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Beizhan iron deposit in Xinjiang is one of the important deposits of Awulale iron-copper-gold metallogenic belt in the western Tianshan. K-feldspar granite and K-feldspar granite porphyry, which have pulsating intrusive contact relationship, are exposed in the southern of iron district. Geochemical characteristics show that the rocks are high potassium calc-alkaline, enriched in large iron lithophile element (Rb and K), and relatively depleted in high field strength elements, and Ba, Sr, P and Ti are significantly negative anomaly; fractionation of light and heavy rare earth elements is obvious. Ages of K-feldspar granite and K-feldspar granite porphyry from Beizhan iron deposit are respectively (320.5±1.9) Ma and (306.8±1.6) Ma by the method of LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating. Combined with regional geological data, the geochemical and geochronological results show that K-feldpar granite and K-feldspar granite porphyry exposed have the same magma source, and probably form in the tectonic setting transformed from the subduction of southern Tianshan oceans to the continental collision orogeny from Early Carboniferous to Late Carboniferous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None declared.

Introduction: Decisions regarding the optimal timing of intervention for asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) are controversial. The study aims to identify potential risk factors for asymptomatic patients with severe AS that are associated with worse prognosis and to evaluate the benefits of early interventions for asymptomatic patients presenting with one or more additional risk factors., Methods and Analysis: This is a non-interventional, prospective, open-label, multicentre registry study across China. A total of 1000 patients will be enrolled and categorised as symptomatic or asymptomatic. The primary endpoint is the occurrence of all-cause mortality, stroke, acute myocardial infarction and heart failure-related hospitalisation at 1-year follow-up. In asymptomatic severe AS patients presenting with one or more risk factors, the occurrence rate of the primary endpoint between those who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and those who do not will be compared. We will also compare the occurrence rate of the primary endpoint for asymptomatic severe AS patients with additional risk factors who undergo TAVR with those presenting with symptoms. This study is believed to provide additional evidence to help clinicians identify and refer severe AS patients who are asymptomatic but present with additional risk factors for early intervention of TAVR., Ethics and Dissemination: The study protocol has been approved by the local ethics committee of each participating site: West China Hospital, Sichuan University; Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University; Tianjin Chest Hospital; and First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. All participants will provide written informed consent. Study results will be published through academic conferences and peer-reviewed journals., Trial Registration: This study was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (https:// www.chictr.org.cn), with the registration number ChiCTR2200064853., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Dr Chen and Feng are consultants and proctors for Venus MedTech, MicroPort and TaurusOne. All other authors have nothing relevant to disclosure., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None declared.

Objectives: The natural history of ascending aortic diameter after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has not been investigated. Our aim was to determine the progression of ascending aortic diameter in patients undergoing TAVI., Methods: We retrospectively included 134 patients undergoing TAVI for aortic stenosis at our institution from June 2012 to November 2016, including 79 patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and 55 patients with tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). Preoperative measurements of the ascending aorta were compared with aortic measurements at 1-year follow-up based on computed tomography images., Results: A very slight decrease in median aortic diameter was identified in overall patients: 4.07 cm (interquartile range [IQR], 3.76-4.54 cm) vs 4.06 cm (IQR, 3.74-4.51 cm); P=.04. Further subgroup analysis found that the decrease remained statistically significant in the subgroup of TAV and mild aortic dilation. In addition, no aortic events occurred during long-term follow-up (median, 27 months; IQR, 20-42 months)., Conclusions: TAVI could prevent a further progression of aortic diameter for both BAV or TAV patients by correcting hemodynamic derangements, especially for patients with TAV, mild aortic dilation, and small annulus angles. Aortic events appeared rarely during long-term follow-up after TAVI. However, our results need further confirmation with future investigations in a larger population with longer-term follow-up.

Objective: To analyze the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore (PC) and basal core promoter (BCP) mutations and HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HB-ACLF)., Methods: Forty-four patients with HB-ACLF and 28 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB; used as controls) were enrolled and venous blood samples were collected from all individuals. The PC and BCP gene fragments were amplified by nested PCR. HBV genotype and BCP/PC mutations were determined by direct sequencing and analysis by BioEdit (version 7.0.9.0). Ten of the HB-ACLF patients were selected for follow-up (range: 2-8 weeks), which included once weekly sera collection to determine the relation of mutations and treatment response. Serum levels of HBV DNA were measured by real-time PCR assay, and alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, creatinine and albumin were measured by standard biochemical assay and used to determine the MELD score., Results: All 44 HB-ACLF patients were infected with HBV genotype C. In the CHB group, 26 patients were infected with genotype C and two with genotype B. Single mutations (A1762T, G1764A, T1753V, G1896A, and G1899A) and combined mutations (A1762T + G1764A, G1896A + G1899A, T1753V+ A1762T + G1764A, G1896A + G1899A + A1762T + G1764A, and A1762T + G1764A + G1896A) were more frequently detected in HB-ACLF patients than in CHB patients (P less than 0.05). A significantly higher proportion of PC/BCP wild-type sequences was found in patients with CHB than in patients with HB-ACLF (17.9% vs. 2.3%; x² = 5.440, P = 0.020). The proportion of patients carrying both PC and BCP mutations was significantly higher in HB-ACLF patients than in CHB patients (79.6% vs. 39.3%; x² = 12.021, P = 0.001). The proportion of patients carrying only BCP mutation was 42.9% in the CHB group and 20.5% in the HB-ACLF group (x² = 4.157, P = 0.041). No occurrences of only PC mutation were detected in either the CHB or HB-ACLF group. The combined mutations were present in all 10 of the HB-ACLF follow-up patients. Mutations G1899A, T1753V, and A1846T were correlated with disease recovery. Significant decreases in the MELD score were accompanied by decreases in the A1846T mutation., Conclusion: Significantly more HB-ACLF patients carried HBV with mutations in the PC and BCP than CHB patients. Moreover, more HB-ACLF patients carried HBV with PC + BCP combined mutations and PC mutation only. The G1899A, T1753C, and A1846T mutations were associated with HB-ACLF response to treatment and improvement in liver function.

Aim: To investigate whether serum thymosin beta4 can provide diagnostic or prognostic information in liver failure patients caused by chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection., Methods: Serum thymosin beta4 levels were measured in 30 patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), 31 patients with chronic liver failure (CLF), 30 patients with compensated liver cirrhosis (CR) and 32 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 30 healthy controls. Serum thymosin beta4 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Child-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were calculated for each patient on admission., Results: Compared with healthy controls, serum thymosin beta4 levels in ACLF, CLF, CR and chronic hepatitis B patients were significantly lower, 6.5047 (4.7879-10.5314) microg/mL vs 0.4632 (0.2759-0.8768) microg/mL, 0.6981 (0.5209-1.2008) microg/mL, 1.8053 (0.8110-2.3397) microg/mL, 3.7803 (1.8570-6.4722) microg/mL, respectively (P < 0.001). The levels of thymosin beta4 in liver failure (ACLF or CLF) patients were markedly lower than that in CR (P < 0.001), and a difference was also found between CLF and ACLF patients (P = 0.038). In patients with chronic liver disease, there was a positive relationship between thymosin beta4 levels and albumin, choline esterase, and platelet (P < 0.001), and negative relationship with alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.020), aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, international normalized ratio of prothrombin time, and Child-Pugh and MELD scores (P < 0.001). Of the 61 liver failure patients, the thymosin beta4 levels of non-survivors were significantly lower than that of survivors (P = 0.007). Receiver operating characteristics analysis identified a thymosin beta4 cutoff level of 0.5708 microg/mL for predicting poor prognosis in all liver failure patients. The serial thymosin beta4 values were observed in 13 liver failure inpatients. Lower initial values were observed in the death. While greater improvement in thymosin beta4 value was found in those who recovered from the disease., Conclusion: Serum thymosin beta4 can be used as an important potential predictor for liver failure caused by chronic HBV infection.

The title of the paper by Zhu, Zhao & Yu [Acta Cryst. (2009), E65, m1105] is corrected.[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1107/S1600536809032115.].

The title compound, C(19)H(18)O(7), also known as chrysoobtusin, was isolated from Cassia tora L. (Leguminosae). The anthraquinone ring system is almost planar, the dihedral angle between the two benzene rings being 4.27 (4)°. The structure is stabilized by intra- and inter-molecular O-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, and by weak π-π stacking inter-actions along the b axis, with a centroid-centroid distance between related benzene rings of 3.800 (4) Å.

Objective: To determine accurately the incidence of heterotopic gastric mucosa in the upper esophagus (HGMUE) in China, and to study the macroscopic and microscopic aspects of the lesions and to evaluate the clinical importance of HGMUE., Methods: A prospective study was made among a total of 15,228 consecutive patients, 8,573 male and 6,655 female, aged 54 (8-95), undergoing gastroscopy. Disease histories of all patients were carefully inquired, especially those regarding possible complaints including discomfort of throat and swallowing pain and so on. Special care was taken in the upper esophageal sphincter area to make sure whether the area was adequately inspected. Biopsy specimens from aberrant mucosa were obtained and the sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, and Giemsa stain for Helicobacter pylori., Results: HGMUE was found in 39 patients (0.26%) with an average age of 50. Five patients with H. pylori infection in heterotopic gastric mucosa also presented the infection in the stomach. The gastric mucosa was gastric body type in 8 patients, transitional type in 11 patients, and antral pattern in 7 patients. Intestinal metaplasia was found in 5 patients, and mild atypical hyperplasia in 2 patients. An impressive finding was coexistent erosive gastritis in 14 patients (35.9%), Barrett's esophagus in one patient (2.6%), peptic ulcer in 8 patients (20.5%), and a patient had the complication of constriction in the upper esophagus., Conclusion: HGMUE is not rare in China. The presence of inlet patches is possibly correlated with specific symptoms. There are some severe complications in HGMUE, especially esophageal constriction. Close surveillance should be taken for rare cases with metaplasia or dysplasia in HGMUE.