Search for Higgs Boson Pair Production in the Four b Quark Final State in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for pairs of Higgs bosons produced via gluon and vector boson fusion is presented, focusing on the four b quark final state. The data sample consists of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. No deviation from the background-only hypothesis is observed. A 95% confidence level upper limit on the Higgs boson pair production cross section is observed at 3.9 times the standard model prediction for an expected value of 7.8. Constraints are also set on the modifiers of the Higgs field self-coupling, κ_{λ}, and of the coupling of two Higgs bosons to two vector bosons, κ_{2 V}. The observed (expected) allowed intervals at the 95% confidence level are -2.3<κ_{λ}<9.4 (-5.0<κ_{λ}<12.0) and -0.1<κ_{2 V}<2.2 (-0.4<κ_{2 V}<2.5). These are the most stringent observed constraints to date on the HH production cross section and on the κ_{2 V } coupling.

Prognostic factors for 495 nonoperative esophageal squamous cancer patients receiving IMRT plus chemotherapy: A retrospective analysis

PURPOSE

Chemoradiotherapy is regarded as a standard scheme for inoperable and unresectable esophageal cancers. Our aims were to explore the prognostic factors relevant to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) following intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) plus chemotherapy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Totally 495 ESCC patients undergoing IMRT combined with chemotherapy in our hospital between 2011 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Potential clinical prognosis-related factors were assessed by uni- and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the ESCC patients were 2.25 and 1.24years, respectively. Uni- and multivariate analyses demonstrated the relevant independent prognostic factors of OS and PFS were gender, T stage, N stage, clinical stage, and tumor location (P<0.05), but not chemotherapy or radiotherapy dose. We further compared the 5-year OS rates among different T stages, N stages, clinical stages, genders, and tumor locations. The survival rate at the higher clinical stage was significantly lower (P<0.001). The 5-year OS in the upper thorax of the tumor was 46.0% and exceeded other tumor locations (P<0.05). The 5-year OS was 56.1% among females and 33.3% among males (P=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

For ESCC patients receiving IMRT combined with chemotherapy, their long-term curative effects are influenced by T stages, N stages, clinical stages, genders, and tumor locations. ESCC patients who are females, or have upper thoracic tumor, or are at early clinical stage own better prognosis.

Clinical characteristics with inflammation profiling of long COVID and association with 1-year recovery following hospitalisation in the UK: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

No effective pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions exist for patients with long COVID. We aimed to describe recovery 1 year after hospital discharge for COVID-19, identify factors associated with patient-perceived recovery, and identify potential therapeutic targets by describing the underlying inflammatory profiles of the previously described recovery clusters at 5 months after hospital discharge.

METHODS

The Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID) is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study recruiting adults (aged ≥18 years) discharged from hospital with COVID-19 across the UK. Recovery was assessed using patient-reported outcome measures, physical performance, and organ function at 5 months and 1 year after hospital discharge, and stratified by both patient-perceived recovery and recovery cluster. Hierarchical logistic regression modelling was performed for patient-perceived recovery at 1 year. Cluster analysis was done using the clustering large applications k-medoids approach using clinical outcomes at 5 months. Inflammatory protein profiling was analysed from plasma at the 5-month visit. This study is registered on the ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN10980107, and recruitment is ongoing.

FINDINGS

2320 participants discharged from hospital between March 7, 2020, and April 18, 2021, were assessed at 5 months after discharge and 807 (32·7%) participants completed both the 5-month and 1-year visits. 279 (35·6%) of these 807 patients were women and 505 (64·4%) were men, with a mean age of 58·7 (SD 12·5) years, and 224 (27·8%) had received invasive mechanical ventilation (WHO class 7-9). The proportion of patients reporting full recovery was unchanged between 5 months (501 [25·5%] of 1965) and 1 year (232 [28·9%] of 804). Factors associated with being less likely to report full recovery at 1 year were female sex (odds ratio 0·68 [95% CI 0·46-0·99]), obesity (0·50 [0·34-0·74]) and invasive mechanical ventilation (0·42 [0·23-0·76]). Cluster analysis (n=1636) corroborated the previously reported four clusters: very severe, severe, moderate with cognitive impairment, and mild, relating to the severity of physical health, mental health, and cognitive impairment at 5 months. We found increased inflammatory mediators of tissue damage and repair in both the very severe and the moderate with cognitive impairment clusters compared with the mild cluster, including IL-6 concentration, which was increased in both comparisons (n=626 participants). We found a substantial deficit in median EQ-5D-5L utility index from before COVID-19 (retrospective assessment; 0·88 [IQR 0·74-1·00]), at 5 months (0·74 [0·64-0·88]) to 1 year (0·75 [0·62-0·88]), with minimal improvements across all outcome measures at 1 year after discharge in the whole cohort and within each of the four clusters.

INTERPRETATION

The sequelae of a hospital admission with COVID-19 were substantial 1 year after discharge across a range of health domains, with the minority in our cohort feeling fully recovered. Patient-perceived health-related quality of life was reduced at 1 year compared with before hospital admission. Systematic inflammation and obesity are potential treatable traits that warrant further investigation in clinical trials.

FUNDING

UK Research and Innovation and National Institute for Health Research.

Efficacy and safety of outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy in patients with infective endocarditis: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical outcome of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) during and after outpatient parenteral antimicrobial treatment (OPAT), and to further clarify the safety and efficacy of OPAT for IE patients.

METHODS

Through December 20, 2021, a total of 331 articles were preliminarily searched in Pubmed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Embase, and 9 articles were eventually included in this study.

RESULTS

A total of 9 articles comprising 1,116 patients were included in this study. The overall mortality rate of patients treated with OPAT was 0.04 (95% CI, 0.02-0.07), that means 4 deaths per 100 patients treated with OPAT. Separately, mortality was low during the follow-up period after OPAT treatment, with an effect size (ES) of 0.03 (95%CI, 0.02-0.07) and the mortality of patients during OPAT treatment was 0.04 (95% CI, 0.01-0.12). In addition, the readmission rate was found to be 0.14 (95% CI, 0.09-0.22) during the follow-up and 0.18 (95% CI, 0.08-0.39) during treatment, and 0.16 (95% CI, 0.10-0.24) for patients treated with OPAT in general. Regarding the relapse of IE in patients, our results showed a low overall relapse rate, with an ES of 0.03 (95% CI, 0.01-0.05). In addition, we found that the incidence of adverse events was low, with an ES of 0.26 (95% CI, 0.19-0.33).

CONCLUSIONS

In general, the incidence of adverse events and mortality, readmission, and relapse rates in IE patients treated with OPAT are low both during treatment and follow-up period after discharge, indicating that OPAT is safe and effective for IE patients. However, our study did not compare routine hospitalization as a control group, so conclusions should be drawn with caution. In order to obtain more scientific and rigorous conclusions and reduce clinical risks, it is still necessary to conduct more research in this field and improve the patient selection criteria for OPAT treatment, especially for IE patients. Finally, clinical monitoring and follow-up of OPAT-treated patients should be strengthened.

[Two-dimensional equivalent mechanical modeling and finite element analysis of normal female pelvic floor system]

Objective: To construct the geometric model of the pelvic floor by a two-dimensional equivalent mechanics method, and to explore the effect of the shape and position of pelvic floor organs and tissues on the biomechanical properties of the pelvic floor under different abdominal pressure. Methods: A 28-year-old healthy and symmetrical married infertile female volunteer was included. The pelvic floor tissue was scanned in the supine position using a 3.0T magnetic resonance scanner (Philips Company, Holland). Based on the method of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) two-dimensional parameter measurement and computer aided design, the geometric model and finite element model of the female pelvic floor were established, and the biomechanical characteristics of the pelvic floor support system under different abdominal pressure were analyzed. Results: In this study, four different working conditions of the pelvic floor force were simulated under 60, 99, 168, and 208 cmH₂O (1 cmH₂O=0.098 kPa) abdominal pressure loads. The trend was as follows: under the abdominal pressure load, the retrograde flexion of the uterus occurred, the cervical, the middle and upper vaginal segment and the levator anus muscle had the characteristic change of mechanical axial direction pointing to the sacrum and coccyx, and the deformation of the levator anus muscle in the horizontal direction was greater than that in the vertical direction. With the increase of the abdominal pressure, the maximum stress values of the pelvic floor whole system of healthy subjects under four different working conditions were 0.194 3, 0.389 6, 0.557 1, and 0.627 5 MPa, respectively, and the maximum displacement values were 10, 14, 21 and 25 mm, respectively. The maximum stress values of the cervical and vaginal middle and upper segment were 0.111 7, 0.161 8, 0.250 6, and 0.304 1 MPa, respectively, and the maximum displacement values were 3, 6, 9, and 11 mm, respectively. The maximum stress of the perineal body was 0.063 4, 0.119 6, 0.235 2, and 0.288 0 MPa, and the maximum displacement was 1, 2, 4, and 5 mm. The maximum stress values of the levator anus muscle were 0.194 3, 0.389 6, 0.557 1, and 0.627 5 MPa, and the maximum displacement values were 2, 4, 7, and 8 mm, respectively. The maximum stress and maximum displacement of pelvic organs increased with the increase of the abdominal pressure under different working conditions. The stress axial relationship of normal female pelvic floor was that the middle and upper segment of uterus and vagina mainly acted on the sacrococcyx and the levator anus muscle, and the lower vaginal segment acts on the perineal body. Conclusions: The two-dimensional equivalent mechanical modeling and finite element analysis of the female pelvic floor system can accurately reflect the biomechanical characteristics of the female pelvic floor, and the resultant stress direction of the pelvic organs points to the sacrum and coccyx. The sacrum and coccyx, levator anus and perineal body play important stress supporting roles in the pelvic floor system.

Search for Flavor-Changing Neutral Current Interactions of the Top Quark and Higgs Boson in Final States with Two Photons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

Proton-proton interactions resulting in final states with two photons are studied in a search for the signature of flavor-changing neutral current interactions of top quarks (t) and Higgs bosons (H). The analysis is based on data collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137  fb^{-1}. No significant excess above the background prediction is observed. Upper limits on the branching fractions (B) of the top quark decaying to a Higgs boson and an up (u) or charm (c) quark are derived through a binned fit to the diphoton invariant mass spectrum. The observed (expected) 95% confidence level upper limits are found to be 0.019% (0.031%) for B(t→Hu) and 0.073% (0.051%) for B(t→Hc). These are the strictest upper limits yet determined.

Search for Resonances Decaying to Three W Bosons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for resonances decaying into a W boson and a radion, where the radion decays into two W bosons, is presented. The data analyzed correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} recorded in proton-proton collisions with the CMS detector at sqrt[s]=13  TeV. One isolated charged lepton is required, together with missing transverse momentum and one or two massive large-radius jets, containing the decay products of either two or one W bosons, respectively. No excess over the background estimation is observed. The results are combined with those from a complementary channel with an all-hadronic final state, described in an accompanying paper. Limits are set on parameters of an extended warped extra-dimensional model. These searches are the first of their kind at the LHC.

Probing Charm Quark Dynamics via Multiparticle Correlations in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations of prompt D^{0} mesons are measured in Pb-Pb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. For the first time, a four-particle cumulant method is used to extract the second Fourier coefficient of the azimuthal distribution (v_{2}) of D^{0} mesons as a function of event centrality and the D^{0} transverse momentum. The ratios of the four-particle v_{2} values to previously measured two-particle cumulant results provide direct experimental access to event-by-event fluctuations of charm quark azimuthal anisotropies. These ratios are also found to be comparable to those of inclusive charged particles in the event. However, hints of deviations are seen in the most central and peripheral collisions. To investigate the origin of flow fluctuations in the charm sector, these measurements are compared to a model implementing fluctuations of charm quark energy loss via collisional or radiative processes in the quark-gluon plasma. These models cannot quantitatively describe the data over the full transverse momentum and centrality ranges, although the calculations with collisional energy loss provide a better description of the data.

First Search for Exclusive Diphoton Production at High Mass with Tagged Protons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for exclusive two-photon production via photon exchange in proton-proton collisions, pp→pγγp with intact protons, is presented. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 9.4  fb^{-1} collected in 2016 using the CMS and TOTEM detectors at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC. Events are selected with a diphoton invariant mass above 350 GeV and with both protons intact in the final state, to reduce backgrounds from strong interactions. The events of interest are those where the invariant mass and rapidity calculated from the momentum losses of the forward-moving protons match the mass and rapidity of the central, two-photon system. No events are found that satisfy this condition. Interpreting this result in an effective dimension-8 extension of the standard model, the first limits are set on the two anomalous four-photon coupling parameters. If the other parameter is constrained to its standard model value, the limits at 95% confidence level are |ζ_{1}|<2.9×10^{-13}  GeV^{-4} and |ζ_{2}|<6.0×10^{-13}  GeV^{-4}.

Observation of the B_{c}^{+} Meson in Pb-Pb and pp Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV and Measurement of its Nuclear Modification Factor

The B_{c}^{+} meson is observed for the first time in heavy ion collisions. Data from the CMS detector are used to study the production of the B_{c}^{+} meson in lead-lead (Pb-Pb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, via the B_{c}^{+}→(J/ψ→μ^{+}μ^{-})μ^{+}ν_{μ} decay. The B_{c}^{+} nuclear modification factor, derived from the Pb-Pb-to-pp ratio of production cross sections, is measured in two bins of the trimuon transverse momentum and of the Pb-Pb collision centrality. The B_{c}^{+} meson is shown to be less suppressed than quarkonia and most of the open heavy-flavor mesons, suggesting that effects of the hot and dense nuclear matter created in heavy ion collisions contribute to its production. This measurement sets forth a promising new probe of the interplay of suppression and enhancement mechanisms in the production of heavy-flavor mesons in the quark-gluon plasma.

[Epidemiological characteristics of 2019-nCoV Delta variant in Gansu province]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 caused by 2019-nCoV Delta variant (B.1.617.2) in Gansu province, and provide evidence for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Methods: The information of COVID-19 cases, including demographic characteristics, epidemiological history, onset date, diagnosis date, exposure place, detection way and infection source, in Gansu from 17 October to 25 November, 2021 were collected. Software Excel 2016,SPSS 22 and ArcGIS 10.7 were used for data process and analysis. Results: As of November 25, 2021, a total of 146 COVID-19 cases had been reported in Gansu and the epidemic affected 10 counties (districts) in 5 cities. The epidemic of COVID-19 in Gansu had three stages: imported case stage,imported-local case stage and local case stage. The age of cases ranged from 1 to 87 years,and the cases in age group 18-59 years accounted for 59.59% (87/146). The male to female ratio of the cases was 1∶1.12 (69∶77). The cases were mainly people engaged in business services (17.12%, 25/146),retirees (15.75%, 23/146),students (13.70%, 20/146),the jobless and unemployed (12.33%, 18/146). In 3 epidemic stages, the cases aged 18-59 years accounted for 44.44%,54.41% and 70.00% respectively,showing an upward trend,and there were differences among different populations (trend χ²=23.24, P<0.001). Also, the incubation period of the cases tended to decrease, and severe cases accounted for 33.33% (6/18), 19.12% (13/68) and 3.33% (2/60) respectively, showing a downward trend. Community screening (25.34%, 37/146) and close contact screening were the main ways to detect cases,the cases detected by close contact screening in 3 epidemic stages accounted for 50.00% (9/18), 66.18% (45/68) and 86.67% (52/60) respectively. The epidemic had obvious case clustering in confined places,and the main exposure modes were living together (24.66%), working/studying together (11.64%), taking same transportation (9.59%) and dining together (9.59%). Conclusions: The COVID-19 epidemic in Gansu was caused by 2019-nCoV Delta variant from imported cases. The virus was mainly transmitted through travel, sharing transportation, dining together and home contact. The characteristics of COVID-19 epidemic in Gansu changed with time, the case's clinical symptoms were not obvious and the incubation period became shorter. The infections mainly occurred in group aged 18 years and above.