Estimating the methane flux of the Dajiuhu subalpine peatland using machine learning algorithms and the maximal information coefficient technique

The eddy covariance (EC) technique has emerged as the most widely used method for long-term continuous methane flux (FCH4) observations. However, the completeness of the FCH4 time series is limited by instrumental failures and data quality issues, resulting in missing data gaps ranging from 20 % to 90 %. In this situation, the excellent performance of machine learning (ML) algorithms in filling missing FCH4 data has provided a foundation for developing regional-scale FCH4 models. In this study, we established estimation models for FCH4 utilizing random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), back propagation (BP) and nonlinear multiple regression (MLR) algorithms. The maximal information coefficient (MIC) technique was employed to identify and rank the environmental factors that were correlated with FCH4. Our findings revealed that soil temperature (Ts), soil water content (SWC) and air temperature (Ta) were the primary environmental factors influencing FCH4. Among the four algorithms, from perspectives of model accuracy and relatively small number of driving factors, the RF models exhibited the best performance, followed by BP and SVM, whereas MLR demonstrated the lowest performance. Among the 144 RF models established using nine datasets, RF model with 8 driving factors in all-year (RFall-year8) could capture seasonal variations. Ultimately, we recommend (RFall-year8 as the optimal model for estimating FCH4 in the Dajiuhu subalpine peatland.

New Structures in the J/ψJ/ψ Mass Spectrum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search is reported for near-threshold structures in the J/ψJ/ψ invariant mass spectrum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV from data collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 135  fb^{-1}. Three structures are found, and a model with quantum interference among these structures provides a good description of the data. A new structure is observed with a local significance above 5 standard deviations at a mass of 6638_{-38}^{+43}(stat)_{-31}^{+16}(syst)  MeV. Another structure with even higher significance is found at a mass of 6847_{-28}^{+44}(stat)_{-20}^{+48}(syst)  MeV, which is consistent with the X(6900) resonance reported by the LHCb experiment and confirmed by the ATLAS experiment. Evidence for another new structure, with a local significance of 4.7 standard deviations, is found at a mass of 7134_{-25}^{+48}(stat)_{-15}^{+41}(syst)  MeV. Results are also reported for a model without interference, which does not fit the data as well and shows mass shifts up to 150 MeV relative to the model with interference.

Mutually enhanced multi-view information learning for segmentation of lung tumor in CT images

Objective.The accurate automatic segmentation of tumors from computed tomography (CT) volumes facilitates early diagnosis and treatment of patients. A significant challenge in tumor segmentation is the integration of the spatial correlations among multiple parts of a CT volume and the context relationship across multiple channels.Approach.We proposed a mutually enhanced multi-view information model (MEMI) to propagate and fuse the spatial correlations and the context relationship and then apply it to lung tumor CT segmentation. First, a feature map was obtained from segmentation backbone encoder, which contained many image region nodes. An attention mechanism from the region node perspective was presented to determine the impact of all the other nodes on a specific node and enhance the node attribute embedding. A gated convolution-based strategy was also designed to integrate the enhanced attributes and the original node features. Second, transformer across multiple channels was constructed to integrate the channel context relationship. Finally, since the encoded node attributes from the gated convolution view and those from the channel transformer view were complementary, an interaction attention mechanism was proposed to propagate the mutual information among the multiple views.Main results.The segmentation performance was evaluated on both public lung tumor dataset and private dataset collected from a hospital. The experimental results demonstrated that MEMI was superior to other compared segmentation methods. Ablation studies showed the contributions of node correlation learning, channel context relationship learning, and mutual information interaction across multiple views to the improved segmentation performance. Utilizing MEMI on multiple segmentation backbones also demonstrated MEMI's generalization ability.Significance.Our model improved the lung tumor segmentation performance by learning the correlations among multiple region nodes, integrating the channel context relationship, and mutual information enhancement from multiple views.

[Preliminary study on automatic quantification and grading of leopard spots fundus based on deep learning technology]

Objective: To achieve automatic segmentation, quantification, and grading of different regions of leopard spots fundus (FT) using deep learning technology. The analysis includes exploring the correlation between novel quantitative indicators, leopard spot fundus grades, and various systemic and ocular parameters. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The data were sourced from the Beijing Eye Study, a population-based longitudinal study. In 2001, a group of individuals aged 40 and above were surveyed in five urban communities in Haidian District and three rural communities in Daxing District of Beijing. A follow-up was conducted in 2011. This study included individuals aged 50 and above who participated in the second 5-year follow-up in 2011, considering only the data from the right eye. Color fundus images centered on the macula of the right eye were input into the leopard spot segmentation model and macular detection network. Using the macular center as the origin, with inner circle diameters of 1 mm, 3 mm, and outer circle diameter of 6 mm, fine segmentation of the fundus was achieved. This allowed the calculation of the leopard spot density (FTD) and leopard spot grade for each region. Further analyses of the differences in ocular and systemic parameters among different regions' FTD and leopard spot grades were conducted. The participants were categorized into three refractive types based on equivalent spherical power (SE): myopia (SE<-0.25 D), emmetropia (-0.25 D≤SE≤0.25 D), and hyperopia (SE>0.25 D). Based on axial length, the participants were divided into groups with axial length<24 mm, 24-26 mm, and>26 mm for the analysis of different types of FTD. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis test, Bonferroni test, and Spearman correlation analysis. Results: The study included 3 369 participants (3 369 eyes) with an average age of (63.9±10.6) years; among them, 1 886 were female (56.0%) and 1, 483 were male (64.0%). The overall FTD for all eyes was 0.060 (0.016, 0.163); inner circle FTD was 0.000 (0.000, 0.025); middle circle FTD was 0.030 (0.000, 0.130); outer circle FTD was 0.055 (0.009, 0.171). The results of the univariate analysis indicated that FTD in various regions was correlated with axial length (overall: r=0.38, P<0.001; inner circle: r=0.31, P<0.001; middle circle: r=0.36, P<0.001; outer circle: r=0.39, P<0.001), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) (overall: r=-0.69, P<0.001; inner circle: r=-0.57, P<0.001; middle circle: r=-0.68, P<0.001; outer circle: r=-0.72, P<0.001), age (overall: r=0.34, P<0.001; inner circle: r=0.30, P<0.001; middle circle: r=0.31, P<0.001; outer circle: r=0.35, P<0.001), gender (overall: r=-0.11, P<0.001; inner circle: r=-0.04, P<0.001; middle circle: r=-0.07, P<0.001; outer circle: r=-0.11, P<0.001), SE (overall: r=-0.20; P<0.001; inner circle: r=-0.19, P<0.001; middle circle: r=-0.20, P<0.001; outer circle: r=-0.20, P<0.001), uncorrected visual acuity (overall: r=-0.18, P<0.001; inner circle: r=-0.26, P<0.001; middle circle: r=-0.24, P<0.001; outer circle: r=-0.22, P<0.001), and body mass index (BMI) (overall: r=-0.11, P<0.001; inner circle: r=-0.13, P<0.001; middle circle: r=-0.14, P<0.001; outer circle: r=-0.13, P<0.001). Further multivariate analysis results indicated that different region FTD was correlated with axial length (overall: β=0.020, P<0.001; inner circle: β=-0.022, P<0.001; middle circle: β=0.027, P<0.001; outer circle: β=0.022, P<0.001), SFCT (overall: β=-0.001, P<0.001; inner circle: β=-0.001, P<0.001; middle circle: β=-0.001, P<0.001; outer circle: β=-0.001, P<0.001), and age (overall: β=0.002, P<0.001; inner circle: β=0.001, P<0.001; middle circle: β=0.002, P<0.001; outer circle: β=0.002, P<0.001). The distribution of overall (H=56.76, P<0.001), inner circle (H=72.22, P<0.001), middle circle (H=75.83, P<0.001), and outer circle (H=70.34, P<0.001) FTD differed significantly among different refractive types. The distribution of overall (H=373.15, P<0.001), inner circle (H=367.67, P<0.001), middle circle (H=389.14, P<0.001), and outer circle (H=386.89, P<0.001) FTD differed significantly among different axial length groups. Furthermore, comparing various levels of FTD with systemic and ocular parameters, significant differences were found in axial length (F=142.85, P<0.001) and SFCT (F=530.46, P<0.001). Conclusions: The use of deep learning technology enables automatic segmentation and quantification of different regions of theFT, as well as preliminary grading. Different region FTD is significantly correlated with axial length, SFCT, and age. Individuals with older age, myopia, and longer axial length tend to have higher FTD and more advanced FT grades.

BNIP3 and DAPK1 methylation in peripheral blood leucocytes are noninvasive biomarkers for gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to comprehensively investigate the potential value of BNIP3 and DAPK1 methylation in peripheral blood leukocytes as a non-invasive biomarker for the detection of gastric cancer (GC), prediction of chemotherapy efficacy, and prognosis assessment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Initially, multiple bioinformatic analyses were employed to explore the genetic landscape and biological effects of BNIP3 and DAPK1 in GC tissues. Subsequently, case-control and prospective follow-up studies were conducted to compare the differences in BNIP3 and DAPK1 methylation levels in peripheral blood leukocytes among GC patients and healthy controls, as well as between patients exhibiting sensitivity and resistance to platinum plus fluorouracil treatment, and between patients with varying survival outcomes of GC. Additionally, several predictive nomograms were constructed based on the identified CpG sites and relevant clinical parameters to forecast the occurrence of GC, chemotherapy efficacy, and prognosis.

RESULTS

The upregulation of BNIP3 and DAPK1 was found to be associated with the development and poorer survival outcomes of GC. Furthermore, the expression of BNIP3/DAPK1 exhibited an inverse relationship with their DNA methylation levels and demonstrated a positive correlation with immune cell infiltration, as well as the IC50 values of 5-Fluorouracil and Cisplatin in GC tissues. Increased infiltration of macrophages in the high-expression groups was observed to be linked to unfavorable GC survival. In the case-control and follow-up studies, lower methylation levels of BNIP3 and DAPK1 were identified in the peripheral leukocytes of GC patients compared to healthy controls. Hypomethylation was also associated with more aggressive subtypes, diminished chemotherapy efficacy, and poorer survival outcomes in GC.

CONCLUSION

The DNA methylation of BNIP3 and DAPK1 in peripheral blood leukocytes holds promise as a novel non-invasive biomarker for predicting the occurrence of GC, chemotherapy efficacy, and prognosis assessment.

Neurosonographic evaluation of corpus callosum-fastigium and tectal length in late-onset small fetuses

Linked article: This Correspondence comments on Lip‐Sosa et al. Click here to view the article.

Critical roles of PAI-1 in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury

PURPOSE

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is the main inhibitor of fibrinolytic systems. The effect of PAI-1 on inflammatory response is still inconsistent. Our study was conducted to investigate its effects on inflammation to clarify the role of PAI-1 in acute lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

ALI models were established in wild-type (WT) and PAI-1 knockout (KO) mice by LPS intervention for 48 ​h. Lung histopathology, wet-dry ratio, total cell count and TNF-α concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and inflammation related proteins were detected. Flow cytometry was used to sort neutrophils, macrophages, regulatory T cells (Treg) and T helper cell 17 (Th17). RNA sequencing was performed to find differentially expressed genes. Masson staining and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze pulmonary fiber deposition and proliferation.

RESULTS

Compared with ALI (WT) group, the wet-dry ratio, the total number of BALF cells, the concentration of TNF-α in BALF, and the expression of pp65 in the lung tissue was increased in ALI (PAI-1 KO) group, with increased proportion of neutrophils, decreased proportion of macrophages and decreased proportion of Treg/Th17 in the lung tissue. Collagen fiber deposition and PCNA expression were lighter in ALI (PAI-1 KO) group than ALI (WT) group. PPI analysis showed that PAI-1 was closely related to TNF, IL-6, IL-1β, Smad2/3 and mainly concentrated in the complement and coagulation system, TNF-α and IL-17 signaling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

PAI-1 KO could aggravate ALI induced by LPS at 48 ​h. PAI-1 may be an important target to improve the prognosis of ALI.

Prolyl isomerase Pin1 sculpts the immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer

Pin1, a peptide prolyl cis-trans isomerase, is overexpressed and/or overactivated in many human malignancies. However, whether Pin1 regulates the immunosuppressive TME has not been well defined. In this study, we detected the effect of Pin1 on immune cells and immune checkpoint PD-L1 in the TME of CRC and explored the anti-tumor efficacy of Pin1 inhibitor ATRA combined with PD-1 antibody. We found that Pin1 facilitated the immunosuppressive TME by raising the proportion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and declining the percentage of CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cells. Pin1 restrained PD-L1 protein expression in CRC cells and the effect was tempered by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inducers. Mechanically, Pin1 overexpression decreased the stability of PD-L1 and promoted its degradation by mitigating ER stress. Silencing or inhibiting Pin1 promoted PD-L1 protein expression by inducing ER stress. Hence, Pin1 inhibitor ATRA enhanced the anti-tumor efficacy of PD-1 antibody in the CRC allograft by upregulating PD-L1. Our results reveal the critical and pleiotropic effects of Pin1 on managing the immune cells and immune checkpoint PD-L1 in the TME of CRC, providing a new promising candidate for combination with immunotherapy.

Engineered macrophage-derived cellular vesicles for NIR-II fluorescence imaging-guided precise cancer photo-immunotherapy

Significant progress has been made in cancer immunotherapy; however, challenges such as interpatient variability, limited treatment response, and severe side effects persist. Although nanoimmunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach, the construction of precise and efficient nanosystems remain formidable challenges. Herein, a multifunctional nanoplatform was developed using macrophage-derived cellular vesicles (MCVs) for NIR-II imaging-guided precise cancer photo-immunotherapy. MCVs exhibited excellent tumor targeting and TAMs re-education effects, serving as both delivery carriers and therapeutic agents. Through amide bond, indocyanine green (ICG) was conjugated to the surface of MCVs, enabling in vivo tracking of MCVs distribution. Notably, ICG exhibited dual functionality as a NIR-II fluorescent agent and possessed photodynamic and photothermal effects, enabling the conversion of light energy into chemical or heat energy to eliminate tumor cells. This precision phototherapy triggered immunogenic cell death (ICD) of tumor, thereby activating the anti-tumor immune response. Additionally, MCVs loaded with R848, a toll-like receptor agonist, augmented the ICD-induced anti-tumor immunity. Animal experiments confirmed that MCVs-mediated photoimmunotherapy promoted T cell infiltration, inhibited tumor growth, and improved survival rates. In conclusion, we have developed a promising precision immunotherapy strategy capable of enhancing the immune response while mitigating off-target effects. These findings offer encouraging prospects for clinical translation.

Characterization of fermented pomegranate juice: ACE inhibitory activity under in vitro digestion, antioxidant capacity, phenolics composition, chemical properties and sensory evaluation

Consuming pomegranate juice (PJ) is beneficial for hypertensive regulation because of the phenolic compounds in PJ and their inhibitory activity on angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE). To better utilize bioactive function of food, microorganism fermentation has been adopted to alter phenolic metabolism. This study confirms that even under in vitro digestion, fermented PJ (FPJ) maintains higher ACE inhibitory activity than that of PJ. The main phenolic compounds in PJ were compared either under fermentation or in vitro digestion. This study finds that fermentation promotes antioxidant capacity of PJ. The chemical properties of FPJ are evaluated and the corresponding relationship with bioactivities is analyzed. A sensory evaluation comparison is conducted between FPJ and PJ, furnishing interesting information for consumers. This study highlights the relationship between ACE inhibitory activity of PJ and phenolic composition under fermentation and in vitro digestion, providing novel insights for diet regulation of phenolic-rich FPJ in ACE inhibition therapy.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-023-01388-w.

Clinical and neuroimaging association between neuropsychiatric symptoms and nutritional status across the Alzheimer's disease continuum: a longitudinal cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and nutritional status, and explore their shared regulatory brain regions on the Alzheimer's disease (AD) continuum.

DESIGN

A longitudinal, observational cohort study.

SETTING

Data were collected from the Chinese Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle study between June 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022.

PARTICIPANTS

Overall, 432 patients on the AD continuum, including amnestic mild cognitive impairment and AD dementia, were assessed at baseline, and only 165 patients completed the (10.37 ± 6.08) months' follow-up.

MEASUREMENTS

The Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) were used to evaluate nutritional status and NPS, respectively. The corrected cerebral blood flow (cCBF) measured by pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling of the dietary nutrition-related brain regions was analyzed. The association between the NPS at baseline and subsequent change in nutritional status and the association between the changes in the severity of NPS and nutritional status were examined using generalized linear mixed models.

RESULTS

Increased cCBF in the left putamen was associated with malnutrition, general NPS, affective symptoms, and hyperactivity (P < 0.05). The presence of general NPS (β = -1.317, P = 0.003), affective symptoms (β = -1.887, P < 0.001), and appetite/eating disorders (β = -1.714, P < 0.001) at baseline were associated with a decline in the MNA scores during follow-up. The higher scores of general NPI (β = -0.048), affective symptoms (β = -0.181), and appetite/eating disorders (β = -0.416; all P < 0.001) were longitudinally associated with lower MNA scores after adjusting for confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that baseline NPS were predictors of a decline in nutritional status on the AD continuum. The worse the severity of affective symptoms and appetite/eating disorders, the poorer the nutritional status. Furthermore, abnormal perfusion of the putamen may regulate the association between malnutrition and NPS, which suggests their potentially common neural regulatory basis.

[Long-term efficacy of balloon-assisted endplate augmentation combined with transforaminal pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures]

Objectives: To investigate the long-term efficacy of balloon assisted endplate reduction with vertebral augmentation combined with pedicle screw fixation in the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures, and to compare the clinical efficacy of calcium sulfate cement (CSC) and calcium phosphate cement(CPC). Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study.The clinical data of 39 patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures admitted to Hefei Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University from November 2013 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients were treated with pedicle screw reduction and fixation of the injured vertebra,balloon-assisted reduction of the collapsed endplate of the injured vertebra,and artificial bone vertebral body augmentation,and the follow-up time was >5 years.There were 24 males and 15 females,aged (42.9±13.3) years (range: 29 to 56 years).According to the Frankel spinal nerve dysfunction grading standard, there were 4 cases of grade C, 7 cases of grade D and 28 cases of grade E. There were 21 cases of CSC augmentation(CSC group) and 18 cases of CPC augmentation (CPC group). X-ray and CT were performed at 1 week, 1-, 2-, 5-year after surgery and at the last follow-up, and the imaging indicators were measured, including the injured vertebra anterior edge height ratio,the injured vertebra middle height ratio,the injured vertebra wedge angle,and the sagittal plane Cobb angle. The pain visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) was used for functional evaluation, nervous function was evaluated according to the Frankel spinal nerve dysfunction grading standard.Independent sample t test was used for inter-group comparison, and paired sample t test and repeated measure ANOVA were used for intra-group comparison. Results: All operative procedures were successfully completed, no spinal nerve function damage occurred. The postoperative imaging indexes of the patients were significantly improved compared with those before surgery (all P<0.01). The follow-up time of patients was (6.7±2.8)years (range: 5 to 9 years). Among the 11 patients with symptoms of neurological impairment before surgery, 9 patients completely recovered at the last follow-up, and 2 patients recovered from Frankel grade C to D. There were no significant differences in imaging indexes between the first week after surgery and the last follow-up in the CPC group (all P>0.05), while there were significant differences in imaging indexes between the CSC group and the last follow-up (all P<0.05). CPC group was superior to CSC group in frontal height ratio, middle height ratio, wedge angle variation and sagittal Cobb angle correction loss at 2 year, 5 year after surgery and the last follow-up, with statistical significance (all P<0.05). At the last follow-up, there were no differences in VAS and ODI between the two groups (all P>0.05). After absorption of CSC in the filling area, a hardened zone was formed around the area, and the central cavity remained without bone tissue filling. CPC absorption was very slow, and the CPC group was still filled satisfactorily at the last follow-up. Conclusions: Balloon assisted endplate reduction and vertebral augmentation combined with pedicle screw fixation through the injured vertebra have good long-term efficacy in the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures. Compared with CSC, CPC vertebral augmentation can better maintain the shape and spinal sequence of the injured vertebra in the long term, and can effectively reduce the collapse of the space above the injured vertebra.

Artificial DNA Framework Channel Modulates Antiapoptotic Behavior in Ischemia-Stressed Cells via Destabilizing Promoter G-Quadruplex

Regulating folding/unfolding of gene promoter G-quadruplexes (G4s) is important for understanding the topological changes in genomic DNAs and the biological effects of such changes on important cellular events. Although many G4-stabilizing ligands have been screened out, effective G4-destabilizing ligands are extremely rare, posing a great challenge for illustrating how G4 destabilization affects gene function in living cells under stress, a long-standing question in neuroscience. Herein, we report a distinct methodology able to destabilize gene promoter G4s in ischemia-stressed neural cells by mitigating the ischemia-induced accumulation of intracellular K+ with an artificial membrane-spanning DNA framework channel (DFC). We also show that ischemia-triggered K+ influx is positively correlated to anomalous stabilization of promoter G4s and downregulation of Bcl-2, an antiapoptotic gene with neuroprotective effects against ischemic injury. Intriguingly, the DFC enables rapid transmembrane transport of excessive K+ mediated by the internal G4 filter, leading to the destabilization of endogenous promoter G4 in Bcl-2 and subsequent turnover of gene expression at both transcription and translation levels under ischemia. Consequently, this work enriches our understanding of the biological roles of endogenous G4s and may offer important clues to study the cellular behaviors in response to stress.

Efficacy and safety of thoracic radiotherapy in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer patients receiving first-line immunotherapy plus chemotherapy: a propensity score matched multicentre retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Platinum-etoposide chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been recommended as the first-line standard treatment for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). However, the effect of thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) on these patients is still unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TRT for ES-SCLC patients who responded to first-line ICIs and chemotherapy (CHT).

METHODS

Patients who received 4 to 6 cycles of ICIs and CHT as first-line therapy at three hospitals between 2018 and 2022 were included in the analysis. All patients were divided into two groups based on whether they received TRT as first-line treatment, and propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to ensure that the characteristics of two groups were well-balanced. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoint was toxic effects.

RESULTS

A total of 276 patients were included, and the median follow-up time was 22.3 (range, 4.0-53.73) months. After PSM, 197 patients were further analysed, and 99 of whom received TRT. The baseline characteristics were well-balanced between patients in the TRT and non-TRT groups. There were significant differences in PFS between the TRT and non-TRT groups, with the median PFS of 10.76 and 7.63 months, respectively (P = 0.014). Significantly improved OS was observed in the TRT group (21.67 vs. 16.6 months, P = 0.009). In addition, the use of TRT was an independent prognostic factor for PFS and OS of ES-SCLC patients receiving ICIs plus CHT. In terms of safety, no significant increase of any grades adverse event (AE) (P = 0.874) and G3-4 AE (P = 0.909) was observed for patients receiving TRT. Radiation esophagitis, gastrointestinal and hematologic toxicities were the most common AEs in TRT group, which were tolerable. And high-dose radiotherapy was associated with higher incidence of pneumonitis.

CONCLUSION

Addition of TRT showed significant survival benefits and well tolerability in ES-SCLC patients receiving platinum-etoposide CHT and ICIs, which could be a feasible first-line treatment strategy for ES-SCLC patients.

From pixels to patient care: deep learning-enabled pathomics signature offers precise outcome predictions for immunotherapy in esophageal squamous cell cancer

BACKGROUND

Immunotherapy has significantly improved survival of esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) patients, however the clinical benefit was limited to only a small portion of patients. This study aimed to perform a deep learning signature based on H&E-stained pathological specimens to accurately predict the clinical benefit of PD-1 inhibitors in ESCC patients.

METHODS

ESCC patients receiving PD-1 inhibitors from Shandong Cancer Hospital were included. WSI images of H&E-stained histological specimens of included patients were collected, and randomly divided into training (70%) and validation (30%) sets. The labels of images were defined by the progression-free survival (PFS) with the interval of 4 months. The pretrained ViT model was used for patch-level model training, and all patches were projected into probabilities after linear classifier. Then the most predictive patches were passed to RNN for final patient-level prediction to construct ESCC-pathomics signature (ESCC-PS). Accuracy rate and survival analysis were performed to evaluate the performance of ViT-RNN survival model in validation cohort.

RESULTS

163 ESCC patients receiving PD-1 inhibitors were included for model training. There were 486,188 patches of 1024*1024 pixels from 324 WSI images of H&E-stained histological specimens after image pre-processing. There were 120 patients with 227 images in training cohort and 43 patients with 97 images in validation cohort, with balanced baseline characteristics between two groups. The ESCC-PS achieved an accuracy of 84.5% in the validation cohort, and could distinguish patients into three risk groups with the median PFS of 2.6, 4.5 and 12.9 months (P < 0.001). The multivariate cox analysis revealed ESCC-PS could act as an independent predictor of survival from PD-1 inhibitors (P < 0.001). A combined signature incorporating ESCC-PS and expression of PD-L1 shows significantly improved accuracy in outcome prediction of PD-1 inhibitors compared to ESCC-PS and PD-L1 anlone, with the area under curve value of 0.904, 0.924, 0.610 for 6-month PFS and C-index of 0.814, 0.806, 0.601, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The outcome supervised pathomics signature based on deep learning has the potential to enable superior prognostic stratification of ESCC patients receiving PD-1 inhibitors, which convert the images pixels to an effective and labour-saving tool to optimize clinical management of ESCC patients.

Comparing Strain Assessment in Compressed Sensing and Conventional Cine MRI

The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of compressed sensing (CS) acceleration methods compared to conventional segmented cine (Seg) cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) for evaluating left ventricular (LV) function and strain by feature tracking (FT). In this prospective study, 45 healthy volunteers underwent CMR imaging used Seg, threefold (CS3), fourfold (CS4), and eightfold (CS8) CS acceleration. Cine images were scored for quality (1-5 scale). LV volumetric and functional parameters and global longitudinal (GLS), circumferential (GCS), and radial strains (GRS) were quantified. LV volumetric and functional parameters exhibited no differences between Seg and all CS cines (all P > 0.05). The strains were similar for Seg, CS3, and CS4 (all P > 0.05). Similarly, no significant differences were observed in GRS and GCS between Seg and CS8 (all P > 0.05), but the global longitudinal strain was significantly lower for CS8 versus Seg (P < 0.001). Image quality declined with CS acceleration, especially in long-axis views with CS8. CS cine MRI at acceleration factor 4 maintained good image quality and accurate measurements of LV function and strain, although there was a slight reduction in the quality of long-axis images and GLS with CS8. CS acceleration up to a factor of 4 enabled fast CMR evaluations, making it suitable for clinical use.

A novel method of identifying estuary high-nutrient zones for water quality management

Coastal shallow waters are highly vulnerable to pollution, often leading to the development of intricate eutrophication zones. However, accurately determining these areas poses a significant challenge due to the complex interplay of estuarine hydrodynamics and nutrient transformation. To address such issue, a novel method was proposed to identify high-nutrient zones through calculating the continuous zonation of released tracers when their instantaneous concentrations declined to 1/e of their initial values. The method was well tested using idealized estuary models with varying shape parameters, water depths and river discharges. The results consistently revealed that the boundaries of high-nutrient zones fell within the mixed zone, characterized by salinity levels of 10- 20 psu. In Shenzhen Bay, a typical shallow bay, distinct differences were observed in the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and PO43-. Both the 20 psu isohaline and the proposed method effectively identified the partition boundary of high DIN and PO43- in 2001-2010, but only the newly proposed method demonstrated accuracy in delineating the actual high-nutrient zone during the continuous nutrient reduction period from 2010 to 2020. This study provides a practical and feasible approach that can serve as an auxiliary decision-making tool for managing estuarine water environments, and it has potential to facilitate the implementation of timely and effective measures for pollution control.

Ezrin inhibition alleviates oxidative stress and pyroptosis via regulating TRPML1-calcineurin axis mediated enhancement of autophagy in spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) presents profound ramifications for patients, leading to diminished motor and sensory capabilities distal to the lesion site. Once SCI occurs, it not only causes great physical and psychological problems for patients but also imposes a heavy economic burden. Ezrin is involved in various cellular processes, including signal transduction, cell death, inflammation, chemotherapy resistance and the stress response. However, whether Ezrin regulates functional repair after SCI and its underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. Here, our results showed that there is a marked augmentation of Ezrin levels within neurons and Ezrin inhibition markedly diminished glial scarring and bolstered functional recuperation after SCI. RNA sequencing indicated the potential involvement of pyroptosis, oxidative stress and autophagy in the enhancement of functional recovery upon reduced Ezrin expression. Moreover, the inhibition of Ezrin expression curtailed pyroptosis and oxidative stress by amplifying autophagy. Our studies further demonstrated that Ezrin inhibition promoted autophagy by increasing TFEB activity via the Akt-TRPML1-calcineurin pathway. Finally, we concluded that inhibiting Ezrin expression alleviates pyroptosis and oxidative stress by enhancing TFEB-driven autophagy, thereby promoting functional recovery after SCI, which may be a promising therapeutic target for SCI treatment.

Model construction and drug therapy of primary ovarian insufficiency by ultrasound-guided injection

BACKGROUND

Clinically, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the main treatment for primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). However, HRT may increase the risk of both breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. Exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSC) have been gradually applied to the therapy of a variety of diseases through inflammation inhibition, immune regulation, and tissue repair functions. However, the application and study of hUC-MSC exosomes in POI remain limited.

METHODS

Here, we first constructed four rat animal models: the POI-C model (the "cyclophosphamide-induced" POI model via intraperitoneal injection), the POI-B model (the "busulfan-induced" POI model), the POI-U model (the "cyclophosphamide-induced" POI model under ultrasonic guidance), and MS model (the "maternal separation model"). Second, we compared the body weight, ovarian index, status, Rat Grimace Scale, complications, and mortality rate of different POI rat models. Finally, a transabdominal ultrasound-guided injection of hUC-MSC exosomes was performed, and its therapeuticy effects on the POI animal models were evaluated, including changes in hormone levels, oestrous cycles, ovarian apoptosis levels, and fertility. In addition, we performed RNA-seq to explore the possible mechanism of hUC-MSC exosomes function.

RESULTS

Compared with the POI-C, POI-B, and MS animal models, the POI-U model showed less fluctuation in weight, a lower ovarian index, fewer complications, a lower mortality rate, and a higher model success rate. Second, we successfully identified hUC-MSCs and their exosomes, and performed ultrasound-guided intraovarian hUC-MSCs exosomes injection. Finally, we confirmed that the ultrasound-guided exosome injection (termed POI-e) effectively improved ovarian hormone levels, the oestrous cycle, ovarian function, and fertility. Mechanically, hUC-MSCs may play a therapeutic role by regulating ovarian immune and metabolic functions.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, we innovatively constructed an ultrasound-guided ovarian drug injection method to construct POI-U animal models and hUC-MSC exosomes injection. And we confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of hUC-MSC exosomes on the POI-U animal models. Our study will offer a better choice for new animal models of POI in the future and provides certain guidance for the hUC-MSCs exosome therapy in POI patients.

[Diagnosis and treatment understanding of Waldenström macroglobulinemia in China: a cross-sectional study]

Objective: To conduct a nationwide physician survey to better understand clinicians' disease awareness, treatment patterns, and experience of Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) in China. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2022 to July 2022 by recruiting clinicians with WM treatment experience from hematology, hematology-oncology, and oncology departments throughout China. Quantitative surveys were designed based on the qualitative interviews. Results: The study included 415 clinicians from 219 hospitals spread across thirty-three cities and twenty-two provinces. As for diagnosis, the laboratory tests prescribed by physicians for suspected WM patients were relatively consistent (92% -99% recommendation for laboratory, 79% -95% recommendation for pathology, 96% recommendation for gene testing, and 63% -83% recommendation for imaging examination). However, from a physician's perspective, there was 22% misdiagnosis occurred in clinical practice. The rate of misdiagnosis was higher in lower-level hospitals than in tertiary grade A hospitals (29% vs 21%, P<0.001). The main reasons for misdiagnosis were that WM was easily confused with other diseases, and physicians lacked the necessary knowledge to make an accurate diagnosis. In terms of gene testing in clinical practice, 96% of participating physicians believed that WM patients would require gene testing for MYD88 and CXCR4 mutations because the results of gene testing would aid in confirming diagnosis and treatment options. In terms of treatment, 55% of physicians thought that the most important goal was to achieve remission, while 54% and 51% of physicians wanted to improve laboratory and/or examination results and extend overall survival time, respectively. Among patients with treatment indications, physicians estimated that approximately 21% of them refused to receive treatment, mainly owing to a lack of affordable care and disease awareness. When selecting the most appropriate treatment regimens, physicians would consider patient affordability (63% ), comorbidity (61% ), and risk level (54% ). Regimens containing Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) were most widely recommended for both treatment-naïve and relapsed/refractory patients (94% for all patients, 95% for treatment-naïve patients, and 75% for relapsed/refractory patients), and most physicians recommended Ibrutinib (84% ). For those patients who received treatment, physicians reported that approximately 23% of patients did not comply with the treatment regimen due to a lack of affordability and disease awareness. Furthermore, 66% of physicians believe that in the future, increasing disease awareness and improving diagnosis rates is critical. Conclusions: This study is the first national physician survey of WM conducted in China. It systematically describes the issues that exist in WM diagnosis and treatment in China, such as a high rate of misdiagnosis, limited access to gene testing and new drugs, and poor patient adherence to treatment. Chinese doctors believe that improving doctors' and patients' understanding of WM is one of the most urgent issues that must be addressed right now.

[Efficacy and safety analysis of P-GemDOx regimen and stratified prognosis in patients with early extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma]

Objective: To assess the efficacy, safety, and related prognostic factors associated with the P-GemDOx regimen as a first-line treatment for patients with early-stage extranodal natural killer (NK) /T cell lymphoma (ENKTL) . Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on sixty early-stage ENKTL patients treated with the P-GemDOx regimen who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between August 2015 and May 2021. The Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to compare group differences, and the Log-rank test was used to compare the differences in survival. Survival outcomes and prognostic factors were examined. Results: After completing 4 to 6 cycles of P-GemDOx chemotherapy, the overall response rate (ORR) was 88.3%, with forty-six patients (76.7% ) achieving complete response (CR). The 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were (66.3±7.1) % and (79.5±6.0) %, respectively. According to the PINK/PINK-E model, there was no significant difference in survival outcomes among risk groups. 23.3% of patients experienced progression of disease within 24 months (POD<24). OS estimates differed significantly (P<0.001) between the POD<24 group (n=14) and the POD≥24 group (n=46). Analysis showed that SUVmax > 12.8 at diagnosis, non-single nasal cavity infiltration, and response less than CR after 4-6 cycles all had a significant association with POD24. We used these data as the basis for predicting POD<24 international prognostic index (POD24-IPI). Patients were stratified into low-risk (no risk factors), intermediate-risk (one risk factor), or high risk (two or three risk factors). These groups were associated with 4-year OS rate of 100%, (85.6±9.7) %, and (65.0±10.2) %, respectively (P=0.014). The P-GemDOx regimen was well tolerated, with hematological toxicity being the main side effect. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the P-GemDOx regimen is effective and safe in the first-line treatment of early-stage ENKTL, and POD24-IPI is a promising prognostic model.

Effects of Muscle Type and Aging on Glycolysis and Physicochemical Quality Properties of Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) Meat

Poor tenderness of camel meat has seriously hampered the development of the camel meat industry. This study investigated the effects of muscle fiber composition and ageing time on meat quality, glycolytic potential, and glycolysis-related enzyme activities. Muscle samples of the longissimus thoracis (LT), psoas major (PM), and semitendinosus (ST) were collected from eight 8-10 year old Sonid Bactrian camels (females). Muscle fiber composition was examined by ATPase staining and immunohistochemistry. Meat quality indexes, glycolytic potential, and activities of major glycolytic enzymes were examined at 4 °C aging for 1, 6, 24, 72, and 120 h. The results showed that LT was mainly composed of type IIb muscle fibers, whereas PM and ST were mainly composed of type I muscle fibers. The PCR results of the myosin heavy chain (MyHC) were consistent with the ATPase staining results. During aging, the shear force of LT muscle was always greater than that of PM and ST, and its glycolysis was the strongest; type IIa, IIb, and IIx muscle fibers were positively correlated with muscle shear force and glycolysis rate, and type I muscle fibers were significantly and negatively correlated with the activities of the key enzymes of glycolysis within 6 h. The results showed that the muscle fibers of LT muscle had the greatest glycolysis capacity. These results suggest that an excessive type IIb muscle fiber number percentage and area in camel meat accelerated the glycolysis process, but seriously affected the sensory profile of the camel meat. The results of this study provide directions for the camel industry when addressing the poor tenderness of camel meat.

Topological Single-stranded DNA Encoding and Programmable Assembly of Molecular Nanostructures for NIR-II Cancer Theranostics

Molecular nanotechnology promises to offer privileged access to developing NIR-II materials with precise structural and functional manipulation for transformable theranostic applications. However, the lack of an affordable, yet general, method makes this goal currently inaccessible. By virtue of the intriguing nucleic acid chemistry, here we present an artificial base-directed topological single-strand DNA encoding design that enables one-step synthesis of valence-controlled NIR-II molecular nanostructures and spatial assembly of these nanostructures to modulate their behaviors in living systems. As proof-of-concept studies, we construct ultrasmall Ag2 S quantum dots and pH-responsive, size-tunable CuS assemblies for in vivo NIR-II fluorescence imaging and deep tumor photothermal therapy. This work paves a new way for creating functionally diversified architectures and broadens the scope of DNA-encoded material engineering.

[Mediating effect of hypertension on risk of stroke associated with hyperuricemia]

Objective: To investigate the association between hyperuricemia and the risk for stroke occurrence, as well as the mediating effect of hypertension on this association. Methods: In this study, the China Chronic Diseases and Nutrition Surveillance system in 2015 was used as baseline data. We identified hospital admissions for stroke using the electronic homepage of inpatient medical records from 2013-2020, and death data were obtained from the 2015-2020 National Mortality Surveillance System. A retrospective cohort was established after matching and linking the database. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the relationship between hyperuricemia and the risk of stroke and its subtypes. Restricted cubic spline analysis was conducted to examine the dose-response relationship between serum uric acid levels and the risk for stroke. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the mediating effect of hypertension on the association between hyperuricemia and the risk for stroke and its subtypes. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on gender and age groups. Results: A total of 124 352 study subjects were included, with an accumulative follow-up time of 612 911.36 person-years. During the follow-up period, 4 638 cases of stroke were found, including 3 919 cases of ischemic stroke and 689 cases of hemorrhagic stroke. The incidence density of stroke was 756.72 per 100 000 person-years, 641.37 per 100 000 person-years for ischemic stroke, and 114.60 per 100 000 person-years for hemorrhagic stroke. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models showed that after adjusting for covariates, compared to those without hyperuricemia, individuals with hyperuricemia had a 16% higher risk for stroke [hazard ratio (HR)=1.16, 95%CI: 1.06-1.27], a 12% higher risk of ischemic stroke (HR=1.12, 95%CI: 1.01-1.24), and a 39% higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke (HR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.11-1.75). Mediation analysis showed that hypertension partially mediated the associations between hyperuricemia and the risk for stroke, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke, with mediation proportions of 36.07%, 39.98%, and 25.34%, respectively. The mediating effect is pronounced in the male population and individuals below 65. Conclusion: Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for stroke, and hypertension partially mediates the effect of hyperuricemia on stroke.

Search for Scalar Leptoquarks Produced via τ-Lepton-Quark Scattering in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for scalar leptoquarks produced in τ-lepton-quark collisions is presented. It is based on a set of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The reconstructed final state consists of a jet, significant missing transverse momentum, and a τ lepton reconstructed through its hadronic or leptonic decays. Limits are set on the product of the leptoquark production cross section and branching fraction and interpreted as exclusions in the plane of the leptoquark mass and the leptoquark-τ-quark coupling strength.

Dynamics of the Gut Microbiota and Faecal and Serum Metabolomes during Pregnancy-A Longitudinal Study

Normal pregnancy involves numerous physiological changes, including changes in hormone levels, immune responses, and metabolism. Although several studies have shown that the gut microbiota may have an important role in the progression of pregnancy, these findings have been inconsistent, and the relationship between the gut microbiota and metabolites that change dynamically during and after pregnancy remains to be clarified. In this longitudinal study, we comprehensively profiled the temporal dynamics of the gut microbiota, Bifidobacterium communities, and serum and faecal metabolomes of 31 women during their pregnancies and postpartum periods. The microbial composition changed as gestation progressed, with the pregnancy and postpartum periods exhibiting distinct bacterial community characteristics, including significant alterations in the genera of the Lachnospiraceae or Ruminococcaceae families, especially the Lachnospiraceae FCS020 group and Ruminococcaceae UCG-003. Metabolic dynamics, characterised by changes in nutrients important for fetal growth (e.g., docosatrienoic acid), anti-inflammatory metabolites (e.g., trans-3-indoleacrylic acid), and steroid hormones (e.g., progesterone), were observed in both serum and faecal samples during pregnancy. Moreover, a complex correlation was identified between the pregnancy-related microbiota and metabolites, with Ruminococcus1 and Ruminococcaceae UCG-013 making important contributions to changes in faecal and serum metabolites, respectively. Overall, a highly coordinated microbiota-metabolite regulatory network may underlie the pregnancy process. These findings provide a foundation for enhancing our understanding of the molecular processes occurring during the progression of pregnancy, thereby contributing to nutrition and health management during this period.

[Application of modified urethral separation method in artificial urethral sphincter implantation and its influence on intraoperative urethral pressure profilometry]

Objective: To explore the application of modified urethral separation method in artificial urethral sphincter (AUS) implantation in patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and its influence on the results of urethral pressure profilometry. Methods: A prospective collection of clinical data was conducted on 25 patients with stress urinary incontinence who underwent modified urethral separation method in AUS implantation and underwent urethral pressure profilometry in Beijing Hospital, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University and the Second Hospital Affiliated to Tianjin Medical University from March 2019 to June 2023. The improved urethral separation method was to borrow part of the white membrane tissue of the cavernous body while freeing the dorsal side of the cavernous body of the urethra. The circumference of the urethra, sleeve size, and urethral pressure were recorded, the patient's autonomous urinary control before and after surgery and the changes of the international consultation on incontinence questionnaire-short form (ICI-Q-SF) score, incontinence quality of life questionnaire (I-QoL) score, urinary frequency score, nocturia score were compared. Follow-up was conducted in the clinic or by telephone at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after activation of the device, and once a year thereafter. Local skin status and urine control were assessed, residual urine volume was measured by ultrasound and subjective score scale was completed. Results: All patients were male, aged 27-85 (65.8±15.7) years old. The circumference of the cuff used in this study was 4.0 cm in 4 patients (16.0%), 4.5 cm in 16 patients (64.0%), 5.0 cm in 4 patients (16.0%), and 5.5 cm in 1 patient (4.0%). Among them, the urethral circumference matched the cuff size in 14 cases (56.0%), the urethral circumference was smaller than the cuff size in 4 cases (16.0%), and the urethral circumference was larger than the cuff size in 7 cases (28.0%). Preoperative urodynamic examination showed that the maximum urethral pressure (MUP) was (78.0±25.9) cmH2O, (1 cmH2O=0.098 kPa) and the maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) was (53.4±26.6) cmH2O. The MUP of AUS device in the inactivated state was (88.0±26.5) cmH2O, which was not significantly higher than that before operation (P>0.05). The MUCP was (68.2±24.5) cmH2O, which was significantly higher than that before operation (P<0.05). The MUP and MUCP of the AUS device in the activated state were (146.6±25.2) cmH2O and (123.0±28.3) cmH2O, which were significantly higher than those before surgery and in the inactivated state (both P<0.001). All patients in the group reached the social urinary control standards at the first month of device activation. During a follow-up period of 2-50 months, 22 patients (88.0%) used the initial AUS device and all met social urinary control standards. The AUS device was replaced in 1 case. One patient died of cerebrovascular accident. One patient removed the device due to complications. The number of pads [M (Q1, Q3)] used in 25 patients before and after operation was 4.5 (3.0, 6.5) and 1 (0, 1) respectively, with statistically significant differences (P<0.001). ICI-Q-SF score, I-QoL score, urinary frequency score and nocturia score of 25 patients were significantly improved after surgery (all P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications was 20.0% (5/25), including 2 cases of painless hematuria, 1 case of infection, 1 case of urethral erosion, and 1 case of dysuria. Except for one patient who experienced urethral erosion and had his sleeve removed, the remaining four patients regained social urination control with active support treatment, and no symptoms recurred until the last follow-up. Conclusion: The modified urethral separation method has no significant effect on urethral pressure in patients with SUI, and can increase the volume of peri-urethral tissue in the cuff, thereby reducing the risk of intraoperative urethral injury and the incidence of postoperative urethral erosion.

Sodium fluoride-induced autophagy of ameloblast-like cells via the p-ULk1/ATG13/LC3B pathway in vitro

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of sodium fluoride on the ameloblast and reveal the mechanism of dental fluorosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mouse ameloblast-like cell line (ALC) cells were treated with various concentrations of NaF, and subjected to Incucyte, fluorescence immunoassay, transmission electron microscopy, reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blot for autophagy examination, alkaline phosphatase and alizarin red staining for mineralization after osteogenic induction.

RESULTS

NaF exerts a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on ALC cell growth. TEM and fluorescence immunoassay showed that 1.5 mM or higher concentrations of NaF could induce a fusion of lysosome and mitochondria, finally increasing the number of autophagosome. RT-qPCR and western blot showed that the upregulation of autophagy related gene 13 (ATG13), downregulation of phosphorylated Unc-51-like kinase 1 (p-ULK1) were found in NaF-induced autophagy of ALC cells. The knockdown of ATG13 could rescue it as well as the expression of p-ULK1 and LC3B. Besides, alizarin red staining showed that fluoride under these concentrations could promote the mineralization of ALC.

CONCLUSIONS

The data show that fluoride in higher concentration can induce autophagy via the p-ULk1/ATG13/LC3B pathway of ALCs than lower ones promote mineralization in vitro, which provides insight into the function of NaF in the autophagy and mineralization of ameloblast.

East Asian patients who received immunotherapy-based therapy associated with improved survival benefit in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: An updated meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with chemotherapy have been recommended as the standard treatment for advanced NSCLC patients without driver-gene mutations. However, there are different genetic characteristics and biological traits of tumors between non-East Asian (nEA) and East Asian (EA) patients with NSCLC, which may contribute to differences in the efficacy of ICIs in different ethnic populations. Previous findings regarding differences in the efficacy of ICIs among ethnic groups have been inconsistent. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis by collecting published data to investigate the clinical outcomes of ICIs for EA NSCLC patients compared to nEA patients.

METHODS

Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were used to access the difference in survival outcomes between the two populations. Subgroup analyses were performed based on the line of ICIs, the use of ICIs alone or in combination, and the type of ICIs.

RESULTS

A total of 9826 NSCLC patients from 21 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 4064 EAs were included, which involved PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4 inhibitors. EA NSCLC patients who received ICIs-based therapy were associated with significantly improved survival benefits in OS (p = 0.02) compared with nEA patients. Subgroup analysis indicated that EA patients receiving first-line ICIs showed significantly superior OS compared with nEA patients (p = 0.007). Chemo-ICIs treatment showed significant advantages in terms of OS (p = 0.002) and PFS (p = 0.02) among EA patients compared to nEA patients. In addition, PD-1 inhibitors were associated with improved OS among both EA patients and nEA patients compared with PD-L1 inhibitors.

CONCLUSION

EA NSCLC patients who received ICIs-based therapy were associated with significantly improved survival benefits compared with nEA NSCLC patients. Earlier intervention with ICIs and combination treatment was more recommended for EA NSCLC patients. Moreover, PD-1 inhibitors are associated with prolonged survival among both EA and nEA patients.

Development of a real-time impedance matching system for ion cyclotron resonance heating in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak

To achieve stable operation of an ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) system in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), a real-time impedance matching system needs to be established to respond to antenna load variation during long pulse discharges. A new impedance matching method based on capacitors was proposed in this study. By considering the reflected voltage of the transmission line as the feedback parameter, the real-time impedance-matching system can quickly control the motors based on a programmable logic controller to determine the minimum reflection voltage. A real-time impedance matching system was successfully used on the test platform in the laboratory and on the ICRH system in EAST. A significant result is that we can match the variable impedance within 1 s by suitably adjusting the motor controller to ensure high-power and long-pulse operation of the ICRH system to satisfy the requirements of the EAST experiment.

Genetic insights into associations of multisite chronic pain with common diseases and biomarkers using data from the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

Chronic pain is a common, complex, and challenging condition, for which specialised healthcare is required. We investigated the relationship between multisite chronic pain (MCP) and different disease traits identify safe biomarker interventions that can prevent MCP.

METHODS

Univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis were conducted to investigate associations between MCP and 36 common diseases in the UK Biobank. Subsequently, we estimated the potential effect of expression of 4774 proteins on MCP utilising existing plasma protein quantitative trait locus data. For the significant biomarkers, we performed phenome-wide MR (Phe-MR) with 1658 outcomes to predict potential safety profiles linked to biomarker intervention.

RESULTS

Multisite chronic pain had a substantial impact on psychiatric and neurodevelopmental traits (major depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), cardiovascular diseases (myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and heart failure), respiratory outcomes (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and sleep apnoea), arthropathies, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cholelithiasis. Higher genetically predicted levels of S100A6, DOCK9, ferritin, and ferritin light chain were associated with a risk of MCP, whereas PTN9 and NEUG were linked to decreased MCP risk. Phe-MR results suggested that genetic inhibition of DOCK9 increased the risk of 21 types of disease, whereas the other biomarker interventions were relatively safe.

CONCLUSIONS

We established that MCP has an effect on health conditions covering various physiological systems and identified six novel biomarkers for intervention. In particular, S100A6, PTN9, NEUG, and ferritin light chain represent promising targets for MCP prevention, as no significant side-effects were predicted in our study.

Hydrolysis of Solid Buffer Enables High-Performance Aqueous Zinc Ion Battery

Aqueous zinc (Zn) ion batteries (AZIBs) have not yet fulfilled their talent of high safety and low cost since the anode/electrolyte interface (AEI) has long been impeded by hydrogen evolution, surface corrosion, dendritic growth, and by-product accumulation. Here, the hydrolysis of solid buffers is elaborately proposed to comprehensively and enduringly handle these issues. Take 2D layered black phosphorus (BP) as a hydrolytic subject. It is reported that the phosphoric acid generated by hydrolysis in an aqueous electrolyte produces a zinc phosphate (ZPO) rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer, which largely inhibits the dendrite growth, surface corrosion, and hydrogen evolution. Meanwhile, the hydrolytic phosphoric acid stabilizes the pH value near AEI, avoiding the accumulation of alkaline by-products. Notably, compared with the disposable ZPO engineerings of anodic SEI pre-construction and electrolyte additive, the hydrolysis strategy of BP can realize a dramatically prolonged protective effect. As a result, these multiple merits endow BP modified separator to achieve improved stripping/plating stability toward Zn anode with more than ten times lifespan enhancement in Zn||Zn symmetrical cell. More encouragingly, when coupled with a V2 O5 ·nH2 O cathode with ultra-high loadings (34.1 and 28.7 mg cm-2 ), the cumulative capacities are remarkably promoted for both coin and pouch cells.

Subgroups of sleep quality and associated risk factors in patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy: A cross-sectional study based on latent profile analysis

PURPOSE

To identify latent classes of sleep quality among patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy, and to examine the predictors of different latent classes.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 238 cancer patients. The assessment instrument included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the sleep hygiene awareness and practice scale, the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory, the Distress Thermometer and the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Questionnaire. Latent profile analysis was used to identify different sleep quality subgroups.

RESULTS

Three latent classes with distinct sleep characteristics were identified: good sleep quality (class 1, 66.8%), moderate sleep disturbance with high hypnotics use (class 2, 9.2%), and high sleep disturbance with low hypnotics use (class 3, 24.0%) classes. Patients who were young (P = 0.022) and diagnosed with cancer stage Ⅲ (P = 0.021) were significantly more likely to be in Class 3 than in Class 1. Patients with a senior middle school were less likely to fall into Class 2, but more likely to fall into Class 1 (P = 0.026). Those with higher sleep hygiene practice scores (P = 0.022; P < 0.001), symptom severity (P < 0.001; P < 0.001), and psychological distress (P = 0.040; P < 0.001) had a significantly higher probability of being classified in Class 2 or Class 3 than in Class 1.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed the heterogeneity of sleep quality in patients with cancer undergoing radiotherapy; moreover, through our findings, targeted interventions may be developed to promote the sleep quality of these patients.

The pathogenicity and immune effects of different generations of Mycoplasma synoviae on chicken embryos

1. Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) is the primary causative agent of synovitis in avian species. In order to investigate the pathogenicity and immunological responses associated with MS in specific pathogen-free chicken embryos, a series of generations (F1, F95, F120, F160 and F200) of MS were introduced into 7-day-old SPF chicken embryos and subsequent mortality rates were recorded and analysed2. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect expression of heat shock proteins HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 and inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1β, caspase-1 and IL-18 in the tracheal tissue.3. The results showed that the mortality rate of SPF chicken embryos decreased with an increase in the number of passages, with the highest being 80% (8/10) for F1 generation and the lowest being 10% (1/10) for F200. The expression of HSP27, IL-1β, HSP40, caspase-1, HSP70 and HSP90 showed a significant downregulation trend with an increase in the generation (except IL-18; P < 0.05). The HSP60 expression was significantly upregulated with increasing generations (P < 0.05).4. A relationship between pathogenicity and the number of passages was observed and the decrease in pathogenicity appeared to be associated with HSP and genes related to inflammatory factors. The present work offers a scientific foundation for screening potential MS strains that might be employed to develop attenuated vaccines.

Enhancing patient education in cancer care: Intelligent cancer patient education model for effective communication

BACKGROUND

The incidence of cancer is on the rise annually, whereas there exists a significant deficit of healthcare personnel. Inadequate communication between healthcare providers and patients may result in adverse emotional outcomes for the latter and interfere with their treatment progress. A viable solution to alleviate patient distress involves utilizing text generation models as an efficacious tool for delivering patient education.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we proposed an intelligent cancer patient education model (ICPEM) based on the pre-trained T5 model. Meanwhile, we presented a new method for optimizing the model's comprehension of the patient's intent through simulating the inquiries that the patient may ask. The datasets used include a doctor and patient dialogue dataset and a cancer patient education scenario dataset. After prompt-tuning, the model is capable of educating patients through four major aspects including medical examination, health care, radiotherapy, chemotherapy.

RESULTS

We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the model by employing both automated and manual metrics. Our findings indicate that the responses generated by the model effectively catered to the requirements of patient education. Furthermore, our visualization analysis demonstrated the model's proficiency in processing sentences that are prone to confusion while maintaining a robust comprehension of human intent. Finally, several shortcomings of the model are presented, such as the inadequate amount of knowledge and the limited range of responses.

CONCLUSION

We proposed a method for training and deploying medical language models in a low-resource environment. The proposed model facilitated the comprehension of cancer patients' intentions, resulting in suitable responses, which promotes effective patient-provider communication.

[Analysis of the experience and procedural complications of trans-radial access versus trans-femoral access for hepatic arterial perfusion chemotherapy in patients with advanced hepatic malignancies:a retrospective study]

Objective: To analyze the differences between trans-radial access (TRA) and trans-femoral access (TFA) in hepatic arterial perfusion chemotherapy (HAIC) in terms of patient experience, postoperative complications, and patient preferences; explore whether TRA in HAIC is associated with better patient experience and compliance; and determine whether it is safer than TFA. Methods: The study was a retrospective cohort study of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastases from colorectal cancer treated with HAIC. We enrolled a total of 91 patients with advanced liver malignancies treated with HAIC from November 2022 to May 2023 in the Department of Interventional Therapy and Hepatobiliary Medicine at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital. The patients were divided into three groups: group TRA (n=20, receiving TRA HAIC only), group TFA (n=33, receiving TFA HAIC only), and crossover group [n=19, receiving TFA HAIC (Cross-TFA group) first, followed by TRA HAIC (Cross-TRA group)]. Meanwhile, to facilitate the expression of partial results, all patients receiving TRA HAIC were defined as the TRA-HAIC group (n=39, TRA+Cross-TRA group), and all patients receiving TFA HAIC were defined as the TFA-HAIC group (n=52, TFA+Cross-TFA group). The primary research index was the Quality of Life (QOL) visualization scale score. The secondary research index included approach-related and catheter-related adverse events, duration of surgery, and mean length of patient stay. We used various statistical methods such as Mann-Whitney U test, t-test, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, univariate logistic regression analysis, and multi-factor analysis. Results: TRA patients had significantly lower QOL scores than TFA patients (all P<0.001). The QOL scores of the Cross-TRA group were significantly lower than those of the Cross-TFA group (pain at the puncture site Z=-3.24, P=0.001, others P<0.001). The QOL scores of the Cross-TRA group were compared with those of the TRA group, which showed that the scores of the Cross-TRA group in overall discomfort (Z=-3.07,P=0.002), postoperative toilet difficulty (Z=-2.12, P=0.034), and walking difficulty (Z=-2.58, P=0.010) were significantly lower than those of the TRA group. Satisfaction scores were significantly higher in the Cross-TRA group than in the Cross-TFA group (Z=-3.78, P<0.001), and patients were more likely to receive TRA HAIC as the next procedure (χ2=30.42, P<0.001). In terms of mean length of stay, patients receiving TRA HAIC had a significantly lower mean length of stay than those receiving TFA HAIC (50.1±3.2 h vs. 58.4±6.4 h, t=7.98, P<0.001). The incidence of radial artery occlusion (RAO) as an approach-related adverse event was 15.4% (6/39) in the TRA-HAIC group, which was significantly higher than that in the TFA-HAIC group (15.4% vs. 0, χ2=8.56, P=0.005). Notably, multifactorial analysis of RAO-related factors showed that intraoperative enoxaparin use and patency of radial artery flow during pressure were significantly associated with a reduced risk of postoperative RAO (P=0.037 for enoxaparin use and P=0.049 for pressure). Conclusions: With respect to procedure approach, TRA was significantly better than TFA in terms of patient satisfaction and mean length of stay. Through further process optimization and prevention of adverse reactions, the incidence of adverse reactions can be maintained at a relatively low level, so that patients can benefit from TRA in future operations in terms of cost-effectiveness and medical efficiency.

Long non-coding RNA LncCplx2 regulates glucose homeostasis and pancreatic β cell function

OBJECTIVE

Numerous studies have highlighted the role of clock genes in diabetes disease and pancreatic β cell functions. However, whether rhythmic long non-coding RNAs involve in this process is unknown.

METHODS

RNA-seq and 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE)-PCR were used to identify the rat LncCplx2 in pancreatic β cells. The subcellular analysis with qRT-PCR and RNA-Scope were used to assess the localization of LncCplx2. The effects of LncCplx2 overexpression or knockout (KO) on the regulation of pancreatic β cell functions were assessed in vitro and in vivo. RNA-seq, immunoblotting (IB), Immunoprecipitation (IP), RNA pull-down, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-PCR assays were employed to explore the regulatory mechanisms through LncRNA-protein interaction. Metabolism cage was used to measure the circadian behaviors.

RESULTS

We first demonstrate that LncCplx2 is a conserved nuclear long non-coding RNA and enriched in pancreatic islets, which is driven by core clock transcription factor BMAL1. LncCplx2 is downregulated in the diabetic islets and repressed by high glucose, which regulates the insulin secretion in vitro and ex vivo. Furthermore, LncCplx2 KO mice exhibit diabetic phenotypes, such as high blood glucose and impaired glucose tolerance. Notably, LncCplx2 deficiency has significant effects on circadian behavior, including prolonged period duration, decreased locomotor activity, and reduced metabolic rates. Mechanistically, LncCplx2 recruits EZH2, a core subunit of polycomb repression complex 2 (PRC2), to the promoter of target genes, thereby silencing circadian gene expression, which leads to phase shifts and amplitude changes in insulin secretion and cell cycle genes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results propose LncCplx2 as an unanticipated transcriptional regulator in a circadian system and suggest a more integral mechanism for the coordination of circadian rhythms and glucose homeostasis.

[Foreign Medicine "Angdi Moniu" in Qing Dynasty Court]

There is a kind of historical relics called "Angdi moniu" in the Palace Museum, which looks like metal and appears frequently in the archives of the Qing Dynasty as a foreign medicine.It is stated that it can treat sores and pus in the HanXiu CaoTang Biji and it was also found in the archives of the Palace Office. However, no researcher in the academic community has yet conducted an in-depth research of what exactly is it. Through the investigation of cultural relics, in-depth research of Chinese and foreign literature, and the use of linguistic methods, this paper examines "Angdi Moniu" and its related items, and clarifies that "Angdi Moniu" is antimony, related items are antimonials and antimony cup.

Search for Inelastic Dark Matter in Events with Two Displaced Muons and Missing Transverse Momentum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for dark matter in events with a displaced nonresonant muon pair and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} of proton-proton (pp) collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV produced by the LHC in 2016-2018. No significant excess over the predicted backgrounds is observed. Upper limits are set on the product of the inelastic dark matter production cross section σ(pp→A^{'}→χ_{1}χ_{2}) and the decay branching fraction B(χ_{2}→χ_{1}μ^{+}μ^{-}), where A^{'} is a dark photon and χ_{1} and χ_{2} are states in the dark sector with near mass degeneracy. This is the first dedicated collider search for inelastic dark matter.

A Novel Strategy to Enhance the pH Stability of Zein Particles through Octenyl Succinic Anhydride-Modified Starch: The Role of Preparation pH

Ensuring the stability of zein nanoparticles at different pH levels is crucial for their application as nanocarriers. In this study, octenyl succinic anhydride-modified starch (OSA-modified starch) was employed to enhance the stability of zein nanoparticles against different pH levels by forming complex nanoparticles with OSA-modified starch. The effect of preparation pH on the stability of the zein/OSA-modified starch nanoparticles was investigated. Sedimentation occurred in zein nanoparticles as the pH reached the isoelectric point. However, the stability of zein nanoparticles at various pH levels significantly improved after adding OSA-modified starch to form zein/OSA-modified starch nanoparticles regardless of whether they were prepared under acidic or alkaline pH conditions. Notably, the stability of zein/OSA-modified starch nanoparticles prepared at an acidic pH was higher than that of those prepared at an alkaline pH, thereby highlighting the critical role of the preparation pH for zein/OSA-modified starch in maintaining the stability of zein. The stable zein/OSA-modified starch nanoparticles developed in this study exhibit significant potential for use in delivery systems across various pH environments.

A novel scaffold long-acting selective estrogen receptor antagonist and degrader with superior preclinical profile against ER+ breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women worldwide, with the majority of cases showing expression of estrogen receptors (ERs). Although drugs targeting ER have significantly improved survival rates in ER-positive patients, drug resistance remains an unmet clinical need. Fulvestrant, which overcomes selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) and AI (aromatase inhibitor) resistance, is currently the only long-acting selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) approved for both first and second-line settings. However, it fails to achieve satisfactory efficacy due to its poor solubility. Therefore, we designed and synthesized a series of novel scaffold (THC) derivatives, identifying their activities as ER antagonists and degraders. G-5b, the optimal compound, exhibited binding, antagonistic, degradation or anti-proliferative activities comparable to fulvestrant in ER+ wild type and mutants breast cancer cells. Notably, G-5b showed considerably improved stability and solubility. Research into the underlying mechanism indicated that G-5b engaged the proteasome pathway to degrade ER, subsequently inhibiting the ER signaling pathway and leading to the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest events. Furthermore, G-5b displayed superior in vivo pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties, coupled with a favorable safety profile in the MCF-7 tamoxifen-resistant (MCF-7/TR) tumor xenograft model. Collectively, G-5b has emerged as a highly promising lead compound, offering potent antagonistic and degradation activities, positioning it as a novel long-acting SERD worthy of further refinement and optimization.

Oxygen defects engineering and structural strengthening of hydrated vanadium oxide cathode by coating glucose hydrothermal carbon and pre-embedding Mn (II) ion for high-capacity aqueous zinc ion batteries

Vanadium oxide-based cathode with unique layered structure is considered as a candidate for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs). Unfortunately, considering poor electronic conductivity, sluggish diffusion kinetics, and the destruction of layered structures in the cycling process, the actual capacity and rate capability are constrained. Herein, the glucose hydrothermal carbon (GHC) and transition metal Mn2+ ion have been utilized to incorporate hydrated vanadium oxide (Mn-VOH@GHC). The oxygen vacancies defects of VOH, induced by GHC anchored on surface and Mn2+ inserted between interlayers, provides more active sites, higher electronic conductivity, and faster ion diffusion. In addition, GHC reinforces the integrity of external structure, while Mn2+ ion acts as structural pillars to support the interlayer structure. The Mn-VOH@GHC electrode can produce a high capacity of 530 mAh/g at the current density of 0.2 A/g thanks to these crucial properties, and after 2000 cycles at a high current density of 2 A/g, it can also produce a reversible capacity of 344 mAh/g. The results suggest that the synergistic effect of defect engineering and metal ion pre-insertion provides a new idea in enhancement of the electrochemical performance of AZIBs cathode materials.

Application of tensor fascia lata perforator flap in head and neck reconstruction

The aim of this study was to describe the authors' experience in head and neck reconstruction with the tensor fascia lata perforator flap (TFLPF). Between April 2009 and August 2020, 16 patients underwent head and neck reconstruction with a TFLPF. The flaps were designed in a vertical or transverse fashion based on perforators traveling along the medial or lateral aspect of the posterior edge of the tensor fascia lata muscle. Clinical details and postoperative results were recorded and analyzed. The size of the flap ranged from 7 × 5 cm2 to 25 × 9 cm2. The perforators were mostly septocutaneous (11 patients), allowing a simple and straightforward dissection of the perforator and TFLPF in most patients. There were either one or two perforators in all cases. The overall flap survival rate was 100%. All of the flaps healed uneventfully with no delayed wound healing or donor site dysfunction. Follow-up ranged from 18 to 120 months, during which all patients experienced satisfactory functional and aesthetic results, without serious complications at either the recipient or donor site. The TFLPF is a pliable and reliable flap that could be a first choice in selected head and neck reconstruction cases.

Changes in the shape and function of the fetal heart of pre- and gestational diabetes mothers

BACKGROUND

Hyperglycemia during pregnancy can affect fetal heart in many ways, including causing cardiac malformation, leading to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and cardiac dysfunction. Echocardiographic evaluation can assist identify alterations in heart structure, morphology and function, enabling prompt monitoring and management. However, according to earlier research, the cardiac alterations are modest in hyperglycemic mothers' fetuses, and might not be detectable using conventional methods and it is also unclear whether these changes are related to the metabolism of mothers. Fetal Heart Quantification (Fetal HQ) can assess ventricular geometry and function more sensitively and thoroughly, and identify sub-clinical cardiac dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate fetal heart by Fetal HQ in fetuses of hyperglycemic mothers who either had pre-gestational or gestational diabetes and to correlate them with maternal metabolic indices.

METHODS

The fetuses of 25 gestational age-matched control mothers, 48 women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and 11 women with diabetes mellitus (DM) were included in the prospective case-control research. Using fetal echocardiography and speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), the heart of the fetus was evaluated. Differences in the groups' anthropometric, metabolic, and cardiac parameters were examined. It was assessed whether maternal features, prenatal glucose, lipids, and maternal hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) correlated with fetal cardiac parameters.

RESULTS

The LV EDV and ESV were significantly higher in the GDM group as compared to the DM group (p < 0.05). The GSI% was significantly lower in the GDM group compared with the control (p < 0.05). The LV SV and CO of the GDM group were both significantly higher compared with the DM group (p < 0.05). There was a significant decrease in RV FS for segments 1-7 in GDM fetuses compared to the control (p < 0.05) and for segments 5-10 compared to DM (p < 0.05). Fetal cardiac morphology and function indices correlate with maternal pregestational weight, BMI, early pregnancy fast glucose, lipids, and glycemic control levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Fetuses exposed to gestational diabetes have altered heart morphology and function that is linked to maternal metabolic parameters, which presents a special indication for performing geometry and function cardiac assessment. Fetal HQ can be employed to evaluate the fetal cardiac shape and function in fetuses exposed to gestational diabetes.

Luminosity determination using Z boson production at the CMS experiment

The measurement of Z boson production is presented as a method to determine the integrated luminosity of CMS data sets. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2017 at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Events with Z bosons decaying into a pair of muons are selected. The total number of Z bosons produced in a fiducial volume is determined, together with the identification efficiencies and correlations from the same data set, in small intervals of 20pb - 1 of integrated luminosity, thus facilitating the efficiency and rate measurement as a function of time and instantaneous luminosity. Using the ratio of the efficiency-corrected numbers of Z bosons, the precisely measured integrated luminosity of one data set is used to determine the luminosity of another. For the first time, a full quantitative uncertainty analysis of the use of Z  bosons for the integrated luminosity measurement is performed. The uncertainty in the extrapolation between two data sets, recorded in 2017 at low and high instantaneous luminosity, is less than 0.5%. We show that the Z boson rate measurement constitutes a precise method, complementary to traditional methods, with the potential to improve the measurement of the integrated luminosity.

Measurement of the production cross section for a W boson in association with a charm quark in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The strange quark content of the proton is probed through the measurement of the production cross section for a W boson and a charm (c) quark in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The W bosons are identified through their leptonic decays to an electron or a muon, and a neutrino. Charm jets are tagged using the presence of a muon or a secondary vertex inside the jet. The W + c production cross section and the cross section ratio R c ± = σ ( W + + c ¯ ) / σ ( W - + c ) are measured inclusively and differentially as functions of the transverse momentum and the pseudorapidity of the lepton originating from the W boson decay. The precision of the measurements is improved with respect to previous studies, reaching 1% in R c ± = 0.950 ± 0.005 (stat) ± 0.010 (syst) . The measurements are compared with theoretical predictions up to next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics.

Aptamer Conjugate-Based Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Precise Imaging of Therapy-Induced Cancer Senescence

Therapy-induced cellular senescence has been increasingly recognized as a key mechanism to promote various aspects of carcinogenesis in a nonautonomous manner. Thus, real-time imaging monitoring of cellular senescence during cancer therapy is imperative not only to further elucidate its roles in cancer progression but also to provide guidance for medical management of cancer. However, it has long been a challenging task due to the lack of effective imaging molecule tools with high specificity and accuracy toward cancer senescence. Herein, we report the rational design, synthesis, and evaluation of an aptamer conjugate-based ratiometric fluorescent probe for precise imaging of therapy-induced cancer senescence. Unlike traditional senescence imaging systems, our probe targets two senescence-associated markers at both cellular and subcellular dimensions, namely, aptamer-mediated membrane marker recognition for active cell targeting and lysosomal marker-triggered ratiometric fluorescence changes of two cyanine dyes for site-specific, high-contrast imaging. Moreover, such a two-channel fluorescence response is activated after a one-step reaction and at the same location, avoiding the diffusion-caused signal decay previously encountered in dual-marker activated probes, contributing to spatiotemporally specific imaging of therapy-induced cancer senescence in living cells and three-dimensional multicellular tumor spheroids. This work may offer a valuable tool for a basic understanding of cellular senescence in cancer biology and interventions.