18F-FES PET/CT Research Progress in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer

Estrogen receptor(ER) is a vital biomarker in the development and development of breast cancer, and its status has great clinical value in clinical treatment strategy, endocrine therapy efficacy prediction, and breast cancer prognosis. By specifically combining 18F-FES with ER, 18F-FES PET/CT imaging uses standard uptake value(SUV) to semi-quantitatively reflect the distribution of ER and its biological activity in patients, and assesses the expression of ER in breast cancer patients about primary and metastases before or after treatment, to provide a basis for personalized treatment of breast cancer. In this review, we will review the imaging principles of a new ER detection method 18F-FES PET/CT, and the research progress in the clinical application of breast cancer, and compare its diagnostic and treatment value with non-specific tumor imaging 18F-FDG PET/CT in breast cancer.

Analysis of the Role of D-Dimer,Interleukin-6,and Interleukin-18 in Differential Diagnosis of Pediatric Refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia

Objective:To analyze the value of D-dimer(D-D),interleukin-6(IL-6),and IL-18 in the differential diagnosis of children with refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(RMPP).Methods:The medical records of 92 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)treated in the hospital were selected for retrospective analysis from January 2023 to January 2024.After comprehensive examinations such as computed tomography examination of the chest,48 children with general Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(GMPP)were put in the GMPP group and 44 children with RMPP were grouped in the RMPP group.The IL-6,IL-18,and D-D levels were compared between the two groups,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were plotted to analyze their value for differential diagnosis of RMPP.Results:The levels of IL-6,IL-18,and D-D in the RMPP group were higher than those in the GMPP group(P<0.05);the ROC curves showed that the specificity of the differential diagnosis of IL-6,IL-18,and D-D was higher,and their diagnostic value was significant.Conclusion:Determination of IL-6,IL-18,and D-D levels in children with MPP can further diagnose the children’s condition,which can help physicians formulate targeted treatment plans,and is of great significance to the improvement of the children’s condition,which is worthy of attention.

Significant value of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in diagnosing small cervical lymph node metastases in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy

Background: Little is known about the nature of metaistasis to small cervical lymph nodes(SCLNS) in the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)examined by using 18-fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose(^(18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT).The present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic values of PET/CT in identifying metastasis in SCLNs in NPC patients.Methods: Magnetic resonance images(MRI) and PET/CT scans for 470 patients with newly diagnosed, non-distant metastatic NPC were analyzed. Metastatic rates of SCLNs were defined by the positive number of SCLNs on PET/CT scans and total number of SCLNs on MRI scans. Receiver operating characteristic curve was applied to compare PET/CT-determined stage with MRI-determined stage.Results: In total, 2082 SCLNs were identified, with 808(38.8%) ≥ 5 and < 6 mm in diameter(group A), 526(25.3%)≥ 6 and < 7 mm in diameter(group B),374(18.0%)≥ 7 and < 8 mm in diameter(group C), 237(11.4%) ≥8 and<9 mm in diameter(group D),and 137(6.5%) ≥ 9 and <10 mm in diameter(group E).The overall metastatic rates examined by using PET/CT for groups A, B,C,D, and E were 3.5%, 8.0%, 31.3%, 60.0%, and 83.9%, respectively(P< 0.001). In level IV/Vb, the metastatic rate for nodes ≥ 8 mm was 84.6%. PET/CT examination resulted in modification of N category and overall stage for 135(28.7%) and 46(9.8%) patients, respectively. The areas under curve of MRIdetermined and PET/CT-determined overall stage were 0.659 and 0.704 for predicting overall survival, 0.661 and 0.711 for predicting distant metastasis-free survival, and 0.636 and 0.663 for predicting disease-free survival.Conclusions: PET/CT was more effective than MRI in identifying metastatic SCLNs, and the radiologic diagnostic criteria for metastatic lymph nodes in level IV/Vb should be re-defined.

Screening for Novel Binding Proteins Interacting with Human Papillomavirus Type 18 E6 Oncogene in the Hela cDNA Library by Yeast Two-Hybrid System

To screen for novel binding proteins interacting with high-risk HPV 18 E6 oncogene, the strain AH 109 was transformed with pGBKT7-HPV 18 E6 plasmid, and subsequent transference was utilized to screen for interacting proteins with HPV 18 E6 in human Hela cDNA library. HPV 18 E6 mRNA was expressed in yeast and there was no self-activation and toxicity in AH109. Seven proteins that interacted with HPV18 E6, including transmembrane protein 87B, phosphonoformate immuno-associated protein 5, vimentin, KM-HN-1 protein, dedicator of cytokinesis 7, vaccinia related kinase 2 and a hypothetical protein, were identified. It was suggested that yeast two-hybrid system is an efficient for screening interacting proteins. The high-risk HPV 18 E6 oncogene may interact with the proteins, which may be associated with signal transduction and transcriptional control, epithelial cell invasion and migration, as well as humoral and cellular immune etc. This investigation provides functional clues for further exploration of potential oncogenesis targets for cancer biotherapy.

THE BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ADENOVIRUS-MEDIATED IL-18 GENE-MODIFIED MURINE COLORECTAL ADENOCARCINOMA CELL IN VIVO AND IN VITRO

Objective: Interleukin 18 (IL-18) is a strong activator of NK cells and promotes the generation of IL-2, IFN-γ and GM-CSF. In the present study, we constructed adenovirus encoding IL-18 gene (AdIL-18), and observed the biological characteristics of IL-18 gene-modified murine colorectal adenocarcinoma cell (CT26)in vivo andin vitro. Methods: Gene modification was mediated by adenovirus. The proliferation of the cells was determined by MTT and IL-18 was assayed by ELISA. The cytotoxicity of NK and CTL was detected by four-hour51Cr release assay. Results: IL-18 gene modification had no effect on the proliferation and morphology of CT-26 cellsin vitro, but the growth of IL-18-modified CT26 cells was obviously inhibitedin vivo. In addition, although IL-18-modified CT26 cells could form tumor nodulesin vivo as well as LacZ-modified CT26 cells or wild-type CT26 cells, the mean survival time of the mice inoculated with IL-18-modified CT26 cells was significantly prolonged as compared with that of control groups. Thus, the anti-tumor immune responses were induced in the group of mice inoculated with IL-18-modified CT26 cells, which might be related to the activation of NK cells and CTL. However, all the three groups ultimately died of tumor. Conclusion: IL-18-modified CT26 cells could induce the anti-tumor immune responses incompletely, which required other factors for effective anti-tumor responses.

A Framework Based on the DAO and NFT in Blockchain for Electronic Document Sharing

In the information age,electronic documents(e-documents)have become a popular alternative to paper documents due to their lower costs,higher dissemination rates,and ease of knowledge sharing.However,digital copyright infringements occur frequently due to the ease of copying,which not only infringes on the rights of creators but also weakens their creative enthusiasm.Therefore,it is crucial to establish an e-document sharing system that enforces copyright protection.However,the existing centralized system has outstanding vulnerabilities,and the plagiarism detection algorithm used cannot fully detect the context,semantics,style,and other factors of the text.Digital watermark technology is only used as a means of infringement tracing.This paper proposes a decentralized framework for e-document sharing based on decentralized autonomous organization(DAO)and non-fungible token(NFT)in blockchain.The use of blockchain as a distributed credit base resolves the vulnerabilities inherent in traditional centralized systems.The e-document evaluation and plagiarism detection mechanisms based on the DAO model effectively address challenges in comprehensive text information checks,thereby promoting the enhancement of e-document quality.The mechanism for protecting and circulating e-document copyrights using NFT technology ensures effective safeguarding of users’e-document copyrights and facilitates e-document sharing.Moreover,recognizing the security issues within the DAO governance mechanism,we introduce an innovative optimization solution.Through experimentation,we validate the enhanced security of the optimized governance mechanism,reducing manipulation risks by up to 51%.Additionally,by utilizing evolutionary game analysis to deduce the equilibrium strategies of the framework,we discovered that adjusting the reward and penalty parameters of the incentive mechanism motivates creators to generate superior quality and unique e-documents,while evaluators are more likely to engage in assessments.

[^(18)F]AlF-NOTA-TATE的制备及初步临床应用

^(68)Ga-DOTA-TATE已成功应用于临床神经内分泌肿瘤的诊断,但^(68)Ga半衰期短,应用受到限制。为开展[^(18)F]AlF-NOTA-TATE的制备及临床验证,以满足神经内分泌肿瘤(NETs)患者的诊断、疗效评估等临床需求,本研究开发了一种新的柱色层纯化[^(18)F]AlF-NOTA-TATE方法,并在临床型单管多功能氟合成模块上自动化合成。同时研究[^(18)F]AlF-NOTA-TATE的脂水分配系数、体外稳定性和药代动力学,在荷NCI-H69(SSTR2阳性表达)小细胞肺癌裸鼠上行生物分布实验及PET/CT显像,并对3例NETs患者进行初步临床应用。结果表明,新的柱色层纯化[^(18)F]AlF-NOTA-TATE方法简单、合成时间短、放化纯度大于95%,乙醇含量低于3%。BALB/c小鼠药代动力学及荷瘤鼠生物分布实验结果表明,药物血液清除较快,主要通过肾脏代谢。荷瘤鼠PET/CT显像显示,SSTR阳性肿瘤特异性摄取放射性药物;初步临床应用显示,[^(18)F]AlF-NOTA-TATE在患者体内靶向性好,滞留时间较长,图像质量较好。以上结果表明,柱色层法纯化[^(18)F]AlF-NOTA-TATE方法简单、放化纯度高,初步临床表明[^(18)F]AlF-NOTA-TATE有进一步临床研究的价值。

Polymer waveguide thermo-optical switch with loss compensation based on NaYF_4: 18% Yb^(3+), 2% Er^(3+) nanocrystals

A polymer waveguide thermo-optical switch with loss compensation based on NaYF_4： 18% Yb^（3＋）, 2% Er^（3＋）nanocrystals, fabricated by traditional semiconductor processes, has been investigated. NaYF4： 18% Yb^（3＋）, 2% Er^（3＋）nanocrystals were prepared by a pyrolysis method. The morphology and luminescent properties of the nanocrystals were characterized.The nanocrystals were doped into SU-8 as the core material of an optical waveguide amplifier. The size of the device was optimized for its optical and thermal fields as well as its transmission characteristics. The device was fabricated on a silica substrate by spin coating, photolithography, and wet etching. The insertion loss of the switch device is～15 dB. The rise and fall times of the device are 240 μs and 380 μs, respectively, as measured by application of a 304 Hz square wave voltage. The extinction ratio of the device is about 14 dB at an electrode-driving power of 7 mW. When the pump light power is 230 mW and the signal light power is 0.1 mW, the loss compensation of the device is 3.8 dB at a wavelength of1530 nm. Optical devices with loss compensation have important research significance.

Elucidating the dominant reaction mechanism of methanol-to-olefins conversion in H-SAPO-18: A first-principles study

The reaction mechanism of zeolite- or zeotype-catalyzed methanol-to-olefins（MTO） conversion is still a subject of debate. Employing periodic density functional theory calculations, the olefin-based cycle was studied using tetramethylethene（TME） as a representative olefinic hydrocarbon pool in H-SAPO-18 zeotype. The overall free energy barrier at 673 K was calculated and found to be less than 150 kJ/mol in the TME-based cycle, much lower than those in the aromatic-based cycle（〉 200 kJ/mol）, indicating that olefins themselves are the dominant active hydrocarbon pool species in H-SAPO-18. The similarity of the intermediates involved between the aromatic-based cycle and the olefin-based cycle was also highlighted, revealing that both cycles were pattern-consistent. The selectivity related to the distribution of cracking precursors, such as higher olefins or carbenium ions, as a result of the olefin-based cycle for the MTO conversion. The enthalpy barrier of the crack-ing step scaled linearly with the number of carbon atoms of cracking precursors to produce ethene or propene with ethene being much less favored than propene for cracking of C7 and higher pre-cursors. This work highlighted the importance of the olefin-based cycle in H-SAPO-18 for the MTO conversion and established the similarity between the olefin-based and aromatic-based cycles.

Crosstalk between angiogenesis, cytokeratin-18, and insulin resistance in the progression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

AIM: To elucidate the possible crosstalk between angiogenesis, cytokeratin-18 (CK-18), and insulin resistance (IR) especially in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with NASH and 11 with simple fatty liver disease (FL) were enrolled in this study and underwent clinicopathological examination. The measures of angiogenesis, CK-18, and IR employed were CD34-immunopositive vessels, CK-18immunopositive cells, and homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), respectively. The correlations of these factors with NASH were elucidated.RESULTS: Significant development of hepatic neovascularization was observed only in NASH, whereas almost no neovascularization could be observed in FL and healthy liver. The degree of angiogenesis was almost parallel to liver fibrosis development, and both parameters were positively correlated. Similarly, CK-18expression and HOMA-R were signifi cantly increased in NASH as compared with FL and healthy liver. Furthermore, CK-18 and HOMA-IR were also positively correlated with the degree of neovascularization. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the crosstalk between angiogenesis, CK-18, and IR may play an important role in the onset and progression of NASH.

Hepatitis B virus X protein enhances hepatocarcinogenesis by depressing the targeting of NUSAP1 mRNA by miR-18b

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanism whereby HBx modulates the targeting of NUSAP1 by miR-18b to enhance hepatocarcinogenesis.Methods: We employed an integrated approach of bioinformatics analysis and molecular experiments in hepatoma cells, HBV transgenic mice, and clinical liver cancer tissues to investigate the role of HBx-regulated miR-18b in the development of liver cancer.Results: In this study, we report that the HBx-mediated tumor suppressor miR-18b modulates hepatocarcinogenesis during the host-HBV interaction. The expression levels of miR-18b were lower in clinical HBV-positive liver cancer tissues and liver tissues of HBV-transgenic mice. Interestingly, HBx inhibited miR-18b expression by inducing the methylation of CpG islands in its promoter. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that HBx enhanced hepatocarcinogenesis by increasing the expression of target genes of miR-18b. Moreover, we identified nucleolar spindle-associated protein 1(NUSAP1) as one of the target genes of miR-18b.NUSAP1 was expressed at high levels in liver cancer tissues. Interestingly, HBx up-regulated NUSAP1 by suppressing miR-18b.Functionally, miR-18b significantly inhibited the proliferation of hepatoma cells by depressing NUSAP1 levels in vivo and in vitro.Conclusions: Thus, we conclude that the targeting of NUSAP1 mRNA by the tumor suppressor miR-18b is controlled by HBxmodulated promoter methylation during the host-virus interaction, leading to hepatocarcinogenesis. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanism by which HBx-mediated miRNAs modulate hepatocarcinogenesis.

Performance Assessment of Nanocellulose Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose Composite on Role of Nano-CaCO_(3) for the Preservation of Paper Documents

Deacidification and self-cleaning are important for the preservation of paper documents.In this study,nano-CaCO_(3) was used as a deacidification agent and stabilized by nanocellulose(CNC)and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose(HPMC)to form a uniform dispersion.Followed by polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)treatment and chemical vapor deposition(CVD)of methyltrimethoxysilane(MTMS),a hydrophobic coating was constructed for self-cleaning purposes.The pH value of the treated paper was approximately 8.20,and the static contact angle was as high as 152.29°.Compared to the untreated paper,the tensile strength of the treated paper increased by 12.6%.This treatment method endows the paper with a good deacidification effect and self-cleaning property,which are beneficial for its long-term preservation.

^(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of small pancreatic cancer

AIM:To investigate the role of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography(FDG-PET) in the diagnosis of small pancreatic cancer. METHODS:This study involved 31 patients with proven invasive ductal cancer of the pancreas.The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the maximum diameter of the tumor:TS1(maximum tumor size≤2.0 cm) ,TS2(>2.0 cm and≤4.0 cm) or TS3-4(>4.0 cm) .The relationships between the TS and various diagnostic tools,including FDG-PET with dual time point evaluation,were analyzed. RESULTS:The tumors ranged from 1.3 to 11.0 cm in diameter.Thirty of the 31 patients(97%) had a positive FDG-PET study.There were 5 patients classified as TS1,15 as TS2 and 11 as TS3-4.The sensitivity of FDG-PET,computed tomography(CT) and magnetic resonanceimaging(MRI) were 100%,40%,0%in TS1,93%,93%,89%in TS2 and 100%,100%,100%in TS3-4. The sensitivity of FDG-PET was significantly higher in comparison to CT and MRI in patients with TS1(P< 0.032) .The mean standardized uptake values(SUVs) did not show a significant difference in relation to the TS(TS1:5.8±4.5,TS2:5.7±2.2,TS3-4:8.2±3.9) ,respectively.All the TS1 tumors(from 13 to 20 mm) showed higher SUVs in FDG-PET with dual time point evaluation in the delayed phase compared with the early phase,which suggested the lesions were malignant. CONCLUSION:These results indicate that FDG-PET with dual time point evaluation is a useful modality for the detection of small pancreatic cancers with a diameter of less than 20 mm.

The immunotherapeutic effect of dendritic cells vaccine modified with interleukin-18 gene and tumor cell lysate on mice with pancreatic carcinoma

AIM：To estimate the effect of a therapeutic vaccine against pancreatic carcinoma based on dendritic cell(DC)vaccine modified with tumor lysate and Interleukin-18 gene.METHODS:The BALB/C mice model of pancreatic arcinoma was induced with DMBA,DCvaccine was construted through pulsed with tumor lysate and transfected by the recombinant adenoviral vector encoding IL-18gene.The immnotherapeutic effects of DC vaccine on mice with pancreatic carcinoma were assessed (divided intoD-IL18-Lysate group,DC-Lysate group,DC-IL18 group,DC group,PBSgroup).RESULTS:After vaccination of the DC vaccine,the concentration of IL-18and IFN-γwere 2161±439ng·L^-1and435±72ng·L^-1inDC-IL18-Lysate group and there was significant difference compared with other groups(P<0.01)After vaccination of the DCcvaccine,the transplanted tumors were observed on 30days inDC-Lysate groups.on 16daysinDC-IL18groups.on3days in control group,but mice remained tumor-free for at least50days in DC-IL18-Lysate group and there was significant difference between DC-IL18-Lysate group and other groups(P<0.01).The median survival exceeds62days in DC-IL18-Lysate group.But the medsian surival was 48.6days in DC-Lysate group,33days in DC-IL-18group,17days in PBSgroup.The survival period was obviously prolonged in DC-IL18-Lysate group than in other groups(P<0.05,P<0.01).The weight of pancreatic tumor was0.22±0.083ginDC-IL18-Lysate group,1.45±0.74ginDC-Lysate group,1.89±1.34gin DC-IL18group,3.0±1.6ginDCgroup,2.9±2.0ginPBSgroup and the weight of tumor obviously reduced in DC-IL-18-Lysate group than in other groups(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION:DC vaccine modified with tumo lysate and Interleukin-18gene can induce a specific and effective immune response against pancreatic cancinoma,cell.

Research and Analysis of Grammatical Error Correction Technology for Chinese Documents

With the widespread use of Chinese globally, the number of Chinese learners has been increasing, leading to various grammatical errors among beginners. Additionally, as domestic efforts to develop industrial information grow, electronic documents have also proliferated. When dealing with numerous electronic documents and texts written by Chinese beginners, manually written texts often contain hidden grammatical errors, posing a significant challenge to traditional manual proofreading. Correcting these grammatical errors is crucial to ensure fluency and readability. However, certain special types of text grammar or logical errors can have a huge impact, and manually proofreading a large number of texts individually is clearly impractical. Consequently, research on text error correction techniques has garnered significant attention in recent years. The advent and advancement of deep learning have paved the way for sequence-to-sequence learning methods to be extensively applied to the task of text error correction. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of Chinese text grammar error correction technology, elaborates on its current research status, discusses existing problems, proposes preliminary solutions, and conducts experiments using judicial documents as an example. The aim is to provide a feasible research approach for Chinese text error correction technology.

CD18 expression in granulocytes infiltrating the vitreous fluid in patients with diabetic retinopathy

AIM: To assess the levels of CD18 on the surface of granulocytes infiltrating the vitreous fluid in patients with diabetic retinopathy(DR).METHODS: Vitreous samples from twelve patients with non-proliferative DR with significant macula edema(group A), 33 patients with proliferative DR(grade 3 as group B, n =14, and, grade 4 as group C, n =19) were obtained during pars plana vitrectomy. Vitreous samples from 12 patients with macular hole as controls(group D)were analyzed together. The infiltrating of granulocytes and its surface level of CD18 were measured by flow cytometry. The level of CD18 was presented as the mean channel fluorescence(MCF) on a logarithmic scale. RESULTS: Granulocytes were detected in 6 of 12 vitreous samples from group A, 9 of 14 from group B, 15 of 19 from group C, and none of 12 from group D. MCF of CD18 on granulocytes from groups A, B, and C were2.978 ±1.446, 3.201 ±0.692, and 4.072 ±0.837, respectively.The difference was significant(F =4.354, P =0.021).Subjects with more severe DR were more likely to have a higher level of CD18 MCF(trend test, 掊2=7.351, P =0.007).CD18 MCF was significantly associated with the development of DR(r =0.46, P =0.005 and β =0.147, P =0.035).CONCLUSION: Our results confirm the presence of granulocytes and the elevated levels of CD18 on the surface of them in the vitreous fluid from DR patients.These results may provide indirect evidence shown that granulocytes activation also has occurred in the retinal local compared to non-DR control.

Hydrogeochemical and isotopic assessment of the origin of NO_(3)^(−)and N-NH_(3)contents in the aquifer located in a closed lacustrine volcano-sedimentary basin in the metropolitan area of Mexico City

To explain the presence and spatial distribution of NO_(3)^(−)and N-NH_(3)in the Aquifer of the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City(AMAMC),a hydrogeochemical and isotopic analysis using^(13)C DIC(as well as the stable isotopes^(18)O and^(2)H)in groundwater was conducted.This aquifer is located in an old closed lacustrine volcano-sedimentary basin;some wells hosted in the semi-confined zone contain high N-NH_(3)concentrations,while others present NO_(3)^(−)contents in the recharge zones(hosted in an oxidizing environment).In this study,a change in the isotopic signature(primarily in^(18)O and^(2)H)was observed from the recharge zones to the basin center in some of the wells with high NO_(3)^(−)concentrations,this behavior can be attributed to evaporation during the incorporation of recently infiltrated water.In addition,the results for^(13)C(along with ^(2) H)in wells with the highest N-NH_(3)concentrations exhibited an atypically broad range of values.Results indicated the occurrence of hydrogeochemical and/or biochemical processes in the aquifer(in an oxidizing or reducing environment),such as organic degradation,bacterial decomposition(primarily in the ancient Lake Texcoco and which acts as a natural sink for carbon,nitrogen,sulfur,and phosphorus),besides rock weathering and dissolution,which may be responsible for a very marked isotopic modification of the^(13)C(and,to a lesser extent,2 H).Methanotrophic bacterial activity and methanogenic activity may be related to N-NH_(3)removal processes by oxidation and residual water incorporation respectively,whereas the increase in the NO_(3)^(−)content in some wells is due to the recent contribution of poor-quality water due to contamination.

Highly metabolic thrombus of the portal vein:^(18)F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computer tomography demonstration and clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM： To assess the ability of ^18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computer tomography （^18F-FDG PET/CT） to differentiate between benign and malignant portal vein thrombosis in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） patients.METHODS： Five consecutive patients who had HBV cirrhosis, biopsy-proven HCC, and thrombosis of the main portal vein and/or left/right portal vein on ultrasound （US）, computer tomography （CT） or magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） were studied with ^18F-FDG PET/CT. The presence or absence of a highly metabolic thrombus on ^18F-FDG PET/CT was considered diagnostic for malignant or benign portal vein thrombosis, respectively. All patients were followed-up monthly with US, CT or MRI. Shrinkage of the thrombus or recanalization of the vessels on US, CT or MRI during follow-up was considered to be definitive evidence of the benign nature of the thrombosis, whereas enlargement of the thrombus, disruption of the vessel wall, and parenchymal infiltration over follow-up were considered to be consistent with malignancy. ^18SF-FDG PET/CT, and US, CT or MRI results were compared.RESULTS： Follow-up （1 to 10 mo） showed signs of malignant thrombosis in 4 of the 5 patients. US, CT or MRI produced a true-positive result for malignancy in 4 of the patients, and a false-positive result in 1. ^18F-FDG PET/CT showed a highly metabolic thrombus in 4 of the 5 patients. ^18F-FDG PET/CT achieved a true-positive result in all 4 of these patients, and a true-negative result in the other patient. No false-positive result was observed using ^18F-FDG PET/CT.CONCLUSION： ^18F-FDG PET/CT may be helpful in discriminating between benign and malignant portal vein thrombi. Patients may benefit from ^18F-FDG PET/CT when portal vein thrombi can not be diagnosed exactly by US, CT or MRI.

Knobloch syndrome caused by homozygous frameshift mutation of the COL18A1 gene in a Chinese pedigree

AIM： To explore the clinical feature and genetic etiology of a Chinese Knobloch syndrome family. METHODS： Ocular examinations and magnetic resonance imagings （MRIs） were performed on the family. Whole exome sequencing was conducted on the two patients. Sanger sequencing was utilized to validate the presence of variation in the family as well as in 100 normal controls. Real-time uantitative polymerase chain reaction （PCR） was used to detect the expression level of COL18A1 in peripheral blood lymphocytes of the patients and normal carriers. RESULTS： The affected subjects presented with vision loss, exotropia, cataracts, retinal detachment, and other complications. A homozygous c.4759_4760delCT （p.Leu1587ValfsX72） mutation （rs398122391） in COL18A1 was identified in the two patients, cosegregating with the phenotypes, and did not be detected in 100 normal controls. This mutation caused significant decreased expression of COL18A1 mRNA in the patients. CONCLUSION： The findings strongly indicate that this mutation is the disease-causing mutation. Moreover, this is the first Knobloch syndrome pedigree reported in the Chinese population.

Linkage between precipitation isotopes and water vapor sources in the monsoon margin:Evidence from arid areas of Northwest China

The isotope composition in precipitation has been widely considered as a tracer of monsoon activity.Compared with the coastal region,the monsoon margin usually has limited precipitation with large fluctuation and is usually sensitive to climate change.The water resource management in the monsoon margin should be better planned by understanding the composition of precipitation isotope and its influencing factors.In this study,the precipitation samples were collected at five sampling sites(Baiyin City,Kongtong District,Maqu County,Wudu District,and Yinchuan City)of the monsoon margin in the northwest of China in 2022 to analyze the characteristics of stable hydrogen(δD)and oxygen(δ18O)isotopes.We analyzed the impact of meteorological factors(temperature,precipitation,and relative humidity)on the composition of precipitation isotope at daily level by regression analysis,utilized the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory(HYSPLIT)-based backward trajectory model to simulate the air mass trajectory of precipitation events,and adopted the potential source contribution function(PSCF)and concentration weighted trajectory(CWT)to analyze the water vapor sources.The results showed that compared with the global meteoric water line(GMWL),the slope of the local meteoric water line(LMWL;δD=7.34δ^(18)O-1.16)was lower,indicating the existence of strong regional evaporation in the study area.Temperature significantly contributed toδ18O value,while relative humidity had a significant negative effect onδ18O value.Through the backward trajectory analysis,we found eight primary locations that were responsible for the water vapor sources of precipitation in the study area,of which moisture from the Indian Ocean to South China Sea(ITSC)and the western continental(CW)had the greatest influence on precipitation in the study area.The hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in precipitation are significantly influenced by the sources and transportation paths of air mass.In addition,the results of PSCF and CWT analysis showed that the water vapor source areas were primarily distributed in the south and northwest direction of the study area.