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Objective: To investigate clinical efficacy of parasacral perforator flap (PPF) on postoperative wound healing in pilonidal sinus diseases (PSDs). Methods: The surgery steps were as follows: (1) To preoperatively detect parasacral perforator arteries with the handhold Doppler probe and mark them; (2) To remove the infected and necrotic tissues of PSDs completely; (3) To design the PPF according to the wound size and the parasacral perforator arteries' localization; (4) To harvest the flap from the gluteus maximus muscle surface and transfer it to the wound without tension. Several data were documented, including surgical duration, flap length, flap width, drainage tube placement duration, hospital stay, duration from operation to stitch removal, postsurgical complications and recurrence. Results: There were six patients with PSDs whose postoperative wound healing was repaired by PPF, admitted in our department from March 2021 to March 2023. Of them, five were male and one was female. Their median age was 24 (range: 18-33) years old. Their median surgical duration was 165 (range: 134-207) minutes, median length of PPF was 8 (range: 7-11) cm, median width of PPF was 3 (range: 3-4) cm, mean duration of drainage tube placement was 8 (range: 4-17) days, mean hospital stay was 13 (range: 6-23) days, mean duration from operation to stitch removal was 14 (range: 14-17) days, median follow-up time was 6-16 months. Incisions of all six cases achieved first-intention healing without early- or late-stage complications. No recurrence occurred during follow-up. All patients involved were satisfied with their clinical efficacy. Conclusion: The utility of PPF in postoperative wound healing of PPDs was effective, safe and reliable.

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In future mass casualty medical management scenarios involving radiation injury, medical diagnostics to both identify those who have been exposed and the level of exposure will be needed. As almost all exposures in the field are heterogeneous, determination of degree of exposure and which vital organs have been exposed will be essential for effective medical management. In the current study we sought to characterize novel proteomic biomarkers of radiation exposure and develop exposure and dose prediction algorithms for a variety of exposure paradigms to include uniform total-body exposures, and organ-specific partial-body exposures to only the brain, only the gut and only the lung. C57BL6 female mice received a single total-body irradiation (TBI) of 2, 4 or 8 Gy, 2 and 8 Gy for lung or gut exposures, and 2, 8 or 16 Gy for exposure to only the brain. Plasma was then screened using the SomaScan v4.1 assay for ∼7,000 protein analytes. A subset panel of protein biomarkers demonstrating significant (FDR<0.05 and |logFC|>0.2) changes in expression after radiation exposure was characterized. All proteins were used for feature selection to build 7 different predictive models of radiation exposure using different sample cohort combinations. These models were structured according to practical field considerations to differentiate level of exposure, in addition to identification of organ-specific exposures. Each model algorithm built using a unique sample cohort was validated with a training set of samples and tested with a separate new sample series. The overall predictive accuracy for all models was 100% at the model training level. When tested with reserved samples Model 1 which compared an "exposure" group inclusive of all TBI and organ-specific partial-body exposures in the study vs. control, and Model 2 which differentiated between control, TBI and partials (all organ-specific partial-body exposures) the resulting prediction accuracy was 92.3% and 95.4%, respectively. For identification of organ-specific exposures vs. control, Model 3 (only brain), Model 4 (only gut) and Model 5 (only lung) were developed with predictive accuracies of 78.3%, 88.9% and 94.4%, respectively. Finally, for Models 6 and 7, which differentiated between TBI and separate organ-specific partial-body cohorts, the testing predictive accuracy was 83.1% and 92.3%, respectively. These models represent novel predictive panels of radiation responsive proteomic biomarkers and illustrate the feasibility of development of biodosimetry algorithms with utility for simultaneous classification of total-body, partial-body and organ-specific radiation exposures.

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Objective: To explore the force distribution on the maxillary dentition when the first and second molars distalized simultaneously with different step sizes using clear aligners in vitro in order to provide a theoretical basis for the rational design of molar distalization. Methods: Clear aligners were designed to simultaneously distalize the maxillary first and second molars bilaterally, with rectangular attachments placed on the buccal surfaces of the first and second premolars, as well as the second molars. Based on different step sizes, the aligners were divided into three groups: Group A (0.15 mm per step), Group B (0.20 mm per step), and Group C (0.25 mm per step). Ten aligners were fabricated for each group using 0.76 mm thick polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G) sheets. A three-dimensional force measurement system was used to measure the forces exerted on each tooth by the aligners, the first and second molars served as the target teeth and the remaining teeth as anchorage teeth. The three-dimensional force data were compared among the three groups. Results: In the mesiodistal direction, the forces on the central and lateral incisors were relatively small among all three groups, with no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). However, significant differences were observed in the forces on the canines, first premolars, second premolars, first molars, and second molars (P<0.05). The distal forces on the second molars in Groups B and C were (6.13±1.45) N and (6.83±1.58) N, respectively, significantly higher than that in Group A [(3.51±1.01) N] (P<0.05). The distal force on the first molars in Group C [(6.62±0.89) N] was significantly higher than that in Groups A and B (P<0.05). The mesial reactive forces on the first and second premolars in Groups B and C were significantly higher than those in Group A (P<0.05). The mesial reactive force on the canines in Group C [(-2.98±1.33) N] was significantly higher than that in Group A [(-1.69±0.68) N] (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between Groups B and C in the forces on the canines, first premolars, and second premolars (P>0.05). In the buccolingual direction, there were no statistically significant differences in the forces on the central and lateral incisors among three groups (P>0.05), but significant differences were observed in the forces on the canines, second premolars, and second molars (P<0.05). The buccolingual forces on the canines, second premolars, and second molars in Group B were (-0.56±0.54), (-2.07±0.95), (1.13±0.55) N, respectively, significantly higher than those in Group A (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences compared to Group C (P>0.05). Compared to the mesiodistal and buccolingual forces, the vertical forces on the target and anchorage teeth were relatively small in all three groups. Conclusions: When using 0.76 mm thick PET-G sheets to fabricate clear aligners for simultaneous molar distalization, a step size of 0.20 mm per step is recommended. To prevent buccal tipping of the molars during distalization, it is advisable to design lingual displacement for the molars and buccal displacement for the adjacent anchorage teeth to counteract the unfavorable forces, with attachments placed on the primary anchorage teeth.

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The Laser Blow-Off (LBO) impurity injection system is a crucial tool for studying impurity transport and plasma behavior. Conducting proactive impurity transport research is challenging on experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST) due to the uncontrollable generation of impurity sources; therefore, it is necessary to develop a laser blow-off impurity injection system for injecting controlled trace impurity particles. This study presents the design and test results of an LBO system for the EAST. The system aims to provide precise and repeatable control over the timing and quantity of impurity injection. The system primarily consists of a laser source, two mirrors, a moveable focusing lens, a target material, and a vacuum system. The movement of the focusing lens is achieved by a three-dimensional displacement system. The operation of the system is completed by a remote control system. With the accurate control system, the laser spot diameter is adjustable, allowing for modification of impurity injection quantity. The test results demonstrate that the system can rapidly detect external trigger signals and ensure precise timing for the impurity injection. Furthermore, this system can also quickly change the focal point of the laser spot, addressing the requirements for impurity injections during the experiments with less than 0.4 mm position error for laser spot focusing. Test results have shown that the aluminum film material can be peeled off by the LBO system when the laser energy exceeds 650 mJ and the smallest ablation spot is about 1 mm. This study is of significant importance for conducting plasma impurity transport research on the EAST.

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In this Letter we try to search for signals generated by ultraheavy dark matter at the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) data. We look for possible γ rays by dark matter annihilation or decay from 16 dwarf spheroidal galaxies in the field of view of the LHAASO. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are among the most promising targets for indirect detection of dark matter that have low fluxes of astrophysical γ-ray background while having large amount of dark matter. By analyzing more than 700 days of observational data at LHAASO, no significant dark matter signal from 1 TeV to 1 EeV is detected. Accordingly we derive the most stringent constraints on the ultraheavy dark matter annihilation cross section up to EeV. The constraints on the lifetime of dark matter in decay mode are also derived.

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BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation for segmental mandibular defect is vital for mastication function and facial aesthetics. Interestingly spontaneous bone regeneration after segmental mandibulectomy sporadically occurs to avoid further bony rehabilitation. This study aimed to assess the potential of spontaneous bone regeneration in the treatment of mandibular defects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic search was conducted using the PubMed, EMBASE, Wiley Online Library, and Cochrane Library databases to identify eligible studies. Critical appraisal of the included articles was done using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. RESULTS: A total of 35 studies, including 60 patients, that investigated spontaneous bone regeneration after segmental mandibulectomy were included. Among these patients, 39 (65%) were male and 21 (35%) were female, with a mean age of 20.81 ± 16.38 years. Periosteum was completely and partially preserved during mandibulectomy in 25 and 13 patients, respectively. Continuous bone regeneration between mandibular stumps was observed in 53 (88.3%) patients during follow-up. Although the mandibular stump was not stabilized in 13 (21.67%) patients, continuous bony regeneration still occurred, with a mean recovery period of 30.29 months. This was significantly greater than the overall average recovery time of 19.87 months. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous bone regeneration could occur in segmental mandibular defects, particularly in young patients with intact periosteum and rigid mandibular stump fixation.

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On 9 October 2022, the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) reported the observation of the very early TeV afterglow of the brightest-of-all-time gamma-ray burst 221009A, recording the highest photon statistics in the TeV band ever obtained from a gamma-ray burst. We use this unique observation to place stringent constraints on the energy dependence of the speed of light in vacuum, a manifestation of Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) predicted by some quantum gravity (QG) theories. Our results show that the 95% confidence level lower limits on the QG energy scales are E_{QG,1}>10 times the Planck energy E_{Pl} for the linear LIV effect, and E_{QG,2}>6×10^{-8}E_{Pl} for the quadratic LIV effect. Our limits on the quadratic LIV case improve previous best bounds by factors of 5-7.

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Objective: To develop and validate clinical and radiomics models based on gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced MRI of dual-phenotype hepatocellular carcinoma (DPHCC) for preoperative differential diagnosis. Methods: Two hundred and fifty inpatients of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) confirmed by postoperative pathology, who underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were retrospectively included. A total of 172 inpatients (72 DPHCC and 100 non-DPHCC) were included in Institution 1 (the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University) as a training cohort (between January 2020 and July 2023) and 78 inpatients (44 DPHCC and 34 non-DPHCC) were included in Institution 2 (the Third People's Hospital of Nantong) as an external validation cohort(between January 2019 and July 2023). The regions of interest of the tumor were delineated layer by layer in noncontrast phase, arterial phase (AP), portal venous phase (PP) and hepatobiliary phase (HBP) images. The software of FAE was used to extract the radiomics features of the images. Pearson correlation analysis and recursive feature elimination were used for feature selection. Each phase and combined radiomics models were established using logistic regression, linear discriminant analysis and support vector machine. Receiver operating characteristic curve and the areas under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate and select the dominant radiomics model. The dominant radiomics model was combined with clinically independent predictors to construct a clinical radiomics model. Delong test was used to compare the performance of the models. Results: The age of the training cohort was (59.6±10.4) years, in which there were 135 men (78.5%). In the external validation cohort, the age was (57.8±9.2) years, including 56 men (71.8%). The maximum diameters of the lesions [M (Q1, Q3), 4.7 (2.6, 7.5) vs 2.7 (1.8, 4.4) cm, P<0.001] and the proportion of the multiple lesions (39.5% vs 16.7%, P<0.001) in the training cohort were higher than those in the external validation cohort. In the training group, the proportion of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the DPHCC subgroup (66.7%,48/172) was higher than that in non-DPHCC subgroup (49.0%,49/78,P=0.021). In the external validation cohort, the AUC (95%CI) of the PP [0.835 (0.733-0.937)] and combined radiomics models [0.786 (0.681-0.891)] were significantly higher than that of noncontrast phase [0.451 (0.319-0.584)], AP [0.566 (0.435-0.696)] and HBP models [0.496 (0.363-0.629)] (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in AUC between PP radiomics model and combined radiomics model (P=0.189). The AUC between the radiomics models and clinical-radiomics models, which were brought into clinically independent variable HBV, showed no significant difference (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI radiomics model based on portal venous phase may be available for discriminating DPHCC from non-DPHCC before operation.

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Objective: To explore the related factors of thrombocytopenia (TCP) occurrence in patients with cirrhosis. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Inpatients with an initial diagnosis of cirrhosis at Peking University First Hospital from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2020 were included. Clinical data such as demographic characteristics, etiology of cirrhosis, complications of cirrhosis, laboratory indicators, Child-Pugh grade, invasive procedures, and mortality during hospitalization were collected. A logistic regression model was used to explore the related factors of TCP occurrence in patients with cirrhosis. Categorical variables were compared by the χ(2) test. The inter-group comparison was performed using continuous variables, a t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), or a nonparametric test. Results: There were a total of 2 592 cases of cirrhosis. 75 cases with incomplete clinical data were excluded. 2 517 cases were included for analysis. The median age was 58 (50, 67) years. Males accounted for 64%. 1 435 cases (57.0%) developed TCP, and 434 cases (17.2%) had grade 3-4 TCP. Gender, primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and concomitant esophagogastric varices (EGV) were the major factors associated with TCP. Females were more prone to combine with TCP (OR=1.32, 95%CI: 1.12-1.56, P=0.001). Patients combined with EGV (OR=3.09, 95%CI: 2.63-3.65, P<0.001) were more prone to develop TCP, which was associated with the increased incidence of hypersplenism (P<0.001). Patients with PBC (OR=0.64, 95%CI: 0.50-0.82, P<0.001) and PSC (OR=0.23, 95%CI: 0.06-0.65, P=0.010) were less prone to develop TCP, which was due to the shorter prothrombin time and better coagulation function of PBC patients (P<0.001), and the lower proportion of hypersplenism in combined PSC patients (P=0.004). Patients with TCP and grade 3-4 TCP had a higher rate of hemostatic procedures (P<0.05), but a lower rate of liver biopsy (P<0.05). Patients with grade 3-4 TCP had a higher nosocomial mortality rate compared to those without (P=0.004). Conclusion: TCP is common in patients with cirrhosis. However, TCP occurrence is higher in female patients with EGV and lower in patients combined with PBC and PSC. TCP affects invasive procedures and is associated with adverse outcomes.

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MicroRNAs (miRNA) are important regulators of oocyte maturation, playing a key role in modulating gene expression both in a temporal- and spatial-specific manner. These small non-coding RNAs are involved in important processes during oocyte maturation, acting as messengers between the oocyte and its surrounding cumulus cells. Despite its significance, the bidirectional communication mechanism is still unknown. To test miRNA communication between oocyte and surrounding cumulus cells through the gap junctions the gap junctions were either blocked with carbenoxolone or not. MiRNA sequencing of oocytes at 1, 6, and 22 h of in vitro maturation was then performed. Among the differentially expressed miRNAs, bta-miR-21-5p, a regulator of cumulus cell viability and oocyte maturation, was the only previously known miRNA. Furthermore, by labeling a bta-miR-21-5p mimic with FAM, crossing of this miRNA through the gap junctions within the cumulus-oocyte complex could be visualized and internalization in the oocyte was confirmed by RT-qPCR. In conclusion, this study provides, for the first time, evidence that miRNA communication within the bovine cumulus-oocyte complex is enabled through the gap junctional network.

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PURPOSE: To examine the effect of diabetes, duration of diabetes, and blood glucose on speech-, low/mid-, and high-frequency hearing loss. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 2821 participants aged 20-87 years in the China National Health Survey were included. Diabetes was defined as valid fasting blood glucose (FBG) of ≥ 7.0 mmol/L, a self-reported history of diabetes or the use of anti-diabetic medications. Speech-(500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz), low/mid- (500, 1000 and 2000 Hz), and high-frequency (4000, 6000, and 8000 Hz) hearing loss was defined as pure tone average of responding frequencies > 20 dB HL in the better ear, respectively. RESULTS: In fully adjusted models, for speech-, low/mid-, and high-frequency hearing loss, compared with no diabetes, those with diabetes (OR[95%CI]: 1.44 [1.12, 1.86], 1.23 [0.94, 1.61], and 1.75 [1.28, 2.41], respectively) and with diabetes for > 5 years duration (OR[95%CI]: 1.63 [1.09, 2.42], and 1.63 [1.12, 2.36], 2.15 [1.25, 3.70], respectively) were at higher risk. High FBG level was associated with a higher risk of speech-, low/ mid-, and high-frequency hearing loss. And there were stronger associations between HL and diabetes, longer duration and higher in "healthier population" (no hypertension, no dyslipidemia and younger age). CONCLUSION: Diabetes, longer duration, and higher FBG level were independently associated with hearing loss for speech-, low/mid- and high-frequency hearing loss, particularly in higher frequency and "healthier population". Paying more attention to hearing loss in those populations could lower the burden of hearing loss.

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Objective: To investigate the impact of peripheral blood inflammatory indicators on the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) complicated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed to include 178 patients with Ⅲ-Ⅳ NSCLC complicated with COPD who received at least 2 times of immunotherapy in Xinqiao Hospital of the Army Medical University from January 2019 to August 2021. Baseline peripheral blood inflammatory indicators such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were collected within 2 weeks before the first treatment, with the last one being on or before February 7, 2022. X-tile software was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of peripheral blood inflammatory indicators. The Cox multivariate regression models were used to analyze the factors affecting progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Among the 178 patients, there were 174 males (97.8%) and 4 females (2.2%); the age ranged from 42 to 86 (64.3±8.3) years old.There were 30 cases (16.9%) of immunotherapy monotherapy, 114 cases (64.0%) of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy, 21 cases (11.8%) of immunotherapy combined with antivascular therapy, and 13 cases (7.3%) of immunotherapy combined with radiotherapy. The median follow-up period was 14.5 months (95%CI: 13.6-15.3 months). The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 44.9% (80/178) and 90.4% (161/178) for the whole group, the median PFS was 14.6 months (95%CI: 11.6-17.6 months), and the median OS was 25.7 months (95%CI: 18.0-33.4 months). The results of Cox multivariate analysis showed that IL-6>9.9 ng/L (HR=5.885, 95%CI: 2.558-13.543, P<0.01), TNF-α>8.8 ng/L (HR=3.213, 95%CI: 1.468-7.032, P=0.003), IL-8>202 ng/L (HR=2.614, 95%CI: 1.054-6.482, P=0.038), systemic immune inflammatory index (SII)>2 003.95 (HR=2.976, 95%CI: 1.647-5.379, P<0.001) were risk factors for PFS, and advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI)>171.15 was protective factor for PFS (HR=0.545, 95%CI: 0.344-0.863, P=0.010). IL-6>9.9 ng/L(HR=6.124, 95%CI: 1.950-19.228, P<0.002), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)>190.7 U/L (HR=2.776, 95%CI: 1.020-7.556, P=0.046), SII>2 003.95 (HR=4.521, 95%CI: 2.241-9.120, P<0.001) were risk factors for OS, and ALI>171.15 was a protective factor for OS (HR=0.434, 95%CI: 0.243-0.778, P=0.005). Conclusion: Baseline high levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, SII, LDH, and low levels of ALI are risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with advanced NSCLC-COPD receiving immunotherapy.

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Objective: To explore the sequential chemotherapy efficacy of different chemotherapeutic regimens in ovarian epithelial carcinoma, fallopian tube carcinoma, and primary peritoneal carcinoma. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical and pathological data of 100 patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian epithelial carcinoma, fallopian tube carcinoma, and primary peritoneal carcinoma treated at Peking University Peopel's Hospital from January 1992 to January 2019. All patients underwent staging surgery or cytoreductive surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Based on different postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy regimens, patients were divided into the sequential chemotherapy group (70 cases) and the conventional chemotherapy group (30 cases). Clinical and pathological characteristics, chemotherapy efficacy, adverse reactions, and prognosis were compared between the two groups. Results: (1) Clinical and pathological characteristics: the age, tumor types (including ovarian epithelial carcinoma, fallopian tube carcinoma, and primary peritoneal carcinoma), pathological types, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, postoperative residual disease size, presence of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and total number of chemotherapy cycles were compared between the sequential chemotherapy group and the conventional chemotherapy group. There were no statistically significant differences observed in these characteristics between the two groups (all P>0.05). (2) Chemotherapy efficacy: the median sum of complete response (CR)+partial response (PR) duration in the sequential chemotherapy group was 80.0 months (range: 39 to 369 months), whereas in the conventional chemotherapy group, it was 28.0 months (range: 13 to 52 months). A statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups (Z=-7.82, P<0.001). (3) Chemotherapy adverse reactions: in the sequential chemotherapy group, 55 cases (79%, 55/70) experienced bone marrow suppression and 20 cases (29%, 20/70) had neurological symptoms. In the conventional chemotherapy group, these adverse reactions occurred in 11 cases (37%, 11/30) and 2 cases (7%, 2/30), respectively. Statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups for both bone marrow suppression and neurological symptoms (all P<0.05). For the other chemotherapy adverse reactions compared between the two groups, no statistically significant differences were observed (all P>0.05). (4) Prognosis: during the follow-up period, the recurrence rate in the sequential chemotherapy group was 73% (51/70) and in the conventional chemotherapy group was 100% (30/30). The median sum of recurrence-free interval was 70.5 months (range: 19 to 330 months) in the sequential chemotherapy group and 15.0 months (range: 6 to 40 months) in the conventional chemotherapy group. Statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups for both recurrence rate and median recurrence-free interval (all P<0.01).In the sequential chemotherapy group, the median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 84.0 months (range: 34 to 373 months), and the median overall survival (OS) time was 87.0 months (range: 45 to 377 months). In contrast, in the conventional chemotherapy group, the median PFS time was 30.5 months (range: 14 to 60 months), and the median OS time was 37.5 months (range: 18 to 67 months). Statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups for both PFS and OS (all P<0.001). In the sequential chemotherapy group, the 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year OS rates were 100% (70/70), 93% (65/70), and 21% (15/70), respectively. In contrast, in the conventional chemotherapy group, the OS rates were 50% (15/30) at 3 years, 3% (1/30) at 5 years, and 0 at 10 years, respectively. The two groups were compared respectively, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Sequential chemotherapy significantly prolongs PFS and OS in patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma, fallopian tube carcinoma, and primary peritoneal carcinoma. The efficacy is superior to that of the conventional chemotherapy, with manageable adverse reactions. The use of sequential chemotherapy as first-line treatment for patients with ovarian epithelial carcinoma, fallopian tube carcinoma, and primary peritoneal carcinoma is recommended.

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1. Male and female Chukar partridges are difficult to differentiate based on their morphology or by the Chromobox-Helicase-DNA binding (CHD) during early growth.2. The current study developed a novel, simple, low-cost and rapid sexing protocol for Chukar partridges based on the newly defined sexing gene ubiquitin-associated protein 2 (UBAP2).3. The length of polymorphism between UBAP2-W and UBAP2-Z homologous genes allows for easy sex discrimination in this species. Molecular sexing analysis was based on the simultaneous amplification of both genes, resulting in two distinct amplicons (947 bp and 535 bp) in heterogametic females and only a single band (535 bp) in homogametic males, which is easy to detect with agarose gel electrophoresis.4. This technique is simple and convenient for genetic sex determination in Chukar partridges.

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We present the measurements of all-particle energy spectrum and mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays in the energy range of 0.3-30 PeV using data collected from LHAASO-KM2A between September 2021 and December 2022, which is based on a nearly composition-independent energy reconstruction method, achieving unprecedented accuracy. Our analysis reveals the position of the knee at 3.67±0.05±0.15 PeV. Below the knee, the spectral index is found to be -2.7413±0.0004±0.0050, while above the knee, it is -3.128±0.005±0.027, with the sharpness of the transition measured with a statistical error of 2%. The mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays is almost heavier than helium in the whole measured energy range. It decreases from 1.7 at 0.3 PeV to 1.3 at 3 PeV, representing a 24% decline following a power law with an index of -0.1200±0.0003±0.0341. This is equivalent to an increase in abundance of light components. Above the knee, the mean logarithmic mass exhibits a power law trend towards heavier components, which is reversal to the behavior observed in the all-particle energy spectrum. Additionally, the knee position and the change in power-law index are approximately the same. These findings suggest that the knee observed in the all-particle spectrum corresponds to the knee of the light component, rather than the medium-heavy components.

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a modified sericin hydrogel scaffold loaded with dexamethasone (SMH-CD/DEX) scaffold for promoting bone defect healing by stimulating anti-inflammatory macrophage polarization. METHODS: The light-curable SMH-CD/DEX scaffold was prepared using dexamethasone-loaded NH2-ß-cyclodextrin (NH2-ß-CD) and sericin hydrogel and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), biocompatibility assessment and drug release test. THP-1 macrophages incubated with the scaffold were examined for protein expressions of iNOS and Arg-1, mRNA expressions of IL-6, Il-10, Arg-1 and iNOS, and surface markers CD86 and CD206 using Western blotting, RT-qPCR, and flow cytometry. In a co-culture system of human periodontal ligament stem cells (HPDLSCs) and THP-1 macrophages, the osteogenic ability of the stem cells incubated with the scaffold was evaluated by detecting protein expressions of COL1A1 and Runx2 and expressions of ALP, Runx2, OCN and BMP2 mRNA, ALP staining, and alizarin red staining. In a rat model of mandibular bone defect, the osteogenic effect of the scaffold was assessed by observing bone regeneration using micro-CT and histopathological staining. RESULTS: In THP-1 macrophages, incubation with SMH-CD/DEX scaffold significantly enhanced protein expressions of Arg-1 and mRNA expressions of IL-10 and Arg-1 and lowered iNOS protein expression and IL-6 and iNOS mRNA expressions. In the co-culture system, SMH-CD/DEX effectively increased the protein expressions of COL1A1 and Runx2 and mRNA expressions of ALP and BMP2 in HPDLSCs and promoted their osteogenic differentiation. In the rat models, implantation of SMH-CD/DEX scaffold significantly promoted bone repair and bone regeneration in the bone defect. CONCLUSION: The SMH-CD/DEX scaffold capable of sustained dexamethasone release promotes osteogenic differentiation of stem cells and bone defect repair in rats by regulating M2 polarization.

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1. This study focused on the relationship between MITF mRNA expression and plumage colour in quail and the effect of promoter methylation on the expression of MITF mRNA.2. The CDS region of MITF mRNA was cloned by RT-PCR, followed by DNA sequencing. The RT-qPCR method was used to analyse the expression levels of MITF mRNA in dorsal skin tissue in Korean quail and Beijing white quail. The promoter region of the MITF gene was cloned, and the CpG island was predicted by the CpGplot program. The methylation levels of the CpG island were analysed using BS-PCR technology.3. Quail MITF mRNA contains a 1,476 bp complete ORF, which encodes a 492 amino acid residue protein. The MITF protein has no signal peptide or transmembrane region. The expression of MITF mRNA in dorsal tissue of Korean quail was significantly higher than that in Beijing white quail (p < 0.01). Abundant cis-elements and a 346 bp CpG island were found in the promoter region of the MITF gene. The average methylation level of the CpG island was 22 (22%) in Korean quail, and 46 (30%) in Beijing white quail (p < 0.05).4. The hypermethylation of the MITF gene promoter region in Beijing white quail resulted in a decrease in expression level, which was related to white feather colour.

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There is a need for point-of-care diagnostics for future mass casualty events involving radiation exposure. The development of radiation exposure and dose prediction algorithms for biodosimetry is needed for screening of large populations during these scenarios, and exploration of the potential effects which sex, age, genetic heterogeneity, and physiological comorbidities may have on the utility of biodosimetry diagnostics is needed. In the current study, proteomic profiling was used to examine sex-specific differences in age-matched C57BL6 mice on the blood proteome after radiation exposure, and the usefulness of development and application of biodosimetry algorithms using both male and female samples. Male and female mice between 9-11 weeks of age received a dose of total-body irradiation (TBI) of either 2, 4 or 8 Gy and plasma was collected at days 1, 3 and 7 postirradiation. Plasma was then screened using the SomaScan v4.1 assay for ∼7,000 protein analytes. A subset panel of protein biomarkers demonstrated significant (FDR < 0.05 and |logFC| > 0.2) changes in expression after radiation exposure. All proteins were used for feature selection to build predictive models of radiation exposure using different sample and sex-specific cohorts. Both binary (prediction of any radiation exposure) and multidose (prediction of specific radiation dose) model series were developed using either female and male samples combined or only female or only male samples. The binary series (models 1, 2 and 3) and multidose series (models 4, 5 and 6) included female/male combined, female only and male only respectively. Detectable values were obtained for all ∼7,000 proteins included in the SomaScan assay for all samples. Each model algorithm built using a unique sample cohort was validated with a training set of samples and tested with a separate new sample series. Overall predictive accuracies in the binary model series was ∼100% at the model training level, and when tested with fresh samples, 97.9% for model 1 (female and male) and 100% for model 2 (female only) and model 3 (male only). When sex-specific models 2 and 3 were tested with the opposite sex, the overall predictive accuracy rate dropped to 62.5% for model 2 and remained 100% for model 3. The overall predictive accuracy rate in the multidose model series was 100% for all models at the model training level and, when tested with fresh samples, 83.3%, 75% and 83.3% for Multidose models 4-6, respectively. When sex-specific model 5 (female only) and model 6 (male only) were tested with the opposite sex, the overall predictive accuracy rate dropped to 52.1% and 68.8%, respectively. These models represent novel predictive panels of radiation-responsive proteomic biomarkers and illustrate the utility and necessity of considering sex-specific differences in development of radiation biodosimetry prediction algorithms. As sex-specific differences were observed in this study, and as use of point-of-care radiation diagnostics in future mass casualty settings will necessarily include persons of both sexes, consideration of sex-specific variation is essential to ensure these diagnostic tools have practical utility in the field.

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Objective: To determine the predictive value of dynamic changes of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) combined with the model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score in patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure. Methods: Patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure who were hospitalized in the Department of Hepatology of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January 2010 to July 2023 were retrospectively enrolled. According to the clinical outcomes of patients within 30 days of admission, they were divided into the survival group and the death group. The dynamic changes in NLR and initial values on day 3, 5, 8, and 12 in two groups were analyzed for the diagnostic value of 30-day prognosis in patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure. Logistic regression analysis and machine learning XGBoost algorithm were used to evaluate the risk factors influencing the prognosis of patients at 30 days. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of NLR and initial value change combined with MELD score on day 12 of admission in patients with chronic acute hepatitis B liver failure. Results: A total of 243 patients were enrolled in the study, including 145 patients in the survival group [115 males, 30 females, aged 25-74 (47±11)] and 98 patients in the death group [80 males, 18 females, aged 22-80 (49±13) ]. The median initial NLR of survival group and death group were 3.5 (2.1, 5.3) and 4.9 (2.9, 8.3), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.003). The variation of NLR from the initial value on day 3, 5, 8, and 12 in the survival group [1.6 (0, 4.3), 1.9 (-0.2, 4.1), 2.0 (-0.1, 4.3) and 2.9 (0.3, 7.0), respectively] were lower than that in the death group [3.2 (0.9, 7.5), 5.1 (1.8, 7.6), 5.8 (2.0, 10.6) and 9.6 (3.5, 16.4), respectively] (all P<0.001). Logistic regression multivariate analysis showed that the changes in NLR on the 12th day and initial value (OR=1.07,95%CI:1.01-1.14, P=0.014), the changes in NLR on the 3rd day and initial value (OR=2.71, 95%CI: 1.32-5.55, P=0.007), the initial value of NLR (OR=1.18,95%CI:1.01-1.37,P=0.035) and fibrinogen (OR=0.21,95%CI:0.05-0.96,P=0.044) were related factors for death within 30 days. Machine learning XGBoost algorithm showed that the weight of the change between the NLR on the 12th day and the initial value was the highest. The area under the ROC curve of the combined MELD score was 0.812 (95%CI: 0.728-0.895), the specificity was 67.78%, and the sensitivity was 82.35%. Conclusion: Dynamic change of NLR combined with MELD score has high predictive value for the short-term prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure.

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Objective: To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) in patients with heart failure. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of patients with heart failure who underwent CCM placement at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from February to June 2022. With a follow-up of 3 months, CCM sensation, impedance, percent output, and work time were monitored, and patients were compared with pre-and 3-month postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) values, and 6-minute walk test distance and New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function classification, and the occurrence of complications was recorded. Results: CCM was successfully implanted in all 9 patients. Seven(7/9) of them were male, aged (56±14) years, 3 patients had ischaemic cardiomyopathy and 6 patients had dilated cardiomyopathy. At 3-month postoperative follow-up, threshold was stable, sense was significantly lower at follow-up than before (right ventricle: (16.3±7.0) mV vs. (8.2±1.1) mV, P<0.05; local sense: (15.7±4.9) mV vs. (6.7±2.5) mV, P<0.05), and impedance was significantly lower at follow-up than before (right ventricle (846±179) Ω vs. (470±65) Ω, P<0.05, local sense: (832±246) Ω vs. (464±63) Ω, P<0.05). The CCM output percentage was (86.9±10.7) %, the output amplitude was (6.7±0.4) V, and the daily operating time was (8.6±1.0) h. LVEF was elevated compared to preoperative ((29.4±5.2) % vs. (38.3±4.3) %, P<0.05), the 6-minute walk test was significantly longer than before ((96.8±66.7)m vs. (289.3±121.7)m, P<0.05). No significant increase in the number of NYHA Class Ⅲ-Ⅳ patients was seen (7/9 vs. 2/9, P>0.05). The patient was not re-hospitalised for worsening heart failure symptoms, had no malignant arrhythmic events and experienced significant relief of symptoms such as chest tightness and shortness of breath. No postoperative complications related to pocket hematoma, pocket infection and rupture, electrode detachment, valve function impairment, pericardial effusion, or cardiac perforation were found. Conclusions: CCM has better short-term safety and efficacy in patients with heart failure.

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