Umifenovir treatment is not associated with improved outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a retrospective study

Objectives

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Umifenovir (Arbidol®) is an antiviral drug being used to treat influenza in Russia and China. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of umifenovir for COVID-19.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed in a non-intensive care unit (ICU) ward in Jinyintan Hospital from 2 February 2020 to 20 March 2020. COVID-19 was confirmed by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay of pharyngeal swab specimens. The confirmed patients were divided into the umifenovir group and the control group according to the use of umifenovir. The main outcomes were the rate of negative pharyngeal swab tests for SARS-CoV-2 within 1 week after admission and the time for the virus to turn negative. The negativity time of SARS-CoV-2 was defined as the first day of a negative test if the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 was negative for two consecutive tests.

Results

A total of 81 COVID-19 patients were included, with 45 in the umifenovir group and 36 in the control group. Baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics were comparable between the two groups. Thirty-three out of 45 (73%) patients in the umifenovir group tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 within 7 days after admission, the number was 28/36 (78%) in the control group (p 0.19). The median time from onset of symptoms to SARS-CoV-2 turning negative was 18 days (interquartile range (IQR) 12–21) in the umifenovir group and 16 days (IQR 11–21) in the control group (p 0.42). Patients in the umifenovir group had a longer hospital stay than patients in the control group (13 days (IQR 9–17) vs 11 days (IQR 9–14), p 0.04). No deaths or severe adverse reactions were found in both groups.

Discussion

Umifenovir might not improve the prognosis or accelerate SARS-CoV-2 clearance in non-ICU patients. A randomized control clinical trial is needed to assess the efficacy of umifenovir.

Macroinfauna responses and recovery trajectories after an oil spill differ from those following saltmarsh restoration

Given the severity of injuries to biota in coastal wetlands from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH) and the resulting availability of funding for restoration, information on impacted salt marshes and biotic development of restored marshes may both help inform marsh restoration planning in the near term and for future spills. Accordingly, we performed a meta-analysis to model a restoration trajectory of total macroinfauna density in constructed marshes (studied for ~30 y), and with a previously published restoration trajectory for amphipods, we compared these to recovery curves for total macroinfauna and amphipods from DWH impacted marshes (over 8.5 y). Total macroinfauna and amphipod densities in constructed marshes did not consistently reach equivalency with reference sites before 20 y, yet in heavily oiled marshes recovery occurred by 4.5 y post spill (although it is unlikely that macroinfaunal community composition fully recovered). These differences were probably due to initial conditions (e.g., higher initial levels of belowground organic matter in oiled marshes) that were more conducive to recovery as compared to constructed marshes. Furthermore, we found that amphipod trajectories were distinctly different in constructed and oiled marshes as densities at oiled sites exceeded that of reference sites by as much as 20x during much of the recovery period. Amphipods may have responded to the rapid increase and high biomass of benthic microalgae following the spill. These results indicate that biotic responses after an oil spill may be quantitatively different than those following restoration, even for heavily oiled marshes that were initially denuded of vegetation. Our dual trajectories for oil spill recovery and restoration development for macroinfauna should help guide restoration planning and assessment following the DWH as well as for restoration scaling for future spills.

Light Dark Matter Search with Ionization Signals in XENON1T

We report constraints on light dark matter (DM) models using ionization signals in the XENON1T experiment. We mitigate backgrounds with strong event selections, rather than requiring a scintillation signal, leaving an effective exposure of (22±3) tonne day. Above ∼0.4  keV_{ee}, we observe <1  event/(tonne day keV_{ee}), which is more than 1000 times lower than in similar searches with other detectors. Despite observing a higher rate at lower energies, no DM or CEvNS detection may be claimed because we cannot model all of our backgrounds. We thus exclude new regions in the parameter spaces for DM-nucleus scattering for DM masses m_{χ} within 3-6  GeV/c^{2}, DM-electron scattering for m_{χ}>30  MeV/c^{2}, and absorption of dark photons and axionlike particles for m_{χ} within 0.186-1  keV/c^{2}.

Search for Light Dark Matter Interactions Enhanced by the Migdal Effect or Bremsstrahlung in XENON1T

Direct dark matter detection experiments based on a liquid xenon target are leading the search for dark matter particles with masses above ∼5  GeV/c^{2}, but have limited sensitivity to lighter masses because of the small momentum transfer in dark matter-nucleus elastic scattering. However, there is an irreducible contribution from inelastic processes accompanying the elastic scattering, which leads to the excitation and ionization of the recoiling atom (the Migdal effect) or the emission of a bremsstrahlung photon. In this Letter, we report on a probe of low-mass dark matter with masses down to about 85  MeV/c^{2} by looking for electronic recoils induced by the Migdal effect and bremsstrahlung using data from the XENON1T experiment. Besides the approach of detecting both scintillation and ionization signals, we exploit an approach that uses ionization signals only, which allows for a lower detection threshold. This analysis significantly enhances the sensitivity of XENON1T to light dark matter previously beyond its reach.

[Mediating effect of resilience on nursing occupational risk and job performance in nurses]

Objective: To analyze Nursing Occupational Risk, the relationship between resilience and job performance, and investigate the mediating effects of resilience on Nursing Occupational Risk and job performance. Methods: 406 nurses from33 clinical departments of Chengdu first-class hospital were recruited by randomsampling method. Thier Nursing Occupational Risk, resilience and job performance were interviewed by nursing occupational risk assessment questionnaire, the Scale of medical staff resilience and the job performance questionnaire, and analyze the relationship between variables. Results: The clinical nurses＇ resilience is 82.98±10.05, the clinical nurses' job performance is 145.79±23.55; here was a positive correlation between clinical nurses' resilience and job performance (P<0.05) ; three variable of resilience can explain 33.2% of the variation of clinical nurses job performance; in the highest the Nursing Occupational risk, resilience served to mediate the relationship between Nursing Occupational Risk and job performance, which was 56.77% of the total effect respective. Conclusion: resilience are closely related to job performance. Resilience plays mediating role in the relationships between Nursing Occupational Risk and job performance, three dimensions of resilience can predict nurses' job performance. Improving the resilience of nurses can effectively improve their job performance.

[Clinicopathological significance of Golgi phosphoprotein 3 expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the expression of Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics of PTC and American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk of recurrence stratification. Methods: The mRNA expression level of GOLPH3 in PTC tissues and the matched adjacent noncancerous tissues from 30 cases of PTC undergoing surgical operation in Fujian Provincial Hospital between March 2017 and April 2018 was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The protein expression of GOLPH3 in PTC tissues and the matched adjacent noncancerous tissues of 135 cases of PTC between January 2013 and April 2018 was measured by immunohistochemistry. The correlation between the expression of GOLPH3 in PTC and clinicopathologic characteristics and ATA risk of recurrence stratification was analyzed. Results: The mRNA level of GOLPH3 in PTC tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent noncancerous tissues (7.53±1.32 vs 3.64±1.44, P<0.001). The protein expression level of GOLPH3 in PTC tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent noncancerous tissues [66(30, 95) vs 34(20, 72), P<0.001]. The expression of GOLPH3 was significantly correlated to the tumor size (P=0.026), extrathyroid invasion (P=0.016), lymph node metastasis (P=0.001) and TNM stage (P=0.027) in PTC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that GOLPH3 expression was independently correlated to tumor size (OR=3.58, 95%CI: 1.19-15.46, P=0.017) and lymph node metastasis (OR=7.28, 95%CI: 2.43-10.08, P=0.002). The expression of GOLPH3 was positively correlated to ATA risk of recurrence stratification (P=0.041). Conclusions: Overexpression of GOLPH3 is associated with the development of PTC and poor prognosis in patients with PTC. Detection of GOLPH3 expression can help evaluate proliferative and metastatic potential of PTC, as well as the risk of postoperative recurrence in patients with PTC.

Multi-omics Analyses Reveal Synergistic Carbohydrate Metabolism in Streptococcus mutans-Candida albicans Mixed-Species Biofilms

Candida albicans, a major opportunistic fungal pathogen, is frequently found together with Streptococcus mutans in dental biofilms associated with severe childhood caries (tooth decay), a prevalent pediatric oral disease. However, the impact of this cross-kingdom relationship on C. albicans remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we employed a novel quantitative proteomics approach in conjunction with transcriptomic profiling to unravel molecular pathways of C. albicans when cocultured with S. mutans in mixed biofilms. RNA sequencing and iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation)-based quantitative proteomics revealed that C. albicans genes and proteins associated with carbohydrate metabolism were significantly enhanced, including sugar transport, aerobic respiration, pyruvate breakdown, and the glyoxylate cycle. Other C. albicans genes and proteins directly and indirectly related to cell morphogenesis and cell wall components such as mannan and glucan were also upregulated, indicating enhanced fungal activity in mixed-species biofilm. Further analyses revealed that S. mutans-derived exoenzyme glucosyltransferase B (GtfB), which binds to the fungal cell surface to promote coadhesion, can break down sucrose into glucose and fructose that can be readily metabolized by C. albicans, enhancing growth and acid production. Altogether, we identified key pathways used by C. albicans in the mixed biofilm, indicating an active fungal role in the sugar metabolism and environmental acidification (key virulence traits associated with caries onset) when interacting with S. mutans, and a new cross-feeding mechanism mediated by GtfB that enhances C. albicans carbohydrate utilization. In addition, we demonstrate that comprehensive transcriptomics and quantitative proteomics can be powerful tools to study microbial contributions which remain underexplored in cross-kingdom biofilms.

[Effects of n-hexane on learning and memory and the expressions of nerve growth factor mRNA and nerve growth factor receptor mRNA of brain tissue in mice exposed to N-hexane]

Objective: To Effects of n-hexane on learning and memory and the expressions of nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA and nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) mRNA of brain tissue in mice exposed to N-hexane. Methods: 40 Kunming mice were randomly divided into low-dose group, meddle-dose group, high-dose dose group and control group, with 10 mice in each group. All the groups were orally exposed to n-hexane in different doses: low-dose group with 43.5 mg/kg, middle-dose group with 86.5 mg/kg and high-dose group with 173.0 mg/kg, 1 time per day for 20 d. After the poisoning, the Y-arm test and the expressions of NGF mRNA and NGFR mRNA and the concentrations of NGF and NGFR in the brain tissues of each group were measured. Results: In the first Y-arm test, there existed a significant difference in correct reaction rate generally in all groups (P<0.05), and correct reaction rate in the middle-dose group and the high-dose group were low significantly compared with that in the control group(P<0.05). In the second Y-arm test, there existed a significant differences in total electric shock time and correct reaction rate generally in all groups (P<0.01), and the total electric shock time prolonged significantly and the correct response rate decreased significantly in 3 dose groups compared with those of the control group(P<0.05). The expression levels of NGF mRNA in brain tissues of low, meddle and high dose-groups were 0.81±0.66, 0.67±0.37 and 0.69±0.26, and the expression levels of NGFR mRNA were 1.22±0.42, 1.98±0.84 and 2.01±2.01, respectively. Compared with the control group, the expressions of NGF mRNA in the 3 dose groups decreased significantly (P<0.05), and the expression of NGFR mRNA in middle-and high-dose groups increased significantly (P<0.05). The concentrations of NGF in brain tissues of low,meddle and high dose-groups were 39.97±7.24 ng/L, 39.26±7.88 ng/L,31.70±8.21 ng/L,and the concentrations of NGFR were 17.37±6.82 ng/L,21.37±7.16 ng/L, 22.46±7.70 ng/L, respectively. Compared with the control group, the concentrations of NGF in high-dose groups decreased significantly(P<0.05), and the concentrations of NGFR in middle-and high-dose groups increased significantly (P<0.05). Conclusion: N-hexane exposure can result in decrease of learning and memory in mice, which may be related to abnormal expression of NGF mRNA and NGFR mRNA in brain tissue.

First report of Giardia duodenalis genotypes in Zangxiang pigs from China

Giardia duodenalis is an important zoonotic intestinal protozoan of animals and humans. We collected 450 faecal specimens from four age groups (pre-weaned piglets, weaned piglets, juveniles, adults) of Zangxiang pigs from Shaanxi and Qinghai provinces, to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of G. duodenalis at the β-giardin (bg), triosephosphate isomerase (tpi) and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) loci using nested PCRs in the present study. A total of 28 faecal samples were positive for presence of G. duodenalis, with an overall prevalence of 6.2%. Giardia duodenalis was detected in pigs from all age groups and in both investigated provinces. Significant differences (P < 0.0001) in prevalence were observed among the four age groups with prevalence decreasing with age. Sequence analysis indicated existence of genetic diversity of G. duodenalis isolates from Zangxiang pigs, with 4, 2 and 4 haplotypes at the bg, tpi and gdh loci, respectively. Two assemblages were identified, including the zoonotic assemblage B and assemblage E, with the latter as the predominant assemblage found in both locations and all age groups except adults. The present study expanded the host range of G. duodenalis and provided fundamental data for controlling G. duodenalis infection in Zangxiang pigs.

Constraining the Spin-Dependent WIMP-Nucleon Cross Sections with XENON1T

We report the first experimental results on spin-dependent elastic weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) nucleon scattering from the XENON1T dark matter search experiment. The analysis uses the full ton year exposure of XENON1T to constrain the spin-dependent proton-only and neutron-only cases. No significant signal excess is observed, and a profile likelihood ratio analysis is used to set exclusion limits on the WIMP-nucleon interactions. This includes the most stringent constraint to date on the WIMP-neutron cross section, with a minimum of 6.3×10^{-42}  cm^{2} at 30  GeV/c^{2} and 90% confidence level. The results are compared with those from collider searches and used to exclude new parameter space in an isoscalar theory with an axial-vector mediator.

Molecular Typing of Cryptosporidium Species Identified in Fecal Samples of Yaks ( Bos grunniens) of Qinghai Province, China

The frequency of Cryptosporidium infection in yaks from Qinghai province, People's Republic of China, was determined from examination of 1,027 fecal samples collected from 979 adult yaks and 48 yak calves during 4 seasons from 7 geographic areas within the province. PCR amplification of extracted DNA was used to characterize the different species of Cryptosporidium oocysts isolated by fecal examination. Twenty-six (2.53%) positive samples were identified and successfully sequenced: 17 Cryptosporidium ryanae (65.38%), 8 Cryptosporidium bovis (30.77%), and 1 Cryptosporidium baileyi (3.85%). The results of the study indicate that autumn is the primary season for transmission of Cryptosporidium to susceptible yak calves given the favorable temperatures and higher altitude of Qinghai province. To our knowledge, C. baileyi, a species predominately associated with birds (avian hosts), is described for the first time in yaks.

Management and population dynamics of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella): planting regimes, crop hygiene, biological control and timing of interventions

Using an age-structured process-based simulation model for diamondback moth (DBM), we model the population dynamics of this major Brassica pest using the cropping practices and climate of Guangdong, China. The model simulates two interacting sub-populations (demes), each representing a short season crop. The simulated DBM abundance, and hence pest problems, depend on planting regime, crop hygiene and biological control. A continuous supply of hosts, a low proportion of crop harvested and long residue times between harvest and replanting each exacerbate pest levels. Biological control provided by a larval parasitoid can reduce pest problems, but not eliminate them when climate is suitable for DBM and under certain planting practices. The classic Integrated Pest Management (IPM) method of insecticide application, when pest threshold is reached, proved effective and halved the number of insecticide sprays when compared with the typical practice of weekly insecticide application.

First Results on the Scalar WIMP-Pion Coupling, Using the XENON1T Experiment

We present first results on the scalar coupling of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) to pions from 1  t yr of exposure with the XENON1T experiment. This interaction is generated when the WIMP couples to a virtual pion exchanged between the nucleons in a nucleus. In contrast to most nonrelativistic operators, these pion-exchange currents can be coherently enhanced by the total number of nucleons and therefore may dominate in scenarios where spin-independent WIMP-nucleon interactions are suppressed. Moreover, for natural values of the couplings, they dominate over the spin-dependent channel due to their coherence in the nucleus. Using the signal model of this new WIMP-pion channel, no significant excess is found, leading to an upper limit cross section of 6.4×10^{-46}  cm^{2} (90% confidence level) at 30  GeV/c^{2} WIMP mass.

Search for K_{L}→π^{0}νν[over ¯] and K_{L}→π^{0}X^{0} Decays at the J-PARC KOTO Experiment

A search for the rare decay K_{L}→π^{0}νν[over ¯] was performed. With the data collected in 2015, corresponding to 2.2×10^{19} protons on target, a single event sensitivity of (1.30±0.01_{stat}±0.14_{syst})×10^{-9} was achieved and no candidate events were observed. We set an upper limit of 3.0×10^{-9} for the branching fraction of K_{L}→π^{0}νν[over ¯] at the 90% confidence level (C.L.), which improved the previous limit by almost an order of magnitude. An upper limit for K_{L}→π^{0}X^{0} was also set as 2.4×10^{-9} at the 90% C.L., where X^{0} is an invisible boson with a mass of 135  MeV/c^{2}.

Targeting HIF-1α and VEGF by lentivirus-mediated RNA interference reduces liver tumor cells migration and invasion under hypoxic conditions

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a key transcription factor to initiate the expressions of distinct pro-angiogenic growth genes, particularly the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).CoCl2 was used in rat liver tumor cell line McA RH-7777 to stimulate hypoxia to mimic the hypoxic conditions induced by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). CCK8 assays were performed to examine the effect of hypoxia on cell viability. Real-time qRT-PCR, western blot and ELISA assays were used to measure the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF in McA RH-7777 cells under hypoxic conditions, respectively. Lentivirus-mediated HIF-1α and/or VEGF-specific shRNA was used to establish single or HIF-1α and VEGF double knocking-down McA RH-7777 cells. Transwell assays were performed to examine the effect of HIF-1α and VEGF knocking-down on McA RH-7777 cells migration and invasion.The mRNA and protein expression level of HIF-1α and VEGF were remarkably up-regulated in McA RH-7777 cells under hypoxic conditions, respectively. The knockdown of HIF-1α or VEGF significantly reduced the expression of the secreted VEGF. More importantly, knockdown of both HIF-1α and VEGF resulted in the best effective inhibitory effect in VEGF expression, and in turn remarkably reduced the cell migration and invasion activity.Our findings showed that HIF-1α play an important role in the stimulation of the secreted VEGF expression under hypoxic conditions, suggesting that targeting both HIF-1α and VEGF could represent a potential therapeutic strategy in combination with TACE in the treatment of liver tumors.

Bio-orthogonal chemistry-based method for fluorescent labelling of ribosomal RNA in live mammalian cells

A bio-orthogonal chemistry-based approach for fluorescent labelling of ribosomal RNA is described.

[Neuronavigation-assisted percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation of trigeminal gasserian ganglion for refractory craniofacial pain]

Objective: Percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) of the Gasserian ganglion is an effective treatment for refractory trigeminal craniofacial pain.In the present study, we assessed the feasibility of accessing the Gasserian ganglion through the foramen ovale with neuronavigation guidance in the patients of trigeminal craniofacial pain. Method: We retrospectively analyzed forty-four patients with type Ⅰ trigeminal neuralgia who had undergone percutaneous RFT treatment in our hospital from June 2014 to December 2016.The patients were divided into fluoroscopy group and navigation group according to the intraoperative guiding manners for foramen ovale cannulation.We compared groups in terms of the duration of the whole RFT procedure and times of intraoperative fluoroscopy.We also analyzed the immediate and late outcome accessing by Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain scale, as well as the complication rates in groups. Result: There were 32 patients in the fluoroscopy group and 12 in the navigation group.The duration of the surgical procedure in navigation group was less than that in fluoroscopy group (46±12 min versus 67±16 min, P=0.00), and times of intraoperative fluoroscopy was reduced (6.3±2.2 versus 1.3±1.6, P=0.00). The learning curve of navigation-aid RFT was not steep in the present study overall.There was no significant difference between groups regarding pain reduction at the immediate (P=0.07) or late follow-up (P=0.400) time points.However, the rate of pain reduction to BNI-Ⅰ grade was greater in navigation group (P=0.026). No significant difference in the complication rate between both groups, and no serious complications were observed in the both groups. Conclusion: Neuronavigation may be encouraged in trigeminal Gasserian ganglion RFT with better operating efficiency and less radiation exposure.The immediate and late therapeutic effects for craniofacial pain control were positive, whereas further studies are necessary.

[Value of MRI in the pre-operative diagnosis and classification of oblique vaginal septum syndrome]

Objective: To explore the role of MRI in the pre-operative diagnosis and classification of oblique vaginal septum syndrome (OVSS) . Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical records and pre-operative MRI images of 19 patients with surgery proved OVSS was carried out. Two experienced radiologists reviewed the pre-operative pelvic MRI of the 19 patients in consensus blind to the surgery results. Characteristics including malformations of the uterus, cervix and vagina, the diagnosis of the disorder and classification were evaluated. Pre-operative MRI diagnosis and classification were correlated with surgical findings. Results: Mean age of onset of symptoms for the 19 patients was 15 years (ranged 9-25 years) , and mean age of menarche was 12 years. Ten patients suffered from dysmenorrhea or lower abdominal pain, 5 patients complained of vaginal discharge, 3 patients had a history of irregular menstruation, 1 patient suffered from primary infertility. All 19 patients showed uteri didelphys. Eighteen patients showed vaginal oblique septum.One patient showed cervical atresia.MRI was completely correlated with the surgery in the pre-operative diagnosis of OVSS. MRI classification was in line with surgery in 17 patients, including 9 patients with imperforate septum (typeⅠ) , 6 patients with perforate septum (type Ⅱ) , 1 patient with imperforate septum and cervical fistula (type Ⅲ) , and another one with cervical agenesis (type Ⅳ) . One case of type Ⅱ was misdiagnosed as type Ⅰ, another one of type Ⅰ was misdiagnosed as type Ⅲ. Pre-operative MRI classification was correlated with surgery in 17 out of 19 patients. Conclusion: Pre-operative MRI allows excellent manifestation and accurate diagnosis of OVSS, and could also facilitate the evaluation of the classification.

Preparation and characterization of porous hydroxyapatite/β-cyclodextrin-based polyurethane composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

In this study, novel porous scaffolds containing hydroxyapatite and β-cyclodextrin-based polyurethane were first successfully fabricated by polymerizing β-cyclodextrin with hexamethylene diisocyanate and hydroxyapatite in situ for bone tissue engineering. The physicochemical and mechanical properties as well as cytocompatibility of porous scaffolds were investigated. The results showed that polyurethane reinforced with hydroxyapatite composites had cancellous bone-like porous structure. The mechanical strength of the scaffolds increased with increasing the hydroxyapatite content in scaffolds. Synthesized scaffolds (PU1, PUHA1, PU2, and PUHA2) presented compressive strength values of 0.87 ± 0.24 MPa, 1.81 ± 0.10 MPa, 6.16 ± 0.89 MPa, and 12.95 ± 2.05 MPa, respectively. The pore size and porosity of these scaffolds were suitable for bone regeneration. Cytocompatibility of composite scaffolds was proven via favorable interactions with MC3T3-E1 cells. The addition of hydroxyapatite into CD-based polyurethane scaffolds improved cell attachment, well-spread morphology, and higher proliferation. The hydroxyapatite-polyurethane scaffolds have the potential to be applied in bone repair and regeneration.

Dark Matter Search Results from a One Ton-Year Exposure of XENON1T

We report on a search for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) using 278.8 days of data collected with the XENON1T experiment at LNGS. XENON1T utilizes a liquid xenon time projection chamber with a fiducial mass of (1.30±0.01)  ton, resulting in a 1.0 ton yr exposure. The energy region of interest, [1.4,10.6]  keV_{ee} ([4.9,40.9] keV_{nr}), exhibits an ultralow electron recoil background rate of [82_{-3}^{+5}(syst)±3(stat)]  events/(ton yr keV_{ee}). No significant excess over background is found, and a profile likelihood analysis parametrized in spatial and energy dimensions excludes new parameter space for the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent elastic scatter cross section for WIMP masses above 6  GeV/c^{2}, with a minimum of 4.1×10^{-47}  cm^{2} at 30  GeV/c^{2} and a 90% confidence level.

Inhibitory effects of 2-methoxyestradiol on cell growth and invasion in human bladder cancer T-24 cells

Recently, 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) has been considered to be a potential anticancer agent but has not been investigated in bladder cancer. This study was conducted to clarify the role of 2-ME in bladder cancer cells. The bladder cancer cell line T-24 was treated with 2 μm 2-ME for 2 d. The T-24 cell viability, colony formation, invasion and apoptosis were observed in 2-ME-treated and control cells. The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) was detected using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Then western blotting assay was applied to assess expressions of HIF-1α and apoptosis factors caspase-3 and Bcl-x proteins. The mRNA and protein expressions of HIF-1α in 2-ME-treated T-24 cells were remarkably lower than that of the control cells (P < 0.05). Treatment of 2-ME could significantly inhibit T-24 the cell viability, colony formation, invasion, and promote apoptosis (all P < 0.05). In addition, the protein expression of Caspase-3 was higher and that of Bcl-x protein was lower after administration of 2-ME compared to control (both P < 0.05). Collectively, we characterized the efficacy of 2-ME on bladder cancer T-24 cells as being mediated by inhibition of cell viability, colony fomation, invasion and promoting cell apoptosis, which may be achieved by suppressing HIF-1α levels. This study suggests 2-ME as a potential drug for bladder cancer therapy.

Effect of hydroxyapatite fillers on the mechanical properties and osteogenesis capacity of bio-based polyurethane composite scaffolds

A newly designed hydroxyapatite-polyurethane (HA-PU) composite scaffold was prepared by polymerizing glyceride of castor oil (GCO) with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and HA as fillers. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of HA fillers on the mechanical properties and osteogenesis capacity of the composite scaffolds. The physical and biological properties of the scaffold were evaluated by SEM observation, mechanical testing, cell culture and animal experiments. The results showed that HA fillers enhanced the mechanical properties of PU composite scaffolds such as compressive strength and elastic modulus. The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were seen to increase with increase in HA loading. The compressive strength of composite scaffold with 0 wt%, 20 wt%, 40 wt% of HA was 0.6 ± 0.1 MPa, 2.1 ± 0.1 MPa, and 4.6 ± 0.3 MPa, respectively. In vitro biodegradation studies of scaffolds were carried out. The results showed that all of the scaffolds were susceptible to cholesterol esterase (CE) -catalyzed degradation. HA-PU composite scaffolds exhibited a high affinity to osteoblastic cells and were good template for cell growth and proliferation. When implanted in bone defects of rats, PU scaffolds incorporated HA were biocompatible with the tissue host and had no immune rejection. Moreover, the higher the loading of HA in the composite scaffold, the better chances of osteogenesis. It confirmed that the prepared HA-PU composite scaffolds can be promising candidate for bone repair and bone tissue engineering.

[An investigation of psychological state at different stages of occupational AIDS exposure and related influencing factors in Nanning, China]

Objective: To investigate the changes in psychological state after occupational exposure in the AIDS occupational exposure population and related influencing factors, and to provide baseline data and a basis for related departments to conduct mental health prevention and intervention for personnel with occupational AIDS exposure. Methods: AIDS risk assessment was performed for all personnel with occupational AIDS exposure in 2014 in Nanning, China, and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) psychological scale was used for psychological state evaluation at 24 hours, 1 week, and 3 months after occupational exposure in all persons who met the research criteria. Results: Most of the persons with occupational AIDS exposure came from secondary and tertiary hospitals (85%) , and nurses accounted for the highest percentage (78.3% ). The age ranged from 21 to 50 years, and the mean age was 31.02 ± 7.92 years. The persons with occupational AIDS exposure aged 20~29 years accounted for the highest percentage (51.6%) , and most persons (76.7%) graduated from junior colleges. Compared with the adult norm, there was significant increases in the total psychological score and the number of positive items after occupational exposure (P<0.05). The scores of all items at 24 hours were significantly higher than those at the other time points, and the scores of all items gradually decreased over time (F=227.24, 267.57, and 287.46, P<0.05). Compared with the adult norm, there were significant increases in the factor points at 24 hours and significant reductions in the factor points at 3 months (P<0.05). Compared with those at 24 hours, the factor scores at 3 months decreased significantly (P<0.05). Conclusion: Occupational AIDS exposure affects the mental status of related personnel, and the mental status at 24 hours after exposure is poor. Related departments should provide corresponding psychological counseling for the occupational exposure population at different exposure times.

Rapid detection and subtyping of human papillomaviruses in condyloma acuminatum using loop-mediated isothermal amplification with hydroxynaphthol blue dye

Objective Condyloma acuminatum (CA) is a common, viral, sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotyping has important clinical implications for the treatment of CA. We developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for the detection of HPV. Methods We collected 294 cervical scrape samples, including 30 HPV-6-positive, 30 HPV-11-positive, 22 HPV-16-positive, 20 HPV-42-positve, 30 HPV-43-positive, 20 HPV-44-positive and 142 HPV-negative samples. Tissues from 40 patients with a pathological diagnosis of CA were paraffin-embedded and analyzed by LAMP and Luminex. Hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB) and electrophoresis were used to detect the results of LAMP. Results LAMP and Luminex systems were compared in detecting six subtypes of HPV. LAMP reactions were specific for each subtype. The sensitivity of LAMP for HPV-6, as determined by the HNB indicator assay, was 1000 copies/tube. The kappa value between the two methods was 0.98 (HPV-6), 0.94 (HPV-11), 0.89 (HPV-43), 0.87 (HPV-42) 0.79 (HPV-16) and 0.68 (HPV-44). Among the 142 HPV-negative samples determined by the Luminex assay, HPV-6 was detected in eight and HPV-11 in one by LAMP. Among the 40 CA samples, the results of LAMP and Luminex were in agreement in 38 (95%). Conclusion The results of this study indicated that the LAMP assay with HNB is superior to the Luminex method in terms of sensitivity and specificity. The specificity of LAMP was 100% and the sensitivity of LAMP was 1000 copies/tube using HNB. LAMP is therefore a useful, quick and accurate method for the clinical diagnosis of HPV subtypes.

Does Intravenous Magnesium Benefit Patients of Cardiac Arrest? a Meta-Analysis

Objective

Evidence shows that magnesium has anti-arrhythmic roles. However, clinical trials suggest that there are conflicting outcomes of cardiac arrest patients given magnesium. The study aimed to examine the effects of magnesium sulfate therapy on cardiac arrest patients using a meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched the MEDLINE (1966-July 2011), OVID (1980-July 2011), EMBASE (1980-July 2011), Chinese bio-medical literature & retrieval system (1978-July 2011), Chinese medical current contents (1995-July 2011), and Chinese medical academic conference (1994-July 2011). Studies were included if (1) the study design was a randomised controlled trial (RCT); (2) the study population included cardiac arrest patients who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation and either intravenous magnesium or placebo (0.9% normal saline); (3) the study provided data on return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to hospital discharge. Relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to pool the effect.

Results

The study included six RCTs with a total of 531 participants from cardiac arrest. The pooled data demonstrated that ROSC and hospital discharge rates in patients treated with magnesium were 35.5% (95% CI=29.7%-41.3%) and 10.4% (95% CI=6.7%-14.1%) compared with placebo (ROSC rate: 31.3%, 95% CI=25.8%-36.8%; hospital discharge rate: 8.5%, 95% CI=5.2%-11.8%). Administration of intravenous magnesium sulfate could not significantly increase ROSC (RR=1.14, 95% CI=0.91-1.43, P=0.26) and survival to hospital discharge (RR=1.22, 95% CI=0.74-2.02, P=0.43) compared with placebo.

Conclusions

Administration of magnesium sulfate does not improve ROSC and survival to hospital discharge in patients of cardiac arrest.

First Dark Matter Search Results from the XENON1T Experiment

We report the first dark matter search results from XENON1T, a ∼2000-kg-target-mass dual-phase (liquid-gas) xenon time projection chamber in operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy and the first ton-scale detector of this kind. The blinded search used 34.2 live days of data acquired between November 2016 and January 2017. Inside the (1042±12)-kg fiducial mass and in the [5,40]  keV_{nr} energy range of interest for weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter searches, the electronic recoil background was (1.93±0.25)×10^{-4}  events/(kg×day×keV_{ee}), the lowest ever achieved in such a dark matter detector. A profile likelihood analysis shows that the data are consistent with the background-only hypothesis. We derive the most stringent exclusion limits on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon interaction cross section for WIMP masses above 10  GeV/c^{2}, with a minimum of 7.7×10^{-47}  cm^{2} for 35-GeV/c^{2} WIMPs at 90% C.L.