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.

Deep Learning-Based Prediction of the 3D Postorthodontic Facial Changes

With the increase of the adult orthodontic population, there is a need for an accurate and evidence-based prediction of the posttreatment face in 3 dimensions (3D). The objectives of this study are 1) to develop a 3D postorthodontic face prediction method based on a deep learning network using the patient-specific factors and orthodontic treatment conditions and 2) to validate the accuracy and clinical usability of the proposed method. Paired sets (n = 268) of pretreatment (T1) and posttreatment (T2) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) of adult patients were trained with a conditional generative adversarial network to generate 3D posttreatment facial data based on the patient's gender, age, and the changes of upper (ΔU1) and lower incisor position (ΔL1) as input. The accuracy was calculated with prediction error and mean absolute distances between real T2 (T2) and predicted T2 (PT2) near 6 perioral landmark regions, as well as percentage of prediction error less than 2 mm using test sets (n = 44). For qualitative evaluation, an online survey was conducted with experienced orthodontists as panels (n = 56). Overall, PT2 indicated similar 3D changes to the T2 face, with the most apparent changes simulated in the perioral regions. The mean prediction error was 1.2 ± 1.01 mm with 80.8% accuracy. More than 50% of the experienced orthodontists were unable to distinguish between real and predicted images. In this study, we proposed a valid 3D postorthodontic face prediction method by applying a deep learning algorithm trained with CBCT data sets.

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.

Determination of the ^{27}Al Neutron Distribution Radius from a Parity-Violating Electron Scattering Measurement

We report the first measurement of the parity-violating elastic electron scattering asymmetry on ^{27}Al. The ^{27}Al elastic asymmetry is A_{PV}=2.16±0.11(stat)±0.16(syst)  ppm, and was measured at ⟨Q^{2}⟩=0.02357±0.00010  GeV^{2}, ⟨θ_{lab}⟩=7.61°±0.02°, and ⟨E_{lab}⟩=1.157  GeV with the Q_{weak} apparatus at Jefferson Lab. Predictions using a simple Born approximation as well as more sophisticated distorted-wave calculations are in good agreement with this result. From this asymmetry the ^{27}Al neutron radius R_{n}=2.89±0.12  fm was determined using a many-models correlation technique. The corresponding neutron skin thickness R_{n}-R_{p}=-0.04±0.12  fm is small, as expected for a light nucleus with a neutron excess of only 1. This result thus serves as a successful benchmark for electroweak determinations of neutron radii on heavier nuclei. A tree-level approach was used to extract the ^{27}Al weak radius R_{w}=3.00±0.15  fm, and the weak skin thickness R_{wk}-R_{ch}=-0.04±0.15  fm. The weak form factor at this Q^{2} is F_{wk}=0.39±0.04.

Atypical Young-onset Dementia in Cerebral Thromboangiitis Obliterans: A Case Report

Young-onset dementia (YOD, age at onset below 45 y) has a broad differential diagnosis. We describe a 41-year-old man with atypical manifestations of YOD syndrome in cerebral thromoboangiitis obliterans (CTAO). Extensive antemortem workup including clinical assessment, laboratory investigations, neuroimaging, and genetic testing did not elucidate a diagnosis. Postmortem neuropathologic examination revealed cortical sickle-shaped granular atrophy, resulting from numerous remote infarcts and cortical microinfarcts that mainly affected the bilateral frontal and parietal lobe, confirming CTAO. Although CTAO is a rare cause of vascular dementia, it should be considered as one of the differentials in patients with YOD with a history of heavy smoking and presence of symmetric damages of watershed-territory on neuroimaging.

Highly efficient heat-dissipation power driven by ferromagnetic resonance in MFe2O4 (M = Fe, Mn, Ni) ferrite nanoparticles

We experimentally demonstrated that heat-dissipation power driven by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) in superparamagnetic nanoparticles of ferrimagnetic MFe₂O₄ (M = Fe, Mn, Ni) gives rise to highly localized incrementation of targeted temperatures. The power generated thereby is extremely high: two orders of magnitude higher than that of the conventional Néel-Brownian model. From micromagnetic simulation and analytical derivation, we found robust correlations between the temperature increment and the intrinsic material parameters of the damping constant as well as the saturation magnetizations of the nanoparticles’ constituent materials. Furthermore, the magnetization–dissipation-driven temperature increments were reliably manipulated by extremely low strengths of applied AC magnetic fields under resonance field conditions. Our experimental results and theoretical formulations provide for a better understanding of the effect of FMR on the efficiency of heat generation as well as straightforward guidance for the design of advanced materials for control of highly localized incrementation of targeted temperatures using magnetic particles in, for example, magnetic hyperthermia bio-applications.

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.

Effect of Chelation Therapy on a Korean Patient With Brain Manganese Deposition Resulting From a Compound Heterozygous Mutation in the SLC39A14 Gene

Mutations in the manganese transporter gene SLC39A14 lead to inherited disorders of manganese metabolism. Chelation therapy with edetate calcium disodium (CaNa2EDTA) is known to effectively reduce manganese deposition. We describe the first identified Korean case of SLC39A14-associated manganism and the treatment response to a 5-year chelation therapy. An 18-year-old female presented with childhood-onset dystonia. Magnetic resonance imaging showed T1 hyperintensity throughout the basal ganglia, brainstem, cerebellum, cerebral and cerebellar white matter, and pituitary gland. Blood manganese levels were elevated, and whole-exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous mutations in SLC39A14. Treatment with intravenous CaNa2EDTA led to a significant reduction in serum manganese levels and T1 hyperintensities. However, her dystonia improved insignificantly. Hence, early diagnosis of this genetic disorder is essential because it is potentially treatable. Even though our treatment did not significantly reverse the establish deficits, chelation therapy could have been more effective if it was started at an earlier stage of the disease.

Automated Differentiation of Atypical Parkinsonian Syndromes Using Brain Iron Patterns in Susceptibility Weighted Imaging

In recent studies, iron overload has been reported in atypical parkinsonian syndromes. The topographic patterns of iron distribution in deep brain nuclei vary by each subtype of parkinsonian syndrome, which is affected by underlying disease pathologies. In this study, we developed a novel framework that automatically analyzes the disease-specific patterns of iron accumulation using susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI). We constructed various machine learning models that can classify diseases using radiomic features extracted from SWI, representing distinctive iron distribution patterns for each disorder. Since radiomic features are sensitive to the region of interest, we used a combination of T1-weighted MRI and SWI to improve the segmentation of deep brain nuclei. Radiomics was applied to SWI from 34 patients with a parkinsonian variant of multiple system atrophy, 21 patients with cerebellar variant multiple system atrophy, 17 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy, and 56 patients with Parkinson’s disease. The machine learning classifiers that learn the radiomic features extracted from iron-reflected segmentation results produced an average area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.8607 on the training data and 0.8489 on the testing data, which is superior to the conventional classifier with segmentation using only T1-weighted images. Our radiomic model based on the hybrid images is a promising tool for automatically differentiating atypical parkinsonian syndromes.

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.

Ultrathin Water-Cast Polymer Membranes for Hydrogen Purification

Among various H₂ purification technologies, the use of membrane technology has been considered an ecofriendly approach for addressing the increasing hydrogen demand. Although many H₂-selective membrane materials have been reported, processing them into hollow fibers or thin-film composites (TFCs) via traditional methods either affects the performance of the materials or renders their further processing into applicable membrane forms infeasible. Herein, we propose a water-casting method for fabricating TFC membranes for hydrogen purification with high permselectivity. The film integrity and thickness were manipulated by controlling the spreadability of the casting solution, and the resultant water-cast TFC membrane that comprised an ∼30 nm selective layer demonstrated high H₂ permeance and H₂/CH₄ selectivity of approximately 190 GPU and 100, respectively, under optimized conditions. We performed a mixed-gas permeation test using a simulated off-gas of steam-methane reforming from natural gas in a single-stage system and obtained hydrogen gas of >99 mol % purity. This indicates not only the suitability of the water-cast membranes for satisfying the demand for pure hydrogen as a fuel and chemical reagent but also the great potential of the water-casting method for high-performance membranes in various industrial and environmental applications.

Serum progranulin is not associated with rs5848 polymorphism in Korean patients with neurodegenerative diseases

Low serum progranulin (PGRN) is known to be associated with granulin (GRN) gene mutation and T alleles of GRN rs5848 polymorphism. However, there have been only a few Asian studies exploring these. We investigated the serum PGRN levels, rs5848 genotypes, and their relations with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers in the Korean population. Serum PGRN levels, GRN rs5848 polymorphism, and GRN mutations were evaluated in 239 participants (22 cognitively unimpaired participants and 217 patients with neurodegenerative diseases). CSF AD biomarkers were also evaluated in 214 participants. There was no significant difference in the serum PGRN levels among the diagnostic groups. We could not find any GRN mutation carrier in our sample. The differences in the frequencies of the rs5848 genotypes among the clinical groups or the effects of the rs5848 genotypes on serum PGRN were not observed. There was no correlation between the serum PGRN level or rs5848 genotype and CSF AD biomarkers. Neither the T allele nor the TT genotype had an effect on the development of AD. Our results showed that serum PGRN levels were not associated with rs5848 genotypes, indicating that multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms might affect PGRN concentrations in an ethnicity-specific manner.

High Estimated 24-Hour Urinary Sodium Excretion Is Related to Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study

OBJECTIVES

High salt intake results in various harmful effects on human health including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and reduced bone density. Despite this, there are very few studies in the literature that have investigated the association between sodium intake and osteoarthritis (OA). Therefore, we aimed to explore these associations in a Korean population.

METHODS

This study used cross-sectional data from adult subjects aged 50-75 years from two consecutive periods of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V-VII (2010-2011 and 2014-2016). The estimated 24-hour urinary sodium excretion (24HUNa) was used as a surrogate marker of salt intake. In the 2010-2011 dataset, knee OA (KOA) was defined as the presence of the radiographic features of OA and knee pain. The association between KOA and salt intake was analysed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods. For the sensitivity analysis, the same procedures were conducted on subjects with self-reported OA (SR-OA) with knee pain in the 2010-2011 dataset and any site SR-OA in the 2014-2016 dataset.

RESULTS

Subjects with KOA had significantly lower energy intake, but higher 24HUNa than those without KOA. The restricted cubic spline plots demonstrated a J-shaped distribution between 24HUNa and prevalent KOA. When 24HUNa was stratified into five groups (<2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 and ≥5 g/day), subjects with high sodium intake (≥5 g/day) had a higher risk of KOA (odds ratio [OR] = 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-2.62) compared to the reference group (3-4 g/day) after adjusting for covariates. The sensitivity analysis based on SR-OA with knee pain showed that high sodium intake was also significantly associated with increased prevalence of OA (OR = 1.84, 95% CI 1.10-3.10) compared with the reference group. Regarding SR-OA at any site in the 2014-2016 dataset, estimated 24HUNa showed a significantly positive association with the presence of SR-OA after adjusting for potential confounders.

CONCLUSIONS

This nationwide Korean representative study showed a significant association between symptomatic KOA and high sodium intake (≥5 g/day). Avoidance of a diet high in salt might be beneficial as a non-pharmacologic therapy for OA.

Measurement of the Sixth-Order Cumulant of Net-Proton Multiplicity Distributions in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=27, 54.4, and 200 GeV at RHIC

According to first-principle lattice QCD calculations, the transition from quark-gluon plasma to hadronic matter is a smooth crossover in the region μ_{B}≤T_{c}. In this range the ratio, C_{6}/C_{2}, of net-baryon distributions are predicted to be negative. In this Letter, we report the first measurement of the midrapidity net-proton C_{6}/C_{2} from 27, 54.4, and 200 GeV Au+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The dependence on collision centrality and kinematic acceptance in (p_{T}, y) are analyzed. While for 27 and 54.4 GeV collisions the C_{6}/C_{2} values are close to zero within uncertainties, it is observed that for 200 GeV collisions, the C_{6}/C_{2} ratio becomes progressively negative from peripheral to central collisions. Transport model calculations without critical dynamics predict mostly positive values except for the most central collisions within uncertainties. These observations seem to favor a smooth crossover in the high-energy nuclear collisions at top RHIC energy.

Characteristics and outcomes of emergency department patients with a foreign body that entered through the ear, nose or mouth: a 10-year retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Foreign bodies in the ear, nose and throat commonly necessitate emergency department visits.

METHOD

This retrospective study was conducted on emergency department visits from January 2010 to December 2019 to determine characteristics and clinical prognoses of ENT patients. Patients were divided into three groups according to foreign-body entry route; patient characteristics and clinical findings were compared between groups.

RESULTS

Of 676 142 emergency department visits, 10 454 were because of ENT-related foreign bodies. The mean (± standard deviation) age of subjects was 24.0 (± 23.4) years, and 5176 patients were male (49.5 per cent). The most common entry route was the mouth (74.5 per cent). Most patients (97.1 per cent) were discharged after emergency treatment. Intensive care and in-hospital mortality occurred only in the mouth group.

CONCLUSION

Clinical findings differ depending on foreign-body entry route. After emergency treatment, most patients were discharged; some cases presented serious complications.

Differential characteristics associated with progression of mitral and aortic regurgitation in patients undergoing kidney transplantation

Background

Heart valve regurgitation is common in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, there are no data on the fate of mitral regurgitation (MR) and aortic regurgitation (AR) after kidney transplantation (KT). In this study, we sought to investigate regression or progression rates of MR and AR after KT in patients with ESRD. Moreover, we aimed to explore clinical and echocardiographic factors associated with the progression of MR and AR in patients undergoing KT.

Methods

Among 1,734 patients who underwent KT from 2005 to 2018 at a single tertiary hospital, 674 patients (407 men; mean 48±12 years) who underwent both pre- and post-KT echocardiography were analyzed comprehensively. Pre-KT echocardiography was performed within three months of KT, and post-KT echocardiography was done between 6 months and 24 months after KT. Severities of MR and AR were graded as no/trivial, mild, moderate, and severe according to the current guidelines. Regression was defined if the severity decreased by one or more grades, while progression was defined if the severity increased by one or more grades.

Results

Figure 1 shows the regression or progression of MR and AR after KT. 78 (11%) patients showed MR regression, but 41 (6%) experienced MR progression. 13 (2%) revealed AR regression, while 23 (4%) presented AR progression. In patients with MR progression, there were more cases of receiving a second KT, having mitral annular calcification, and showing lesser reduction of left atrial volume after KT. Patients with AR progression showed a longer hemodialysis duration, persistent hypertension after KT, and aortic root dilatation. Factors related to the progression of MR and AR showed statistically meaningful predictive values in a stepwise manner (Figure 2)

Conclusions

In patients undergoing KT, MR and AR may progress in patients with certain distinct characteristics. Different clinical and echocardiographic characteristics before KT, and reduction of hemodynamic loads after KT determine the progression of MR and AR. Further echocardiographic surveillances after KT are needed in patients with clinical and echocardiographic factors for progression of valve regurgitation.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Clinical impact of intravascular ultrasound guidance in patients of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with drug eluting stent

Background

There is little data about clinical role of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided Percutaneous (PCI) in the setting of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods

From 2005 to 2018, a total of 8,129 patients who underwent PCI with STEMI were investigated from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health database. Patients with Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, cardiogenic shock, bare metal stent implantation, thrombolytic treatment, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery were excluded. We categorized patients into two groups based on the treatment strategy: IVUS-guided PCI group (n=1,544), and coronary angiography guidance (CAG)-guided PCI group (n=6,585). The primary endpoint was composite of major adverse cardiovascular (MACE), including, cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), repeat target vessel revascularization (TVR) and stent thrombosis (ST).

Results

IVUS-guided PCI was performed in 19% patients (1544/8129). After propensity score matching, there were no statistically difference in the rate of cardiac death (0% in IVUS vs. 0.26% in CAG, p=0.947), MI (2.01% vs. 2.01%, p=0.408), TVR (1.23% vs. 0.91%, p=0.131), ST (0.32% vs. 0.45%, p=0.828) and composite of MACE at 1 year between two groups (2.01% vs. 2.40%, p=0.843). Independent risk factors for MACE were diabetes mellitus and multi-vessel disease, but not IVUS-guided PCI (HR 1.167, 95% CI, 0.896–1.520, p=0.251).

Conclusion

This study suggests that routine usage of IVUS in the setting of STEMI may not be necessary. Large-scaled random study will be needed for further evaluation.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Differential Effect of Iron and Myelin on Susceptibility MRI in the Substantia Nigra

Background The heterogeneous composition of substantia nigra (SN), including iron, nigrosome-1 substructure, and myelinated white matter, complicates the interpretation of MRI signals. Purpose To investigate R2* and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) in the SN subdivisions of participants with Parkinson disease and healthy control subjects. Materials and Methods In this prospective study conducted from November 2018 to November 2019, participants with Parkinson disease and sex-matched healthy control subjects underwent 3-T MRI. R2* and QSM values were measured and compared in the anterior SN and posterior SN at the rostral (superior) and caudal (inferior) levels. Postmortem MRI and histology correlation of midbrain tissues was evaluated to investigate the effect of myelin and iron in the SN on R2* and QSM values. Results Forty individuals were evaluated: 20 healthy control subjects (mean age, 61 years ± 3 [standard deviation]; 10 men) and 20 participants with Parkinson disease (mean age, 61 years ± 4; 10 men). The R2* values of participants with Parkinson disease were higher in all subdivisions of the SN compared with R2* values in healthy control subjects (all P < .05). For QSM, no evidence of a difference was found in the rostral posterior SN (healthy control subjects, 54.1 ppb ± 21.0; Parkinson disease, 62.2 ppb ± 19.8; P = .49). The combination of rostral R2* and caudal QSM values resulted in an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.84. R2* values showed higher correlation with QSM values at the caudal level than at the rostral level within each group (all P < .001). Postmortem investigation demonstrated that R2* and QSM values showed weak correlation in the myelin-rich areas (r = 0.22 and r = 0.36, P < .001) and strong correlation in myelin-scanty areas (r ranged from approximately 0.52 to approximately 0.78, P < .001) in the SN. Conclusion Considering the iron and myelin distribution in the substantia nigra subdivisions, the subdivisional analysis of substantia nigra using R2* and quantitative susceptibility mapping might aid in specifically differentiating individuals with Parkinson disease from healthy control subjects. © RSNA, 2021 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Comparison of major histocompatibility complex-B variability in Sri Lankan indigenous chickens with five global chicken populations using MHC-B SNP panel

In the present study, we investigated the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-B haplotypes diversity of Sri Lankan indigenous chickens from three different geographical sites consisting of highly mixed populations using 90 SNPs in the MHC-B region. A total of 48 haplotypes were identified. Those included 37 novel haplotypes and 11 previously identified 'standard' haplotypes. The MHC-linked marker, LEI0258, had 23 alleles showing less diversity than defined by MHC-B SNP haplotypes. Among those identified haplotypes, five standard haplotypes-BSNP-O02, BSNP-M01, BSNP-A04, BSNP-K03, BSNP-T04-were most commonly observed, suggesting past introgression of imported breeds. Comparison of the MHC-B haplotypes of Sri Lankan and four other global populations with previously defined haplotypes indicated the sharing of 23 standard haplotypes with common origins. Novel haplotypes are population-specific and not shared among the geographical boundaries. Backyard indigenous chickens are unselected, highly crossbred, and generally thrive under dynamic environmental conditions. Hence free-range production systems may be responsible for maintaining high diversity in the MHC-B region with novel haplotypes.

Observation of D_{s}^{±}/D^{0} Enhancement in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

We report on the first measurement of charm-strange meson D_{s}^{±} production at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV from the STAR experiment. The yield ratio between strange (D_{s}^{±}) and nonstrange (D^{0}) open-charm mesons is presented and compared to model calculations. A significant enhancement, relative to a pythia simulation of p+p collisions, is observed in the D_{s}^{±}/D^{0} yield ratio in Au+Au collisions over a large range of collision centralities. Model calculations incorporating abundant strange-quark production in the quark-gluon plasma and coalescence hadronization qualitatively reproduce the data. The transverse-momentum integrated yield ratio of D_{s}^{±}/D^{0} at midrapidity is consistent with a prediction from a statistical hadronization model with the parameters constrained by the yields of light and strange hadrons measured at the same collision energy. These results suggest that the coalescence of charm quarks with strange quarks in the quark-gluon plasma plays an important role in D_{s}^{±}-meson production in heavy-ion collisions.

Improving the bioavailability of manganese and meat quality of broilers by using hot-melt extrusion nano method

1. Mineral excretion is an issue in the poultry industry. The use of micro minerals in nano form can increase bioavailability and decrease excretion rate. However, information concerning the bioavailability of nano manganese (Mn) in broiler chicks is limited.2. This experiment studied the influences of hot-melt extrusion (HME)-processed manganese sulphate on body weight gain, Mn bioavailability, nutrient digestibility and meat quality in broiler chicks fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet as a starter and grower phase. A total of 700 birds (Ross 308, 1-day-old) were randomly placed in 35 cages (20 birds per cage). The broiler chicks were fed one of seven experimental diets, which consisted of a control (without supplemental Mn), different levels of MnSO₄ (IN-Mn60; 60, 120, and 200 mg/kg), or HME MnSO₄ (HME-Mn; 60, 120, and 200 mg/kg).3. There was an increased serum Mn content in broilers fed diet supplemented with HME-Mn. In the grower phase, increased dietary Mn levels elevated the concentrations in the serum, liver, and tibia. There were increases in the excreta Mn content of broilers fed increasing levels. The supplementation of HME-Mn showed a lower percentage of abdominal fat compared with the IN-Mn treatment diets. Supplementation with HME-Mn decreased intramuscular fat compared with the diets supplemented with IN-Mn. The supplementation of HME-Mn decreased the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) at d 6 of age. The HME-Mn source showed a greater decrease in TBARS compared with the IN-Mn treatment.4. In conclusion, HME processing increased bioavailability and could be used as an environmentally friendly method to facilitate lower levels of Mn in the diet of broiler chickens.