Measurements of the Electric and Magnetic Form Factors of the Neutron for Timelike Momentum Transfer

We present the first measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron in the timelike (positive q^{2}) region as function of four-momentum transfer. We explored the differential cross sections of the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→n[over ¯]n with data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII accelerator, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 354.6  pb^{-1} in total at twelve center-of-mass energies between sqrt[s]=2.0-2.95  GeV. A relative uncertainty of 18% and 12% for the electric and magnetic form factors, respectively, is achieved at sqrt[s]=2.3935  GeV. Our results are comparable in accuracy to those from electron scattering in the comparable spacelike region of four-momentum transfer. The electromagnetic form factor ratio R_{em}≡|G_{E}|/|G_{M}| is within the uncertainties close to unity. We compare our result on |G_{E}| and |G_{M}| to recent model predictions, and the measurements in the spacelike region to test the analyticity of electromagnetic form factors.

Observation of a New X(3872) Production Process e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872)

Using 4.7  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data at center-of-mass energies from 4.661 to 4.951 GeV collected by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, we observe the X(3872) production process e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872) for the first time. The significance is 7.8σ, including both the statistical and systematic uncertainties. The e^{+}e^{-}→ωX(3872) Born cross section and the corresponding upper limit at 90% confidence level at each energy point are reported. The line shape of the cross section indicates that the ωX(3872) signals may be from the decays of some nontrivial structures.

The feasibility of a novel computer-aided classification system for the characterisation and diagnosis of breast masses on ultrasound: a single-centre preliminary test study

AIM

To introduce a novel computer-aided classification (CAC) system and investigate the feasibility of characterising and diagnosing breast masses on ultrasound (US).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 246 breast masses were included. US features and the final assessment categories of the breast masses were analysed by a radiologist and the CAC system according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon. The CAC system evaluated the BI-RADS assessment from the fusion of multi-view and colour Doppler US images without (SmartBreast) or with combining clinical variables (m-CAC system). The diagnostic performance and agreement of US characteristics between the radiologist and the CAC system were compared.

RESULTS

The agreement between the radiologist and the CAC system was substantial for mass shape (κ = 0.673), orientation (κ = 0.682), margin (κ = 0.622), posterior features (κ = 0.629), calcifications in a mass (κ = 0.709) and vascularity (κ = 0.745), fair for echo pattern (κ = 0.379), and moderate for BI-RADS assessment (κ = 0.575). With BI-RADS 4a as the cut-off value, the specificity (52.5% versus 25%, p<0.0001) and accuracy (73.98% versus 62.6%, p=0.0002) of the m-CAC system were improved without significant loss of sensitivity (94.44% versus 98.41%, p=0.1250) compared with the SmartBreast. The m-CAC system showed similar specificity (52.5% versus 45.83%, p=0.2430) and accuracy (73.98% versus 73.58%, p=1.0000) as the radiologist, but a lower sensitivity (94.44% versus 100%, p=0.0156).

CONCLUSION

The CAC system showed an acceptable agreement with the radiologist for characterisation of breast lesions. It has the potential to mimic the decision-making behaviour of radiologists for the classification of breast lesions.

[Analysis of the status of excess heart age and its risk factors among residents aged 35 to 64 years in China]

Objective: To analyze the status of excess heart age and its risk factors among Chinese residents aged 35 to 64 years. Methods: The study subjects were Chinese residents aged 35 to 64 years who completed the heart age assessment by WeChat official account"Heart Strengthening Action"through the internet from January 2018 to April 2021. Information such as age, gender, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, total cholesterol (TC), smoking history, and diabetes history was collected. The heart age and excess heart age were calculated according to the characteristics of individual cardiovascular risk factors and the heart aging was defined as excess heart age≥5 years and 10 years respectively. The heart age and standardization rate were calculated respectively based on the population standardization of the 7th census in 2021.CA trend test was used to analyze the changing trend of excess heart age rate and population attributable risk (PAR) was used to calculate the contribution of risk factors. Results: The mean age of 429 047 subjects was 49.25±8.66 years. The male accounted for 51.17% (219 558/429 047) and the excess heart age was 7.00 (0.00, 11.00) years. The excess heart age rate defined by excess heart age≥5 years and≥10 years was 57.02% (the standardized rate was 56.83%) and 38.02% (the standardized rate was 37.88%) respectively. With the increase of the age and number of risk factors, the excess heart age rate of the two definitions showed an upward trend according to the result of the trend test analysis (P<0.001). The top two risk factors of the PAR for excess heart age were overweight or obese and smoking. Among them, the male was smoking and overweight or obese, while the female was overweight or obese and having hypercholesterolemia. Conclusion: The excess heart age rate is high in Chinese residents aged 35 to 64 years and the contribution of overweight or obese, smoking and having hypercholesterolemia ranks high.

Observation of Three Charmoniumlike States with J^{PC}=1^{--} in e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+}

The Born cross sections of the process e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} at center-of-mass energies from 4.189 to 4.951 GeV are measured for the first time. The data samples used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 17.9  fb^{-1} and were collected by the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. Three enhancements around 4.20, 4.47, and 4.67 GeV are visible. The resonances have masses of 4209.6±4.7±5.9  MeV/c^{2}, 4469.1±26.2±3.6  MeV/c^{2}, and 4675.3±29.5±3.5  MeV/c^{2} and widths of 81.6±17.8±9.0  MeV, 246.3±36.7±9.4  MeV, and 218.3±72.9±9.3  MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The first and third resonances are consistent with the ψ(4230) and ψ(4660) states, respectively, while the second one is compatible with the ψ(4500) observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}K^{-}J/ψ process. These three charmoniumlike ψ states are observed in the e^{+}e^{-}→D^{*0}D^{*-}π^{+} process for the first time.

Detection of haemodynamic obstruction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy using the sub-aortic complex: a cardiac MRI and Doppler study

AIM

To investigate the "sub-aortic complex (SAC)", a new cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI)-derived parameter, for the evaluation of left ventricular (LV) outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), compared with conventional CMRI parameters and Doppler echocardiography.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 157 consecutive patients with HCM were recruited retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups, 87 with LVOT obstruction and 70 without obstruction. The SAC was defined as a specific anatomical SAC affecting the LVOT, which were measured on the LV three-chamber steady-state free precession (SSFP) cine image at the end-systolic phase. The relations between the existence and severity of obstruction and SAC index (SACi) were evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and logistic regression.

RESULTS

The SACs were significantly different between the obstructive and non-obstructive groups. The ROC curves indicated that the SACi was able to discriminate obstructive and non-obstructive patients with the best predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.949, p<0.001). The SACi was an independent predictor of LVOT obstruction and there was a significant negative correlation between resting LVOT pressure gradient and SACi (r=0.72 p<0.001). In the subgroup of patients with or without severe basal septal hypertrophy, the SACi was still able to predict LVOT obstruction with excellent diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.944 and 0.948, p<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The SAC is a reliable and straightforward CMRI marker for assessing LVOT obstruction. It is more effective than CMRI two-dimensional flow in diagnosing the severity of obstruction in patients with HCM.

High prevalence of vertebral deformity in tumor-induced osteomalacia associated with impaired bone microstructure

PURPOSE

Patients with tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) often suffer from irreversible height loss due to vertebral deformity. However, the prevalence of vertebral deformity in TIO patients varies among limited studies. In addition, the distribution and type of vertebral deformity, as well as its risk factors, remain unknown. This study aimed to identify the prevalence, distribution, type and risk factors for vertebral deformity in a large cohort of TIO patients.

METHODS

A total of 164 TIO patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. Deformity in vertebrae T4-L4 by lateral thoracolumbar spine radiographs was evaluated according to the semiquantitative method of Genant. Bone microstructure was evaluated by trabecular bone score (TBS) and high-resolution peripheral QCT (HR-pQCT).

RESULTS

Ninety-nine (99/164, 60.4%) patients had 517 deformed vertebrae with a bimodal pattern of distribution (T7-9 and T11-L1), and biconcave deformity was the most common type (267/517, 51.6%). Compared with patients without vertebral deformity, those with vertebral deformity had a higher male/female ratio, longer disease duration, more height loss, lower serum phosphate, higher bone turnover markers, lower TBS, lower areal bone mineral density (aBMD), lower peripheral volumetric BMD (vBMD) and worse microstructure. Lower trabecular vBMD and worse trabecular microstructure in the peripheral bone and lower spine TBS were associated with an increased risk of vertebral deformity independently of aBMD. After adjusting for the number of deformed vertebrae, we found little difference in clinical indexes among the patients with different types of vertebral deformity. However, we found significant correlations of clinical indexes with the number of deformed vertebrae and the spinal deformity index.

CONCLUSION

We reported a high prevalence of vertebral deformity in the largest cohort of TIO patients and described the vertebral deformity in detail for the first time. Risk factors for vertebral deformity included male sex, long disease duration, height loss, abnormal biochemical indexes and bone impairment. Clinical manifestation, biochemical indexes and bone impairment were correlated with the number of deformed vertebrae and degree of deformity, but not the type of deformity.

Microarray profiling identifies hsa_circ_0082003 as a novel tumor promoter for papillary thyroid carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that have essential regulatory roles in the development of various tumors. This study explored whether circRNAs are involved in the progression of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

METHODS

Differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) in four pairs of PTC and matched normal thyroid tissues were screened using a circRNA microarray. The potential functions of dysregulated circRNAs were predicted by bioinformatic analyses. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to determine hsa_circ_0082003 expression in 80 pairs of PTC and matched normal thyroid tissues. Cell counting kit-8, colony formation, wound healing, and Transwell assays were performed to evaluate the biological functions of hsa_circ_0082003 in PTC cells. The role of hsa_circ_0082003 in PTC tumorigenesis in vivo was validated in nude mice.

RESULTS

In total, 3150 DECs (2317 upregulated and 833 downregulated) were identified. Pathway enrichment analyses indicated that the dysregulated circRNAs may play roles in PTC development. RT-qPCR validation demonstrated that hsa_circ_0082003 expression was significantly increased in PTC tissues and correlated with poor clinicopathological parameters. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that hsa_circ_0082003 had good performance for diagnosing PTC and judging whether it was accompanied by lymph node metastasis. Knockdown of hsa_circ_0082003 inhibited PTC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Tumor formation assays in vivo showed that downregulation of hsa_circ_0082003 significantly suppressed the growth of PTC.

CONCLUSION

Hsa_circ_0082003 may serve as a novel diagnostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for PTC.

[Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand gene polymorphism and its plasma phenotype in relation to Crohn's disease]

Objectives: To investigate the associations of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) gene polymorphism and plasma soluble TRAIL level (sTRAIL) with Crohn's disease (CD) and to retrospectively analyze the effects of TRAIL gene variants and plasma sTRAIL levels on clinical response to infliximab (IFX). Methods: From January 2012 to January 2021, 312 CD patients [205 males, 107 females, average age (33.9±9.8) years] and 514 age-and gender-matched healthy controls [304 males, 210 females, average age (34.9±9.4) years] were recruited from the Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Among them, 72 patients with active CD who were ineffective or intolerant to traditional drug therapy regularly received IFX (5 mg/kg) treatment. According to the changes in the Harvey-Bradshaw index (HBI) and the Simplified Endoscopic Score for Crohn's Disease (SES-CD) in the 14^th week, these patients were classified into response group (a decrease in HBI≥3 or a decrease in SES-CD≥50%) and non-response group. TRAIL (rs1131568) gene polymorphism was analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry technique. The plasma sTRAIL level was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Based on the Montreal CD classification criteria, all CD patients were divided into different subgroups. Finally, a comprehensive analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between TRAIL (rs1131568) gene polymorphism, the plasma sTRAIL level and the risk of CD, the clinicopathological characteristics of CD patients, and the clinical response to IFX. Results: The recessive model analysis showed that the homozygous variant genotype (CC) was more prevalent in patients with moderately to severely active CD than in those with mildly active CD (45.34% vs 29.23%, P=0.005). Both variant allele (C) and homozygous variant genotype (CC) in patients with stricturing and penetrating CD were more frequent than those in patients with non-stricturing and non-penetrating CD (65.48% vs 57.53%, P=0.046; 49.21% vs 31.18%, P=0.001). The dominant model analysis showed that variant allele (C) and variant genotype (TC+CC) was higher in CD patients with perianal lesions than in those without perianal lesions (66.83% vs 58.17%, P=0.037; 92.31% vs 78.37%, P=0.002). The average plasma sTRAIL level was higher in CD patients than in healthy controls [(243.04±42.74) ng/L vs (194.16±31.14) ng/L, P<0.001]. Compared with the patients with mildly active CD, the plasma sTRAIL level was increased in those with moderately to severely active CD [263.47(242.09, 281.91) ng/L vs 231.13(211.11, 247.11) ng/L, P<0.001]. The same conclusion was also drawn for the patients with stricturing and penetrating CD in contrast to those with non-stricturing and non-penetrating CD [266.18 (246.68, 289.91) ng/L vs 227.19 (204.57, 249.59) ng/L, P<0.001]. The plasma sTRAIL level was also higher in patients with perianal disease than in those without perianal disease [(261.40±41.51) ng/L vs (233.86±40.41) ng/L, P<0.001]. Multiple linear regression analysis further showed that disease activity (β=22.640, P<0.001) and homozygous variant genotype (CC) (β=16.814, P<0.001) may be positively related to the plasma sTRAIL level in CD patients independently. At the 14^th week of IFX treatment, the plasma sTRAIL level in the response group was lower than that in the non-response group [205.98(190.72, 214.56) ng/L vs (238.33±29.38) ng/L, P<0.001]. Compared with week 0, the plasma sTRAIL level was decreased in the response group in the 14^th week [(205.98 (190.72, 214.56) ng/L vs (239.89±42.43) ng/L, P<0.001]. Non-conditional logistic regression analysis showed that variant allele (C) and variant genotype (TC+CC) were less frequent in the response group than in the non-response group (53.33% vs 70.83%, P=0.037; 70.00% vs 91.67%, P=0.036). Conclusions: The increased plasma sTRAIL level may be a risk factor for CD. TRAIL (rs1131568) gene variation and the increase of plasma sTRAIL level may be associated with the increased disease activity of CD and may be the risk factors for stenosis, penetration, and perianal lesions in CD patients. In addition, TRAIL (rs1131568) gene variation or the increase of plasma sTRAIL level may be related to no response to IFX treatment in CD patients.

[Effect of follicular size on clinical outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer induced by hCG on ovulation in natural cycles]

Objective: To investigate the effect of follicular size on the clinical outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer induced by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) of natural cycles on ovulation. Methods: Clinical data of 427 cycles of frozen-thawed single blastocyst transfer in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2016 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 15-16 mm group (15≤diameter≤16 mm, n=66), 16-17 mm group (16<diameter≤17 mm, n=101), 17-18 mm group (17<diameter≤18 mm, n=125), 18-20 mm group (18<diameter≤20 mm, n=109),>20 mm group (diameter>20 mm, n=26), according to the maximum follicle diameter on the induction day of hCG ovulation induction. The estradiol and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, and clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate and live birth rate were compared in five groups. Results: There were statistically significant differences in estradiol and LH levels among the five groups on the day of hCG induction (all P<0.05). Estradiol levels in 15-16 mm group to >20 mm group gradually increased on the day of hCG induction, and estradiol level in 15-16 mm group was significantly lower than those in 17-18 mm group, 18-20 mm group and >20 mm group (median: 1 002.3 vs 1 103.3 vs 1 171.2 vs 1 539.0 pmol/L), with statistical significances (P=0.034, P<0.001, P=0.002). On the day of hCG induction, LH levels in 15-16 mm group to >20 mm group showed a decreasing trend, and LH level in 15-16 mm group was significantly higher than those in 17-18 mm group and >20 mm group (median: 37.73 vs 28.24 vs 24.11 U/L), with statistically significant differences (P=0.007, P=0.006). There were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate and live birth rate in 15-16 mm group to >20 mm group (all P>0.05). Conclusion: In the natural cycle protocol of hCG induced ovulation, the small follicle group could achieve similar clinical outcomes compared with normal sized follicles in the single blastocyst transfer of frozen-thawed embryos.

[Establishment and preliminary application of organoids in ovarian cancer]

Objective: To explore the establishment and application of ovarian cancer organoids. Methods: Fresh ovarian tumor tissues, obtaining from patients underwent surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between October 2021 and March 2022, were collected, enzymatic degraded, digested, and embedded into matrigel to establish organoids. A total of 32 ovarian cancer samples were collected. Hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining and immunofluorescence (IF) procedure were used to verify the morphological structure of organoids and their expression of molecular markers. 3D cyto-live or dead assay was used to detecte the live or dead cells in organoids. Carboplatin with a concentration ranging from 5 to 80 μmol/L (5, 10, 20, 40, 80 μmol/L) was added to organoids to calculate the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) in different organoids. Results: (1) Organoids from a total of 32 patients were established, of which 18 cases could be passaged stably in the long term in vitro, while 14 could be passaged in the short time. The average amplification time of long-term passage in vitro was over 3 months, and the longest reached 9 months. (2) In HE staining, significant nuclei atypia and local micropapillary structures were observed in organoids. IF staining revealed that ovarian cancer organoids expressed molecular markers similar to primary tumor tissues, such as Pan cytokeratin (Pan-CK), p53, paired box gene 8 (PAX8), and Wilms tumor gene 1 (WT1). (3) In 3D cyto-live or dead assay, a large number of apoptotic cells were observed inside and around the organoids after added carboplatin. The sensitivity to carboplatin varied in 18 organoids could amplify in the long term, with an average IC₅₀ of (29.5±15.8) μmol/L. Moreover, IC₅₀ values of 4 organoids derived from patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were much higher than the 14 organoids which did not received neoadjuvant chemotherapy [(48.7±11.3) μmol/L vs (24.0±12.1) μmol/L; t=3.429, P=0.022]. Conclusions: Organoids recapitulate ovarian cancers in vitro and could be stably passaged. Organoids derived from patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy have higher resistance to carboplatin.

Evidence for the Cusp Effect in η' Decays into ηπ^{0}π^{0}

Using a sample of 4.3×10^{5} η^{'}→ηπ^{0}π^{0} events selected from the ten billion J/ψ event dataset collected with the BESIII detector, we study the decay η^{'}→ηπ^{0}π^{0} within the framework of nonrelativistic effective field theory. Evidence for a structure at π^{+}π^{-} mass threshold is observed in the invariant mass spectrum of π^{0}π^{0} with a statistical significance of around 3.5σ, which is consistent with the cusp effect as predicted by the nonrelativistic effective field theory. After introducing the amplitude for describing the cusp effect, the ππ scattering length combination a_{0}-a_{2} is determined to be 0.226±0.060_{stat}±0.013_{syst}, which is in good agreement with theoretical calculation of 0.2644±0.0051.

[Clinical efficacy and prognostic risk factors of salvage liver transplantation, rehepatectomy, and local ablation in the treatment of postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate and analyze the clinical efficacy of salvage liver transplantation (SLT), rehepatectomy (RH), local ablation (LA), and prognostic risk factors in patients with postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: Clinical data of 145 patients with recurrent liver cancer in the 900th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the People's Liberation Army from January 2005 to June 2018 were retrospectively collected. SLT group, RH group, and LA group included 25, 44, and 76 cases, respectively. Follow-up and statistics were recorded on the overall survival rate, relapse-free survival rate, and complications of the three groups of patients at 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery. Univariate and multivariate COX analyses were used to analyze the prognostic risk factors in patients with recurrent HCC. Results: The overall survival rates of 1, 2, and 3 years following surgery in the SLT, RH, and LA groups were 100.0%, 84.0%, 72.0%, 95.5%, 77.3%, 65.9%, 90.8%, 76.3%, and 63.2%, respectively, when the recurrence of liver cancer met the Milan criteria. The overall survival rate did not differ statistically between SLT and RH (P = 0.303) or between RH and LA (P = 0.152). There were statistically significant differences in recurrence-free survival between SLT and RH or RH and LA (P = 0.046). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of complications between SLT and RH or RH and LA (P > 0.017). Age > 65 years was an independent risk factor affecting the overall survival rate in patients with recurrent HCC. Age > 65 years and recurrence time < 24 months were independent risk factors affecting the recurrence-free survival rate in patients with recurrent HCC. Conclusion: SLT is the best treatment option when the recurrence of HCC meets Milan's criteria. RH and LA are the appropriate treatment plans for recurrent HCC when the liver source is limited.

[Deep neck space infections: a retrospective cohort study of surgical risk factors]

Objective: To explore risk factors affecting treatment for deep neck space infections (DNSIs) so as to provide guidance for appropriate early managements. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on inpatients with DNSIs admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from March 2013 to February 2021. Patients were divided into surgical and non-surgical groups based on whether they had surgery or not. Information collected included demographic data, disease-related signs and symptoms, treatment history, systemic comorbidities, imaging data and laboratory indicators. Hypothesis testing, univariate Logistic regression and multivariate Logistic regression were used for data processing. Resuts A total of 61 patients were included, including 37 males and 24 females, aged 6-96 years. There were 35 cases (57.4%) in the surgical group and 26 cases (42.6%) in the non-surgical group. Multivariate analysis showed that risk factors for surgery as followings: neck dyskinesia (OR=0.03, 95%CI: 0.00-0.24), dysphagia (OR=0.10, 95%CI: 0.02-0.72), serum white blood cell count≥16.74×10⁹/L (OR=1.18, 95%CI: 1.01-1.39) and interspace gas (OR=0.03, 95%CI: 0.00-0.30). Conclusion: Clinicians should be alert to these risk factors for surgery in the course of treatment and timely surgical treatment for patients who meet the conditions.

[The 499th case: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, limb weakness, and ostealgia]

A 36-year-old woman was admitted to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital with a history of fractures for 2 years, limb weakness for 1 year, and ostealgia for 2 months. The patient's examination identified iron deficiency anemia, significantly decreased serum calcium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels, and increased alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone levels. Imaging showed several typical signs of osteomalacia. Considering the history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, the diagnosis was considered to be osteomalacia caused by a postoperative nutritional absorption disorder. The patient was supplemented with calcitriol, calcium, and vitamin D and gradually returned to normal physical activity. The bone metabolism indicators and bone density were significantly improved.

Fructose Consumption is Associated with a Higher Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the association between fructose consumption and all-cause dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia.

METHODS

We used data from the Framingham Offspring Study (FOS) Cohort exams 5 through 9. Fructose consumption was quantified using a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at cohort examinations 5 and participants were dementia-free at baseline. Surveillance for incident events commenced at examination 9 through 2014. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the hazard ratios for the association between fructose consumption and incidence of all-cause dementia and AD dementia.

RESULTS

Over a mean follow-up of 15.2 (interquartile range, 12.3-17.1) years (31715.1 person-years), there were 233 dementia events of which 163 were AD dementia (70.0%). After multivariate adjustments, individuals with the highest consumption of fructose had a higher risk of all-cause dementia, and AD dementia when comparing daily cumulative consumption to 0 per week (reference), with HRs of 1.49 (95% 1.14-1.84, P for trend < 0.001) for all-cause dementia, and 1.60 (95%CI 1.22-2.01, P-trend < 0.001) for AD dementia. And the comparable results were shown in the subgroups for individuals with median consumption of fructose.

CONCLUSION

Fructose consumption was associated with a higher risk of all-cause dementia and AD dementia.

Observation of a Strongly Isospin-Mixed Doublet in ^{26}Si via β-Delayed Two-Proton Decay of ^{26}P

β decay of proton-rich nuclei plays an important role in exploring isospin mixing. The β decay of ^{26}P at the proton drip line is studied using double-sided silicon strip detectors operating in conjunction with high-purity germanium detectors. The T=2 isobaric analog state (IAS) at 13 055 keV and two new high-lying states at 13 380 and 11 912 keV in ^{26}Si are unambiguously identified through β-delayed two-proton emission (β2p). Angular correlations of two protons emitted from ^{26}Si excited states populated by ^{26}P β decay are measured, which suggests that the two protons are emitted mainly sequentially. We report the first observation of a strongly isospin-mixed doublet that deexcites mainly via two-proton decay. The isospin mixing matrix element between the ^{26}Si IAS and the nearby 13 380-keV state is determined to be 130(21) keV, and this result represents the strongest mixing, highest excitation energy, and largest level spacing of a doublet ever observed in β-decay experiments.

Study of the Semileptonic Decay Λ_{c}^{+}→Λe^{+}ν_{e}

The study of the Cabibbo-favored semileptonic decay Λ_{c}^{+}→Λe^{+}ν_{e} is reported using a 4.5  fb^{-1} data sample of e^{+}e^{-} annihilations collected at center-of-mass energies ranging from 4.600 GeV to 4.699 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. The branching fraction of the decay is measured to be B(Λ_{c}^{+}→Λe^{+}ν_{e})=(3.56±0.11_{stat}±0.07_{syst})%, which is the most precise measurement to date. Furthermore, we perform an investigation of the internal dynamics in Λ_{c}^{+}→Λe^{+}ν_{e}. We provide the first direct comparisons of the differential decay rate and form factors with those predicted from lattice quantum chromodynamics (LQCD) calculations. Combining the measured branching fraction with a q^{2}-integrated rate predicted by LQCD, we determine |V_{cs}|=0.936±0.017_{B}±0.024_{LQCD}±0.007_{τ_{Λ_{c}}}.