Synonymous mutations in TLR2 and TLR9 genes decrease COPD susceptibility in the Chinese Han population

INTRODUCTION

Previous studies have found associations between polymorphisms in some candidate genes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk. However, the association between TLR2 and TLR9 polymorphisms and COPD risk remains uncertain.

METHODS

Four variants (rs352140, rs3804099, rs3804100, and rs5743705) of the TLR2 and TLR9 genes in 540 COPD patients and 507 healthy controls were genotyped using the Agena MassARRAY system. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the association of TLR2 and TLR9 polymorphisms with COPD risk by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

TLR9-rs352140, TLR2-rs3804100, and TLR2-rs5743705 were related to a lower risk of COPD among Chinese people and the significance still existed after Bonferroni correction. Additionally, rs3804099, rs3804100, and rs352140 were found to be associated with COPD development in different subgroups (males, age ≤ 68 years, smokers, BMI < 24 kg/m2, and acute exacerbation).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated that TLR9 and TLR2 polymorphisms had protective effects on the development of COPD among Chinese people.

Cardiac MRI feature-tracking-derived torsion mechanics in systolic and diastolic dysfunction in systemic light-chain cardiac amyloidosis

AIM

To describe the myocardial torsion mechanics in cardiac amyloidosis (CA), and evaluate the correlations between left ventricle (LV) torsion mechanics and conventional parameters using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging feature tracking (CMR-FT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred and thirty-nine patients with light-chain CA (AL-CA) were divided into three groups: group 1 with preserved systolic function (LV ejection fraction [LVEF] ≥50%, n=55), group 2 with mildly reduced systolic function (40% ≤ LVEF <50%, n=51), and group 3 with reduced systolic function (LVEF <40%, n=33), and compared with age- and gender-matched healthy controls (n=26). All patients underwent cine imaging and late gadolinium-enhancement (LGE). Cine images were analysed offline using CMR-FT to estimate torsion parameters.

RESULTS

Global torsion, base-mid torsion, and peak diastolic torsion rate (diasTR) were significantly impaired in patients with preserved systolic function (p<0.05 for all), whereas mid-apex torsion and peak systolic torsion rate (sysTR) were preserved (p>0.05 for both) compared with healthy controls. In patients with mildly reduced systolic function, global torsion and base-mid torsion were lower compared to those with preserved systolic function (p<0.05 for both), while mid-apex torsion, sysTR, and diasTR were preserved (p>0.05 for all). In patients with reduced systolic function, only sysTR was significantly worse compared with mildly reduced systolic function (p<0.05). At multivariable analysis, right ventricle (RV) end-systolic volume RVESV index and NYHA class were independently related to global torsion, whereas LVEF was independently related to sysTR. RV ejection fraction (RVEF) was independently related to diasTR. LV global torsion performed well (AUC 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61, 0.77) in discriminating transmural from non-transmural LGE in AL-CA patients.

CONCLUSION

LV torsion mechanics derived by CMR-FT could help to monitor LV systolic and diastolic function in AL-CA patients and function as a new imaging marker for LV dysfunction and LGE transmurality.

PINK1/Park2-Mediated Mitophagy Relieve Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Up to now, there's a limited number of studies on the relationship between PINK1/Park2 pathway and mitophagy in NAFLD. To investigate the effect of Park2-mediated mitophagy on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Oleic acid was used for the establishment of NAFLD model. Oil red-dyed lipid drops and mitochondrial alternations were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Enzymatic kit was used to test lipid content. The levels of IL-8 and TNF-alpha were determined by ELISA. Lenti-Park2 and Park2-siRNA were designed to upregulate and downregulate Park2 expression, respectively. The changing expression of PINK and Park2 was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. Immunofluorescence staining was applied to measure the amount of LC3. Successful NAFLD modeling was featured by enhanced lipid accumulation, as well as the elevated total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), TNF-alpha and IL-8 levels. Mitochondria in NAFLD model were morphologically and functionally damaged. Park2 expression was upregulated by lenti-Park2 and downregulated through Park2-siRNA. The PINK1 expression showed the same trend as Park2 expression. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that the when Park2 was overexpressed, more LC3 protein on mitochondrial autophagosome membrane was detected, whereas Park2 knockdown impeded LC3' locating on the membrane. The transmission electron microscopy image exhibited that the extent of damage to the mitochondrial in NAFLD model was revered by enhanced Park2 expression but further exacerbated by reduced Park2 expression. Park2-mediated mitophagy could relive NAFLD and may be a novel therapeutic target for NAFLD treatment. Keywords: Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), Mitophagy, PINK1/Park2, Park2, PINK1.

[Interpretation of specification for service of cancer screening for workers]

As the backbone force of China's social and economic construction, the health status of workers is closely related to the nation's productivity and social development. Currently, cancers have become one of the major diseases threatening the health of workers. However, there are still many shortcomings in the cancer screening services for the workers. To standardize cancer screening services for workers, ensure the quality of screening services, and improve the overall screening effectiveness, 19 institutions, including Peking Union Medical College Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, have jointly formulated the Group Standard "Specification for service of cancer screening for workers (T/CHAA 023-2023)". This standard follows the principles of "legality, scientific rigor, advancement, and feasibility" and combines the frontier scientific advances in cancer screening. It clarifies the relevant requirements for service principles, service design, service delivery, service management, service evaluation, and improving worker cancer screening. Implementing this group standard will help connect the common screening needs of workers, employers, and cancer screening service providers, standardize the screening process, improve screening quality, and ultimately increase the early diagnosis rate and survival rate of cancer patients. Consequently, this group standard will help safeguard workers' health rights and interests, ensure the labor force resources, promote the comprehensive coordinated and sustainable development of society, and contribute to realizing the "Healthy China 2030" strategic policy.

UiO-66/AgNPs Coating for Dental Implants in Preventing Bacterial Infections

Titanium (Ti)-based biomaterials lack inherent antimicrobial activities, and the dental plaque formed on the implant surface is one of the main risk factors for implant infections. Construction of an antibacterial surface can effectively prevent implant infections and enhance implant success. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) exhibit broad antibacterial activity and a low tendency to induce drug resistance, but AgNPs easily self-aggregate in the aqueous environment, which significantly impairs their antibacterial activity. In this study, UiO-66/AgNP (U/A) nanocomposite was prepared, where zirconium metal-organic frameworks (UiO-66) were employed as the confinement matrix to control the particle size and prevent aggregation of AgNPs. The bactericidal activity of U/A against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli increased nearly 75.51 and 484.50 times compared with individually synthesized Ag. The antibacterial mechanism can be attributed to the enhanced membrane rupture caused by the ultrafine AgNPs on UiO-66, leading to protein leakage and generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Then, U/A was loaded onto Ti substrates (Ti-U/A) by using self-assembly deposition methods to construct an antibacterial surface coating. Ti-U/A exhibited excellent antibacterial activities and desired biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo. The U/A nanocomposite coating technique is thus expected to be used as a promising surface modification strategy for Ti-based dental implants for preventing dental implant infections.

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis of primary aldosteronism associated with subclinical Cushing syndrome]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) associated with subclinical Cushing syndrome (SCS). Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in China. Patients with PA were included between January 2014 and December 2022. According to the results of 1-mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test, the patients were divided into the PA group and PA associated with SCS (PA/SCS) group. The demographic information, hormone levels, and follow-up results were analyzed. Independent sample t-test, chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for data comparison. Results: A total of 489 PA patients were enrolled in this study, of which 109 had PA/SCS (22.3%). Patients with SCS were on average older (54.4±10.7 vs. 47.4±11.0, P<0.001); had a larger proportion of women (69.7%, 76/109 vs. 57.4%, 218/380; P=0.020); and a longer duration of hypertension [96 (36, 180) vs. 60 (12, 120) months, P=0.001] than patients without SCS. There were 215 and 51 patients in the PA group and PA/SCS group, who completed adrenalectomy and follow-up, respectively. The remission rate of autonomous cortisol secretion in the PA/SCS group was 85.3% (29/34). There was no significant difference in the remission rate of autonomous aldosterone secretion among patients between the PA/SCS and PA group (94.1%, 48/51 vs. 94.4%, 203/215; P=1.000), while the clinical remission rate in the PA/SCS group was lower than that in the PA group (39.2%, 20/51 vs. 61.9%, 133/215; P=0.003). Conclusions: SCS is common in PA patients (22.3%), and the clinical remission rate is low. Screening using the 1-mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test is recommended for all patients with PA.

Deep learning-based facial analysis for predicting difficult videolaryngoscopy: a feasibility study

While videolaryngoscopy has resulted in better overall success rates of tracheal intubation, airway assessment is still an important prerequisite for safe airway management. This study aimed to create an artificial intelligence model to identify difficult videolaryngoscopy using a neural network. Baseline characteristics, medical history, bedside examination and seven facial images were included as predictor variables. ResNet-18 was introduced to recognise images and extract features. Different machine learning algorithms were utilised to develop predictive models. A videolaryngoscopy view of Cormack-Lehane grade of 1 or 2 was classified as 'non-difficult', while grade 3 or 4 was classified as 'difficult'. A total of 5849 patients were included, of whom 5335 had non-difficult and 514 had difficult videolaryngoscopy. The facial model (only including facial images) using the Light Gradient Boosting Machine algorithm showed the highest area under the curve (95%CI) of 0.779 (0.733-0.825) with a sensitivity (95%CI) of 0.757 (0.650-0.845) and specificity (95%CI) of 0.721 (0.626-0.794) in the test set. Compared with bedside examination and multivariate scores (El-Ganzouri and Wilson), the facial model had significantly higher predictive performance (p < 0.001). Artificial intelligence-based facial analysis is a feasible technique for predicting difficulty during videolaryngoscopy, and the model developed using neural networks has higher predictive performance than traditional methods.

Amplitude Analysis of the B^{0}→K^{*0}μ^{+}μ^{-} Decay

An amplitude analysis of the B^{0}→K^{*0}μ^{+}μ^{-} decay is presented using a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.7  fb^{-1} of pp collision data collected with the LHCb experiment. For the first time, the coefficients associated to short-distance physics effects, sensitive to processes beyond the standard model, are extracted directly from the data through a q^{2}-unbinned amplitude analysis, where q^{2} is the μ^{+}μ^{-} invariant mass squared. Long-distance contributions, which originate from nonfactorizable QCD processes, are systematically investigated, and the most accurate assessment to date of their impact on the physical observables is obtained. The pattern of measured corrections to the short-distance couplings is found to be consistent with previous analyses of b- to s-quark transitions, with the largest discrepancy from the standard model predictions found to be at the level of 1.8 standard deviations. The global significance of the observed differences in the decay is 1.4 standard deviations.

[A multicenter prospective study on early identification of refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children]

Objective: To explore potential predictors of refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) in early stage. Methods: The prospective multicenter study was conducted in Zhejiang, China from May 1st, 2019 to January 31st, 2020. A total of 1 428 patients with fever >48 hours to <120 hours were studied. Their clinical data and oral pharyngeal swab samples were collected; Mycoplasma pneumoniae DNA in pharyngeal swab specimens was detected. Patients with positive Mycoplasma pneumoniae DNA results underwent a series of tests, including chest X-ray, complete blood count, C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and procalcitonin. According to the occurrence of RMPP, the patients were divided into two groups, RMPP group and general Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (GMPP) group. Measurement data between the 2 groups were compared using Mann-Whitney U test. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the associations between clinical data and RMPP. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyse the power of the markers for predicting RMPP. Results: A total of 1 428 patients finished the study, with 801 boys and 627 girls, aged 4.3 (2.7, 6.3) years. Mycoplasma pneumoniae DNA was positive in 534 cases (37.4%), of whom 446 cases (83.5%) were diagnosed with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, including 251 boys and 195 girls, aged 5.2 (3.3, 6.9) years. Macrolides-resistant variation was positive in 410 cases (91.9%). Fifty-five cases were with RMPP, 391 cases with GMPP. The peak body temperature before the first visit and LDH levels in RMPP patients were higher than that in GMPP patients (39.6 (39.1, 40.0) vs. 39.2 (38.9, 39.7) ℃, 333 (279, 392) vs. 311 (259, 359) U/L, both P<0.05). Logistic regression showed the prediction probability π=exp (-29.7+0.667×Peak body temperature (℃)+0.004×LDH (U/L))/(1+exp (-29.7+0.667×Peak body temperature (℃)+0.004 × LDH (U/L))), the cut-off value to predict RMPP was 0.12, with a consensus of probability forecast of 0.89, sensitivity of 0.89, and specificity of 0.67; and the area under ROC curve was 0.682 (95%CI 0.593-0.771, P<0.01). Conclusion: In MPP patients with fever over 48 to <120 hours, a prediction probability π of RMPP can be calculated based on the peak body temperature and LDH level before the first visit, which can facilitate early identification of RMPP.

Reciprocal inhibition between TP63 and STAT1 regulates anti-tumor immune response through interferon-γ signaling in squamous cancer

Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are common and aggressive malignancies. Immune check point blockade (ICB) therapy using PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies has been approved in several types of advanced SCCs. However, low response rate and treatment resistance are common. Improving the efficacy of ICB therapy requires better understanding of the mechanism of immune evasion. Here, we identify that the SCC-master transcription factor TP63 suppresses interferon-γ (IFNγ) signaling. TP63 inhibition leads to increased CD8+ T cell infiltration and heighten tumor killing in in vivo syngeneic mouse model and ex vivo co-culture system, respectively. Moreover, expression of TP63 is negatively correlated with CD8+ T cell infiltration and activation in patients with SCC. Silencing of TP63 enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of PD-1 blockade by promoting CD8+ T cell infiltration and functionality. Mechanistically, TP63 and STAT1 mutually suppress each other to regulate the IFNγ signaling by co-occupying and co-regulating their own promoters and enhancers. Together, our findings elucidate a tumor-extrinsic function of TP63 in promoting immune evasion of SCC cells. Over-expression of TP63 may serve as a biomarker predicting the outcome of SCC patients treated with ICB therapy, and targeting TP63/STAT/IFNγ axis may enhance the efficacy of ICB therapy for this deadly cancer.

Fraction of χ_{c} Decays in Prompt J/ψ Production Measured in pPb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV

The fraction of χ_{c1} and χ_{c2} decays in the prompt J/ψ yield, F_{χ_{c}→J/ψ}=σ_{χ_{c}→J/ψ}/σ_{J/ψ}, is measured by the LHCb detector in pPb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16  TeV. The study covers the forward (1.5 Collapse

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Testosterone administration decreases sensitivity to angry facial expressions in healthy males: A computational modeling approach

Previous research indicates that higher testosterone levels are related to increased aggressive and dominant behaviors, particularly in males. One possible mechanism for these hormone-behavior associations could involve threat perception. However, the causal influence of testosterone on men's recognition of threatening facial expressions remains unknown. Here, we tested the causal effect of exogenous testosterone on men's sensitivity to facial threat by combining a psychophysical task with computational modeling. We administered a single dose (150 mg) of testosterone or placebo gel to healthy young men (n = 120) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-participant design. Participants were presented with morphed emotional faces mixing anger/fear and neutral expressions and made judgments about the emotional expression. Across typical regression analysis, signal detection analysis, and drift diffusion modeling, our results consistently showed that individuals who received testosterone (versus placebo) exhibited a lower perceived sensitivity to angry facial expressions. But we observed no significant effects of testosterone administration on fearful facial expressions. The findings indicate that testosterone attenuates sensitivity to facial threat, especially angry facial expressions, which could lead to a misestimation of others' dominance and an increase in one's own aggressive and dominant behaviors.

TSCRE: a comprehensive database for tumor-specific cis-regulatory elements

Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and super cis-regulatory elements (SCREs) are non-coding DNA regions which influence the transcription of nearby genes and play critical roles in development. Dysregulated CRE and SCRE activities have been reported to alter the expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressors, thereby regulating cancer hallmarks. To address the strong need for a comprehensive catalogue of dysregulated CREs and SCREs in human cancers, we present TSCRE (http://tscre.zsqylab.com/), an open resource providing tumor-specific and cell type-specific CREs and SCREs derived from the re-analysis of publicly available histone modification profiles. Currently, TSCRE contains 1 864 941 dysregulated CREs and 68 253 dysregulated SCREs identified from 1366 human patient samples spanning 17 different cancer types and 9 histone marks. Over 95% of these elements have been validated in public resources. TSCRE offers comprehensive annotations for each element, including associated genes, expression patterns, clinical prognosis, somatic mutations, transcript factor binding sites, cancer-type specificity, and drug response. Additionally, TSCRE integrates pathway and transcript factor enrichment analyses for each study, enabling in-depth functional and mechanistic investigations. Furthermore, TSCRE provides an interactive interface for users to explore any CRE and SCRE of interest. We believe TSCRE will be a highly valuable platform for the community to discover candidate cancer biomarkers.

Observation of Cabibbo-Suppressed Two-Body Hadronic Decays and Precision Mass Measurement of the Ω_{c}^{0} Baryon

The first observation of the singly Cabibbo-suppressed Ω_{c}^{0}→Ω^{-}K^{+} and Ω_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}π^{+} decays is reported, using proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4  fb^{-1}, collected with the LHCb detector between 2016 and 2018. The branching fraction ratios are measured to be B(Ω_{c}^{0}→Ω^{-}K^{+})/B(Ω_{c}^{0}→Ω^{-}π^{+})=[6.08±0.51(stat)±0.40(syst)]%,B(Ω_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}π^{+})/B(Ω_{c}^{0}→Ω^{-}π^{+})=[15.81±0.87(stat)±0.44(syst)±0.16(ext)]%. In addition, using the Ω_{c}^{0}→Ω^{-}π^{+} decay channel, the Ω_{c}^{0} baryon mass is measured to be M(Ω_{c}^{0})=2695.28±0.07(stat)±0.27(syst)±0.30(ext)  MeV, improving the precision of the previous world average by a factor of 4.

Enhanced Production of Λ_{b}^{0} Baryons in High-Multiplicity pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The production rate of Λ_{b}^{0} baryons relative to B^{0} mesons in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=13  TeV is measured by the LHCb experiment. The ratio of Λ_{b}^{0} to B^{0} production cross sections shows a significant dependence on both the transverse momentum and the measured charged-particle multiplicity. At low multiplicity, the ratio measured at LHCb is consistent with the value measured in e^{+}e^{-} collisions, and increases by a factor of ∼2 with increasing multiplicity. At relatively low transverse momentum, the ratio of Λ_{b}^{0} to B^{0} cross sections is higher than what is measured in e^{+}e^{-} collisions, but converges with the e^{+}e^{-} ratio as the momentum increases. These results imply that the evolution of heavy b quarks into final-state hadrons is influenced by the density of the hadronic environment produced in the collision. Comparisons with several models and implications for the mechanisms enforcing quark confinement are discussed.

Epigenomic analyses identify FOXM1 as a key regulator of anti-tumor immune response in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Unlike most cancer types, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has rapidly escalated in the western world over recent decades. Using whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), we identify the transcription factor (TF) FOXM1 as an important epigenetic regulator of EAC. FOXM1 plays a critical role in cellular proliferation and tumor growth in EAC patient-derived organoids and cell line models. We identify ERBB2 as an upstream regulator of the expression and transcriptional activity of FOXM1. Unexpectedly, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) unbiased screen reveals a prominent anti-correlation between FOXM1 and immune response pathways. Indeed, syngeneic mouse models show that FOXM1 inhibits the infiltration of CD8+ T cells into the tumor microenvironment. Consistently, FOXM1 suppresses CD8+ T cell chemotaxis in vitro and antigen-dependent CD8+ T cell killing. This study characterizes FOXM1 as a significant EAC-promoting TF and elucidates its novel function in regulating anti-tumor immune response.

Integrating cfDNA liquid biopsy and organoid-based drug screening reveals PI3K signaling as a promising therapeutic target in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The current precision medicine relies on biomarkers, which are mainly obtained through next-generation sequencing (NGS). However, this model failed to find effective drugs for most cancer patients. This study tried to combine liquid biopsy with functional drug tests using organoid models to find potential drugs for cancer patients.

METHODS

Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients were prospectively enrolled and blood samples were collected from patients before the start of treatment. Targeted deep sequencing of cfDNA samples was performed using a 14-gene panel. Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer organoids were established and PI3K and mTOR inhibitors were evaluated on organoid models.

RESULTS

A total of 195 mutations were detected across 58 cfDNA samples. The most frequently mutated genes were KRAS, TP53, PIK3CA, and BRAF, all of which exhibited higher mutation rates than tissue biopsy. Although 81% of variants had an allele frequency of less than 1%, certain mutations in KRAS, TP53, and SMAD4 had high allele frequencies exceeding 10%. Notably, among the seven patients with high allele frequency mutations, six had metastatic tumors, indicating that a high allele frequency of ctDNA could potentially serve as a biomarker of later-stage cancer. A high rate of PIK3CA mutation (31 out of 67, or 46.3%) was discovered in CRC patients, suggesting possible tumor progression mechanisms and targeted therapy opportunities. To evaluate the value of anti PI3K strategy in GI cancer, different lines of GI cancer organoids were established. The organoids recapitulated the morphologies of the original tumors. Organoids were generally insensitive to PI3K inhibitors. However, CRC-3 and GC-4 showed response to mTOR inhibitor Everolimus, and GC-3 was sensitive to PI3Kδ inhibitor Idelalisib. The CRC organoid with a PIK3CA mutation showed greater sensitivity to the PI3K inhibitor Alpelisib than wildtype organoids, suggesting potential treatment options for the corresponding patients.

CONCLUSION

Liquid biopsy holds significant promise for improving precision treatment and tumor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients. The combination of biomarker-based drug prediction with organoid-based functional drug sensitivity assay may lead to more effective cancer treatment.

Improved Measurement of CP Violation Parameters in B_{s}^{0}→J/ψK^{+}K^{-} Decays in the Vicinity of the ϕ(1020) Resonance

The decay-time-dependent CP asymmetry in B_{s}^{0}→J/ψ(→μ^{+}μ^{-})K^{+}K^{-} decays is measured using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6  fb^{-1}, collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Using a sample of approximately 349 000 B_{s}^{0} signal decays with an invariant K^{+}K^{-} mass in the vicinity of the ϕ(1020) resonance, the CP-violating phase ϕ_{s} is measured, along with the difference in decay widths of the light and heavy mass eigenstates of the B_{s}^{0}-B[over ¯]_{s}^{0} system, ΔΓ_{s}, and the difference of the average B_{s}^{0} and B^{0} meson decay widths, Γ_{s}-Γ_{d}. The values obtained are ϕ_{s}=-0.039±0.022±0.006  rad, ΔΓ_{s}=0.0845±0.0044±0.0024  ps^{-1}, and Γ_{s}-Γ_{d}=-0.0056_{-0.0015}^{+0.0013}±0.0014  ps^{-1}, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These are the most precise single measurements to date and are consistent with expectations based on the Standard Model and with the previous LHCb analyses of this decay. These results are combined with previous independent LHCb measurements. The phase ϕ_{s} is also measured independently for each polarization state of the K^{+}K^{-} system and shows no evidence for polarization dependence.

Measurement of CP Violation in B^{0}→ψ(→ℓ^{+}ℓ^{-})K_{S}^{0}(→π^{+}π^{-}) Decays

A measurement of time-dependent CP violation in the decays of B^{0} and B[over ¯]^{0} mesons to the final states J/ψ(→μ^{+}μ^{-})K_{S}^{0}, ψ(2S)(→μ^{+}μ^{-})K_{S}^{0} and J/ψ(→e^{+}e^{-})K_{S}^{0} with K_{S}^{0}→π^{+}π^{-} is presented. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 6  fb^{-1} collected at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=13  TeV with the LHCb detector. The CP-violation parameters are measured to be S_{ψK_{S}^{0}}=0.717±0.013(stat)±0.008(syst) and C_{ψK_{S}^{0}}=0.008±0.012(stat)±0.003(syst). This measurement of S_{ψK_{S}^{0}} represents the most precise single measurement of the CKM angle β to date and is more precise than the current world average. In addition, measurements of the CP-violation parameters of the individual channels are reported and a combination with the LHCb Run 1 measurements is performed.

[Survey on monkeypox knowledge awareness, risk perception and vaccination intention in men who have sex with men in five cities in northeast China]

Objective: To understand the monkeypox knowledge awareness, risk perception and vaccination intention in men who have sex with men (MSM) in five cities in northeast China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by using electronic questionnaire in MSM selected by convenience sampling in five cities in northeast China (Shenyang, Panjin, Changchun, Harbin and Jiamusi) from June 28 to July 8, 2023 by local centers for disease control and prevention and MSM communities. The sample size was estimated to be 220. Information about their demographics, monkeypox-related knowledge awareness, perceived concern about epidemic risk perception, and monkeypox vaccination intention were collected. Logistic regression model was used to analyze related factors for MSM's monkeypox vaccination intention. Results: In 355 MSM, 63.9% (227/355) had monkeypox vaccination intentions, and 55.5% (197/355) had high awareness of monkeypox related knowledge with a mean knowledge awareness score of 3.7±1.5. MSM with education level of high-school and above (aOR=1.93, 95%CI:1.01-3.69), higher knowledge awareness score (aOR=1.19, 95%CI:1.02-1.40) and higher risk perception of monkeypox infection (aOR=1.82, 95%CI:1.15-2.88), were more willing to receive monkeypox vaccination. The main reasons for willingness to receive monkeypox vaccine were preventing monkeypox (86.3%, 196/227) and worrying about appearance being affected (62.1%, 141/227). The main reasons for unwillingness for the vaccination included concerns about vaccine safety (53.1%, 68/128), clinical progression of AIDS being affected (46.1%, 59/128) and efficacy of antiretroviral therapy being affected (44.5%, 57/128). Conclusions: The levels of knowledge awareness and vaccine intentions still need to be improved among MSM in five cities of northeast China. It is necessary to improve the awareness of monkeypox and intention of monkeypox vaccination, promote protected sex behavior and self-assessment of infection risk, reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase monkeypox vaccination intention in MSM in 5 cities in northeast China.

[One-way membrane decompression for vital pulp therapy in irreversible pulpitis: a case report]

Irreversible pulpitis is characterized by inflammation of the pulp, leading to secondary interstitial hypertension and blood circulation disorders. This study explores the development of one-way membrane decompression to alleviate interstitial hypertension in the inflamed pulp and prevent the invasion of oral microorganisms into the pulp tissue. Additionally, this technique aims to improve the microcirculation of the pulp tissue by consistently reducing the pressure within the pulp cavity. Once the inflamed pulp tissue is restored, permanent crown filling can be performed. In this paper, we present a case study involving a patient with irreversible pulpitis who underwent vital pulp treatment using the one-way decompressed membrane. A four-year follow-up evaluation revealed satisfactory outcomes.

Three or four doses of intravenous immunoglobulin G treatment for isoimmune hemolytic disease: A case series and literature review

BACKGROUND

Neonates affected by isoimmune hemolytic disease (HDN) are at risk of developing severe hyperbilirubinemia. Studies show that increasing levels of bilirubin impact neonatal neurodevelopment. To avoid complications associated with exchange transfusion, intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) is used to treat hyperbilirubinemia. We included all infants who received more than two doses of IVIG treatment for isoimmune hemolytic disease. We analyzed the incidence of side effects associated with IVIG treatment and the rate of exchange transfusion.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review performed between October 2011-October 2022 at East Carolina University Health identified neonates who received more than two doses IVIG for HDN. Neonates of postmenstrual age greater than 28 days old, receiving less than three doses of IVIG or received IVIG for other indications were excluded. The occurrences of adverse events, demographics and use of other medical therapies were reviewed.

RESULTS

Eleven neonates were included in the case series. Most common cause of severe hyperbilirubinemia was attributed to ABO incompatibility. Six patients (54%) received three doses of IVIG, and five patients (45%) received four doses of IVIG with bilirubin levels decreasing below exchange transfusion. No treatment exceeding four doses of IVIG was reported, nor adverse events during treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort of neonates with HDN, bilirubin levels decreased after treatment with multiple doses of IVIG. Future research on recommendations of optimal total number doses of IVIG to reduce the risk for exchange transfusion.

[Application value of CT examination of lymph node short diameter in evaluating cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the application value of computed tomography (CT) examination of lymph node short diameter in evaluating cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: A total of 477 patients with primary thoracic ESCC who underwent surgical treatment in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2013 to December 2017 were collected. All of them underwent McKeown esophagectomy plus complete two-field or three-field lymph node dissection. Picture archiving and communication system were used to measure the largest cardia-left gastric lymph node short diameter in preoperative CT images. The postoperative pathological diagnosis results of cardia-left gastric lymph node were used as the gold standard. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the efficacy of CT lymph node short diameter in detecting the metastasis of cardia-left gastric lymph node in thoracic ESCC, and determine the optimal cut-off value. Results: The median short diameter of the largest cardia-left gastric lymph node was 4.1 mm in 477 patients, and the largest cardia-left gastric lymph node short diameter was less than 3 mm in 155 cases (32.5%). Sixty-eight patients had cardia-left gastric lymph node metastases, of which 38 had paracardial node metastases and 41 had left gastric node metastases. The lymph node ratios of paracardial node and left gastric node were 4.0% (60/1 511) and 3.3% (62/1 887), respectively. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of CT lymph node short diameter for evaluating cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis was 0.941 (95% CI: 0.904-0.977; P<0.05). The optimal cut-off value of CT examination of the cardia-left gastric lymph node short diameter was 6 mm, and the corresponding sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 85.3%, 91.7%, and 90.8%, respectively. Conclusion: CT examination of lymph node short diameter can be a good evaluation of cardia-left gastric lymph node metastasis in thoracic ESCC, and the optimal cut-off value is 6 mm.

[Effect of information-knowledge-attitude-practice theory-based health education on clonorchiasis control among community residents and primary school students in Zhongshan City]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of information-knowledge-attitude-practice (IKAP) theory-based health education interventions on clonorchiasis control among community residents and primary school students in Torch High-tech Development Zone of Zhongshan City, so as to provide insights into formulation of clonorchiasis control strategies among different types of populations.

METHODS

Residents were randomly sampled from two communities and students from two primary schools using a random cluster sampling method in Torch High-tech Development Zone, Zhongshan City from 2019 to 2021, and health education pertaining to clonorchiasis control was performed based on the IKAP theory. The changes in the awareness of basic clonorchiasis control knowledge and belief, self-reported risk of Clonorchis sinensis infections and dietary behaviors were compared among community residents and primary school students before and after health education interventions.

RESULTS

The participants included 146 male and 151 female community residents and 158 male and 153 female primary school students, with no significant difference detected in gender distribution (χ2 = 0.16, P > 0.05). The mean awareness of basic clonorchiasis control knowledge increased by 44.71% and 43.28% among primary school students and community residents 6 months following health education, and there were significant differences in the awareness of each item of basic clonorchiasis control knowledge before and after health education (χ2 = 41.53 to 284.44, all P values < 0.05). The proportions of primary school students and community residents thinking very high and high risks of C. sinensis infections increased from 9.35% and 6.71% before health education to 22.15% and 37.75% after health education, but only the difference of the attitudes in community residents achieve statistical significance (χ2 = 92.18, P < 0.05). The frequency of separation of raw and cooked foods with chopping board and knife significantly increased among community residents and primary school students following health education (χ2 = 16.04 to 62.65, all P values < 0.05). The frequency of eating raw freshwater fish (χ2 = 32.85, P < 0.05), fish congee (χ2 = 7.02, P < 0.05) and fish fillet hot pot (χ2 = 4.88, P < 0.05) significantly reduced among primary school students following health education, while only the frequency and proportions of eating raw freshwater fish have significantly reduced in community residents (χ2 = 11.77, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Health education interventions based on the IKAP theory are effective to increase the awareness of clonorchiasis control knowledge and improve dietary behaviors associated with C. sinensis infections among community residents and primary school students in Zhongshan City.

ARID1A Deficiency Regulates Anti-Tumor Immune Response in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

ARID1A, a member of the chromatin remodeling SWI/SNF complex, is frequently lost in many cancer types, including esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Here, we study the impact of ARID1A deficiency on the anti-tumor immune response in EAC. We find that EAC tumors with ARID1A mutations are associated with enhanced tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cell levels. ARID1A-deficient EAC cells exhibit heightened IFN response signaling and promote CD8+ T cell recruitment and cytolytic activity. Moreover, we demonstrate that ARID1A regulates fatty acid metabolism genes in EAC, showing that fatty acid metabolism could also regulate CD8+ T cell recruitment and CD8+ T cell cytolytic activity in EAC cells. These results suggest that ARID1A deficiency shapes both tumor immunity and lipid metabolism in EAC, with significant implications for immune checkpoint blockade therapy in EAC.

Asponchimides A-E: new enantiomeric N-acetyldopamine trimers from Aspongopus chinensis

Five new racemic N-acetyldopamine (NADA) trimers, asponchimides A-E (1-5), were isolated from Aspongopus chinensis, a prominent traditional Chinese medicinal insect employed for alleviating pain, treating indigestion, and addressing kidney ailments. Compounds 1-5 were successfully resolved by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), yielding five pairs of enantiomers: (+)- and (-)-asponchimides A-E (1a/1b-5a/5b). Their structural identities were discerned by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and their absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1-5 are pioneering instances of NADA trimers featuring a Δ7 double bond. When subjected to a series of bioassays, a majority of the compounds exhibited weak inhibitory activity against nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells.

Observation of New Baryons in the Ξ_{b}^{-}π^{+}π^{-} and Ξ_{b}^{0}π^{+}π^{-} Systems

The first observation and study of two new baryonic structures in the final state Ξ_{b}^{0}π^{+}π^{-} and the confirmation of the Ξ_{b}(6100)^{-} state in the Ξ_{b}^{-}π^{+}π^{-} decay mode are reported using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. In addition, the properties of the known Ξ_{b}^{*0}, Ξ_{b}^{'-} and Ξ_{b}^{*-} resonances are measured with improved precision. The new decay mode of the Ξ_{b}^{0} baryon to the Ξ_{c}^{+} π^{-} π^{+} π^{-} final state is observed and exploited for the first time in these measurements.

Precision Measurement of CP Violation in the Penguin-Mediated Decay B_{s}^{0}→ϕϕ

A flavor-tagged time-dependent angular analysis of the decay B_{s}^{0}→ϕϕ is performed using pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at the center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6  fb^{-1}. The CP-violating phase and direct CP-violation parameter are measured to be ϕ_{s}^{ss[over ¯]s}=-0.042±0.075±0.009  rad and |λ|=1.004±0.030±0.009, respectively, assuming the same values for all polarization states of the ϕϕ system. In these results, the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. These parameters are also determined separately for each polarization state, showing no evidence for polarization dependence. The results are combined with previous LHCb measurements using pp collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, yielding ϕ_{s}^{ss[over ¯]s}=-0.074±0.069  rad and |λ|=1.009±0.030. This is the most precise study of time-dependent CP violation in a penguin-dominated B meson decay. The results are consistent with CP symmetry and with the standard model predictions.

[Current challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of filamentous mycosis in critically ill patients]

Influenza and coronavirus disease 2019 are independent risk factors for the development of invasive fungal disease (IFD) in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit. IFD, particularly mold infections, have a high mortality rate. The diagnosis and treatment of mold infections is challenging, and early detection and timely treatment are crucial in reducing the mortality of IFD. This review will summarize the latest epidemiology and risk factors for the development of mold infections in critically ill patients, current diagnostic criteria and challenges, as well as the treatment strategies recommended by the international clinical guidelines, aiming to provide some references for the diagnosis and treatment of mold infections in critically ill patients in clinical practice.

Measurement of the Λ_{b}^{0}→Λ(1520)μ^{+}μ^{-} Differential Branching Fraction

The branching fraction of the rare decay Λ_{b}^{0}→Λ(1520)μ^{+}μ^{-} is measured for the first time, in the squared dimuon mass intervals q^{2}, excluding the J/ψ and ψ(2S) regions. The data sample analyzed was collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. The result in the highest q^{2} interval, q^{2}>15.0  GeV^{2}/c^{4}, where theoretical predictions have the smallest model dependence, agrees with the predictions.

Clinical Validation of HPV ctDNA for Early Detection of Residual Disease Following Chemoradiation in Cervical Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Despite chemoradiation (CRT), 30-40% of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer relapse. Most cases are caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), and HPV circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may identify patients at highest risk of relapse. Our previous pilot study showed that detectable HPV ctDNA at the end of CRT is associated with inferior progression-free survival (PFS) using digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR), and that a next generation sequencing approach (HPV-seq) may outperform dPCR. We hypothesized that HPV ctDNA may identify cervical cancer patients at increased risk of relapse following CRT and aimed to prospectively validate HPV ctDNA as a tool for early detection of residual disease.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This prospective, multicenter validation study accrued 70 patients with HPV+ stage IB-IVA cervical cancer treated with definitive CRT from 2017-2022. Patients underwent phlebotomy at baseline, end of, 4-6 weeks and 3 months post CRT for HPV ctDNA levels. HPV genotyping was performed on the baseline plasma sample using HPV-seq. HPV genotype-specific DNA levels in plasma were quantified using both dPCR and HPV-seq. PFS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank test. Multivariable Cox regression analyses incorporating stage and HPV ctDNA detectability assessed independent prognostic factors associated with PFS.

RESULTS

At the time of abstract, results for 67 patients were available. The majority had squamous histology (84%) and stage IIB (36%) or IIIC1 (25%) disease. HPV genotyping using HPV-seq revealed 54% (36/67) of cases harboring HPV-16, and 46% harboring other HPV types: 15 HPV-18; 5 HPV-59; 2 HPV-31; 2 HPV-33; 2 HPV-52; 1 each HPV-39, HPV-45, HPV-53, HPV-58, and HPV-82. With a median follow up of 2.2 (range 0.4 - 5.2) years, there were 21 PFS events. Most recurrences (14/21) were distant and/or paraaortic; 4 local and nodal/distant; 2 pelvic nodal; and 1 local. Patients with detectable HPV ctDNA on dPCR at the end of, 4-6 weeks and 3 months post CRT had significantly worse 2-year PFS compared to those with undetectable HPV ctDNA (78 vs 52%, p = 0.04; 82 vs 26%, p < 0.001; and 80 vs 23%, p = < 0.001, respectively). HPV-seq showed similar results (87 vs 55%, p = 0.02; 81 vs 45%, p = 0.003; and 84 vs 31%, p = < 0.001, respectively). On multivariable analyses, detectable HPV ctDNA on dPCR and HPV-seq remained independently associated with inferior PFS (see table).

CONCLUSION

HPV-seq enables HPV genotyping directly from plasma in locally advanced cervical cancer. Persistent HPV ctDNA following CRT is independently associated with inferior PFS in this prospective validation study. HPV ctDNA testing can be used to identify, as early as at the end of CRT, patients at high risk of recurrence in future treatment intensification trials.

A Phase 2 Trial of Efficacy and Safety of Intraoperative Radiation Therapy for Locally Advanced Laryngocarcinoma

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

For locally advanced laryngeal cancer (LAL), the local recurrence rate remains 19-40% after radical surgery with postoperative radiotherapy alone or with concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with unfavorable prognostic factors. We evaluate local control and acute toxicity of intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) as a tumor bed boost for locally advanced laryngeal cancer in this prospective phase 2 trial.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This phase II clinical study in which a total of 63 LAL patients (T2N1-3/T3N0-3/T4N0-3) were selected and received IORT (T2: 8-10Gy, T3,4:12-15 Gy) as a tumor bed boost during radical surgery, then received external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) at a total dose of 54-60Gy within 6 weeks after surgery, 5 times per week, 1.8-2Gy per time, 30 times in total. The median follow-up time was 20 months (7 -39 months). The primary outcome was the local control (LC) and 2 - year survival rate determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04278638.

RESULTS

A total of 63 patients consented to participate in the study; 59 males and 4 females, median age was 61 years (40-81 years), 14 patients had supraglottic LAL, 44 patients had glottic LAL and 5 patients had subglottic LAL. 10 patients showed high differentiation and 44 patients showed moderate differentiation and 9 patients showed low differentiation with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. 3 patients were in T2N1-2 stage, 40 patients in T3N0-2 stage, and 20 patients in T4N0-2 stage, 48 patients received total laryngectomy and 15 patients received hemilaryngectomy; 16 patients were lymph node-positive and 1 patient developed vascular tumor thrombus after surgery. After surgery combined with IORT and EBRT, the 1- and 2- year LC rates were 98.2% and 93.1 %, respectively, 2-year overall survival rate was 97.4%. Pharyngeal fistula was observed in 1 patient (1. 6 %) and wound infection in 3 patients (4.8%). Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grade 3 pain and RTOG grade 4 dyspnea were noted in one patient (1.6%) and 2 patients (3.2 %), respectively.

CONCLUSION

In summary, our prospective phase II trial proved that the addition of intraoperative radiotherapy as a tumor bed boost to postoperative radiotherapy provided local therapeutic benefit to patients with locally advanced laryngeal cancer. Our data support the safety of this combined therapy. Additional investigation is warranted to determine the role of intraoperative radiotherapy in the local treatment of locally advanced laryngeal cancer.

Efficacy of Curvilinear Needle Implantation for Prostate HDR Brachytherapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy is gaining popularity due to better dose distribution, good clinical outcomes, and convenience of the procedure. Conventionally, Rectilinear (straight needle) Method (RLM) is utilized for HDR procedure. However, the efficacy of a newly developed technique, the Curvilinear (curved needle conforming the prostate shape) Method (CLM), for HDR brachytherapy has not yet been explored. In this study, efficacy of the CLM is evaluated. The CLM technique is expected to significantly improve the radiation dose distribution with small number of needles that will potentially improve the clinical outcomes.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Randomly 16 prostate cancer patients were selected (median age: 68.3 yrs, Stage: T1-T2a) from an IRB approved pool of patients. Prostate and OARs (urethra, rectum and bladder) were contoured on T2-weigthed MRI for all the patients. Thirty-two HDR plans, 16 for RLM and 16 for CLM, were prepared using Oncentra treatment planning software with Ir-192 isotope and were optimized using Hybrid Inverse treatment Planning Optimization (HIPO) tool. Prescription dose was 15 Gy in single fraction. Data for relevant parameters (V100, V200, D90, D10, Dmax, etc.) for prostate and OARs were collected using the dose-volume histogram. P-value less than equal to 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Average prostate volume was 33.1cc (range 17.7-51.3cc, median 30.6cc). In CLM technique the target coverage and dose constraints for OARs were improved by 0.3%-6.4% and 1.6%-34.2%, respectively (see Table below). Certain dose constraints were difficult to meet for some cases with RLM (prostate V100 (4 pts) and V200 (5 pts); rectum Dmax (5 pts) and D12 Gy (10 pts). On average, over 44.6% (average 17.5 vs 9.7 needles) reduction of needles was achieved with CLM (p-value < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The CLM technique generated significantly improved dosimetric plans using less number of needles. Reduction in number of needles would be associated with potential decrease in toxicity and improved clinical outcomes. Future plan includes clinical implementation of the CLM technique.

Fracture Risk Following Lumbosacral Spine SBRT in Patients Having Received Previous Whole Pelvis Radiation Therapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for metastatic spinal disease provides local control with palliative effects1. Previous studies have demonstrated a posttreatment fracture rate range of roughly 5.7-39%2, with 14-17% the most commonly cited fracture risk range. However, the rate of spine fracture after lumbosacral SBRT in patients having received prior pelvic radiation therapy (RT) is unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence of fracture in patients receiving lumbosacral spine SBRT following previous whole pelvic RT.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This study was a single institution retrospective chart review. All lumbar and sacral spine SBRT cases over a 5-year period (from January 2018 through September 2022) with at least three months of post-treatment follow-up were identified. Patients having previously received pelvic RT were assessed; the development of a vertebral fracture was recorded as was the time to fracture and potential intervention (if any).

RESULTS

A total of 35 lumbosacral spine SBRT cases were identified. Of those eight (23%) previously received whole pelvic RT, ranging from 20-70 Gy/5-35 fractions. Of the lumbosacral spine SBRT patients having received prior pelvic RT, two (25%) developed a fracture post-treatment. The average time to fracture was 7.5 months. Both fractures were treated with conservative management; neither required vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty or operative stabilization. The mean dose per SBRT fraction for patients who suffered a fracture (8.5 Gy) did not significantly differ from that for patients who did not suffer a fracture (9 Gy).

CONCLUSION

In the first examination of lumbosacral fracture risk following SBRT to patients having received previous pelvic RT, the fracture rate in this patient population was 25%. Noteworthy is that the SBRT dose per fraction did not differ between patients having suffered a fracture versus those without fracture. These findings indicate that patients having received previous whole pelvis RT should be counseled on the potential increased risk of fracture; however, there is no evidence that decreasing SBRT dose per fraction reduces the likelihood of fracture in this patient population. This increased fracture rate is of concern, and further investigation in larger studies to identify potential risk factors for vertebral fracture such as systemic therapy, age and gender is warranted.

Observation of New Ω_{c}^{0} States Decaying to the Ξ_{c}^{+}K^{-} Final State

Two new excited states, Ω_{c}(3185)^{0} and Ω_{c}(3327)^{0}, are observed in the Ξ_{c}^{+}K^{-} invariant-mass spectrum using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. Five previously observed excited Ω_{c}^{0} states are confirmed, namely Ω_{c}(3000)^{0}, Ω_{c}(3050)^{0}, Ω_{c}(3065)^{0}, Ω_{c}(3090)^{0}, and Ω_{c}(3119)^{0}. The masses and widths of these seven states are measured with the highest precision to date.

Evidence of a J/ψK_{S}^{0} Structure in B^{0}→J/ψϕK_{S}^{0} Decays

An amplitude analysis of B^{0}→J/ψϕK_{S}^{0} decays is performed using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}, collected with the LHCb detector at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV. Evidence with a significance of 4.0 standard deviations of a structure in the J/ψK_{S}^{0} system, named T_{ψs1}^{θ}(4000)^{0}, is seen, with its mass and width measured to be 3991_{-10}^{+12} _{-17}^{+9}  MeV/c^{2} and 105_{-25}^{+29} _{-23}^{+17}  MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The T_{ψs1}^{θ}(4000)^{0} state is likely to be the isospin partner of the T_{ψs1}^{θ}(4000)^{+} state, previously observed in the J/ψK^{+} system of the B^{+}→J/ψϕK^{+} decay. When isospin symmetry for the charged and neutral T_{ψs1}^{θ}(4000) states is assumed, the signal significance increases to 5.4 standard deviations.

Measurement of the Ratios of Branching Fractions R(D^{*}) and R(D^{0})

The ratios of branching fractions R(D^{*})≡B(B[over ¯]→D^{*}τ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{τ})/B(B[over ¯]→D^{*}μ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ}) and R(D^{0})≡B(B^{-}→D^{0}τ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{τ})/B(B^{-}→D^{0}μ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ}) are measured, assuming isospin symmetry, using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0  fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. The tau lepton is identified in the decay mode τ^{-}→μ^{-}ν_{τ}ν[over ¯]_{μ}. The measured values are R(D^{*})=0.281±0.018±0.024 and R(D^{0})=0.441±0.060±0.066, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The correlation between these measurements is ρ=-0.43. The results are consistent with the current average of these quantities and are at a combined 1.9 standard deviations from the predictions based on lepton flavor universality in the standard model.

Measurement of the Prompt D^{0} Nuclear Modification Factor in p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV

The production of prompt D^{0} mesons in proton-lead collisions in both the forward and backward rapidity regions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16  TeV is measured by the LHCb experiment. The nuclear modification factor of prompt D^{0} mesons is determined as a function of the transverse momentum p_{T}, and the rapidity in the nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass frame y^{*}. In the forward rapidity region, significantly suppressed production with respect to pp collisions is measured, which provides significant constraints on models of nuclear parton distributions and hadron production down to the very low Bjorken-x region of ∼10^{-5}. In the backward rapidity region, a suppression with a significance of 2.0-3.8 standard deviations compared to parton distribution functions in a nuclear environment expectations is found in the kinematic region of p_{T}>6  GeV/c and -3.25 Collapse

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Measurement of the Time-Integrated CP Asymmetry in D^{0}→K^{-}K^{+} Decays

The time-integrated CP asymmetry in the Cabibbo-suppressed decay D^{0}→K^{-}K^{+} is measured using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.7  fb^{-1} collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the LHCb detector. The D^{0} mesons are required to originate from promptly produced D^{*+}→D^{0}π^{+} decays, and the charge of the companion pion is used to determine the flavor of the charm meson at production. The time-integrated CP asymmetry is measured to be A_{CP}(K^{-}K^{+})=[6.8±5.4±1.6]×10^{-4} where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The direct CP asymmetries in D^{0}→K^{-}K^{+} and D^{0}→π^{-}π^{+} decays, a_{K^{-}K^{+}}^{d} and a_{π^{-}π^{+}}^{d}, are derived by combining A_{CP}(K^{-}K^{+}) with the time-integrated CP asymmetry difference, ΔA_{CP}=A_{CP}(K^{-}K^{+})-A_{CP}(π^{-}π^{+}), and other inputs, giving a_{K^{-}K^{+}}^{d}=(7.7±5.7)×10^{-4},a_{π^{-}π^{+}}^{d}=(23.2±6.1)×10^{-4},with a correlation coefficient corresponding to ρ=0.88. The compatibility of these results with CP symmetry is 1.4 and 3.8 standard deviations for D^{0}→K^{-}K^{+} and D^{0}→π^{-}π^{+} decays, respectively. This is the first evidence for direct CP violation in a specific D^{0} decay.

First Measurement of the Nuclear-Recoil Ionization Yield in Silicon at 100 eV

We measured the nuclear-recoil ionization yield in silicon with a cryogenic phonon-sensitive gram-scale detector. Neutrons from a monoenergetic beam scatter off of the silicon nuclei at angles corresponding to energy depositions from 4 keV down to 100 eV, the lowest energy probed so far. The results show no sign of an ionization production threshold above 100 eV. These results call for further investigation of the ionization yield theory and a comprehensive determination of the detector response function at energies below the keV scale.

Measurement of the Branching Fractions B(B^{0}→pp[over ¯]pp[over ¯]) and B(B_{s}^{0}→pp[over ¯]pp[over ¯])

Searches for the rare hadronic decays B^{0}→pp[over ¯]pp[over ¯] and B_{s}^{0}→pp[over ¯]pp[over ¯] are performed using proton-proton collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. Significances of 9.3σ and 4.0σ, including statistical and systematic uncertainties, are obtained for the B^{0}→pp[over ¯]pp[over ¯] and B_{s}^{0}→pp[over ¯]pp[over ¯] signals, respectively. The branching fractions are measured relative to the topologically similar normalization decays B^{0}→J/ψ(→pp[over ¯])K^{*0}(→K^{+}π^{-}) and B_{s}^{0}→J/ψ(→pp[over ¯])⁢ϕ(→K^{+}K^{-}). The branching fractions are measured to be B(B^{0}→pp[over ¯]pp[over ¯])=(2.2±0.4±0.1±0.1)×10^{-8} and B(B_{s}^{0}→pp[over ¯]pp[over ¯])=(2.3±1.0±0.2±0.1)×10^{-8}. In these measurements, the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third one is due to the external branching fraction of the normalization channel.

[Preliminary studies on the role of mast cells in the phenotype and immune activation of type 2 inflammatory cytokine release of atopic dermatitis]

Objective: To investigate the role of mast cells in atopic dermatitis (AD) phenotype and the immune activation of type 2 inflammatory cytokine release. Methods: Nine AD skin samples were obtained from the Department of Dermatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, and nine healthy skin control samples were obtained from the surgical excision of excess normal skin by orthopedic surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, which were subjected to toluidine blue staining and fluorescence staining to clarify the mast cell degranulation activation status of the AD skin lesions. We investigated whether MC903 could directly activate mast cells in vivo through the toe swelling and exudation assay in wild-type mice; we constructed the MC903-AD model using wild-type and KitW-sh/W-sh mast cell-deficient mice in order to investigate whether mast cells affected the phenotype, histopathology, and the level of type 2 inflammatory factors in AD mice; we extracted mouse peritoneal mast cells and the ability of MC903 to activate mast cells to release inflammatory mediators in vitro was explored by calcium imaging, tryptase and β-aminohexokinase release assays, and MCP-1 and CXCL-2 release assays. Results: The number of degranulated mast cells in an activated state was increased in skin lesions of AD patients compared to healthy controls, with (5.40±1.14) and (2.20±0.84), respectively (P<0.001). KitW-sh/W-sh mast cell-deficient AD mice had an attenuated phenotype with ADI scores of (5.50±1.05), compared to wild-type AD mice with (10.00±0.89) (P<0.001). The release of type 2 inflammatory factors in wild-type AD mice was higher than those in KitW-sh/W-sh mast cell-deficient AD mice, with IL-4 levels of (29.50±1.87) and (15.33±1.86) pg/mg (P<0.001), IL-13 levels were (6.32±0.25) and (3.93±0.22) pg/mg (P<0.001), IL-31 levels were (9.73±0.38) and (6.89±0.27) pg/mg (P<0.001), and TSLP levels were (206.00±4.43) and (99.00±4.86) pg/mg (P<0.001), respectively. MC903 could cause mast cell activation in wild-type mice, leading to increased swelling and exudation in the toes of mice, and MC903 could activate mast cells in vitro, leading to increased degranulation and release of inflammatory factors such as MCP-1 and CXCL-2. Conclusions: The number of activated mast cells was increased in skin lesions of AD patients than in healthy controls. KitW-sh/W-sh mast cell-deficient AD mice showed significantly reduced phenotype, histopathology, and type 2 inflammatory factor levels compared with wild-type AD mice. MC903 activates mast cells in vivo and in vitro. Mast cells play a key role in AD phenotype and immune activation.

Comprehensive analyses of partially methylated domains and differentially methylated regions in esophageal cancer reveal both cell-type- and cancer-specific epigenetic regulation

BACKGROUND

As one of the most common malignancies, esophageal cancer has two subtypes, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, arising from distinct cells-of-origin. Distinguishing cell-type-specific molecular features from cancer-specific characteristics is challenging.

RESULTS

We analyze whole-genome bisulfite sequencing data on 45 esophageal tumor and nonmalignant samples from both subtypes. We develop a novel sequence-aware method to identify large partially methylated domains (PMDs), revealing profound heterogeneity at both methylation level and genomic distribution of PMDs across tumor samples. We identify subtype-specific PMDs that are associated with repressive transcription, chromatin B compartments and high somatic mutation rate. While genomic locations of these PMDs are pre-established in normal cells, the degree of loss is significantly higher in tumors. We find that cell-type-specific deposition of H3K36me2 may underlie genomic distribution of PMDs. At a smaller genomic scale, both cell-type- and cancer-specific differentially methylated regions (DMRs) are identified for each subtype. Using binding motif analysis within these DMRs, we show that a cell-type-specific transcription factor HNF4A maintains the binding sites that it generates in normal cells, while establishing new binding sites cooperatively with novel partners such as FOSL1 in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Finally, leveraging pan-tissue single-cell and pan-cancer epigenomic datasets, we demonstrate that a substantial fraction of cell-type-specific PMDs and DMRs identified here in esophageal cancer are actually markers that co-occur in other cancers originating from related cell types.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings advance our understanding of DNA methylation dynamics at various genomic scales in normal and malignant states, providing novel mechanistic insights into cell-type- and cancer-specific epigenetic regulations.

Observation of a Resonant Structure near the D_{s}^{+}D_{s}^{-} Threshold in the B^{+}→D_{s}^{+}D_{s}^{-}K^{+} Decay

An amplitude analysis of the B^{+}→D_{s}^{+}D_{s}^{-}K^{+} decay is carried out to study for the first time its intermediate resonant contributions, using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV. A near-threshold peaking structure, referred to as X(3960), is observed in the D_{s}^{+}D_{s}^{-} invariant-mass spectrum with significance greater than 12 standard deviations. The mass, width, and the quantum numbers of the structure are measured to be 3956±5±10  MeV, 43±13±8  MeV, and J^{PC}=0^{++}, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The properties of the new structure are consistent with recent theoretical predictions for a state composed of cc[over ¯]ss[over ¯] quarks. Evidence for an additional structure is found around 4140 MeV in the D_{s}^{+}D_{s}^{-} invariant mass, which might be caused either by a new resonance with the 0^{++} assignment or by a J/ψϕ↔D_{s}^{+}D_{s}^{-} coupled-channel effect.

Evidence for Modification of b Quark Hadronization in High-Multiplicity pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The production rate of B_{s}^{0} mesons relative to B^{0} mesons is measured by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=13  TeV over the forward rapidity interval 2 Collapse

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Test of Lepton Universality in b→sℓ^{+}ℓ^{-} Decays

The first simultaneous test of muon-electron universality using B^{+}→K^{+}ℓ^{+}ℓ^{-} and B^{0}→K^{*0}ℓ^{+}ℓ^{-} decays is performed, in two ranges of the dilepton invariant-mass squared, q^{2}. The analysis uses beauty mesons produced in proton-proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector between 2011 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. Each of the four lepton universality measurements reported is either the first in the given q^{2} interval or supersedes previous LHCb measurements. The results are compatible with the predictions of the Standard Model.

Vitamin D levels in the assessment of Crohn's disease activity and their relation to nutritional status and inflammation

BACKGROUND

Crohn's disease (CD) is frequently associated with malnutrition, inflammation and a deficiency of vitamin D (VD) with the relationships between these symptoms being poorly defined. VD is a modulator of the immune system and is associated with the onset of CD and disease activity. The level of serum VD may have potential in the assessment of CD activity. This study aimed to evaluate the relationships between VD, nutritional status and inflammation, and to identify more accurate VD thresholds.

METHODS

The study included 76 outpatients with CD diagnosed between October 2018 and October 2020 and 76 healthy volunteers. Levels of serum 25(OH)D and nutritional indicators, as well as biochemical and disease activity assessments, were conducted.

RESULTS

Patients with CD and healthy participants were found to differ significantly in their 25(OH)D levels as well in levels of nutritional and inflammatory indicators. The optimal VD cut-off value was found to be 46.81 nmol/L for CD development and 35.32 nmol/L for disease activity. Levels of 25(OH)D were correlated with both nutritional status and inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

The VD level is likely to be a useful additional tool in the evaluation of CD patients and predicting the disease activity and clinical response. The VD level may relate both to the nutritional status and levels of inflammation in CD patients, and disease progression.

First Observation of a Doubly Charged Tetraquark and Its Neutral Partner

A combined amplitude analysis is performed for the decays B^{0}→D[over ¯]^{0}D_{s}^{+}π^{-} and B^{+}→D^{-}D_{s}^{+}π^{+}, which are related by isospin symmetry. The analysis is based on data collected by the LHCb detector in proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV. The full data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. Two new resonant states with masses of 2.908±0.011±0.020  GeV and widths of 0.136±0.023±0.013  GeV are observed, which decay to D_{s}^{+}π^{+} and D_{s}^{+}π^{-} respectively. The former state indicates the first observation of a doubly charged open-charm tetraquark state with minimal quark content [cs[over ¯]ud[over ¯]], and the latter state is a neutral tetraquark composed of [cs[over ¯]u[over ¯]d] quarks. Both states are found to have spin-parity of 0^{+}, and their resonant parameters are consistent with each other, which suggests that they belong to an isospin triplet.

Search for Rare Decays of D^{0} Mesons into Two Muons

A search for the very rare D^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-} decay is performed using data collected by the LHCb experiment in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. The search is optimized for D^{0} mesons from D^{*+}→D^{0}π^{+} decays but is also sensitive to D^{0} mesons from other sources. No evidence for an excess of events over the expected background is observed. An upper limit on the branching fraction of this decay is set at B(D^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-})<3.1×10^{-9} at a 90% C.L. This represents the world's most stringent limit, constraining models of physics beyond the standard model.