Impact of electrolyte and natural organic matter characteristics on the aggregation and sedimentation of polystyrene nanoplastics

Nanoplastics are increasingly pervasive in ecosystems worldwide, raising concerns about their persistence and mobility in the environment. Our study focused on the interactions between polystyrene nanoplastics (PS NPs, Do:~200 nm) and Natural Organic Matter (NOM) uniquely isolated from water bodies under different electrolyte and temperature conditions (i.e., effectively mimicking a wide range of environmental scenarios). The selected dissolved NOM (DOM) fractions of varied physical chemical characteristics and geographical origins include: the hydrophobic acid (HPOA) fraction from the South Platte River (SPR HPOA, USA), the biopolymer/colloid fractions from Cazaux Lake (CL BIOP, France), and the dissolved fraction of the biofilm recovered from a nanofiltration-fouled module at the Méry-sur-Oise drinking water treatment plant (NF BIOP, France). The biopolymers (NF BIOP and CL BIOP) clearly hindered PS NPs aggregation through steric effects, forming a protective eco-corona, enhancing PS NPs stability, and inhibiting sedimentation in the long term, compared to HPOA. The temperature impacted the homo and hetero-aggregation of PS NPs differently, illustrating the complex interplay between thermal effects and NOMs stabilizing interactions. Furthermore, the seldom-explored aspect of the sequential introduction of reactants into the solution during aggregation experiments (i.e., which simulates a realistic scenario: the transport of PS NPs from one aquatic system to another of different compositions) was also investigated. This study provides essential insights into the dynamic behavior of PS NPs in environmental matrices and crucial knowledge for predicting nanoplastic interactions in complex ecosystems.

TFCP2L1, a potential differentiation regulator, predicts favorable prognosis and dampens thyroid cancer progression

PURPOSE

Thyroid cancer has an overwhelming incidence in the population. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the underlying mechanism of its occurrence and development, which may provide new insights into therapeutic strategies. The role and mechanism of TFCP2L1 in regulating the progression of thyroid cancer remains unclear.

METHODS

Public databases and clinical samples were used to detect the expression of TFCP2L1 in cancer and non-cancer tissues. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to compare the differences in survival probability of the TFCP2L1 highly expressing group and the TFCP2L1 lowly expressing group. Functional assays were used to evaluate the biological effect of TFCP2L1 on thyroid cancer cells. RNA sequencing and enrichment analyses were used to find out pathways that were activated or inactivated by TFCP2L1.

RESULTS

We demonstrated that TFCP2L1 was significantly downregulated in thyroid cancer. Decreased expression of TFCP2L1 was associated with malignant clinicopathological characteristics. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses indicated that thyroid tumor patients with low TFCP2L1 expression presented shorter disease-free interval and progression-free interval. Additionally, TFCP2L1 expression was positively correlated with thyroid differentiation degree. Overexpression of TFCP2L1 in thyroid cancer cells inhibited cell growth and motility in vitro, and tumorigenicity and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, the NF-κB signaling pathway was found inactivated by overexpressing TFCP2L1.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that TFCP2L1 is a tumor suppressor and potential differentiation regulator, and might be a potential therapeutic target in thyroid cancer.

Sleep problems of children with Down syndrome in northern China

BACKGROUND

Limited research has looked at the present-day sleep problems among Chinese children with Down syndrome (DS). This study aimed to investigate the situation of the sleep problems of school-aged children with DS in northern China.

METHODS

Parents of children with DS were a convenience sample recruited through the special education schools of Shandong Province in China. The Chinese version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire was applied to assess the sleep problems of children with DS.

RESULTS

Parents of 334 children with DS reported the average sleep duration was 9.7 (9.3-10.2) hours per night, and 62.0% of children with DS were reported sleeping less than 10 h per night. Additionally, the total prevalence rate of sleep problems among children with DS was 69.8%. Sleep-disordered breathing (59.2%), sleep duration (33.8%) and bedtime resistance (32.0%) were the three most commonly reported sleeping problems. Younger children with DS (age 6-8 years) had severe problems with bedtime resistance, sleep anxiety and parasomnias than older children with DS (age 9-12 years) (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Sleep problems are prominent among children with DS in northern China and are worthy of attention. Caregivers and health professionals should raise awareness of sleep problems in this group of children and implement targeted interventions to improve their sleep quality as early as possible.

Linking phylogenetic niche conservatism in bacterial communities in sorghum root compartments revealed by the Hongyingzi cultivar

The root system harbours complex bacterial communities, which are critical for plant growth and health. Significant differences exist between bacterial communities in the root compartments; however, limited reports have explored their phylogenetic composition and niche conservatism in the root system of sorghum. We used the sorghum Hongyingzi cultivar as test plant, and applied 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and various statistical approaches. Phylogenetic composition of bacterial communities in root compartments were primarily driven by closely related species with similar environmental adaptations. We also found evidence of phylogenetic niche conservatism in bacterial communities for edaphic factors in the various root compartments, with pH and available N playing essential roles in shaping community composition. Environmental threshold analysis revealed threshold ranges of dominant taxa for pH and available N, indicating wider adaptive thresholds for more abundant taxa. Reconstruction of ancestral states suggested evolutionary changes in adaptability of certain bacterial taxa to edaphic factors, suggesting a shift towards slightly acidic, high N environments and reflecting the prolonged mutual interaction between bacteria and plants in cultivated soils. These findings enhance our understanding of environmental responses and evolutionary dynamics of root-associated microbiota in young sorghum plants and provide novel insights into ecological adaptations, shedding light on their responses to environmental factors. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the ecological dynamics of root-associated microbiota and offers analytical pathways for exploring the nutritional regulation of root microbiota.

Genome-wide methylation and transcriptome differential analysis of skeletal muscle in broilers with valgus-varus deformity

1. Valgus-varus deformity (VVD) is a disease that severely affects leg function in broilers and for which there is no effective control method current available. Although DNA methylation has an important impact on most physiological and pathological processes, its involvement in skeletal muscle growth and development in VVD broilers is unknown. In this study, genome-wide DNA methylation was analysed in VVD-affected and normal broilers using whole genome resulphite sequencing.2. The results showed that in the cytosine-phosphoric acid-guanine (CG) sequence environment there was a methylation rate of about 55% and 4,265 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were found in the CG. Of these, 550 were located in the promoter, 547 in the exon region, and 1,718 in the intron region.3. All differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were analysed for enrichment of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. The GO was enriched in pathways related to protein degradation such as proteasome complex, endopeptidase complex and extracellular region. The KEGG pathways were enriched in signalling pathways related to protein degradation and catabolism such as proteasome, nitrogen metabolism, adherens junction and alanine.4. Protein interactions analysis revealed that FOS, MYL9, and FRAS1 had a high degree of interactions, in which the DNA methylation level of the MYL9 promoter region was negatively correlated with mRNA expression level. Further studies showed that 5-azacytidine (5-AzaC) inhibited DNMT1 and DNMT3A gene expression and promoted MYL9 expression.5. This study systematically investigated overall DNA methylation patterns in the leg muscle of VVD and normal broilers. It screened common differential genes in conjunction with transcriptomic data to further identify genes associated with muscle growth and development. This study provides new insights to better understand the pathogenesis of VVD from an epigenetic perspective.

[Efficacy and safety of rituximab in the treatment of pediatric myasthenia gravis]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab in pediatric myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods: Case series study. The clinical manifestations, laboratory tests, treatment plans and prognosis of 27 pediatric MG patients treated with rituximab from June 2013 to June 2023 at Children's Medical Center of Peking University First Hospital were retrospectively collected. Results: There were 5 males and 22 females in 27 MG children. The onset age was 2.1 (1.6, 4.8) years, ranging from 8 months to 11 years. The clinical classification included 20 children (74%) of ocular MG and 7 children (26%) of generalized MG. Seventeen children (63%) had positive MG-related pathogenic antibodies, including 17 children of anti-AchR antibody and 1 of them also had anti-MuSK antibody. Rituximab was used as first-line immunosuppressant in 13 children, second-line immunosuppressant in 13 children and third-line immunosuppressant in 1 child. Immunosuppressants used before rituximab including 8 children of cyclosporine, 3 children of tacrolimus, 1 child of azathioprine, 1 child of mycophenolate mofetil and 1 child of cyclosporine combined with azathioprine. Rituximab was used for at least half a year with a follow-up period of more than 12 months. At the last follow-up after rituximab treatment, all children achieved improved or above, 14 children (52%) achieved complete stable remission, 7 children (26%) achieved pharmacologic remission, 1 child (4%) achieved minimal manifestations, and 5 children (18%) improved. After rituximab treatment, 27 children all could reduce the immunomodulation therapy and shorten the course of glucocorticoid therapy, and 22 children (81%) had stopped the glucocorticoid therapy. Among the 14 children with poor efficacy of other immunosuppressants, rituximab had complete stable remission of 7 children. The most common adverse reaction was respiratory infection (4 children (15%)). Only 2 children had allergic reaction to rituximab and got better after symptomatic treatment. Conclusions: Rituximab has good efficacy and tolerance in pediatric MG. Early application of rituximab can improve the prognosis and shorten the course of glucocorticoid treatment.

Comparison of computed versus acquired readout-segmented diffusion-weighted imaging in visualizing scrotal or testicular lesions

PURPOSE

Combining computed diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with readout-segmented echo-planar-imaging may shorten acquisition time and improve imaging quality. This study aimed to compare computed vs. acquired DWI qualitatively and quantitatively in visualizing scrotal or testicular lesions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled 57 consecutive men who underwent scrotal MRI. Four computed DWI sets (cDWI800, cDWI1000, cDWI1200, and cDWI1400) were generated from acquired DWI with two lower b-values (150 and 600 s/mm2). Acquired DWI (DWI800 and DWI1000) and computed DWI were compared through qualitative (susceptibility artifact, signal loss artifact, anatomic clarity, and lesion conspicuity) and quantitative assessment (signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and lesion-to-testicular parenchyma contrast ratio (CR)).

RESULTS

Computed DWI was prone to signal loss artifact and slightly lower assessment scores in terms of anatomic clarity and lesion conspicuity, comparing with acquired DWI. The SNR of computed and acquired DWI decreased with increasing b value. Under the same b-values (800 and 1,000 s/mm2), there was no difference in the median SNR and CR between computed and acquired DWI. The median CR of cDWI1400 was significantly higher than that of the other DWI sets excepting cDWI1200 (P=1.000). The median CNR tended to be lower for computed vs. acquired DWI, while no significant difference (P=0.233).

CONCLUSIONS

Computed and acquired DWI were nearly equivalent in both qualitative and quantitative evaluations at the b values of 800 and 1,000 s/mm2. Computed DWI could enhance the contrast of scrotal or testicular lesions.

Enhancing acute stroke assessment: evaluating the clinical utility of the "Real" one-stop-shop scan protocol combining brain computed tomography perfusion and head-and-neck computed tomography angiography using a 512-slice detector computed tomography scanner

AIM

To assess the efficiency and diagnostic value of the "real" one-stop-shop protocol integrating the computed tomography angiography (CTA) sequence of the head and neck into the computed tomography perfusion (CTP) acquisition using a 512-slice detector CT scanner in patients who suffered from acute ischemic stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective study included 100 patients suspected of acute ischemic stroke. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n=50) who underwent the traditional protocol (brain CTP and head-and-neck CTA examination separately) and the experimental group (n=50) who underwent a one-stop-shop protocol (combined brain CT perfusion and head-and-neck CTA, the CTA triggering time determined by a low-dose test bolus injection). The examination time, contrast-agent dosage, radiation dose, postprocessing time, and image quality were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, the experimental group had a significantly lower total iodine contrast-agent dosage (80 vs. 100 ml, P<0.001) and shorter scan time (3.23 [3.13, 3.35] vs. 2.32 [2.17, 2.45] min, P<0.001). Additionally, the radiation dose exposure was lower in the experimental group than in the control group (5129.00 [5173, 5232] vs. 4681.35 [4555.12, 4822.95] mGy-cm, P<0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of postprocessing time, head-and-neck CTA, and CTP imaging quality.

CONCLUSION

The one-stop-shop protocol enables effective detection of lesions, providing clear visualization of the location and degree of stenosis in the head-and-neck vessels. It achieves this with lower costs in scan time, contrast-agent dosage, and radiation dose compared to the traditional protocol and is thus worth considering as the first examination for patients who suffer from acute ischemic stroke.

Association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D with cardiovascular mortality and kidney outcome in patients with early stages of CKD

PURPOSE

While serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) deficiency is prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD), the effects of 25(OH)D deficiency on cardiovascular mortality and kidney outcomes in patients with early-stage CKD remain incompletely understood.

METHODS

This multicenter retrospective cohort study included adult patients with stages 1-3 CKD from 19 medical centers across China between January 2000 and May 2021. The primary outcome was cardiovascular mortality. The secondary study outcome included CKD progression (defined as a sustained > 40% eGFR decrease from baseline or progress to end-stage kidney disease), and annual percentage change of eGFR.

RESULTS

Of 9229 adults with stages 1-3 CKD, 27.0% and 38.9% had severe (< 10 ng/mL) and moderate (10 to < 20 ng/mL) serum 25(OH)D deficiency, respectively. Compared with patients having 25(OH)D ≥ 20 ng/mL, a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.90, 95% CI 1.37-2.63), CKD progression (HR 2.20, 95% CI 1.68-2.88), and a steeper annual decline in eGFR (estimate - 7.87%; 95% CI - 10.24% to - 5.51% per year) was found in those with serum 25(OH)D < 10 ng/mL. Similar results were obtained in subgroups and by sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

25(OH)D deficiency is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular mortality and CKD progression in patients with early-stage CKD. Studies are needed to determine whether early intervention for 25(OH)D deficiency could improve the prognosis of patients with early-stage CKD.

Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Different Second-line Therapies for Patients With Advanced Thymic Carcinoma

AIMS

Thymic carcinoma (TC) is a rare form of highly invasive tumors. Currently, the standard first-line therapy involves paclitaxel plus carboplatin treatment, while the recommended regimen for second-line therapy remains uncertain. The purpose of this study is to explore the second-line mode of TC patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We evaluated the outcome of subjects with advanced TC between 2009 and 2023 in three medical centers, retrospectively. Tumor response was evaluated according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). Kaplan-Meier was used for calculating Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The factors affecting survival in the real world were evaluated by Cox analysis.

RESULTS

Totally 136 patients were included in this study, the median PFS (mPFS) for all subjects was 5.97 months, and the median OS (mOS) was 25.03 months. According to patient's treatment modes, they are divided into monotherapy (n = 95) and combination therapy (n = 41), PFS manifested the difference between two groups (5.17 vs. 9.00 months, P = 0.043). OS also indicated a significant distinction (22.50 vs. 38.00 months, P = 0.017). Furthermore, there was a significant difference in PFS between patients using immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and those with antivascular therapy (8.57 vs. 13.10 months, P = 0.047).

CONCLUSION

In the second-line therapy for advanced TC, the efficacy of combination therapy was better than monotherapy, especially for immunotherapy combined with antivascular therapy.

Kraeva A, Kravtsov P, Kumar L, Labonte MC, Lacey R, Landgraf JM, Lebedev A, Lednicky R, Lee JH, Leung YH, Li C, Li D, Li HS, Li H, Li W, Li X, Li Y, Li Y, Li Z, Liang X, Liang Y, Lin T, Lin Y, Liu C, Liu G, Liu H, Liu L, Liu T, Liu X, Liu Y, Liu Z, Ljubicic T, Lomicky O, Longacre RS, Loyd EM, Lu T, Luo J, Luo XF, Luong VB, Ma L, Ma R, Ma YG, Magdy N, Manikandhan R, Margetis S, Matonoha O, McNamara G, Mezhanska O, Mi K, Minaev NG, Mohanty B, Mondal B, Mondal MM, Mooney I, Morozov DA, Mudrokh A, Nagy MI, Nain AS, Nam JD, Nasim M, Nedorezov E, Neff D, Nelson JM, Nie M, Nigmatkulov G, Niida T, Nogach LV, Nonaka T, Odyniec G, Ogawa A, Oh S, Okorokov VA, Okubo K, Page BS, Pal S, Pandav A, Panday A, Panebratsev Y, Pani T, Parfenov P, Paul A, Perkins C, Pokhrel BR, Posik M, Povarov A, Protzman T, Pruthi NK, Putschke J, Qin Z, Qiu H, Racz C, Radhakrishnan SK, Rana A, Ray RL, Robertson CW, Rogachevsky OV, Rosales Aguilar MA, Roy D, Ruan L, Sahoo AK, Sahoo NR, Sako H, Salur S, Samigullin E, Sato S, Schaefer BC, Schmidke WB, Schmitz N, Seger J, Seto R, Seyboth P, Shah N, Shahaliev E, Shanmuganathan PV, Shao T, Sharma M, Sharma N, Sharma R, Sharma SR, Sheikh AI, Shen D, Shen DY, Shen K, Shi SS, Shi Y, Shou QY, Si F, Singh J, Singha S, Sinha P, Skoby MJ, Söhngen Y, Song Y, Srivastava B, Stanislaus TDS, Stewart DJ, Strikhanov M, Su Y, Sun C, Sun X, Sun Y, Sun Y, Surrow B, Svirida DN, Sweger ZW, Tamis AC, Tang AH, Tang Z, Taranenko A, Tarnowsky T, Thomas JH, Tlusty D, Todoroki T, Tokarev MV, Trentalange S, Tribedy P, Tsai OD, Tsang CY, Tu Z, Tyler J, Ullrich T, Underwood DG, Upsal I, Van Buren G, Vasiliev AN, Verkest V, Videbæk F, Vokal S, Voloshin SA, Wang G, Wang JS, Wang J, Wang K, Wang X, Wang Y, Wang Y, Wang Y, Wang Z, Webb JC, Weidenkaff PC, Westfall GD, Wieman H, Wilks G, Wissink SW, Wu J, Wu J, Wu X, Wu X, Xi B, Xiao ZG, Xie G, Xie W, Xu H, Xu N, Xu QH, Xu Y, Xu Y, Xu Z, Xu Z, Yan G, Yan Z, Yang C, Yang Q, Yang S, Yang Y, Ye Z, Ye Z, Yi L, Yu Y, Zha W, Zhang C, Zhang D, Zhang J, Zhang S, Zhang W, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang ZJ, Zhang Z, Zhang Z, Zhao F, Zhao J, Zhao M, Zhou S, Zhou Y, Zhu X, Zurek M, Zyzak M. Imaging shapes of atomic nuclei in high-energy nuclear collisions

Atomic nuclei are self-organized, many-body quantum systems bound by strong nuclear forces within femtometre-scale space. These complex systems manifest a variety of shapes1-3, traditionally explored using non-invasive spectroscopic techniques at low energies4,5. However, at these energies, their instantaneous shapes are obscured by long-timescale quantum fluctuations, making direct observation challenging. Here we introduce the collective-flow-assisted nuclear shape-imaging method, which images the nuclear global shape by colliding them at ultrarelativistic speeds and analysing the collective response of outgoing debris. This technique captures a collision-specific snapshot of the spatial matter distribution within the nuclei, which, through the hydrodynamic expansion, imprints patterns on the particle momentum distribution observed in detectors6,7. We benchmark this method in collisions of ground-state uranium-238 nuclei, known for their elongated, axial-symmetric shape. Our findings show a large deformation with a slight deviation from axial symmetry in the nuclear ground state, aligning broadly with previous low-energy experiments. This approach offers a new method for imaging nuclear shapes, enhances our understanding of the initial conditions in high-energy collisions and addresses the important issue of nuclear structure evolution across energy scales.

β-catenin Orchestrates Gli1+ Cell Fate in Condylar Development and TMJOA

The fibrocartilage stem cells (FCSCs) on the surface of the condyle play an essential role in cartilage homeostasis and regeneration. However, few well-defined stem cell markers have been identified for the analysis of FCSCs' cell fate and regulation mechanism. In this study, we first mapped the transcriptional landscape of the condylar cartilage and identified a Gli1+ subset. Label-retaining cells and our lineage-tracing study showed that Gli1 labeled a group of FCSCs. Conditional knockout β-catenin inhibited Gli1+ cells differentiating into hypertrophic chondrocytes. In discectomy-induced temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA), Gli1+ cells were further activated, and their differentiation into hypertrophic chondrocytes was accelerated, which induced stem cell pool depletion. The deletion of β-catenin in Gli1+ cells preserved the FCSC pool and alleviated TMJOA cartilage degeneration. Collectively, we uncovered that a Gli1+ FCSC subpopulation and Wnt/β-catenin signaling orchestrate the Gli1+ cell fate in condyle postnatal development and TMJOA.

An unusual case report of myelofibrosis following treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia with myeloid sarcoma as the initial manifestation

Introduction

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with myeloid sarcoma (MS) seldom occurring at onset. Myelofibrosis (MF) is a condition characterized by megakaryocytic proliferation and atypia with an array of clinical findings, but MF secondary to APL treatment is extremely rare. MF secondary occurring after treatment of APL with MS as the initial presentation has not been reported.

Case report

A 73-year-old male was admitted to our hospital in August 2016, presenting with a pain in his left shoulder, followed by right shoulder and bilateral hip pain. A progressive increase in a mass in the right sternoclavicular joint was also observed. After comprehensive examines, he was diagnosed as APL with MS as the initial manifestation in April 2017. The patient then underwent induction, consolidation, and maintenance therapies until August 2019 and achieved complete remission. However, twice examinations in December 2020 and September 2022 confirmed that MF was present.

Conclusion

This is the first case of MF secondary occurring after treatment of APL with MS. Early recognition of MS in APL patients is crucial for timely intervention and treatment initiation. Meticulous diagnostic work-up and careful monitoring during treatment are necessary to detect potential complications, which may significantly impact the patients' outcome. Also, a comprehensive management approach encompassing induction, consolidation, and maintenance therapies should be adopted to ensure optimal therapeutic responses and reduce the risk of recurrence or treatment-related complications.

[Clinical characteristics and prognostic analysis of adult patients hospitalized with acute myocarditis]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients hospitalized with acute myocarditis and explore the relevant factors affecting the prognosis. Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study. Patients with acute myocarditis hospitalized in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from March 2010 to October 2022 were included and divided into severe myocarditis group and non-severe myocarditis group according to clinical diagnosis results, retrospectively. Basic clinical features were collected and followed up in both groups. The primary endpoint was cardiac death and the secondary endpoint was cardiac re-hospitalization. According to the clinical outcome, Kaplan-Meier survival curve was drawn and assessed via log-rank P test. Cox proportional risk model was established to analyze the related factors affecting the prognosis of patients with acute myocarditis. Results: A total of 235 patients with acute myocarditis were included, including 138 males (58.7%), aged (34±16) years, 102 patients (43.4%) in the severe myocarditis group and 133 patients (56.6%) in the non-severe myocarditis group. Compared with the non-severe myocarditis group, the severe myocarditis group was older and had more clinical symptoms of dyspnea, edema, and syncope. At a follow-up of 3.8 (2.8, 4.8) years, cumulative cardiac mortality and cardiac readmissions in patients with acute myocarditis were 4.2% and 9.6%, respectively. Among them, patients with severe myocarditis had a higher risk of cardiac death and cardiac readmission than those without severe myocarditis (9.3% vs. 1.0%, log-rank P=0.004; 13.4% vs. 4.2%, log-rank P=0.021). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that the independent risk factor for cardiac death in patients with acute myocarditis was elevated serum creatinine level at baseline (HR=1.016, 95%CI: 1.003-1.028, P=0.013). Independent risk factors for cardiogenic readmission were increased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter on admission (HR=1.108, 95%CI: 1.035-1.187, P=0.003) and ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation during hospitalization (HR=6.563, 95%CI: 2.138-20.142, P=0.001). Conclusions: The patients with acute myocarditis had more clinical symptoms of dyspnea, edema, and syncope. Elevated serum creatinine level on admission was an independent risk factor for cardiac death in patients with acute myocarditis; increased end-left ventricular diameter on admission and ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation during hospitalization were independently associated with cardiac rehospitalization.

Search for the Z Boson Decay to ττμμ in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for the Z boson decay to ττμμ at the CERN LHC is presented, based on data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The data are compatible with the predicted background. For the first time, an upper limit at the 95% confidence level of 6.9 times the standard model expectation is placed on the ratio of the Z→ττμμ to Z→4μ branching fractions. Limits are also placed on the six flavor-conserving four-lepton effective-field-theory operators involving two muons and two tau leptons, for the first time testing all such operators.

Optimizing the survey design for assessing schistosomiasis at the sub-district for treatment decision making

BACKGROUND

Schistosomiasis control programs typically launch with district-level, school-based preventive chemotherapy (PC). Recent World Health Organization recommendations are to shift to community-wide treatment where schistosomiasis prevalence is >10%. Simultaneously there is a push to move to sub-district PC to prioritize communities in need of treatment and alleviate the pressure on global praziquantel need, but few countries have sub-district prevalence data and no guidelines on how to collect this information.

METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Data collected from 57,161 school-aged children (SAC) across six countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo) to generate spatially realistic gold standard datasets that were used to evaluate different numbers of schools per sub-district (1-10) and district (5-30), number of SAC sampled per school (10-50), on accuracy of prevalence estimates. Sampling fewer children in more schools maximized accuracy of prevalence at the sub-district and district level. Surveying three schools per sub-district or 15 schools per district gave precise prevalence estimates. Increasing the number of SAC beyond 30 per school led to negligible improvements in reliably detecting schistosomiasis. Failure to detect schistosomiasis occurred more frequently in low (1-10%) prevalence and larger districts/sub-districts.

CONCLUSION

This study provides guidelines for evaluating sub-district schistosomiasis in a range of transmission settings. Among two-stage cluster surveys for schistosomiasis, our simulations show surveying three schools per sub-district and 20-30 SAC per school optimized cost-efficiency and minimized risk of mistreatment. Population size and endemicity influenced survey estimates, with the probability of misclassification being greater as populations increased or prevalence decreased.

Search for Light Long-Lived Particles in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV Using Displaced Vertices in the ATLAS Inner Detector

A search for long-lived particles (LLPs) using 140  fb^{-1} of pp collision data with sqrt[s]=13  TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC is presented. The search targets LLPs with masses between 5 and 55 GeV that decay hadronically in the ATLAS inner detector. Benchmark models with LLP pair production from exotic decays of the Higgs boson and models featuring long-lived axionlike particles (ALPs) are considered. No significant excess above the expected background is observed. Upper limits are placed on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson to pairs of LLPs, the cross section for ALPs produced in association with a vector boson, and, for the first time, on the branching ratio of the top quark to an ALP and a u/c quark.

Search for the Exclusive W Boson Hadronic Decays W^{±}→π^{±}γ, W^{±}→K^{±}γ and W^{±}→ρ^{±}γ with the ATLAS Detector

A search for the exclusive hadronic decays W^{±}→π^{±}γ, W^{±}→K^{±}γ, and W^{±}→ρ^{±}γ is performed using up to 140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=13  TeV. If observed, these rare processes would provide a unique test bench for the quantum chromodynamics factorization formalism used to calculate cross sections at colliders. Additionally, at future colliders, these decays could offer a new way to measure the W boson mass through fully reconstructed decay products. The search results in the most stringent upper limits to date on the branching fractions B(W^{±}→π^{±}γ)<1.9×10^{-6}, B(W^{±}→K^{±}γ)<1.7×10^{-6}, B(W^{±}→ρ^{±}γ)<5.2×10^{-6} at 95% confidence level.

[Clinical efficacy of dorsal venous complex pre-suture technique in the robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy]

The clinical data of 33 patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic Vattikuti Institute prostatectomy (VIP) in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from October 2020 to April 2022 were reviewed and analyzed. Among them, 18 patients received traditional VIP technique and 15 patients received VIP technique with pre-sutured dorsal venous complex (DVC). The ages of the traditional VIP group and the pre-sutured DVC VIP group were (66.1±7.3) and (66.6±5.7) years, respectively. The body mass index (BMI) of the traditional VIP group and the pre-sutured DVC VIP group was (24.3±2.9) and (25.3±2.6) kg/m2, respectively. The medical expenses were (91 797.0±7 029.6) and (87 106.6±7 031.4) yuan, respectively, with no statistical significance (all P>0.05). The operations of all the 33 cases were successfully completed, and no cases were transferred to open surgery. The operation time of traditional VIP group was longer than that of pre-sutured DVC VIP group [(193.0±37.2) vs (171.1±16.1) min]. The amount of intraoperative blood loss was higher than that in the pre-sutured DVC VIP group [(68.3±22.8) vs (44.0±9.1) ml)], all P<0.05. No patients had perioperative blood transfusion, and no patients had complications within 30 days after surgery. All the 33 patients had negative incisal margins. DVC presuture technique can reduce intraoperative bleeding and shorten operative time in robot-assisted laparoscopic VIP radical prostatectomy, and has good curative effect.

Observation of the Λ b 0 → J / ψ Ξ - K + decay

Using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb - 1 collected by the CMS experiment ats = 13 Te V , theΛ b 0 → J / ψ Ξ - K + decay is observed for the first time, with a statistical significance exceeding 5 standard deviations. The relative branching fraction, with respect to theΛ b 0 → ψ ( 2 S ) Λ decay, is measured to be B ( Λ b 0 → J / ψ Ξ - K + ) / B ( Λ b 0 → ψ ( 2 S ) Λ ) = [ 3.38 ± 1.02 ± 0.61 ± 0.03 ] % , where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third is related to the uncertainties in B ( ψ ( 2 S ) → J / ψ π + π - ) and B ( Ξ - → Λ π - ) .

Combination and summary of ATLAS dark matter searches interpreted in a 2HDM with a pseudo-scalar mediator using 139 fb-1 of s=13 TeV pp collision data

Results from a wide range of searches targeting different experimental signatures with and without missing transverse momentum (ETmiss) are used to constrain a Two-Higgs-Doublet Model (2HDM) with an additional pseudo-scalar mediating the interaction between ordinary and dark matter (2HDM+a). The analyses use up to 139 fb-1 of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s=13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider during 2015-2018. The results from three of the most sensitive searches are combined statistically. These searches target signatures with large ETmiss and a leptonically decaying Z boson; large ETmiss and a Higgs boson decaying to bottom quarks; and production of charged Higgs bosons in final states with top and bottom quarks, respectively. Constraints are derived for several common and new benchmark scenarios in the 2HDM+a.

Acute effect of resistive aquatic high-intensity interval training on metabolic costs in adults

Background

The effects of Aquatic High-Intensity Interval Training (AHIIT) and resistive AHIIT (Resistive AHIIT) to improve metabolic responses were not yet known.

Objective

This study was to compare the metabolic responses and perceived effort in young healthy adults in a single session of AHIIT and resistive AHIIT.

Methods

20 healthy subjects (9 females, 11 males) performed a stationary running at a matched exercise intensity prior AHIIT and resistive AHIIT [10 × 1-min bouts of stationary running at 90% maximum heart rate (HR max) separated by 1-min active recovery] to examine the metabolic and cardiometabolic outcomes. Mixed effects models were applied to analyze the effects of group, time, and the interaction between group and time on both outcomes. The level of correlations between metabolic variables was checked by Pearson's linear correlation.

Results

There are significant differences on pre and post resting energy expenditure (REE) within both AHIIT and resistive AHIIT groups (p < 0.01) respectively as well as the subjective rate of perceived exertion (RPE) (p < 0.01) within RAHIIT group. A moderate correlation found on respiratory exertional ratio (RER) and RPE in resistive AHIIT (r = 0.534). No significant differences between groups in terms of HR max, mean heart rate (HR mean), peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) and total energy expenditure (TEE) (p = 0.50, p = 0.48, p = 0.81, p = 0.59).

Conclusion

Resistive AHIIT provides comparable benefits of metabolic outcomes with AHIIT. Comparable results allowed AHIIT and resistive AHIIT prescriptions precisely.

MERS-CoV-nsp5 expression in human epithelial BEAS 2b cells attenuates type I interferon production by inhibiting IRF3 nuclear translocation

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus that emerged in 2012, causing sporadic cases and localized outbreaks of severe respiratory illness with high fatality rates. A characteristic feature of the immune response to MERS-CoV infection is low type I IFN induction, despite its importance in viral clearance. The non-structural proteins (nsps) of other coronaviruses have been shown to block IFN production. However, the role of nsp5 from MERS-CoV in IFN induction of human respiratory cells is unclear. In this study, we elucidated the role of MERS-CoV-nsp5, the viral main protease, in modulating the host's antiviral responses in human bronchial epithelial BEAS 2b cells. We found that overexpression of MERS-CoV-nsp5 had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on IFN-β promoter activation and cytokine production induced by HMW-poly(I:C). It also suppressed IFN-β promoter activation triggered by overexpression of key components in the RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) pathway, including RIG-I, MAVS, IKK-ε and IRF3. Moreover, the overexpression of MERS-CoV-nsp5 did not impair expression or phosphorylation of IRF3, but suppressed the nuclear translocation of IRF3. Further investigation revealed that MERS-CoV-nsp5 specifically interacted with IRF3. Using docking and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations, we also found that amino acids on MERS-CoV-nsp5, IRF3, and KPNA4 may participate in protein-protein interactions. Additionally, we uncovered protein conformations that mask the nuclear localization signal (NLS) regions of IRF3 and KPNA4 when interacting with MERS-CoV-nsp5, suggesting a mechanism by which this viral protein blocks IRF3 nuclear translocation. Of note, the IFN-β expression was restored after administration of protease inhibitors targeting nsp5, indicating this suppression of IFN-β production was dependent on the enzyme activity of nsp5. Collectively, our findings elucidate a mechanism by which MERS-CoV-nsp5 disrupts the host's innate antiviral immunity and thus provides insights into viral pathogenesis.

[An epidemiological survey of visual impairment in rural populations aged 30 and above: the Handan Eye Study]

Objective: To investigate the changes in prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment over six years among rural populations aged 30 and above in Yongnian County, Handan City, Hebei Province, a pilot area in northern China for blindness prevention and treatment, and to study the incidence of common blinding eye diseases. Methods: This population-based prospective cohort study included a baseline survey conducted from 2006 to 2007 using stratified cluster sampling, targeting 6 830 Han Chinese individuals aged 30 and above, with a response rate of 90.4%, and a follow-up survey conducted from 2012 to 2013 with 5 394 participants, maintaining a response rate of 85.3%. Visual impairment was defined according to World Health Organization standards as visual acuity<20/60 but ≥20/400, and blindness as visual acuity<20/400. Age-and gender-standardized prevalence rates of blindness and visual impairment, along with their 95% confidence intervals (CI), were estimated. The six-year incidence rates of primary glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and myopic maculopathy, along with their 95%CI, were reported. Results: At baseline, the standardized prevalence of bilateral blindness in individuals aged 30 and above was 0.6% (41/6 799) for presenting visual acuity and 0.5% (31/6 799) for best-corrected visual acuity. These rates were higher than those found in the follow-up survey, 0.5% (27/5 293) and 0.3% (17/5 276). Conversely, the standardized prevalence of bilateral visual impairment increased from 4.7% (361/6 799) and 1.0% (85/6 799) at baseline to 6.5% (355/5 293) and 1.4% (74/5 276) at follow-up, respectively. The leading cause of bilateral blindness was cataract in both baseline (13/31, 41.9%) and follow-up (7/17) surveys. Other major causes included myopic retinal degeneration (5/31, 16.1% at baseline; 2/17 at follow-up), glaucoma (3/31, 9.7% at baseline; 2/17 at follow-up), and corneal opacity (3/31, 9.7% at baseline; 2/17 at follow-up). Over six years, the incidence rates for primary glaucoma, early and late age-related macular degeneration, and myopic maculopathy in individuals aged 35 and above were 1.6% (95%CI: 1.2%-1.9%), 4.2% (95%CI: 3.8%-4.7%), 0.2% (95%CI: 0.2%-0.3%), and 0.1% (95%CI: 0.0%-0.2%), respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of bilateral blindness in the rural population of Yongnian County, Handan City, Hebei Province, decreased over six years due to blindness prevention and treatment efforts but remained higher than in urban areas. Meanwhile, the prevalence of bilateral visual impairment increased since the baseline survey. Cataracts continued to be the primary cause of blindness, followed by myopic retinal degeneration, glaucoma, and corneal opacity.

Extracting the femtometer structure of strange baryons using the vacuum polarization effect

One of the fundamental goals of particle physics is to gain a microscopic understanding of the strong interaction. Electromagnetic form factors quantify the structure of hadrons in terms of charge and magnetization distributions. While the nucleon structure has been investigated extensively, data on hyperons are still scarce. It has recently been demonstrated that electron-positron annihilations into hyperon-antihyperon pairs provide a powerful tool to investigate their inner structure. We present a method useful for hyperon-antihyperon pairs of different types which exploits the cross section enhancement due to the effect of vacuum polarization at the J/ψ resonance. Using the 10 billion J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, this allows a precise determination of the hyperon structure function. The result is essentially a precise snapshot of theΛ ¯ Σ 0 ( Λ Σ ¯ 0 ) transition process, encoded in the transition form factor ratio and phase. Their values are measured to be R = 0.860 ± 0.029(stat.) ± 0.015(syst.), Δ Φ Λ ¯ Σ 0 = ( 1.011 ± 0.094 ( stat. ) ± 0.010 ( syst. ) ) r a d and Δ Φ Λ Σ ¯ 0 = ( 2.128 ± 0.094 ( stat. ) ± 0.010 ( syst. ) ) r a d . Furthermore, charge-parity (CP) breaking is investigated in this reaction and found to be consistent with CP symmetry.