Exposure to user-generated e-cigarette content on social media associated with greater vulnerability to e-cigarette use among youth non-users

INTRODUCTION

Social media are important venues for youth's exposure to e-cigarette content. This study examined how exposure to user-generated e-cigarette content (i.e., content created and shared by individual social media users) is associated with vulnerabilities to e-cigarette use among youth non-users.

METHODS

We pooled data from the 2021 and 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Youth who have never used e-cigarettes were included. Weighted linear and logistic regressions were conducted to examine how exposure to user-generated e-cigarette content (from real-life friends, online-only friends, and celebrities/influencers) on social media was associated with e-cigarette use vulnerabilities measured by perceived norms, perceived risk, and susceptibility of use, controlling for demographics, advertising exposure, and mental health conditions. Multiple imputations were performed to account for missing data.

RESULTS

Exposure to e-cigarette content on social media posted by real-life friends, online-only friends, and celebrities/influencers were associated with more positive descriptive norm (βs = 1.56, 0.37, and 0.35, respectively, all ps < .001), more positive injunctive norm (βs = 0.46, 0.19, and 0.10, respectively, all ps < .001), and higher odds of e-cigarette use susceptibility (ORs = 1.48, 1.50. 1.29, respectively, all ps < .001). Exposure to content posted by real-life and online-only friends were associated with reduced risk perception of e-cigarette use (β = -0.04, p < 0.05 and β = -0.07, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlighted that friends and celebrities/influencers are important sources on social media that can influence youth non-users' vulnerabilities to e-cigarette use. Interventional messages communicated through friends and influencers on social media may in turn help reduce e-cigarette vulnerability among youth non-users.

Exploring Putative Causal Associations between Diet and Periodontal Disease Susceptibility

INTRODUCTION

Dietary factors may play an important role in periodontal health. However, current evidence from observational studies remains inconclusive.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the causal relationships between dietary exposures and periodontal disease risks using Mendelian randomization analysis.

METHODS

Large-scale genome-wide association study summary statistics for 20 dietary factors were obtained from the MRC-IEU consortium. Multivariable and univariable 2-sample Mendelian randomization analyses were performed to assess the causal effects of each dietary exposure on 6 periodontal outcomes, including gingivitis and periodontitis.

RESULTS

Genetically predicted higher dried fruit intake was significantly associated with reduced risks of acute gingivitis (odds ratio [OR]: 0.02; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.00-0.42; P = 0.01) and bleeding gums (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93-0.99; P = 0.01). Higher fresh fruit and water intake showed protective effects against chronic gingivitis (OR: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.04-0.91; P = 0.04 and OR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.04-0.53; P = 0.00) and bleeding gums (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.92-0.981; P = 0.00 and OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.96-0.99; P = 0.02). Alcohol intake frequency and processed meat intake were risk factors for bleeding gums (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00-1.02; P = 0.01 and OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01-1.08; P = 0.00) and painful gums (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 1.00-1.01; P = 0.00 and OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.03; P = 0.00). Most of the causal relationships between genetic predisposition to the specified dietary factors and periodontal diseases remained statistically significant (P < 0.05) after adjusting for genetic risks associated with dentures, smoking, and type 2 diabetes in multivariable Mendelian randomization models.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest potential protective effects of higher fruit and water intake against gingivitis and other periodontal problems, while alcohol and processed meat intake may increase the risks of periodontal disease. Our study provides preliminary causal evidence on the effects of diet on periodontal health and could inform prevention strategies targeting dietary habits to improve oral health.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

This study suggests that fruit and water intake may protect against periodontal disease, while alcohol and processed meats increase risk, informing dietary guidelines to improve oral health.

Efficacy of ceftazidime-avibactam in the treatment of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections: Focus on solid organ transplantation recipients

INTRODUCTION

Ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) is a new option to treat KPC- and OXA-48 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) infections. However, clinical evidence is limited regarding its use in treating CRKP infections, especially in solid organ transplantation (SOT) recipients. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of CAZ-AVI in treating CRKP infections in both the general population and the SOT recipients in comparison with other antibiotic regimens.

METHODS

This is a single-centre retrospective cohort study of patients admitted between January 1, 2018 and June 30, 2021 with the diagnosis of CRKP infections receiving either CAZ-AVI or other regimens ≥ 72 hours and clinical outcomes were analysed.

RESULTS

Of 200 patients with CRKP infections, 67 received CAZ-AVI, 133 received other regimens, and 50 were SOT recipients. In the SOT cohort, 30 patients received CAZ-AVI, and 20 received other regimens. The overall 30-day mortality was 38% in the SOT cohort. Compared with patients receiving other regimens, CAZ-AVI therapy resulted in lower 30-day mortality (23.3% vs. 60%, P = 0.014) and 90-day mortality (35.7% vs. 86.7%, P = 0.003), higher clinical cure (93.3% vs. 40%, P < 0.001) and microbiological clearance. Similar promising results of CAZ-AVI were also shown in the whole population cohort. Moreover, clinical outcomes of SOT recipients receiving CAZ-AVI were not inferior to those without SOT.

CONCLUSIONS

CAZ-AVI therapy was associated with better clinical outcomes in CRKP infections in both the general population and SOT recipients. Considering the limitations of the present study, well-conducted RCTs are still warranted to confirm these findings.

Novel Measurement of the Neutron Magnetic Form Factor from A=3 Mirror Nuclei

The electromagnetic form factors of the proton and neutron encode information on the spatial structure of their charge and magnetization distributions. While measurements of the proton are relatively straightforward, the lack of a free neutron target makes measurements of the neutron's electromagnetic structure more challenging and more sensitive to experimental or model-dependent uncertainties. Various experiments have attempted to extract the neutron form factors from scattering from the neutron in deuterium, with different techniques providing different, and sometimes large, systematic uncertainties. We present results from a novel measurement of the neutron magnetic form factor using quasielastic scattering from the mirror nuclei ^{3}H and ^{3}He, where the nuclear effects are larger than for deuterium but expected to largely cancel in the cross-section ratios. We extracted values of the neutron magnetic form factor for low-to-modest momentum transfer, 0.6 Collapse

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No prognostic impact of staging bone scan in patients with stage IA non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the survival benefit of preoperative bone scan in asymptomatic patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients with radical resection for stage T1N0M0 NSCLC between March 2013 and December 2018. During postoperative follow-up, we monitored patient survival and the development of bone metastasis. We compared overall survival, bone metastasis-free survival, and recurrence-free survival in patients with or without preoperative bone scan. Propensity score matching and inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to minimize election bias.

RESULTS

A total of 868 patients (58.19 ± 9.69 years; 415 men) were included in the study. Of 87.7% (761 of 868) underwent preoperative bone scan. In the multivariable analyses, bone scan did not improve overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 1.49; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.91-2.42; p = 0.113), bone metastasis-free survival (HR 1.18; 95% CI 0.73-1.90; p = 0.551), and recurrence-free survival (HR 0.89; 95% CI 0.58-1.39; p = 0.618). Similar results were obtained after propensity score matching (overall survival [HR 1.28; 95% CI 0.74-2.23; p = 0.379], bone metastasis-free survival [HR 1.00; 95% CI 0.58-1.72; p = 0.997], and recurrence-free survival [HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.46-1.24; p = 0.270]) and inverse probability of treatment weighting.

CONCLUSION

There were no significant differences in overall survival, bone metastasis-free survival, and recurrence-free survival between asymptomatic patients with clinical stage IA NSCLC with or without preoperative bone scan.

[Effect of LAG3 deficiency on natural killer cell function and hepatic fibrosis in mice infected with Echinococcus multilocularis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of LAG-3 deficiency (LAG3-/-) on natural killer (NK) cell function and hepatic fibrosis in mice infected with Echinococcus multilocularis.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice, each weighing (20 ± 2) g, were divided into the LAG3-/- and wild type (WT) groups, and each mouse in both groups was inoculated with 3 000 E. multilocularis protoscoleces via the hepatic portal vein. Mouse liver and spleen specimens were collected 12 weeks post-infection, sectioned and stained with sirius red, and the hepatic lesions and fibrosis were observed. Mouse hepatic and splenic lymphocytes were isolated, and flow cytometry was performed to detect the proportions of hepatic and splenic NK cells, the expression of CD44, CD25 and CD69 molecules on NK cell surface, and the secretion of interferon γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-17A.

RESULTS

Sirius red staining showed widening of inflammatory cell bands and hyperplasia of fibrotic connective tissues around mouse hepatic lesions, as well as increased deposition of collagen fibers in the LAG3-/-group relative to the WT group. Flow cytometry revealed lower proportions of mouse hepatic (6.29% ± 1.06% vs. 11.91% ± 1.85%, P < 0.000 1) and splenic NK cells (4.44% ± 1.22% vs. 5.85% ± 1.10%, P > 0.05) in the LAG3-/- group than in the WT group, and the mean fluorescence intensity of CD44 was higher on the surface of mouse hepatic NK cells in the LAG3-/- group than in the WT group (t = -3.234, P < 0.01), while no significant differences were found in the mean fluorescence intensity of CD25 or CD69 on the surface of mouse hepaticNK cells between the LAG3-/- and WT groups (both P values > 0.05). There were significant differences between the LAG3-/- and WT groups in terms of the percentages of IFN-γ (t = -0.723, P > 0.05), TNF-α (t = -0.659, P > 0.05), IL-4 (t = -0.263, P > 0.05), IL-10 (t = -0.455, P > 0.05) or IL-17A secreted by mouse hepatic NK cells (t = 0.091, P > 0.05), and the percentage of IFN-γ secreted by mouse splenic NK cells was higher in the LAG3-/- group than in the WT group (58.40% ± 1.64% vs. 50.40% ± 4.13%; t = -4.042, P < 0.01); however, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the proportions of TNF-α (t = -1.902, P > 0.05), IL-4 (t = -1.333, P > 0.05), IL-10 (t = -1.356, P > 0.05) or IL-17A secreted by mouse splenic NK cells (t = 0.529, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

During the course of E. multilocularis infections, LAG3-/- promotes high-level secretion of IFN-γ by splenic NK cells, which may participate in the reversal the immune function of NK cells, resulting in aggravation of hepatic fibrosis.

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.

Investigating the Effect of an Anti-Inflammatory Drug in Determining NURR1 Expression and Thus Exploring the Progression of Parkinson's Disease

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the most widely used drugs for Parkinson's disease (PD), of which ibuprofen shows positive effects in suppressing symptoms; however, the associated risk needs to be addressed in different pathological stages. Initially, we developed an initial and advanced stage of the Parkinson disease mouse model by intraperitoneal injection of MPTP (20 mg/kg; 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-pyridine) for 10 and 20 days, respectively. Subsequently, ibuprofen treatment was administered for 2 months, and a pole test, rotarod test, histology, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting were performed to determine neuronal motor function. Histological analysis for 10 days after mice were injected with MPTP showed the onset of neurodegeneration and cell aggregation, indicating the initial stages of Parkinson's disease. Advanced Parkinson's disease was marked by Lewy body formation after another 10 days of MPTP injection. Neurodegeneration reverted after ibuprofen therapy in initial Parkinson's disease but not in advanced Parkinson's disease. The pole and rotarod tests confirmed that motor activity in the initial Parkinson disease with ibuprofen treatment recovered (p<0.01). However, no improvement was observed in the ibuprofen-treated mice with advanced disease mice. Interestingly, ibuprofen treatment resulted in a significant improvement (p<0.01) in NURR1 (Nuclear receptor-related 1) expression in mice with early PD, but no substantial improvement was observed in its expression in mice with advanced PD. Our findings indicate that NURR1 exerts anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Overall, NURR1 contributed to the effects of ibuprofen on PD at different pathological stages.

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}.

Electrochemical Redox Conversion of Formate to CO via Coupling Fe-Co Layered Double Hydroxides and Au Catalysts

Formate has been considered an inactive molecule and thus cannot be further reduced under CO2 reduction conditions, which limits its widespread application as feedstock. Here we present an electrochemical redox conversion of formate to CO through the potential-dependent generation of carbon dioxide radical anions (CO2 ⋅- ) on Fe-Co layered double hydroxides (Fe-Co LDHs) and the subsequent reduction of CO2 ⋅- to CO on Au catalysts. We present an electrodeposition protocol for the synthesis of Fe-Co LDHs with precise composition control and find that Fe1 Co4 exhibits a promising potential window for CO2 ⋅- formation between 1.14 and 1.4 V and an optimized potential at 1.24 V at a neutral pH condition. We further determined the formation of CO2 ⋅- at 1.24 V via electron paramagnetic resonance and CO2 at >1.4 V through differential electrochemical mass spectrometry. This work provides a redox chemistry route for converting formate into CO through a coupled slit parallel-plate electrode system.

Moisture content online detection system based on multi-sensor fusion and convolutional neural network

To monitor the moisture content of agricultural products in the drying process in real time, this study applied a model combining multi-sensor fusion and convolutional neural network (CNN) to moisture content online detection. This study built a multi-sensor data acquisition platform and established a CNN prediction model with the raw monitoring data of load sensor, air velocity sensor, temperature sensor, and the tray position as input and the weight of the material as output. The model's predictive performance was compared with that of the linear partial least squares regression (PLSR) and nonlinear support vector machine (SVM) models. A moisture content online detection system was established based on this model. Results of the model performance comparison showed that the CNN prediction model had the optimal prediction effect, with the determination coefficient (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.9989 and 6.9, respectively, which were significantly better than those of the other two models. Results of validation experiments showed that the detection system met the requirements of moisture content online detection in the drying process of agricultural products. The R2 and RMSE were 0.9901 and 1.47, respectively, indicating the good performance of the model combining multi-sensor fusion and CNN in moisture content online detection for agricultural products in the drying process. The moisture content online detection system established in this study is of great significance for researching new drying processes and realizing the intelligent development of drying equipment. It also provides a reference for online detection of other indexes in the drying process of agricultural products.

Increased Segregation in Functional Connectivity Networks When Watching Unpleasant Arousing Videos: A Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction Analysis

Background: Properties of functional connectivity (FC), such as network integration and segregation, are shown to be associated with various human behaviors. For example, Godwin et al. and Sun et al. found increased integration with attention allocation, whereas Cohen and D'Esposito and Shine et al. observed increased segregation with simple motor tasks. The current study investigated how viewing video clips with different valence and arousal influenced integration-segregation properties in task-based FC networks. Methods: We analyzed an open dataset collected by Kim et al. We performed a generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analysis paired with network analysis and community detection to investigate changes in brain network dynamics when people watched four types of videos that differed by affective valence (unpleasant or pleasant) and arousal (arousing or calm). Results: Results showed that unpleasant arousing videos produced greater FC deviation from the baseline (task-induced FC deviation [tiFCd]) and perturbed the brain into a more segregated state than other kinds of video. Increased segregation was only observed in association systems, not sensorimotor systems. Discussion: Unpleasant arousing content perturbed the brain to a functionally distinct state from the other three types of affective videos. We suggest that the change in brain state was related to people disengaging from the unpleasant arousing content or, alternatively, staying alert while exposed to unpleasant arousing stimuli. The study also added to our understanding of how combining task-based gPPI analysis with community detection methods and network segregation measures can advance our knowledge of the links between behavior and brain state changes. Impact statement Network integration and segregation is an important property of the human brain. We address the question of how affective stimuli influence brain dynamics from a functional connectivity (FC) network integration-segregation perspective. By conducting a whole-brain generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analysis paired with community detection methods, we found that highly aversive video content induced significant FC changes and perturbed the brain to a more segregated state.

Risk factor and correlation between postoperative serum myoglobin and acute kidney injury after pulmonary endarterectomy

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and life-threatening complication following pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). Our study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with AKI and evaluate the correlation between serum myoglobin (sMb) levels and postoperative AKI.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study involving 134 patients who underwent PEA at China-Japan Friendship Hospital. AKI was defined and staged according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria.

Results

During the study period, the incidence of postoperative AKI was 57.5%, and the associated mortality rate was 6.0%. Severe AKI was found to be significantly associated with worse short-term outcomes (P<0.05). Logarithmically transformed postoperative day (POD) 0 sMb levels were significantly associated with AKI [odds ratio (OR) =5.174; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.307-11.603; P<0.001] and severe AKI (OR =4.605; 95% CI, 1.510-14.048; P=0.007), also had independent predictive value [area under the curve (AUC) =0.776 in AKI and AUC =0.737 in severe AKI]. The optimal cut-off values were 370.544 ng/mL for AKI and 419.473 ng/mL for severe AKI. Furthermore, albumin concentration was found to play a protective role in the development of severe AKI (OR =0.838; 95% CI, 0.716-0.980; P=0.027) when higher than 40.350 g/L.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that a high concentration of POD0 sMb may increase the risk of developing AKI following PEA surgery. Increasing albumin concentration could serve as an effective preventive measure against AKI.

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.

Plasma campesterol and ABCG5/ABCG8 gene loci on the risk of cholelithiasis and cholecystitis: evidence from Mendelian randomization and colocalization analyses

The causal relationships between plasma metabolites and cholelithiasis/cholecystitis risks remain elusive. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization, we found that genetic proxied plasma campesterol level showed negative correlation with the risk of both cholelithiasis and cholecystitis. Furthermore, the increased risk of cholelithiasis is correlating with the increased level of plasma campesterol. Lastly, genetic colocalization study showed that the leading SNP, rs4299376, which residing at the ABCG5/ABCG8 gene loci, was shared by plasma campesterol level and cholelithiasis, indicating that the aberrant transportation of plant sterol/cholesterol from the blood stream to the bile duct/gut lumen might be the key in preventing cholesterol gallstone formation.

The mediating roles of mental health problems and racial differences in the linkage between social media use and E-cigarette use among American youth

OBJECTIVE

Social media use is shown to be linked to youth's e-cigarette use. However, less is known about the underlying mechanisms. This study examined the mediating roles of internalizing and externalizing problems in the association between youth's social media use and e-cigarette use, and the racial differences in the mediation association.

METHODS

The study sample included 4913 U.S. youth from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study Waves 3-5 (2015-2019). Two weighted generalized structural equation models were conducted to examine the mediation pathways between youth's social media use (Wave 3) and past-30-day e-cigarette use (Wave 5) through internalizing and externalizing problems (Wave 4), respectively. Invariance tests were conducted to examine racial group differences.

RESULTS

Youth with high social media use frequency were more likely to use e-cigarettes (total effect: OR = 1.20, p < 0.001 in both internalizing and externalizing models). Internalizing and externalizing problems mediated the aforementioned associations (mediation proportions: 5.05% and 5.66%, respectively). The invariance tests indicated a significant difference between White and non-White groups (both ps < 0.001), where a larger proportion of mediation was found in the non-White group (12.22% for internalizing and 11.99% for externalizing) compared to their White counterparts (2.46% for internalizing and 3.17% for externalizing).

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health problems following social media use served as a risk factor for e-cigarette use among youth. Interventions aiming to improve youth's mental health could in turn temper e-cigarette use among youth social media users, and implementing tailored interventions in response to racial differences is warranted.

Quality and Process Optimization of Infrared Combined Hot Air Drying of Yam Slices Based on BP Neural Network and Gray Wolf Algorithm

In this paper, the effects on drying time (Y1), the color difference (Y2), unit energy consumption (Y3), polysaccharide content (Y4), rehydration ratio (Y5), and allantoin content (Y6) of yam slices were investigated under different drying temperatures (50-70 °C), slice thicknesses (2-10 mm), and radiation distances (80-160 mm). The optimal drying conditions were determined by applying the BP neural network wolf algorithm (GWO) model based on response surface methodology (RMS). All the above indices were significantly affected by drying conditions (p < 0.05). The drying rate and effective water diffusion coefficient of yam slices accelerated with increasing temperature and decreasing slice thickness and radiation distance. The selection of lower temperature and slice thickness helped reduce the energy consumption and color difference. The polysaccharide content increased and then decreased with drying temperature, slice thickness, and radiation distance, and it was highest at 60 °C, 6 mm, and 120 mm. At 60 °C, lower slice thickness and radiation distance favored the retention of allantoin content. Under the given constraints (minimization of drying time, unit energy consumption, color difference, and maximization of rehydration ratio, polysaccharide content, and allantoin content), BP-GWO was found to have higher coefficients of determination (R2 = 0.9919 to 0.9983) and lower RMSEs (reduced by 61.34% to 80.03%) than RMS. Multi-objective optimization of BP-GWO was carried out to obtain the optimal drying conditions, as follows: temperature 63.57 °C, slice thickness 4.27 mm, radiation distance 91.39 mm, corresponding to the optimal indices, as follows: Y1 = 133.71 min, Y2 = 7.26, Y3 = 8.54 kJ·h·kg-1, Y4 = 20.73 mg/g, Y5 = 2.84 kg/kg, and Y6 = 3.69 μg/g. In the experimental verification of the prediction results, the relative error between the actual and predicted values was less than 5%, proving the model's reliability for other materials in the drying technology process research to provide a reference.

[Analysis of risk factors for postoperative gastrointestinal disorders in patients undergoing thoracolumbar fusion]

Objective: To analyze the risk factors for patients' postoperative gastrointestinal disorders (POGD) after surgery of thoracolumbar fusion. Methods: This retrospective study was based on clinical data of 434 patients who underwent thoracolumbar fusion from January 2021 to December 2021 in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital.According to the occurrence of POGD, the patients were divided into POGD group(n=70) and non-POGD group(n=364). The clinical data of the two groups were compared, and the risk factors of POGD were discussed by binary logistic regression. Results: There were 23 males and 47 females in POGD group, with an average age of (60±6) years, and 133 males and 231 females in the non-POGD group, with an average age of (62±7) years. There were significant differences in operation duration, blood loss, intraoperative spinal decompression, intraoperative hypotension, white blood cell count 24 h postoperatively, C-reactive protein 24 h postoperatively, and postoperative hospitalization days between the two groups (P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that intraoperative decompression (OR=2.368, 95%CI: 1.365-4.106, P=0.002), blood loss≥10.9 ml/kg (OR=2.115, 95%CI: 1.166-3.835, P=0.014), white blood cell count 24 h postoperatively≥15.2×109/L (OR=3.580, 95%CI: 1.773-7.226, P<0.001), and intraoperative hypotension (OR=2.019, 95%CI: 1.080-3.773, P=0.028) were risk factors for POGD in patients after thoracolumbar fusion. Use of dexamethasone was a protective factor (OR=0.408, 95%CI:0.218-0.762, P=0.005). Conclusion: Intraoperative decompression, blood loss≥10.9 ml/kg, white blood cell count 24 h postoperatively≥15.2×109/L and intraoperative hypotension are risk factors for POGD after thoracolumbar fusion, and dexamethasone is a protective factor.

Kernel Cox partially linear regression: Building predictive models for cancer patients' survival

Wide heterogeneity exists in cancer patients' survival, ranging from a few months to several decades. To accurately predict clinical outcomes, it is vital to build an accurate predictive model that relates the patients' molecular profiles with the patients' survival. With complex relationships between survival and high-dimensional molecular predictors, it is challenging to conduct nonparametric modeling and irrelevant predictors removing simultaneously. In this article, we build a kernel Cox proportional hazards semi-parametric model and propose a novel regularized garrotized kernel machine (RegGKM) method to fit the model. We use the kernel machine method to describe the complex relationship between survival and predictors, while automatically removing irrelevant parametric and nonparametric predictors through a LASSO penalty. An efficient high-dimensional algorithm is developed for the proposed method. Comparison with other competing methods in simulation shows that the proposed method always has better predictive accuracy. We apply this method to analyze a multiple myeloma dataset and predict the patients' death burden based on their gene expressions. Our results can help classify patients into groups with different death risks, facilitating treatment for better clinical outcomes.

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.

[Frontiers and advances in dental caries research]

Dental caries is a prevalent infectious disease caused by microbial metabolism, affecting the hard tissues of teeth. According to data from the Fourth National Oral Health Epidemiological Survey, there is a gradual increase in caries prevalence in China, particularly among children and elderly individuals. As an etiological factor for dental lesions, caries not only impact oral health but also exhibit significant associations with various systemic diseases, suggesting that systemic diseases may serve as potential risk factors of caries development. To effectively implement the plan of national oral health action, researchers investigate the pathogenesis of caries actively while concurrently develop innovative preventive and treatment strategies based on advanced concepts and technologies, aiming to comprehensively enhance China's oral health status. Therefore, this article provides insights into the pathogenesis of caries, its correlation with systemic diseases, as well as cutting-edge research advancements pertaining to novel preventive measures for caries.

Prognostic significance of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography parameters in patients with biliary tract cancers: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Numerous previous studies have assessed the prognostic role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (18F FDG PET) in patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC), but those results were inconsistent. The present study aims to determine the predictive value of 18F FDG PET in BTC patients via a meta-analysis.

METHODS

The underlying studies related to 18F FDG PET and BTC patients` outcomes were searched and identified in the online databases. The interested parameters include total lesion glycolysis (TLG), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), primary tumor and metastatic lymph node (LN) maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), as well as change of SUVmax (ΔSUVmax) during treatment. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were considered as the primary endpoints. Hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were defined as the effective measure and calculated by a pooled analysis. Publication bias was assessed by funnel plot, Bagg's and Egger's tests.

RESULTS

Totally, 23 studies involving 1478 patients were included in the present meta-analysis. After a pooled analysis, it revealed that a high SUVmax was significantly associated with a poor OS (HR:2.07, 95%CI: 1.74-2.46, P = 0.000) and DFS (HR: 2.28, 95%CI: 1.53-3.41, P = 0.000). In addition, an increased TLG level contributed to a shorter OS (HR:1.91, 95%CI: 1.26-2.90, P = 0.002) and DFS (HR: 4.34, 95%CI: 1.42-13.27, P = 0.01). Moreover, we confirmed that an elevated MTV was significantly associated with increased mortality (HR:2.04, 95%CI:1.26-3.31, P = 0.004) and disease relapse (HR: 3.88, 95%CI:1.25-12.09, P = 0.019) risks. Besides, the present study uncovered that increased ΔSUVmax could predict poor OS (HR:1.26, 95%CI:1.06-1.50, P = 0.008) instead of PFS (HR: 1.96, 95%CI: 0.82-4.72, P = 0.280). Lastly, we found that LN SUVmax did not link to OS (HR: 1.49, 95%CI: 0.83-2.68, P = 0.178). No obvious publication bias was detected in the present study.

CONCLUSION

18F FDG PET parameters, including SUVmax, TLG, MTV, and ΔSUVmax, could be applied as convenient and reliable factors for predicting BTC patients` outcomes.

A method with ultra-high angular resolution for X-ray diffraction experiments

In X-ray diffraction measurements, the angular resolution has a detection limit due to the receiving size of the detector. In many cases this detection limit is too large and must be breached to obtain the desired information. A novel method is proposed here by making the detector simultaneously measuring and moving. Using the deconvolution algorithm to remove the convolution effect, the pixel size limitation is finally broken. The algorithm used is not a common one, and suppresses signals at high frequencies, ensuring the reliability of the peak shape after restoration. The feasibility of this method is verified by successfully measuring the crystal truncation rod signal of SrTiO3 single crystal, and the resolution is nearly ten times higher than that of a single pixel. Moreover, this method greatly reduces the noise and improves the signal-to-noise ratio.

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) and predicted risk of cardiovascular events after partial nephrectomy

INTRODUCTION

Emerging evidence suggests that uremic toxins, in particular trimethylamine-N-oxide(TMAO), indoxyl-sulfate(IS), and p-cresyl-sulfate(PCS), may associate with increased risk of cardiovascular events(CVe). However, whether uremic toxins increase after partial nephrectomy(PN) and their correlation with risk for CVe remains unknown.

METHODS

100 patients managed with PN were retrospectively reviewed. TMAO/IS/PCS levels were examined by liquid chromatography-mass-spectrometry. Renal-parenchymal-volume-preservation(RPVP) was estimated from CT scans. Predicted risks for CVe were obtained using the Framingham score. Linear regression assessed association between uremic toxins, GFR and risk of CVe. Logistic regression evaluated factors associated with post-PN TMAO.

RESULTS

TMAO, IS and PCS increased from 1.7, 3.7 and 3.5 μmol/L before PN to 3.6, 5.4 and 7.4 μmol/L at latest follow-up, respectively, while GFR declined from 102 to 93 ml/min/1.73 m2 (all p<0.001). TMAO, IS and PCS levels all negatively correlated with GFR(all p<0.001). Predicted 10-year risk of CVe increased from 1.1% pre-PN to 1.7% post-PN(p<0.001), primarily due to increased age(p<0.001), blood pressure(p = 0.002) and total cholesterol(p = 0.003). TMAO(β = 0.038) and GFR (β = -0.02) were independent predictors for predicted 10-year CVe risk on multivariable-analysis. Increased TMAO was an early and sustained finding maintained through 5 years, unlike IS, PCS and eGFR. On multivariable analysis, increased pre-PN TMAO(OR = 2.79) and decreased RPVP(OR = 3.23) were identified as independent risk factors for higher post-PN TMAO, while ischemia type/duration failed to correlate.

CONCLUSION

Uremic toxin levels increased after PN correlating with reduced GFR. Higher TMAO independently associated with greater predicted 10-year CVe risk. Parenchymal mass preserved rather than ischemia time or type associated with increased TMAO.

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.

Safety assessment of Rhodobacter azotoformans SY5 for potential application in Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

Rhodobacter species are promising beneficial microbes that can improve growth performance, immunity and antioxidant capability in aquatic crustaceans. Yet the safety of Rhodobacter azotoformans for potential application in Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis is still unclear. In the present study, R. azotoformans SY5, a potential probiotic additive that can significantly improve the growth performance, immunity, antioxidant capability, and disease resistance in E. sinensis, was evaluated for safety through whole genome sequencing, antibiotic resistance, toxic metabolites, virulence, and crab tolerance assays. The results indicated that R. azotoformans SY5 only harboured the acyl carrier protein-encoding gene (acpP) that was universal in probiotic bacteria with the function of bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis, exhibited high susceptibility to aminoglycosides, penicillins, polymyxins, polyphosphates, quinolones, and tetracyclines antimicrobials, and possessed inability to produce hemolysin, hydrogen sulphide, nitrite, ammonia, and phenylpyruvate. In addition, R. azotoformans SY5 showed no pathogenicity for E. sinensis with the seven-day acute intraperitoneal LD50 value of above 6.0 × 109 cfu/ml and 30-day chronic oral LD50 of above 6.0 × 109 cfu/g diet. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the safety of R. azotoformans for potential application in Chinese mitten crabs.

Zinc Cations Uniquely Stabilize Cell Membrane for Cell Cryopreservation

We report, for the first time, merely using a small amount of (0.039% w/w) Zn(II) instead of very high concentration (25%-50% w/w) of conventional cryoprotective agents (CPAs), i.e., glycerol, during the cryopreservation of red blood cells (RBCs) can lead to a comparable post-thaw recovery rate of ∼95% while avoiding the tedious gradient washout process for the removal of CPA afterward. The result is remarkable, since Zn(II) does not have the ice-controlling ability reported to be critical for CPA. It benefits from its moderate interaction with lipid molecules, facilitating the formation of small and dynamic lipid clusters. Consequently, the membrane fluidity is maintained, and the cells are resilient to osmotic and mechanical stresses during cryopreservation. This study first reports the ion-specific effect on stabilizing the cell membrane; meanwhile, reversibly tuning the structure of biological samples against injuries during the cooling and rewarming provides a new strategy for cryopreservation.

The combined use of parasternal intercostal muscle thickening fraction and P0.1 for prediction of weaning outcomes

BACKGROUND

A variety of parameters and diaphragmatic ultrasound in ventilator weaning has been studied extensively, and the findings yield inconsistent conclusions. The parasternal intercostal muscle holds important substantial respiratory reserve capacity when the central drive is enhanced, the predictive value of combining parasternal intercostal muscle ultrasound parameters with P0.1(airway occlusion pressure at 100 msec) in assessing ventilator weaning outcomes is still unknown.

OBJECTIVES

Our study aimed to evaluate the predictive efficacy of parasternal intercostal muscle ultrasound in conjunction with P0.1 in determining weaning failure.

METHODS

We recruited patients who had been admitted to ICU and had been receiving mechanical ventilation for over two days. All patients underwent a half-hour spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) with low-level pressure support ventilation (PSV). They were positioned semi-upright for parasternal intercostal muscle ultrasound evaluations, including parasternal intercostal muscle thickness (PIMT), and parasternal intercostal muscle thickening fraction (PIMTF); P0.1 was obtained from the ventilator. Weaning failure was defined as the need for non-invasive positive pressure ventilation or re-intubation within 48 h post-weaning.

RESULTS

Of the 56 enrolled patients with a mean age of 63.04 ± 15.80 years, 13 (23.2%) experienced weaning failure. There were differences in P0.1 (P = .001) and PIMTF (P = .017) between the two groups, but also in patients with a diaphragm thickness ≥ 2 mm. The predictive threshold values were PIMTF ≥ 13.15% and P0.1 ≥ 3.9 cmH2O for weaning failure. The AUROC for predicting weaning failure was 0.721 for PIMTF, 0.792 for P0.1, and 0.869 for the combination of PIMTF and P0.1.

CONCLUSIONS

The parasternal intercostal muscle thickening fraction and P0.1 are independently linked to weaning failure, especially in patients with normal diaphragm thickness. The combination of parasternal intercostal muscle thickening fraction and P0.1 can serve as a valuable tool for the precise clinical prediction of weaning outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry website (ChiCTR2200065422).

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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[Analysis of clinical and genetic variation in neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency]

Objective: To investigate the clinical phenotype and gene variation conditions in neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD), so as to provide a basis for genetic counseling and clinical diagnosis and treatment of the family. Methods: 11 cases of neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis who visited the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University between February 2019 and March 2021 were selected as the study subjects. High-throughput sequencing technology was used to detect the gene variation condition in 11 neonatal patients and 100 normal control neonates. The suspicious loci and family members were verified by Sanger sequencing and QPCR technology. Results: All 11 children with NICCD had different degrees of jaundice and liver damage symptoms, combined with coagulation dysfunction and anemia (n = 7), cardiac malformation (n = 2), elevated myocardial enzymes (n = 4), hyperlipidemia (n = 1), hyperkalemia (n = 1), persistent diarrhea (n = 3), developmental delay (n = 1). A total of 10 different types of SLC25A13 gene mutations were detected in 11 cases, including three frameshift mutations, two splicing changes, two missense mutations, one intron insertion, one nonsense mutation, and one heterozygous deletion. After reviewing literature and databases, c.1878delG(p.I627Sfs*73) and exon11 deletion were novel mutations that had not been reported at home or abroad. Conclusion: The clinical features of NICCD are non-specific, and genetic testing aids in the early and accurate diagnosis of the disease, providing an important basis for clinical treatment and genetic counseling for family members. In addition, the detection of novel mutation sites has enriched the SLC25A13 gene variation spectrum.

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.

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Tracks Condition-Sensitive Water Radical Cation

Oxidizing species or radicals generated in water are of vital importance in catalysis, the environment, and biology. In addition to several related reactive oxygen species, using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we present a nontrapping chemical transformation pathway to track water radical cation (H2O+•) species, whose formation is very sensitive to the conditioning environments, such as light irradiation, mechanical action, and gas/chemical introduction. We reveal that H2O+• can oxidize the 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) to the crucial epoxy hydroxylamine (HDMP=O) intermediate, which further reacts with the hydroxyl radical (•OH) for the formation of the EPR-active sextet radical (DMPO=O•). Interestingly, we uncover that H2O+• can react with dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (MNP), 5-tert-butoxycarbonyl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (BMPO), and α-phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) which contain a double-bond structure to produce corresponding derivatives as well. It is thus expected that both H2O+• and •OH are ubiquitous in nature and in various water-containing experimental systems. These findings provide a novel perspective on radicals for water redox chemistry.

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.

Psychometric properties of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) among different Chinese populations: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis

Given that there is limited evidence concerning the psychometric properties of DASS-21 when applied to primary school students, the present study undertook a comprehensive exploration of the psychometric evidence supporting the use of the DASS-21 within this demographic. The research comprised three studies. In Study 1, the basic psychometric properties of internal consistency and construct validity were examined. A total of 3138 primary school students from three provinces in mainland China participated. The internal reliability of the overall scale was 0.93, and for all the subscales, it was higher than 0.80. Construct validity was partially supported. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses upheld the factorial validity of the original three-factor structure. While convergent validity was established, the results showed unsatisfactory discriminant validity. The bifactor model showed that DASS-21 raw scores predominantly indicated the general factor, evidenced by the high explained common variance and omega-hierarchical values. However, the contributions from the three specific factors were minimal, with their omega hierarchical values all below 0.15. In Study 2, a longitudinal design was adopted, tracking 1366 primary school students from Southwest China over a three-month interval. The results further confirmed that the DASS-21 exhibited scalar time-invariance. The latent mean analysis showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the latent means of depression, anxiety, and stress between Time 1 and Time 2. In Study 3, which included 364 college students and 483 enterprise workers, the results demonstrated that the DASS-21 had measurement invariance across different populations. The latent mean analysis further confirmed that, in terms of the latent mean of all three subscales, both college students and enterprise workers had significantly higher scores than primary school students. Overall, the findings indicated that the DASS-21 is a suitable tool for screening schoolchildren for general psychological distress, but it is not suitable for discerning distinct negative mood state disorders.

4D-MRI Guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Unresectable Colorectal Liver Metastases

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This study evaluated the feasibilities and outcomes following four-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (4D-MRI) guided stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).

MATERIALS/METHODS

From March 2018 to January 2022, we identified 76 unresectable CRLM patients with 123 lesions who received 4D-MRI guided SBRT in our institution. 4D-MRI simulation with or without abdominal compression was conducted for all patients. The prescription dose was 50-65 Gy in 5-12 fractions. The image quality of computed tomography (CT) and MRI were compared using the Clarity Score. Clinical outcomes and toxicity profiles were evaluated.

RESULTS

The 4D-MRI significantly improved the image quality compared with CT images (mean Clarity Score: 1.67 vs 2.88, P < 0.001). The abdominal compression significantly reduced motions in cranial-caudal direction (P = 0.03) with 2 phase T2 weighted images assessing tumor motion. The median follow-up time was 12.5 months. For 98 lesions assessed for best response, the complete response, partial response and stable disease rate were 57.1 %, 30.6 % and 12.2 %, respectively. The local control (LC) rate at 2 year was 97.3%. 46.1% of patients experienced grade 1-2 toxicities and only 2.6% patients experienced grade 3 hematologic toxicities.

CONCLUSION

The 4D-MRI technique allowed precise target delineation and motion tracking in unresectable CRLM patients. High LC rate and mild toxicities were achieved. This study provided evidence for using 4D-MRI guided SBRT as an alternative treatment in unresectable CRLM.

Clinical application of laparoscopic continuous interposition jejunostomy with double-tract anastomosis and esophagogastric anastomosis: a retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare the early clinical outcomes of laparoscopic-assisted proximal gastrectomy with continuous interposition of jejunal cis-peristaltic dual-channel anastomosis and esophagogastric anastomosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 130 patients who underwent laparoscopic-assisted radical resection of proximal gastric cancer in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery at the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical College between June 2018 and October 2022 was conducted. Continuous interposition jejunal double-channel anastomosis (double-tract anastomosis) was used in 71 patients and esophagogastric anastomosis (esophagogastrostomy) in 59 patients. The basic clinical data, preoperative and postoperative clinical test indexes, postoperative complications and improvement of symptoms compared to preoperative ones, basic nutritional status and Visick classification of esophageal reflux symptoms at 6 months after surgery were compared between the two groups. Postoperative contrast images of patients in the continuous interposition jejunal double-tract group were collected and analyzed for the ratio of contrast agent remaining in the stomach to that remaining in the small intestinal channel.

RESULTS

A total of 130 cases meeting the criteria were included in this study, including 71 cases involving the double-tract (DT) anastomosis method and 59 cases involving the esophagogastrostomy (EG) anastomosis method. There was no significant difference in preoperative information and perioperative safety between the two groups. Visick score of the DT group was significantly better than that of the EG group.

CONCLUSIONS

Double-tract jejunal anastomosis can effectively improve esophageal reflux symptoms after proximal gastrectomy. At the same time, its anastomotic method also improves the nutritional status in the short term compared to the esophagogastric anastomosis and is a more ideal procedure for reconstructing the digestive tract after proximal gastrectomy.

Prognostic factors, treatment decisions, and nomograms for patients with second primary lung cancer following colorectal cancer: a population-based study

Colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates continue to improve, but the risk of developing a second primary malignancy (SPM) has also increased. The most common type of SPM observed after CRC is lung cancer. In this study, we explored the prognostic factors and clinical management decisions of patients with second primary lung cancer after colorectal cancer (SPLC-CRC). We identified the data of 1637 patients with SPLC-CRC from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2004 and 2015. Cox regression modeling was used to construct a nomogram for predicting the prognosis of SPLC-CRC patients. The Fine-Gray competing risk model was used to determine the association between factors and cancer-specific mortality. After this, survival analyses were performed to assess the benefit of each treatment method on overall survival (OS). According to a multivariate analysis, age, gender, surgery, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for the first primary malignancy (FPM), whereas age, primary site, TNM stage, tumor size, and treatment were independent prognostic factors for the second primary malignancy (SPM). For the training cohort column chart as well as the validation cohort column chart, using the concordance index of OS, 0.7611 and 0.7605 were calculated. A Fine-Gray competing risk model and survival analysis showed that there is a significant correlation between the treatment of FPM and the improvement in SPM survival rates, FPM-diagnosed patients who undergo surgery in different pathological stages exhibit higher overall survival rates, Patients in stages II, III, and IV benefit from combined surgery and chemotherapy. SPM surgery (P < 0.001, HR = 0.230, 95%CI 0.032-0.426) was a protective factor for lung cancer-specific mortality. Patients with local, regional, and even distant metastases may benefit more from SPM surgery (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). In patients who did not undergo SPM surgery, radiotherapy (P < 0.001) and chemotherapy (P = 0.008) improved OS. Treatment strategy for the first tumor affects the prognosis of the second tumor significantly. SPLC-CRC is treated primarily with surgery, regardless of whether the patient has metastases, as surgery may improve outcomes. In the event that a patient is unable to undergo surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy should be considered. Treatment decisions for SPLC-CRC patients may be influenced by these findings.

[Effect of Echinococcus multilocularis infection on Tim3 expression in spleen natural killer cells of mice]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of Echinococcus multilocularis infection on Tim3 expression and its co-expression with immune checkpoint molecules 2B4 and LAG3 in spleen natural killer (NK) cells of mice.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice, each weighing (20 ± 2) g, were randomly divided into a high-dose infection group (15 mice), a low-dose infection group (13 mice), and a control group (11 mice). Mice in the high- and low-dose infection groups were inoculated with 2 000 and 50 Echinococcus multilocularis protoscolices via the hepatic portal vein, while animals in the control group was injected with an equivalent amount of physiological saline via the hepatic portal vein. Mouse spleen cells were harvested 12 and 24 weeks post-infection, and Tim3 expression and its co-expression with 2B4 and LAG3 in NK cells were detected using flow cytometry.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in the proportions of Tim3 expression (F = 13.559, P < 0.001) and Tim3 and 2B4 co-expression (F = 12.465, P < 0.001) in mouse spleen NK cells among groups 12 weeks post-infection with E. multilocularis, and the proportion of Tim3 expression was significantly higher in mouse spleen NK cells in the low-dose infection group [(23.84 ± 2.28)%] than in the high-dose infection group [(15.72 ± 3.67)%] and the control group [(16.14 ± 3.83)%] (both P values < 0.01), while the proportion of Tim3 and 2B4 co-expression was significantly higher in mouse spleen NK cells in the low-dose infection group [(22.20 ± 2.13)%] than in the high-dose infection group [(14.17 ± 3.81)%] and the control group [(15.20 ± 3.77)%] (both P values < 0.01). There were significant differences in the proportions of Tim3 expression (F = 5.243, P < 0.05) and Tim3 and 2B4 co-expression (F = 4.659, P < 0.05) in mouse spleen NK cells among groups 24 weeks post-infection with E. multilocularis infection, and the proportions of Tim3 expression and Tim3 and 2B4 co-expression were significantly lower in mouse spleen NK cells in the high-dose infection group [(20.55 ± 7.04)% and (20.98 ± 7.12)%] than in the control group [(31.38 ± 3.19)% and (31.25 ± 3.06)%] (both P values < 0.05), and there were no significantly difference between the proportions of Tim3 expression and Tim3 and 2B4 co-expression in splenic NK cells in the low-dose infection group [(26.80 ± 6.47)% and (26.48 ± 6.48)%] and the control group (both P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the proportions of Tim3 and LAG3 co-expression in mouse spleen NK cells among groups 12 (F = 2.283, P > 0.05) and 24 weeks post-infection (F = 0.375, P > 0.05). In the low-dose infection group, there were no significant differences in the proportions of Tim3 expression or Tim3 and 2B4 co-expression in mouse spleen NK cells 12 (t = -1.137, P > 0.05) or 24 weeks post-infection (t = -1.658, P > 0.05), and the proportion of Tim3 and LAG3 co-expression increased in mouse spleen NK cells 24 weeks post-infection relative to 12 weeks post-infection (t = -5.261, P < 0.01). In the highdose infection group, there was no significant difference in the proportion of Tim3 expression in mouse spleen NK cells 12 and 24 weeks post-infection (t = -1.546, P > 0.05); however, the proportions of Tim3 co-expression with 2B4 and LAG3 increased in mouse splenic NK cells 24 weeks post-infection relative to 12 weeks post-infection (t = -2.425 and -4.745, both P values < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The Tim3 expression and Tim3 co-expression with LAG3 and 2B4 on spleen NK cells is affected by doses of E. multilocularis infection and disease stages, and present different phenotypes during the course of alveolar echinococcosis. NK cells tend to form an immunosuppressive phenotype with the progression of E. multilocularis infection, which facilitates immune escape and chronic parasitism of E. multilocularis.

Case Report: Non-negligible Epstein-Barr virus-associated posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders in a lung transplant recipient

Background

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are uncommon but serious complications in patients following solid organ transplantation. Primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is a risk factor for the development of PTLD, especially early-onset PTLD, in EBV-negative recipients. To date, however, there are no specific guidelines on the threshold of EBV-DNA load for therapeutic intervention, the source for measurement (e.g., blood, bronchoalveolar fluid), or the use of antiviral agents as prophylaxis for early PTLD prevention in EBV-mismatched patients.

Methods

The present study describes a 56-year-old male lung transplant recipient diagnosed with EBV-associated PTLD.

Results

This patient had a history of invasive fungal disease and Mucor and Aspergillus fumigatus infections in the early post-transplant period, necessitating antifungal therapy throughout the course of the disease. The patient was EBV-positive 15 days after transplantation, with lung CT showing multiple bilateral nodules of varying sizes beginning 98 days after transplantation. A lung biopsy showed PTLD, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed EBV. This patient, however, did not receive any antiviral therapy for early PTLD prevention or any PTLD-related treatment. He died 204 days after lung transplantation.

Conclusion

The present study describes a lung transplant recipient who developed EBV-associated PTLD, a non-negligible disease, after solid organ transplantation. Monitoring EBV-DNA load is important, as a sudden increase may be a sensitive indicator of PTLD. An earlier diagnosis may increase the likelihood of successful treatment.

Rapid response with good toleration of sirolimus for life-threatening neonatal lymphatic malformations

Introduction

Lymphatic malformations (LMs) are rare vascular anomalies predominantly affecting infants, which can be debilitating or life-threatening when complicated with intralesional bleeding or infection. Effective and safe management strategies are essential in such cases.

Case presentation

We report a case series involving four Chinese neonates with life-threatening LMs, initially treated with oral sirolimus. All patients achieved rapid relief and sustained remission, using a lower sirolimus dosage than previously recommended. Furthermore, adverse events were rarely recorded during follow-up.

Conclusion

Sirolimus can be considered a promising choice for neonates with intricate and life-threatening LMs. Initiation with a reduced sirolimus dose is advisable.

A modified triangular flap suture method used for inferior third molar extraction: A three-arm randomized clinical trial for the assessment of quality of life

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to explore whether decreasing the number of sutures can improve the quality of life after inferior third molar extraction.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study used a three-arm randomized design that included 90 individuals. Patients were randomized and divided into three groups-the airtight suture group (traditional), the buccal drainage group, and the no-suture group. Postoperative measurements, including treatment time, visual analog scale, questionnaire on postoperative patient quality of life, and details about trismus, swelling, dry socket, and other postoperative complications were obtained twice and the mean values were recorded. To verify the normal distribution of the data, the Shapiro-Wilk test was performed. The statistical differences were evaluated using the one-way ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni post-hoc correction.

RESULTS

The buccal drainage group showed a significant decrease in postoperative pain and better speech ability than the no-suture group on the 3st day, with a mean of 1.3 and 0.7 (P < 0.05). The airtight suture group also showed similar eating and speech ability, which was better than the no-suture group, with a mean of 0.6 and 0.7 (P < 0.05). However, no significant improvements were noted on the 1st and 7th days. The surgical treatment time, postoperative social isolation, sleep impairment, physical appearance, trismus, and swelling showed no statistical difference between the three groups at all measured times (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the above findings, the triangular flap without a buccal suture may be superior to the traditional group and no-suture group in less pain, and better postoperative patient satisfaction in the first 3 days and may be a simple and viable option in clinical practice.

Comparison of the clinical efficacy and toxicity of nebulized polymyxin monotherapy and combined intravenous and nebulized polymyxin for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria: a retrospective cohort study

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and toxicity of nebulized polymyxin monotherapy and combined intravenous and nebulized polymyxin for the treatment of VAP caused by CR-GNB. Additionally, among patients treated with nebulized polymyxin monotherapy, we compared the clinical efficacy and toxicity of polymyxin B and polymyxin E. Methods: This study was a single-center, retrospective study. Included patients received aerosolized polymyxin for at least 72 h with or without intravenous polymyxin for the management of CR-GNB VAP. The primary endpoint was clinical cure at the end of polymyxin therapy. Secondary endpoints included AKI incidence, time of bacteria-negative conversion, duration of MV after inclusion, length of stay in ICU, and all-cause ICU mortality. Results: 39 patients treated with nebulized polymyxin monotherapy were assigned to the NL-polymyxin group. 39 patients treated with nebulized polymyxin combined with intravenous use of polymyxin were assigned to the IV-NL-polymyxin group. Among the NL-polymyxin group, 19 patients were treated with polymyxin B and 20 with polymyxin E. The clinical baseline characteristics before admission to the ICU and before nebulization of polymyxin were similar between the two groups. No differences were found between the two study groups in terms of microorganism distribution, VAP cure rate, time of bacteria-negative conversion, duration of MV after inclusion, length of stay in ICU and all-cause ICU mortality. Similarly, survival analysis did not differ between the two groups (χ2 = 3.539, p = 0.06). AKI incidence was higher in the IV-NL-polymyxin group. When comparing the clinical efficacy and toxicity to polymyxin B and polymyxin E, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of VAP cure rate, time of bacteria-negative conversion, duration of MV after inclusion, length of stay in ICU, SOFA score, CPIS, AKI incidence and all-cause ICU mortality. Conclusion: Our study found that nebulized polymyxin monotherapy was non-inferior to combination therapy with intravenous polymyxin in treating CR-GNB-VAP. Furthermore, we observed no differences in clinical efficacy or related toxic side effects between polymyxin B and polymyxin E during nebulized polymyxin therapy as monotherapy. However, future prospective studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm these findings.

Effect of Combined Infrared Hot Air Drying on Yam Slices: Drying Kinetics, Energy Consumption, Microstructure, and Nutrient Composition

Using hot air drying (HAD) and combined infrared hot air drying (IR-HAD) test devices, the drying kinetics, unit energy consumption, color difference values, rehydration rate, microstructure, and changes in polysaccharide and allantoin contents of yam slices were examined at various temperatures (50 °C, 55 °C, 60 °C, 65 °C, and 70 °C). The findings demonstrated that each of the aforementioned parameters was significantly impacted by the drying temperature. IR-HAD dries quicker and takes less time to dry than HAD. The Deff of IR-HAD is higher than that of HAD at the same temperature and increases with the increase in temperature. The activation energy required for IR-HAD (26.35 kJ/mol) is lower than that required for HAD (32.53 kJ/mol). HAD uses more energy per unit than IR-HAD by a factor of greater than 1.3. Yam slices treated with IR-HAD had higher microscopic porosity, better rehydration, lower color difference values, and higher polysaccharide and allantoin levels than HAD-treated yam slices. The IR-HAD at 60 °C had the greatest comprehensive rating after a thorough analysis of the dried yam slices using the coefficient of variation method. Three statistical indicators were used to evaluate six thin-layer drying models, and the Weibull model was most applicable to describe the variation of drying characteristics of yam slices.

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.

Osmotic pressure induces translocation of aquaporin-8 by P38 and JNK MAPK signaling pathways in patients with functional constipation

BACKGROUND

Aquaporins (AQPs) maintain fluid homeostasis in the colon. The role of colonic AQPs in the pathophysiology of functional constipation (FC) remains largely unknown.

AIM

To explore variations in aquaporins and investigate their underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Colonic biopsies were collected from patients with FC and healthy controls. The expression and localization of AQPs were evaluated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence assays. Furthermore, osmotic pressure-induced cell model was used in vitro to investigate the potential relationship between AQP8 and osmotic pressure, and to reveal the underlying mechanisms.

RESULTS

Upregulation of AQP3 and AQP8, and downregulation of AQP1, AQP7, AQP9, AQP10, and AQP11 were observed in the patients with functional constipation. Furthermore, cellular translocation of AQP8 from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane was observed in patients with FC. Mechanistically, the increase in osmotic pressure could activate the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, and subsequently promote the upregulation and translocation of AQP8.

CONCLUSION

Upregulation of AQP8 and AQP3, and translocation of AQP8 were observed in colon biopsies from patients with FC. The p38 and JNK MAPK signaling pathways are involved in the regulation of osmotic pressure-induced AQP8 variation.

circRPS19 affects HK2‑mediated aerobic glycolysis and cell viability via the miR‑125a‑5p/USP7 pathway in gastric cancer

Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, gastric cancer (GC) remains a refractory disease, which limits overall survival. Therefore, it is key to identify novel targets to develop more effective and precise treatment. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) serve essential roles in the process of various human cancers. Through analyzing GSE83521 dataset, the present study identified a novel circRNA derived from ribosomal protein S19 (circRPS19), which was considered a potential treatment target for GC. Results of RT‑qPCR indicated that circRPS19 was upregulated in GC compared with normal gastric epithelial cells. Loss‑of function assays revealed that silencing of circRPS19 suppressed proliferation and aerobic glycolysis but increased apoptosis of GC cells. circRPS19 upregulated ubiquitin‑specific processing protease 7 (USP7) expression by sponging microRNA (miR)‑125a‑5p. circRPS19 stabilized hexokinase 2 (HK2) protein by USP7‑mediated deubiquitination of HK2. In vivo experiments confirmed that circRPS19 promoted GC progression and aerobic glycolysis. Taken together, circRPS19 induced aerobic glycolysis of GC cells by stabilizing HK2 protein via the miR‑125a‑5p/USP7 axis and thus promoting the progression of GC. These findings suggested that circRPS19 served a critical role in the progression of GC and may be a novel therapeutic target for GC.