A programmable topological photonic chip

Controlling topological phases of light allows the observation of abundant topological phenomena and the development of robust photonic devices. The prospect of more sophisticated control with topological photonic devices for practical implementations requires high-level programmability. Here we demonstrate a fully programmable topological photonic chip with large-scale integration of silicon photonic nanocircuits and microresonators. Photonic artificial atoms and their interactions in our compound system can be individually addressed and controlled, allowing the arbitrary adjustment of structural parameters and geometrical configurations for the observation of dynamic topological phase transitions and diverse photonic topological insulators. Individual programming of artificial atoms on the generic chip enables the comprehensive statistical characterization of topological robustness against relatively weak disorders, and counterintuitive topological Anderson phase transitions induced by strong disorders. This generic topological photonic chip can be rapidly reprogrammed to implement multifunctionalities, providing a flexible and versatile platform for applications across fundamental science and topological technologies.

Enhancing Fat Graft Survival via Upregulating Autophagy of Adipocytes

BACKGROUND

Autophagy is a cellular self-protection mechanism. The upregulation of adipose-derived stem cells' (ADSCs) autophagy can promote fat graft survival. However, the effect of interfering with adipocyte autophagy on graft survival is still unknown. In addition, autophagy is involved in adipocyte dedifferentiation. We investigated the effect of autophagy on adipocyte dedifferentiation and fat graft survival.

METHODS

The classic autophagy regulatory drugs rapamycin (100 nM) and 3-methyladenine (3-MA; 10 mM) were used to treat adipocytes, adipocyte dedifferentiation was observed, and their effects on ADSCs were detected. In our experiments, 100 nM rapamycin, 10 mM 3-MA and saline were mixed with human adipose tissue and transplanted into nude mice. At 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively, the grafts were harvested for histological and immunohistochemical analysis.

RESULTS

Rapamycin and 3-MA can promote and inhibit adipocyte dedifferentiation by regulating autophagy. Both drugs can inhibit ADSC proliferation, and 10 mM 3-MA can inhibit ADSC adipogenesis. At weeks 8 and 12, the volume retention rate of the rapamycin group (8 weeks, 64.77% ± 6.36%; 12 weeks, 56.13% ± 4.73%) was higher than the control group (8 weeks, 52.62% ± 4.04%; P < 0.05; 12 weeks, 43.17% ± 6.02%; P < 0.05) and the rapamycin group had more viable adipocytes and better vascularization. Compared with the control group, the volume retention rate, viable adipocytes and vascularization of the 3-MA group decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

Rapamycin can promote adipocyte dedifferentiation by upregulating autophagy to promote fat graft survival. 3-MA can inhibit graft survival, but its mechanism includes the inhibition of adipocyte dedifferentiation and ADSC proliferation and adipogenesis.

NO LEVEL ASSIGNED

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Human gestational diabetes mellitus-derived exosomes impair glucose homeostasis in pregnant mice and stimulate functional maturation of offspring-islets

AIMS

Pancreatic islets undergo critical development and functional maturation during the perinatal period when they are highly sensitive to microenvironment. We aim to determine the effects and mechanisms of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) hypermetabolic stress on glucose homeostasis in pregnant mice and functional maturation of the islets of their offspring.

MAIN METHODS

Exosomes were extracted from the umbilical vein blood of individuals with or without GDM for administration to pregnant mice. The blood glucose, serum insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin, and lipopolysaccharide levels were measured in pregnant mice. The expression and localization of insulin, glucagon, PC1/3, PDX1, and p-S6 in the islets of neonatal rats were continuously monitored using immunofluorescence to evaluate their functional status. Primary islet cells were cultured and treated with GDM exosomes and exendin to determine the expression of GLP-1R, AKT, p-AKT, and p-S6 via western blotting.

KEY FINDINGS

GDM exosomes induced remarkable oral glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, and metabolic inflammation in pregnant mice. The islets of GDM offspring exhibited high insulin, glucagon, PC1/3, PDX1, and p-S6 expression at and after birth, and activation of the local GLP-1/GLP-1R axis. The functional maturation of normal-offspring islets did not commence until after birth, while it was activated prior to birth in GDM offspring, seriously disrupting the whole process. GDM exosomes activated the GLP-1/GLP-1R axis between α and β cells, and stimulated functional maturation of β cells via the Akt-mTORC1-pS6 pathway.

SIGNIFICANCE

These findings provide preliminary insights into the mechanisms underlying the high incidence of diabetes in the offspring of mothers with GDM.

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.

Multi-center Dose Prediction Using Attention-aware Deep learning Algorithm Based on Transformers for Cervical Cancer Radiotherapy

AIMS

Accurate dose delivery is crucial for cervical cancer volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). We aimed to develop a robust deep-learning (DL) algorithm for fast and accurate dose prediction of cervical cancer VMAT in multicenter datasets and then explore the feasibility of the DL algorithm to endometrial cancer VMAT with different prescriptions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We proposed the AtTranNet algorithm for three-dimensional dose prediction. A total of 367 cervical patients were enrolled in this study. Three hundred twenty-two cervical patients from 3 centers were randomly divided into 70%, 10%, and 20% as training, validation, and testing sets, respectively. Forty-five cervical patients from another center were selected for external testing. Moreover, 70 patients of endometrial cancer with different prescriptions were further selected to test the model. Prediction precision was evaluated by dosimetric difference, dose map, and dose-volume histogram metrics.

RESULTS

The prediction results were all clinically acceptable. The mean absolute error within the body in internal testing was 0.66 ± 0.63%. The maximum |δD| for planning target volume was observed in D98, which is 1.24 ± 2.73 Gy. The maximum |δD| for organs at risk was observed in Dmean of bladder, which is 4.79 ± 3.14 Gy. The maximum |δV| were observed in V40 of pelvic bones, which is 4.77 ± 4.48%.

CONCLUSION

AtTranNet showed the feasibility and reasonable accuracy in the dose prediction for cervical cancer in multiple centers. The model can also be generalized for endometrial cancer with different prescriptions without any transfer learning.

Nickel selenide/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst promotes CC coupling for photocatalytic CO2 reduction to ethane

Photocatalytic CO2 reduction to generate high value-added and renewable chemicals is of great potential in facilitating the realization of closed-loop and carbon-neutral hydrogen economy. Stabilizing and accelerating the formation of COCO* intermediate is crucial to achieve high-selectivity ethane production. Herein, a novel 3D/2D NiSe2/g-C3N4 heterostructure that mesoscale hedgehog nickel selenide (NiSe2) grown on the ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets were synthesized via a successively high temperature calcination process and in-situ thermal injection method for the first time. The optimum 2.7 % NiSe2/g-C3N4 heterostructure achieved moderate C2H6 generation rate of 46.1 μmol·g-1·h-1 and selectivity of 97.5 % without any additional photosensitizers and sacrificial agents under light illumination. Based on the results of the theoretical calculations and experiments, the improvement of photocatalytic CO2 to C2H6 production and selectivity should be ascribed to the increased visible light absorption ability, unique 3D/2D heterostructures with promoted adsorption of CO2 molecules on the Ni active sites, the type II heterojunction with improved charge transfer dynamics and lowered interfacial transfer resistance, as well as the formation of COCO* key intermediate. This work provides an inspiration to construct efficient photocatalysts for the direct transformation of CO2 to multicarbon products (C2+).

Evaluating the Efficacy of Dedifferentiated Fat Cells (DFATs) vs Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ASCs) in Enhancing the Viability of Fat Grafts

BACKGROUND

Enhancing graft fat survival remains a paramount challenge in autologous fat transplantation surgeries. Dedifferentiated fat cells (DFATs) and adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) represent 2 pivotal cells with potential to improve fat graft survival rates.

OBJECTIVES

In this study we aimed to compare the effectiveness of DFATs and ASCs in promoting fat graft survival, emphasizing their adipogenic and angiogenic capabilities.

METHODS

Both in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted. In vitro assessments compared adipogenesis, angiogenesis, osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, cell migration abilities, and surface markers. For in vivo evaluation, a cell-assisted lipotransfer animal model was employed to gauge graft volume retention and histological morphology. Analysis techniques included hematoxylin and eosin staining, Western blotting, and real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

In vitro findings suggested a slight superiority of DFATs in adipogenesis and angiogenesis compared to ASCs. In vivo tests demonstrated both cell types surpassed the control in terms of graft volume retention, with the DFATs group marginally outperforming in retention rates and the ASC group presenting a slightly enhanced graft tissue structure.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study underscores the distinct advantages of DFATs and ASCs in bolstering fat graft survival, offering potentially novel insights for plastic surgeons aiming to elevate fat graft survival rates.

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}.

Conductive interpenetrating network organohydrogels of gellan gum/polypyrrole with weather-tolerance, piezoresistive sensing and shape-memory capability

To develop ecofriendly multifunctional gel materials for sustainable flexible electronic devices, composite organohydrogels of gellan gum (GG) and polypyrrole (PPy) with an interpenetrating network structure (IPN-GG/PPy organohydrogels) were developed first time, through fabrication of GG organohydrogels followed by in-situ oxidation polymerization of pyrrole inside. Combination of water with glycerol can not only impart environment-stability to GG hydrogels but promote the mechanics remarkably, with the compressive strength amplified by 1250 % from 0.02 to 0.27 MPa. Incorporation of PPy confers electrical conductivity to the GG organohydrogel as well as promoting the mechanical performance further. The maximum conductivity of the IPN-GG/PPy organohydrogels reached 1.2 mS/cm at 25 °C, and retained at 0.6 mS/cm under -20 °C and 0.56 mS/cm after 7 days' exposure in 25 °C and 60 % RH. The compression strength of that with the maximum conductivity increases by 170 % from 0.27 to 0.73 MPa. The excellent conductivity and mechanical properties endow the IPN-GG/PPy organohydrogels good piezoresistive strain/pressure sensing behavior. Moreover, the thermo-reversible GG network bestows them shape-memory capability. The multifunctionality and intrinsic eco-friendliness is favorable for sustainable application in fields such as flexible electronics, soft robotics and artificial intelligence, competent in motion recognition, physiological signal monitoring, intelligent actuation.

Plasma sCD146 is a potential biomarker for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

This study examined the levels of soluble CD146 (sCD146) in plasma samples from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and assessed the relationship between sCD146 and the severity of COPD. A total of 97 COPD patients were recruited from 20 medical centers in Jiangsu, China, including 13 stable subjects and 84 exacerbated subjects. The plasma sCD146 level in exacerbated subjects (28.77 ± 10.80 ng/mL) was significantly lower than that in stable subjects (38.84 ± 15.00 ng/mL). In the high sCD146 group, the proportion of subjects with modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scores of 0-1 was higher, the proportion of subjects with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage 4 was lower, and the proportion of subjects with ≥1 hospitalizations in the past year was lower. The plasma sCD146 level was negatively correlated with the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score (r = -0.2664, p = 0.0087). Logistic regression analysis showed that sCD146 was an independent risk factor for acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis suggested that sCD146 combined with sex, age, pulmonary function, and acute exacerbations in the past year had clinical value for the accurate identification of AECOPD, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.908 (95% CI: 0.810-1.000, p < 0.001). In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between plasma sCD146 and S100A9 (r = -0.3939, p < 0.001).

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.

Effects of temperature cycles on human thermal comfort in built environment under summer conditions

Dynamic temperature control strategies are feasible for enhancing energy flexibility and reducing energy consumption in buildings. However, guidelines for designing such dynamic thermal environments are lacking. In this study, 30 participants were recruited to undergo four experimental cycles formed by combining two temperature ranges (25-28 °C and 26-29 °C) and two temperature change rates (3 °C/h and 6 °C/h). Variations in the subjective perception and physiological responses with time were recorded throughout the experiments. The participants reported cooler thermal sensation and better thermal comfort for the same temperature during the ramp-down phase than during the ramp-up phase, which was more pronounced at faster temperature changes. The limits on temperature variations in the current standards underestimate the thermal acceptability of people. Although the temperature cycles exceeded the limits in the standards, sustained thermal comfort and high thermal acceptability were achieved when the temperature changed within 25-28 °C. At a rapid 6 °C/h change rate, the thermal sensation briefly deviated from the comfort zone when Top changed within 26-29 °C, suggesting that the limits should be set relative to the temperature change span. The comfortable temperature ranges for change rates of 3 °C/h and 6 °C/h in summer conditions were 22.8-28.7 °C and 22.8-28.4 °C, respectively, which are broader than the recommended indoor temperature range for summer in the Chinese standard. These findings indicate the potential of temperature variations to extend the thermal comfort zones while consuming less energy without requiring additional cooling devices.

Potential Candidate Molecule of Photosystem II Inhibitor Herbicide-Brassicanate A Sulfoxide

Brassicanate A sulfoxide, a secondary metabolite of broccoli, exhibited the inhibition of weed growth, but its mechanism of action on weeds remains unclear. To elucidate the mechanism by which brassicanate A sulfoxide suppresses weeds, this study explores the interaction between brassicanate A sulfoxide and the photosystem II D1 protein through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. This research demonstrates that brassicanate A sulfoxide interacts with the photosystem II D1 protein by forming hydrogen bonds with Phe-261 and His-214. The successful expression of the photosystem II D1 protein in an insect cell/baculovirus system validated the molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Biolayer interferometry experiments elucidated that the affinity constant of brassicanate A sulfoxide with photosystem II was 2.69 × 10-3 M, suggesting that brassicanate A sulfoxide can stably bind to the photosystem II D1 protein. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of the mode of action of brassicanate A sulfoxide and also aid in the development of natural-product-based photosynthesis-inhibiting herbicides.

TPI1 promotes MAPK/ERK-induced EMT, cell migration and invasion in lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1), as a widely involved glycolytic enzyme, plays a significant role in glucose metabolism and is highly expressed in various tumors. However, its role in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains incompletely understood.

METHODS

Through bioinformatic analysis, we identified a positive association between high expression of TPI1 and metastasis in LUAD. Western blot, RT-qPCR, wound healing assays and transwell experiments, were employed to investigate potential mechanisms.

RESULTS

In this study, bioinformatic analysis showed that high expression of TPI1 was associated with poor prognosis in LUAD patients. We examined the expression of TPI1 in 29 paired LUAD tissues and found that TPI1 expression was higher in LUAD tissues than in paired adjacent noncancerous tissues. Meanwhile, overexpression of TPI1 promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in LUAD cells, while silencing TPI1 weakened the EMT process. Furthermore, TPI1 was shown to regulate EMT through the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

TPI1 promotes LUAD metastasis by activating the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.

A novel dual-pooling attention module for UAV vehicle re-identification

Vehicle re-identification (Re-ID) involves identifying the same vehicle captured by other cameras, given a vehicle image. It plays a crucial role in the development of safe cities and smart cities. With the rapid growth and implementation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) technology, vehicle Re-ID in UAV aerial photography scenes has garnered significant attention from researchers. However, due to the high altitude of UAVs, the shooting angle of vehicle images sometimes approximates vertical, resulting in fewer local features for Re-ID. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel dual-pooling attention (DpA) module, which achieves the extraction and enhancement of locally important information about vehicles from both channel and spatial dimensions by constructing two branches of channel-pooling attention (CpA) and spatial-pooling attention (SpA), and employing multiple pooling operations to enhance the attention to fine-grained information of vehicles. Specifically, the CpA module operates between the channels of the feature map and splices features by combining four pooling operations so that vehicle regions containing discriminative information are given greater attention. The SpA module uses the same pooling operations strategy to identify discriminative representations and merge vehicle features in image regions in a weighted manner. The feature information of both dimensions is finally fused and trained jointly using label smoothing cross-entropy loss and hard mining triplet loss, thus solving the problem of missing detail information due to the high height of UAV shots. The proposed method's effectiveness is demonstrated through extensive experiments on the UAV-based vehicle datasets VeRi-UAV and VRU.

Chicken feedlot revisited: Co-dispersal of antibiotic and metal resistome under banning in-feed veterinary antibiotics

Intensive livestock farming has been implicated as a notorious hotspot for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) due to the excessive or inappropriate use of in-feed antibiotics over the past few decades. Since China implemented a ban on the use of antibiotics in animal feed since 2020, the dissemination of ARGs in the vicinity of feedlots has remained unclear. This study presents a case study that aims to investigate the dispersal of antibiotics and ARGs from a chicken feedlot (established in 2020) to the adjacent aquatic and soil environments. Comparing the sample collected from upstream area, the water and sediment samples from midstream and downstream areas showed an increase in total antibiotic residues and metal content (Cu and Zn) by 4.2-5.3 fold and 1.3-22.6 fold, respectively. The downstream water samples exhibited a 2.49-2.93-fold increase in the abundance of ARGs and a 1.48-1.75-fold increase in the abundance of metal resistance genes (MRGs). The results of Pearson correlation and metagenome-assembled genome revealed a tendency for the co-occurrence of ARGs and MRGs. The dissemination of ARGs and MRGs is primarily driven by tetracycline, tylosin, Cu, and, Mn, with mobile genetic elements playing a more significant role than bacterial communities. These findings shed light on the overlooked co-dispersal pattern of ARGs and MRGs in the environment surrounding feedlots, particularly in the context of banning in-feed veterinary antibiotics.

Efficient degradation of ciprofloxacin in wastewater by CuFe2O4/CuS photocatalyst activated peroxynomosulfate

In this study, CuFe2O4/CuS composite photocatalysts were successfully synthesized for the activation of peroxynomosulfate to remove ciprofloxacin from wastewater. The structural composition and morphology of the materials were analyzed by XRD, SEM, TEM, and Raman spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of the samples were tested by an electrochemical workstation. The band gap of the samples was calculated by DFT and compared with the experimental values. The effects of different catalysts, oxidant PMS concentrations, and coexisting ions on the experiments were investigated. The reusability and stability of the photocatalysts were also investigated. The mechanism of the photocatalytic degradation process was proposed based on the free radical trapping experiment. The results show that the p-p heterojunction formed between the two contact surfaces of the CuFe2O4 nanoparticle and CuS promoted the charge transfer between the interfaces and inhibited the recombination of electrons and holes. CuFe2O4-5/CuS photocatalyst has the best catalytic activity, and the removal rate of ciprofloxacin is 93.7%. The intermediates in the degradation process were tested by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and the molecular structure characteristics of ciprofloxacin were analyzed by combining with DFT calculations. The possible degradation pathways of pollutants were proposed. This study reveals the great potential of the photocatalyst CuFe2O4/CuS in the activation of PMS for the degradation of ciprofloxacin wastewater.

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.

Holographic Optogenetic Activation of Neurons Eliciting Locomotion in Head-Embedded Larval Zebrafish

Understanding how motor circuits are organized and recruited in order to perform complex behavior is an essential question of neuroscience. Here we present an optogenetic protocol on larval zebrafish that allows spatial selective control of neuronal activity within a genetically defined population. We combine holographic illumination with the use of effective opsin transgenic lines, alongside high-speed behavioral monitoring to dissect the motor circuits of the larval zebrafish.

Tunable underwater sound absorption characteristics of 0-3 piezoelectric anechoic coating

Piezoelectric composite materials (PCMs) with shunt damping circuits are used widely in hydroacoustics because of the flexible adjustability of their parameters. PCMs offer good underwater sound absorption, but shortcomings remain, such as poor low-frequency sound absorption, narrow bandwidth, and a single dissipation mechanism. In this paper, the tunable underwater sound absorption of a 0-3 PCM combined with a cavity structure and shunt circuit (PCMC) is studied systematically. First, the equivalent material parameters of 0-3 PCM are derived based on the Yamada model, and then a theoretical electroacoustic model is established for solving the absorption coefficient and is mutually verified with the numerical simulation method. On this basis, the tunable absorption characteristics of the structure are analyzed. The results show that coupling the energy dissipation mechanism of 0-3 PCM with the acoustic mechanism of the cavity structure not only achieves strong absorption at lower frequencies but also enriches the absorption mode in the mid-high frequencies by connecting the shunt circuits. Moreover, the influence of piezoelectric control variables and acoustic cavity morphology characteristics on structural sound absorption performance is further explored. Finally, the acoustic performance of PCMC is improved further via shape optimization and parameter optimization.

Delivery of microRNA-423-5p by exosome from adipose-derived stem/stromal cells inhibits DVL3 to potentiate autologous fat graft survival through adipogenesis and inflammatory response

Autologous fat grafting represents a reconstructive technique but is limited by unstable graft retention. Based on existing reports and bioinformatics prediction, we hypothesized that delivering exosomes from human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (hADSC-Exo) would increase fat graft survival and further explore the mechanism. hADSC-Exo were extracted and identified. An autologous fat grafting model was established using donor and recipient mice, followed by hADSC-Exo treatment. hADSC-Exo promoted the retention of autologous fat grafts in mice, along with increased adipocyte activity, angiogenesis, and decreased inflammation in grafts. Moreover, hADSC-Exo potentiated the adipose differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells, enhanced the angiogenic and migratory capacity of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and inhibited the inflammation and viability of RAW 264.7 cells. The therapeutic effect of hADSC-Exo on fat grafting was associated with the delivery of microRNA (miR)-423-5p. Deletion of miR-423-5p in Exo impaired the function of hADSC-Exo on fat retention. miR-423-5p bound to DVL3 to suppress DVL3 expression, and DVL3 deletion promoted adipose differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. In conclusion, our findings further widen the theoretical basis of the clinical application of hADSC-Exo in autologous fat grafts.

LincR-PPP2R5C Promotes Th2 Cell Differentiation Through PPP2R5C/PP2A by Forming an RNA-DNA Triplex in Allergic Asthma

PURPOSE

The roles and mechanisms of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in T helper 2 (Th2) differentiation from allergic asthma are poorly understood. We aimed to explore a novel lncRNA, LincR-protein phosphatase 2 regulatory subunit B' gamma (PPP2R5C), in Th2 differentiation in a mouse model of asthma.

METHODS

LincR-PPP2R5C from RNA-seq data of CD4+ T cells of asthma-like mice were validated and confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, northern blotting, nuclear and cytoplasmic separation, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Lentiviruses encoding LincR-PPP2R5C or shRNA were used to overexpress or silence LincR-PPP2R5C in CD4+ T cells. The interactions between LincR-PPP2R5C and PPP2R5C were explored with western blotting, chromatin isolation by RNA purification assay, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer. An ovalbumin-induced acute asthma model in knockout (KO) mice (LincR-PPP2R5C KO, CD4 conditional LincR-PPP2R5C KO) was established to explore the roles of LincR-PPP2R5C in Th2 differentiation.

RESULTS

LncR-PPP2R5C was significantly higher in CD4+ T cells from asthmatic mice ex vivo and Th2 cells in vitro. The lentivirus encoding LincR-PPP2R5C suppressed Th1 differentiation; in contrast, the short hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentivirus decreased LincR-PPP2R5C and Th2 differentiation. Mechanistically, LincR-PPP2R5C deficiency suppressed the phosphatase activity of the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) holocomplex, resulting in a decline in Th2 differentiation. The formation of an RNA-DNA triplex between LincR-PPP2R5C and the PPP2R5C promoter enhanced PPP2R5C expression and activated PP2A. LincR-PPP2R5C KO and CD4 conditional KO decreased Th2 differentiation, airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammatory responses.

CONCLUSIONS

LincR-PPP2R5C regulated PPP2R5C expression and PP2A activity by forming an RNA-DNA triplex with the PPP2R5C promoter, leading to Th2 polarization in a mouse model of acute asthma. Our data presented the first definitive evidence of lncRNAs in the regulation of Th2 cells in asthma.

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.

MnFe2O4/polyaniline/diatomite composite with multiple loss mechanisms towards broadband absorption

The research and development of absorbing materials with high absorbing capacity, wide effective absorption bandwidth, and lightweight has always been interesting. In this research, a facile hydrothermal method was used to prepare MnFe2O4, and the grain size of MnFe2O4 decreased with increasing hydrothermal temperature. When the size of MnFe2O4 nanoparticles is less than 10 nm, its quantum size effect and surface effect make its electromagnetic microwave absorption performance greatly optimized. When the thickness of MnFe2O4-110 °C is 2.57 mm, the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) is -35.28 dB. Based on this, light porous diatomite and a three-dimensional polyaniline network are introduced. Diatomite is used as the base material to effectively reduce the agglomeration of MnFe2O4 quantum dots. The relatively high surface area introduced by a three-dimensional network of polyaniline promotes the orientation, interfacial polarization, multiple relaxation, and impedance matching, thereby generating further dielectric loss. Additionally, the magnetic properties of manganese ferrite and the strong electrical conductivity of polyaniline play an appropriate complementary role in electromagnetic wave absorption. The RLmin of MnFe2O4/PANI/diatomite is -56.70 dB at 11.12 GHz with an absorber layer thickness of 2.57 mm. The effective frequency bandwidth (RL < -10 dB) ranges from 9.21 to 18.00 GHz. The absorption mechanism indicates that the high absorption intensity is the result of the synergistic effect of impedance matching, conduction losses, polarization losses, and magnetic losses.

Defining the safety of early ileostomy closure after ileal pouch anal anastomosis

PURPOSE

The safety of early ileostomy reversal after ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) has not been established. Our hypothesis was that ileostomy reversal before 8 weeks is associated with negative outcomes.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study from a prospectively maintained institutional database. Patients who underwent primary IPAA with ileostomy reversal between 2000 and 2021 from a Pouch Registry were stratified on the basis of timing of reversal. Those reversed before 8 weeks (early) and those reversed from 8 weeks to 116 days (routine) were compared. The primary outcome was overall complications according to timing and reason for closure.

RESULTS

Ileostomy reversal was performed early in 92 patients and routinely in 1908. Median time to closure was 49 days in the early group and 93 days in the routine group. Reasons for early reversal were stoma-related morbidity in 43.3% (n = 39) and scheduled closure in 56.7% (n = 51). The complication rate in the early group was 17.4% versus 11% in the routine group (p = 0.085). When early patients were stratified according to reason for reversal, those reversed early for stoma-related morbidity had an increased complication rate compared to the routine group (25.6% vs. 11%, p = 0.006). Patients undergoing scheduled reversal in the early group did not have increased complications (11.8% vs. 11%, p = 0.9). There was a higher likelihood of pouch anastomotic leak when reversal was performed early for stoma complications compared to routinely (OR 5.13, 95% CI 1.01-16.57, p = 0.049).

CONCLUSIONS

Early closure is safe but could be delayed in stoma morbidity as patients may experience increased complications.

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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Exploration of the nonlinear relationship between social support and the establishment of long-term doctor-patient relationships: An empirical analysis based on virtual doctor teams

BACKGROUND

The continued development of information technology has led to the emergence of online medical consultation platforms. Online virtual doctor teams, a new model in online medical care, have received significant attention for their ability to provide increased social support to patients. Many scholars have explored the role of social support in doctor-patient communication, usually focusing on a linear relationship between the impact of social support on medical outcomes. In the present study, we will explore the existence of a nonlinear relationship between the two.

METHODS

In the present study, we use doctor teams from a leading online consultation platform in China--Haodf online (https://www.Haodf.com), as our research object. In total, 610 doctor teams and 413,778 consultation records spanning from June 2017 to November 2019 are collected and used to explore how social support supplied by doctor teams during interactive communication would affect the establishment of long-term doctor-patient relationships. We also explore the moderating role of team leadership type in this process. From the perspective of social support theory, we select representative factors of informational support and emotional support provided by doctor teams, namely, medical term use and emotional expression. We use text and sentiment analysis methods to extract social support contained in the texts of online doctor team-patient interactions and classify doctor teams into strong and weak leadership types based on leader-member status distance. Further, we used a logistic regression model to empirically analyze the nonlinear relationship between social support and long-term doctor-patient relationship establishment and the moderating effects of team leadership types in this process.

RESULTS

The present results show that inverted U-shaped relationships exist among medical term use, emotional expression, and long-term doctor-patient relationship establishment, respectively. Doctor teams with strong leadership type make the inverted U-shaped curve between medical term use and long-term doctor-patient relationship establishment flatter than teams with weak leadership type.

CONCLUSION

In the present study, we enrich the application of social support theory in the field of online health consultation and provide suggestions for how different types of online doctor teams provide social support to patients.

Inaugural Experience with Real-time Gated Liver Proton SBRT and Treatment Plan Quality Improvement

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

DIBH SBRT is routinely used for liver proton therapy. While intra-fraction target motion is limited with DIBH, acquisition of DIBH CT simulations in triplicate, as is done at our institution, reveals that variation does exist between each DIBH scan. The related target position can also vary correspondingly. The most common setup uncertainty for robust proton SBRT liver plan used at our institution is 5 mm sup-inf (SI) and 3 mm radially. Real-time gated proton therapy (RGPT) has the potential to provide instantaneous feedback for intra-fraction target motion to maximize patient safety and inform optimal treatment planning. Our first RGPT liver SBRT with intra-fraction motion under deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH). The potential treatment plan quality improvement brought by RGPT is investigated.

MATERIALS/METHODS

The following metrics were used in establishing our RGPT proton DIBH SBRT liver program: the iso center is always set at the fiducial mark; the beam orientation is selected to achieve both good plan quality and tracking performance; daily CBCTs are acquired and verified using fiducial maker position with kV images; robust uncertainty is determined by the gating tolerance; SBRT plan has three beams with uniform dose. Target motion was monitored throughout treatment. To evaluate dose sparing for surrounding OARs, a plan with tighter gating tolerance (3 mm SI and 2 mm radially) is optimized for dosimetric comparison. Statistical analyses were conducted using a programming environment.

RESULTS

Each of the three proton beams were delivered using DIBH over a total of 120-140 seconds. The average beam on time were 61.4, 66.9 and 62.8 seconds. The intra-fraction motion showed that targets could move up to 3 mm within the same DIBH. The motion increased with time. The table details the mean, maximum, standard deviation, and estimated upper 95% of directional shifts for three beams. Based on these results, plan delivery efficiency was maintained even with tighter gating tolerance. The comparison plan with tight gating tolerance showed significantly less dose (-25%) to the stomach in coronal view.

CONCLUSION

RGPT successfully tracked fiducial marker motion for DIBH SBRT liver treatment. Despite target drift during DIBH, the uncertainty of our DIBH SBRT procedure was sufficient to cover target motion throughout treatment. Based on the target drift value, a maximum of 25 seconds for breath hold time should be employed. Utilizing a tighter gating tolerance of 3 mm SI and 2 mm radially has the potential to maintain target coverage while significantly reducing OAR dose. Aggregated RGPT-derived data may provide optimal treatment planning parameters such as variable uncertainty based on target location.

Meta-Analysis of Five Fraction Preoperative Radiotherapy for Soft Tissue Sarcoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

There is increasing interest in shorter courses of radiation therapy (RT) in the management of soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Studies investigating preoperative ultra-hypofractionated 5-fraction RT for STS are few and often limited to single institution experiences with less than 50 patients. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to determine the efficacy and safety of preoperative 5-fraction RT for STS based on currently published literature, with an analysis evaluating effects of dose delivered.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This study level meta-analysis was conducted using Bayesian methods. Statistical estimation for risk of outcome rates were conducted by posterior mean and 95% highest posterior density (HPD) intervals. Studies with two-year local control (LC) and description of major wound complications (MWC) per the CAN-NCIC-SR2 study were included in this meta-analysis, and these served as the primary endpoints. Secondary endpoints included rates of acute and late toxicity. A total of ten studies were identified; seven met inclusion criteria (Kalbasi 2020, Kubicek 2021, Leite 2021, Spalek 2021, Gobo Silva 2021, Bedi 2022, Mayo 2022). Three studies (Kosela-Paterczyk 2014, Kosela-Paterczyk 2021, Potkrajcic 2021) did not include adequate information to accurately determine 2-year LC or MWC. Subgroup analyses were performed for ≥30 Gy vs <30 Gy as the EQD2 of 30 Gy in 5 fractions for an α/β of 3-4 is 50-54 Gy, equivalent to standard preoperative RT fractionation.

RESULTS

A total of 208 patients were included from seven studies. Five studies used ≥30 Gy (n = 144) and 2 studies <30 Gy (n = 64). The median follow-up was 29 months (range: 21-57). Primary tumor location was lower extremity in 68%, upper extremity in 22%, and trunk in 10%. In studies with available information, most tumors were intermediate (27%, 46/169) or high grade (67%, 114/169) and 50% (79/158) were >10 cm. Two-year LC for the entire cohort was 96.9% (95% HPD: 0.9374-0.9889) and the rate of MWC was 30.6% (95% HPD: 0.2106-0.4149). Acute grade 2 and 3 dermatitis was seen in 12.7% and 2.2%, respectively. Late grade 2 toxicities included fibrosis (11.1%), stiffness (6.0%), and lymphedema (4.0%) and late grade 3 toxicities included fibrosis (1.8%) and stiffness (0.4%). Grade 4 toxicity was rare and included fibrosis (0.6%) and stiffness (0.6%). There was a trend toward improved LC with ≥ 30 Gy (95% HPD: 0.949-0.997 vs 0.838-0.986). There was no difference in MWC (95% HPD: 0.185-0.420 vs 0.172-0.553) or late toxicity between the two groups. Acute grade 3 dermatitis was seen less frequently with regimens <30 Gy (95% HPD: 0-0 vs 0.009-0.072), however rare overall.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative 5-fraction RT for STS demonstrates excellent 2-year LC with MWC and toxicity similar to standard fractionation preoperative RT. Multi-institutional trials with a universal RT protocol and larger sample size are warranted to assess this novel treatment paradigm.

The mesencephalic locomotor region recruits V2a reticulospinal neurons to drive forward locomotion in larval zebrafish

The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) is a brain stem area whose stimulation triggers graded forward locomotion. How MLR neurons recruit downstream vsx2+ (V2a) reticulospinal neurons (RSNs) is poorly understood. Here, to overcome this challenge, we uncovered the locus of MLR in transparent larval zebrafish and show that the MLR locus is distinct from the nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus. MLR stimulations reliably elicit forward locomotion of controlled duration and frequency. MLR neurons recruit V2a RSNs via projections onto somata in pontine and retropontine areas, and onto dendrites in the medulla. High-speed volumetric imaging of neuronal activity reveals that strongly MLR-coupled RSNs are active for steering or forward swimming, whereas weakly MLR-coupled medullary RSNs encode the duration and frequency of the forward component. Our study demonstrates how MLR neurons recruit specific V2a RSNs to control the kinematics of forward locomotion and suggests conservation of the motor functions of V2a RSNs across vertebrates.

The Aqueous Extract of Brassica oleracea L. Exerts Phytotoxicity by Modulating H2O2 and O2- Levels, Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Phytohormone Levels

Allelopathic interactions between plants serve as powerful tools for weed control. Despite the increasing understanding of the allelopathic mechanisms between different plant species, the inhibitory effects of B. oleracea on weed growth remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted experiments to demonstrate that B. oleracea extract can suppress the germination of Panicum miliaceum L.varruderale Kit. seeds as well as of the roots, shoots and hypocotyl elongation of P. miliaceum seedlings. Furthermore, we observed that B. oleracea extract reduced the levels of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion in the roots while increasing the activities of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase. In the shoots, B. oleracea extract enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase. Moreover, the use of the extract led to an increase in the content of phytohormones (indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-acetaldehyde, methyl indole-3-acetate, N6-isoPentenyladenosine, dihydrozeatin-7-glucoside, abscisic acid and abscisic acid glucose ester) in P. miliaceum seedlings. Interestingly, the aqueous extract contained auxins and their analogs, which inhibited the germination and growth of P. miliaceum. This may contribute to the mechanism of the B. oleracea-extract-induced suppression of P. miliaceum growth.

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.

Machine learning for prediction of asthma exacerbations among asthmatic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Asthma exacerbations reduce the patient's quality of life and are also responsible for significant disease burdens and economic costs. Machine learning (ML)-based prediction models have been increasingly developed to predict asthma exacerbations in recent years. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify the prediction performance of ML-based prediction models for asthma exacerbations and address the uncertainty of whether modern ML methods could become an alternative option to predict asthma exacerbations.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched for studies published up to December 15, 2022. Studies that applied ML methods to develop prediction models for asthma exacerbations among asthmatic patients older than five years and were published in English were eligible. The prediction model risk of bias assessment tool (PROBAST) was utilized to estimate the risk of bias and the applicability of included studies. Stata software (version 15.0) was used for the random effects meta-analysis of performance measures. Subgroup analyses stratified by ML methods, sample size, age groups, and outcome definitions were conducted.

RESULTS

Eleven studies, including 23 prediction models, were identified. Most of the studies were published in recent three years. Logistic regression, boosting, and random forest were the most used ML methods. The most common important predictors were systemic steroid use, short-acting beta2-agonists, emergency department visit, age, and exacerbation history. The overall pooled area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) of 11 studies (23 prediction models) was 0.80 (95% CI 0.77-0.83). Subgroup analysis based on different ML models showed that boosting method achieved the best performance, with an overall pooled AUROC of 0.84 (95% CI 0.81-0.87).

CONCLUSION

This study identified that ML was the potential tool to achieve great performance in predicting asthma exacerbations. However, the methodology within these models was heterogeneous. Future studies should focus on improving the generalization ability and practicability, thus driving the application of these models in clinical practice.

Effect of solar proton events on test mass for gravitational wave detection in the 24th solar cycle

Free-falling cubic Test Masses (TMs) are a key component of the interferometer used for low-frequency gravitational wave (GW) detection in space. However, exposure to energetic particles in the environment can lead to electrostatic charging of the TM, resulting in additional electrostatic and Lorentz forces that can impact GW detection sensitivity. To evaluate this effect, the high-energy proton data set of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) program was used to analyze TM charging due to Solar Proton Events (SPEs) in the 24th solar cycle. Using the Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit, the TM charging process is simulated in a space environment for SPEs falling into three ranges of proton flux: (1) greater than 10 pfu and less than 100 pfu, (2) greater than 100 pfu and less than 1000 pfu, and (3) greater than 1000 pfu. It is found that SPEs charging can reach the threshold within 535 s to 18.6 h, considering a reasonable discharge threshold of LISA and Taiji. We demonstrate that while there is a somewhat linear correlation between the net charging rate of the TM and the integrated flux of [Formula: see text] 10 MeV SPEs, there are many cases in which the integrated flux is significantly different from the charging rate. Therefore, we investigate the difference between the integral flux and the charging rate of SPEs using the charging efficiency assessment method. Our results indicate that the energy spectrum structure of SPEs is the most important factor influencing the charging rate. Lastly, we evaluate the charging probability of SPEs in the 24th solar cycle and find that the frequency and charging risk of SPEs are highest in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th years, which can serve as a reference for future GW detection spacecraft.

Improvement of thermal perceptions and physiological responses using torso heating under short-term cold exposure

Short-term cold exposure (<1 h) may adversely affect human thermal comfort and health. Few studies have investigated the effectiveness of body heating in providing thermal protection to the torso against sharp temperature decreases, as well as the optimal operation modes of torso heating equipment. In this study, 12 male subjects were acclimatised in a room at 20 °C, then exposed to a cold environment at -2.2 °C, and finally returned to the room for recovery; each phase lasted 30 min. During cold exposure, they wore uniform clothing with an electrically heated vest (EHV) operated under these modes: no heating (NH), stage-regulated heating (SH), and intermittent alternating heating (IAH). Variations in subjective perceptions, physiological responses, and temperatures set for heating were recorded during the experiments. Torso heating mitigated the adverse effects of the large temperature down-step and continuous cold exposure on thermal perception and decreased the occurrence of three symptoms: cold hands or feet, running or stuffy noses, and shivering during cold exposure. After torso heating, the same skin temperature of the non-directly heated parts corresponded to a higher local thermal sensation, which was attributed to an indirect effect of the improved overall thermal state. The IAH mode could achieve thermal comfort at a reduced energy level, and it outperformed SH in subjective perception enhancement and self-reported symptom relief at lower heating temperatures. Additionally, under the same heating setting temperatures and power capacity, it could achieve an approximately 50 % longer usage time than SH could. The results suggest that intermittent heating protocol can be an efficient way to achieve thermal comfort and energy savings for personal heating devices.

Thickness-dependent carrier transport of PdSe2films grown by plasma-assisted metal selenization

Atomically thin narrow-bandgap layered PdSe₂has attracted much attention due to its rich and unique electrical properties. For silicon-compatible device integration, direct wafer-scale preparation of high-quality PdSe₂thin film on a silicon substrate is highly desired. Here, we present the low-temperature synthesis of large-area polycrystalline PdSe₂films grown on SiO₂/Si substrates by plasma-assisted metal selenization and investigate their charge carrier transport behaviors. Raman analysis, depth-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy were used to reveal the selenization process. The results indicate a structural evolution from initial Pd to intermediate PdSe_2-xphase and eventually to PdSe₂. The field-effect transistors fabricated from these ultrathin PdSe₂films exhibit strong thickness-dependent transport behaviors. For thinner films (4.5 nm), a record high on/off ratio of 10⁴was obtained. While for thick ones (11 nm), the maximum hole mobility is about 0.93 cm²V^-1S-1, which is the record high value ever reported for polycrystalline films. These findings suggest that our low-temperature-metal-selenized PdSe₂films have high quality and show great potential for applications in electrical devices.

Modular characterization of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein domain functions in nucleocapsid-like assembly

SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, with the Omicron subvariant XBB currently prevailing the global infections, continue to pose threats on public health worldwide. This non-segmented positive-stranded RNA virus encodes the multi-functional nucleocapsid protein (N) that plays key roles in viral infection, replication, genome packaging and budding. N protein consists of two structural domains, NTD and CTD, and three intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) including the N_IDR, the serine/arginine rich motif (SR_IDR), and the C_IDR. Previous studies revealed functions of N protein in RNA binding, oligomerization, and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), however, characterizations of individual domains and their dissected contributions to N protein functions remain incomplete. In particular, little is known about N protein assembly that may play essential roles in viral replication and genome packing. Here, we present a modular approach to dissect functional roles of individual domains in SARS-CoV-2 N protein that reveals inhibitory or augmented modulations of protein assembly and LLPS in the presence of viral RNAs. Intriguingly, full-length N protein (N_FL) assembles into ring-like architecture whereas the truncated SR_IDR-CTD-C_IDR (N_182-419) promotes filamentous assembly. Moreover, LLPS droplets of N_FL and N_182-419 are significantly enlarged in the presence of viral RNAs, and we observed filamentous structures in the N_182-419 droplets using correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), suggesting that the formation of LLPS droplets may promote higher-order assembly of N protein for transcription, replication and packaging. Together this study expands our understanding of the multiple functions of N protein in SARS-CoV-2.

What is the real morbidity after emergency colectomy for Crohn's disease? A propensity score matched study

BACKGROUND

In the inflammatory bowel disease literature, emergency surgery for Crohn's disease (CD) is associated with worse postoperative outcomes as compared to elective surgery. Previous studies have compared heterogeneous groups only. We hypothesized that this association would be lost after matched analysis. We aimed to compare matched CD patients undergoing elective vs emergency surgery.

METHODS

The National Surgical Quality Improvement database (01/2005-12/2019) was utilized to identify adult CD surgical patients. Univariate and conditional logistic regression models were used to analyze unmatched and matched cohorts. Propensity-score matching was performed to match emergency to non-emergency patients 1:1. Our primary outcome was a composite of any complication. Our secondary endpoints were hospital readmission, unplanned reoperation and 30-day morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

In the unmatched analyses (n = 12,181/95.28% elective and n = 603/4.72% emergency) of Crohn's patients undergoing colectomy, 20% of elective and 42% of emergency patients experienced a complication (p < 0.001). Over 20 outcomes measured including length of stay (LOS), readmission, infections and respiratory, cardiovascular and renal complications, were worse in the emergency cohort. In the matched analyses (n = 400 emergency/400 elective patients) only the categories of any complication (OR 1.44, 1.06-1.96 95% CI, p = 0.02), any surgical site infection (SSI, OR 1.53, 1.07-2.19 95% CI, p = 0.02), superficial SSI (OR 2.25, 1.14-4.44 95% CI, p = 0.02), organ space SSI (1.58 OR 1.04-2.4 95% CI, p = 0.03), unplanned intubation (OR 5.0, 1.45-17.27 95% CI, p = 0.01), ventilation > 48 h (OR 9.0, 1.4-38.79 95% CI, p = 0.003) and septic shock (OR 4.5, 1.86-10.9 95% CI, p < 0.001) were higher in the emergency cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Matching CD patients resulted in a loss of the observed increase in cardiovascular and renal complications, reoperation and LOS following emergency surgery; however, SSIs and respiratory complications remained increased despite matching.

An efficient CRISPR-Cas12a promoter editing system for crop improvement

Promoter editing represents an innovative approach to introduce quantitative trait variation (QTV) in crops. However, an efficient promoter editing system for QTV needs to be established. Here we develop a CRISPR-Cas12a promoter editing (CAPE) system that combines a promoter key-region estimating model and an efficient CRISPR-Cas12a-based multiplexed or singular editing system. CAPE is benchmarked in rice to produce QTV continuums for grain starch content and size by targeting OsGBSS1 and OsGS3, respectively. We then apply CAPE for promoter editing of OsD18, a gene encoding GA3ox in the gibberellin biosynthesis pathway. The resulting lines carry a QTV continuum of semidwarfism without significantly compromising grain measures. Field trials demonstrated that the OsD18 promoter editing lines have the same yield performance and antilodging phenotype as the Green Revolution OsSD1 mutants in different genetic backgrounds. Hence, promoter editing of OsD18 generates a quantitative Green Revolution trait. Together, we demonstrate a CAPE-based promoter editing and tuning pipeline for efficient production of useful QTV continuum in crops.