Transfusion-dependent non-severe aplastic anemia: characteristics and outcomes in the clinic

Transfusion-dependent non-severe aplastic anemia (TD-NSAA) is a rare condition of bone marrow failure that can persist for a long time or develop into severe aplastic anemia (SAA). Little is known about the clinical and laboratory characteristics, and disease prognosis and outcomes in TD-NSAA patients. The clinical and laboratory data of 124 consecutive TD-NSAA patients in the Chinese Eastern Collaboration Group of Anemia from December 2013 and January 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. In 124 TD-NSAA patients, the median age was 32 years (range: 3-80) and the median disease course was 38 months (range: 3-363). Common complications were iron overload (53/101, 52.5%), liver and kidney dysfunction (42/124, 33.9%), diabetes mellitus/impaired glucose tolerance (24/124, 19.4%), and severe infection (29 cases, 23.4%). 58% of patients (57/124) developed severe aplastic anemia with a median progression time of 24 months (range: 3-216). Patients with absolute neutrophil count (ANC) <0.5×109/L, severe infection, or iron overload had a higher probability of progression to SAA (P=0.022, P=0.025, P=0.001). Patients receiving antithymocyte globulin (ATG) plus Cyclosporin A (CsA) had a higher overall response rate compared to those receiving CsA alone (56.7% vs 19.3%, P < 0.001). The addition of ATG was the favorable factor for efficacy (P=0.003). Fourteen patients developed secondary clonal hematologic disease: eleven patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, two patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, and one patient with acute myeloid leukemia, respectively. Ten patients (8.1%) died with a median follow-up of 12 months (range: 3- 36 months). Patients with TD-NSAA usually have a prolonged course of disease, and are prone to be complicated with important organ damage and disease progression to SAA. Intensive immunosuppressive therapy based on ATG might be an appropriate approach for TD-NSAA.Clinical trial registration:http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=125480&htm=4, identifier ChiCTR2100045895

Magnetic rogue wave in a perpendicular anisotropic ferromagnetic nanowire with spin-transfer torque

We present the current controlled motion of dynamic soliton embedded in spin wave background in ferromagnetic nanowire. With the stronger breather character we get the novel magnetic rogue wave and clarify its formation mechanism. The generation of magnetic rogue wave is mainly arose from the accumulation of energy and magnons toward to its central part. We also observe that the spin-polarized current can control the exchange rate of magnons between envelope soliton and background, and the critical current condition is obtained analytically. Even more interesting is that the spin-transfer torque plays the completely opposite role for the cases of below and above the critical value.Comment: 5 figure

An Integrated Regulatory Network Based on Comprehensive Analysis of mRNA Expression, Gene Methylation and Expression of Long Non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, defective differentiation of hematopoietic precursors, and expansion of the abnormal clones. The prevalence of MDS has raised great concerns worldwide, but its pathogenetic mechanisms remain elusive. To provide insights on novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and therapy of MDS, we performed high-throughput genome-wide mRNA expression profiling, DNA methylation analysis, and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) analysis on bone marrows from four MDS patients and four age-matched healthy controls. We identified 1,937 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 515 methylated genes, and 214 lncRNA that showed statistically significant differences. As the most significant module-related DEGs, TCL1A, PTGS2, and MME were revealed to be enriched in regulation of cell differentiation and cell death pathways. In addition, the GeneGo pathway maps identified by top DEGs were shown to converge on cancer, immunoregulation, apoptosis and regulation of actin cytoskeleton, most of which are known contributors in MDS etiology and pathogenesis. Notably, as potential biomarkers for diagnosis of MDS, four specific genes (ABAT, FADD, DAPP1, and SMPD3) were further subjected to detailed pathway analysis. Our integrative analysis on mRNA expression, gene methylation and lncRNAs profiling facilitates further understanding of the pathogenesis of MDS, and may promote the diagnosis and novel therapeutics for this disease

Signature splitting inversion and backbending in 80Rb

High spin states of 80Rb are studied via the fusion-evaporation reactions 65Cu+19F, 66Zn+18O and 68Zn+16O with the beam energies of 75 MeV, 76 MeV and 80 MeV, respectively. Twenty-three new states with twenty-eight new \gamma transitions were added to the previously proposed level scheme, where the second negative-parity band is significantly pushed up to spins of 22^{-} and 15^{-} and two new sidebands are built on the known first negative-parity band. Two successive band crossings with frequencies 0.51 MeV and 0.61 MeV in the \alpha=0 branch as well as another one in the \alpha=1 branch of the second negative-parity band are observed for the first time. Signature inversions occur in the positive- and first negative-parity bands at the spins of 11\hbar and 15\hbar, respectively. The signature splitting is seen obviously in the second negative-parity band, but the signature inversion is not observed. It is also found that the structure of the two negative-parity bands is similar to that of its isotone ^{82}Y. Signature inversion in the positive-parity yrast band with configuration \pi g_{9/2} \otimes \nu g_{9/2} in this nucleus is discussed using the projected shell model (PSM)

GWAS and WGCNA uncover hub genes controlling salt tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings

Salt stress influences maize growth and development. To decode the genetic basis and hub genes controlling salt tolerance is a meaningful exploration for cultivating salt-tolerant maize varieties. Herein, we used an association panel consisting of 305 lines to identify the genetic loci responsible for Na+- and K+-related traits in maize seedlings. Under the salt stress, seven significant single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified using a genome-wide association study, and 120 genes were obtained by scanning the linkage disequilibrium regions of these loci. According to the transcriptome data of the above 120 genes under salinity treatment, we conducted a weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Combined the gene annotations, two SNaC/SKC (shoot Na+ content/shoot K+ content)-associated genes GRMZM2G075104 and GRMZM2G333183 were finally identified as the hub genes involved in salt tolerance. Subsequently, these two genes were verified to affect salt tolerance of maize seedlings by candidate gene association analysis. Haplotypes TTGTCCG-CT and CTT were determined as favorable/salt-tolerance haplotypes for GRMZM2G075104 and GRMZM2G333183, respectively. These findings provide novel insights into genetic architectures underlying maize salt tolerance and contribute to the cultivation of salt-tolerant varieties in maize

25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong