Measurements of Normalized Differential Cross Sections of Inclusive π^{0} and K_{S}^{0} Production in e^{+}e^{-} Annihilation at Energies from 2.2324 to 3.6710 GeV

Based on electron positron collision data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage rings, the differential cross sections of inclusive π^{0} and K_{S}^{0} production as a function of hadron momentum, normalized by the total cross section of the e^{+}e^{-}→hadrons process, are measured at six center-of-mass energies from 2.2324 to 3.6710 GeV. Our results, which cover a relative hadron energy range from 0.1 to 0.9, significantly deviate from several theoretical calculations based on existing fragmentation functions.

[Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain: a national multi-center survey of 35 566 population]

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.

[BCS1Neonatal growth retardation and lactic acidosis initiated by novel mutation sites in L gene]

This study aims to analyze the clinical characteristics and genetic variations of two cases with developmental delay and lactic acidosis in a family, and to explore the relationship between genetic variations and clinical features. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical characteristics of two siblings with developmental delay and lactic acidosis who were treated at the Neonatal Department of Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in May 2019 and December 2021, respectively. Whole-exome sequencing was used to detect genetic variations in the affected children. Homology modeling of the BCS1L protein was performed to analyze the structural and functional changes of the protein. The correlation between genetic variations and clinical phenotypes was analyzed. The results showed that the main clinical features of the two affected children in this family were manifestations of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅲ deficiency, including prematurity, developmental delay, respiratory failure, lactic acidosis, cholestasis, liver dysfunction, renal tubular lesions, coagulation dysfunction, anemia, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, and early death. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a novel deletion mutation c.486_488delGGA (p.E163del) and a novel missense mutation c.992C>T (p.T331I) in the BCS1L gene. Structural analysis of the homology modeling showed that the compound heterozygous mutation had a significant impact on protein function. In conclusion, the novel mutation site c.992C>T (p.T331I) in the BCS1L gene is a "likely pathogenic" mutation, and the compound heterozygous mutation is closely related to the phenotype of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅲ deficiency.

Improved Measurement of the Evolution of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay

Reactor neutrino experiments play a crucial role in advancing our knowledge of neutrinos. In this Letter, the evolution of the flux and spectrum as a function of the reactor isotopic content is reported in terms of the inverse-beta-decay yield at Daya Bay with 1958 days of data and improved systematic uncertainties. These measurements are compared with two signature model predictions: the Huber-Mueller model based on the conversion method and the SM2018 model based on the summation method. The measured average flux and spectrum, as well as the flux evolution with the ^{239}Pu isotopic fraction, are inconsistent with the predictions of the Huber-Mueller model. In contrast, the SM2018 model is shown to agree with the average flux and its evolution but fails to describe the energy spectrum. Altering the predicted inverse-beta-decay spectrum from ^{239}Pu fission does not improve the agreement with the measurement for either model. The models can be brought into better agreement with the measurements if either the predicted spectrum due to ^{235}U fission is changed or the predicted ^{235}U, ^{238}U, ^{239}Pu, and ^{241}Pu spectra are changed in equal measure.

Precision Measurement of the Decay Σ^{+}→pγ in the Process J/ψ→Σ^{+}Σ[over ¯]^{-}

Using (10 087±44)×10^{6} J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, the radiative hyperon decay Σ^{+}→pγ is studied at an electron-positron collider experiment for the first time. The absolute branching fraction is measured to be (0.996±0.021_{stat}±0.018_{syst})×10^{-3}, which is lower than its world average value by 4.2 standard deviations. Its decay asymmetry parameter is determined to be -0.652±0.056_{stat}±0.020_{syst}. The branching fraction and decay asymmetry parameter are the most precise to date, and the accuracies are improved by 78% and 34%, respectively.

SARS-CoV-2 omicron variants are susceptible in vitro to Artemisia annua hot water extracts

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Artemisia annua L. has >2000 yr of history in treating fever a symptom common to many infectious diseases including viruses. The plant is widely used as a tea infusion in many areas of the globe to thwart many infectious diseases.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus continues to infect millions while rapidly evolving new variants that are more transmissible and evade vaccine-elicited antibodies, e.g., omicron and its subvariants. Having shown potency against all previously tested variants, A. annua L. extracts were further tested against highly infectious omicron and its recent subvariants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using Vero E6 cells, we measured the in vitro efficacy (IC50) of stored (frozen) dried-leaf hot-water A. annua L. extracts of four cultivars (A3, BUR, MED, and SAM) against SARS-CoV-2 variants: original WA1 (WT), BA.1 (omicron), BA.2, BA.2.12.1, and BA.4. End point virus titers of infectivity in cv. BUR-treated human lung A459 cells overexpressing hu-ACE2 were determined for both WA1 and BA.4 viruses.

RESULTS

When normalized to the artemisinin (ART) or leaf dry weight (DW) equivalent of the extract, the IC50 values ranged from 0.5 to 16.5 μM ART and from 20 to 106 μg DW. IC50 values were within limits of assay variation of our earlier studies. End-point titers confirmed a dose-response inhibition in ACE2 overexpressing human lung cells to the BUR cultivar. Cell viability losses were not measurable at leaf dry weights ≤50 μg for any cultivar extract.

CONCLUSIONS

A. annua hot-water extracts (tea infusions) continue to show efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 and its rapidly evolving variants and deserve greater attention as a possible cost-effective therapeutic.

[Association between vitamin D level and blood eosinophil count in healthy population and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with blood eosinophil count in healthy population and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

METHODS

We analyzed the data of a total 6163 healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examination in our hospital between October, 2017 and December, 2021, who were divided according to their serum 25(OH)D level into severe vitamin D deficiency group (< 10 ng/mL), deficiency group (< 20 ng/mL), insufficient group (< 30 ng/mL) and normal group (≥30 ng/mL). We also retrospectively collected the data of 67 COPD patients admitted in our department from April and June, 2021, with 67 healthy individuals undergoing physical examination in the same period as the control group. Routine blood test results, body mass index (BMI) and other parameters were obtained from all the subjects, and logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between 25(OH)D levels and eosinophil count.

RESULTS

The overall abnormal rate of 25(OH)D level (< 30 ng/mL) in the healthy individuals was 85.31%, and the rate was significantly higher in women (89.29%) than in men. Serum 25(OH)D levels in June, July, and August were significantly higher than those in December, January, and February. In the healthy individuals, blood eosinophil counts were the lowest in severe 25(OH)D deficiency group, followed by the deficiency group and insufficient group, and were the highest in the normal group (P < 0.05). Multivariable regression analysis showed that an older age, a higher BMI, and elevated vitamin D levels were all risk factors for elevated blood eosinophils in the healthy individuals. The patients with COPD had lower serum 25(OH)D levels than the healthy individuals (19.66±7.87 vs 26.39±9.28 ng/mL) and a significantly higher abnormal rate of serum 25(OH)D (91% vs 71%; P < 0.05). A reduced serum 25(OH)D level was a risk factor for COPD. Blood eosinophils, sex and BMI were not significantly correlated with serum 25(OH)D level in patients with COPD.

CONCLUSION

Vitamin D deficiency is common in both healthy individuals and COPD patients, and the correlations of vitamin D level with sex, BMI and blood eosinophils differ obviously between healthy individuals and COPD patients.

[Establishment of leukemia cell model with inducible AML1-ETO expression and its effect on fatty acid metabolism in leukemia cells]

Objective: To investigate the effect of the AML1-ETO (AE) fusion gene on the biological function of U937 leukemia cells by establishing a leukemia cell model that induces AE fusion gene expression. Methods: The doxycycline (Dox) -dependent expression of the AE fusion gene in the U937 cell line (U937-AE) were established using a lentivirus vector system. The Cell Counting Kit 8 methods, including the PI and sidanilide induction, were used to detect cell proliferation, cell cycle-induced differentiation assays, respectively. The effect of the AE fusion gene on the biological function of U937-AE cells was preliminarily explored using transcriptome sequencing and metabonomic sequencing. Results: ①The Dox-dependent Tet-on regulatory system was successfully constructed to regulate the stable AE fusion gene expression in U937-AE cells. ②Cell proliferation slowed down and the cell proliferation rate with AE expression (3.47±0.07) was lower than AE non-expression (3.86 ± 0.05) after inducing the AE fusion gene expression for 24 h (P<0.05). The proportion of cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase in the cell cycle increased, with AE expression [ (63.45±3.10) %) ] was higher than AE non-expression [ (41.36± 9.56) %] (P<0.05). The proportion of cells expressing CD13 and CD14 decreased with the expression of AE. The AE negative group is significantly higher than the AE positive group (P<0.05). ③The enrichment analysis of the transcriptome sequencing gene set revealed significantly enriched quiescence, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, interferon-α/γ, and other inflammatory response and immune regulation signals after AE expression. ④Disorder of fatty acid metabolism of U937-AE cells occurred under the influence of AE. The concentration of the medium and short-chain fatty acid acylcarnitine metabolites decreased in cells with AE expressing, propionyl L-carnitine, wherein those with AE expression (0.46±0.13) were lower than those with AE non-expression (1.00±0.27) (P<0.05). The metabolite concentration of some long-chain fatty acid acylcarnitine increased in cells with AE expressing tetradecanoyl carnitine, wherein those with AE expression (1.26±0.01) were higher than those with AE non-expression (1.00±0.05) (P<0.05) . Conclusion: This study successfully established a leukemia cell model that can induce AE expression. The AE expression blocked the cell cycle and inhibited cell differentiation. The gene sets related to the inflammatory reactions was significantly enriched in U937-AE cells that express AE, and fatty acid metabolism was disordered.

Mass Measurement of Upper fp-Shell N=Z-2 and N=Z-1 Nuclei and the Importance of Three-Nucleon Force along the N=Z Line

Using a novel method of isochronous mass spectrometry, the masses of ^{62}Ge, ^{64}As, ^{66}Se, and ^{70}Kr are measured for the first time, and the masses of ^{58}Zn, ^{61}Ga, ^{63}Ge, ^{65}As, ^{67}Se, ^{71}Kr, and ^{75}Sr are redetermined with improved accuracy. The new masses allow us to derive residual proton-neutron interactions (δV_{pn}) in the N=Z nuclei, which are found to decrease (increase) with increasing mass A for even-even (odd-odd) nuclei beyond Z=28. This bifurcation of δV_{pn} cannot be reproduced by the available mass models, nor is it consistent with expectations of a pseudo-SU(4) symmetry restoration in the fp shell. We performed ab initio calculations with a chiral three-nucleon force (3NF) included, which indicate the enhancement of the T=1 pn pairing over the T=0 pn pairing in this mass region, leading to the opposite evolving trends of δV_{pn} in even-even and odd-odd nuclei.

[Scoping review of progress in cohort studies of autism spectrum disorder]

Objective: To understand the status of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cohort studies and explore the feasibility of constructing ASD disease-specific cohorts based on real-world data (RWD). Methods: ASD cohort studies published by December 2022 were collected by literature retrieval from major Chinese and English databases. And the characteristics of the cohort were summarized. Results: A total of 1 702 ASD cohort studies were included, and only 60 (3.53%) were from China. A total of 163 ASD-related cohorts were screened, of which 55.83% were birth cohorts, 28.22% were ASD-specific cohorts, and 4.91% were ASD high-risk cohorts. Most cohorts used RWD such as hospital registries or conducted community-based field surveys to obtain participant information and identified patients with ASD by scales or clinical diagnoses. The contents of the studies included ASD incidence and prognostic risk factors, ASD comorbidity patterns and the impact of ASD on self-health and their offspring's health. Conclusions: ASD cohort studies in developed countries have been in the advanced stage, while the Chinese studies are still in their infancy. RWD provides the data basis for ASD-specific cohort construction and offers new opportunities for research, but work such as case validation is still needed to ensure the scientific nature of cohort construction.

Energy transfer across magnetopause under dawn-dusk IMFs

A parametric study on the energy transfer of the solar wind across the magnetopause entering the magnetosphere is conducted using a global magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulation. The characteristics of the mechanical and electromagnetic energy distribution under the dawn-dusk interplanetary magnetic fields (IMFs) are investigated by analyzing magnetic reconnection and viscous effect, and compared with the radial and north-south IMFs. It is shown that (1) the interactions at the magnetopause and the transfer of energy across this boundary move in relation to the IMF orientation. (2) For the duskward IMF, the mechanical energy flow clearly enters the equatorial and low-latitude regions on the dayside, and the electromagnetic energy flow has a small inflow on the equatorial and low latitudes of the dayside. A significant energy inflow appears on the dawn side in the northern hemisphere and the dusk side in the southern hemisphere near the polar cusp. (3) The energy distribution characteristics across the magnetopause under dawn-dusk IMFs are mirror symmetric about the [Formula: see text] plane. (4) For a magnetic field of 5 nT, the electromagnetic energy input under the dawn-dusk IMFs is twice as large as the mechanical energy and the electromagnetic energy under the radial IMF, which is five times as large as the electromagnetic energy during the pure northward IMF, but only half as large as the electromagnetic energy under the pure southward IMF. The mechanical energy input under dawn-dusk IMFs has the same magnitude as that under radial and north-south IMFs. The magnitude of the energy transfer rate for the dawn IMF and dusk IMF (about 3.5%) is between 1.71% for the northward IMF and 4.95% for the southward IMF, but higher than 2.22% for the radial IMF. The Akasofu-type energy-coupling formula, [Formula: see text], underestimates the energy input from the solar wind under [Formula: see text] dominated IMF.

Ultrastretchable MXene Microsupercapacitors

Stretchable microsupercapacitors represent emerging miniaturized energy-storage devices for next-generation deformable electronics. Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides (MXenes) are considered attractive electrode materials due to their metallic conductivity, hydrophilic surfaces, and excellent processability. Here, an ultrastretchable microsupercapacitor of interdigitated MXene microelectrodes with crumpled surface textures is created. The microsupercapacitor shows a series of attractive properties including a high specific capacitance of ≈185 mF cm^-2 , ultrahigh stretchability up to 800% area strain, and ≈89.7% retention of the initial capacitance after 1000 stretch-relaxation cycles. In addition to static strains, the microsupercapacitor demonstrates robust mechanical properties to retain stable charging-discharging capability under dynamic stretching at different strain rates. A self-powering circuit system utilizes four microsupercapacitor packs to power a light-emitting diode (LED) array, which exhibits stable operations under large tensile strain and skin-attached wearable settings. The developments offer a generic design strategy to enhance the deformability of microsupercapacitors based on 2D nanomaterials.

Precision Measurement of Reactor Antineutrino Oscillation at Kilometer-Scale Baselines by Daya Bay

We present a new determination of the smallest neutrino mixing angle θ_{13} and the mass-squared difference Δm_{32}^{2} using a final sample of 5.55×10^{6} inverse beta-decay (IBD) candidates with the final-state neutron captured on gadolinium. This sample is selected from the complete dataset obtained by the Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment in 3158 days of operation. Compared to the previous Daya Bay results, selection of IBD candidates has been optimized, energy calibration refined, and treatment of backgrounds further improved. The resulting oscillation parameters are sin^{2}2θ_{13}=0.0851±0.0024, Δm_{32}^{2}=(2.466±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the normal mass ordering or Δm_{32}^{2}=-(2.571±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the inverted mass ordering.

[Cross-sectional study on the use of masks among occupational groups with high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission]

Objective: To investigate the wearing of masks and the knowledge of masks among high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission. Methods: From May 14 to 17, 2022, a convenient sampling method was used to conduct an online survey among 963 workers in high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission in Beijing. The behaviors of individual use and wearing masks, the distribution and supervision of the unit, the knowledge of personal mask protection and the subjective feelings of wearing masks were analyzed. The χ(2) test and logistic regression model were used to analyze the influencing factors of the correct selection of masks. Results: The majority of the workers in high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission were male (86.0%, 828/963), age concentration in 18-44 years old (68.2%, 657/963), and the majority of them had college or bachelor degrees (49.4%, 476/963). 79.4%(765/963) of the workers chose the right type of masks, female, 45-59 years old and high school education or above were the risk factors for correct selection of masks (P <0.05). Workers had good behaviors such as wearing/removing masks, but only 10.5% (101/963) could correctly rank the protective effect of different masks. 98.4% (948/963) of the workers believed that their work units had provided masks to their employees, and 99.1% (954/963) and 98.2%(946/963) of them had organized training and supervision on the use of masks, respectively. 47.4%(456/963) of the workers were uncomfortable while wearing masks. Conclusion: The overall selection and use of masks among occupational groups in high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission in China need to be further standardized. It is necessary to strengthen supervision and inspection on the use of masks among occupational groups, and take improvement measures to improve the comfort of wearing masks.

Measurements of the Electric and Magnetic Form Factors of the Neutron for Timelike Momentum Transfer

We present the first measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron in the timelike (positive q^{2}) region as function of four-momentum transfer. We explored the differential cross sections of the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→n[over ¯]n with data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII accelerator, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 354.6  pb^{-1} in total at twelve center-of-mass energies between sqrt[s]=2.0-2.95  GeV. A relative uncertainty of 18% and 12% for the electric and magnetic form factors, respectively, is achieved at sqrt[s]=2.3935  GeV. Our results are comparable in accuracy to those from electron scattering in the comparable spacelike region of four-momentum transfer. The electromagnetic form factor ratio R_{em}≡|G_{E}|/|G_{M}| is within the uncertainties close to unity. We compare our result on |G_{E}| and |G_{M}| to recent model predictions, and the measurements in the spacelike region to test the analyticity of electromagnetic form factors.

Observation of a New X(3872) Production Process e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872)

Using 4.7  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data at center-of-mass energies from 4.661 to 4.951 GeV collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we observe the X(3872) production process e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872) for the first time. The significance is 7.8σ, including both the statistical and systematic uncertainties. The e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872) Born cross section and the corresponding upper limit at 90% confidence level at each energy point are reported. The line shape of the cross section indicates that the ωX(3872) signals may be from the decays of some nontrivial structures.

Treatment of Cd(Ⅱ) and As(Ⅴ) co-contamination in aqueous environment by steel slag-biochar composites and its mechanism

As toxic elements of concern, Cd(II) and As(V) pose a threat to human health. In this study, a new type of magnetic adsorbent (SBNa800) was prepared using a mixture of industrial waste steel slag and ginkgo leaves to treat wastewater contaminated with Cd(II) and As(V). The maximum adsorption capacities of SBNa800 for Cd(II) and As(V) were 109.17 (pH 5, 1.82 times that of the original biochar) and 59.79 (pH 3) mg/g, respectively. Cd(II) and As(V) adsorption capacities was above 90 % at pH = 4. Cd(II) and As(V) were synergistic and competitive adsorption. The results of μ-XRF, XANES and XPS showed that Cd(II) was adsorbed by SBNa800 in the forms of Cd(OH)₂, CdCO₃, Cd₅H₂(AsO₄)₄·4 H₂O, CdCl₂·2.5 H₂O and Cd(NO₃)₂. About 52.79-64.61 % As(V) was reduced to As(III) by Fe(0) on SBNa800 and then adsorbed. The adsorption mechanisms of Cd(II), As(V) and As(III) were hydrogen bonding/electrostatic attraction, inner-sphere complexation and precipitation. The saturation magnetisation of SBNa800, which was easy to separate from wastewater, was 6.54 emu/g. Therefore, SBNa800 can be used as a potential adsorbent to treat wastewater contaminated with Cd(II) and As(V).

Transcranial Doppler versus CT angiography: a comparative analysis for the diagnosis of ischaemic cerebrovascular disease

AIMS

To compare the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and clinical usefulness of transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound against computed tomography angiography (CTA) for the diagnosis of ischaemic cerebrovascular disease.

METHODS

A total of 1,183 sites (vascular segments) of 169 patients who had been diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were evaluated by CTA and TCD for the diagnosis of the arterial lesions.

RESULTS

Lesions were identified in 509 sites and 674 sites did not have lesions according to the DSA examination. Each individual site had higher sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for TCD than those for CTA, respectively. For all sites, TCD had higher true-positive (p=0.0029) and -negative (p=0.0151) values and fewer false-positive and -negative (p<0.0001 for both) values than those of CTA. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CTA for all sites to detect lesions were 77%, 88%, and 84%, respectively. The same parameters for TCD were 94%, 97%, and 95%, respectively. The beneficial scores for CTA and TCD to detect lesions were 0-0.795 diagnostic confidence and 0-0.91 diagnostic confidence, respectively. Beneficial scores >0.795 and >0.91 indicated a risk of underdiagnosis of lesions at CTA and TCD, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with DSA (reference standard) and CTA, the study underscores the use of TCD in cerebrovascular pathology.

Observation of Three Charmoniumlike States with J^{PC}=1^{--} in e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+}

The Born cross sections of the process e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} at center-of-mass energies from 4.189 to 4.951 GeV are measured for the first time. The data samples used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 17.9  fb^{-1} and were collected by the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. Three enhancements around 4.20, 4.47, and 4.67 GeV are visible. The resonances have masses of 4209.6±4.7±5.9  MeV/c^{2}, 4469.1±26.2±3.6  MeV/c^{2}, and 4675.3±29.5±3.5  MeV/c^{2} and widths of 81.6±17.8±9.0  MeV, 246.3±36.7±9.4  MeV, and 218.3±72.9±9.3  MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The first and third resonances are consistent with the ψ(4230) and ψ(4660) states, respectively, while the second one is compatible with the ψ(4500) observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}J/ψ process. These three charmoniumlike ψ states are observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} process for the first time.

Antimicrobial Peptides： A Promising Strategy for Anti-tuberculosis Therapeutics

The high global burden of tuberculosis (TB) and the increasing emergence of the drug-resistant (DR) strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) emphasize the urgent need for novel anti-mycobacterial agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptides widely existing in a variety of organisms and usually have amphiphilic cationic structures, which have a selective affinity to the negatively charged bacterial cell wall. Besides direct bactericidal mechanisms, including interacting with the bacterial cell membrane and interfering with the biosynthesis of the cell wall, DNA, or protein, some AMPs are involved in the host's innate immunity. AMPs are promising alternative or complementary agents for the treatment of DR-TB, given their various antibacterial mechanisms and low cytotoxicity. A large number of AMPs, synthetic or natural, from human to bacteriophage sources, have displayed potent anti-mycobacterial activity in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we summarized the features, antimycobacterial activity, and mechanisms of action of the AMPs according to their sources. Although AMPs have not yet met the expectations for clinical application due to their low bioavailabilities, high cost, and difficulties in large-scale production, their potent antimycobacterial activity and action mechanisms, which are different from conventional antibiotics, make them promising antibacterial agents against DR-Mtb in the future.

Can we explain machine learning-based prediction for rupture status assessments of intracranial aneurysms?

Although applying machine learning (ML) algorithms to rupture status assessment of intracranial aneurysms (IA) has yielded promising results, the opaqueness of some ML methods has limited their clinical translation. We presented the first explainability comparison of six commonly used ML algorithms: multivariate logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), multi-layer perceptron neural network (MLPNN), and Bayesian additive regression trees (BART). A total of 112 IAs with known rupture status were selected for this study. The ML-based classification used two anatomical features, nine hemodynamic parameters, and thirteen morphologic variables. We utilized permutation feature importance, local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME), and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) algorithms to explain and analyze 6 Ml algorithms. All models performed comparably: LR area under the curve (AUC) was 0.71; SVM AUC was 0.76; RF AUC was 0.73; XGBoost AUC was 0.78; MLPNN AUC was 0.73; BART AUC was 0.73. Our interpretability analysis demonstrated consistent results across all the methods; i.e., the utility of the top 12 features was broadly consistent. Furthermore, contributions of 9 important features (aneurysm area, aneurysm location, aneurysm type, wall shear stress maximum during systole, ostium area, the size ratio between aneurysm width, (parent) vessel diameter, one standard deviation among time-averaged low shear area, and one standard deviation of temporally averaged low shear area less than 0.4 Pa) were nearly the same. This research suggested that ML classifiers can provide explainable predictions consistent with general domain knowledge concerning IA rupture. With the improved understanding of ML algorithms, clinicians' trust in ML algorithms will be enhanced, accelerating their clinical translation.

Novel TiO2/GO/M-MMT nano-heterostructured composites exhibiting high photocatalytic activity

This study proposed a technique to enhance the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 using graphene oxide (GO) and modified Montmorillonite (M-MMT). TiO2/GO/M-MMT nano-heterostructured composites were prepared via hydrothermal and co-precipitation. The photocatalytic performance was evaluated by investigating the photodegradation rate and absorption behavior of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation. The results showed that TiO2/GO/M-MMT heterojunction exhibited excellent photocatalytic degradation performance, as the degradation rate of MO was observed to be 99.3% within 150 min. The density of adsorbed MO decreased by 62.1% after 210 min of dark adsorption using the TiO2/GO/M-MMT composite, which was significantly higher than that achieved using M-MMT, GO/M-MMT, and TiO2/M-MMT. The nano-heterostructure increased the effective interface between TiO2, GO, and MMT, which increased the charge transfer ability and prolonged the electron-hole separation time. Therefore, the results of this study can be used to design novel photocatalysts to eradicate environmental pollutants.