Protect the oceans from Japan's radioisotope dumping

•Dumping of Fukushima's radioactive wastewater raises marine food web concern.•Tritium seems to be the most problematic compound.•Long-lived radioisotopes Biomagnify up to 50,000 folds in marine fish species.•This threatens fragile deep-sea ecosystems requiring immediate action.•Empowered Routine monitoring is crucial to maintain planetary health.

Physical Model of Inclusions Removal at Static Steel-Slag Interface

Inclusions are one of the important factors affecting the cleanliness of molten steel. The current optimization of inclusion removal methods mainly focuses on promoting inclusions to float to the slag-steel interface so that the inclusions can be absorbed and removed by the refining slag. However, the research on the floating removal of inclusions cannot be carried out directly in the ladle, so methods such as mathematical models and physical models were developed. This article uses silicone oil to simulate the slag layer; polypropylene particles; and aluminum oxide particles to simulate inclusions to establish a water model experiment. By changing the viscosity of silicone oil and the diameter of particles, the factors affecting the movement of inclusions at the slag-steel interface were explored. Based on the water model, a mathematical model of the floating behavior of inclusions at the slag-steel interface was constructed, and parameters such as particle diameter and interfacial tension in the water model experiment were studied by the mathematical model for calculation. Both the mathematical model and the water model experimental results show that after the viscosity of silicone oil increases from 0.048 Pa·s to 0.096 Pa·s, the dimensionless displacement and terminal velocity of the particles decreases. When the diameter of the same particle increases, the dimensionless displacement and terminal velocity increases. The dimensionless displacement of polypropylene particles of the same diameter is larger than that of aluminum oxide particles, and the terminal velocity is smaller than that of aluminum oxide particles. This is attributed to the better overall three-phase wettability of polypropylene particle. When the liquid level increases, the dimensionless displacement and terminal velocity of particles under the same conditions show only slight differences (less than 10%).

Study of High-Transverse-Momentum Higgs Boson Production in Association with a Vector Boson in the qqbb Final State with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter presents the first study of Higgs boson production in association with a vector boson (V=W or Z) in the fully hadronic qqbb final state using data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137  fb^{-1}. The vector bosons and Higgs bosons are each reconstructed as large-radius jets and tagged using jet substructure techniques. Dedicated tagging algorithms exploiting b-tagging properties are used to identify jets consistent with Higgs bosons decaying into bb[over ¯]. Dominant backgrounds from multijet production are determined directly from the data, and a likelihood fit to the jet mass distribution of Higgs boson candidates is used to extract the number of signal events. The VH production cross section is measured inclusively and differentially in several ranges of Higgs boson transverse momentum: 250-450, 450-650, and greater than 650 GeV. The inclusive signal yield relative to the standard model expectation is observed to be μ=1.4_{-0.9}^{+1.0} and the corresponding cross section is 3.1±1.3(stat)_{-1.4}^{+1.8}(syst)  pb.

Heterogeneous elasticity drives ripening and controls bursting kinetics of transcriptional condensates

Many biomolecular condensates, including transcriptional condensates, are formed in elastic mediums. In this work, we study the nonequilibrium condensate dynamics in a chromatin-like environment modeled as a heterogeneous elastic medium. We demonstrate that the ripening process in such an elastic medium exhibits a temporal power-law scaling of the average condensate radius, depending on the local stiffness distribution and different from Ostwald ripening. Moreover, we incorporate an active process to model the dissolution of transcriptional condensates upon RNA accumulation. Intriguingly, three types of kinetics of condensate growth emerge, corresponding to constitutively expressed, transcriptional-bursting, and silenced genes. Furthermore, the simulated burst frequency decreases exponentially with the local stiffness, through which we infer a lognormal distribution of local stiffness in living cells using the transcriptome-wide distribution of burst frequency. Under the inferred stiffness distribution, the simulated distributions of bursting kinetic parameters agree reasonably well with the experimental data. Our findings reveal the interplay between biomolecular condensates and elastic mediums, yielding far-reaching implications for gene expression.

Measurement of the Centrality Dependence of the Dijet Yield in p+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

ATLAS measured the centrality dependence of the dijet yield using 165  nb^{-1} of p+Pb data collected at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16  TeV in 2016. The event centrality, which reflects the p+Pb impact parameter, is characterized by the total transverse energy registered in the Pb-going side of the forward calorimeter. The central-to-peripheral ratio of the scaled dijet yields, R_{CP}, is evaluated, and the results are presented as a function of variables that reflect the kinematics of the initial hard parton scattering process. The R_{CP} shows a scaling with the Bjorken x of the parton originating from the proton, x_{p}, while no such trend is observed as a function of x_{Pb}. This analysis provides unique input to understanding the role of small proton spatial configurations in p+Pb collisions by covering parton momentum fractions from the valence region down to x_{p}∼10^{-3} and x_{Pb}∼4×10^{-4}.

Search for New Phenomena in Two-Body Invariant Mass Distributions Using Unsupervised Machine Learning for Anomaly Detection at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

Searches for new resonances are performed using an unsupervised anomaly-detection technique. Events with at least one electron or muon are selected from 140  fb^{-1} of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV recorded by ATLAS at the Large Hadron Collider. The approach involves training an autoencoder on data, and subsequently defining anomalous regions based on the reconstruction loss of the decoder. Studies focus on nine invariant mass spectra that contain pairs of objects consisting of one light jet or b jet and either one lepton (e,μ), photon, or second light jet or b jet in the anomalous regions. No significant deviations from the background hypotheses are observed. Limits on contributions from generic Gaussian signals with various widths of the resonance mass are obtained for nine invariant masses in the anomalous regions.

Memory-Enabled Quantum-Dot Light-Emitting Diodes

Quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) with memory capability can provide multifunctional integration properties in on-chip and intelligent electronic applications. Herein, memory properties are achieved by inserting a tungsten oxide (WOx) film between the ZnO electron-transporting layer and cathode. Pentavalent tungsten ions (W5+) in this nonstoichiometric WOx film can be oxidized to W6+ by storing holes, inducing significant electrons in the adjacent ZnO layer. Hole storage in the WOx layer suppresses electron injection into the quantum dot emissive layer, hence reducing electroluminescence intensity on the onset stage of the QLEDs. This operation-history correlation for the electroluminescence intensity means a memory behavior for the QLEDs. Furthermore, the power efficiency of the devices is greatly improved after inserting the WOx layer due to electrical field-dependent self-adaptive electron injection into the quantum dots (QDs). We anticipate this type of QLEDs have potential applications in on-chip integration applications, such as the optical computing field and storage.

Ultrasound had high accuracy in measuring hip joint capsule thickness

BACKGROUND

The hip joint capsule is an essential component of hip joint function and stability, and its thickness is closely associated with certain medical conditions, surgical outcomes, and rehabilitation treatments. Currently, in clinical practice, hip joint capsule thickness is predominantly measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with limited utilization of ultrasound examinations for this purpose.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated patients who visited our Sports Medicine Department between February 2017 and March 2023 and underwent both hip joint MRI and ultrasound imaging on the same side. All patients had undergone preoperative hip joint MRI and ultrasound examinations, with the time gap between the two examinations not exceeding three months. Measurements of hip joint capsule thickness were taken on both MRI and ultrasound images for the same patients to analyze their consistency. Additionally, we measured the alpha angle, lateral center-edge angle, acetabular anteversion angle, and femoral anteversion angle of the patients' hip joints and analyzed their correlation with hip joint capsule thickness measure by ultrasound.

RESULTS

A total of 307 patients were included in this study, with hip joint capsule thickness measured by MRI and ultrasound being 5.0 ± 1.2 mm and 5.0 ± 1.5 mm, respectively. The Bland-Altman analysis demonstrates good agreement or consistency. The paired t-test resulted in a p-value of 0.708, indicating no significant statistical difference between the two methods. The correlation analysis between acetabular anteversion angle and ultrasound-measured capsule thickness yielded a p-value of 0.043, indicating acetabular anteversion angle and capsular thickness may have negative correlation.

CONCLUSIONS

The measurements of joint capsule thickness obtained through ultrasound and MRI showed good consistency, suggesting that ultrasound can be used in clinical practice as a replacement for MRI in measuring hip joint capsule thickness. There was a significant correlation between acetabular anteversion angle and hip joint capsule thickness, indicating potential for further research in this area.

Observation of WZγ Production in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of WZγ production and a measurement of its cross section using 140.1±1.2  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The WZγ production cross section, with both the W and Z bosons decaying leptonically, pp→WZγ→ℓ^{'}^{±}νℓ^{+}ℓ^{-}γ (ℓ^{(^{'})}=e, μ), is measured in a fiducial phase-space region defined such that the leptons and the photon have high transverse momentum and the photon is isolated. The cross section is found to be 2.01±0.30(stat)±0.16(syst)  fb. The corresponding standard model predicted cross section calculated at next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics and at leading order in the electroweak coupling constant is 1.50±0.06  fb. The observed significance of the WZγ signal is 6.3σ, compared with an expected significance of 5.0σ.

Effects of phenylephrine on systemic and cerebral circulations in humans: a systematic review with mechanistic explanations

We conducted a systematic review of the literature reporting phenylephrine-induced changes in blood pressure, cardiac output, cerebral blood flow and cerebral tissue oxygen saturation as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy in humans. We used the proportion change of the group mean values reported by the original studies in our analysis. Phenylephrine elevates blood pressure whilst concurrently inducing a reduction in cardiac output. Furthermore, despite increasing cerebral blood flow, it decreases cerebral tissue oxygen saturation. The extent of phenylephrine's influence on cardiac output (r = -0.54 and p = 0.09 in awake humans; r = -0.55 and p = 0.007 in anaesthetised humans), cerebral blood flow (r = 0.65 and p = 0.002 in awake humans; r = 0.80 and p = 0.003 in anaesthetised humans) and cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (r = -0.72 and p = 0.03 in awake humans; r = -0.24 and p = 0.48 in anaesthetised humans) appears closely linked to the magnitude of phenylephrine-induced blood pressure changes. When comparing the effects of phenylephrine in awake and anaesthetised humans, we found no evidence of a significant difference in cardiac output, cerebral blood flow or cerebral tissue oxygen saturation. There was also no evidence of a significant difference in effect on systemic and cerebral circulations whether phenylephrine was given by bolus or infusion. We explore the underlying mechanisms driving the phenylephrine-induced cardiac output reduction, cerebral blood flow increase and cerebral tissue oxygen saturation decrease. Individualised treatment approaches, close monitoring and consideration of potential risks and benefits remain vital to the safe and effective use of phenylephrine in acute care.

Combined Measurement of the Higgs Boson Mass from the H→γγ and H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ Decay Channels with the ATLAS Detector Using sqrt[s]=7, 8, and 13 TeV pp Collision Data

A measurement of the mass of the Higgs boson combining the H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ and H→γγ decay channels is presented. The result is based on 140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector during LHC run 2 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV combined with the run 1 ATLAS mass measurement, performed at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, yielding a Higgs boson mass of 125.11±0.09(stat)±0.06(syst)=125.11±0.11  GeV. This corresponds to a 0.09% precision achieved on this fundamental parameter of the Standard Model of particle physics.

Search for Dark Photons in Rare Z Boson Decays with the ATLAS Detector

A search for events with a dark photon produced in association with a dark Higgs boson via rare decays of the standard model Z boson is presented, using 139  fb^{-1} of sqrt[s]=13  TeV proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The dark boson decays into a pair of dark photons, and at least two of the three dark photons must each decay into a pair of electrons or muons, resulting in at least two same-flavor opposite-charge lepton pairs in the final state. The data are found to be consistent with the background prediction, and upper limits are set on the dark photon's coupling to the dark Higgs boson times the kinetic mixing between the standard model photon and the dark photon, α_{D}ϵ^{2}, in the dark photon mass range of [5, 40] GeV except for the ϒ mass window [8.8, 11.1] GeV. This search explores new parameter space not previously excluded by other experiments.

Short-Term Outcomes Following Laparoscopic vs Open Pancreaticoduodenectomy in Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

The safety and efficacy of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remain controversial.

Objective

To compare laparoscopic and open pancreaticoduodenectomy performed by experienced surgeons in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a noninferiority, open-label randomized clinical trial between September 20, 2019 and March 20, 2022, at 10 hospitals in China. A total of 412 adult patients were assessed for eligibility; 200 patients with histologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who were eligible to undergo pancreaticoduodenectomy were enrolled. Study recruitment is complete, and follow-up is ongoing. This article reports prespecified early safety results from the trial.

Interventions

Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to undergo either laparoscopic or open pancreaticoduodenectomy, to be performed by experienced surgeons who had already performed at least 104 laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy operations.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary end point is 5-year overall survival, but the data for this end point are not yet mature; thus, secondary short-term outcomes, including operative findings, complications, mortality, and oncological results are reported here. The outcomes were analyzed according to a modified intention-to-treat and per-protocol principle.

Results

Among 412 patients for eligibility, 200 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned 1:1 to have laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy or open pancreaticoduodenectomy. The mean (SD) age was 61.3 (9.3) years, and 78 participants (39%) were female. Laparoscopic procedures had longer operative times (median [IQR], 330.0 [287.5-405.0] minutes vs 297.0 [245.0-340.0] minutes; P < .001). Patients in the laparoscopic group lost less blood than those in the open group (median [IQR], 145.0 [100.0-200.0] mL vs 200.0 [100.0-425.0] mL; P = .02). Ninety-day mortality occurred in 2 of 100 patients in the laparoscopic group and 0 of 100 patients in the open group. There was no difference in the rates of complications of the Clavien-Dindo grades III-IV (n = 17 [17.0%] vs n = 23 [23.0%]; P = .29), comprehensive complication index (median [IQR], 0.0 [0.0-22.6] vs 8.7 [0.0-26.2]; P = .79) or median (IQR) postoperative length of stay (14.0 [11.0-17.0] days vs 14.0 [12.0-18.5] days; P = .37) between the 2 groups.

Conclusions and Relevance

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy performed by experienced surgeons in high-volume specialized institutions resulted in similar short-term outcomes compared with open pancreaticoduodenectomy among patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03785743.

Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain NIT01 grows more stably in vessels made of pure titanium rather than the stainless alloy SUS304

Advances in many isolation studies have revealed that pure Dehalococcoides grow stably, although the large-scale pure cultivation of Dehalococcoides has yet to be established. In this study, 7 L-culturing of Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain NIT01 was first performed using vessels made of glass and stainless alloy SUS304. All batches cultured in the glass vessel successfully dechlorinated >95% of 1 mM trichloroethene (TCE) to ethene (ETH), whereas only 5 out of 13 batches cultured in the SUS304 vessel did the same. The difference in dechlorination efficiency suggested the possible inhibition of dechlorination by SUS304. Also, the strain NIT01 showed long delays in dechlorination with pieces of SUS316, steel, and a repeatedly used SUS304, but not with titanium. The repeatedly used SUS304 cracked and increased the Fe2+ concentration to ≥76 μM. Dechlorination by this strain was also inhibited with ≥1000 μM Fe2+ and ≥23 μM Cr3+ but not with ≤100 μM Ni2+ , suggesting that Cr3+ eluted from solid stainless alloys inhibited the dechlorination. Culturing in a titanium vessel instead of a stainless alloy showed the complete dechlorination of 1 mM TCE within 12-28 days with a growth yield of 2.7 × 107 cells/μmol-released Cl- , even after repeating use of the vessels six times.

Purtscher-like retinopathy in systemic lupus erythematosus: clinical features, risk factors and prognosis

BACKGROUND

Purtscher-like retinopathy (PLR) is a rare ocular manifestation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with poor prognosis, but its clear risk factors and treatment consensus are still lacking.

AIM

To investigate the clinical features, risk factors and prognosis of PLR in SLE patients.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on SLE patients with PLR admitted at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2013 to 2022. Clinical data, including demographic characteristics, lupus-related features, laboratory findings and ophthalmologic examinations, were collected and analyzed. The prognosis was evaluated based on best-corrected visual acuity and ophthalmologic outcomes.

RESULTS

Seventeen SLE patients (32 eyes) diagnosed with PLR were included, along with a random selection of 100 SLE patients without retinopathy and 100 with retinal microvasculopathy as controls. Patients with PLR had a significantly younger age, a higher proportion of hemolytic anemia, a shorter duration of SLE, a higher SLE disease activity index-2000 (SLEDAI-2K) score, higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) values and lower hemoglobin (HGB) values than the group without retinopathy (P < 0.05). They also had a significantly higher SLEDAI-2K score, higher ESR values and higher white blood cell values (P < 0.05) than the Microvasculopathy group. The majority of eyes (22/26, 84.62%) achieved stabilization at the last follow-up, with different therapeutic strategies, while a few (4/26, 15.38%) experienced complications or progression.

CONCLUSION

This is the largest reported case series of PLR in SLE, which was associated with higher disease activity and poor visual prognosis. It was also associated with younger age, shorter SLE duration, concomitant hemolytic anemia, lower HGB and higher ESR value. Early recognition and prompt treatment are crucial for improving visual outcomes.

Observation of Single-Top-Quark Production in Association with a Photon Using the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of single top quarks produced together with a photon, which directly probes the electroweak coupling of the top quark. The analysis uses 139  fb^{-1} of 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Requiring a photon with transverse momentum larger than 20 GeV and within the detector acceptance, the fiducial cross section is measured to be 688±23(stat) _{-71}^{+75}(syst)  fb, to be compared with the standard model prediction of 515_{-42}^{+36}  fb at next-to-leading order in QCD.

Feature pyramid network-based computer-aided detection and monitoring treatment response of brain metastases on contrast-enhanced MRI

AIM

To investigate the value of feature pyramid network (FPN)-based computer-aided detection (CAD) of brain metastases (BMs) before and after non-surgical treatment, and to evaluate its performance in monitoring treatment response of BM on contrast-enhanced (CE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eighty-five cancer patients newly diagnosed with BM who had undergone initial and follow-up three-dimensional (3D) CE MRI at Liaocheng People's Hospital were included retrospectively in this study. Manual detection (MD) was performed by reviewer 1. Computer-aided detection (CAD) was performed by reviewer 2 using uAI Discover-BMs software. The treatment response was assessed by the two reviewers for each patient separately. A paired chi-square test was used to compare the differences in the detection of BM between MD and CAD. Agreement between MD and CAD in monitoring treatment response was assessed by kappa test.

RESULTS

The sensitivities of MD and CAD on initial 3D CE MRI were 78.65% and 99.13%, respectively. The sensitivities of MD and CAD on follow-up 3D CE MRI were 76.32% and 98.24%, respectively. There was a very good agreement between Reviewer 1 and Reviewer 2 in evaluating the treatment response of BM.

CONCLUSION

FPN-based CAD has a higher sensitivity of close to 100% and lower false negatives (FNs) for BM detection, compared to MD. Although CAD had a few shortcomings in reflecting changes of BMs after treatment, it had high performance in monitoring treatment response of BM on CE MRI.

Pyridostigmine ameliorates pristane-induced arthritis symptoms in Dark Agouti rats

OBJECTIVE

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder. Pyridostigmine (PYR), an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, has been shown to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in several animal models for inflammation-associated conditions. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of PYR on pristane-induced (PIA) in Dark Agouti (DA) rats.

METHOD

DA rats were intradermally infused with pristane to establish the PIA model, which was treated with PYR (10 mg/kg/day) for 27 days. The effects of PYR on synovial inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut microbiota were evaluated by determining arthritis scores, H&E staining, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and biochemical assays, as well as 16S rDNA sequencing.

RESULTS

Pristane induced arthritis, with swollen paws and body weight loss, increased arthritis scores, synovium hyperplasia, and bone or cartilage erosion. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in synovium was higher in the PIA group than in the control group. PIA rats also displayed elevated levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in plasma. Moreover, sequencing results showed that the richness, diversity, and composition of the gut microbiota dramatically changed in PIA rats. PYR abolished pristane-induced inflammation and oxidative stress, and corrected the gut microbiota dysbiosis.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study support the protective role of PYR in PIA in DA rats, associated with the attenuation of inflammation and correction of gut microbiota dysbiosis. These findings open new perspectives for pharmacological interventions in animal models of RA.

Measurement of Suppression of Large-Radius Jets and Its Dependence on Substructure in Pb+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

This letter presents a measurement of the nuclear modification factor of large-radius jets in sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV Pb+Pb collisions by the ATLAS experiment. The measurement is performed using 1.72  nb^{-1} and 257  pb^{-1} of Pb+Pb and pp data, respectively. The large-radius jets are reconstructed with the anti-k_{t} algorithm using a radius parameter of R=1.0, by reclustering anti-k_{t} R=0.2 jets, and are measured over the transverse momentum (p_{T}) kinematic range of 158 Collapse

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Measurement of the Sensitivity of Two-Particle Correlations in pp Collisions to the Presence of Hard Scatterings

A key open question in the study of multiparticle production in high-energy pp collisions is the relationship between the "ridge"-i.e., the observed azimuthal correlations between particles in the underlying event that extend over all rapidities-and hard or semihard scattering processes. In particular, it is not known whether jets or their soft fragments are correlated with particles in the underlying event. To address this question, two-particle correlations are measured in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV using data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, with an integrated luminosity of 15.8  pb^{-1}, in two different configurations. In the first case, charged particles associated with jets are excluded from the correlation analysis, while in the second case, correlations are measured between particles within jets and charged particles from the underlying event. Second-order flow coefficients, v_{2}, are presented as a function of event multiplicity and transverse momentum. These measurements show that excluding particles associated with jets does not affect the measured correlations. Moreover, particles associated with jets do not exhibit any significant azimuthal correlations with the underlying event, ruling out hard processes contributing to the ridge.

Observation of an Excess of Dicharmonium Events in the Four-Muon Final State with the ATLAS Detector

A search is made for potential ccc[over ¯]c[over ¯] tetraquarks decaying into a pair of charmonium states in the four muon final state using proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140  fb^{-1} recorded by the ATLAS experiment at LHC. Two decay channels, J/ψ+J/ψ→4μ and J/ψ+ψ(2S)→4μ, are studied. Backgrounds are estimated based on a hybrid approach involving Monte Carlo simulations and data-driven methods. Statistically significant excesses with respect to backgrounds dominated by the single parton scattering are seen in the di-J/ψ channel consistent with a narrow resonance at 6.9 GeV and a broader structure at lower mass. A statistically significant excess is also seen in the J/ψ+ψ(2S) channel. The fitted masses and decay widths of the structures are reported.

Observation of the γγ→ττ Process in Pb+Pb Collisions and Constraints on the τ-Lepton Anomalous Magnetic Moment with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of τ-lepton-pair production in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions Pb+Pb→Pb(γγ→ττ)Pb and constraints on the τ-lepton anomalous magnetic moment a_{τ}. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.44  nb^{-1} of LHC Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment in 2018. Selected events contain one muon from a τ-lepton decay, an electron or charged-particle track(s) from the other τ-lepton decay, little additional central-detector activity, and no forward neutrons. The γγ→ττ process is observed in Pb+Pb collisions with a significance exceeding 5 standard deviations and a signal strength of μ_{ττ}=1.03_{-0.05}^{+0.06} assuming the standard model value for a_{τ}. To measure a_{τ}, a template fit to the muon transverse-momentum distribution from τ-lepton candidates is performed, using a dimuon (γγ→μμ) control sample to constrain systematic uncertainties. The observed 95% confidence-level interval for a_{τ} is -0.057 Collapse

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[Clinical characteristics and therapeutic effectiveness of post craniotomy cervicogenic headache]

From January 2019 to December 2021, the clinical data of 151 patients with post craniotomy cervicogenic headache from Beijing Tiantan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University were retrospectively collected. The characteristics of cervicogenic headache were summarized, the numerical rating score (NRS) of patients before and after treatment of compound opioids and/or cervical nerve block was compared, and the occurrence of related adverse reactions and complications was counted. The onset of cervicogenic headache in 151 patients was on the (5.5±2.0) d after craniotomy, of which 131 (86.8%) had unilateral pain, pain in 127 (84.1%) could be induced by cervical activity, and 118 (78.1%) had limited neck movement. Of the 124 patients treated with compound capsule of oxycodone and acetaminophen, 85 (68.5%) patients had an NRS of (8.01±0.82) before treatment and 2.0 (1.0, 3.0) after treatment (P<0.001). Thirty-nine patients who did not respond to medical therapy received cervical nerve block, and the NRS scores before and after receiving the nerve block were (7.49±1.12) and 2.0 (1.0, 2.5), respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). Twenty-seven patients who received cervical nerve block without medical treatment, and the NRS before and after treatment was (9.0±0.9) and 1.0 (1.0, 3.0), respectively, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). Among the 124 patients receiving medication, 14 (11.3%) developed mild dizziness and nausea, which were resolved after stopping the drug, and no other drug-related adverse reactions were found. None of the patients who received nerve blocks saw complications associated with nerve block procedures. Compound capsule of oxycodone and acetaminophen are effective for most of patients with post craniotomy cervicogenic headache. Cervical nerve block is effective and safe for patients with or without drug resistance.

Soil organic matter and nutrient availability affect the applicability of low-carbon energy source in Dehalococcoides-augmented soil

Dehalococcoides is a functional microorganism that completely dechlorinates trichloroethene (TCE). Augmentation with pure Dehalococcoides is important for reducing environmental disturbances that accompany bioaugmentation. However, the applicability of Dehalococcoides-bioaugmentation to contaminated soils is unclear. In this study, seven low-carbon energy sources (methanol, formate, acetate, ethanol, lactate, citrate, and benzoate) were used as electron donors for Dehalococcides to evaluate its applicability in remediating TCE-contaminated soils. Soil microcosms supplemented with ethanol, formate, or lactate showed relatively high dechlorination activity within 111-180 days. The functional gene profiles predicted by PICRUSt2 from 16 S rRNA gene sequences were similar in the proportions of dehydrogenases, which initiate electron donor oxidation, in all soils and did not seem to reflect Dehalococcoides-bioaugmentation applicability. Soils with higher organic matter content (>3.2%; dry weight base) and protein concentration (>1.6 µg/mL) supported complete dechlorination. These results suggest that organic matter and nutrient availability mainly affect successful TCE dechlorination in Dehalococcoides-augmented soils. The study offers significant experimental support for comprehending the suitability of low-carbon energy sources in successful bioaugmentation, aiming to mitigate environmental disturbances associated with the process.

[To compare the efficacy and incidence of severe hematological adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To analyze and compare therapy responses, outcomes, and incidence of severe hematologic adverse events of flumatinib and imatinib in patients newly diagnosed with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) . Methods: Data of patients with chronic phase CML diagnosed between January 2006 and November 2022 from 76 centers, aged ≥18 years, and received initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy within 6 months after diagnosis in China were retrospectively interrogated. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce the bias of the initial TKI selection, and the therapy responses and outcomes of patients receiving initial flumatinib or imatinib therapy were compared. Results: A total of 4 833 adult patients with CML receiving initial imatinib (n=4 380) or flumatinib (n=453) therapy were included in the study. In the imatinib cohort, the median follow-up time was 54 [interquartile range (IQR), 31-85] months, and the 7-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.2%, 88.4%, 78.3%, and 63.0%, respectively. The 7-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 71.8%, 93.0%, and 96.9%, respectively. With the median follow-up of 18 (IQR, 13-25) months in the flumatinib cohort, the 2-year cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) were 95.4%, 86.5%, 58.4%, and 46.6%, respectively. The 2-year FFS, PFS, and OS rates were 80.1%, 95.0%, and 99.5%, respectively. The PSM analysis indicated that patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had significantly higher cumulative incidences of CCyR, MMR, MR(4), and MR(4.5) and higher probabilities of FFS than those receiving the initial imatinib therapy (all P<0.001), whereas the PFS (P=0.230) and OS (P=0.268) were comparable between the two cohorts. The incidence of severe hematologic adverse events (grade≥Ⅲ) was comparable in the two cohorts. Conclusion: Patients receiving initial flumatinib therapy had higher cumulative incidences of therapy responses and higher probability of FFS than those receiving initial imatinib therapy, whereas the incidence of severe hematologic adverse events was comparable between the two cohorts.

[The efficacy and safety of standardized dust mite allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy in children with allergic rhinitis during treatment]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of standardized dust mite allergen subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) in children with allergic rhinitis (AR) during treatment. Methods: A total of 283 children with AR diagnosed with definite dust mite allergy and completed 2 to 3 years of SCIT who attended the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, from August 2019 to October 2021 were included, including 205 males and 78 females, with a mean age of 10.8 years. The total nasal symptoms score (TNSS), symptom medication score (SMS), rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) and visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after 2 to 3 years' treatment were recorded, and the differences before and after treatment were compared. Adverse reactions during SCIT were recorded to evaluate its safety. SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: The overall effectiveness rate during SCIT in 283 children with AR was 89.4% (253/283). Compared with baseline, all symptom scores, medication scores and quality of life scores were significantly lower after 2 to 3 years of SCIT (all P<0.05). Further group comparisons showed positive efficacy in patients with different clinical characteristics, including age, gender, smoking status, family history of AR, symptom severity, mono-or poly-allergy, and second immunization, with no statistically significant differences between groups (all P>0.05). A total of 12 735 injections were administered during the SCIT, and a total of 213 (1.67%) injections of local adverse reactions occurred, mainly in the initial treatment phase, and the diameter of the local air mass was mostly 5 to 20 mm; 71 (0.56%) injections of systemic adverse reactions occurred, mainly in the initial treatment phase, and most of them were grade 1 reactions with no serious systemic adverse reaction such as shock. Conclusion: Standardized dust mite SCIT has a good safety profile and definite efficacy in treating AR children with different clinical characteristics. It can significantly improve all symptoms, reduce the use of symptomatic drugs and improve their quality of life.

Strong Constraints on Jet Quenching in Centrality-Dependent p+Pb Collisions at 5.02 TeV from ATLAS

Jet quenching is the process of color-charged partons losing energy via interactions with quark-gluon plasma droplets created in heavy-ion collisions. The collective expansion of such droplets is well described by viscous hydrodynamics. Similar evidence of collectivity is consistently observed in smaller collision systems, including pp and p+Pb collisions. In contrast, while jet quenching is observed in Pb+Pb collisions, no evidence has been found in these small systems to date, raising fundamental questions about the nature of the system created in these collisions. The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider has measured the yield of charged hadrons correlated with reconstructed jets in 0.36  nb^{-1} of p+Pb and 3.6  pb^{-1} of pp collisions at 5.02 TeV. The yields of charged hadrons with p_{T}^{ch}>0.5  GeV near and opposite in azimuth to jets with p_{T}^{jet}>30 or 60 GeV, and the ratios of these yields between p+Pb and pp collisions, I_{pPb}, are reported. The collision centrality of p+Pb events is categorized by the energy deposited by forward neutrons from the struck nucleus. The I_{pPb} values are consistent with unity within a few percent for hadrons with p_{T}^{ch}>4  GeV at all centralities. These data provide new, strong constraints that preclude almost any parton energy loss in central p+Pb collisions.

Search for Heavy Neutral Leptons in Decays of W Bosons Using a Dilepton Displaced Vertex in sqrt[s]=13 TeV pp Collisions with the ATLAS Detector

A search for a long-lived, heavy neutral lepton (N) in 139  fb^{-1} of sqrt[s]=13  TeV pp collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is reported. The N is produced via W→Nμ or W→Ne and decays into two charged leptons and a neutrino, forming a displaced vertex. The N mass is used to discriminate between signal and background. No signal is observed, and limits are set on the squared mixing parameters of the N with the left-handed neutrino states for the N mass range 3  GeV Collapse

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Test of CP Invariance in Higgs Boson Vector-Boson-Fusion Production Using the H→γγ Channel with the ATLAS Detector

A test of CP invariance in Higgs boson production via vector-boson fusion has been performed in the H→γγ channel using 139  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13  TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The optimal observable method is used to probe the CP structure of interactions between the Higgs boson and electroweak gauge bosons, as described by an effective field theory. No sign of CP violation is observed in the data. Constraints are set on the parameters describing the strength of the CP-odd component in the coupling between the Higgs boson and the electroweak gauge bosons in two effective field theory bases: d[over ˜] in the HISZ basis and c_{HW[over ˜]} in the Warsaw basis. The results presented are the most stringent constraints on CP violation in the coupling between Higgs and weak bosons. The 95% C.L. constraint on d[over ˜] is derived for the first time and the 95% C.L. constraint on c_{HW[over ˜]} has been improved by a factor of 5 compared to the previous measurement.

Functional analysis of rare anti-Müllerian hormone protein-altering variants identified in women with PCOS

Recently, rare heterozygous AMH protein-altering variants were identified in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), causing reduced anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) signaling. However, the exact functional mechanism remains unknown. Here, we analyzed the processing, secretion, and signaling of these AMH variants. Functional analysis of six PCOS-specific AMH variants (V12G, P151S, P270S, P352S, P362S, H506Q) and one control-specific variant (A519V) was performed in the mouse granulosa cell-line KK-1. Human (h) AMH-151S and hAMH-506Q have ∼90% decreased AMH signaling compared to wild-type (wt) AMH signaling. Coexpression of hAMH-151S or hAMH-506Q with wt-hAMH dose-dependently inhibited wt-hAMH signaling. Western blotting revealed that hAMH-151S and hAMH-506Q proteins were detected in the cell lysate but not in the supernatant. Confocal microscopy showed that HEK293 cells expressing hAMH-151S and hAMH-506Q had higher cellular AMH protein levels with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention compared to cells expressing wt-hAMH. Using two AMH ELISA kits, hAMH-151S was detected in the cell lysate, while only very low levels were detected in the supernatant. Both hAMH-362S and hAMH-519V were detectable using the automated AMH ELISA but showed severely reduced immunoactivity in the manual ELISA. Surprisingly, hAMH-506Q was undetectable in both the cell lysate and supernatant using either ELISA. However, in PCOS cases, heterozygous carriers of the P151S and H506Q variants still had detectable AMH in both assays. Thus, P151S and H506Q disrupt normal processing and secretion of AMH, causing ER retention. Additionally, AMH variants can impair the AMH immunoactivity. An AMH variant may be considered when serum AMH levels are relatively low in PCOS cases.

Polyphasic Characterization of Geotalea uranireducens NIT-SL11 Newly Isolated from a Complex of Sewage Sludge and Microbially Reduced Graphene Oxide

Graphene oxide (GO), a chemically oxidized sheet of graphite, has been used as a conductive carbon carrier of microbes to boost various bioelectrochemical reactions. However, the types of microbes that can reduce GO have rarely been investigated. In this study, a strain of GO-reducing bacteria, named NIT-SL11, which was obtained from a hydrogel of microbially reduced GO and anaerobic sludge that converts sewage to electricity, was phylogenically identified as a novel strain of Geotalea uraniireducens. Considering the current lack of information on the electrogenic ability of the bacterium and its physicochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics, the polyphasic characterization of the Geotalea uraniireducens strain NIT-SL11 was performed. NIT-SL11 utilized various organic acids, such as lactate, benzoate, and formate, as electron donors and exhibited respiration using GO, electrodes, fumarate, and malate. The strain contained C16:1ω7c and C16:0 as the major fatty acids and MK-8 and 9 as the major respiratory quinones. The complete genome of NIT-SL11 was 4.7 Mbp in size with a G+C content of 60.9%, and it encoded 80 putative c-type cytochromes and 23 type IV pili-related proteins. The possible extracellular electron transfer (EET) pathways of the strain were the porin-cytochrome (Pcc) EET pathway and type IV pili-based pathway.

Outcomes of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy using a modified technique：346 cases from a single center

PURPOSE

To study the outcomes of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) using a modified technique.

METHODS

Our center used priority approach of uncinate process and artery in the pancreatectomy and duct to mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy with a single stitch in the pancreaticojejunostomy. Herein, we retrospectively reviewed 346 cases of LPD using modified techniques. Basic characteristics, preoperative outcomes, factors associated with unfavorable postoperative outcome, and mortality of patients undergoing LPD were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

The average operative time was 259.31 (35-425) min. The mean duration of pancreaticojejunostomy anastomosis was 31.97 (16-90) min. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 101.76 (0-1200) ml by estimation. Postoperative complications included 14 cases (4.1%) of bile leakage, 9 cases (2.6%) of delayed gastric emptying, 26 cases (7.5%) of postoperative bleeding, 34 cases (9.9%) of organ space infection, 17 cases (4.9%) of pulmonary infection, and 50 cases (14.5%) of POPF. Three factors including postoperative bleeding (OR = 3.502; P = 0.033), positive lymph node (OR = 3.296; P < 0.001), and postoperative chemotherapy (OR = 0.241; P = 0.008) were significantly associated with death of LPD.

CONCLUSIONS

The modified technique for LPD presents safety and reliability. Postoperative bleeding and positive lymph node may be associated with worse overall survival, and postoperative chemotherapy may be associated with better overall survival.

Study of pharyngeal airway morphology with CBCT: Benefits of four premolar extraction orthodontic treatments

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Four premolars extractions are routine procedures for correction of malocclusion, but will inevitably lead to a reduction of tongue space, whether this will weaken the pharyngeal airway remains a controversy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) radiographs of 80 patients who completed four premolar extraction orthodontic treatments were collected and divided into three anteroposterior skeletal groups according to the ANB (angle subspinale to nasion to supramentale) value. Linear, angular, cross-sectional area, and volumetric dimensions of the pharyngeal airway were measured using Dolphin Imaging 11.9 software. One-way analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation coefficient test were performed to assess the intergroup comparisons. Treatment changes were evaluated with two-sample t-tests.

RESULTS

In intergroup comparisons, vertical linear and cross-sectional area differences were identified in S-Go/N-Me, VD1, VD1/N-Me, VD2/N-Me, AA, OAA and OMINI (p<0.05), while other measurements showed no significant differences. Angle2, the tilting degree of the pharyngeal airway, showed a positive correlation with ANB (p<0.05). As for the treatment changes, a significant increase was found in the pharyngeal airway in the Class I group (OUA p<0.05, VD1 p<0.001, VD2 p<0.05) and Class II group (VD1 p<0.001. VD2, p<0.05), and inversely, a significant decrease was found in the pharyngeal airway in the Class III group (OAA p<0.05, OMINI p<0.05, OUA p<0.05). No volumetric difference was identified. Interestingly, regarding the preoperative pharyngeal airway size, values trended to the mean value significantly.

CONCLUSION

Four premolar extraction orthodontic treatments did not affect the pharyngeal airway volume except for the vertical liner and cross-sectional area dimensions. The trend of the gold standard suggested a positive influence of four premolar extraction orthodontic treatments.

Formate: A promising electron donor to enhance trichloroethene-to-ethene dechlorination in Dehalococcoides-augmented groundwater ecosystems with minimal bacterial growth

Various substrates have been used to stimulate habitat microbes in chloroethene-contaminated groundwater, however, the specific efficiency and minimum growth of microbes have rarely been studied. This study investigated the effects of seven substrates on trichloroethene (TCE) dechlorination by augmentation of groundwater with Dehalococcoides mccartyi NIT01 and its contribution to the microbial community. Three out of eight test groups completed dechlorination of 1 mM TCE-to-ethene in varying durations; groundwater supplemented with formate (FOR) required 78 days, whereas the microcosms with lactate (LAC) and citrate (CIT) required approximately twice as long (143 days). The calculated efficiency of how much produced H₂ was used in dechlorination indicated a higher efficiency in FOR (36%) compared with LAC (1.9%) or CIT (2.9%). FOR showed lower microbial growth (3.4 × 10⁵ copies/mL) than LAC (1.5 × 10⁶) or CIT (4.4 × 10⁶), and maintained a higher Shannon diversity index (5.65) than LAC (4.97) and CIT (4.30). The rapid and higher H₂ transfer efficiency with lower bacterial growth by using formate was attributed to the slightly positive Gibbs free energy identified in H₂ production requiring a H₂-utilizer, lower carbon in the molecule, and adaptation to metabolic potential of the original groundwater microbiome. Formate is, therefore, a promising electron donor for rapid Dehalococcoides-augmented remediation with minimum bacterial growth. Sequential transferring of the FOR culture successfully maintained TCE-to-ethene dechlorination activity and enriched the members of genera Dehalococcoides (33%), Methanosphaerula (23%), Rectinema (13%), and Desulfitobacterium (5.6%). This suggests that formate is transferred to H₂ and acetate, and provided to Dehalococcoides.

A circulating miR-19b-based model in diagnosis of human breast cancer

Abstract Objective: Breast cancer (BC) is becoming the leading cause of cancer-related death in women all over the word. Identification of diagnostic biomarkers for early detection of BC is one of the most effective ways to reduce the mortality.

Methods: Plasma samples from BC patients (n = 120) and normal controls (n = 50) were collected to determine the differentially expressed circulating miRNAs in BC patients. Binary logistic regression was applied to develop miRNA diagnostic models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to calculate the area under the curve (AUC). MMTV-PYMT mammary tumor mice were used to validate the expression change of those circulating miRNAs. Plasma samples from patients with other tumor types were collected to determine the specificity of the model in diagnosis of BC.

Results: In the screening phase, 5 circulating miRNAs (miR-16, miR-17, miR-19b, miR-27a, and miR-106a) were identified as the most significantly upregulated miRNAs in plasma of BC patients. In consistence, the 5 miRNAs showed upregulation in the circulation of additional 80 BC patients in a tumor stage-dependent manner. Application of a tumor-burden mice model further confirmed upregulation of the 5 miRNAs in circulation. Based on these data, five models with diagnostic potential of BC were developed. Among the 5 miRNAs, miR-19b ranked at the top position with the highest specificity and the biggest contribution. In combination with miR-16 and miR-106a, a miR-19b-based 3-circulating miRNA model was selected as the best for further validation. Taken the samples together, the model showed 92% of sensitivity and 90% of specificity in diagnosis of BC. In addition, three other tumor types including prostate cancer, thyroid cancer and colorectal cancer further verified the specificity of the BC diagnostic model. Conclusion: The current study developed a miR-19b-based 3-miRNA model holding potential for diagnosis of BC using blood samples.

Computational Study of the Thermal Rectification Properties of a Graphene-Based Nanostructure

Thermally rectifying materials would have important implications for thermal management, thermal circuits, and the field of phononics in general. Graphene-based nanostructures have very high intrinsic thermal conductance, but they normally display no thermal rectification effects. The present study relates to a thermally rectifying material and, more particularly, to a graphene-based nanomaterial for controlling heat flux and the associated method determining the rectification coefficient. Thermal rectifiers using a graphene-based nanostructure as thermal conductors were designed. Vacancy defects were introduced into one end of the nanostructure to produce an axially non-uniform mass distribution. Modified Monte Carlo methods were used to investigate the effects of defect size and shape, vacancy concentration, and ribbon length on the thermal rectification properties. Anharmonic lattice dynamics calculations were carried out to obtain the frequency-dependent phonon properties. The results indicated that the nanoscale system conducts heat asymmetrically, with a maximum available rectification coefficient of about 70%. Thermal rectification has been achieved, and the difference in temperature dependence of thermal conductivity is responsible for the phenomenon. Defects can be tailored to modulate the temperature dependence of thermal conductivity. The power-law exponent can be negative or positive, depending upon the ribbon length and vacancy concentration. A computational method has been developed, whereby the numerous variables used to determine the rectification coefficient can be summarized by two parameters: the power-law exponent and the thermal resistance ratio. Accordingly, the rectification coefficient can be obtained by solving a simple algebraic expression. There are several structure factors that cause noticeable effects on the thermal rectification properties. Defect size, vacancy concentration, and ribbon length can affect the thermal conductance of the nanostructure symmetrically and significantly. Graphene-based nanostructure thermal rectifiers can be arranged in an array so as to provide thermal rectification on a macroscopic scale.

Observation of WWW Production in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of WWW production and a measurement of its cross section using 139  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events with two same-sign leptons (electrons or muons) and at least two jets, as well as events with three charged leptons, are selected. A multivariate technique is then used to discriminate between signal and background events. Events from WWW production are observed with a significance of 8.0 standard deviations, where the expectation is 5.4 standard deviations. The inclusive WWW production cross section is measured to be 820±100 (stat)±80 (syst)  fb, approximately 2.6 standard deviations from the predicted cross section of 511±18  fb calculated at next-to-leading-order QCD and leading-order electroweak accuracy.

[Progress in research of 2019-nCoV infection in children and adolescents]

As 2019-nCoV vaccine is widely used in the adult population, children and adolescents have gradually become an important susceptible population to 2019-nCoV due to their low coverage of the vaccine and high contact degree. Understanding the characteristics of 2019-nCoV infection in minors is vital. This paper summarized the progress in the research of 2019-nCoV in minors by using the data from the retrieval of recently published literature. Furthermore, the key characteristics of 2019-nCoV infection in minors, including the susceptibility, transmissibility, prognosis and immune response were analyzed and the progress in child and adolescent vaccine development was introduced.

[Evaluation of the impact of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine included in an expanded immunization program on the reported incidence rate of Japanese encephalitis in Gansu province-based on interrupted time series]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine included in an expanded immunization program on the reported incidence rate of Japanese encephalitis in Gansu province. Methods: Information on the reported incidence rate of Japanese encephalitis in Gansu province from 1987 to 2019 was collected through the National Population Health Science Data Center and the China Disease Prevention and Control Information System. In addition, the trend of Japanese encephalitis reported incidence rate in Gansu province before and after the inclusion of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine in the expanded immunization program was analyzed using an interrupted time-series design. Results: The annual reported incidence rate of Japanese encephalitis in Gansu province from 1987 to 2019 was 0.448/per 100 000. However, after the inclusion of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine in the expanded immunization program in Gansu province in 2008, the amount of change in the level of Japanese encephalitis reported incidence rate was -2.223/per 100 000 (t=-2.90, P=0.007), the amount of change in the slope of Japanese encephalitis reported incidence rate was 0.082 (t=2.87, P=0.008) with the slope of Japanese encephalitis reported incidence rate as 0.071 (β₁+β₃=0.071). Conclusions: The Japanese encephalitis vaccine has achieved good prevention and control effects in Gansu province in the short term after its inclusion in the expanded immunization program, but outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis have still occurred. Therefore, in the future, Gansu province should promptly adjust the immunization strategy of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine, and strengthen the vaccination of the adult population, especially the rural adult population in the southeastern region of Gansu province, based on the continued focus on the works on Japanese encephalitis vaccination for children and adolescents.

A detailed map of Higgs boson interactions by the ATLAS experiment ten years after the discovery

The standard model of particle physics1-4 describes the known fundamental particles and forces that make up our Universe, with the exception of gravity. One of the central features of the standard model is a field that permeates all of space and interacts with fundamental particles5-9. The quantum excitation of this field, known as the Higgs field, manifests itself as the Higgs boson, the only fundamental particle with no spin. In 2012, a particle with properties consistent with the Higgs boson of the standard model was observed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN10,11. Since then, more than 30 times as many Higgs bosons have been recorded by the ATLAS experiment, enabling much more precise measurements and new tests of the theory. Here, on the basis of this larger dataset, we combine an unprecedented number of production and decay processes of the Higgs boson to scrutinize its interactions with elementary particles. Interactions with gluons, photons, and W and Z bosons-the carriers of the strong, electromagnetic and weak forces-are studied in detail. Interactions with three third-generation matter particles (bottom (b) and top (t) quarks, and tau leptons (τ)) are well measured and indications of interactions with a second-generation particle (muons, μ) are emerging. These tests reveal that the Higgs boson discovered ten years ago is remarkably consistent with the predictions of the theory and provide stringent constraints on many models of new phenomena beyond the standard model.

P-524 Bi-allelic CFAP61 variants cause male infertility in humans and mice with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia

Study question

Are mutations in cilia and flagella-associated protein 61 (CFAP61) associated with human male infertility?

Summary answer

Bi-allelic variants ([NM_015585.4: c.1654C&gt;T (p.R552C) and c.2911G&gt;A (p.D971N), c.144-2A&gt;G and c.1666G&gt;A (p.G556R)] in CFAP61 were identified as contributory genetics factor in severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT).

What is known already

Cfap61 knockout mice were infertile due to multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF). However, so far there is no direct evidence that mutations of CFAP61 cause OAT and male infertility.

Study design, size, duration

Variant screening was performed by whole-exome sequencing (WES) from 325 infertile patients with OAT and 392 fertile individuals. A knockout mouse model was generate to confirm the candidate disease-causing gene, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was used to evaluate the efficiency of clinical treatment.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

A total 325 OAT-affected patients and 392 men with normal fertility were recruited from China. WES was performed, followed by Sanger sequencing validation. In silico bioinformatics predictions and in vitro functional analyses were performed to evaluate the impacts of candidate disease-causing variants. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, electron microscopy, and immunofluorescence assays were performed to evaluate the sperm morphology. Two OAT-affected men with CFAP61 variants were treated by ICSI, and pregnancy outcomes were followed.

Main results and the role of chance

We identified bi-allelic CFAP61 variants [NM_015585.4: c.1654C&gt;T (p.R552C) and c.2911G&gt;A (p.D971N), c.144-2A&gt;G and c.1666G&gt;A (p.G556R)] in two (0.62%) of the 325 OAT-affected men. In silico bioinformatics analysis predicted that all four variants were deleterious, and in vitro functional analysis confirmed the deleterious effects of the mutants. Notably, H&E staining and electron microscopy analyses of the spermatozoa revealed multiple morphological abnormalities of sperm flagella, the absence of central pair microtubules, and mitochondrial sheath malformation in sperm flagella from man with CFAP61 variants. Further immunofluorescence assays revealed markedly reduced CFAP61 staining in the sperm flagella. In addition, Cfap61-deficient mice showed the OAT phenotype, suggesting that loss of function of CFAP61 was the cause of OAT. Two individuals accepted ICSI therapy using their own ejaculated sperm, and one of them succeeded in fathering a healthy baby.

Limitations, reasons for caution

Limitations include the lack of in vivo data from the one of patients, and the exact molecular mechanism should be further investigated.

Wider implications of the findings

Our findings indicate that CFAP61 is essential for spermatogenesis and that bi-allelic CFAP61 variants lead to OAT and male infertility in humans and mice. In addition, our results show that ICSI treatment can be recommended for CFAP61-related OAT.

Trial registration number

not applicable

Effects of Different Phonon Scattering Factors on the Heat Transport Properties of Graphene Ribbons

Understanding the effect of phonon scattering is of primary significance in the study of the thermal transport properties of graphene. While phonon scattering negatively affects the thermal conductivity, the exact effect of microscopic phonon scattering is still poorly understood when full phonon dispersions are taken into account. The heat transport properties of graphene ribbons were investigated theoretically by taking into account different polarization branches with different frequencies in order to understand the physical mechanism of the thermal transport phenomenon at the nanoscale. The effects of grain size, chiral angle, Grüneisen anharmonicity parameter, specularity parameter, and mass-fluctuation-scattering parameter were evaluated, taking into account of the restrictions imposed by boundary, Umklapp, and isotope scattering mechanisms. The contribution from each phonon branch was estimated, and the anisotropic coefficients were determined accordingly. The results indicated that the graphene ribbons are very efficient at conducting heat in all the cases studied. All the acoustical branches contribute significantly to the heat transport properties, and the temperature strongly affects the relative contribution of the phonon branches. The lattice thermal conductivity varies periodically with the chiral angle. The maximum thermal conductivity is achieved in the zigzag direction, and the minimum thermal conductivity is obtained in the armchair direction. The lattice thermal conductivity and anisotropic coefficient depend heavily upon the roughness of the edges and the width of the ribbons. The specularity parameter and mass-fluctuation-scattering parameter significantly affect the lattice thermal conductivity, and the effect arising from isotope scattering is significant in the context of natural isotopic abundance. The dependence of the Grüneisen anharmonicity parameter on phonon branches must be taken into account when making predictions. The results have significant implications for the understanding of the relations between phonon scattering and thermal properties.

[Epidemiological characteristics of 2019-nCoV Delta variant in Gansu province]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 caused by 2019-nCoV Delta variant (B.1.617.2) in Gansu province, and provide evidence for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Methods: The information of COVID-19 cases, including demographic characteristics, epidemiological history, onset date, diagnosis date, exposure place, detection way and infection source, in Gansu from 17 October to 25 November, 2021 were collected. Software Excel 2016,SPSS 22 and ArcGIS 10.7 were used for data process and analysis. Results: As of November 25, 2021, a total of 146 COVID-19 cases had been reported in Gansu and the epidemic affected 10 counties (districts) in 5 cities. The epidemic of COVID-19 in Gansu had three stages: imported case stage,imported-local case stage and local case stage. The age of cases ranged from 1 to 87 years,and the cases in age group 18-59 years accounted for 59.59% (87/146). The male to female ratio of the cases was 1∶1.12 (69∶77). The cases were mainly people engaged in business services (17.12%, 25/146),retirees (15.75%, 23/146),students (13.70%, 20/146),the jobless and unemployed (12.33%, 18/146). In 3 epidemic stages, the cases aged 18-59 years accounted for 44.44%,54.41% and 70.00% respectively,showing an upward trend,and there were differences among different populations (trend χ²=23.24, P<0.001). Also, the incubation period of the cases tended to decrease, and severe cases accounted for 33.33% (6/18), 19.12% (13/68) and 3.33% (2/60) respectively, showing a downward trend. Community screening (25.34%, 37/146) and close contact screening were the main ways to detect cases,the cases detected by close contact screening in 3 epidemic stages accounted for 50.00% (9/18), 66.18% (45/68) and 86.67% (52/60) respectively. The epidemic had obvious case clustering in confined places,and the main exposure modes were living together (24.66%), working/studying together (11.64%), taking same transportation (9.59%) and dining together (9.59%). Conclusions: The COVID-19 epidemic in Gansu was caused by 2019-nCoV Delta variant from imported cases. The virus was mainly transmitted through travel, sharing transportation, dining together and home contact. The characteristics of COVID-19 epidemic in Gansu changed with time, the case's clinical symptoms were not obvious and the incubation period became shorter. The infections mainly occurred in group aged 18 years and above.