Single-Shot Diagnosis of Electron Energy Evolution via Streaked Betatron X Rays in a Curved Laser Wakefield Accelerator.

We report on an experimental observation of the streaking of betatron x rays in a curved laser wakefield accelerator. The streaking of the betatron x rays was realized by launching a laser pulse into a plasma with a transverse density gradient. By controlling the plasma density and the density gradient, we realized the steering of the laser driver, electron beam, and betatron x rays simultaneously. Moreover, we observed an energy-angle correlation of the streaked betatron x rays and utilized it in diagnosing the electron acceleration process in a single-shot mode. Our work could also find applications in advanced control of laser beam and particle propagation. More importantly, the angular streaked betatron x ray has an intrinsic spatiotemporal correlation, which makes it a promising tool for single-shot pump-probe applications.

Feasibility study of the multishot gradient-echo planar imaging sequence in non-enhanced and free-breathing whole-heart magnetic resonance coronary angiography.

AIM: To investigate the feasibility of non-enhanced and free-breathing whole-heart magnetic resonance coronary angiography (MRCA) using multishot gradient-echo planar imaging (MSG-EPI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 29 healthy volunteers were recruited for free-breathing whole-heart MRCA acquisition using the MSG-EPI sequence and fast gradient echo (GRE) sequence. After the examination, the actual scanning times, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the left main (LM) coronary artery, subjective quality scores for each segment, and evaluable length of the coronary artery were recorded and statistically analysed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the SNRLM of the MSG-EPI sequence and fast GRE sequence (p=0.130), but the CNRLM of the MSG-EPI sequence was higher (p=0.001). The subjective quality score of the mid- and distal left anterior descending branch as well as the distal circumflex branch of the coronary artery in the MSG-EPI sequence was higher than that in the fast GRE sequence (p=0.003, 0.001, and 0.003, respectively). The evaluable length of the left anterior descending branch and the circumflex branch was better using the MSG-EPI sequence than that of the fast GRE sequence (p=0.015 and < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, the scanning time of the MSG-EPI sequence was 54.5% less than that of the fast GRE sequence (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The MSG-EPI sequence improves the subjective and objective image quality of MRCA as well as reduces the scanning time.

Preoperative diagnostic value of coronary CT angiography in acute Stanford type A aortic dissection involving the coronary arteries.

AIM: To assess the diagnostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) with coronary artery involvement and to evaluate whether CCTA could provide potentially useful information for selecting the surgical method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with ATAAD treated from January 2019 to December 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Involvement of the coronary arteries based on CCTA findings were grouped into three major types and five subtypes. Interobserver and intraobserver diagnostic agreement for five subtypes were determined. The patients were divided into the coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and non-CABG groups, and the proportions of the five subtypes between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients were enrolled in this study. Interobserver and intraobserver diagnostic agreement were both substantial in the left and right coronary arteries. Overall, the proportions of the five subtypes of coronary artery involvement were significantly different between the two groups (p<0.001). The proportion of Type A was elevated in the non-CABG group compared with the CABG group (22.6% versus 71.9%); by contrast, the proportions of Type B1 (35.5% versus 14.1%), Type B2 (19.4% versus 10.9%), Type C1 (6.5% versus 0%), and Type C2 (16.1% versus 3.1%) were elevated in the CABG group. CONCLUSION: CCTA is reliable in evaluating coronary artery involvement by ATAAD. The present retrospective study indicated that CABG may be considered if the intimal flap disrupts the coronary orifice and causes luminal stenosis >50%, particularly Type B, or if an intimal tear occurs in the coronary orifice (Type C), which deserve further validation through prospective studies.

Multiparameter spectral CT-based radiomics in predicting the expression of programmed death ligand 1 in non-small-cell lung cancer.

AIM: To explore the value of radiomics for predicting the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on multiparameter spectral computed tomography (CT) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 220 patients with NSCLC were enrolled retrospectively and divided into the training (n=176) and testing (n=44) cohorts. The radiomics features were extracted from the conventional CT images, mono-energy 40 keV images, iodine density (ID) maps, Z-effective maps, and electron density maps. The logistic regression (LR) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms were employed to build models based on radiomics signatures. The prediction abilities were qualified by the area under the curve (AUC) obtained from the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Internal validation was performed on the independent testing dataset. RESULTS: The combined model for PD-L1 ≥1%, which consisted of the radiomics score (rad-score; p<0.0001), white blood cell (WBC; p=0.027) counts, and air bronchogram (p=0.003), reached the highest performance with the AUCs of 0.873 and 0.917 in the training and testing dataset, respectively, which was better than the radiomics model with the AUCs of 0.842 and 0.886. The combined model for PD-L1 ≥50%, which consisted of rad-score (p<0.0001) and WBC counts (p=0.027), achieved the highest performance in the training and testing dataset with AUCs of 0.932 and 0.903, respectively, which was better than the radiomics model with AUCs of 0.920 and 0.892, respectively. CONCLUSION: The radiomics model based on the multiparameter images of spectral CT can predict the expression level of PD-L1 in NSCLC. The combined model can obtain higher prediction efficiency and serves as a promising method for immunotherapy selection.

Distinguishment between high-grade gliomas and solitary brain metastases in peritumoural oedema: quantitative analysis using synthetic MRI at 3 T.

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in distinguishing high-grade gliomas (HGGs) from solitary brain metastases (SBMs) in peritumoural oedema. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients with HGGs and 25 patients with SBMs were recruited and scanned using synthetic MRI using a 3 T scanner. Two radiologists measured synthetic MRI-derived relaxation values independently (T1, T2, proton density [PD]) in the peritumoural oedema, which was used to generate quantitative metrics before (T1native, T2native, and PDnative) and after (T1post, T2post, and PDpost) contrast agent injection. Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney U-test was performed to detect statistically significant differences in the aforementioned metrics in peritumoural oedema between HGGs and SBMs. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to evaluate the efficacy of each metric in distinguishing the two groups, and the areas under the curves (AUCs) were compared pairwise by performing the Delong test. RESULTS: The mean T1native, T2native, and T1post values in the peritumoural oedema of HGGs were significantly lower compared with SBMs (all p<0.05). The T1post value had a higher AUC (0.843) in differentiating HGGs and SBMs than all other individual metrics (all p<0.05). The combined T1native, T2native, and T1post model had the best distinguishing performance with an AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.987, 94.3%, and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Synthetic MRI may be a potential supplement to the preoperative diagnosis of HGGs and SBMs in clinical practice, as the synthetic MRI-derived tri-parametric model in the peritumoural oedema showed significantly improved diagnostic performance in distinguishing HGGs from SBMs.

Acromegaly presented with acne vulgaris: a retrospective study with 123 cases.

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris is a prevalent skin condition. We have found that some acromegaly patients have acne. However, no study has examined the relationship between acromegaly and acne. OBJECTIVE: To explore prevalence and correlation of adult acne in patients with acromegaly. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, we collected questionnaires, clinical information, and laboratory test results of acromegaly patients from January 2022 to December 2022 at Huashan Hospital. Of the 133 questionnaires returned, 123 had valid responses. RESULTS: Of the 123 patients with acromegaly enrolled in this study, 54.5% had adult acne. No statistically significant difference was found in prevalence between male and female patients. 61.2% of adult acne patients reported late-onset acne. Late-onset acne patients first developed acne years before acromegaly diagnosis (mean of 5.6 years for male and 4.5 years for female patients). Some acne patients have received traditional anti-acne treatment. Moreover, 31% of the patients reported no improvement, and only 3.5% of patients claimed complete resolution of acne after treatment. Before acromegaly treatment, the prevalence of adult acne was 51.2%, with mild acne accounting for 73.0%, moderate acne accounting for 23.8%, and severe acne accounting for 3.2%. After acromegaly treatment, the prevalence of adult acne was significantly decreased to 37.4% (P = 0.007). An overall decrease in acne severity was noted, with 93.5%, 6.5%, and 0% having mild, moderate, and severe acne, respectively. A total of 83.6% of the patients had self-assessed acne remission, and 33.3% of the patients reported complete acne resolution. However, 9.0% of patients reported that their condition had worsened after acromegaly treatment. After treatment, GH, IGF-1, IGF-1 index, insulin levels, and HOMA-IR decreased significantly in all patients with acromegaly (P < 0.05). Acne remission correlated positively with IGF-1 levels, but not with GH levels. The relationship between acromegaly and acne remains to be elucidated. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide preliminary evidence of the high prevalence of adult acne in acromegaly patients, and a high rate of late-onset acne as well. Traditional anti-acne treatments are less effective. Acne could be considerably relieved by treating acromegaly. Acne remission positively correlated with IGF-1 decline as well, which revealed the correlation between acne and IGF-1.

[Effects of Dapagliflozin on contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus underwent percutaneous coronary intervention].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Dapagliflozin, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i), on contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI). Methods: A cohort study. The clinical data of 366 patients with coronary heart disease combined with T2DM who underwent PCI in the Department of Cardiology, Tianjin University Chest Hospital, from June 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 218 males and 148 females, aged (64.6±11.0) years old. According to whether the patients had used Dapagliflozin or not, the selected patients were divided into SGLT2i group(n=124) and control group(n=242). The changes in cardiac indicators, renal function, and inflammatory response indicators before and 72 hours after PCI treatment were analyzed and compared between the two groups. The incidence rate of CIAKI in the two groups was analyzed, and the influencing factors of CIAKI were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. The major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were recorded during the follow-up period of the two groups, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank test were used to compare the differences in MACE occurrence between the two group. Results: The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of the SGLT2i group was lower than that of the control group, and the proportion of patients with LVEF<45% and CIAKI risk score were higher than those of the control group, with statistical significance (all P<0.05). 72 h after PCI treatment, ß-2 Microglobulin(ß-2MG), cystatin-C(Cys-C), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in both groups were all increased compared to those before PCI treatment, with statistical significance (all P<0.05).ß-2MG, Cys-C, and NGAL in SGLT2i group were all lower than those in the control group, with statistical significance(all P<0.05).The levels of interleukin-6(IL-6), hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and malondialdehyde in both groups of patients increased compared to preoperative levels, while the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased compared to preoperative levels, with statistical significance (all P<0.05). The levels of IL-6, hs-CRP, and malondialdehyde in the SGLT2i group were lower than those in the control group, while SOD was higher than that in the control group, with statistical significance (all P<0.05). Among all patients included, 34 cases experienced CIAKI (9.8%), and the incidence of CIAKI in the SGLT2i group was lower than that in the control group [4.8% (6/124) vs 11.6% (28/242),P=0.037]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the use of dapagliflozin was a protective factor for CIAKI in T2DM patients receiving PCI treatment (OR=0.321, 95%CI: 0.127-0.816, P=0.017). After a follow-up of 14.0 (12.0, 16.2) months, the incidence of MACE in SGLT2i group was lower than that in the control group (7.3% vs 12.8%, P=0.048). Conclusions: Dapagliflozin may reduce the risk of CIAKI and MACE in T2DM patients after PCI treatment. Its mechanism may be related to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of SGLT2i.

[Establishment of a prognostic nomogram and discussion on optimal treatment for cervical adenocarcinoma:a retrospective study based on SEER database and Chinese single-center data].

Objective: To establish and validate a predicting nomogram for cervical adenocarcinoma based on surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER) database and Chinese single-center data, and to explore the optimal treatment for cervical adenocarcinoma. Methods: This study selected 2 478 cervical adenocarcinoma patients from the SEER database as the training cohort, and 195 cervical adenocarcinoma patients from Cancer Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Liaouing Cancer Hospital and Institute as an external validation cohort. Clinicopathological information and follow-up data of the two cohorts were collected. The radiotherapy group was defined as receiving comprehensive treatment based on concurrent chemoradiotherapy after initial diagnosis, while the surgery group was defined as receiving comprehensive treatment based on radical surgery. Log-rank test and cox regression were used to evaluate factors affecting the prognosis of cervical adenocarcinoma patients. A nomogram was drawn to predict the 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates of cervical adenocarcinoma patients, and then internal validation of the training cohort from SEER database and external validation of the hospital cohort were conducted. Results: (1) In the SEER database training cohort, there were 385 patients (15.54%, 385/2 478) in the radiotherapy group and 2 093 patients (84.46%, 2 093/2 478) in the surgery group. Overall survival time of the radiotherapy group was (55.8±51.3) months, while that of the surgery roup was (94.4±61.7) months, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2=256.44, P<0.001). Log-rank test showed that age, marital status, maximum of tumor diameters, pathological grade, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, and treatments were all significant factors affecting the overall survival time of cervical adenocarcinoma patients (all P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that elder (>50 years old), single status, huge tumors (>4 cm), high pathological grades (G2, G3), and advanced FIGO stages (≥Ⅱa2 stage) were independent risk factors for the overall survival time of cervical adenocarcinoma patients (all P<0.05); compared with radiotherapy, surgery was a protective factor for the prognosis of cervical adenocarcinoma patients (HR=0.619, 95%CI: 0.494-0.777; P<0.001). Further analysis of locally advanced stage and Ⅲc stage of patients showed that surgery was a protective factor for the prognosis of cervical adenocarcinoma patients with a maximum tumor diameter >4 to <6 cm (HR=0.414, 95%CI: 0.182-0.942; P=0.036) in locally advanced stage and Ⅲc T1 to T2 stage (HR=0.473, 95%CI: 0.307-0.728; P=0.001). (2) The external validation cohort consisted of 39 patients (20.00%, 39/195) in the radiotherapy group and 156 patients (80.00%, 156/195) in the surgery group. The overall survival time of patients in the radiotherapy group was (51.7±34.3) months, while that of the surgery group was (63.1±26.6) months (χ2=28.41, P<0.001). Further analysis was conducted on locally advanced stage and Ⅲc stage patients, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed after propensity score matching, which showed that surgery was a protective factor for the prognosis of cervical adenocarcinoma patients with a maximum tumor diameter >4 to <6 cm in locally advanced stage (HR=0.141, 95%CI: 0.023-0.843; P=0.032) and Ⅲc T1 to T2 stage (HR=0.184, 95%CI: 0.036-0.947; P=0.043). (3) Establishment and internal and external validation of nomogram: based on the six factors screened out by the multivariate Cox regression model, the nomogram was developed to predict the prognosis of cervical adenocarcinoma patients. The consistency index of the internal and external validation were 0.801 and 0.766, respectively, and the calibration curves matched well with the ideal fitting line. Conclusions: The key to the treatment of cervical adenocarcinoma is to prioritize radical surgery for patients with conditions for radical tumor resection. Compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, patients with locally advanced stages (Ⅰb3, Ⅱa2), and Ⅲc (T1, T2) stages cervical adenocarcinoma could benefit from comprehensive treatment based on radical surgery. The nomogram of this study has been validated internally and externally, and show good survival prediction efficacy for cervical adenocarcinoma patients.

[Clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of NTRK-rearranged spindle cell neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract].

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological, immunophenotypic and molecular genetic characteristics, and differential diagnosis of NTRK-rearranged spindle cell neoplasms (NTRK-RSCNs) in the gastrointestinal tract. Methods: Two NTRK-RSCNs diagnosed at the Department of Pathology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China and one case diagnosed at Zhengzhou Central Hospital, Zhengzhou, China from 2019 to 2022 were collected. The clinical data, histopathology, immunophenotypes and prognosis were analyzed. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were used to detect NTRK gene rearrangements, while relevant literature was also reviewed and discussed. Results: Two patients were male and one was female, with the age of 17, 47 and 62 years, respectively. The tumors were located in the duodenum, ascending colon and descending colon, respectively. The tumors were protuberant masses with gray and rubbery sections. Their maximum diameter was 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 cm, respectively. Histologically, the tumors invaded mucosa, intrinsic muscle and serosal adipose tissue. Tumor cells consisted of spindle or oval shaped cells with monotonous morphology and arranged in bundles or stripes pattern. Spindle cells were mildly to moderately atypical, with slightly eosinophilic cytoplasm and inconspicuous nucleoli. Necrosis and mitotic figures were observed in one high-grade tumor. All tumors expressed CD34, S-100 and pan-TRK in varying degrees. FISH analysis showed that NTRK1 gene was break-apart in 1 case and NTRK2 gene break-apart in 2 cases. NGS technologies showed LMNA::NTRK1 fusion in one case, STRN::NTRK2 fusion in another case. All patients recovered well after the surgery without recurrence at the end of the follow-up. Conclusions: NTRK-RSCN is rarely diagnosed in the gastrointestinal tract and has significant variations in morphology. It overlaps with various other mesenchymal tumors which should be considered as differential diagnoses. Be familiar with the features of histological morphology in combination with immunophenotype and molecular genetic characteristics can not only help diagnose NTRK-RSCNs, but provide therapeutic targets for clinical treatment.

[Clinical study on the efficacy and safety of glaucoma drainage implants in the treatment of different types of glaucoma].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of glaucoma drainage implants(XEN-45 Gel Stent) for glaucoma treatment. Methods: A prospective study was conducted to continuously collect the clinical data of patients who were diagnosed with glaucoma and underwent XEN-45 Gel Stent implantation in the Ophthalmology Department of Peking University People's Hospital from January 2022 to August 2023. The visual acuity, intraocular pressure, number of glaucoma medications, and success rate of the patients were analyzed before and after surgery at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months. The differences in intraocular pressure and number of glaucoma medications among primary open-angle glaucoma, primary angle closure glaucoma, secondary glaucoma, and different implantation methods of XEN-45 Gel Stent among patients with primary open-angle glaucoma were compared. The intraoperative and postoperative complications were observed, and the risk factors for needling and surgical complete success were analyzed. Results: A total of 48 eyes from 48 patients were included in this study, comprising 27 males and 21 females, with a mean age of (54.4±18.0) years and the disease duration was 36.0(7.3, 81.0) months.There were 28 cases of primary open-angle glaucoma, 4 cases of primary angle closure glaucoma, and 16 cases of secondary glaucoma.The follow-up period was 8.0 (3.0, 12.0) months. At 12 months after surgery, the intraocular pressure decreased from 20.5 (17.0, 26.0) mmHg to (13.5±3.3) mmHg (P<0.05), and the number of glaucoma medications decreased from 3.0 (3.0, 4.0) to 0.0 (0.0, 0.0) (P<0.05). The complete success rate and qualified success rate were 73.9% (17/23) and 91.3% (21/23), respectively. The most common postoperative complications were shallow anterior chamber in 6 cases (12.5%), hypotony in 3 cases (6.3%), and blocked stent in 3 cases (6.3%). The most common postoperative treatment was needling in 27 cases (56.3%). There was no significant difference in intraocular pressure among different types of glaucoma. In the comparison of postoperative effects of different surgical implantation methods for primary open-angle glaucoma, there were no statistically significant differences in intraocular pressure and the number of glaucoma medications at other follow-up time points except 1 month after surgery (P<0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis did not find any risk factors associated with needling and surgical complete success. Conclusions: XEN-45 Gel Stent implantation is an effective and safe surgical option for different types of glaucoma patients in China, which can significantly reduce intraocular pressure and the use of glaucoma medications and has a high success rate. However, some patients may need needling or other treatments after surgery.

[Diagnostic value of whole blood cell parameters logistic regression model for radiation injury on radiation workers].

Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of whole blood cell parameters logistic regression model for radiation injury on radiation workers by comparing the differences of whole blood cell parameters between occupational radiation injury population and occupational health examination population. Methods: In February 2023, 184 radiation workers who received occupational health examinations in our hospital and occurrenced chromosome aberration from July 2021 to July 2022 were retrospectively selected as the radiation injury group. And other 184 radiation workers encountered in the same period without chromosome aberration occurrence were selected as the control group. Collected whole blood cell parameters from two groups of research subjects, conducted comparative analysis, constructed a logistic regression model, and evaluated the diagnostic value of the logistic regression model for radiation injury on radiation workers by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and area under curve (AUC) . In addition, with the same standard, 60 radiation workers with chromosome aberration and 60 radiation workers without chromosome aberration from August 2022 to January 2023 were included in the validation queue to validate the logistic regression model. Results: Neu_X, Neu_Y, Neu_Z, Lym_X, Lym_Y, Lym_Z, Mon_X, Mon_Y, Mon_Z, Micro, MCHC in the radiation injury group were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . And MCV and Macro in the radiation injury group were lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05) . Moreover, logistic regression analysis showed that Lym_X, Lym_Y, Lym_Z, MCHC, Micro were all independent risk factors for diagnosing radiation injury on radiation workers (OR=1.08、1.02、0.99、1.06、51.32, P<0.05) . ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the logistic regression model based by Lym_X, Lym_Y, Lym_Z, MCHC and Micro in diagnosing radiation injury on radiation workers were 0.80, 85.9%, 65.8% and 75.9% respectively. The validation queue verified the logistic regression model and the AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the logistic regression model were 0.80, 81.7%, 71.7% and 76.7% respectively, the model fitted well. Conclusion: Radiation damage can cause changes in multiple whole blood cell parameters of radiation workers. The logistic regression model based by Lym_X, Lym_Y, Lym_Z, MCHC and Micro showed good diagnosis ability and can be used for the screening of radiation injury on radiation workers.

Observation of Monoenergetic Electrons from Two-Pulse Ionization Injection in Quasilinear Laser Wakefields.

The generation of low emittance electron beams from laser-driven wakefields is crucial for the development of compact x-ray sources. Here, we show new results for the injection and acceleration of quasimonoenergetic electron beams in low amplitude wakefields experimentally and using simulations. This is achieved by using two laser pulses decoupling the wakefield generation from the electron trapping via ionization injection. The injection duration, which affects the beam charge and energy spread, is found to be tunable by adjusting the relative pulse delay. By changing the polarization of the injector pulse, reducing the ionization volume, the electron spectra of the accelerated electron bunches are improved.

First Observation of Λπ

Using the data sample of 980 fb^{-1} collected with the Belle detector operating at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider, we present the results of an investigation of the Λπ^{+} and Λπ^{-} invariant mass distributions looking for substructure in the decay Λ_{c}^{+}→Λπ^{+}π^{+}π^{-}. We find a significant signal in each mass distribution. When interpreted as resonances, we find for the Λπ^{+} (Λπ^{-}) combination a mass of 1434.3±0.6(stat)±0.9(syst) MeV/c^{2} [1438.5±0.9(stat)±2.5(syst) MeV/c^{2}], an intrinsic width of 11.5±2.8(stat)±5.3(syst) MeV/c^{2} [33.0±7.5(stat)±23.6(syst) MeV/c^{2}] with a significance of 7.5σ (6.2σ). As these two signals are very close to the K[over ¯]N threshold, we also investigate the possibility of a K[over ¯]N cusp, and find that we cannot discriminate between these two interpretations due to the limited size of the data sample.

American Heart Association's new 'Life's Essential 8' score in association with cardiovascular disease: a national cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The American Heart Association (AHA) has recently updated and enhanced the quantification of cardiovascular health by using the Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score. We intended to examine the correlation between cardiovascular health status, as measured by the new LE8 score, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in US adults. STUDY DESIGN: National cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 24,730 individuals without pregnancy and with complete data from 2007 to 2018 enrolled in the study. The overall LE8 score was divided into low, moderate, and high groups. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to assess the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between the LE8 score and the presence of CVD. RESULTS: Overall, the high LE8 group had a younger age (20-59 years, 82.95%) and more females (60.09%) compared to the low LE8 group. Moderate and high LE8 correlated negatively with the presence of CVD (moderate, OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.39-0.54; high, OR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.21-0.33). One standard deviation increment in the LE8 score correlated significantly with lower odds of CVD (OR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.60-0.69). Further stratification analysis also detected a significant relationship between the new LE8 score and CVD, and the result was enhanced among the young and women (P-interaction<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Higher LE8 score correlated with lower odds of CVD, especially among the young and women.

Fundamentals of Green Steel Production: On the Role of Gas Pressure During Hydrogen Reduction of Iron Ores.

Out of the multitude of researched processing routes for sustainable ironmaking, hydrogen-based direct reduction and hydrogen plasma smelting reduction (HyPSR) are currently the most promising candidates for a successful industrial application. Both processes operate under gaseous atmospheres, which turn the partial and absolute pressure of hydrogen into a relevant process parameter. Here, we present first insights into the influence of total pressure and concentration of hydrogen on the reduction of hematite, focusing on the more pressure-sensitive route (HyPSR). The effect of pressure on the dissociation of H2 molecules into metastable H atoms or H+ ions,- and the overall hydrogen utilization is discussed using a thermodynamic approach. Validation experiments were conducted to testify the practical feasibility of adjusting these parameters. A decrease in the total pressure of the system from 900 mbar to 450 mbar resulted in an improved hydrogen utilization, thus suggesting that a larger population of H atoms can exist in the plasma arcs ignited under 450 mbar. An increase in the hydrogen concentration to 20 vol.% lead to undesired evaporation, likely because of a parallel increase in plasma temperature. Possibilities and challenges for exploiting these pressure-related phenomena for the industrial production of green steel are outlined and discussed. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11837-023-05829-z.

Sustainable management of water-agriculture-ecology nexus system under multiple uncertainties.

The shrinkage and ecological degradation of the Aral Sea resulting from the uncontrolled use of water resources and the unregulated expansion of agriculture activities call for sustainable management of water-agriculture-ecology (WAE) nexus from a basin perspective. However, managers face thorny challenges brought by multiple uncertainties in the management and planning processes. In this study, an interval stochastic fuzzy programming (ISF) method is developed for tackling multiple uncertainties presented as probability distributions, flexible variables and interval parameters. Then, an ISF-WAE model is formulated for Aral Sea Basin, which considers 108 planning scenarios that reflect different food-security and ecology-restoration requirements, as well as risk-response attitudes of decision maker over a long-term planning horizon (2021-2050). Results reveal that for Aral Sea Basin: (i) managers should set strict acreage benchmarks for cereal crops, in which wheat would account for a range of [29.1, 31.2] % of the total agricultural area; (ii) for promoting ecological restoration, the proportion of agricultural water allocation should decrease by a range of [12.7, 16.1] % during the planning horizon; (iii) due to low water requirement and high ecological value of grassland, it is recommended to expand grassland area to improve the sustainability of the Aral Sea Basin in the case of limited water resources.

Integrated analysis of mRNA and microRNA expression pattern reveals differential transcriptome signatures in RIPK2 over-expressing chicken macrophages infected with avian pathogenic E. coli.

1. As RIPK2 (receptor interacting serine/threonine kinase 2) has been shown to to alleviate excessive inflammatory responses, the following study conducted a systematic and in-depth analysis of the mRNA-seq and miRNA-seq data from chicken macrophages with/without over-expression of RIPK2 (oeRIPK2) combined with/without avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) infection to identify the miRNA-mRNA interaction network and potential signalling pathways involved.2. A total of 9,201 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs and 300 DE miRNA were identified in both oeRIPK2+APEC vs. APEC and oeRIPK2 vs. the wild-type (WT). Moreover, 4,269 instances of co-expression between miRNAs and mRNAs were seen involving 1,652 DE mRNAs and 164 DE miRNAs.3. Functional analysis of the DE mRNAs in the miRNA-mRNA interaction network showed that 223 biological processes and five KEGG pathways were significantly enriched in the two comparisons. In total, 128 pairs of miRNA-mRNA interactions were involved in the identified MAPK signalling pathway and focal adhesion immune related pathways.4. Significantly, these screened miRNAs (gga-miR-222b-5p and gga-miR-214) and their target genes were highly correlated with APEC infection and RIPK2. These recognised key genes, miRNA and the overall miRNA-mRNA regulatory network, enables better understanding of the molecular mechanism of host response to APEC infection, especially related to RIPK2.

Valgus-varus deformity induced abnormal tissue metabolism, inflammatory damage and apoptosis in broilers.

1. This study explored the tissue metabolic status and the relationship with inflammation in valgus-valgus deformity (VVD) broilers with increasing age.2. Tissue and blood from VVD and healthy broilers were collected at two, four and five weeks old. A fully automated biochemical analyser, real-time PCR, HE staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect tissue metabolic indexes, mRNA levels of inflammation and apoptosis cytokines in immune organs, histological changes and serum inflammation and immune-related protein contents in VVD broilers.3. The results showed that VVD increased the levels of total protein, albumin, alanine aminotransferase at five weeks of age, aspartate aminotransferase, urea and creatine kinase in blood at two weeks of age. It upregulated the gene expression of inflammatory factors IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, NF-κB and TGF-ß and apoptotic factors FAS, Bcl-2, caspase-3 and 9 in immune organs; increased levels of serum proteins TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 and decreased levels of serum immunoglobulins IgY and CD3+.4. In addition, with increasing age, IL-10 gene expression gradually increased in the BF and decreased in the spleen.5. In conclusion, VVD broilers have disorders of liver and kidney metabolism, inflammation and apoptosis of immune organs and increased levels of serum inflammatory factor proteins.

Genome-wide DNA methylation and transcriptome analyses reveal important epigenetic genes associated with valgus-varus deformity in broilers.

1. Valgus-varus deformity (VVD) is a common leg bone problem in broilers that causes serious economic losses to the breeding industry. The genetic aetiology of VVD is not clear, which restricts the genetic control of VVD.2. In this study, knee cartilage of 35-day-old VVD and normal broilers was sequenced by whole-genome bisulphite sequencing (WGBS). The unique whole-genome DNA methylation profile of VVD broilers was described, and the methylation data and transcription data were used for joint analysis.3. The mean methylation level of the VVD group was greater than that in the normal group. A total of 4315 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were detected from methylation data, with the highest DMR density on chromosomes 25, 27, 31 and 33. DMRs were mainly located in introns, which accounted for more than 60%, followed by promoter and exon regions.4. A total of 2326 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were identified from DMRs, including 1159 genes with upregulated DMRs, 936 genes with downregulated DMRs, and 231 genes with two types of DMRs.5. The ESPL1 gene may be an important epigenetic gene of VVD. The methylation of particular CpG17, CpG18 and CpG19 sites in the promoter region of the ESPL1 gene may hinder the binding of transcription factors and promoters and increase the expression of ESPL1.

[The expression and significance of protease activated receptor 2 in ovarian epithelial carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the expression and significance of protease activated receptor 2 (PAR2) in ovarian epithelial carcinoma. Methods: PAR2 mRNA expression levels in 410 cases of epithelial ovarian carcinoma and 88 cases of human normal ovary were analyzed from cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and tissue genotypic expression database (GTEx). Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of PAR2 protein was performed in 149 patients with ovarian cancer who underwent primary surgical treatment at Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Then the relationship between mRNA/protein expression of PAR2 and clinicopathological features and prognosis was analyzed. Gene functions and related signaling pathways involved in PAR2 were studied by enrichment analysis. Results: The mRNA expression of PAR2 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma was significantly higher than that in normal ovarian tissue (3.05±0.72 vs. 0.33±0.16, P=0.004). There were 77 cases showing positive and 19 showing strong positive of PAR2 IHC staining among the 149 patients, accounting for 64.4% in total. PAR2 mRNA/protein expression was closely correlated with tumor reduction effect and initial therapeutic effect (P<0.05). Survival analysis showed that the progression free survival time (P=0.033) and overall survival time (P=0.011) in the group with high PAR2 mRNA expression was significantly lower than that in the low PAR2 mRNA group. Multivariate analysis showed tumor reduction effect, initial therapeutic effect were independent prognostic factors on both progression-free survival and overall survival (P<0.05). The progression-free survival (P=0.016) and overall survival (P=0.038) of the PAR2 protein high expression group was significantly lower than that of the low group. Multivariate analysis showed PAR2 expression, initial treatment effect and chemotherapy resistance were independent prognostic factors on both progression-free survival and overall survival (P<0.05). Based on Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), PAR2 target genes were mainly enriched in function related to intercellular connection, accounting for 40%. Gene enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway (P=0.023), the MAPK signaling pathway (P=0.029) and glycolysis related pathway (P=0.018) were enriched in ovarian cancer patients with high PAR2 mRNA expression. Conclusions: PAR2 expression is closely related to tumor reduction effect, initial treatment effect and survival of ovarian cancer patients. PAR2 may be involved in Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and intercellular connection promoting ovarian cancer invasion and metastasis.