[Estrogen, estrogen receptor and miR-21 in adenomyosis: their pathogenic roles and regulatory interactions]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the pathogenic roles of miR-21, estrogen (E2), and estrogen receptor (ER) in adenomyosis.

METHODS

We examined the expression levels of miR-21 in specimens of adenomyotic tissue and benign cervical lesions using qRT-PCR. In primary cultures of cells isolated from the adenomyosis lesions, the effect of ICI82780 (an ER inhibitor) on miR-21 expression levels prior to E2 activation or after E2 deprivation were examined with qRT-PCR. We further assessed the effects of a miR-21 mimic or an inhibitor on proliferation, apoptosis, migration and autophagy of the cells.

RESULTS

The expression level of miR-21 was significantly higher in adenomyosis tissues than in normal myometrium (P < 0.05). In the cells isolated from adenomyosis lesions, miR-21 expression level was significantly higher in E2 activation group than in ER inhibition + E2 activation group and the control group (P < 0.05); miR-21 expression level was significantly lower in cells in E2 deprivation+ER inhibition group than in E2 deprivation group and the control group (P < 0.05). The adenomyosis cells transfected with miR-21 inhibitor showed inhibited proliferation and migration, expansion of mitochondrial endoplasmic reticulum, increased lysosomes, presence of autophagosomes, and increased cell apoptosis, while transfection of the cells with the miR-21 mimic produced the opposite effects.

CONCLUSION

MiR-21 plays an important role in promoting proliferation, migration, and antiapoptosis in adenomyosis cells by altering the cell ultrastructure, which may contribute to early pathogenesis of the disease. In addition to binding with E2, ER can also regulate miR-21 through other pathways to participate in the pathogenesis of adenomyosis, thus having a stronger regulatory effect on miR-21 than E2.

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.

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}.

Associations between abdominal obesity indices with hypertension in type 2 diabetes mellitus: Chinese visceral adiposity index

PURPOSE

This research was performed to evaluate the relationship between hypertension (HTN) and abdominal obesity index in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

Totally 1657 participants with T2DM (mean age 54 ± 12 years; 38.02% female) were enrolled. They were divided into the groups of HTN (n = 775) and non-HTN (n = 882). Anthropometric and biochemical indicators were measured and collected. A bioelectrical impedance analyzer was used to measure visceral and subcutaneous fat areas.

RESULTS

Compared with the HTN group, the non-HTN group had a lower level of Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, among tertiles of CVAI, as CVAI increased, the proportion of patients with HTN increased, which was 33.51%, 44.30%, and 62.50%, respectively. CVAI was shown to have a significant positive correlation with HTN. (r = 0.258, p < 0.001). CVAI was independently related to an elevated risk of HTN by binary logistic regression analyses, and the OR was (95% CI) 1.013 (1.010-1.016, p < 0.001) after adjustment. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of CVAI predicted HTN in T2DM patients was greater than those of other abdominal obesity indices (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

We found that CVAI was highly positively correlated with HTN in T2DM. Compared with other indices of abdominal obesity, such as WC, BMI, WHR, VAI, and LAP, the CVAI showed superior discriminative ability in T2DM complicated with HTN. Therefore, more attention should be paid to CVAI in T2DM.

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.

Adjusted estimate of the prevalence of hepatitis delta virus in 25 countries and territories

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a satellite RNA virus that requires the hepatitis B virus (HBV) for assembly and propagation. Individuals infected with HDV progress to advanced liver disease faster than HBV-monoinfected individuals. Recent studies have estimated the global prevalence of anti-HDV antibodies among the HBV-infected population to be 5-15%. This study aimed to better understand HDV prevalence at the population level in 25 countries/territories.

METHODS

We conducted a literature review to determine the prevalence of anti-HDV and HDV RNA in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive individuals in 25 countries/territories. Virtual meetings were held with experts from each setting to discuss the findings and collect unpublished data. Data were weighted for patient segments and regional heterogeneity to estimate the prevalence in the HBV-infected population. The findings were then combined with The Polaris Observatory HBV data to estimate the anti-HDV and HDV RNA prevalence in each country/territory at the population level.

RESULTS

After adjusting for geographical distribution, disease stage and special populations, the anti-HDV prevalence among the HBsAg+ population changed from the literature estimate in 19 countries. The highest anti-HDV prevalence was 60.1% in Mongolia. Once adjusted for the size of the HBsAg+ population and HDV RNA positivity rate, China had the highest absolute number of HDV RNA+ cases.

CONCLUSIONS

We found substantially lower HDV prevalence than previously reported, as prior meta-analyses primarily focused on studies conducted in groups/regions that have a higher probability of HBV infection: tertiary care centers, specific risk groups or geographical regions. There is large uncertainty in HDV prevalence estimates. The implementation of reflex testing would improve estimates, while also allowing earlier linkage to care for HDV RNA+ individuals. The logistical and economic burden of reflex testing on the health system would be limited, as only HBsAg+ cases would be screened.

IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS

There is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the prevalence of hepatitis delta virus among people living with hepatitis B virus at the population level. In this study, we aimed to better understand the burden in 25 countries and territories, to refine techniques that can be used in future analyses. We found a lower prevalence in the majority of places studied than had been previously reported. These data can help inform policy makers on the need to screen people living with hepatitis B virus to find those coinfected with hepatitis delta virus and at high risk of progression, while also highlighting the pitfalls that other researchers have often fallen into.

RNF183 Promotes Colon Cancer Cell Stemness through Fatty Acid Oxidation

Colon cancer (COAD) is a prevalent gastrointestinal tumor, composed of a few cancer stem cells (CSCs). High expression of RNF183 drives colorectal cancer metastasis, but its role in COAD cell stemness is still unclear. Bioinformatics analyzed expression and enriched pathway of RNF183 in COAD tissue. IHC analyzed RNF183 protein expression in tumor tissue. CD133 + CD44+ CSCs were sorted by flow cytometry, and RNF183 expression in COAD cells or CSCs was detected by qPCR, western blot and immunofluorescence. CCK-8 assay assessed cell viability, and sphere formation assay tested cell sphere-forming ability. Western blot measured protein expression of stem cell markers. qPCR assayed expression of fatty acid oxidation genes. The ability of fatty acid oxidation was analyzed by detecting fatty acid metabolism. RNF183 was highly expressed in COAD and CD133 + CD44+ CSCs, and was enriched in fatty acid metabolism pathway. RNF183 expression was positively correlated with enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation. RNF183 could promote COAD stemness and fatty acid oxidation. Rescue experiments showed that Orlistat (a fatty acid oxidation inhibitor) reversed stimulative impact of RNF183 overexpression on COAD stemness. RNF183 promoted COAD stemness by affecting fatty acid oxidation, which may be a new therapeutic target for inhibiting COAD development.

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.

Polygenic Risk Score Reveals Genetic Heterogeneity of Alzheimer's Disease between the Chinese and European Populations

BACKGROUND

The polygenic risk score (PRS) aggregates the effects of numerous genetic variants associated with a condition across the human genome and may help to predict late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). Most of the current PRS studies on Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been conducted in Caucasian ancestry populations, while it is less studied in Chinese.

OBJECTIVE

To establish and examine the validity of Chinese PRS, and explore its racial heterogeneity.

DESIGN

We constructed a PRS using both discovery (N = 2012) and independent validation samples (N = 1008) from Chinese population. The associations between PRS and age at onset of LOAD or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers were assessed. We also replicated the PRS in an independent replication cohort with CSF data and constructed an alternative PRS using European weights.

SETTING

Multi-center genetics study.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 3020 subjects were included in the study.

MEASUREMENTS

PRS was calculated using genome-wide association studies data and evaluated the performance alone (PRSnoAPOE) and with other predictors (full model: LOAD ~ PRSnoAPOE + APOE+ sex + age) by measuring the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC).

RESULTS

PRS of the full model achieved the highest AUC of 84.0% (95% CI = 81.4-86.5) with pT< 0.5, compared with the model containing APOE alone (61.0%). The AUC of PRS with pT<5e-8 was 77.8% in the PRSnoAPOE model, 81.5% in the full model, and only ranged from 67.5% to 75.1% in the PRS with the European weights model. A higher PRS was significantly associated with an earlier age at onset (P <0.001). The PRS also performed well in the replication cohort of the full model (AUC=83.1%, 95% CI = 74.3-92.0). The CSF biomarkers of Aβ42 and the ratio of Aβ42/Aβ40 were significantly inversely associated with the PRS, while p-Tau181 showed a positive association.

CONCLUSIONS

This finding suggests that PRS reveal genetic heterogeneity and higher prediction accuracy of the PRS for AD can be achieved using a base dataset and validation within the same ethnicity. The effective PRS model has the clinical potential to predict individuals at risk of developing LOAD at a given age and with abnormal levels of CSF biomarkers in the Chinese population.

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.

[Establishment of a nomogram prediction model using common preoperative indicators for early weight loss after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy]

Objectives: To construct a nomogram prediction model using common preoperative indicators for early weight loss (EWL) 1 year after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Methods: Relevant data of obese patients who had undergone LSG from January 2015 to May 2022 in Fujian Medical University Union Hospital and Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated Fujian Medical University were analyzed. Patients with a history of major abdominal surgery, severe gastroesophageal reflux disease, pregnancy within 1 year after surgery, or who were lost to follow-up were excluded, resulting in a total of 200 patients in the study (190 from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital and 10 from Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated Fujian Medical University). The participants were 51 men and 149 women of a mean age 29.9±8.2 years and a body mass index (BMI) 38.7±6.5 kg/m2. All patients in this group underwent standardized LSG procedure. Achieving ideal weight (BMI≤25 kg/m2) 1 year after LSG was defined as goal of EWL. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors that independently influenced EWL. These factors were incorporated into the nomogram model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (the larger the area under the curve [AUC], the better the predictive ability and accuracy of the model), likelihood ratio test (higher likelihood ratio indicates greater model homogeneity), decision curve analysis (higher net benefit indicates a better model), Akaike information criterion (AIC; smaller AIC indicates a better model), and Bayesian information criterion (BIC; smaller BIC indicates a better model) were used to validate the predictive ability of the column line diagram model. Results: In this study of 200 obese patients who underwent LSG surgery, 136 achieved EWL goal, whereas the remaining 64 did not. The rate of EWL goal achievement of the entire group was 68.0%. Compared with patients who did not achieve EWL goal, those who did had lower BMI, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, triglycerides, and higher cholesterol. Additionally, the proportion of female was higher and the proportions of patients with fatty liver and hypertension lower in those who achieved EWL goal (all P<0.05). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that preoperative BMI (OR=0.852, 95%CI: 0.796-0.912, P<0.001), alanine transaminase (OR=0.992, 95%CI: 0.985-0.999, P=0.024), presence of fatty liver (OR=0.185, 95%CI: 0.038-0.887, P=0.035) and hypertension (OR=0.374, 95%CI: 0.144-0.969, P=0.043) were independently associated with failure to achieve EWL goal. Cholesterol (OR=1.428, 95%CI: 1.052-1.939, P=0.022) was independently associated with achieving EWL goal. We used the above variables to establish an EWL nomogram model. ROC analysis, the likelihood ratio test, decision curve analysis, and AIC all revealed that the predictive value of the model was better than that of BMI alone (nomogram model vs. BMI: area under the curve 0.840 vs. 0.798, P=0.047; likelihood ratio: 58.785 vs. 36.565, AIC: 193.066 vs. 207.063, BIC: 212.856 vs. 213.660). Conclusion: Our predictive model is more accurate in predicting EWL after LSG compared with using BMI.

Hyperon Polarization along the Beam Direction Relative to the Second and Third Harmonic Event Planes in Isobar Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

The polarization of Λ and Λ[over ¯] hyperons along the beam direction has been measured relative to the second and third harmonic event planes in isobar Ru+Ru and Zr+Zr collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV. This is the first experimental evidence of the hyperon polarization by the triangular flow originating from the initial density fluctuations. The amplitudes of the sine modulation for the second and third harmonic results are comparable in magnitude, increase from central to peripheral collisions, and show a mild p_{T} dependence. The azimuthal angle dependence of the polarization follows the vorticity pattern expected due to elliptic and triangular anisotropic flow, and qualitatively disagrees with most hydrodynamic model calculations based on thermal vorticity and shear induced contributions. The model results based on one of existing implementations of the shear contribution lead to a correct azimuthal angle dependence, but predict centrality and p_{T} dependence that still disagree with experimental measurements. Thus, our results provide stringent constraints on the thermal vorticity and shear-induced contributions to hyperon polarization. Comparison to previous measurements at RHIC and the LHC for the second-order harmonic results shows little dependence on the collision system size and collision energy.

Observation of Single-Top-Quark Production in Association with a Photon Using the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of single top quarks produced together with a photon, which directly probes the electroweak coupling of the top quark. The analysis uses 139  fb^{-1} of 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Requiring a photon with transverse momentum larger than 20 GeV and within the detector acceptance, the fiducial cross section is measured to be 688±23(stat) _{-71}^{+75}(syst)  fb, to be compared with the standard model prediction of 515_{-42}^{+36}  fb at next-to-leading order in QCD.

Measurement of Suppression of Large-Radius Jets and Its Dependence on Substructure in Pb+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

This letter presents a measurement of the nuclear modification factor of large-radius jets in sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV Pb+Pb collisions by the ATLAS experiment. The measurement is performed using 1.72  nb^{-1} and 257  pb^{-1} of Pb+Pb and pp data, respectively. The large-radius jets are reconstructed with the anti-k_{t} algorithm using a radius parameter of R=1.0, by reclustering anti-k_{t} R=0.2 jets, and are measured over the transverse momentum (p_{T}) kinematic range of 158 Collapse

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Measurement of the Sensitivity of Two-Particle Correlations in pp Collisions to the Presence of Hard Scatterings

A key open question in the study of multiparticle production in high-energy pp collisions is the relationship between the "ridge"-i.e., the observed azimuthal correlations between particles in the underlying event that extend over all rapidities-and hard or semihard scattering processes. In particular, it is not known whether jets or their soft fragments are correlated with particles in the underlying event. To address this question, two-particle correlations are measured in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV using data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, with an integrated luminosity of 15.8  pb^{-1}, in two different configurations. In the first case, charged particles associated with jets are excluded from the correlation analysis, while in the second case, correlations are measured between particles within jets and charged particles from the underlying event. Second-order flow coefficients, v_{2}, are presented as a function of event multiplicity and transverse momentum. These measurements show that excluding particles associated with jets does not affect the measured correlations. Moreover, particles associated with jets do not exhibit any significant azimuthal correlations with the underlying event, ruling out hard processes contributing to the ridge.

Observation of an Excess of Dicharmonium Events in the Four-Muon Final State with the ATLAS Detector

A search is made for potential ccc[over ¯]c[over ¯] tetraquarks decaying into a pair of charmonium states in the four muon final state using proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140  fb^{-1} recorded by the ATLAS experiment at LHC. Two decay channels, J/ψ+J/ψ→4μ and J/ψ+ψ(2S)→4μ, are studied. Backgrounds are estimated based on a hybrid approach involving Monte Carlo simulations and data-driven methods. Statistically significant excesses with respect to backgrounds dominated by the single parton scattering are seen in the di-J/ψ channel consistent with a narrow resonance at 6.9 GeV and a broader structure at lower mass. A statistically significant excess is also seen in the J/ψ+ψ(2S) channel. The fitted masses and decay widths of the structures are reported.

Observation of the γγ→ττ Process in Pb+Pb Collisions and Constraints on the τ-Lepton Anomalous Magnetic Moment with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter reports the observation of τ-lepton-pair production in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions Pb+Pb→Pb(γγ→ττ)Pb and constraints on the τ-lepton anomalous magnetic moment a_{τ}. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.44  nb^{-1} of LHC Pb+Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment in 2018. Selected events contain one muon from a τ-lepton decay, an electron or charged-particle track(s) from the other τ-lepton decay, little additional central-detector activity, and no forward neutrons. The γγ→ττ process is observed in Pb+Pb collisions with a significance exceeding 5 standard deviations and a signal strength of μ_{ττ}=1.03_{-0.05}^{+0.06} assuming the standard model value for a_{τ}. To measure a_{τ}, a template fit to the muon transverse-momentum distribution from τ-lepton candidates is performed, using a dimuon (γγ→μμ) control sample to constrain systematic uncertainties. The observed 95% confidence-level interval for a_{τ} is -0.057 Collapse

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Sarcopenia and its clinical correlation in elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of sarcopenia on clinical characteristics and short-term outcomes in elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred twenty elderly COPD patients (age>60) recruited from Beijing Shijingshan Hospital were divided into sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups according to the severity of sarcopenia at the first admission. Baseline data, geriatric syndrome, laboratory indicators and body composition analysis were analyzed. One year followed-up by outpatient visits was focused on clinical characteristics and telephone follow-ups for collecting all-cause deaths and acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as end-point events. The risk factors for sarcopenia were analyzed by univariate analysis and multivariate logical regression. The proportional hazards model (COX) regression was performed to determine the effect of sarcopenia on COPD patients' prognoses.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty patients (76 men and 44 women) with an average age of 76.7±8.78 years were included, of which 63 patients (52.5%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Compared to the non-sarcopenia group, the sarcopenia group exhibited worse lung function and more severe geriatric syndromes with significantly higher incidence ratios of somnipathy and frailty. The sarcopenia group also showed worse muscle indicators and declined body composition. Multivariate analysis showed that the occurrence of sarcopenia in elderly COPD patients was correlated with forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) (OR=0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-1.0, p=0.035), body mass index (BMI) (OR=0.80, 95% CI: 0.71-0.89, p=0.035) and hemoglobin (OR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.96-1.0, p=0.023). Furthermore, the COX regression indicated the association of sarcopenia with acute exacerbations of COPD within the follow-up period (HR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.01-5.72, p=0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia increases the risk of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly. Sarcopenia incidence in elderly COPD is associated with FEV1, BMI, and hemoglobin and closely monitoring indicators is useful for early diagnosis of sarcopenia.

Predicting Radiation Esophagitis using 18F-FAPI-04 PET/CT in Patients with LA-ESCC Treated with Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This prospective study examined whether 18F-FAPI-04 PET/CT can predict the development and severity of radiation esophagitis (RE) in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (LA-ESCC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

MATERIALS/METHODS

From June 2021 to March 2022, images were prospectively collected from LA-ESCC patients who underwent 18F-FAPI-04 PET/CT examinations before and during radiotherapy. The development of RE was evaluated weekly according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criterion. The target-to-background ratio in blood (TBRblood) was analyzed at each time point and correlated with the onset and severity of RE. Factors that predicted RE were identified by multivariate logistic analyses.

RESULTS

Thirty patients (median age, 66.5 years [interquartile range: 56¨C71 years]; 22 men) were evaluated. Significantly higher TBRblood (during radiotherapy, mean: 3.06 vs 7.11, P = 0.003) and change in TBRblood compared with pre-RT (ΔTBRblood, mean: 0.67 vs 4.81, P = 0.002) were observed in patients with RE than patients without RE. Those with grade 3 RE had a significantly higher TBRblood (during radiotherapy, mean: 4.55 vs 9.66, P = 0.003) and ΔTBRblood (mean: 2.16 vs 7.50, P = 0.003) compared with those with RE

CONCLUSION

The ΔTBRblood on 18F-FAPI-04 PET/CT may be effective at identifying patients at risk for the development of RE, especially grade 3 RE.

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[Introduction and application of European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry judgment criteria and scoring system for molar-incisor hypomineralization]

Molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is defined as an enamel mineralization defect caused by systemic factors, which is characterized by demarcated opacities. These opacities are liable to result in brittle hypomineralized enamel breakdown, which expediting the eventual development of cavities, even tooth loss. Early diagnosis and prompt intervention are essential. The MIH scoring system based on the diagnostic criteria of the European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) is internationally recognized. This system is particularly helpful to diagnose and evaluate the MIH, as well as conductive to the performance of epidemiological investigations. This paper gives a presentation on the EAPD judgment criteria and scoring system as well as their applications, based on the current situation of MIH studies and our findings of MIH epidemiological investigation.

Erratum: Global Polarization of Ξ and Ω Hyperons in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV [Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 162301 (2021)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.162301.

Strong Constraints on Jet Quenching in Centrality-Dependent p+Pb Collisions at 5.02 TeV from ATLAS

Jet quenching is the process of color-charged partons losing energy via interactions with quark-gluon plasma droplets created in heavy-ion collisions. The collective expansion of such droplets is well described by viscous hydrodynamics. Similar evidence of collectivity is consistently observed in smaller collision systems, including pp and p+Pb collisions. In contrast, while jet quenching is observed in Pb+Pb collisions, no evidence has been found in these small systems to date, raising fundamental questions about the nature of the system created in these collisions. The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider has measured the yield of charged hadrons correlated with reconstructed jets in 0.36  nb^{-1} of p+Pb and 3.6  pb^{-1} of pp collisions at 5.02 TeV. The yields of charged hadrons with p_{T}^{ch}>0.5  GeV near and opposite in azimuth to jets with p_{T}^{jet}>30 or 60 GeV, and the ratios of these yields between p+Pb and pp collisions, I_{pPb}, are reported. The collision centrality of p+Pb events is categorized by the energy deposited by forward neutrons from the struck nucleus. The I_{pPb} values are consistent with unity within a few percent for hadrons with p_{T}^{ch}>4  GeV at all centralities. These data provide new, strong constraints that preclude almost any parton energy loss in central p+Pb collisions.

Search for Heavy Neutral Leptons in Decays of W Bosons Using a Dilepton Displaced Vertex in sqrt[s]=13 TeV pp Collisions with the ATLAS Detector

A search for a long-lived, heavy neutral lepton (N) in 139  fb^{-1} of sqrt[s]=13  TeV pp collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is reported. The N is produced via W→Nμ or W→Ne and decays into two charged leptons and a neutrino, forming a displaced vertex. The N mass is used to discriminate between signal and background. No signal is observed, and limits are set on the squared mixing parameters of the N with the left-handed neutrino states for the N mass range 3  GeV Collapse

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Test of CP Invariance in Higgs Boson Vector-Boson-Fusion Production Using the H→γγ Channel with the ATLAS Detector

A test of CP invariance in Higgs boson production via vector-boson fusion has been performed in the H→γγ channel using 139  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13  TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The optimal observable method is used to probe the CP structure of interactions between the Higgs boson and electroweak gauge bosons, as described by an effective field theory. No sign of CP violation is observed in the data. Constraints are set on the parameters describing the strength of the CP-odd component in the coupling between the Higgs boson and the electroweak gauge bosons in two effective field theory bases: d[over ˜] in the HISZ basis and c_{HW[over ˜]} in the Warsaw basis. The results presented are the most stringent constraints on CP violation in the coupling between Higgs and weak bosons. The 95% C.L. constraint on d[over ˜] is derived for the first time and the 95% C.L. constraint on c_{HW[over ˜]} has been improved by a factor of 5 compared to the previous measurement.

[Efficacy of machine learning models versus Cox regression model for predicting prognosis of esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the performance of machine learning models and traditional Cox regression model in predicting postoperative outcomes of patients with esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (AEG).

METHODS

This study was conducted among 203 AEG patients with complete clinical and follow-up data, who were treated in our hospital between September, 2015 and October, 2020. The clinicopathological data of the patients were processed for analysis using R language package and divided into training and validation datasets at the ratio of 3:1. The Cox proportional hazards regression model and 4 machine learning models were constructed for analyzing the datasets. ROC curves, calibration curves and clinical decision curves (DCA) were plotted. Internal validation of the machine learning models was performed to assess their predictive efficacy. The predictive performance of each model was evaluated by calculating the area under the curve (AUC), and the model fitting was assessed using the calibration curve.

RESULTS

For predicting 3-year survival based on the validation dataset, the AUC was 0.870 for Cox proportional hazard regression model, 0.901 for eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), 0.791 for random forest, 0.832 for support vector machine, and 0.725 for multilayer perceptron; For predicting 5-year survival, the AUCs of these models were 0.915, 0.916, 0.758, 0.905, and 0.737, respectively. For internal validation, the AUCs of the 4 machine learning models decreased in the order of XGBoost (0.818), random forest (0.758), support vector machine (0.0.804), and multilayer perceptron (0.745).

CONCLUSION

The machine learning models show better predictive efficacy for survival outcomes of patients with AEG than Cox proportional hazard regression model, especially when proportional odds assumption or linear regression models are not applicable. XGBoost models have better performance than the other machine learning models, and the multi-layer perception model may have poor fitting results for a limited data volume.

Measurements of the Elliptic and Triangular Azimuthal Anisotropies in Central ^{3}He+Au, d+Au and p+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

The elliptic (v_{2}) and triangular (v_{3}) azimuthal anisotropy coefficients in central ^{3}He+Au, d+Au, and p+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV are measured as a function of transverse momentum (p_{T}) at midrapidity (|η|<0.9), via the azimuthal angular correlation between two particles both at |η|<0.9. While the v_{2}(p_{T}) values depend on the colliding systems, the v_{3}(p_{T}) values are system independent within the uncertainties, suggesting an influence on eccentricity from subnucleonic fluctuations in these small-sized systems. These results also provide stringent constraints for the hydrodynamic modeling of these systems.

Observation of Directed Flow of Hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H in sqrt[s_{NN}]=3 GeV Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report here the first observation of directed flow (v_{1}) of the hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H in mid-central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3  GeV at RHIC. These data are taken as part of the beam energy scan program carried out by the STAR experiment. From 165×10^{6} events in 5%-40% centrality, about 8400 _{Λ}^{3}H and 5200 _{Λ}^{4}H candidates are reconstructed through two- and three-body decay channels. We observe that these hypernuclei exhibit significant directed flow. Comparing to that of light nuclei, it is found that the midrapidity v_{1} slopes of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H follow baryon number scaling, implying that the coalescence is the dominant mechanism for these hypernuclei production in the 3 GeV Au+Au collisions.

[Infiltration and significance of M1 macrophage in breast cancer: an analysis of METABRIC database and clinical validation]

Objective: To investigate the differences of immune microenvironment between stage T1N3 and stage T3N0 breast cancer patients and explore the relationship between M1 macrophage infiltration and lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. Methods: Clinical information and RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) expression data of stage T1N3 (n=9) and stage T3N0 (n=11) breast cancer patients were extracted from Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) databases. Using CIBERSORT, the proportions of 22 types of immune cells were calculated, and then the differences of immune cell infiltration between stage T1N3 and T3N0 patients were compared. From 2011 to 2022, pathologic specimens were collected from breast cancer patients who underwent curative resection at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, including 77 at stage T1N3 and 58 at stage T3N0.The METABRIC database analysis results were verified by examining the density of M1 macrophages in tissues using dual-staining immunohistochemistry. Results: METABRIC data analysis showed M1 macrophage was the highest proportion, 15.85% in stage T1N3 breast cancer; M2 macrophage was the highest proportion, 13.07% in stage T3N0 breast cancer.M1 macrophage proportions were statistically different between patients with stage T1N3 and stage T3N0 (P=0.010). The dual-staining immunohistochemistry analysis of breast cancer tissues showed M1 macrophage density (median) of 62.0 and 38.0 cells/mm(2) for stage T1N3 and T3N0, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P=0.002). Conclusion: The density of M1 macrophages is notably higher in stage T1N3 patients and is associated with lymph node metastasis.

Beam Energy Dependence of Triton Production and Yield Ratio (N_{t}×N_{p}/N_{d}^{2}) in Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report the triton (t) production in midrapidity (|y|<0.5) Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=7.7-200  GeV measured by the STAR experiment from the first phase of the beam energy scan at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The nuclear compound yield ratio (N_{t}×N_{p}/N_{d}^{2}), which is predicted to be sensitive to the fluctuation of local neutron density, is observed to decrease monotonically with increasing charged-particle multiplicity (dN_{ch}/dη) and follows a scaling behavior. The dN_{ch}/dη dependence of the yield ratio is compared to calculations from coalescence and thermal models. Enhancements in the yield ratios relative to the coalescence baseline are observed in the 0%-10% most central collisions at 19.6 and 27 GeV, with a significance of 2.3σ and 3.4σ, respectively, giving a combined significance of 4.1σ. The enhancements are not observed in peripheral collisions or model calculations without critical fluctuation, and decreases with a smaller p_{T} acceptance. The physics implications of these results on the QCD phase structure and the production mechanism of light nuclei in heavy-ion collisions are discussed.

[Enhanced endoplasmic reticulum RyR1 receptor phosphorylation leads to diaphragmatic dysfunction in septic rats]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of endoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1) expression and phosphorylation in sepsis- induced diaphragm dysfunction.

METHODS

Thirty SPF male SD rats were randomized equally into 5 groups, including a sham-operated group, 3 sepsis model groups observed at 6, 12, or 24 h following cecal ligation and perforation (CLP; CLP-6h, CLP-12h, and CLP-24h groups, respectively), and a CLP-24h group with a single intraperitoneal injection of KN- 93 immediately after the operation (CLP-24h+KN-93 group). At the indicated time points, diaphragm samples were collected for measurement of compound muscle action potential (CMAP), fatigue index of the isolated diaphragm and fitted frequencycontraction curves. The protein expression levels of CaMK Ⅱ, RyR1 and P-RyR1 in the diaphragm were detected using Western blotting.

RESULTS

In the rat models of sepsis, the amplitude of diaphragm CMAP decreased and its duration increased with time following CLP, and the changes were the most obvious at 24 h and significantly attenuated by KN-93 treatment (P < 0.05). The diaphragm fatigue index increased progressively following CLP (P < 0.05) irrespective of KN- 93 treatment (P>0.05). The frequency-contraction curve of the diaphragm muscle decreased progressively following CLP, and was significantly lower in CLP-24 h group than in CLP-24 h+KN-93 group (P < 0.05). Compared with that in the sham-operated group, RyR1 expression level in the diaphragm was significantly lowered at 24 h (P < 0.05) but not at 6 or 12 following CLP, irrespective of KN-93 treatment; The expression level of P-RyR1 increased gradually with time after CLP, and was significantly lowered by KN-93 treatment at 24 h following CLP (P < 0.05). The expression level of CaMKⅡ increased significantly at 24 h following CLP, and was obviously lowered by KN-93 treatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Sepsis causes diaphragmatic dysfunction by enhancing CaMK Ⅱ expression and RyR1 receptor phosphorylation in the endoplasmic reticulum of the diaphragm.

[Clinical effects of free pre-expanded internal thoracic artery perforator pedicled deltopectoral flap transfer in facial scar reconstruction]

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of free pre-expanded deltopectoral flap transfer in facial scar reconstruction by selecting appropriate internal thoracic artery perforator as the pedicle through preoperative color Doppler ultrasonic vascular assessment. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From September 2017 to March 2021, 11 patients with facial scar who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, including 6 males and 5 females, aged 16-58 (31±12) years. The scar with area ranging from 7 cm×5 cm to 14 cm×9 cm was reconstructed by free pre-expanded internal thoracic artery perforator pedicled deltopectoral flap transfer. The operation was performed in 2 or 3 stages. Before operation, color Doppler ultrasonography was performed to evaluate the internal thoracic artery perforator. In the first stage, skin and soft tissue expander (hereinafter referred to as expander) implantation was performed, and a cylindrical expander with rated capacity of 400 to 600 mL was placed in the chest wall. The expansion time was 3 to 4 months, and the water injection volume reached 1.2-1.5 times of the rated capacity of expander. In the second stage, scar excision+free pre-expanded deltopectoral flap transfer was performed, with harvested flap area ranging from 9 cm×7 cm to 16 cm×10 cm. The vascular pedicle of flap (intercostal perforator of internal thoracic artery) was anastomosed end-to-end to the facial artery and vein or superficial temporal artery and vein. The wound in donor site was closed directly. Third stage operation thinning was performed at 3-6 months after the second stage operation in 5 patients because of bloated flap pedicle. At 6 months after the last operation, the flap survival and complications were recorded, the sensation of flap was evaluated by Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test, the color of flap was evaluated by color contrast of the flap to surrounding normal skin, and the curative effect satisfaction degree of patients was evaluated by 5-grade Likert scale. Results: At 6 months after the last operation, all the flaps of 11 patients survived well. One patient experienced venous congestion after flap transplantation, but the flap survived after re-anastomosis. One patient experienced hematoma after the first stage operation of expander implantation, but the rest treatment was not influenced after hematoma removal. No complications such as infection or expander exposure occurred in any patient. At 6 months after the last operation, the sensation of flap of patient was as follows: 9 cases recovered to protective sensation decrease or better, 1 case had protective sensation defect, and 1 case only had deep touch and pressure sensation; the color of flap of patient was as follows: 3 cases were very close to the color of surrounding normal skin, 6 cases were close to the color of surrounding normal skin, and 2 cases were different to the color of surrounding normal skin; the curative effect satisfaction degree of patients was as follows: 2 patients were very satisfied, 6 patients were satisfied, 2 patients were somewhat satisfied, and 1 patient was a little not satisfied. Conclusions: The large area facial scar can be treated safely and effectively by free pre-expanded deltopectoral flap with appropriate single internal thoracic artery perforator as vascular pedicle selected through vascular assessment by color Doppler ultrasonography before operation. After operation, the color of flap of patients is close to the surrounding normal skin and the sensation of flap can be partially recovered, with high curative effect satisfaction degree of patients.

A new method to synthesize multiple gRNA libraries and functional mapping of mammalian H3K4me3 regions

Genetic screening based on the clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system has been indicated to be a powerful tool for identifying regulatory genes or cis-elements. However, when applying CRISPR screens to pinpoint functional elements at particular loci, a large number of guide RNA (gRNA) spacers may be required to achieve saturated coverage. Here, we present a controlled template-dependent elongation (CTDE) method relying on reversible terminators to synthesize gRNA libraries with genomic regions of interest. By applying this approach to H3K4me3 chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-derived DNA of mammalian cells, mega-sized gRNA libraries were synthesized in a tissue-specific manner, with which we conducted screening experiments to annotate essential sites for cell proliferation. Additionally, we confirmed that an essential site within the intron of LINC00339 regulates its own mRNA and that LINC00339 is a novel regulator of the cell cycle that maintains HepG2 proliferation. The CTDE method has the potential to be automated with high efficiency at low cost, and will be widely used to identify functional elements in mammalian genomes.

Measurement of Sequential ϒ Suppression in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV with the STAR Experiment

We report on measurements of sequential ϒ suppression in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV with the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) through both the dielectron and dimuon decay channels. In the 0%-60% centrality class, the nuclear modification factors (R_{AA}), which quantify the level of yield suppression in heavy-ion collisions compared to p+p collisions, for ϒ(1S) and ϒ(2S) are 0.40±0.03(stat)±0.03(sys)±0.09(norm) and 0.26±0.08(stat)±0.02(sys)±0.06(norm), respectively, while the upper limit of the ϒ(3S) R_{AA} is 0.17 at a 95% confidence level. This provides experimental evidence that the ϒ(3S) is significantly more suppressed than the ϒ(1S) at RHIC. The level of suppression for ϒ(1S) is comparable to that observed at the much higher collision energy at the Large Hadron Collider. These results point to the creation of a medium at RHIC whose temperature is sufficiently high to strongly suppress excited ϒ states.

A145 PEDIATRIC PATIENTS’ & PARENTS’ PERSPECTIVES ON TREATMENT PREFERENCE IN EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS: A CROSS SECTIONAL, QUALITATIVE RESEARCH STUDY

Background

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus which impairs quality of life in children and adolescents. Given the wide variety of symptomatic presentations in pediatrics, the varying time to diagnosis, and differing severity (including stricturing phenotype) initial treatments are not standardized. An important part of this individualization, beyond the health care practitioner counseling involves the patients’ and parents’ preferences which incorporates personal beliefs and attitudes.

Purpose

The study aim was to qualitatively describe parental and patient preferences regarding treatment options in EoE.

Method

This was a cross-sectional qualitative research study conducted in the EoE clinic at BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver. Parents and their children completed semi-structured survey questions regarding treatment preference in EoE. Patients along with their parents who completed their survey questions were included in the study. Incomplete forms were excluded from the study.

Result(s)

The survey was attempted by 15 children, 7-11yrs of age, and 42 children, 12-18yrs of age, along with their parents. Completed response by both parent and their children were seen in 47 patients, 40 were adolescents 12-18yrs of age and 7 were 7-11yrs of age. Parent treatment preferences were diet in 17/47(36.2%), medications in 21/47 (44.7%) and 9/47 (19%) were unsure. 75% of parents who preferred dietary management thought it was less risky than medication. Parents who chose medication thought it would be easier (8/21) and more effective (8/21). Most of the parents’ decisions were influenced by the physician (35/47; 74.5%) and more so by the gastroenterologist (28/47; 59.6%). In 12–18-yr olds, 6/40 (15%) had preference for diet, 25/40 (62.5%) preferred medication and 9/40 (22.5%) were unsure. 3/6 adolescents thought that diet was less risky and 4/6 thought it was more effective than medication. Among the teens who preferred medication, 17/25 (68%) felt it to be easier and 9/25 (36%) thought it would work better than diet. Teenagers found their parents to be helpful for deciding (50%) and doctor (50%) with the gastroenterologist again playing a prominent role. In the 7 to 11yr old age group, 4/7 (57.1%) predominantly had preference for dietary treatment.

Conclusion(s)

The overall preference in the adolescent age group is for medication supported by patients’ and parents’, with ease of use being a primary driver for adolescents, whereas ease of use and effectiveness were drivers for the parents. Parents were more often interested in dietary therapy than the adolescents. With regards to parents of younger children and younger children themselves, dietary management was the preference as they felt it to be less risky. The numbers, though small, represent one of the few studies done on patient preference in EoE. Future studies should include formal qualitative studies and preferences could ultimately be tied to better counseling and tracking adherence to therapy.

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Disclosure of Interest

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Beam Energy Dependence of Fifth- and Sixth-Order Net-Proton Number Fluctuations in Au+Au Collisions at RHIC

We report the beam energy and collision centrality dependence of fifth and sixth order cumulants (C_{5}, C_{6}) and factorial cumulants (κ_{5}, κ_{6}) of net-proton and proton number distributions, from center-of-mass energy (sqrt[s_{NN}]) 3 GeV to 200 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC. Cumulant ratios of net-proton (taken as proxy for net-baryon) distributions generally follow the hierarchy expected from QCD thermodynamics, except for the case of collisions at 3 GeV. The measured values of C_{6}/C_{2} for 0%-40% centrality collisions show progressively negative trend with decreasing energy, while it is positive for the lowest energy studied. These observed negative signs are consistent with QCD calculations (for baryon chemical potential, μ_{B}≤110  MeV) which contains the crossover transition range. In addition, for energies above 7.7 GeV, the measured proton κ_{n}, within uncertainties, does not support the two-component (Poisson+binomial) shape of proton number distributions that would be expected from a first-order phase transition. Taken in combination, the hyperorder proton number fluctuations suggest that the structure of QCD matter at high baryon density, μ_{B}∼750  MeV at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3  GeV is starkly different from those at vanishing μ_{B}∼24  MeV at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV and higher collision energies.

Collision-System and Beam-Energy Dependence of Anisotropic Flow Fluctuations

Elliptic flow measurements from two-, four-, and six-particle correlations are used to investigate flow fluctuations in collisions of U+U at sqrt[s_{NN}]=193  GeV, Cu+Au at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV and Au+Au spanning the range sqrt[s_{NN}]=11.5-200  GeV. The measurements show a strong dependence of the flow fluctuations on collision centrality, a modest dependence on system size, and very little if any, dependence on particle species and beam energy. The results, when compared to similar LHC measurements, viscous hydrodynamic calculations, and trento model eccentricities, indicate that initial-state-driven fluctuations predominate the flow fluctuations generated in the collisions studied.

Evidence for Nonlinear Gluon Effects in QCD and Their Mass Number Dependence at STAR

The STAR Collaboration reports measurements of back-to-back azimuthal correlations of di-π^{0}s produced at forward pseudorapidities (2.6<η<4.0) in p+p, p+Al, and p+Au collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV. We observe a clear suppression of the correlated yields of back-to-back π^{0} pairs in p+Al and p+Au collisions compared to the p+p data. The observed suppression of back-to-back pairs as a function of transverse momentum suggests nonlinear gluon dynamics arising at high parton densities. The larger suppression found in p+Au relative to p+Al collisions exhibits a dependence of the saturation scale Q_{s}^{2} on the mass number A. A linear scaling of the suppression with A^{1/3} is observed with a slope of -0.09±0.01.

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

This Letter reports the observation of WWW production and a measurement of its cross section using 139  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. Events with two same-sign leptons (electrons or muons) and at least two jets, as well as events with three charged leptons, are selected. A multivariate technique is then used to discriminate between signal and background events. Events from WWW production are observed with a significance of 8.0 standard deviations, where the expectation is 5.4 standard deviations. The inclusive WWW production cross section is measured to be 820±100 (stat)±80 (syst)  fb, approximately 2.6 standard deviations from the predicted cross section of 511±18  fb calculated at next-to-leading-order QCD and leading-order electroweak accuracy.

A detailed map of Higgs boson interactions by the ATLAS experiment ten years after the discovery

The standard model of particle physics1-4 describes the known fundamental particles and forces that make up our Universe, with the exception of gravity. One of the central features of the standard model is a field that permeates all of space and interacts with fundamental particles5-9. The quantum excitation of this field, known as the Higgs field, manifests itself as the Higgs boson, the only fundamental particle with no spin. In 2012, a particle with properties consistent with the Higgs boson of the standard model was observed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN10,11. Since then, more than 30 times as many Higgs bosons have been recorded by the ATLAS experiment, enabling much more precise measurements and new tests of the theory. Here, on the basis of this larger dataset, we combine an unprecedented number of production and decay processes of the Higgs boson to scrutinize its interactions with elementary particles. Interactions with gluons, photons, and W and Z bosons-the carriers of the strong, electromagnetic and weak forces-are studied in detail. Interactions with three third-generation matter particles (bottom (b) and top (t) quarks, and tau leptons (τ)) are well measured and indications of interactions with a second-generation particle (muons, μ) are emerging. These tests reveal that the Higgs boson discovered ten years ago is remarkably consistent with the predictions of the theory and provide stringent constraints on many models of new phenomena beyond the standard model.

Potential biomarkers in the fibrosis progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

PURPOSE

Fibrosis is the only histological feature reflecting the severity and prognosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We aim to explore novel genes associated with fibrosis progression in NASH.

METHODS

Two human RNA-seq datasets were downloaded from the public database. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify their co-expressed modules and further bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify hub genes within the modules. Finally, based on two single-cell RNA-seq datasets from mice and one microarray dataset from human, we further observed the expression of hub genes in different cell clusters and liver tissues.

RESULTS

7 hub genes (SPP1, PROM1, SOX9, EPCAM, THY1, CD34 and MCAM) associated with fibrosis progression were identified. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed that those hub genes were expressed by different cell clusters such as cholangiocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). We also found that SPP1 and CD34 serve as markers of different HSCs clusters, which are associated with inflammatory response and fibrogenesis, respectively. Further study suggested that SPP1, SOX9, MCAM and THY1 might be related to NASH-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the high expression of these genes could well predict the occurrence of HCC. At the same time, there were significant differences in metabolism-related pathway changes between different HCC subtypes, and SOX9 may be involved in these changes.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study identified novel genes associated with NASH fibrosis and explored their effects on fibrosis from a single-cell perspective that might provide new ideas for the early diagnosis, monitoring, evaluation, and prediction of fibrosis progression in NASH.

Measurements of Proton High-Order Cumulants in sqrt[s_{NN}]=3 GeV Au+Au Collisions and Implications for the QCD Critical Point

We report cumulants of the proton multiplicity distribution from dedicated fixed-target Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3.0  GeV, measured by the STAR experiment in the kinematic acceptance of rapidity (y) and transverse momentum (p_{T}) within -0.5<y<0 and 0.4<p_{T}<2.0  GeV/c. In the most central 0%-5% collisions, a proton cumulant ratio is measured to be C_{4}/C_{2}=-0.85±0.09 (stat)±0.82 (syst), which is 2σ below the Poisson baseline with respect to both the statistical and systematic uncertainties. The hadronic transport UrQMD model reproduces our C_{4}/C_{2} in the measured acceptance. Compared to higher energy results and the transport model calculations, the suppression in C_{4}/C_{2} is consistent with fluctuations driven by baryon number conservation and indicates an energy regime dominated by hadronic interactions. These data imply that the QCD critical region, if created in heavy-ion collisions, could only exist at energies higher than 3 GeV.

Measurements of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H Lifetimes and Yields in Au+Au Collisions in the High Baryon Density Region

We report precision measurements of hypernuclei _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H lifetimes obtained from Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3.0  GeV and 7.2 GeV collected by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, and the first measurement of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H midrapidity yields in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=3.0  GeV. _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H, being the two simplest bound states composed of hyperons and nucleons, are cornerstones in the field of hypernuclear physics. Their lifetimes are measured to be 221±15(stat)±19(syst)  ps for _{Λ}^{3}H and 218±6(stat)±13(syst)  ps for _{Λ}^{4}H. The p_{T}-integrated yields of _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H are presented in different centrality and rapidity intervals. It is observed that the shape of the rapidity distribution of _{Λ}^{4}H is different for 0%-10% and 10%-50% centrality collisions. Thermal model calculations, using the canonical ensemble for strangeness, describes the _{Λ}^{3}H yield well, while underestimating the _{Λ}^{4}H yield. Transport models, combining baryonic mean-field and coalescence (jam) or utilizing dynamical cluster formation via baryonic interactions (phqmd) for light nuclei and hypernuclei production, approximately describe the measured _{Λ}^{3}H and _{Λ}^{4}H yields. Our measurements provide means to precisely assess our understanding of the fundamental baryonic interactions with strange quarks, which can impact our understanding of more complicated systems involving hyperons, such as the interior of neutron stars or exotic hypernuclei.

[Characteristics of heart rate variability in patients with vestibular migraine]

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with vestibular migraine (VM) and to explore its possible mechanism. Methods: Forty-eight patients with VM [17 males and 31 females, age (36.2±9.2) years], 44 patients with migraine [15 males and 29 females, age (34.4±9.0) years], and 30 patients with health check-ups during the same period [12 males and 18 females, age (34.6±6.5) years old] were selected as study subjects. Ambulatory ECG monitoring was performed in all subjects, and the HRV characteristics of each group were analyzed from both daytime and nighttime time phases. Time domain parameters were analyzed: standard deviation of normal to normal (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), and percentage of normal to normal intervals differing by more than 50 ms (pNN50). The parameters in the frequency domain were analyzed: high frequency power (HF), low frequency power (LF), and the ratio of low frequency to high frequency power (LF/HF). Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS 26.0 software. Results: At night, RMSSD (F=6.694) and HF (F=9.434) were lower in the VM and migraine groups compared to the control group, while LF/HF (F=16.049) and LF (F=9.434) were elevated compared to the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while LF was significantly elevated in the VM group compared to the migraine group, with a statistically significant (P<0.05). On the daytime measurements, mainly LF was elevated in the vestibular migraine group compared with the control group, while RMSSD was decreased compared with the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Conclusion: Autonomic dysfunction characterized by sympathetic hyperfunction and vagal hypofunction is present in VM patients and is more pronounced at night. In addition, the degree of autonomic dysfunction may be more pronounced in VM patients than in migraine patients.

Probing the Gluonic Structure of the Deuteron with J/ψ Photoproduction in d+Au Ultraperipheral Collisions

Understanding gluon density distributions and how they are modified in nuclei are among the most important goals in nuclear physics. In recent years, diffractive vector meson production measured in ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) at heavy-ion colliders has provided a new tool for probing the gluon density. In this Letter, we report the first measurement of J/ψ photoproduction off the deuteron in UPCs at the center-of-mass energy sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV in d+Au collisions. The differential cross section as a function of momentum transfer -t is measured. In addition, data with a neutron tagged in the deuteron-going zero-degree calorimeter is investigated for the first time, which is found to be consistent with the expectation of incoherent diffractive scattering at low momentum transfer. Theoretical predictions based on the color glass condensate saturation model and the leading twist approximation nuclear shadowing model are compared with the data quantitatively. A better agreement with the saturation model has been observed. With the current measurement, the results are found to be directly sensitive to the gluon density distribution of the deuteron and the deuteron breakup process, which provides insights into the nuclear gluonic structure.