Oscillating paramagnetic Meissner effect and Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ.

Superconducting phase transitions in two dimensions lie beyond the description of the Ginzburg-Landau symmetry-breaking paradigm for three-dimensional superconductors. They are Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transitions of paired-electron condensate driven by the unbinding of topological excitations, i.e. vortices. The recently discovered monolayers of layered high-transition-temperature ([Formula: see text]) cuprate superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ (Bi2212) meant that this 2D superconductor promised to be ideal for the study of unconventional superconductivity. But inhomogeneity posed challenges for distinguishing BKT physics from charge correlations in this material. Here, we utilize the phase sensitivity of scanning superconducting quantum interference device microscopy susceptometry to image the local magnetic response of underdoped Bi2212 from the monolayer to the bulk throughout its phase transition. The monolayer segregates into domains with independent phases at elevated temperatures below [Formula: see text]. Within a single domain, we find that the susceptibility oscillates with flux between diamagnetism and paramagnetism in a Fraunhofer-like pattern up to [Formula: see text]. The finite modulation period, as well as the broadening of the peaks when approaching [Formula: see text] from below, suggests well-defined vortices that are increasingly screened by the dissociation of vortex-antivortex plasma through a BKT transition. In the multilayers, the susceptibility oscillation differs in a small temperature regime below [Formula: see text], consistent with a dimensional crossover led by interlayer coupling. Serving as strong evidence for BKT transition in the bulk, we observe a sharp jump in phase stiffness and paramagnetism at small fields just below [Formula: see text]. These results unify the superconducting phase transitions from the monolayer to the bulk underdoped Bi2212, and can be collectively referred to as the BKT transition with interlayer coupling.

Identification and analysis of genes associated with the severity and prognosis of sepsis.

BACKGROUND: With rapid progression, severe illness and high fatality rate, sepsis has become an acute and critical condition that seriously threatens human life and health. OBJECTIVE: To detect miR-210 and miR-494 expression in patients with sepsis and their relationship with severity and prognosis. METHODS: A total of 165 sepsis patients participated, including 105 patients with septic non-shock and 60 patients with septic shock. 53 sepsis patients died in 28 days, and 112 patients survived. The clinical information of all sepsis patients was retrospectively searched and reviewed. Based on the status of 28-day survival, they were categorized into survival group and death group. The expression levels in each group were compared on the first, third and seventh day. The ROC curve was applied to know the expression level of plasma miR-210 and miR-494 to predict the death. RESULTS: The two miRNAs expression of the septic shock group were significantly higher than that in sepsis non-shock group on the first, third and seventh day (all were P< 0.05). The ROC curve found that the AUC combined to predict the death on the third day was the largest, which was 0.925 (95%CI: 0.864-0.983). The sensitivity and specificity were 94.6% and 86.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The increased expression levels of plasma miR-210 and miR-494 are closely relevant to the severity and prognosis of sepsis patients. Combining the two items on the third day can predict the death of sepsis patients.

Clinical utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in pathogen detection for lower respiratory tract infections and impact on clinical outcomes in southernmost China.

Background: Today, metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as a diagnostic tool for infections. However, since Hainan has a complicated pathogen spectrum, the diagnostic value and impact on patient outcomes of mNGS in Hainan are to be explored. Methods: From April 2020 to October 2021, 266 suspected lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) patients in Hainan were enrolled, and specimens were collected before antibiotic treatment. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were subjected to mNGS and culture to compare the diagnostic performance. Other conventional microbiological tests (CMT) were also performed. Patients' treatments and clinical outcomes were recorded, and the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were detected via mNGS workflow. Results: The positive rate of mNGS outperformed that of culture (87.55% vs. 39.30%, p<0.001) and CMT (87.12% vs. 52.65%, p<0.001). Specifically, mNGS detected more P. aeruginosa (12.03% vs 9.02%, p<0.05), H. influenzae (9.77% vs 2.26%, p<0.001), Aspergillus fumigatus (3.00% vs 0.75%, p<0.05), Candida albicans (26.32% vs 7.52%, p<0.001) and uncommon pathogens. It also demonstrated great diagnostic advantages in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with 80% sensitivity and 97.4% specificity. Over half of the patients (147, 55.26%) had modified empirical treatment according to mNGS results and 89.12% of them responded well. For three deaths with modified treatment, multiple drug resistance was predicted by mNGS and confirmed by antibiotic susceptibility test. Conclusions: The application of mNGS can benefit clinics in pathogen identification and antimicrobial treatment stewardship. Physicians should be alert to some emerging uncommon pathogens, including Chlamydia Psittaci, Nocardia otitidiscaviarum, and rare NTM.

[Prognostic value of microRNA-122 combined with APACHE II score in patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value of microRNA-122 (miR-122) combined with acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score in patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and to provide evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of ARDS. METHODS: ARDS patients admitted to the Third People's Hospital of Haikou City from January 2016 to December 2018 were enrolled. The general data, serum miR-122 expression level and APACHE II score within 24 hours were collected. The patients were divided into survival group and death group according to the survival status of ARDS patients. ARDS patients were divided into low-risk group (< 10 scores), medium-risk group (10-20 scores) and high-risk group (> 20 scores) according to APACHE II score. Predictive values of miR-122 and APACHE II scores on prognosis in ARDS patients were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The correlation between the serum miR-122 expression and APACHE II score in patients with ARDS was calculated by Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: A total of 142 ARDS patients were selected, 94 male and 48 female; with age (56.80±11.30) years old; 55 deaths and 87 survivors; 67 of high-risk, 48 of medium-risk and 27 of low-risk. The expression of serum miR-122 and APACHE II score in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group [miR-122 (2-ΔΔCt): 0.26±0.12 vs. 0.07±0.03, APACHE II: 31.84±4.25 vs. 15.30±2.60, both P < 0.01]. With the severity increase of the disease, the serum miR-122 expression level, APACHE II score, and mortality rate of ARDS patients gradually elevated, and the difference between the two groups was significant in the low-risk group, medium-risk group, and high-risk group [miR-122 (2-ΔΔCt): 0.05±0.02, 0.14±0.06, 0.23±0.09; APACHE II: 12.30±2.15, 20.62±3.40, 28.90±3.60; mortality rate: 11.1%, 31.2%, 55.2%, respectively, all P < 0.05]. ROC curve analysis showed that miR-122 and APACHE II score could predict the death of ARDS patients, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.835 [95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.776-0.893] and 0.790 (95%CI = 0.732-0.854); the predicted value of the miR-122 combined with APACHE II score (AUC = 0.918, 95%CI = 0.857-0.972) was higher than the single miR-122 and APACHE II score (both P < 0.05), with sensitivity and specificity were 91.3% and 86.4% respectively. The correlation analysis showed that the expression of serum miR-122 was positively correlated with APACHE II score in death patient with ARDS (r = 0.825, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum miR-122 expression level is associated with disease severity and prognosis of ARDS patients; miR-122 combination with APACHE II score has a high evaluation value on prognosis of ARDS patients.