The asymmetry of antimatter in the proton.

The fundamental building blocks of the proton-quarks and gluons-have been known for decades. However, we still have an incomplete theoretical and experimental understanding of how these particles and their dynamics give rise to the quantum bound state of the proton and its physical properties, such as its spin1. The two up quarks and the single down quark that comprise the proton in the simplest picture account only for a few per cent of the proton mass, the bulk of which is in the form of quark kinetic and potential energy and gluon energy from the strong force2. An essential feature of this force, as described by quantum chromodynamics, is its ability to create matter-antimatter quark pairs inside the proton that exist only for a very short time. Their fleeting existence makes the antimatter quarks within protons difficult to study, but their existence is discernible in reactions in which a matter-antimatter quark pair annihilates. In this picture of quark-antiquark creation by the strong force, the probability distributions as a function of momentum for the presence of up and down antimatter quarks should be nearly identical, given that their masses are very similar and small compared to the mass of the proton3. Here we provide evidence from muon pair production measurements that these distributions are considerably different, with more abundant down antimatter quarks than up antimatter quarks over a wide range of momenta. These results are expected to revive interest in several proposed mechanisms for the origin of this antimatter asymmetry in the proton that had been disfavoured by previous results4, and point to future measurements that can distinguish between these mechanisms.

[Advances in research on the role of immune cells in optic nerve injury].

Optic nerve injury can result in the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons, representing a significant cause of irreversible vision impairment. Immune response is a common step following injury, and it often exhibits contrasting effects in optic nerve pathologies. Immune cells play a crucial role in this process, and understanding the differentiation of various immune cells post-injury, mitigating their neurotoxicity, and directing them towards a beneficial outcome for the protection of RGCs and axons are vital for optic nerve preservation. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the research progress on immune cells such as macrophages, microglia, T cells, and others in the field of optic nerve injury. Additionally, discussions include the identification of cell phenotypes and the exploration of the novel concept of innate immunity possibly possessing memory.

[Construction of TRAF6 ubiquitin site 331 mutant colorectal cancer cell stable line and its effect on biological behavior of colorectal cancer cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect of ubiquitin mutation at position 331 of tumor necrosis factor receptor related factor 6 (TRAF6) on the biological characteristics of colorectal cancer cells and its mechanism. Methods: lentivirus wild type (pCDH-3×FLAG-TRAF6) and mutation (pCDH-3×FLAG-TRAF6-331mut) of TRAF6 gene expression plasmid with green fluorescent protein tag were used to infect colorectal cancer cells SW480 and HCT116, respectively. The infection was observed by fluorescence microscope, and the expressions of TRAF6 and TRAF6-331mut in cells was detected by western blot. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and plate cloning test were used to detect the proliferation ability of colorectal cancer cells in TRAF6 group and TRAF6-331mut group, cell scratch test to detect cell migration, Transwell chamber test to detect cell migration and invasion, immunoprecipitation to detect the ubiquitination of TRAF6 and TRAF6-331mut with ubiquitinof lysine binding sites K48 and K63. Western blot was used to detect the effects of TRAF6 and TRAF6-331mut over expression on the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and mitogen activated protein kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/activating protein-1(AP-1) signal pathway. Results: The successful infection of colorectal cancer cells was observed under fluorescence microscope. Western blot detection showed that TRAF6 and TRAF6-331mut were successfully expressed in colorectal cancer cells. The results of CCK-8 assay showed that on the fourth day, the absorbance values of HCT116 and SW480 cells in TRAF6-331mut group were 1.89±0.39 and 1.88±0.24 respectively, which were lower than those in TRAF6 group (2.09±0.12 and 2.17±0.45, P=0.036 and P=0.011, respectively). The results of plate colony formation assay showed that the number of clones of HCT116 and SW480 cells in TRAF6-331mut group was 120±14 and 85±14 respectively, which was lower than those in TRAF6 group (190±21 and 125±13, P=0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). The results of cell scratch test showed that after 48 hours, the percentage of wound healing distance of HCT116 and SW480 cells in TRAF6-331mut group was (31±12)% and (33±14)%, respectively, which was lower than those in TRAF6 group [(43±13)% and (43±7)%, P=0.005 and 0.009, respectively]. The results of Transwell migration assay showed that the migration numbers of HCT116 and SW480 cells in TRAF6-331mut group were significantly lower than those in TRAF6 group (P<0.001 and P<0.002, respectively). The results of Transwell invasion assay showed that the number of membrane penetration of HCT116 and SW480 cells in TRAF6-331mut group was significantly lower than those in TRAF6 group (P=0.008 and P=0.009, respectively). The results of immunoprecipitation detection showed that the ubiquitin protein of K48 chain pulled by TRAF6-331mut was lower than that of wild type TRAF6 in 293T cells co-transfected with K48 (0.57±0.19), and the ubiquitin protein of K63 chain pulled down by TRAF6-331mut in 293T cells co-transfected with K63 was lower than that of wild type TRAF6 (0.89±0.08, P<0.001). Western blot assay showed that the protein expression levels of NF-κB, p-NF-κB and p-AP-1 in TRAF6-331mut-HCT116 cells were 0.63±0.08, 0.42±0.08 and 0.60±0.07 respectively, which were lower than those in TRAF6-HCT116 cells (P=0.002, P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). The expression level of AP-1 protein in TRAF6-HCT116 cells was 0.89±0.06, compared with that in TRAF6-HCT116 cells. The difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The protein expression levels of NF-κB, p-NF-κB and p-AP-1 in TRAF6-331mut-SW480 cells were 0.50±0.06, 0.51±0.04, 0.48±0.02, respectively, which were lower than those in TRAF6-SW480 cells (all P<0.001). There was no significant difference in AP-1 protein expression between TRAF6-331mut-SW480 cells and TRAF6-SW480 cells. Conclusion: The ubiquitin site mutation of TRAF6 gene at 331 may prevent the binding of TRAF6 and ubiquitin lysine sites K48 and K63, and then affect the expressions of proteins related to downstream NF-κB and MAPK/AP-1 signal pathways, and inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells.

[Clinical efficacy and prognostic risk factors of salvage liver transplantation, rehepatectomy, and local ablation in the treatment of postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate and analyze the clinical efficacy of salvage liver transplantation (SLT), rehepatectomy (RH), local ablation (LA), and prognostic risk factors in patients with postoperative recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: Clinical data of 145 patients with recurrent liver cancer in the 900th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the People's Liberation Army from January 2005 to June 2018 were retrospectively collected. SLT group, RH group, and LA group included 25, 44, and 76 cases, respectively. Follow-up and statistics were recorded on the overall survival rate, relapse-free survival rate, and complications of the three groups of patients at 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery. Univariate and multivariate COX analyses were used to analyze the prognostic risk factors in patients with recurrent HCC. Results: The overall survival rates of 1, 2, and 3 years following surgery in the SLT, RH, and LA groups were 100.0%, 84.0%, 72.0%, 95.5%, 77.3%, 65.9%, 90.8%, 76.3%, and 63.2%, respectively, when the recurrence of liver cancer met the Milan criteria. The overall survival rate did not differ statistically between SLT and RH (P = 0.303) or between RH and LA (P = 0.152). There were statistically significant differences in recurrence-free survival between SLT and RH or RH and LA (P = 0.046). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of complications between SLT and RH or RH and LA (P > 0.017). Age > 65 years was an independent risk factor affecting the overall survival rate in patients with recurrent HCC. Age > 65 years and recurrence time < 24 months were independent risk factors affecting the recurrence-free survival rate in patients with recurrent HCC. Conclusion: SLT is the best treatment option when the recurrence of HCC meets Milan's criteria. RH and LA are the appropriate treatment plans for recurrent HCC when the liver source is limited.

Protein kinase C signalling involved in prothoracicotropic hormone-stimulated prothoracic glands in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

In the present study, the participation of protein kinase C (PKC) signalling in prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis in Bombyx prothoracic glands (PGs) is demonstrated and characterized. PTTH stimulated phosphorylation of a 37-kDa protein in Bombyx PGs both in vitro and in vivo, as recognized by a PKC substrate antibody. Treatment with either A23187 or thapsigargin also stimulated this 37-kDa protein phosphorylation. PTTH-stimulated phosphorylation of the 37-kDa protein was markedly attenuated in the absence of Ca2+ . The phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, U73122, greatly inhibited PTTH-stimulated phosphorylation of this protein, indicating the involvement of Ca2+ and PLC. A mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK) inhibitor (U0126), a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor (LY294002) and a chemical activator of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-ß-d-ribofuranoside) did not affect PTTH-stimulated phosphorylation of the 37-kDa protein, implying that ERK and PI3K/AMPK are not the upstream signalling pathways for PKC-dependent protein phosphorylation. The mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors (the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone and diphenylene iodonium) inhibited PTTH-stimulated phosphorylation of the 37-kDa protein, indicating its redox regulation. Treatment with PKC inhibitors (either calphostin C, chelerythrine C or rottlerin) reduced PTTH-stimulated phosphorylation of the 37-kDa protein. PTTH-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis was also inhibited by treatment with rottlerin, thus further confirming participation of PKC-dependent phosphorylation in PTTH signalling. From these results, we demonstrated that redox-regulated PTTH-stimulated PKC signalling is involved in ecdysteroid secretion in Bombyx PGs.

Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering Cross Section at High Bjorken x_{B}.

We report high-precision measurements of the deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) cross section at high values of the Bjorken variable x_{B}. DVCS is sensitive to the generalized parton distributions of the nucleon, which provide a three-dimensional description of its internal constituents. Using the exact analytic expression of the DVCS cross section for all possible polarization states of the initial and final electron and nucleon, and final state photon, we present the first experimental extraction of all four helicity-conserving Compton form factors (CFFs) of the nucleon as a function of x_{B}, while systematically including helicity flip amplitudes. In particular, the high accuracy of the present data demonstrates sensitivity to some very poorly known CFFs.

IL-10 Impairs Local Immune Response in Lung Granulomas and Lymph Nodes during Early Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, continues to be a major global health problem. Lung granulomas are organized structures of host immune cells that function to contain the bacteria. Cytokine expression is a critical component of the protective immune response, but inappropriate cytokine expression can exacerbate TB. Although the importance of proinflammatory cytokines in controlling M. tuberculosis infection has been established, the effects of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-10, in TB are less well understood. To investigate the role of IL-10, we used an Ab to neutralize IL-10 in cynomolgus macaques during M. tuberculosis infection. Anti-IL-10-treated nonhuman primates had similar overall disease outcomes compared with untreated control nonhuman primates, but there were immunological changes in granulomas and lymph nodes from anti-IL-10-treated animals. There was less thoracic inflammation and increased cytokine production in lung granulomas and lymph nodes from IL-10-neutralized animals at 3-4 wk postinfection compared with control animals. At 8 wk postinfection, lung granulomas from IL-10-neutralized animals had reduced cytokine production but increased fibrosis relative to control animals. Although these immunological changes did not affect the overall disease burden during the first 8 wk of infection, we paired computational modeling to explore late infection dynamics. Our findings support that early changes occurring in the absence of IL-10 may lead to better bacterial control later during infection. These unique datasets provide insight into the contribution of IL-10 to the immunological balance necessary for granulomas to control bacterial burden and disease pathology in M. tuberculosis infection.

Differentiating infected focal liver lesions from malignant mimickers: value of ultrasound-based radiomics.

AIM: To establish an ultrasound-based radiomics model through machine learning methods and then to assess the ability of the model to differentiate infected focal liver lesions from malignant mimickers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 104 patients with infected focal liver lesions and 485 patients with malignant hepatic tumours were included, consisting of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cholangiocarcinoma (CC), combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC), and liver metastasis. Radiomics features were extracted from grey-scale ultrasound images. Feature selection and predictive modelling were carried out by dimensionality reduction methods and classifiers. The diagnostic effect of the prediction mode was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: In total, 5,234 radiomics features were extracted from grey-scale ultrasound image of every focal liver lesion. The ultrasound-based radiomics model had a favourable predictive value for differentiating infected focal liver lesions from malignant hepatic tumours, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.887 and 0.836 (HCC group), 0.896 and 0.766 (CC group), 0.944 and 0.754 (cHCC-CC group), 0.918 and 0.808 (liver metastasis group), and 0.949 and 0.745 (malignant hepatic tumour group) for the training set and validation set, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-based radiomics is helpful in differentiating infected focal liver lesions from malignant mimickers and has the potential for use as a supplement to conventional grey-scale ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Incidence and familial clustering of infantile haemangiomas: a multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: The exact incidence of infantile haemangiomas (IH) in the Chinese population is still unknown. A positive family history of IH was considered as a risk factor for the development of IH. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the incidence of IH in the Chinese population and the mechanism of family history increases the risk for IH development. METHODS: A total of 2489 women and their newborns were enrolled in the prospective study. All newborns were followed up for 12 months to determine whether they developed IH. In addition, 213 IH probands and their 174 siblings were enrolled in the study. The incidence of IH in siblings of the IH probands was investigated. Information regarding risk factors for IH and demographic data were collected on all children. RESULTS: Of the 2572 newborns, 58 IH were identified in 56 (2.2%) newborns. The majority of IH were located on the trunk (46.6%). Siblings of the IH probands were at increased risk for the development of IH (P = 0.024, relative risk 2.451), and the occurrence of prenatal risk factors for IH(P = 0.003) compared with the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that the incidence of IH is 2.2% in the Chinese population. Siblings of the individuals with IH were at increased risk for the development of IH may be related to the family clustering of prenatal risk factors for IH. Further exploration of the mechanisms and common features of these prenatal risk factors may help to disclose the origin and pathogenesis of IH.

A Large Naturalistic Study on the BRACHA: Confirmation of the Predictive Validity.

Aggression is a major challenge on child/adolescent inpatient psychiatric units. A screening instrument to accurately identify risk is urgently needed. To determine the predictive validity of the Brief Rating of Aggression by Children and Adolescents (BRACHA). Prospective cohort study. BRACHA is administered by clinical staff in the emergency department (ED) prior to inpatient psychiatric admission. A consecutive sample of 10,054 admitted patients from 2010-2021. No patients refused screening nor were excluded. BRACHA administered to patients in the ED prior to admission at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). Patient behavioral outcomes measured by Overt Aggression Scale (OAS), categorizing aggression as verbal or physical, then as towards self, others, or objects. Female patients comprised 53.6% (n = 5,386) of the sample. Most patients were white (n = 6,556, 65.2%). Patients ranged in age from 4 to 18 years, with a mean age of 13.6 ± 3.1 years. A single biological parent (n = 5,317, 52.9%) was the predominant living arrangement among patients. The Area Under the Curve (AUC), as an assessment of predictive validity across all possible cut-offs of BRACHA scores ranged from 0.640 (aggression to self) to 0.758 (physical aggression towards others). Our findings support the BRACHA as a useful predictive instrument for aggression in inpatient psychiatric admissions from ED regardless of length of stay. Treating staff are then able to immediately classify risk level and inform care plans for all lengths of hospitalization. Applies to potential risk for aggression, except for self-aggression. Future data analyses will evaluate demographic factors to determine which improve predictive power of the BRACHA and can be used to create a BRACHA calculator. To our knowledge, this naturalistic outcomes study is one of the largest in psychiatry. The BRACHA will continue to be studied to evaluate risk for aggression on inpatient units and aim to assist in keeping unit staff and patients safe.

Pan-Asian adapted ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis treatment and follow-up of patients with localised colon cancer.

The most recent version of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of localised colon cancer was published in 2020. It was decided by both the ESMO and the Japanese Society of Medical Oncology (JSMO) to convene a special virtual guidelines meeting in March 2021 to adapt the ESMO 2020 guidelines to take into account the ethnic differences associated with the treatment of localised colon cancer in Asian patients. These guidelines represent the consensus opinions reached by experts in the treatment of patients with localised colon cancer representing the oncological societies of Japan (JSMO), China (CSCO), India (ISMPO), Korea (KSMO), Malaysia (MOS), Singapore (SSO) and Taiwan (TOS). The voting was based on scientific evidence and was independent of the current treatment practices and drug availability and reimbursement situations in the different Asian countries.

Natural Killer Cell Transcript 4 promotes the development of SjÓ§gren's syndrome via activation of Rap1 on B cells.

Autoimmune disorders are the third most common diseases in the United States, and affect the daily lives of millions of people. In this study, we analyzed patient samples, utilized a transgenic mouse model and human B cells to reveal Natural Killer Cell Transcript 4 (NK4) as a novel regulator that promotes the development of autoimmune disorders. NK4 was significantly elevated in samples from patients with SjÓ§gren's Syndrome (SS). SS patients show elevated NK4 levels. There is a strong and positive correlation between the increased levels of NK4 and the duration of SS. Interestingly, transgenic expression of NK4 in a mouse model led to the development of autoantibodies and lymphocytic infiltration in salivary glands similar to those in SS patients. Those phenotypes were associated with increased B1a cells in the peritoneum, plasma cells in the spleen, and increased IgM, IgA, and IgG2a in serum of the NK4 transgenic mice. The autoimmune phenotypes became more severe in older mice. Moreover, after NK4 transfection, human naïve B cells were activated and memory B cells differentiation into IgG and IgA-plasmablasts, resulting in an increased production of autoantibodies.NK4 regulated the differentiation and activation of B cells through activating Rap1 activity. NK4 also promoted B cell migration in a paracrine fashion through an induction of CXCL13 in endothelial cells. Collectively, these findings identify NK4 as a promoter of the development of autoimmune disorders through its roles on B cells. Therefore, NK4 may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Deep Exclusive Electroproduction of π

We report measurements of the exclusive neutral pion electroproduction cross section off protons at large values of x_{B} (0.36, 0.48, and 0.60) and Q^{2} (3.1 to 8.4 GeV^{2}) obtained from Jefferson Lab Hall A experiment E12-06-014. The corresponding structure functions dσ_{T}/dt+εdσ_{L}/dt, dσ_{TT}/dt, dσ_{LT}/dt, and dσ_{LT^{'}}/dt are extracted as a function of the proton momentum transfer t-t_{min}. The results suggest the amplitude for transversely polarized virtual photons continues to dominate the cross section throughout this kinematic range. The data are well described by calculations based on transversity generalized parton distributions coupled to a helicity flip distribution amplitude of the pion, thus providing a unique way to probe the structure of the nucleon.

"Watch Me Grow- Electronic (WMG-E)" surveillance approach to identify and address child development, parental mental health, and psychosocial needs: study protocol.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic recession has increased parental psychosocial stress and mental health challenges. This has adversely impacted child development and wellbeing, particularly for children from priority populations (culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and rural/regional communities) who are at an already increased risk of health inequality. The increased mental health and psychosocial needs were compounded by the closure of in-person preventive and health promotion programs resulting in health organisations embracing technology and online services. Watch Me Grow- Electronic (WMG-E) - developmental surveillance platform- exemplifies one such service. WMG-E was developed to monitor child development and guide parents towards more detailed assessments when risk is identified. This Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) aims to expand WMG-E as a digital navigation tool by also incorporating parents' mental health and psychosocial needs. Children and families needing additional assessments and supports will be electronically directed to relevant resources in the 'care-as-usual' group. In contrast, the intervention group will receive continuity of care, with additional in-person assessment and 'warm hand over' by a 'service navigator' to ensure their needs are met. METHODS: Using an RCT we will determine: (1) parental engagement with developmental surveillance; (2) access to services for those with mental health and social care needs; and (3) uptake of service recommendations. Three hundred parents/carers of children aged 6 months to 3 years (recruited from a culturally diverse, or rural/regional site) will be randomly allocated to the 'care-as-usual' or 'intervention' group. A mixed methods implementation evaluation will be completed, with semi-structured interviews to ascertain the acceptability, feasibility and impact of the WMG-E platform and service navigator. CONCLUSIONS: Using WMG-E is expected to: normalise and de-stigmatise mental health and psychosocial screening; increase parental engagement and service use; and result in the early identification and management of child developmental needs, parental mental health, and family psychosocial needs. If effective, digital solutions such as WMG-E to engage and empower parents alongside a service navigator for vulnerable families needing additional support, will have significant practice and policy implications in the pandemic/post pandemic period. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial (Protocol No. 1.0, Version 3.1) was registered with ANZCTR (registration number: ACTRN12621000766819 ) on July 21st, 2021 and reporting of the trial results will be according to recommendations in the CONSORT Statement.

Endoscopic sinus surgery improves Eustachian tube function in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis: a multicenter prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) often have Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) symptoms. This study aimed to prospectively investigate the effect of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) on improvement of Eustachian tube function in CRS patients with ETD from a Chinese population and determine factors associated with improvement. METHODS: A prospective study was performed in CRS patients with ETD who underwent ESS from 3 tertiary medical centers in south China. The Eustachian tube Dysfunction Questionnaire 7 (ETDQ-7), Sinonasal Outcome Test 22 (SNOT-22), tympanograms, endoscopic findings and Valsalva maneuver were recorded and analyzed preoperatively and postoperatively at 8-12 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 70 CRS patients with ETD were included in this study. The ETDQ-7 score and the ability of positive Valsalva maneuver in CRS patients were significantly improved postoperatively at 8-12 weeks. The number of patients with type A tympanogram was increased postoperatively. Reduced Eustachian tube mucosal inflammation was also observed postoperatively. In addition, ESS appeared to reverse slight tympanic membrane atelectasis after 8-12 weeks. Moreover, improvement in tympanogram was presented in more than half of CRS patients with concomitant otitis media with effusion postoperatively at 8-12 weeks. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed failure of normalization of ETDQ-7 postoperatively was associated with concomitant allergic rhinitis and higher preoperative SNOT-22 score. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms Eustachian tube function is often improved after ESS in CRS patients with ETD. Concomitant allergic rhinitis and higher preoperative SNOT-22 score are associated with failure of normalization of ETD symptoms.

Ionic Liquid Extraction Behavior of Cr(VI) Absorbed on Humic Acid-Vermiculite.

Cr(VI) can be released into soil as a result of mining, electroplating, and smelting operations. Due to the high toxicity of Cr(VI), its removal is necessary in order to protect ecosystems. Vermiculite is applied in situations where there is a high degree of metal pollution, as it is helpful during the remediation process due to its high cation exchange capacity. The Cr(VI) contained in the vermiculite should be extracted in order to recover it and to reduce the impact on the environment. In this work, adsorption equilibrium data for Cr(VI) in a simulated sorbent for soil remediation (a mixture that included both humic acid (HA) and vermiculite) were a good fit with the Langmuir isotherm model. The simulated sorbent for soil remediation was a favorable sorbent for Cr(VI) when it was in the test soil. An ionic liquid, [C4mim]Cl (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride), was studied to determine its efficiency in extracting Cr(VI) from the Cr- contaminated simulated sorbent in soil remediation. At 298 K and within 30 min, approximately 33.48 ± 0.79% of Cr(VI) in the simulated sorbent in soil remediation was extracted into [C4mim]Cl. Using FTIR spectroscopy, the absorbance intensities of the bands at 1032 and 1010 cm-1, which were attributed to C-O bond stretching in the polysaccharides of HA, were used to detect the changes in HA in the Cr-contaminated simulated sorbent for soil remediation before and after extraction. The results showed that Cr(VI) that has been absorbed on HA can be extracted into [C4mim]Cl. Using 1H NMR, it was observed that the 1-methylimizadole of [C4mim] Cl played an important role in the extraction of Cr(VI), which bonded with HA on vermiculite and was able to be transformed into the [C4mim]Cl phase.

[The treatment strategy and outcome of pregnancy complicated with Stanford type A aortic dissection].

To summarize the clinical characteristics and surgical treatment experience of pregnant women with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection.We collected the clinical data of 12 cases with acute aortic dissection during pregnancy and puerperal period from June 2010 to July 2020 in Beijing Anzhen Hospital and analyzed retrospectively, and summarize the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes for both mother and fetus. The age of these patients was(29±5)years old, and the onset time was from 16 weeks of gestation and 1 month after delivery. All the 12 patients underwent surgical treatment. The patients in the puerperium received aortic surgery after delivery. Four of them received the aortic surgery and continued pregnancy. Five of them underwent aortic repair and cesarean section simultaneously. Surgical treatment should be actively considered in pregnancy complicated with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection. Multi-disciplinary team cooperation can effectively improve the safety of the patients and fetus.

[The diagnostic performance of galactomannan detection in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis with severe and critically ill influenza].

Objective: To analyze the diagnostic performance of serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) galactomannan (GM) test in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis(IPA) with severe and critically ill influenza. Methods: A retrospective study was performed for 157 patients with severe and critically ill influenza admitted to the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from December 2017 to April 2019.Clinical characteristics and serum and BALF GM values were collected. The patients were divided into an IPA group (n=18) and a non-IPA group (n=139). The definition of IPA modified from AspICU algorithm taken as the gold standard (The corresponding clinical manifestations, imaging manifestations and microbiological diagnostic criteria should be met simultaneously), the performance of serum and BALF GM test and their combination to IPA with influenza were analyzed respectively and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn. Results: A total of 157 cases were enrolled, 95 were critically ill, and the mortality of IPA with influenza was 55.6%(10/18). The APACHE Ⅱ score, PSI score, urea nitrogen, influenza severity (Percentage of critically ill influenza) and invasive ventilator in IPA group were (16±6), (110±31), 10.7 (8.4, 17.8) mmol/L, 88.9% and 66.7%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in non-IPA group [(10±5), (83±30), 5.2 (3.6, 7.6) mmol/L, 56.8% and 24.5%, P<0.05]. All patients received serum GM test and 32 patients performed BALF GM test at the same time. When the cut-off valve of serum GM test was 0.5 µg/L, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 66.7% (12/18), 95.0% (132/139), 63.2% (12/19) and 95.7% (132/138) respectively. When the cut-off value of BALF GM test was 1.0 µg/L, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 80%(8/10),86.4%(19/22),72.7%(8/11)and 90.5%(19/21)respectively. The BALF GM cut-off value of 0.88 µg/L showed the highest diagnostic efficacy for IPA, for which the sensitivity and specificity were 90%(9/10) and 86.4%(19/22). The areas under the ROC curve of serum GM, BALF GM, and the combination of them were 0.81, 0.85, and 0.94 respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) and the combined diagnosis efficiency was higher. Conclusions: Critically ill influenza patients should be alert for IPA. The sensitivity of serum GM test in the diagnosis of IPA with influenza was low, while the NPV was high. The optimum BALF GM cut-off value was 0.88 µg/L. The combination with BALF and serum GM test can improve the diagnostic performance.

Prevalence and factors associated with motoric cognitive risk syndrome in community-dwelling older Chinese: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A recently proposed pre-dementia syndrome, motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome, is characterized by cognitive complaints and slow gait, and increases the risk of dementia and mortality. The aim of the present study was to explore the prevalence of and factors associated with MCR syndrome in elderly community-dwelling Chinese subjects. METHODS: The Ningbo Community Study on Aging recruited 953 Chinese community-dwelling participants aged ≥ 65 years from November 2016 to March 2017. Handgrip, Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand (FTSS) test time and body composition, as well as comprehensive geriatric evaluation, were measured as potentially independent factors associated with MCR syndrome. RESULTS: The prevalence of MCR syndrome was 12.8% in men and 12.6% in women, and high prevalence of MCR syndrome was not associated with age or sex. Multiple logistic regression analysis by sex showed that a 1-SD increase in FTSS test time in males and females was associated with 45% (95% confidence intervals, 19-76; P < 0.01) and 20% (95% confidence intervals, 9-33; P < 0.01) higher risk of having MCR syndrome, respectively, whereas handgrip strength was inversely correlated with MCR syndrome in males [odds ratio (OR), 0.91; P = 0.02] but not females (P = 0.06). Moreover, the relationship of arm fat mass and MCR syndrome was statistically significant in both sexes (OR, 1.69-1.77), but leg fat mass was only associated with MCR syndrome (OR, 1.56; P = 0.02) in men. CONCLUSIONS: Handgrip, FTSS test time and body composition were associated in a sex-specific manner with MCR syndrome in elderly community-dwelling Chinese subjects. Our results on MCR syndrome are novel and should be considered as important information in future studies.