Two modified density gradient centrifugation methods facilitate the isolation of mouse Leydig cells

Preparation of sufficient mouse Leydig cells (LCs) with high purity is a prerequisite for investigations of the biological/pathological functions of LCs in mouse models. Density gradient centrifugation based on discontinuous Percoll gradients is an effective method (defined as regular method) for LC isolation. In this study, we developed two modified methods for LC isolation and compared their performance with that of the regular method. Modified method 1 integrated the crude LCs into the 50% Percoll solution before centrifugation. Modified method 2 sequentially used 50 and 60% Percoll solutions to isolate LCs. The purity of LCs was approximately 88.4, 91.3, and 79.7% derived from the regular, modified 1, and modified 2 methods, respectively. The yields of LCs in the same respective order were approximately 1.7 × 10⁵, 3.9 × 10⁵, and 11.9 × 10⁵ cells per 10⁸ interstitial cells input. Modified method 1 attained higher purity and yields than those of the regular method. Although the purity of LCs was relatively low for modified method 2, it could be used before further purification by, for example, fluorescence-activated or magnetic-activated cell sorting, owing to its simplicity and high yields. Therefore, our study provided alternative methods to facilitate LC isolation in mice.

[Application of trifoliate flap design of radial forearm flap in reconstruction of defects after mouth floor cancer resection]

Objective: To evaluate the effect of trifoliate flap design of radial forearm flap in reconstruction of defects after mouth floor cancer resection. Methods: From June 2016 to December 2019, 12 patients with defect after resection of mouth floor cancer were treated with trifoliate flap design of radial forearm flap. All of these patients were T2 stage, included 9 well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 3 moderate differentiated SCC. The defect size ranged from 8.0 cm×6.0 cm to 5.0 cm×4.5 cm after resection of tumor and neck dissection. All defects were repaired with trifoliate flap design of radial forearm flap. The flap size ranged from 8.0 cm×2.0 cm to 4.0 cm×1.5 cm, the donor site was sutured directly on Z plasty. Results: All flaps completely survived well. Both the wound and the donor site were stage Ⅰ healing. With the average follow-up of 38.6 months, the swallowing and speech function were satisfactory. Conclusions: Trifoliate flap design of radial forearm flap can effectively repair the postoperative defect of mouth floor cancer, and the donor site can be directly sutured on Z plasty. This technique can avoid forearm scar caused by skin grafting and the formation of the second donor site.

Low-dose three-dimensional CT angiography for the evaluation of posterolateral protrusion of the vertebral artery over the posterior arch of the atlas: a quantitative anatomical comparison study of the rotational and neutral positions

AIM

To investigate the changes in relevant anatomical parameters of posterolateral protrusion of the vertebral artery (VA) between head-neck rotational and neutral positions using low-dose three-dimensional computed tomography angiography (3D-CTA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Low-dose 3D-CTA images obtained for various craniocervical diseases in 36 non-dominant VA side patients with neutral, left and right head-neck rotational positions were evaluated. The relevant parameters from superior and inferior views, including external diameter (ED), internal diameter (ID), transverse diameter (TD), heights and diameters of posterolateral protrusion of the VA over the posterior arch of the atlas in the neutral and rotational positions, were recorded and compared.

RESULTS

There was no significant differences in the rotational angle (left/right: 31.23 ± 6.60/29.94 ± 6.09°, p>0.05). There were no significant differences in heights and diameters of bilateral VA between rotational and neutral positions (all p>0.05). The contralateral ID, ED, and TD of the rotational positions were significantly shorter than those of the neutral position (all p<0.05), while there were no significant differences in the three ipsilateral diameters (all p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Posterolateral protrusion of the VA is not uncommon in the population, and surgeons should be aware of its presence, especially the increased possibility of injury to the VA caused by head-neck rotation, during the operation; thus, preoperative evaluation by low-dose 3D-CTA should be considered.

Evidence for a New Structure in the J/ψp and J/ψp[over ¯] Systems in B_{s}^{0}→J/ψpp[over ¯] Decays

An amplitude analysis of flavor-untagged B_{s}^{0}→J/ψpp[over ¯] decays is performed using a sample of 797±31 decays reconstructed with the LHCb detector. The data, collected in proton-proton collisions between 2011 and 2018, correspond to an integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. Evidence for a new structure in the J/ψp and J/ψp[over ¯] systems with a mass of 4337_{-4}^{+7} _{-2}^{+2}  MeV and a width of 29_{-12}^{+26} _{-14}^{+14}  MeV is found, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic, with a significance in the range of 3.1 to 3.7σ, depending on the assigned J^{P} hypothesis.

Measurement of the Cross Section for e^{+}e^{-}→Hadrons at Energies from 2.2324 to 3.6710 GeV

Based on electron-positron collision data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider II storage rings, the value of R≡σ(e^{+}e^{-}→hadrons)/σ(e^{+}e^{-}→μ^{+}μ^{-}) is measured at 14 center-of-mass energies from 2.2324 to 3.6710 GeV. The resulting uncertainties are less than 3.0% and are dominated by systematic uncertainties.

Analysis of Neutral B-Meson Decays into Two Muons

Branching fraction and effective lifetime measurements of the rare decay B_{s}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-} and searches for the decays B^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-} and B_{s}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-}γ are reported using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to a luminosity of 9  fb^{-1}. The branching fraction B(B_{s}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-})=(3.09_{-0.43-0.11}^{+0.46+0.15})×10^{-9} and the effective lifetime τ(B_{s}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-})=2.07±0.29±0.03  ps are measured, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. No significant signal for B^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-} and B_{s}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-}γ decays is found and upper limits B(B^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-})<2.6×10^{-10} and B(B_{s}^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-}γ)<2.0×10^{-9} at the 95% C.L. are determined, where the latter is limited to the range m_{μμ}>4.9  GeV/c^{2}. The results are in agreement with the standard model expectations.

Ophiostomatoid fungi including a new species associated with Asian larch bark beetle Ips subelongatus, in Heilongjiang (Northeast China)

Ips subelongatus (Coleoptera, Scolytinae) is an important bark beetle species that infests Larix spp. in Asia. Individuals of this beetle are vectors of ophiostomatoid fungi, on their exoskeletons, that are transmitted to infested trees. In this study, the symbiotic assemblage of ophiostomatoid fungi associated with I. subelongatus in Northeast China was studied. Fungal isolates were identified based on their morphological characters and sequences of ITS, beta-tubulin, elongation factor 1-alpha and calmodulin gene regions. In total, 48 isolates were collected and identified, residing in six taxa. These included a novel species, described here as Ophiostoma gmelinii sp. nov.

First Measurement of Polarizations in the Decay D^{0}→ωφ

Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93  fb^{-1} collected at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=3.773  GeV by the BESIII detector, the decay D^{0}→ωϕ is observed for the first time. The branching fraction is measured to be (6.48±0.96±0.40)×10^{-4} with a significance of 6.3σ, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. An angular analysis reveals that the ϕ and ω mesons from the D^{0}→ωϕ decay are transversely polarized. The 95% confidence level upper limit on longitudinal polarization fraction is set to be less than 0.24, which is inconsistent with current theoretical expectations and challenges our understanding of the underlying dynamics in charm meson decays.

The value of soluble suppression of tumorigenesis-2 (sST2) in the maintenance of hemodialysis patients with heart failure

BACKGROUND

Patients with end-stage renal disease are prone to develop heart failure (HF). The N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP, BNP) is regarded as the gold standard for diagnosing HF. However, its prognostic sensitivity in patients with end-stage renal disease is sub-optimal. Soluble suppression of tumorigenesis-2 (sST2) has been well studied in HF but rarely in patients with maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). This study aimed to evaluate the value of sST2 in predicting HF in MHD patients.

METHODS

Twenty-three patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV were included in the HF group and 88 NYHA class I-II patients in the non-heart failure (NHF) group. sST2 and laboratory indexes were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The HF group, compared with the NHF group, presented with higher sST2, more advanced age, higher incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD), left ventricle end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), and unchanged parathyroid hormone (iPTH). The HF group also had lower ejection fraction (EF), uric acid, inorganic phosphorus, 25-OH VitD3, and serum albumin. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that age, BNP, and sST2 were independent risk factors of HF in MHD patients. Spearman analysis defined that sST2 was positively correlated with PAP (r =0.283, p =0.003) and C-reactive protein (r =0.354, p <0.001); and negatively correlated with sex (r =-0.255, p =0.007), albumin (r =-0.366, p <0.001), uric acid (r =-0.213, p =0.025), 25-OH VitD3 (r =-0.216, p =0.04), calcium (r =-0.219, p =0.021), and inorganic phosphorus (r =-0.256, p =0.007). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis determined a positive association between BNP and sST2 (r =0.373, p <0.001), with the area under the curve (AUC) of BNP being 0.822 (sensitivity: 0.783, specificity: 0.830) and the AUC of sST2 being 0.841 (sensitivity: 0.913, specificity: 0.761). The AUC of sST2 was 0.841, and the cut-value was 42.840 (sensitivity: 0.913, specificity: 0.761).

CONCLUSION

sST2 can predict HF in MHD patients and facilitate early diagnosis and prevention of HF in MHD patients. HIPPOKRATIA 2022, 26 (1):19-24.

Language and executive functioning in young adults with Down syndrome

BACKGROUND

This study examined the association between executive functioning and language in young adults with Down syndrome (DS).

METHOD

Nineteen young adults with DS (aged 19-24 years) completed standardised measures of overall cognition, vocabulary, verbal fluency and executive function skills.

RESULTS

Friedman's analysis of variance (χ² (3) = 28.15, P < .001) and post hoc comparisons indicated that, on average, participants had a significantly lower overall non-verbal than verbal cognitive age equivalent and lower expressive than receptive vocabulary skills. Using Spearman correlations, performance on a verbal measure of cognition inhibition was significantly negatively related to receptive vocabulary (ρ = -.529, adjusted P = .036) and verbal fluency (ρ = -.608, adjusted P = .022). Attention was significantly positively correlated with receptive (ρ = .698, adjusted-p = .005) and expressive (ρ = .542, adjusted P = .027) vocabulary. Verbal working memory was significantly positively associated with receptive vocabulary (ρ = .585, adjusted P = .022) and verbal fluency (ρ = .737, adjusted P = .003). Finally, visuospatial working memory was significantly associated with receptive vocabulary (ρ = .562, adjusted P = .027).

CONCLUSIONS

Verbal and non-verbal measures of executive functioning skills had important associations with language ability in young adults with DS. Future translational research is needed to investigate causal pathways underlying these relationships. Research should explore if interventions aimed at increasing executive functioning skills (e.g. attention, inhibition and working memory) have the potential to lead to increases in language for young adults with DS.

Assessing main process mechanism and rates of sulfate reduction by granular biomass fed with glycerol under sulfidogenic conditions

Sulfate-reducing bioreactors for sulfide production are the initial stage of processes targeting elemental sulfur recovery from sulfate-rich effluents. In this work, the principal reactions involved in glycerol fermentation and sulfate reduction using glycerol and its fermentation products as electron donors were assessed together with their specific consumption/production rates. A battery of batch activity tests with and without sulfate were performed with glycerol and with each fermentation product using a non-methanogenic but sulfidogenic granular sludge from an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor operated under long-term while fed with crude glycerol. As a result, a mechanistic approach based on the experimental observations is proposed in this work. Glycerol was mainly fermented to 1,3-propanediol, ethanol, formate, propionate and acetate by fermentative bacteria. All organic intermediates were found to be further used by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) for sulfate reduction except for acetate. The most abundant genus detected under sulfidogenic conditions were Propionispora (15.2%), Dysgonomonas (13.2%), Desulfobulbus (11.6%) and Desulfovibrio (10.8%). The last two SRB genera accounted for 22.4% of the total amount of retrieved sequences, which were probably performing an incomplete oxidation of the carbon source in the sulfidogenic UASB reactor. As single substrates, specific sulfate reduction rates (SRRs) using low molecular weight (MW) carbon sources (formate and ethanol) were 39% higher than those using high-MW ones (propionate, 1,3-propanediol and butanol). However, SRRs in glycerol-fed tests showed that 1,3-propanediol played a major role in sulfate reduction in addition to formate and ethanol.

Up-regulation of MiR-146b-5p Inhibits Fibrotic Lung Pericytes via Inactivation of the Notch1/PDGFRβ/ROCK1 Pathway

Lung fibrosis is a serious human pathology. MiR-146b-5p is down-regulated in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and the Notch1/PDGFRβ/ROCK1 pathway is activated. However, the relation between miR-146b-5p and the Notch1/PDGFRβ/ROCK1 pathway in lung fibrosis remains unclear. To investigate the function of miR-146b-5p in lung fibrosis, an in vivo model of lung fibrosis was established in mice by bleomycin. The fibrosis in lung tissues of mice was observed by HE, Masson and Sirius Red staining. Lung pericytes were isolated and identified by fluorescence microscopy. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blot were used to investigate the expression of desmin, NG2, collagen I and α-SMA. CCK8 assay was used to assess the cell viability, and flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the cell cycle in pericytes. Furthermore, the correlation between miR-146b-5p and Notch1 was analysed by Spearman analysis. The mechanism by which miR-146b-5p affects pericytes and lung fibrosis via the Notch1/ PDGFRβ/ROCK1 pathway was explored by RT-qPCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence staining and dual luciferase reporter gene assay. In bleomycin-treated mice, miR-146b-5p was down-regulated, while Notch1 was up-regulated. Up-regulation of miR-146b-5p significantly inhibited the viability and induced G1 phase arrest of lung pericytes. MiR-146b-5p mimics up-regulated miR-146b-5p, desmin, and NG2 and down-regulated α-SMA and collagen I in the lung pericytes. Additionally, miR-146b-5p was negatively correlated with Notch1, and miR-146b-5p interacted with Notch1. Over-expression of miR-146b-5p inactivated the Notch1/PDGFRβ/ROCK1 pathway. Our results indicate that up-regulation of miR-146b-5p inhibits fibrosis in lung pericytes via modulation of the Notch1/PDGFRβ/ROCK1 pathway. Thus, our study might provide a novel target against lung fibrosis.

[Analysis on the expression profile of circRNAs in hypertrophic myocardium mice]

Objective: To explore the differential expression of circRNAs and their potential impact on the pathophysiological process in cardiac hypertrophy. Methods: Six SPF C57BL/6J male mice, aged 8 to 10 weeks, were randomly divided into transverse aortic constriction (TAC) group (n=3) or sham operation(sham) group (n=3) according to random number table method. TAC mouse model was used to induce cardiac hypertrophy. Four weeks after surgery, high-throughput sequencing analysis was performed to detect differentially expressed circRNA in left myocardial tissues of mice between TAC group and sham group, and principal component analysis of circRNA was performed by R language software. Enrichment analysis was performed by GO and KEGG databases to predict the basic functions of differentially expressed circRNA-derived genes and their biological pathways. The differentially expressed circRNAs in the sequencing results were verified by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cytoscape software was used to construct circRNA-microRNA (miRNA) network maps to predict their interactions by combining differentially expressed circRNA and TargetScan predicted miRNA sites. Results: Principal component analysis was performed on 4 580 circRNAs detected from 6 samples of mice in TAC group and sham group. The results of R language software indicated that the variance contribution rate of the first 3 principal components, namely the first, second and third principal components, was 91.01%, 3.19% and 2.01%, respectively, and the cumulative variance contribution rate of the 3 components was 96.21%. Among the differentially expressed circRNAs, 6 (19%) were up-regulated and 25 (81%) were down-regulated in the TAC group. GO analysis showed that differentially expressed circRNA was closely related to the occurrence and development of cardiac hypertrophy, and KEGG pathway analysis suggested that downregulated circRNA expression was involved in the regulation of actin cytoskeleton. Fifteen out of the 31 differentially expressed circRNAs were selected for real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction verification, and the results showed that 8 circRNAs were consistent with sequencing results. circRNA-miRNA co-expression network analysis results showed that chr11:65218529-65233184-interacts with mmu-miRNA-30e-3p and mmu-miRNA-30a-3p. Conclusions The differential expression of circRNA in hypertrophic myocardium mice is evidenced in TAC mouse model. circRNA may interact with the corresponding miRNA to influence the occurrence and development of cardiac hypertrophy through autophagy-related cellular hypertrophy pathway or apoptosis-related pathological phenotypes.

CTNNA3 genetic polymorphism may be a new genetic signal of type 2 diabetes in the Chinese Han population: a case control study

BACKGROUND

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is the result of a combination of genes and environment. The identified genetic loci can only explain part of T2D risk. Our study is aimed to explore the association between CTNNA3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and T2D risk.

METHODS

We conducted a 'case-control' study among 1002 Chinese Han participants. Four candidate SNPs of CTNNA3 were selected (rs10822745 C/T, rs7920624 A/T, rs2441727 A/G, rs7914287 A/G), and logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between candidate SNPs and T2D risk. We used single factor analysis of variance to analyze the differences of clinical characteristics among different genotypes. In this study, haplotype analysis was conducted by plink1.07 and Haploview software and linkage disequilibrium (LD) was calculated. The interaction of candidate SNPs in T2D risk was evaluated by multi-factor dimensionality reduction (MDR). Finally, we conducted a false-positive report probability (FPRP) analysis to detect whether the significant findings were just chance or noteworthy observations.

RESULTS

The results showed that CTNNA3-rs7914287 was a risk factor for T2D ('T': OR = 1.33, p = 0.003; 'TT': OR = 2.21, p = 0.001; 'TT' (recessive): OR = 2.09, p = 0.001; Log-additive: OR = 1.34, p = 0.003). The results of subgroup analysis showed that rs7914287 was significantly associated with the increased risk of T2D among participants who were older than 60 years, males, smoking, drinking, or BMI > 24. We also found that rs2441727 was associated with reducing the T2D risk among participants who were older than 60 years, smoking, or drinking. In addition, rs7914287 was associated with T2D patients with no retinal degeneration; rs10822745 and rs7920624 were associated with the course of T2D patients. High density lipoprotein levels had significant differences under different genotypes of rs10822745. Under the different genotypes of rs7914287, the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyltransferase were also significantly different.

CONCLUSION

We found that CTNNA3 genetic polymorphisms can be used as a new genetic signal of T2D risk in Chinese Han population. Especially, CTNNA3-rs7914287 showed an outstanding and significant association with T2D risk in both overall analysis and subgroup analysis.

Measurement of the Absolute Branching Fraction of D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ} via τ^{+}→e^{+}ν_{e}ν[over ¯]_{τ}

Using a dataset of 6.32  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} annihilation data collected with the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies between 4178 and 4226 MeV, we have measured the absolute branching fraction of the leptonic decay D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ} via τ^{+}→e^{+}ν_{e}ν[over ¯]_{τ}, and find B_{D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ}}=(5.27±0.10±0.12)×10^{-2}, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The precision is improved by a factor of 2 compared to the previous best measurement. Combining with f_{D_{s}^{+}} from lattice quantum chromodynamics calculations or the |V_{cs}| from the CKMfitter group, we extract |V_{cs}|=0.978±0.009±0.012 and f_{D_{s}^{+}}=(251.1±2.4±3.0)  MeV, respectively. Combining our result with the world averages of B_{D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ}} and B_{D_{s}^{+}→μ^{+}ν_{μ}}, we obtain the ratio of the branching fractions B_{D_{s}^{+}→τ^{+}ν_{τ}}/B_{D_{s}^{+}→μ^{+}ν_{μ}}=9.72±0.37, which is consistent with the standard model prediction of lepton flavor universality.

[Peripheral blood EMR3 gene methylation level is correlated with breast cancer in Chinese women]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association of methylation levels of C19orf57, MAP9, EMR3, NEK6 and PCOLCE2 genes in peripheral blood with breast cancer (BC) in Chinese women.

METHODS

We collected peripheral blood samples from 258 early-stage BC patients and 272 healthy women. Agena matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was utilized to quantitatively measure the methylation levels of CpG sites in the genes. The association between DNA methylation and BC was analyzed using a logistic regression model adjusted for covariants. Spearman's correlation analysis was performed to analyze the association between the gene methylation levels and age. The methylation levels of the genes in the BC patients with different clinical characteristics were investigated using non-parametric tests.

RESULTS

In stead of EMR3 gene hypermethylation as found in BC patients as found in the Caucasian population, EMR3 gene hypomethylation was found to correlate with BC in Chinese women, but this correlation was significant only in women beyond the age of 50 years (for every 10% reduction of the methylation level, EMR3_CpG_1: OR=1.40; EMR3_CpG_2: OR=2.31; EMR3_CpG_3: OR=2.76, P < 0.05). EMR3 methylation was not or was only weakly correlated with tumor stage, size, lymphatic metastasis, ER, PR, HER2, or Ki67. Our data did not show a correlation between C19orf57 methylation and BC.

CONCLUSION

Peripheral blood EMR3 gene hypomethylation is associated with BC in Chinese women, especially in those at an old age and in postmenopausal women.

Newborn Screening for G6PD Deficiency in Xiamen, China: Prevalence, Variant Spectrum, and Genotype-Phenotype Correlations

Background: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a common inherited enzymatic defect. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the profile of G6PD deficiency and investigate the factors associated with the accuracy of newborn screening (NBS) in Xiamen, China.

Methods: A total of 99,546 newborns were screened by modified fluorescent spot test at the Women and Children’s Hospital, Xiamen University. High-risk neonates were recalled for diagnosis by either a measurement of G6PD activity or genetic testing for the presence of pathogenic G6PD variants using a quantitative G6PD enzymatic assay or the MeltPro® G6PD assay, respectively.

Results: In the first-tier screening, 1,256 newborns were categorized as high risk. Of these, 1,051 were diagnosed with G6PD deficiency, indicating a prevalence of 1.39% in Xiamen, China. Among the 1,013 neonates who underwent genotyping, 851 carried hemizygous, heterozygous, homozygous, or compound heterozygous variants, for a positive predictive value (PPV) of 84.01%. In total, 12 variants and 32 genotypes were identified, and the six most common variants were c.1376G>T, c.1388G>A, c.95A>G, c.1024C>T, c.871G>A, and c.392G>T, which accounted for approximately 94% of the identified alleles. Different variants showed characteristic enzymatic activities, although high phenotypic heterogeneity was observed for each variant. The use of cold-chain transportation significantly improved the PPV of NBS.

Conclusions: We determined the profile of G6PD deficiency in Xiamen, including the prevalence, variant spectrum, and genotype-phenotype correlations and confirmed that maintaining a low temperature during sample transport is essential to ensure the high screening accuracy of NBS. Our data provides epidemiological, genotypic, phenotypic, and clinical practice references to standardize future interventions for G6PD deficiency.

Aluminum depletion induced by co-segregation of carbon and boron in a bcc-iron grain boundary

The local variation of grain boundary atomic structure and chemistry caused by segregation of impurities influences the macroscopic properties of polycrystalline materials. Here, the effect of co-segregation of carbon and boron on the depletion of aluminum at a Σ5 (3 1 0 )[0 0 1] tilt grain boundary in a α - Fe-4 at%Al bicrystal is studied by combining atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, atom probe tomography and density functional theory calculations. The atomic grain boundary structural units mostly resemble kite-type motifs and the structure appears disrupted by atomic scale defects. Atom probe tomography reveals that carbon and boron impurities are co-segregating to the grain boundary reaching levels of >1.5 at%, whereas aluminum is locally depleted by approx. 2 at.%. First-principles calculations indicate that carbon and boron exhibit the strongest segregation tendency and their repulsive interaction with aluminum promotes its depletion from the grain boundary. It is also predicted that substitutional segregation of boron atoms may contribute to local distortions of the kite-type structural units. These results suggest that the co-segregation and interaction of interstitial impurities with substitutional solutes strongly influences grain boundary composition and with this the properties of the interface.

Branching Fraction Measurements of the Rare B_{s}^{0}→ϕμ^{+}μ^{-} and B_{s}^{0}→f_{2}^{'}(1525)μ^{+}μ^{-} Decays

The branching fraction of the rare B_{s}^{0}→ϕμ^{+}μ^{-} decay is measured using data collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1, 2, and 6  fb^{-1}, respectively. The branching fraction is reported in intervals of q^{2}, the square of the dimuon invariant mass. In the q^{2} region between 1.1 and 6.0  GeV^{2}/c^{4}, the measurement is found to lie 3.6 standard deviations below a standard model prediction based on a combination of light cone sum rule and lattice QCD calculations. In addition, the first observation of the rare B_{s}^{0}→f_{2}^{'}(1525)μ^{+}μ^{-} decay is reported with a statistical significance of 9 standard deviations and its branching fraction is determined.

Screening of engineered Pichia pastoris mutant with enhanced production of a functional rFIP-glu protein and investigating its potential bioactivities

An engineered Pichia pastoris GS115 with a FIP-glu gene was mutated using ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and a high-throughput screening method was established for screening of high-yield strains. Meanwhile, a preliminary study was conducted to determine the bioactivity of the rFIP-glu. Based on OD₆₀₀ value and the mortality of engineered P. pastoris GS115, the best UV irradiation time was determined. Bradford method and SDS-PAGE method were employed to analyze the concentration and yield of rFIP-glu. Melanoma B16 cells were employed to evaluate the biological activities of rFIP-glu in vitro. Results showed that the protein yield of the best mutant #4-336 screened from 3680 mutant strains increased from 242 to 469 μg ml^-1 . In vitro assays of biological activity indicated that rFIP-glu had significant toxicity and possessed the ability to affect melanin content and enhance tyrosinase activity in B16 cells. In conclusion, an effective high-throughput screening approach was established for screening mutant strains. The screened mutant possesses a good ability to enhance the production of rFIP-glu, and recombinant proteins display a better biological activity on melanoma B16 cells. The engineered P. pastoris mutant seems promising as a potential source for industrial production of rFIP-glu and should be a candidate industrial strain for further study.

Observation of D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e}

Using 2.93  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data taken with the BESIII detector at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV, the observation of the D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e} semileptonic decay is presented. The statistical significance of the decay D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e} is greater than 10σ. The branching fraction of D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e} is measured to be (1.09±0.13_{-0.16}^{+0.09}±0.12)×10^{-3}. Here, the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third originates from the assumed branching fraction of K_{1}(1270)^{-}→K^{-}π^{+}π^{-}. The fraction of longitudinal polarization in D^{0}→K_{1}(1270)^{-}e^{+}ν_{e} is determined for the first time to be 0.50±0.19_{stat}±0.08_{syst}.

[Analysis of clinical characteristics and prognostic factors in 40 cases of acute glyphosate poisoning]

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of patients with acute glyphosate poisoning, and to provide reference for the comprehensive treatment and prognosis judgment of acute glyphosate poisoning. Methods: The complete hospitalized medical records data of 40 patients with acute glyphosate poisoning who were treated in the emergency department of Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University from 2014 to 2019 were collected in August 2020. According to the outcome during the follow-up period of 90 d after discharge from hospital, patients were divided into survival group (n=33) and treatment failure group (n=7) . The clinical characteristics of the two groups were analyzed. The influencing factors of prognosis were analyzed by binary logistic regression, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of white blood cell count level at admission to the prognosis of patients with acute glyphosate poisoning. Results: The average age of the 40 glyphosate poisoning patients was (57.70±19.72) years old, the oral dose was 100 (50, 200) ml, the hospital stay was 4.0 (1.0, 5.0) d, and the fatality rate was 17.5% (7/40) . The main clinical manifestations were the symptoms of the digestive tract, respiratory tract, cardiovascular system and nervous system. Logistic regression showed that white blood cell level at admission was an influencing factor for the prognosis of patients with acute glyphosate poisoning (OR=1.148, 95%CI: 1.124-1.791, P=0.003) . The ROC curve showed that the best diagnostic cut-off value of white blood cell level at admission to the prognosis of acute glyphosate poisoning was 14.65×10(9)/L, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.9351. The sensitivity was 100.00%, and the specificity was 84.85%. Conclusion: High level of white blood cell at admission is a risk factor for the prognosis of acute glyphosate poisoning, and white blood cell level at admission has a certain predictive value for the prognosis of acute glyphosate poisoning.

First Measurement of the Absolute Branching Fraction of Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ}

The absolute branching fraction of Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ} is reported for the first time based on an e^{+}e^{-} annihilation sample of 10×10^{9}  J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector at sqrt[s]=3.097  GeV. The branching fraction is determined to be B(Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ})=[1.48±0.21(stat)±0.08(syst)]×10^{-4}, which is improved by about 30% in precision over the previous indirect measurements. Combining this result with the world average of B(Λ→pe^{-}ν[over ¯]_{e}), we obtain the ratio {[Γ(Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ})]/[Γ(Λ→pe^{-}ν[over ¯]_{e})]} to be 0.178±0.028, which agrees with the standard model prediction assuming lepton flavor universality. The asymmetry of the branching fractions of Λ→pμ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ} and Λ[over ¯]→p[over ¯]μ^{+}ν_{μ} is also determined, and no evidence for CP violation is found.

Emerging role of lncRNA DANCR in progenitor cells: beyond cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important participants in biological processes including cell proliferation, differentiation and death, as well as pathogenesis of various diseases. LncRNA differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) is an emerging regulator in cell metabolism and many diseases besides cancers. DANCR is negative in epidermal, osteoblastic and endoderm differentiation, but positive in chondrogenic differentiation of progenitor cells. It is protective for calcification of the ligamentum flavum, stroke, acute myocardial infarction and arterial calcification, but a risk factor for bone loss, fracture healing and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, DANCR is a potential target for improving tissue regeneration. Mechanically, DANCR, a cytoplasmic lncRNA, sponges corresponding microRNAs or interacts with various proteins. This review aims to summarize the role of DANCR in progenitor cells and provide perspectives for further studies.

Correlations of AQP4 expression and polymorphism with diabetic retinopathy

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) rs200498749, rs149465 and rs650217 polymorphisms and gene expression with diabetic retinopathy (DR).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 400 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) treated in our hospital were enrolled in this study. All subjects were divided into two groups, including DM group (n=200, without DR) and DR group (n=200, with DR). The polymorphisms rs200498749, rs149465 and rs650217 of AQP4 gene were analyzed in the two groups. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect gene expression, and statistical analysis was performed in combination with clinical data.

RESULTS

The distribution of alleles of AQP4 rs650217 (p=0.015) in DR group was different from that in DM group, and the frequency of T allele was significantly higher in DR group than DM group. The distribution of genotypes of AQP4 rs149465 (p=0.000) and rs650217 (p=0.000) showed statistically significant difference between DR group and DM group. The frequency of AA genotype of polymorphism rs149465 and CT genotype of polymorphism rs650217 was significantly higher in DR group than DM group. Besides, there was a difference in the distribution of recessive models of AQP4 rs149465 (p=0.023) and rs650217 (p=0.014) between DR group and DM group. DR group exhibited remarkably lowered frequency of AA + AT recessive model of the polymorphism rs149465 and raised frequency of CT + TT recessive model of the polymorphism rs650217. Similarly, a difference was found in the distribution of haplotypes CAT (p=0.014) and CTC (p=0.003) of AQP4 rs200498749, rs149465 and rs650217 between DR group and DM group. The polymorphism rs200498749 of AQP4 gene was significantly correlated with AQP4 gene expression (p<0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of AQP4 gene was clearly higher in patients with CC genotype in DR group (p<0.05). AQP4 polymorphism rs200498749 was related to fasting blood glucose (p=0.000) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (p=0.000) in DR group, and polymorphism rs650217 had an association with serum creatinine level (p=0.034). AQP4 polymorphisms rs149465 (p=0.023) and rs650217 (p=0.042) were correlated with clinical stage in DR group. In addition, the proportion of patients with AA genotype of rs149465 at stage VI and with TT genotype of rs650217 at stage I rose significantly (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

AQP4 gene polymorphism has a potential relationship with the susceptibility and progression of DR.

Observation of the Mass Difference between Neutral Charm-Meson Eigenstates

A measurement of mixing and CP violation in neutral charm mesons is performed using data reconstructed in proton-proton collisions collected by the LHCb experiment from 2016 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4  fb^{-1}. A total of 30.6 million D^{0}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}π^{-} decays are analyzed using a method optimized for the measurement of the mass difference between neutral charm-meson eigenstates. Allowing for CP violation in mixing and in the interference between mixing and decay, the mass and decay-width differences are measured to be x_{CP}=[3.97±0.46(stat)±0.29(syst)]×10^{-3} and y_{CP}=[4.59±1.20(stat)±0.85(syst)]×10^{-3}, respectively. The CP-violating parameters are measured as Δx=[-0.27±0.18(stat)±0.01(syst)]×10^{-3} and Δy=[0.20±0.36(stat)±0.13(syst)]×10^{-3}. This is the first observation of a nonzero mass difference in the D^{0} meson system, with a significance exceeding seven standard deviations. The data are consistent with CP symmetry and improve existing constraints on the associated parameters.

The structural and functional corneal reinnervation mechanism at different regions after LASIK-an in vivo confocal microscopy study

PURPOSE

To determine the recovery of structural and functional corneal sensory nerves within the LASIK flap in order to provide insight to more proximal corneal reinnervation and symptoms post-LASIK.

METHODS

Twenty participants underwent femtosecond LASIK with a superior flap hinge. Ocular Comfort Index in Chinese (OCI-C), Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometry, and in vivo confocal microscopy were conducted before surgery and 1 week, 1-, 3-, and 6-months post-LASIK to measure symptoms, corneal sensitivity, nerve fiber density, width, and the number of interconnections within the flap (central and mid-temporal regions), and next to the superior flap hinge. Linear mixed models were used to compare differences between corneal regions at each time point post-LASIK and changes over time post-LASIK. Spearman's correlation tests were used to examine the associations between variables post-LASIK.

RESULTS

The least reduction in sensitivity (P < 0.03) and in nerve fiber density (P < 0.02) was found near the flap hinge compared to other regions, but no regional differences were found in nerve fiber width and interconnections. Nerve fiber density and the number of interconnections at all regions within the flap recovered over time (P < 0.02). The recovery of corneal sensitivity and nerve fiber width was only seen at the central and temporal regions (P < 0.04). No association was found between sensitivity and nerve parameters, but a higher OCI-C score was associated with a lower nerve fiber density near the hinge (r =  - 0.43, P = 0.003) over time post-LASIK.

CONCLUSION

Corneal sensitivity and density are preserved in the hinge, but this preservation of the corneal nerve damage does not affect the nerve morphology.

Observation of New Resonances Decaying to J/ψK^{+} and J/ψϕ

The first observation of exotic states with a new quark content cc[over ¯]us[over ¯] decaying to the J/ψK^{+} final state is reported with high significance from an amplitude analysis of the B^{+}→J/ψϕK^{+} decay. The analysis is carried out using proton-proton collision data corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9  fb^{-1} collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV. The most significant state, Z_{cs}(4000)^{+}, has a mass of 4003±6_{-14}^{+4}  MeV, a width of 131±15±26  MeV, and spin parity J^{P}=1^{+}, where the quoted uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. A new 1^{+}  X(4685) state decaying to the J/ψϕ final state is also observed with high significance. In addition, the four previously reported J/ψϕ states are confirmed and two more exotic states, Z_{cs}(4220)^{+} and X(4630), are observed with significance exceeding 5 standard deviations.

Direct Measurement of the Branching Fractions B(ψ(3686)→J/ψX) and B(ψ(3770)→J/ψX), and Observation of the State R(3760) in e^{+}e^{-}→J/ψX

We report a measurement of the observed cross sections of e^{+}e^{-}→J/ψX based on 3.21  fb^{-1} of data accumulated at energies from 3.645 to 3.891 GeV with the BESIII detector operated at the BEPCII collider. In analysis of the cross sections, we measured the decay branching fractions of B(ψ(3686)→J/ψX)=(64.4±0.6±1.6)% and B(ψ(3770)→J/ψX)=(0.5±0.2±0.1)% for the first time. The energy-dependent line shape of these cross sections cannot be well described by two Breit-Wigner (BW) amplitudes of the expected decays ψ(3686)→J/ψX and ψ(3770)→J/ψX. Instead, it can be better described with one more BW amplitude of the decay R(3760)→J/ψX. Under this assumption, we extracted the R(3760) mass M_{R(3760)}=3766.2±3.8±0.4  MeV/c^{2} , total width Γ_{R(3760)}^{tot}=22.2±5.9±1.4  MeV, and product of leptonic width and decay branching fraction Γ_{R(3760)}^{ee}B[R(3760)→J/ψX]=(79.4±85.5±11.7)  eV. The significance of the R(3760) is 5.3σ. The first uncertainties of these measured quantities are from fits to the cross sections and second systematic.

Ameliorative effects of morel mushroom (Morchella esculenta) against Cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity in adult male rats

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the major toxicants, which affects human health through occupational and environmental exposure. In the current study, we evaluated the protective effects of morel mushrooms against Cd-induced reproductive damages in rats. For this purpose, 30 male rats were divided into 6 groups (n=5/group), the first group served as the control group, second group was treated with an intraperitoneal (i.p) injection of 1 mg/kg/day of Cd. Third and fourth groups were co-treated with 1 mg/kg/day of Cd (i.p) and 10 and 20 mg/kg/day of morel mushroom extract (orally) respectively. The final 2 groups received oral gavage of 10 and 20 mg/kg/day of morel mushroom extract alone. After treatment for 17 days, the animals were euthanized, and testes and epididymis were dissected out. One testis and epididymis of each animal were processed for histology, while the other testis and epididymis were used for daily sperm production (DSP) and comet assay. Our results showed that Cd and morel mushrooms have no effect on animal weight, but Cd significantly decreases the DSP count and damages the heritable DNA which is reversed in co-treatment groups. Similarly, the histopathological results of testes and epididymis show that morel mushrooms control the damage to these tissues. Whereas the morel mushroom extract alone could enhance the production of testosterone. These results conclude that morel mushrooms not only control the damage done by Cd, but it could also be used as a protection mechanism for heritable DNA damage.

[Effect of electrode array type and insertion technique on the insertion force: in vitro cochlear model study]

Objective: To investigate the effect of insertion technique and electrode array type on the insertion force of electrode array, and to provide a basis for further optimizing electrode design and facilitating mini-invasive electrode insertion. Methods: Three types of electrode array from Nurotron (Standard Electrode, Slim-medium Electrode, Slim-long Electrode) were studied. from July 2019 to December 2019. These electrode arrays were inserted into the phantom models of the cochlea, manually or robot-assisted(medium speed and low speed). The real-time force during electrode array insertion was recorded by ATI Nano 17 Ti sensors and was analyzed by accessory software. Origin 2020b software was used for statistical processing. Results: The insertion force of all electrode arrays progressively increased with the insertion depth. With the manual technique, the peak force of slim-medium electrode insertion was significantly smaller than that of the standard electrode insertion((71.0±16.6) mN vs (140.9±52.7) mN, Z=3.683, P<0.01), and the peak force of the slim-long electrode insertion was between the peak force of standard electrode and slim-medium electrode(P>0.05). No difference was found in the force variation of insertion among the three electrodes(P>0.05). With medium-speed and low-speed robotic assistance, the peak force characteristics of three electrodes were similar to those with the manual technique, but the force variation of standard electrode insertion ((83.9±9.7) mN/s) at medium speed was significantly larger than that of the slim-long electrode insertion ((69.2±4.0)mN/s), and the force variation of the standard electrode insertion at low speed was significantly greater than the other two electrodes. For the same electrode, robot-assisted insertion presented significantly lower peak force and force variation than manual insertion for each type of electrode array. But there was no difference in the peak force and force variation between two-speed levels of robot assistance (P>0.05). Conclusions: The insertion force of the electrode array will be lower when a slim electrode array or robot technique is applied. Long electrode array might make manual insertion difficult or less precise. Robot assistance has advantage on force control during electrode array insertion.