Search for Unstable Sterile Neutrinos with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

We present a search for an unstable sterile neutrino by looking for a resonant signal in eight years of atmospheric ν_{μ} data collected from 2011 to 2019 at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. Both the (stable) three-neutrino and the 3+1 sterile neutrino models are disfavored relative to the unstable sterile neutrino model, though with p values of 2.8% and 0.81%, respectively, we do not observe evidence for 3+1 neutrinos with neutrino decay. The best-fit parameters for the sterile neutrino with decay model from this study are Δm_{41}^{2}=6.7_{-2.5}^{+3.9}  eV^{2}, sin^{2}2θ_{24}=0.33_{-0.17}^{+0.20}, and g^{2}=2.5π±1.5π, where g is the decay-mediating coupling. The preferred regions of the 3+1+decay model from short-baseline oscillation searches are excluded at 90% C.L.

Isolated hand weakness due to brain lesion

When hand weakness is linked to a brain lesion, there is risk of misdiagnosis. A case of hand weakness related to stroke is presented. The electromyography report indicated a segmental lesion of the median nerve at the wrist. Thus, the patient was initially diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, and was referred to the orthopedic department for release surgery. Because the symptom was immediate and did not include hand numbness, the orthopedic surgeon ruled out the previous diagnosis and ordered a head CT scan, which revealed stroke. Aspirin and other medications were given. Percutaneous carotid balloon angioplasty with stent implantation and percutaneous vertebral artery balloon angioplasty were performed. The weakness of the left hand was greatly improved. So far, only a few cases suggest that hand weakness may be linked to stroke. Therefore, physicians should pay attention to physical examination.

[Hepatitis C elimination among drug users in China: challenges, strategies and experiences]

The prevalence of hepatitis C among drug users in China is high, and thus it is one of the populations that needs attention to achieve hepatitis C elimination. However, due to the complexities of this population's situation, hepatitis C elimination still faces many challenges, such as difficult screening, low cure rate, poor compliance, and high reinfection rates. Therefore, the existing diagnostic and therapeutic system cannot meet the needs of this population. China has pledged to establish a unified system for drug users that will integrate drug treatment programs, education, medical care, and rehabilitation, creating favorable conditions for integrating hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment and improving the accessibility of drug users. Starting with the current situation and challenges of eliminating hepatitis C among drug users in China, in combination with cases from other countries, this paper discusses the strategy for eliminating hepatitis C and introduces what Hainan Province did to eliminate hepatitis C among drug users.

[Analysis on the epidemic characteristics and genetic characteristics of varicella in Beijing from 2019 to 2021]

The reported incidence of varicella in Beijing from 2019 to 2021 were 63.8/100 000, 32.2/100 000 and 38.6/100 000, respectively. There were two VZV epidemics in Beijing each year, one peaked in May and the other in November. However, the first VZV epidemic almost disappeared in 2020. Among the cases involved in the varicella outbreaks in school, the proportion of the students with no history of vaccine immunization, 1 dose of immunization and 2 doses of immunization were 33.12%, 44.79% and 22.08%, respectively. The major body of VZV breakthrough cases was children aged 6-14 years (523/755, 69.27%). The proportion of moderate- or severe-rash were 55.32%, 39.06%, 29.96% in the three groups of cases with no immunization history, 1 dose of immunization and 2 doses of immunization, respectively (P<0.001). A total of 1 089 varicella samples were collected, and 837 (76.86%) were confirmed to be PCR-positive for VZV and were identified as VZV wild strains. 311 VZV strains were sequenced successfully, and 307 strains were clade 2 (98.72%), 1 clade 3 (0.32%) and 3 Clade 5 (0.96%). Compared with the representative strains, the nucleotide similarities of ORF22 fragments were between 99.4% and 100%, and amino acid similarities were between 99.4% and 100%.

[Recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of ankylosing spondylitis]

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease mainly affecting the sacroiliac joints, spine and peripheral joints. In China, standardized diagnosis and treatment of AS is still to be popularized. Based on the evidence and guidelines from China and other countries, Chinese Rheumatology Association developed standardization of diagnosis and treatment of AS. The purposes are: (1) to standardize the diagnosis and evaluation of AS; (2) to promote rational use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, biological as well as traditional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, so as to improve the patient's quality of life.

Anticoagulant Effects of Dabigatran on Coagulation Laboratory Parameters in Pediatric Patients: Combined Data from Five Pediatric Clinical Trials

Background  Dabigatran etexilate, a direct oral thrombin inhibitor, is approved to treat venous thromboembolism (VTE) in both adults and children.

Objectives  This population analysis characterized relationships between dabigatran total plasma concentrations and coagulation laboratory parameters (activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT]; diluted thrombin time [dTT]; ecarin clotting time [ECT]).

Methods  Data from three phase 2a and one single-arm and one randomized, comparative phase 2b/3 pediatric studies (measurements: aPTT 2,925 [ N  = 358]; dTT 2,348 [ N  = 324]; ECT 2,929 [ N  = 357]) were compared with adult data (5,740 aPTT, 3,472 dTT, 3,817 ECT measurements; N  = 1,978). Population models were fitted using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling. Covariates (e.g., sex, age) were assessed on baseline and drug-effect parameters, using a stepwise covariate model-building procedure.

Results  Overall, relationships between dabigatran, aPTT, dTT, and ECT were similar in children and adults. For children aged <6 months, a higher proportion of baseline samples were outside or close to the upper aPTT and ECT adult ranges. No age-related differences were detected for dTT. With increasing dabigatran concentration, aPTT rose nonlinearly (half the maximum effect at 368 ng/mL dabigatran) while dTT and ECT increased linearly (0.37 and 0.73% change per ng/mL dabigatran, respectively). Mean baseline aPTT (45 vs. 36 seconds) and ECT (40 vs. 36 seconds) were slightly increased for those aged <6 months versus older children.

Conclusion  The similar relationships of laboratory parameters observed across pediatric age groups suggests that developmental changes in the hemostatic system may have little effect on response to dabigatran.

Strong Constraints on Neutrino Nonstandard Interactions from TeV-Scale ν_{μ} Disappearance at IceCube

We report a search for nonstandard neutrino interactions (NSI) using eight years of TeV-scale atmospheric muon neutrino data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. By reconstructing incident energies and zenith angles for atmospheric neutrino events, this analysis presents unified confidence intervals for the NSI parameter ε_{μτ}. The best-fit value is consistent with no NSI at a p value of 25.2%. With a 90% confidence interval of -0.0041≤ε_{μτ}≤0.0031 along the real axis and similar strength in the complex plane, this result is the strongest constraint on any NSI parameter from any oscillation channel to date.

[Clinical study of mesenchymal stem cells from third-party donors in the treatment of refractory late onset hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplanation]

Objective: To examine the efficacy and safety of third-party bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the treatment of refractory delayed hemorrhagic cystitis (LOHC) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) . Methods: Twenty patients with refractory LOHC received conventional therapy combined with MSCs obtained from third-party donors' bone marrow (BM) . MSCs were given intravenously at a dose of 1 × 10(6) cells/kg once weekly until either the symptoms improved or no changes in LOHC were seen after continuous infusion four times. BK viruria (BKV) -DNA, JC viruria (JCV) -DNA, and CMV-DNA were detected by real-time quantitative PCR before and 8 weeks after the MSCs infusion. Results: ① Of the 20 patients with refractory LOHC, 15 were males, and 5 were females, and the median age was 35 (15-56) years. There were 5 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) , 9 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) , 5 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) , and 1 case of maternal plasma cell like dendritic cell tumor (BPDCN) . There were 4 cases of HLA identical transplantation and 16 cases of HLA incomplete transplantation. ②The median number of MSC infusions for each patient was 3 (range: 2-8) . Seventeen patients achieved complete response, and one had a partial response after treatment. The overall response rate was 90%. Over a median follow-up period of 397.5 days (range 39-937 days) post-transplantations, 13 patients survived, and 7 died. The causes of death included aGVHD (1 case) , infections (5 cases) , and TMA (1 case) . ③The copy numbers of BKV-DNA and CMV-DNA in urine in the 8th week after MSCs infusion were significantly lower than those observed before treatment (11342.1×10(8) copies/L vs 5.2×10(8) copies/L, P=0.016; 3170.0×10(4) copies/L vs 0.2×10(4) copies/L, P=0.006, respectively) , while JCV-DNA did not significantly differ when compared to before treatment (P=0.106) . ④ No adverse reactions related to MSC infusion occurred in any of the 20 patients. Conclusion: Third-party bone marrow-derived MSC has significant efficacy and good safety in the treatment of refractory LOHC after allogeneic HSCT.

AB0784 Symptoms compatible with Rome IV functional bowel disorder in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Background

Clinical manifestations of gut problems except for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have not been well-established in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). One study investigated that 30% patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms meeting Rome III criteria.[1]

Objectives

To determine the frequency of symptoms meeting Rome IV functional bowel disorder (FBD) in patients with AS, investigate factors associated with FBD symptoms, and assess whether having FBD symptoms might influence AS disease activity.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we consecutively enrolled 153 AS patients without known colonic ulcer and 56 sex- and age-matched controls to evaluate FBD (or its subtypes) symptoms.[2] In AS group, logistic regression models were used to explore whether demographic data, disease activity, level of gut inflammation, drug use, and fibromyalgia [3] were associated with presence of gut symptoms. Finally, potential impacts of gut symptoms on AS disease status were assessed in linear regression models.

Results

Sixty (39.2%) of 153 AS patients had FBD symptoms, which was more prevalent than controls (23.2%). Besides, symptoms compatible with IBS and chronic diarrhea were detected in 18 and 43 AS patients respectively. For AS group, multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that symptoms of FBD, IBS, and chronic diarrhea were negatively associated with using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and positively associated with comorbid fibromyalgia, respectively. In exploration about effects of FBD (or its subtypes) symptoms on AS disease activity by multivariable linear regression analyses, FBD symptoms and chronic diarrhea had positive associations with assessments of AS respectively.

Conclusion

Patients with AS had frequent symptoms compatible with FBD, IBS, and chronic diarrhea, proportions of which were lower in those with NSAID-use. The improvement of FBD symptoms, especially chronic diarrhea, might be conducive to disease status of AS patients.

References

[1]Wallman JK, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2020;79:159-61.

[2]Mearin F, et al. Gastroenterology. 2016;18:S0016-5085(16)00222-5.

[3]Wolfe F, et al. J Rheumatol. 2011;38:1113-22.

Figure 1.

Frequencies with symptoms meeting FBD criteria

Table 1.

Univariable and multivariable associations between gut symptoms and assessments of AS

Gut symptomsUnivariableMultivariableβpβpASDAS-CRPaFBD symptoms0.2340.1120.294< 0.001IBS symptoms0.0390.863Chronic diarrhea0.2170.1720.3010.002BASDAIbFBD symptoms0.747< 0.0010.764< 0.001IBS symptoms0.2020.560Chronic diarrhea0.7610.0020.845< 0.001BAS-GcFBD symptoms0.936< 0.0010.979< 0.001IBS symptoms0.0590.889Chronic diarrhea0.9030.0030.9490.001ASAS HIdFBD symptoms1.941< 0.0011.6730.003IBS symptoms2.2630.0081.7690.046Chronic diarrhea1.5000.0151.3430.030BASFIeFBD symptoms0.4330.0490.4280.048IBS symptoms0.2960.376Chronic diarrhea0.4480.0600.4250.069BASMIfFBD symptoms-0.3730.190-0.4930.075IBS symptoms-0.4420.304Chronic diarrhea-0.1790.564　　

Besides gut symptoms, other clinical variables (Block-1) being chosen into hierarchical multivariable models were as follows: aHLA-B27, lnCRP, and lnESR; bHLA-B27 and lnESR; cHLA-B27 and lnCRP; dsex and TNFi; eHLA-B27, lnESR, and TNFi; fage and lnESR. Missing data ranging from 1-7%.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Ballistic Performance of Polyurea-Reinforced Ceramic/Metal Armor Subjected to Projectile Impact

Although polyurea has attracted extensive attention in impact mitigation due to its protective characteristics during intensive loading, the ballistic performance of polyurea-reinforced ceramic/metal armor remains unclear. In the present study, polyurea-reinforced ceramic/metal armor with different structures was designed, including three types of coating positions of the polyurea. The ballistic tests were conducted with a ballistic gun; the samples were subjected to a tungsten projectile formed into a cylinder 8 mm in diameter and 30 mm in length, and the deformation process of the tested targets was recorded with a high-speed camera. The ballistic performance of the polyurea-reinforced ceramic/metal armor was evaluated according to mass efficiency. The damaged targets were investigated in order to determine the failure patterns and the mechanisms of interaction between the projectile and the target. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the microstructure of polyurea and to understand its failure mechanisms. The results showed that the mass efficiency of the polyurea-coated armor was 89% higher than that of ceramic/metal armor, which implies that polyurea-coated ceramic armor achieved higher ballistic performance with lighter mass quality than that of ceramic/metal armor. The improvement of ballistic performance was due to the energy absorbed by polyurea during glass transition. These results are promising regarding further applications of polyurea-reinforced ceramic/metal armor.

Dynamic Mechanical Properties of TC11 Titanium Alloys Fabricated by Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

To study the compressive mechanical properties and failure modes of TC11 titanium alloy fabricated by wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technology in a large strain rate range at room temperature, the quasi-static and dynamic compression tests were carried out. In addition, optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to observe the metallographic structure and fracture morphology, respectively. The stress-strain curves in the range of 0.001 s^-1-4000 s^-1, original and post-deformation microstructures, macroscopic damage patterns, and microscopic fracture morphology were obtained at two different loading directions, including the scanning and deposition directions, respectively. In uniaxial compression experiments, the material showed little difference in mechanical properties between the scanning and deposition directions, exhibiting a strain rate strengthening effect. However, the strain rate sensitivity of the material under quasi-static loading conditions is much less than that under dynamic loading conditions. In addition, combining the stress-strain curve with the fracture morphology analysis, the plasticity in the scanning direction is better than in the deposition direction. Based on the experimental results, a modified Johnson-Cook (JC) constitutive model considering strain rate sensitivity and the effect of strain rate on strain hardening was proposed, and the parameters were determined using a Multiple Population Genetic Algorithm (MPGA). The obtained constitutive model is in good agreement with the experimental data, which can provide a reference for the engineering numerical calculation of TC11 titanium alloy for WAAM. This study also provides a fundamental databank for the application and design of WAAM TC11 alloy in the manufacturing of large and complex structural parts.

C65 POST–DISCHARGE ARRHYTHMIC RISK STRATIFICATION OF PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDITIS AND LIFE–THREATENING VENTRICULAR TACHYARRHYTHMIAS

Aims

The outcomes of patients presenting with acute myocarditis and life–threatening ventricular arrhythmias (LT–VA) are unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and predictors of recurrent major arrhythmic events (MAEs) after hospital discharge in this patient population.

Methods and Results

We retrospectively analysed 156 patients (median age 44 years; 77% male) discharged with a diagnosis of acute myocarditis and LT–VA from 16 hospitals worldwide. Diagnosis of myocarditis was based on histology or the combination of increased markers of cardiac injury and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) Lake Louise criteria. MAEs were defined as the relapse, after discharge, of sudden cardiac death or successfully defibrillated ventricular fibrillation, or sustained ventricular tachycardia (sVT) requiring implantable cardioverter–defibrillator therapy or synchronized external cardioversion. Median follow–up was 23months [first to third quartile (Q1–Q3) 7–60]. Fifty–eight (37.2%) patients experienced MAEs after discharge, at a median of 8 months (Q1–Q3 2.5–24.0 months; 60.3% of MAEs within the first year). At multivariable Cox analysis, variables independently associated with MAEs were presentation with sVT [hazard ratio (HR) 2.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38–6.11]; late gadolinium enhancement involving ≥2 myocardial segments (HR 4.51, 95% CI 2.39–8.53), and absence of positive short–tau inversion recovery (STIR) (HR 2.59, 95% CI 1.40–4.79) at first CMR.

Conclusions

In this international multicentre study, patients discharged free from HTx or LVAD after an acute myocarditis complicated by LT–VA had a recurrence of MAEs during follow–up of 37.2%, after a median time of 8 months. Initial CMR pattern and sVT at presentation stratify the risk of arrhythmia recurrence.

Definition of large niche after Cesarean section based on prediction of postmenstrual spotting: Chinese cohort study in non-pregnant women

OBJECTIVE

A large niche after Cesarean section (CS) is associated with long-term complications, of which postmenstrual spotting is associated positively with the size of the niche. However, the diagnosis of a large niche in the literature is inconsistent and the definition is largely subjective. The aim of this study was to generate a definition for a large niche in non-pregnant women based on the presence of postmenstrual spotting.

METHODS

Women who had undergone CS in our hospital between January 2012 and June 2017 were selected randomly from our database, contacted by telephone and subsequently examined between January 2016 and June 2020. Eligible for inclusion were non-pregnant women who had their last CS more than 1 year earlier and agreed to undergo transvaginal sonography (TVS). All participants underwent examination of their CS scar by TVS (two-dimensional color Doppler) during the midfollicular phase. Niche depth, length, width, residual myometrial thickness (RMT), adjacent myometrial thickness (AMT) and ratio of niche depth/AMT were recorded. Women diagnosed with a niche, defined as an indentation at the site of the CS with a depth of at least 2 mm, were classified into two groups (symptomatic or asymptomatic) according to whether they experienced postmenstrual spotting. Logistic regression analysis was used to establish the best cut-off values for the niche parameters to predict postmenstrual spotting. A new definition was generated based on the niche parameters with the highest area under the receiver-operating-characteristics (ROC) curve (AUC) for the prediction of postmenstrual spotting.

RESULTS

A total of 727 women who had a CS > 1 year earlier underwent TVS examination, of whom 263 were diagnosed with a niche (prevalence of 36.2%). Of these, 160 women experienced postmenstrual spotting and 103 were asymptomatic. The three variables with the highest AUC for prediction of postmenstrual spotting were niche depth/AMT ratio (AUC, 0.798; 95% CI, 0.745-0.852), niche depth (AUC, 0.731; 95% CI, 0.668-0.795) and RMT (AUC, 0.683; 95% CI, 0.618-0.748). Based on the best cut-offs according to ROC-curve analysis, a large niche was defined as: niche depth ≥ 0.50 cm, RMT ≤ 0.21 cm or niche depth/AMT ratio ≥ 0.56. The prevalence of a large niche according to this definition was 22.4% (163/727). The new definition had a specificity of 61.17% (95% CI, 52.34-70.41%) and sensitivity of 76.87% (95% CI, 70.28-84.16%) for a large niche.

CONCLUSION

This study has provided a new definition for a large niche after CS. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

[The efficacy of eltrombopag plus cyclosporine A in patients with transfusion-dependent non-severe aplastic anemia: a retrospective study from single center]

The main purpose of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of eltrombopag plus cyclosporine A (CsA) in transfusion-dependent non-severe aplastic anemia(TD-NSAA). The clinical characteristics of 13 TD-NSAA patients who received initial treatment of eltrombopag plus CsA from 2019 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The 3-month overall hematological response (OR) rate was 12/13. Until the end of follow-up, 12 patients responded, among whom 2 patients reached complete response (CR) and 9 patients reached partial response (PR) and 1 with HR. Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) developed in one patient at 6 months after treatment. Five of thirteen patients reported mild adverse reactions, which were all manageable. Compared with historical data, the combination of eltrombopag with CsA is an effective regimen in patients with TD-NSAA.

Protective effect of lithium chloride on pulmonary injury caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae via inhibition of GSK-3β-NF-κB-dependent pathway

Porcine contagious pleuropneumonia (PCP) is a very serious respiratory disease which is difficult to prevent and treat. In this study, the therapeutic effects of lithium chloride (LiCl) on PCP were examined using a mouse model. A mouse model of PCP was established by intranasal infections with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (App). Histopathological analysis was performed by routine paraffin sections and an H-E staining method. The inflammatory factors, TLR4 and CCL2 were analyzed by qPCR. The expression levels of p-p65 and pGSK-3ß were detected using the Western Blot Method. The death rates, clinical symptoms, lung injuries, and levels of TLR-4, IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and CCL2 were observed to decrease in the App-infected mice treated with LiCl. It was determined that the LiCl treatments had significantly reduced the mortality of the App-infected cells, as well as the expressions of p-p65 and pGSK-3ß. The results of this study indicated that LiCl could improve the pulmonary injuries of mice caused by App via the inhibition of the GSK-3β-NF-κB-dependent pathways, and may potentially become an effective drug for improving pulmonary injuries caused by PCP.

[Effect of hydroxyapatite based agents on the bonding properties of universal adhesives]

Objective: To study the effect of hydroxyapatite (HA) based agents on the bonding properties of universal adhesive with different application modes, and to provide evidence for the use of adhesives after desensitization treatment. Methods: Sixty impacted third molars were extracted and selected (acquired from Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Xi'an Jiaotong University). Four third molars were used to prepare 1 mm thick dentin disks and treated with 1% citric acid to simulate sensitive tooth models. The dentin surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) after treating with no desensitization (control group), desensitized by HA based toothpaste Biorepair and Dontodent Sensitive respectively (desensitizing toothpaste A group and B group), or HA paste treatment (desensitizing paste group ) (n=2 per group). The remaining teeth were selected to expose the mid-coronal dentin and establish dentin sensitivity models. Then, the specimens were divided into 4 former groups and received corresponding treatment. Each group was randomly divided into 2 subgroups, and intermediately strong universal adhesive (G-Premio Bond) was applied on the desensitized dentin by either etch-and-rinse mode or self-etch mode. Resin-dentin slice specimens (n=4 per subgroup), microtensile specimens (n=20 per subgroup) and slice specimens (n=6 per subgroup) were prepared. The microstructure and nanoleakage of the adhesive interfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microtensile strength (bond strength) and fracture mode were tested and recorded. The water permeability of the adhesive interface was observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). Results: SEM showed that desensitizing toothpaste and desensitizing paste could partially or entirely occlude most of the dentin tubules. For the etch-and-rinse mode, the bond strength of specimens treated with toothpaste A [(40.98±4.60) MPa], toothpaste B [(40.89±4.64) MPa] and HA paste [(41.48±3.65) MPa] was significantly higher than that of the control group [(38.58±4.28) MPa] (F=3.89,P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in bond strength among the 4 subgroups for self-etch modes (F=0.48,P>0.05). After desensitization, the bond strength of the control group and desensitizing groups in the self-etch mode was significantly higher than that in the etch-and-rinse mode (P<0.05). The overall fracture modes were mixed failure and interfacial failure in the control group and desensitizing groups. SEM showed speckled silver-stained particles deposited along the bottom of the hybrid layer on the bond interface of etch-and-rinse mode, and there were few silver-stained particles deposited on the bond interface of self-etch mode. LSCM showed continuous linear penetration in the hybrid layer of etch-and-rinse mode subgroups and discontinuous linear penetration in the hybrid layer of self-etch mode subgroups. Conclusions: HA based desensitizers have no adverse effect on the bond strength of intermediately strong universal adhesive and show good bonding performance accompanied with the self-etch mode.

[An investigation on serum antibody level of varicella-zoster virus in healthy population in Beijing]

Objective: To assess the level and trend of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) antibody among healthy population in Beijing in 2017, after the five-year implementation of the two doses varicella vaccination strategy in 2012, and to provide evidence for scientific evaluation of immunization strategy. Methods: A total of 2 144 subjects in ten age groups from 8 districts of Beijing city were recruited in this study using cross-sectional survey based on multi-stage cluster random sampling method. Serum samples were collected and VZV antibody was detected by ELISA. The influencing factors of antibody concentration and positive rate were analyzed and compared with the study in 2012. The antibody concentration and antibody positive rate were analyzed by nonparametric test and χ² test respectively. Results: The ratio of subjects with registered residence in Beijing city to other provinces was 1∶1. The ratio of male to female was 1∶1.08. The median concentration of VZV antibody was 341.4 (78.6, 1 497.8) mIU/ml, and the total antibody positive rate was 71.1% (1 524/2 144). There were significant differences in antibody positive rate (χ²=736.39, P<0.01) and antibody concentration (χ²=740.34, P<0.01) among different age groups. The antibody positive rate generally increased with age (χ²_trend=7.32, P_trend<0.01). Among 862 children under 14 years old, the antibody positive rate of two doses vaccination 72.8% (182/250) was significantly higher than that of one dose vaccination 51.9% (154/297) (χ²=25.14, P<0.01). There was significant difference between 1-4 years old group (χ²=11.71, P<0.01) and 10-14 years old group (χ²=5.95, P=0.02), but not in 5-9 years old group (χ²=3.00, P=0.07). Compared with the study in 2012, the antibody positive rate increased in 5-9 years old group (χ²=14.35, P<0.01) and decreased in 1-4 years old group (χ²=11.51, P=0.01) in 2017. Conclusion: The recommended varicella booster vaccination has significantly improved the VZV antibody level of children in Beijing city. In the future, it is necessary to explore a more optimized two doses varicella vaccination schedule for children in combination with epidemiological evidence.

Search for Relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with Eight Years of IceCube Data

We present an all-sky 90% confidence level upper limit on the cosmic flux of relativistic magnetic monopoles using 2886 days of IceCube data. The analysis was optimized for monopole speeds between 0.750c and 0.995c, without any explicit restriction on the monopole mass. We constrain the flux of relativistic cosmic magnetic monopoles to a level below 2.0×10^{-19}  cm^{-2} s^{-1} sr^{-1} over the majority of the targeted speed range. This result constitutes the most strict upper limit to date for magnetic monopoles with β≳0.8 and up to β∼0.995 and fills the gap between existing limits on the cosmic flux of nonrelativistic and ultrarelativistic magnetic monopoles.