively. The sample preparation method illustrated here may be adopted for determination of other circulating ester drugs and their acid metabolites in rodents.

A valine residue deletion in ZmSig2A, a sigma factor, accounts for a revertible leaf-color mutation in maize

A nuclear-encoded sigma(σ) factor is essential for the transcriptional regulation of plant chloroplastencoded genes. Five putative maize r factors have been identified by database searches, but their functions are unknown. We report a maize leaf color mutant etiolated/albino leaf 1(eal1) that was derived from space mutation breeding. The eal1 mutant displays etiolated or albino leaves that then gradually turn to normal green at the seedling stage. The changes in eal1 leaf color are associated with changes in photosynthetic pigment content and chloroplast development. Map-based cloning revealed that a single amino-acid deletion changing Val_(480)-Val_(481)-Val_(482) to Val_(480)-Val_(481), in the C-terminal domain σ_(4) of the putative σ factor ZmSig2A, is responsible for the eal1 mutation. In comparison with the expression level of the wild-type(WT) allele ZmSig2A^(+) in WT plants, much higher expression of the mutant allele ZmSig2A^(⊿V) in eal1 plants was detected before the eal1 plants turned to normal green. ZmSig2A shows the highest similarity to rice OsSig2A and Arabidopsis SIG2. Ectopic expression of ZmSig2A^(+) or ZmSig2A^(⊿V) driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus 35 S promoter rescued the pale green leaf of the sig2 mutant, but ectopic expression of ZmSig2A^(⊿V) driven by the SIG2 promoter did not. We propose that the Val deletion generated a new weak allele of ZmSig2A that cannot completely abolish the ZmSig2A function. Some genes involved in chloroplast development and photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes showed significant expression differences between eal1 and WT plants. We conclude that ZmSig2A encoding a r factor is essential for maize chloroplast development. The eal1 mutant with a weak allele of ZmSig2A represents a valuable genetic resource for investigating the regulation of ZmSig2A-mediated chloroplast development in maize.The eal1 mutation may be useful as a marker for early identification and elimination of false hybrids or transgene transmission in the application of genetic male sterility to commercial hybrid seed production.

The influence of genetic polymorphisms in drug metabolism enzymes and transporters on the pharmacokinetics of different fluvastatin formulations

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of genetic polymorphism on fluvastatin pharmacokinetics.In addition,we compared the fluvastatin pharmacokinetics differences between extended-release(ER)80 mg tablet and immediate-release(IR)40 mg capsule in terms of drug metabolism enzyme and transporter genetic polymorphisms.In this open-label,randomized,two-period,two-treatment,crossover study(n=24),effects of ABCG2,SLCO1B1,ABCB1,CYP2C9 and CYP3A5 polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of fluvastatin were analyzed.The administration dosage for IR 40 mg and ER 80 mg were twice and once daily,respectively,for total 7 d.Blood samples for pharmacokinetic evaluation were taken on the 1st and 7th d.The lower exposure following ER was observed.For ER tablets,SLCO1B1 T521C genotype correlated with AUC 0-24 of repeat doses(P=0.010).SLCO1B1 T521C genotype had no statistically significant effect on AUC 0-24 of IR capsule of fluvastatin after single or repeated doses.In vitro study demonstrated that when the concentration of fluvastatin was low(<1μmol/l),the uptake of fluvastatin in the HEK293-OATP1B1 with SLCO1B1521TT(K m=0.18μmol/l)was faster than that with SLCO1B1521CC(K m=0.49μmol/l),On the other hand,when concentration reached to higher level(>1μmol/l),transport velocity of fluvastatin by HEK293-OATP1B1 with SLCO1B1521TT(K m=11.4μmol/l)and with SLCO1B1521TCC(K m=15.1μmol/l)tend to be the same.It suggests that the increased effect of SLCO1B1 T521C genotype on ER formulation of fluvastatin was mainly caused by lower blood concentrations.We recommend that formulation should be incorporated into future pharmacogenomics studies.

Research on tune feedback of the Hefei Light SourceⅡbased on machine learning

The theory of tune feedback correction and the principle of a feedback algorithm based on machine learning are introduced,with a focus on the application of lasso regression for tune feedback correction.Simulation verification and online feedback correction results are presented.The results show that,after applying machine learning,the feedback accuracy of the tune feedback system was higher,and the betatron tune stability was further improved.

SARS Patients-derived Human Recombinant Antibodies to S and M Proteins Efficiently Neutralize SARS-Coronavirus Infectivity

Objective To develop a specific SARS virus-targeted antibody preparation for emergent prophylaxis and treatment of SARS virus infection. Methods By using phage display technology, we constructed a naive antibody library from convalescent SARS patient lymphocytes. To obtain the neutralizing antibody to SARS virus surface proteins, the library panning procedure was performed on purified SARS virions and the specific Fab antibody clones were enriched by four rounds of repeated panning procedure and screened by highthroughput selection. The selected Fab antibodies expressed in the periplasma of E. coli were soluble and further purified and tested for their binding properties and antiviral function to SARS virus. The functional Fab antibodies were converted to full human IgG antibodies with recombinant baculovirus/insect cell systems and their neutralizing activities were further determined. Results After four rounds of the panning, a number of SARS-CoV virus-targeted human recombinant Fab antibodies were isolated from the SARS patient antibody library. Most of these were identified to recognize both natural and recombinant SARS spike （S） proteins, two Fab antibodies were specific for the virus membrane （M） protein, only one bound to SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein. The SARS-CoV S and M protein-targeted Fab or IgG antibodies showed significant neutralizing activities in cytopathic effect （CPE） inhibition neutralization test, these antibodies were able to completely neutralize the SARS virus and protect the Vero cells from CPE after virus infection. However, the N protein-targeted Fab or IgG antibodies failed to neutralize the virus. In addition, the SARS N protein-targeted human Fab antibody reacted with the denatured N proteins, whereas none of the S and M protein specific neutralizing antibodies did. These results suggested that the S and M protein-specific neutralizing antibodies could recognize conformational epitopes which might be involved in the binding of virions to cellular receptors and the fusion activity of the virus Conclusion The SARS-CoV spike protein and membrane proteins are able to elicite efficient neutralizing antibodies in SARS patients. The neutralizing antibodies we generated in this study may be more promising candidates for prophylaxis and treatment of SARS infection.

ZmMS39 encodes a callose synthase essential for male fertility in maize(Zea mays L.)

Callose contributes to many biological processes of higher plants including pollen development,cell plate and vascular tissue formation,as well as regulating the transport function of plasmodesmata.The functions of callose synthase genes in maize have been little studied.We describe a maize male-sterile mutant 39(ms39)characterized by reduced plant height.In this study,we confirmed using CRISPR/Cas9 technology that a mutation in Zm00001d043909(ZmCals12),encoding a callose synthase,is responsible for the male sterility of the ms39 mutant.Compared with male-fertile plants,callose deposition around the dyads and tetrads in ms39 anthers was significantly reduced.Increased cell autophagy observed in ms39 anthers may have been due to the premature programmed cell death of tapetal cells,leading to collapse of the anther wall structure.Disordered glucose metabolism in ms39 may have intensified autophagy in anthers.Evaluation of the ms39 gene on maize heterosis by paired-crossed experiment with 11 maize inbred lines indicated that ms39 can be used for maize hybrid seed production.

Metal Ion Complexation of Bilirubin Monolayer

The surface pressure-area isotherms of bilirubin (BR) monolayers at an air-water interface on subphases with and without metal ions were investigated. The formation of BR-metal complexes leads to changes in the shape of isotherms of BR and changes in UV-visible absorption spectra of the monolayer assemblies. In XPS spectra new XPS peaks assigned to the metal ions containing subphases appeared. Low-angle X-ray diffraction indicates this Y-type LB films of MBR were formed with bilayer spacing of ca. 2.1 nm.

云南不同入侵地区的加拿大一枝黄花表型观测分析

旨在明确加拿大一枝黄花在云南省11个不同发生地区的生态适应性。在同质园条件下分别观测其植物性状及差异。试验可以看出,不同入侵地区发生的加拿大一枝黄花,在同质园条件下进一步的生长、繁殖特征差异显著,其中根萌芽性状指数的变异幅度达到了54.23%,茎秆直径、叶宽和叶形指数变异幅度为23.63%~26.31%。在生物量分配比中,花生物量分配占比最高的植株来自文山州丘北县,叶生物量分配占比最高的植株来自昆明西山区,茎秆生物量分配占比最高的植株来自昆明盘龙区,根部生物量分配占比最高的同样来自昆明盘龙区。进一步测定加拿大一枝黄花POD、SOD、CAT、MDA酶活,来自11个不同入侵地区和生境的植株群体表现出显著差异,其中以文山州丘北点和昆明盘龙点的加拿大一枝黄花植株的茎秆、株高和酶活等性状表现较为突出。通过聚类分析发现植物性状中叶表现出一定差异性,但在气候因子的偏相关性分析中发现,原始地的气候因子对加拿大一枝黄花的影响较小。结果表明,加拿大一枝黄花的植物性状基本稳定一致,但不同入侵地区由于环境条件的不同,表型具有一定差异和可塑性。研究结果对明确该加拿大一枝黄花在云南省的生态适应性奠定重要科学基础,同时为预警、监测及防范该入侵植物的扩展提供科学依据。

Recent Advances in Aqueous Zn||MnO_(2)Batteries

Recently,rechargeable aqueous zinc-based batteries using manganese oxide as the cathode(e.g.,MnO_(2))have gained attention due to their inherent safety,environmental friendliness,and low cost.Despite their potential,achieving high energy density in Zn||MnO_(2)batteries remains challenging,highlighting the need to understand the electrochemical reaction mechanisms underlying these batteries more deeply and optimize battery components,including electrodes and electrolytes.This review comprehensively summarizes the latest advancements for understanding the electrochemistry reaction mechanisms and designing electrodes and electrolytes for Zn||MnO_(2)batteries in mildly and strongly acidic environments.Furthermore,we highlight the key challenges hindering the extensive application of Zn||MnO_(2)batteries,including high-voltage requirements and areal capacity,and propose innovative solutions to overcome these challenges.We suggest that MnO_(2)/Mn^(2+)conversion in neutral electrolytes is a crucial aspect that needs to be addressed to achieve high-performance Zn||MnO_(2)batteries.These approaches could lead to breakthroughs in the future development of Zn||MnO_(2)batteries,off ering a more sustainable,costeff ective,and high-performance alternative to traditional batteries.

A novel semi-dominant allele of the transmembrane NAC transcription factor ZmNTL2 reduces the size of multiple maize organs

Maize plant architecture influences planting density and,in turn,grain yield.Most of the plant architecture-related traits can be described as organ size.We describe a miniature maize mutant,Tiny plant 4(Tip4),which exhibits reduced size of multiple organs and exhibits a semi-dominant monofactorial inheritance characteristic.Positional cloning confirmed that a 4-bp deletion in the NAC TF with transmembrane motif 1-Like(NTL)gene ZmNTL2,denoted as ZmNTL2^(Δ),confers the Tip4 mutation.qRT-PCR showed that ZmNTL2 was expressed in all tested tissues.ZmNTL2 functions as a transcriptional activator and is located in both the nucleus and biomembranes.The mutation does not affect the mRNA abundance of ZmNTL2 locus,but it does result in the loss of transmembrane domain and confines the ZmNTL2^(Δ)protein to the nucleus.Knocking out ZmNTL2 has no effect on maize organ size development,indicating that the 4-bp deletion might be a gain-of-function mutation in organ size regulation.Combining transcriptome sequencing with cytokinin and auxin content determination suggests that the decreased organ size may be possibly mediated by changes in hormone homeostasis.