A new alpha-emitting isotope U-214, produced by the fusion-evaporation reaction W-182(Ar-36,4n) U-214, was identified by employing the gas-filled recoil separator SHANS and the recoil-a correlation ...technique. More precise a-decay properties of even-even nuclei U-216,U-218 were also measured in the reactions of Ar-40, Ca-40 beams with W-180,W-182,W- 184 targets. By combining the experimental data, improved alpha-decay reduced widths delta(2) for the even-even Po-Pu nuclei in the vicinity of the magic neutron number N = 126 are deduced. Their systematic trends are discussed in terms of the N-p N-n scheme in order to study the influence of protonneutron interaction on a decay in this region of nuclei. It is strikingly found that the reduced widths of( 214,216)U are significantly enhanced by a factor of two as compared with the NpNn systematics for the 84 <= Z <= 90 and N < 126 even-even nuclei. The abnormal enhancement is interpreted by the strong monopole interaction between the valence protons and neutrons occupying the pi 1f (7/2) and nu 1f(5/2) spin-orbit partner orbits, which is supported by the large-scale shell model calculation.
CTONG0806 assessed the efficacy of pemetrexed versus gefitinib as second-line treatment in advanced nonsquamous nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor ...(EGFR).
Patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC harboring wild-type EGFR, detected by direct sequencing, and previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy were randomized to receive gefitinib (250 mg/day) orally or pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) i.v. on day 1 of a 21-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). The Independent Review Committee (IRC) evaluated all pictorial data.
From February 2009 to August 2012, 161 patients were enrolled, and 157 were assessable (81 in the gefitinib arm, 76 in the pemetrexed arm). Baseline characteristics were balanced between the two arms. The median PFSs were 4.8 versus 1.6 months in the pemetrexed and gefitinib arms, respectively hazard ratio (HR) 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.40–0.75, P < 0.001 as confirmed by IRC evaluation (5.6versus 1.7 months, HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.38–0.75, P < 0.001). The median overall survival (OS) showed a trend of superiority in the pemetrexed arm (12.4 versus 9.6 months, HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.49–1.04, P = 0.077). Quality-of-life assessment showed no marked difference between the arms. No unexpected adverse events were found. Of 108 patients with sufficient DNA samples, EGFR mutation status was re-tested by Scorpion amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS); 32 (29.6%) tested positive (19 in the pemetrexed arm, 13 in the gefitinib arm; median PFS: 8.1 versus 7.0 months, HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.43–2.08, P = 0.877).
CTONG0806 is the first trial to show significant improvement in PFS and an improved OS trend with pemetrexed compared with gefitinib as second-line setting treatment of EGFR wild-type advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. ARMS is superior to direct sequencing in excluding false-negative patients.
NCT00891579.
The skyrmion, a vortex-like spin-swirling object, is anticipatedto play a vital role in quantum magneto-transport processes such as the quantum Hall and topological Hall effects. The existence of the ...magnetic skyrmion crystal (SkX) state was recently verified experimentally for MnSi and Fe0.5Co0.5Si by means of small-angle neutron scattering and Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. However, to enable the application of such a SkX for spintronic function, materials problems such as a low crystallization temperature and low stability of SkX have to be overcome. Here we report the formation of SkX close to room temperature in thin-films of the helimagnet FeGe. In addition to the magnetic twin structure, we found a magnetic chirality inversion of the SkX across lattice twin boundaries. Furthermore, for thin crystal plates with thicknesses much smaller than the SkX lattice constant (as) the two-dimensional SkX is quite stable over a wide range of temperatures and magnetic fields, whereas for quasi-three-dimensional films with thicknesses over as the SkX is relatively unstable and observed only around the helical transition temperature. The room-temperature stable SkX state as promised by this study will pave a new path to designing quantum-effect devices based on the controllable skyrmion dynamics.
Purpose
To investigate the potential candidate microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis, classification, and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC).
Methods
We use bioinformatics overlapping ...subclasses analysis to find the tumor grade and lymphatic metastasis-related GC specific miRNAs from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Then, we further investigated these GC specific miRNAs distributions in different GC clinical features and their correlations overall survival on the basis of GC patients’ information and their related RNA sequencing profile from TCGA. Finally, we randomly selected some of key miRNAs use qRT-PCR to confirm the reliability and validity.
Results
22 GC specific key miRNAs were identified (Fold-change >2,
P
< 0.05), 11 of them were discriminatively expressed with tumor size, grade, TNM stage and lymphatic metastasis (
P
< 0.05). In addition, nine miRNAs (miR-196b-5p, miR-135b-5p, miR-183-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-133a-3p, miR-486-5p, miR-144-5p, miR-129-5p and miR-145-5p) were found to be significantly associated with overall survival (log-rank
P
< 0.05). Finally, four key miRNAs (miR-183-5p, miR-486-5p, miR-30c-2-3p and miR-133a-3p) were randomly selected to validation and their expression levels in 53 newly diagnosed GC patients by qRT-PCR. Results showed that the fold-changes between TCGA and qRT-PCR were 100 % in agreement. We also found miR-183-5p and miR-486-5p were significantly correlated with tumor TNM stage (
P
< 0.05), and miR-30c-2-3p and miR-133a-3p were associated with tumor differentiation degree and lymph-node metastasis (
P
< 0.05). These verified miRNAs clinically relevant, and the bioinformatics analysis results were almost the same.
Conclusion
These key miRNAs may functions as potential candidate biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis, classification and prognosis for GC.
The molecular mechanism underlying gastric cancer (GC) invasion and metastasis is still poorly understood. In this study, we tried to investigate the roles of CXCR4 and CXCR2 signalings in gastric ...cancer metastasis. A highly invasive gastric cancer cell model was established. Chemokines receptors were profiled to search for the accountable ones. Then the underlying molecular mechanism was investigated using both in vitro and in vivo techniques, and the clinical relevance of CXCR4 and CXCR2 expression was studied in gastric cancer samples. CXCR4 and CXCR2 were highly expressed in a high invasive gastric cancer cell model and in gastric cancer tissues. Overexpression of CXCR4 and CXCR2 was associated with more advanced tumor stage and poorer survival for GC patients. CXCR4 and CXCR2 expression strongly correlated with each other in the way that CXCR2 expression changed accordingly with the activity of CXCR4 signaling and CXCR4 expression also changed in agreement with CXCR2 activity. Further studies demonstrated CXCR4 and CXCR2 can both activated NF-κB and STAT3 signaling, while NF-κBp65 can then transcriptionally activate CXCR4 and STAT3 can activate CXCR2 expression. This crosstalk between CXCR4 and CXCR2 contributed to EMT, migration and invasion of gastric cancer. Finally, Co-inhibition of CXCR4 and CXCR2 is more effective in reducing gastric cancer metastasis. Our results demonstrated that CXCR4 and CXCR2 cross-activate each other to promote the metastasis of gastric cancer.
Leptomeningeal metastases (LM) are more frequent in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. Due to limited access to leptomeningeal lesions, the ...purpose of this study was to explore the potential role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as a source of liquid biopsy in patients with LM.
Primary tumor, CSF, and plasma in NSCLC with LM were tested by next-generation sequencing. In total, 45 patients with suspected LM underwent lumbar puncture, and those with EGFR mutations diagnosed with LM were enrolled.
A total of 28 patients were enrolled in this cohort; CSF and plasma were available in 26 patients, respectively. Driver genes were detected in 100% (26/26), 84.6% (22/26), and 73.1% (19/26) of samples comprising CSF cell-free DNA (cfDNA), CSF precipitates, and plasma, respectively; 92.3% (24/26) of patients had much higher allele fractions in CSF cfDNA than the other two media. Unique genetic profiles were captured in CSF cfDNA compared with those in plasma and primary tissue. Multiple copy number variations (CNVs) were mainly identified in CSF cfDNA, and MET copy number gain identified in 47.8% (11/23) of patients was the most frequent one, while other CNVs included ERBB2, KRAS, ALK, and MYC. Moreover, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of TP53 was identified in 73.1% (19/26) CSF cfDNA, which was much higher than that in plasma (2/26, 7.7%; P<0.001). There was a trend towards a higher frequency of concomitant resistance mutations in patients with TP53 LOH than those without (70.6% versus 33.3%; P=0.162). EGFR T790M was identified in CSF cfDNA of 30.4% (7/23) of patients who experienced TKI progression.
CSF cfDNA could reveal the unique genetic profiles of LM and should be considered as the most representative liquid biopsy medium for LM in EGFR-mutant NSCLC.
ABSTRACT
High time resolution and accuracy are of critical importance in the studies of timing analysis and time delay localization of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) and ...pulsars. The Gravitational wave high-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) consisting of two micro-satellites, GECAM-A and GECAM-B, launched on 2020 December 10, is aimed at monitoring and locating X-ray and GRBs all over the sky. To achieve its scientific goals, GECAM is designed to have the highest time resolution (0.1 $\mu {\rm s}$) among all GRB detectors ever flown. Here, we make a comprehensive time calibration campaign including both on-ground and on-orbit tests to derive not only the relative time accuracy of GECAM satellites and detectors, but also the absolute time accuracy of GECAM-B. Using the on-ground calibration with a $\rm ^{22}Na$ radioactive source, we find that the relative time accuracy between GECAM-A and GECAM-B is about 0.15 $\mu {\rm s}$ (1σ). To measure the relative time accuracy between all detectors of a single GECAM satellite, cosmic-ray events detected on orbit are utilized since they could produce many secondary particles simultaneously record by multiple detectors. We find that the relative time accuracy among all detectors onboard GECAM-B is about 0.12 $\mu {\rm s}$ (1σ). Finally, we use the novel Li-CCF method to perform the absolute time calibration with Crab pulsar and SGR J1935+2154, both of which were jointly observed by GECAM-B and Fermi/GBM, and obtain that the time difference between GECAM-B and Fermi/GBM is 3.06 ± 6.04 $\mu {\rm s}$ (1σ).
Aim To explore the altered spontaneous cerebral activity patterns and impaired functional regions in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging ...(rs-fMRI) based on the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) algorithm. Materials and methods Twenty-one patients with DR (mean age, 54.9±9.9 years; 11 females) and 17 healthy control subjects (54.8±5.7 years; 9 females) were prospectively studied. The DR patients underwent laboratory tests. All individuals underwent a neuropsychological test. The differences in the ALFF values between the two groups were compared. The relationships between ALFF values and clinical measurements were analysed using a multiple-factor analysis. Results Compared to the controls, the DR group showed significantly increased ALFF values in the bilateral occipital gyrus, right lingual gyrus, and precuneus, and decreased values in the right posterior/anterior cerebellar lobe and the parahippocampal, fusiform, superior temporal, inferior parietal, and angular gyrus. Furthermore, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores were negatively correlated with decreased ALFF values in the right occipital lobe of the DR group, while increased ALFF values in the right precuneus and lingual gyrus were found to be positively correlated with glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Conclusions Patients with DR showed spontaneous cerebral activity abnormalities in many cerebral regions that were associated with cognitive impairments. HbA1c levels altered spontaneous cerebral activity in DR patients.
PTCLab (Phase Transformation Crystallography Lab) is free and open‐source software to calculate the crystallographic features formed during a phase transformation, such as orientation relationship, ...interface orientation, interfacial structure etc. This program covers the crystallographic theories for both martensitic and diffusional transformation and allows users to represent the results in stereographic projection. The crystallographic models treated in PTCLab include the classical phenomenological theory of martensite crystallography (PTMC), the double shear version of PTMC, the invariant line model, O‐lattice theory, the O‐line model, the recently developed three‐dimensional near coincidence site method, the edge‐to‐edge matching model and variant selection analysis. In addition, a number of basic crystallographic calculations for single or multiple crystal structures can be performed with the calculation pad. High‐quality composite stereographic projection and electron diffraction patterns can be also obtained by the present application. PTCLab is written in Python, runnable cross platform, and is distributed at https://sourceforge.net/projects/tclab/.
This article introduces a free and open‐source program, PTCLab, for calculating phase transformation crystallography.
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