Factors Influencing the Utilisation of Mammography Among Ethnic Minorities: A Framework-Driven Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Ethnic minority women experience disparities in mammography screening utilisation and breast cancer outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesised multidomain and multilevel factors that intersect to influence the utilisation of mammography among ethnic minorities. A literature search was conducted in five databases (PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) from inception to May 2022. Guided by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparity research framework, the retrieved data were synthesised using narrative summaries and meta-analyses. Among the 27 studies, most (n = 24) reported individual, interpersonal, and community factors in the health care system domain. In the sociocultural domain, interpersonal and societal (n = 8) factors, such as modesty and karma beliefs, were less frequently identified than individual (n = 20) factors in relation to acculturation. Only individual-level factors were reported for the biological and physical/built environment (e.g., rural residence) domains. In the behavioural domain, cancer screening behaviours had a high combined prediction ability (odds ratio = 18.23; I2 = 23%), whereas interpersonal (e.g., family obligations) and community (e.g., neighbourhood violence) factors discouraged mammography screening. Special focus should be given to ethnic minority women, especially those living in rural areas, those with considerable family obligations, and those who have suffered from violence and other life pressures, to increase their access to mammography services. Multidomain and multilevel efforts, culturally appropriate strategies, and equity-advancing policies such as geographic access and insurance coverage would help to mitigate the ethnic disparities in mammography screening.

Search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson to a pair of pseudoscalars in the μμbb and ττbb final states

A search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson (H ) with a mass of 125Ge V to a pair of light pseudoscalars a 1 is performed in final states where one pseudoscalar decays to two b quarks and the other to a pair of muons or τ leptons. A data sample of proton-proton collisions at s = 13 Te V corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 recorded with the CMS detector is analyzed. No statistically significant excess is observed over the standard model backgrounds. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level (CL ) on the Higgs boson branching fraction to μ μ b b and to τ τ b b , via a pair of a 1 s. The limits depend on the pseudoscalar mass m a 1 and are observed to be in the range (0.17-3.3) × 10 - 4 and (1.7-7.7) × 10 - 2 in the μ μ b b and τ τ b b final states, respectively. In the framework of models with two Higgs doublets and a complex scalar singlet (2HDM+S), the results of the two final states are combined to determine upper limits on the branching fraction B ( H → a 1 a 1 → ℓ ℓ b b ) at 95% CL , with ℓ being a muon or a τ lepton. For different types of 2HDM+S, upper bounds on the branching fraction B ( H → a 1 a 1 ) are extracted from the combination of the two channels. In most of the Type II 2HDM+S parameter space, B ( H → a 1 a 1 ) values above 0.23 are excluded at 95% CL for m a 1 values between 15 and 60Ge V .

Determination of Spin-Parity Quantum Numbers of X(2370) as 0^{-+} from J/ψ→γK_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}η^{'}

Based on (10087±44)×10^{6}  J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, a partial wave analysis of the decay J/ψ→γK_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}η^{'} is performed. The mass and width of the X(2370) are measured to be 2395±11(stat)_{-94}^{+26}(syst)  MeV/c^{2} and 188_{-17}^{+18}(stat)_{-33}^{+124}(syst)  MeV, respectively. The corresponding product branching fraction is B[J/ψ→γX(2370)]×B[X(2370)→f_{0}(980)η^{'}]×B[f_{0}(980)→K_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}]=(1.31±0.22(stat)_{-0.84}^{+2.85}(syst))×10^{-5}. The statistical significance of the X(2370) is greater than 11.7σ and the spin parity is determined to be 0^{-+} for the first time. The measured mass and spin parity of the X(2370) are consistent with the predictions of the lightest pseudoscalar glueball.

[Clinical application of a novel separated magnetic controlled forceps assisted single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy]

Objective: To explore the application value of a novel separated magnetic-controlled forceps in transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC). Methods: This is a prospective case series study. Data from patients who underwent SILC at the Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from March to August 2023 were prospectively collected, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All patients underwent cholecystectomy assisted by a novel separated magnetic-controlled forceps. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, the need for additional incisions during surgery, and the length of hospital stay were recorded to assess surgical difficulty and effectiveness. Postoperative pain scores and complications were documented to evaluate the safety of the procedure. The collaboration experience of the surgeon and assistant was evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale to assess the feasibility of this surgical approach. Informed consent was obtained from all patients in accordance with medical ethical regulations. Patients were followed up through outpatient visits or telephone calls, with follow-up at 7 days and 1 month after surgery, and evaluation of incisional scar healing and completion of satisfaction questionnaires. Follow-up was conducted until September 30, 2023. Results: A total of 45 patients were included in the study,including 19 males and 26 females,aged (42.7±4.2)years(range:32 to 61 years). The difficulty of the operation was evaluated as grade 1 or 2 in 38 cases(84.4%) and grade 3 in 7 cases(15.6%). Operation time was (37.3±5.3) minutes(range: 25 to 80 minutes),and intraoperative blood loss(M(IQR)) was 17.8(35.0) ml (range:10 to 60 ml). All surgical procedures proceeded smoothly without intraoperative incidents, and the overall satisfaction of the surgeon and assistants was high. All patients underwent successful day surgery management and were discharged within 48 hours of hospitalization. The postoperative pain scores at 1, 7, and 30 days were 3 (4), 1 (3), and 0 (2), respectively. The follow-up time was 5.0(2.2) weeks (range: 3 to 7 weeks), with no occurrence of grade 3 to 4 adverse reactions, and the patients were satisfied with the cosmetic effect of the umbilical incision. Conclusions: The novel separated magnetic-controlled forceps can be applied in transumbilical SILC. It has the advantages of convenient operation, and patients are satisfied with the surgical results.

Observation of Structures in the Processes e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{c1} and ωχ_{c2}

We present measurements of the Born cross sections for the processes e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{c1} and ωχ_{c2} at center-of-mass energies sqrt[s] from 4.308 to 4.951 GeV. The measurements are performed with data samples corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 11.0  fb^{-1} collected with the BESIII detector operating at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider storage ring. Assuming the e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{c2} signals come from a single resonance, the mass and width are determined to be M=(4413.6±9.0±0.8)  MeV/c^{2} and Γ=(110.5±15.0±2.9)  MeV, respectively, which is consistent with the parameters of the well-established resonance ψ(4415). In addition, we also use one single resonance to describe the e^{+}e^{-}→ωχ_{c1} line shape and determine the mass and width to be M=(4544.2±18.7±1.7)  MeV/c^{2} and Γ=(116.1±33.5±1.7)  MeV, respectively. The structure of this line shape, observed for the first time, requires further understanding.

Coupled-Channel Analysis of the χ_{c1}(3872) Line Shape with BESIII Data

We perform a study of the χ_{c1}(3872) line shape using the data samples of e^{+}e^{-}→γχ_{c1}(3872), χ_{c1}(3872)→D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0}π^{0}, and π^{+}π^{-}J/ψ collected with the BESIII detector. The effects of the coupled channels and the off-shell D^{*0} are included in the parametrization of the line shape. The line shape mass parameter is obtained to be M_{X}=(3871.63±0.13_{-0.05}^{+0.06})  MeV. Two poles are found on the first and second Riemann sheets corresponding to the D^{*0}D[over ¯]^{0} branch cut. The pole location on the first sheet is much closer to the D^{*0}D[over ¯]^{0} threshold than the other, and is determined to be 7.04±0.15_{-0.08}^{+0.07}  MeV above the D^{0}D[over ¯]^{0}π^{0} threshold with an imaginary part -0.19±0.08_{-0.19}^{+0.14}  MeV.

Observation of the Anomalous Shape of X(1840) in J/ψ→γ3(π^{+}π^{-}) Indicating a Second Resonance Near pp[over ¯] Threshold

Using a sample of (10087±44)×10^{6}  J/ψ events, which is about 45 times larger than that was previously analyzed, a further investigation on the J/ψ→γ3(π^{+}π^{-}) decay is performed. A significant distortion at 1.84  GeV/c^{2} in the line shape of the 3(π^{+}π^{-}) invariant mass spectrum is observed for the first time, which could be resolved by two overlapping resonant structures, X(1840) and X(1880). The new state X(1880) is observed with a statistical significance larger than 10σ. The mass and width of X(1880) are determined to be 1882.1±1.7±0.7  MeV/c^{2} and 30.7±5.5±2.4  MeV, respectively, which indicates the existence of a pp[over ¯] bound state.

[Interaction between implants and natural teeth in patients with severe periodontitis:a retrospective study]

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcomes after implant restoration in the posterior region of severe periodontitis patients and to investigate the factors of natural tooth affecting the implant from the perspective of improving natural periodontal health, which may provide a reference for clinical practice. Methods: Fifty-three patients with severe periodontitis who visited the Department of Periodontology at the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of China Medical University from June 2014 to June 2023 and completed posterior implant treatment with single crown were included, among which were 16 males and 37 females, aged (52.2±8.0) years old, with a total of 136 implants, 135 adjacent natural teeth in the edentulous area. We retrospectively compared the changes of probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP) and tooth mobility (TM) before and after implant placement. Besides, we explored the effects of the natural periodontal status on PD, BOP and marginal bone loss (MBL) of the implant at the last follow-up examination by univariate analysis and multivariate analysis. Results: Fifty-three patients were followed up for (44.5±14.1) months in average, with longest interval of (8.3±2.7) months. The PD of adjacent natural teeth in the edentulous area improved from 4.3 (3.6, 4.6) mm before implantation to 3.6 (3.2, 4.0) mm in the last review (P<0.01), while the proportion of BOP (+) improved from 69.6% (94/135) before implantation to 46.7% (63/135) in the last review (P<0.01). The proportion of teeth with mobility≥Ⅱ decreased from 15.6% (21/135) to 5.9% (8/135) (P<0.01). The percentage of natural teeth with PD≥4 mm in the same segment improved from 21.0% (13.3%, 26.0%) before implantation to 18.0% (12.0%, 25.0%) in the last review (P<0.05). The BOP (+)% improved from 29.0% (24.0%, 35.0%) before implantation to 23.0% (18.0%, 31.0%) in the last review (P<0.05), and the number of teeth with mobility≥Ⅱ decreased from 0.0 (0.0, 1.0) to 0.0 (0.0, 0.8) (P<0.05). The functional tooth unit score of full natural teeth increased from 8.0 (6.0, 10.0) points before implantation to 12.0 (12.0, 12.0) points in the last review (P<0.01). PD≥4 mm % increased from 11.0% (6.0%, 25.0%) before implantation to 13.0% (3.0%, 21.0%) in the last review (P<0.05) and there was no significant differences in BOP (+)% [(17.0±9.7) % vs (14.6±7.2) %, P>0.05]. The number of teeth with mobility≥Ⅱ decreased from 1.0 (0.0, 1.8) to 0.0 (0.0, 0.8) (P<0.05). Conclusions: Under the premise of regular supportive care, implant restorative treatment in the posterior region of severe periodontitis patients is helpful to improve the PD, BOP and TM of remaining natural teeth. Besides, the stages and grades of periodontitis at initial diagnosis can affect the PD and BOP of implants.

A novel heterozygous variant of the SALL1 gene with atypical Townes-Brocks syndrome phenotypes in Chinese family

Townes-Brocks syndrome (TBS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by the triad of anorectal, thumb, and ear malformations. It may also be accompanied by defects in kidney, heart, eyes, hearing, and feet. TBS has been demonstrated to result from heterozygous variants in the SALL1 gene, which encodes zinc finger protein believed to function as a transcriptional repressor. The clinical characteristics of an atypical TBS phenotype patient from a Chinese family are described, with predominant manifestations including external ear dysplasia, unilateral renal hypoplasia with mild renal dysfunction, and hearing impairment. A novel heterozygous variant c.3060T>A (p.Tyr1020*) in exon 2 of the SALL1 gene was identified in this proband. Pyrosequencing of the complementary DNA of the proband revealed that the variant transcript accounted for 48% of the total transcripts in peripheral leukocytes, indicating that this variant transcript has not undergone nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. This variant c.3060T > A is located at the terminal end of exon 2, proximal to the 3' end of the SALL1 gene, and exerts a relatively minor impact on protein function. We suggest that the atypical TBS phenotype observed in the proband may be attributed to the truncated protein retaining partial SALL1 function.

Study of the f_{0}(980) and f_{0}(500) Scalar Mesons through the Decay D_{s}^{+}→π^{+}π^{-}e^{+}ν_{e}

Using e^{+}e^{-} collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 7.33  fb^{-1} recorded by the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies between 4.128 and 4.226 GeV, we present an analysis of the decay D_{s}^{+}→π^{+}π^{-}e^{+}ν_{e}, where the D_{s}^{+} is produced via the process e^{+}e^{-}→D_{s}^{*±}D_{s}^{∓}. We observe the f_{0}(980) in the π^{+}π^{-} system and the branching fraction of the decay D_{s}^{+}→f_{0}(980)e^{+}ν_{e} with f_{0}(980)→π^{+}π^{-} measured to be (1.72±0.13_{stat}±0.10_{syst})×10^{-3}, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The dynamics of the D_{s}^{+}→f_{0}(980)e^{+}ν_{e} decay are studied with the simple pole parametrization of the hadronic form factor and the Flatté formula describing the f_{0}(980) in the differential decay rate, and the product of the form factor f_{+}^{f_{0}}(0) and the c→s Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V_{cs}| is determined for the first time to be f_{+}^{f_{0}}(0)|V_{cs}|=0.504±0.017_{stat}±0.035_{syst}. Furthermore, the decay D_{s}^{+}→f_{0}(500)e^{+}ν_{e} is searched for the first time but no signal is found. The upper limit on the branching fraction of D_{s}^{+}→f_{0}(500)e^{+}ν_{e}, f_{0}(500)→π^{+}π^{-} decay is set to be 3.3×10^{-4} at 90% confidence level.

Expression of chicken epidermal growth factor (cEGF) in Escherichia coli regulates the microflora structure of the duodenum to improve growth performance and intestinal morphogenesis in broilers

1. A study used gene synthesis to obtain the functional domains of chicken epidermal growth factor (cEGF) and examined their impact on broiler growth performance, small intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities in the intestinal contents and the structure of duodenal microflora.2. The pET-32a-cEGF recombinant expression vector was constructed. The specific band at 26 KDa was shown by SDS-PAGE analysis and WB results. The purified protein content was shown to be 1687 μg/ml by assay.3. A total of 180 healthy, one-day-old Arbor Acres male, white-feathered broilers were randomly divided into three dietary treatment groups (six replicate pens, 10 birds per replicate): A control diet (ND); cEGF diet (cEGF), control supplemented with 250 mg/kg cEGF and the control diet (CD) supplemented with 250 mg/kg chlortetracycline.4. The results showed that feeding the cEGF and CD diet reduced FCR of broilers aged 1-21 d, average daily feed intake (ADFI) at 22-42 d, and the FCR in the whole period (1-42 d; p < 0.05). Compared with the ND group, the cEGF diet increased duodenal α-amylase and alkaline phosphatase activities in the 1-21 d, duodenal lipase, alkaline phosphatase, and ileal alkaline phosphatase activities in the post-period and increased villus height in the duodenum and ileum (p < 0.05). In addition, the ACE and Chao1 index for the birds fed cEGF were higher than the ND group (p < 0.05). At the phyla level, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were dominant in all groups. At the genus level, the dominant genus was Lactobacillus. The LEfSe analysis showed that the cEGF group was enriched by 11 species including Brevibacillus, Eisenbergiella, Cloacibacterium, Butyricoccus spp.5. The addition of 250 mg/kg cEGF to the diet can increase growth performance by improving intestinal development and digestive enzyme activity, which may be related to the duodenal intestinal microflora. Therefore, cEGF is an effective alternative to antibiotics in broiler farming.

Menopausal age and cardiovascular disease risk in American women: evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

OBJECTIVE

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a significant contributor to the deaths of females, and premature menopause adds to the risk of CVD in females. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the age of menopause and CVD incidence in American females using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

METHOD

We analyzed data from 6347 females to investigate the association between menopausal age and the risk of CVD using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The study found that a later menopausal age reduces the risk of developing CVD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.63 - 0.88, p < 0.001). Moreover, females with early-onset CVD had an increased risk of premature menopause before the age of 40 years (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.60 - 3.72, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Menopausal age is associated with the risk of developing CVD in American females. Specifically, if menopause occurs earlier, there is an increased risk of CVD. Additionally, early-onset CVD significantly raises the risk of premature menopause, which in turn has important implications for female reproductive health.

Efficacy and Safety of Preoperative Transcatheter Rectal Arterial Chemoembolisation in Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: Results from a Prospective, Phase II PCAR Trial

AIMS

The PCAR study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of preoperative transcatheter rectal arterial chemoembolisation (TRACE) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a single-centre, prospective, phase II trial conducted in China. Eligible patients were adults aged 18 years and older with histologically confirmed stage II or III rectal carcinoma and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1. Patients received TRACE with oxaliplatin, followed by radiotherapy with a cumulative dose of 45 Gy (1.8 Gy/time/day, five times a week for 5 weeks) and received oral S1 capsules twice daily (7 days a week for 4 weeks). Patients underwent total mesorectal excision 4-8 weeks after the completion of chemoradiotherapy, followed by mFOLFOX6 or CAPOX regimens for 4-6 months. The hypothesis of this study was that adding TRACE to preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy would improve tumour regression and prognosis. The primary end point was the pathological complete response rate; secondary end points included the major pathological response rate, anal preservation rate, 5-year disease-free survival (DFS), 5-year overall survival and treatment-related adverse events.

RESULTS

In total, 111 LARC patients received TRACE and subsequent scheduled treatment plans. The pathological complete response and major pathological response rates were 20.72% and 48.65%, respectively. The 5-year DFS and 5-year overall survival were 61.89% (95% confidence interval 51.45-74.45) and 74.80% (95% confidence interval 65.05-86.01), respectively. Grade 3-4 toxicities were reported in 29 patients (26.13%). The postoperative complication rate was 21.62%, without serious surgical complications. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that ypN stage (hazard ratio = 4.242, 95% confidence interval 2.101-8.564, P = 0.00017) and perineural invasion (hazard ratio = 2.319, 95% confidence interval 1.058-5.084, P = 0.0487) were independent risk factors associated with DFS, whereas ypN stage (hazard ratio = 3.164, 95% confidence interval 1.347-7.432, P = 0.0101), perineural invasion (hazard ratio = 4.118, 95% confidence interval 1.664-10.188, P = 0.0134) and serum carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199; hazard ratio = 4.142, 95% confidence interval 1.290-13.306, P = 0.0344) were independent predictors for overall survival.

CONCLUSION

The current study provides evidence that adding TRACE to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy can improve the pathological remission rate in LARC patients with acceptable toxicity. Given its promising effectiveness and safe profile, incorporating TRACE into the standard treatment strategy for patients with LARC should be considered.

Observation of D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+} in the Amplitude Analysis of D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}η

We perform for the first time an amplitude analysis of the decay D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}η and report the observation of the decay D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+} using 2.93  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data taken at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector. As the only W-annihilation-free decay among D to a_{0}(980) pseudoscalar, D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+} is the ideal decay in extracting the contributions of the W-emission amplitudes involving a_{0}(980) and to study the final-state interactions. The absolute branching fraction of D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}π^{+}η is measured to be (1.27±0.04_{stat}±0.03_{syst})%. The branching fractions of intermediate processes D^{+}→K_{S}^{0}a_{0}(980)^{+} with a_{0}(980)^{+}→π^{+}η and D^{+}→π^{+}K[over ¯]_{0}^{*}(1430)^{0} with K[over ¯]_{0}^{*}(1430)^{0}→K_{S}^{0}η are measured to be (1.33±0.05_{stat}±0.04_{syst})% and (0.14±0.03_{stat}±0.01_{syst})%, respectively.

Observation of Significant Flavor-SU(3) Breaking in the Kaon Wave Function at 12<Q^{2}<25 GeV^{2} and Discovery of the Charmless Decay ψ(3770)→K_{S}^{0}K_{L}^{0}

We present cross sections for the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→K_{S}^{0}K_{L}^{0} at center-of-mass energies ranging from 3.51 to 4.95 GeV using data samples collected in the BESIII experiment, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 26.5  fb^{-1}. The ratio of neutral-to-charged kaon form factors at large momentum transfers (12 Collapse

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Study of High-Transverse-Momentum Higgs Boson Production in Association with a Vector Boson in the qqbb Final State with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter presents the first study of Higgs boson production in association with a vector boson (V=W or Z) in the fully hadronic qqbb final state using data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137  fb^{-1}. The vector bosons and Higgs bosons are each reconstructed as large-radius jets and tagged using jet substructure techniques. Dedicated tagging algorithms exploiting b-tagging properties are used to identify jets consistent with Higgs bosons decaying into bb[over ¯]. Dominant backgrounds from multijet production are determined directly from the data, and a likelihood fit to the jet mass distribution of Higgs boson candidates is used to extract the number of signal events. The VH production cross section is measured inclusively and differentially in several ranges of Higgs boson transverse momentum: 250-450, 450-650, and greater than 650 GeV. The inclusive signal yield relative to the standard model expectation is observed to be μ=1.4_{-0.9}^{+1.0} and the corresponding cross section is 3.1±1.3(stat)_{-1.4}^{+1.8}(syst)  pb.

Observation of WWγ Production and Search for Hγ Production in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The observation of WWγ production in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} is presented. The observed (expected) significance is 5.6 (5.1) standard deviations. Events are selected by requiring exactly two leptons (one electron and one muon) of opposite charge, moderate missing transverse momentum, and a photon. The measured fiducial cross section for WWγ is 5.9±0.8(stat)±0.8(syst)±0.7(modeling)  fb, in agreement with the next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics prediction. The analysis is extended with a search for the associated production of the Higgs boson and a photon, which is generated by a coupling of the Higgs boson to light quarks. The result is used to constrain the Higgs boson couplings to light quarks.

Identification and validation of a novel signature based on macrophage marker genes for predicting prognosis and drug response in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma by integrated analysis of single cell and bulk RNA sequencing

Macrophages are found in a variety of tumors and play a critical role in shaping the tumor microenvironment, affecting tumor progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. However, the clinical relevance of marker genes associated with macrophage in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) has yet to be documented. In this study, we initiated a thorough examination of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data for KIRC retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and determined 244 macrophage marker genes (MMGs). Univariate analysis, LASSO regression, and multivariate regression analysis were performed to develop a five-gene prognostic signature in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, which could divide KIRC patients into low-risk (L-R) and high-risk (H-R) groups. Then, a nomogram was constructed to predict the survival rate of KIRC patients at 1, 3, and 5 years, which was well assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve analyses (DCA). Functional enrichment analysis showed that immune-related pathways (such as immunoglobulin complex, immunoglobulin receptor binding, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction) were mainly enriched in the H-R group. Additionally, in comparison to the L-R cohort, patients belonging to the H-R cohort exhibited increased immune cell infiltration, elevated expression of immune checkpoint genes (ICGs), and a higher tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score. This means that patients in the H-R group may be less sensitive to immunotherapy than those in the L-R group. Finally, IFI30 was validated to increase the ability of KIRC cells to proliferate, invade and migrate in vitro. In summary, our team has for the first time developed and validated a predictive model based on macrophage marker genes to accurately predict overall survival (OS), immune characteristics, and treatment benefit in KIRC patients.

New Structures in the J/ψJ/ψ Mass Spectrum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search is reported for near-threshold structures in the J/ψJ/ψ invariant mass spectrum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV from data collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 135  fb^{-1}. Three structures are found, and a model with quantum interference among these structures provides a good description of the data. A new structure is observed with a local significance above 5 standard deviations at a mass of 6638_{-38}^{+43}(stat)_{-31}^{+16}(syst)  MeV. Another structure with even higher significance is found at a mass of 6847_{-28}^{+44}(stat)_{-20}^{+48}(syst)  MeV, which is consistent with the X(6900) resonance reported by the LHCb experiment and confirmed by the ATLAS experiment. Evidence for another new structure, with a local significance of 4.7 standard deviations, is found at a mass of 7134_{-25}^{+48}(stat)_{-15}^{+41}(syst)  MeV. Results are also reported for a model without interference, which does not fit the data as well and shows mass shifts up to 150 MeV relative to the model with interference.

Investigation of the ΔI=1/2 Rule and Test of CP Symmetry through the Measurement of Decay Asymmetry Parameters in Ξ^{-} Decays

Using (10087±44)×10^{6}  J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, numerous Ξ^{-} and Λ decay asymmetry parameters are simultaneously determined from the process J/ψ→Ξ^{-}Ξ[over ¯]^{+}→Λ(pπ^{-})π^{-}Λ[over ¯](n[over ¯]π^{0})π^{+} and its charge-conjugate channel. The precisions of α_{Λ0} for Λ→nπ^{0} and α[over ¯]_{Λ0} for Λ[over ¯]→n[over ¯]π^{0} compared to world averages are improved by factors of 4 and 1.7, respectively. The ratio of decay asymmetry parameters of Λ→nπ^{0} to that of Λ→pπ^{-}, ⟨α_{Λ0}⟩/⟨α_{Λ-}⟩, is determined to be 0.873±0.012_{-0.010}^{+0.011}, where the first and the second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The ratio is smaller than unity more than 5σ, which signifies the existence of the ΔI=3/2 transition in Λ for the first time. Besides, we test for CP symmetry in Ξ^{-}→Λπ^{-} and in Λ→nπ^{0} with the best precision to date.

Measurement of the Centrality Dependence of the Dijet Yield in p+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

ATLAS measured the centrality dependence of the dijet yield using 165  nb^{-1} of p+Pb data collected at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16  TeV in 2016. The event centrality, which reflects the p+Pb impact parameter, is characterized by the total transverse energy registered in the Pb-going side of the forward calorimeter. The central-to-peripheral ratio of the scaled dijet yields, R_{CP}, is evaluated, and the results are presented as a function of variables that reflect the kinematics of the initial hard parton scattering process. The R_{CP} shows a scaling with the Bjorken x of the parton originating from the proton, x_{p}, while no such trend is observed as a function of x_{Pb}. This analysis provides unique input to understanding the role of small proton spatial configurations in p+Pb collisions by covering parton momentum fractions from the valence region down to x_{p}∼10^{-3} and x_{Pb}∼4×10^{-4}.

Observation of D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν_{μ}, Precision Test of Lepton Flavor Universality with D_{s}^{+}→η^{(')}l^{+}ν_{l}, and First Measurements of D_{s}^{+}→η^{(')}μ^{+}ν_{μ} Decay Dynamics

By analyzing 7.33  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} annihilation data collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.128 and 4.226 GeV with the BESIII detector, we report the observation of the semileptonic decay D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν_{μ}, with a statistical significance larger than 10σ, and the measurements of the D_{s}^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ} and D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν_{μ} decay dynamics for the first time. The branching fractions of D_{s}^{+}→ημ^{+}ν_{μ} and D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}μ^{+}ν_{μ} are determined to be (2.235±0.051_{stat}±0.052_{syst})% and (0.801±0.055_{stat}±0.028_{syst})%, respectively, with precision improved by factors of 6.0 and 6.6 compared to the previous best measurements. Combined with the results for the decays D_{s}^{+}→ηe^{+}ν_{e} and D_{s}^{+}→η^{'}e^{+}ν_{e}, the ratios of the decay widths are examined both inclusively and in several ℓ^{+}ν_{ℓ} four-momentum transfer ranges. No evidence for lepton flavor universality violation is found within the current statistics. The products of the hadronic form factors f_{+,0}^{η^{(')}}(0) and the c→s Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V_{cs}| are determined. The results based on the two-parameter series expansion are f_{+,0}^{η}(0)|V_{cs}|=0.452±0.010_{stat}±0.007_{syst} and f_{+,0}^{η^{'}}(0)|V_{cs}|=0.504±0.037_{stat}±0.012_{syst}, which help to constrain present models on f_{+,0}^{η^{(')}}(0). The forward-backward asymmetries are determined to be ⟨A_{FB}^{η}⟩=-0.059±0.031_{stat}±0.005_{syst} and ⟨A_{FB}^{η^{'}}⟩=-0.064±0.079_{stat}±0.006_{syst} for the first time, which are consistent with the theoretical calculation.

Functional analysis of the CTNS gene exonic variants predicted to affect splicing

Cystinosis is a severe, monogenic systemic disease caused by variants in CTNS gene. Currently, there is growing evidence that exonic variants in many diseases can affect pre-mRNA splicing. The impact of CTNS gene exonic variants on splicing regulation may be underestimated due to the lack of routine studies at the RNA level. Here, we analyzed 59 exonic variants in the CTNS gene using bioinformatics tools and identified candidate variants that may induce splicing alterations by minigene assays. We identified six exonic variants that induce splicing alterations by disrupting the ratio of exonic splicing enhancers/exonic splicing silencers (ESEs/ESSs) or by interfering with the recognition of classical splice sites, or both. Our results help in the correct molecular characterization of variants in cystinosis and inform emerging therapies. Furthermore, our work suggests that the combination of in silico and in vitro assays facilitates to assess the effects of DNA variants driving rare genetic diseases on splicing regulation and will enhance the clinical utility of variant functional annotation.

Search for New Phenomena in Two-Body Invariant Mass Distributions Using Unsupervised Machine Learning for Anomaly Detection at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

Searches for new resonances are performed using an unsupervised anomaly-detection technique. Events with at least one electron or muon are selected from 140  fb^{-1} of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV recorded by ATLAS at the Large Hadron Collider. The approach involves training an autoencoder on data, and subsequently defining anomalous regions based on the reconstruction loss of the decoder. Studies focus on nine invariant mass spectra that contain pairs of objects consisting of one light jet or b jet and either one lepton (e,μ), photon, or second light jet or b jet in the anomalous regions. No significant deviations from the background hypotheses are observed. Limits on contributions from generic Gaussian signals with various widths of the resonance mass are obtained for nine invariant masses in the anomalous regions.

Determination of the Σ^{+} Timelike Electromagnetic Form Factors

Based on data samples collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, the process e^{+}e^{-}→Σ^{+}Σ[over ¯]^{-} is studied at center-of-mass energies sqrt[s]=2.3960, 2.6454, and 2.9000 GeV. Using a fully differential angular description of the final state particles, both the relative magnitude and phase information of the Σ^{+} electromagnetic form factors in the timelike region are extracted. The relative phase between the electric and magnetic form factors is determined to be sinΔΦ=-0.67±0.29(stat)±0.18(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.3960  GeV, ΔΦ=55°±19°(stat)±14°(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.6454  GeV, and 78°±22°(stat)±9°(syst) at sqrt[s]=2.9000  GeV. For the first time, the phase of the hyperon electromagnetic form factors is explored in a wide range of four-momentum transfer. The evolution of the phase along with four-momentum transfer is an important input for understanding its asymptotic behavior and the dynamics of baryons.

[Mediating effect of hypertension on risk of stroke associated with hyperuricemia]

Objective: To investigate the association between hyperuricemia and the risk for stroke occurrence, as well as the mediating effect of hypertension on this association. Methods: In this study, the China Chronic Diseases and Nutrition Surveillance system in 2015 was used as baseline data. We identified hospital admissions for stroke using the electronic homepage of inpatient medical records from 2013-2020, and death data were obtained from the 2015-2020 National Mortality Surveillance System. A retrospective cohort was established after matching and linking the database. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the relationship between hyperuricemia and the risk of stroke and its subtypes. Restricted cubic spline analysis was conducted to examine the dose-response relationship between serum uric acid levels and the risk for stroke. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the mediating effect of hypertension on the association between hyperuricemia and the risk for stroke and its subtypes. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on gender and age groups. Results: A total of 124 352 study subjects were included, with an accumulative follow-up time of 612 911.36 person-years. During the follow-up period, 4 638 cases of stroke were found, including 3 919 cases of ischemic stroke and 689 cases of hemorrhagic stroke. The incidence density of stroke was 756.72 per 100 000 person-years, 641.37 per 100 000 person-years for ischemic stroke, and 114.60 per 100 000 person-years for hemorrhagic stroke. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models showed that after adjusting for covariates, compared to those without hyperuricemia, individuals with hyperuricemia had a 16% higher risk for stroke [hazard ratio (HR)=1.16, 95%CI: 1.06-1.27], a 12% higher risk of ischemic stroke (HR=1.12, 95%CI: 1.01-1.24), and a 39% higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke (HR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.11-1.75). Mediation analysis showed that hypertension partially mediated the associations between hyperuricemia and the risk for stroke, ischemic stroke, and hemorrhagic stroke, with mediation proportions of 36.07%, 39.98%, and 25.34%, respectively. The mediating effect is pronounced in the male population and individuals below 65. Conclusion: Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for stroke, and hypertension partially mediates the effect of hyperuricemia on stroke.

Search for Scalar Leptoquarks Produced via τ-Lepton-Quark Scattering in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for scalar leptoquarks produced in τ-lepton-quark collisions is presented. It is based on a set of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The reconstructed final state consists of a jet, significant missing transverse momentum, and a τ lepton reconstructed through its hadronic or leptonic decays. Limits are set on the product of the leptoquark production cross section and branching fraction and interpreted as exclusions in the plane of the leptoquark mass and the leptoquark-τ-quark coupling strength.

Effect of contact precautions on preventing meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus transmission in intensive care units: a review and modelling study of field trials

BACKGROUND

Contact precautions (CPs) have been widely implemented in hospitals, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs), as the standard approach for managing meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, the effectiveness of CPs in preventing MRSA transmission remains a subject of debate.

AIM

To assess the effectiveness of CPs in reducing MRSA transmission within ICUs.

METHODS

A comprehensive analysis was conducted using data from 16 sets of parameters collected from 13 field studies investigating the effectiveness of CPs in ICUs, and an epidemiologic model was developed to simulate the dynamics of MRSA incidence in the hospital setting.

FINDINGS

The analysis demonstrated a mean reduction of 20.52% (95% confidence interval -30.52 to 71.60%) in the MRSA transmission rate associated with the implementation of CPs. Furthermore, reducing the time-delay of screening tests and increasing the percentage of patients identified with MRSA through screening at admission were found to contribute to the effectiveness of CPs.

CONCLUSION

Proper implementation of CPs, with a particular emphasis on early identification of MRSA-colonized/infected patients, demonstrated a strong association with reduced MRSA transmission within the hospital setting. However, further research is necessary to investigate the effectiveness and safety of decolonization and other interventions used in conjunction with CPs to mitigate the risk of infection among colonized patients.

LINC01094 promotes human nasal epithelial cell epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and pyroptosis via upregulating HMGB1

BACKGROUND

Excessive epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of nasal epithelial cells (NECs) play a prominent role in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) pathogenesis. Long intergenic non-coding RNA 01094 (LINC01094) was previously reported to be overexpressed in CRSwNP, while the regulatory mechanism by which LINC01094 regulates CRSwNP progression remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the role of LINC01094 in CRSwNP development.

METHODS

hNEC were isolated from tissues of controls and CRSwNP patients and stimulated with interleukin (IL)-13. 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazolyl2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was employed to analyze hNEC viability. Flow cytometry was employed to analyze pyroptosis. Immunofluorescence was employed to analyze Snail nuclear translocation. The interactions between LINC01094, fused in sarcoma (FUS) and high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) were analyzed by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull-down assays.

RESULTS

LINC01094 and EMT-related proteins were markedly upregulated in nasal polyp tissues of CRSwNP. LINC01094 knockdown inhibited IL-13-induced hNEC EMT and pyroptosis. LINC01094 promoted HMGB1 expression in CRSwNP by binding with FUS. HMGB1 promoted Snail nuclear import in GSK-B phosphorylation-dependent manner.

CONCLUSION

LINC01094 facilitated hNEC EMT and pyroptosis in CRSwNP by activating the HMGB1/GSK-B Snail axis, which suggested that LINC01094 might serve as a biomarker and therapeutic target in CRSwNP.

SH2D4A inhibits esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression through FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), one of the most common malignant tumors, is now afflicting approximately 80% of patients diagnosed with esophageal cancers. The therapeutic effect and prognosis of ESCC remain inadequate due to the unusual early symptoms and rapid malignant progression. SH2 Domain containing 4 A (SH2D4A) is downregulated in malignancies and is closely associated with tumor progression. However, neither the biological functions nor the fundamental mechanisms of SH2D4A on ESCC are known. In this study, it was found that SH2D4A is downregulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines. Incorporating immunohistochemistry and clinicopathological findings, we determined that decreased SH2D4A expression was substantially associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Overexpression of SH2D4A inhibited cell proliferation and migration, whereas suppressing SH2D4A has the opposite effect. SH2D4A mechanistically inhibited cells from proliferating and migrating through the FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, the results of xenograft tumor growth confirmed the preceding findings. In conclusion, our findings reveal that SH2D4A is a gene which can serve as a cancer suppressor in ESCC and may inhibits the ESCC progression by interfering with the FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. SH2D4A could act as a target for diagnostic or therapeutic purpose in ESCC.

Search for Inelastic Dark Matter in Events with Two Displaced Muons and Missing Transverse Momentum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for dark matter in events with a displaced nonresonant muon pair and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} of proton-proton (pp) collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV produced by the LHC in 2016-2018. No significant excess over the predicted backgrounds is observed. Upper limits are set on the product of the inelastic dark matter production cross section σ(pp→A^{'}→χ_{1}χ_{2}) and the decay branching fraction B(χ_{2}→χ_{1}μ^{+}μ^{-}), where A^{'} is a dark photon and χ_{1} and χ_{2} are states in the dark sector with near mass degeneracy. This is the first dedicated collider search for inelastic dark matter.

[Growth rate of adult obesity prevalence in China and target population for prevention and control from 2013 to 2018]

Objective: To investigate the annual growth rate of obesity prevalence of residents aged 18 and above in China and prevention keypoints for target populations from 2013 to 2018. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Subjects from China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance project in 2013 and 2018 were included. The prevalence of obesity and growth rate in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China were collected through survey questionnaires and on-site measurements. Other demographic data such as the proportion of obesity control measures, diet, exercise and drug use was also analyzed. Obesity among adults was defined as body mass index≥28.0 kg/m². Results: A total of 174 736 residents, aged (51.5±14.2) years, which included 74 704 (42.8%) males were recruited in 2013, and 179 125 residents, aged (55.1±13.8) years, which included 79 337 (44.3%) males were included in 2018. The average annual increase rate of adult obesity prevalence in China from 2013 to 2018 was 3.2% (uncertainty interval (UI) 2.7%-3.6%), and the average increase rate of obesity prevalence among men (5.2% (UI 4.6%-5.9%)) was higher than that of women (0.9% (UI 0.5%-1.3%)). For subgroups analysis, the average increase rate of obesity prevalence among residents aged 18 to 29 (7.4% (UI 6.9%-7.9%)), education level beyond college degree (6.3% (UI 5.5%-7.1%)), and unmarried population (11.2% (UI 10.2%-12.1%)) were higher than that of other subgroups between 2013 and 2018. The residents in Hainan province showed the highest average annual growth rate of obesity. With the exception of Shanxi, Hunan, Gansu and Ningxia province, the annual growth rate of obesity prevalence among adults increased in all other provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) from 2013 to 2018. For the obese population, the proportion of people who took weight control measures increased from 22.6% in 2013 to 32.7% in 2018. Conclusions: The prevalence of obesity growth characteristics in subpopulations and regions in China are obviously different. Accordingly the focus points of obesity prevention and control in different regions should have their own emphasis.

[Bioinformatics analysis and validation of the interaction between PML protein and TAB1 protein]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the interaction between PML protein and TAB1 protein using bioinformatic approaches and experimentally verify the results.

METHODS

Using Rosetta software, a 3D model of TAB1 protein was constructed through a comparative modeling approach; the secondary structure of PML protein was retrieved in the PDB database and its crystal structure and 3D structure were resolved. Zdock 3.0.2 software was used to perform protein-protein docking of PML and TAB1, and the best conformation was extracted for molecular structure analysis of the docking model. The interaction between the two proteins was detected using immunoprecipitation in α-MMC-treated M1 inflammatory macrophages.

RESULTS

When 6IMQ of PML was used as the docking site, PML protein formed 3 salt bridges, 6 hydrogen bonds and 6 hydrophobic interactions with TAB1 proteins; when 5YUF of PML was used as the docking site, PML protein formed 1 hydrogen bond, 3 electrostatic interactions and 9 hydrophobic interactions with TAB1 proteins, and both of the docking modes formed good molecular docking and interactions. In the M1 inflammatory macrophages treated with α-MMC for 4 h, positive protein bands of PML and TAB1 were detected in the cell lysates in PML-IP group.

CONCLUSION

PML protein can interact strongly with TAB1 protein.

First Measurement of the Decay Asymmetry in the Pure W-Boson-Exchange Decay Λ_{c}^{+}→Ξ^{0}K^{+}

Based on 4.4  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} annihilation data collected at the center-of-mass energies between 4.60 and 4.70 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, the pure W-boson-exchange decay Λ_{c}^{+}→Ξ^{0}K^{+} is studied with a full angular analysis. The corresponding decay asymmetry is measured for the first time to be α_{Ξ^{0}K^{+}}=0.01±0.16(stat)±0.03(syst). This result reflects the noninterference effect between the S- and P-wave amplitudes. The phase shift between S- and P-wave amplitudes has two solutions, which are δ_{p}-δ_{s}=-1.55±0.25(stat)±0.05(syst)  rad or 1.59±0.25(stat)±0.05(syst)  rad.

Observation of WZγ Production in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of WZγ production and a measurement of its cross section using 140.1±1.2  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The WZγ production cross section, with both the W and Z bosons decaying leptonically, pp→WZγ→ℓ^{'}^{±}νℓ^{+}ℓ^{-}γ (ℓ^{(^{'})}=e, μ), is measured in a fiducial phase-space region defined such that the leptons and the photon have high transverse momentum and the photon is isolated. The cross section is found to be 2.01±0.30(stat)±0.16(syst)  fb. The corresponding standard model predicted cross section calculated at next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics and at leading order in the electroweak coupling constant is 1.50±0.06  fb. The observed significance of the WZγ signal is 6.3σ, compared with an expected significance of 5.0σ.

[Epidemiological characteristics of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in China, 2018-2021]

Objective: To understand the epidemiological characteristics and incidence trend of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in China. Methods: The incidence data of SFTS in China from 2018 to 2021 were collected from Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System for a statistical and descriptive epidemiological analysis by using software such as Excel 2016, Joinpoint 5.0.2, SPSS 26.0, and GraphPad Prism 8.0, especially, the SFTS cases reported monthly by key provinces were analyzed. Results: From 2018 to 2021, a total of 8 835 SFTS cases were reported in 25 provinces and the annual incidence showed an upward trend. The distribution of SFTS cases showed clustering, but the cases were mainly sporadic ones. The cases began to increase in March, mainly occurred during April to October (96.79%,8 551/8 835), and peaked during May to July. The cases were mainly distributed in middle-aged and old farmers, and slight more cases were women. The average case fatality rate was 5.38%, which varied greatly with areas. The case fatality rate tended to increase with age. Conclusion: From 2018 to 2021, the epidemiological characteristics of SFTS in China remained stable, but the number of reported cases gradually increased and the distribution showed an expanding trend, to which close attention should be paid.

[Association of lifestyle and apolipoprotein E gene with risk for cognitive frailty in elderly population in China]

Objective: To investigate the impact of lifestyle, apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene, and their interaction on the risk for cognitive frailty in the elderly population in China. Methods: The study participants were from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. The information about their lifestyles were collected by questionnaire survey, and a weighted lifestyle score was constructed based on β coefficients associated with specific lifestyles to assess the combined lifestyle. ApoE genotypes were assessed by rs429358 and rs7412 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Cognitive frailty was assessed based on cognitive function and physical frailty. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the association of lifestyle and ApoE gene with the risk for cognitive frailty and evaluate the multiplicative and additive interactions between lifestyle and ApoE gene. Results: A total of 5 676 elderly persons, with median age [M (Q1, Q3)] of 76 (68, 85) years, were included, in whom 615 had cognitive frailty. The analysis by Cox proportional hazards regression model indicated that moderate and high levels of dietary diversity could reduce the risk for cognitive frailty by 18% [hazard ratio (HR)=0.82, 95%CI: 0.68-1.00] and 28% (HR=0.72, 95%CI: 0.57-0.91), respectively; moderate and high levels of physical activity could reduce the risk by 31% (HR=0.69, 95%CI: 0.56-0.85) and 23% (HR=0.77, 95%CI: 0.64-0.93), respectively. Healthy lifestyle was associated with a 40% reduced risk for cognitive frailty (HR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.46-0.78). ApoE ε4 allele was associated with a 26% increased risk for cognitive frailty (HR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.02-1.56). No multiplicative or additive interactions were found between lifestyle and ApoE gene. Conclusions: Dietary diversity and regular physical activity have protective effects against cognitive frailty in elderly population. Healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk for cognitive frailty in elderly population regardless of ApoE ε4 allele carriage status.

Luminosity determination using Z boson production at the CMS experiment

The measurement of Z boson production is presented as a method to determine the integrated luminosity of CMS data sets. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2017 at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Events with Z bosons decaying into a pair of muons are selected. The total number of Z bosons produced in a fiducial volume is determined, together with the identification efficiencies and correlations from the same data set, in small intervals of 20pb - 1 of integrated luminosity, thus facilitating the efficiency and rate measurement as a function of time and instantaneous luminosity. Using the ratio of the efficiency-corrected numbers of Z bosons, the precisely measured integrated luminosity of one data set is used to determine the luminosity of another. For the first time, a full quantitative uncertainty analysis of the use of Z  bosons for the integrated luminosity measurement is performed. The uncertainty in the extrapolation between two data sets, recorded in 2017 at low and high instantaneous luminosity, is less than 0.5%. We show that the Z boson rate measurement constitutes a precise method, complementary to traditional methods, with the potential to improve the measurement of the integrated luminosity.

Measurement of the production cross section for a W boson in association with a charm quark in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The strange quark content of the proton is probed through the measurement of the production cross section for a W boson and a charm (c) quark in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The W bosons are identified through their leptonic decays to an electron or a muon, and a neutrino. Charm jets are tagged using the presence of a muon or a secondary vertex inside the jet. The W + c production cross section and the cross section ratio R c ± = σ ( W + + c ¯ ) / σ ( W - + c ) are measured inclusively and differentially as functions of the transverse momentum and the pseudorapidity of the lepton originating from the W boson decay. The precision of the measurements is improved with respect to previous studies, reaching 1% in R c ± = 0.950 ± 0.005 (stat) ± 0.010 (syst) . The measurements are compared with theoretical predictions up to next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics.

Investigating the Impact of Tea Consumption on Cognitive Function and Exploring Tea-Genetic Interactions in Older Adults Aged 65-105 Years: Findings from the 2002-2018 CLHLS Data

BACKGROUND

As the global population ages, cognitive impairment (CI) becomes more prevalent. Tea has been one of the most popular drinks in the world. Several studies have demonstrated that tea consumption has an impact on cognitive function.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the association between tea consumption and cognitive function and explore the potential effect of genetics on the relationship between tea consumption and CI risk in older adults.

DESIGN

This is a prospective longitudinal study using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS).

SETTING

Six waves of data from CLHLS containing 76,270 subjects were analyzed. Generalized estimation equations (GEE) with a logit link function were adopted to estimate the effect of tea consumption on CI risk from a cross-sectional and longitudinal perspective.

PARTICIPANTS

A population-based cohort of adults aged 65-105 years.

MEASUREMENTS

The frequency and type of tea consumption were obtained by questionnaires. CI was measured based on MMSE. Polygenic risk was measured using the polygenic score approach described by the International Schizophrenia.

RESULTS

The results showed that drinking green tea had a better protective effect on cognitive function than other types of tea, the incidence of CI gradually decreased with the increase of tea consumption frequency, and men were more likely to benefit from tea consumption. Additionally, we also found a significant interaction between tea consumption and genetic risk, measured by polygenic risk score (PRS).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on current research evidence, tea consumption, may be a simple and important measure for CI prevention.

A detailed multi-omics analysis of GNB2 gene in human cancers

Abstract The Guanine-nucleotide binding protein 2 (GNB2) encodes for β2 subunit (Gβ2) of the G-protein complex. Keeping in view the increased demand of reliable biomarkers in cancer, the current study was planned to extensively explored GNB2 expression variation and its roles in different cancers using online available databases and diverse methodology. In view of our results, the GNB2 was notably up-regulated relative to corresponding controls in twenty three cancer types. As well, the elevated expression of GNB2 was found to be associated with the reduced overall survival (OS) of the Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (LIHC) and Rectum Adenocarcinoma (READ) only out of all analyzed cancer types. This implies GNB2 plays vital role in the tumorigenesis of LIHC and READ. Several additional analysis also explored six critical pathways and few important correlations related to GNB2 expression and different other parameters such as promoter methylation, tumor purity, CD8+ T immune cells infiltration, and genetic alteration, and chemotherapeutic drugs. In conclusion, GNB2 gene has been identified in this study as a shared potential biomarker (diagnostic and prognostic) of LIHC and READ.

Probing Small Bjorken-x Nuclear Gluonic Structure via Coherent J/ψ Photoproduction in Ultraperipheral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

Quasireal photons exchanged in relativistic heavy ion interactions are powerful probes of the gluonic structure of nuclei. The coherent J/ψ photoproduction cross section in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions is measured as a function of photon-nucleus center-of-mass energies per nucleon (W_{γN}^{Pb}) over a wide range of 40 Collapse

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Combined Measurement of the Higgs Boson Mass from the H→γγ and H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ Decay Channels with the ATLAS Detector Using sqrt[s]=7, 8, and 13 TeV pp Collision Data

A measurement of the mass of the Higgs boson combining the H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ and H→γγ decay channels is presented. The result is based on 140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector during LHC run 2 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV combined with the run 1 ATLAS mass measurement, performed at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, yielding a Higgs boson mass of 125.11±0.09(stat)±0.06(syst)=125.11±0.11  GeV. This corresponds to a 0.09% precision achieved on this fundamental parameter of the Standard Model of particle physics.

Search for Dark Photons in Rare Z Boson Decays with the ATLAS Detector

A search for events with a dark photon produced in association with a dark Higgs boson via rare decays of the standard model Z boson is presented, using 139  fb^{-1} of sqrt[s]=13  TeV proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The dark boson decays into a pair of dark photons, and at least two of the three dark photons must each decay into a pair of electrons or muons, resulting in at least two same-flavor opposite-charge lepton pairs in the final state. The data are found to be consistent with the background prediction, and upper limits are set on the dark photon's coupling to the dark Higgs boson times the kinetic mixing between the standard model photon and the dark photon, α_{D}ϵ^{2}, in the dark photon mass range of [5, 40] GeV except for the ϒ mass window [8.8, 11.1] GeV. This search explores new parameter space not previously excluded by other experiments.

Observation of the Exotic 0_{2}^{+} Cluster State in ^{8}He

We report here the first observation of the 0_{2}^{+} state of ^{8}He, which has been predicted to feature the condensatelike α+^{2}n+^{2}n cluster structure. We show that this state is characterized by a spin parity of 0^{+}, a large isoscalar monopole transition strength, and the emission of a strongly correlated neutron pair, in line with theoretical predictions. Our finding is further supported by the state-of-the-art microscopic α+4n model calculations. The present results may lead to new insights into clustering in neutron-rich nuclear systems and the pair correlation and condensation in quantum many-body systems under strong interactions.

Identification and validation of telomerase related lncRNAs signature to predict prognosis and tumor immunotherapy response in bladder cancer

Telomerase allows eukaryotic cells to proliferate indefinitely, an important characteristic of tumor cells. Telomerase-related long no coding RNAs (TERLs) are involved in prognosis and drug sensitivity prediction; however, their association with bladder cancer (BLCA) is still unreported. The objective of this research is to determine a predictive prognostic TERL signature for OS and to provide an efficient treatment option for BLCA. The RNA sequence, clinical information, and mutational data of BLCA patients were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. With the help of the data from least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and Cox regression, a prognostic signature was established including 14 TERLs, which could divide BLCA patients into low-risk (L-R) and high-risk (H-R) cohorts. The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrated the greater predictive power of the model. By combing the TERLs-based signature and clinical risk factors (age, sex, grade, and stage), a prognostic nomogram was constructed to forecast the survival rates of patients with BLCA at 1-, 3-, and 5-years, which was well matched by calibration plots C-index and Decision curve analysis (DCA). Furthermore, the L-R cohort showed higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) and lower tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) than the H-R cohort, as well as substantial variability in immune cell infiltration and immune function between the two cohorts was elucidated. As for external validation, LINC01711 and RAP2C-AS1 were identified as poor prognostic factors by survival analysis from the Kaplan-Meier Plotter database, which were validated in BLCA cell lines (EJ, 253J, T24, and 5637) and SV-HUC-1 cells as the control group using qRT-PCR. In addition, interference with the expression of RAP2C-AS1 suppresses the proliferation and migration of BLCA cells, and RAP2C-AS1 could affect the expression of CD274 and CTLA4, which could serve as prognostic markers and characterize the tumor microenvironment in BLCA. Overall, the model based on the 14-TERLs signature can efficiently predict the prognosis and drug treatment response in individuals with bladder cancer.

[Intraoperative cochlear nerve monitoring in microvascular decompression of hemifacial spasm and resection of vestibular schwannoma]

Objective: To analyze the application of direct cochlear nerve monitoring technology-cochlear nerve action potential (CNAP) monitoring in resection of vestibular schwannoma (VS) and to compare with which in microvascular decompression (MVD) of hemifacial spasm (HFS), in order to provide reference for identification of the cochlear nerve during VS resection surgery and predicting postoperative hearing preservation. Methods: From June 2018 to March 2022, patients with facial spasm and vestibular schwannoma who underwent retrosigmoid approach surgery at the Chinese PLA General Hospital were collected. Before surgery, there were a total of 11 HFS patients and 30 VS patients. Before surgery, the former had hearing level of class A(AAO-HNS), while the latter had serviceable hearing (AAO-HNS class A-B), with a maximum tumor diameter of≤20 mm. CNAP combined with Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) monitoring was performed during surgery. SPSS 23.0 software was used to analyze the differences of ABR and CNAP parameters between the two groups. Results: The preoperative ABR test in the VS group showed that the latency of wave V and I-V interval were significantly prolonged compared to the HFS group (t=8.36, P<0.001; t=4.61, P<0.001).In VS group, all tumors were totally removed with preserved facial nerve function (House-Brackmann grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ). The serviceable hearing preservation rate was 63.3%. In the HFS group, the initial CNAP waveforms were triphasic and biphasic, with N1 wave latency of (4.32±0.37) ms and amplitude of 25.20 [15.63, 35.40]μV. The distribution of CNAP waveforms before tumor resection in the VS group was the same as that in the HFS group, and which in the hearing preservation group after surgery was also the same. Compared with the HFS group, the latency of N1 wave was prolonged (t=2.670, P=0.011;t=4.584, P<0.001), and the amplitude of N1 wavein the VS group before tumor resection was lower (Z=-3.001, P=0.003). The amplitude of N1 wave in the hearing preservation group after surgery was 20.20 [6.23, 40.90] μV,which was significantly higher than that before tumor resection (Z=-2.133, P=0.033), but there was no statistically significant difference compared to the HFS group (Z=-0.495, P=0.621). Conclusions: The reference range of CNAP in normal hearing population can be preliminarily obtained by the analysis of CNAP in MVD surgery. The latency of N1 wave in VS patients is prolonged and the amplitude of N1 wave is decreased due to tumor compression. The CNAP waveform combined with the change of N1 wave amplitude can provide reference for intraoperative mapping of the cochlear nerve and prediction of postoperative hearing preservation.

Trends in influenza vaccine uptake before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA

OBJECTIVES

To investigate trends of influenza vaccine uptake before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA and explore the associated factors.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Using self-reported data from the National Health Interview Survey during 2014-2021 (response rates ranging from 50.7 to 70.1%), we estimated influenza vaccine uptake. Log-binomial regression models were used to test uptake changes with adjustment for and stratification by demographic and health factors.

RESULTS

We included 58,249 children (mean age: 8.7 years; male: 51.1%) and 205,034 adults (mean age: 47.6 years; male: 48.2%). The prevalence ratio (PR) of uptake change comparing the intra- (2020-2021) to the pre-COVID-19 period (2014-2019) was 0.72 among children, with a 10.7% reduction. Uptake changes were found across subgroups, with higher reduction among those aged 0-2 years, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic ethnicity, from South and West regions, and with lower household income. For adults, uptake increased before and during COVID-19 (PR = 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.18) but a 2.3% reduction was found among healthcare personnel (PR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.90-0.997).

CONCLUSIONS

Influenza vaccination decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic among children and healthcare personnel. Structure inequality to influenza vaccination warrants measures to improve vaccine uptake among vulnerable groups.

A highlightedly improved method for isolating and characterizing calcium oxalate crystals from tubercles of Mammillaria schumannii

BACKGROUND

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) is the most prevalent and widespread biomineral in plants and is involved in protective and/or defensive functions against abiotic stress factors. It is, however, expected that this function has an extremely significant contribution to growth processes in plants bearing large amounts of CaOx, such as cacti growing in desert environment.

RESULTS

In our research, small-sized CaOx crystals (≤ 20 µm) with tetrahedral or spherical shapes were observed to dominate in each epidermal and cortical cell from the tubercles of Mammillaria schumannii, a species from the Cereoideae subfamily, having tubercles (main photosynthetic organs) united with adjacent ones almost into ridges on its stem. Because they have potential significant functions, differential centrifugations after mechanical blending were used to obtain these small-sized CaOx crystals, which extremely tend to adhere to tissue or suspend in solution. And then the combined Scanning Electron Microscope Energy Dispersive System (SEM-EDS) and Raman spectroscopy were further performed to demonstrate that the extracted crystals were mainly CaC2O4·2H2O. Interestingly, spherical druses had 2 obvious abnormal Raman spectroscopy peaks of -CH and -OH at 2947 and 3290 cm-1, respectively, which may be attributed to the occluded organic matrix. The organic matrix was further extracted from spherical crystals, which could be polysaccharide, flavone, or lipid compounds on the basis of Raman spectroscopy bands at 2650, 2720, 2770, and 2958 cm-1.

CONCLUSIONS

Here we used a highlightedly improved method to effectively isolate small-sized CaOx crystals dominating in the epidermal and cortical cells from tubercles of Mammillaria schumannii, which extremely tended to adhere plant tissues or suspend in isolation solution. And then we further clarified the organic matrix getting involved in the formation of CaOx crystals. This improved method for isolating and characterizing biomineral crystals can be helpful to understand how CaOx crystals in cacti function against harsh environments such as strong light, high and cold temperature, and aridity.