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.

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.

Disturbed white matter integrity on diffusion tensor imaging in young children with epilepsy

AIM

To evaluate whether abnormalities in white matter (WM) integrity are present in young children with epilepsy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twelve children (3-6 years old) with epilepsy and six matched healthy controls were recruited for brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Track-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to analyse and compare DTI indices of mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), axial and radial diffusivity (AD/RD) between patients and controls, and correlations between clinical variables and DTI parameters were analysed.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, patients showed increased FA in the left superior corona radiata and increased AD in the bilateral superior corona radiata. In children with generalised epilepsy, FA was increased in the left external capsule, while AD was decreased in the body of the corpus callosum, the left external capsule and the left superior longitudinal fasciculus. In those with focal epilepsy, FA was increased in the genu and body of the corpus callosum, and RD was decreased in the genu of the corpus callosum and left external capsule. Compared with partial epilepsy, generalised epilepsy was associated with increased FA in the right anterior corona radiata and decreased RD in the right anterior corona radiata and the genu and body of the corpus callosum. No significant correlations were observed between clinical variables and DTI parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate that the microstructure of the white matter is disturbed by epileptic discharges and a compensatory response occurs during early brain development.

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.

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.

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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Effects of Different Primers on the Bond Strength to Properly and Excessively Etched Ceramic-coated Zirconia

PURPOSE

To determine the effects of various primers on the immediate and long-term bond strength of ceramic-coated ultratranslucent zirconia that is properly or excessively etched.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Ceramic-coated zirconia plates were etched with 9.5% hydrofluoric acid (HF) for 2 or 5 minutes, after which the surface morphology and elemental composition were examined. The etched specimens were treated with different primers including methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP)-only containing primer, silane-only containing primer, MDP and silane-containing ceramic primer as well as MDP and silane-containing adhesive system. For surface contact angle and shear bond strength (SBS) data, the difference between groups was evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and three-way ANOVA factorial analysis, respectively. The statistical significance level of 0.05 was set and the Tukey test and the Dunnett-T3 test were used for post-hoc multiple comparisons.

RESULTS

Excessive etching (9.5% HF for 5 minutes) led to overconsumption of the glass layer and exposure of zirconia substrate compared to proper etching (9.5% HF for 2 minutes). Among different primers, the surface contact angle of the silane-only containing primer group was the lowest. The silane-only containing primer and MDP and silane-containing ceramic primer produced higher shear bond strength of properly and excessively etched ceramic-coated zirconia, respectively, both before and after thermal aging.

CONCLUSIONS

The silane-only containing primer and MDP and silane-containing primer can obtain better immediate and long-term shear bond strength for properly and excessively etched ceramic-coated zirconia, respectively.

Universal DNA methylation age across mammalian tissues

Aging, often considered a result of random cellular damage, can be accurately estimated using DNA methylation profiles, the foundation of pan-tissue epigenetic clocks. Here, we demonstrate the development of universal pan-mammalian clocks, using 11,754 methylation arrays from our Mammalian Methylation Consortium, which encompass 59 tissue types across 185 mammalian species. These predictive models estimate mammalian tissue age with high accuracy (r > 0.96). Age deviations correlate with human mortality risk, mouse somatotropic axis mutations and caloric restriction. We identified specific cytosines with methylation levels that change with age across numerous species. These sites, highly enriched in polycomb repressive complex 2-binding locations, are near genes implicated in mammalian development, cancer, obesity and longevity. Our findings offer new evidence suggesting that aging is evolutionarily conserved and intertwined with developmental processes across all mammals.

[Exploration of the clinical application of combined endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery in early gastric cancer: 15 cases]

Objective: To investigate the application of combined gastroscopy and laparoscopy (dual scope) in the treatment of early gastric cancer. Methods: In this descriptive case series study, we retrospectively collected data on 15 patients with cT1b stage gastric cancer who had undergone combined laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery in the 900th Hospital of the People's Liberation Army of China from May 2020 to October 2022. The study cohort comprised nine men and six women of median age 59 (range: 47-76) years and median body mass index 20.9 (range: 18.3-26.2) kg/m2. Seven of the lesions were located on the lesser curvature of the gastric antrum and eight in the gastric angle. All lesions were biopsied for pathological examination and evaluated by endoscopic ultrasonography, followed by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and laparoscopic regional lymph node dissection. Studied variables included surgical and pathological features, postoperative factors, and outcomes. Results: In this group of patients, the median (range) operative time for ESD was 45 (30-82) minutes, the duration of laparoscopic lymph node dissection (45.1±8.6) minutes, and the median (range) intraoperative blood loss during lymph node dissection 30 (10-80) mL. Of the 13 patients with negative postoperative horizontal margins, four were stage SM1 and had no lymph node metastases (Stage SM1) and nine were Stage SM2, of which had one positive regional lymph node and two received additional standard distal gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy concurrently because of positive ESD specimens (lymph node negative). No lymph node metastases were found in the surgical specimens of these patients. The remaining two patients had positive vertical margins; both had undergone concurrent standard distal gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy. One of them was found to be lymph node positive (No. 3, one node). Four patients had impaired gastric emptying after dual-scope treatment, all of whom recovered well with symptomatic management; one patient with a suspected lymphatic leak was also managed conservatively. There were no cases of postoperative bleeding, abdominal infection, or incisional infection. At a median follow-up of 14 (6-26) months, no tumor recurrence or metastasis had been identified in any of the patients. Three patients had a grade B nutrition score 3 to 6 months after surgery, all of whom had undergone major gastrectomy, and two patients who had undergone dual-scope surgery reported an increase in acid reflux and belching after surgery compared with the preoperative period. Conclusion: A combined technique is safe and feasible for the treatment of early gastric cancer and is worthy of further exploration.

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.

Tunable magnetophoretic method for distinguishing and separating wear debris particles in an Fe-PDMS-based microfluidic chip

Wear debris analysis provides an early warning of mechanical transmission system aging and wear fault diagnosis, which has been widely used in machine health monitoring. The ability to detect and distinguish the ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic debris in oil is becoming an effective way to assess the health status of machinery. In this work, an Fe-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based magnetophoretic method for the continuous separation of ferromagnetic iron particles by diameter and the isolation of ferromagnetic particles and nonmagnetic particles with similar diameter by type is developed. The particles experience magnetophoretic effects when passing through the vicinity of the Fe-PDMS where the strongest gradient of the magnetic fields exists. By choosing a relatively short distance between the magnet and the sidewall of the horizontal main channel and the length of Fe-PDMS with controlled particles flow rate, the diameter-dependent separation of ferromagnetic iron particles, that is, smaller than 7 µm, in the range of 8-12 µm, and larger than 14 µm, and the isolation of ferromagnetic iron particles and nonmagnetic aluminum particles based on opposite magnetophoretic behaviors by types are demonstrated, providing a potential method for the detection of wear debris particles with a high sensitivity and resolution and the diagnostic of mechanical system.

[Management strategy of femoral artery pseudoaneurysm combined with infectious wounds]

Objective: To investigate the surgical treatment methods of femoral artery pseudoaneurysm combined with infectious wounds and to evaluate the clinical effects. Methods: The retrospective observational research method was used. Twelve patients with femoral artery pseudoaneurysm combined with infectious wounds who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Wuxi Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University) from October 2014 to September 2022, including 6 males and 6 females, aged from 46 to 78 years. In the primary operation, debridement, tumor resection, and artery suture/venous grafting to repair the artery/artery ligation were performed, and the wound area after tumor resection ranged from 4.0 cm×1.5 cm to 12.0 cm×6.5 cm. Wounds that could be sutured were treated with tension reduction suture and extracutaneous continuous vacuum sealing drainage (VSD), while large wounds that could not be sutured were treated with VSD to control infection. In the secondary operation, tension reduction suture was performed to repair the wounds that could be sutured; large wounds were repaired with adjacent translocated flaps with area of 9.0 cm×5.0 cm to 15.0 cm×7.0 cm. Additionally, when the length of the exposed femoral artery was equal to or over 3.0 cm, the wounds were repaired with additional rectus femoris muscle flap with length of 15.0 to 18.0 cm. The donor areas of the flaps were directly sutured. The wound with artery ligation was treated with stamp skin grafting and continuous VSD. The bacterial culture results of the wound exudate samples on admission were recorded. The intraoperative blood loss, the location of femoral artery rupture, the artery treatment method, and the wound repair method in the primary operation were recorded, and the durations of catheter lavage, catheter drainage, and VSD treatment, and the drainage volume after the operation were recorded. The repair method of wounds in the secondary operation, the durations of catheter drainage and VSD treatment, and the total drainage volume after the operation were recorded. The survivals of flap/muscle flap/stamp skin grafts were observed, and the wound healing time was recorded. Follow-up after discharge was performed to evaluate the quality of wound healing and the walking function and to check whether the pulsatile mass disappeared. B-ultrasound or computed tomography angiography (CTA) was performed again to observe potential pseudoaneurysm recurrence and evaluate the patency of blood flow of the femoral artery. Results: The bacterial culture results of wound exudate samples of all the patients were positive on admission. The blood loss was 150 to 750 mL in the primary operation. The arterial ruptures were located in the femoral artery in 8 cases, in the external iliac artery in 2 cases, and in the femoral arteriovenous fistula in 2 cases. Six cases received direct artery suture, 4 cases received autologous great saphenous vein grafting to repair the artery, 1 case received autologous great saphenous vein bypass surgery, and 1 case received artery ligation. The primary wound suture was performed in 4 cases, along with catheter lavage for 3 to 5 days, catheter drainage for 4 to 6 days, VSD treatment for 5 to 7 days, and a total drainage volume of 80 to 450 mL after the surgery. In the secondary operation, the wounds were sutured directly in 3 cases along with catheter drainage for 2 to 3 days, the wound was repaired with scalp stamp skin graft and VSD treatment for 5 days in 1 case, the wounds were repaired with adjacent translocated flaps in 2 cases with catheter drainage for 2 to 3 days, and the wounds were repaired with rectus femoris muscle flaps+adjacent translocated flaps in 2 cases with catheter drainage for 3 to 5 days . The total drainage volume after the secondary operation ranged from 150 to 400 mL. All the skin flaps/muscle flaps/skin grafts survived after operation. The wound healing time ranged from 15 to 36 days after the primary operation. Follow-up of 2 to 8 months after discharge showed that the wounds of all patients healed well. One patient who underwent femoral artery ligation had calf amputation due to foot ischemic necrosis, and the rest of the patients regained normal walking ability. The pulsatile mass disappeared in inguinal region of all patients. B-ultrasound or CTA re-examination in 6 patients showed that the blood flow of femoral artery had good patency, and there was no pseudoaneurysm recurrence. Conclusions: Early debridement, tumor resection, and individualized artery treatment should be performed in patients with femoral artery pseudoaneurysm combined with infected wounds. Besides, proper drainage and personalized repair strategy should be conducted according to the wound condition to achieve a good outcome.

Fusarium diversity associated with diseased cereals in China, with an updated phylogenomic assessment of the genus

Fusarium species are important cereal pathogens that cause severe production losses to major cereal crops such as maize, rice, and wheat. However, the causal agents of Fusarium diseases on cereals have not been well documented because of the difficulty in species identification and the debates surrounding generic and species concepts. In this study, we used a citizen science initiative to investigate diseased cereal crops (maize, rice, wheat) from 250 locations, covering the major cereal-growing regions in China. A total of 2 020 Fusarium strains were isolated from 315 diseased samples. Employing multi-locus phylogeny and morphological features, the above strains were identified to 43 species, including eight novel species that are described in this paper. A world checklist of cereal-associated Fusarium species is provided, with 39 and 52 new records updated for the world and China, respectively. Notably, 56 % of samples collected in this study were observed to have co-infections of more than one Fusarium species, and the detailed associations are discussed. Following Koch's postulates, 18 species were first confirmed as pathogens of maize stalk rot in this study. Furthermore, a high-confidence species tree was constructed in this study based on 1 001 homologous loci of 228 assembled genomes (40 genomes were sequenced and provided in this study), which supported the "narrow" generic concept of Fusarium (= Gibberella). This study represents one of the most comprehensive surveys of cereal Fusarium diseases to date. It significantly improves our understanding of the global diversity and distribution of cereal-associated Fusarium species, as well as largely clarifies the phylogenetic relationships within the genus. Taxonomic novelties: New species: Fusarium erosum S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium fecundum S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium jinanense S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium mianyangense S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium nothincarnatum S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium planum S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium sanyaense S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai, Fusarium weifangense S.L. Han, M.M. Wang & L. Cai. Citation: Han SL, Wang MM, Ma ZY, Raza M, Zhao P, Liang JM, Gao M, Li YJ, Wang JW, Hu DM, Cai L (2023). Fusarium diversity associated with diseased cereals in China, with an updated phylogenomic assessment of the genus. Studies in Mycology 104: 87-148. doi: 10.3114/sim.2022.104.02.

Association of intraplacental oxygenation patterns on dual-contrast MRI with placental abnormality and fetal brain oxygenation

OBJECTIVES

Most human in-vivo placental imaging techniques are unable to distinguish and characterize various placental compartments, such as the intervillous space (IVS), placental vessels (PV) and placental tissue (PT), limiting their specificity. We describe a method that employs T2* and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to differentiate automatically placental compartments, quantify their oxygenation properties and identify placental lesions (PL) in vivo. We also investigate the association between placental oxygenation patterns and fetal brain oxygenation.

METHODS

This was a prospective study conducted between 2018 and 2021 in which dual-contrast clinical MRI data (T2* and diffusion-weighted MRI) were acquired from patients between 20 and 38 weeks' gestation. We trained a fuzzy clustering method to analyze T2* and diffusion-weighted MRI data and assign placental voxels to one of four clusters, based on their distinct imaging domain features. The new method divided automatically the placenta into IVS, PV, PT and PL compartments and characterized their oxygenation changes throughout pregnancy.

RESULTS

A total of 27 patients were recruited, of whom five developed pregnancy complications. Total placental oxygenation level and T2* did not demonstrate a statistically significant temporal correlation with gestational age (GA) (R²  = 0.060, P = 0.27). In contrast, the oxygenation level reflected by T2* values in the placental IVS (R²  = 0.51, P = 0.0002) and PV (R²  = 0.76, P = 1.1 × 10^-7 ) decreased significantly with advancing GA. Oxygenation levels in the PT did not show any temporal change during pregnancy (R²  = 0.00044, P = 0.93). A strong spatial-dependent correlation between PV oxygenation level and GA was observed. The strongest negative correlation between PV oxygenation and GA (R²  = 0.73, P = 4.5 × 10^-7 ) was found at the fetal-vessel-dominated region close to the chorionic plate. The location and extent of the placental abnormality were automatically delineated and quantified in the five women with clinically confirmed placental pathology. Compared to the averaged total placental oxygenation, placental IVS oxygenation level best reflected fetal brain oxygenation level during fetal development.

CONCLUSION

Based on clinically feasible dual-MRI, our method enables accurate spatiotemporal quantification of placental compartment and fetal brain oxygenation across different GAs. This information should improve our knowledge of human placenta development and its relationship with normal and abnormal pregnancy. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

[Effects of porcine urinary bladder matrix on motility and polarization of bone marrow-derived macrophages in mice]

Objective: To explore the effects of porcine urinary bladder matrix (UBM) on the motility and polarization of bone marrow-derived macrophages in mice, so as to provide evidence for the rational selection of stent in clinical wound repair. Methods: The method of experimental research was used. The microstructure of porcine UBM and absorbable dressing was observed under scanning electron microscope. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to observe the protein distribution of the two stent extracts. The primary macrophages were induced from bone marrow-derived cells isolated from six 6-8-week-old male C57BL/6J mice (mouse age, sex, and strain, the same below) and identified. Three batches of macrophages were divided into porcine UBM extract group and absorbable dressing extract group. The cells in each group were cultured with Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/F12 medium containing the corresponding extracts. The cell migration rate was detected and calculated on 1, 3, and 7 d after scratching by scratch test. The number of migrated cells at 12 and 24 h of culture was detected by Transwell experiment. The percentages of CD206 and CD86 positive cells at 24 h of culture was detected by flow cytometer. The numbers of sample in the above cell experiments were all 3. An incision was prepared on the left and right back of twelve mice, respectively. The left incision of each mouse was included in porcine UBM group and the right incision was included in absorbable dressing group, and the corresponding stents were implanted into the incisions respectively. On post operation day (POD) 7 and 14, the number of inflammatory cells infiltrated in the stent was detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining; the number of F4/80, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloprotein-9 (MMP-9) positive cells and type Ⅰ collagen deposition in stents were observed by immunohistochemistry; the percentages of F4/80, CD86, and CD206 positive cells were observed by immunofluorescence staining. The numbers of sample in the above animal experiments were all 6. Data were statistically analyzed with analysis of variance for factorial design, analysis of variance for repeated measurement, and independent sample t test. Results: Porcine UBM has a dense basement membrane structure on one side and porous propria containing a fibrous structures on the other. Both sides of the absorbable dressing had three-dimensional porous structure. In the molecular weight range of (50-70)×103, multiple non-type Ⅰ collagen bands appeared in the lanes of porcine UBM extract, while no obvious bands appeared in the lanes of absorbable dressing extract. It had been identified that mouse bone marrow-derived cells had been successfully induced into macrophages. The cell migration rates in porcine UBM extract group were significantly higher than those in absorbable dressing extract group on 1, 3, and 7 d after scratching (with t values of 15.31, 19.76, and 20.58, respectively, P<0.05). The numbers of migrated cells in porcine UBM extract group were significantly more than those in absorbable dressing extract group at 12 and 24 h of culture (with t values of 12.20 and 33.26, respectively, P<0.05). At 24 h of culture, the percentage of CD86 positive cells in porcine UBM extract group ((1.27±0.19)%) was significantly lower than (7.34±0.14)% in absorbable dressing extract group (t=17.03, P<0.05);the percentage of CD206 positive cells in porcine UBM extract group was (73.4±0.7)%, significantly higher than (32.2±0.5)% in absorbable dressing extract group (t=119.10, P<0.05). On POD 7 and 14, the numbers of inflammatory cells infiltrated in the stents in porcine UBM group was significantly more than those in absorbable dressing group (with t values of 6.58 and 10.70, respectively, P<0.05). On POD 7 and 14, the numbers of F4/80, TGF-β1, VEGF, and MMP-9 positive cells in the stents in porcine UBM group were significantly more than those in absorbable dressing group (with t values of 46.11, 40.69, 13.90, 14.15, 19.79, 32.93, 12.16, and 13.21, respectively, P<0.05); type Ⅰ collagen deposition in the stents in porcine UBM group was more pronounced than that in absorbable dressing group; the percentages of CD206 positive cells in the stents in porcine UBM group were significantly higher than those in absorbable dressing group (with t values of 5.05 and 4.13, respectively, P<0.05), while the percentages of CD86 positive cells were significantly lower than those in absorbable dressing group (with t values of 20.90 and 19.64, respectively, P<0.05), and more M2-type macrophages were seen in the stents in porcine UBM group and more M1-type macrophages were seen in the stents in absorbable dressing group. Conclusions: Porcine UBM can enhance macrophage motility, induce M2 polarization and paracrine function, create a microenvironment containing growth factors such as TGF-β1 and MMP-9 tissue remodeling molecules, and promote tissue regeneration and extracellular matrix remodeling in mice.

[Epidemiological characteristics and the establishment and evaluation of a risk prediction model for nosocomial infection in burn patients]

Objective: To find the epidemiological characteristics of nosocomial infection in burn patients, to establish a risk prediction model for nosocomial infection in burn patients based on the screened independent risk factors of the infection, and to analyze its predictive value. Methods: A retrospective case series study was conducted. From May 2016 to December 2019, 3 475 burn patients who were admitted to the Department of Burns of Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University met the inclusion criteria, including 2 290 males and 1 185 females, aged from 1 to 94 years. The incidence of nosocomial infection, the detection site and specific composition of pathogenic bacteria were counted. The patients were randomly divided into training group (2 434 cases) and verification group (1 041 cases) in R 4.1.3 statistic software with a ratio of about 7∶3. Factors including gender, age, total burn area, combination of full-thickness burn/inhalation injury/shock/diabetes on admission, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), status of central venous catheterization/endotracheal intubation/urethral catheter indwelling/surgery, nosocomial infection status, days of antibiotic use, and days of hospital stay of patients were compared between the two groups. According to the occurrence of nosocomial infection, the patients were divided into nosocomial infection group (102 cases) and non-nosocomial infection group (3 373 cases), and in addition to the aforementioned data, non-nosocomial infection related data, the season of admission and types of antibiotics used were compared between the two groups. The above-mentioned data were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of independent sample t test, chi-square test, and Mann-Whitney U test, and the indicators with statistically significant differences between nosocomial infection group and non-nosocomial infection group were included as variables in multivariate logistic regression analysis to screen independent risk factors for the development of nosocomial infection in 3 475 burn patients. On the basis of independent risk factors and important clinical characteristics, a nomogram prediction model was constructed for the risk of developing nosocomial infection of burn patients in training group. In both training group and verification group, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for prediction of nosocomial infection by the prediction model were plotted, and the area under the ROC curve was calculated; calibration curves were plotted to evaluate the conformity between the predicted results of the prediction model and the actual situation; clinical decision curves were plotted to evaluate the clinical utility of the prediction model. Results: The incidence of nosocomial infection of patients included in this study was 2.94% (102/3 475); pathogens were detected from 212 specimens, mainly wound (78 cases, accounting for 36.79%) and blood (64 cases, accounting for 30.19%) specimens; 250 strains of pathogenic bacteria were detected, mainly gram-negative bacteria (153 strains, accounting for 61.20%). All clinical characteristics of patients between training group and verification group were similar (P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences between patients in nosocomial infection group and non-nosocomial infection group in the aspects of age, total burn area, days of antibiotic use, antibiotic use type, days of hospital stay, combination of full-thickness burn, combination of inhalation injury, combination of shock, ICU admission status, central venous catheterization status, endotracheal intubation status, urethral catheter indwelling status, surgery status (with Z values of 4.41, 14.95, 15.70, 650.32, and 13.73, χ2 values of 151.09, 508.30, 771.20, 955.79, 522.67, 967.40, 732.11, and 225.35, respectively, P<0.01). ICU admission, endotracheal intubation, urethral catheter indwelling, and days of hospital stay were independent risk factors for developing nosocomial infection by 3 475 burn patients (with odds ratios of 5.99, 3.39, 9.32, and 6.21, 95% confidence intervals of 2.25-15.99, 1.56-7.39, 2.77-31.31, and 2.48-15.92, respectively, P<0.01). In training group and verification group, the area under ROC curves of the nosocomial infection prediction model based on independent risk factors, total burn area, and central vein catheterization were both 0.97 (with both 95% confidence intervals being 0.95-0.99); the calibration curve analysis showed that the prediction results of the prediction model were in good agreement with the actual situation; the clinical decision curve analysis showed that the prediction model had good clinical utility. Conclusions: The nosocomial infection in burn patients is mainly caused by gram-negative bacteria, with wound as the main infection site, and the independent risk factors including ICU admission, endotracheal intubation, urethral catheter indwelling, and days of hospital stay. Based on independent risk factors and important clinical features, the risk prediction model for nosocomial infection has a good ability to predict nosocomial infection in burn patients.

Implementation of an Integrated Dielectrophoretic and Magnetophoretic Microfluidic Chip for CTC Isolation

Identification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from a majority of various cell pools has been an appealing topic for diagnostic purposes. This study numerically demonstrates the isolation of CTCs from blood cells by the combination of dielectrophoresis and magnetophoresis in a microfluidic chip. Taking advantage of the label-free property, the separation of red blood cells, platelets, T cells, HT-29, and MDA-231 was conducted in the microchannel. By using the ferromagnet structure with double segments and a relatively shorter distance in between, a strong gradient of the magnetic field, i.e., sufficiently large MAP forces acting on the cells, can be generated, leading to a high separation resolution. In order to generate strong DEP forces, the non-uniform electric field gradient is induced by applying the electric voltage through the microchannel across a pair of asymmetric orifices, i.e., a small orifice and a large orifice on the opposite wall of the channel sides. The distribution of the gradient of the magnetic field near the edge of ferromagnet segments, the gradient of the non-uniform electric field in the vicinity of the asymmetric orifices, and the flow field were investigated. In this numerical simulation, the effects of the ferromagnet structure on the magnetic field, the flow rate, as well as the strength of the electric field on their combined magnetophoretic and dielectrophoretic behaviors and trajectories are systemically studied. The simulation results demonstrate the potential of both property- and size-based cell isolation in the microfluidic device by implementing magnetophoresis and dielectrophoresis.

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.

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.

Retraction Note: MicroRNA-132 stimulates the growth and invasiveness of trophoblasts by targeting DAPK-1

The article "MicroRNA-132 stimulates the growth and invasiveness of trophoblasts by targeting DAPK-1, by Y.-P. Wang, P. Zhao, J.-Y. Liu, S.-M. Liu, Y.-X. Wang, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2020; 24 (19): 9837-9843-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202010_23193-PMID: 33090386" has been retracted by the authors due to some inaccuracies in the miRNA-132 primer sequence. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/23193.

Separation and characterization of microplastic and nanoplastic particles in marine environment

Microplastics (<5 mm) are divided into primary and secondary microplastics, which are further degraded into nanoplastics. The microplastic particles are widely distributed in marine environment, terrestrial ecosystem and biological organism, leading to damages to whole environmental system. Microplastics are not only difficult to degrade, but also able to adsorb pollutants. Due to the tiny size and various properties, the separation and characterization of microplastic particles has become more and more challenging. This review introduces the sources and destinations of the microplastic particles and summarizes the general methods for the sorting and characterization of microplastics, especially the manipulation of microplastic particles on microfluidic chip, showing possibility to deal with smaller nanoplastic particles over traditional methods. This review focuses on studies of the size-based separation and property-dependent characterization of microplastics in marine environment by utilizing the microfluidic chip device.

[Clinical analysis of pulmonary nocardiosis associated with bronchiectasis]

Objective: To better understand the clinical characteristics of pulmonary nocardiosis associated with bronchiectasis. Methods: Patients diagnosed as bronchiectasis complicated with pulmonary nocardiosis in 9 tertiary general hospitals in China were enrolled from March 2016 to March 2020, with the record of general data, imaging performance and pathogen. The literature was reviewed. Results: Totally 17 patients were included. There were 12 females and 5 males. The ages ranged from 45 to 79 years, with an average of (63±9) years. There were 15 nonsmokers and 2 smokers, all of whom with chronic course. The clinical manifestations were mostly cough, expectoration, hemoptysis, fever, and dyspnea. The imaging manifestation was bronchiectasis in both lungs, with the most common involvement in the left lower lung, right middle lobe and left lingual lobe. Sputum cultures were positive in 10 cases, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cultures were positive in 6 cases, and next generation gene sequencings were positive in 4 cases, including 2 cases of Nocardia gelsenkii, 2 cases of Nocardia abscess, 2 cases of Nocardia stellate, 1 case of Nocardia mexicana, 1 case of Nocardia otitis caviae, and 9 cases of undetermined Nocardia. There were 3 cases of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 2 cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 2 cases of Aspergillus. The symptoms and imaging of all patients were improved after anti Nocardia therapy. Conclusions: Bronchiectasis combined with nocardiosis is more common in middle-aged and elderly women without smoking, which is similar to the clinical manifestations of Lady Windermere syndrome. Bronchiectasis often involves the left lower lobe, right middle lobe and left lingual lobe. Nocardia infection might further precipitate the initiation and progression of bronchiectasis.

[Nomogram model for predicting risk of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury among inpatients with tuberculosis]

Objective: To explore the influencing factors of anti-tuberculosis drug-induced liver injury (ATB-DILI) in hospitalized tuberculosis patients, and to establish a risk prediction model of Nomogram. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 5 681 tuberculosis patients admitted to Guiyang public health treatment center from January 2017 to June 2021, including 3 342 males and 2 339 females. The inpatients with ATB-DILI were selected as the case group (214 cases) and the non-ATB-DILI patients as the control group (5 427 cases). The baseline characteristics, tuberculosis condition, behavior and disease-related data of the patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the influencing factors were screened by chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression, based on which the Nomogram model was constructed and verified. The decision curve was used to evaluate the clinical application value of the model. Results: In this study, 3.8%(214/5 681) patients developed ATB-DILI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that extrapulmonary tuberculosis (OR=1.876, P<0.001), malnutrition (OR=4.411, P<0.001), complicated with underlying liver disease (OR=4.961, P<0.001) and intermittent use of hepatoprotective drugs (OR=2.137, P=0.007) were independent risk factors for ATB-DILI, while whole-course use of hepatoprotective drugs (OR=0.292, P<0.001) was protective factor. The Nomogram model was constructed based on the above five related factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.749 (95%CI:0.713-0.786), the sensitivity was 0.640, and the specificity was 0.752, respectively. The Bootstrap method was used for internal repeated sampling for 1 000 times, the average absolute error was 0.003, the correction curve and the ideal curve were basically fitted, and the predicted values were in good agreement with the actual values. Hosmer-lemeshow test showed that the model had a good degree of fit (χ²=3.068, P=0.381). The decision curve showed that the Nomogram model had certain clinical practicability in the high risk threshold range (0.10-0.68). Conclusions: The Nomogram model for risk predicting ATB-DILI among inpatients with tuberculosis in this study has good predictability, consistency and clinical practicability, and can provide a basis for clinical prevention and control of ATB-DILI and individualized treatment in the process of anti-tuberculosis treatment.

[Non-erythrocyte blood products transfusion in very preterm and extremely preterm infants in Chinese neonatal intensive care units]

Objective: To describe the use of non-erythrocyte blood products transfusion in very preterm and extremely preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) of the Chinese Neonatal Network (CHNN) in 2019, to explore the disparity between different centers, and to further investigate the rationality and standardability of non-erythrocyte blood products transfusion. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on the CHNN cohort of very preterm and extremely preterm infants. All 6 598 infants with gestational age (GA)<32 weeks and admitted to the 57 NICU of CHNN within 24 h of life in 2019 were enrolled. Non-erythrocyte blood products included platelet, plasma, albumin, immunoglobulin, cryoprecipitate and prothrombin complex. Infants who received at least one type of non-erythrocyte blood products were defined in transfusion group. The comparison between infants with and without transfusion was done by t-test, rank-sum test or χ² test as appropriate. Linear regression model was used to generate adjusted transfusion rate of each center, and to investigate the correlation between adjusted rate and center-level characteristics. Results: A total of 6 598 infants were enrolled in the study, with gestational age of 30.0 (28.7, 31.0) weeks and birth weight of (1 353±312) g, and 43.6 % (2 877) of them were female. Among them, 42.7% (2 816) infants were enrolled in transfusion group, with the times of transfusion as 3 (1, 6) times. Compared to the infants without any transfusion of non-erythrocyte blood products, those infants received transfusion had lower gestational age (Z=17.62, P<0.01), lower birth weight (t=18.64, P<0.01), higher proportion of small-for-gestation age (χ²=31.06, P<0.01), multiple birth (χ²=12.82, P<0.01) and intensive resuscitation in delivery room (χ²=287.52, P<0.01), as well as lower proportion of females (χ²=10.68, P<0.01) and even lower proportion of infants born in this hospital (χ²=78.23, P<0.01). Among the entire study population, albumin (25.4%, 1 674 cases), immunoglobulin (21.5%, 1 417 cases) and plasma (18.9%, 1 245 cases) were the most commonly used non-erythrocyte blood products. Overall, 60.4% (544/901) infants with gestational age <28 weeks received transfusion 4 (2, 8) times. A total of 39.9% (2 272/5 697) infants between 28-31weeks received non-erythrocyte blood products 3 (1, 6) times. The non-erythrocyte blood products transfusion rates of critically-ill and non-critically-ill infants were 62.2% (1 693/2 723) and 29.0% (1 123/3 875) respectively, and the transfusion times were 4 (2,7) and 2 (1,4) times. The transfusion rates varied significantly among different NICU, and the disparities remained obvious after adjustment (adjusted χ²=153.48, P<0.01). Conclusion: Near half of very preterm and extremely preterm infants admitted to Chinese NICU in 2019 receive non-erythrocyte blood products during hospitalization with significant disparities among different hospitals.

Genera of phytopathogenic fungi: GOPHY 4

This paper is the fourth contribution in the Genera of Phytopathogenic Fungi (GOPHY) series. The series provides morphological descriptions and information about the pathology, distribution, hosts and disease symptoms, as well as DNA barcodes for the taxa covered. Moreover, 12 whole-genome sequences for the type or new species in the treated genera are provided. The fourth paper in the GOPHY series covers 19 genera of phytopathogenic fungi and their relatives, including Ascochyta, Cadophora, Celoporthe, Cercospora, Coleophoma, Cytospora, Dendrostoma, Didymella, Endothia, Heterophaeomoniella, Leptosphaerulina, Melampsora, Nigrospora, Pezicula, Phaeomoniella, Pseudocercospora, Pteridopassalora, Zymoseptoria, and one genus of oomycetes, Phytophthora. This study includes two new genera, 30 new species, five new combinations, and 43 typifications of older names.

Taxonomic novelties: New genera:Heterophaeomoniella L. Mostert, C.F.J. Spies, Halleen & Gramaje, Pteridopassalora C. Nakash. & Crous; New species:Ascochyta flava Qian Chen & L. Cai, Cadophora domestica L. Mostert, R. van der Merwe, Halleen & Gramaje, Cadophora rotunda L. Mostert, R. van der Merwe, Halleen & Gramaje, Cadophora vinacea J.R. Úrbez-Torres, D.T. O’Gorman & Gramaje, Cadophora vivarii L. Mostert, Havenga, Halleen & Gramaje, Celoporthe foliorum H. Suzuki, Marinc. & M.J. Wingf., Cercospora alyssopsidis M. Bakhshi, Zare & Crous, Dendrostoma elaeocarpi C.M. Tian & Q. Yang, Didymella chlamydospora Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella gei Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella ligulariae Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella qilianensis Qian Chen & L. Cai, Didymella uniseptata Qian Chen & L. Cai, Endothia cerciana W. Wang. & S.F. Chen, Leptosphaerulina miscanthi Qian Chen & L. Cai, Nigrospora covidalis M. Raza, Qian Chen & L. Cai, Nigrospora globospora M. Raza, Qian Chen & L. Cai, Nigrospora philosophiae-doctoris M. Raza, Qian Chen & L. Cai, Phytophthora transitoria I. Milenković, T. Májek & T. Jung, Phytophthora panamensis T. Jung, Y. Balci, K. Broders & I. Milenković, Phytophthora variabilis T. Jung, M. Horta Jung & I. Milenković, Pseudocercospora delonicicola C. Nakash., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora farfugii C. Nakash., I. Araki, & Ai Ito, Pseudocercospora hardenbergiae Crous & C. Nakash., Pseudocercospora kenyirana C. Nakash., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora perrottetiae Crous, C. Nakash. & C.Y. Chen, Pseudocercospora platyceriicola C. Nakash., Y. Hatt, L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora stemonicola C. Nakash., Y. Hatt., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora terengganuensis C. Nakash., Y. Hatt., L. Suhaizan & I. Nurul Faziha, Pseudocercospora xenopunicae Crous & C. Nakash.; New combinations:Heterophaeomoniella pinifoliorum (Hyang B. Lee et al.) L. Mostert, C.F.J. Spies, Halleen & Gramaje, Pseudocercospora pruni-grayanae (Sawada) C. Nakash. & Motohashi., Pseudocercospora togashiana (K. Ito & Tak. Kobay.) C. Nakash. & Tak. Kobay., Pteridopassalora nephrolepidicola (Crous & R.G. Shivas) C. Nakash. & Crous, Pteridopassalora lygodii (Goh & W.H. Hsieh) C. Nakash. & Crous; Typification: Epitypification:Botrytis infestans Mont., Cercospora abeliae Katsuki, Cercospora ceratoniae Pat. & Trab., Cercospora cladrastidis Jacz., Cercospora cryptomeriicola Sawada, Cercospora dalbergiae S.H. Sun, Cercospora ebulicola W. Yamam., Cercospora formosana W. Yamam., Cercospora fukuii W. Yamam., Cercospora glochidionis Sawada, Cercospora ixorana J.M. Yen & Lim, Cercospora liquidambaricola J.M. Yen, Cercospora pancratii Ellis & Everh., Cercospora pini-densiflorae Hori & Nambu, Cercospora profusa Syd. & P. Syd., Cercospora pyracanthae Katsuki, Cercospora horiana Togashi & Katsuki, Cercospora tabernaemontanae Syd. & P. Syd., Cercospora trinidadensis F. Stevens & Solheim, Melampsora laricis-urbanianae Tak. Matsumoto, Melampsora salicis-cupularis Wang, Phaeoisariopsis pruni-grayanae Sawada, Pseudocercospora angiopteridis Goh & W.H. Hsieh, Pseudocercospora basitruncata Crous, Pseudocercospora boehmeriigena U. Braun, Pseudocercospora coprosmae U. Braun & C.F. Hill, Pseudocercospora cratevicola C. Nakash. & U. Braun, Pseudocercospora cymbidiicola U. Braun & C.F. Hill, Pseudocercospora dodonaeae Boesew., Pseudocercospora euphorbiacearum U. Braun, Pseudocercospora lygodii Goh & W.H. Hsieh, Pseudocercospora metrosideri U. Braun, Pseudocercospora paraexosporioides C. Nakash. & U. Braun, Pseudocercospora symploci Katsuki & Tak. Kobay. ex U. Braun & Crous, Septogloeum punctatum Wakef.; Neotypification:Cercospora aleuritis I. Miyake; Lectotypification: Cercospora dalbergiae S.H. Sun, Cercospora formosana W. Yamam., Cercospora fukuii W. Yamam., Cercospora glochidionis Sawada, Cercospora profusa Syd. & P. Syd., Melampsora laricis-urbanianae Tak. Matsumoto, Phaeoisariopsis pruni-grayanae Sawada, Pseudocercospora symploci Katsuki & Tak. Kobay. ex U. Braun & Crous.

Citation: Chen Q, Bakhshi M, Balci Y, Broders KD, Cheewangkoon R, Chen SF, Fan XL, Gramaje D, Halleen F, Horta Jung M, Jiang N, Jung T, Májek T, Marincowitz S, Milenković T, Mostert L, Nakashima C, Nurul Faziha I, Pan M, Raza M, Scanu B, Spies CFJ, Suhaizan L, Suzuki H, Tian CM, Tomšovský M, Úrbez-Torres JR, Wang W, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, Yang Q, Yang X, Zare R, Zhao P, Groenewald JZ, Cai L, Crous PW (2022). Genera of phytopathogenic fungi: GOPHY 4. Studies in Mycology101: 417–564. doi: 10.3114/sim.2022.101.06.

Search for Lepton-Flavor Violation in Z-Boson Decays with τ Leptons with the ATLAS Detector

A search for lepton-flavor-violating Z→eτ and Z→μτ decays with pp collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented. This analysis uses 139  fb^{-1} of Run 2 pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV and is combined with the results of a similar ATLAS search in the final state in which the τ lepton decays hadronically, using the same data set as well as Run 1 data. The addition of leptonically decaying τ leptons significantly improves the sensitivity reach for Z→ℓτ decays. The Z→ℓτ branching fractions are constrained in this analysis to B(Z→eτ)<7.0×10^{-6} and B(Z→μτ)<7.2×10^{-6} at 95% confidence level. The combination with the previously published analyses sets the strongest constraints to date: B(Z→eτ)<5.0×10^{-6} and B(Z→μτ)<6.5×10^{-6} at 95% confidence level.

[New bioactive materials for promoting wound repair and skin regeneration]

The modulation of microenvironment is a key technology towards promoting wound repair and skin regeneration. In recent years, a series of new bioactive materials that modulate the microenvironment and cell behaviors have been developed, demonstrating highly efficient capability of inducing wound repair and skin appendage regeneration. This article summarizes the research development of related new bioactive materials and their mechanisms of action.

Developing mental health nursing strategies for the inbound quarantined population in China during the COVID-19 global pandemic

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to develop mental health nursing strategies for the inbound quarantined population based on the results of a survey study and frontline nursing experiences.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A mixed research method was selected, we collected data by questionnaires from 128 quarantined people, and by semi-structured interviews from 5 registered nurses. Generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were used in the quantitative research to identify the prevalence of psychological issues and risk factors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the qualitative study to conclude nursing experiences from RNs.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of anxiety, depression, and insomnia were 34%, 41%, and 18% respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that social support, urban residence, and chronic disease were associated with mental health problems in certain aspects. Three themes were emerged from the analysis of RNs interviews: personality, chronic diseases, and social support.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of mental health issues in the inbound quarantined population was the same as the general population in the initial stage of COVID-19 outbreak, and significantly lower than people who lived in high-risk areas. Living in urban areas, with chronic diseases, and obtaining less social support are the risk factors. Finally, four nursing strategies were proposed by the research team for mental health well-being.

Fungi of quarantine concern for China I: Dothideomycetes

The current list of Chinese quarantine pests includes 130 fungal species. However, recent changes in the taxonomy of fungi following the one fungus = one name initiative and the implementation of DNA phylogeny in taxonomic revisions, resulted in many changes of these species names, necessitating an update of the current list. In addition, many quarantine fungi lack modern morphological descriptions and authentic DNA sequences, posing significant challenges for the development of diagnostic protocols. The aim of the present study was to review the taxonomy and names of the 33 Chinese quarantine fungi in Dothideomycetes, and provide reliable DNA barcodes to facilitate rapid identification. Of these, 23 names were updated according to the single name nomenclature system, including one new combination, namely Cophinforma tumefaciens comb. nov. (syn. Sphaeropsis tumefaciens). On the basis of phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons, a new genus Xenosphaeropsis is introduced to accommodate the monotypic species Xenosphaeropsis pyriputrescens comb. nov. (syn. Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens), the causal agent of a post-harvest disease of pears. Furthermore, four lectotypes (Ascochyta petroselini, Mycosphaerella ligulicola, Physalospora laricina, Sphaeria lingam), three epitypes (Ascochyta petroselini, Phoma lycopersici, Sphaeria lingam), and two neotypes (Ascochyta pinodella, Deuterophoma tracheiphila) are designated to stabilise the use of these names. A further four reference strains are introduced for Cophinforma tumefaciens, Helminthosporium solani, Mycocentrospora acerina, and Septoria linicola. In addition, to assist future studies on these important pathogens, we sequenced and assembled whole genomes for 17 species, including Alternaria triticina, Boeremia foveata, B. lycopersici, Cladosporium cucumerinum, Didymella glomerata, Didymella pinodella, Diplodia mutila, Helminthosporium solani, Mycocentrospora acerina, Neofusicoccum laricinum, Parastagonospora pseudonodorum, Plenodomus libanotidis, Plenodomus lingam, Plenodomus tracheiphilus, Septoria petroselini, Stagonosporopsis chrysanthemi, and Xenosphaeropsis pyriputrescens. Citation: Zhao P, Crous PW, Hou LW, et al. 2021. Fungi of quarantine concern for China I: Dothideomycetes. Persoonia 47: 45-105. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2021.47.02.

Ceramic Inlay Bonded Interfaces in Minimally Invasive Preparations: Damage and Contributing Mechanisms in Sliding Contact

BACKGROUND

In the preparation of inlay cavities, a choice must be made between conventional standard and minimally invasive preparation designs; in the long run, this choice can affect the integrity of the bonded interface.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of minimally invasive cavity preparation designs on the extent and contributing mechanisms of damage to ceramic inlay bonded interfaces.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Tooth blocks with 90°, 120° and 75° marginal angles were prepared, representing tooth cavities with conventional standard and minimally invasive preparations with large divergence and convergence angles and bonded to monolithic ceramic (IPS e.max CAD). Vickers indentations were placed at various distances from the bonded interface. The indentation morphology and crack length were observed. Reciprocating wear tests were performed on the bonded interface with a 20-newton (N) vertical load. The wear depth and wear-scar morphology were characterized after increments of cyclic sliding contact.

RESULTS

The 120° group exhibited longer indentation cracks in the ceramic, whereas the 75° group showed larger indentations in the enamel when compared to the 90° group (p<0.001). Consistent with the weaker edge crack resistance, the 120° group experienced the greatest wear (p=0.008), and the wear depth in the enamel of the 75° group exceeded that of the 90° group (p<0.001) in the early stage (5×102 cycles). However, no significant difference in the wear depth (p>0.147) and morphology were found at the later wear stage among the three groups.

CONCLUSION

Within the limitations of this study, minimally invasive preparations with 120° and 75° marginal angles can result in early sever damage at the ceramic inlay bonded interface but show comparable wear behaviors to the conventional 90° group at the later stage.

[The effect of Shendan Sanjie capsule on angiogenesis in mice with colitis associated cancer and mechanism]

Objective: To investigate the effects and the mechanism of Shendansanjie capsules on angiogenesis of colitis associated cancer(CAC) mice. Methods: Azoxymethane and dextran sulfact sodium were used to construct a mice model with CAC. Ten mice were divided into the normal group, model group, Shendan Sanjie capsule group, MK-2206 group, and Shendan Sanjie capsule + IGF-1 group, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the microvessel density (MVD) in the colon tissue of each group of mice. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and angiopoietin 2 (Ang2) in colon tissue. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Akt, p-Akt, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Results: The number of MVD in the colon tissue of mice in the model group, Shendan Sanjie capsule group, MK-2206 group, Shendan Sanjie capsule + IGF-1 group were 63.3±3.3, 36.6±2.3, 36.6±2.2, 50.3±2.5, significantly higher than 2.0±0.1 in the normal group (P<0.05). The number of MVD in Shendan Sanjie capsule group, MK-2206 group and Shendan Sanjie capsule+ IGF-1 group are lower than that in model group (P<0.05), while Shendan Sanjie capsule+ IGF-1 group is higher than Shendan Sanjie Capsule group (P<0.05). The relative expressions of bFGF mRNA in the colon cancer tissue of mice in the model group, Shendan Sanjie capsule group, MK-2206 group and Shendan Sanjie capsule+ IGF-1 group were 4.55±0.31, 2.46±0.37, 2.49±0.33, 3.34±0.21, respectively, and the relative mRNA expressions of Ang2 were 5.78±0.19, 2.21±0.14, 2.26±0.17 and 3.67±0.32, respectively, which were significantly higher than 1.01±0.05 and 0.99±0.07 in the normal group (P<0.05). The mRNA levels of bFGF and Ang2 in Shendan Sanjie capsule group, MK-2206 group and Shendan Sanjie capsule+ IGF-1 group were lower than those in the model group (P<0.05), while Shendan Sanjie capsule+ IGF-1 group is higher than Shendan Sanjie capsule group (P<0.05). The relative expression levels of p-Akt/Akt, VEGFA and HIF-1α in colon cancer tissues of the model group were 4.75±0.18, 4.64±0.22 and 4.84±0.12, respectively, which were significantly higher than 1.01±0.07, 0.95± 0.08 and 0.98±0.05 in the normal group (P<0.05). The relative expressions of p-Akt/Akt, VEGFA and HIF-1α in colon cancer tissues in the Shendan Sanjie capsule group were 2.24±0.22, 3.15±0.26 and 2.07±0.18, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the model group (P<0.05). However, compared with the MK-2206 group, the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The relative expression levels p-Akt/Akt, VEGFA and HIF-1α in colon cancer tissue of the Shendan Sanjie capsule+ IGF-1 group were 3.37±0.15, 4.02±0.11, 3.52±0.24, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the Shendan Sanjie capsule group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Shendan Sanjie capsules may inhibit Akt/HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling pathway, and then reduce the expression of microvascular growth factors bFGF and Ang2, thereby inhibit the tumor angiogenesis of CAC.

Search for New Phenomena in Final States with Two Leptons and One or No b-Tagged Jets at sqrt[s]=13 TeV Using the ATLAS Detector

A search for new phenomena is presented in final states with two leptons and one or no b-tagged jets. The event selection requires the two leptons to have opposite charge, the same flavor (electrons or muons), and a large invariant mass. The analysis is based on the full run-2 proton-proton collision dataset recorded at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=13  TeV by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139  fb^{-1}. No significant deviation from the expected background is observed in the data. Inspired by the B-meson decay anomalies, a four-fermion contact interaction between two quarks (b, s) and two leptons (ee or μμ) is used as a benchmark signal model, which is characterized by the energy scale and coupling, Λ and g_{*}, respectively. Contact interactions with Λ/g_{*} lower than 2.0 (2.4) TeV are excluded for electrons (muons) at the 95% confidence level, still far below the value that is favored by the B-meson decay anomalies. Model-independent limits are set as a function of the minimum dilepton invariant mass, which allow the results to be reinterpreted in various signal scenarios.

Fungi of quarantine concern for China I: Dothideomycetes

The current list of Chinese quarantine pests includes 130 fungal species. However, recent changes in the taxonomy of fungi following the one fungus = one name initiative and the implementation of DNA phylogeny in taxonomic revisions, resulted in many changes of these species names, necessitating an update of the current list. In addition, many quarantine fungi lack modern morphological descriptions and authentic DNA sequences, posing significant challenges for the development of diagnostic protocols. The aim of the present study was to review the taxonomy and names of the 33 Chinese quarantine fungi in Dothideomycetes, and provide reliable DNA barcodes to facilitate rapid identification. Of these, 23 names were updated according to the single name nomenclature system, including one new combination, namely Cophinforma tumefaciens comb. nov. (syn. Sphaeropsis tumefaciens). On the basis of phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons, a new genus Xenosphaeropsis is introduced to accommodate the monotypic species Xenosphaeropsis pyriputrescens comb. nov. (syn. Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens), the causal agent of a post-harvest disease of pears. Furthermore, four lectotypes (Ascochyta petroselini, Mycosphaerella ligulicola, Physalospora laricina, Sphaeria lingam), three epitypes (Ascochyta petroselini, Phoma lycopersici, Sphaeria lingam), and two neotypes (Ascochyta pinodella, Deuterophoma tracheiphila) are designated to stabilise the use of these names. A further four reference strains are introduced for Cophinforma tumefaciens, Helminthosporium solani, Mycocentrospora acerina, and Septoria linicola. In addition, to assist future studies on these important pathogens, we sequenced and assembled whole genomes for 17 species, including Alternaria triticina, Boeremia foveata, B. lycopersici, Cladosporium cucumerinum, Didymella glomerata, Didymella pinodella, Diplodia mutila, Helminthosporium solani, Mycocentrospora acerina, Neofusicoccum laricinum, Parastagonospora pseudonodorum, Plenodomus libanotidis, Plenodomus lingam, Plenodomus tracheiphilus, Septoria petroselini, Stagonosporopsis chrysanthemi, and Xenosphaeropsis pyriputrescens. Citation: Zhao P, Crous PW, Hou LW, et al. 2021. Fungi of quarantine concern for China I: Dothideomycetes. Persoonia 47: 45-105. https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2021.47.02.

Search for Displaced Leptons in sqrt[s]=13 TeV pp Collisions with the ATLAS Detector

A search for charged leptons with large impact parameters using 139  fb^{-1} of sqrt[s]=13  TeV pp collision data from the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented, addressing a long-standing gap in coverage of possible new physics signatures. Results are consistent with the background prediction. This search provides unique sensitivity to long-lived scalar supersymmetric lepton partners (sleptons). For lifetimes of 0.1 ns, selectron, smuon, and stau masses up to 720, 680, and 340  GeV, respectively, are excluded at 95% confidence level, drastically improving on the previous best limits from LEP.