First Search for Dark-Trident Processes Using the MicroBooNE Detector

We present a first search for dark-trident scattering in a neutrino beam using a dataset corresponding to 7.2×10^{20} protons on target taken with the MicroBooNE detector at Fermilab. Proton interactions in the neutrino target at the main injector produce π^{0} and η mesons, which could decay into dark-matter (DM) particles mediated via a dark photon A^{'}. A convolutional neural network is trained to identify interactions of the DM particles in the liquid-argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) exploiting its imagelike reconstruction capability. In the absence of a DM signal, we provide limits at the 90% confidence level on the squared kinematic mixing parameter ϵ^{2} as a function of the dark-photon mass in the range 10≤M_{A^{'}}≤400  MeV. The limits cover previously unconstrained parameter space for the production of fermion or scalar DM particles χ for two benchmark models with mass ratios M_{χ}/M_{A^{'}}=0.6 and 2 and for dark fine-structure constants 0.1≤α_{D}≤1.

Assessing and Optimizing Large Language Models on Spondyloarthritis Multi-Choice Question Answering: Protocol for Enhancement and Assessment

BACKGROUND

Spondyloarthritis (SpA), a chronic inflammatory disorder, predominantly impacts the sacroiliac joints and spine, significantly escalating the risk of disability. SpA's complexity, as evidenced by its diverse clinical presentations and symptoms that often mimic other diseases, presents substantial challenges in its accurate diagnosis and differentiation. This complexity becomes even more pronounced in nonspecialist health care environments due to limited resources, resulting in delayed referrals, increased misdiagnosis rates, and exacerbated disability outcomes for patients with SpA. The emergence of large language models (LLMs) in medical diagnostics introduces a revolutionary potential to overcome these diagnostic hurdles. Despite recent advancements in artificial intelligence and LLMs demonstrating effectiveness in diagnosing and treating various diseases, their application in SpA remains underdeveloped. Currently, there is a notable absence of SpA-specific LLMs and an established benchmark for assessing the performance of such models in this particular field.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective is to develop a foundational medical model, creating a comprehensive evaluation benchmark tailored to the essential medical knowledge of SpA and its unique diagnostic and treatment protocols. The model, post-pretraining, will be subject to further enhancement through supervised fine-tuning. It is projected to significantly aid physicians in SpA diagnosis and treatment, especially in settings with limited access to specialized care. Furthermore, this initiative is poised to promote early and accurate SpA detection at the primary care level, thereby diminishing the risks associated with delayed or incorrect diagnoses.

METHODS

A rigorous benchmark, comprising 222 meticulously formulated multiple-choice questions on SpA, will be established and developed. These questions will be extensively revised to ensure their suitability for accurately evaluating LLMs' performance in real-world diagnostic and therapeutic scenarios. Our methodology involves selecting and refining top foundational models using public data sets. The best-performing model in our benchmark will undergo further training. Subsequently, more than 80,000 real-world inpatient and outpatient cases from hospitals will enhance LLM training, incorporating techniques such as supervised fine-tuning and low-rank adaptation. We will rigorously assess the models' generated responses for accuracy and evaluate their reasoning processes using the metrics of fluency, relevance, completeness, and medical proficiency.

RESULTS

Development of the model is progressing, with significant enhancements anticipated by early 2024. The benchmark, along with the results of evaluations, is expected to be released in the second quarter of 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

Our trained model aims to capitalize on the capabilities of LLMs in analyzing complex clinical data, thereby enabling precise detection, diagnosis, and treatment of SpA. This innovation is anticipated to play a vital role in diminishing the disabilities arising from delayed or incorrect SpA diagnoses. By promoting this model across diverse health care settings, we anticipate a significant improvement in SpA management, culminating in enhanced patient outcomes and a reduced overall burden of the disease.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/57001.

Non-Pharmacological Strategies for Managing Sarcopenia in Chronic Diseases

This article focuses on a range of non-pharmacological strategies for managing sarcopenia in chronic diseases, including exercise, dietary supplements, traditional Chinese exercise, intestinal microecology, and rehabilitation therapies for individuals with limited limb movement. By analyzing multiple studies, the article aims to summarize the available evidence to manage sarcopenia in individuals with chronic diseases. The results strongly emphasize the role of resistance training in addressing chronic diseases and secondary sarcopenia. Maintaining the appropriate frequency and intensity of resistance training can help prevent muscle atrophy and effectively reduce inflammation. Although aerobic exercise has limited ability to improve skeletal muscle mass, it does have some positive effects on physical function. Building upon this, the article explores the potential benefits of combined training approaches, highlighting their helpfulness for overall quality of life. Additionally, the article also highlights the importance of dietary supplements in combating muscle atrophy in chronic diseases. It focuses on the importance of protein intake, supplements rich in essential amino acids and omega-3, as well as sufficient vitamin D to prevent muscle atrophy. Combining exercise with dietary supplements appears to be an effective strategy for preventing sarcopenia, although the optimal dosage and type of supplement remain unclear. Furthermore, the article explores the potential benefits of intestinal microecology in sarcopenia. Probiotics, prebiotics, and bacterial products are suggested as new treatment options for sarcopenia. Additionally, emerging therapies such as whole body vibration training, blood flow restriction, and electrical stimulation show promise in treating sarcopenia with limited limb movement. Overall, this article provides valuable insights into non-pharmacological strategies for managing sarcopenia in individuals with chronic diseases. It emphasizes the importance of a holistic and integrated approach that incorporates exercise, nutrition, and multidisciplinary interventions, which have the potential to promote health in the elderly population. Future research should prioritize high-quality randomized controlled trials and utilize wearable devices, smartphone applications, and other advanced surveillance methods to investigate the most effective intervention strategies for sarcopenia associated with different chronic diseases.

First Measurement of η Meson Production in Neutrino Interactions on Argon with MicroBooNE

We present a measurement of η production from neutrino interactions on argon with the MicroBooNE detector. The modeling of resonant neutrino interactions on argon is a critical aspect of the neutrino oscillation physics program being carried out by the DUNE and Short Baseline Neutrino programs. η production in neutrino interactions provides a powerful new probe of resonant interactions, complementary to pion channels, and is particularly suited to the study of higher-order resonances beyond the Δ(1232). We measure a flux-integrated cross section for neutrino-induced η production on argon of 3.22±0.84(stat)±0.86(syst) 10^{-41}  cm^{2}/nucleon. By demonstrating the successful reconstruction of the two photons resulting from η production, this analysis enables a novel calibration technique for electromagnetic showers in GeV accelerator neutrino experiments.

Unveiling the distinctive ossification patterns of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis and ankylosing spondylitis using computed tomography three-dimensional reconstruction

OBJECTIVE

To quantitatively analyze the morphological characteristics of osteophytes in DISH and syndesmophytes in AS, and summarize different ossification patterns to help identify the two diseases. Associated factors for new bone formation would be investigated.

METHODS

Fifty patients with DISH and 50 age-, sex-, CT examination site- matched patients with AS were enrolled. Radiographic and clinical data were reviewed. Osteophytes (syndesmophytes) in front of each vertebral body and the corresponding intervertebral disc space were defined as vertebral osteophytes unit (VOU). The volume, angle and location (contralateral, ipsilateral, bilateral) of osteophytes in each VOU were measured and compared between DISH and AS groups.

RESULTS

In each VOU, the volume and angle of osteophytes in DISH were significantly larger. The best osteophytes volume and angle cutoff value in predicting DISH was 0.59 cm3 and 40.15°. Contralateral, bilateral, ipsilateral osteophytes were recorded in 59.32%, 36.38%, 4.3% of assessed VOUs in patients with DISH and 64.78%, 29.31%, 5.91% in AS (p‹0.001), respectively. As to ipsilateral osteophytes, the volume was inversely correlated with the center of the vertebral body to the center of the descending aorta (DISH: r = -0.45, p= 0.01; AS: r = -0.83, p‹0.001). Advanced age, disease duration, smoking and overweight contribute to the progression of osteophytes and syndesmophytes.

CONCLUSION

Morphological features of osteophytes are helpful to distinguish DISH with AS. Aortic pulsations inhibit or hinder new bone formation in both DISH and AS. Maintaining normal BMI could postpone osteophytes formation.

The prevalence of sarcopenia in spondyloarthritis patients: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects sacroiliac joints and spine, resulting in substantial disability. Sarcopenia, characterized by the loss of muscle mass and function, is a prevalent comorbidity in various chronic diseases. However, the exact prevalence of sarcopenia in SpA patients remains uncertain. The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available literature to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia in SpA.

METHODS

A comprehensive search was conducted in EMBASE, MEDLINE, WEB OF SCIENCE, and COCHRANE databases to identify relevant studies published up to 2023. Studies investigating the prevalence of sarcopenia in SpA patients were included. Data on study characteristics, participant demographics, diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia, and prevalence rates were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to estimate the overall prevalence of sarcopenia in SpA patients.

RESULTS

A total of 16 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review. These studies encompassed a combined sample size of 999 patients with SpA. The meta-analysis findings revealed that the overall prevalence of sarcopenia in SpA patients was 25.0% (95% confidence interval: 0.127 to 0.352). Furthermore, the prevalence of presarcopenia and severe sarcopenia was found to be 21.0% and 8.7%, respectively. Subgroup analysis was conducted to examine different diagnostic criteria, subtypes, and sex of SpA in relation to sarcopenia.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review and meta-analysis provide a comprehensive overview of the prevalence of sarcopenia in SpA patients. The findings suggest a high prevalence of sarcopenia in SpA patients, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to prevent and manage sarcopenia. And further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies for sarcopenia in SpA.

Diagnostic value of dynamic contrast enhancement combined with conventional MRI in differentiating benign and malignant lacrimal gland epithelial tumours

AIM

To establish the diagnostic value of the quantitative parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with conventional MRI in differentiating of benign and malignant lacrimal gland epithelial tumours.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of primary lacrimal gland epithelial tumours confirmed by histopathology was conducted. Conventional MRI features and DCE-MRI quantitative parameters were collected and subjected to analysis. The diagnostic value was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 53 patients were enrolled of which 29 had malignant, whereas 24 had benign tumours. Conventional MRI revealed statistically significant differences between benign and malignant tumours regarding maximum tumour diameter, posterior margin characteristic, bone destruction, and erosion. The Ktrans and Kep values obtained by DCE-MRI were higher in malignant than in benign tumours, with a statistically significant (p<0.001 and p=0.022). A type I time-signal intensity (TIC) curve was more frequent in benign tumours, whereas a type II TIC curve was prevalent in malignant tumours (p=0.001). ROC analysis showed that Ktrans had the best diagnostic value of the DCE-MRI parameters (area under the ROC curve [AUC] of 0.822, 75.9% sensitivity, and 83.3% specificity, p<0.001). The combination of conventional MRI and DCE-MRI factors had the best diagnostic value and balanced sensitivity and specificity (AUC of 0.948, 93.1% sensitivity, and 91.7% specificity, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings indicate that the combination of quantitative parameters of DCE-MRI and image characteristics of conventional MRI have a high diagnostic value for the diagnosis of benign and malignant lacrimal gland epithelial tumours.

[Characteristics and clinical analysis of MLH1 c.463dupC gene mutation in a Lynch syndrome family]

In this study, a case of Lynch syndrome (LS) family line with a novel mutation site in the MLH1 c.463dupC gene was reported and the clinical and pathogenic genetic features of this family were analyzed. A 40-year-old female patient with colon cancer diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University on October 2, 2020 was retrospectively included. The clinical data of the family were collected and the family lineage was drawn. The family tumor history met the Amsterdam Criteria Ⅱ and the diagnostic criteria of LS in Chinese, which was a typical LS family lineage. A germline code-shift missense mutation c.463dupC in the MLH1 gene located in exon 6, a possible pathogenic variant, was detected by second-generation sequencing (NGS) in the patient. Subsequently, Sanger sequencing was performed on a total of 20 direct lineage members of the family of the MLH1 gene, 7 cases were found to harbor the mutation and included in the LS high-risk control. Follow-up to October 2023 showed that the patient had endometrial and cervical polyps, one case had colorectal cancer, and two cases had intestinal polyps, all were treated with early intervention and therapy; two cases did not show any clinical symptoms. This study is the first to report a new mutation site for the potentially pathogenic MLH1 c.463dupC, providing a rationale for the pathogenicity of the mutation and standardized health management for familial carriers.

Search for Heavy Neutral Leptons in Electron-Positron and Neutral-Pion Final States with the MicroBooNE Detector

We present the first search for heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) decaying into νe^{+}e^{-} or νπ^{0} final states in a liquid-argon time projection chamber using data collected with the MicroBooNE detector. The data were recorded synchronously with the NuMI neutrino beam from Fermilab's main injector corresponding to a total exposure of 7.01×10^{20} protons on target. We set upper limits at the 90% confidence level on the mixing parameter |U_{μ4}|^{2} in the mass ranges 10≤m_{HNL}≤150  MeV for the νe^{+}e^{-} channel and 150≤m_{HNL}≤245  MeV for the νπ^{0} channel, assuming |U_{e4}|^{2}=|U_{τ4}|^{2}=0. These limits represent the most stringent constraints in the mass range 35 Collapse

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[Review of Research Advances in Medical Service Robotics]

With the progress of science and technology and the increase of clinical demand, medical robots have developed rapidly and played a important role in promoting the medical cause. Service robot is a branch of medical robot, which is mainly oriented to medical service and assistance needs, and has been applied in many medical scenarios and achieved demonstration effects. This research first describes the development of medical service robots, and then summarizes the key technologies and clinical applications of robots. Finally, it points out the challenges and directions that medical service robots face at present, and puts forward prospects for their further development in the medical field.

First Double-Differential Measurement of Kinematic Imbalance in Neutrino Interactions with the MicroBooNE Detector

We report the first measurement of flux-integrated double-differential quasielasticlike neutrino-argon cross sections, which have been made using the Booster Neutrino Beam and the MicroBooNE detector at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The data are presented as a function of kinematic imbalance variables which are sensitive to nuclear ground-state distributions and hadronic reinteraction processes. We find that the measured cross sections in different phase-space regions are sensitive to different nuclear effects. Therefore, they enable the impact of specific nuclear effects on the neutrino-nucleus interaction to be isolated more completely than was possible using previous single-differential cross section measurements. Our results provide precision data to help test and improve neutrino-nucleus interaction models. They further support ongoing neutrino-oscillation studies by establishing phase-space regions where precise reaction modeling has already been achieved.

Effect of dietary lutein on the egg production, fertility, and oxidative injury indexes of aged hens

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary lutein on egg production, follicles, reproductive hormones, fertility, hatchability, and oxidative injury indexes of hens.

METHODS

Treatments consisted of a control diet (CON) and three lutein-supplementing diets at 25 (L1), 50 (L2), or 75 (L3) mg/kg of diet. Egg production was measured using 576 Arbor Acres breeder hens at 61 to 65 wk and follicles grades, reproductive hormones, fertility, hatchability, tissue lutein contents, and oxidative injury indexes were determined at 65 wk.

RESULTS

The results showed that at 65 wk, lutein- supplementing diets increased (p<0.05) egg production, follicular grades, fertility, hatchability, estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone, progesterone (PROG), lutein content in the serum and yolk, compared to CON. L2 and L3 showed more pronounced (p<0.05) effects on egg production, PROG, and yolk lutein content than L1. With the increase of lutein doses from 25 to 75 mg/kg, there were linear increases (p<0.05) in egg production, lutein content, and PROG, and a quadratic trend (p<0.05) in E2. For the oxidative injury products, lutein-supplementing diets decreased (p<0.05) malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PCO) in the serum, MDA and 8-hydroxy 2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in the yolk. There were linear decreases (p<0.05) in 8-OHdG in the serum, MDA, PCO, and 8-OHdG in the yolk, a quadratic trend (p<0.05) on serum 8-OHdG.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that lutein supplementation can improve egg production and fertility by beneficially regulating reproductive hormones and oxidative status in aged hens.

[Expression changes of NaV channel subunits correlate with developmental maturation of electrophysiological characteristics of rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the variations in the expression of voltage-gated sodium (Na_v) channel subunits during development of rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons and their correlation with maturation of electrophysiological characteristics of the neurons.

METHODS

We observed the changes in the expression levels of Na_V1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.6 during the development of Purkinje neurons using immunohistochemistry in neonatal (5-7 days after birth), juvenile (12-14 days), adolescent (21-24 days), and adult (42-60 days) SD rats. Using whole-cell patch-clamp technique, we recorded the spontaneous electrical activity of the neurons in ex vivo brain slices of rats of different ages to analyze the changes of electrophysiological characteristics of these neurons during development.

RESULTS

The expression of Na_V subunits in rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons showed significant variations during development. Na_V1.1 subunit was highly expressed throughout the developmental stages and increased progressively with age (P < 0.05). Na_V1.2 expression was not detected in the neurons in any of the developmental stages (P > 0.05). The expression level of Na_V1.3 decreased with development and became undetectable after adolescence (P < 0.05). Na_V1.6 expression was not detected during infancy, but increased with further development (P < 0.05). Na_V1.1 and Na_V1.3 were mainly expressed in the early stages of development. With the maturation of the rats, Na_V1.3 expression disappeared and Na_V1.6 expression increased in the neurons. Na_V1.1 and Na_V1.6 were mainly expressed after adolescence. The total Na_V protein level increased gradually with development (P < 0.05) and tended to stabilize after adolescence. The spontaneous frequency and excitability of the Purkinje neurons increased gradually with development and reached the mature levels in adolescence. The developmental expression of Na_V subunits was positively correlated with discharge frequency (r=0.9942, P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with the excitatory threshold of the neurons (r=0.9891, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The changes in the expression levels of Na_V subunits are correlated with the maturation of high frequency electrophysiological properties of the neurons, suggesting thatmature Na_V subunit expressions is the basis of maturation of electrophysiological characteristics of the neurons.

Final Measurement of the ^{235}U Antineutrino Energy Spectrum with the PROSPECT-I Detector at HFIR

This Letter reports one of the most precise measurements to date of the antineutrino spectrum from a purely ^{235}U-fueled reactor, made with the final dataset from the PROSPECT-I detector at the High Flux Isotope Reactor. By extracting information from previously unused detector segments, this analysis effectively doubles the statistics of the previous PROSPECT measurement. The reconstructed energy spectrum is unfolded into antineutrino energy and compared with both the Huber-Mueller model and a spectrum from a commercial reactor burning multiple fuel isotopes. A local excess over the model is observed in the 5-7 MeV energy region. Comparison of the PROSPECT results with those from commercial reactors provides new constraints on the origin of this excess, disfavoring at 2.0 and 3.7 standard deviations the hypotheses that antineutrinos from ^{235}U are solely responsible and noncontributors to the excess observed at commercial reactors, respectively.

Quantitative cardiac MRI parameters for assessment of myocarditis in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To evaluate the role of quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) parameters in myocarditis, including acute and chronic myocarditis (AM and CM), for children and adolescents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PRISMA principles were followed. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and grey literature were searched. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) checklist were utilised for quality assessment. Quantitative CMRI parameters were extracted and a meta-analysis was performed in comparison with healthy controls. The overall effect size was measured as the weighted mean difference (WMD).

RESULTS

Ten quantitative CMRI parameters of seven studies were analysed. Compared with the control group, the myocarditis group reported longer native T1 relaxation time (WMD=54.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.21,74.79, p<0.001), longer T2 relaxation time (WMD=2.13, 95% CI: 0.98, 3.28, p<0.001), increased extracellular volume (ECV; WMD=3.13, 95% CI: 1.34,4.91, p=0.001), elevated early gadolinium enhancement (EGE) ratio (WMD=1.47, 95% CI: 0.65,2.28, p<0.001), and increased T2-weighted ratio (WMD=0.43, 95% CI: 0.21,0.64, p<0.001). The AM group had longer native T1 relaxation times (WMD=72.02, 95% CI: 32.78,111.27, p<0.001), increased T2-weighted ratios (WMD=0.52, 95% CI: 0.21,0.84 p=0.001), and impaired left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF; WMD=-5.84, 95% CI: -9.69, -1.99, p=0.003). Impaired LVEF (WMD=-2.24, 95% CI: -3.32, -1.17, p<0.001) was observed in the CM group.

CONCLUSION

Statistical differences can be observed in some CMRI parameters between patients with myocarditis and healthy controls; however, apart from native T1 mapping, there were no large differences in other parameters between two groups, which may reveal the limited benefit of CMRI in assessing myocarditis in children and adolescents.

First Measurement of Quasielastic Λ Baryon Production in Muon Antineutrino Interactions in the MicroBooNE Detector

We present the first measurement of the cross section of Cabibbo-suppressed Λ baryon production, using data collected with the MicroBooNE detector when exposed to the neutrinos from the main injector beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The data analyzed correspond to 2.2×10^{20} protons on target running in neutrino mode, and 4.9×10^{20} protons on target running in anti-neutrino mode. An automated selection is combined with hand scanning, with the former identifying five candidate Λ production events when the signal was unblinded, consistent with the GENIE prediction of 5.3±1.1 events. Several scanners were employed, selecting between three and five events, compared with a prediction from a blinded Monte Carlo simulation study of 3.7±1.0 events. Restricting the phase space to only include Λ baryons that decay above MicroBooNE's detection thresholds, we obtain a flux averaged cross section of 2.0_{-1.7}^{+2.2}×10^{-40}  cm^{2}/Ar, where statistical and systematic uncertainties are combined.

Dietary Fiber Intake Influences Changes in Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Status

The objectives of this study were to characterize dietary fiber (DF) intake in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), to assess whether DF intake affects disease activity in AS, and to investigate the effect of DF intake on disease activity in AS in the context of functional bowel disease (FBD) symptoms. We recruited 165 patients with AS and divided them into two groups according to whether they had a high DF intake > 25 g/d to investigate the characteristics of people with high DF intake. Some 72 of the 165 AS patients (43%) met the criteria for high DF intake, which was more common in patients with negative FBD symptoms (68%). Data analysis revealed that DF intake was negatively associated with AS disease activity and did not differ statistically significantly from FBD symptoms. Multivariate adjusted models were used to explore the effect of DF intake on AS disease activity. ASDAS-CRP and BASDAI were stable and negatively correlated across models in both groups with and without FBD symptoms. Thus, DF intake positively affected disease activity in patients with AS. ASDAS-CRP and BASDAI were negatively correlated with DF intake.

Cigarette Smoking Increases the Prevalence of Hip Joint Involvement in Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Real-World Case-Control Study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between cigarette smoking and hip joint involvement in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

METHODS

This case-control study compared patients with AS with and without hip involvement, as defined by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Radiology Hip Index. Logistic regression analysis, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis were conducted to estimate the association between smoking and hip involvement in AS.

RESULTS

This study included 103 patients with hip involvement (cases) and 89 patients without hip involvement (controls). In univariate analysis, patients who had juvenile-onset AS (JAS), were younger, were male, had peripheral arthritis history, or had cigarette exposure were prone to hip involvement. After adjusting for confounding factors, JAS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.52, 95% CI 1.26-5.06), male sex (aOR 2.89, 95% CI 1.14-7.33), and cigarette smoking (aOR 7.23, 95% CI 2.27-23.05) were regarded to be independently associated with hip involvement in AS. Moreover, patients who smoked with exposure of less than 10 pack-years were 2.2 times more likely to have hip involvement than those without (aOR 2.21, 95% CI 1.09-4.47). This association was reproduced in subgroup analyses of males and propensity score-matched subjects, and it withstood sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSION

Smoking is a novel independent risk factor for hip involvement in AS; even exposure of less than 10 pack-years could contribute to increased prevalence of hip involvement in AS, which underlines the significance of smoking cessation in patients with AS, especially for JAS.

First Constraints on Light Sterile Neutrino Oscillations from Combined Appearance and Disappearance Searches with the MicroBooNE Detector

We present a search for eV-scale sterile neutrino oscillations in the MicroBooNE liquid argon detector, simultaneously considering all possible appearance and disappearance effects within the 3+1 active-to-sterile neutrino oscillation framework. We analyze the neutrino candidate events for the recent measurements of charged-current ν_{e} and ν_{μ} interactions in the MicroBooNE detector, using data corresponding to an exposure of 6.37×10^{20} protons on target from the Fermilab booster neutrino beam. We observe no evidence of light sterile neutrino oscillations and derive exclusion contours at the 95% confidence level in the plane of the mass-squared splitting Δm_{41}^{2} and the sterile neutrino mixing angles θ_{μe} and θ_{ee}, excluding part of the parameter space allowed by experimental anomalies. Cancellation of ν_{e} appearance and ν_{e} disappearance effects due to the full 3+1 treatment of the analysis leads to a degeneracy when determining the oscillation parameters, which is discussed in this Letter and will be addressed by future analyses.

Clinical value of plasmablasts in predicting disease relapse in patients with IgG4-related disease

OBJECTIVES

To explore the value of plasmablasts in predicting disease relapse in IgG4-related diseases (IgG4-RD).

METHODS

Treatment-naïve IgG4-RD patients treated with glucocorticoid (GC) monotherapy or leflunomide (LEF) and GC combination therapy diagnosed at the Chinese PLA General Hospital during February 2017 and January 2018 were included in this study. The absolute plasmablast count was measured by using the absolute count tubes with flow cytometry. Patients were categorized into high and low plasmablast level groups by defining the median number of plasmablasts as the cut-off value. The characteristics of the clinical manifestations between the two groups were compared. In addition, the correlation of plasmablast count with other indicators and its clinical value in predicting disease relapse were evaluated.

RESULTS

Data of 37 treatment-naïve IgG4-RD patients were analyzed. The median (IQR) absolute count of plasmablasts was 4.0 (2.8-7.5)/μL, which was correlated with the lymphocyte percentage, serum IgG, IgG4, and IgG4/IgG. The baseline absolute count of plasmablasts was an independent risk factor for disease relapse in IgG4-RD patients (HR, 1.199; 95% CI, 1.030-1.396, P = 0.019), and the application of LEF was an independent protective factor (HR, 0.283; 95% CI, 0.106-0.759, p = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study preliminarily indicated that baseline absolute plasmablast count may independently predict disease relapse in patients with IgG4-RD treated with GC monotherapy or LEF and GC combination therapy. More efforts are still needed to be performed in the future. Key Points • The absolute count of plasmablasts is correlated with the lymphocyte percentage, serum IgG, IgG4 and IgG4/IgG. • The baseline absolute plasmablast count may predict disease relapse in patients with IgG4-RD treated with GC monotherapy or LEF and GC combination therapy. • The application of LEF is an independent protective factor for disease relapse in IgG4-RD.

Alleviating effect of mulberry leaf 1-deoxynojirimycin on resistin-induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in mice

Resistin is upregulated in obese humans and mice, and elevated serum resistin induces insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. Previous studies have revealed that mulberry 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) is important for a variety of physiological processes, especially carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. However, it remains unclear whether DNJ has a positive effect on insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis, and what the exact mechanism is. Male C57BL/6J mice were treated with resistin with or without DNJ. DNJ reversed the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)-induced by resistin and significantly decreased triglyceride levels both in the serum and liver. A histological analysis demonstrated that lipid accumulation significantly decreased in the DNJ group compared to the resistin group. A mechanistic analysis showed that DNJ significantly inhibited the resistin-induced decline in enzyme activities of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and hepatic lipase (HL) in serum and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in liver. FAS and Acox13α were significantly altered by resistin but restored by DNJ. Furthermore, DNJ partially but significantly restored insulin-stimulated glucose uptake compared with the resistin group, suggesting that DNJ reversed the insulin sensitivity impaired by hyperresistinemia. Treatment of AML12 cells with DNJ significantly restored the expression level and phosphorylation of Akt. The transcriptional levels of InsR and IRS1, as well as the protein levels of InsR and Glut4 and phosphorylation of PI3K and GSK3β, were also normalized in the DNJ-treated group. In conclusion: mulberry DNJ significantly alleviated liver steatosis and insulin resistance in hyperresistinemia.