Genome-wide association study identifies multiple loci influencing duck serum biochemical indicators in the laying period

1. Laying performance is an important economic trait in poultry. The blood is essential in transporting nutrients to the yolk and albumen and is necessary for egg formation.2. This study calculated the phenotypic relationships of duck egg quality, egg production efficiency and 22 serum parameters in the egg-laying stage. Using a variety of methodologies, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out to uncover the genetic foundations of the 22 serum biochemical markers of laying ducks.3. Spearman correlation coefficients between the egg production (226-329 per day) and the serum parameters were all weak, being less than 0.3. This analysis was done on 22 serum parameters, with total protein (TP), total triglycerides (TG), calcium (Ca) and phosphorous (P) having the highest correlation coefficients (r = 0.56-0.88). The coefficients for blood markers, such as total cholesterol (CHOL), total bilirubin (TBIL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) varied from 0.70-0.94.4. Based on single-marker single-trait genome-wide analyses by a mixed linear model program of EMMAX, nine candidate genes were associated with enzyme traits (AST/ALT aspartate transaminase/glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, creatine kinase) and 19 candidate genes were associated with metabolism and protein-related serum parameters (glucose, total bile acid, uric acid (UA), albumin (ALB).5. The mvLMM (multivariate linear mixed model) of GEMMA software was used to carry out multiple trait integrated GWAS. Two candidate genes were found in the TP-TG-CA-P analysis and seven candidate genes in the CHOL_LDL-C_HDL-C_TBIL study. There was a high genetic correlation between the two groups.

N-Acetyl-l-cysteine ameliorates gestational diabetes mellitus by inhibiting oxidative stress

Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects 7% of pregnant women worldwide. How to effectively treat GDM has always been a concern of people.Research methods: In this study, a diabetes model was established by drug-induced mice. Subsequently, the blood glucose levels and serum insulin changes of the mice after N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) treatment were observed. At the same time, the effect of NAC on reproduction of GDM mice was recorded.Results of the study: Mice fed NAC showed significantly improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity compared to Diabetic/Control. Total serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, and serum low-density lipoprotein were significantly reduced, and atherosclerosis index was much lower than in control mice. In addition, Diabetic/Control mice had lower litter sizes and higher birth weights. NAC treatment significantly restored litter size and reduced birth weight in Diabetic/Control mice. It was found in WB assay that the NAC-fed group significantly increased nuclear Nrf2 and HO-1 expression levels.Conclusion: NAC can improve blood glucose tolerance in GDM mice; NAC effectively relieves the symptoms of hyperlipidemia caused by GDM; NAC enhances the expression of Nrf2/HO-1 in the liver, thereby restoring redox homeostasis. NAC can reduce gestational diabetes-related disease indicators by oral administration, and has a beneficial effect on the offspring of pregnant mice (reduces its diabetes disease indicators).

Randomized phase II adjuvant trial to compare two treatment durations of icotinib (2 years versus 1 year) for stage II-IIIA EGFR-positive lung adenocarcinoma patients (ICOMPARE study)

BACKGROUND

Despite the prolonged median disease-free survival (DFS) by adjuvant targeted therapy in non-small-cell lung cancer patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, the relationship between the treatment duration and the survival benefits in patients remains unknown.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase II trial, eligible patients aged 18-75 years with EGFR-mutant, stage II-IIIA lung adenocarcinoma and who had not received adjuvant chemotherapy after complete tumor resection were enrolled from eight centers in China. Patients were randomly assigned (1 : 1) to receive either 1-year or 2-year icotinib (125 mg thrice daily). The primary endpoint was DFS assessed by investigator. The secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and safety. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01929200).

RESULTS

Between September 2013 and October 2018, 109 patients were enrolled (1-year group, n = 55; 2-year group, n = 54). Median DFS was 48.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 33.1-70.1 months] in the 2-year group and 32.9 months (95% CI 26.6-44.8 months) in the 1-year group [hazard ratio (HR) 0.51; 95% CI 0.28-0.94; P = 0.0290]. Median OS for patients was 75.8 months [95% CI 64.4 months-not evaluable (NE)] in the 2-year group and NE (95% CI 66.3 months-NE) in the 1-year group (HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.13-0.95; P = 0.0317). Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were observed in 41 of 55 (75%) patients in the 1-year group and in 36 of 54 (67%) patients in the 2-year group. Grade 3-4 TRAEs occurred in 4 of 55 (7%) patients in the 1-year group and in 3 of 54 (6%) patients in the 2-year group. No treatment-related deaths or interstitial lung disease was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Two-year adjuvant icotinib was shown to significantly improve DFS and provide an OS benefit in EGFR-mutant, stage II-IIIA lung adenocarcinoma patients compared with 1-year treatment in this exploratory phase II study.

Improved Measurement of the Evolution of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay

Reactor neutrino experiments play a crucial role in advancing our knowledge of neutrinos. In this Letter, the evolution of the flux and spectrum as a function of the reactor isotopic content is reported in terms of the inverse-beta-decay yield at Daya Bay with 1958 days of data and improved systematic uncertainties. These measurements are compared with two signature model predictions: the Huber-Mueller model based on the conversion method and the SM2018 model based on the summation method. The measured average flux and spectrum, as well as the flux evolution with the ^{239}Pu isotopic fraction, are inconsistent with the predictions of the Huber-Mueller model. In contrast, the SM2018 model is shown to agree with the average flux and its evolution but fails to describe the energy spectrum. Altering the predicted inverse-beta-decay spectrum from ^{239}Pu fission does not improve the agreement with the measurement for either model. The models can be brought into better agreement with the measurements if either the predicted spectrum due to ^{235}U fission is changed or the predicted ^{235}U, ^{238}U, ^{239}Pu, and ^{241}Pu spectra are changed in equal measure.

Precision Measurement of Reactor Antineutrino Oscillation at Kilometer-Scale Baselines by Daya Bay

We present a new determination of the smallest neutrino mixing angle θ_{13} and the mass-squared difference Δm_{32}^{2} using a final sample of 5.55×10^{6} inverse beta-decay (IBD) candidates with the final-state neutron captured on gadolinium. This sample is selected from the complete dataset obtained by the Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment in 3158 days of operation. Compared to the previous Daya Bay results, selection of IBD candidates has been optimized, energy calibration refined, and treatment of backgrounds further improved. The resulting oscillation parameters are sin^{2}2θ_{13}=0.0851±0.0024, Δm_{32}^{2}=(2.466±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the normal mass ordering or Δm_{32}^{2}=-(2.571±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the inverted mass ordering.

[Chinese expert consensus on perioperative management of renal tumor cryoablation (2022 edition)]

In recent years, the incidence of renal cancer has been increasing continuously. Surgical resection is the "gold standard" for the treatment of small renal cancer. However, local ablation therapy of renal cancer is undoubtedly the best choice for patients with short life expectancy, other complications, and impaired renal function who are not suitable for surgery. In recent years, with the development of ablation techniques and long-term follow-up, local ablation has shown good therapeutic effects. As many domestic hospitals are performing or planning to perform renal tumor cryoablation to improve the clinical cure rate and surgical safety of renal tumor cryoablation, it is necessary to standardize the surgical indications, contraindications, perioperative management, efficacy evaluation, and other common problems. Currently, there is no expert consensus regarding perioperative renal tumor cryoablation in China. To standardize the perioperative management of renal tumor cryoablation and related technical operations in clinical practice, and improve the effectiveness and safety of cryoablation, the expert committee of Tumor Interventional and Minimally Invasive Diagnosis and Treatment Continuing Education Base of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association convened experts in related fields to discuss and formulate this consensus, which is hereby published, for clinical reference and application.

Bacterial antibiotic resistance among cancer inpatients in China: 2016-20

BACKGROUND

The incidence of infections among cancer patients is as high as 23.2-33.2% in China. However, the lack of information and data on the number of antibiotics used by cancer patients is an obstacle to implementing antibiotic management plans.

AIM

This study aimed to investigate bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance in Chinese cancer patients to provide a reference for the rational use of antibiotics.

DESIGN

This was a 5-year retrospective study on the antibiotic resistance of cancer patients.

METHODS

In this 5-year surveillance study, we collected bacterial and antibiotic resistance data from 20 provincial cancer diagnosis and treatment centers and three specialized cancer hospitals in China. We analyzed the resistance of common bacteria to antibiotics, compared to common clinical drug-resistant bacteria, evaluated the evolution of critical drug-resistant bacteria and conducted data analysis.

FINDINGS

Between 2016 and 2020, 216 219 bacterial strains were clinically isolated. The resistance trend of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, piperacillin/tazobactam and imipenem was relatively stable and did not significantly increase over time. The resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains to all antibiotics tested, including imipenem and meropenem, decreased over time. In contrast, the resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii strains to carbapenems increased from 4.7% to 14.7%. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) significantly decreased from 65.2% in 2016 to 48.9% in 2020.

CONCLUSIONS

The bacterial prevalence and antibiotic resistance rates of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii, S. aureus and MRSA were significantly lower than the national average.

[Selection of classic laryngeal mask airway size based on ideal body mass in patients with low body mass index: a randomized trial]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) size selection based on ideal and actual body mass on the success rate of first insertion in patients with low body mass index (BMI).

METHODS

This study was performed in 137 patients aged 18-60 years with BMI below 18.5 kg/m², in whom discrepancies occurred in the selection of LMA size based on their actual body mass and the ideal body mass. The patients were randomized divided into ideal body mass group and actual body mass group, in which the size of LMA was selected based on the ideal body mass and their actual body mass, respectively. The success rate of first LMA insertion, overall success rate, fiberoptic visual field grade, leakage pressure, and LMA-related complications of the patients were recorded during the maintenance and recovery of anesthesia.

RESULTS

The success rate of first LMA insertion was significantly higher in ideal body mass group than in the actual body mass group (86.8% vs 68.1%, P=0.016). Compared with those in the actual body mass group, the patients in the ideal body mass group used larger LMA (P < 0.005) and had better fiberoptic field scores (P=0.001) and higher airway seal pressure (P < 0.005). The peak inspiratory pressure (P=0.154) or the incidence of LMA-related complications during anesthesia maintenance and recovery did not differ significantly between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

The size selection of LMA based on the ideal body mass of the patients, determined according to their height and sex, can significantly improve the success rate of first LMA insertion in patients with low BMI.

Inhibitory role of puerarin on the A549 lung cancer cell line

BACKGROUND

Although more and more drugs had been proved to be effective in controlling tumor cells, lung cancer was still the leading cause of cancer-related deaths all over the world. This study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of puerarin on the invasion and metastasis of A549 lung cancer cell line.

METHODS

A medium containing puerarin was prepared according to the gradient concentration, and 10, 20, and 40 µmol/L were selected as the experimental group (low, medium, and high concentration groups, respectively) according to the cytotoxicity experiment. Meanwhile, 0 µmol/L was used as the control group.

RESULTS

Following administration, metastasis-related indexes were detected by the cell scratch test, cell migration test, gene difference detection, and western blotting. 24 hours after administration, the cell scratch and Transwell showed that the migration ability of A549 cells decreased with the increasing puerarin concentration. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blotting results demonstrated that the expression of the cell invasion and metastasis-related factor, matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), was negatively correlated with drug concentration. Further investigation demonstrated that the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was also inhibited.

CONCLUSIONS

Puerarin can inhibit the expression of invasion and metastasis-related factors by inhibiting the phosphorylation of ERK.

Semen parameters and sex hormones as affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection: A systematic review

Background

Impaired semen quality and reproductive hormone levels were observed in patients during and after recovery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which raised concerns about negative effects on male fertility. Therefore, this study systematically reviews available data on semen parameters and sex hormones in patients with COVID-19.

Methods

Systematic search was performed on PubMed and Google Scholar until July 18th, 2022. We identified relevant articles that discussed the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on male fertility.

Results

A total number of 1,684 articles were identified by using a suitable keyword search strategy. After screening, 26 articles were considered eligible for inclusion in this study. These articles included a total of 1,960 controls and 2,106 patients. When all studies were considered, the results showed that the semen parameters and sex hormone levels of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 exhibited some significant differences compared with controls. Fortunately, these differences gradually disappear as patients recover from COVID-19.

Conclusion

While present data show the negative effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on male fertility, this does not appear to be long-term. Semen quality and hormone levels will gradually increase to normal as patients recover.

First Measurement of High-Energy Reactor Antineutrinos at Daya Bay

This Letter reports the first measurement of high-energy reactor antineutrinos at Daya Bay, with nearly 9000 inverse beta decay candidates in the prompt energy region of 8-12 MeV observed over 1958 days of data collection. A multivariate analysis is used to separate 2500 signal events from background statistically. The hypothesis of no reactor antineutrinos with neutrino energy above 10 MeV is rejected with a significance of 6.2 standard deviations. A 29% antineutrino flux deficit in the prompt energy region of 8-11 MeV is observed compared to a recent model prediction. We provide the unfolded antineutrino spectrum above 7 MeV as a data-based reference for other experiments. This result provides the first direct observation of the production of antineutrinos from several high-Q_{β} isotopes in commercial reactors.

[VIPR1 promoter methylation promotes transcription factor AP-2α binding to inhibit VIPR1 expression and promote hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth in vitro]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the transcriptional regulation mechanism and biological function of low expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 1 (VIPR1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

We constructed plasmids carrying wild-type VIPR1 promoter or two mutant VIPR1 promoter sequences for transfection of the HCC cell lines Hep3B and Huh7, and examined the effect of AP-2α expression on VIPR1 promoter activity using dual-luciferase reporter assay. Pyrosequencing was performed to detect the changes in VIPR1 promoter methylation level in HCC cells treated with a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor (DAC). Chromatin immunoprecipitation was used to evaluate the binding ability of AP-2α to VIPR1 promoter. Western blotting was used to assess the effect of AP-2α knockdown on VIPR1 expression and examine the differential expression of VIPR1 in the two cell lines. The effects of VIPR1 overexpression and knockdown on the proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of HCC cells were analyzed using CCK8 assay and flow cytometry. We also observed the growth of HCC xenograft with lentivirus-mediated over-expression of VIPR1 in nude mice.

RESULTS

Compared with the wild-type VIPR1 promoter group, co-transfection with the vector carrying two promoter mutations and the AP-2α-over-expressing plasmid obviously restored the luciferase activity in HCC cells (P < 0.05). DAC treatment of the cells significantly decreased the methylation level of VIPR1 promoter and inhibited the binding of AP-2α to VIPR1 promoter (P < 0.01). The HCC cells with AP-2α knockdown showed increased VIPR1 expression, which was lower in Huh7 cells than in Hep3B cells. VIPR1 overexpression in HCC cells caused significant cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase (P < 0.01), promoted cell apoptosis (P < 0.001), and inhibited cell proliferation (P < 0.001), while VIPR1 knockdown produced the opposite effects. In the tumor-bearing nude mice, VIPR1 overexpression in the HCC cells significantly suppressed the increase of tumor volume (P < 0.001) and weight (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

VIPR1 promoter methylation in HCC promotes the binding of AP-2α and inhibits VIPR1 expression, while VIPR1 overexpression causes cell cycle arrest, promotes cell apoptosis, and inhibits cell proliferation and tumor growth.

Body mass index increases the recurrence risk of breast cancer: a dose-response meta-analysis from 21 prospective cohort studies

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of body mass index (BMI) on the recurrence risk of breast cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

Dose-response meta-analysis.

METHODS

Cohort studies that included BMI and the recurrence of breast cancer were selected through various databases including PubMed, Web of Science, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journals (VIP), and Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform (WanFang) until November 30, 2021. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of literature. A two-stage random-effects meta-analysis was performed to assess the dose-response relationship between BMI and breast cancer recurrence risk. Heterogeneity between studies is assessed using I².

RESULTS

The relative risk (RR) of BMI <25 kg/m² vs BMI ≥25 kg/m², BMI <30 kg/m² vs BMI ≥30 kg/m² were 1.09 (95% CI: 1.00-1.19) and 1.15 (95% CI: 1.04-1.27), suggesting that BMI had a significant effect on the recurrence risk of breast cancer, and there might be a dose-response relationship between them. A total of 21 studies were included in dose-response meta-analysis, which showed that there was a positive linear correlation between BMI and the risk of recurrence (RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03). For every 1 kg/m² increment of BMI, the risk of recurrence increased by approximately 2%. In subgroup analyses, positive linear dose-response relationships between BMI and recurrence risk were observed among Asian and study period >10 years groups. For every 1 kg/m² increment of BMI, the risk of recurrence increased by 3.41% and 1.87%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The recurrence risk of breast cancer increases with BMI, which is most obvious among Asian women.

Radiotherapy-induced abscopal effect on the metastatic carcinoma of unknown primary origin: a case report and literature review

OBJECTIVE

Abscopal effect of radiotherapy refers to a clinical phenomenon that is characterized by the eradication of distant metastatic tumors following localized irradiation. Reports on the abscopal effect following pure radiotherapy have been relatively rare.

CASE REPORT

Herein, we reported a 70-year-old male patient, who has been subjected to swelling and pain in the left neck. Computed tomography examination presented a metastatic lymph node of the left cervical and an intra-abdominal mass which was located in hepatogastric space, upward of the pancreatic head. Histopathology of the left cervical lymph node further ensured a poorly-moderately differentiated form of squamous cell carcinoma. But the primary origin was not defined. This patient received radiotherapy on the metastatic lymph nodes of the left cervical (dose: 60 Gray in 30 fractions) only. After treatment, the pain in the left neck dramatically improved and the swelling of the radiation exposure site diminished gradually. Computed tomography examination also confirmed that the abdominal mass was significantly reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

The abscopal effect, in this case, may help us to get a better understanding of the impact of radiotherapy.

[Analysis the influence factors of treatment free remission outcome with chronic myeloid leukemia patients who discontinued tyrosine kinase inhibitors]

Objective: To explore the related factors affecting the outcome of treatment free remission (TFR) in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Methods: Clinical data of CML patients with automatic discontinuation of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) from the CML cooperative organization of Henan province between June 2, 2013 to March 27, 2021 and the follow-up time was ≥ 6 months were retrospectively analyzed. Log-rank test was used for univariate analysis and Cox proportional risk regression model was used for multivariate analysis. Results: A total of 135 patients were enrolled, and 69 patients (51.1%) were femal and 66 patients (48.9%)were male. Median age was[M(Q₁,Q₃)] 49 years (38, 58)at discontinuation.Before discontinuation, 72 patients (53.3%) were on treatment with second-generation TKI, 63 patients (46.7%) were on treatment with IM, 17patients (12.6%) had a history of TKI reduction/withdrawal;median duration of treatment was months 84 (68, 108) for all patients;median time of TKI treatment to DMR was months 12(8, 26);median duration of DMR was months 65 (54, 84), and 9 patients (6.7%) had unsustained DMR.The median follow-up time was months 16(6-96), 35 patients (25.9%) lost MMR at a median months 3(1-22), overall estimated TFR was 74.1%.The univariate analysis results showed that:second-generation TKI was used, the time of TKI treatment to DMR was ≤12 months, DMR duration time ≥48 months, had sustained DMR, without TKI reduction/withdrawal history were favorable factors affecting of TFR in patients with TKI discontinuation (all P<0.05).The TFR rate of the second-generation TKI therapy group was significantly higher than the IM therapy group (81.9% vs 65.1%, P=0.019).The multivariate analysis results showed that second-generation TKI treatment[RR=0.451, 95%CI (0.227-0.896), P=0.023] and had sustained DMR [RR=0.120, 95%CI (0.053-0.271), P<0.001] were the protective factors of TFR in patients with TKI discontinuation. Conclusions: Treated with second-generation TKI and had sustained DMR are the protective factors of TFR in patients with TKI discontinuation.The CML patients who had sustained DMR more≥48 months before TKI discontinuation showed a better TFR.

Public attitudes and influencing factors toward COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents/children: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to systematically clarify attitudes and influencing factors of the public toward COVID-19 vaccination for children or adolescents.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a scoping review.

METHODS

This scoping review screened, included, sorted, and analyzed relevant studies on COVID-19 vaccination for children or adolescents before December 31, 2021, in databases, including PubMed, Elsevier, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Wiley.

RESULTS

A total of 34 studies were included. The results showed that the public's acceptance rate toward COVID-19 vaccination for children or adolescents ranged from 4.9% (southeast Nigerian mothers) to 91% (Brazilian parents). Parents' or adolescents' age, gender, education level, and cognition and behavior characteristics for the vaccines were the central factors affecting vaccination. The vaccine's safety, effectiveness, and potential side-effects were the main reasons affecting vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Realizing current public attitudes of COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents or children can effectively develop intervention measures and control the pandemic as soon as possible through herd immunity.

Joint Determination of Reactor Antineutrino Spectra from ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu Fission by Daya Bay and PROSPECT

A joint determination of the reactor antineutrino spectra resulting from the fission of ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu has been carried out by the Daya Bay and PROSPECT Collaborations. This Letter reports the level of consistency of ^{235}U spectrum measurements from the two experiments and presents new results from a joint analysis of both data sets. The measurements are found to be consistent. The combined analysis reduces the degeneracy between the dominant ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu isotopes and improves the uncertainty of the ^{235}U spectral shape to about 3%. The ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu antineutrino energy spectra are unfolded from the jointly deconvolved reactor spectra using the Wiener-SVD unfolding method, providing a data-based reference for other reactor antineutrino experiments and other applications. This is the first measurement of the ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu spectra based on the combination of experiments at low- and highly enriched uranium reactors.

[Risk factors of pancreatitis after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage in patients with pancreatic cancer and obstructive jaundice]

Objective: To explore the risk factors and preventive strategies of pancreatitis after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) in patients with pancreatic cancer and obstructive jaundice. Methods: A total of 241 patients were retrospectively analyzed from May 2001 to October 2014 in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. The possibly correlated 9 factors were analyzed, including gender, age, hemoglobin level, total bilirubin level, degree of pancreatic duct dilatation, degree of pancreatic atrophy, degree of biliary stenosis, the pancreatic duct visualization, and drainage mode. Results: Univariate analysis suggested that pancreatic duct dilatation, pancreatic atrophy, visualized pancreatic duct and drainage mode were associated with the incidence of pancreatitis after PTBD (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that visualization of pancreatic duct (OR=6.33) was a risk factor for pancreatitis, while pancreatic duct dilatation (OR=0.14), pancreatic atrophy (OR=0.12) and external drainage (OR=0.11) were protective factors for pancreatitis. Conclusion: In pateints with pancreatic cancer and obstructive jaundice, pancreatic duct dilatation and pancreatic atrophy predict low risk of pancreatitis after PTBD,while intraoperative pancreatic duct visualization and internal or external drainage may increase the incidence of postoperative pancreatitis.

Lanzhou Lily polysaccharide fragment protects human umbilical vein endothelial cells from radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks

Background

Radiotherapy is widely used in the treatment of tumors. However, while killing tumor cells, radiation may also cause damage to the surrounding normal tissues. Therefore, it is very important to find safe and effective radiation protection agents.

Purpose

To investgate the radiation protection effect of Lanzhou Lily polysaccharide fragments (LLP). Methods: The crude polysaccharides of Lanzhou Lily were extracted from the dried bulb powder of Lilium lilium by ultrasonic-assisted hot water method, and then five different fragments were separated from the polysaccharides by DEAE-52-cellulose column. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay, neutral comet and immunofluorescent staining were used to investigate the effect of LPe fragment on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) survival and the possible radioprotective mechanism.

Results

The LPe fragment (composing of mannose and glucose, with a ratio of 5.5:2.9, and the average molecular weight is 8629.8 Da), significantly promoted the proliferation of HUVECs and protected cells from X-ray-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA, in which pretreatment with the LPe fragment at 100 μg/mL showed the most pronounced protection. In addition, the occurrence of X-ray-induced γH2AX foci was significantly reduced by treatment with the LPe fragment at 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL. Furthermore, caffeine or wortmannin in combination with the LPe fragment at 25 μg/mL significantly reduced the number of X-ray-induced γH2AX foci, indicating phosphoinositide-3 kinases (PI3K) is involved in H2AX phosphorylation in HUVECs.

Conclusion

These results indicate the LPe fragment has a protective effect against radiation-induced DSBs and may be used as a natural antioxidant agent.

Analysis of microbial diversity in the root of Astragalus mongholicus

Abstract The dry root of Astragalus mongholicus has therapeutic effects such as tonifing the middle - jiao, replenishing qi, solidifing the surface, promoting diuresis, dispelling sepsis outwards and nourishing muscle. There are some slices having black spots after slicing the root of astragalus. The diversity of endophytic fungi between slices with black spots and normal slices was analysed in this paper. The endophytic fungal sequences obtained by high-throughput sequencing were 298,044 and 297,396, and the 116 OTU subsets obtained after clustering belonged to 3 phyla, 9 classes, 22 orders, 38 families and 46 genera. The dominant classes were Eurotiomycetes and Leotiomycetes. The dominant order is Eurotiales and Helotiales. The dominant families are Helotiales_fam_Incertae_sedis and Aspergillaceae. The dominant genera are Cadophora and Aspergillus. There are some peculiar fungal flora in both normal slices and spotted slices. The study on endophytic fungi diversity of astragalus slices will provide some help for drug development of this plant.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging: A novel approach to assessing treatment in locally advanced esophageal cancer patients

Aims

This study aims to investigate the potential application of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to predict concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) in locally advanced esophageal carcinoma.

Patients and Methods

This study involved 33 patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer and treated with CRT. The patients underwent DCE-MRI before CRT (pre) and 3 weeks after starting CRT (mid). The patients were categorized into two groups: complete response (CR) and non-complete response (non-CR) after 3 months of treatment. The quantitative parameters of DCE-MRI (K^trans, Kep, and Ve), the changes and ratios of parameters (ΔK^trans, ΔKep, ΔVe, rΔK^trans, rΔKep, and rΔVe), and the relative ratio in the tumor area and a normal tube wall (rK^trans, rKep, and rVe) were calculated and compared between two timeframes in two groups, respectively. Moreover, the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) statistical analysis was used to assess the above parameters.

Results

We divided 33 patients into two groups: 22 in the CR group and 11 in the non-CR group. During the mid-CRT phase in the CR group, both K^trans and Kep rapidly decreased, while only Kep decreased in the non-CR group. The pre-K^trans and pre-Kep in the CR group were substantially higher compared to the non-CR group. Moreover, the rK^trans was also apparently observed as higher at pre-CRT in the CR group compared to the non-CR group. The ROC analysis demonstrated that the pre-K^trans could be the best parameter to evaluate the treatment performance (AUC = 0.74).

Conclusion

Pre-K^trans could be a promising parameter to forecast how patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer will respond to CRT.

ToxR modulates biofilm formation in fish pathogen Vibrio harveyi

Vibrio harveyi is a common aquaculture pathogen causing diseases in a variety of aquatic animals. toxR, a conserved virulence-associated gene in vibrios, is identified in V. harveyi 345, a pathogenic strain isolated from diseased fish. In this study, to gain insight into function of ToxR in V. harveyi, an in-frame deletion of the toxR gene was constructed to reveal the role of ToxR in the physiology and virulence of V. harveyi. The statistical analysis showed no significant differences in the growth ability, motility, extracellular protease secretion, antibiotic susceptibility, virulence by intraperitoneal injection and the ability of V. harveyi to colonize the spleen and liver tissues of the pearl gentian grouper between the wild-type (WT) and the toxR mutant. However, the deletion of toxR increased the biofilm formation. The structure of the V. harveyi biofilm was further analysed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy, and the results showed that deletion of toxR increased the number and density of V. harveyi biofilm. Since biofilm production is flagella, exopolysaccharide (EPS) and lipopolysaccharide dependent, 16 of V. harveyi biofilm-related genes were selected for further analysis. Based on quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR, the expression levels of these genes, including genes flrB, motY and mshA, flaE, flrA and gmhD, were significantly up-regulated in the ΔtoxR⁺ strain as compared with the WT⁺ and C-ΔtoxR strains during the early and mid-exponential, while epsG, flaA, flaE, flgD, flgE, flrB, flrC, lpxB, motY, mshA and scrG genes were inhibited because of deletion of the toxR gene in the stationary growth phase. Our results indicate that ToxR plays an important role in controlling the biofilm in V. harveyi.

Biofunctional magnesium-coated Ti6Al4V scaffolds promote autophagy-dependent apoptosis in osteosarcoma by activating the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway

The recurrence of osteosarcoma (OS) after reconstruction using Ti6Al4V prostheses remains a major problem in the surgical treatment of OS. Modification of the surfaces of Ti6Al4V prostheses with antitumor functions is an important strategy for improving therapeutic outcomes. Magnesium (Mg) coating has been shown to be multifunctional: it exhibits osteogenic and angiogenic properties and the potential to inhibit OS. In this study, we determined the proper concentration of released Mg²⁺ with respect to OS inhibition and biosafety and evaluated the anti-OS effects of Mg-coated Ti6Al4V scaffolds. We found that the release of Mg²⁺ during short-term and long-term degradation could significantly inhibit the proliferation and migration of HOS and 143B cells. Increased cell apoptosis and excessive autophagy were also observed, and further evidence of AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway activation was obtained both in vitro and in vivo, which suggested that the biofunctional scaffolds induce OS inhibition. Our study demonstrates the ability of an Mg coating to inhibit OS and may contribute to the further application of Mg-coated Ti6Al4V prostheses.

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Multifunctional Mg coating is considerable surface modification for Ti6Al4V prostheses.

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Mg²⁺ releasing by the scaffolds could significantly inhibit the proliferation and migration of OS cells.

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The biofunctional scaffolds could inhibit OS by activating autophagy-dependent apoptosis.

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The AMPK/mTOR/ULK-1 pathway was involved in autophagy-depended apoptosis induced by the scaffolds.

The efficacy and safety of flow-diverting device and coil embolization for intracranial aneurysms: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of flow-diverting device (FDD) and coil embolization therapy (CET) in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms through a meta-analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We comprehensively searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wan Fang, VIP databases, and China Biology Medicine disc (CBM) for eligible literature. Odds ratio (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were considered as effect measures. Statistical heterogeneity was tested by Cochran's Q statistic and I2 tests, and sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate the stability of research results. Publication bias was detected by funnel diagrams.

RESULTS

A total of 888 patients from 9 studies were finally enrolled in our analysis. Through meta-analysis, the results showed that the aneurysm occlusion rate in the FDD group was significantly higher than that in the CET group (OR, 95% CI=1.68, 1.20 to 2.36, p=0.002), and the retreatment rate after aneurysm operation in the FDD group was significantly lower than that in the FDD group (OR, 95% CI=0.40, 0.22 to 0.74, p=0.003). There was no significant difference in the proportion of mRS score (0-2) between the two groups during postoperative follow-up (OR, 95% CI=0.63, 0.20 to 1.94, p=0.43). In terms of safety, there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications (OR, 95% CI=1.11, 0.68 to 1.81, p=0.67) and mortality (OR, 95% CI=1.35, 0.53 to 3.42) between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with CET, FDD has achieved satisfactory results in increasing the rate of aneurysm occlusion and reducing the rate of retreatment of intracranial aneurysms. There is no significant difference in security between FDD and CET, though. These findings are reported in this paper, but because of the limitations of the included study, they need to be further verified by well-designed multicenter randomized controlled trials (RCT).

Associations between gut microbiota and thyroidal function status in Chinese patients with Graves' disease

OBJECTIVE

The imbalance of gut microbiota has been linked to manifold endocrine diseases, but the association with Graves' disease (GD) is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between human gut microbiota and clinical characteristics and thyroidal functional status of GD.

METHODS

14 healthy volunteers (CG) and 15 patients with primary GD (HG) were recruited as subjects. 16SrDNA high-throughput sequencing was performed on IlluminaMiSeq platform to analyze the characteristics of gut microbiota in patients with GD. Among them, the thyroid function of 13 patients basically recovered after treatment with anti-thyroid drugs (oral administration of Methimazole for 3-5 months). The fecal samples of patients after treatment (TG) were sequenced again, to further explore and investigate the potential relationship between dysbacteriosis and GD.

RESULTS

In terms of alpha diversity index, the observed OTUs, Simpson and Shannon indices of gut microbiota in patients with GD were significantly lower than those in healthy volunteers (P < 0.05).The difference of bacteria species was mainly reflected in the genus level, in which the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Veillonella and Streptococcus increased significantly in GD. After the improvement of thyroid function, a significant reduction at the genus level were Blautia, Corynebacter, Ruminococcus and Streptococcus, while Phascolarctobacterium increased significantly (P < 0.05). According to Spearman correlation analysis, the correlation between the level of thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus was positive, while Synergistetes and Phascolarctobacterium showed a negative correlation with TRAb. Besides, there were highly significant negative correlation between Synergistetes and clinical variables of TRAb, TPOAb and TGAb (P < 0.05, R <  - 0.6).

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed that functional status and TRAb level in GD were associated with composition and biological function in the gut microbiota, with Synergistetes and Phascolarctobacterium protecting the thyroid probably, while Ruminococcus and Lactobacillus may be novel biomarkers of GD.

Search for Displaced Leptons in sqrt[s]=13 TeV pp Collisions with the ATLAS Detector

A search for charged leptons with large impact parameters using 139  fb^{-1} of sqrt[s]=13  TeV pp collision data from the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented, addressing a long-standing gap in coverage of possible new physics signatures. Results are consistent with the background prediction. This search provides unique sensitivity to long-lived scalar supersymmetric lepton partners (sleptons). For lifetimes of 0.1 ns, selectron, smuon, and stau masses up to 720, 680, and 340  GeV, respectively, are excluded at 95% confidence level, drastically improving on the previous best limits from LEP.

Prognostic potentials of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 in nasopharynx carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To determine expressions of MicroRNA-19a-3p (miRNA-19a-3p) and PDCD5 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues, and their prognostic potentials in NPC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Expressions of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 in NPC tissues and controls were determined by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The correlation between expressions of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 in NPC was evaluated by Pearson correlation test. Furthermore, potential influences of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 on clinical features of NPC patients were assessed. Through 5-year follow-up, survival analysis in NPC patients was conducted by Kaplan-Meier method. Finally, factors influencing prognosis of NPC were determined using the Cox regression model.

RESULTS

MiRNA-19a-3p was upregulated and PDCD5 was downregulated in NPC tissues. Pearson correlation test uncovered a negative correlation between expression levels of miRNA-19a-3p and PDCD5 in NPC tissues. MiRNA-19a-3p level was correlated with N classification and clinical stage in NPC patients, while PDCD5 level was correlated with T classification, pathological grade and clinical stage. Survival analysis showed poor prognosis in NPC patients expressing high level of miRNA-19a-3p or low level of PDCD5. Cox regression analysis illustrated that N2+3 classification, clinical stage III+IV, high level of miRNA-19a-3p and low level of PDCD5 were independent risk factors for the prognosis of NPC.

CONCLUSIONS

MiRNA-19a-3p is upregulated and PDCD5 is downregulated in NPC tissues. High level of miRNA-19a-3p and low level of PDCD5 are unfavorable for the prognosis of NPC.

Development of patulin certified reference material using mass balance and quantitative NMR

The certified reference materials (CRMs) are necessary for accurate quantification and insurance of comparability and traceability of results. Patulin is a typical mycotoxin in a variety of food commodities. Here, patulin CRM GBW(E)100673 was characterised and its purity was assessed by two independent orthogonal approaches including mass balance (MB) and quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (qNMR) methods. From MB equation, the calculated purity was 996.9 mg/g with subtraction of water, volatile solvent, inorganic and structurally related impurities. In the other qNMR method, the calculated purity was 996.7 mg/g. This CRM was homogeneous and stable for at least 9 months under -20 °C in dark. Finally, a purity of 997 mg/g with an expanded uncertainty of 3 mg/g (k=2) was finally assigned to patulin CRM in this study. High-purity patulin CRM was fully characterised and assessed for the first time. The new CRM can be applicable to routine monitoring and risk assessment for assurance of accuracy results in food safety.

[Deep learning based lesion detection from anterior segment optical coherence tomography images and its application in the diagnosis of keratoconus]

Objective: To developed an image analysis system of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) examination results based on deep learning technology, and to evaluate its effect in identifying various types of corneal pathologies and quantified indices. Methods: A total of 4 026 patients (5 617 eyes), including 1 977 males and 2 049 females, aged (45±23) years, were enrolled in Qingdao Eye Hospital from January 2011 to August 2019. The AS-OCT images were used as a training dataset, which were labeled with location information of 16 corneal pathologies (including corneal epithelial defect, corneal epithelial thickening, corneal thinning and so on) by clinical experts, as well as the tissue stratification of the corneal epithelium and stroma. The labeled AS-OCT images were used to train the corneal pathology detection model and corneal stratification model based on deep convolutional neural network algorithm. Then 1 709 AS-OCT images of the affected eyes were collected as a validation dataset. Compared with the artificial labeling results, the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were evaluated in the corneal pathology detection model, and the overlapping rate (Dice coefficient) between the labeled area of the model and the artificial labeling area was used to evaluate the corneal stratification model. Results: The results of 5 617 training sets showed that there were 1 472 cases of corneal epithelial defect, 2 416 cases of corneal epithelial thickening, 2 001 cases of corneal thinning, 780 cases of corneal lordosis, 2 064 cases of corneal thickening, 358 cases of subepithelial blisters, 486 cases of subepithelial opacity, 1 010 cases of corneal ulcer, 3 635 cases of stromal opacity, 1 060 cases of posterior elastic layer fold, 137 cases of posterior elastic layer detachment, 665 cases of keratic precipitate, 176 cases of corneal perforation, 127 cases of corneal foreign body, 299 cases of after lamellar keratoplasty (LKP) and 234 cases of after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). Among 1 709 images, 1 596 were manually labeled. The average sensitivity and specificity of the corneal pathology detection model were 96.5% and 96.1% compared with the results of manual labeling. Fifteen samples were missed for detection, and the rate was 0.93%. The average Dice coefficients of the corneal stratification model for the corneal epithelium and stroma were 0.985 and 0.917, respectively. Conclusions: Our artificial intelligence-based diagnosis system with AS-OCT is able to give quantified information and location information of corneal lesions with high accuracy, which can help ophthalmologists improve the efficiency and accuracy of diagnosis. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 447-453).

Glycosylated hemoglobin levels and the risk for contrast-induced nephropathy in diabetic patients undergoing coronary arteriography/percutaneous coronary intervention

Backgrounds

Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing Coronary arteriography (CAG)/percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is the gold standard to measure blood glucose control, which has important clinical significance for evaluating blood glucose control in diabetic patients in the past 3 months. This study aimed to assess whether preoperative HbA1c levels in diabetic patients who received CAG/PCI impacted the occurrence of postoperative CIN.

Methods

We reviewed the incidence of preoperative HbA1c and postoperative CIN in 670 patients with CAG/PCI from January 1, 2020 to October 30, 2020 and divided the preoperative HbA1c levels into 5 groups. Blood samples were collected at admission, 48 h and 72 h after operation to measure the Scr value of patients. Categorical variables were compared using a chi-square test, and continuous variables were compared using an analysis of variance. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the percentages when the expected frequency was less than 5. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to exclude the influence of confounding factors, and P for trend was used to analyze the trend between HbA1c levels and the increased risk of CIN.

Results

Patients with elevated HbA1c had higher BMI, FBG, and LDL-C, and they were more often on therapy with hypoglycemic agents, Insulin and PCI. They also had higher basal, 48 h and 72 h Scr. The incidence of CIN in the 5 groups of patients were: 9.8, 11.9, 15.2, 25.3, 48.1%. (p < 0.0001) The multivariate analysis confirmed that in the main high-risk subgroup, patients with elevated HbA1C levels (≥8.8%) had a higher risk of CIN disease. Trend test showed the change of OR (1.000,1.248,1.553,2.625,5.829).

Conclusions

Studies have shown that in diabetic patients undergoing CAG/PCI, elevated HbA1c is independently associated with the risk of CIN, and when HbA1c > 9.5%, the incidence of CIN trends increase. Therefore, we should attach great importance to patients with elevated HbA1c at admission and take more active measures to prevent CIN.

Diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging in synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint

The aim of this paper was to investigate the clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of synovial chondromatosis (SC) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Fourteen patients with SC of the TMJ were included in the study. Clinical and MRI features were analysed and divided into three types based on MRI classification: type I with loose bodies, type II with homogeneous masses, and type III with a mixture of loose bodies and homogeneous masses. All SCs occurred in the superior compartment of the TMJ. There were two patients (14%) categorised as type I, five (36%) as type II and seven (50%) as type III. Four patients (29%) had disc perforation, and nine had bone erosion; among those nine, seven (78%) had type III and two (22%) type II. Histological examination showed inflammation and calcification in the synovial membrane and, and cartilage of the hyaline type in all cases. MRI has advantages in the diagnosis of SC.

Longitudinal Flow Decorrelations in Xe+Xe Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.44 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

The first measurement of longitudinal decorrelations of harmonic flow amplitudes v_{n} for n=2-4 in Xe+Xe collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.44  TeV is obtained using 3  μb^{-1} of data with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The decorrelation signal for v_{3} and v_{4} is found to be nearly independent of collision centrality and transverse momentum (p_{T}) requirements on final-state particles, but for v_{2} a strong centrality and p_{T} dependence is seen. When compared with the results from Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, the longitudinal decorrelation signal in midcentral Xe+Xe collisions is found to be larger for v_{2}, but smaller for v_{3}. Current hydrodynamic models reproduce the ratios of the v_{n} measured in Xe+Xe collisions to those in Pb+Pb collisions but fail to describe the magnitudes and trends of the ratios of longitudinal flow decorrelations between Xe+Xe and Pb+Pb. The results on the system-size dependence provide new insights and an important lever arm to separate effects of the longitudinal structure of the initial state from other early and late time effects in heavy-ion collisions.

Search for Dark Matter Produced in Association with a Dark Higgs Boson Decaying into W^{±}W^{∓} or ZZ in Fully Hadronic Final States from sqrt[s]=13 TeV pp Collisions Recorded with the ATLAS Detector

Several extensions of the Standard Model predict the production of dark matter particles at the LHC. An uncharted signature of dark matter particles produced in association with VV=W^{±}W^{∓} or ZZ pairs from a decay of a dark Higgs boson s is searched for using 139  fb^{-1} of pp collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The s→V(qq[over ¯])V(qq[over ¯]) decays are reconstructed with a novel technique aimed at resolving the dense topology from boosted VV pairs using jets in the calorimeter and tracking information. Dark Higgs scenarios with m_{s}>160  GeV are excluded.

Protective effects of NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 on sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction

Sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD) leads to poor prognosis or even death in severe sepsis cases, therefore, exploring its pathogenesis and new therapeutic targets has become the focus of current research. Specifically, an SIMD rat model was constructed by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method. At 24 h after intraperitoneal injection of the NLRP3 selective inhibitor MCC950, the levels of serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum were detected, and the cardiac function of rats was examined via echocardiography. In addition, the pathological changes of myocardial tissues were observed by histological method, and the expression changes of inflammatory factors were detected in the tissue and serum. At the same time, H9C2 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to simulate the in vitro model, and the expressions of inflammation and pyroptosis-related factors were detected. The results manifested that in the CLP group, the levels of serum cTnI and LDH were obviously increased, the myocardial tissue structure was disordered, the cell edema was severe, and the cardiac function was markedly reduced. Meanwhile, the expressions of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α rose remarkably. On the contrary, MCC950 effectively reversed the above situation. Moreover, MCC950 inhibited LPS-induced inflammation and pyroptosis of H9C2 cells. In conclusion, the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 can reduce the release of LDH and other cellular inflammatory factors in the cytoplasm, thereby improving the cardiac function and slowing down the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, which may be related to the inhibition of NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1β pathway.

Medium-Induced Modification of Z-Tagged Charged Particle Yields in Pb+Pb Collisions at 5.02 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

The yield of charged particles opposite to a Z boson with large transverse momentum (p_{T}) is measured in 260  pb^{-1} of pp and 1.7  nb^{-1} of Pb+Pb collision data at 5.02 TeV per nucleon pair recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The Z boson tag is used to select hard-scattered partons with specific kinematics, and to observe how their showers are modified as they propagate through the quark-gluon plasma created in Pb+Pb collisions. Compared with pp collisions, charged-particle yields in Pb+Pb collisions show significant modifications as a function of charged-particle p_{T} in a way that depends on event centrality and Z boson p_{T}. The data are compared with a variety of theoretical calculations and provide new information about the medium-induced energy loss of partons in a p_{T} regime difficult to measure through other channels.