[Analysis of the influencing factors of short-term and long-term facial nerve function after vestibular schwannoma resection via suboccipital retrosigmoid approach]

Objective: To summarize the experience of facial nerve(FN) preservation in microsurgical treatment of vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection via suboccipital retrosigmoid approach and to analyze the influencing factors of facial function prognosis in short-term and long-term period. Methods: Patients with VS who underwent microsurgery via suboccipital retrosigmoid approach by the skull base surgery team in Huashan Hospital from January 2013 to February 2018 were enrolled. A total of 308 patients were included in this study, including 132 males and 176 females. The average age was 47.9 year-old (Range: 17-79 year-old). The patient's clinical data and FN function prognosis were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analysis by SPSS 23.0 statistical software were performed to evaluate the factors affecting facial function prognosis and its recovery. Results: Gross total resection was achieved in 304 cases, and subtotal resection was in 4 cases. The facial nerve preservation rate anatomically was 99.4%. The facial nerve of 2 cases was thin due to large tumor compression and severed, and a one-stage reconstruction was performed during surgery.Of the 308 patients, 300 cases were successfully followed up, and 8 cases were lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up time was 52 months. In short-term (2 weeks after surgery), satisfactory facial nerve function (House-Brackmann (H-B) grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ) was achieved in 96 cases, and 212 cases were unsatisfactory function (H-B grade Ⅲ-Ⅵ). After 1 year, 198 were satisfactory function and 97 were unsatisfactory. After 3 years, 219 were satisfactory function and 75 were unsatisfactory. Five years later, 155 were satisfactory function and 34 were unsatisfactory. According to the results of logistic regression analysis, the impact factors of FN function in short-term were tumor size (P=0.011) and stimulation threshold (ST) of EMG monitoring (P<0.001). The impact factors in long-term were tumor size (P=0.005), ST of EMG monitoring (P=0.005) and FN rehabilitation training. Conclusions: Tumor diameter is an independent factor related to FN function, and the larger the tumor, the worse the postoperative FN function. The ST of EMG (ST≤0.05 mA) can predict short-term and long-term FN function. The systematic facial rehabilitation training can effectively promote the recovery of FN after surgery.

[Distribution characteristics of emerging and reemerging Oncomelania hupensis in China from 2015 to 2021]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the distribution characteristics of emerging and reemerging Oncomelania hupensis snails after the criteria for transmission control of schistosomiasis were achieved in China, so as to provide insights into assessment of schistosomiasis transmission risk and formulation of snail control strategies during the elimination phase.

METHODS

O. hupensis survey data in China from 2015 to 2021 were collected from the National Schistosomiasis Pevention and Control Information Management System, and the distribution characteristics of emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were descriptively analyzed.

RESULTS

Emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were identified in China each year from 2015 to 2021, with relatively larger areas with emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snail habitats in 2016 and 2021, and relatively higher numbers of counties (districts) where emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were detected in 2016 and 2021. A total of 4 586.30 hm2 of emerging O. hupensis snail habitats were found in 10 schistosomiasis-endemic provinces of China (except Fujian and Yunnan Provinces) from 2015 to 2021, with 96.80% in Anhui, Hunan and Hubei provinces, where marshland and lake endemic foci were predominant. A total of 21 023.90 hm2 of reemerging O. hupensis snail habitats were found in 12 schistosomiasis-endemic provinces of China from 2015 to 2021, with 97.67% in six provinces of Hubei, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Yunnan and Anhui, where marshland and lake and hilly endemic regions were predominant. Emerging snail habitats were found in 15.08% of all schistosomiasisendemic counties (districts) in China from 2015 to 2021, and 78.75% of all emerging snail habitats were identified in 11 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts), with the largest area of emerging snail habitats found in Lixian County, Hunan Province (645.00 hm2). Reemerging snail habitats were found in 47.67% of all schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts) in China from 2015 to 2021, and 43.29% of all reemerging snail habitats were identified in 11 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts), with the largest area of reemerging snail habitats found in Weishan Li and Hui Autonomous County of Hunan Province (1 579.70 hm2).

CONCLUSIONS

Emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were identified in China each year from 2015 to 2021, with much larger areas of reemerging snail habitats than emerging snail habitats, and larger numbers of schistosomiasis-endemic provinces and counties (districts) with reemerging snails were found that those of provinces and counties (districts) with emerging snails. Specific snail control interventions are required tailored to the causes of emerging and reemerging snail habitats. Both emergence and reemergence of O. hupensis snails should be paid attention to in marshland and lake endemic areas, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Shanghai Municipality and Zhejiang Province where schistosomiasis had been eliminated, and reemergence of O. hupensis snails should be given a high priority in hilly areas. In addition, monitoring of O. hupensis snails should be reinforced in snail-free areas after flooding.

[Molluscicidal effect of spraying 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules with drones against Oncomelania hupensis in hilly regions]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a snail control approach for spraying chemicals with drones against Oncomelania hupensis in complex snail habitats in hilly regions, and to evaluate its molluscicidal effect.

METHODS

The protocol for evaluating the activity of spraying chemical molluscicides with drones against O. hupensis snails was formulated based on expert consultation and literature review. In August 2022, a pretest was conducted in a hillside field environment (12 000 m2) north of Dafengji Village, Dacang Township, Weishan County, Yunnan Province, which was assigned into four groups, of no less than 3 000 m2 in each group. In Group A, environmental cleaning was not conducted and 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules were sprayed with drones at a dose of 40 g/m2, and in Group B, environmental cleaning was performed, followed by 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules sprayed with drones at a dose of 40 g/m2, while in Group C, environmental cleaning was not conducted and 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules were sprayed with knapsack sprayers at a dose of 40 g/m2, and in Group D, environmental cleaning was performed, followed by 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules sprayed with knapsack sprayers at a dose of 40 g/m2. Then, each group was equally divided into six sections according to land area, with Section 1 for baseline surveys and sections 2 to 6 for snail surveys after chemical treatment. Snail surveys were conducted prior to chemical treatment and 1, 3, 5, 7 days post-treatment, and the mortality and corrected mortality of snails, density of living snails and costs of molluscicidal treatment were calculated in each group.

RESULTS

The mortality and corrected mortality of snails were 69.49%, 69.09%, 53.57% and 83.48%, and 68.58%, 68.17%, 52.19% and 82.99% in groups A, B, C and D 14 days post-treatment, and the density of living snails reduced by 58.40%, 63.94%, 68.91% and 83.25% 14 days post-treatment relative to pre-treatment in four groups, respectively. The median concentrations of chemical molluscicides were 37.08, 35.42, 42.50 g/m2 and 56.25 g/m2 in groups A, B, C and D, and the gross costs of chemical treatment were 0.93, 1.50, 0.46 Yuan per m2 and 1.03 Yuan per m2 in groups A, B, C and D, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The molluscicidal effect of spraying 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules with drones against O. hupensis snails is superior to manual chemical treatment without environmental cleaning, and chemical treatment with drones and manual chemical treatment show comparable molluscicidal effects following environmental cleaning in hilly regions. The cost of chemical treatment with drones is slightly higher than manual chemical treatment regardless of environmental cleaning. Spraying 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules with drones is recommended in complex settings with difficulty in environmental cleaning to improve the molluscicidal activity and efficiency against O. hupensis snails.

[Evaluation of the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 in patients with aplastic anemia undergoing immunosuppressive therapy: a prospective cohort study (NICHE)]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) undergoing immunosuppressive therapy (IST) . Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we collected the demographic and clinical data of patients with AA and COVID-19 from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023. We described the clinical features of COVID-19 among patients with AA and evaluated the effects of IST on the signs and severity of COVID-19. Results: A total of 170 patients with AA and COVID-19 were included. The common early symptoms, including fever, dizziness or headache, muscle or body aches, and sore throat, disappeared within 1-2 weeks. Approximately 25% of the patients had persistent fatigue within 2 weeks. Many patients experienced cough after an initial 1-3 days of infection, which lasted for more than 2 weeks. There were no differences in the duration of total fever episodes and maximum body temperature when patients were stratified according to whether or not they underwent IST, by IST duration, or by use of anti-lymphocyte globulin (ALG) (P>0.05). No differences were observed in the occurrence of symptoms in either the early or recovery stages when patients with AA were stratified according to whether or not they underwent IST, or by IST duration (P>0.05). However, patients who received ALG had fewer fever episodes within 1 week after infection (P=0.035) and more sore throat episodes within 2 weeks after infection (P=0.015). There were no other significant differences in clinical symptoms between patients who did and patients who did not receive ALG (P>0.05) . Conclusion: The majority of patients with AA and COVID-19 recovered within 2 weeks of noticing symptoms when treated with IST.

Butyrate Inhibits Dendritic Cell Activation and Alleviates Periodontitis

Dendritic cells (DCs) can mediate inflammation-related bone resorption that is crucial in the development of periodontitis. Butyrate is a critical by-product of microbes with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we found that butyrate inhibited the activation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced DCs and generation of inflammatory cytokines by DCs. Moreover, butyrate regulated glycolysis in LPS-induced DCs via the G-protein-coupled receptor/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α pathway. In addition, butyrate inhibited the maturation of CD11c+MHC-II+ DCs in vivo, suppressing local inflammatory infiltration and ultimately alleviating bone resorption in a periodontitis model. Our results imply that butyrate suppresses the activation of LPS-induced DCs by modulating their metabolism, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for inflammatory diseases.

Complete mesocolic excision versus standard resection for colon cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of perioperative safety and an evaluation of the use of a robotic approach

PURPOSE

Complete mesocolic excision (CME) has been associated with improved oncological outcomes in treatment of colon cancer. However, widespread adoption is limited partly because of the technical complexity and perceived risks of the approach. The aim of out study was to evaluate the safety of CME compared to standard resection and to compare robotic versus laparoscopic approaches.

METHODS

Two parallel searches were undertaken in MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science databases 12 December 2021. The first was to evaluate IDEAL stage 3 evidence to compare complication rates as a surrogate marker of perioperative safety between CME and standard resection. The second independent search compared lymph node yield and survival outcomes between minimally invasive approaches.

RESULTS

There were four randomized control trials (n = 1422) comparing CME to standard resection, and three studies comparing laparoscopic (n = 164) to robotic (n = 161) approaches. Compared to standard resection, CME was associated with a reduction in Clavien-Dindo grade 3 or higher complication rates (3.56% vs. 7.24%, p = 0.002), reduced blood loss (113.1 ml vs. 137.6 ml, p < 0.0001) and greater mean lymph node harvest (25.6 vs. 20.9 nodes, p = 0.001). Between the robotic and laparoscopic groups, there were no significant differences in complication rates, blood loss, lymph node yield, 5-year disease-free survival (OR 1.05, p = 0.87) and overall survival (OR 0.83, p = 0.54).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated improved safety with CME. There was no difference in safety or survival outcomes between robotic and laparoscopic CME. The advantage of a robotic approach may lie in the reduced learning curve and an increased penetration of minimally invasive approach to CME. Further studies are required to explore this.

PROSPERO ID

CRD42021287065.

Effect of radio frequency energy on buckwheat quality: An insight into structure and physicochemical properties of protein and starch

Radio frequency (RF) heating as an emerging technology is widely used to improve cereal-based food quality. To further investigate effects of RF treatment on buckwheat quality, structures and physicochemical properties of protein and starch in buckwheat were evaluated under various temperatures (80, 90, and 100 °C) and holding times (0, 5, and 10 min). Results showed that protein-starch complexes were reaggregated with the increases of RF heating temperature and time, as well as the values of R1047/1022, crystallinity, random coil, and α-helix significantly decreased, and the values of β-sheet obviously increased. Moreover, viscosities and rheological properties of buckwheat were reduced by the raised RF treatment intensity. Besides, the RF processing had a mostly positive effect on swelling power at low temperature of 30 °C, but contrary effect at high temperatures of 60 °C and 90 °C. However, changes of water solubility index, emulsifying capacity, and emulsion stability depended on the RF processing intensity. These results of the study suggested that buckwheat quality was affected by multiple RF treatment conditions, which can be tailored to develop a RF process having the potential to improve the function of buckwheat flour.

Observation of New Baryons in the Ξ_{b}^{-}π^{+}π^{-} and Ξ_{b}^{0}π^{+}π^{-} Systems

The first observation and study of two new baryonic structures in the final state Ξ_{b}^{0}π^{+}π^{-} and the confirmation of the Ξ_{b}(6100)^{-} state in the Ξ_{b}^{-}π^{+}π^{-} decay mode are reported using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. In addition, the properties of the known Ξ_{b}^{*0}, Ξ_{b}^{'-} and Ξ_{b}^{*-} resonances are measured with improved precision. The new decay mode of the Ξ_{b}^{0} baryon to the Ξ_{c}^{+} π^{-} π^{+} π^{-} final state is observed and exploited for the first time in these measurements.

Precision Measurement of CP Violation in the Penguin-Mediated Decay B_{s}^{0}→ϕϕ

A flavor-tagged time-dependent angular analysis of the decay B_{s}^{0}→ϕϕ is performed using pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at the center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6  fb^{-1}. The CP-violating phase and direct CP-violation parameter are measured to be ϕ_{s}^{ss[over ¯]s}=-0.042±0.075±0.009  rad and |λ|=1.004±0.030±0.009, respectively, assuming the same values for all polarization states of the ϕϕ system. In these results, the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. These parameters are also determined separately for each polarization state, showing no evidence for polarization dependence. The results are combined with previous LHCb measurements using pp collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, yielding ϕ_{s}^{ss[over ¯]s}=-0.074±0.069  rad and |λ|=1.009±0.030. This is the most precise study of time-dependent CP violation in a penguin-dominated B meson decay. The results are consistent with CP symmetry and with the standard model predictions.

Measurement of the Λ_{b}^{0}→Λ(1520)μ^{+}μ^{-} Differential Branching Fraction

The branching fraction of the rare decay Λ_{b}^{0}→Λ(1520)μ^{+}μ^{-} is measured for the first time, in the squared dimuon mass intervals q^{2}, excluding the J/ψ and ψ(2S) regions. The data sample analyzed was collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. The result in the highest q^{2} interval, q^{2}>15.0  GeV^{2}/c^{4}, where theoretical predictions have the smallest model dependence, agrees with the predictions.

A novel Pinellia ternata catalase gene PtCAT2 regulates drought tolerance in Arabidopsis by modulating ROS balance

Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses limiting agricultural production, particularly for shallow-rooted plants like Pinellia ternata. It damages plants via oxidative burst, but this effect could be mitigated by catalase (CAT). However, no studies have been reported on CAT homologs in P. ternata, a drought-sensitive plant species. In the present study, a novel CAT gene, PtCAT2, was functionally characterized via overexpression in Arabidopsis and analysis of cis-elements in its promoter. The isolated CAT gene was 1479 bp and encoded a protein containing 242 amino acids. The protein contains the CAT activity motif and the heme-binding site of a typical CAT, and the subcellular analysis indicated that the protein localizes at the cytoplasm and membrane. Moreover, the quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR indicated that PtCAT2 is expressed ubiquitously in P. ternata and is strongly induced by drought stress and abscisic acid (ABA) signals. PtCAT2 overexpression enhanced the drought tolerance of Arabidopsis, as shown by the 30% increase in plant survival and a five-fold- increase in CAT activity. Moreover, PtCAT2-transgenic plants increased superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities and reduced malondialdehyde, membrane leakage, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (P<0.05). Furthermore, PtCAT2-transgenic plants showed higher tolerance to oxidative stress caused by exogenous H2O2 and retained higher chlorophyll and water contents than the WT. The mitochondria function was better maintained as presented by the higher oxygen consumption rate in transgenics under drought stress (P<0.05). The endogenous CATs and drought response-related genes were also upregulated in transgenic lines under drought stress, indicating that PtCAT2 confers drought stress tolerance by enhancing the H2O2 scavenging ability of plants to maintain their membrane integrity. These results improve our understanding of the drought response mechanisms and provide a potential breeding strategy for P. ternata genetic improvement.

Using MRI Radiomics to Predict the Efficacy of Immunotherapy for Brain Metastasis in Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Despite immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been proven effective in patients with advanced NSCLC, controversial therapeutic responses are seen in brain metastatic lesions. There are no robust biomarkers that predict benefit from this regimen. We evaluated the utility of novel imaging biomarkers (radiomics) to distinguish NSCLC patients with brain metastases (BMs) who will benefit from ICIs from those likely to progress despite therapy.

MATERIALS/METHODS

One-hundred and seventy-four NSCLC Patients with BMs treated with ICIs from June 2019 - June 2022 were identified. We collected patient clinical outcomes and pre-treatment MRI images. Images were split into training and test sets. Brain metastatic lesions were contoured on ITK-SNAP software and 3748 radiomic features capturing both intra- and peritumoral texture patterns were extracted. The primary endpoint of this study was intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS) and the secondary objective were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). We used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression model to build the radiomic signature for ORR. Based on the support vector machine (SVM) model, we construct the Clinical-radiomics nomogram (CRN). Multivariable Cox regression analysis were performed to evaluate the effect of each factor on iPFS. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests to assess prognostic value of the features.

RESULTS

We identified 174 patients who fit our criteria with available MRI images. 122 patients treated in our center were divided into a training set and 52 patients treated in another center were divided into a test set. The intratumoral radiomic signatures(IRS), peritumoral radiomic signatures(PRS) and CRN showed favorable predictive effects for ORR with the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of (IRS: 0.845 (95% CI: 0.776-0.914); PRS: 0.799 (95% CI:0.720-0.879); CRN:0.907 (95% CI: 0.855-0.959))in the training set and (IRS: 0.809 (95% CI: 0.693-0.926); PRS: 0.749 (95% CI:0.616-0.883); CRN:0.888(95% CI:0.798-0.979)) in the test set. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed a significantly longer iPFS in the high-CRN group versus the low-CRN group (P < 0.001). The CRNs were also found significantly associated with PFS (P < 0.001), but not OS.

CONCLUSION

Radiomic biomarkers from pre-treatment MRI images in NSCLC patients with BMs were predictive of iPFS to ICIs. Pre-treatment radiomics may allow early prediction of benefit and expedite more aggressive treatment for high-risk patients. Additional validation of these imaging biomarkers is warranted.

Using MRI Radiomics to Predict the Efficacy of Immunotherapy for Brain Metastasis in Patients with Small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with chemotherapy has been widely used in the first-line treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. However, the efficacy of ICIs for patients with brain metastases (BMs) of SCLC is limited. There are no effective factors to predict the efficacy. We developed and validate a model to predict intracranial efficacy for ICIs in patients with BMs from SCLC by using MRI radiomics.

MATERIALS/METHODS

In this study, we collected 101 SCLC patients with BMs treated with ICIs. They clinical characteristics and pre-treatment Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) were collected. Seventy cases collected from our hospital as training cohort and 31 cases collected from another hospital as an independent validation cohort. Brain metastatic lesions were contoured on ITK-SNAP software and 3748 radiomic features capturing both intra- and peritumoral texture patterns were extracted. The primary endpoint of this study was intracranial overall response rate (ORR). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and random forest (RF) model were used to select radiomic features. The top 10 selected radiomic features were adopted to build prognostic models by using logistic regression. Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) was chosen as the metric to assess model performances. We also performed a nomogram based on a multivariate logistic regression model includes radiomic and clinical features to predict ICIs intracranial efficacy.

RESULTS

The clinical characteristics including number of treatment lines and concurrent brain radiotherapy, ten intratumoral signatures and one peritumoral signatures were found significantly associated with ICIs intracranial efficacy. Predictors contained in the individualized prediction nomogram included the radiomics signature, and clinical features. The model showed favorable discrimination with a C-index of 0.861[95% CI: 0.779-0.943] and AUC of 0.861[95% CI: 0.778- 0.944] in training cohort and with a C-index of 0.812[95% CI: 0.647-0.978] and AUC of 0.812[95% CI:0.646-0.979] in the test cohort.

CONCLUSION

Radiomic features from pre-treatment MRI images were predictive for intracranial efficacy in SCLC patients with BMs. Pre-treatment radiomics may allow early prediction of benefit and expedite more aggressive treatment for high-risk patients and it has to be further explored as predictor of outcome in a larger series of patients.

Observation of New Ω_{c}^{0} States Decaying to the Ξ_{c}^{+}K^{-} Final State

Two new excited states, Ω_{c}(3185)^{0} and Ω_{c}(3327)^{0}, are observed in the Ξ_{c}^{+}K^{-} invariant-mass spectrum using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. Five previously observed excited Ω_{c}^{0} states are confirmed, namely Ω_{c}(3000)^{0}, Ω_{c}(3050)^{0}, Ω_{c}(3065)^{0}, Ω_{c}(3090)^{0}, and Ω_{c}(3119)^{0}. The masses and widths of these seven states are measured with the highest precision to date.

Evidence of a J/ψK_{S}^{0} Structure in B^{0}→J/ψϕK_{S}^{0} Decays

An amplitude analysis of B^{0}→J/ψϕK_{S}^{0} decays is performed using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}, collected with the LHCb detector at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV. Evidence with a significance of 4.0 standard deviations of a structure in the J/ψK_{S}^{0} system, named T_{ψs1}^{θ}(4000)^{0}, is seen, with its mass and width measured to be 3991_{-10}^{+12} _{-17}^{+9}  MeV/c^{2} and 105_{-25}^{+29} _{-23}^{+17}  MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The T_{ψs1}^{θ}(4000)^{0} state is likely to be the isospin partner of the T_{ψs1}^{θ}(4000)^{+} state, previously observed in the J/ψK^{+} system of the B^{+}→J/ψϕK^{+} decay. When isospin symmetry for the charged and neutral T_{ψs1}^{θ}(4000) states is assumed, the signal significance increases to 5.4 standard deviations.

Measurement of the Ratios of Branching Fractions R(D^{*}) and R(D^{0})

The ratios of branching fractions R(D^{*})≡B(B[over ¯]→D^{*}τ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{τ})/B(B[over ¯]→D^{*}μ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ}) and R(D^{0})≡B(B^{-}→D^{0}τ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{τ})/B(B^{-}→D^{0}μ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ}) are measured, assuming isospin symmetry, using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0  fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. The tau lepton is identified in the decay mode τ^{-}→μ^{-}ν_{τ}ν[over ¯]_{μ}. The measured values are R(D^{*})=0.281±0.018±0.024 and R(D^{0})=0.441±0.060±0.066, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The correlation between these measurements is ρ=-0.43. The results are consistent with the current average of these quantities and are at a combined 1.9 standard deviations from the predictions based on lepton flavor universality in the standard model.

Recent developments in applications of physical fields for microbial decontamination and enhancing nutritional properties of germinated edible seeds and sprouts: a review

Germinated edible seeds and sprouts have attracted consumers because of their nutritional values and health benefits. To ensure the microbial safety of the seed and sprout, emerging processing methods involving physical fields (PFs), having the characteristics of high efficiency and environmental safety, are increasingly proposed as effective decontamination processing technologies. This review summarizes recent progress on the application of PFs to germinating edible seeds, including their impact on microbial decontamination and nutritional quality and the associated influencing mechanisms in germination. The effectiveness, application scope, and limitation of the various physical techniques, including ultrasound, microwave, radio frequency, infrared heating, irradiation, pulsed light, plasma, and high-pressure processing, are symmetrically reviewed. Good application potential for improving seed germination and sprout growth is also described for promoting the accumulation of bioactive compounds in sprouts, and subsequently enhancing the antioxidant capacity under favorable PFs processing conditions. Moreover, the challenges and future directions of PFs in the application to germinated edible seeds are finally proposed. This review also attempts to provide an in-depth understanding of the effects of PFs on microbial safety and changes in nutritional properties of germinating edible seeds and a theoretical reference for the future development of PFs in processing safe sprouted seeds.

Dynamic modulation of electric and magnetic toroidal dipole resonance and light trapping in Si-GSST hybrid metasurfaces

The weak coupling of a toroidal dipole (TD) to an electromagnetic field offers great potential for the advanced design of photonic devices. However, simultaneous excitation of electric toroidal dipoles (ETDs) and magnetic toroidal dipoles (MTDs) is currently difficult to achieve. In this work, we propose a hybrid metasurface based on Si and phase transition material G e 2 S b 2 S e 4 T e 1 (GSST), which is formed by four Si columns surrounding a GSST column and can simultaneously excite two different TD (ETD and MTD) resonances. We also calculated the electric field distribution, magnetic field distribution, and multipole decomposition of the two resonances, and the results show that the two modes are ETD resonance and MTD resonance, respectively. The polarization characteristics of these two modes are also investigated, and the average field enhancement factor (EF) of the two modes is calculated. The dynamic modulation of the relative transmission and EF is also achieved based on the tunable properties of the phase change material GSST. Our work provides a way to realize actively tunable TD optical nanodevices.

Measurement of the Prompt D^{0} Nuclear Modification Factor in p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV

The production of prompt D^{0} mesons in proton-lead collisions in both the forward and backward rapidity regions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16  TeV is measured by the LHCb experiment. The nuclear modification factor of prompt D^{0} mesons is determined as a function of the transverse momentum p_{T}, and the rapidity in the nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass frame y^{*}. In the forward rapidity region, significantly suppressed production with respect to pp collisions is measured, which provides significant constraints on models of nuclear parton distributions and hadron production down to the very low Bjorken-x region of ∼10^{-5}. In the backward rapidity region, a suppression with a significance of 2.0-3.8 standard deviations compared to parton distribution functions in a nuclear environment expectations is found in the kinematic region of p_{T}>6  GeV/c and -3.25 Collapse

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Upadacitinib for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: Stratified analysis from three randomized phase 3 trials by key baseline characteristics

BACKGROUND

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a heterogeneous inflammatory skin disease with different clinical phenotypes based on factors such as age, race, comorbidities, and clinical signs and symptoms. The effect of these factors on therapeutic responses in AD has only been scarcely studied and not for upadacitinib. Currently, there is no biomarker predicting response to upadacitinib.

OBJECTIVES

Evaluate the efficacy of the oral Janus kinase inhibitor upadacitinib across patient subgroups (baseline demographics, disease characteristics and prior treatment) in patients with moderate-to-severe AD.

METHODS

Data from phase 3 studies (Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2 and AD Up) were utilized for this post hoc analysis. Adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe AD were randomized to receive once daily oral upadacitinib 15 mg, upadacitinib 30 mg or placebo; patients enrolled in the AD Up study received concomitant topical corticosteroids. Data from the Measure Up 1 and Measure Up 2 studies were integrated.

RESULTS

A total of 2584 patients were randomized. A consistently greater proportion of patients achieved at least 75% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index, a 0 or 1 on the validated Investigator Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis, and improvement in itch (including an achievement of a reduction of ≥4; and score of 0/1 in Worst Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale) with upadacitinib compared with placebo at Week 16, regardless of age, sex, race, body mass index, AD severity, body surface area involvement, history of atopic comorbidities or asthma, or previous exposure to systemic therapy or cyclosporin.

CONCLUSIONS

Upadacitinib had consistently high skin clearance rates and itch efficacy across subgroups of patients with moderate-to-severe AD through Week 16. These results support upadacitinib as a suitable treatment option in a variety of patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT03569293 (Measure Up 1), NCT03607422 (Measure Up 2) and NCT03568318 (AD Up).

Measurement of the Time-Integrated CP Asymmetry in D^{0}→K^{-}K^{+} Decays

The time-integrated CP asymmetry in the Cabibbo-suppressed decay D^{0}→K^{-}K^{+} is measured using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.7  fb^{-1} collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the LHCb detector. The D^{0} mesons are required to originate from promptly produced D^{*+}→D^{0}π^{+} decays, and the charge of the companion pion is used to determine the flavor of the charm meson at production. The time-integrated CP asymmetry is measured to be A_{CP}(K^{-}K^{+})=[6.8±5.4±1.6]×10^{-4} where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The direct CP asymmetries in D^{0}→K^{-}K^{+} and D^{0}→π^{-}π^{+} decays, a_{K^{-}K^{+}}^{d} and a_{π^{-}π^{+}}^{d}, are derived by combining A_{CP}(K^{-}K^{+}) with the time-integrated CP asymmetry difference, ΔA_{CP}=A_{CP}(K^{-}K^{+})-A_{CP}(π^{-}π^{+}), and other inputs, giving a_{K^{-}K^{+}}^{d}=(7.7±5.7)×10^{-4},a_{π^{-}π^{+}}^{d}=(23.2±6.1)×10^{-4},with a correlation coefficient corresponding to ρ=0.88. The compatibility of these results with CP symmetry is 1.4 and 3.8 standard deviations for D^{0}→K^{-}K^{+} and D^{0}→π^{-}π^{+} decays, respectively. This is the first evidence for direct CP violation in a specific D^{0} decay.

The effect of obstructive sleep apnea on fatty liver disease may be obscured by alcohol consumption: An ordinal logistic regression analysis

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is closely associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The current definition of NAFLD cannot exclude the involvement of alcohol consumption in the development of fatty liver disease (FLD), but alcohol can aggravate OSA and participate in steatosis. There is limited evidence on the relationship between OSA and alcohol and its effect on FLD severity.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of OSA on FLD severity based on ordinal responses, and its relationship with alcohol consumption, in order to develop strategies for the prevention and treatment of FLD.

METHODS

Patients with chief complaints of "snoring" who underwent polysomnography and abdominal ultrasound between January 2015 and October 2022 were selected. A total of 325 cases were divided into three groups according to abdominal ultrasound results: no FLD (n = 66), mild FLD (n = 116), and moderately severe FLD (n = 143) group. Patients were also categorized into alcoholic and nonalcoholic groups. Univariate analysis was used to examine the correlation between OSA and FLD severity. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis was further used to identify the determinants of FLD severity and differences between the alcoholic and nonalcoholic groups.

RESULTS

A higher proportion of moderately severe FLD was observed in the group with an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) > 30 compared to the AHI<15 group in all participants and in the nonalcoholic population (all p < 0.05). There was no significant difference among these groups in the alcoholic population. Ordinal logistic regression analysis found that in all participants, age [OR = 0.966(0.947-0.986)], BMI [OR = 1.293 (1.205-1.394)], diabetes mellitus [OR = 1.932(1.132-3.343)], hyperlipidemia [OR = 2.432(1.355-4.464)], severe OSA [OR = 2.36(1.315-4.259)] (all p < 0.05) were the independent risk factors for more severe FLD. However, different risk factors applied according to alcohol consumption. In addition to age and BMI, the independent risk factors for the alcoholic group also included diabetes mellitus [OR = 3.323(1.494-7.834)] while in the non-alcoholic group risk factors included hyperlipidemia [OR = 4.094(1.639-11.137)], and severe OSA[OR = 2.956(1.334-6.664)] (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Severe OSA is an independent determinant for developing more severe NAFLD in nonalcoholic population, and alcohol consumption may obscure the effect of OSA on the progression of FLD.

Dissecting human placental cells heterogeneity in preeclampsia and gestational diabetes using single-cell sequencing

Preeclampsia (PE) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are pregnancy-specific complications, which affect maternal health and fetal outcomes. Currently, clinical and pathological studies have shown that placenta homeostasis is affected by these two maternal diseases. In this study, we aimed to gain insight into the heterogeneous changes in cell types in placental tissue-isolated from cesarean section by single-cell sequencing, including those patients diagnosed with PE (n = 5), GDM (n = 5) and healthy control (n = 5). A total of 96,048 cells (PE: 31,672; GDM: 25,294; control: 39,082) were identified in six cell types, dominated by trophoblast cells and immune cells. In addition, trophoblast cells were divided into four subtypes, including cytotrophoblast cells (CTBs), villous cytotrophoblasts (VCTs), syncytiotrophoblast (STB), and extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs). Immune cells are divided into lymphocytes and macrophages, of which macrophages have 3 subtypes (decidual macrophages, Hofbauer cells and macrophages), and lymphocytes have 4 subtypes (BloodNK, T cells, plasma cells, and decidual natural killer cells). Meanwhile, we also proved the orderly differentiation sequence of CTB into VCT, then STB and EVT. By pair-wise analysis of the expression and enrichment of differentially expressed genes in trophoblast cells between PE, GDM and control, it was found that these cells were involved in immune, nutrient transfer, hormone and oxidative stress pathways. In addition, T cells and macrophages play an immune defense role in both PE and GDM. The proportion of CTB and EVT cells in placental tissue was confirmed by flow cytometry. Taken together, our results suggested that the human placenta is a dynamic heterogenous organ dominated by trophoblast and immune cells, which perform their respective roles and interact with other cells in the environment to maintain normal placental function.

[Clinical characteristics of patients with rheumatic diseases and abnormal liver function]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with rheumatic diseases and abnormal liver function, as well as determine the proportion and severity of liver function abnormalities. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Data were collected from patients registered in the Chinese Rheumatism Date Center from 2011 to 2021. The rheumatic diseases analyzed in this study were rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjogren syndrome (SS), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and gout. Patient data, including demographic characteristics [ such as age, sex, body mass index,(BMI), and smoking history], liver function test results [including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase(ALP), and total bilirubin], and use of anti-rheumatic immune drugs and liver-protective drugs, were collected and compared between groups with normal and abnormal liver functions. In addition, the proportions of abnormal liver function were compared between sex and age groups. Results: A total of 116 308 patients were included in this study, including 49 659 with RA, 17 597 with SLE, 9 039 with SS, 11 321 with AS, and 28 692 with gout. The lowest proportion of liver function abnormalities was observed in patients with RA[11.02% (5 470/49 659)], followed by those with SS[17.97% (1 624/9 039)] and AS [18.22% (2 063/11 321) ], whereas patients with SLE [21.14% (3 720/17 597) ] and gout [28.73% (8 242/28 692)] exhibited the highest proportion of these abnormalities. Elevated ALT, mostly classified as grade 1, was the most commonly noted liver function abnormality, whereas elevated ALP was the least common. Some patients who took liver-protective drugs had normal liver function, with the lowest percentage observed in patients with gout [7.45% (36/483) ] and ranging from 21.7% to 30.34% in patients with RA, SLE, SS, and AS. The proportion of liver function abnormalities was higher in males than in females for all disease types [RA: 13.8%(1 368/9 906) vs. 10.3%(4 102/39 753); SLE: 33.6% (479/1 424) vs. 20.0% (3 241/16 173); SS: 25.4%(111/437) vs. 17.6%(1 513/8 602); AS: 20.1%(1 629/8 119) vs. 13.6% (434/3 202); and gout: 29.3% (8 033/27 394) vs. 16.1% (209/1 298)]. In RA, SLE, and AS, the proportions of liver function abnormalities were similar across all age groups. In SS, the proportion of liver function abnormalities increased with age [<40 years: 14.9%(294/1 979); 40-59 years: 18.1%(858/4 741); ≥60 years: 20.4%(472/2 319)], whereas a reversal of this trend was observed in gout [<40 years: 34.9%(4 294/12 320); 40-59 years: 25.5%(2 905/11 398);≥60 years: 21.0%(1 042/4 971)]. Conclusions: The proportions of combined liver function abnormalities in patients with rheumatologic diseases were high, and the utilization rates of liver-protective drugs were low. It is necessary to pay more attention to monitoring patients' liver function, timely administer liver-protective drugs, and optimize liver-protective regimens during the treatment of rheumatic diseases.