Detection of SARS-CoV-2 using machine learning-enabled paper-assisted ratiometric fluorescent sensors based on target-induced magnetic DNAzyme

The development of an advanced analytical platform with regard to SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for public health. Herein, we present a machine learning platform based on paper-assisted ratiometric fluorescent sensors for highly sensitive detection of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp gene. The assay involves target-induced rolling circle amplification to generate magnetic DNAzyme, which is then detectable using the paper-assisted ratiometric fluorescent sensor. This sensor detects the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp gene with a visible-fluorescence color response. Moreover, leveraging different fluorescence responses, the ResNet algorithm of machine learning assists in accurately identifying fluorescence images and differentiating the concentration of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp gene with over 99% recognition accuracy. The machine learning platform exhibits exceptional sensitivity and color responsiveness, achieving a limit of detection of 30 fM for the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp gene. The integration of intelligent artificial vision with the paper-assisted ratiometric fluorescent sensor presents a novel approach for the on-site detection of COVID-19 and holds potential for broader use in disease diagnostics in the future.

Long noncoding RNA MALAT-1: A versatile regulator in cancer progression, metastasis, immunity, and therapeutic resistance

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNA transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that do not code for proteins but have been linked to cancer development and metastasis. Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT-1) influences crucial cancer hallmarks through intricate molecular mechanisms, including proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The current article highlights the involvement of MALAT-1 in drug resistance, making it a potential target to overcome chemotherapy refractoriness. It discusses the impact of MALAT-1 on immunomodulatory molecules, such as major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins and PD-L1, leading to immune evasion and hindering anti-tumor immune responses. MALAT-1 also plays a significant role in cancer immunology by regulating diverse immune cell populations. In summary, MALAT-1 is a versatile cancer regulator, influencing tumorigenesis, chemoresistance, and immunotherapy responses. Understanding its precise molecular mechanisms is crucial for developing targeted therapies, and therapeutic strategies targeting MALAT-1 show promise for improving cancer treatment outcomes. However, further research is needed to fully uncover the role of MALAT-1 in cancer biology and translate these findings into clinical applications.

Clinical and cardiac MRI characteristics: prognosis in patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy

AIMS

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is recognized as a type of non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). To date, the clinical prognosis of ACM remains a topic of debate in previous studies and there are limited studies on its cardiac MRI characteristics. The aim of this study was to summarize the clinical and MRI features of ACM patients and to identify the predictors of adverse prognosis based on clinical characteristics and MRI imaging findings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adult patients who were clinically diagnosed with ACM and underwent enhanced CMR between September 2015 and August 2022 were retrospectively enrolled. The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular events, including cardiac-related death, heart transplantation, hospitalization for heart failure and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (sustained ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or ICD shock). The risk factors associated with these primary end points were identified using multivariable Cox analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 62 ACM patients (50 ± 9 years, 62 men) were included. The majority of patients presented with symptoms of heart failure. Over a median follow-up period of 30.3 months (IQR 12.2-57.7 months), 24 patients reached the primary endpoints. For clinical variables, multivariable analysis showed that drinking duration (HR=1.05; 95%CI:1.01, 1.11; p=0.03) and persistent drinking (HR=3.71; 95%CI:1.46, 9.44; p=0.01) were associated with MACE. For CMR variables, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) percent (HR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.14; p<0.001) stood out as an independent predictor for MACE.

CONCLUSIONS

In ACM patients, persistent drinking and cardiac MRI-defined myocardial scar were associated with adverse outcomes such as cardiac death, heart transplantation, hospitalization for heart failure or life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.

[Experience of mesenteric sector fixation in mesenteric torsion treatment]

Objective: The preliminary results was reported regarding the treatment of mesenteric torsion by mesenteric fixation in the last decade, especially preventing recurrence of mesenteric torsion by mesenteric fan-shaped fixation. Methods: We selected 12 patients who received emergency operation in Chongqing Hospital of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from December 2010 to March 2022. All of them were made a definite diagnose of mesenteric torsion by the preoperative CT scan or exploratory laparotomy. The recurrence of mesenteric torsion will be prevented by taking the operation of mesenteric fan-shaped fixation. This technique is suitable for the patient who is suffering total mesenteric torsion, but enteric necrosis is excluded affirmatively. The operation is consists of the following progress: (1) Exploratory laparotomy to check for necrosis of the bowel and for lesions other than torsion. (2) Mesenteric torsion derotation.(3) Mesenteric linear fixation; the right posterior lower border of the small mesentery (terminal ileal mesentery) is intermittently sutured to the posterior peritoneum of the right lower quadrant to increase the width of the base of the small mesentery. (4) Mesenteric fan-shaped fixation, which is fan-shaped to the lower left and fixed in the posterior peritoneum, shortening the length of the mesentery and further increasing the width of the mesentery and posterior peritoneal fixation. Results: A total of 12 patients with mesenteric torsion were treated by operation for 15 times in all. Among them, 3 cases received resection of most small bowel were performed without recurrence; 3 patients received only derotation for a total of 4 times, 2 cases recurred, 1 of them recurred twice; 4 cases underwent derotation and mesenteric linear fixation,and 1 case recurred. Four patients with derotation and mesenteric fan-shaped fixation recovered well without recurrence. Conclusion: Mesenteric fan-shaped fixation may be an effective operative type to reduce or avoid postoperative recurrence of mesenteric torsion.

[Multi-omics prediction of lymph node metastasis status in breast cancer]

Lymph node metastasis status stands as a pivotal prognostic indicator in forecasting the outlook for breast cancer patients. Consequently, precise evaluation of this status holds paramount importance in the staging, treatment, and prognosis of breast cancer. The utilization of radiomics, genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and histopathology methodologies has notably enhanced the precision of lymph node metastasis status prediction in breast cancer. This review provides an overview of recent advancements in omics-based lymph node metastasis prediction for breast cancer, elucidating the significance of various omics prediction models and integrated multi-omics models in this predictive endeavor. The overarching goal is to augment the accuracy of preoperative lymph node metastasis status prediction in breast cancer, thereby aiding clinicians in the selection of efficacious personalized treatment strategies, while concurrently averting undertreatment of patients with a heightened risk of metastasis.

Phage tailspike protein coated gold nanoparticles combined with smartphone for rapid bacterial detection and photothermal sterilization

The integration of recognition and therapeutic functions in multifunctional biosensors is of great importance in guaranteeing food security and reducing the occurrence of foodborne illness caused by foodborne pathogens. In this study, a biosensor utilizing a "sense-and-treat" approach was developed by integrating phage tailspike protein (TSP) with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs@TSP). The synthesized AuNPs@TSP showed strong binding affinity towards Salmonella typhimurium causing color changes and exhibited effective bactericidal activity when exposed to near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. This biosensor facilitated rapid colorimetric detection of S. typhimurium in 50 min, with a LOD (limit of detection) of 2.53 × 103 CFU/mL output on a smartphone APP after analyzing the red-green-blue (RGB) values from color rendering results. Furthermore, the biosensor displayed high selectivity, rapid response time, and broad applicability when tested with real samples. Moreover, the biosensor exhibited a remarkably efficient antibacterial efficacy of 100 % against S. typhimurium under 808 nm light irradiation for 6 min. This study provides a comprehensive investigation into the potential utilization of biosensors for rapid detection and eradication of foodborne pathogens in food industry.

[A survey on the implementation of cardiovascular surgery for congenital heart disease in China between 2017 and 2021]

Objective: To investigate the inplementation of cardiovascular surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out. The CHD cardiovascular surgery data collected by the Chinese Society of Extracorporeal Circulation from 2017 to 2021 in 31 provinces (autonomous regions/municipalities) of China were retrospectively reviewed, the implementation of CHD cardiovascular surgery in different provinces, regions, general/specialized hospitals, and different age groups (whether≤18 years old) were summarized, and the correlation analysis between the number of surgeries carried out in each province/region and the gross regional product and the number of the regional population was performed. Results: Between 2017 and 2021, the annual volume of CHD cardiovascular surgery was 77 120, 77 634, 81 161, 62 663 and 71 492, respectively, showing a decreasing trend. Meanwhile, the proportion of CHD patients aged≤18 years who underwent cardiovascular surgery also showed a downward trend, from 79.8% (61 557/77 120) in 2017 to 58.6% (41 871/71 492) in 2021 (P=0.027). The number of surgical cases varied greatly among different provinces, including 4 provinces with≥5 000 cases and 9 provinces with 2 000-5 000 cases. In the five years, the number of CHD cardiovascular surgeries in Central and East China was the largest, accounting for 41.1%-45.5% of the total surgical cases. The proportion of CHD surgery cases≤18 years old was the highest in Southwest China (69.7%-87.4%) and the lowest in Northeast China (28.2%-68.9%). Except for 2021, the number of cases carried out by each region between 2017 and 2020 was correlated with the gross regional product (r=0.929, 0.929, 0.893 and 0.964, respectively, all P<0.05) and the population (r=0.821, 0.893, 0.821 and 0.857, respectively, all P<0.05). Hospitals that performed more than 100 operations (20.5%±1.2% of the total number of hospitals) completed 86.2%±1.2% of the total number of operations in China during the 5-year period. In 2017 and 2021, the number of CHD cardiovascular surgeries preformed in children's/women's and children's specialized hospitals accounted for 24.3% (18 772/77 120) and 23.8% (17 012/71 492) of the total number of cases in China, respectively. Conclusions: From 2017 to 2021, the number of cardiovascular surgery for CHD decreases slightly, but the proportion of surgery for adult CHD patients increases significantly.There is a strong correlation between the number of CHD operations in each region and their economic development status. The scale of CHD cardiovascular surgery performed in children's hospitals/women's and children's hospitals accounts for about a quarter of the total volume in China.

[Methylthioadenosine phosphorylase and p16 as surrogate diagnostic markers for CDKN2A homozygous deletion in brain tumors]

Objective: To examine whether immunohistochemistry of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) and p16 could be used to predict the CDKN2A status in various brain tumors. Methods: A total of 118 cases of IDH-mutant astrocytomas, 16 IDH-wildtype glioblastoma, 17 polymorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) and 20 meningiomas diagnosed at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China from November 2017 to October 2023 were collected and analyzed. The CDKN2A status was detected by using fluorescence in situ hybridization or next-generation sequencing. Expression of MTAP and p16 proteins was detected with immunohistochemistry. The association of loss of MTAP/p16 expression with CDKN2A homozygous/heterozygous deletion was examined. Results: Among the 118 cases of IDH-mutant astrocytoma, 13 cases showed homozygous deletion of CDKN2A. All of them had no expression of MTAP while 9 cases had no expression of p16. Among the 16 cases of IDH wild-type glioblastoma, 6 cases showed homozygous deletion of CDKN2A. All 6 cases had no expression of MTAP, while 3 of these cases had no expression of p16 expression. Among the 17 PXA cases, 4 cases showed homozygous deletion of CDKN2A, and the expression of MTAP and p16 was also absent in these 4 cases. Among the 20 cases of meningiomas, 4 cases showed homozygous deletion of CDKN2A. Their expression of MTAP and p16 was also absent. Among the four types of brain tumors, MTAP was significantly correlated with CDKN2A homozygous deletion (P<0.05), with a sensitivity of 100%. However, it was only significantly correlated with the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of CDKN2A in astrocytomas (P<0.001). P16 was associated with CDKN2A homozygous deletion in IDH-mutant astrocytoma and PXA (P<0.001), but not with the LOH of CDKN2A. Its sensitivity and specificity were lower than that of MTAP. Conclusions: MTAP could serve as a predictive surrogate for CDKN2A homozygous deletion in adult IDH-mutant astrocytoma, PXA, adult IDH-wildtype glioblastoma and meningioma. However, p16 could only be used in the first two tumor types, and its specificity and sensitivity are lower than that of MTAP.

Determination of Spin-Parity Quantum Numbers of X(2370) as 0^{-+} from J/ψ→γK_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}η^{'}

Based on (10087±44)×10^{6}  J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, a partial wave analysis of the decay J/ψ→γK_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}η^{'} is performed. The mass and width of the X(2370) are measured to be 2395±11(stat)_{-94}^{+26}(syst)  MeV/c^{2} and 188_{-17}^{+18}(stat)_{-33}^{+124}(syst)  MeV, respectively. The corresponding product branching fraction is B[J/ψ→γX(2370)]×B[X(2370)→f_{0}(980)η^{'}]×B[f_{0}(980)→K_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}]=(1.31±0.22(stat)_{-0.84}^{+2.85}(syst))×10^{-5}. The statistical significance of the X(2370) is greater than 11.7σ and the spin parity is determined to be 0^{-+} for the first time. The measured mass and spin parity of the X(2370) are consistent with the predictions of the lightest pseudoscalar glueball.

[The clinical characteristics of neutrophil extracellular trap in patients with severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and its prognostic value in acute and subacute patients]

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) in patients with severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) and to study their prognostic value in the acute and subacute phases. Methods: This study is a retrospective case series analysis. Clinical and pathological data of 52 patients with severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis who underwent endovascular treatment in the Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital from June 2019 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 20 males and 32 females, with an age of (40.1±13.6) years(range:18 to 66 years). Forty-five healthy physical examinees were included in the control group. High-resolution MRI was used to stage the thrombus, with 11 cases in the acute group, 28 cases in the subacute group, and 13 cases in the chronic group. Thrombus specimens were obtained through endovascular treatment, and the fluorescence intensity of NET in peripheral blood at different time points was analyzed by immunofluorescence contrast,including the double-stranded DNA structure and adhesion protein components (citrolinated histone H3 (CitH3), myeloperoxidase-DNA complex(MPO-DNA), neutrophil elastase (NE)). The NET markers were determined by ELISA. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the NET markers in peripheral blood of patients with severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in the acute and subacute phases and the volume of venous sinus thrombus, the degree of venous sinus recanalization after treatment, and the discharge modified Rankin scale(mRS)score. The accuracy of NET markers in predicting the prognosis of patients with severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis was analyzed by drawing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calculating the area under the curve (AUC). Results: The results of immunofluorescence staining and ELISA showed that no NET structure was formed in the peripheral blood of the control group, while CitH3, MPO-DNA and NE levels in the peripheral blood of CVST patients were increased, among which the acute stage group was the highest, followed by the subacute group, and the chronic group was the lowest. Spearman correlation analysis showed that CitH3, MPO-DNA and NE levels in peripheral blood of patients in acute group and subacute group were positively correlated with thrombus volume and mRS score at discharge (P<0.05). The levels of CitH3 and MPO-DNA in peripheral blood of patients with complete venous sinus recanalization were lower than those of patients with partial venous sinus recanalization (P<0.01). ROC curve analysis results showed that MPO-DNA and NE had no predictive ability for the prognosis of CVST patients (P values were 0.614 and 0.324, respectively), and the AUC of CitH3 was 0.800 (95%CI: 0.638~0.962, P=0.032), the best cut-off value was 13.5 μg/L, the sensitivity was 100%, and the specificity was 58.8%. Conclusions: A large number of NET are formed in patients with severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in acute stage. Patients with severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in acute stage and subacute stage with high peripheral blood NET content has a low rate of complete sinus revascularization and poor neurological function recovery after treatment.

[Technical exploration and early results of two-port total thoracoscopic aortic-mitral double-valve replacement]

Objective: To examine the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing total thoracoscopic aortic-mitral double-valve replacement. Methods: This is a retrospective case series study. The clinical data of 50 patients who underwent double-valve replacement under a total thoracoscopic two-port approach from November 2021 to August 2022 in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 32 males and 18 females, with an age of (55.3±8.8) years (range: 21 to 62 years). Among them, 36 cases had rheumatic heart disease and 14 cases had infective endocarditis. The 3rd intercostal space between the right anterior axillary line and the midclavicular line was selected as the main operating hole, the total thoracoscopic double-valve replacement were successfully carried out. Baseline data, intraoperative information, surgical outcomes, and postoperative complications were collected for all patients. Results: The cardiopulmonary bypass time was (168.2±30.9) minutes (range: 125 to 187 minutes), the aortic cross-clamping time was (118.8±16.5) minutes (range: 96 to 147 minutes). Five patients received bioprosthetic valves, and 45 received mechanical prosthetic valves. Postoperative mechanical ventilation lasted (9.6±3.4) hours (range: 5.1 to 14.2 hours), the ICU stay was (24.8±7.3) hours (range: 16.3 to 30.1 hours), and the postoperative hospital stay was (6.5±1.2) days (range: 5.0 to 8.0 days). Four patients received red blood cell transfusions of (2.7±0.9) units (range: 2 to 4 units), and the postoperative chest drainage volume was (222.1±56.3) ml (range: 175 to 289 ml). No deaths occurred intraoperatively or in the early postoperative period. One patient required reoperation due to bleeding in the aortic incision. Three patients had mild to moderate paravalvular leakage around the prosthetic aortic valve, with no cases of third-degree atrioventricular block or conversions to median sternotomy. Conclusions: The early outcomes of total thoracoscopic double valve replacement surgery are satisfactory, demonstrating safety and efficacy. This surgical approach expands the scope of total thoracoscopic cardiac surgery, which warrants further investigation and research.

[Enhancing survival outcomes in stage Ⅲ gastric/esophagogastric junction cancer: a retrospective study of immune checkpoint inhibitors and adjuvant chemotherapy based on real-world data]

Objective: To explore the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with phase III gastric cancer and esophagogastric junction cancer. Methods: This study used a retrospective cohort study method based on real-world data. Clinical data of 403 patients with stage III gastric/esophagogastric junction cancer who underwent gastrectomy followed by adjuvant therapy in the Department of Gastric Surgery at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 2020 to December 2023 were retrospectively collected. The study cohort comprised 147 (36.5%) patients with stage IIIA, 130 (32.3%) with stage IIIB, and 126 (31.3%) with stage IIIC gastric/esophagogastric junction cancer. Of them, 15 (3.7%) were HER-2 positive, 25 (6.2%) dMMR, and 22 (5.5%) patients Epstein-Barr virus encoding RNA (EBER) positive. Based on treatment plans, the patients were divided into immune checkpoint inhibitor combined with chemotherapy group (immune therapy group, n=110, 71 males and 39 females, median age 59 years old) and chemotherapy alone group (chemotherapy group, n=293, 186 males and 107 females, median age 60 years old). All patients in the immunotherapy group received immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1). Of them, 85 received pembrolizumab, 10 received sintilimab, 8 received tislelizumab, 4 received camrelizumab, 2 received toripalimab, and 1 received pabocizumab. The adjuvant chemotherapy regimens used among the chemotherapy alone group includes SOX regimen (132 cases), XELOX (102 cases), S-1 monotherapy (44 cases), and other regimens (15 cases). The 3-year DFS rate of the two groups was compared, and subgroup analysis was conducted based on different ages, molecular phenotypes, pTNM staging, extranodal infiltration, and tumor length. Results: The median follow-up was 20.5 months (range 3.1~46.3), with a 3-year overall DFS rate of 61.4% for the entire 403 patients. The 3-year DFS rate for the immunotherapy group was 82.7%, higher than the chemotherapy alone group (58.8%), with a statistically significant difference (P=0.021). Multivariate analysis showed that postoperative immunotherapy was a protective factor for DFS (HR=0.352, 95%CI: 0.180~0.685). Subgroup analysis showed that stage IIIC (HR=0.416, 95%CI: 0.184~0.940), aged ≥60 years (HR=0.336, 95%CI: 0.121~0.934) and extranodal invasion (HR=0.378, 95%CI: 0.170~0.839) were associated with benefit from the combined immune adjuvant chemotherapy, while no association was observed for MMR, HER-2 or EBER status. Conclusion: Stage III gastric/esophagogastric junction cancer patients may benefite from postoperative immune checkpoint inhibitor combined with adjuvant chemotherapy in real-world settings.

Observation of Structures in the Processes e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{c1} and ωχ_{c2}

We present measurements of the Born cross sections for the processes e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{c1} and ωχ_{c2} at center-of-mass energies sqrt[s] from 4.308 to 4.951 GeV. The measurements are performed with data samples corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 11.0  fb^{-1} collected with the BESIII detector operating at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider storage ring. Assuming the e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{c2} signals come from a single resonance, the mass and width are determined to be M=(4413.6±9.0±0.8)  MeV/c^{2} and Γ=(110.5±15.0±2.9)  MeV, respectively, which is consistent with the parameters of the well-established resonance ψ(4415). In addition, we also use one single resonance to describe the e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{c1} line shape and determine the mass and width to be M=(4544.2±18.7±1.7)  MeV/c^{2} and Γ=(116.1±33.5±1.7)  MeV, respectively. The structure of this line shape, observed for the first time, requires further understanding.

Coupled-Channel Analysis of the χ_{c1}(3872) Line Shape with BESIII Data

We perform a study of the χ_{c1}(3872) line shape using the data samples of e^{+}e^{-}→γχ_{c1}(3872), χ_{c1}(3872)→D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0}π^{0}, and π^{+}π^{-}J/ψ collected with the BESIII detector. The effects of the coupled channels and the off-shell D^{*0} are included in the parametrization of the line shape. The line shape mass parameter is obtained to be M_{X}=(3871.63±0.13_{-0.05}^{+0.06})  MeV. Two poles are found on the first and second Riemann sheets corresponding to the D^{*0}D[over ¯]^{0} branch cut. The pole location on the first sheet is much closer to the D^{*0}D[over ¯]^{0} threshold than the other, and is determined to be 7.04±0.15_{-0.08}^{+0.07}  MeV above the D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0}π^{0} threshold with an imaginary part -0.19±0.08_{-0.19}^{+0.14}  MeV.

Observation of the Anomalous Shape of X(1840) in J/ψ→γ3(π^{+}π^{-}) Indicating a Second Resonance Near pp[over ¯] Threshold

Using a sample of (10087±44)×10^{6}  J/ψ events, which is about 45 times larger than that was previously analyzed, a further investigation on the J/ψ→γ3(π^{+}π^{-}) decay is performed. A significant distortion at 1.84  GeV/c^{2} in the line shape of the 3(π^{+}π^{-}) invariant mass spectrum is observed for the first time, which could be resolved by two overlapping resonant structures, X(1840) and X(1880). The new state X(1880) is observed with a statistical significance larger than 10σ. The mass and width of X(1880) are determined to be 1882.1±1.7±0.7  MeV/c^{2} and 30.7±5.5±2.4  MeV, respectively, which indicates the existence of a pp[over ¯] bound state.

Study of association between corneal shape parameters and axial length elongation during orthokeratology using image-pro plus software

BACKGROUND

The aim was to validate the correlation between corneal shape parameters and axial length growth (ALG) during orthokeratology using Image-Pro Plus (IPP) 6.0 software.

METHODS

This retrospective study used medical records of myopic children aged 8-13 years (n = 104) undergoing orthokeratology. Their corneal topography and axial length were measured at baseline and subsequent follow-ups after lens wear. Corneal shape parameters, including the treatment zone (TZ) area, TZ diameter, TZ fractal dimension, TZ radius ratio, eccentric distance, pupil area, and pupillary peripheral steepened zone(PSZ) area, were measured using IPP software. The impact of corneal shape parameters at 3 months post-orthokeratology visit on 1.5-year ALG was evaluated using multivariate linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

ALG exhibited significant associations with age, TZ area, TZ diameter, TZ fractal dimension, and eccentric distance on univariate linear regression analysis. Multivariate regression analysis identified age, TZ area, and eccentric distance as significantly correlated with ALG (all P < 0.01), with eccentric distance showing the strongest correlation (β = -0.370). The regressive equation was y = 1.870 - 0.235a + 0.276b - 0.370c, where y represents ALG, a represents age, b represents TZ area, and c represents eccentric distance; R2 = 0.27). No significant relationships were observed between the TZ radius ratio, pupillary PSZ area, and ALG.

CONCLUSIONS

IPP software proves effective in capturing precise corneal shape parameters after orthokeratology. Eccentric distance, rather than age or the TZ area, significantly influences ALG retardation.

Study of the f_{0}(980) and f_{0}(500) Scalar Mesons through the Decay D_{s}^{+}→π^{+}π^{-}e^{+}ν_{e}

Using e^{+}e^{-} collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 7.33  fb^{-1} recorded by the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies between 4.128 and 4.226 GeV, we present an analysis of the decay D_{s}^{+}→π^{+}π^{-}e^{+}ν_{e}, where the D_{s}^{+} is produced via the process e^{+}e^{-}→D_{s}^{*±}D_{s}^{∓}. We observe the f_{0}(980) in the π^{+}π^{-} system and the branching fraction of the decay D_{s}^{+}→f_{0}(980)e^{+}ν_{e} with f_{0}(980)→π^{+}π^{-} measured to be (1.72±0.13_{stat}±0.10_{syst})×10^{-3}, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The dynamics of the D_{s}^{+}→f_{0}(980)e^{+}ν_{e} decay are studied with the simple pole parametrization of the hadronic form factor and the Flatté formula describing the f_{0}(980) in the differential decay rate, and the product of the form factor f_{+}^{f_{0}}(0) and the c→s Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V_{cs}| is determined for the first time to be f_{+}^{f_{0}}(0)|V_{cs}|=0.504±0.017_{stat}±0.035_{syst}. Furthermore, the decay D_{s}^{+}→f_{0}(500)e^{+}ν_{e} is searched for the first time but no signal is found. The upper limit on the branching fraction of D_{s}^{+}→f_{0}(500)e^{+}ν_{e}, f_{0}(500)→π^{+}π^{-} decay is set to be 3.3×10^{-4} at 90% confidence level.

[Comparison of the microbiota diversity between autogenous and anautogenous Culex pipiens pallens]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the microbiota composition and diversity between autogenous and anautogenous Culex pipiens pallens, so as to provide insights into unraveling the pathogenesis of autogeny in Cx. pipiens pallens.

METHODS

Autogenous and anautogenous adult Cx. pipiens pallens samples were collected at 25 ℃, and the hypervariable regions of the microbial 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene was sequenced on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 sequencing platform. The microbiota abundance and diversity were evaluated using the alpha diversity index, and the difference in the microbiota structure was examined using the beta diversity index. The microbiota with significant differences in the abundance between autogenous and anautogenous adult Cx. pipiens pallens samples was identified using the linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe).

RESULTS

The microbiota in autogenous and anautogenous Cx. pipiens pallens samples belonged to 18 phyla, 28 classes, 70 orders, 113 families, and 170 genera, and the dominant phyla included Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and so on. At the genus level, Wolbachia was a common dominant genus, and the relative abundance was (77.6 ± 11.3)% in autogenous Cx. pipiens pallens samples and (47.5 ± 8.5)% in anautogenous mosquito samples, while Faecalibaculum (0.4% ± 0.1%), Dubosiella (0.5% ± 0.0%) and Massilia (0.5% ± 0.1%) were specific species in autogenous Cx. pipiens pallens samples. Alpha diversity analysis showed that higher Chao1 index and ACE index in autogenous Cx. pipiens pallens samples than in anautogenous samples (both P values > 0.05), and lower Shannon index (P > 0.05) and Simpson index (P < 0.05) in autogenous Cx. pipiens pallens samples than in anautogenous samples. LEfSe analysis showed a total of 48 significantly different taxa between autogenous and anautogenous Cx. pipiens pallens samples (all P values < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant difference in the microbiota diversity between autogenous and anautogenous Cx. pipiens pallens.

Characterization of a cell wall hydrolase with high activity against vegetative cells, spores and biofilm of Bacillus cereus

Bacillus cereus is a prevalent foodborne pathogen that induces food poisoning symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Its capacity to form spores and biofilm enables it to withstand disinfectants and antimicrobials, leading to persistent contamination during food processing. Consequently, it is necessary to develop novel and efficient antimicrobial agents to control B. cereus, its spores, and biofilms. Peptidoglycan hydrolases have emerged as a promising and eco-friendly alternative owing to their specific lytic activity against pathogenic bacteria. Here, we identified and characterized a Lysozyme-like cell wall hydrolase Lys14579, from the genome of B. cereus ATCC 14579. Recombinant Lys14579 specifically lysed B. cereus without affecting other bacteria. Lys14579 exhibited strong lytic activity against B. cereus, effectively lysing B. cereus cell within 20 min at low concentration (10 μg/mL). It also inhibited the germination of B. cereus spores and prevented biofilm formation at 12.5 μg/mL. Moreover, Lys14579 displayed good antimicrobial stability with negligible hemolysis in mouse red blood cells and no cytotoxicity against RAW264.7 cells. Notably, Lys14579 effectively inhibited B. cereus in boiled rice and minced meat in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis and point mutagenesis experiments revealed that Glu-47 was the catalytic site, and Asp-57, Gln-60, Ser-61 and Glu-63 were active-site residues related with the cell wall lytic activity. Taken together, Lys14579 could be a promising biocontrol agent against vegetative cells, spores, and biofilm of B. cereus in food industry.

Small extracellular vesicles facilitate epithelial-mesenchymal transition in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps via the miR-375-3p/QKI axis

BACKGROUND

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). However, the involvement of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) in EMT and their contributions to CRSwNP has not been extensively investigated.

METHODS

SEVs were isolated from nasal mucosa through ultracentrifugation. MicroRNA sequencing and reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction were employed to analyze the differential expression of microRNAs carried by sEVs. Human nasal epithelial cells (hNECs) were used to assess the EMT-inducing effect of sEVs/microRNAs. EMT-associated markers were detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to determine the target gene of miR-375-3p. MicroRNA mimic, lentiviral, and plasmid transduction were used for functional experiments.

RESULTS

In line with the greater EMT status in eosinophilic CRSwNP (ENP), sEVs derived from ENP (ENP-sEVs) could induce EMT in hNECs. MiR-375-3p was elevated in ENP-sEVs compared to that in control and nonENP. MiR-375- 3p carried by ENP-sEVs facilitated EMT by directly targeting KH domain containing RNA binding (QKI) at seed sequences of 913-919, 1025-1033, and 2438-2444 in 3'-untranslated region. Inhibition of QKI by miR-375-3p overexpression promoted EMT, which could be reversed by restoration of QKI. Furthermore, the abundance of miR-375-3p in sEVs was closely correlated with the clinical symptom score and disease severity.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-375-3p-enriched sEVs facilitated EMT by suppressing QKI in hNECs. The association of miR-375-3p with disease severity underscores its potential as both a diagnostic marker and a therapeutic target for the innovative management of CRSwNP.

An investigational time course study of titanium plasma spray on osseointegration of PEEK and titanium implants: an in vivo ovine model

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Methods to improve osseointegration of orthopedic spinal implants remains a clinical challenge. Materials composed of poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and titanium are commonly used in orthopedic applications due to their inherent properties of biocompatibility. Titanium has a clinical reputation for durability and osseous affinity, and PEEK offers advantages of a modulus that approximates osseous structures and is radiolucent. The hypothesis for the current investigation was that a titanium plasma spray (TPS) coating may increase the rate and magnitude of circumferential and appositional trabecular osseointegration of PEEK and titanium implants versus uncoated controls.

PURPOSE

Using an in vivo ovine model, the current investigation compared titanium plasma-sprayed PEEK and titanium dowels versus nonplasma-sprayed dowels. Using a time course study of 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively, experimental assays to quantify osseointegration included micro-computed tomography (microCT), biomechanical testing, and histomorphometry.

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING

In-vivo ovine model.

METHODS

Twelve skeletally mature crossbred sheep were equally randomized into postoperative periods of 6 and 12 weeks. Four types of dowel implants-PEEK, titanium plasma-sprayed PEEK (TPS PEEK), titanium, and titanium plasma-sprayed titanium (TPS titanium) were implanted into cylindrical metaphyseal defects in the distal femurs and proximal humeri (one defect per limb, n=48 sites). Sixteen nonoperative specimens (eight femurs and eight humeri) served as zero time-point controls. Half of the specimens underwent destructive biomechanical pullout testing and the remaining half quantitative microCT to quantify circumferential bone volume within 1 mm and 2 mm of the implant surface and histomorphometry to compute direct trabecular apposition.

RESULTS

There were no intra- or perioperative complications. The TPS-coated implants demonstrated significantly higher peak loads at dowel pullout at 6 and 12 weeks compared with uncoated controls (p<.05). No differences were observed across dowel treatments at the zero time-point (p>.05). MicroCT results exhibited no significant differences in circumferential osseointegration between implants within 1 mm or 2 mm of the dowel surface (p>.05). Direct appositional osseointegration of trabecular bone based on histomorphometry was higher for TPS-coated groups, regardless of base material, compared with uncoated treatments at both time intervals (p<.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The current in vivo study demonstrated the biological and mechanical advantages of plasma spray coatings. TPS improved histological incorporation and peak force required for implant extraction.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Plasma spray coatings may offer clinical benefit by improving biological fixation and osseointegration within the first 6 to 12 weeks postoperatively- the critical healing period for implant-based arthrodesis procedures.

Delving Into the Devils of Bird's-Eye-View Perception: A Review, Evaluation and Recipe

Learning powerful representations in bird's-eye-view (BEV) for perception tasks is trending and drawing extensive attention both from industry and academia. Conventional approaches for most autonomous driving algorithms perform detection, segmentation, tracking, etc., in a front or perspective view. As sensor configurations get more complex, integrating multi-source information from different sensors and representing features in a unified view come of vital importance. BEV perception inherits several advantages, as representing surrounding scenes in BEV is intuitive and fusion-friendly; and representing objects in BEV is most desirable for subsequent modules as in planning and/or control. The core problems for BEV perception lie in (a) how to reconstruct the lost 3D information via view transformation from perspective view to BEV; (b) how to acquire ground truth annotations in BEV grid; (c) how to formulate the pipeline to incorporate features from different sources and views; and (d) how to adapt and generalize algorithms as sensor configurations vary across different scenarios. In this survey, we review the most recent works on BEV perception and provide an in-depth analysis of different solutions. Moreover, several systematic designs of BEV approach from the industry are depicted as well. Furthermore, we introduce a full suite of practical guidebook to improve the performance of BEV perception tasks, including camera, LiDAR and fusion inputs. At last, we point out the future research directions in this area. We hope this report will shed some light on the community and encourage more research effort on BEV perception.

A revisit of drugs and potential therapeutic targets against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: learning from clinical trials

PURPOSE

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease, with a worldwide prevalence of 25%. Although numerous clinical trials have been conducted over the last few decades, an effective treatment has not been approved yet. Extensive research has accumulated a large amount of data and experience; however, the vast number of clinical trials and new therapeutic targets for NAFLD make it impossible to keep abreast of the relevant information. Therefore, a systematic analysis of the existing trials is necessary.

METHODS

Here, we reviewed clinical trials on NAFLD registered in the mandated federal database, ClinicalTrials.gov, to generate a detailed overview of the trials related to drugs and therapeutic targets for NAFLD treatment. Following screening for pertinence to therapy, a total of 440 entries were identified that included active trials as well as those that have already been completed, suspended, terminated, or withdrawn.

RESULTS

We summarize and systematically analyze the state, drug development pipeline, and discovery of treatment targets for NAFLD. We consider possible factors that may affect clinical outcomes. Furthermore, we discussed these results to explore the mechanisms responsible for clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSION

We summarised the landscape of current clinical trials and suggested the directions for future NAFLD therapy to assist internal medicine specialists in treating the whole clinical spectrum of this highly prevalent liver disease.

The clinical applications of D-type parastomal hernia repair surgery

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the use of a modified laparoscopic repair of paraostomy hernia technique, called "D-Type parastomal hernia repair surgery" which combines abdominal wall and extraperitoneal stoma reconstruction, in patients with parastomal hernia (PSH) following colorectal stoma surgery. The aim was to determine whether D-type parastomal hernia repair surgery is a promising surgical approach compared to the traditional laparoscopic repair technique (Sugarbaker method) for patients with PSH.

METHODS

PSH patients were selected and retrospectively divided into two groups: the study group underwent D-type parastomal hernia repair, while the control group underwent laparoscopic Sugarbaker repair. Clinical data from both groups were analyzed.

RESULT

Compared to control group (n = 68), the study group undergoing D-type stoma lateral hernia repair had significant increase in total operative time (98.82 ± 12.37 min vs 124.61 ± 34.99 min, p < 0.001). The study group also showed better postoperative stoma bowel function scores in sensory ability, frequency of bowel movements, and clothing cleanliness without a stoma bag (p = 0.037, 0.001, 0.002). The treatment cost was significantly higher in the control group (3899.97 ± 260.00$ vs 3215.91 ± 230.03$, p < 0.001). The postoperative recurrence rate in the control group was 26.4%, while in the study group, it was 4.3%, with a significant statistical difference (p = 0.024). In terms of long-term postoperative complications, the study group had an overall lower incidence compared to the control group (p = 0.035). Other parameters showed no significant differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that D-type parastomal hernia repair surgery is a safe and feasible procedure. Compared to traditional surgery, it can reduce the recurrence of lateral hernia, improve postoperative stoma bowel function, and save medical resources.

Observation of D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+} in the Amplitude Analysis of D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}η

We perform for the first time an amplitude analysis of the decay D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}η and report the observation of the decay D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+} using 2.93  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data taken at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector. As the only W-annihilation-free decay among D to a_{0}(980) pseudoscalar, D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+} is the ideal decay in extracting the contributions of the W-emission amplitudes involving a_{0}(980) and to study the final-state interactions. The absolute branching fraction of D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}η is measured to be (1.27±0.04_{stat}±0.03_{syst})%. The branching fractions of intermediate processes D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+} with a_{0}(980)^{+}→π^{+}η and D^{+}→π^{+}K[over ¯]_{0}^{*}(1430)^{0} with K[over ¯]_{0}^{*}(1430)^{0}→K_{S}^{0}η are measured to be (1.33±0.05_{stat}±0.04_{syst})% and (0.14±0.03_{stat}±0.01_{syst})%, respectively.

Observation of Significant Flavor-SU(3) Breaking in the Kaon Wave Function at 12<Q^{2}<25 GeV^{2} and Discovery of the Charmless Decay ψ(3770)→K_{S}^{0}K_{L}^{0}

We present cross sections for the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→K_{S}^{0}K_{L}^{0} at center-of-mass energies ranging from 3.51 to 4.95 GeV using data samples collected in the BESIII experiment, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 26.5  fb^{-1}. The ratio of neutral-to-charged kaon form factors at large momentum transfers (12 Collapse

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Measurements of All-Particle Energy Spectrum and Mean Logarithmic Mass of Cosmic Rays from 0.3 to 30 PeV with LHAASO-KM2A

We present the measurements of all-particle energy spectrum and mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays in the energy range of 0.3-30 PeV using data collected from LHAASO-KM2A between September 2021 and December 2022, which is based on a nearly composition-independent energy reconstruction method, achieving unprecedented accuracy. Our analysis reveals the position of the knee at 3.67±0.05±0.15  PeV. Below the knee, the spectral index is found to be -2.7413±0.0004±0.0050, while above the knee, it is -3.128±0.005±0.027, with the sharpness of the transition measured with a statistical error of 2%. The mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays is almost heavier than helium in the whole measured energy range. It decreases from 1.7 at 0.3 PeV to 1.3 at 3 PeV, representing a 24% decline following a power law with an index of -0.1200±0.0003±0.0341. This is equivalent to an increase in abundance of light components. Above the knee, the mean logarithmic mass exhibits a power law trend towards heavier components, which is reversal to the behavior observed in the all-particle energy spectrum. Additionally, the knee position and the change in power-law index are approximately the same. These findings suggest that the knee observed in the all-particle spectrum corresponds to the knee of the light component, rather than the medium-heavy components.

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.

Surfactant-like Additives Assisted the Lateral Growth of Pentacene Films

Lateral growth of thin films is crucial for organic electronic devices, such as field-effect transistors. Here, we report a strategy to improve the lateral growth of pentacene films using rubrene as a surfactant-like additive. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images confirm the enhanced lateral growth with the presence of rubrene, resulting in smooth and enlarged molecule domains in the films in comparison to those without rubrene. Molecular dynamics simulations are conducted to explore the interlayer diffusion of pentacene molecules during the growth. With the rubrene molecules as surfactant-like additives, mean square displacement (MSD) analysis shows that the pentacene molecules have a descending diffusion coefficient of 2.0 × 10-5 cm2 s-1, which is greater than the ascending diffusion coefficient of 1.6 × 10-5 cm2 s-1. The more descending molecules lead to an enhanced lateral growth of pentacene films, which is in good agreement with the experiments. As a result, the pentacene films grown with rubrene exhibit a rapid increase in carrier mobility over thickness due to the well-connected domains resulting from enhanced lateral growth. This finding will provide a new strategy to modulate the morphology of organic films for high-performance devices.

Investigation of the ΔI=1/2 Rule and Test of CP Symmetry through the Measurement of Decay Asymmetry Parameters in Ξ^{-} Decays

Using (10087±44)×10^{6}  J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, numerous Ξ^{-} and Λ decay asymmetry parameters are simultaneously determined from the process J/ψ→Ξ^{-}Ξ[over ¯]^{+}→Λ(pπ^{-})π^{-}Λ[over ¯](n[over ¯]π^{0})π^{+} and its charge-conjugate channel. The precisions of α_{Λ0} for Λ→nπ^{0} and α[over ¯]_{Λ0} for Λ[over ¯]→n[over ¯]π^{0} compared to world averages are improved by factors of 4 and 1.7, respectively. The ratio of decay asymmetry parameters of Λ→nπ^{0} to that of Λ→pπ^{-}, ⟨α_{Λ0}⟩/⟨α_{Λ-}⟩, is determined to be 0.873±0.012_{-0.010}^{+0.011}, where the first and the second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The ratio is smaller than unity more than 5σ, which signifies the existence of the ΔI=3/2 transition in Λ for the first time. Besides, we test for CP symmetry in Ξ^{-}→Λπ^{-} and in Λ→nπ^{0} with the best precision to date.

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}.

Interfacial Co-O-Cu bonds prompt electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia in neutral electrolyte

In this work, the formed interfacial Co-O-Cu bonds in Co-doped Cu(OH)2 (Co2-Cu(OH)2) sufficiently expose active sites and improve the reaction kinetics. As a result, the optimal Co2-Cu(OH)2 provides an amazing faradaic efficiency (91.6%), high selectivity (93.2%) and robust stability toward the NO3RR.

[Respiratory virus infection and its influence on outcome in children with septic shock]

Objective: To investigate respiratory virus infection in children with septic shock in pediatric care units (PICU) in China and its influence on clinical outcomes. Methods: The clinical data of children with septic shock in children's PICU from January 2018 to December 2019 in 10 Chinese hospitals were retrospectively collected. They were divided into the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 groups according to the onset of disease, and the characteristics and composition of respiratory virus in the 2 groups were compared. Matching age, malignant underlying diseases, bacteria, fungi and other viruses, a new database was generated using 1∶1 propensity score matching method. The children were divided into the respiratory virus group and non-respiratory virus group according to the presence or absence of respiratory virus infection; their clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment were compared by t-test, rank sum test and Chi-square test. The correlation between respiratory virus infection and the clinical outcomes was analyzed by logistic regression. Results: A total of 1 247 children with septic shock were included in the study, of them 748 were male; the age was 37 (11, 105) months. In the pre-and post-COVID-19 groups, there were 530 and 717 cases of septic shock, respectively; the positive rate of respiratory virus was 14.9% (79 cases) and 9.8% (70 cases); the seasonal distribution of septic shock was 28.9% (153/530) and 25.9% (185/717) in autumn, and 30.3% (161/530) and 28.3% (203/717) in winter, respectively, and the corresponding positive rates of respiratory viruses were 19.6% (30/153) and 15.7% (29/185) in autumn, and 21.1% (34/161) and 15.3% (31/203) in winter, respectively. The positive rates of influenza virus and adenovirus in the post-COVID-19 group were lower than those in the pre-COVID-19 group (2.1% (15/717) vs. 7.5% (40/530), and 0.7% (5/717) vs. 3.2% (17/530), χ2=21.51 and 11.08, respectively; all P<0.05). Rhinovirus virus were higher than those in the pre-Covid-19 group (1.7% (12/717) vs. 0.2% (1/530), χ2=6.51, P=0.011). After propensity score matching, there were 147 cases in both the respiratory virus group and the non-respiratory virus group. Rate of respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress, rate of disseminated coagulation dysfunction, and immunoglobulin usage of the respiratory virus group were higher than those of non-respiratory virus group (77.6% (114/147) vs. 59.2% (87/147), 17.7% (26/147) vs. 4.1% (6/147), 15.6% (25/147) vs. 4.1% (7/147), and 35.4% (52/147) vs. 21.4% (32/147); χ2=11.07, 14.02, 11.06 and 6.67, all P<0.05); and PICU hospitalization of the former was longer than that of the later (7 (3, 16) vs. 3 (1, 7)d, Z=5.01, P<0.001). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of respiratory viral infection was associated with respiratory failure, disseminated coagulation dysfunction, the use of mechanical ventilation, and the use of immunoglobulin and anti-respiratory viral drugs (OR=2.42, 0.22, 0.25, 0.56 and 1.12, all P<0.05). Conclusions: The composition of respiratory virus infection in children with septic shock is different between pre and post-COVID-19. Respiratory viral infection is associated with organ dysfunction in children with septic shock. Decreasing respiratory viral infection through respiratory protection may improve the clinical outcome of these children.

Observation of D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν_{μ}, Precision Test of Lepton Flavor Universality with D_{s}^{+}→η^{(')}l^{+}ν_{l}, and First Measurements of D_{s}^{+}→η^{(')}μ^{+}ν_{μ} Decay Dynamics

By analyzing 7.33  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} annihilation data collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.128 and 4.226 GeV with the BESIII detector, we report the observation of the semileptonic decay D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν_{μ}, with a statistical significance larger than 10σ, and the measurements of the D_{s}^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ} and D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν_{μ} decay dynamics for the first time. The branching fractions of D_{s}^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ} and D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν_{μ} are determined to be (2.235±0.051_{stat}±0.052_{syst})% and (0.801±0.055_{stat}±0.028_{syst})%, respectively, with precision improved by factors of 6.0 and 6.6 compared to the previous best measurements. Combined with the results for the decays D_{s}^{+}→ηe^{+}ν_{e} and D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}e^{+}ν_{e}, the ratios of the decay widths are examined both inclusively and in several ℓ^{+}ν_{ℓ} four-momentum transfer ranges. No evidence for lepton flavor universality violation is found within the current statistics. The products of the hadronic form factors f_{+,0}^{η^{(')}}(0) and the c→s Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V_{cs}| are determined. The results based on the two-parameter series expansion are f_{+,0}^{η}(0)|V_{cs}|=0.452±0.010_{stat}±0.007_{syst} and f_{+,0}^{η^{'}}(0)|V_{cs}|=0.504±0.037_{stat}±0.012_{syst}, which help to constrain present models on f_{+,0}^{η^{(')}}(0). The forward-backward asymmetries are determined to be ⟨A_{FB}^{η}⟩=-0.059±0.031_{stat}±0.005_{syst} and ⟨A_{FB}^{η^{'}}⟩=-0.064±0.079_{stat}±0.006_{syst} for the first time, which are consistent with the theoretical calculation.

Maternal androgen excess inhibits fetal cardiomyocytes proliferation through RB-mediated cell cycle arrest and induces cardiac hypertrophy in adulthood

PURPOSE

Maternal hyperandrogenism during pregnancy is associated with adverse gestational outcomes and chronic non-communicable diseases in offspring. However, few studies are reported to demonstrate the association between maternal androgen excess and cardiac health in offspring. This study aimed to explore the relation between androgen exposure in utero and cardiac health of offspring in fetal and adult period. Its underlying mechanism is also illustrated in this research.

METHODS

Pregnant mice were injected with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from gestational day (GD) 16.5 to GD18.5. On GD18.5, fetal heart tissue was collected for metabolite and morphological analysis. The hearts from adult offspring were also collected for morphological and qPCR analysis. H9c2 cells were treated with 75 μM androsterone. Immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, qPCR, and western blot were performed to observe cell proliferation and explore the underlying mechanism.

RESULTS

Intrauterine exposure to excessive androgen led to thinner ventricular wall, decreased number of cardiomyocytes in fetal offspring and caused cardiac hypertrophy, compromised cardiac function in adult offspring. The analysis of steroid hormone metabolites in fetal heart tissue by ultra performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry showed that the content of androgen metabolite androsterone was significantly increased. Mechanistically, H9c2 cells treated with androsterone led to a significant decrease in phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRB) and cell cycle-related protein including cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), and cyclin D1 (CCND1) in cardiomyocytes. This resulted in cell cycle arrest at G1-S phase, which in turn inhibited cardiomyocyte proliferation.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our results indicate that in utero exposure to DHT, its metabolite androsterone could directly decrease cardiomyocytes proliferation through cell cycle arrest, which has a life-long-lasting effect on cardiac health. Our study highlights the importance of monitoring sex hormones in women during pregnancy and the follow-up of cardiac function in offspring with high risk of intrauterine androgen exposure.

Specific separation and sensitive detection of foodborne pathogens by phage-derived bacterial-binding protein-nano magnetic beads coupled with smartphone-assisted paper sensor

Foodborne pathogen infection poses a significant threat to public health and is considered as one of the most serious hazards in global food safety. Herein, a sensitive and efficient method for on-site monitoring of foodborne pathogens was developed by using a smartphone-assisted paper-sensor combined with phage-derived bacterial-binding proteins-nano magnetic beads (PBPs-MBs). PBPs including tail fiber protein (TFP:gp13), cell-wall binding domain (CBD) of endolysin and tailspike protein (TSP) coated on the surface of MBs were applied for rapid separation and enrichment of targeted bacteria (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium, respectively) from food samples in 20 min before detection on paper-based sensors. The paper-based sensor was loaded with the lytic agent (polymyxin B) to induce bacterial lysis and release specific endogenous enzymes. Subsequently, three distinct chromogenic substrates were hydrolyzed by their corresponding enzymes, resulting in characteristic color changes on the paper, respectively. In addition, a smartphone APP for red-green-blue (RGB) color analysis of paper was able to directly detect three foodborne pathogens. As a result, the limit of detection (LOD) values for three foodborne pathogens were found to be 2.44 × 102, 2.68 × 104 and 4.62 × 103 CFU/mL, respectively, which were much lower than other studies (106-108 CFU/mL) based on enzymes. Moreover, the feasibility of this approach was further assessed through the successful detection of targeted bacteria in real samples with satisfactory recovery rates. In conclusion, this smartphone-assisted biosensor offers promising application potential for point-of-care testing (POCT) of foodborne pathogens in resource-scarce areas.

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.

Determination of the Σ^{+} Timelike Electromagnetic Form Factors

Based on data samples collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, the process e^{+}e^{-}→Σ^{+}Σ[over ¯]^{-} is studied at center-of-mass energies sqrt[s]=2.3960, 2.6454, and 2.9000 GeV. Using a fully differential angular description of the final state particles, both the relative magnitude and phase information of the Σ^{+} electromagnetic form factors in the timelike region are extracted. The relative phase between the electric and magnetic form factors is determined to be sinΔΦ=-0.67±0.29(stat)±0.18(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.3960  GeV, ΔΦ=55°±19°(stat)±14°(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.6454  GeV, and 78°±22°(stat)±9°(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.9000  GeV. For the first time, the phase of the hyperon electromagnetic form factors is explored in a wide range of four-momentum transfer. The evolution of the phase along with four-momentum transfer is an important input for understanding its asymptotic behavior and the dynamics of baryons.

[Hemodynamic changes with serial balloon pulmonary angioplasty in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension]

Objective: To monitor hemodynamic changes during serial balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Methods: General clinical data of CTEPH patients diagnosed from October 2017 to January 2022 in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital were collected, and 83 patients who underwent at least 1 BPA treatment were included to analyze their 6 min walking distance, WHO functional class, N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide precursor (NT-proBNP), troponin I (cTnI) and haemodynamic indices. Baseline and follow-up after the final BPA clinical data and hemodynamics, functional status and serial hemodynamics before each series of BPA were collected to evaluate the efficacy of BPA for CTEPH patients. Complications and managements were documented to confirm the safety of BPA for CTEPH patients. Results: Three hundred and forty BPA procedures were performed in 83 CTEPH patients. The median number of BPA procedures was 4.0 and a total of 2104 vessels were dilated. In general, mPAP [from 50.0(42.0-55.25) mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) to 32.0(27.0-42.0) mmHg, P<0.001], PVR[from (806.6±323.2) dyn·s·cm-5 to 420.0(295.0-613.5) dyn·s·cm-5, P<0.001] were significantly improved compared with baseline, but not CO and CI. Functional parameters including WHO functional class Ⅰ/Ⅱ/Ⅲ/Ⅳ (from 0/35/34/14 to 43/32/7/1, P<0.001), 6MWD [from 364.5(300.0-429.5)m to 461.0(409.0-501.0)m, P<0.001], NT-proBNP [from 1 357.0(232.0-2 715.0) ng/L to 141.0(57.0-627.8) ng/L,P<0.001] were significantly improved compared with baseline. A cumulative (compared to baseline) and serial (compared to preceding BPA session) analysis of the sequential BPA session confirmed that a major hemodynamic improvement in PVR and mPAP occurred in the first 3 serial BPA treatments. There was a dose-response relationship: the more segments that were treated, the greater were the subsequent reduction in PVR and mPAP. There were 32.0 complications (9.4%) associated with BPA procedures, and the most common complication was pulmonary hemorrhage caused by catheter-related vascular injury. Conclusions: BPA is an effective and safe alternative for technically non-operable CTEPH patients. The hemodynamic benefits of BPA in CTEPH patients were cumulative and correlated with the total number of vessels successfully dilated.

Underwater entanglement propagation of auto-focusing Airy beams

In underwater wireless optical communication, orbital angular momentum (OAM) states suffer from turbulence distortions. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of auto-focusing and OAM entanglement of the beams in reducing the turbulence effects. We implement the single-phase approximation and the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle to derive the detection probability of the entangled Airy beams under unstable oceanic turbulence. The results show that auto-focusing can protect the signal OAM mode and suppress modal crosstalks, while entangled OAM states can further enhance the resistance against oceanic turbulence around the focus position. The numerical analysis demonstrates that after the auto-focusing position, the beams evolve in completely opposite directions, indicating that the focal length should be modulated according to the length of a practical link to enhance received signals. These findings suggest that entangled auto-focusing vortex beams may be a desirable light source in underwater communication systems.

[Research on the framework of biosafety standards for pathogenic microbial laboratories]

Developing and implementing biosafety standards for pathogenic microbiology laboratories is essential to achieving scientific, efficient, and standardized management and operation. This article analyzes the current standardization construction in biosafety in pathogenic microbiology laboratories domestically and internationally. It proposes a framework for the biosafety standard system of pathogenic microbiology laboratories, which mainly includes four parts: basic standards, management standards, technical standards, and industry applications. It provides a reference for the standardization work of pathogenic microbiology laboratories and helps to standardize the biosafety industry in China.

[The effect of Ba Duan Jin on the balance of community-dwelling older adults: a cluster randomized control trial]

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a 6-month Ba Duan Jin exercise program in improving the balance of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A two arms, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 1 028 community residents aged 60-80 years in 40 communities in 5 provinces of China. Participants in the intervention group (20 communities, 523 people) received Ba Duan Jin exercise 5 days/week, 1 hour/day for 6 months, and three times of falls prevention health education, and the control group (20 communities, 505 people) received falls prevention health education same as the intervention group. The Berg balance scale (BBS) score was the leading outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicators included the length of time of standing on one foot (with eyes open and closed), standing in a tandem stance (with eyes open and closed), the closed circle test, and the timed up to test. Results: A total of 1 028 participants were included in the final analysis, including 731 women (71.11%) and 297 men (28.89%), and the age was (69.87±5.67) years. After the 3-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 3.05 (95%CI: 2.23-3.88) points (P<0.001). After the 6-month intervention, compared with the baseline data, the BBS score of the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group by 4.70 (95%CI: 4.03-5.37) points (P<0.001). Ba Duan Jin showed significant improvement (P<0.05) in all secondary outcomes after 6 months of exercise in the intervention group compared with the control group. Conclusions: This study showed that Ba Duan Jin exercise can improve balance in community-dwelling older adults aged 60-80. The longer the exercise time, the better the improvement.

Indoor flow datasets of two-layered cross-ventilation models by particle image velocimetry and hot wire anemometry

This data article provides temporally and spatially high-resolution datasets of the indoor velocity fields for cross-ventilation models of two-layered simplified buildings separated by a second floor at the middle height with an opening using wind-tunnel experiments. The datasets are based on the research article entitled "Quantifying natural cross-ventilation flow of a two-layered model used for terraced houses in tropical zones by particle image velocimetry" by Ali et al. [1]. Two cases are considered based on the positions of the inlet and outlet openings on each floor. The measurements were conducted using hot-wire anemometry (HWA) with 10,000 Hz and particle image velocimetry (PIV) with 1000 Hz for a sufficiently long period to determine reliable statistics of the mean, variances, and covariances. In addition, the article provides the instantaneous datasets of two velocity components determined by PIV for the cross-ventilation models. The datasets can be used for both computational fluid dynamics (CFD) validation and further investigation of turbulent flow nature of the multi-layer cross ventilation flow.

[To investigate the role of the AAC-8 scoring in predicting restenosis or occlusion of lower extremity arteries after dilatation and angioplasty with DCB]

Objective: To investigate the role of the Abdominal Aortic Calcification-8 (AAC-8) scoring system in predicting restenosis or occlusion of lower extremity arteries after dilatation and angioplasty with drug-coated balloon (DCB). Methods: In this retrospective study, 62 patients who underwent dilatation and angioplasty with DCB for lower limb atherosclerotic obliterans (ASO) were enrolled from September 2018 to June 2022 in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School. Among them who aged (73.9±11.3) years, 37 were males and 25 were females. Patients were divided into two groups according to the condition of the lower extremity arteries after dilatation and angioplasty with DCB: recurrence group (n=26) and patency group (n=36). Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors associated with restenosis or occlusion of lower extremity arteries after dilatation and angioplasty with DCB. The predictive value of the AAC-8 score for restenosis or occlusion of the lower extremity arteries after dilatation and angioplasty with DCB was analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC curves). Results: The postoperative follow-up was 16.30 (10.97, 24.10) months in the patency group and 9.03 (6.98, 15.31) months in the recurrence group. The results of multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that an elevated AAC-8 score (OR=1.388, 95%CI: 1.067-1.806, P=0.015) was an associated factor of restenosis or occlusion of the lower extremity arteries after dilatation and angioplasty with DCB. The ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the AAC-8 score for predicting restenosis or occlusion of the lower extremity arteries after dilatation and angioplasty with DCB was 0.687 (95%CI: 0.550-0.824, P=0.013), with a cut-off value of 5.5 points, a sensitivity of 65.4% and a specificity of 69.5%. Conclusions: Elevated AAC-8 score is associated with restenosis or occlusion of the lower extremity arteries after dilatation and angioplasty with DCB. When the cut-off value is 5.5, the AAC-8 score predicts restenosis or occlusion of the lower extremity arteries after DCB dilation and angioplasty with a sensitivity of 65.4% and a specificity of 69.5%.

Feature Selection Based on Intrusive Outliers Rather Than All Instances

Feature selection (FS) has recently attracted considerable attention in many fields. Highly-overlapping classes and skewed distributions of data within classes have been found in various classification tasks. Most existing FS methods are all instance-based, which ignores the significant differences in characteristics between the particular outliers and the main body of the class, causing confusion for classifiers. In this paper, we propose a novel supervised FS method, Intrusive Outliers-based Feature Selection (IOFS), to find out what kind of outliers lead to misclassification and exploit the characteristics of such outliers. In order to accurately identify the intrusive outliers (IOs), we provide a density-mean center algorithm to obtain the appropriate representative of a class. A special distance threshold is given to obtain the candidate for IOs. Combining with several metrics, mathematical formulations are provided to evaluate the overlapping degree of the intrusive class pairs. Features with high overlapping degrees are assigned to low rankings in IOFS method. An extension of IOFS based on a small number of extreme IOs, called E-IOFS, is also proposed. Three theoretical proofs are provided for the essential theoretical basis of IOFS. Experiments comparing against various state-of-the-art methods on eleven benchmark datasets show that IOFS is rational and effective, especially on the datasets with higher overlapping classes. And E-IOFS almost always outperforms IOFS.

First Measurement of the Decay Asymmetry in the Pure W-Boson-Exchange Decay Λ_{c}^{+}→Ξ^{0}K^{+}

Based on 4.4  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} annihilation data collected at the center-of-mass energies between 4.60 and 4.70 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, the pure W-boson-exchange decay Λ_{c}^{+}→Ξ^{0}K^{+} is studied with a full angular analysis. The corresponding decay asymmetry is measured for the first time to be α_{Ξ^{0}K^{+}}=0.01±0.16(stat)±0.03(syst). This result reflects the noninterference effect between the S- and P-wave amplitudes. The phase shift between S- and P-wave amplitudes has two solutions, which are δ_{p}-δ_{s}=-1.55±0.25(stat)±0.05(syst)  rad or 1.59±0.25(stat)±0.05(syst)  rad.