Thermal Welding of Liquids

Welding of thermoplastics is common practice in many industrial sectors, but it has yet to be realized with fluids. Here, we report the thermal welding of liquids by using the assembly and jamming of nanoparticles surfactants (NPSs) at liquid-liquid interfaces. By fine-tuning the dynamic interaction strength within NPSs, the interfacial activity of NPSs, as well as the binding energy of NPSs to the interface can be precisely controlled, leading to a dynamic exchange of NPSs, maximizing the reduction in the interfacial energy. With NPSs jammed at the interface, the structures of liquids can be manipulated to complex geometries by applying an external force and, due to the temperature responsiveness of NPSs, when bringing liquids into contact and heating the system, welding of liquids can be achieved. This work provides a straightforward strategy for the construction of modular all-liquid fluidics, opening up numerous opportunities in fields like biotechnology, healthcare, and materials science. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Amphiphilic Polyphosphazene for Fluorocarbon Emulsion Stabilization

High internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) have been of great interest for fabricating fluorinated porous polymers having controlled pore structures and excellent physicochemical properties. However, it remains a challenge to prepare stable fluorocarbon HIPEs, due to the lack of suitable surfactants. By randomly grating hydrophilic and fluorophilic side chains to polyphosphazene (PPZ), a comb-like amphiphilic PPZ surfactant with biodegradability is designed and synthesized for stabilizing water/fluorocarbon oil-based emulsions. The hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of PPZs can be controlled by tuning the grating ratio of the two side chains, leading to the preparation of stable water-in-oil HIPEs and oil-in-water emulsions, and the production of fluorinated porous polymers and particles by polymerizing the oil phase. These fluorinated porous polymers show excellent thermal stability and, due to the hydrophobicity and porous structure, applications in the field of oil/water separation can be achieved.

Reconfigurable droplet networks

Droplet networks stabilized by lipid interfacial bilayers or colloidal particles have been extensively investigated in recent years and are of great interest for compartmentalized reactions and biological functions. However, current design strategies are disadvantaged by complex preparations and limited droplet size. Here, by using the assembly and jamming of cucurbit[8]uril surfactants at the oil-water interface, we show a novel means of preparing droplet networks that are multi-responsive, reconfigurable, and internally connected over macroscopic distances. Openings between the droplets enable the exchange of matter, affording a platform for chemical reactions and material synthesis. Our work requires only a manual compression to construct complex patterns of droplet networks, underscoring the simplicity of this strategy and the range of potential applications.

Interfacial Preparation of Polyoxometalate-Based Hybrid Supramolecular Polymers by Orthogonal Self-Assembly

The construction of organic-inorganic hybrid supramolecular polymers using polyoxometalate (POM) as building block is expected to bring new opportunities to the functionalization of supramolecular polymers and the development of novel POM-based soft materials. Here, by using the orthogonal self-assembly based on host-guest interactions and metal-ligand interactions, we report the in situ construction of a novel POM-based hybrid supramolecular polymer (POM-SP) at the oil-water interface, while the redox and competitive responsiveness can be triggered independently. Moreover, the binding energy of POM-SP at the interface is sufficiently strong so that the assembly of POM-SP jams, allowing the stabilization of liquids in nonequilibrium shapes, offering the possibility of fabricating all-liquid constructs with reconfigurability.

Severity of abdominal obesity and cardiometabolic diseases in US adults

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) among adults with abdominal obesity and to evaluate the necessity of differentiating severity of abdominal obesity.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study and prospective cohort study.

METHODS

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data between 2011 and 2020 were included for cross-sectional analyses. Class I, II and III abdominal obesity were created by dividing waist circumference within sex-specific abdominal obesity range into tertiles. Age-standardized prevalence of CMDs was estimated and differences by severity of abdominal obesity were compared using Poisson regressions. Prospective analyses were performed using NHANES data between 1988 and 2018 with linked mortality data. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between severity of abdominal obesity and mortality.

RESULTS

Among 23,168 adults included (mean age: 47.8 years, 49.3% men), 13,307 (57.4%) had abdominal obesity. Among adults with abdominal obesity, the estimated prevalence of diabetes was 17.3% (95% confidence interval: 16.3%, 18.2%), hypertension 39.3% (38.2%, 40.3%), dyslipidemia 59.5% (58.0%, 61.1%), cardiovascular disease 9.0% (8.3%, 9.8%), chronic kidney disease 16.8% (15.9%, 17.7%) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 39.9% (38.4%, 41.4%). The estimated prevalence was 55.5% (53.8%, 57.2%) for having ≥2 CMDs. Compared with class I abdominal obesity, class III abdominal obesity was related to a 43%-184% higher prevalence of CMDs and a 44% higher risk of all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of CMDs was high and multimorbidity of CMDs was common among US adults with abdominal obesity. The prevalence of CMDs and risk of mortality differed significantly by severity of abdominal obesity.

Self-Assembly of Polyoxometalate-Based Nanoparticle Surfactants in Solutions

Nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) are an emergent class of amphiphiles attractive for their controllable assembly at the liquid-liquid interface. In this work, intriguing self-assembly behavior and stimuli-responsiveness of NPSs in homogeneous solutions are presented. With β-cyclodextrin-grafted polyoxometalates (POMs) and ferrocene (or azobenzene)-terminated polystyrene in water/tetrahydrofuran, POM-based NPSs are formed via host-guest interactions and self-organize to vesicles driven by solvent-phobic effects. The tunable supramolecular interactions allow these assemblies to be responsive to redox or light stimulus, respectively, affording an on-demand assembly/disassembly capacity that shows promise in delivery and release applications.

Stabilizing Liquids Using Interfacial Supramolecular Assemblies

Stabilizing liquids based on supramolecular assembly (non-covalent intermolecular interactions) has attracted significant interest, due to the increasing demand for soft, liquid-based devices where the shape of the liquid is far from the equilibrium spherical shape. The components comprising these interfacial assemblies must have sufficient binding energies to the interface to prevent their ejection from the interface when the assemblies are compressed. Here, we highlight recent advances in structuring liquids based on non-covalent intermolecular interactions. We describe some of the progress made that reveals structure-property relationships. In addition to treating advances, we discuss some of the limitations and provide a perspective on future directions to inspire further studies on structured liquids based on supramolecular assembly.

First Dark Matter Search with Nuclear Recoils from the XENONnT Experiment

We report on the first search for nuclear recoils from dark matter in the form of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with the XENONnT experiment, which is based on a two-phase time projection chamber with a sensitive liquid xenon mass of 5.9 ton. During the (1.09±0.03)  ton yr exposure used for this search, the intrinsic ^{85}Kr and ^{222}Rn concentrations in the liquid target are reduced to unprecedentedly low levels, giving an electronic recoil background rate of (15.8±1.3)  events/ton yr keV in the region of interest. A blind analysis of nuclear recoil events with energies between 3.3 and 60.5 keV finds no significant excess. This leads to a minimum upper limit on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross section of 2.58×10^{-47}  cm^{2} for a WIMP mass of 28  GeV/c^{2} at 90% confidence level. Limits for spin-dependent interactions are also provided. Both the limit and the sensitivity for the full range of WIMP masses analyzed here improve on previous results obtained with the XENON1T experiment for the same exposure.

A DNA Replication Stress-Based Prognostic Model for Lung Adenocarcinoma

Tumor cells endure continuous DNA replication stress, which opens the way to cancer development. Despite previous research, the prognostic implications of DNA replication stress on lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have yet to be investigated. Here, we aimed to investigate the potential of DNA replication stress-related genes (DNARSs) in predicting the prognosis of individuals with LUAD. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) originated from the TCGA-LUAD dataset, and we constructed a 10-gene LUAD prognostic model based on DNARSs-related DEGs (DRSDs) using Cox regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrated excellent predictive capability for the LUAD prognostic model, while the Kaplan-Meier survival curve indicated a poorer prognosis in a high-risk (HR) group. Combined with clinical data, the Riskscore was found to be an independent predictor of LUAD prognosis. By incorporating Riskscore and clinical data, we developed a nomogram that demonstrated a capacity to predict overall survival and exhibited clinical utility, which was validated through the calibration curve, ROC curve, and decision curve analysis curve tests, confirming its effectiveness in prognostic evaluation. Immune analysis revealed that individuals belonging to the low-risk (LR) group exhibited a greater abundance of immune cell infiltration and higher levels of immune function. We calculated the immunopheno score and TIDE scores and tested them on the IMvigor210 and GSE78220 cohorts and found that individuals categorized in the LR group exhibited a higher likelihood of deriving therapeutic benefits from immunotherapy intervention. Additionally, we predicted that patients classified in the HR group would demonstrate enhanced sensitivity to Docetaxel using anti-tumor drugs. To summarize, we successfully developed and validated a prognostic model for LUAD by incorporating DNA replication stress as a key factor.

Searching for Heavy Dark Matter near the Planck Mass with XENON1T

Multiple viable theoretical models predict heavy dark matter particles with a mass close to the Planck mass, a range relatively unexplored by current experimental measurements. We use 219.4 days of data collected with the XENON1T experiment to conduct a blind search for signals from multiply interacting massive particles (MIMPs). Their unique track signature allows a targeted analysis with only 0.05 expected background events from muons. Following unblinding, we observe no signal candidate events. This Letter places strong constraints on spin-independent interactions of dark matter particles with a mass between 1×10^{12} and 2×10^{17}  GeV/c^{2}. In addition, we present the first exclusion limits on spin-dependent MIMP-neutron and MIMP-proton cross sections for dark matter particles with masses close to the Planck scale.

All-oil Constructs Stabilized by Cellulose Nanocrystal Surfactants

Constructing all-oil systems with desired geometries and responsiveness would produce a new class of reconfigurable materials that can be used for applications that are not compatible with water or aqueous systems, a fascinating goal to achieve but severely limited by the lack of surfactants. Here, we demonstrate an efficient strategy to stabilize oil-oil interfaces by using the co-assembly between the cellulose nanocrystal and amine-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-NH₂). Cellulose nanocrystal surfactants (CNCSs) form and assemble in situ at the interface, showing significantly enhanced binding energy and acid-dependent interfacial activity. When CNCSs jam at the interface, a robust assembly with exceptional mechanical properties can be achieved, allowing the 3D printing of all-oil devices on demand. Using CNCSs as emulsifiers, oil-in-oil high internal phase emulsions can be prepared by one-step homogenization and, when used as templates, porous materials that require water-sensitive monomers can be synthesized. These results open a new platform for stabilizing and structuring all-oil systems, providing numerous applications for microreactors, encapsulation, delivery, and tissue engineering scaffolds.

CCDC3 Gene Regulates the Proliferation of Breast Cancer Cells

We studied the effect of CCDC3 on the viability of human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. The levels of CCDC3 mRNA and the corresponding protein in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, T-47D, and HCC1937 cell lines were measured by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting. Since MDA-MB-231 cells had higher expression of mRNA CCDC3 and CCDC3 protein, we used this cell line for transfection with small interfering RNA by lentivirus. Cell Counting Kit-8 and clone formation assay were used to detect the effects of CCDC3 knockdown on cell viability; flow cytometry was used to detect the effects of CCDC3 knockdown on cell apoptosis and cell cycle. In MDA-MB-231 cell line, the CCDC3 protein level was significantly down-regulated after CCDC3 knockdown in comparison with the control group (p<0.05). The cell viability and the number of clones in the CCDC3 knockdown group were significantly reduced (p<0.05), while the apoptosis rate significantly increased (p<0.05). Thus, after CCDC3 knockdown, cell viability is weakened in MDA-MB-231 cells, and cell apoptosis rate is increased. Therefore, CCDC3 gene is promising as a new candidate target for BC treatment.

Exome-wide screening identifies novel rare risk variants for bone mineral density

Bone mineral density (BMD) is an independent risk factor of osteoporosis-related fractures. We performed gene-based burden tests to assess the association between rare variants and BMD, and identified several BMD candidate genes.

PURPOSE

BMD is highly heritable and a major predictor of osteoporotic fractures, but its genetic basis remains unclear. We aimed to identify rare risk variants contributing to BMD.

METHODS

Utilizing the newly released UK Biobank 200,643 exome dataset, we conducted a gene-based exome-wide association study in males and females, respectively. First, 100,639 males and 117,338 females with BMD values were included in the polygenic risk scores (PRS) analysis. Among individuals with lower 30% PRS, cases were individuals with top 10% BMD, and individuals with bottom 10% BMD were the controls. Considering the effects of vitamin D (VD), individuals with the highest 30% VD concentration were selected for VD-BMD analysis. After quality control, 741 males and 697 females were included in the BMD analysis, and 717 males and 708 females were included in the VD-BMD analysis. The variants were annotated by ANNOVAR software, then BMD and VD-BMD qualified variants were imported into the SKAT R-package to perform gene-based burden tests, respectively.

RESULTS

The gene-based burden test of the exonic variants identified genome-wide candidate associations in ANKRD18A (P = 1.60 × 10^-5, P_{Bonferroni adjust} = 2.11 × 10^-3), C22orf31 (P = 3.49 × 10^-4, P_{Bonferroni adjust} = 3.17 × 10^-2), and SPATC1L (P = 1.09 × 10^-5, P_{Bonferroni adjust} = 8.80 × 10^-3). For VD-BMD analysis, three genes were associated with BMD, such as NIPAL1 (P = 1.06 × 10^-3, P_{Bonferroni adjust} = 3.91 × 10^-2).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggested that rare variants contribute to BMD, providing new sights for broadening the genetic structure of BMD.

pH- and Redox-Responsive Pickering Emulsions Based on Cellulose Nanocrystal Surfactants

Nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs), formed by using dynamic interactions between nanoparticles and complementary ligands at the liquid-liquid interface, have emerged as "smart emulsifiers" with attributes of high emulsification efficiency, long-term stability, and on-demand emulsification/demulsification capabilities. However, only pH-responsiveness can be adopted for the assembly of reported NPSs formed by electrostatic interactions. Here, we propose an alternative design strategy, by taking advantage of the ferrocenium (Fc⁺ ) sulfate ion pair, to develop a new type of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) surfactant. The Fc⁺ groups are sensitive to pH, redox reagents and voltage, imparting the CNC surfactants and derived Pickering emulsions with multi-stimuli-responsiveness, and showing promising applications in controllable delivery, release, and biphasic biocatalysis.

Plaster board waste (PBW) - A potential fluoride leaching source in soil/water environments and, fluoride immobilization studies using soils

Plaster board waste generated from industries, usually contains major proportion of calcium as calcium sulfate. In addition, fluoride is remarkably one among the constituents of this waste material which leaches off into the soil and aquatic environments and causes fluoride pollution. In order to simulate how the dumping of PBW causes fluoride contamination in soil and water sources, shaking and stirring based batch-mode leaching studies were conducted. These studies explored the leaching of fluoride as a function of particle size, agitation time, pH of the leaching solvent (distilled water), L/S (water: PBW) ratio, temperature and electrolytes. It was explored that 1 g of plaster board waste contains18.54 mg F per gram of PBP. High leaching of 3.72 mg F per liter was studied at pH 6.02 with Ca²⁺ and TDS contents of 1050 mg L^-1 and1640 mg L^-1 respectively. The influence of sodium electrolytes such as chloride, nitrate, hydrogen carbonate, carbonate, sulfate, borate, phosphate and acetate on the leaching of fluoride from PBW was studied. The influence of fluoride leaching by sodium phosphate recorded a high value of 12.75 mg L^-1 with no detectable amount of calcium ions. The influence of eight electrolytic mixtures each containing five sodium electrolytes on fluoride leaching corroborated the highest leaching in mixtures containing phosphate followed by hydrogen carbonate/carbonate. Solutions of calcium and aluminium chloride and their mixture were used to measure the rate of leachable fluoride in solution. Furthermore, the fluoride leaching at different temperatures and acids was studied. Naturally occurring soils when blended with PBW were observed to immobilize fluoride and lessened the amount of leaching fluoride in water. Various characterization studies such as FTIR, Raman, FESEM (with EDS), XRD and XPS were carried out for PBW and its treated samples using different electrolytes. Fluoride leaching proportionate to the precipitation of carbonate and phosphate was recorded in the case of appropriate electrolyte and mixtures.

Structured liquids stabilized by polyethyleneimine surfactants

Using host-guest interactions between β-cyclodextrin-modified branched polyethyleneimine and ferrocene-terminated poly-L-lactide, the formation, assembly and jamming of polyethyleneimine surfactants (PEISs) at the liquid-liquid interface is presented. With PEIS, reconfigurable liquids with electrochemical redox responsiveness can be constructed. In conjunction with microfluidic methods, continuous, selective diffusion and purification of ionic species can be achieved in all-liquid constructs.

OPTIMIZATION METHOD FOR ANKLE STRENGTH TRAINING DURING EXERCISE

ABSTRACT Introduction Good ankle joint strength is a precondition for high-quality exercise and is an important factor in preventing joint injuries. Objective Explore the method of optimizing ankle strength training during exercise. Methods 40 volunteers were selected and randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. The 20 athletes in the experimental group were trained three times a week for six weeks using a control variable method, while the control group performed only professional daily physical training. Pre-training and post-training methods were used to collect and investigate the data regarding the effect of strength training on the ankle joint and its impact on skill and strength tests submitted to the athletes. Results Ankle strength training can improve ankle muscle strength and athletes’ ability to run and jump (P > 0.05). Conclusion Ankle joint strength training may improve athletes’ baseline sporting ability, improve ankle joint muscle strength, reduce the likelihood of joint injuries, and contribute to improved outcomes of various abilities, meriting further study and replication. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

Interfacial Assembly and Jamming of Soft Nanoparticle Surfactants into Colloidosomes and Structured Liquids

Nanoparticle surfactant (NPS) offers a powerful strategy to generate all-liquid constructs that integrate the inherent properties of the NPs into 3D architectures. Here, using the co-assembly of fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles and amine-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, the assembly and jamming behavior of a new type of NPS at the oil-water interface is uncovered. Unlike "solid" inorganic nanoparticles, "soft" polymeric nanoparticles can reorganize when jammed, leading to a relaxation and deformation of the interfacial assemblies, for example, the 3D printed sugar-coated haw stick-like liquid tubules. With NPS serving as emulsifiers, stable Pickering emulsions are prepared that can be converted into robust colloidosomes with pH responsiveness, showing numerous potential applications for encapsulation and controlled release.

[MRI features of lymphoepithelioma-like intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the MRI manifestations of lymphoepithelioma-like intrahep cholangiocarcinoma (LEL-ICC). Methods: MR images of 26 cases with LEL-ICC confirmed pathologically at Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University between March 2011 and March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The number, location, size, morphology, edges of lesions, non-scan signal intensity, cystic necrosis, enhancement mode, peak, and capsule, vascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, and other MR images were included for analysis. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value of the lesion and the surrounding normal liver parenchyma were measured. A paired-sample t-test was used to statistically analyze the measurement data. Results: All 26 cases of LEL-ICC had solitary lesions. Mass-type LEL-ICC was the most common [n=23, lesion size (4.02±2.32) cm] with distribution along the bile duct [n=3, lesion size (7.23±1.40 cm)]. Among the 23 lesions of mass type LEL-ICC, most of the lesions were close to the liver capsule (n=20), round (n=22), clearly bordered (n=13), and cystic necrosis (n=22). In the three lesions of LEL-ICC distributed along the bile duct, most of them were close to the liver capsule (n=2), irregular (n=3), blurred edges (n=3), and cystic necrosis (n=3). All 26 lesions showed a low/slightly low signal on T₁WI, a high/slightly high signal on T₂WI, and a slightly high or high signal on DWI. Three lesions showed fast-in and fast-out enhancement modes, and 23 lesions showed continuous enhancement. Twenty-five lesions showed peak enhancement in the arterial phase, and one lesion appeared in the delayed phase. The ADC value of 26 lesions and adjacent normal liver parenchyma was (1.112±0.274)×10^-3 mm²/s and (1.482±0.346)×10^-3 mm²/s, respectively, and the both had a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Conclusion: Certain manifestations of LEL-ICC in magnetic resonance imaging are advantageous for diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

[COVID-19 treated with oral Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir in 3 children]

Objective: To summarize the application experience and the therapeutic effect of Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (trade name: Paxlovid) for COVID-19 in children. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data, including collecting the clinical manifestations and clinical outcomes, dynamically monitoring the blood routine, hepatic and renal function and SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid results, and observing the related side effects during the treatment, etc, of 3 cases with COVID-19 treated with Paxlovid admitted to Shanghai Children's Hospital (designated referral hospital for SARS-CoV-2 infection in Shanghai) from May 1^st to June 1^st, 2022. Results: The 3 cases were 12, 14, 17 years of age, among which 2 cases were males, 1 case was female. All 3 cases were mild cases with underlying diseases and risk of developing into severe COVID-19, with symptoms of high fever, sore throat and dry cough. The treatment of Paxlovid at 3^rd day of symptom onset contributed to the symptom-free after 1-2 days and negative results of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid after 2-4 days. All patients had no adverse manifestations of gastrointestinal tract and nervous system but a case had little skin rashes, which recovered after the withdrawal of Paxlovid. Three cases had normal hepatic and renal function during the Paxlovid treatment. At 3 months after discharge, no clinical manifestations of post-COVID syndrome were found in all 3 cases. Conclusion: Paxlovid was effective and relatively safe in the treatment of 3 children with COVID-19.

Supramolecular Interfaces and Reconfigurable Liquids Derived from Cucurbit[7]uril Surfactants

Nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) offer a powerful means to stabilize the oil-water interface and construct all-liquid devices with advanced functions. However, as the nanoparticle size decreases to molecular-scale, the binding energy of the NPS to the interface reduces significantly, leading to a dynamic adsorption of NPS and "liquid-like" state of the interfacial assemblies. Here, by using the host-guest recognition between a water-soluble small molecule, cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and an oil-soluble polymer ligand, methyl viologen-terminated polystyrene, a supramolecular NPS model, termed CB[7] surfactant, is described. CB[7] surfactants form and assemble rapidly at the oil-water interface, generating an elastic film with excellent mechanical properties. The binding energy of CB[7] surfactant to the interface is sufficiently high to hold it in a jammed state, transforming the interfacial assemblies from a "liquid-like" to "solid-like" state, enabling the structuring of liquids. With CB[7] surfactants as the emulsifier, O/W, W/O and O/W/O emulsions can be prepared in one step. Owing to the guest-competitive responsiveness of CB[7] surfactants, the assembly/disassembly and jamming/unjamming of CB[7] surfactants can be well controlled, leading to the reconfiguration of all-liquid constructs.

MXene-Based Porous Monoliths

In the past decade, a thriving family of 2D nanomaterials, transition-metal carbides/nitrides (MXenes), have garnered tremendous interest due to its intriguing physical/chemical properties, structural features, and versatile functionality. Integrating these 2D nanosheets into 3D monoliths offers an exciting and powerful platform for translating their fundamental advantages into practical applications. Introducing internal pores, such as isotropic pores and aligned channels, within the monoliths can not only address the restacking of MXenes, but also afford a series of novel and, in some cases, unique structural merits to advance the utility of the MXene-based materials. Here, a brief overview of the development of MXene-based porous monoliths, in terms of the types of microstructures, is provided, focusing on the pore design and how the porous microstructure affects the application performance.

Search for New Physics in Electronic Recoil Data from XENONnT

We report on a blinded analysis of low-energy electronic recoil data from the first science run of the XENONnT dark matter experiment. Novel subsystems and the increased 5.9 ton liquid xenon target reduced the background in the (1, 30) keV search region to (15.8±1.3)  events/(ton×year×keV), the lowest ever achieved in a dark matter detector and ∼5 times lower than in XENON1T. With an exposure of 1.16 ton-years, we observe no excess above background and set stringent new limits on solar axions, an enhanced neutrino magnetic moment, and bosonic dark matter.

[A prospective randomized controlled study on the effects of compound analgesia in ultra-pulsed fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment of post-burn hypertrophic scars in children]

Objective: To investigate the effects of compound analgesia on ultra-pulsed fractional carbon dioxide laser (UFCL) treatment of post-burn hypertrophic s in children. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. From April 2018 to March 2020, 169 pediatric patients with post-burn hypertrophic s admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University were randomly divided into general anesthesia alone group (39 cases, 19 males and 20 females, aged 35 (21, 48) months), general anesthesia+lidocaine group (41 cases, 23 males and 18 females, aged 42 (22, 68) months), general anesthesia+ibuprofen suppository group (41 cases, 25 males and 16 females, aged 38 (26, 52) months), and three-drug combination group with general anesthesia + lidocaine+ibuprofen suppository (48 cases, 25 males and 23 females, aged 42 (25, 60) months), and the pediatric patients in each group were treated with corresponding analgesic regimens when UFCL was used to treat s, and the pediatric patients were given comprehensive care throughout the treatment process. The pain degree of pediatric patients scar was evaluated by facial expression,legs,activity,cry,and consolability (FLACC) of children's pain behavior scale at 0 (immediately), 1, 2, and 4 h after awakening from the first anesthesia, respectively. At 4 h after awakening from the first anesthesia of postoperative pain assessment, the self-made analgesia satisfaction questionnaire was used to evaluate the satisfaction for the analgesic effect of the pediatric patients or their families, and the satisfaction rate was calculated. Within 2 h after the first operation, the occurrences of adverse reactions of the pediatric patients, such as nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, etc, were observed and recorded. Before the first treatment and 1 month after the last treatment, the Vancouver scar scale (VSS) was used to evaluate the pediatric patients scar, and the difference value between the two was calculated. Data were statistically analyzed with least significant difference test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, chi-square test and Fisher's exact probability test. Results: At 0 h after awakening from the first anesthesia, the FLACC scores of pediatric patients in general anesthesia+lidocaine group, general anesthesia+ibuprofen suppository group and three-drug combination group were significantly lower than those in general anesthesia alone group (P<0.01). The FLACC scores of the pediatric patients in anesthesia+ibuprofen suppository group and three-drug combination group were significantly lower than that in general anesthesia+lidocaine group (P<0.01), and the FLACC score of the pediatric patients in three-drug combination group was significantly lower than that in general anesthesia+ibuprofen suppository group (P<0.01). At 1 and 2 h after awakening from the first anesthesia, the FLACC scores of pediatric patients in general anesthesia+ibuprofen suppository group and three-drug combination group were both significantly lower than those in general anesthesia alone group and general anesthesia+lidocaine group (P<0.01), and the FLACC score of the pediatric patients in three-drug combination group was significantly lower than that in general anesthesia+ibuprofen suppository group (P<0.01). At 4 h after awakening from the first anesthesia, the FLACC scores of the pediatric patients in general anesthesia+ibuprofen suppository group and three-drug combination group were significantly lower than those in general anesthesia alone group and general anesthesia+lidocaine group (P<0.01). At 4 h after awakening from the first anesthesia, the satisfactions rate with the analgesic effect in the four groups of pediatric patients or their families were 79.49% (31/39), 85.37% (35/41), 87.80% (36/41), and 97.92% (47/48), respectively. The satisfaction rate of the pediatric patients in three-drug combination group was significantly higher than those in general anesthesia alone group, general anesthesia+lidocaine group, general anesthesia+ibuprofen suppository group. Within 2 h after the first operation, there was no significant difference in the overall comparison of adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness, and drowsiness of pediatric patients among the 4 groups (P>0.05). The VSS scores of pediatric patients before the first treatment, 1 month after the last treatment, and and the difference value between the two in the 4 groups were not significantly different (P>0.05). Conclusions: Three-drug combination for analgesia has a good effect in the treatment of hypertrophic scars after burn in pediatric patients with UFCL. Pediatric patients or their families are highly satisfied with the effect, and the treatment effect and incidence of adverse reactions are similar to other analgesic regimens, so it is recommended to be promoted in clinical practice.

Preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI predicts aggressive pathological features in LI-RADS category 5 hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM

To investigate whether Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) imaging features and non-LI-RADS imaging features can predict aggressive pathological features in adult patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From February 2018 to September 2021, 236 adult patients with cirrhosis or hepatitis B virus infection in which liver cancer was suspected underwent MRI within 1 month before surgery. Significant MRI findings and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level predicted high-grade HCC and microvascular invasion (MVI) by univariate and multivariate logistic regression models.

RESULTS

The study included 112 patients with histopathologically confirmed liver cancer (≤5 cm), 35 of whom (31.3%) high-grade HCC and 42 of 112 (37.5%) patients had MVI. Mosaic architecture (odds ratio [OR] = 6.031; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.366, 26.626; p=0.018), coronal enhancement (OR=5.878; 95% CI: 1.471, 23.489; p=0.012), and intratumoural vessels (OR=5.278; 95% CI: 1.325, 21.020; p=0.018) were significant independent predictors of high-grade HCC. A non-smooth tumour margin (OR=10.237; 95% CI: 1.547, 67.760; p=0.016), coronal enhancement (OR=3.800; 95% CI: 1.152, 12.531; p=0.028), and peritumoural hypointensity on the hepatobiliary phase (HBP; OR=10.322; 95% CI: 2.733, 38.986; p=0.001) were significant independent predictors of MVI.

CONCLUSION

In high-risk adult patients with single LR-5 HCC (≤5 cm), mosaic architecture, coronal enhancement, and intratumoural vessels are independent predictors of high-grade HCC. Non-smooth tumour margin, coronal enhancement, and peritumoural hypointensity on HBP independently predicted MVI.

Relationship of resting heart rate and blood pressure with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate associations of resting heart rate (RHR) and blood pressure (BP) with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

A total of 67,028 Chinese participants aged ≥60 years were included in the analysis. RHR, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were evaluated according to quartiles ([41-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-127 beats/min], [80-119, 120-129, 130-139, 140-238 mm Hg], and [40-70, 71-79, 80-84, 85-133 mm Hg]). Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause and CVD mortality with RHR, SBP, and DBP. Restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate the dose-response association.

RESULTS

During the 361,975 person-year follow-up, 9326 deaths were recorded, of which 5039 deaths were due to CVD. The risk of all-cause mortality was increased by 25% with the quartiles four vs quartile one of RHR (HR [95% CI]:1.25 [1.17-1.33]), and CVD mortality was increased by 32% (HR [95% CI]: 1.32 [1.22-1.44]). Similar results were observed when comparing the quartiles four vs quartile one of SBP with the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality (HRs [95% CIs]: 1.14 [1.07, 1.22] and 1.23 [1.12. 1.34]) and DBP with the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality (HRs [95% CIs]: 1.17 [1.11. 1.24] and 1.36 [1.26. 1.47]). We found linear associations of RHR, SBP, and DBP with all-cause and CVD mortality (P_{non-linearity} >0.05), except for the approximately J-shaped association between DBP and all-cause mortality (P_{non-linearity} = 0.008). There was a significant interaction of RHR and SBP with all-cause and CVD mortality (P_interaction <0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

RHR and BP increased the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality, especially fast RHR combined with high SBP.

Sternum-mental angle: A new predictor of difficult. Laryngeal exposure in suspension microsurgery - An observational study

OBJECTIVES

In our study, we hypothesized that sternum-mental angle (SMA) was a totally new preoperative predictor of difficult laryngeal exposure (DLE). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of SMA in predicting DLE in patients undergoing suspension microlaryngeal surgery, and we also searched for risk factors among the selected parameters.

METHODS

A total of 95 patients with vocal cord dysfunction who underwent microlaryngeal surgery were collected. According to the Cormack-Lehane classification method, the patients were divided into non-DLE group (n=73) and DLE group (n=22). Preoperative assessments included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), Modified Mallampati's index (MMI), neck circumference (NC), thyroid-mental distance at neutral position (TMD-NP), TMD at full extension position (TMD-FE), sternum-mental distance at neutral position (SMD-NP), SMD at full extension position (SMD-FE), SMA at neutral position (SMA-NP) and SMA at full extension position (SMA-FE). SMA was defined as the angle between the horizontal line and the line from upper border of the manubrium sterni to mental prominence, and SMA's ability to predict difficult laryngoscopy was compared with that of established predictors.

RESULTS

The DLE incidence of the enrolled patients was 23%. Univariate analysis showed that patients in DLE group presented significantly smaller SMA values. SMA-NP less than 13 provided 68.2% sensitivity and 83.6% specificity and SMA-FE less than 22.5 provided 86.4% sensitivity and 80.8% specificity for the detection of DLE. SMA-FE (≤22.5) exhibited the largest area under the curve (AUC: 0.868; 95% CI: 0.784-0.952), confirming its better predictive ability. Binary multivariate logistic regression analyses identified four risk factors including MMI, TMD-FE, TMD-NP which were independently associated with DLE.

CONCLUSIONS

SMA is a new and simple predictor with a higher level of efficacy, and could help otorhinolaryngologist plan for managements in patients with DLE.

Layer-by-Layer Engineered All-Liquid Microfluidic Chips for Enzyme Immobilization

Enzyme immobilization in the confines of microfluidic chips, that promote enzyme activity and stability, has become a powerful strategy to enhance biocatalysis and biomass conversion. Here, based on a newly developed all-liquid microfluidic chip, fabricated by the interfacial assembly of nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) in a biphasic system, a layer-by-layer assembly strategy to generate polysaccharide multilayers on the surface of a microchannel, greatly enhancing the mechanical properties of the microchannel and offering a biocompatible microenvironment for enzyme immobilization, is presented. Using horseradish peroxidase and glucose oxidase as model enzymes, all-liquid microfluidic enzymatic and cascade reactors have been constructed and the crucial role of polysaccharide multilayers on enhancing the enzyme loading and catalytic efficiency is demonstrated.

Malnutrition Increases the Risk of Left Ventricular Remodeling

OBJECTIVES

Malnutrition is associated with increased incidence of heart failure (HF). Left ventricular (LV) remodeling is one of the most important processes in the occurrence and evolution of HF. However, the association between nutritional status and LV remodeling is not well known. The study aimed to investigate the association between malnutrition and LV remodeling.

DESIGN

The study was a retrospective observation study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

We included patients from the registry of Cardiorenal Improvement study from January 2007 to December 2018 at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary endpoint was LV remodeling, defined as an absolute decrease in LV ejection fraction ≥10% after discharge compared with baseline. Nutritional status was assessed by the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score. Eligible patients were divided into absent-mild malnutrition group (CONUT score ≤4) and moderate-severe malnutrition group (CONUT score >4). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was performed to verify the association between malnutrition and left ventricular remodeling.

RESULTS

A total of 7,217 patients (mean age 61.3±10.5 years, 71.7% male) were included in the final analysis, among which 712 (9.9%) had LV remodeling. The incidence of LV remodeling in moderate-severe malnutrition group was significantly higher than that in absent-mild malnutrition group (12.9% vs. 9.5%, p=0.002). In multivariable logistic regression, moderate-severe malnutrition group was significantly associated with 1.69-fold increased risk of LV remodeling after adjusting confounders (OR: 1.69, CI: 1.32-2.16). Similar results were observed in subgroup stratified by age, gender, and coronary artery disease.

CONCLUSION

Nearly one eighth of patients were classified as moderate-severe malnutrition, 12% of whom had LV remodeling. Moderate-severe malnutrition was associated with 69% increased risk of LV remodeling. Further studies are needed to prospectively evaluate the nutrition-oriented managements on outcomes in LV remodeling.

The Assembly and Jamming of Nanoparticle Surfactants at Liquid-Liquid Interfaces

Using the interactions between nanoparticles (NPs) and polymeric ligands to generate nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) at the liquid-liquid interface, the binding energy of the NP to the interface can be significantly increased, irreversibly binding the NPSs to the interface. By designing a simplified NPS model, where the NP size can be precisely controlled and the characteristic fluorescence of the NPs be used as a direct probe of their spatial distribution, we provide new insights into the attachment mechanism of NPSs at the liquid-liquid interface. We find that the binding energy of NPSs to the interface can be reduced by competitive ligands, resulting in the dissociation and disassembly of NPSs at the interface, and allowing the construction of responsive, reconfigurable all-liquid systems. Smaller NPSs that are loosely packed (unjammed) and irreversibly bound to the interface can be displaced by larger NPSs, giving rise to a size-dependent assembly of NPSs at the interface. However, when the smaller size NPSs are densely packed and jam at the interface, the size-dependent assembly of NPSs at the interface can be completely suppressed.

Research progress on the regulation mechanism of probiotics on the microecological flora of infected intestines in livestock and poultry

The animal intestine is a complex ecosystem composed of host cells, gut microbiota and available nutrients. Gut microbiota can prevent the occurrence of intestinal diseases in animals by regulating the homeostasis of the intestinal environment. The intestinal microbiota is a complex and stable microbial community, and the homeostasis of the intestinal environment is closely related to the invasion of intestinal pathogens, which plays an important role in protecting the host from pathogen infections. Probiotics are strains of microorganisms that are beneficial to health, and their potential has recently led to a significant increase in studies on the regulation of intestinal flora. Various potential mechanisms of action have been proposed on probiotics, especially mediating the regulation mechanism of the intestinal flora on the host, mainly including competitive inhibition of pathogens, stimulation of the host's adaptive immune system and regulation of the intestinal flora. The advent of high-throughput sequencing technology has given us a clearer understanding and has facilitated the development of research methods to investigate the intestinal microecological flora. This review will focus on the regulation of probiotics on the microbial flora of intestinal infections in livestock and poultry and will depict future research directions.

Responsive Interfacial Assemblies Based on Charge-Transfer Interactions

Charge transfer (CT) interactions have been widely used to construct supramolecular systems, such as functional nanostructures and gels. However, to date, there is no report on the generation of CT complexes at the liquid-liquid interface. Here, by using an electron-deficient acceptor dissolved in water and an electron-rich donor dissolved in oil, we present the in situ formation and assembly of CT complex surfactants (CTCSs) at the oil-water interface. With time, CTCSs can assemble into higher-order nanofilms with exceptional mechanical properties, allowing the stabilization of liquids and offering the possibility to structure liquids into nonequilibrium shapes. Moreover, due to the redox-responsiveness of the electron-deficient acceptor, the association and dissociation of CTCSs can be reversibly manipulated in a redox process, leading to the switchable assembly and disassembly of the resultant constructs.

Molecular Brush Surfactants: Versatile Emulsifiers for Stabilizing and Structuring Liquids

Using amphiphilic molecular brushes to stabilize emulsions usually requires the synthesis of specific side chains, which can be a time-consuming and difficult challenge to meet. By taking advantage of the electrostatic interactions between water-soluble molecular brushes and oil-soluble oligomeric ligands, the in situ formation, assembly and jamming of molecular brush surfactants (MBSs) at the oil-water interface is described. With MBSs, stable emulsions including o/w, w/o and o/w/o can be easily prepared by varying the molar ratios of the molecular brushes to the ligands. Moreover, when jammed, the binding energy of MBSs at the interface is sufficiently strong to allow the stabilization of liquids in nonequilibrium shapes, i.e., structuring liquids, producing an elastic film at the interface with exceptional mechanical properties. These structured liquids have numerous potential applications, including chemical biphasic reactions, liquid electronics, and all-liquid biomimetic system.

P–389 The relationship between serum hormone profiles and missed abortion in humans

Study question

Are circulating profiles of metabolic-related hormones also associated with the missed abortion (MA) in humans?

Summary answer

Serum levels of fatty acid-binding protein–4 (FABP4) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) are positively associated with MA.

What is known already

A cluster of endocrine hormones, including FABP4, FGF21, adiponectin, lipocalin–2 (LCN2), exhibit pleiotropic effects on regulating systematic metabolism. Serum levels of them are associated with gestational obesity and diabetes and affect pregnancy outcomes, however, the relationship between their circulating profiles and MA is under-investigated.

Study design, size, duration

78 patients with MA and 86 healthy pregnant subjects matching on maternal age and body mass index (BMI) were nested from a prospective cohort in the Chinese population.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Fasting serum samples from all participants were collected to test their serum levels of FGF21, FABP4, adiponectin, and LCN2 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method (ELISA).

Main results and the role of chance

There were no significant differences in circulating profiles of adiponectin and LCN2 between MA patients and healthy pregnant subjects. By contrast, circulating levels of FGF21 and FABP4 were significantly and independently elevated in patients with MA relative to control cases even after adjusting confounding factors (for FGF21: MA: 28.96 ± 2.17 ng/ml; HP: 19.18 ± 1.12 ng/ml, P &lt; 0.001, for FABP4: MA: 152.50 ± 9.31 pg/ml; HP: 90.86 ± 4.14 pg/ml, P &lt; 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed, FGF21 raised every 10 pg/ml contributed to a 24% (95% CI: 15% - 34%) increase in the risk of MA, whereas the OR of FABP4 for the risk of MA was 1.052 (95% CI: 1.022 –1.088). Furthermore, using serum FGF21 level or FABP4 levels discriminated MA from healthy controls with an area under the operating characteristic’s curve (AUROC) of 0.81 (95% CI 0.76–0.92) and 0.70 (95% CI 0.62 - 0.78), respectively.

Limitations, reasons for caution

The study is limited by the sample size. In addition, our results were based-on Chinese population, whether it could be observed in other ethics group remain to be investigated. Meanwhile, the cause-effect relationship between increased serum FGF21 level and MA remains to be explored.

Wider implications of the findings: Our data would suggest that serum levels of FGF21 and FABP4 are associated with MA. Moreover, circulating FGF21 levels may serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker for the recognition of M.

Trial registration number

IRB Ref. No.: KY201913

Gated Molecular Diffusion at Liquid-Liquid Interfaces

The jamming of nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) at liquid-liquid interface imparts attractive properties to the interfacial assemblies and enables the structuring of liquids. Herein, we report photoresponsive supramolecular microcapsules with jammed NPS assemblies at the oil-water interface, taking advantage of host-guest molecular recognition. The permeability of the colloidal membrane can be effectively manipulated by switching the NPSs from a jammed state to an unjammed state with a photo trigger, leading to a controlled molecular diffusion and release, affording a versatile platform for the construction of next generation smart microcapsule systems.

Prognostic significance of lymph node ratio in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth

The lymph node ratio (LNR) has been proposed as an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, little attention has been paid to its role in the specific subsite of the floor of the mouth (FOM). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the LNR in patients with FOM SCC. A retrospective analysis of 92 patients with FOM SCC who were treated with primary curative resection and neck dissection was conducted. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were used to evaluate the prognostic significance of the LNR. Both of these parameters were significantly worse (P < 0.001) in patients with neck metastases. The mean LNR was 0.145 in patients with positive lymph nodes. A LNR <0.145 was predictive of longer DFS, while the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that a LNR ≥0.175 indicated a significantly lower OS. This study confirms that metastatic cervical lymph nodes correlate with an adverse prognosis in patients with FOM SCC, and specifically, a LNR ≥0.145 is predictive. Therefore, the LNR in patients with FOM SCC may be a predictor of survival in these patients.

[Surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis:exploration and innovation]

The prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients with liver metastasis (PCLM) is very poor and the median overall survival(OS) is less than 6 months.The current standard treatment for PCLM is systematic chemotherapy.Though the chemotherapeutic regimens are better than gemcitabine only,the OS remains dissatisfied.A lot of retrospective studies identified that surgical treatment can only offer survival benefits for highly selected rather than entire PCLM patients.The Chinese Study Group for Pancreatic Cancer (CSPAC) has initiated a multiple-center,prospective,randomized comparison clinical trial,named CSPAC-1 to identify the standard and value of surgical treatment of PCLM patients.This manuscript reviewed the current progress of surgical treatment for pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis and looked forward to opportunities and challenges in the future.