Biomechanical evaluation of customized root implants in alveolar bone: A comparative study with traditional implants and natural teeth

PURPOSE

To compare and evaluate density changes in alveolar bones and biomechanical responses including stress/strain distributions around customized root implants (CRIs), traditional implants, and natural teeth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A three-dimensional finite element model of the maxillary dentition defect, CRI models, traditional restored implant models, and natural teeth with periodontal tissue models were established. The chewing load of the central incisor, the traditional implant, and the CRI was 100N, and the load direction was inclined by 11° in the sagittal plane. According to the bone remodeling numerical algorithm, the bone mineral density and distribution were calculated and predicted. In addition, animal experiments were performed to verify the feasibility of the implant design. The results of the simulation calculations were compared with animal experimental data in vivo to verify their validity.

RESULTS

No significant differences in bone mineral density and stress/strain distribution were found between the CRI and traditional implant models. The animal experimental results (X-ray images and histological staining) were consistent with the numerical simulated results.

CONCLUSIONS

CRIs were more similar to traditional implants than to natural teeth in terms of biomechanical and biological evaluation. Considering the convenience of clinical application, this biomechanical evaluation provides basic theoretical support for further applications of CRI.

Beam Energy Dependence of Fifth- and Sixth-Order Net-Proton Number Fluctuations in Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report the beam energy and collision centrality dependence of fifth and sixth order cumulants (C_{5}, C_{6}) and factorial cumulants (κ_{5}, κ_{6}) of net-proton and proton number distributions, from center-of-mass energy (sqrt[s_{NN}]) 3 GeV to 200 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC. Cumulant ratios of net-proton (taken as proxy for net-baryon) distributions generally follow the hierarchy expected from QCD thermodynamics, except for the case of collisions at 3 GeV. The measured values of C_{6}/C_{2} for 0%-40% centrality collisions show progressively negative trend with decreasing energy, while it is positive for the lowest energy studied. These observed negative signs are consistent with QCD calculations (for baryon chemical potential, μ_{B}≤110  MeV) which contains the crossover transition range. In addition, for energies above 7.7 GeV, the measured proton κ_{n}, within uncertainties, does not support the two-component (Poisson+binomial) shape of proton number distributions that would be expected from a first-order phase transition. Taken in combination, the hyperorder proton number fluctuations suggest that the structure of QCD matter at high baryon density, μ_{B}∼750  MeV at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3  GeV is starkly different from those at vanishing μ_{B}∼24  MeV at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV and higher collision energies.

Association between Dried Fruit Intake and DNA Methylation: A Multivariable Mendelian Randomization Analysis

OBJECTIVES

Observational studies have reported associations between dried fruit intake and DNA methylation(DNAm). However, inherent flaws in observational study designs make them susceptible to confounding and reverse causality bias. Consequently, it is unclear whether a causal association exists. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the causal associations between dried fruit intake and DNAm.

METHODS

We performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) using the IEU Open GWAS database aggregated data. Forty-three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with dried fruit intake as instrumental variables (IVs) were selected as exposure. DNAm outcomes include Gran (estimated granulocyte proportions); AgeAccelGrim(GrimAge acceleration); Hannum (Hannum age acceleration); IEAA(Intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration), AgeAccelPheno( PhenoAge acceleration), and DNAmPAIadjAge (DNAm-estimated plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels). We used the MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier test (MRPRESSO) and Radial-MR test to identify any level of multi-effect outliers and assessed the causal effect estimates(after removing outliers). The primary causal effects were estimated using inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method and undertook sensitivity analyses using MR methods robust to horizontal pleiotropy.The direct effects of dried fruit intake on DNAm were estimated using multivariable mendelian randomization (MVMR).

RESULTS

Leveraging two-sample MR analysis, we observed statistically significant associations between dried fruit intake with a lower AgeAccelGrim(β=-1.365, 95% confidence intervals [CI] -2.266 to -0.464, PIVW=2.985×10-3) and AgeAccelPheno (β= -1.933, 95% CI -3.068 to -0.798, PIVW=8.371×10-4). By contrast, the effects level on Gran (β=0.008, PIVW=0.430), Hannum(β=-0.430, PIVW=0.357), IEAA(β=-0.184, PIVW=0.700), and DNAmPAIadjAge (β=-1.861, PIVW=0.093) were not statistically significant. MVMR results adjusting for the potential effects of confounders showed that the causal relationship between dried fruit intake and AgeAccelGrim(β= -1.315, 95% CI -2.373 to -0.258, PIVW=1.480×10-2) and AgeAccelPheno(β= -1.595, 95% CI -2.987 to -0.202, PIVW=2.483×10-2) persisted. No significant horizontal polymorphism was found in the sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSION

Our MR study suggested that increased dried fruit intake is associated with slower AgeAccelGrim and AgeAccelPheno. It can providing a promising avenue for exploring the beneficial effects of dried fruit intake on lifespan extension.

Collision-System and Beam-Energy Dependence of Anisotropic Flow Fluctuations

Elliptic flow measurements from two-, four-, and six-particle correlations are used to investigate flow fluctuations in collisions of U+U at sqrt[s_{NN}]=193  GeV, Cu+Au at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV and Au+Au spanning the range sqrt[s_{NN}]=11.5-200  GeV. The measurements show a strong dependence of the flow fluctuations on collision centrality, a modest dependence on system size, and very little if any, dependence on particle species and beam energy. The results, when compared to similar LHC measurements, viscous hydrodynamic calculations, and trento model eccentricities, indicate that initial-state-driven fluctuations predominate the flow fluctuations generated in the collisions studied.

Molecular mechanisms and promising role of dihydromyricetin in cardiovascular diseases

Vine tea, a Chinese herbal medicine, is widely used in traditional Asian medicine to treat common health problems. Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is the main functional flavonoid compound extracted from vine tea. In recent years, preclinical studies have focused on the potential beneficial effects of dihydromyricetin, including glucose metabolism regulation, lipid metabolism regulation, neuroprotection, and anti-tumor effects. In addition, DMY may play a role in cardiovascular disease by resisting oxidative stress and participating in the regulation of inflammation. This review is the first review that summaries the applications of dihydromyricetin in cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, myocardial hypertrophy, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. We also clarified the underlying mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the above process. The aim of this review is to provide a better understanding and quick overview for future researches of dihydromyricetin in the field of cardiovascular diseases, and more detailed and robust researches are needed for evaluation and reference.

Bromoacetic acid causes oxidative stress and uric acid metabolism dysfunction via disturbing mitochondrial function and Nrf2 pathway in chicken kidney

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, widespread utilization of disinfectants has led to a tremendous increase in the generation of disinfection byproducts worldwide. Bromoacetic acid (BAA), one of the common disinfection byproducts in the environment, has triggered public concern because of its adverse effects on urinary system in mammals. Nevertheless, the BAA-induced nephrotoxicity and potential mechanism in birds still remains obscure. According to the detected content in the Taihu Lake Basin, the model of BAA exposure in chicken was established at doses of 0, 3, 300, 3000 μg/L for 4 weeks. Our results indicated that BAA exposure caused kidney swelling and structural disarrangement. BAA led to disorder in renal function (CRE, BUN, UA) and increased apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-2, caspase3). BAA suppressed the expression of mitochondrial biogenesis genes (PGC-1α, Nrf1, TFAM) and OXPHOS complex I genes (ND1, ND2, ND3, ND4, ND4L, ND5, ND6). Subsequently, BAA destroyed the expression of Nrf2 antioxidant reaction genes (Nrf2, Keap1, HO-1, NQO1, GCLM, GCLC). Furthermore, renal oxidative damage led to disorder in uric acid metabolism genes (Mrp2, Mrp4, Bcrp, OAT1, OAT2, OAT3) and exacerbated destruction in renal function. Overall, our study provided insights into the potential mechanism of BAA-induced nephrotoxicity, which were important for the clinical monitoring and prevention of BAA.

Lactobacillus crispatus-derived exopolysaccharides with antibacterial activity limit Salmonella typhimurium invasion by inhibiting inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis

In this study, a novel heteropolysaccharide (EPS 7-4) with a molecular weight of 53 387 Da was isolated from Lactobacillus crispatus, and it was mainly composed of mannose (36.9%) and glucose (30.8%). EPS 7-4 showed excellent inhibitory effects on the proliferation, biofilm formation, and virulence factor gene expression of Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) by disrupting the integrity of the bacterial wall. Furthermore, EPS 7-4 can effectively restrict bacterial translocation, upregulate the abundance of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp., and alleviate the S. typhimurium induced severe inflammatory response in the intestinal tract of mice. Besides, we demonstrated that EPS 7-4 can protect mice by inhibiting S. typhimurium induced pyroptosis, with the mechanism that EPS 7-4 affects ASC oligomerization during inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis. Therefore, due to its excellent anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory abilities, EPS 7-4 is a promising health regulator owing to its excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory abilities.

Prosthetic emergence angle in different implant sites and their correlation with marginal bone loss: A retrospective study

Background/purpose

The impact of prosthetic contour on peri-implant health has attracted increasing attention. This study aimed to evaluate the emergence angles in different implant sites and analyze the correlation between emergence angle and marginal bone loss (MBL).

Materials and methods

Single-crown implants with at least 5 years of follow-up were investigated in this retrospective study. Emergence angles and MBL were measured via digital radiography. The differences in emergence angles in different implant sites were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the differences in MBL between groups (emergence angle> 30° and ≤30°), and Spearman's rank analysis was used to analyze the correlation between emergence angle and MBL.

Results

A total of 502 single-crown implants were included. For the mean mesial and distal emergence angles of different implant sites, the anterior position were 21.67 ± 10.80 (°) and 22.48 ± 12.78 (°), and the premolar were 26.29 ± 12.78 (°) and 24.30 ± 10.07 (°), and the molar were 34.53 ± 13.27 (°) and 34.48 ± 13.58 (°) respectively. The emergence angles of molar implant sites were significantly greater than those of anterior and premolar (P < 0.001). The Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rank analysis revealed that there was no correlation between emergence angle and MBL.

Conclusion

There were significant differences in the emergence angles at different implant sites. However, when considering factors such as different sites or types of implants, there was no correlation between emergence angle and MBL, and more comprehensive research should be conducted in the future.

Evidence for Nonlinear Gluon Effects in QCD and Their Mass Number Dependence at STAR

The STAR Collaboration reports measurements of back-to-back azimuthal correlations of di-π^{0}s produced at forward pseudorapidities (2.6<η<4.0) in p+p, p+Al, and p+Au collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV. We observe a clear suppression of the correlated yields of back-to-back π^{0} pairs in p+Al and p+Au collisions compared to the p+p data. The observed suppression of back-to-back pairs as a function of transverse momentum suggests nonlinear gluon dynamics arising at high parton densities. The larger suppression found in p+Au relative to p+Al collisions exhibits a dependence of the saturation scale Q_{s}^{2} on the mass number A. A linear scaling of the suppression with A^{1/3} is observed with a slope of -0.09±0.01.

Testicular toxicity of bisphenol compounds: Homeostasis disruption of cholesterol/testosterone via PPARα activation

The widespread application of bisphenols (BPs) has made them ubiquitous in the environment. Although the side effects of bisphenol A (BPA) substitutes have received increasing attention, studies on their reproductive toxicity remain lacking. In this research, the effects of BPA and its substitutes, including bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol AF (BPAF), on the male reproductive system were evaluated. Results proved that these BPs disturbed germ cell proliferation, induced germ cell apoptosis, and perturbed sperm physiologies and spermatogenesis, which resulted from the disruption of testosterone (T) biosynthesis in Leydig cells (LCs). Importantly, in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that the exhausted cholesterol in LCs accounted for the reduced T production. Furthermore, the knockdown of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) remarkably ameliorated the downregulation of cholesterogenesis-related genes (i.e., Hmgcs1, Hmgcr, and Srebf2), indicating that PPARα played a critical role in BPs-induced testicular dysfunction. Overall, our studies indicated that BPS, BPF, and BPAF could induce testicular toxic effects similar to that of BPA, which were associated with the PPARα pathway.

Bromoacetic acid induces neurogenic injury in the chicken brain by activating oxidative stress and NF-κB inflammatory pathway

The bromoacetic acid (BAA) is one of the most teratogenic and neurotoxic disinfection byproducts. Birds take environmental water as their habitat and are inevitably affected by BAA in the environment. However, the neurotoxicity caused by BAA in birds has not been reported and the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we chose chickens as the avian model to explore the effects of different concentrations of BAA on the brain tissues. Here, we selected the 3 μg/L dose of BAA detected in Tai Lake basin as a reference, and designed 1-, 100-, and 1000-fold of the environmental exposure dose as the experimental doses to explore the neurotoxicity of BAA in birds. Results showed that BAA increased the number of pyknotic nuclear neurons, deformed vascular sheaths, and glial cells in the brain. BAA inhibited the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the expression of antioxidant genes. With the increase of BAA concentration, the oxidative stress-responsive transcription factor NF-κB was activated. Furthermore, BAA remarkably changed the expression of lipid metabolism related genes (i.e., acc, gpat, hmgr, pparα, cpt1, and ampkα). Importantly, BAA decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of autophagy-related genes (i.e., atg5, ulk1, beclin1, and lc3). Meantime, BAA increased the mRNA and protein levels of apoptotic and pro-apoptotic genes, such as p53, bax, cytochrome c, caspase-9, and caspase-3. Overall, our study provided new insights into the potential neurotoxic effects of BAA in birds, which was important for the clinical monitoring and prevention of BAA.

[Outcomes of patients experiencing cardiovascular adverse events within 1 year following craniotomy for intracranial aneurysm clipping: a retrospective cohort study]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of postoperative serious cardiovascular adverse events (CAE) on outcomes of patients undergoing craniotomy for intracranial aneurysm clipping.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was conducted among the patients undergoing craniotomy for intracranial aneurysm clipping during the period from December, 2016 to December, 2017, who were divided into CAE group and non-CAE group according to the occurrence of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥II CAEs after the surgery. The perioperative clinical characteristics of the patients, complications and neurological functions during hospitalization, and mortality and neurological functions at 1 year postoperatively were evaluated. The primary outcome was mortality within 1 year after the surgery. The secondary outcomes were Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) score at 1 year, lengths of postoperative hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score at discharge.

RESULTS

A total of 361 patients were enrolled in the final analysis, including 20 (5.5%) patients in CAE group and 341 in the non-CAE group. No significant differences were found in the patients' demographic characteristics, clinical history, or other postoperative adverse events between the two groups. The 1-year mortality was significantly higher in CAE group than in the non-CAE group (20.0% vs 5.6%, P=0.01). Logistics regression analysis showed that when adjusted for age, gender, emergency hospitalization, subarachnoid hemorrhage, volume of bleeding, duration of operation, aneurysm location, and preoperative history of cardiovascular disease, postoperative CAEs of Clavien-Dindo grade≥II was independently correlated with 1-year mortality rate of the patients with an adjusted odds ratio of 3.670 (95% CI: 1.037-12.992, P=0.04). The patients with CEA also had a lower GOS score at 1 year after surgery than those without CEA (P=0.002). No significant differences were found in the occurrence of other adverse events, postoperative hospital stay, ICU stay, or GCS scores at discharge between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Postoperative CAEs may be a risk factor for increased 1-year mortality and disability in patients undergoing craniotomy for intracranial aneurysms.

Hypertriton Production in p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

The study of nuclei and antinuclei production has proven to be a powerful tool to investigate the formation mechanism of loosely bound states in high-energy hadronic collisions. The first measurement of the production of _{Λ}^{3}H in p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV is presented in this Letter. Its production yield measured in the rapidity interval -1<y<0 for the 40% highest-multiplicity p-Pb collisions is dN/dy=[6.3±1.8(stat)±1.2(syst)]×10^{-7}. The measurement is compared with the expectations of statistical hadronization and coalescence models, which describe the nucleosynthesis in hadronic collisions. These two models predict very different yields of the hypertriton in charged particle multiplicity environments relevant to small collision systems such as p-Pb, and therefore the measurement of dN/dy is crucial to distinguish between them. The precision of this measurement leads to the exclusion with a significance larger than 6.9σ of some configurations of the statistical hadronization model, thus constraining the theory behind the production of loosely bound states at hadron colliders.

A prospective, multicentre study of 6-mm short implants in posterior alveolar bone supporting splinted crowns: A 5-year follow-up study

AIM

To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of 6-mm short implants, placed in the posterior jaws and supporting splinted crowns, at 5 years after early loading.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-five patients with 95 implants (diameter: 4 mm; length: 6 mm) were enrolled at three centres. Two to three implants were placed in either the maxillary or the mandibular posterior region in each patient and restored with screw-retained splinted crowns at 6 weeks later. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were evaluated at implant placement, at loading, and at 6, 12, 24, 36, and 60 months after loading. Biological and mechanical complications were recorded. Marginal changes in bone level in relation to clinical parameters were evaluated using a generalized linear mixed model.

RESULTS

During the 5 years of follow-up, the mean change in the marginal bone level (MBL) was 0.04 ± 0.14 mm. Four implants in four patients were lost before loading, one implant in one patient was lost at the 5-year follow-up, and two patients were lost to follow-up. The survival and success rates were 88.4% (38/43) at the patient level. The incidence rates of peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis were 29.4% and 7.0%, respectively. The rate of technical complications was 14.0%.

CONCLUSIONS

Over a 5-year period, 6-mm short implants supporting early loaded splinted crowns in maxillary or mandibular posterior regions showed stable MBLs and acceptable technical and biological complication rates.

Measurements of Proton High-Order Cumulants in sqrt[s_{NN}]=3 GeV Au+Au Collisions and Implications for the QCD Critical Point

We report cumulants of the proton multiplicity distribution from dedicated fixed-target Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3.0  GeV, measured by the STAR experiment in the kinematic acceptance of rapidity (y) and transverse momentum (p_{T}) within -0.5<y<0 and 0.4<p_{T}<2.0  GeV/c. In the most central 0%-5% collisions, a proton cumulant ratio is measured to be C_{4}/C_{2}=-0.85±0.09 (stat)±0.82 (syst), which is 2σ below the Poisson baseline with respect to both the statistical and systematic uncertainties. The hadronic transport UrQMD model reproduces our C_{4}/C_{2} in the measured acceptance. Compared to higher energy results and the transport model calculations, the suppression in C_{4}/C_{2} is consistent with fluctuations driven by baryon number conservation and indicates an energy regime dominated by hadronic interactions. These data imply that the QCD critical region, if created in heavy-ion collisions, could only exist at energies higher than 3 GeV.

Measurements of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H Lifetimes and Yields in Au+Au Collisions in the High Baryon Density Region

We report precision measurements of hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H lifetimes obtained from Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3.0  GeV and 7.2 GeV collected by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, and the first measurement of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H midrapidity yields in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3.0  GeV. _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H, being the two simplest bound states composed of hyperons and nucleons, are cornerstones in the field of hypernuclear physics. Their lifetimes are measured to be 221±15(stat)±19(syst)  ps for _{Λ}^{3}H and 218±6(stat)±13(syst)  ps for _{Λ}^{4}H. The p_{T}-integrated yields of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H are presented in different centrality and rapidity intervals. It is observed that the shape of the rapidity distribution of _{Λ}^{4}H is different for 0%-10% and 10%-50% centrality collisions. Thermal model calculations, using the canonical ensemble for strangeness, describes the _{Λ}^{3}H yield well, while underestimating the _{Λ}^{4}H yield. Transport models, combining baryonic mean-field and coalescence (jam) or utilizing dynamical cluster formation via baryonic interactions (phqmd) for light nuclei and hypernuclei production, approximately describe the measured _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H yields. Our measurements provide means to precisely assess our understanding of the fundamental baryonic interactions with strange quarks, which can impact our understanding of more complicated systems involving hyperons, such as the interior of neutron stars or exotic hypernuclei.

Polarization of Λ and Λ[over ¯] Hyperons along the Beam Direction in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s]_{NN}=5.02 TeV

The polarization of the Λ and Λ[over ¯] hyperons along the beam (z) direction, P_{z}, has been measured in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV recorded with ALICE at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The main contribution to P_{z} comes from elliptic flow-induced vorticity and can be characterized by the second Fourier sine coefficient P_{z,s2}=⟨P_{z}sin(2φ-2Ψ_{2})⟩, where φ is the hyperon azimuthal emission angle and Ψ_{2} is the elliptic flow plane angle. We report the measurement of P_{z,s2} for different collision centralities and in the 30%-50% centrality interval as a function of the hyperon transverse momentum and rapidity. The P_{z,s2} is positive similarly as measured by the STAR Collaboration in Au-Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV, with somewhat smaller amplitude in the semicentral collisions. This is the first experimental evidence of a nonzero hyperon P_{z} in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC. The comparison of the measured P_{z,s2} with the hydrodynamic model calculations shows sensitivity to the competing contributions from thermal and the recently found shear-induced vorticity, as well as to whether the polarization is acquired at the quark-gluon plasma or the hadronic phase.

Utilizing 3D bioprinted platelet-rich fibrin-based materials to promote the regeneration of oral soft tissue

Oral soft tissue defects remain difficult to treat owing to the limited efficacy of available treatment materials. Although the injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) is a safe, autologous source of high levels of growth factors that is often employed to promote the regeneration of oral soft tissue, its effectiveness is restrained by difficulties in intraoperative shaping together with the burst-like release of growth factors. We herein sought to develop a bioactive bioink composed of i-PRF, alginate and gelatin capable of promoting the regeneration of the oral soft tissue. This bioink was successfully applied in 3D bioprinting and exhibited its ability to be shaped to individual patient needs. Importantly, we were also able to significantly prolong the duration of multiple growth factors release as compared to that observed for i-PRF. The growth factor bioavailability was further confirmed by the enhanced proliferation and viability of printed gingival fibroblasts. When deployed in vivo in nude mice, this bioink was further confirmed to be biocompatible and to drive enhanced angiogenic activity. Together, these data thus confirm the successful production of an i-PRF-containing bioink, which is suitable for the individualized promotion of the regeneration of oral soft tissue.

Probing the Gluonic Structure of the Deuteron with J/ψ Photoproduction in d+Au Ultraperipheral Collisions

Understanding gluon density distributions and how they are modified in nuclei are among the most important goals in nuclear physics. In recent years, diffractive vector meson production measured in ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) at heavy-ion colliders has provided a new tool for probing the gluon density. In this Letter, we report the first measurement of J/ψ photoproduction off the deuteron in UPCs at the center-of-mass energy sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV in d+Au collisions. The differential cross section as a function of momentum transfer -t is measured. In addition, data with a neutron tagged in the deuteron-going zero-degree calorimeter is investigated for the first time, which is found to be consistent with the expectation of incoherent diffractive scattering at low momentum transfer. Theoretical predictions based on the color glass condensate saturation model and the leading twist approximation nuclear shadowing model are compared with the data quantitatively. A better agreement with the saturation model has been observed. With the current measurement, the results are found to be directly sensitive to the gluon density distribution of the deuteron and the deuteron breakup process, which provides insights into the nuclear gluonic structure.

Measurement of the Groomed Jet Radius and Momentum Splitting Fraction in pp and Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

This article presents groomed jet substructure measurements in pp and Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector. The soft drop grooming algorithm provides access to the hard parton splittings inside a jet by removing soft wide-angle radiation. We report the groomed jet momentum splitting fraction, z_{g}, and the (scaled) groomed jet radius, θ_{g}. Charged-particle jets are reconstructed at midrapidity using the anti-k_{T} algorithm with resolution parameters R=0.2 and R=0.4. In heavy-ion collisions, the large underlying event poses a challenge for the reconstruction of groomed jet observables, since fluctuations in the background can cause groomed parton splittings to be misidentified. By using strong grooming conditions to reduce this background, we report these observables fully corrected for detector effects and background fluctuations for the first time. A narrowing of the θ_{g} distribution in Pb-Pb collisions compared to pp collisions is seen, which provides direct evidence of the modification of the angular structure of jets in the quark-gluon plasma. No significant modification of the z_{g} distribution in Pb-Pb collisions compared to pp collisions is observed. These results are compared with a variety of theoretical models of jet quenching, and provide constraints on jet energy-loss mechanisms and coherence effects in the quark-gluon plasma.

Search for the Chiral Magnetic Effect via Charge-Dependent Azimuthal Correlations Relative to Spectator and Participant Planes in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

The chiral magnetic effect (CME) refers to charge separation along a strong magnetic field due to imbalanced chirality of quarks in local parity and charge-parity violating domains in quantum chromodynamics. The experimental measurement of the charge separation is made difficult by the presence of a major background from elliptic azimuthal anisotropy. This background and the CME signal have different sensitivities to the spectator and participant planes, and could thus be determined by measurements with respect to these planes. We report such measurements in Au+Au collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider. It is found that the charge separation, with the flow background removed, is consistent with zero in peripheral (large impact parameter) collisions. Some indication of finite CME signals is seen in midcentral (intermediate impact parameter) collisions. Significant residual background effects may, however, still be present.

Morphological Characterization of PE Blown Films by Atomic Force Microscopy

The properties of blown polyethylene (PE) films depend on various factors, including crystallinity, morphology, and orientation, in addition to chemical composition. It has been shown that the optical properties are strongly influenced by surface morphology. In this work, non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) and polarized light microscopy (PLM) were used to visualize surface and bulk morphology. Various techniques, such as surface and line roughness, surface and line fractal dimension, pair-correlation function and nearest neighbor distance distribution function, are employed to quantify the description of morphology and to compare the morphological characteristics of a number of polyethylene (PE) films of commercial interest. A comprehensive quantitative analysis of surface topography has been performed. The co-monomer of the PE resins was found to play a significant role in the formation and the orientation of spherulite-like domains. The film cross-section microstructure has been evaluated qualitatively by using both AFM and PLM. However, quantitative analysis of bulk morphology cannot be obtained due to knife effects.

Treponema denticola Induces Alzheimer-Like Tau Hyperphosphorylation by Activating Hippocampal Neuroinflammation in Mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. Tau hyperphosphorylation and amyloid β (Aβ) deposition are the key pathological hallmarks of AD. Recent studies have shown that periodontitis is a significant risk factor for AD. The periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis and its virulence factors have been shown to initiate and promote the hallmark pathologies and behavioral symptoms of AD. A possible link between Treponema denticola, another main periodontal pathogen, and AD has been reported. However, the role of T. denticola in AD pathogenesis is still unclear, and whether T. denticola and P. gingivalis exert a synergistic effect to promote AD development needs to be further studied. In this study, we investigated whether oral infection with T. denticola caused tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampi of mice and explored the underlying mechanisms. Orally administered T. denticola induced alveolar bone resorption, colonized brain tissues, and increased the activity of the phosphokinase GSK3β by activating neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, thus promoting the hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein at Ser396, Thr181, and Thr231 in mice. An in vitro study with BV2 and N2a cell models of T. denticola invasion also verified the role of this pathogen in tau phosphorylation. T. denticola and P. gingivalis were not found to exert a synergistic effect on tau phosphorylation. In summary, these findings provide new insight into the important role of T. denticola in AD pathogenesis, providing biological connections between periodontal diseases and AD.

Development and Application of a Triplex TaqMan Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assay for Simultaneous Detection of Feline Calicivirus, Feline Parvovirus, and Feline Herpesvirus 1

As companion animals, felines play an important role in human's family life, and their healthcare has attracted great attention. Viruses such as feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), and feline parvovirus virus (FPV) are the most common pathogens that cause severe infectious disease in baby cats. Thus, preclinical detection and intervention of these three viruses is an effective means to prevent diseases and minimize their danger condition. In this study, a triplex TaqMan quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was developed to detect these three viruses simultaneously. The detection limit of FPV, FCV, and FHV-1 was 5 × 10¹ copies/assay, which exhibited higher sensitivity (about 10- to100-fold) than conventional PCR. The coefficients of variation (CVs) of the intra-assay variability were lower than 1.86%, and that of inter-assay variability were lower than 3.19%, indicating the excellent repeatability and reproducibility of the triplex assay. Additionally, the assay showed good specificity. Finally, samples from 48 cats were analyzed using the established assay and commercial kits. As a result, the total positive rates for these viruses were 70.83 or 62.5%, respectively, which demonstrated that the developed qRT-PCR assay was more accurate than the commercial kits and could be used in clinical diagnosis.