General anesthetic agents induce neurotoxicity through astrocytes

ABSTRACT

Neuroscientists have recognized the importance of astrocytes in regulating neurological function and their influence on the release of glial transmitters. Few studies, however, have focused on the effects of general anesthetic agents on neuroglia or astrocytes. Astrocytes can also be an important target of general anesthetic agents as they exert not only sedative, analgesic, and amnesic effects but also mediate general anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity and postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Here, we analyzed recent advances in understanding the mechanism of general anesthetic agents on astrocytes, and found that exposure to general anesthetic agents will destroy the morphology and proliferation of astrocytes, in addition to acting on the receptors on their surface, which not only affect Ca2+ signaling, inhibit the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and lactate from astrocytes, but are even involved in the regulation of the pro- and anti-inflammatory processes of astrocytes. These would obviously affect the communication between astrocytes as well as between astrocytes and neighboring neurons, other neuroglia, and vascular cells. In this review, we summarize how general anesthetic agents act on neurons via astrocytes, and explore potential mechanisms of action of general anesthetic agents on the nervous system. We hope that this review will provide a new direction for mitigating the neurotoxicity of general anesthetic agents.

Search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson to a pair of pseudoscalars in the μμbb and ττbb final states

A search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson (H ) with a mass of 125Ge V to a pair of light pseudoscalars a 1 is performed in final states where one pseudoscalar decays to two b quarks and the other to a pair of muons or τ leptons. A data sample of proton-proton collisions at s = 13 Te V corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 recorded with the CMS detector is analyzed. No statistically significant excess is observed over the standard model backgrounds. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level (CL ) on the Higgs boson branching fraction to μ μ b b and to τ τ b b , via a pair of a 1 s. The limits depend on the pseudoscalar mass m a 1 and are observed to be in the range (0.17-3.3) × 10 - 4 and (1.7-7.7) × 10 - 2 in the μ μ b b and τ τ b b final states, respectively. In the framework of models with two Higgs doublets and a complex scalar singlet (2HDM+S), the results of the two final states are combined to determine upper limits on the branching fraction B ( H → a 1 a 1 → ℓ ℓ b b ) at 95% CL , with ℓ being a muon or a τ lepton. For different types of 2HDM+S, upper bounds on the branching fraction B ( H → a 1 a 1 ) are extracted from the combination of the two channels. In most of the Type II 2HDM+S parameter space, B ( H → a 1 a 1 ) values above 0.23 are excluded at 95% CL for m a 1 values between 15 and 60Ge V .

Effect of General Anesthetic Agents on Microglia

The effects of general anesthetic agents (GAAs) on microglia and their potential neurotoxicity have attracted the attention of neuroscientists. Microglia play important roles in the inflammatory process and in neuromodulation of the central nervous system. Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is a key mechanism of neurocognitive dysfunction during the perioperative period. Microglial activation by GAAs induces anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory effects in microglia, suggesting that GAAs play a dual role in the mechanism of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Understanding of the mechanisms by which GAAs regulate microglia may help to reduce the incidence of postoperative adverse effects. Here, we review the actions of GAAs on microglia and the consequent changes in microglial function. We summarize clinical and animal studies associating microglia with general anesthesia and describe how GAAs interact with neurons via microglia to further explore the mechanisms of action of GAAs in the nervous system.

Physicochemical, structural and functional properties of low methoxyl pectin‑iron (III) complex and its effect on rats with iron deficiency anemia

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most common nutritional disease worldwide. In this study, a low methoxyl pectin (LMP)‑iron(III) complex was prepared. The physicochemical and structural properties were characterized by HPSEC, HPIC, CV, FTIR, 1H NMR, XRD, SEM and CD. The results showed that iron increased the molecular weight of the LMP‑iron(III) from 11.50 ± 0.32 to 12.70 ± 0.45 kDa and improved its crystallinity. Moreover, the findings demonstrated that -OH and -COOH groups in LMP coordinate with Fe3+ to form β-FeOOH. The water-holding capacity, emulsion stability, and antioxidant activities of the LMP‑iron(III) were lower than those of LMP. Furthermore, the therapeutic effects of LMP‑iron(III) on IDA were investigated in rats. Following LMP‑iron(III) supplementation, compared with the model group, the administration of LMP‑iron(III) significantly increased the body weight, hemoglobin concentration, and serum iron concentration as well as decreased free erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentration. Therefore, the LMP‑iron(III) can potentially treat IDA in rats experiments, providing a theoretical basis for the development of a promising iron supplement.

Study on the adsorption of Zn(II) and Cu(II) in acid mine drainage by fly ash loaded nano-FeS

Aiming at the acid mine drainage (AMD) in zinc, copper and other heavy metals treatment difficulties, severe pollution of soil and water environment and other problems. Through the ultrasonic precipitation method, this study prepared fly ash-loaded nano-FeS composites (nFeS-F). The effects of nFeS-F dosage, pH, stirring rate, reaction time and initial concentration of the solution on the adsorption of Zn(II) and Cu(II) were investigated. The data were fitted by Lagergren first and second-order kinetic equations, Internal diffusion equation, Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and combined with SEM, TEM, FTIR, TGA, and XPS assays to reveal the mechanism of nFeS-F adsorption of Zn(II) and Cu(II). The results demonstrated that: The removal of Zn(II) and Cu(II) by nFeS-F could reach 83.36% and 70.40%, respectively (The dosage was 8 g/L, pH was 4, time was 150 min, and concentration was 100 mg/L). The adsorption process, mainly chemical adsorption, conforms to the Lagergren second-order kinetic equation (R2 = 0.9952 and 0.9932). The adsorption isotherms have a higher fitting degree with the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.9964 and 0.9966), and the adsorption is a monolayer adsorption process. This study can provide a reference for treating heavy metals in acid mine drainage and resource utilization of fly ash.

Long-term exposure to 6-PPD quinone at environmentally relevant concentrations causes neurotoxicity by affecting dopaminergic, serotonergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neuronal systems in Caenorhabditis elegans

6-PPD quinone (6-PPDQ), an emerging environmental pollutant, is converted based on 6-PPD via ozonation. However, a systematic evaluation on possible neurotoxicity of long-term and low-dose 6-PPDQ exposure and the underlying mechanism remain unknown. In the present work, 0.1-10 μg/L 6-PPDQ was added to treat Caenorhabditis elegans for 4.5 days, with locomotion behavior, neuronal development, sensory perception behavior, neurotransmitter content, and levels of neurotransmission-related genes being the endpoints. 6-PPDQ exposure at 0.1-10 μg/L significantly reduced locomotion behavior, and that at 1-10 μg/L decreased sensory perception behavior in nematodes. Moreover, 6-PPDQ exposure at 10 μg/L notably induced damage to the development of dopaminergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic neurons. Importantly, nematodes with chronic 6-PPDQ exposure at 10 μg/L were confirmed to suffer obviously decreased dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, dopamine, and GABA contents and altered neurotransmission-related gene expression. Meanwhile, the potential binding sites of 6-PPDQ and neurotransmitter synthesis-related proteins were further shown by molecular docking method. Lastly, Pearson's correlation analysis showed that locomotion behavior and sensory perception behavior were positively correlated with the dopaminergic, serotonergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurotransmission. Consequently, 6-PPDQ exposure disturbed neurotransmitter transmission, while such changed molecular foundation for neurotransmitter transmission was related to 6-PPDQ toxicity induction. The present work sheds new lights on the mechanisms of 6-PPDQ and its possible neurotoxicity to organisms at environmentally relevant concentrations.

[Identification of key genes in Wilms tumor based on high-throughput RNA sequencing and their impacts on prognosis and immune responses]

OBJECTIVE

To identify the key genes differentially expressed in Wilms tumor and analyze their potential impacts on prognosis and immune responses of the patients.

METHODS

High-throughput RNA sequencing was used to identify the differentially expressed mRNAs in clinical samples of Wilms tumor and paired normal tissues, and their biological functions were analyzed using GO, KEGG and GSEA enrichment analyses. The hub genes were identified using STRING database, based on which a prognostic model was constructed using LASSO regression. The mutations of the key hub genes were analyzed and their impacts on immunotherapy efficacy was predicted using the cBioPortal platform. RT-qPCR was used to verify the differential expressions of the key hub genes in Wilms tumor.

RESULTS

Of the 1612 differentially expressed genes identified in Wilms tumor, 1030 were up-regulated and 582 were down-regulated, involving mainly cell cycle processes and immune responses. Ten hub genes were identified, among which 4 genes (TP53, MED1, CCNB1 and EGF) were closely related to the survival of children with Wilms tumor. A 3-gene prognostic signature was constructed through LASSO regression analysis, and the patients stratified into with high- and low-risk groups based on this signature had significantly different survival outcomes (HR=1.814, log-rank P=0.002). The AUCs of the 3-, 5- and 7-year survival ROC curves of this model were all greater than 0.7. The overall mutations in the key hub genes or the individual mutations in TP53/CCNB1 were strongly correlated with a lower survival rates, and a high TP53 expression was correlated with a poor immunotherapy efficacy. RT-qPCR confirmed that the key hub genes had significant differential expressions in Wilms tumor tissues and cells.

CONCLUSION

TP53 gene plays an important role in the Wilms tumor and may potentially serve as a new immunotherapeutic biomarker as well as a therapeutic target.

Association between de novo variants of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial-related genes and undiagnosed developmental disorder and autism

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests that mitochondrial abnormalities increase the risk of two neurodevelopmental disorders: undiagnosed developmental disorder (UDD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, which nuclear-encoded mitochondrial-related genes (NEMGs) were associated with UDD-ASD is unclear.

AIM

To explore the association between de novo variants (DNVs) of NEMGs and UDD-ASD.

DESIGN

Comprehensive analysis based on DNVs of NEMGs identified in patients (31 058 UDD probands and 10 318 ASD probands) and 4262 controls.

METHODS

By curating NEMGs and cataloging publicly published DNVs in NEMGs, we compared the frequency of DNVs in cases and controls. We also applied a TADA-denovo model to highlight disease-associated NEMGs and characterized them based on gene intolerance, functional networks and expression patterns.

RESULTS

Compared with levels in 4262 controls, an excess of protein-truncating variants and deleterious missense variants in 1421 cataloged NEMGs from 41 376 patients (31 058 UDD and 10 318 ASD probands) was observed. Overall, 3.23% of de novo deleterious missense variants and 3.20% of de novo protein-truncating variants contributed to 1.1% and 0.39% of UDD-ASD cases, respectively. We prioritized 130 disease-associated NEMGs and showed distinct expression patterns in the developing human brain. Disease-associated NEMGs expression was enriched in both excitatory and inhibitory neuronal lineages from the developing human cortex.

CONCLUSIONS

Rare genetic alterations of disease-associated NEMGs may play a role in UDD-ASD development and lay the groundwork for a better understanding of the biology of UDD-ASD.

Comparative investigation of transport and deposition of nebulized particles in nasal airways following various middle turbinectomy

BACKGROUND

Topical intranasal medication is required following functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). The optimal particle size of transnasal nebulization aimed at the sinonasal cavities is not conclusive. The current study aims to evaluate the effect of particle size and various surgery scope of middle turbinectomy (MT) on post-full FESS drug delivery to the sinonasal cavities.

METHODS

Sinonasal reconstructions were performed from post-full FESS CT scans in 6 chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) patients. Four additional models representing alternative surgery scopes of MT were established from each post-FESS reconstruction for simulation data comparison. Airflow and particle deposition of nebulized delivery were simulated via computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and validated through in vitro experiments. The optimal particle sizes reaching a deposition of at least 75% of the maximum in the targeted regions were identified.

RESULTS

The drug deposition rate onto the targeted regions increased following MT, with the greatest deposition following posterior MT (P-MT). Droplets in the range of 18-26 μm reached a deposition of larger than 75% of the maximum onto the targeted regions. Drug delivery rate in the sinonasal cavities varied significantly among individuals and across different types of MT with varying surgical scopes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to investigate the effect of various surgery scope on drug delivery by transnasal nebulization to the sinonasal cavities. The findings strongly affirm the vast potential of transnasal nebulization as an effective post-FESS treatment option. Moreover, it emphasizes that the drug delivery process via atomizers to the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is highly sensitive to the particle size.

Observation of WWγ Production and Search for Hγ Production in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The observation of WWγ production in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} is presented. The observed (expected) significance is 5.6 (5.1) standard deviations. Events are selected by requiring exactly two leptons (one electron and one muon) of opposite charge, moderate missing transverse momentum, and a photon. The measured fiducial cross section for WWγ is 5.9±0.8(stat)±0.8(syst)±0.7(modeling)  fb, in agreement with the next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics prediction. The analysis is extended with a search for the associated production of the Higgs boson and a photon, which is generated by a coupling of the Higgs boson to light quarks. The result is used to constrain the Higgs boson couplings to light quarks.

New Structures in the J/ψJ/ψ Mass Spectrum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search is reported for near-threshold structures in the J/ψJ/ψ invariant mass spectrum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV from data collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 135  fb^{-1}. Three structures are found, and a model with quantum interference among these structures provides a good description of the data. A new structure is observed with a local significance above 5 standard deviations at a mass of 6638_{-38}^{+43}(stat)_{-31}^{+16}(syst)  MeV. Another structure with even higher significance is found at a mass of 6847_{-28}^{+44}(stat)_{-20}^{+48}(syst)  MeV, which is consistent with the X(6900) resonance reported by the LHCb experiment and confirmed by the ATLAS experiment. Evidence for another new structure, with a local significance of 4.7 standard deviations, is found at a mass of 7134_{-25}^{+48}(stat)_{-15}^{+41}(syst)  MeV. Results are also reported for a model without interference, which does not fit the data as well and shows mass shifts up to 150 MeV relative to the model with interference.

Long-term prognostic value of thyroid hormones in left ventricular noncompaction

PURPOSE

Thyroid function is closely related to the prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to explore the predictive value of thyroid hormones for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC).

METHODS

This longitudinal cohort study enrolled 388 consecutive LVNC patients with complete thyroid function profiles and comprehensive cardiovascular assessment. Potential predictors for adverse outcomes were thoroughly evaluated.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 5.22 years, primary outcome (the combination of cardiovascular mortality and heart transplantation) occurred in 98 (25.3%) patients. For secondary outcomes, 75 (19.3%) patients died and 130 (33.5%) patients experienced major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Multivariable Cox analysis identified that free triiodothyronine (FT3) was independently associated with both primary (HR 0.455, 95%CI 0.313-0.664) and secondary (HR 0.547, 95%CI 0.349-0.858; HR 0.663, 95%CI 0.475-0.925) outcomes. Restricted cubic spline analysis illustrated that the risk for adverse outcomes increased significantly with the decline of serum FT3. The LVNC cohort was further stratified according to tertiles of FT3 levels. Individuals with lower FT3 levels in the tertile 1 group suffered from severe cardiac dysfunction and remodeling, resulting in higher incidence of mortality and MACE (Log-rank P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that lower concentration of FT3 was linked to worse prognosis, particularly for patients with left atrial diameter ≥ 40 mm or left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 35%. Adding FT3 to the pre-existing risk score for MACE in LVNC improved its predictive performance.

CONCLUSION

Through the long-term investigation on a large LVNC cohort, we demonstrated that low FT3 level was an independent predictor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Search for Scalar Leptoquarks Produced via τ-Lepton-Quark Scattering in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for scalar leptoquarks produced in τ-lepton-quark collisions is presented. It is based on a set of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The reconstructed final state consists of a jet, significant missing transverse momentum, and a τ lepton reconstructed through its hadronic or leptonic decays. Limits are set on the product of the leptoquark production cross section and branching fraction and interpreted as exclusions in the plane of the leptoquark mass and the leptoquark-τ-quark coupling strength.

China's prevention and control experience of echinococcosis: A 19-year retrospective

Echinococcosis poses a significant threat to public health. The Chinese government has implemented prevention and control measures to mitigate the impact of the disease. By analyzing data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Council of the People's Republic of China, we found that implementation of these measures has reduced the infection rate by nearly 50% between 2004 to 2022 (from 0.3975 to 0.1944 per 100,000 person-years). Nonetheless, some regions still bear a significant disease burden, and lack of detailed information limites further evaluation of the effects on both alveolar and cystic echinococcosis. Our analysis supports the continuing implementation of these measures and suggests that enhanced wildlife management, case-based strategies, and surveillance systems will facilitate disease control.

Search for Inelastic Dark Matter in Events with Two Displaced Muons and Missing Transverse Momentum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for dark matter in events with a displaced nonresonant muon pair and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} of proton-proton (pp) collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV produced by the LHC in 2016-2018. No significant excess over the predicted backgrounds is observed. Upper limits are set on the product of the inelastic dark matter production cross section σ(pp→A^{'}→χ_{1}χ_{2}) and the decay branching fraction B(χ_{2}→χ_{1}μ^{+}μ^{-}), where A^{'} is a dark photon and χ_{1} and χ_{2} are states in the dark sector with near mass degeneracy. This is the first dedicated collider search for inelastic dark matter.

Zinc-doped carbon quantum dots-based ratiometric fluorescence probe for rapid, specific, and visual determination of tetracycline hydrochloride

In this work, a rapid, specific, and visual ratiometric fluorescence probe was constructed for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) determination based on zinc-doped carbon quantum dots (Zn-CDs). In the presence of TCH, the blue fluorescence at 440 nm originating from Zn-CDs was quenched, and the green fluorescence at 515 nm stemming from TCH was enhanced. The inner filter effect (IFE) and the chelation between Zn and tetracycline are the main mechanisms for the conversion of spectra. The spectrum and color change completed and stabilized within 1 min, indicating the possibility of real-time detection of TCH. The detection range for TCH is 0.1-50 μM, and the low detection limit is 61.1 nM. In addition, Zn-CDs-based test strips were successfully applied to direct visual identification of TCH in actual samples of river water and milk, indicating the possibility of their practical application.

Luminosity determination using Z boson production at the CMS experiment

The measurement of Z boson production is presented as a method to determine the integrated luminosity of CMS data sets. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2017 at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Events with Z bosons decaying into a pair of muons are selected. The total number of Z bosons produced in a fiducial volume is determined, together with the identification efficiencies and correlations from the same data set, in small intervals of 20pb - 1 of integrated luminosity, thus facilitating the efficiency and rate measurement as a function of time and instantaneous luminosity. Using the ratio of the efficiency-corrected numbers of Z bosons, the precisely measured integrated luminosity of one data set is used to determine the luminosity of another. For the first time, a full quantitative uncertainty analysis of the use of Z  bosons for the integrated luminosity measurement is performed. The uncertainty in the extrapolation between two data sets, recorded in 2017 at low and high instantaneous luminosity, is less than 0.5%. We show that the Z boson rate measurement constitutes a precise method, complementary to traditional methods, with the potential to improve the measurement of the integrated luminosity.

Comparative study of efficiencies of purification of cadmium contaminated irrigation water by different purification systems

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in rice threats food safety and human health. Control of Cd pollution has become an urgent need. Most existing studies on heavy metal pollution control have focused on industrial wastewater and few on irrigation water. Some researchers have found ecological ditches, plant ponds and constructed wetlands have the potential of treating heavy metal contaminated irrigation water, but they examined only one of the methods and the validity needs to be verified by field studies. Our study has filled the gap by combining the methods and using field experiments. We examined efficiencies of removal of Cadmium from irrigation water by 14 different combinations of ecological ditches, plant ponds, and constructed wetlands using field experiments. The effects of the purification on Cd concentration in paddy soil and rice grains were also examined. Results showed that there were significant differences among efficiencies of purification of Cd contaminated irrigation water using different systems and that pH, chemical form of Cd in irrigation water, vegetation coverage and biomass of aquatic plants significantly affect the efficiency. Of the 14 purification systems, seven resulted in the concentration of Cd in the effluent water meeting the National Standard for Irrigation Water Quality (GB5084-2021) for all days of the experiment period. The highest amount and rate of Cd removal were achieved by the combination of two-stage ecological ditch, two-stage plant pond, and one-stage constructed wetland, while the highest removal amount and rate per 100 m2 was achieved by the combination of one-stage plant pond and one-stage constructed wetland. Considering purification efficiency, area of coverage, and cost of construction and maintenance, we suggest that combination of plant pond and constructed wetland be a priority choice for purification of Cd pollution in irrigation water. Compared to the control data collected from rice grain and paddy soil irrigated by unpurified water, Cd concentration in rice grain and paddy soil irrigated by purified water declined by 5.08-19.42 % and 30.93-77.15 % respectively. All results showed that removal of Cd contamination from irrigation water effectively controlled cadmium pollution in rice grain and paddy soil. Our study not only contributes to pollution control practice, but also warrants further investigation of the mechanisms of how the treatment systems work. The most efficient method we identified could be applied locally, regionally and in areas of similar topography, climate, soil, vegetation, agriculture, and heavy metal pollution.

Measurement of the production cross section for a W boson in association with a charm quark in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The strange quark content of the proton is probed through the measurement of the production cross section for a W boson and a charm (c) quark in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The W bosons are identified through their leptonic decays to an electron or a muon, and a neutrino. Charm jets are tagged using the presence of a muon or a secondary vertex inside the jet. The W + c production cross section and the cross section ratio R c ± = σ ( W + + c ¯ ) / σ ( W - + c ) are measured inclusively and differentially as functions of the transverse momentum and the pseudorapidity of the lepton originating from the W boson decay. The precision of the measurements is improved with respect to previous studies, reaching 1% in R c ± = 0.950 ± 0.005 (stat) ± 0.010 (syst) . The measurements are compared with theoretical predictions up to next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics.

Probing Small Bjorken-x Nuclear Gluonic Structure via Coherent J/ψ Photoproduction in Ultraperipheral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

Quasireal photons exchanged in relativistic heavy ion interactions are powerful probes of the gluonic structure of nuclei. The coherent J/ψ photoproduction cross section in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions is measured as a function of photon-nucleus center-of-mass energies per nucleon (W_{γN}^{Pb}) over a wide range of 40 Collapse

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A label-free ratiometric fluorescent aptasensor based on a peroxidase-mimetic multifunctional ZrFe-MOF for the determination of tetrodotoxin

A Fe/Zr bimetal-organic framework (ZrFe-MOF) is utilized to establish a ratiometric fluorescent aptasensor for the determination of tetrodotoxin (TTX). The multifunctional ZrFe-MOF possesses inherent fluorescence at 445 nm wavelength, peroxidase-mimetic activity, and specific recognition and adsorption capabilities for aptamers, owing to its organic ligand, and Fe and Zr nodes. The peroxidation of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) substrate generates fluorescent 2,3-diaminophenazine (OPDox) at 555 nm wavelength, thus quenching the inherent fluorescence of ZrFe-MOF because of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect. TTX aptamers, which are absorbed on the material surface without immobilization or fluorescent labeling, inhibit the peroxidase-mimetic activity of ZrFe-MOF. It causes the decreased OPDox fluorescence at 555 nm wavelength and the inverse restoration of ZrFe-MOF fluorescence at 445 nm wavelength. With TTX, the aptamers specifically bind to TTX, triggering rigid complex release from ZrFe-MOF surface and reactivating its peroxidase-mimetic activity. Consequently, the two fluorescence signals exhibit opposite changes. Employing this ratiometric strategy, the determination of TTX is achieved with a detection limit of 0.027 ng/mL and a linear range of 0.05-500 ng/mL. This aptasensor also successfully determines TTX concentrations in puffer fish and clam samples, demonstrating its promising application for monitoring trace TTX in food safety.

Altered rumen microbiome and correlations of the metabolome in heat-stressed dairy cows at different growth stages

IMPORTANCE

Heat stress is one of the main causes of economic losses in the dairy industry worldwide; however, the mechanisms associated with the metabolic and microbial changes in heat stress remain unclear. Here, we characterized both the changes in metabolites, rumen microbial communities, and their functional potential indices derived from rumen fluid and serum samples from cows at different growth stages and under different climates. This study highlights that the rumen microbe may be involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism by modulating the fatty acyl metabolites. Under heat stress, the changes in the metabolic status of growing heifers, heifers, and lactating cows were closely related to arachidonic acid metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and energy metabolism. Moreover, this study provides new markers for further research to understand the effects of heat stress on the physiological metabolism of Holstein cows and the time-dependent changes associated with growth stages.

High-Efficiency Corrosion Inhibitor of Biomass-Derived High-Yield Carbon Quantum Dots for Q235 Carbon Steel in 1 M HCl Solution

Eco-friendly self-doped carbon quantum dots (ZCQDs) with excellent corrosion inhibition ability were prepared via solid-phase pyrolysis only using Zanthoxylum bungeanum leaves as the raw material. Compared with the relevant research, a simpler and higher yield (25%) preparation process for carbon quantum dots was proposed. ZCQDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the average size of ZCQDs with multitudes of O- and N-containing functional groups was about 2.53 nm. The prepared ZCQDs were used to inhibit the corrosion of Q235 steel in HCl solution, and the inhibition behavior was investigated through weight loss, electrochemical test, surface analysis, and adsorption thermodynamic analyses. The results showed that the ZCQDs, acted as a mixed corrosion inhibitor, have an effective corrosion inhibition for Q235, the corrosion inhibition efficiency reached 95.98% at 200 mg/L, and at this concentration, effective protection of at least 132h (IE > 90%) is provided. Moreover, the adsorption mechanism of ZCQDs was consistent with that of Redlich-Peterson adsorption, including chemisorption and physisorption. A new corrosion inhibition mechanism of ZCQDs has been thoroughly studied and proposed; ZCQDs have functional groups containing O and N, which can form a protective barrier through physical adsorption and chemisorption, but the coverage of the protective film is low at low concentrations. With the increase of concentration, the protective film formed by ZCQDs on the metal surface will first increase the coverage and then adsorb more ZCQDs on the protective film to form a thicker and denser protective film to protect the metal. The carbon quantum dots prepared in this paper have advantages including a green, renewable precursor, a fast method, high yield, and excellent corrosion inhibition. Therefore, this work can inspire and facilitate, to a certain extent, the future application of doped carbon quantum dots as efficient corrosion inhibitors in HCl solutions.

A novel nomogram for predicting the prolonged length of stay in post-anesthesia care unit after elective operation

BACKGROUND

Prolonged length of stay in post-anesthesia care unit (PLOS in PACU) is a combination of risk factors and complications that can compromise quality of care and operating room efficiency. Our study aimed to develop a nomogram to predict PLOS in PACU of patients undergoing elective surgery.

METHODS

Data from 24017 patients were collected. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to screen variables. A logistic regression model was built on variables determined by a combined method of forward selection and backward elimination. Nomogram was designed with the model. The nomogram performance was evaluated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for discrimination, calibration plot for consistency between predictions and actuality, and decision curve analysis (DCA) for clinical application value.

RESULTS

A nomogram was established based on the selected ten variables, including age, BMI < 21 kg/m2, American society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA), surgery type, chill, delirium, pain, naloxone, operation duration and blood transfusion. The C-index value was 0.773 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.765 - 0.781] in the development set and 0.757 (95% CI = 0.744-0.770) in the validation set. The AUC was > 0.75 for the prediction of PLOS in PACU. The calibration curves revealed high consistencies between the predicted and actual probability. The DCA showed that if the threshold probability is over 10% , using the models to predict PLOS in PACU and implement intervention adds more benefit.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presented a nomogram to facilitate individualized prediction of PLOS in PACU for patients undergoing elective surgery.

Masson pine pollen aqueous extract ameliorates cadmium-induced kidney damage in rats

Introduction: Cadmium (Cd) is a hazardous environmental pollutant present in soil, water, and food. Accumulation of Cd in organisms can cause systematic injury and damage to the kidney. The Masson pine pollen aqueous extract (MPPAE) has attracted increasing attention due to its antioxidant activity and ability to enhance immunity. Methods: In this study, we investigated the potential of MPPAE to protect against Cd-induced kidney damage in rats and the underlying mechanism. The transcriptome and metabolome of rats with Cd-induced kidney damage, following treatment with MPPAE, were explored. Results: The concentrations of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were both significantly altered after treatment with MPPAE. Furthermore, sequencing and analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome of rats with Cd-induced kidney damage, following treatment with MPPAE, revealed differential expression of numerous genes and metabolites compared with the untreated control rats. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) included detoxification-related genes such as cytochrome P450 and the transporter. The differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) included 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, L-ascorbate, and ciliatine. Conjoint transcriptome and metabolome analysis showed that several DEGs were correlated with DEMs. Conclusion: These preliminary findings indicate the potential of MPPAE for the treatment of toxic metal poisoning.

Development of antibody-aptamer sandwich-like immunosensor based on RCA and Nicked-PAM CRISPR/Cas12a system for the ultra-sensitive detection of a biomarker

Biomarkers are the most sensitive reactants and early indicators of many kinds of diseases. The development of highly sensitive and simple techniques to quantify them is challenging. In this study, based on rolling cycle amplification (RCA) and the Nicked PAM/CRISPR-Cas12a system (RNPC) as a signal reporter, a sandwich-type method was developed using antibody@magnetic beads and aptamer for the high-sensitive detection of the C-reactive protein (CRP). The antibody-antigen (target)-aptamer sandwich-like reaction was coupled to RCA, which can produce hundreds of similar binding sites and are discriminated by CRISPR/Cas12a for signal amplification. The ultrasensitivity is achieved based on the dual-signal enhancing strategy, which involves the special recognition of aptamers, RCA, and trans-cleavage of CRISPR/Cas12a. By incorporating the CRISPR/Cas12a system with cleaved PAM, the nonspecific amplification of the RCA reaction alone was greatly reduced, and the dual signal output of RCA and Cas12a improved the detection sensitivity. Our assay can be performed only in two steps. The first step takes only 20 min of target capture, followed by a one-pot reaction, where the target concentration can be obtained by fluorescence values as long as there are 37 °C reaction conditions. Under optimal conditions, this system detected CRP with high sensitivity. The fabricated biosensor showed detection limits of 0.40 pg/mL in phosphate-buffered saline and 0.73 pg/mL in diluted human serum and a broad linear dynamic range of 1.28 pg/mL to 100 ng/mL within a total readout time of 90 min. The method could be used to perform multi-step signal amplification, which can help in the ultrasensitive detection of other proteins. Overall, the proposed biosensor might be used as an immunosensor biosensor platform.

The first probe of a FLASH proton beam by PET

The recently observed FLASH effect related to high doses delivered with high rates has the potential to revolutionize radiation cancer therapy if promising results are confirmed and an underlying mechanism understood. Comprehensive measurements are essential to elucidate the phenomenon. We report the first-ever demonstration of measurements of successive in-spill and post-spill emissions of gammas arising from irradiations by a FLASH proton beam. A small positron emission tomography (PET) system was exposed in an ocular beam of the Proton Therapy Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center to view phantoms irradiated by 3.5 × 1010protons with a kinetic energy of 75.8 MeV delivered in 101.5 ms-long spills yielding a dose rate of 164 Gy s-1. Most in-spill events were due to prompt gammas. Reconstructed post-spill tomographic events, recorded for up to 20 min, yielded quantitative imaging and dosimetric information. These findings open a new and novel modality for imaging and monitoring of FLASH proton therapy exploiting in-spill prompt gamma imaging followed by post-spill PET imaging.

Measurement of the top quark mass using a profile likelihood approach with the lepton + jets final states in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The mass of the top quark is measured in 36.3fb - 1 of LHC proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at s = 13 Te V . The measurement uses a sample of top quark pair candidate events containing one isolated electron or muon and at least four jets in the final state. For each event, the mass is reconstructed from a kinematic fit of the decay products to a top quark pair hypothesis. A profile likelihood method is applied using up to four observables per event to extract the top quark mass. The top quark mass is measured to be 171.77 ± 0.37 Ge V . This approach significantly improves the precision over previous measurements.

A search for decays of the Higgs boson to invisible particles in events with a top-antitop quark pair or a vector boson in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

A search for decays to invisible particles of Higgs bosons produced in association with a top-antitop quark pair or a vector boson, which both decay to a fully hadronic final state, has been performed using proton-proton collision data collected at s = 13 Te V by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The 95% confidence level upper limit set on the branching fraction of the 125Ge V Higgs boson to invisible particles, B ( H → inv ) , is 0.54 (0.39 expected), assuming standard model production cross sections. The results of this analysis are combined with previous B ( H → inv ) searches carried out at s = 7 , 8, and 13Te V in complementary production modes. The combined upper limit at 95% confidence level on B ( H → inv ) is 0.15 (0.08 expected).

Observation of τ Lepton Pair Production in Ultraperipheral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

We present an observation of photon-photon production of τ lepton pairs in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions. The measurement is based on a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 404  μb^{-1} collected by the CMS experiment at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. The γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-} process is observed for τ^{+}τ^{-} events with a muon and three charged hadrons in the final state. The measured fiducial cross section is σ(γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-})=4.8±0.6(stat)±0.5(syst)  μb, where the second (third) term corresponds to the statistical (systematic) uncertainty in σ(γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-}) in agreement with leading-order QED predictions. Using σ(γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-}), we estimate a model-dependent value of the anomalous magnetic moment of the τ lepton of a_{τ}=0.001_{-0.089}^{+0.055}.

M1 polarization of chicken macrophage HD11 can be activated by duck Tembusu virus via MyD88-NF-κB-mediated signaling pathway

Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) has caused significant economic losses to the global duck industry since its outbreak in 2010. The macrophages act as the key immune cell, and its polarization in different functional states is very important for host's immune responses and microbial infections. Avian macrophages are the main target cells of DTMUV, its polarization induced by DTMUV and the underlying mechanisms were explored in this study. Through quantitative real-time PCR, nitrite assay, and flow cytometry analysis, we found that DTMUV caused severe inflammatory responses in chicken macrophage line HD11 by reprogramming the expression of M1- and M2-associated genes, leading to the polarization of HD11 macrophage to M1-type. In term of mechanism, transcriptomics was performed to analyze the M1-type polarization triggered by DTMUV, it was found that most differential genes were implicated in biological processes, and DTMUV infection significantly activated innate immune signaling pathways, including cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, MAPK signaling pathway. Moreover, transcription factors NF-κB and AP1 also be activated after viral infection. However, further validation analysis by inhibitors and siRNAs of NF-κB and AP1 showed that NF-κB molecule was essential for DTMUV-induced M1 polarization in HD11 cell, but not AP1. Additionally, the inhibiting assays targeting MyD88 and TRIF molecules were conducted to determine their effect on NF-κB and M1-associated genes upregulated by DTMUV. The results showed that although the inhibition of both MyD88 and TRIF significantly downregulated the mRNA level of NF-κB, but the expression of M1-associated genes such as CD86 was lower in MyD88 inhibition group than in the other group, indicating that the role of MyD88 in mediating M1 polarization induced by DTMUV was more important. Overall, these results demonstrated that DTMUV infection induces M1-type polarization in chicken macrophage HD11 through MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathways. This finding will lay the foundation for further study the pathogenesis of DTMUV, and provide new insights into the prevention and control of this disease.

A Comparison of Two Plan Optimization Methods in Three-Dimensional Brachytherapy for Cervical Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To compare dose distributions created by using two Inverse Planning Simulated Annealing (IPSA) and Hybrid Inverse Planning Optimization (HIPO) in three-dimensional (with CT image guidance) brachytherapy planning for cervical cancer.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Brachytherapy plans for thirty patients with cervical cancer were created using the IPSA and HIPO algorithms (The IPSA algorithm is calculated based on the anatomical structure, and the simulated annealing algorithm is used to optimize the residence time, and the HIPO algorithm is the optimization and replacement for the IPSA). To obtain a HIPO plan, a manually optimized post-loading treatment plan was applied to these 30 patients, and then the treatment plan was reoptimized using the HIPO algorithm based on the original image information. Individual patients will consider interpolation therapy according to the needs of their condition. The types of plans were compared based on a variety of dose volume parameters, including the mean dose covering 90% of high-risk clinical target volume (D90 for HR-CTV), the mean dose to 2 cm3 volume (D2cc) for bladder, rectum, intestine and sigmoid, and average treatment time were compared and analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with the two groups of plans, mean value of HR-CTV D90 for the HIPO plans was (585 cGy), which was significantly higher than that for the IPSA plans (567 cGy. This difference is statistically significant (P<0.05). The HIPO plans had mean D2cc 422±47 cGy for bladder, 403±38 cGy for rectum, which were lower than those from the SA plans, i.e., 446±42 cGy for bladder and 427±31 cGy for rectum; These differences were statistically significant (t = 5.125, 4.729, P <0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the sigmoid D2cc doses between the two algorithms. The treatment times for delivering the two types of plans were not significant different.

CONCLUSION

Depending on patient's condition, whether conventional brachytherapy therapy or interpolation therapy is used, the use of the HIPO algorithm to design the treatment regimen without additional treatment time can provide a higher target dose than the manually optimized brachytherapy regimen. Meanwhile, the bladder and rectum doses can be reduced to a certain extent under the premise of ensuring that the target dose met the treatment requirements. There is some increasement for the intestine dose with HIPO planning group, but the dose limits required by the guidelines are still met clinical requirement.

Quality Assurance in a Phase III, Multicenter, Randomized Trial of POstmastectomy radioThErapy in Node posiTive Breast Cancer with or without Internal mAmmary nodaL Irradiation (POTENTIAL): A Planning Dummy Run

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To report the planning dummy run results of the POstmastectomy radioThErapy in Node posiTive breast cancer with or without Internal mAmmary nodaL irradiation (POTENTIAL) trial-a multicenter, randomized, phase 3 trial-to evaluate postmastectomy radiotherapy, with or without internal mammary nodal irradiation, for patients with high-risk breast cancer.

MATERIALS/METHODS

All participating institutions were provided the contours of the dummy run case, and they generated radiotherapy (RT) plans per protocol guidelines. The plans were reviewed and feedback were provided by the quality assurance team, after which the institutions resubmitted revised plans. The information on beams arrangement, skin flash, inhomogeneity corrections, and protocol compliance was assessed both in the primary and final submission.

RESULTS

Theplans from 26 institutions were included in the analysis. A number of major deviations were found in the primary submission, such as less strict constraint on organs at risk (OARs) V5Gy, and no application of chest wall skin flash. The protocol compliance rates of the dose coverage for the planning target volume of the chest wall (PTVcw), PTV of supra/infraclavicular fossa plus axilla levels I, II, III (PTVsc+ax), and PTV of the IMN region (PTVim) were all significantly improved in the final submission compared with those in the primary submission, which were 96.2% vs. 69.2%, 100% vs. 76.9%, and 88.4% vs. 53.8, respectively. For OARs, the protocol compliance rates of heart Dmean, left anterior descending coronary artery V40Gy, ipsilateral lung V5Gy, and stomach V5Gy were significantly improved.

CONCLUSION

All major deviations were corrected and protocol compliance was significantly improved and of high level in the final submission. Moreover, the variations were reduced. Therefore, a planning dummy run was essential to guarantee good RT plan quality and inter-institutional consistency for multicenter trials.

Measurement of the Dependence of the Hadron Production Fraction Ratios f_{s}/f_{u} and f_{d}/f_{u} on B Meson Kinematic Variables in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The dependence of the ratio between the B_{s}^{0} and B^{+} hadron production fractions, f_{s}/f_{u}, on the transverse momentum (p_{T}) and rapidity of the B mesons is studied using the decay channels B_{s}^{0}→J/ψϕ and B^{+}→J/ψK^{+}. The analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected by the CMS experiment in 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 61.6  fb^{-1}. The f_{s}/f_{u} ratio is observed to depend on the B p_{T} and to be consistent with becoming asymptotically constant at large p_{T}. No rapidity dependence is observed. The ratio of the B^{0} to B^{+} meson production fractions, f_{d}/f_{u}, is also measured, for the first time in proton-proton collisions, using the B^{0}→J/ψK^{*0} decay channel. The result is found to be within 1 standard deviation of unity and independent of p_{T} and rapidity, as expected from isospin invariance.

Search for Exotic Higgs Boson Decays H→AA→4γ with Events Containing Two Merged Diphotons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

We present the first direct search for exotic Higgs boson decays H→AA, A→γγ in events with two photonlike objects. The hypothetical particle A is a low-mass spin-0 particle decaying promptly to a merged diphoton reconstructed as a single photonlike object. We analyze the data collected by the CMS experiment at sqrt[s]=13  TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 136  fb^{-1}. No excess above the estimated background is found. We set upper limits on the branching fraction B(H→AA→4γ) of (0.9-3.3)×10^{-3} at 95% confidence level for masses of A in the range 0.1-1.2 GeV.

Observation of Same-Sign WW Production from Double Parton Scattering in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first observation of the production of W^{±}W^{±} bosons from double parton scattering processes using same-sign electron-muon and dimuon events in proton-proton collisions is reported. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. Multivariate discriminants are used to distinguish the signal process from the main backgrounds. A binned maximum likelihood fit is performed to extract the signal cross section. The measured cross section for production of same-sign W bosons decaying leptonically is 80.7±11.2(stat) _{-8.6}^{+9.5}(syst)±12.1(model)  fb, whereas the measured fiducial cross section is 6.28±0.81(stat)±0.69(syst)±0.37(model)  fb. The observed significance of the signal is 6.2 standard deviations above the background-only hypothesis.

Observation of the Rare Decay of the η Meson to Four Muons

A search for the rare η→μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-} double-Dalitz decay is performed using a sample of proton-proton collisions, collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC with high-rate muon triggers during 2017 and 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101  fb^{-1}. A signal having a statistical significance well in excess of 5 standard deviations is observed. Using the η→μ^{+}μ^{-} decay as normalization, the branching fraction B(η→μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-})=[5.0±0.8(stat)±0.7(syst)±0.7(B_{2μ})]×10^{-9} is measured, where the last term is the uncertainty in the normalization channel branching fraction. This work achieves an improved precision of over 5 orders of magnitude compared to previous results, leading to the first measurement of this branching fraction, which is found to agree with theoretical predictions.

Measurements of jet multiplicity and jet transverse momentum in multijet events in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

Multijet events at large transverse momentum (p T ) are measured at s = 13 Te V using data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3 fb - 1 . The multiplicity of jets with p T > 50 Ge V that are produced in association with a high-p T dijet system is measured in various ranges of the p T of the jet with the highest transverse momentum and as a function of the azimuthal angle difference Δ ϕ 1 , 2 between the two highest p T jets in the dijet system. The differential production cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momenta of the four highest p T jets. The measurements are compared with leading and next-to-leading order matrix element calculations supplemented with simulations of parton shower, hadronization, and multiparton interactions. In addition, the measurements are compared with next-to-leading order matrix element calculations combined with transverse-momentum dependent parton densities and transverse-momentum dependent parton shower.

Azimuthal correlations in Z +jets events in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The production of Z bosons associated with jets is measured in pp collisions at s = 13 Te V with data recorded with the CMS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3fb - 1 . The multiplicity of jets with transverse momentum p T > 30 Ge V is measured for different regions of the Z boson's p T ( Z ) , from lower than 10Ge V to higher than 100Ge V . The azimuthal correlation Δ ϕ between the Z boson and the leading jet, as well as the correlations between the two leading jets are measured in three regions of p T ( Z ) . The measurements are compared with several predictions at leading and next-to-leading orders, interfaced with parton showers. Predictions based on transverse-momentum dependent parton distributions and corresponding parton showers give a good description of the measurement in the regions where multiple parton interactions and higher jet multiplicities are not important. The effects of multiple parton interactions are shown to be important to correctly describe the measured spectra in the low p T ( Z ) regions.

Search for Higgs Boson Decay to a Charm Quark-Antiquark Pair in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a charm quark-antiquark pair, H→cc[over ¯], produced in association with a leptonically decaying V (W or Z) boson is presented. The search is performed with proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. Novel charm jet identification and analysis methods using machine learning techniques are employed. The analysis is validated by searching for Z→cc[over ¯] in VZ events, leading to its first observation at a hadron collider with a significance of 5.7 standard deviations. The observed (expected) upper limit on σ(VH)B(H→cc[over ¯]) is 0.94 (0.50_{-0.15}^{+0.22})pb at 95% confidence level (C.L.), corresponding to 14 (7.6_{-2.3}^{+3.4}) times the standard model prediction. For the Higgs-charm Yukawa coupling modifier, κ_{c}, the observed (expected) 95% C.L. interval is 1.1<|κ_{c}|<5.5 (|κ_{c}|<3.4), the most stringent constraint to date.

Azimuthal Correlations within Exclusive Dijets with Large Momentum Transfer in Photon-Lead Collisions

The structure of nucleons is multidimensional and depends on the transverse momenta, spatial geometry, and polarization of the constituent partons. Such a structure can be studied using high-energy photons produced in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions. The first measurement of the azimuthal angular correlations of exclusively produced events with two jets in photon-lead interactions at large momentum transfer is presented, a process that is considered to be sensitive to the underlying nuclear gluon polarization. This study uses a data sample of ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.38  nb^{-1}, collected with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measured second harmonic of the correlation between the sum and difference of the two jet transverse momentum vectors is found to be positive, and rising, as the dijet transverse momentum increases. A well-tuned model that has been successful at describing a wide range of proton scattering data from the HERA experiments fails to describe the observed correlations, suggesting the presence of gluon polarization effects.

Preoperative contrast-enhanced CT-based radiomics signature for predicting hypoxia-inducible factor 1α expression in retroperitoneal sarcoma

AIM

To develop and test a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT)-based radiomics signature (RS) to preoperatively predict hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) expression in retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 129 patients with RPS retrospectively who underwent CECT, including 64 male and 65 female patients (55 [2-84] years). Participants were divided into a training set comprising 85 patients and a test set comprising 44 patients. Clinical data and CECT findings of all patients were collected. RS construction was performed by the minimum redundancy maximum relevance method and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm. The clinical information was analysed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The RS and risk factors were included to build a radiomics nomogram. The predictive efficacy of different models was evaluated by accuracy, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and decision curve analysis.

RESULTS

The RS combined signature was constructed on the basis of multi-phase CECT and had an accuracy of 0.795 and an AUC of 0.719 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.552-0.886) in the test set, which were higher than that of the radiomics nomogram (accuracy: 0.636; AUC: 0.702 [95% CI, 0.547-0.857]) and the clinical model (accuracy: 0.682; AUC: 0.486 [95% CI, 0.324-0.647]). The decision curve analysis showed that the RS combined signature provided better clinical application than the clinical model and radiomics nomogram.

CONCLUSIONS

The multi-phase CECT-based RS constructed can be used as a powerful tool for predicting HIF-1α expression in patients with RPS.

Search for Nonresonant Pair Production of Highly Energetic Higgs Bosons Decaying to Bottom Quarks

A search for nonresonant Higgs boson (H) pair production via gluon and vector boson (V) fusion is performed in the four-bottom-quark final state, using proton-proton collision data at 13 TeV corresponding to 138  fb^{-1} collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analysis targets Lorentz-boosted H pairs identified using a graph neural network. It constrains the strengths relative to the standard model of the H self-coupling and the quartic VVHH couplings, κ_{2V}, excluding κ_{2V}=0 for the first time, with a significance of 6.3 standard deviations when other H couplings are fixed to their standard model values.

Search for Higgs Boson and Observation of Z Boson through Their Decay into a Charm Quark-Antiquark Pair in Boosted Topologies in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson (H) produced with transverse momentum (p_{T}) greater than 450 GeV and decaying to a charm quark-antiquark (cc[over ¯]) pair is presented. The search is performed using proton-proton collision data collected at sqrt[s]=13  TeV by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. Boosted H→cc[over ¯] decay products are reconstructed as a single large-radius jet and identified using a deep neural network charm tagging technique. The method is validated by measuring the Z→cc[over ¯] decay process, which is observed in association with jets at high p_{T} for the first time with a signal strength of 1.00_{-0.14}^{+0.17}(syst)±0.08(theo)±0.06(stat), defined as the ratio of the observed process rate to the SM expectation. The observed (expected) upper limit on σ(H)B(H→cc[over ¯]) is set at 47 (39) times the SM prediction at 95% confidence level.

Measurements of the Higgs boson production cross section and couplings in the W boson pair decay channel in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

Production cross sections of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a pair of W bosons are measured in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . The analysis targets Higgs bosons produced via gluon fusion, vector boson fusion, and in association with a W or Z boson. Candidate events are required to have at least two charged leptons and moderate missing transverse momentum, targeting events with at least one leptonically decaying W boson originating from the Higgs boson. Results are presented in the form of inclusive and differential cross sections in the simplified template cross section framework, as well as couplings of the Higgs boson to vector bosons and fermions. The data set collected by the CMS detector during 2016-2018 is used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The signal strength modifier μ , defined as the ratio of the observed production rate in a given decay channel to the standard model expectation, is measured to be μ = 0 . 95 - 0.09 + 0.10 . All results are found to be compatible with the standard model within the uncertainties.

Measurement of the mass dependence of the transverse momentum of lepton pairs in Drell-Yan production in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The double differential cross sections of the Drell-Yan lepton pair (ℓ + ℓ - , dielectron or dimuon) production are measured as functions of the invariant mass m ℓ ℓ , transverse momentum p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , and φ η ∗ . The φ η ∗ observable, derived from angular measurements of the leptons and highly correlated with p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , is used to probe the low-p T ( ℓ ℓ ) region in a complementary way. Dilepton masses up to 1Te V are investigated. Additionally, a measurement is performed requiring at least one jet in the final state. To benefit from partial cancellation of the systematic uncertainty, the ratios of the differential cross sections for various m ℓ ℓ ranges to those in the Z mass peak interval are presented. The collected data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.3fb - 1 of proton-proton collisions recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Measurements are compared with predictions based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics, including soft-gluon resummation.

CMS pythia 8 colour reconnection tunes based on underlying-event data

New sets of parameter tunes for two of the colour reconnection models, quantum chromodynamics-inspired and gluon-move, implemented in the pythia  8 event generator, are obtained based on the default CMS pythia  8 underlying-event tune, CP5. Measurements sensitive to the underlying event performed by the CMS experiment at centre-of-mass energies s = 7 and 13Te V , and by the CDF experiment at 1.96Te V are used to constrain the parameters of colour reconnection models and multiple-parton interactions simultaneously. The new colour reconnection tunes are compared with various measurements at 1.96, 7, 8, and 13Te V including measurements of the underlying-event, strange-particle multiplicities, jet substructure observables, jet shapes, and colour flow in top quark pair (t t ¯ ) events. The new tunes are also used to estimate the uncertainty related to colour reconnection modelling in the top quark mass measurement using the decay products of t t ¯ events in the semileptonic channel at 13Te V .

Probing Heavy Majorana Neutrinos and the Weinberg Operator through Vector Boson Fusion Processes in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search exploiting the vector boson fusion process to probe heavy Majorana neutrinos and the Weinberg operator at the LHC is presented. The search is performed in the same-sign dimuon final state using a proton-proton collision dataset recorded at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, collected with the CMS detector and corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The results are found to agree with the predictions of the standard model. For heavy Majorana neutrinos, constraints on the squared mixing element between the muon and the heavy neutrino are derived in the heavy neutrino mass range 50 GeV-25 TeV; for masses above 650 GeV these are the most stringent constraints from searches at the LHC to date. A first test of the Weinberg operator at colliders provides an observed upper limit at 95% confidence level on the effective μμ Majorana neutrino mass of 10.8 GeV.