Evolution and biological characterization of H5N1 influenza viruses bearing the clade 2.3.2.1 hemagglutinin gene

H5N1 avian influenza viruses bearing the clade 2.3.2.1 hemagglutinin (HA) gene have been widely detected in birds and poultry in several countries. During our routine surveillance, we isolated 28 H5N1 viruses between January 2017 and October 2020. To investigate the genetic relationship of the globally circulating H5N1 viruses and the biological properties of those detected in China, we performed a detailed phylogenic analysis of 274 representative H5N1 strains and analyzed the antigenic properties, receptor-binding preference, and virulence in mice of the H5N1 viruses isolated in China. The phylogenic analysis indicated that the HA genes of the 274 viruses belonged to six subclades, namely clades 2.3.2.1a to 2.3.2.1f; these viruses acquired gene mutations and underwent complicated reassortment to form 58 genotypes, with G43 being the dominant genotype detected in eight Asian and African countries. The 28 H5N1 viruses detected in this study carried the HA of clade 2.3.2.1c (two strains), 2.3.2.1d (three strains), or 2.3.2.1f (23 strains), and formed eight genotypes. These viruses were antigenically well-matched with the H5-Re12 vaccine strain used in China. Animal studies showed that the pathogenicity of the H5N1 viruses ranged from non-lethal to highly lethal in mice. Moreover, the viruses exclusively bound to avian-type receptors and have not acquired the ability to bind to human-type receptors. Our study reveals the overall picture of the evolution of clade 2.3.2.1 H5N1 viruses and provides insights into the control of these viruses.

African swine fever virus pB318L, a trans-geranylgeranyl-diphosphate synthase, negatively regulates cGAS-STING and IFNAR-JAK-STAT signaling pathways

African swine fever (ASF) is an acute, hemorrhagic, and severe infectious disease caused by the ASF virus (ASFV). ASFV has evolved multiple strategies to escape host antiviral immune responses. Here, we reported that ASFV pB318L, a trans-geranylgeranyl-diphosphate synthase, reduced the expression of type I interferon (IFN-I) and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Mechanically, pB318L not only interacted with STING to reduce the translocation of STING from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus but also interacted with IFN receptors to reduce the interaction of IFNAR1/TYK2 and IFNAR2/JAK1. Of note, ASFV with interruption of B318L gene (ASFV-intB318L) infected PAMs produces more IFN-I and ISGs than that in PAMs infected with its parental ASFV HLJ/18 at the late stage of infection. Consistently, the pathogenicity of ASFV-intB318L is attenuated in piglets compared with its parental virus. Taken together, our data reveal that B318L gene may partially affect ASFV pathogenicity by reducing the production of IFN-I and ISGs. This study provides a clue to design antiviral agents or live attenuated vaccines to prevent and control ASF.

Tests of Light-Lepton Universality in Angular Asymmetries of B^{0}→D^{*-}ℓν Decays

We present the first comprehensive tests of the universality of the light leptons in the angular distributions of semileptonic B^{0}-meson decays to charged spin-1 charmed mesons. We measure five angular-asymmetry observables as functions of the decay recoil that are sensitive to lepton-universality-violating contributions. We use events where one neutral B is fully reconstructed in ϒ(4S)→BB[over ¯] decays in data corresponding to 189  fb^{-1} integrated luminosity from electron-positron collisions collected with the Belle II detector. We find no significant deviation from the standard model expectations.

Precise Measurement of the D_{s}^{+} Lifetime at Belle II

We measure the lifetime of the D_{s}^{+} meson using a data sample of 207  fb^{-1} collected by the Belle II experiment running at the SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider. The lifetime is determined by fitting the decay-time distribution of a sample of 116×10^{3} D_{s}^{+}→ϕπ^{+} decays. Our result is τ_{D_{s}^{+}}=(499.5±1.7±0.9)  fs, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. This result is significantly more precise than previous measurements.

Search for a τ^{+}τ^{-} Resonance in e^{+}e^{-}→μ^{+}μ^{-}τ^{+}τ^{-} Events with the Belle II Experiment

We report the first search for a nonstandard-model resonance decaying into τ pairs in e^{+}e^{-}→μ^{+}μ^{-}τ^{+}τ^{-} events in the 3.6-10  GeV/c^{2} mass range. We use a 62.8  fb^{-1} sample of e^{+}e^{-} collisions collected at a center-of-mass energy of 10.58 GeV by the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider. The analysis probes three different models predicting a spin-1 particle coupling only to the heavier lepton families, a Higgs-like spin-0 particle that couples preferentially to charged leptons (leptophilic scalar), and an axionlike particle, respectively. We observe no evidence for a signal and set exclusion limits at 90% confidence level on the product of cross section and branching fraction into τ pairs, ranging from 0.7 to 24 fb, and on the couplings of these processes. We obtain world-leading constraints on the couplings for the leptophilic scalar model for masses above 6.5  GeV/c^{2} and for the axionlike particle model over the entire mass range.

Measurement of CP Violation in B^{0}→K_{S}^{0}π^{0} Decays at Belle II

We report a measurement of the CP-violating parameters C and S in B^{0}→K_{S}^{0}π^{0} decays at Belle II using a sample of 387×10^{6}  BB[over ¯] events recorded in e^{+}e^{-} collisions at a center-of-mass energy corresponding to the ϒ(4S) resonance. These parameters are determined by fitting the proper decay-time distribution of a sample of 415 signal events. We obtain C=-0.04_{-0.15}^{+0.14}±0.05 and S=0.75_{-0.23}^{+0.20}±0.04, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic.

First Measurement of the Michel Parameter ξ^{'} in the τ^{-}→μ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ}ν_{τ} Decay at Belle

We report the first measurement of the Michel parameter ξ^{'} in the τ^{-}→μ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ}ν_{τ} decay with a new method proposed just recently. The measurement is based on the reconstruction of the τ^{-}→μ^{-}ν[over ¯]_{μ}ν_{τ} events with subsequent muon decay in flight in the Belle central drift chamber. The analyzed data sample of 988  fb^{-1} collected by the Belle detector corresponds to approximately 912×10^{6} τ^{+}τ^{-} pairs. We measure ξ^{'}=0.22±0.94(stat)±0.42(syst), which is in agreement with the standard model prediction of ξ^{'}=1. Statistical uncertainty dominates in this study, being a limiting factor, while systematic uncertainty is well under control. Our analysis proved the practicability of this promising method and its prospects for further precise measurement in future experiments.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) Clade 2.3.4.4b Introduced by Wild Birds, China, 2021

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b virus has spread globally, causing unprecedented large-scale avian influenza outbreaks since 2020. In 2021, we isolated 17 highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses from wild birds in China. To determine virus origin, we genetically analyzed 1,529 clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses reported globally since October 2020 and found that they formed 35 genotypes. The 17 viruses belonged to genotypes G07, which originated from eastern Asia, and G10, which originated from Russia. The viruses were moderately pathogenic in mice but were highly lethal in ducks. The viruses were in the same antigenic cluster as the current vaccine strain (H5-Re14) used in China. In chickens, the H5/H7 trivalent vaccine provided complete protection against clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus challenge. Our data indicate that vaccination is an effective strategy for preventing and controlling the globally prevalent clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 virus.

Search for the Lepton Flavor Violating Decays B^{+}→K^{+}τ^{±}ℓ^{∓} (ℓ=e, μ) at Belle

We present a search for the lepton flavor violating decays B^{+}→K^{+}τ^{±}ℓ^{∓}, with ℓ=(e,μ), using the full data sample of 772×10^{6}  BB[over ¯] pairs recorded by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider. We use events in which one B meson is fully reconstructed in a hadronic decay mode. We find no evidence for B^{±}→K^{±}τℓ decays and set upper limits on their branching fractions at the 90% confidence level in the (1-3)×10^{-5} range. The obtained limits are the world's best results.

First Measurement of the B^{+}→π^{+}π^{0}π^{0} Branching Fraction and CP Asymmetry

We study B^{+}→π^{+}π^{0}π^{0} using 711  fb^{-1} of data collected at the ϒ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider. We measure an inclusive branching fraction of (19.0±1.5±1.4)×10^{-6} and an inclusive CP asymmetry of (9.2±6.8±0.7)%, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic, and a B^{+}→ρ(770)^{+}π^{0} branching fraction of (11.2±1.1±0.9_{-1.6}^{+0.8})×10^{-6}, where the third uncertainty is due to possible interference with B^{+}→ρ(1450)^{+}π^{0}. We present the first observation of a structure around 1  GeV/c^{2} in the π^{0}π^{0} mass spectrum, with a significance of 6.4σ, and measure a branching fraction to be (6.9±0.9±0.6)×10^{-6}. We also report a measurement of local CP asymmetry in this structure.

[Efficacy and influencing factors of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and bevacizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer after epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors treatment failure]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and influencing factors of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and bevacizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who failed epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) treatment. Methods: A retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 60 NSCLC patients who were treated with immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and bevacizumab after EGFR-TKIs treatment failure in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from January 2019 to March 2022. Patients were followed up by telephone or outpatient review up to October 1, 2022, with a median follow-up of 8.2 months (95%CI: 7.1-9.3). All 60 patients were followed up. The response evaluation criteria in solid tumors were used to evaluate the short-term efficacy. The adverse reactions of patients were evaluated according to the common terminology criteria for adverse events. The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazard regression models were utilized to analyze the influencing factors of progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Among the 60 NSCLC patients, 22 were males. The age ranged from 41 to 75 years, with a median age of 61 years. Eleven patients had partial response, 19 patients had stable disease and 30 patients had progressive disease. The median PFS was 8.2 months (95%CI: 7.2-9.2). The median PFS of patients with low expression of programmed death receptor-ligand 1 (PD-L1) [Tumor cell Proportion Score (TPS)<1%], moderate expression of PD-L1 (1%≤TPS≤49%), and high expression of PD-L1 (TPS≥50%) were 6.4 (95%CI: 4.8-8.0), 8.3 (95%CI: 7.3-9.3) and 10.6 months (95%CI: 7.2-14.1), respectively, and there were statistically significant differences (χ²=13.58, P<0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional risk regression model analysis showed that age>65 years old (HR=4.017, 95%CI: 1.468-10.992, P=0.007) was a risk factor for PFS in NSCLC patients who received immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and bevacizumab after EGFR-TKIs treatment failure. Moderate expression of PD-L1 (HR=0.360, 95%CI: 0.139-0.930, P=0.035) and high expression of PD-L1 (HR=0.155, 95%CI: 0.039-0.625, P=0.009) were protective factors for PFS. Most of the treatment-related adverse reactions in the whole group were grade 1-2, including bone marrow suppression (n=24), nausea (n=25), decreased appetite (n=24), fatigue (n=22), vomiting (n=18), abnormal liver function (n=17), blood creatinine increased (n=10), and so on. These were tolerated by the patients. Conclusions: NSCLC patients who failed EGFR-TKIs treatment can tolerate adverse reactions related to immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and bevacizumab treatment. PFS is significantly prolonged in those aged≤65 years and those with moderate and high expression of PD-L1.

Activation persulfate for efficient tetrabromobisphenol A degradation via carbon-based materials: Synergistic mechanism of doped N and Fe

In this study, a novel carbon-based material (Fe-N-PGWBC) utilizing the garden waste, melamine and FeSO₄ as the precursor was successfully synthesized, efficiently activating peroxydisulfate (PDS) to degrade tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). Under typical conditions (Fe-N-PGWBC dose of 100 mg·L^-1, PDS of 0.2 mM and TBBPA of 10 mg·L^-1), Fe-N-PGWBC/PDS system could achieve over 99% TBBPA removal (including adsorption and degradation) within 60 min, and the corresponding rate constant k_s was 0.0724 min^-1, which was almost 40.2 times higher than that of the pristine biochar. The extraction experiments implied that the excellent adsorption performance of Fe-N-PGWBC did not hinder the degradation of TBBPA. Abundant active sites (rich oxygen-containing functional groups, Fe-O and Fe₃C) of Fe-N-PGWBC could effectively promote PDS decomposition to produce reactive oxygen species. The probe-based kinetic modelling methods verified that approximately 87.6% TBBPA was degraded by SO₄^·-, 12.2% TBBPA was degraded by ¹O₂, and 0.2% TBBPA was degraded by ^·OH. Furthermore, based on the calculation of density functional theory and identification of products, TBBPA was mainly involved in three transformation pathways including hydroxylation, debromination and β-scission process. The study proposed a facile resource approach of garden waste and provided deeper understanding for the TBBPA degradation mechanisms in heterogeneous system.

African Swine Fever Virus HLJ/18 CD2v Suppresses Type I IFN Production and IFN-Stimulated Genes Expression through Negatively Regulating cGMP-AMP Synthase–STING and IFN Signaling Pathways

African swine fever is a fatal infectious disease caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). The high mortality caused by this infectious disease is a significant challenge to the swine industry worldwide. ASFV virulence is related to its ability to antagonize IFN response, yet the mechanism of antagonism is not understood. Recently, a less virulent recombinant virus has emerged that has a EP402R gene deletion within the parental ASFV HLJ/18 (ASFV-ΔEP402R) strain. EP402R gene encodes CD2v. Hence we hypothesized that ASFV uses CD2v protein to evade type I IFN–mediated innate immune response. We found that ASFV-ΔEP402R infection induced higher type I IFN response and increased the expression of IFN-stimulated genes in porcine alveolar macrophages when compared with parental ASFV HLJ/18. Consistent with these results, CD2v overexpression inhibited type I IFN production and IFN-stimulated gene expression. Mechanistically, CD2v, by interacting with the transmembrane domain of stimulator of IFN genes (STING), prevented the transport of STING to the Golgi apparatus, and thereby inhibited the cGMP-AMP synthase–STING signaling pathway. Furthermore, ASFV CD2v disrupted IFNAR1-TYK2 and IFNAR2-JAK1 interactions, and thereby inhibited JAK-STAT activation by IFN-α. In vivo, specific pathogen-free pigs infected with the mutant ASFV-ΔEP402R strain survived better than animals infected with the parental ASFV HLJ/18 strain. Consistent with this finding, IFN-β protein levels in the peripheral blood of ASFV-ΔEP402R–challenged pigs were significantly higher than in the blood of ASFV HLJ/18–challenged pigs. Taken together, our findings suggest a molecular mechanism in which CD2v inhibits cGMP-AMP synthase–STING and IFN signaling pathways to evade the innate immune response rendering ASFV infection fatal in pigs.

Observation of e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{bJ}(1P) and Search for X_{b}→ωϒ(1S) at sqrt[s] near 10.75 GeV

We study the processes e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{bJ}(1P) (J=0, 1, or 2) using samples at center-of-mass energies sqrt[s]=10.701, 10.745, and 10.805 GeV, corresponding to 1.6, 9.8, and 4.7  fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity, respectively. These data were collected with the Belle II detector during special operations of the SuperKEKB collider above the ϒ(4S) resonance. We report the first observation of ωχ_{bJ}(1P) signals at sqrt[s]=10.745  GeV. By combining Belle II data with Belle results at sqrt[s]=10.867  GeV, we find energy dependencies of the Born cross sections for e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{b1,b2}(1P) to be consistent with the shape of the ϒ(10753) state. These data indicate that the internal structures of the ϒ(10753) and ϒ(10860) states may differ. Including data at sqrt[s]=10.653  GeV, we also search for the bottomonium equivalent of the X(3872) state decaying into ωϒ(1S). No significant signal is observed for masses between 10.45 and 10.65  GeV/c^{2}.

Measurement of the Λ_{c}^{+} Lifetime

An absolute measurement of the Λ_{c}^{+} lifetime is reported using Λ_{c}^{+}→pK^{-}π^{+} decays in events reconstructed from data collected by the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy electron-positron collider. The total integrated luminosity of the data sample, which was collected at center-of-mass energies at or near the ϒ(4S) resonance, is 207.2  fb^{-1}. The result, τ(Λ_{c}^{+})=203.20±0.89±0.77  fs, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic, is the most precise measurement to date and is consistent with previous determinations.

Genetic analysis and biological characterization of H10N3 influenza A viruses isolated in China from 2014 to 2021

The H10 subtypes of avian influenza viruses pose a continual threat to the poultry industry and human health. The sporadic spillover of H10 subtypes viruses from poultry to humans is represented by the H10N8 human cases in 2013 and the recent H10N3 human infection in 2021. However, the genesis and characteristics of the recent reassortment H10N3 viruses have not been systemically investigated. In this study, we characterized 20 H10N3 viruses isolated in live poultry markets during routine nationwide surveillance in China from 2014 to 2021. The viruses in the recent reassortant genotype acquired their hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes from the duck H10 viruses and H7N3 viruses, respectively, whereas the internal genes were derived from chicken H9N2 viruses as early as 2019. Receptor-binding analysis indicated that two of the tested H10N3 viruses had a higher affinity for human-type receptors than for avian-type receptors, highlighting the potential risk of avian-to-human transmission. Animal studies showed that only viruses belonging to the recent reassortant genotype were pathogenic in mice; two tested viruses transmitted via direct contact and one virus transmitted by respiratory droplets in guinea pigs, though with limited efficiency. These findings emphasize the need for enhanced surveillance of H10N3 viruses.

H3N8 subtype avian influenza virus originated from wild birds exhibited dual receptor-binding profiles

We present the phylogeny, receptor binding property, growth in mammal cells and pathogenicity in mammal model of H3N8 viruses, which were isolated from wild birds in China. The human receptor preference and efficient replication in mice without prior adaption highlight that the H3N8 virus possesses the public threat potential.

Evidence of a New Excited Charmed Baryon Decaying to Σ_{c}(2455)^{0,++}π^{±}

We present the study of B[over ¯]^{0}→Σ_{c}(2455)^{0,++}π^{±}p[over ¯] decays based on 772×10^{6}  BB[over ¯] events collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider. The Σ_{c}(2455)^{0,++} candidates are reconstructed via their decay to Λ_{c}^{+}π^{∓} and Λ_{c}^{+} decays to pK^{-}π^{+}, pK_{S}^{0}, and Λπ^{+} final states. The corresponding branching fractions are measured to be B(B[over ¯]^{0}→Σ_{c}(2455)^{0}π^{+}p[over ¯])=(1.09±0.06±0.07)×10^{-4} and B(B[over ¯]^{0}→Σ_{c}(2455)^{++}π^{-}p[over ¯])=(1.84±0.11±0.12)×10^{-4}, which are consistent with the world average values with improved precision. A new structure is found in the M_{Σ_{c}(2455)^{0,++}π^{±}} spectrum with a significance of 4.2σ including systematic uncertainty. The structure is possibly an excited Λ_{c}^{+} and is tentatively named Λ_{c}(2910)^{+}. Its mass and width are measured to be (2913.8±5.6±3.8)  MeV/c^{2} and (51.8±20.0±18.8)  MeV, respectively. The products of branching fractions for the Λ_{c}(2910)^{+} are measured to be B(B[over ¯]^{0}→Λ_{c}(2910)^{+}p[over ¯])×B(Λ_{c}(2910)^{+}→Σ_{c}(2455)^{0}π^{+})=(9.5±3.6±1.6)×10^{-6} and B(B[over ¯]^{0}→Λ_{c}(2910)^{+}p[over ¯])×B(Λ_{c}(2910)^{+}→Σ_{c}(2455)^{++}π^{-})=(1.24±0.35±0.10)×10^{-5}. Here, the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.

Body mass index and the risk of abdominal hernia: a Mendelian randomization study

PURPOSE

Abdominal hernia (AH) is one of the most common clinical diseases. A large number of observational studies have found that obesity is an important risk factor for AH. However, the causal relationship between obesity and AH cannot be determined because of the clinical studies on AH induced by obesity are relatively few and only have some small- or medium-scale observational studies. Observational studies have so many confounding factors and reverse causality due to their shortcomings. From an evidence-based medicine perspective, they are not sufficiently convincing. Therefore, there is still a lack of high-quality, evidence-based medical evidence supporting a causal relationship between obesity and AH. A causal relationship between obesity and AH is also almost impossible to confirm by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Our study based on Mendelian randomization (MR) may provide a higher level of evidence-based medical support for the relationship between obesity and AH. Body mass index (BMI) is the most common measure used for defining obesity. Finally, we employed two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR) to explore the causal relationship between BMI and AH.

METHODS

AH-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) data were obtained from the FinnGen Biobank (FB), and BMI-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) data were obtained from the UK Biobank (UKB). Genetic loci are used as instrumental variables (IVs), methods such as inverse variance weighted (IVW) were used for two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis, and the odds ratio (OR) value was used to evaluate the causal relationship between BMI and AH.

RESULTS

The results of the horizontal pleiotropy test were calculated by Egger-intercept method: p = 0.34 > 0.05. The Cochran Q test of MR-Egger method and IVW method showed heterogeneity P = 0.03 < 0.05, so the IVW random effect model was used as the gold standard. We found a genetically determined 1-standard deviation (SD) increment of BMI causally increased a 66.0% risk of AH (N = 371 SNPs, OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.46-1.89, p = 1.55E-14) based on the IVW random effect model which was almost consistent with the results of other seven methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Our MR found genetic evidence for BMI and AH. The risk of developing AH increases with the number of BMI. This finding provides further evidence that maintaining a healthy BMI can prevent the development of AH. In addition, clinicians may need to focus on the potential risk of AH on some high-BMI patients.

Bioinspired Anti-demineralization Enamel Coating for Orthodontics

White spot lesions and enamel cracks are the 2 most prominent diseases that occur after orthodontic treatment and are caused by enamel demineralization from accumulated bacterial biofilms and/or enamel damage caused by the removal of residual adhesive after bracket debonding. Inspired by the self-assembled amelogenin nanoribbons in enamel, we developed an enamel coating with a self-assembling antimicrobial peptide, D-GL13K, to simultaneously reduce demineralization and residual adhesive. The self-assembled amphiphilic nanoribbons significantly increased the hydrophobicity of the etched enamel, which reduced the permeability of the coated enamel surfaces as desired. The antimicrobial activity of this coating was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans by colony-forming unit counting and live/dead assays. The anti-demineralization effect was demonstrated by the reduced demineralization depth analyzed by optical coherence tomography and the increased Vickers hardness. The coatings did not reduce the shear bond strength but significantly reduced the adhesive remnant index score. This bioinspired enamel coating may provide a new strategy for preventing white spot lesions and enamel cracks after orthodontic treatment.

[Relationship of serum uric acid with prediabetes and newly detected type 2 diabetes mellitus]

Objective: To evaluate the relationship of serum uric acid with prediabetes and newly detected type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in adults. Methods: Data were obtained from the baseline investigation of Songjiang Peak-Plan cohort. According to the baseline fasting plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin, the eligible subjects were divided into normal blood sugar group, prediabetes group, and newly detected T2DM group. Unconditional logistic regression model was used to explore the effect of serum uric acid level on prediabetes and newly detected T2DM, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) function was used to explore the nonlinear dose-response relationship of serum uric acid level with the prevalence of prediabetes and newly detected T2DM. Results: A total of 30 375 subjects were included in the analysis, with an average age of (55.36±11.52) years, and 60.2% (18 299) of them were women. The baseline survey found that the prevalence of prediabetes was 38.6% (11 739 cases), and the prevalence of newly detected T2DM was 6.6% (1 992 cases). Logistic regression analysis showed that, in women, for every 10µmol/L increase in serum uric acid, the risk of developing prediabetes and T2DM s increased by 2.4% (OR=1.024, 95%CI: 1.018-1.030), and 1.5% (OR=1.015, 95%CI: 1.005-1.025), respectively; in men, for every 10 µmol/L increase in serum uric acid, the risk of developing prediabetes and T2DM decreased by 0.8% (OR=0.992, 95%CI: 0.987-0.998) and 5.0% (OR=0.950, 95%CI: 0.939-0.960), respectively. The RCS function showed that the serum uric acid level showed a nonlinear dose-response relationship with newly detected T2DM (P=0.017), but not with prediabetes (P=0.670) in women and showed a nonlinear dose-response relationship with both prediabetes (P=0.040) and newly detected T2DM (P<0.001) in men. Conclusions: Adult women are at increased risk of prediabetes and newly detected T2DM with increase of serum uric acid level, and adult men are at decreased risk of newly diagnosed T2DM with the increase of serum uric acid level. There was no significant relationship between serum uric acid level and prediabetes in men.

Comammox Nitrospira Bacteria Are Dominant Ammonia Oxidizers in Mainstream Nitrification Bioreactors Emended with Sponge Carriers

Complete ammonia oxidation (i.e., comammox) is a newly discovered microbial process performed by a subset of the Nitrospira genus, and this unique microbial process has been ubiquitously detected in various wastewater treatment units. However, the operational conditions favoring comammox prevalence remain unclear. In this study, the dominance of comammox Nitrospira in four sponge biofilm reactors fed with low-strength ammonium (NH₄⁺ = 23 ± 3 mg N/L) wastewater was proved by coupling 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and metagenomic sequencing. The results showed that comammox Nitrospira dominated in the nitrifying guild over canonical ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) constantly, despite the significant variation in the residual ammonium concentration (0.01-15 mg N/L) under different sets of operating conditions. This result indicates that sponge biofilms greatly favor retaining comammox Nitrospira in wastewater treatment and highlights an essential role of biomass retention in the comammox prevalence. Moreover, analyses of the assembled metagenomic sequences revealed that the retrieved amoA gene sequences affiliated with comammox Nitrospira (53.9-66.0% read counts of total amoA gene reads) were always higher than those (28.4-43.4%) related to β-proteobacterial AOB taxa. The comammox Nitrospira bacteria detected in the present biofilm systems were close to clade A Candidatus Nitrospira nitrosa.

Novel co-polymerization of polypyrrole/polyaniline on ferrate modified biochar composites for the efficient adsorption of hexavalent chromium in water

It is still a huge challenge to prepare cheap and effective composite materials for removing hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in sewage treatment. In this study, a noval co-polymerization of polypyrrole/polyaniline on ferrate modified biochar (Ppy/PANI/FBC) was fabricated via ferrate-promoted pyrolysis and in-situ oxidative polymerization of pyrrole and aniline molecules to effectively remove Cr(VI) from polluted water. The Ppy/PANI/FBC quickly decreased Cr(VI) concentration from 38.92 to 3.92 mg/L within 400 min, with an efficient removal efficiency (89.92%), which was significantly higher than that of FBC (4.75%), Ppy/FBC (72.30%), and PANI/FBC (42.43%). These results are mainly caused by its conjugated connection and well-dispersion of Ppy and PANI on the surface of a carbon-based material. Meanwhile, the experimental results were in line with the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich models. The Ppy/PANI/FBC is featured by a high capacity of Cr(VI) adsorption (up to 203.71 mg/g). In addition, it could be adopted for efficiently removing Cr(VI) over a wide pH range (4-9) because of the positively charged nitrogen (-NH^.+- and = N⁺-). The sorption mechanisms of Cr(VI) were identified, including electrostatic interaction with surface protonated nitrogen (N⁺), ion exchange between the doped Cl^- ions and Cr(VI), chemical decrease of the Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by the iron valence cycle and efficient electron transfer of Ppy/PANI/FBC, as well as surface complexation by amine and oxygen-containing groups. More importantly, 97.98% Cr(VI) was efficiently removed in 20 min by coupling a photocatalytic reaction, also providing a novel idea for the practical use of adsorbents in wastewater treatment.

[Predictive value of serum HBV RNA for therapeutic effect of entecavir in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the value of HBV RNA for predicting the therapeutic effect of long-term entecavir (ETV) antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODS

Serum samples were collected from 59 CHB patients treated with ETV for 96 or 108 months. HBV RNA levels, HBV DNA levels, and serological marker (HBeAg) levels were measured at baseline and 3, 6, 9, 12, 36, 72, and 96 (or 108) months during the therapy.

RESULTS

Although HBV RNA level decreased after 12 and 36 months of ETV antiviral therapy, no significance changes occurred in HBV RNA negative conversion rate (P>0.05). After 72 months of treatment or longer, 33 patients had HBV RNA levels lower than 100 copies/mL, and among them 29 patients had HBV RNA levels lower than the detection limit, and HBV RNA negative conversion rate was statistically significant (P < 0.05). A lower HBV RNA level was associated with a higher HBeAg negative conversion rate (P < 0.05). Age and HBV RNA level were positively correlated with HBeAg negative conversion rate (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Prolonged ETV antiviral therapy results in better clearance of HBV RNA and a higher negative conversion rate in CHB patients. The length of antiviral therapy and age are positively correlated with the negative conversion rate of HBV RNA, and earlier administration of the antiviral treatment achieves better therapeutic effect. Serum HBV RNA level can be used as an indicator for predicting conversion to negative HBeAg in CHB patients receiving ETV therapy.

Synergistic ammonia and nitrate removal in a novel pyrite-driven autotrophic denitrification biofilter

Pyrite is one kind of cost-effective electron donors for nitrate denitrification. In this study, a pyrite-driven autotrophic denitrification biofilter was applied for simultaneous removal of NH₄⁺ and NO₃^- over the 150-day. The influent NH₄⁺/NO₃^- ratio (0.3-1.7) had less effect on system performance, while for the hydraulic retention times (HRTs, 24-3 h), the removal percentage of both > 90% and removal loading rates of 52.8 and 59.4 mg N/(L·d) for NH₄⁺ and NO₃^- removal were obtained at the HRT of 6 h. The 16S rRNA genes analysis showed that Ferritrophicum, Thiobacillus, Candidatus_Brocadia, and unidentified_Nitrospiraceae were predominant. Analyses of nitrogen and sulfur metabolism showed that ammonia was removed by complete nitrification, nitrate was reduced to N₂, and sulfide was oxidized to sulfate. Dynamics of pollutants within the reactor and microbial activity showed nitrification/Anammox and pyrite-driven autotrophic denitrification were responsible for the synergistic removal of NH₄⁺/NO₃^- in this system.

Immobilization of hexavalent chromium in contaminated soil by nano-sized layered double hydroxide intercalated with diethyldithiocarbamate: Fraction distribution, plant growth, and microbial evolution

Soil contamination by hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) poses great risks to human health and ecosystem safety. We introduced a new cheap and efficient layered double hydroxide intercalated with diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC-LDH) for in-situ remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil. The content of Cr(VI) in contaminated soil (134.26 mg kg^-1) was rapidly reduced to 1.39 mg kg^-1 within 10 days by 0.5% of DDTC-LDH. This result attains to or even exceeds the effectiveness of most of reported soil amendments for Cr(VI) removal in soils. The production cost of DDTC-LDH ($4.02 kg^-1) was relatively low than some common materials, such as nano zero-valent iron ($22.80-140.84 kg^-1). The growth of water spinach became better with the increase of DDTC-LDH dose from 0% to 0.5%, suggesting the recovery of soil function. DDTC-LDH significantly altered the structure and function of soil microbial communities. The species that have Cr(VI)-resistant or Cr(VI)-reductive ability were enriched in DDTC-LDH remediated soils. Network analysis revealed a significant functional niche differentiation of soil microbial communities. In addition to the enhancement of Cr(VI) reduction, the stimulation of plant growth promoting traits, including siderophore biosynthesis, oxidation resistance to reactive oxygen species, and phosphorus availability by DDTC-LDH was another essential mechanism for the immediate remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil.

Mathematical model and experiment analysis of pressure fluctuation inside dual-stack drainage system in residential buildings

The final velocity was put forward to study the water flow characteristics inside the building drainage system; however, it is more suitable for low-rise and multi-storey buildings, not for high-rise buildings. This study revealed the drainage transient characteristics of a double stack drainage system in high-rise residential buildings. Based on the final velocity, the air-water interaction mechanism and two-phase flow conditions in high-rise residential drainage stacks were discussed. An influence model of drainage system flow rate on pressure fluctuation under the change of state parameters such as ventilation rate, pipe wall roughness and building height was established. The pressure limit and flow rate data were obtained through full-scale experiments. The pressure limit and flow rate model were simplified to P_n = A ċ Q² + B ċ Q^1:81 + C. After the data were verified, the fitting coefficients A, B and C were linear to the floor height.

Adsorption and photocatalysis removal of arsenite, arsenate, and hexavalent chromium in water by the carbonized composite of manganese-crosslinked sodium alginate

The preparation of easily synthesized and cheap composite materials for the efficient removal of toxic oxoanions still remains challenging in sewage treatment. Herein, a new carbonized manganese-crosslinked sodium alginate (Mn/SA-C) was fabricated for the removal of arsenite (As(III)), arsenate (As(V)) and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in water. The results indicated that the Mn/SA-C pretreated with MnSO₄ solution (Mn/SA-C-S) exhibited a rapid adsorption toward As(III) and As(V) with the removal efficiency of >98% within 10 min, and had a high adsorption capacity toward As(III), As(V), and Cr(VI) with the maximum value of 189.29, 193.29, and 104.50 mg/g based on the Langmuir model, respectively. The removal efficiency of As(III), As(V), and Cr(VI) could be further significantly enhanced by coupling a photocatalytic process. For example, the time in which >98% of Cr(VI) (10 mg/L) was removed dramatically shortened from 360 min (adsorption) to 45 min (adsorption-photocatalysis), and the removal efficiency of As(III) increased by ∼10% within initial 5 min. This was primarily attributed to the Mn-catalyzed production of the photocatalytic excitons for Cr(VI) reduction, and the superoxide (•O₂^-) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals for As(III) oxidation. The adsorption removal of arsenic (As) was primarily ascribed to surface complexation with MnO and precipitation by MnS₂, and oxidative adsorption because of Mn valence cycle. The removal mechanisms of Cr(VI) mainly contained reduction by MnO and MnS₂, complexation with MnO and carboxyl/hydroxyl groups as well as Cr(OH)₃ precipitation. Our research provides a promising Mn/SA-C-S material for rapid and efficient removal of As(III), As(V), and Cr(VI) in contaminated water through an adsorption-photocatalysis synergistic strategy.

Search for a Light Higgs Boson in Single-Photon Decays of ϒ(1S) Using ϒ(2S)→π^{+}π^{-}ϒ(1S) Tagging Method

We search for a light Higgs boson (A^{0}) decaying into a τ^{+}τ^{-} or μ^{+}μ^{-} pair in the radiative decays of ϒ(1S). The production of ϒ(1S) mesons is tagged by ϒ(2S)→π^{+}π^{-}ϒ(1S) transitions, using 158×10^{6} ϒ(2S) events accumulated with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy electron-positron collider. No significant A^{0} signals in the mass range from the τ^{+}τ^{-} or μ^{+}μ^{-} threshold to 9.2  GeV/c^{2} are observed. We set the upper limits at 90% credibility level (C.L.) on the product branching fractions for ϒ(1S)→γA^{0} and A^{0}→τ^{+}τ^{-} varying from 3.8×10^{-6} to 1.5×10^{-4}. Our results represent an approximately twofold improvement on the current world best upper limits for the ϒ(1S)→γA^{0}(→τ^{+}τ^{-}) production. For A^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-}, the upper limits on the product branching fractions for ϒ(1S)→γA^{0} and A^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-} are at the same level as the world average limits, and vary from 3.1×10^{-7} to 1.6×10^{-5}. The upper limits at 90% credibility level on the Yukawa coupling f_{ϒ(1S)} and mixing angle sinθ_{A^{0}} are also given.

Characterization of nitrosamines and nitrosamine precursors as non-point source pollutants during heavy rainfall events in an urban water environment

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) and their specific precursors (N,N-dimethylformamide [DMF] for NDMA and morpholine [MOR] for NMOR) were widely identified in runoff of urban area around the southern Lake Biwa basin, Japan. It was thought that this runoff might constitute a non-point source of the four compounds in rivers and sewage treatment plants (STPs) during heavy rainfall events. We investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of NDMA, NMOR, DMF and MOR in runoff and rivers in rainy days. NDMA and NMOR were detected in concentrations of up to 295 ng/L, while DMF and MOR were detected in concentrations of up to 33.7 µg/L. Continuous sequential sampling over periods of 24 or 48 h at the largest STP in the study area revealed that the four compounds in the primary effluent (PE) each had higher mass fluxes during heavy rainfall events than on dry days. This phenomenon might be contributed to non-point sources (e.g., runoff) from infiltration/inflow related to rainwater into sanitary sewers. Moreover, the four compounds were confirmed to have higher mass fluxes in the final effluent of the STP during periods of PE bypass (1.3-1.7 times for NDMA, NMOR, and MOR; over 200 times for DMF; on average) than that on dry days because of increasing inflow during heavy rain than during periods without PE bypass in dry weather.

Microbial investigations of new hydrogel-biochar composites as soil amendments for simultaneous nitrogen-use improvement and heavy metal immobilization

Agricultural sustainability is challenging because of increasingly serious and co-existing issues, e.g., poor nitrogen-fertilizer use and heavy metal pollution. Herein, we introduced a new poly(acrylic acid)-grafted chitosan and biochar composite (PAA/CTS/BC) for soil amendment, and provided a first microbial insight into how PAA/CTS/BC amendment simultaneously improved nitrogen cycling and immobilized heavy metals. Our results suggest that the PAA/CTS/BC amendment significantly promoted soil ammonium retention, and reduced nitrate accumulation, nitrous oxide emission and ammonia volatilization during the rice cultivation. The availability of various heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, Cr, and As) markedly decreased in the PAA/CTS/BC amended soil, thereby reducing their accumulation in rice root. The PAA/CTS/BC amendment significantly altered the structure and function of soil microbial communities. Importantly, the co-occurrence networks of microbial communities became more complex and function-specific after PAA/CTS/BC addition. For example, the keystone species related to organic matter degradation, denitrification, and plant resistance to pathogen or stresses were enriched within the network. In addition to direct adsorption, the effects of PAA/CTS/BC on shaping microbial communities played dominant roles in the soil amendment. Our findings provide a promising strategy of simultaneous nitrogen-use improvement and heavy metal immobilization for achieving crop production improvement, pollution control, and climate change mitigation.

Citrate-modified biochar for simultaneous and efficient plant-available silicon release and copper adsorption: Performance and mechanisms

Silicon (Si) deficiency and heavy metals (HMs) pollution are common for farmland soil because of long-term intensive farming. In this study, a novel citrate-modified biochar (C-BC) was introduced as a soil conditioner to simultaneously increase the amount of plant-available Si (PASi) and immobilize HMs. The maximum amount of PASi released was 33.00 mg⋅g^-1 from C-BC pre-treated with 0.1 mol⋅L^-1 citrate (C-BC0.1). A formation-transport coupling mechanism for increasing the amount of PASi released was developed. Stable Si in the biomass was pyrolyzed to give silicate that was relatively mobile via nucleophilic attack of citrate and hydrolysis of amorphous Si. Silicate species were then released through the porous surface and widening cracks caused by pyrolysis. At citrate concentrations >0.1 mol⋅L^-1, the surface and cracks were easily blocked by precipitates formed during pyrolysis. The ability of C-BC to remove HMs was assessed using Cu as an example. C-BC0.1 was optimal for adsorbing Cu, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 271.73 mg⋅g^-1. The Cu adsorption mechanism mainly involved surface precipitation, surface complexation, electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonding. Our research provides important implications for simultaneously addressing Si deficiency and HMs contaminant problems by these materials for soil amendment in agro-ecosystem.

Precise Measurement of the D^{0} and D^{+} Lifetimes at Belle II

We report a measurement of the D^{0} and D^{+} lifetimes using D^{0}→K^{-}π^{+} and D^{+}→K^{-}π^{+}π^{+} decays reconstructed in e^{+}e^{-}→cc[over ¯] data recorded by the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider. The data, collected at center-of-mass energies at or near the ϒ(4S) resonance, correspond to an integrated luminosity of 72  fb^{-1}. The results, τ(D^{0})=410.5±1.1(stat)±0.8(syst)  fs and τ(D^{+})=1030.4±4.7(stat)±3.1(syst)  fs, are the most precise to date and are consistent with previous determinations.

Comparative analysis of molecular fingerprints in prediction of drug combination effects

Application of machine and deep learning methods in drug discovery and cancer research has gained a considerable amount of attention in the past years. As the field grows, it becomes crucial to systematically evaluate the performance of novel computational solutions in relation to established techniques. To this end, we compare rule-based and data-driven molecular representations in prediction of drug combination sensitivity and drug synergy scores using standardized results of 14 high-throughput screening studies, comprising 64 200 unique combinations of 4153 molecules tested in 112 cancer cell lines. We evaluate the clustering performance of molecular representations and quantify their similarity by adapting the Centered Kernel Alignment metric. Our work demonstrates that to identify an optimal molecular representation type, it is necessary to supplement quantitative benchmark results with qualitative considerations, such as model interpretability and robustness, which may vary between and throughout preclinical drug development projects.

Genotype I African swine fever viruses emerged in domestic pigs in China and caused chronic infection

The Georgia-07-like genotype II African swine fever virus (ASFV) with high virulence has been prevalent in China since 2018. Here, we report that genotype I ASFVs have now also emerged in China. Two non-haemadsorbing genotype I ASFVs, HeN/ZZ-P1/21 and SD/DY-I/21, were isolated from pig farms in Henan and Shandong province, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the whole genome sequences suggested that both isolates share high similarity with NH/P68 and OURT88/3, two genotype I ASFVs isolated in Portugal in the last century. Animal challenge testing revealed that SD/DY-I/21 shows low virulence and efficient transmissibility in pigs, and causes mild onset of infection and chronic disease. SD/DY-I/21 was found to cause necrotic skin lesions and joint swelling. The emergence of genotype I ASFVs will present more problems and challenges for the control and prevention of African swine fever in China.

Search for B^{+}→K^{+}νν[over ¯] Decays Using an Inclusive Tagging Method at Belle II

A search for the flavor-changing neutral-current decay B^{+}→K^{+}νν[over ¯] is performed at the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB asymmetric energy electron-positron collider. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 63  fb^{-1} collected at the ϒ(4S) resonance and a sample of 9  fb^{-1} collected at an energy 60 MeV below the resonance. Because the measurable decay signature involves only a single charged kaon, a novel measurement approach is used that exploits not only the properties of the B^{+}→K^{+}νν[over ¯] decay, but also the inclusive properties of the other B meson in the ϒ(4S)→BB[over ¯] event, to suppress the background from other B meson decays and light-quark pair production. This inclusive tagging approach offers a higher signal efficiency compared to previous searches. No significant signal is observed. An upper limit on the branching fraction of B^{+}→K^{+}νν[over ¯] of 4.1×10^{-5} is set at the 90% confidence level.

The safety and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolisation with bleomycin for hepatocellular carcinoma unresponsive to doxorubicin: a prospective single-centre study

AIM

To investigate the safety and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) with bleomycin for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) unresponsive to doxorubicin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A randomised controlled trial was undertaken of HCC patients resistant to TACE with doxorubicin to assess the survival benefits of the experimental group (TACE with bleomycin) compared with the control group (TACE with doxorubicin). One hundred and seventy patients were allocated randomly between December 2015 and December 2017, and 80 patients of each group were analysed. The modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (mRECIST) was used to evaluated the tumour response every 4-6 weeks. The primary endpoint was median progression-free survival (mPFS) and median overall survival (mOS). Safety was assessed by post-procedure complications.

RESULTS

The study was completed in October 2018. Objective response rate (ORR) of the experimental group was 27.5% (22/80), mPFS and mOS was 5.8 and 8.1 months. ORR of the control group was 7.5% (6/80), mPFS and mOS was 2.9 and 4 months. The ORR were significantly different between two groups (χ² = 0.348, p<0.05). The differences of mPFS and mOS between the two groups were statistically significant (χ² = 2.865, p<0.05 and χ² = 0.926, p<0.05, respectively). There were no significant difference in post-procedure complications (p>0.05) and no major complications occurred.

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that TACE with bleomycin is a safe and effective method for HCC and bleomycin can be a second-line chemotherapeutic agent for the HCC patients unresponsive to TACE with doxorubicin.

[Changes and significance of autophagy in rat lung injury induced by gas explosion]

Objective: To explore the changes and significance of autophagy in acute lung injury (ALI) induced by gas explosion in rats. Methods: In February 2018, the gas explosion in underground coal mine was simulated by large tunnel explosion experiment system, SD rats were randomly divided into control group and 6 distance groups (40 m, 80 m, 120 m, 160 m, 200 m, 240 m) with 18 rats in each group. The respiratory function of rats 24 h before and after explosion was detected. Post-explosion rats were anesthetized and sacrificed, histopathological changes of lung were observed by HE staining. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the in situ expression of autophagy marker protein microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3B) . The expression levels of autophagy related gene 12 (Atg12) , LC3B, P62, lysosomal associated membrane protein 2 (Lamp2) , B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl2 interaction protein (Beclin-1) were detected by Western blot. Results: After gas explosion, the rats in 80 m distance point group had the hightest mortality (n=13, 72.22%) and the most severe lung injury degree, and the histopathological scores was (4.00±0.00) point. After gas explosion, the minute ventilation volume (MVb) , maximum inspiratory flow rate (PIFb) and maximum expiratory flow rate (PEFb) of rats were lower than before the gas explosion (P<0.05) . The respiratory frequency of rats in 80 m, 200 m, and 240 m distance point groups were significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05) . The expression levels of LC3B in 40 m, 80 m, 120 m, 160 m, and 200 m distance point groups were higher than that in the control group (P<0.05) . The relative expression levels of Atg12 and LC3BⅡ/Ⅰ in lung tissues of rats in different distance point groups were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05) . The relative expression levels of Beclin1 in 40 m, 80 m, 120 m, and 160 m distance point groups were significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05) . The relative expression levels of P62 in 80 m, 160 m and 200 m distance point groups were lower than that in the control group (P<0.05) . The relative expression levels of Lamp2 and Bcl-2 in lung tissues of rats in all distance groups except 240 m distance group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Gas explosion could induce increased autophagy in lung tissues of ALI rats. Autophagy-related signaling pathway could be involved in the pathophysiological process of ALI in rats caused by gas explosion, then the autophagy and the severity of the lesion showed a significant positive correlation.