Allicin in pregnancy diets modulates steroid metabolism in pregnant sows and placental sulphate metabolism promoting placental angiogenesis and foetal development

The low-birth-weight of piglets is an important factor affecting pig enterprises. The placenta, as a key organ for material exchange between mother and foetus, directly influences the growth and development of the foetus. Allicin exhibits various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It may also play a crucial role in enhancing sow reproductive performance and placental angiogenesis. In this study, we used 70 lactating Landrace × Yorkshire binary heterozygous sows to explore the effect of allicin on the reproductive performance of sows and placental development. The sows were randomly assigned into the Allicin group (Allicin), which was fed with a diet containing 0.25% allicin, and the negative control group, which was fed with basal feed. The experimental period lasted for 114 d from the date of mating to the end of farrowing. The results showed that the addition of allicin to the gestation diets increased the number of total born piglets, born alive piglets, and high-birth-weight piglets, reduced peripartum oxidative stress, alleviated dysregulation of glucose-lipid metabolism in sows, and increased the levels of antioxidant markers in the placenta. Differential analysis of metabolites in maternal plasma and placenta samples by non-targeted metabolomics revealed that allicin improved cholesterol metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and increased plasma progesterone levels in sows. Allicin promoted sulphur metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism in placental samples and increased the hydrogen sulphide (H2S) content in the placenta. In addition, Quantitative Real-time PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence results showed that allicin upregulated the expression of angiogenesis-related genes, VEGF-A, FLK 1 and Ang 1, in the placenta, implying that it promoted placental angiogenesis. These results indicate that supplementing the diet of pregnant sows with allicin reduces oxidative stress, alleviates dysregulation of glucose-lipid metabolism during the periparturient period, and promotes placental angiogenesis and foetal development by increasing plasma progesterone level and placental H2S content.

Transcriptome analysis of long non-coding RNA associated with embryonic muscle development in chickens

1. Skeletal muscle is an important component of chicken carcass. In chickens, the number of muscle fibres is fixed during the embryonic period, and muscle development during the embryonic period determines the muscle development potential after hatching.2. Beijing-You (BY) and Cornish (CN) chickens show completely different growth rates and body types, and two breeds were used in this study to explore the role of lncRNAs in muscle development during different chicken embryonic periods. A systematic analysis of lncRNAs and mRNAs were conducted in the pectoral muscle tissues of BY and CN chickens at embryonic days 11 (ED11), 13 (ED13), 15 (ED15), 17 (ED17), and 1-day-old (D1) using RNA-seq. A total of 4,104 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) were identified among the five stages, including 2,359 lncRNAs and 1,745 mRNAs.3. The number of DETs between the two breeds at ED17 (1,658 lncRNAs and 1,016 mRNAs) was much higher than the total number of DET at all the other stages (692 lncRNAs and 729 mRNAs), indicating that the two breeds show the largest difference in gene regulation at ED17.4. Correlation analysis was performed for all differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs during the five periods. Forty-three, cis interaction pairs of lncRNA-mRNA related to chicken muscle development were predicted. The expression of four pairs was verified, and the results showed MSTRG.12395.2-FGFBP2 and MSTRG.18590.6-FMOD were significantly up-regulated in CN at ED11 compared to BY and might be important candidate genes for embryonic muscle development.

Comparison of His-Purkinje Conduction System Pacing with Atrial-Ventricular Node Ablation and Pharmacotherapy in HFpEF Patients with Recurrent Persistent Atrial Fibrillation (HPP-AF study)

BACKGROUND

There is currently no particularly effective strategy for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation accompanying heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), especially with recurrent atrial fibrillation after ablation. In this study, we will evaluate a new treatment strategy for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation who had at least two attempts (≧2 times) of radio-frequency catheter ablation but experienced recurrence, and physiologic conduction was reconstructed after atrioventricular node ablation or drug therapy, to control the patient's ventricular rate to maintain a regular heart rhythm, which is called His-Purkinje conduction system pacing (HPCSP) with atrioventricular node ablation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This investigator-initiated, multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial aimed to recruit 296 randomized HFpEF patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation. All the enrolled patients were randomly assigned to the pacing group or the drug treatment group. The primary endpoint is differences in cardiovascular events and clinical composite endpoints (all-cause mortality) between patients in the HPCSP and drug-treated groups. Secondary endpoints included heart failure hospitalization, exercise capacity assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise tests, quality of life, echocardiogram parameters, 6-minute walk distance, NT-ProBNP, daily patient activity levels, and heart failure management report recorded by the CIED. It is planned to compete recruitment by the end of 2023 and report in 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

The study aims to determine whether His-Purkinje conduction system pacing with atrioventricular node ablation can better improve patients' symptoms and quality of life, postpone the progression of heart failure, and reduce the rate of rehospitalization and mortality of patients with heart failure.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR1900027723, URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=46128&htm=4.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Endodontics

Endodontics is the dental specialty foremost concerned with diseases of the pulp and periradicular tissues. Clinicians often face patients with varying symptoms, must critically assess radiographic images in 2 and 3 dimensions, derive complex diagnoses and decision making, and deliver sophisticated treatment. Paired with low intra- and interobserver agreement for radiographic interpretation and variations in treatment outcome resulting from nonstandardized clinical techniques, there exists an unmet need for support in the form of artificial intelligence (AI), providing automated biomedical image analysis, decision support, and assistance during treatment. In the past decade, there has been a steady increase in AI studies in endodontics but limited clinical application. This review focuses on critically assessing the recent advancements in endodontic AI research for clinical applications, including the detection and diagnosis of endodontic pathologies such as periapical lesions, fractures and resorptions, as well as clinical treatment outcome predictions. It discusses the benefits of AI-assisted diagnosis, treatment planning and execution, and future directions including augmented reality and robotics. It critically reviews the limitations and challenges imposed by the nature of endodontic data sets, AI transparency and generalization, and potential ethical dilemmas. In the near future, AI will significantly affect the everyday endodontic workflow, education, and continuous learning.

[Clinicopathological features and prognostic analysis of synchronous mucinous metaplasia and neoplasia of the female genital tract]

Objective: Synchronous mucinous metaplasia and neoplasia of the female genital tract (SMMN-FGT) occurring at multiple sites during the same period of time is extremely rare, and the aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic features of SMMN-FGT and its relationship with prognosis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological features and follow-up records of 25 cases of SMMN-FGT diagnosed from January 2012 to October 2022 in the case database of Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. Results: The mean and median age at onset were 47 and 46 years old, respectively. Clinical manifestations included irregular vaginal bleeding or drainage, pelvic pain, and ovarian cysts, etc. Germline genetic test confirmed Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (P-J syndrome) in two patients. All patients underwent surgery, and some had postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. The most frequent site of lesion was the cervix (21 cases), with 11, 10 and 16 cases occurring in the endometrium, fallopian tubes and ovaries, respectively. Six cases involved three sites simultaneously, and only one case had all four sites involved at the same time. Among the 9 cases with P53 mutation phenotype, 6 cases had gastric-type mucinous adenocarcinoma, 2 cases had lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia, and 1 case had mucinous adenocarcinoma, whereas all the minimally deviated adenocarcinomas had wild phenotype of P53. The median follow-up time was 59 months, during which 3 cases died and 6 cases developed local recurrence or distant metastasis. According to our analysis, postoperative recurrence or metastasis was correlated with the FIGO stage of the disease, the number of lesion sites and the severe degree of the uterine lesions (P＜0.05). Conclusions: SMMN-FGT had a relatively good clinical prognosis, and even advanced patients could benefit from surgery and adjuvant therapy. In young patients, the ovaries may be preserved if no evidence of lesions were seen after adequate evaluation. In SMMN-FGT, gastric-type mucinous adenocarcinoma occurring in the cervix may have a better prognosis than gastric-type mucinous adenocarcinoma of the cervix alone, so the accurate diagnosis of SMMN-FGT is critical for clinical management.

[Fetoscopy for intrauterine diagnosis and treatment of amniotic band syndrome: a clinical analysis of 7 cases and literature review]

Objective: To summarize the clinical value of fetoscopy in the prenatal diagnosis and treatment of amniotic band syndrome (ABS). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of seven ABS fetuses who underwent prenatal fetoscopic intervention at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from December 2020 to August 2023. Literatures related to fetoscopic treatment of ABS were searched in databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and PubMed. Clinical data were extracted and the characteristics and intervention effects of fetoscopic surgery in the treatment of ABS were summarized. Results: (1) Preoperative evaluation: the gestational age at diagnosis for the seven ABS fetuses was (19.8±4.4) weeks, and the gestational age at fetoscopic intervention was (22.2±2.8) weeks. The indications for fetoscopic intervention included umbilical cord involvement (3 cases), limb amniotic band with circular constriction (2 cases), and unclear visualization of digits (3 cases). (2) Pregnancy outcomes: among the seven ABS fetuses, four cases underwent selective termination of pregnancy due to severe intrauterine limb amputation, and three cases underwent fetoscopic lysis of amniotic bands. Among the latter three cases, one case experienced intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) two weeks after the procedure, and two cases had good postoperative outcomes. (3) Literature review: a total of 40 cases, including 37 cases from 17 articles and three cases from our institution, were included in the analysis. The indications for fetoscopic surgery included limb amniotic band with circular constriction and involvement of the umbilical cord. The success rate of the surgery was 82% (33/40), and 78% (29/37) of the affected limbs retained good functionality. Premature rupture of membranes was the most common complication, with an incidence rate of 48% (16/33). The average interval from the surgery to membrane rupture was (6.1±5.1) weeks, and the average interval from the surgery to delivery was (10.5±4.1) weeks, with an average gestational age at delivery of (33.7±3.6) weeks. The pregnant women were divided into single Trocar group (27 cases) and double Trocar group (13 cases) based on the surgical approach. The success rates in single Trocar group and double Trocar group were 78% (21/27) and 12/13, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (χ2=0.474, P=0.491). The gestational age of delivery in the single Trocar group and double Trocar group was (32.7±3.4) and (35.4±3.2) weeks, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (t=-2.185, P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the success rate of the surgery, incidence of premature rupture of membranes, interval between surgery and membrane rupture, interval between surgery and delivery, and preterm delivery rate between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Fetoscopy could be used for prenatal assessment and intrauterine treatment of ABS. Fetoscopic lysis of amniotic bands may be an effective method for treating ABS, which helps preserve limb function and prevent intrauterine limb amputation and IUFD.

[Current status of palliative care for patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer in China: a questionnaire-based survey]

Objective: To analyze the current adoption of palliative care by patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in China. Methods: From 1 March 2023 to 30 June 2023, a questionnaire survey was conducted by random sampling. An exclusive research platform for the Blue Book on Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer. An online questionnaire was sent to medical oncologists (including chief physicians, associate chief physicians, attending physicians and residents) in general hospitals and oncology hospitals in four major regions of East, Central, South and Northeast China. The questionnaire contained 28 questions requesting basic information about doctors, the number of patients with mCRC, the status of treatment from first to fourth line and beyond, points concerning treatment of pain in patients with mCRC, and expectations for the future. A medical team was responsible for the quality control of data collected, whereas statisticians performed the data cleaning and sorting and statistical analysis. Results: A total of 300 clinical questionnaires were collected, including 217 (72%) from doctors in general hospitals and 83 (28%) from doctors in oncology hospitals. Senior physicians (including associate chief physicians and chief physicians) accounted for 65% of the respondents, attending physicians 30%, and residents 5%. Within 3 months (average for each month), 46.4±26.6% patients were diagnosed with recurrent or unresectable mCRC by each physician, 51.6±26.8% of the patients being in cancer hospitals and 44.4±26.3% in general hospitals. One hundred percent of patients receiving first-line treatment received palliative care, as did 80.3% of those receiving second-line treatment, 58.2% of those receiving third-line treatment, and 35.1% of those receiving ≥fourth-line treatment. The primary factor governing selection of first-line treatment was guideline recommendations, whereas comorbidities and the patients' physical status dictated second line to fourth line treatment. Standard first-line treatment was administered to 93.8% of eligible patients, standard second-line treatment to 94.3%; and standard third-line treatment to 73.5%. First-line therapy included targeted therapy in 63.6% of patients and immunotherapy in 2.8%; second-line therapy included targeted therapy in 63.0% of patients and immunotherapy in 2.0%; third-line therapy included targeted therapy in 59.2% of patients and immunotherapy in 2.2%; and fourth-line therapy included targeted therapy in 48.7% of patients and immunotherapy in 3.1%. First-line treatment lasted an average of 9.6 months, second-line treatment 6.7 months, third-line treatment 4.9 months, and fourth-line treatment 3.7 months. More than 70% of the patients maintained a good quality of life after receiving first and second-line treatment and more than 60% of them had ECOG performance scores of 0-1. After receiving third- and fourth-line treatment, 50%-60% of patients maintained a good quality of life and 40%-50% of them maintained ECOG performance scores of 0-1. The survey also revealed that the main deficiencies in treatment were limited effectiveness of third-line treatment, insufficient availability and opportunity for clinical research, popularity of new drugs or new drug combination strategies, and limited channels for participation in multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment. Clinicians reported looking forward to participating in more clinical research on new drugs, hearing about the experience of experts in the field, and discovery of new targets and new drugs that increased the options for posterior line treatment of colorectal cancer. Conclusions: This report objectively summarizes the current situation, treatment difficulties, and expectations of frontline physicians concerning management of mCRC, thus providing a basis for decision-making and future direction for the diagnosis and research on treatment of mCRC.

[Mechanisms by which Mettl3 regulates pericyte-myofibroblast transdifferentiation through PI3K/AKT signaling pathway]

Objective: To investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of methyltransferase (Mettl) 3 in the process of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ)-induced pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation and renal fibrosis. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were used, in cell experiments, mouse renal pericytes were isolated and cultured using magnetic bead sorting. These pericytes were then induced to transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts with 1×106 mmol/L Ang Ⅱ, which was the Ang Ⅱ group, while pericytes cultured in normal conditions served as the control group. Successful transdifferentiation was verified by immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, and real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). The levels of m6A modifications and related enzymes (Mettl3, Mettl14), Wilms tumor 1-associated protein (WTAP), fat mass and obesity protein (FTO), ALKBH5, YTHDF1, YTHDF2, YTHDC1, YTHDC2, YTHDC3 were assessed by Dot blot, RT-qPCR and Western blot. Mettl3 expression was inhibited in cells using lentivirus-mediated Mettl3-shRNA transfection, creating sh-Mettl3 and Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 groups, while lentivirus empty vector transfection served as the negative control (Ang Ⅱ+sh-NC group). The impact of Ang Ⅱ on pericyte transdifferentiation was observed, and the expression of downstream phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway proteins, including PI3K, AKT, phosphorylated AKT at serine 473 (p-AKT (S473)), and phosphorylated AKT at threonine 308 (p-AKT (T308)), were examined. PI3K gene transcription was inhibited by co-culturing cells with actinomycin D, and the half-life of PI3K mRNA was calculated by measuring residual PI3K mRNA expression over different co-culture time. The reversibility of Mettl3 inhibition on Ang Ⅱ-induced pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation was assessed by adding the AKT activator SC79 to the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group. In animal experiments, mice were divided into these groups: sham group (administered 0.9% sterile saline), Ang Ⅱ group (infused with Ang Ⅱ solution), sh-Mettl3 group (injected with Mettl3 shRNA lentivirus solution), Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group (infused with Ang Ⅱ solution and injected with Mettl3 shRNA lentivirus solution), and Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3+SC79 group (administered Ang Ⅱ solution and Mettl3 shRNA lentivirus, with an additional injection of SC79). Each group consisted of six subject mice. Blood pressure was measured using the tail-cuff method before and after surgery, and serum creatinine, urea, and urinary albumin levels were determined 4 weeks post-surgery. Kidney tissues were collected at 28 days and stained using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson's trichrome to assess the extent of renal fibrosis. Results: Primary renal pericytes were successfully obtained by magnetic bead sorting, and intervened with 1×106 mmol/L Ang Ⅱ for 48 hours to induce pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation. Dot blot results indicated higher m6A modification levels in the Ang Ⅱ group compared to the control group (P<0.05). RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed upregulation of Mettl3 mRNA and protein levels in the Ang Ⅱ group compared to the control group (both P<0.05). In the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group, Mettl3 protein expression was lower than that in the Ang Ⅱ group, with reduced expression levels of α-SMA, vimentin, desmin, fibroblast agonist protein (FAPa) and type Ⅰ collagen (all P<0.05). Compared to the control group, PI3K mRNA expression level was elevated in the Ang Ⅱ group, along with increased p-AKT (S473) and p-AKT (T308) expressions. In the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group, PI3K mRNA expression and p-AKT (S473) and p-AKT (T308) levels were decreased (all P<0.05). The half-life of PI3K mRNA was shorter in the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group than that in the Ang Ⅱ+sh-NC group (2.34 h vs. 3.42 h). The ameliorative effect of Mettl3 inhibition on Ang Ⅱ-induced pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation was reversible by SC79. Animal experiments showed higher blood pressure, serum creatinine, urea, and 24-hour urinary protein levels, and a larger fibrosis area in the Ang Ⅱ group compared to the sham group (all P<0.05). The fibrosis area was smaller in the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group than that in the Ang Ⅱ group (P<0.05), but increased again upon addition of SC79. Conclusion: Mettl3-mediated RNA m6A epigenetic regulation is involved in Ang Ⅱ-induced pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation and renal fibrosis, potentially by affecting PI3K stability and regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

[Effect of preoperative oral ibuprofen on postoperative pain after dental implantation: a randomized controlled trial]

Objective: To evaluate the effect of preemptive analgesia with ibuprofen on postoperative pain following single posterior tooth implantation, aiming to provide a clinical reference for its application. Methods: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group trial was conducted. A total of 82 participants were included in the trial, meeting the eligibility criteria from April 2022 to April 2024 at the Capital Medical University School of Stomatology (40 cases), Beijing TianTan Hospital, Capital Medical University (22 cases), Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University (20 cases). Participants were randomly assigned in a 1∶1 ratio to either the ibuprofen group or the control group, with each group comprising 41 individuals. Participants in the ibuprofen group received 300 mg of sustained-release ibuprofen capsules orally 15 min before surgery, while the control group received a placebo. Both groups received the same postoperative analgesic regimen for 3 days. Pain scores were assessed using the Numerical rating scale (NRS) at 30 min, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h postoperatively, and the additional use of analgesic medication was recorded from days 4 to 6 postoperatively. Results: A total of 82 participants were initially enrolled in the study, with 7 dropouts (4 from the control group and 3 from the ibuprofen group), resulting in 75 participants (37 in the control group and 38 in the ibuprofen group) completing the trial. There were no reports of adverse events such as nausea or vomiting among the participants. The ibuprofen group exhibited significantly lower pain scores at 4 h, 6 h and 8 h [1.0 (0.0, 2.0), 1.0 (0.0, 2.0), 1.5 (0.0, 3.0) ] postoperatively compared to the control group 4 h, 6 h and 8 h [2.0 (1.0, 3.0), 3.0 (1.5, 4.0), 2.0 (1.0, 4.0)] (Z=-1.99, P=0.047; Z=-3.01, P=0.003; Z=2.10, P=0.036). The proportions of patients requiring additional analgesic medication between days 4 and 6 post-surgery were 18.4% (7/38) in the ibuprofen group and 27.0% (10/37) in the control group, with no significant difference (χ2=0.79, P=0.373). The median additional medication usage postoperatively was [0.0 (0.0, 0.0) pills] in the ibuprofen group and [0.0 (0.0, 1.0) pills] in the control group, with no significant difference (Z=-0.78, P=0.439). Conclusions: Preemptive analgesia with ibuprofen effectively reduces postoperative pain following tooth implantation, representing a safe and effective perioperative pain management strategy.

[Case report and treatment analysis of chlorfenapyr poisoning]

Chlorfenapyr is a kind of insecticide widely used in agriculture. Acute chlorfenapyr poisoning has a high mortality rate and there is no effective treatment at present. Poisoning caused by oral chlorfenapyr can lead to multiple organs damage such as heart, brain, muscle and retina. Clinical treatment should remove toxicants from the body early to improve the prognosis. In this paper, the death data of 3 patients with chlorfenapyr poisoning were reported and literature search was conducted to discuss the mechanism and treatment of chlorfenapyr poisoning.

Statistical Combination of ATLAS Run 2 Searches for Charginos and Neutralinos at the LHC

Statistical combinations of searches for charginos and neutralinos using various decay channels are performed using 139  fb^{-1} of pp collision data at sqrt[s]=13  TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Searches targeting pure-wino chargino pair production, pure-wino chargino-neutralino production, or Higgsino production decaying via standard model W, Z, or h bosons are combined to extend the mass reach to the produced supersymmetric particles by 30-100 GeV. The depth of the sensitivity of the original searches is also improved by the combinations, lowering the 95% C.L. cross-section upper limits by 15%-40%.

Search for Z Z and Z H production in the b b ¯ b b ¯ final state using proton-proton collisions at s = 13 Te V

A search forZ Z andZ H production in theb b ¯ b b ¯ final state is presented, where H is the standard model (SM) Higgs boson. The search uses an event sample of proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 133fb - 1 collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The analysis introduces several novel techniques for deriving and validating a multi-dimensional background model based on control samples in data. A multiclass multivariate classifier customized for theb b ¯ b b ¯ final state is developed to derive the background model and extract the signal. The data are found to be consistent, within uncertainties, with the SM predictions. The observed (expected) upper limits at 95% confidence level are found to be 3.8 (3.8) and 5.0 (2.9) times the SM prediction for theZ Z andZ H production cross sections, respectively.

[Effect of donor and recipient HLA mismatched locus on the prognosis of childhood with leukemia after umbilical cord blood transplantation]

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the sites of high-resolution human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatch on the prognosis of children with leukemia undergoing umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT). Methods: Clinical data and high-resolution HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 locus gene information were collected in the children who underwent the UCBT for the first time at Children's Hospital of Soochow University between January 2016 and June 2023. In each locus, according to whether the two genes were compatible, they were divided into a compatible group (two genes were perfectly matched) and a non-compatible group (one gene was not matched). In different loci, the differences in occurrence, recurrence, non-recurrence death and survival of acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) were compared between the two groups. Multivariate Cox regression was employed to analyzed the influencing factors for overall survival rate, and Fine-Gray proportional hazards model was employed to analyze the influencing factors of other outcome events. Results: A total of 100 patients were enrolled (55 males and 45 females), whose age [M (Q1, Q3)] at the time of transplantation was 3.9 (2.0, 6.5) years. There were 55 cases in the HLA-A matched group and 45 cases in the mismatched group. The 5-year non-recurrence mortality (NRM) in the HLA-A matched group was lower than that in the mismatched group (P=0.024). The cumulative incidence of aGVHD within 100 days after transplantation in the HLA-A matched group was lower than that in the mismatched group (P=0.017), and there were no statistically significant differences in other outcome events between the groups (all P>0.05). There were 70 cases in the HLA-B matched group and 30 cases in the mismatched group. The 5-year cumulative recurrence rate in the HLA-B matched group was higher than that in the mismatched group (P=0.027). There were 79 cases in the HLA-C matched group and 21 cases in the mismatched group, and there were no statistically difference in the outcome events between the groups (P>0.05). There were 73 cases in HLA-DRB1 matched group and 27 cases in mismatched group. The 5-year overall survival rate in HLA-DRB1 matched group was higher than that in mismatched group (P=0.036), the 5-year cumulative recurrence rate in HLA-DRB1 matched group was higher than that in mismatched group (P=0.028), and the 5-year NRM in HLA-DRB1 matched group was lower than that in mismatched group (P=0.008). The cumulative incidence of aGVHD within 100 days after transplantation in the matched group was lower than that in the mismatched group (P=0.010), and and there were no statistically significant difference in other outcome events between the groups (P>0.05). There were 68 cases in HLA-DQB1 matched group and 32 cases in mismatched group. There was no statistical difference in outcome events between the two groups (all P>0.05). The risk of aGVHD in HLA-A mismatched group was higher than that in HLA-A matched group (HR=1.25, 95%CI: 1.12-1.38). The risk of recurrence in HLA-B mismatched group was lower than that in HLA-B matched group (HR=0.77, 95%CI: 0.63-0.91). Mismatched group at HLA-DRB1 compared with matched group at HLA-DRB1, had a higher risk of aGVHD (HR=1.37, 95%CI: 1.26-1.48), a higher risk of non-recurrence death (HR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.28-1.50), and a higher risk of death (HR=1.27, 95%CI: 1.18-1.36). No association was found between HLA-C and HLA-DQB1 locus with the risk of aGVHD, recurrence, non-recurrence death, and survival (all P>0.05). Conclusions: In UCBT, the risk of aGVHD in children with matching HLA-A sites of donor and recipient is lower than that in children with incompatible HLA-A sites. Compared with children with incompatible HLA-DRB1 sites, children with HLA-DRB1 matched sites has a lower risk of acute GVHD, a lower 5-year NRM, and a higher risk of death. The recurrence rate of children with matching HLA-B loci is higher than that of children without matching HLA-B loci.

[Clinical features and prognostic factors of advanced myelodysplastic syndromes in children]

Objective: To investigate the clinical features and prognostic factors of advanced myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) in children. Methods: Clinical data of children diagnosed with advanced MDS in the Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, between September 2009 and April 2022 were retrospectively collected. Follow-up assessments were performed through telephone interviews and the review of medical records until May 1, 2023. The clinical features of children with advanced MDS were summarized by analyzing chromosomal karyotype tests, second-generation gene sequencing results. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to investigate the prognostic factors of advanced MDS in children. Results: A total of 69 children, comprising 49 males and 20 females, aged [M (Q1, Q3)] 8 (5, 10) years, were enrolled in the study. Sixty-seven cases underwent chromosomal karyotype testing, of which 42 cases (62.7%) had abnormal karyotypes, with monosomy 7 the most common in 17 cases (25.4%). Forty-three cases underwent next-generation sequencing, with mutations in the SETBP1, NRAS, PTPN11 and RUNX1 genes more common, identified in 12 cases (27.9%), 9 cases (20.9%), 8 cases(18.6%), and 8 cases(18.6%), respectively. The follow-up time [M (Q1, Q3)] was 26 (13, 56) months and the 5-year overall survival rate was 56%(95%CI: 44.4%-70.5%). The 5-year overall survival rate for children who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was higher than that of children who did not undergo HSCT (73.9% vs 29.1%, P<0.001). HSCT (HR=0.118, 95%CI: 0.037-0.372, P<0.001) was a protective factor for the overall survival rate of children with advanced MDS. Serum ferritin level>356.3 μg/L (HR=6.497, 95%CI: 2.068-20.415, P=0.001) and moderate to severe splenomegaly (HR=4.075, 95%CI: 1.174-14.141, P=0.027) were risk factors for the overall survival rate of children with advanced MDS. Conclusions: Monosomy 7 was the most common abnormal karyotype and SETBP1 was the gene that had the highest mutation frequency in children with advanced MDS. HSCT, increased ferritin and moderate to severe splenomegaly are prognostic factors influencing the overall survival rate of children with advanced MDS.

[Efficacy of venetoclax-based induction regimen in newly diagnosed pediatric acute myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To explore the efficacy of venetoclax-based induction regimen for children with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Methods: Children with newly diagnosed AML in Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University and Baoding Hospital Affliliated to Capital Medical University from November 2019 and December 2023 were prospectively included. The patients were divided into DAH group (daunorubicin, cytarabine and homoharringtonine) and VAH group (venetoclax, cytarabine and homoharringtonine) according to induction regimen. The clinical data of the children were collected, the clinical characteristics and induced remission rate between the two groups were compared, and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors affecting the induced remission rate. Results: A total of 135 patients were enrolled, including 96 cases in the DAH group (54 males and 42 females), aged [M (Q1, Q3)] 6.4 (3.9, 11.6) years and 39 cases in the VAH group (26 males and 13 females), aged 8.0 (6.2, 13.2) years. Among patients initially diagnosed with low-medium risk AML, the morphologic complete remission rates were 94.7% (18/19) in the VAH group and 84.4% (38/45) in the DAH group, respectively, and the negativity conversion rates of minirnal residual disease (MRD) were 57.9% (11/19) and 46.7% (21/45), respectively, with no statistically difference (all P>0.05). Among patients initially diagnoised with high-risk AML, the morphologic complete remission rates in the VAH group was higher than that in the DAH group [95.0% (19/20) vs 70.6% (36/51), P=0.027], and negativity conversion rates of MRD were 45.0% (9/20) and 33.3% (17/51), respectively, with no statistically difference (P=0.359). The induction regimen (venetoclax, cytarabine and homoharringtonin) was beneficial to morphological remission (OR=0.126, 95%CI: 0.025-0.629). FLT3 mutation was not conducive to morphological remission (OR=5.832, 95%CI: 1.778-19.124) and negative MRD (OR=4.166, 95%CI: 1.396-12.433). Conclusion: Venetoclax-based induction regimen is more effective than traditional chemotherapy regimen for newly diagnosed pediatric AML.

Observation of the ϒ(3S) Meson and Suppression of ϒ States in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

The production of ϒ(2S) and ϒ(3S) mesons in lead-lead (Pb-Pb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions is studied in their dimuon decay channel using the CMS detector at the LHC. The ϒ(3S) meson is observed for the first time in Pb-Pb collisions, with a significance above 5 standard deviations. The ratios of yields measured in Pb-Pb and pp collisions are reported for both the ϒ(2S) and ϒ(3S) mesons, as functions of transverse momentum and Pb-Pb collision centrality. These ratios, when appropriately scaled, are significantly less than unity, indicating a suppression of ϒ yields in Pb-Pb collisions. This suppression increases from peripheral to central Pb-Pb collisions. Furthermore, the suppression is stronger for ϒ(3S) mesons compared to ϒ(2S) mesons, extending the pattern of sequential suppression of quarkonium states in nuclear collisions previously seen for the J/ψ, ψ(2S), ϒ(1S), and ϒ(2S) mesons.

[Value of histological activity in predicting endoscopic relapse among patients of ulcerative colitis in endoscopic remission]

Objective: To investigate the value of histological evaluation in predicting endoscopic relapse among patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who were in endoscopic remission, and to compare the usefulness of various histological scoring systems. Methods: Histological sections from 61 patients with UC who were in endoscopic remission were retrospectively analyzed, at Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China from January 2015 to June 2021. They were subdivided into endoscopic persistent remission group (remission group, n=31, Mayo endoscopic score 0) and endoscopic relapse group (relapse group, n=30, Mayo endoscopic score≥1) according to the results of the first endoscopic reexamination after the biopsy. Histological evaluation was performed using the Geboes score (GS) and its simplified version (SGS), the Nancy index (NI) and the Robarts histopathological index (RHI). The median and maximum histological scores for each case in all biopsies were recorded. Univariate comparisons were performed using chi-squares and multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression. The values of four histological evaluation systems for predicting endoscopic relapse among UC patients in endoscopic remission were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Significant differences were observed between the remission and relapse groups. The differences were more pronounced in the maximum histological scores; the mean and highest results of area under the ROC curve scores (AUC) for GS, SGS, NI, and RHI were 0.657, 0.668, 0.682, 0.691, and 0.866, 0.863, 0.864, 0.869, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The corresponding best cut-offs were GS≥2B.1, SGS≥2B.1, NI≥2, and RHI≥2.5, respectively, which meant mild active inflammation histologically, while there was no statistical difference of AUC among the four histological scoring indices (P>0.05). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed statistically significant differences in the number of neutrophils in the epithelium and lamina propria (P<0.05). Conclusions: Biopsies from UC patients in endoscopic remission may still have histological active inflammation which appears to correlate with endoscopic relapse. Four commonly used histological scoring systems can be used to assess the risk of endoscopic relapse among UC patients in endoscopic remission. The patients who more likely have endoscopic relapse seem to have a histological score greater than the cut-off value (i.e., mild histological activity). The maximum histological scores can accurately predict the risk of endoscopic relapse, while the presence of epithelial and laminar propria neutrophil infiltrates can independently predict the endoscopic relapse in these patients. Considering the utility and convenience in routine practice, NI is recommended for evaluating histological inflammatory activity.

Precise Spectroscopy of the 3n and 3p Systems via the ^{3}H(t, ^{3}He)3n and ^{3}He(^{3}He, t)3p Reactions at Intermediate Energies

To search for low-energy resonant structures in isospin T=3/2 three-body systems, we have performed the experiments ^{3}H(t,^{3}He)3n and ^{3}He(^{3}He,t)3p at intermediate energies. For the 3n experiment, we have newly developed a thick Ti-^{3}H target that has the largest tritium thickness among targets of this type ever made. The 3n experiment for the first time covered the momentum-transfer region as low as 15  MeV/c, which provides ideal conditions for producing fragile systems. However, in the excitation-energy spectra we obtained, we did not observe any distinct peak structures. This is in sharp contrast to tetraneutron spectra. The distributions of the 3n and 3p spectra are found to be similar, except for the displacement in energy due to Coulomb repulsion. Comparisons with theoretical calculations suggest that three-body correlations exist in the 3n and 3p systems, although not enough to produce a resonant peak.

Search for Narrow Trijet Resonances in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for singly produced narrow resonances decaying to three well-separated hadronic jets is presented. The search uses proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, collected at the CERN LHC. No significant deviations from the background predictions are observed between 1.75 and 9.00 TeV. The results provide the first mass limits on a right-handed boson Z_{R} decaying to three gluons and on an excited quark decaying via a vector boson to three quarks, as well as updated limits on a Kaluza-Klein gluon decaying via a radion to three gluons.

Comparison of "IN-REC-SUR-E" and LISA in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome: a randomized controlled trial (IN-REC-LISA trial)

BACKGROUND

Surfactant is a well-established therapy for preterm neonates affected by respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The goals of different methods of surfactant administration are to reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation and the severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD); however, the optimal administration method remains unknown. This study compares the effectiveness of the INtubate-RECruit-SURfactant-Extubate (IN-REC-SUR-E) technique with the less-invasive surfactant administration (LISA) technique, in increasing BPD-free survival of preterm infants. This is an international unblinded multicenter randomized controlled study in which preterm infants will be randomized into two groups to receive IN-REC-SUR-E or LISA surfactant administration.

METHODS

In this study, 382 infants born at 24+0-27+6 weeks' gestation, not intubated in the delivery room and failing nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) or nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) during the first 24 h of life, will be randomized 1:1 to receive IN-REC-SUR-E or LISA surfactant administration. The primary outcome is a composite outcome of death or BPD at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age. The secondary outcomes are BPD at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age; death; pulse oximetry/fraction of inspired oxygen; severe intraventricular hemorrhage; pneumothorax; duration of respiratory support and oxygen therapy; pulmonary hemorrhage; patent ductus arteriosus undergoing treatment; percentage of infants receiving more doses of surfactant; periventricular leukomalacia, severe retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis; total in-hospital stay; systemic postnatal steroids; neurodevelopmental outcomes; and respiratory function testing at 24 months of age. Randomization will be centrally provided using both stratification and permuted blocks with random block sizes and block order. Stratification factors will include center and gestational age (24+0 to 25+6 weeks or 26+0 to 27+6 weeks). Analyses will be conducted in both intention-to-treat and per-protocol populations, utilizing a log-binomial regression model that corrects for stratification factors to estimate the adjusted relative risk (RR).

DISCUSSION

This trial is designed to provide robust data on the best method of surfactant administration in spontaneously breathing preterm infants born at 24+0-27+6 weeks' gestation affected by RDS and failing nCPAP or NIPPV during the first 24 h of life, comparing IN-REC-SUR-E to LISA technique, in increasing BPD-free survival at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age of life.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05711966. Registered on February 3, 2023.

Inflammation Triggers Chondrocyte Ferroptosis in TMJOA via HIF-1α/TFRC

Inflammation and loss of articular cartilage are considered the major cause of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA), a painful condition of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). To determine the cause of TMJ osteoarthritis in these patients, synovial fluid of TMJOA patients was compared prior to and after hyaluronic lavage, revealing substantially elevated levels of interleukin (IL) 1β, reactive oxidative stress (ROS), and an overload of Fe3+ and Fe2+ prior to lavage, indicative of ferroptosis as a mode of chondrocyte cell death. To ask whether prolonged inflammatory conditions resulted in ferroptosis-like transformation in vitro, we subjected TMJ chondrocytes to IL-1β treatment, resulting in a shift in messenger RNA sequencing gene ontologies related to iron homeostasis and oxidative stress-related cell death. Exposure to rat unilateral anterior crossbite conditions resulted in reduced COL2A1 expression, fewer chondrocytes, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) downregulation, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) upregulation, an effect that was reversed after intra-articular injections of the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin 1 (Fer-1). Our study demonstrated that ferroptosis conditions affected mitochondrial structure and function, while the inhibitor Fer-1 restored mitochondrial structure and the inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) or the transferrin receptor 1 (TFRC) rescued IL-1β-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Inhibition of HIF-1α downregulated IL-1β-induced TFRC expression, while inhibition of TFRC did not downregulate IL-1β-induced HIF-1α expression in chondrocytes. Moreover, inhibition of HIF-1α or TFRC downregulated the IL-1β-induced MMP13 expression in chondrocytes, while inhibition of HIF-1α or TFRC rescued IL-1β-inhibited COL2A1 expression in chondrocytes. Furthermore, upregulation of TFRC promoted Fe2+ entry into chondrocytes, inducing the Fenton reaction and lipid peroxidation, which in turn caused ferroptosis, a disruption in chondrocyte functions, and an exacerbation of condylar cartilage degeneration. Together, these findings illustrate the far-reaching effects of chondrocyte ferroptosis in TMJOA as a mechanism causing chondrocyte death through iron overload, oxidative stress, and articular cartilage degeneration and a potential major cause of TMJOA.

Clinical study of antibacterial medical textiles containing polyhydroxyalkanoate oligomers for reduction of hospital-acquired infections

INTRODUCTION

The prevention and control of hospital-acquired infections remain a significant challenge worldwide, as textiles used in hospital wards are highly involved in transmission processes. This paper reports a new antibacterial medical fabric used to prepare hospital pillowcases, bottom sheets and quilt covers for controlling and reducing hospital-acquired infections.

METHOD

The medical fabric was composed of blended yarns of staple polyester (PET) and degradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)/polylactic acid (PLA) fibres, which were coated with polylactide oligomers (PLAO), which are environmentally friendly and safe antimicrobial agents with excellent thermal stability in high-temperature laundry. A clinical trial was conducted, with emphasis on the bacterial species that were closely related to the infection cases in the study hospital.

RESULT

After 7 days of use, 94% of PET/PHBV/PLA-PLAO fabric retained <20 colony-forming units/100 cm2 of the total bacterial amount, meeting hygiene and cleanliness standards.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates the potential of fabrics containing polyhydroxyalkanoate oligomers as highly effective, safe and long-lasting antimicrobial medical textiles that can effectively reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infections.

Noise suppression for an aeromagnetic measurement system on an unmanned helicopter

An unmanned helicopter is one of the main platforms for conducting unmanned aerial vehicle aeromagnetic measurements and combines the advantages of rotary-wing and fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. However, unmanned helicopter-based aeromagnetic measurement systems face complex static magnetic noise and maneuvering magnetic interference, which limit their practical performance. To address this issue, an improved multi-channel frequency measurement algorithm for the optically pumped magnetic sensor is proposed to suppress the static magnetic noise proportional to the frequency noise generated by the random quantization error and the airborne electromagnetic interference. A novel aeromagnetic compensation method for the maneuvering magnetic interference is then proposed to weaken the negative effects of the strong multicollinearity of the attitude parameters of the unmanned helicopter on the compensation accuracy and stability by introducing a regularization term and weight matrix. In addition, dedicated software is developed for the real-time calculation and compensation of magnetic interference fields. A dedicated unmanned-helicopter-based aeromagnetic measurement system is developed, and ground and flight experiments are carried out. The ground test results indicate that the static noise of the proposed system is only 0.000 82 nT. In the flight experiments, the system achieves an improvement ratio of 8.33, which is higher than the improvement ratio of 4.37 for a state-of-the-art commercial compensator. Furthermore, the dynamic noise after compensation decreases by 37.6% from 0.0157 to 0.0098 nT.