Measurement of Prompt D^{0}, Λ_{c}^{+}, and Σ_{c}^{0,++}(2455) Production in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The p_{T}-differential production cross sections of prompt D^{0}, Λ_{c}^{+}, and Σ_{c}^{0,++}(2455) charmed hadrons are measured at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV. This is the first measurement of Σ_{c}^{0,++} production in hadronic collisions. Assuming the same production yield for the three Σ_{c}^{0,+,++} isospin states, the baryon-to-meson cross section ratios Σ_{c}^{0,+,++}/D^{0} and Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} are calculated in the transverse momentum (p_{T}) intervals 2<p_{T}<12 and 1<p_{T}<24  GeV/c. Values significantly larger than in e^{+}e^{-} collisions are observed, indicating for the first time that baryon enhancement in hadronic collisions also extends to the Σ_{c}. The feed-down contribution to Λ_{c}^{+} production from Σ_{c}^{0,+,++} is also reported and is found to be larger than in e^{+}e^{-} collisions. The data are compared with predictions from event generators and other phenomenological models, providing a sensitive test of the different charm-hadronization mechanisms implemented in the models.

Measurement of the Cross Sections of Ξ_{c}^{0} and Ξ_{c}^{+} Baryons and of the Branching-Fraction Ratio BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}e^{+}ν_{e})/BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}π^{+}) in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The p_{T}-differential cross sections of prompt charm-strange baryons Ξ_{c}^{0} and Ξ_{c}^{+} were measured at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) in proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=13  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The Ξ_{c}^{0} baryon was reconstructed via both the semileptonic decay (Ξ^{-}e^{+}ν_{e}) and the hadronic decay (Ξ^{-}π^{+}) channels. The Ξ_{c}^{+} baryon was reconstructed via the hadronic decay (Ξ^{-}π^{+}π^{+}) channel. The branching-fraction ratio BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}e^{+}ν_{e})/BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}π^{+})=1.38±0.14(stat)±0.22(syst) was measured with a total uncertainty reduced by a factor of about 3 with respect to the current world average reported by the Particle Data Group. The transverse momentum (p_{T}) dependence of the Ξ_{c}^{0}- and Ξ_{c}^{+}-baryon production relative to the D^{0} meson and to the Σ_{c}^{0,+,++}- and Λ_{c}^{+}-baryon production are reported. The baryon-to-meson ratio increases toward low p_{T} up to a value of approximately 0.3. The measurements are compared with various models that take different hadronization mechanisms into consideration. The results provide stringent constraints to these theoretical calculations and additional evidence that different processes are involved in charm hadronization in electron-positron (e^{+}e^{-}) and hadronic collisions.

Spastic paraplegia as the only manifestation in neuropsychiatric lupus: a case report

Demyelination syndrome is one manifestation of neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus (NPLE) and is rare in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). When SLE presents only neuropsychiatric symptoms without damage to other systems, its diagnosis becomes difficult. Herein, we report a 29-year-old male who suffered from lower limb stiffness with recessive onset and progressive aggravation in one year. He had paraplegia, spastic hypertonia, abnormal gait, and bilateral positive Babinski signs. His symptoms indicated spastic paraplegia. Brain MRI showed multiple small demyelinating lesions in the lateral ventricle, brainstem, and cerebellum. Anti-ds DNA, anti-Sm and anti-RNP antibodies were positive. He was diagnosed with NPLE and had a good treatment response to steroids. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of spastic paraplegia as the only manifestation in SLE.

Introduction to DOK2 and its potential role in cancer

Cancer is a complex, multifactorial disease that modern medicine ultimately aims to overcome. Downstream of tyrosine kinase 2 (DOK2) is a well-known tumor suppressor gene, and a member of the downstream protein DOK family of tyrosine kinases. Through a search of original literature indexed in PubMed and other databases, the present review aims to extricate the mechanisms by which DOK2 acts on cancer, thereby identifying more reliable and effective therapeutic targets to promote enhanced methods of cancer prevention and treatment. The review focuses on the role of DOK2 in multiple tumor types in the lungs, intestines, liver, and breast. Additionally, we discuss the potential mechanisms of action of DOK2 and the downstream consequences via the Ras/MPAK/ERK or PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways.

Λ_{c}^{+} Production and Baryon-to-Meson Ratios in pp and p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV at the LHC

The prompt production of the charm baryon Λ_{c}^{+} and the Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} production ratios were measured at midrapidity with the ALICE detector in pp and p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. These new measurements show a clear decrease of the Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} ratio with increasing transverse momentum (p_{T}) in both collision systems in the range 2<p_{T}<12  GeV/c, exhibiting similarities with the light-flavor baryon-to-meson ratios p/π and Λ/K_{S}^{0}. At low p_{T}, predictions that include additional color-reconnection mechanisms beyond the leading-color approximation, assume the existence of additional higher-mass charm-baryon states, or include hadronization via coalescence can describe the data, while predictions driven by charm-quark fragmentation processes measured in e^{+}e^{-} and e^{-}p collisions significantly underestimate the data. The results presented in this Letter provide significant evidence that the established assumption of universality (colliding-system independence) of parton-to-hadron fragmentation is not sufficient to describe charm-baryon production in hadronic collisions at LHC energies.

Cardioprotective responses to aerobic exercise-induced physiological hypertrophy in zebrafish heart

Herein, we aimed to establish an aerobic exercise-induced physiological myocardial hypertrophy zebrafish (Danio rerio) model and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. After 4 weeks of aerobic exercise, the AMR and Ucrit of the zebrafish increased and the hearts were enlarged, with thickened myocardium, an increased number of myofilament attachment points in the Z-line, and increased compaction of mitochondrial cristae. We also found that the mTOR signaling pathway, angiogenesis, mitochondrial fusion, and fission event, and mitochondrial autophagy were associated with the adaptive changes in the heart during training. In addition, the increased mRNA expression of genes related to fatty acid oxidation and antioxidation suggested that the switch of energy metabolism and the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis induced cardiac physiological changes. Therefore, the zebrafish heart physiological hypertrophy model constructed in this study can be helpful in investigating the cardioprotective mechanisms in response to aerobic exercise.

Experimental Evidence for an Attractive p-ϕ Interaction

This Letter presents the first experimental evidence of the attractive strong interaction between a proton and a ϕ meson. The result is obtained from two-particle correlations of combined p-ϕ⊕ p[over ¯]-ϕ pairs measured in high-multiplicity pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV by the ALICE Collaboration. The spin-averaged scattering length and effective range of the p-ϕ interaction are extracted from the fully corrected correlation function employing the Lednický-Lyuboshits approach. In particular, the imaginary part of the scattering length vanishes within uncertainties, indicating that inelastic processes do not play a prominent role for the p-ϕ interaction. These data demonstrate that the interaction is dominated by elastic p-ϕ scattering. Furthermore, an analysis employing phenomenological Gaussian- and Yukawa-type potentials is conducted. Under the assumption of the latter, the N-ϕ coupling constant is found to be g_{N-ϕ}=0.14±0.03(stat)±0.02(syst). This work provides valuable experimental input to accomplish a self-consistent description of the N-ϕ interaction, which is particularly relevant for the more fundamental studies on partial restoration of chiral symmetry in nuclear medium.

Mechanical properties of three-dimensionally printed titanium plates used in jaw reconstruction: preliminary study

The aim of this study was to compare the mechanical properties of three-dimensionally (3D)-printed and conventional surgical plates used for the repair of maxillary or mandibular defects under the same experimental conditions, and to provide experimental evidence for the future application and clinical trial of 3D-printed individualized surgical plates. For the experimental group, two groups of surgical plates with thicknesses of 2.0 mm and 2.5 mm were designed and 3D-printed by electron beam melting, using Ti-6Al-4V as raw material. Conventional commercially available surgical plates with the same thickness were adopted as the control group. A Vickers hardness tester and universal testing machine were used to measure the mechanical properties of the plates (hardness, bending strength, tensile strength, and yield strength). The mechanical properties of 3D-printed surgical plates were significantly better than those of conventional surgical plates of the same thickness (P < 0.001). Comparing the surgical plates of different thickness, the 2.5 mm-thick plates had the highest bending strength in the experimental group (P < 0.001) and the best hardness (P < 0.001), bending strength (P = 0.001), tensile strength (P = 0.001), and yield strength (P = 0.001) in the control group. No statistical difference was found between the two kinds of plates in the experimental group in terms of hardness (P = 0.060), tensile strength (P = 0.096), and yield strength (P = 0.496). The 3D-printed surgical plates have better mechanical properties than the conventional ones.

[Metabolic staging and nutritional treatment strategies of severely burned patients]

The complexity of burn metabolism and limitations of its cognition are the core factors leading to dissatisfactory efficacy of nutritional therapy in severe burn patients. Precise understanding of burn metabolic rules is a prerequisite for improving the pertinence and effectiveness of nutritional therapy. The previous division of burn metabolic stages based on energy consumption did not pay enough attention to substance metabolism, so it is difficult to fully comprehend the overall change pattern and stage characteristics of burn metabolism. Through the effective integration of the metabonomics, physiomics, and clinical data, combining the pathophysiological characteristics of burns at different clinical phases, this paper suggested that the metabolism of severe burns should be divided into four stages and proposed the corresponding nutritional strategies and measures according to different metabolic characteristics, in order to provide a basis for further enhancing the nutritional efficacy in burn patients.

Multiharmonic Correlations of Different Flow Amplitudes in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76 TeV

The event-by-event correlations between three flow amplitudes are measured for the first time in Pb-Pb collisions, using higher-order symmetric cumulants. We find that different three-harmonic correlations develop during the collective evolution of the medium when compared to correlations that exist in the initial state. These new results cannot be interpreted in terms of previous lower-order flow measurements since contributions from two-harmonic correlations are explicitly removed in the new observables. A comparison to Monte Carlo simulations provides new and independent constraints for the initial conditions and system properties of nuclear matter created in heavy-ion collisions.

[Treatment efficacy of dietary supplement Licofor for dry eye associated with meibomian gland dysfunction]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of dietary supplement Licofor in the treatment of dry eye associated with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Methods: This was a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial. Sixty patients [25 males, 35 females, aged (42±13) years] who had dry eye associated with MGD were recruited in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from December 2018 to October 2019. The patients were equally divided into two groups: 30 cases (60 eyes) in the experimental group and 30 cases (60 eyes) in the control group. All subjects were treated with eye hot compress, artificial tears and antibiotic ointment. After that, the experimental group and control group were received dietary supplementary Licofor or placebo daily for 12 weeks. The symptoms and signs of dry eye, morphology and function of meibomian gland, and inflammatory response were assessed at the beginning, 4^th, 8^th and 12^th week of treatment. Results: After 12 weeks of treatment, statistically significant improvements in ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scores, tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS), the morphology of eyelid margin, meibomian gland orifice, meibomian gland expressibility, meibum quality, and periglandular inflammatory cell density were determined in both groups (all P<0.05). In the Licofor group, the improvement of OSDI scores [16.7 (12.5, 20.8) vs 20.8 (18.8, 22.9), P<0.001], the morphology of eyelid margin, meibomian gland orifice and periglandular inflammatory cell density [443 (318, 513) vs 553 (415, 676)/mm², P=0.002] were more significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The combined treatment of licofor and conventional treatment can significantly improve symptoms of dry eye, the morphology of eyelid margin, meibomian gland orifice, meibum quality, and eyelid inflammation response of dry eye associated with MGD.

Effect of diltiazem on exercise tolerance in patients with stable coronary artery disease and hypertension

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of diltiazem on cardiovascular risk and exercise tolerance in patients with stable coronary artery disease and hypertension. From 2016 to 2018, 80 patients with stable coronary artery disease (5 < Gensini score < 20) and hypertension were enrolled into the present study. These patients were randomly divided into two groups: diltiazem group (Dil, 90 mg, bid), and control group (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI)/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) for reducing blood pressure and β-receptor blockers for controlling heart rate). Liver and kidney function, heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure variability (BPV) and bicycle exercise were measured at baseline and after six months. The incidence of cardiovascular events (re-hospitalization due to angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, and cardiogenic death) was also assessed. The differences in all indexes at baseline between these two groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05, respectively). After six months of treatment, both groups of patients had significant improvements in HRV, BPV and exercise tolerance compared that before treatment (p < 0.05). The difference in the decrease in systolic blood pressure, improvement of HRV and BPV, and cardiovascular events between these two groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.588, 0.431, 0.152, 1.000, respectively). But the Dil group was significantly better than the control group in degree of heart rate decline, diastolic blood pressure decline, and improvement of ST segment depression (P < 0.001), and the improvement in exercise tolerance was also better than that of the control group. We found that diltiazem compared with ACEI/ARB and β-receptor blockers can further improve the exercise tolerance of patients with stable coronary artery disease and hypertension.

Soft-Dielectron Excess in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A measurement of dielectron production in proton-proton (pp) collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, recorded with the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC, is presented in this Letter. The data set was recorded with a reduced magnetic solenoid field. This enables the investigation of a kinematic domain at low dielectron (ee) invariant mass m_{ee} and pair transverse momentum p_{T,ee} that was previously inaccessible at the LHC. The cross section for dielectron production is studied as a function of m_{ee}, p_{T,ee}, and event multiplicity dN_{ch}/dη. The expected dielectron rate from hadron decays, called hadronic cocktail, utilizes a parametrization of the measured η/π^{0} ratio in pp and proton-nucleus collisions, assuming that this ratio shows no strong dependence on collision energy at low transverse momentum. Comparison of the measured dielectron yield to the hadronic cocktail at 0.15<m_{ee}<0.6  GeV/c^{2} and for p_{T,ee}<0.4  GeV/c indicates an enhancement of soft dielectrons, reminiscent of the "anomalous" soft-photon and soft-dilepton excess in hadron-hadron collisions reported by several experiments under different experimental conditions. The enhancement factor over the hadronic cocktail amounts to 1.61±0.13(stat)±0.17(syst,data)±0.34(syst,cocktail) in the ALICE acceptance. Acceptance-corrected excess spectra in m_{ee} and p_{T,ee} are extracted and compared with calculations of dielectron production from hadronic bremsstrahlung and thermal radiation within a hadronic many-body approach.

DNA polymerase β may be involved in protecting human bronchial epithelial cells from the toxic effects induced by methyl tert-butyl ether exposure

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a widely used gasoline additive and a ubiquitous environmental pollutant in many countries and regions, can cause various kinds of toxic effects on human health. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its toxic effects remains elusive. The present study aimed to explore the cytotoxicity, DNA damage and oxidative damage effects of MTBE on human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) and the possible role of DNA polymerase β (pol-β) in this process. RNA interference (RNAi) was used to obtain pol-β gene knocked-down cells (pol-β^-). CCK-8 assay was adopted to analyze the cell viability. Alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) was performed to detect the DNA damage effects of MTBE. The enzyme activity of GSH-Px, SOD, CAT and the level of MDA were assessed. The data indicated that when treated with MTBE at the concentration exceeding 50 μmol/L and for the time exceeding 24 h, the pol-β^- exhibited significantly decreased cell viability and increased DNA damage effects, as compared to the control (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was significant difference in the levels of GSH-pX, SOD, CAT and MDA between the pol-β^- and the control (P < 0.05). Our investigation suggests that MTBE can cause obvious cytotoxicity, DNA damage and oxidative damage effects on 16HBE cells. DNA polymerase β may be involved in protecting 16HBE cells from the toxic effects induced by MTBE exposure. These findings provide a novel insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the toxic effects of MTBE on human cells.

Elliptic Flow of Electrons from Beauty-Hadron Decays in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

The elliptic flow of electrons from beauty hadron decays at midrapidity (|y|<0.8) is measured in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The azimuthal distribution of the particles produced in the collisions can be parametrized with a Fourier expansion, in which the second harmonic coefficient represents the elliptic flow, v_{2}. The v_{2} coefficient of electrons from beauty hadron decays is measured for the first time in the transverse momentum (p_{T}) range 1.3-6  GeV/c in the centrality class 30%-50%. The measurement of electrons from beauty-hadron decays exploits their larger mean proper decay length cτ≈500  μm compared to that of charm hadrons and most of the other background sources. The v_{2} of electrons from beauty hadron decays at midrapidity is found to be positive with a significance of 3.75  σ. The results provide insights into the degree of thermalization of beauty quarks in the medium. A model assuming full thermalization of beauty quarks is strongly disfavored by the measurement at high p_{T}, but is in agreement with the results at low p_{T}. Transport models including substantial interactions of beauty quarks with an expanding strongly interacting medium describe the measurement within uncertainties.

Chemosensory proteins participate in insecticide susceptibility in Rhopalosiphum padi, a serious pest on wheat crops

Rhopalosiphum padi is a worldwide agricultural pest. Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are considered to be a type of transporters which can bind chemicals from external environments. Previous research showed that the expression of some insect CSPs were significantly increased after exposure to insecticides, and CSPs were involved in insecticide resistance or susceptibility. However, the role of CSPs in the susceptibility and response of R. padi to insecticides is still unknown. In this study, we identified eight CSP (RpCSP) from R. padi by genome-wide investigation. Seven RpCSP genes had two exons, while RpCSP7 had three exons. qPCR analyses showed that the mRNA levels of the eight RpCSP genes were significantly affected by imidacloprid and beta-cypermethrin in different post-treatment periods. Molecular docking predicted that there were hydrogen bonding sites which played key roles in binding of RpCSP4, RpCSP5, RpCSP6, RpCSP7 and RpCSP10 with imidacloprid and beta-cypermethrin. Knockdown of RpCSP4, RpCSP5, RpCSP6 and RpCSP10 by RNA interference significantly increased the aphid mortality under two sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid. Mortalities under two sublethal concentrations of beta-cypermethrin conditions were significantly higher after injection of R. padi with dsCSP4 and dsCSP6. The results indicate that some RpCSP genes are involved in the insecticide susceptibility of R. padi.

Three-dimensional morphological analysis of neocondyle bone growth after fibula free flap reconstruction

The aim of this retrospective study was to verify the three-dimensional morphological change in neocondyle bone growth after fibula free flap (FFF) reconstruction. The independent variables were age, sex, and diagnosis. Outcome variables included the direction and volume of neocondyle bone growth, and the time to a stable neocondyle following bone growth. The outcome variables were measured on postoperative computed tomography scans using iPlan 3.0. Of the 35 patients included, 25 showed neocondyle bone growth. The direction of neocondyle bone growth included the direction of lateral pterygoid traction (DLPT) and the direction towards the glenoid fossa (DGF). The bone growth of the neocondyle showed three patterns: only DLPT (eight patients), only DGF (two patients), and a combination of DLPT and DGF (15 patients). The average volume of bone growth in the 25 patients was 0.479 ± 0.380 cm³. The average volume of neocondyle bone growth was significantly greater in patients aged <18 years (0.746 ± 0.346 cm³) than in patients aged >18 years (0.219 ± 0.191 cm³) (P < 0.001). The time to a stable neocondyle following bone growth was 5.6 months postoperatively. In conclusion, neocondyle bone growth after FFF reconstruction occurred in two different directions, DLPT and DGF. Osteogenesis of the lateral pterygoid muscle affects neocondyle growth with DLPT. Neocondyle bone growth is more marked in paediatric patients than in adults.

Pygo1 regulates pathological cardiac hypertrophy via a β-catenin-dependent mechanism

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays a key role in pathological cardiac remodeling in adults. The identification of a tissue-specific Wnt/β-catenin interaction factor may provide a tissue-specific clinical targeting strategy. Drosophila Pygo encodes the core interaction factor of Wnt/β-catenin. Two Pygo homologs (Pygo1 and Pygo2) have been identified in mammals. Different from the ubiquitous expression profile of Pygo2, Pygo1 is enriched in cardiac tissue. However, the role of Pygo1 in mammalian cardiac disease is yet to be elucidated. In this study, we found that Pygo1 was upregulated in human cardiac tissues with pathological hypertrophy. Cardiac-specific overexpression of Pygo1 in mice spontaneously led to cardiac hypertrophy accompanied by declined cardiac function, increased heart weight/body weight and heart weight/tibial length ratios, and increased cell size. The canonical β-catenin/T-cell transcription factor 4 (TCF4) complex was abundant in Pygo1-overexpressing transgenic (Pygo1-TG) cardiac tissue, and the downstream genes of Wnt signaling, that is, Axin2, Ephb3, and c-Myc, were upregulated. A tail vein injection of β-catenin inhibitor effectively rescued the phenotype of cardiac failure and pathological myocardial remodeling in Pygo1-TG mice. Furthermore, in vivo downregulated pygo1 during cardiac hypertrophic condition antagonized agonist-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Therefore, our study is the first to present in vivo evidence demonstrating that Pygo1 regulates pathological cardiac hypertrophy in a canonical Wnt/β-catenin-dependent manner, which may provide new clues for tissue-specific clinical treatment via targeting this pathway.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, we found that Pygo1 is associated with human pathological hypertrophy. Cardiac-specific overexpression of Pygo1 in mice spontaneously led to cardiac hypertrophy. Meanwhile, cardiac function was improved when expression of Pygo1 was interfered in hypertrophy-model mice. Our study is the first to present in vivo evidence demonstrating that Pygo1 regulates pathological cardiac hypertrophy in a canonical Wnt/β-catenin-dependent manner, which may provide new clues for a tissue-specific clinical treatment targeting this pathway.

[Analysis on the characteristics of acute occupational poisoning events in Yunnan, 2004-2019]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of acute occupational poisoning in Yunnan province, so as to provide basis for formulating prevention and control measures of acute occupational poisoning in Yunnan province. Methods: In December 2019, the information of acute occupational poisoning events reported in Yunnan province from 2004 to 2019 was collected, and the epidemiological distribution, event classification, industry characteristics, poison types and poisoning causes were analyzed. Results: A total of 47 acute occupational poisoning incidents were reported in Yunnan province from 2004 to 2019, with 562 poisoning cases and 51 deaths (case fatality rate of 9.07%) . The regions with the largest number of reported incidents were Kunming and Qujing, with 12 incidents (25.53%) and 10 incidents (21.28%) respectively; The majority of incidents was relatively large (31 incidents, 65.96%) , and the industry was mainly distributed in the chemical industry (19 incidents, 40.43%) and metallurgy (15 incidents, 31.91%) . The most poisonous poisons were carbon monoxide (10 incidents, 21.28%) and arsine (9 incidents, 19.15%) . The main causes of poisoning included not using personal protective equipment or poor equipment (25 incidents, 53.19%) , failure to formulate or violate safety operating procedures (15 incidents, 31.91%) . Conclusion: Acute occupational poisoning incidents occur from time to time in Yunnan province, and the fatality rate is high. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the supervision of key areas and industries.

Dissecting the Role of VicK Phosphatase in Aggregation and Biofilm Formation of Streptococcus mutans

VicRK (WalRK or YycFG) is a conserved 2-component regulatory system (TCS) that regulates cell division, cell wall biosynthesis, and homeostasis in low-GC Gram-positive bacteria. VicRK is also associated with biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans on the tooth surface as it directly regulates the extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) synthesis. Of the 2 components, VicK possesses both autokinase and phosphatase activities, which regulate the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the regulator VicR in response to environmental cues. However, the dual mechanism of VicK as the autokinase/phosphatase in regulating S. mutans' responses is not well elucidated. Previously, it has been shown that the phosphatase activity depends on the PAS domain and residues in the DHp domain of VicK in S. mutans. Specifically, mutating proline at 222 in the PAS domain inhibits VicK phosphatase activity. We generated a VicK^P222A mutant to determine the level of VicR-P in the cytoplasm by Phos-tag sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We show that in VicK^P222A phosphatase, attenuation increased phosphorylated VicR (VicR-P) that downregulated glucosyltransferases, gtfBC, thereby reducing the synthesis of water-insoluble polysaccharides (WIS-EPS) in the biofilm. In addition, VicK^P222A presented as long-rod cells, reduced growth, and displayed asymmetrical division. A major adhesin of S. mutans, SpaP was downregulated in VicK^P222A, making it unable to agglutinate in saliva. In summary, we have confirmed that VicK phosphatase activity is critical to maintain optimal phosphorylation status of VicR in S. mutans, which is important for cell growth, cell division, EPS synthesis, and bacterial agglutination in saliva. Hence, VicK phosphatase activity may represent a promising target to modulate S. mutans' pathogenicity.

[Mutation analysis and prenatal diagnosis of MYO7A gene in a case of Usher syndrome type 1]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and identify the causative gene of a case with congenital deafness. Methods: Detailed medical history and clinical examination of a 4-year-old male child with congenital deafness were conducted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University in June 2016. He was diagnosed with sensorineural deafness. The venous blood of the child and his parents was drawn, and genomic DNA was extracted. Proband's DNA was performed with targeted capture of high-throughput sequencing, then Sanger sequencing was used to verify the suspected mutation and segregation in this pedigree. According to the genetic diagnosis of the proband's deafness, ophthalmic examinations were performed. Genetic prenatal diagnosis was performed when the proband's mother was pregnant again. Results: The patient was detected with p.Trp1466Ter/p.Tyr2042Ter compound heterozygous mutations of MYO7A gene with targeted high-throughput sequencing. The mutation of p.Trp1466Ter was a reported mutation, while p.Tyr2042Ter has not been reported. In addition to congenital deafness, retinitis pigmentosa was also found by ophthalmologic examination, and the patient was clinically diagnosed with Usher syndrome type 1. Amniocentesis and fetal DNA sequencing were performed on the repregnancy fetus of this family at 18 weeks of gestation. The heterozygous mutation of MYO7A gene p.Tyr2042Ter was found, and the other allele was the wild type, indicating that the child will not exhibit clinical manifestations of Usher syndrome type 1. Indeed, the second child passed neonatal hearing screening. Conclusions: The clinical features and genetic variants were delineated in this family with Usher syndrome type 1. The results of the current study have enriched the phenotype and genotype data of the disease and provided a basis for genetic counseling.

Surgical resection of clinically benign tumours in the maxillomandibular deep lobe of the parotid gland via sternocleidomastoid muscle-parotid space approach

This article reports the surgical resection of clinically benign tumours in the maxillomandibular deep lobe of the parotid gland via sternocleidomastoid muscle-parotid space (SPS) approach. The use of maxillary-mandibular planes to subdivide the deep lobe of the parotid gland in order to establish the tumour location and accessibility is introduced. This approach, which does not raise a skin flap, may preserve the superficial lobe. Ten patients with clinically benign tumours in the maxillomandibular deep lobe of the parotid gland were treated via the SPS approach. The patients were followed up for 3-5 years and the surgical outcomes were analysed. All tumours were completely enucleated via the SPS approach with an optimal aesthetic outcome. No permanent facial weakness or tumour recurrence was identified during the 3-5 years of follow-up. The SPS approach to surgical resection is an ideal option for clinically benign tumours in the maxillomandibular deep lobe of the parotid gland and demonstrates good results.

Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma arising from an odontogenic keratocyst: case series and literature review

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic features of primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma arising from an odontogenic keratocyst (PIOSCC ex OKC) and comprehensively improve the understanding of this disease.

Material and Methods

We retrospectively investigated five cases of PIOSCC ex OKC at Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. We also conducted a systematic review of studies on PIOSCC ex OKC by using online databases from their inception until February 2020.

Results

In our series of five cases, all lesions were located in the mandible. Three cases (60%) showed recurrent OKCs and two cases (40%) showed primary OKCs. During the follow-up period, one patient died of local relapse. No patients developed metastasis. On the basis of our literature survey, we selected 22 articles reporting 29 patients with PIOSCC ex OKC. Seven of these patients (24.1%) showed local recurrence, three patients (10.3%) developed cervical metastasis, three patients (10.3%) developed distant metastasis (in the pleura in one case and in the lung in two cases), and seven patients died from the disease during the follow-up period. The disease-specific 5-year survival rate in the study group was 53.2%. Through univariate and multivariate analysis, local recurrence was identified as the only significant independent prognostic factor for survival (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The results suggest that PIOSCC ex OKC is a rare intermediate-grade malignancy. Although elective neck dissection is typically unnecessary, adequate therapy should be applied to achieve the lowest local recurrence rate possible to ensure a favorable survival rate.

Key words:Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma, odontogenic keratocyst, prognosis.

N-Aryl glycines as versatile initiators for various polymerizations

N-(1-Pyrenyl)glycine can act as a versatile initiator for various polymerizations.

Baicalin ameliorates Mycoplasma gallisepticum-induced lung inflammation in chicken by inhibiting TLR6-mediated NF-κB signalling

1. Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) causes severe lung inflammation and cell damage by activating toll-like receptor (TLR) signalling, the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) pathway and pro-inflammatory cytokine gene expression. Baicalin (BA) is a flavonoid extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis, which possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. This study investigated the effect of BA in MG-induced lung inflammation and its potential mechanism in MG-infected chicken embryo lungs and DF-1 cells.2. The histopathological examination result showed that BA treatment alleviated MG-induced lung pathological changes. In addition, CCK-8 and cell cycle assays showed that BA treatment inhibited MG-induced cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in DF-1 cells.3. The ELISA and RT-qPCR results demonstrated that BA treatment decreased the expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) both in MG-infected chicken embryo lungs and DF-1 cells.4. The results revealed that BA inhibited mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptor-6 (TLR6), myeloid differentiation primary response gene-88 (MyD88) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB-p655. In conclusion, the results showed that BA has a protective effect against MG-induced lung inflammation in chicken by inhibiting the TLR6-mediated NF-κB signalling.

Identification of Potentially Relevant Genes for Excessive Exercise-Induced Pathological Cardiac Hypertrophy in Zebrafish

Exercise-induced cardiac remodeling has aroused public concern for some time, as sudden cardiac death is known to occur in athletes; however, little is known about the underlying mechanism of exercise-induced cardiac injury. In the present study, we established an excessive exercise-induced pathologic cardiac hypertrophy model in zebrafish with increased myocardial fibrosis, myofibril disassembly, mitochondrial degradation, upregulated expression of the pathological hypertrophy marker genes in the heart, contractile impairment, and cardiopulmonary function impairment. High-throughput RNA-seq analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes were enriched in the regulation of autophagy, protein folding, and degradation, myofibril development, angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, and insulin and FoxO signaling pathways. FOXO proteins may be the core mediator of the regulatory network needed to promote the pathological response. Further, PPI network analysis showed that pik3c3, gapdh, fbox32, fzr1, ubox5, lmo7a, kctd7, fbxo9, lonrf1l, fbxl4, nhpb2l1b, nhp2, fbl, hsp90aa1.1, snrpd3l, dhx15, mrto4, ruvbl1, hspa8b, and faub are the hub genes that correlate with the pathogenesis of pathological cardiac hypertrophy. The underlying regulatory pathways and cardiac pressure-responsive molecules identified in the present study will provide valuable insights for the supervision and clinical treatment of pathological cardiac hypertrophy induced by excessive exercise.

[Observation and analysis of lens turbidity lesion induced by low intensity 635 nm laser radiation]

Objective: To study the characteristics of the lens turbidity after long-term exposure to low intensity 635nm laser. Methods: Cluster sampling method was adopted to select 812 employees in a laser leveler workshop in a city of Guangdong Province from January 2014 to December 2018. They were divided into the control group, diffuse reflection (DR) group and direct vision (DV) group for retrospective observation and analysis of lens turbidity. The laser irradiation intensity of each group was investigated, the position and shape of lens opacity were analyzed, and the influencing factors were statistically analyzed with the repeated measurement data of dichotomy. Results: The laser irradiance and radiant exposure of DV group were between 0.72×10(-4) and 9.92×10(-4) mW/cm(2) and between 2.61×10(-2) and 1.53 J/cm(2), respectively. The subjects were mainly diagnosed with lens turbidity lesion, especially for the DV group. Most of lesions occurred in the pole and periphery of the anterior cortex. The lesions exhibited multipoint patterns with greyish white color. The turbidity rates in DV group (before work and work for 1, 2, 3 years) were 0%, 1.99% (8/402) , 4.98% (20/402) and 6.72% (27/402) , respectively, in the order of observation points. The statistical analysis of single factor effect showed that the turbidity rate was higher in DV group and higher in the second year in the DV group (P<0.01) . Multi-factor analysis of the laser effect on the lens showed that the main effect between groups, between the observation point were statistically significant (P<0.05) , but no statistical significance in the interaction between group×observation points (P>0.05) . Conclusion: Lens turbidity lesion can be caused by long-term exposure to low intensity 635 nm laser, so the product safety classification should be strictly strengthened. It is necessary to strengthen the protection of laser photochemical damage in the production process.

Measurement of the Low-Energy Antideuteron Inelastic Cross Section

In this Letter, we report the first measurement of the inelastic cross section for antideuteron-nucleus interactions at low particle momenta, covering a range of 0.3≤p<4  GeV/c. The measurement is carried out using p-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, recorded with the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC and utilizing the detector material as an absorber for antideuterons and antiprotons. The extracted raw primary antiparticle-to-particle ratios are compared to the results from detailed ALICE simulations based on the geant4 toolkit for the propagation of (anti)particles through the detector material. The analysis of the raw primary (anti)proton spectra serves as a benchmark for this study, since their hadronic interaction cross sections are well constrained experimentally. The first measurement of the inelastic cross section for antideuteron-nucleus interactions averaged over the ALICE detector material with atomic mass numbers ⟨A⟩=17.4 and 31.8 is obtained. The measured inelastic cross section points to a possible excess with respect to the Glauber model parametrization used in geant4 in the lowest momentum interval of 0.3≤p<0.47  GeV/c up to a factor 2.1. This result is relevant for the understanding of antimatter propagation and the contributions to antinuclei production from cosmic ray interactions within the interstellar medium. In addition, the momentum range covered by this measurement is of particular importance to evaluate signal predictions for indirect dark-matter searches.

Comparison of outcomes using radiotherapy or brachytherapy after resection of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma in oral and maxillofacial regions

We wished to investigate the outcome of surgery combined with external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or brachytherapy (¹²⁵I seeds) for the treatment of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the oral and maxillofacial region. Data of patients with primary ACC were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into EBRT and brachytherapy groups. Wide tumor excision was done to achieve negative margins. Standard radiotherapy in the EBRT group was 60 Gy. A treatment-planning system was used to create implantation plans with a prescribed dose of 60-120 Gy and ¹²⁵I seeds were implanted postoperatively. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests were used to analyze local control and survival. The median duration of followup was 66.1 and 46.8 months for the EBRT group and brachytherapy group, respectively. There was no significant difference in local control, control of metastasis to regional lymph nodes, or control of distant metastasis between the two groups. There was no significant difference in overall survival, disease-specific survival, or disease-free survival in the two groups at 3 years and 5 years. The prevalence of complications in the brachytherapy group was lower than that in the EBRT group. Both methods elicited good treatment effects, but the prevalence of adverse events was lower in the brachytherapy group.

Evaluation of DNA methylation in matched oral swab and tissue specimens from Chinese patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

The DNA methylation statuses of the paired box 1 (PAX1) and zinc finger protein 582 (ZNF582) genes have shown promise in the detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of PAX1 and ZNF582 methylation to distinguish OSCC and the adjacent normal tissue among cancer patients. This study included 67 patients with OSCC. The methylation levels of these two genes were analysed in tissue specimens (lesion site and adjacent normal site) and in oral swabs (lesion site and contralateral normal site). Levels of DNA methylation were higher at lesion sites than at the corresponding normal sites. According to receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, the area under the curve for PAX1 and ZNF582 methylation ranged from 0.73 to 0.82. No significant difference was observed between tissue specimens and oral swabs (PAX1, P= 0.41; ZNF582, P=0.28). For the oral swab, PAX1 methylation was more pronounced in bone invasion (Z=1.988, P= 0.047), and ZNF582 methylation was more pronounced in early-stage (Z=2.354, P= 0.02) and well-differentiated tumours (Z=3.731, P= 0.0002). Hypermethylated PAX1 and ZNF582 are effective biomarkers to distinguish lesion sites and corresponding normal sites in tissue specimens and oral swabs from OSCC patients.

Six cases of central cystadenocarcinoma and review of relevant papers

The present study was a review of cases of central cystadenocarcinoma over the past 29 years and provides clinical, radiological, and pathological information about these rare lesions. Six cases of central cystadenocarcinoma treated between 1991 and 2019 at Peking University Hospital of Stomatology in Beijing, China, were retrospectively analysed. A comprehensive review of clinical records was summarised and the histological diagnosis was revised using the 2017 World Health Organization criteria. The mean age of patients with central cystadenocarcinoma was 63 (range 51-75) years, and the male:female ratio 1:1. The clinical signs included localised swelling, pain, lower lip numbness, and trismus. There were more cases in the mandible than in the maxilla. All lesions were unilocular or multilocular in radiolucent regions with or without clear margins. The preferred treatment of central cystadenocarcinoma was surgical excision with wide margins, and no local recurrence was found during follow-up. Central cystadenocarcinoma often occurred in middle-aged or elderly patients. Because cystadenocarcinoma is somewhat rare, metastatic tumours of the jaw should be considered when diagnosing cystadenocarcinoma.

Probing the Effects of Strong Electromagnetic Fields with Charge-Dependent Directed Flow in Pb-Pb Collisions at the LHC

The first measurement at the LHC of charge-dependent directed flow (v_{1}) relative to the spectator plane is presented for Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. Results are reported for charged hadrons and D^{0} mesons for the transverse momentum intervals p_{T}>0.2  GeV/c and 3<p_{T}<6  GeV/c in the 5%-40% and 10%-40% centrality classes, respectively. The difference between the positively and negatively charged hadron v_{1} has a positive slope as a function of pseudorapidity η, dΔv_{1}/dη=[1.68±0.49(stat)±0.41(syst)]×10^{-4}. The same measurement for D^{0} and D[over ¯]^{0} mesons yields a positive value dΔv_{1}/dη=[4.9±1.7(stat)±0.6(syst)]×10^{-1}, which is about 3 orders of magnitude larger than the one of the charged hadrons. These measurements can provide new insights into the effects of the strong electromagnetic field and the initial tilt of matter created in noncentral heavy ion collisions on the dynamics of light (u, d, and s) and heavy (c) quarks. The large difference between the observed Δv_{1} of charged hadrons and D^{0} mesons may reflect different sensitivity of the charm and light quarks to the early time dynamics of a heavy ion collision. These observations challenge some recent theoretical calculations, which predicted a negative and an order of magnitude smaller value of dΔv_{1}/dη for both light flavor and charmed hadrons.

Evidence of Spin-Orbital Angular Momentum Interactions in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

The first evidence of spin alignment of vector mesons (K^{*0} and ϕ) in heavy-ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is reported. The spin density matrix element ρ_{00} is measured at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy (sqrt[s_{NN}]) of 2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector. ρ_{00} values are found to be less than 1/3 (1/3 implies no spin alignment) at low transverse momentum (p_{T}<2  GeV/c) for K^{*0} and ϕ at a level of 3σ and 2σ, respectively. No significant spin alignment is observed for the K_{S}^{0} meson (spin=0) in Pb-Pb collisions and for the vector mesons in pp collisions. The measured spin alignment is unexpectedly large but qualitatively consistent with the expectation from models which attribute it to a polarization of quarks in the presence of angular momentum in heavy-ion collisions and a subsequent hadronization by the process of recombination.

pH-Responsive Antibacterial Resin Adhesives for Secondary Caries Inhibition

Secondary caries caused by dental plaque is one of the major reasons for the high failure rate of resin composite restoration. Although antimicrobial agent-modified dental restoration systems have been researched for years, few reported intelligent anticaries materials could respond to the change of the oral environment and help keep oral eubiosis. Herein, we report tertiary amine (TA)-modified resin adhesives (TA@RAs) with pH-responsive antibacterial effect to reduce the occurrence of secondary caries. Two kinds of newly designed TA monomers were synthesized: DMAEM (dodecylmethylaminoethyl methacrylate) and HMAEM (hexadecylmethylaminoethyl methacrylate). In the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration test against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Streptococcus gordonii, they exhibited antibacterial effect only in acidic medium, which preliminarily verified the acid-activated effect of TAs. Then DMAEM and HMAEM were incorporated into adhesive resin at the mass fraction of 5%, yielding TA@RAs. In vivo and in vitro tests showed that the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the adhesive were not affected. A S. mutans biofilm model in acidic and neutral medium was used and confirmed that TA@RAs could respond to the critical pH value of de-/remineralization and acquire reversible antibiofilm effect via the protonation and deprotonation of TAs. Meanwhile, the stability of antibacterial effect was confirmed via a 5-d pH-cycling experiment and a saliva-derived biofilm aging model. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that TA@RAs could increase the diversity of the saliva-derived biofilms, which implied that the novel materials could help regulate the microbial community to a healthy one. Finally, an in vitro demineralization model and in vivo secondary caries model were applied and demonstrated that TA@RAs could prevent secondary dental caries effectively. In summary, the reversible pH-responsive and non-drug release antibacterial resin adhesives ingeniously overcome the defect of the present materials and hold great promise for clinical application.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia shows robust T helper 1 and Janus kinase 3 skewing

BACKGROUND

Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a scarring alopecia with unclear pathogenesis and a progressive course. The disease has a major impact on patients' quality of life and there is a lack of effective treatment to halt disease progression.

METHODS

We profiled lesional and nonlesional scalp biopsies collected in 2017 from patients with FFA (n = 12) compared with scalp biopsies from patients with alopecia areata (AA) (n = 8) and controls (n = 8) to evaluate gene and protein expression, including the primary outcome (CXCL9). We determined significant differences between biomarkers using a two-sided Student's t-test adjusting P-values by false discovery rate.

RESULTS

Significant increases were seen in CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, CD11c+ dendritic cells, CD103+ and CD69+ tissue-resident memory T cells in FFA and AA vs. control scalp (P < 0·05), with corresponding significantly upregulated granzyme B mRNA, particularly in FFA (P < 0·01). In AA, cellular infiltrates were primarily concentrated at the bulb, while in FFA these were mainly localized at the bulge. FFA demonstrated significant upregulation of T helper 1/intereferon (IFN) (IFN-γ, CXCL9/CXCL10), the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway (STAT1, JAK3) and fibrosis-related products (vimentin, fibronectin; P < 0·05), with no concomitant downregulation of hair keratins and the T-regulatory marker, forkhead box P3, which were decreased in AA. The stem cell markers CD200 and K15 demonstrated significantly reduced expression only in FFA (P < 0·05).

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that follicular damage and loss of stem cells in FFA may be mediated through immune attack in the bulge region, with secondary fibrosis and reduced but still detectable stem cells. JAK/STAT-targeting treatments may be able to prevent permanent follicular destruction and fibrosis in early disease stages.

Tocilizumab in the treatment of a critical COVID-19 patient: a case report

In December 2019, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan and rapidly spread throughout China and the rest of the world. COVID-19 is currently a global pandemic. There are cytokine storms in severe COVID-19 patients. Interleukin-6 plays an important role in cytokine storm. Tocilizumab is a blocker of interleukin-6 receptor, which is likely to become an effective drug for patients with severe COVID-19. Here, we reported a case in which tocilizumab was effective for a critical COVID-19 patient.