We report the in situ observation of a plasma vortex induced by a solar wind dynamic pressure enhancement in the nightside plasma sheet using multipoint measurements from Time History of Events and ...Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) satellites. The vortex has a scale of 5–10 Re and propagates several Re downtail, expanding while propagating. The features of the vortex are consistent with the prediction of the Sibeck (1990) model, and the vortex can penetrate deep (~8 Re) in the dawn‐dusk direction and couple to field line oscillations. Global magnetohydrodynamics simulations are carried out, and it is found that the simulation and observations are consistent with each other. Data from THEMIS ground magnetometer stations indicate a poleward propagating vortex in the ionosphere, with a rotational sense consistent with the existence of the vortex observed in the magnetotail.
Key Points
Solar wind pressure pulse‐driven vortex was observed in the magnetosphere
Simulation and ground magnetic field data confirm this tailward moving vortex
The vortex can penetrate deep inside the tail plasma sheet and couple to FLRs
The contribution of induction chemotherapy (IC) before preoperative chemoradiation for esophageal cancer (EC) is not known. We hypothesized that IC would increase the rate of pathologic complete ...response (pathCR).
Trimodality-eligibile patients were randomized to receive no IC (Arm A) or IC (oxaliplatin/FU; Arm B) before oxaliplatin/FU/radiation. Surgery was attempted ∼5–6 weeks after chemoradiation. The pathCR rate, post-surgery 30-day mortality, overall survival (OS), and toxic effects were assessed. Bayesian methods and Fisher's exact test were used.
One hundred twenty-six patients were randomized dynamically to balance the two arms for histology, baseline stage, gender, race, and age. Fifty-five patients in Arm A and 54 in Arm B underwent surgery. The median actuarial OS for all patients (54 deaths) was 45.62 months 95% confidence interval (CI), 27.63–NA, with median OS 45.62 months (95% CI 25.56–NA) in Arm A and 43.68 months (95% CI 27.63–NA) in Arm B (P = 0.69). The pathCR rate in Arm A was 13% (7 of 55) and 26% (14 of 54) in Arm B (two-sided Fisher's exact test, P = 0.094). Safety was similar in both arms.
These data suggest that IC produces non-significant increase in the pathCR rate and does not prolong OS. Further development of IC before chemoradiation may not be beneficial.
Clinical trial no.: NCT 00525915 (www.clinicaltrials.gov).
Our recent study demonstrates that adiponectin signaling plays a significant role in mediating physical exercise-exerted effects on hippocampal neurogenesis and antidepression in mice. Whether the ...findings can be translated to humans remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Baduanjin Qigong exercise on adiponectin and to evaluate whether adiponectin is involved in the antidepressive effects of Qigong exercise on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)-like illness. This is a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial. One hundred eight female participants were randomly assigned to either Qigong exercise or waitlist groups. Sixteen 1.5-h Qigong lessons were conducted. Outcome measures were taken at three time points. Baseline adiponectin levels were negatively associated with body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist/hip ratio in women with CFS-like illness. Compared with the waitlist control, Qigong exercise significantly reduced anxiety and depression symptoms and significantly raised plasma adiponectin levels (median = 0.8 vs. −0.1, p < 0.05). More interestingly, increases in adiponectin levels following Qigong exercise were associated with decreases in depression scores for the Qigong group (r = −0.38, p = 0.04). Moreover, adjusted linear regression analysis further identified Qigong exercise and change in adiponectin levels as the significant factors accounting for reduction of depression symptoms. Baduanjin Qigong significantly increased adiponectin levels in females with CFS-like illness. Decreases in depression symptoms were associated with increases in adiponectin levels following Qigong exercise, indicating that the potential contribution of adiponectin to Qigong exercise elicited antidepressive effects in human subjects.
Summary
Double‐lumen intubation is more difficult than single‐lumen tracheal intubation. Videolaryngoscopes have many advantages in airway management. However, the advantages of videolaryngoscopy for ...intubation with a double‐lumen tube remain controversial compared with traditional Macintosh laryngoscopy. In this study, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library and the Web of Science for randomised controlled trials comparing videolaryngoscopy with Macintosh laryngoscopy for double‐lumen tube intubation. We found that videolaryngoscopy provided a higher success rate at first attempt for double‐lumen tube intubation, with an odds ratio (95%CI) of 2.77 (1.92–4.00) (12 studies, 1215 patients, moderate‐quality evidence, p < 0.00001), as well as a lower incidence of oral, mucosal or dental injuries during double‐lumen tube intubation, odds ratio (95%CI) 0.36 (0.15–0.85) (11 studies, 1145 patients, low‐quality evidence, p = 0.02), and for postoperative sore throat, odds ratio (95%CI) 0.54 (0.36–0.81) (7 studies, 561 patients, moderate‐quality evidence, p = 0.003), compared with Macintosh laryngoscopy. There were no significant differences in intubation time, with a standardised mean difference (95%CI) of −0.10 (−0.62 to 0.42) (14 studies, 1310 patients, very low‐quality evidence, p = 0.71); and the incidence of postoperative voice change, odds ratio (95%CI) 0.53 (0.21–1.31) (7 studies, 535 patients, low‐quality evidence, p = 0.17). Videolaryngoscopy led to a higher incidence of malpositioned double‐lumen tube, with an odds ratio (95%CI) of 2.23 (1.10–4.52) (six studies, 487 patients, moderate‐quality evidence, p = 0.03).
We report on the geochemistry of hydrocarbons and pore waters down to 62.5 mbsf, collected by drilling with the MARUM‐MeBo70 and by gravity coring at the Lunde pockmark in the Vestnesa Ridge. Our ...data document the origin and transformations of volatiles feeding gas emissions previously documented in this region. Gas hydrates are present where a fracture network beneath the pockmark focusses migration of thermogenic hydrocarbons characterized by their C1/C2+ and stable isotopic compositions (δ2H‐CH4, δ13C‐CH4). Measured geothermal gradients (~80 °C/km) and known formation temperatures (>70 °C) suggest that those hydrocarbons are formed at depths >800 mbsf. A combined analytical/modeling approach, including concentration and isotopic mass balances, reveals that pockmark sediments experience diffuse migration of thermogenic hydrocarbons. However, at sites without channeled flow this appears to be limited to depths >~50 mbsf. At all sites we document a contribution of microbial methanogenesis to the overall carbon cycle that includes a component of secondary carbonate reduction—that is, reduction of dissolved inorganic carbon generated by anaerobic oxidation of methane in the uppermost methanogenic zone. Anaerobic oxidation of methane and carbonate reduction rates are spatially variable within the pockmark and are highest at high‐flux sites. These reactions are revealed by 13C depletions of dissolved inorganic carbon at the sulfate‐methane interface at all sites. However, 13C depletions of CH4 are only observed at the low methane flux sites because changes in the isotopic composition of the overall methane pool are masked at high‐flux sites. 13C depletions of total organic carbon suggest that at seeps sites, methane‐derived carbon is incorporated into de novo synthesized biomass.
Key Points
Drilling with the seafloor drill rig MeBo70 revealed two major hydrocarbon sources beneath a pockmark at the crest of Vestnesa Ridge
Thermogenic methane likely formed at depths >800 m below seafloor ascends through faults and leads to hydrate formation and seafloor emission
Methane is transformed into dissolved inorganic carbon at all sites investigated with highest rates observed at active seafloor emission sites
Immune stress is the loss of immune homeostasis by external forces. This study investigated the effects of different types of immune stress on growth performance, immunity, and the distribution of ...cecal microflora in broiler chickens. In total, 540 one-day-old Cobb 500 broilers were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 5 (n = 108 birds/group) treatments: 1) no vaccination; 2) simplified vaccination, which included the infectious bronchitis vaccine (H120), the inactivated avian influenza vaccine (AI), the live vaccine strain Clone-30 of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and the combined inactive vaccine for infectious bursal diseases and the Newcastle disease vaccine (ND-IB); 3) normal vaccination (simplified vaccination + second dose of ND-IB, H120, and AI); 4) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stress (normal vaccination+LPS); or 5) cyclophosphamide (CPM) stress (normal vaccination+CPM).The results showed that the average BW and average feed intake decreased significantly after treatment with LPS or CPM (P < 0.05). Chickens that were challenged by LPS or CPM had a lower ileal CP digestibility than that of the control group (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the levels of secreted IgA decreased significantly at 42 d of age in the chickens that were treated with LPS or CPM (P < 0.01). The proliferation of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell and the levels of serum IgG in the LPS-challenged chickens were higher than those in the control group chickens at 21 and 42 d of age, respectively (P < 0.05). Six clusters were identified at 21 d of age, but cluster 6 was a single sample. Only 5 clusters were identified at 42 d of age. The enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR fingerprints of the cecal samples from the no vaccination and the simplified vaccination groups clustered together with high coefficients. The ERIC-PCR fingerprints of the 3 cecal samples from the CPM and LPS treatment groups clustered together with high coefficients among them. The ERIC-PCR fingerprints of the microbial flora of the cecal contents revealed the potential effects of immune stress on the microbial populations of treated birds. These data suggest that broilers with simplified vaccinations or without vaccinations can achieve the same growth performance as broilers with general vaccinations, but immune stress can break the homeostasis of cecal microflora and impair intestinal mucosal immune function.
Programmed death 1 and its ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy is promising for late-stage lung cancer treatment, however, the response rate needs to be improved. Gut microbiota plays a crucial role ...in immunotherapy sensitisation and
has been shown to possess immunomodulatory potential. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the combination treatment of ginseng polysaccharides (GPs) and αPD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) could sensitise the response by modulating gut microbiota.
Syngeneic mouse models were administered GPs and αPD-1 mAb, the sensitising antitumour effects of the combination therapy on gut microbiota were assessed by faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and 16S PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing. To assess the immune-related metabolites, metabolomics analysis of the plasma samples was performed.
We found GPs increased the antitumour response to αPD-1 mAb by increasing the microbial metabolites valeric acid and decreasing L-kynurenine, as well as the ratio of Kyn/Trp, which contributed to the suppression of regulatory T cells and induction of T
cells after combination treatment. Besides, the microbial analysis indicated that the abundance of
and
was higher in responders to anti-PD-1 blockade than non-responders in the clinic. Furthermore, the combination therapy sensitised the response to PD-1 inhibitor in the mice receiving microbes by FMT from six non-responders by reshaping the gut microbiota from non-responders towards that of responders.
Our results demonstrate that GPs combined with αPD-1 mAb may be a new strategy to sensitise non-small cell lung cancer patients to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. The gut microbiota can be used as a novel biomarker to predict the response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.
Summary
Sophorolipids are promising biological derived surfactants or detergents which find application in household cleaning, personal care and cosmetics. They are produced by specific yeast species ...and among those, Starmerella bombicola (former Candida bombicola) is the most widely used and studied one. Despite the commercial interest in sophorolipids, the biosynthetic pathway of these secondary metabolites remained hitherto partially unsolved. In this manuscript we present the sophorolipid gene cluster consisting of five genes directly involved in sophorolipid synthesis: a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, two glucosyltransferases, an acetyltransferase and a transporter. It was demonstrated that disabling the first step of the pathway – cytochrome P450 monooxygenase mediated terminal or subterminal hydroxylation of a common fatty acid – results in complete abolishment of sophorolipid production. This phenotype could be complemented by supplying the yeast with hydroxylated fatty acids. On the other hand, knocking out the transporter gene yields mutants still able to secrete sophorolipids, though only at levels of 10% as compared with the wild type, suggesting alternative routes for secretion. Finally, it was proved that hampering sophorolipid production does not affect cell growth or cell viability in laboratory conditions, as can be expected for secondary metabolites.
The timing and route of the earliest dispersal from Africa to Eastern Asia are contentious topics in the study of early human evolution because Asian hominin fossil sites with precise age constraints ...are very limited. Here we report new high-resolution magnetostratigraphic results that place stringent age controls on excavated hominin incisors and stone tools from the Yuanmou Basin, southwest China. The hominin-bearing layer resides in a reverse polarity magnetozone just above the upper boundary of the Olduvai subchron, yielding an estimated age of 1.7
Ma. The finding represents the age of the earliest documented presence of
Homo, with affinities to
Homo erectus, in mainland East Asia. This age estimate is roughly the same as for
H. erectus in island Southeast Asia and immediately prior to the oldest archaeological evidence in northeast Asia. Mammalian fauna and pollen obtained directly from the hominin site indicate that the Yuanmou hominins lived in a varied habitat of open vegetation with patches of bushland and forest on an alluvial fan close to a lake or swamp. The age and location are consistent with a rapid southern migration route of initial hominin populations into Eastern Asia.
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